The frosty ground bit against his paw pads, cold air easily making it through his fur, though it had started to grow longer and more dense. The river banks were dusted with white, fingers of ice attempting to sneak their way out into the water, but being thwarted by the current; So far. Under different circumstances, the snow would have proved a great adventure, filling Kyrios' eyes with light and wonder, something new to investigate, so close to home. But the boy had no eye for wonder these days. He was numb.

His family had been torn apart, split into pieces and scattered too far to be properly put back together. Sure he still had the River, all of Hearthwood was supposed to be his family, Inna, and Kisla and @Lachesis. But he was so angry with  them still, in his mind they were to blame for all of it, since they were the only ones still around to blame. Since Karina and Bennet had left, Kyrios had given his father a wide birth as much as possible, not being openly angry to his face, but clearly more aloof and evasive than before. At least he still had @Atropos, someone to openly share his anger and hurt with. Though often, he went out on his own. This in itself was not new, but now his walks were much less spirited than before. He needed time alone with his thoughts, although thinking didn't do much to change his feelings.

So his walks turned into running, faster and longer every day, as if somehow he could outrun all the emotion, all the pain that had left his chest hollow. It was never enough. But at least he got to see new things, soon traveling farther from the River than he ever had before. The world he saw was cold and brown, fitting really for his dark mood, the only life left was the river, ever rushing along by his side. Today he'd found something else though: his nose had let him away from the water, to a hidden spot of sun amongst the redwoods, where a single berry bush stood. It's branches were mostly naked of leaves, but clusters of dark fruit still clung to it, their sweet scent making his belly rumble. So, at least for a brief moment, he managed to forget his sorrows, temporarily filling the emptiness with the sweet treat.

Word count: 402

It was a sorry cure, but each bite did seem to make him feel, just a touch better. The bitter sweetness on his tongue was almost poetic, though he hardly paused to consider it, preferring to suppress any thought in favor of focusing on the filling of his belly. If ever there was a point when he felt contented, it passed so quickly he didn't notice. Instead he went straight from to empty to too full, the berries losing their appeal at some point long before he had stopped eating. In the end it was his sister's voice that stopped Ky's assault on the bush, a half-frown on his face as he stepped back. There was no denying there was a small paunch to his midsection, though compared to Atropos his proportions were much more lanky, the shedding fur giving him an awkward, bony appearance. He wasn't all too worried about it though, a little fat might do him good; The sick part though..? A small burp escaped his increasingly churning belly, a clear enough message even as he tried to stifle it.

Then she spoke again, voice so different that it send a stab through him, which had nothing to do with the upset in his tummy. Finally turning to face his sister, Kyrios struck up a crooked, half-smile, voice low as he answered: "Fat and sick." His tone shifted up a little at the end, giving the statement a friendly, teasing air. But the mask didn't last long, falling in favor of a more solemn expression, golden eyes big and doleful as they rested on the other pup. He reached out to lightly bump her shoulder, moving in closer as he quietly said: "I don't know. Tired. Same as…" He wanted to say always, because it felt like it, like he'd never felt any different. And then on the other paw the emotions were still so raw, like it had just happened yesterday. "How about you?" He asked instead, meeting her leaf-green eyes with clear concern, he'd been very selfish lately; I'm so sorry… About all of it.

Word count: 350

The smile warmed him, even if it was just a small one, soon gone again from his sister's peach-colored face. Kyrios had made it a mission in his young life to keep his sisters safe and happy – now that he had lost one, the other had become that much more important. But as his mask faltered, so did hers, revealing that same bleak expression that he saw when studying his reflection in the river, one he had seen on her face far too much over the past days.  Her verbal confirmation was unnecessary on top of that, but he accepted it with a small quirk of his lips, nodding along with her. No matter what the adults said, about dead moms and real family, the twins had lost a mother and a baby sister when Karina chose to leave, that wasn't something you got over easily.

Kyrios returned the nibbling touch with an affectionate bump of his nose, plumping down next to her, hips pressed against one another. Goldenrod eyes rested on the slightly brighter head as it lowered, a frown forming on the boy's face as his sister stumbled through her answer. Now it was his time to nod in agreement, adding a low: "Mhm…" When he realized her face was turned away, head lowering to stretched out paws as she laid down. The pale lad's heart hurt, he hated seeing her like this! There was none of the usual awkwardness in her voice, words blunt and honest as she continued talking. A pained grimace twisted Ky's face, and now he was happy she wasn't watching, eyes closing for a moment as he swallowed hard. He was so very scared for @Bennet, out there in the world, exposed to all its dangers. As strong and brilliant as she was, she a lone pup, with only her mother to protect her – and Kjors if they had managed to find him, but would the dragon be enough? The number one lesson for the puppies had been the importance of the pack, without it they were forsaken.

With a heavy sigh, the Aegina flopped down next to his Stark twin, curling his head over her shoulders protectively. "I hope so," He breathed in a low voice, eyes drifting towards the streaks of sky, visible between the tree tops; Please let her be..! He could only wish, and pray, that it was all true, that she would be protected; Mother, watch over her. His eyes fell closed, a slow, relaxing breath rippling through his body. When Atropos spoke again, it was that same come that made him answer instantly, intense certainty in his voice; "She does! Of course she does Atty." He tucked his muzzle into the space behind her ear, doing his best to reassure her. He refused to believe otherwise, however much it had hurt them, Karina had done what she thought best.

It was an entirely different reaction that flared in him at the mention of dad. Eyes flicking open, the boy sucked a quick breath in through his teeth, suppressing an urge to lash out. Anger was his go to reaction, but he wanted to comfort his sister, not upset her further, so he held his tongue, instead opting for a more diplomatic reaction. Unaware of his attentive audience, Kyrios lifted his head, staring emptily into the trees as he mused: "We do… He won't leave us." A short pause followed, his head turning slowly to pan over their surroundings, before he lowered it back to its rest over the girl's back. "Why d' you think he did it, uncle Kjo? Why couldn't things just stay the way they were?" It was an honest thought, not whining. As much as the boy projected his anger onto their father, he knew it was more complicated. it was the Dragon who had taken the first step; But why? What had caused their family to split at the seams?

Word count: 657