Soaring high and high

'Stop.'

The single word broke him away from the vivid memories that resurfaced during the silence that had settled between them. The swirling snow, his own voice screaming against the wind for Anastasia, the unbearable cold that almost took his life… it was all whisked away by her firm voice, her sunflower gaze poised on his frail body. Although it pained him to hear her speak of Anastasia, he knew that the words she said were true, and they were what he needed to hear. He still felt guilty for leaving his companion – and he probably always would – but there was nothing he could change about it now. He had left, for his own safety, after he had done all he could. If he had remained on the mountain he would have died there – Nineteen understood that now.

“I had to leave…” he added softly after her pause, his pear eyes focused on her pale toes as he struggled to find his voice once more. “I had to. I had to come back… come back and find you.” The stuttering was absent once more (for now) as his confidence grew. His words dripped with truth as they poured off his tongue, staining the air between them as he soaked in Capella’s voice. As much as he wanted to continue his search for Anastasia the healer knew that he needed to return to his pack, and Capella. As the frigid air gnawed at his skin, the only thing that had pushed his long legs forward as the thought of reuniting with his sunflower-eyed friend. They had promised to see each other once more – he couldn’t break his promise.

She was right – they had both experienced so much pain since arriving in Relic Lore, but things were going to get better. They had each other, a home to call their own, and a family who cared about them. The troubles the pair had faced were in the past; they needed to move forward before they were both consumed by their grief.

“We can do this,” he added with a short nod as he leaned against her, his cheek pressed to her shoulder as he allowed the silence to fall once more.

stick with those who stick with you

Why was everything so hard? She hated this; Hated every single thing. Was loss the only point of living? Thankfully her question didn't linger very long, as Lach's smooth voice traveled towards her. She had it all wrong, as loss couldn't be the basis for life. Her reason was right in front of her, standing atop spidery legs.

"I.. Thank you." Whatever his cause for retreat had been, it led him straight to her, just as the sound of voices pushed her onward after her own escape. Visions of a starry sky, and a phantom ache in her limbs played through her mind. At the time she had been content to give up; Close her eyes for the last time. She certainly thought she was at the end, but their promise had kept her awake, while a melody of whispers pulled her back onto pale paws.

For the first time since Anastasia's disappearance, encouragement poured from his throat. Taken aback, Capella stepped away, allowing her gaze to dart across his face. Had he really said that? Although confusion clouded lined her features, she found the strength to nod in reply. "I know." They were the survivors, and although everyone else had been taken from them, here they stood. Admittedly a little more broken then expected, somehow they could find the strength to pull through.

"Lach I.." She wasn't sure where she was going with this, but she was so sick of over thinking. "Listen, I just.. I want to.." Sighing, she gave it one last try. "I'm here. I'll always be here, regardless of what happens, and I know that this is hard, but you can't keep it bottled up anymore." Or maybe she was the only one that felt like she was about to explode. And I know that some nights are worse than others, but you're not alone. I feel it too."

worlds are ruined this way, and we've all been there time and time again.

He wanted to be close to her; he wanted to find the comfort he so desperately needed in the scent that clung to her fur. While he was still distraught over the loss of Anastasia, in a way he was glad – it had brought him closer to Capella, a closeness that would’ve taken months to obtain. She was all that mattered to him, aside from the rest of Cut Rock River, and he was terrified of losing her once more. After her brief disappearance from Pitch Pine and his departure from the pack XIX worried that he would never see the sunflower-eyed girl again. Luckily, fate seemed to be on their side and had brought them back together once more. Now, he never wanted to leave her side.

Even though they were apart for some of the turmoil, they had still survived together – and would continue surviving both the bad and good together. He would stay here, with Capella, until she no longer wanted him by her side – and he would do whatever necessary to keep her happy. Knowing that she was content made him feel better, and he could no longer stand feeling so down. It wasn’t healthy, and he now understood that, but with Capella’s help XIX knew he could get better. He needed to – for her.

As she spoke he closed the distance that had been created after she stepped away; he didn’t like the distance. It didn’t feel right. Being beside her, having her fur pressed against his and their scents mingling, that was right. He pressed a soft lick to her cheek, his ears pressed back against his skull as he listened patiently to her voice. “And I’m here for you, always. Things will get b-better, for both of us. I promise.”

stick with those who stick with you