Skin was warm and soft against his shoulder as he hefted upon himself the weight of her sorrows and bodice in turn. She glows until it radiates in turn upon his own frame, casting them in shades of yellow and gold that chases away the loneliness of the night that they waded through together. He is granted a smile, demure and crushed beneath the weight of a story untold, but Kaj relishes it readily. Perhaps it will be his only token to keep from this meeting, but even if it was he would happily clutch it to his heart with the knowledge that he'd kept a single soul from sputtering out. That was far greater a gift, after all.

Tiny ears swivel towards his voice, attentive, and he prays quietly to himself that for once his eloquence will win out over his normally quiet countenance. He hopes that he will find the right words to bring her back from the edge, back to his side, beneath the warm comfort and protection of his wing. Kaj had never taken well to words, in his own opinion, but if he was capable of leading and inspiring a herd, perhaps he was also capable of repairing her shattered soul.

His own sorrows momentarily take over him, trying to lend a sympathetic story that ended happily rather than with death and peace. Or so he would tell her, for his own heart was weary with the past seasons, and such happiness was rare and scattered far for the noble king. But it was far better than death, he ruminated to himself. Each musing is succinctly shattered by the stretching of her muzzle towards him, dark and inviting, and he responded with a quiet extension of his own. Gold on ebonite, sharing what meager strength they both had remaining to allow each other to continue standing.

Each lyric was soft, and relief shattered over his consciousness to hear the subtle gratitude in her tone. He glanced at her, all doe eyes and silken blues, taking upon his shoulders her compliment and using it to lighten a heart too heavy to give her real hope. Her smile worked wonders even further, and he returned it, hoping to support her in the large, painful steps she was taking in that moment. The first steps were always the hardest, after all.

A lick of shame caressed him, to not have known her name nor cared to give his own. Had he? He could not recall. If he had not, it was highly disrespectful, and he bowed his head momentarily beneath the gold coins of her gaze to express his regret. "It would be my honor," he assured softly at first, grateful to have been awarded even the smallest of chances to help her. Perhaps he could do right by her, as he had not been able to with Resplendence. "My name is Kaj, King of the World's Edge, west of this forest. Will you allow me to take you there, introduce you to my family? We would welcome you with open arms, miss Azaneen. No harm is left untended, be it of the mind, heart, or body. We would heal you as one, to our capabilities, and should you ever deign to leave our lands you would take our blessings with you," he murmured, for he knew there may be a time where she sought a different path than the one he introduced to her in that moment.

@[Azaneen] Similarly late ;-; so sorry