The black and white male was oblivious to the drama that unfurled behind his back. He noticed absently that Spieden arrived, feeling nothing particular about her presence and never noticing her personal, emotional struggle. All he saw was Silver, images of her flashing before his eyes, alive, strong, And beautiful... All intermingled with the bloody spectacle at his feet. When Jessie moved, he glanced in her direction, blindly registering that she turned to the golden stranger, but then turning back, incapable of focusing on anything else. It was true that he was emotionally compromised, his min shifting back and forth between crushing sorrow and flaming hatred.

He had no idea what transpired between the grey scout and this blonde soldier, but only noticed that his mentor was back by his side, speaking with a gentleness so atypical that it almost broke him out of his stupor. His eyes widened slightly, and he stared at her for a while before finally nodding, eyes gliding over the mangled body and the surrounding terrain; "Not here." He whispered; Not in the place those monsters had chosen. His ears flicked back as the pale woman started speaking again behind them; Why won't she SHUT UP?! He couldn't make sense of her words, didn't bother to concentrate enough, all it was was noise; Too much noise, I want quiet, I NEED quiet! He looked around again, and realize; We're not that far away... Ignoring the golden woman's frustrated words, Speaking over her, he finally said: "I know a place." Silver would be buried next to Galley, another victim of his hubris.

Not waiting for answer, the ebony man turned and started walking through the trees, slowly, not turning to see if anyone followed. It was only a short walk to the small, treeless hill where Oliver had lain his memorial to Galley, but Drestig traversed it slowly, leaving Jessie time to do... Well, whatever she was gonna do to the unfortunate blonde. Meanwhile he though, he thought of Silver and their time together, of rediscovering their friendship that snowy night, and it evolving into something more, even after she learned the truth about his past, she accepted him, helped him find himself once more; And now she's gone! Stolen away from him. Rage was seething deep in his stomach, but he refused to let it take over, not tonight. Tonight would be for her, for mourning. But tomorrow; Tomorrow they BURN!

The leaders where the one to deliver the last, irrefutable commands, though Drestig did not notice at first. His thoughts were on the task that lay before him, the lat rides of his beloved. The sound of Triell's voice near to him did make the staggering man stop, ear twitching; Triell..? He couldn't speak a word, but dull eyes slowly moved to fall on his friend, lives quivering ever so slightly. Stiffly, almost mechanically, he nodded, recognizing the burlier male's word;, there was a part of him that registered them, that understood, and he appreciated every part of them. Then he turned to continue his walk, reaching the mark quickly, even with his slow gait. He looked at what was left of Galley's memorial, some small, distant part of his brain noting that it could use some maintenance; Now that Ollie's gone I guess it'll be my duty... He would take it on, now there would be two graves to visit after all.

The ebony man sighed heavily, fighting back tears as he let his eyes drift over the snow to find a suitable spot. The ground would be hard to break, still latched in winter's last grip, but the hard work would do him good. So he got too it, scraping, first at the snow, then at the dirt, ignoring the frosts bite at his paws and the pain caused by forcefully tearing up the rock hard earth. He felt his muscles warm from the work, and the worst of his daze cleared; I will punish them for this! ...I'll never forget. Turning from the grave, paws and chest stained, now by both blood and dirt, ember eyes gazed into the darkness. By now, some of their usual fire had returned, smoldering through the blackness as they met the approaching wolves. He tried to look at their faces, and not the burdens that they carried, but it was impossible to ignore the very reason for all this, the tattered, bloody pieces, now locked in his pack mate's jaws like remains of a kill.

Yet he felt suddenly desensitized, like all this stink and sight of gore had made him numb. only when Jessie stepped forth, and his eyes fell on the particular burden she brought, did the stained man feel his throat close up, the urge to gag returning in full force. But he repressed it, pushed it aside angrily, and moved to continue the rites; To finish. He looked back over at Triell, nodding in respect and gratitude, and stepped aside to allow the alpha access to the grave. Then he stepped over to Jessie, meeting her emerald gaze, and for a moment, all his emotions were bared, all his pain and disbelief and hatred and despair, then he blinked, feeling moisture on his furry cheeks. He turned his eyes down, let them take in to full view of Silver's head held in the grey scouts maw. Swallowing hard, Drestig clenched his jaws for a moment, then he forced his tongue to function; "Thank you." He whispered hoarsely, knowing that no amount of words could ever convey all that he wanted to say to his mentor and friend.

He moved to take the load out of her grasp, fearing the sensation of his love's cold, dead flesh in his mouth, but knowing that he had to do this himself, for Silver's sake, if not his own. He would place the head in the grave, and cast one last look at it, then cover up the remains of the woman he loved. There should have been words said, thousands of them, about her strength and honor and integrity, about her fierce love and never ending trust and the way she could forgive everything with a single look of her golden eyes. But he couldn't voice them, there was no more speech left in him for the night. But they ran through his mind as he covered up the grave, along with every moment his eyes had ever been on her, every image of her face and movements he could remember, every word spoken in her deep, coarse, yet beautiful voice.

The rest of the night, he would watch over her, mind and eyes blank, only drifting off at the very wee hours, for a short, restless sleep. She would be in his dreams for the next many nights, but this one was full of vengeance and blood, he had a score to settle before he could mourn.