Unresponsive, dead, detached. Her eyes speak of darkness and shadows, death and plagues he has no knowledge of. She stumbles away from him when he comes to her, the only sign- and the saddest one he knows- that she is still somewhat coherent. Her eyes were locked upon Antheia as if she’d seen the devil himself coming to drag her down to hell, and it made something tremble deep inside of Kaj. The look alone was enough to scare him out of his wits, concerned for her. What could possibly happen to her to make her look so hollowly towards such a kindly herd member? But what is possibly most concerning is that she doesn’t so much as flinch as he touches her, something that would have spurned a far more violent reaction any other day. As he speaks her precious nickname, something inside her shifts, and suddenly she is crying. Thick blood slides down her cheek, prompted by the salty liquid, and Kaj’s heart lurches into his throat at the sight. Res shakes her crown, pale strawberry and cream locks swaying in a ripple at the action, but words still refuse to make it past her clamped lips, as if she is physically not able to form them.

In a swift, shocking movement she is pressed, tiny and frail, against his much larger frame. He stares down at her, baby blues wide and surprised. She continued to sob soundlessly against him, cheek pressed into his shoulder as if to hide away from the world that had done nothing but stomp and spit upon her. Lips moved, gaping in an attempt to speak, but nothing was forthcoming. "It’s okay, zusje, it’s okay. Nobody is going to hurt you. Antheia isn’t going to hurt you. You’re home. You’re okay. I’m here." He continued to croon to her in his deep, deep voice, letting the rumble and shake of his chest transfer to her in a hopefully comforting sound as she pressed close to him.

Kaj sent an apologetic gaze towards Antheia for not responding to her greeting, knowing he had not been particularly polite, but could you blame him? He’d been caring for Resplendence since they’d first met, and the instinct to run to her, cover her, shield her, was far too intense for him to stop for polite chatter. It was the same for any of the Edge members who called out for help, who appeared to be in harm. Kaj would do the same thing in an instant for Antheia, did she not understand?

Distracted by a pull upon his wing he glances down, surprised once more, to see Resplendence desperately pulling his wing down against her body. Obliging her, hoping to comfort her in her distraught state, he pressed his wing fully over and even somewhat beneath her belly, holding her close to his side, shielding her nearly completely from view. She was so small, he felt as if he could crush her with a single squeeze, and it hurt him in an unknown way to know that any other soul could likely do the same thing. Kaj may be eloquent, and he may not withhold his words, but he was not well-versed in many things. His thoughts took a very simple, one-way track, and complex emotions like these confused him, made him distraught and anxious. He simply didn’t understand.

But if she felt safe within his wing, he would not deny her.

Antheia spoke then, Resplendence going still once more, and Kaj took a deep, long breath to get himself under control once more before turning and meeting Antheia’s gaze. ”I’m sorry, she’s like my baby sister, I did not intend to be so impolite.” Dipping his crown slightly to display his sincere apology as he spoke this. ”I admit to having lost my blood sister before she was a full cycle of seasons of age. I cannot recognize the signs well...thank you for your insight. What...what do I do to help her?” Sighing, his baby blues were conflicted, confused. Why couldn’t he understand them? Why couldn’t he reach into their hearts, their souls? Those who dwelled in Helovia were so incredibly complex, and it frightened him, because he didn’t know if one day it would be his downfall. He loved them all with an intense passion, but in the end, would it be enough?