Hidden in the shadows

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

RE: A mysterious fog rolls over relic lore. For @Nash<3 Set about late night/early early morning on 7/18.

The night was far from being young anymore. The air was cool, a gentle breeze floated through the hidden valley with ease, twisting through the trees. The sky was clear, allowing all the twinkling stars to shine without hinderance. Large inky paws moved over rocky terrain without a single misstep. The Eastfall matriarch knew the rocks of this cove far better than the ones where she now called home. She wound her way through the trees until she came to a clearing. What little light reflected off the pile of rocks that had crashed down from higher up the cliffs, serving as the final resting place of her beloved. Moon's mercury gaze glanced over it, finding the one rock used to be the marker for her guardian. Her fluffy banner gave an automatic wave as she approached, it had been too long since she last visited her Tagg.

Circling a few times the large woman made herself comfortable laying next to him. She simply sat for a few moments in silence, observing what had once been her home, where she fell in love, where her children grew up, where she swore to always protect. A smile pulled up her inky lips at all the fond memories she had made there. This would always be her home. "Much has happened since the last time I came to see ya my love." Moonshadow spoke quietly despite no one being around. "As ya know we claimed the other cove on the other side of the lake. We were blessed with four healthy beautiful pups - two boys 'n two girls. Kateri, Leo, Lynx and Stella." The mother smiled a little wider. The pups may not be related but she loved them all as if they were. "I also have a surprise for ya!" She adjusted so she was looking at where she knew his head rested. "We're grandparents! Ya have a beautiful granddaughter named Nori. She's Staryn's daughter 'n goodness she definitely is." Moon chuckled knowing exactly where the girl got it from. Her happiness turned bittersweet and then to sadness. He deserved to be here, to see all this, to meet and know his granddaughter, his sons. She knew he would be so proud of them.

As if Tagg could really hear her, a misty fog began to roll in, closing around her almost like a hug. A low whine came from the aging woman as she laid her head on his grave and allowed tears to fall from her eyes. She missed him terribly, which made her sad but deep down she also knew she would be seeing him again one day soon - and that too broke her heart.

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Nash was not usually still up at this time of night, but he'd been unable to rest. He decided he might as well be productive and had started out on a border patrol. He was growing ever more paranoid, with the pups getting older and more curious, it was more important than ever to make sure they had someplace safe to explore.

Tonight was quiet. Quieter than normal. A heavy silence pressed upon Nash's ears and somehow he felt as though he was being watched and utterly alone at the same time.

It was the kind of night that reminded him of his time searching for his mother, when everyone had vanished and he'd come home to an empty cove and stale den.

Nash didn't notice his paws had carried him to the old territory until he heard his mother's quiet voice through the thickening fog. He paused. He shouldn't be surprised that he'd come here; he hadn't been to see his dad in a while, and it was after nights like these that he'd returned home for a visit.

For a moment he considered turning around and going back, to give his mother some privacy. He could talk to Tagg another day. But then he heard her whine and he couldn't allow himself to leave her there to cry on her own.

Nash glided through the fog until he reached his mother's side, taking care to make sure some of the gravel beneath his feet crunched so he didn't scare her.

"Mama," he murmured, sinking down to lay beside her and rest his chin across the back of her neck in a hug. He didn't know what else to say; her grief was different from his. He'd lost his father, but that was the natural way of the world. She had lost her love, her partner in life, years before she should have. He was gone too soon, and she had to continue on her own.

So Nash offered her comfort how he could.

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

The fog came out of nowhere, slowly at first, then much quicker. It wrapped itself around the grieving woman, giving her goosebumps beneath her ebony pelt. Resting her head on her husbands grave, she allowed the tears to flow and a whine to escape her lips as her eyes closed. She knew she was getting older and prayed to still be around for many more moons...but something in her reminded her that it wouldn't be forever. It broke her heart to think she would have to leave her children and now grandchild, but the thought of seeing Tagg again and the children she never got to meet somehow made it a little better.

Having been so wrapped up in her own thoughts she didnt hear the approach of Nash. She sucked in a startled breath as he embraced her. Thinking for a split second that could it really be Tagg. A deep inhale however told her otherwise. It was her youngest son, who looked so much like her yet had his fathers striking green gaze and a wonderful mix of both parents' personalities. A silent sob was let out as the mother wrapped herself around her child so that the two were intertwined like two pinkies making a pinky promise. She held him tightly hoping that if she didnt let go then her fears wouldn't come true. She wouldn't leave them, she would always be there for them.

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Despite Nash's best efforts, it was clear he'd still started his mother. Even so, her inhale didn't seem to be entirely one of fear. He didn't know what to make of that, but somehow he was glad it hadn't been @Chan to creep up on her this night. He, who looked so like their father and could move so quietly...

He eyed the fog around them suspiciously. It would allow Chan to appear as if materializing out of nowhere, and even Nash would probably think for a moment his father had come back to them. Even just a glimpse of that would likely devastate their mother, to see him and then have him ripped away again.

She sobbed harder, pressing into him and entwining herself around him. He twisted and gently kissed her cheek, then shifted to lick her ears a few times in a comforting groom. Then he settled his head back down. "I miss him too," he murmured after several minutes.

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

His gentle grooming allowed her to relax her hold on him. Guilt panged her, she was supposed to be the one to comfort him and his siblings not the other way around. The youngest Eastfall man rested his head back down on her body and she mirrored him. The two inky wolves sat in silence until Nash spoke. It was now her turn to comfort him "We all do" she murmured, sadness thick in her tone as she  gave his crown a loving lick. Tagg had been so important to so many wolves, loved by all - even the crazy ones. "But he's with us always in our hearts 'n is always lookin' out for us too." She smiled at the thought. It was comforting to believe that even though the veteran wasnt there physically, the love for him that they all carried would be enough to keep him around.

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I forgot that she called him her veteran T.T

So few members of the original Cove remained, and of them even fewer remembered his father. He was terrified that Tagg would one day be forgotten, and he tightened his embrace around his mother. How horrifying it was, knowing that some day they would all be forgotten. Maybe that's what true death was; once there was nobody left to love you, you were truly gone.

He took a deep, shaky breath and smiled sadly. "He was a guardian," he said, wishing he'd had more time to learn from his father. Nash wasn't a fighter; he'd never really been in an actual fight and hoped he never would be, but he wanted to protect his home and family and thought that following in his father's footsteps as the Cove Guardian was the best way to do it.

"I've been thinking about becoming a guardian myself," he admitted. "Do you think I could live up to him?"

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

She rested her head back upon his flank as they continued to talk. Her middle child spoke about his father is admiration in his voice. Her smile was sad but she was enjoying the reminiscing about their guardian. Her ears perk and stood atop her head as Nash said he had ben thinking about becoming a guardian himself. Her silver dusted tail thumped against the ground and the back of his shoulder. Then he asked if she though if he could live up to him. Her heart dropped slightly. "Oh love," she raised her head once more to give him a kiss to his forehead then look him in the eyes. "Ya are more than capable. I think its a wonderful idea! Ya would be an amazin' guardian 'n ya father would be so proud." Her eyes became misty as she looked into his emerald orbs. How they reflected her loves almost perfectly.

She held his gaze for a moment before continuing "Ya are more like yer father than ya know." She smiled at him. She was so proud of him as well, of all of them. All three of her children were absolutely extraordinary. Watching them grow from tiny bundles of fur to flourishing grown adults gave her a joy she never could have imagined and was so grateful for.

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Nash desperately wanted to make his parents proud. He looked at his older brother, saw how successful he was. He had so many friends, so much worldly experience, and was loved by everyone who knew him. Nash wanted so much to be like him. He wanted to be like his father. And he wanted to be like his mother, so kind and firm.

Her reaction to his revelation concerned him at first. Would she worry if he was a guardian, putting himself on the front line to protect them? His father had earned many scars in the line of duty. But then her tail wagged and Nash relaxed once again into her side. She had confidence in him - of course she did; she had always known her sons were more than capable, and always been sure that her daughter was out there leading a pack. She'd been right about Chan and Staryn; who's to say she wasn't right about him as well?

Nash smiled at his mother and returned to grooming her. "Maybe I can get Chan to practice fighting with me," he mused. "I want to be the best I can be." He nuzzled her.

"You really think I'm like him?" he murmured into her side.

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

A mother knew her children best, even better than they knew themselves sometimes. She knew Nash was not always the most open or outgoing, but despite him being reserved he had a good kind heart. He always looked out for others and tried to help when and wherever he could. So much like his father...yes Tagg looked scary to those who didnt know him but for those who did knew he wasnt as rough as he appeared. At one time he took must have looked as sweet as Nash too.

Her inky boy smile at her and mused about using his older brother as  practice. A chuckle fell from her inky maw. He nuzzled into her side after giving her a small amount of grooming. It was her turn to give him some grooming as he ask if she was really sure that he was like his father. "Yer father was one of the kindest souls I have ever known. He loved his family with every fiber of his being 'n would do anything to protect us." Her mind wandered back to the memory of Tikhi when she was on the verge of giving birth to the twins. Her grooming stopped momentarily as the images flashed in her memory. But she quickly shook it off. Had Tagg not done what he had to then she very well could have lost both Nash and Staryn. So she was grateful for the sacrifice he made to protect them. She looked back to his buried face and smiled before continuing to groom him. "Ya are very thoughtful and kind just like him. Ya have gotten so much more than yer eyes from him." She smiled lovingly. Both her sons had so much of Tagg in them, both in similar and different ways.

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Ah, I wondered if Tikhi was going to come up...

Nash was comforted by his mother's grooming and found himself relaxing, almost forgetting about the swirling mists or his father's bones in the ground hardly a body-length away. He thought Tagg would be happy knowing his wife and son were still here, including him in family time even if he couldn't really be with them.

Moon went on to describe how kind Tagg had been, and how he would have done to protect them. Nash had no way of knowing just how far his father had gone, and he was easy in his peace of ignorance, but he did know that his father had loved them very much.

Moon's assurance that Nash had more than just his father's eyes had him smiling as he looked up into her face again. "I'm glad I look like you too, Mama," he said. Chan looked like their father, Nash like their mother. He wondered what Staryn had grown into, but he was sure about one thing: she would be beautiful. Her daughter was, and that thought once again filled Nash with pride.

He wished his father were here to see this.