Hollowheart Keep keep the streets empty for me

The deed had to be done so Camio did it. Digging the grave with Nova he wondered just what had happened. It must have been on a day he had taken a little trip. Trying to focus on being respectful to what was left of the old man he stopped when his companion did. When her topaz gaze met his brown gaze he understood fully. It was time. Camio was unsure about how to move everything, and it would show on his slightly confused face. "How do we wanna go about this? I mean...I've never done something like this." It was his first time ever having to take care of a body that wasn't his own meal. With his prey he would usually carelessly throw the body somewhere if even move it. But Mapplethorpe wasn't prey. Mapplethorpe was his own kind and needed respect during this process. Trying to keep his stomach from lurching up into his throat he allowed his heart to pound and beat in his chest. Camio much rather have his heart pounding then his stomach in his throat. Adverting his gaze to look elsewhere he let his eyes wander to the roots of a tree not to far from them. "We need a way to remember him. Name this place after the old soul." He figured that might be a good way to leave the mark of the Keep wolves on this land. Or at least the mark of Mapplethorpe. The place even reminded him of a graveyard a bit. "Speech."

table by Grey / 2014

and all the love lost was the love that i kept
in coffins and boxes, a museum of the dead

Apprehension was clear on her tight expression as she looked at Camio, wishing he knew what to do. Nova couldn't say she'd ever done anything like this before either. Really, it was a good thing that she hadn't yet buried anyone, but it was hard to see a bright side to any of this. Of course she had filled caches with lesser beasts, but it seemed so disrespectful to regard the elder similar to a piece of meat. He meant much more than that in life, even if all that remained of him was the empty husk of his body. Nova fought to hold back against the burning lump of a sob in her throat.

"I guess, we can..." Nova gulped, trying to think of how they would move him exactly. "You can... Grab hold of his back legs, I will get the front and... We can haul him in."

Nova nodded as he said that the place needed a name. As she pondered, a memory drifted up, reminding her that it already had one. Fittingly, it was one that Mapplethorpe had given it himself in life. "Cors Ossum," Nova said, the latin words feeling heavy and awkward on her tongue and missing the elegance with which Mapplethorpe had wielded them. "That's what he... used to call this place. He said it means 'Boneyard'."

Very slowly Nova lowered her head, trying not to breath in and curling her tongue far back in her mouth as she clasped Mapplethorpe's wrists in her broad muzzle. She tried not to notice how cold he was as she waited for Camio to grab hold as well. Rather unceremoniously they lifted in time, shuffling over the shallow grave and lowering him in.

Nova's stomach swirled and lurched in disgust, and without a word she had turned and scurried away to dry heave into a bush. She didn't want to go back, she didn't want to look at him any more, it wasn't how she wanted to remember her dear old Appa. But there was still work to be done, and after wheezing enough to catch her breath and stave off panic she returned.

Back at the graveside, Nova tipped her head up into the rain. She let go slightly strained howl, singing an ancient, wordless votive to the dead. With one last look at the dear old wolf, she began to push the freshly churned dirt back over his body.

(This post was last modified: Aug 20, 2014, 06:10 AM by Nova.)

Listening to her directions Camio slowly let his jaws rest on the hind legs of Mapplethorpe's corpse. As they moved the body in he watched as Nova scattered off silently. He didn't bother her knowing that this whole process was shocking, gross, and sad. A horrible combination if you asked him. "Cors Ossum," The young Zamora nodded softly. "I like the sound of that. It fits." As much as he hated saying that the name fitted this place he knew it was the truth. Any name with the meaning Boneyard would now fit this place. Watching for a moment as Nova started to put the dirt back over the body Camio slowly helped her. He let his eyes look at Mapplethorpe for what would be the last time in a long while. He didn't plan on seeing the male till his own body left to go be with the stars. That was the next time he planned on seeing his old leader. Any other time he saw him he might just think he was seeing ghost. Letting the silence settle between the two for a moment he sighed lightly. "I don't wanna be alone..." His voice was soft, barely above a whisper for only Nova to hear. Camio knew he was gonna hate what part came next but it had to be said. He had nothing left except for the dead remains of the pack that once lived here. "Can," He paused letting his eyes slowly catch a glance to Nova's eyes. "Can I please come with you? Wherever your going. I'll do anything." It was true. The male was good at making offers and he was willing to do anything to fit in and have company for even just the slightest bit of time. "Speech."

table by Grey / 2014

and all the love lost was the love that i kept
in coffins and boxes, a museum of the dead

Nova had a soft heart, of course she couldn't say no to his request. And secretly, she didn't want to be alone either. The journey over the mountain was long and lonely, and Nova didn't want to be left alone with whatever sad turn her thoughts would inevitably take, with nothing and no one else to distract her.

A small, sad smile pulled at her lips and she stepped closer to the male, reaching to brush the top of her head against his neck. It was a small gesture of thanks she could give. For being practically a stranger, it meant a lot that he had done so much to help her. "Thank you," She breathed.

"And yes, of course you may," She said quietly as she stepped back and turned her head eastward. "I'm going over the mountains, where my sister lives. But I have to warn you, she's, well, difficult." Nova could hardly handle her sister at the best of times, and she had grown up with her, meaning she had learned what to do to make their sisterhood at least mildly tolerable. She didn't want to dump this poor wolf in the midst of Aponi's unpredictable moods without a fair warning. Somewhat selfishly, she hoped that it still wouldn't deter him from coming with her.

"It's still early, we should get going..." Nova told him, eager to put some distance between her and this sad place.

One last post from you to fade it out then archive?

Wagging as the girl brushed her head against his neck he smiled. "It was the least I could do." Camio was happy the dealing of Mapplethorpe's body was over. Although the sight of it was something that might haunt him for the next year he would hopefully grow to get over it. When she said he could join her his smile only grew wider against his face. "Thank you, thank you." His ears perked when she mentioned her sister being difficult he chuckled softly. "I'm sure she can't be too bad." Nudging Nova softly on her shoulder he let his ivory teeth expose through his grinning face. "I agree. Lead the way." His tail kept a steady rhythm of waving behind him. This would be a new start for him, or perhaps the both of them. He was slowly but surely taking a liking to this female by each moment. Even if she did try to snap at him a bit earlier. The situation was understandable so Camio would gladly let it slide. For he could use a little company and he wasn't gonna let some small snips in the rear drive his new found company away. Realizing Camio hadn't formerly told her his name yet he mentally laughed at himself. "I don't think I've told you my name yet miss. The name is Camio Zamora. Most call me Cain but you can call me whatever you wish." Looking to Nova now that his introduction was done he was ready to get a move on. The trip over the mountains surely wouldn't be an easy one. "Speech."

table by Grey / 2014

and all the love lost was the love that i kept
in coffins and boxes, a museum of the dead

If he didn't think her sister could be too bad, Nova thought, then he would sure be in for a surprise. But who knew, maybe Aponi was different now. Even for how ruthless her sibling seemed to be, she had agreed to help Nova, and that had to mean something. Nova just hoped that the hospitality would extend to her new companion.

She had entirely fogotten that they hadn't even given each other their names yet. Her initial run in with him hadn't been terribly polite, and it really did embarrass her thinking about it now, with emotions running not as high than they had been at the time.

"Oh! I'm Nova," She told him, her tail waving just the smallest bit. Impromptu introductions given, Nova began to walk. As she neared the edge of the 'clearing', she couldn't help but glance back one last time at the bare earth under which Mapplethorpe now rested. The tree branches rattled, and out of the corner of her eye a black feathered shape fluttered off through the canopy. Nova returned her eyes to the path ahead, staying close at Camio's side as they journeyed onward.

{End}