The Rise of Light (Book 3: Together Forever)

Apologies

Osmund's POV

I stood outside of Zephyr's room. Nuffink had stayed with her last night. So now I was trying to muster the courage to apologize.

Dear stars! What was I thinking? How could I have ever called them that?

I buried my face in my hands and stared at the door some more. Just do it, Osmund! What do you have to lose? Wait! Forget I asked that! What would I even say to them? Would they even forgive me? It doesn't matter! You still need to apologize.

I raised my hand, and before I siked myself out again, I knocked. I bit my lip and fidgeted with my fingers when Zephyr opened the door. She stood there for two seconds before starting to slam the door on me.

"No! Wait!" I shouted. Her eyes narrowed as she stopped the door from shutting all the way.

"What do you want," she demanded coldly. "Have you come to mock Fink some more? What about yell insults at us? Or are you too stuck up to even realize what you have done?" she snarled. I flinched at every word she said.

"I... deserve that..." I told her.

Her eyes narrowed further in suspicion. "What's your game? You think just because we aren't related by blood that you can call us half-trolls? That just because you are the son of Viggo Grimborn, you are above us?" I flinched again at the harsh statements.

I shook my head slowly and looked down at the ground in shame. "I shouldn't have called you both those things. If anything, I'm the useless half-troll who is worthless."

She jabbed me in the chest with a clawed finger. "I. Don't. Get. You," she growled.

"I deserve that, too," I told her. "I guess what I really need to say, even though it won't fix anything, is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the things I said. I'm sorry for mocking both of you. And I'm sorry for not acting like an older brother. I'm a horrible person. But I just wanted to let you know that I wish I could take everything back."

I turned away from a gaping Zephyr. I returned to my room and sat on my bed as the tears started to fall swiftly down my cheeks.

What have I done?

Nuffink's POV

My anger was boiling over when Osmund knocked on Zeph's door. Zephyr slammed the door in his face until we heard the desperation in his voice. The way it cracked and trembled. How it shook and wavered.

My stoic brother's voice, wavering? What was happening?

She accused him of so many things that I lost track of what she was saying.

I could do nothing as he said, "I deserve that, too." He apologized for everything. Apologized for the betrayal. It was something I hadn't thought in a million years would happen.

My brain was still trying to process it all as he turned and left. He stalked back to his room. His shoulders slumped in defeat. I just looked at Zephyr, who was gaping at me, as well.

"H-he just apologized, right? I didn't just hear that?" I asked. She nodded numbly in response.

Honestly, he took after our mom in that regard. Never apologizing. Never regretting anything. Just moving forward. Strong and unbreakable.

"He did." We both fell into silence as we mulled over Osmund's words.

"I'm going to talk to him," I said suddenly. I got up and left, leaving Zephyr alone.

I stared at the door. The one that leads to the room that I shared with Osmund.

I inhaled sharply and knocked before opening the door.

He was sitting cross-legged on his bed, just staring at the wall.

"Hey," I said as I leaned against the doorframe. There was no answer as the tears rolled down his face. I looked at him closer. There was fear evident in his eyes. Confusion filled me as I shook him.

He looked perplexed for a moment before saying, "Nuff?"

"Hey," I replied. "Are you okay?"

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Nuffink. I-I didn't mean it. And-and I'm the worst. I never should've said those things. You are so amazing. I'm so lucky to have you as a brother, or at least I was. I don't deserve you. And I don't deserve Zephyr. I-I-I'm as bad a-a-as... him!"

I let out a sigh. "Osmund. Listen to me. What you said to us was horrible. But you apologized, which was really weird, to be honest. And I forgive you," I said.

"Wh-what? No! I don't deserve your forgiveness! You're-" I hugged him. 

"And you're my brother. You just need to ask for my forgiveness, and I'll forgive you. If you kill someone and you ask me to forgive you, I'll forgive you. If you lead me into a trap and ask for my forgiveness, I'll be hurt, but in the end, I'll forgive you."

"See what I mean, Nuff! I don't deserve you!"

"Well, too bad. You're stuck with me as your little brother," I replied. He turned away from me. "Stop being stubborn, Os. So what? You made a mistake."

"It hurt you!"

"Okay. Let me show you the way I see this situation. You called me some pretty bad things. We didn't even tell dad the worst of it. But... you apologized. Something that you never do. And the fact that you aren't accepting my acceptance of your apology just shows that you know how much you screwed up. Os, really, I accept your apology."

He looked up at me with sad eyes.

"Look, Os. Our family is a pack. A colony. A herd. Whatever you want to call it. We stick together, we stand up for each other, we have each other's backs and we always forgive each other. No matter what." I hugged him tightly. I felt him hesitate before he wrapped his arms around me, too.

"You're the best brother I could ever ask for, Nuff," he said. "And I really don't deserve your forgiveness."

"Well, you're still getting it, whether you deserve it or not. You're part of my pack," I replied.

"You're as stubborn as, mom," he said. I laughed at his off-handed comment. He pulled away from the embrace and gave me a small smile. "Thank you. For everything," he said.

"And now you sound like, mom," I told him as I gently punched his shoulder. We burst out laughing and I fell off his bed. "Oww..." I said while laughing.

Osmund looked at me, worried. "Are you okay?" His happy expression suddenly gone.

"Yeah." My face lit up. "I should paint deer on the walls!" He looked at me for a second later before I heard a loud bang and laughter.

"That... Is not... going to... happen!" Osmund said between laughs. He muttered something about 'sheep deer' while continuing to laugh.

I smiled as I stared up at the stars that I had painted on the ceiling.

A/N

Dreamchaser is 23.

Blackmoon is dead.

Delta's children are 19.

Osmund is 18.

Zephyr is 16.

Nuffink is 14.

Falcon and Cloudscale are 20. 

I have realized that the title of this book is horrible. I mean this is probably the saddest of the Together Forever trilogy so if anyone wants me to switch the title, I will consider it. Just let me know.