The King's Remorse

Sorry for Snapping

"A-a-are you awake, Phoenix?" I whisper, trying not to wake any of the others.

"Oh, you're still up," Phoenix mutters. He doesn't turn around.

"Uh, y-yeah." I frown.

"Why are you still stuttering? I thought I asked you to stop with that."

"S-sorry."

"Are you gonna answer my question?" Phoenix's black coat turns red and orange as his flames start to rise, but they quickly simmer down.

"I-I-I don't know."

"It's a yes or a no on if you're going to answer my question. 'I don't know' doesn't answer it."

"No, no. I-I meant that I-I d-don't know why I s-stutter. I-I-I've just a-always done it." I duck my head.

"Whatever," he sighs, resting his head back onto Ky's shoulder.

I watch him for a few moments. He's acting so weird. "A-are you alright? You-you're acting weird." I frown.

"And what makes you think that?"

"I-I-I don't know. Y-You look k-kinda tense, or something." Phoenix grunts in reply. When he draws in his next breath, his sides tremble.

Is... Is he... What is happening with Phoenix? I rise to my paws to draw closer, but Phoenix's growl stops me.

"D-... Don't," he snarls, but his voice cracks.

Wait. Is-Is he crying? Is Phoenix crying?

"A-are you cr-."

"No." I frown.

"But y-your voice cracked."

"I said that I wasn't crying, so I'm not. Go away, Clap. You're really starting to annoy me. Go." His tail lashes and his muscles tense as he speaks. I take a step backward, drawing my ears to the sides.

"Just go," he grumbles.

"O-ok," I murmur, turning around to return to where I'd been sleeping.

Brook is still fast asleep, standing almost directly above where I'd been sleeping before. Dove is dozing with his back against a tree, and Wolf is curled up next to him, her arms wrapped around the backpack, which she uses as a pillow. I flop down onto the ground and take a deep breath before shifting until I'm comfortable enough to sleep.

I'm just starting to doze off when Phoenix speaks again. "Clap? You still awake?"

"Huh?" I sit up partway.

"You're awake?"

"Yeah." What's he getting at?

"S-Sorry..." Phoenix starts but trails off with a snarl. "Sorry for snapping."

"O-ok." Did he really just apologize?

"Don't look so confused. I apologized. Ok? Happy?" A growl rumbles in his throat as his flames start to rise.

"Y-yeah. I-I-I, uh, I guess I-I'm happy?" What's wrong with Phoenix right now?

"Why are you acting so weird? Cut it out."

"S-sorry."

"Why are you acting so weird?" Phoenix wrinkles his nose as he shifts on his paws.

"W-well, i-it's just, uh. Y-you're a-a-acting different than usual..." My voice trails off.

"I'm acting different than usual? How would you know what I usually act like?"

"I-I don't know. It-it's just what y-you've a-acted like since I-I've met you."