((Kay.))

Kirano padded up to Kioko, and sat down beside her, gesturing for her to do the same, but she stood.
What's wrong Kioko? Your sorrow is coming off of you in waves.
Her eyes were sad as she looked up at Kirano.
None of your business. I'm just...Nevermind.
She turned away, but Kirano gto up and blocked her.
What is it?
Nothing! Geez. I'm the oldest, but you treat me as if I'm from a youger litter.
Kirano stood his ground.
Kioko. I have traveled with you far too long to let you ruin our bond now.
She sighed, and gave in.
Kirano...You yourself know that I have few friends, due to our constant travelling, right?
Yes.
Well, Tamarand's somewhat the same. He refused every attempt I made to be a friend, though.
Her mental voice broke as she let sorrow take over.
Her orange pelt seemed to dull.

Shyra made her way back to the overgrown clearing, her crimson fur a dull color and her mouth drawn back in a grim sort of way. she felt sick, not knowing how Tamarand had felt for so long. She spotted Kirano and Kioko off to the side. Kioko looked worse than Shyra did. With a sigh tht made her stomach turn, she walkd up to them and mentally said,

I couldn't stop Tamarand, I don't think he'll be coming back for a while...

Only to Kirano, she asked,

how is she?

Still connected to Kirano mentally for the first sentence, Kioko turned toward Shyra, her eyes intent. She broke the mental link, and started weaving through her plants again.
What's wrong with Tamarand? Why isn't he coming back? I have to go find him. But I'll have to wait until they leave...

Kirano glanced at Kioko as she started moving about again. Her orange pelt was still dulled.
Not good. I myself feel sorry for her.

Shyra's eyebrows went up, furrowed like an upside-down 'V'. She sighed and shook her head, replying,

I just don't know what to do anymore. Things long burried have been brought to the surface again and I don't think I have the strength to smother them down.

Shyra tilted her head at him, confused.

What do you mean?

Shyra winced at that word, 'friendless'. he lowered her eyes to the ground and said,

Ever since my mother died it's just been me, Tamarand and Kale. One of us always runs off for some time before coming back but we never made any friends, we moved around too much. What you have with those other two, kylane and Vince, that's something special. I can understand what Kioko wants. What she doesn't understand is that Tamarand is the most sensitive of us all. All throughout our journeys he was the least connected with others, the one to run away most often and for the longest times. 

Kirano nodded.
So that's why.
He waited a moment before speaking again.
I figured out the second emotion Kioko's been feeling.
He didn't mention that a slight thrd had wormed its way in.
Its lonlieness. Sorrow and lonlieness.
He turned around to look back at Kioko, but she was gone.

Kioko ran as hard as she could. Kirano and Shyra had been haveing a mental conversation, distracting her brother. She glanced over her shoulder, for signs of pusuit, but saw none. She still didn't slow her pace. She followed the still-fresh scent trail of Tamarand.
"Tamarand?!"
She hoped he hadn't gone far.

Shyra was about o answer Kirano when she noticed Kioko was gone. She sighed and said,

Maybe Tamarand and Kioko are the perfect solution to one another. After a moment, she added, But only if he can overcome his past....

---

Tamarand stopped short, looking behind him as Kioko's voice rang out through the darkness. Should I answer her? He thought to himself. Confusion roiled in him as he stared at the ground, trying in vain to extract an answer from it. With a resigned sigh, he called out,

"Over here..."

Kioko trotted over to Tamarand and sat, her eyes still held sorrow.
"I'm...I'm sorry for getting that upset. And I'm so utterly sorry. Because all this time I've been worrying about my troubles, and not even caring to listen to yours."
Feeling guilty, she looked at the ground.

Kirano nodded.
They'd be perfect. And Kioko's got a way of helping others with trouble. She's had...quite a traumatic life as a pup.

Tamarand looked at her and said,

"I'm the on who's at fault here, I should have given an explanation before just suddenly fighting you." He returned his gaze to the ground and added, "I had no right to be angry at you. The one I'm really angry wiht is myself....."

----

Shyra nodded and said,

Same with Tamarand. He blames himself for... well, everything

Kioko met his gaze with a fierce look.
"No. Don't blame yourself. And don't be angry with yourself. Nothing you have done could ever outmatch everything good you've done."

Kirano looked around.
Kioko feels that if she had been more careful, our mother wouldn't be as she is now. She was permanantly wounded when Kioko got taken by humans. Our mom went after them, taking a bullet in one wing, and another in the other shoulder. She has been scarred since.

Tamarand met her eyes, his filled with shame and self-loathing. He said,

"What good have I ever done? Nothing, that's what...."

Tamarand met her gaze once more, his heart pounding in his ears. He quietly said,

"What if I don't want a friend...."

He instantly regretted saying that and looked away, turning an odd shade of red.

Kioko continued to watch him.
"Then you're gonna have to deal with it. I'm not quitting."
She stood, and regain her happy composure.
"I think we need to get back to the others. When Kirano was talking to me, I could feel that he had come for a purpose."

((You made me wait forever! How dare you?))

((XDD sorry P: Kioko's so dense <3 ))

Tamarand sighed in relief, grateful that she had not realized the true meaning behind his words. He nodded and followed her.

---

Shyra shifted her weight from one paw to another, a bit nervous.

I wonder if they're ever coming back....

((Lol. She took it the other way around. Its still darkish, so really, she couldn't have seen him turn red.))

Kioko padded along beside him, her mind busy. She was thinking about how mad kirano would be when she got back. She had run off without him knwing, when he really wanted to keep tabs on her. Which got her to thinking.
Ever since we met up with Kurano and Aurora, Kirano and I seemed to grow further apart. None of us seem to really talk anymore. I mean, Kirano never talked anyway...But....

Kirano shrugged. At that point, he felt both Tamarand and Kioko come closer.
Shyra! She got Tamarand to come back! I told you she could.