the end of all things.

/totally didn't know it was my turn to post.
i am so, so sorry guys :x if you wanna wrap this up soon because i delayed it for so long, that's totally fine by me.

Maksim flinched, slapped in the face by Lachesis' stammered words. Anastasia was gone.

Gone.

The gentle blue eyed woman had disappeared, somehow, leaving the ghostly yearling a wreck and the agouti River leader feeling an emptiness sit inside his stomach. He searched desperately for something to say. Anastasia had been a soft soul, loving and compassionate. He knew nothing of her time in Pitch Pine Trail, knew nothing of how she had raised the alpha male's mewling, suckling cubs, and yet the knowledge she was sweet and kind existed through how she interacted with the agouti king. She had sat and listened to his woes about the Attaya siblings, offered her advise to calm his mind … but now she was gone, and it was a hard thing to swallow. The agouti brute didn't need to ask where—it wouldn't soothe any of their pain—and so he simply allowed the metaphorical crown to drop from his head, let himself be on the same level as Lachesis. They had both lost someone important, though the heartache the yearling was experiencing was ten-fold to Maksim's own.

Astra had arrived moments before Lachesis had answered, asking questions of her own, and as the Baranski hung his head the boy continued, choking out an apology. Maksim shook his head slowly. “No, Lachesis, you need not apologise—you cannot be blamed.” He glanced to Mace as the ebony though spoke, answering the butterscotch leader's first question. The older wolf did not miss the way Mace's steely eyes laid on the pale woman, full of accusation. Whilst it would be wrong to blame her without explanation, Maksim couldn't help but wonder: did she have something to do with this? His harsh, reptilian gaze fell on her expectantly, his face stony and void of emotion. “Answer her.”

Capella. She knew Lachesis—and Anastasia?—back in the Eastern Valley. A member of Pitch Pine Trail. The yearling backed up that he knew her, repeating her name. Closer she came and Maksim's ears flicked forwards, his lip raising ever so slightly. Her eyes drifted to his form and the River king stared at her for a moment. He lowered his lip and nodded, allowing her the chance to get closer to her friend.

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

@Maksim @Capella we can fade out with this post and just have it transition into our next thread? If so just archive this thread! :) <3

He was terrified, ashamed, embarrassed, destroyed… a series of emotions flooded through his thin, broken body. Without the blue-eyed dove who had helped him through the transition from his sheltered life on the reserve to life beyond the chain link fence Lachesis did not know how to survive. She had brought the light to his dull life; she had illuminated his life with her presence. With Anastasia everything made sense – without her… there was nothing. Nothing mattered.

The words that were being exchanged above him went by unnoticed – he wasn’t concerned about them. None of the voices belonged to the one he desperately wanted to hear. They were familiar, along with the scents that matched them, but it wasn’t the same. It would never be the same. As much as he wanted to be hopeful that Anastasia would return from the mountain, unscathed, he knew it was irrational thinking. The mountain had nearly claimed his own life during his escape, if it hadn’t already taken hers it would soon. It had been a stupid, reckless decision to attempt to cross the mountain – why had he agreed to it? He should have talked her out of it, not encouraged her…

Stupid.

He was the reason why she was gone; he had not looked hard enough, nor had he talked her out of it. All the broken boy wanted was for her to come back and pick up the pieces. She was the eye of the storm, the oasis in the middle of the desert…

Although he was surrounded by his pack mates XIX had never felt so alone. Maksim was present – his deep, baritone voice was distinct among the others – along with the gentle voice of Capella. It was evident by their broken voices that they were also distraught over Anastasia’s disappearance. Perhaps he should have disappeared too… stayed on the mountain, searching for her. Or fled. He could have easily escaped the mountain and fled south, perhaps discovering a new region to call home. Of course, Anastasia’s absence would have still affected him just the same… but at least this way he wouldn’t have to bring the pain back to his home, his family. They didn’t deserve to feel the same; he was meant to make others happy, not bring them down.

It was the harsh tone of Maksim that caused the thin yearling to raise his groggy head, waterlogged gaze struggling to focus on his large body. Even without looking he knew the words, whatever they were, had been addressed at Capella. Afraid for the sunflower-eyed girl, the boy temporarily broke out of his trance, his bottom lip quivering as he uttered a single word: “P-please.” He wasn’t sure what he was trying to say – he just felt as though something, anything needed to be said. As much as he wanted the comfort of his pack mates, he also wanted the familiar comfort of Capella – she was the only thing he had left of his former home in Pitch Pine Trail. Karpos was gone, establishing himself in a new pack to move forward from his past, and so were the other former Trail members. Aeolus had joined Cut Rock as well, but as a new member of Shade’s fallen pack XIX hadn’t got to know him as well as the other Trail wolves.

He wanted her to stay, but he also wanted to be alone. XIX wanted to retreat to his den and escape from the world – this was all too much to handle. Thoughts were constantly falling in and out of his head, spiraling out of control as he struggled to make sense of the situation. But nothing would make sense anymore… everything had changed.

stick with those who stick with you