[ It's clear which of the two it is with how Cole's brow knits together, because it's not quite a analogy he understands completely. Or, well, half of it he understands. A wolf circling a nug, playing, poking, because a nug would never have a chance. It shivers or blisters, not happy anywhere but underground, so it's easy prey. So, because of that, the metaphor is unsurprisingly lost, and he focuses on that, wanting to understand as he always does, curious especially with Dorian who talks the most of things that Cole doesn't understand. ]

That's very strange. If the mother circles, the son shies away. He's afraid of being eaten, or, no, disappointing.

[ Has he felt something like that before? He can never be sure, but it's familiar enough that he feels a bit confident with saying it, but the point itself flies over his head. ]

I won't disappoint you. I only disappear for a little while. Everyone else becomes the nug for a little bit, but it's to make sure I'm helping. I always come back. [ Though he remembers a fear when he wasn't so certain about that, when he was in the White Spire and killing to make sure that he didn't disappear. He pauses, thoughtfully, then ultimately just adds simply: ] At least, I want to.