mean while Flame was taking a tour with Fang and Una as Desaiah had patients to tend to as a doctor and viper being a clan leader had to go deal with something in the snake clan Una, Flame found out, was the last of the unicorn race and leader of the horse clan. and Fang as Alpha of the wolf clan also looked over all the clans in Flames place while she was missing. the kids walked with them while taking the tour Fang led them from one family to another reuniting some of the children with their families it was a sight that made Flame smile and her heart warm knowing these kids were now with the ones who love them as much as she did by the end her large sum of kids was now just a few with Griff, Griffon, Angel, and a few others. Fang led them to the castle.
"I know it's not the original castle you loved but we tried to make it similar though not as grand as we didn't quite have all the resources we had before in our first home." Fang explained to Flame but Flame didn't get how he could call the first castle home as it was now filled with memories of betrayal and death seeped into every inch of that place
Fang noticed the look on Flames face it was the look she used to make when she wasn't comfortable with something that was said but wasn't going to voice it so he decided to have a maid lead the children to their rooms to settle in before dinner and talk with her alone
"What's wrong?"
Flames eyes widened how could he tell something was wrong
"you made that face you make when you don't like something that was said." he stated once again reading her like an open book
"how? How can you call that horrible place home after what happened their? there's nothing but bad memories and death at that place."
"it may be a bad place now but it's still our home it holds many memories I consider precious"
"what memory could be so precious that it could overwrite the stain of every drop of blood shed their or drown out every scream that are still ringing in my ears" Flame cried out with tears in her eyes Fang felt his heart tear at her cries
"It holds memories of us" he whispered softly but Flame still heard every word with her dragon ears "It has the memories of when we first met, when I became your guard, every day we spent together, the memory of when I first told you I love you, it has the memory of when you returned my feelings, in those blood covered walls are all of the memories I have of your laughter, each time you smiled and lit up a room every time you up held justice for the weak and fought for your people you loved so for me even if the walls and land are now stained red with blood to me its still home for as long as I have those memories"
Flame was speechless for a moment "but we can make new memories"
"yeah we could but it wouldn't be the same now your laughter will be tainted with sadness and your smile dimmed by guilt if you don't get justice for those who died fighting to protect that place in your name"