Darkness.

That was all he could understand of death. That all that was felt was darkness, perhaps something else, but he couldn't be sure what. For him, it meant fear and grief, but was death was not something for the living; the living could see and feel it, but could never truly understand it until they'd experienced it themselves, and it wasn't the sort of thing which allowed for reflection afterwards. None returned from death. It was a king above all of them.

So when he heard his mother's voice call out in a mournful dirge once again, he felt his ears fall back. Semananti. It had not been long ago that he, Guiness and Skana had talked about the starless night, and what it meant. She had felt that it meant something dark and frightening was coming- and she'd been right. The words of the advisor shook the young man, who made his way toward his mother, once again trying not to look at the body of the deceased wolf- but it was getting harder and harder to do so. He took some comfort in the fact that she'd curled up and looked peaceful, serene. But it did not make it any easier for Asriel to accept. This was the second death in a very short period of time.

He lifted his voice to bid adieu to the warm and motherly woman, before he looked to his mother. This wasn't something he spoke about easily, and it took him a few moments before he could even manage the words. "You won't leave us, will you, mother?"

Asriel was not made content by his mother's words. Instead, his lips pulled into a fine line, almost a pout
on his thin black lips. He did not like the idea of anything harming his mother. He did not want nature to take her, or age- and he certainly would not stand by whilst someone else injured or killed her. His eyes lifted slightly to look at Senka when she confirmed what his mother had spoken before they returned to his mother's warm gaze. He sank into her nuzzle appreciatively and uttered a soft, affectionate rumble. Oddly, he took comfort in the fact that his mother had accepted the fact that death would one day claim them all...If his mother accepted it, then he would too...Eventually.

In the mean time, he felt fiercely obliged to make sure that nothing harmed her. He nodded silently to Senka to show his appreciation of her words; his mother trusted her, and she had the same acceptance that his mother had...So she earned herself a bit more of Asriel's hard-to-win respect by standing by her alpha.
"Nothing will harm you, mother," The boy said quietly, lifting his gaze and setting his jaw. "Not while I'm around." He said. Though he would have to accept, one day, that his mother would eventually grow old and frail, he would be her guardian. Not only did he want to serve the pack as a sentry at the borders, but he fully intended to see that his mother wanted for nothing. He was a growing lad, and had a great deal of faith that he would be able to do everything within his power to protect the pack, but most of all, defend his mother.