Swift River there's no yellow bricks to follow back and run from that disaster

Backdated to 6/30, for @Nori only. CW: grief, death, etc.

Once certain everything that could possibly be done for Leo was, Eros had drifted away to finally try and rest. It was a nearly futile effort, his mind difficult to shut off even after his body gave in. He'd hear Ally crying or see the despondency in his father's eyes and he always, always could smell the rot coming from his brother's corpse. His legs would twitch and spasm until he was jolted awake again and the cycle started over.

When the sun was high and burning above the world, Eros forced his aching muscles to carrying him to the water's edge. His haunches would drop gracelessly down into the mud of the river's bank, with peach eyes staring into the swift and glistening current. He needed to get back. He had to tell them what he'd found, what had been confirmed.

Facing the true fallout of Archer's death couldn't be pushed off any longer.

Now that she knew Leo was safe and sound in the paws of two good healers, stable and hopefully on the way to recovery, Nori felt as though she could rest. It wouldn't be the last time she'd wander down the mountain to see him again, but her future visits would be far less panicked and more positive in nature.

But there was one last thing she had to do before she left. One last task that weighed heavy on her shoulders.

She trailed after the Backwater man, head low and a hitch in her step. Her own shoulder had been bothering her, but that was an issue for another day. She was cautious as she approached him, settling down by the riverbank a few wolf-lengths away.

"Are you going back to the Backwater?" she asked, after a moment. It was a difficult topic to broach - delivering Archer's last message - but she wanted to do it before it was too late.

Eros could sense Nori's presence, but it still felt distant. He didn't think that much mattered, figuring she would take her drink and be on her way. That earlier attempt was a memory lost amidst the static and noise, at least for this moment. When she spoke, his ear flicked, but the rest of his body didn't want to move, jaw included. After a few moments, he forced it to anyways. Obligation, maybe?

"Yeah."

The answer was flat, but sufficient, right? His forepaws shifted with discomfort.

"They're waiting."

More shifting, and his head turned away. It was shitty of him not to ask after her return, but what really was there to talk about?