Sacred Grove shattered

Backdated to after <a href='http://relic-lore.net/index.php?showtopic=2004' target='_blank'>this</a> thread.

Gone Tomorrow

So enraged was she that Corinna barely noticed that she had been followed, that another wolf of the River had also taken notice of Naira and Rhysis' flight. But when Ice's voice shattered the silence behind her, his own howl just as anguished as her's, she turned her head, green eyes full pain and anger. But she looked at him for only a moment, before returning her eyes to watch the dark forest, looking for signs of movement. She could barely believe what exactly had happened here tonight. But there was no response, and any disillusion that what had happened here was a mistake was shattered. This has been no mistake, and it sent her mind wheeling, trying to figure out who else in her pack was only there to serve their own purposes.

Startled as Ice's nose touched her hip, she whirled around, but relaxed as he drew level with her, black nose running from her hip up to the corner of her mouth. His words broke the silence, as soft as they were, and her ears swiveled about on her gray head, drawn to the noise. There was pain there, and she knew then that it would not only be her who suffered for this great betrayal. Ice, Triell, and the entire rest of the pack would also suffer from this, it was to their benefit that the rest of them didn't know it yet. Shaking her head mutely, Corinna couldn't bring herself to form words. No. None of them had thought Naira was capable of this. Especially her. But Ice's next question, seemingly from the blue, caught her attention, and she blinked rapidly. Head tilted to the side in confusion, and her green eyes met his gray ones, wondering. It was not an unreasonable, given what had just transpired. But the answer, that was what pained her. Once again, she shook her head, slowly this time. "No, Ice. There won't be." Indru had disappeared, and his lack of presence here tonight, at the pack meeting, and at the den flooding made it hardly likely that it would happen. "I'm afraid that is one aspect of leadership I cannot do on my own," she told him, her voice brittle. Swift River, it seemed, was not a place where one claimed eternal loyalty, or, if they did, it seemed that eternity was quicker than one would expect.

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. His howl had clearly stated his presence here, and yet the brief look she gave him had him thinking she wasn't wholly aware that he was standing just a couple of yards away from her. So briefly had she looked at him, as if she'd just heard the echo of a dream, and then the dark forest swallowed her bright green gaze again. It pained him, spikes of anger heating his blood even as his heart bled itself dry in his chest. Ice's blunt nose touched Corinna's hip, and she whirled around, nearly sending him scrambling for cover in the forest - but no attack came, no overwhelming pain brought out through physical harm. He wouldn't have believed Corinna capable of such a thing anyway, but there was more then just hurt at the betrayal here... For a moment, it felt as if Indru had fled alongside their Second. She stilled under his careful touch though, pained gazes meeting and communicating the agony words could not, and he wished he could smile for her, tell her that it was alright, but there was no point in lying to her. In that moment, the wolf hours before dawn, it felt as if the sun would never rise and shine again, as if Swift River would simply fall apart, become dust that danced in the moon rays - the world held its breath, but wouldn't release it in a shout of victory, just release it in a shudder and fall apart. The ground crumbled under his feet and he would've fallen, if he'd not been trapped in the green of her gaze. The second shake of her head destroyed whatever hope he'd had left, and Ice would've welcomed a flood to drown him then and there. Desolation - loneliness - caved in on him, and even as her words hammered it into his head, he barely heard her. His gray eyes went out of focus, and with a forlorn look on his face, Ice collapsed down on his hindquarters. Awkwardly he sat on the ground, gaze slowly sliding to her paws. His left ear gave an erratic twitch. At any other time, her words might've been perceived as joking, but her voice betrayed the underlying emotions and to smile would've been akin to stabbing her.. even if he'd remembered how to smile, he couldn't have done it. "Damn you, Indru," he said, ever so softly. It felt as if this night's sole purpose was to crush his spirit and douse the fires of hope. Pups were the future of a pack. Without pups, Swift River had no future, and with Naira birthing her bastards someplace safe, and they without... It kindled a faint spark of rage again, enough to make him raise his head and look at her face, instead of her paws. How could he have left them, left her..? He'd been trying to ignore the fact, but it was getting harder and harder to pretend that everything was okay. "Damn it all," he added as an afterthought, the whisper barely audible. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul

Gone Tomorrow

For the first time in a while, their gazes met one another, throwing away the traditional rules that their ranks dictated. She needed that right now, more than anything else. She needed to know that she was not alone in this, that there was somebody else who was as tied to the pack as she was. Looking at Ice now, the defeat in his face, the hurt, she knew that she was not alone. But as comforting as that was, this was not a time for celebration. His reaction only confirmed that to Corinna, and she watched him fall to the ground, haunches hitting the ground with a silent thud. The look on his face mirrored her own, and she grimaced, falling back onto her own rump. Green eyes fell to the ground, staring at the desolate grass. What had she done to bring this upon herself? What had this pack done, to deserve the wrath of Nature in this way? Everything just seemed to be piling on at once, and the strain was becoming harder and harder to bear.

But his words, though soft, brought her attention right back up to his face. A flash of anger crossed her face, and she was about to speak up, to defend her mate. But she stopped short, a non-word guttural noise breaking the silence. How could she defend what was not there? "I just wish I knew. What is it about this place that drives wolves away?" Of course, it was not the place she was questioning, but rather, herself. She was the one who was the connecting thread between it all. "I just don't understand, Ice. Any of it." Not only did she not understand Indru's abandonment, she did not understand what had driven Naira to act as she had. "Perhaps it would have been better if they had stayed," she murmured quietly, green eyes falling to her paws again. "Cubs bring hope. If I can't give them that, what are the chances that the others stay?" Her job as a leader was to defend the borders, keep pack moral up, and to ensure the packs' survival into the future. It seemed that she was failing miserably at all of these. Falling to her stomach, the leader's head fell to her paws, a soft whine accompanying the descent.

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. Something about the pair of them, suddenly sitting there on their behinds and staring at each other with desolation, was incredibly.. amusing. The sensation was entirely out of place, and he felt well and truly detached as the bubbling laughter escaped in a long, drawn-out grunt-like noise. His body had forgotten how to make the proper sounds, but it clearly told something of how heavy the situation weighted on him, if he resorted to laughter to solve it.. only, it didn't sound anything like a laugh, and he felt disturbingly morbid because of it anyway. He doubted it sounded anything like a sound of mirth at all, more like the groan of someone dying slowly. Another drawn-out snort and he gave his head a small shake, trying to clear it of the fog that was creeping in. Slowly and surely, he was locking his thoughts down to prevent himself from giving in to the void that threatened to swallow him. Ice tried to cling to some sort of reason, a stability in all of this.. a steady rock. Only, there was none. He was adrift. Despite how slow his mind felt, he caught the flash of anger across her face as he damned her mate, and he flinched, ducking his head and nearly upsetting his balance. Pure chance kept him from toppling, gaze drifting aside as his heart skipped a beat, anticipating some sort of reprimand.. but nothing came, but tired words, questions that he wasn't certain he could answer. Concerned and disturbed, he blinked, searching for words that just wouldn't come. All he managed to get out was, "I don't know," (I told Rhysis Swift River was perfect) in a mumble before she spoke again. The words chilled him to the bone, and he grew very still. Something about hearing those words crushed his heart again, a soft whine escaping him as he fought to wrestle the words into order before they all tumbled out all a-jumble. His face was a frown, a very concerned frown, as she flung herself to her belly in the spring grass before him. She was the very image of defeat. "No." He managed to get it out, more exasperated than anything else. Briefly he was aware of that he was sitting above her, his leader, but the thought drifted away with the next tug of a breeze. "Might as well have given them the pack then." So many more thoughts and words chased themselves in his head, running round and round, but he found no clarity, no real way to phrase them - he wasn't even certain what half of them meant. Ice bit his lower lip for a moment, the pain of it instilling some form of break in the frantic mind-activity. "Those of us who truly care will stay," he said, voice slow, words measured. He still wasn't certain what he really wanted to say, so better take it easy, weigh each word, speak each syllable with care. "For you. Because of you." She was their leader, and with Indru gone, she was the heart of the pack. Talking to the air above her head felt no good, and in a slightly more controlled manner than hers, Ice sank down in front of her, paws and noses nearly touching, but not quite. He hesitated for a moment, then his pale eyes sought for hers. "But it's not, it's..." His 'brows came together as he tried to make a coherent sentence, uncertain of what he was saying was the most stupid thing ever or not. "You can still.. give us that, you know?" Indru wasn't the only male in the pack... but Indru was her mate, Indru was their pack-father. Was allowing someone else to father your cubs to break a bond of trust, or was it already broken? And, as far as males went... he couldn't really picture Corinna and silent, brutish Marsh together. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul

Gone Tomorrow

Green eyes narrowed in confusion as Corinna registered his laughter. What was so funny about the situation? There was nothing even remotely bemusing about it. But her companion didn't seem to be amused, and there was a lack of warmth to the sound that she couldn't quite place. The effect was only to push her deeper into her shell, her body pressing further into the ground, nose buried in her paws. She missed his frown as she fell to the ground, but she did not miss his words. They were hard to hear, that he did not know the reason that their world was falling apart. How was she going to explain this to the rest of the wolves in her pack? How they would react, she couldn't even be sure. Would she ask them to hunt down the betrayers or would she let Naira go, free to bring her young into the world. Young that Corinna was being denied.

Of course if they had stayed, Corinna would have been forced to give up her leadership position. That was how wolf packs worked, and why she had awoken in a rage that the tantalizing scent of fertility did not belong to her. And after all she had given to the wolves who resided within her borders, she would not willingly step aside and allow somebody else to take her place. Maybe that was selfish of her, and with a startled realization, she lifted her head, staring into the distance where Naira and Rhysis had gone. "I could still call them back. Hand it over to them." Her voice was weak, broken. But almost as immediately as she said the words, she threw back her head, scoffing before settling herself back on her paws. "No...I can't." It wasn't within her to start over again, and having grown accustomed to where she was, it would be far to hard to adjust now.

Ice sank down before her, and their eyes met. His were so different from Indru's fiery eyes that had captivated her from the first moment they had met. But right now, they were all she had. And as he spoke to her, she knew that she believed him without a doubt. Ice would not abandon her, of this Corinna was certain. Stretching forward, she nudged the side of his muzzle gently, physically thanking him for his declaration of loyalty. But Cori pulled away, her head tilting to the side in confusion as he spoke, the broken sentence barely registering with her. It took a moment before she understood what it was he was suggesting, and when she did, her green eyes widened in shock. "Oh." But...how would that be possible? She might have grown weary of Indru's consistent disappearances, but she had never stopped loving the tawny brute despite all of the hurt. What would it mean to betray him like this? Would it be a betrayal at all? His leaving the pack had done more than just harm Corinna, but this particular ripple effect was not one she had expected. Somehow, she had always hoped that Indru would come through for her. But when it came down to it, she was facing a choice, one that would have life-altering effects. And despite the stirrings in her womb, the desire to bring life into the world, she couldn't give in to her physical desires without thinking about how it would affect everybody else. In that way, she envied her absent Second - she had been able to run without worrying about the rest of the pack. They wouldn't be happy with her, sure, but she was not responsible for them. Not like Corinna was, anyway. Sighing, Cori forced herself to look away from Ice, taking a deep breath, trying to settle her thoughts. "I love Indru, Ice. I don't suppose that will ever change. And he has always come back before. If...he does, he will know." Her voice broke, and she looked back at the loyal Guard. "I cannot ask you for....that. Not knowing what will come of it. It wouldn't be fair to you." But that did not alleviate her own guilt, nor her own desires. "I love being a mother, Ice. Rihael, Fenru, Kisla, they are what help me get through the day." She whispered, her voice barely audible. Was it so wrong of her? To want to mother more beautiful pups? To raise them in a stable home, with a family who adored them?

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. In the few moments when Corinna toyed with the idea of handing over the pack as well as discarded it made him aware of two things. First, that this night really had pushed them to the edge, and even Corinna was teetering on the brink. Second, that she still had enough strength to fight through this, refusing to give in to the easier, weaker path. He couldn't but admire the strength she possessed, even if she was more or less on her knees right now - she still refused to give up, and silently he swore to support her until neither of them could crawl another inch towards the sun.. even if Swift River fell apart around them, he'd not abandon her. Friendship ran deeper than pack. He'd not turn his back on her, not be a fair-weather friend, not be like those who just ran away like cowards... He didn't know which one to hate the more; Naira, for agreeing, or Rhysis, for being Rhysis. The intense call of the black-furred idiot still echoed in the cavity of his skull. Naira hadn't acted alone, but she was far from free of blame. As Corinna's muzzle gently pushed against his own, he gave a soft whine and leaned into the touch, prolonging it slightly. The patch where she'd touched him felt naked and cold, as if the physical distance between them was a glacier. While no thoughts of such things were in his head, physical comfort had its charm when the world fell apart. To simply be near someone - to lie flank to flank and feel the steady rise and fall of breath, hear the soft thrum of a pulse not your own - was something that could take the worst bite off the pain.. but he held back, staying where he was, eyes of winter searching her face as his words registered.. her eyes widened, and Ice's heart stopped beating. Even if he hadn't thought of he himself being the one to father her cubs, her reaction could either spell destruction or renewal, continuation, of Swift River. The silence stretched, and he felt like burrowing into the ground and hiding, disappearing, sinking through the soil. The calm before the storm, when knowing the storm will come, can often be the worst sensation.. and it definitely was, now. A sigh, green eyes settling elsewhere - out of respect, Ice took his own gaze off her face, staring instead at their paws. "I love Indru, Ice. I don't suppose that will ever change..." He sensed more than saw as her gaze shifted back, and sure as sunrise, she must've read the bewilderment that bloomed out across his face. "But I-?" he nearly protested, before silencing his tongue - by biting down on it. "It wouldn't be fair to you." He smothered the pained keen as his teeth drew a faint trickle of blood, swiftly releasing the pressure. In the wake of her words, his jaws worked soundlessly. He'd.. not really considered what he'd said. Apparently. But as the thoughts dared to bloom, he chanced a look at Corinna's face, his own rather innocent but.. sympathetic? Gentle? Curious? At lightning speed, his mind raced through possibilities and scenarios. Indru wasn't here, not now, and he'd know the pups weren't his - he'd be able to know he wasn't here at the logical time of conceiving, given that it'd probably be a late birth, with it being so late in the season. But how would he react? Anger? Would he harm the pups (can he truly do that to her?), or just be content with driving him - Ice - out, and adopting them as his own? Or would he accept that someone else had fathered them? Would Ice become leader, or just a convenient, loyal Guard who donated some genetic material? What on earth would he say to Indru if - when - they met again? Would he give it all up with the promise that the children not be harmed, or would he, stars forbid, stand up for whatever new role he had in the pack? There was no way of knowing.. except one. "Life isn't fair," he said, voice tinted by bitterness. His childhood had taught him that. "But.. if he loves you, as he should... Would instinct blind him to your love for your children? Would he harm them, for not being his? Harm you, for.." He grew silent again, before giving his head a slow shake. "He's not here, Cori," he whispered hoarsely. "He's not here to ensure the future of his pack, or the well-being of his children.. of his mate.. of the rest of us." In that sentence, his own hurt at Indru's disappearance was laid bare, and it was beyond questioning that he, too, loved Indru, albeit in a different way. And that love was the reason that it hurt so damnably much in his chest, that sometimes he could barely breathe. "They'd be yours, more than they'd be his, or.. mine." Speaking of himself in such a context was weird, but it felt hard to turn back. He didn't really want it for himself - more for the pack. For Corinna herself. For Triell, and for Kisla, Rihael and Fenru. He fixed his restless eyes on her, sincerity in them, a seriousness quite unlike the sometimes bouncy, pup-like wolf. "And you wouldn't have to ask me for it, if I offered." Knowing full well what's at stake. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul

Gone Tomorrow

It was heart crushing, honestly. She was filled with an agonizing pain, the source of which was undetermined. She knew that she was grieving because she had just lost three able-bodied pack members, one of whom Corinna had grown close to. She was also grieving because the tawny furred and fiery eyed wolf was not here to make things better. Ice was there, of course, and it felt almost wrong the amount of comfort she was taking from him, but it just wasn't quite right. But there was something else that nagging at her, prompted by Ice's suggestion. What was she to do? If she decided to go through with it, then she would be severing whatever it was she and Indru had left; and her heart cried. She cared for the gray male with the gray eyes who was feeling just as much pain as she was. But this was more than just a step being proposed, this was a giant leap. One that would forever change herself, Ice, and Swift River.

The question being, could she take that leap of faith?

But she didn't have time to answer, Ice's own pain laid bare for her ears as he spoke. Corinna was certainly not the only one affected by the lack of her male counterpart, though until this moment, she perhaps had not realized exactly how much it had hurt everyone else. She wanted to tell him that Indru would come back, that he always came back, but somehow, this time felt different. It felt harder and more difficult to trust that his deep voice would fill the River wolves' ears when they gathered together, that he would be beside her to watch Rihael, Kisla, and Fenru grow up, and that he would be there to welcome their second litter into the world. It was this last thought that had put her in this difficult position, and it was this decision that was weighing her down. Cori was being asked to perform a balancing act, one that she was not sure she could successfully balance. Her own desires, the desires of her pack mates, the desires of Indru, all of which were weighing down on her, and it was making her more than confused. Given the high emotional tension that this night had caused, she honestly didn't know if she was in any position to make a decision like this. None at all.

Regardless though, Ice needed an answer. Green eyes met his, searching for an answer to the question that plagued her. "Thank you...Ice," she finally spoke, voice quiet. But she looked away, and drew back ever so slightly. "But....I....I....I can't. He would never forgive me, for it. He wouldn't understand why I did it. And at least...I can tell myself that he'll come back. If he came back and I was pregnant, he would leave. This time for good. And despite everything, I love him, Ice. As much as I want to, for myself and for the pack, I made him a promise." Her voice grew stronger, the longer she spoke, but there was still some hesitation there, and the sorrow was clear in her eyes. But she just couldn't justify it, not to herself, and certainly not to Ice. Ultimately, wanting to be a mother came down to her being selfish, and she could hardly sit there and condemn Indru for being selfish and then turn around and do it right back to him, a thousand times worse. Sighing, the she-wolf buried her nose in her paws again, eyes shutting firmly closed. What had she gotten herself in to? "We'll have to tell the rest, in the morning. They'll notice when those three don't show up for the pack hunt." It was an abrupt change of subject, but she couldn't continue to think about what it would mean to give up on Indru completely, else she would risk changing her mind.

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. The world pressed in on him from every side, darkness and sorrow smothering him even as his head sank to his paws. His chest rose and fell steadily, but withing it was chaos, a deep, dark turmoil full of angry, hot scars and knifing pain. He was afraid the thunder of his pulse would drown out whatever reply she'd give, but when she did speak, everything else fell away. Silence brushed against him, drowning out the noises of the night-time forest and smothering the roar of his lifeblood. The moment her eyes left his, he knew what she would say. In one way, he was relieved - he'd not believed that he would've been the candidate, given that Marsh was above him in rank. To know that he'd not run the risk of Indru's wrath or even being shoved into the position of leader beside Corinna was a weight off his chest, and yet... yet why did his heart harden, as if disappointed, or trying to keep something from escaping? Why did it feel like a faint glimmer of hope, a door opened for a fraction in time, had disappeared, slammed shut in his face? For a moment, he'd had the chance of becoming a father, and even if he toyed with the idea of if Indru isn't here next spring, but he knew it was lies as soon as it had crossed his mind. She'd said it herself - she'd always love him, even if he broke her heart into a million pieces. This had been a now or never, with "now" ruled out, "never" remained. It pained him to hear her explain herself to him, and his ears pressed against his skull. She didn't need to give her reasons, to sound as if she wanted to but couldn't. Ice closed his eyes for a moment. She was his leader, if she said jump, he jumped. If she said no, she didn't need to explain it. He didn't need to understand. He wasn't certain he did - or could. "Ssh," he whispered, eyes open again as he briefly leaned forward, trying to press the side of his muzzle against hers. "It's okay, Cori, it's okay. It'll be okay. Even if it'll just be you and me in the end, we'll hold out for him, okay?" He could've rambled soothingly forever if he'd let himself, and even as he wanted to tell her don't worry, he couldn't. They had to worry. With Naira's departure, Indru's absence, and now the decision to not have anyone else father her cubs, the pack was weak. It could very well fall apart around them, unless Indru returned.. Spring was waning, and with a silent sigh Ice drew his head back, holding it up as he gazed at Corinna's vulnerable form, her eyes closed to keep this nightmare out. Even if this was were they ended up, it wasn't a bad place at all. The first time they had met, Ice had called her "sir" a couple of times, and proceeded to shove his nose into the semi-frozen autumn soil. This conversation.. this night... He'd been bound to her a long time, heart and soul and mind, but it wasn't until tonight that he truly understood that she valued him in return as well. The sudden change of subject had him confused for a moment, and he was still and silent as he processed it. Only after a couple of seconds did he understand both meanings; she was talking about Naira, and had closed the door on their previous conversation. An acknowledging grunt escaped him, followed by the soft thud as he fell over on his side, pale eyes open to the slowly lightening sky. The stars were still out, though, not yet driven away. Cold and numerous, they stared back down at him, placing no judgment, neither on his foolish suggestion nor on the wolves that had run. They merely bore witness to the happenings of the mortal world, allowing stupid creatures to attribute meaning and lore to them. For a short moment, Ice felt a proper fool in everything he had ever done, and wanted to haul his miserable self off to the nearest creek and drown.. but he couldn't. In as many ways as he could think of, he'd sworn to Corinna to stay with her until the end, Indru or no Indru. "Strength," he whispered in the slowly fading darkness. "Have heart, have strength. We cannot let them see how it's affected us, for-" He'd been right about to run back to the subject of pups, but bit the words off. "It's a bad enough position already... We - you - cannot falter when they see." Ice doubted Triell would leave, nor any of last year's pups... But the rest? He had no idea, and wasn't too keen on finding out. He sighed for what felt like the tenth thousandth time that night. "If you want to catch a little sleep before dawn, I can watch over you.. make sure no ghosts come haunting." Somehow it wouldn't surprise him if either Rhysis or Indru came out of the bushes any second, and if either did, he wasn't certain he'd want Corinna to be alone. Besides, he'd welcome the chance to sit alone and sort through his tangled thoughts. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul

You write so beautifully, you make me feel so pitiful. <3

Gone Tomorrow

Green eyes were shut, closed to the world, and especially closed to Ice's reaction to her words. She didn't want to think of what kind of hope she had given him, afterall, hadn't she put the idea into his head? As loyal as he was to the pack, didn't every wolf feel the urge to continue on their particular family line? It made her feel awful, sick in fact. Tonight of all nights, Corinna was hypersensitive to everything. She had been broken down to her lowest, and laying here on the ground next to Ice, she couldn't imagine feeling much lower. The emotions churning in her stomach were making her physically nauseous, and it was all she could do to keep still and force herself to keep it bottled up. Ice would hardly think well of her if she vomited over his large paws.

When he pressed his muzzle against her's, physical touch and voice trying to relax her, she didn't immediately react. But after a moment, she returned the gesture, pressing her own muzzle against his more firmly, wanting to reassure him as well. Forcing herself to open her eyes, she met his briefly. But they lost contact as Ice fell over onto his side, the resulting "thud" causing her to lift her head off of her paws to look at him. He was looking heavenwards, towards the night sky, and she decided to join him, head tilting upwards. The branches of the trees overhead blocked the view ever so slightly, but Cori could still see the bounty of stars above them. At least they were not like that, Ice, herself, and the rest of the pack. They were not bound to be forever apart, but could move closer to one another for warmth and comfort, as she and Ice had done throughout this traumatic night.

Her attention was diverted when he spoke again, his voice quiet. Straining to hear him, she looked at him, gaze curious. She had never believed him to be stupid, but perhaps for the first time she was realizing just how wise this wolf was. A soft smile was given, and a tilt of her head. "Perhaps I will. But, asleep or no, I will watch over you as well." That's what being a pack meant. And despite being outside of their territory borders, having trekked out of them to follow Naira and Rhysis, Corinna didn't feel anxious about spending a few hours here before returning to the rest to inform them of what happened. Letting her gray head fall back to her paws, she shifted ever so slightly, trying to find a comfortable position to rest. Sighing, she stared at the Guardian, thoughts steadily fading away until sleep overcame her and her eyelids fell.

.. I hope it's a good sort of pitiful, at least? :x And I adore all of your posts, Shadow. <3

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. This entire ordeal had worn him out more than he cared to admit, and truth to be told, he was quite relieved when she seemed to take him up on the offer of a nap. Ice reared his head from the ground to peer at her curiously when she spoke of watching over him in her sleep, and was on the verge of asking her how she thought such a thing was physically possible but he held the words back, giving her a returning little smile instead. Bantering the philosophies of pack and the definition of watching over could wait until another time. She settled down again, and his small smile grew a fraction wider and brighter. "Thank you," he whispered as she stilled, and then his head met the damp ground again. But his eyes didn't close, instead he lay awake, listening to the sound of her breathing. After a short while, the rhythm of it slowed and steadied as the she-wolf gave herself up to sleep. Ice remained motionless a little while longer, still listening, still keeping his thoughts at bay. Then, ever so slowly and quietly, he pushed his front legs in under himself and came upright. As the night spun away around them he settled more comfortably on his haunches, blinking the mush from his eyes. For a little longer he was quiet, the storm in his head held at bay, but then he sighed and lowered his guard. It was for the best that Corinna had gone to sleep, he wasn't certain he would've been able to say anything useful until he'd had the time to sort through his chaotic mind. Besides, sleep would do her good. Hopefully she'd feel a bit better as she woke up, and believe Ice and his stupid offer to just have been a nightmare. Though, if he could pick which to believe a nightmare, he would've picked Naira's betrayal. Ice tilted his head backwards and gazed up the length of his muzzle and into the starry sky beyond the branches. They were budding, stubbornly declaring that spring would soon erupt in a storm of green, but the world was still in limbo between sleep and awake - a season that was strangely desolate when it was neither really spring, nor snowy winter. As time passed, he gave his mind free reign. He'd fill his quota of thinking for the next three years on a single night, or so it felt. He had no particular wish to dwell on all the things that could've been, but he knew that sooner or later, he would have to sort it out with himself, so why not now? Ice's eyes went out of focus as he breathed in the night, and even in the times when his thoughts were silent, he remained awake, watching over Cori as she slept. He had promised, hadn't he? Only when the sky lightened and the sun broke across the mountains did his vigil end and Ice allowed his eyes to close as the sun gently touched him. .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul