real for a millisecond }} return

[Alexandre]

— alexandre f.m.r

The voice of a child caused his orange hues to turn upwards and his chin to raise up from the sand. Pupils narrowed. Alexandre's gaze turned back towards his parents, lost for words. 'Mammas?' The mere word bounced in his head as he sat motionless, staring at Roxanne for answers. Who was this girl? Why was she calling his parents their mom? The weary boy tried to speak and ask for answers, but nothing came out. What questions he had just came out as hot breath.

He had been gone for so long. Panicked orbs switched between the crowd that had begun to gathered, awaiting their assistance or general comfort, only to be met with... nothing. Vayne meant no harm, but her presence had already hurt him. Thoughts in his mind swirled. Was this... his replacement? Had he been captured long enough that his parents adopted another child to fill the void? Worried and unable to speak, he felt lost. All the sensitive apprentice could do was listen. Roxanne following in tow with a purr only made him feel worse.

As Roan announced his presence, his gaze began to soften. Whiskers twitched and his head craned, trying to signal a heartfelt hello, only to be met with no results. No comfort. No diagnosis. Nothing his brother could do. Alexandre's teeth clamped downwards and began to grit together, trying to hold back tears. He wanted to cry out. His leg was broken, he was tired, and most of all, he needed substance. Wallowing in defeat, he momentarily laid his head back down into the sand. He should have died. In fact, the feline would have preferred it, but the beast inside had caved.

Paw steps returned shortly. His gaze shot upwards in an instant as the rabbit collided with a firm thump. The feline's visible fear caused Alexandre shuffled backwards in a panic. Pain shot up his hindleg, causing a high-pitched yowl to leave him and the apprentice to topple to the floor once again. Sojourn's capture had initially caused his broken leg. His time within enemy territory caused it to heal incorrectly and rebreak on occasion though, leaving him temporarily crippled. His reaction to the corpse before him was a different story. After being forced to eat feline flesh by the Coalition's leader and cannibalize another to avoid death, even looking at a corpse was traumatic.

With a heavy breath and heart pounding, he sputtered out his first word since returning. "N-no," Alexandre croaked. He didn't want to go back to being in that state, no matter how satisfying the rush felt in the moment.