Chapter 161: Feelings
The hideout was quieter than usual tonight.
The fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the worn stone walls. Outside, the wind howled through the trees, but inside, everything was still. Riven sat cross-legged on the floor.
"You were a smart kid to make yourself a small fireplace. It gets especially cold in winter." Ronan commented while relaxing.
Riven simply smiled at that comment. His tail swished behind him, black ears perked. He was playing with a thread sticking out from a pillow, brow furrowed in deep thought, an unusual look for someone who normally had the emotional range of a hyper squirrel.
Ronan tied his snow white hair into a ponytail to keep it from falling on his face. Usually, he had it tied, but Riven liked his hair better open, so he changed his style.
"So," Riven started, voice softening as he stared into the fire, "what is your plan, Ronan?"
Ronan stilled. "What do you mean?"
Riven tilted his head, green eyes glowing in the firelight. "To deal with everything. With the elders. With all of this. What was your grand plan, Alpha?"
Ronan turned away, his jaw tightening. "I will handle it, just as I always have. It will be fine."
Ronan glanced at him. "What was your plan then, Riven? Why did you insist on coming back here? Your childhood home is not something you are fond of."
Riven’s grin faltered.