I paused in the middle of examining a chunk of sandstone. I frowned, lowering it to the ground.
"What? Are you offended by silicate grains?" Animus suggested jokingly.
"No," I said. "I feel bad that I'm having fun. Because I should try to go home, but I don't want to. Not yet."
Animus regarded me with an expression I couldn't read.
"Well, youarethe victim of kidnapping, regardless of how much fun you're having," Animus remarked. "There's not much you can do except wait."
"That's true. Like you said, I can't outrun you. And I don't want to, anyway." I looked at him. "Do you have a family?"
His expression quickly changed into a sneer. "No."
I suddenly felt bad for him.
"That's sad. You should get one," I said.
He scoffed. "Trust me, I'm quite all right without one."
I thought that was a strange thing to say. Even if I didn't always understand my family members, I still loved them. We took care of each other. And if Animus didn't have a family, then it saddened me that nobody took care of him.
"What if you were part of my family?" I suggested.
Animus let out a loud, cackling laugh. "Oh, that's a good one."
"I wasn't joking."
His shoulders tensed and his mouth was stretched in a snarl, but it didn't seem aggressive—he seemed more scared than anything else, like a wolf baring its teeth when backed into a corner.
"Don't make such outlandish suggestions," Animus said. "Your pack despises me."
"Not all of them," I pointed out. "Some of my cousins defend you."
Animus rolled his eyes. "How inspiring. Don't waste your breath trying to convince me. It won't happen."
Animus was as stubborn as my sister. Good thing she taught me to practice patience.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because family only betrays you," Animus snapped.
I went quiet at his stark declaration. My pack had never done that. What did he mean?
"Families aren't supposed to betray each other," I said.
"Mine did," he said through his teeth.
"How so?"
A long, taut silence passed before Animus turned around to face me. His lips curled into a snarl, but I saw pain in his moon-shard eyes.
"Not all families are like yours, Leveret. They don't all frolic under rainbows," Animus growled.
I was going to say we didn't do that either, but I recalled a few instances after it had rained where that indeed happened. In any case, I didn't bring it up.
"Do you know what my supposed family did to me?" Animus demanded, taking a step towards me. Other than when I'd carried him here, it was the closest he'd ever been. I regarded his soft-looking, pale cheeks, and the black feathery eyelashes that framed his unique eyes.
I wanted to tell him how pretty he was, but I didn't think it was the right time.