The murmurs hushed completely as the child broke away from the cluster, his small feet pattering across the floor.
His cheeks were blotched red, his eyes still rimmed with tears that had left faint tracks down his face. He sniffled as he ran, the remnants of his crying plain in the way his lips trembled, though his steps carried a fragile determination.
He reached Ash and stopped just short of him, clutching at the hem of his tunic with trembling hands, his breath hitching in his chest as if he was holding back another sob.
"Thank you," the boy managed, his voice quivering, breaking midway but still strong enough to carry, "Thank you for saving my brother from the beast."
Ash's ears twitched, caught off guard by the raw sincerity in the boy's tone. Slowly, instead of hesitating, he stepped forward and lowered himself, pulling the boy gently into his embrace.
