Remember me, Friend....

The sounds of the brief battle faded in and out as the old wolf's consciousness did. He knew that he would die soon. He'd been bitten by the rabid wolf and that had been a death sentence. He had known the price of putting an end to the other wolf and he'd gladly paid is so that Koda and the wolves that he'd met here in the Lore would be safe. The fates had been on his side and dealt him a blow that would snuff out his light in a much faster, albeit more painful way. A broken rib, acquired from a random stump in the battlefield had punctured his lung and each breath was more labored and punctuated by the occasional dribble of blood.

There had been a wolf, a young man, that had come to him. He'd told him to tell of the villian's death... and to get @Koda. How he longed to see his 'nephew' one more time and to see his old friend so strong in his son. Koda had a family now. He'd gone to his mate and surely their would be little Reiniers running around in the near future. How he wished that he could see them.... but, at least he had done his part to ensure that they would be safe from such vile creatures as those that they had just dispatched.

Suddenly, he realized that the snarls had ceased and the young man had left him at some point of unconsciousness. He lifted his cinnamon head with difficulty and tried to look about. He simply couldn't focus his eyes to the wolves in the distance and had to satisfy himself with knowing that their sheer mass and determination had overpowered the two rebels. It could be no other way.

That left only one thing on his mind. Koda. He could feel his body slowly growing colder as more blood left his body. He was no medic, but he knew that had to be a bad sign. In desperation he croaked out in a raspy voice, "Koda! Koda...." The younger wolf's name trailed off as a small fit of coughing racked the dying wolf's frail body.

The battle had been won, yet that wasn't to say nothing had been lost. Although the army that had marched over the mountains had been victorious Koda only felt defeat heavy in his limbs. He had tried to protect those dear to him by removing the blight in the dark misty forests here, but he had allowed one of those closest to him to fall. He tried to remind himself that he couldn't be sure yet, and that there was still a chance that Cisco would make it out alright. But the sinking feeling that had been dogging at him since seeing the cinnamon toned wolf stumble and fall just could not be shaken. He hated to admit it, but he was sure Cisco's last moments were soon in coming. For that reason, he'd sent @Nina to move on ahead, knowing there was nothing the healer could do for his old godfather. With a promise to catch up with her, sent her on ahead, though he half expected that she might just wait up only a short ways off for him anyways.

As Koda returned to Cisco, tired legs running as fast as they could, the metallic tang of the Aniwaya blood was still thick upon the air. The vile woman's blood coated his own maw and dulled his senses, but not enough to mask Cisco's own bleeding. If Cisco had killed whoever he'd fought, it was hard to tell. At Cisco's rasping voice Koda ran even faster, calling to the old wolf. "Cisco! Cisco, I am right here, friend." Koda tried to hold back the tremble from his own voice. He didn't want Cisco to hear the fear that gripped at him, to worry about him in what was likely Cisco's last few moments. But Koda was afraid, afraid to lose dear Cisco, afraid of what would lie ahead when the last fragment of his old life -- the only life he could remember -- faded away in a manner as sudden and tragic as the flames that had torn away the rest of it.

Koda slowed as he drew close, a low whine as he saw how torn up Cisco was up close. Each step he moved lower and lower, until his own nose was only inches away from Cisco's. "Please don't..." Koda began, unsure of what he could say. Don't die, don't go? Silly things to say now, when it was out of anyone's control. No bitter herbs or any amount of rest would help him here. His eyes flicked into the forest beyond Cisco before settling back towards the male. "Who did this to you?"

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

The old wolf had just about given up hope that Koda would find him in time. He could feel his life force draining away. His only regret should he die this moment would be not seeing Koda one last time, but all in all there was much to be grateful for. His passing had served a purpose. A much better way to go than fading into age and obscurity in some nameless forest, never to be remembered.

The coldness that he had felt seemed to be fading away and that struck him as strange. He was trying to wrap his tired mind around this fact when he heard a voice. One that he'd almost given up on hearing again. Koda. He had come. Joy filled the old wolf and a ghost of a smile lit his face. He lifted his head again. He didn't even remember laying it back down. The sorrow etched in Koda's face saddened him. He hadn't wanted to cause his young friend pain, he'd merely wanted to say goodbye and reassure the young man that his family was indeed safe once more.

He understood Koda's distress, but there was no stopping time. With a slight smile he said, "It's OK, my friend, but please don't come too close." He couldn't allow Koda to become infected with the illness. "I am ready to see my beloved once more." He gave a weak cough and this time no blood came. Probably not a good sign. He could hardly feel the pain of his broken ribs any longer. When Koda asked who had done this to him, he almost let out a soft laugh. "This is my fault, boy, but it was my choice. I...I... sought out the renegades. There were only three." There was a long pause while he caught his breath and gathered his remaining strength. "The other... the third was ill, on the verge of death already. But I could not take the chance. That one will trouble no one ever again."

He glanced in the direction of the departing vigilante mob. "All of you are young and have your whole futures ahead of you. I've lived a full life already and I'm tired." He turned his head towards the bloody gashes in his side where the broken ribs had further lacerated him and gave an nearly imperceptible shrug. "This way is better than the other." Had he not been mortally wounded, he would have had to find another way to end his life. He'd been bitten. Not a killing bite, but enough. Enough to pass on the madness that had shown in the monster's eyes. He would not become that.

Koda tried to return Cisco's smile, but the expression was only a superficial covering towards his own distress. He couldn't fathom how Cisco managed to be so calm right on death's doorstep. With Cisco's warning to keep his distance Koda pulled back slightly, but kept as close to the elder as he could. Each hollow cough from the dying wolf brought a shiver down Koda's spine, and the distant croaking of ravens approaching chilled him further.

As Cisco told him of what had happened, he couldn't help but feel pride in the old wolf. Cisco's kindness and generosity had made him a role model for Koda growing up, someone to look up to just as much as he did his own father. Even his last act had been a gift to save the others, an act that Koda immensely appreciated though he couldn't help but wonder if there could have been another option. Now it was too late, and even if by some miracle Cisco could pull through his wounds, the disease was in his veins.

"I can't... We can't thank you enough for what you've done. Your sacrifice has helped us all." Koda said with his head ducked slightly. "I'm not sure where my future is headed now," Koda gave a tired laugh in spite of himself, "Without Windsong, without you, all I have left is a future." The Windsong pack was a past he could not return to, but the only one he could recall. By some fortune he at least could remember Nina his love, but he knew many other things of his life in Relic Lore were still hidden to him. Somewhere lurking inside Koda knew the Lore lived, but when or where inside he would find man who had led Willow Ridge he couldn't tell. "I'm scared," Koda admitted. While there was much to look forward to, Nina and their cubs, their fledgling woodlands pack, there was still the unknown lying both ahead and behind him and without Cisco he wasn't sure what to do.

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

Cisco could easily see Koda's distress and he felt saddened as he realized that Koda had not yet recovered his memories. At least not all of them. They younger man looked so forlorn and Cisco wished that he had more time. More time to maybe help him put his past behind him. Maybe if he could fully do that, his memories of his past here in the Lore would be restored to him. Koda was right, he could only live in the future, but what a future he had!

With a slight gurgle, the cinnamon wolf spoke what he could only hope were encouraging words. "Let the past die with me, child. Live for your future. You have a loving mate and soon, you will have your own children. They are what you must live for. Remember me and your birth pack fondly, but let us go." His breath began to become shallower and he struggled to get enough oxygen. He wasn't afraid of death, he merely wanted more time. More time with his beloved nephew. More time to see the man he was becoming and the children that he and Nina would sire. The pups that he would never be blessed to see.

{b}"Promise me one thing. Tell your children of us. Me and your birth pack. Let us live on in your memory and their memory, but put us behind you and look to the future. Can you promise me that?"[/I] His words were soft and interrupted, but their meaning was sure. Look to the future.

Somewhere in the back of his mind gears were turning, processing what Cisco had said in ways Koda couldn't consciously fathom. The front part of his mind screamed that he couldn't just let Windsong go like that and move on, as if it was to turn his back and abandon his own family. But logically he knew Cisco was right, that he had to let them all go and move on to the future he did have ahead of him. The darkest of shadows had the brightest of lights before them, and moving out of this trying time Koda had a beautiful mate and their children waiting for them. Koda sighed, lying down and setting his head on the ground, sure to maintain some safe distance between him and Cisco. It felt like his heart was breaking to watch the old wolf dying infront of him, but inside him the shattered pieces were fitting back together.

"Cisco, I can promise you that," He said quietly. Memories were to be cherished and respected for their fleeting beauty, not held tight and crushed under his paw with fear that they would run away from him. With that, he realized that was the base of it, that he was afraid if Cisco left he would simply forget everything just as easily as he had forgot Relic Lore. It wasn't a rush or anything like he had expected, but it all flowed back to him now. Like fitting the last puzzle piece into place and stepping back to view the whole picture, Koda saw it all now. Arriving at Relic Lore tired but hopeful, taking up the reigns at Willow Ridge and all who he met, were bits of that puzzle he could now see. An honest smile lit up Koda's face, glad to give Cisco some more good news before he left. "Cisco, it's all back to me now, my time in Relic Lore. I cannot thank you enough for being here when I needed you most, and your sacrifice was a gift to us all. It was an honor knowing you, friend." A shimmer of unshed tears lit up his honeyed eyes, but the smile on his face did not faulter.

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.