Clandestine Brook Devil's Trifecta

She methodically began to search for a sign of Ruari's brother. Another piece of fur that might lead them to him would be helpful but unless he was clumsy she wasn't sure that they would find another one. A fallen tree met her sight and she padded up to it. Finding that it was hollowed out she glanced inside to see if anyone or thing was in it. Nothing. Just the faded scent of some creature to stale and old to correctly identify what it might be. She let out a snort of annoyance before she continued on her search scanning the branches, the ground, really anywhere in the vicinity.

Time had passed and she wasn't sure how long but it felt like it had been a decent amount. Her ears pricked and her paws stopped as Ruari called out her name. Was it just her imagination or did his voice sound...off? Concerned she whirled towards his direction and with quick steps arrived within sight of him and...

Her mind blanked while her body froze as she saw the wolf. More correctly a dead wolf that looked exactly like Ruari. Her chest seemed to grow tight as she looked over the dead wolf's features. Everything was the same the fur color, the eyes, they were dulled over but she could still tell the color. His whole face was exactly the same seemingly down to the last detail. A shudder ran through her body as her gaze flicked back and forth between the twins her mind telling her that her shadow was still there, still alive and that this was another wolf.

Ruari? She questioned her voice hushed not entirely sure what she asking. Concern and worry were evident on her face as she focused on her shadow's features. It hurt to look at the deceased wolf. She hesitantly took a step forward wondering if he would accept her being close to him.

Each leaf had been picked carefully away from his brothers body, there was no mistake that the wolf he'd found was Deaglan. Despite the time that had passed what was left still looked liked his twin. After removing the leaves and calling for his blue eyed treasure he stood over the dark figure lying in the best of leaves. There was no point in her continuing to look for what he'd already found, he wanted...no, needed her at his side. How could he have not known this had been his brother's fate? He'd followed his instincts and the bond between him and his twin and still he had not known.

Guilt coursed through him as the sound of approaching paws came to his ears. He did not look at her at first unable to take his eyes from the body of his last remained family member. Now he was the only one left to carry on their legacy. He was the only one left to finish what they had come to this land to do. Ruari wasn't even sure he wanted to continue with it, he had Isaura now and she had become his concern.

It was then he finally turned to meet her gaze, “It's Deaglan,” he whispered as if speaking any louder would disturb his brother's eternal sleep. “He succumbed to his injuries.” At least that was the only explanation for his brother dying so young. Another wave of guilt washed over him as he realized that ultimately he'd killed his own twin, his family. The shadow lowered himself to the ground as he heard Isa stepped toward him. “I did this Isa,” he admitted to her and himself in a low tone his voice threatening to break, “What am I going to do without him?” He asked dark head turning to look at her pale figure.

As his yellow eyes rested on her he knew he had her by his side and he cared very much for her and wouldn't want to see her leave him behind. He and Deaglan had been together from birth with a strong bond but perhaps he'd put too much faith in that bond after the death of their mother. Expecting his twin to return to him, maybe they had been broken so badly afterward there was nothing that could be done. This, his brothers death was not supposed to happen.

 

He had uncovered the body from among the leaves that had buried it. They were piled around but she could still see every feature that mimicked Ruari's. Each look towards it made her chest tighten and her mouth go drier than it already was. If she hadn't known better she would have thought that this was her shadow laying there. Even thinking along those lines made her want to shake her head violently at the thought. Instead, she focused on her shadow her eyes scanning his face.

Ruari didn't meet her gaze and her brows furrowed in concern. He didn't look so good. Who would though under similar circumstances? At first she couldn't place the expression on his face but then it hit her as she continued to watch him. Guilt. He looked guilty. He looked at her at that moment and Isaura's breath hitched at the pain she saw there.

He confirmed her suspicions that the wolf that lay before them was Deaglan and that he had fallen because of his injuries. She took a step forward his name on her lips. When he admitted that he had done this she went to him. She couldn't ignore the way his voice shook when he asked her what he was going to do without him. Long strides took her to him and she dropped her head so that she could rub her head against the top of his in a comforting gesture.

You didn't do anything. She breathed unsure of how to tell him that his wasn't his fault. He hadn't killed his brother. The final blow hadn't been his so he didn't need to take the responsibility and guilt for it. Live. She whined as she lay down next to him pressing herself against him. Live and remember. Live so that she wouldn't be alone. Live and keep going down the path he wanted. Live.

If not for himself then perhaps for her. Could she be that selfish?

Keep going on. She whispered. How could she tell him that if he left her she would hurt? That every shadow would hold his face and haunt her? That she would be more alone than when she had first met him? She couldn't all she could do was press against him and hope to comfort him in his grief.

Their fight was not supposed to end like this, with one of them leaving this world. Deaglan was too young and had not lived his life. Neither of them had lived much of a life before they had come to the lore. Isaura was a comfort to the shadow, having her with him especially now that his brother was not. The weight of what he'd lost weighed heavily on him on that moment, his siblings and his mother but now his twin. Losing his brother was like losing a part of himself, they were like two halves of a whole. There had been a break between them after their mother's death but nothing that the shadow didn't think couldn't get repaired with time. Now he would never know.

What weighed on him heaviest was the thought that this was his fault, he’d caused the fight and inflicted the injuries that his twin had succumbed to. Ruari was certain that was what had brought death to his brother. As he looked over the body before him he could see no other reason for his brother to fall at such an age.

Isa had come and get spoke to her admitting to her that he believed he had been the one to do this to Deaglan. She came to him rubbing her head against his and he closed his eyes seeking comfort in her touch. She'd been a constant in his life since he found her and more than anything he was glad to have her there with him then. Then her voice came telling him that he hadn't done anything and more than anything he wanted to believe that. His thoughts were so jumbled then that he wasn't sure but in that moment he chose to believe her. It helped to ease the pain that tightened his chest and turned his stomach.

It was the one word that brought his yellow gaze to meet her blue one. Live. That was what she had said and he knew she was right. He couldn't lay down and die right next to his brother no matter how much he missed him already. It was her that he had to live for now. He'd made a promise but more than that he cared for her and didn't want anything to happen to her. 'Keep going on’ was the next thing he heard before he felt her body pressed against his.

The shadow looked back at where his brother lay and once again closed his eyes saying his silent goodbye to the brother he would never forget. When he had finished he opened his eyes and once again turned his head to look at Isa before licking her cheek. “You don't have to worry. I can't leave you.”

 

She had told him to live because other than death there was no other option. The thought of him dying, of looking like the wolf that lay before them made her shake slightly. She didn't know what she would do if she ever found her shadow like that. What she did know was that she hoped that she never found him like that ever. He had met her gaze but his lack of response worried her and she wanted him to agree so badly. It was his choice though no matter how much she would try to stop him if he made the decision to go with his brother to what came next.

Laying down beside him she pressed herself to his side telling him to keep going on. He looked away from her to his brother and she had the urge to get up and go between him and his twin. To hide the source of his grief from him. It was irrational of her to think that the simple act would stop the pain and she knew it wouldn't. She couldn't hide it now that he knew.

Her shadow returned his gaze to her and she searched his gaze wondering what was going through his head. Her shadow gave her a lick on the cheek as he told her that she didn't have to worry. How could she not worry? Moments ago he had thought that he had killed his brother. Isaura cared for her shadow and with the brother dead she couldn't help but worry about him. He went on to add that he couldn't leave her.

It took a moment for his words to sink in as she watched him. He wasn't going to leave her? Her shadow was going to stay with her? A happy whine escaped her throat as she placed light kisses on his face. She could still feel the tension in her shoulders but it had relaxed a bit. Her shadow had never lied to her and she knew that he wasn't lying this time either which meant she wouldn't have to worry about him leaving her to deal with his grief.

Had he not had his blue eyed treasure then maybe he would have stayed with his brother until the sun bleached his bones. Maybe he would have found some way to end his own life because he couldn't see any reason to go on when he felt so much like a part of him was missing. He and Deaglan had been together since birth, never apart. When their adoptive father killed their siblings and then their mother they were together. The killed him together and they came to this place together. After they had found out about their birth father they planned to find him but Ruari didn't know if it would be right to go one without Deaglan.

When Isa told him that living was what he should do he knew he had to go on if not for himself for her. She needed him more than Deaglan ever would have and he couldn't abandon her in this land where neither of them knew anyone. It was getting close to winter and they would need each other. More importantly not only did she need him but he needed her too. Feeling her body pressed against him only served to remind him that he wasn't alone and she would support him just as she had when they had met and traveled to where they lay now next to his brothers body.

When he told her he couldn't leave her and he meant it, she was too special to him now. For the first time since discovering what had become of his brother a small smile appeared when she licked his face and the whine escaped her. She had nothing to worry about and he felt that maybe he didn't either. With her he would get through this. Ruari tucked her against him with his muzzle, “I'm glad ai found you when I didn't and I know with your help I can get through this,” he whispered.

The shadow held her for a moment before he looked back to Deaglan's still body. A lite breeze ruffled the fur and Ruari sighed, “I can't leave him out here for the scavengers. I need to find a place to bury him.” It was not a task he was looking forward to it but it needed to be done. He needed to do this one last thing for his twin before he would leave. It didn't matter to the shadow that before they had parted they had fought, he loved his brother and no amount of fighting could change that.

 

Isaura was still sad for his brother's death but she was still more concerned about how this would affect her shadow. He meant a lot to her and she didn't want him to be on his own so when he told her that he wouldn't leave it took her a moment for it to sink in. She had wanted to make sure that she had understood him properly and that her mind hadn't been playing tricks on her. When she had realized that she hadn't imagined his words she couldn't help the whine that escaped her as she leaned forward to place kisses on his face.

He pulled her close to him with his muzzle Isaura didn't fight the motion but went with it. He whispered that he was glad that he had met her and that her help he believed he could get through this. Isaura couldn't find the right words to respond with and simple tucked her head more firmly under his and whined again hoping to convey that she was glad that she had found him as well and that she wanted to help even though she wasn't quite sure how.

The moment held still for what seemed the briefest amount of time and the longest before he released her to look at the body once more. Isuara felt her gaze drawn to it. Deaglans appearance still sharply reminding her that this could have been her shadow laying there instead. Ruari sighed as he spoke telling her that his brother should be buried so that the scavengers wouldn't get to him.

What about on the hill? She asked her voice softer than normal as she looked at the landmark in question. We could find some rocks and put them on top of where we bury him as a way to mark the grave. If they found some rocks it would also keep the more adventurous scavengers at bay as well. It was how her family had marked their graves to keep the younger wolves from accidentally digging in the area. In spring they would sometimes place flowers as well.

It had been hard losing his brother and sister and then his mother. Both he and Deaglan had taken her death the hardest and he supposed in the end it was their undoing. Things between them hadn't been the same and now as he gazed upon the body of his twin he would never know if they could have been again.

The pale woman beside him had become his concern, he cared for her and he knew she was worried about him. He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice as she spoke to him. He could hear the worry that he would give up, leave her. He made sure his treasure knew that he wasn't going to leave her, he pulled her close comforting her and letting her know she had nothing to worry about.

He felt her body relax against his her whine reaching his ears and s faint smile across his lips. He knew she would he there and help him through this hardship. The hardest part was yet to come, Deaglan needed to be buried.

As she spoke of the hill the shadows yellow gaze followed her to the hill. She spoke of placing rocks on his grave as a marker. He didn't need to give her suggestion much though. “I think that sounds like a fitting burial for him. One that I think he would approve of if he could make the decision himself.” The hill was the perfect place and not only would the rocks serve to mark the grave but hopefully protect it as well. “We should get started before it gets dark,” he said pressing a kiss to her crown before rising to his feet.

 

She wasn't used to death. It wasn't something that had happened a lot in her family. The only wolf that she remembered having seen pass on in their borders had been an elder wolf that she had barely known. She could remember how everyone had taken turns to dig the grave including her and how they had hunted for rocks to place on top of the freshly stirred dirt and then how some of them would sing before they all left in silence. Her mother had explained it to her when she had reached a year old as well as some other things and the reasons behind them.

His gaze followed hers to the landmark and he seemed to like the idea of using it for a burial site and using rocks to mark it. A small crossed her face pleased that he had liked her idea. She hadn't been sure some wolves had different customs than what she was used to for all she knew his family simply buried them and went on. He placed a kiss on her head as he stood saying that they should get started before it became dark. Isaura stood with him letting her side brush against his as she did so.

If you want I can start digging if you have any last words for your brother? She suggested unsure if he wanted to be alone for a moment with Deaglan. It wouldn't bother her if he wanted a moment alone. Her uncertainty showed on her face as she waited for a response ears twisting to the sides. Of course, he could say his words after his brother was buried but she simply didn't know what he would prefer.

There was nothing to be done for his brother now beside bury him and try to recover from the loss of his twin. Leaving him lay under the leaves was out of the question in the shadows eyes. No matter what their last exchange had been Deaglan deserved a proper burial and Ruari would see that he had that. He had buried too many in his young life and he hoped that he wouldn't have to do it again anytime soon. His gaze rested on his treasure as she spoke of a place to bury his brother and how to mark the grave. She was being so supportive of him in the search for Deaglan and now finding him and he knew that as he grieved his twin she would be supportive in that too.

The place that she had suggested would be perfect and the rocks would make it easy to find his grave later if Ruari ever came to visit. Deaglan’s spirit could look over the land from there and watch as the seasons changed. The shadow imagined it would he a pretty view from up there. It was time they put his twin to rest do after he gave Isa a kiss to show how much he appreciated her being there he stood, they didn't have much time if they wanted to finish before dark. Ruari felt her side against his as she stood with him, his yellow gaze landing on her once more as she spoke.

He nodded, “I think I will say something,” though he wasn't sure what, “I will come help you when I have finished saying goodbye to him.” He nudged her cheek and gave her a small smile to reassure her he would be okay while she went to the hill. He didn't think he would be long and would help her to finish the grave before they brought Deaglan to rest on the hill.