Hidden Tree in the aftermath of ashes

After discovering the death of her parents, Niija had avoided this place. Guilt plagued her when she thought of it, for she had taken Borlla and Junai when she escaped and left Rihael and Lani to die in the flames. Her heart ached with it, though she knew it wasn't her fault—it wasn't any of their faults. Mother nature took you when your time came, in her beauty and violent serenity. Were flames not beautiful to watch from afar, yet terrible to the lives they claimed? Were wildfires not cleansing to the forest in the same instant that they were destructive?

She sat like a sentinel before the closed mouth of the Hidden Tree Den; her parents final resting place. What was once full of life—their lives—had become a barrows, a grave. Although she had settled in to Swift River with authority and strength, it still felt like a dream... as if none of this were real. But Niija knew better than anyone that life went on despite death and it made no time for all-consuming grief. It was best to simply move on, but even Niija could not forget the love she held for her parents. She never would; she would always hold it close.

And so she held vigil for them beneath a waxing moon, her heart hearing the echos of their laughter and voices.

<blockquote>He still didn't understand.

Kinis was not Triell; he wasn't prone to keen, nosy exploration. He was not Borlla; he wasn't prone to rebellious, spiteful exploration. The little boy had no business outside of home, and he knew it. He was content with that.

Trouble was, home wasn't the home he knew, and he had had a hard time readjusting. The new den just didn't smell right.

Hidden Tree. This was the home he knew. It didn't smell right either, but at least it still faintly smelt of <i>them</i>.

The concept of fire, of death, of such incredible destruction - it all continued to soar over his head, as if the puppy was simply unable to accept it. How could such horrible things be real? How could his life go from happy and perfect to burnt, different, and just plain smelling wrong? It didn't help that nobody had good answers for his questions, the questions which never left him, the questions which a small part of him never wanted to be answered.

Nothing good could come from such answers, but still they haunted him. Nothing else could have brought him back here, to the place where the horror had begun. It was home, but it was all gone now, and he still didn't understand <i>why</i>. It was the farthest he had ever gone all by himself, and at such a poor hour, but he was driven by something powerful. It also helped that he had Niija in his nose, and her recent presence was comforting and gave him a feeling of security. Thus, he wasn't surprised when he saw his sister standing there, at the end of the trail. Automatic in his desire to be close to his larger, stronger siblings, he did not bother to hide his presence, and shuffled up as close to her as she would allow him to be. Did she know more? Did she understand? If she was here, then maybe.

Then again, maybe she had the same terrible questions in her head, eating away at her, and that's why she was here too.

Making small noises in his throat, he drew close, taking some small comfort in their mutual struggle. His voice was tiny, weak in his fatigue, but his concern for his sister demanded vocalising. <b>"Okay?"</b></blockquote>

<center>
<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

Time passed—Nijja felt it had been an hour or two—and suddenly she was no longer alone. A small, warm body huddled close to her side, trembling slightly from either the small noises it made or the haunting feeling of this place. Niija tilted her head downwards, golden eyes resting on the form of her brother, Kinis, as he vocalized his concern for her. Moving a foreleg over the boy, she gently pulled and centered him between her front legs where he would be nestled and protected.

I'm fine, Kinis; I'm simply remembering, she gave him an affectionate, motherly lick to the forehead. You should not be wandering out so far alone, especially at night, she reminded him gently, though there was no trace of anger or scolding. He knew the rules, she was sure, and Niija knew it was only natural for him to want to return to the only home he had ever known. Did you have difficultly sleeping?