[AW+] When Evening Falls :: Ceremony of Stones

[Aldora Knight]

---

The afternoon was warm, summer still had a firm grasp on the land, the sun was shining brightly and happily; it did not suit the mood that lingered over the pack.

The day before Aldora and the rest of the Cavaliers who had travelled to Del Cenere had returned to Casa only to find that while they had been absent a great suffering had been endured by those left behind.

Veri Secanti had died.

Much like the feeling she had had when returning from her long trek through the lands of Nova Scotia to find her mentor, Lyris, had died in childbirth, now Aldora mourned the loss of one of Casa’s dearest members and most adept healer. In the end, her honorable age had finally caught up with her, and her body had failed her.

Such would it be for all of them if they did not die in battle, or to sickness, or to self-destruction. In the end, all of them would return to dust.

Aldora, weary in body from travel and in spirit from the loss of one of her mentors, stood quietly in the Silent Meadow, the body of Veri laid upon fresh hewn spruce bows, her body veiled in transparent linen. She looked serene, as in a deep sleep, her head haloed by summer wildflowers. In this way, the brokenness of her body was nearly unnoticeable, the subtle scent of blood and death hidden by herbs and perfumes. Only a few steps away the circle of stones for Rurik and nearby, Luca.

It was nearly too much for Aldora to bear, and before she could succumb to her sorrow, she lifted her maw in call to gather the pack, just as the sun began its descent.

Once enough had gathered to satisfy the Sola, and the light of day began to wane heavily, she began her eulogy, "Here rests Veri Secanti, daughter of Iona, mate of Rurik and Luca, mother of Alaric, Isobel, Caspian and Lucian; adoptive mother and grandmother to many; accomplished healer and warrior. Her loss to the pack will be without equal, she will be remembered as one of the greatest Cavaliers, may she forever be crowned in glory."

Moving forward, Aldora placed a stone on the ground at Veri’s feet and bowed her head before stepping back, "My dear friend, let your spirit find its way to the stars, to rest forever in peace at the feet of Fenris, and embraced for eternity in the arms of the Goddess." Her voice broke at the end, she could not even bring herself to sing in mourning.

---

Back-dated to evening of September 3rd in the Silent Meadow | WC: +4

[Caspian Knight]

[+000]

Ooc: When the worst is yet to come | Relentless, you survive.

He dreamed of her, in the small hours that were snatched unwillingly. He saw her face, colored in shock, falling, falling, falling away from him. In his dreams, Caspian reached out to her, as he had done in reality. His mother's fingers passed through his own, smoke that there was no holding on to, for she was gone.

When he woke, the world was grey and empty despite the summer's sunshine; And he was heartless, there in the deepest parts of himself.

It was Jacelyn that came to find him sitting alone on the old stump. Her words came from afar, such that he could barely understand them. Devoid of emotion, he shrugged off her attempts at clothing him. Limpid, he followed after her, his dull stone clutched in his fingers.

Caspian felt cold.

They gathered in the failing light, faces that he had known his entire life. They were so far away.

Aldora's words couldn't touch him, though he desperately wished they would. What did they know, of the early morning before the birds woke, what did they know of her gentle voice in the dark. The pain in her eyes when she moved, the gasping breaths of air when she did too much too quickly. Caspian had grown with all of these tiny things, these little moments, and he had lived beneath their shadow, absorbing them all like drops of moonlight.

His mother had stretched far and wide, shaping her young son as the river channeled paths into the mountain's side.

Your fault. It's your fault.

The guilt in his ear was heavy, and his head lowered further beneath its weight. Would that she be the one standing here and he, laying still and silent in her place. Fenris should have taken himself instead.

You killed her.

Struggling with his own self, Caspian stepped forwards, his Father's eyes bright in his dark face. The stone he set gently with numb fingers. The Son bowed to his mother's corpse and rose again with a suffering effort.

They had heard her stuttering last breath. Had listened with agony burning in their chests, to hear their Gramma Jace's mourning sobs. The grasp of the years stretched behind them, incomprehensible, to himself, who had yet to live through an entire one.

Once, he had been happy. It felt like a dream, something vague and intangible. Where would happiness come from now, now that she was gone?

---

[Lucian Marino]

The last few days had been a blur, the only person he had spoken to since the accident had been Honrin and Nova.  He avoided everyone else like some incurable disease, even his brother.  The events had caused a giant rift between brothers that Lucian didn't know if it would or could be mended.  Of course his mentor had come after him that horrible day, to try and explain that it wasn't Caspian's fault, which the Marino boy just simply nodded, unable to speak, in fear that if he did try to, his emotions would get the best of him, like they had done before. Now all he knew was that his brother was with their mother, then he wasn't and now she's dead.  It seemed who to blame was pretty clear. 

Since that day, he had spent his time up at Knight's Peak, hidden from everyone, the only one able to get close to him was Nova.  The boy was numb, he didn't feel heat or cold, he had shut off from emotions completely, because feeling nothing was better than feeling everything.  Most of the time, the two just sat in silence looking out over the only home he had ever known.  But now, now he was surrounded by the pack, by family and in proximity to the one person he held accountable in his mother's death. 

He held his stone, azure and marigold hues cast off into the distance, as if his soul was outside looking into the cold being that used to be Lucian.  The Sola's speech went in one ear and out the other, if he could have heard it, or felt it, maybe it would have helped, but he couldn't even process it. Watching as his idiot of a brother, a ghost of his former self, placed his stone there was a shot of pain that pierced his heart.  For a brief moment, he felt something. Was it sorrow, pity or something else…he wasn't sure but before he could process it, the sensation was gone and Lucian was a stone statue once more.

A simple tap of the shoulder from the charcoal Hushhowl let him know that it was time. Like a shadow of his former self, he moved, floating over the world that still lived, the world that still had a heart. Kneeling down, he bowed his head and closed his eyes. Lucian wanted to say something, anything, but as much as he tried, no words would come.  Opening his eyes, he glared off into the distance before standing up and returning to his place beside Nova, far away from other pack mates and family.

If this really what life had come to? He thought he would always be a Cavalier…now, he didn't know what he was but he sure didn't feel like part of the pack that stole his mother from him, who made his world come crashing down, who took this once sweet and loving boy and turned him into something no one would recognize, cold and alone.

WORD COUNT - 523

[Nazar]

Nazar strode into the Ceremony after the call had been sounded. It took for as long as a crowd to gather for Aldora to start rattling off her piece, and while Pushok, Zetsubou and Ezra looked to her and heard her guiding words, Nazar gave them no mind.

He wasn't close, no, not to any of her family. He was barely close to his own. The nearest connection that he had to Veri herself was her son, and if he were to call himself the boy's nemesis, he might be too kind to his own worth.

Despite his previous actions within the pack being questionable at best, he wasn't here to start anything. A stone, put in his hand with a stern look by his elder brother, remained in his palm until it was time. Quietly he moved to the stones that were already placed and there he set his own down. He had no words for her, nor anyone else that was here. He was only, just now, trying to mock if not feign understanding of these ceremonies.

Though, he did wonder. Could his grandfather have earned one, had Nazar known something like this was a way to say goodbye after death. Was there a possibility that he could earn one of his own? He stood up and returned to the crowd of souls that looked in far deeper grieving than he. Maybe not. Luperci died every day. Maybe something like this was made for special souls.

[Kai Wolfe-Denahlii]

The Wolfe-Denahlii woman came back with joy in her heart from the Stockshow at the Del Cenere Gang. She had acquired not only a new sheep and horse, but had also came back with a new dagger and gifts for the Lune. Most of her stock had been traded away,  andshe had met some new friends and caught up with old ones. But nothing, NOTHING, could prepare her for the heartbreak that would meet her at home.

Veri was gone, Lucian and Caspian were destroyed, and the terokla was beside herself, having to do what no one should ever have to do. Put their best friend to rest.  Kai didn't even know where to start, she tried to help but most met her with resistance, which was fine, everyone grieved in their own way. At least when they were finally ready to talk, her door would always be open, no matter what time of day or night. While she had worry for Jace, most of the counselor's worry laid with the brothers, Lucian blamed Caspian and Caspian blamed himself.  It was nobody's fault, it was an accident, but to get them to see that now would be futile, so she let them be. 

It had been a few days since the tragedy that shook the pack and the leaders had arranged for a Stone Ceremony to say goodbye to their beloved elder.  Kai arrived early to see if there was anything she could do to help and offered and shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen.  The Sola gave a beautiful eulogy before placing the first stone.  Caspian and Lucian were next, both seemed dead on the inside and looked like they hadn't slept in days. Though if she was honest with herself, she hadn't slept much either, she could feel the pain of those around her and she kept watch for Veri's spirit, but it had not appeared to her yet, perhaps she was already gone.

Of all the places, it was the Silent Meadow that drained her of energy and empathy the most.  Kai had to be conscious and work to keep up the wall so that spirits stayed at bay.  There were many spirits here, which made it difficult, but she needed to be here.  After a few more  stones were placed, the sable woman took her turn.  Kneeling down beside the other stones that had been placed she closed her eyes and said a prayer to the All Mother and Atoi to guide the Secanti woman to her resting place.  Opening her mismatched orbs and single tear ran down her check as she placed the stone.  Wiping the tear away before she stood up, she took her place on the edge of the crowd, somewhere others could reach her should they need a counselor without disrupting the ceremony.

･✿.｡.:*.:｡✿･･✿.｡.:*.:｡✿･･✿.｡.:*.:｡✿･･✿.｡.:*.:｡✿･

483

[Eros Damaichu]

The fiery pelted Damaichu stood among the crowd, his expression inscrutable and his gaze distant and unfocused.  Eros had spent too much time here lately, but he’d been visiting only one other person.  He was pretty sure that this was a sad day, but all Eros could feel was….embarrassment.  Veri had died falling down the stairs.  Could there really have been another more pathetic way to die? As ways to die went, it must be only one small step above dying of fright while you were squatting down to have a crap.  Eros had long since accepted that he’d go down to an enemy, either fighting, or maybe if he was really lucky his heart would explode while he was f-

Eros realised he was tossing the stone he was to place into the air and catching it again.  Dragging his mind back, he stopped chucking the stone about.  Eros acknowledged how sad this might be, and the loss of family was never great, but the manner of her death seemed to get to him more.  Gazing around the crowd while Aldora spoke, Eros tried to pick out Yrsa.  If truth be told, he was more bothered about the fact she hadn’t slept with him yet, than anything else right now.  He hated to admit it, but there was something about the healer that kept her in his thoughts, and though they’d spent some pretty nice dates together, he’d never quite been able to seal the deal.

Again, Eros realised he was tossing the stone into the air.  Swearing under his breath, the fiery pelted Damaichu went forward, squatted and laid the stone, pausing for a moment trying to think of something profound to say.  In the end, Eros shrugged and, quietly enough to be respectful, blurted.

”If there is a place after this show, say hi to Luca for me.” and as he straightened Eros appeared to remember something and continued ”And it’s been a year, so if he finishes quick, don’t hold it against him, you’ll both have plenty of time.”

Eros paused a moment longer, before turning and walking back to the crowd.  As he moved, he rolled himself a treat, lighting it and taking a quick drag, holding the smoke and releasing it into the sky.  If they did end up in the stars after they died, it must be damn cold, so it’d be lucky if Veri and Luca had each other to hang onto.  Eros lips twitched slightly in a smirk, before his gaze lingered on Yrsa again, tendrils of smoke curling from his lips.

[Brannon O'Neil]

The air was cool as the sun set, but the mood was cooler. It was to be expected at a ceremony of stones. Only rough images and blurs reminded him of the ceremonies in his early years. In hindsight he knew why his father’s ceremony had looked so different; He had been a traitor, and as such was not given the same privileges as true members of the pack. Still, he was glad that he and his sister were given the chance to say goodbye. While it was so long ago, he still remembered the deep sadness and confusion that came on that foggy day.

Now though, the pain of the ceremony was not his own. He looked towards Caspian and Lucian and felt a giant chasm between them. Brannon had not had a moment to share his condolences with them yet, partly in turn due to his own guilt. His own father was the reason the two brothers no longer had a father, and now they were left with no one. He tossed and turned at night wondering about their wellbeing, feeling partly to blame.

When it was his turn, he quietly took the smooth stone and put it with the others. Veri was an important member of the pack, the sorrow on everyone’s faces was clear. In his head, he said a short prayer before turning back around to head back to his spot.

He paused for a moment in front of the two Junior Cadets, eyes briefly meeting with their hollow expressions. His thoughts swirled madly as he thought of something to say. He was sorry about the loss of their mother. He was sorry about his connection to the loss of their father. He was sorry for all the loneliness and sadness that clearly filled them. He was sorry about not being present when they needed him the most. Instead, all he managed to whisper was a simple, “I’m sorry.” His teeth clenched as he made his way back to his spot in the crowd, mad at himself for failing the ones he cared about most once again.

OOC:
[352]

[Starlight Hushhowl]

WC: 334

With her child wrapped close to her body in a sling, Starlight pulled her charcoal colored Brotherhood cloak over her shoulders and pinned it with a flourite broach. Ursa gurgled in her pouch only to be hushed by her stern mother. Obediently, the blue eyed baby nestled in close and settled for a nap whilst her mother attended to business.

A stone clutched in hand, she wove between her packmates with her head held high to place her stone. Veri had been a strong, yet merciful member of their council. The pack would be weaker without her guidance. Silently, she prayed to Fenris that Veri found her son, Rumpa Nightshade, amongst the dead. They would need each other in the afterlife.

---

Standing uncharacteristically apart from the crowd, Alaric Ivanov gripped his rock right. To put it down would mean saying goodbye. He had had a chance to do it while Veri still lived, but the ceremony of stones was different. This was releasing her to the afterlife. Releasing her back to Rurik and Luca and Rumpa and his sister who had never managed to live.

The circle was almost complete when Alaric raised his head from his prayers, if they were in fact prayers. His silver and blue eyes were glazed over with fresh tears. He looked towards his young brothers who now found themselves alone in the world. He looked towards his King who had lost both of his own parents long ago. With one hand clutching his stone and the other his father's pendant, he placed his stone amongst the circle. When he stood back up, there was a steely resolve in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Alaric had allowed the world to pass him by and had allowed his dreams to slip through his fingers. Bi-colored eyes tracing the lump attached to Starlight's torso, Alaric knew that he had to step up. Even if she killed him in the process. Alaric Ivanov was going to be a father.

[Borya Hushhowl]

Bodies fashioned out of dirt and dust - For a moment we get to be glorious

---

stuff here

Death was an inevitable part of life and unfortunately despite how many young generations were coming into Casa, there remained the older ones who were still holding onto the foundations of the Cavalier kingdom. One of those foundations had fallen, just as the group returned from the Stockshow they heard the news, and now it was time to let her join the many other fine members of the pack who had all brought Casa to where it was today. Borya knew Veri as a healer and kind woman; she'd seen to his arm when he was young, offer treatment to help Borya cope with it. But beyond that, the young man could tell she was a caring mother, not just by blood, to many within the pack. 

The loss would impact many for some time, for Borya, the life would be immortalised in a book the moment he had the chance to add it. 

For now however, everyone gathered in the Silent Meadow to pay respects, Borya arriving with his small family around him. Tlama with a hand on his shoulder and Luna and Vezda sitting silently by his legs. Borya was ever grateful to have them, for in this moment of mourning a life lost he was also reminded of what he still had. The Silent Meadow was a place of sadness for everyone in Casa, for the bones hidden in the long grass had connections to many family members. Borya still remembered placing a stone for his grandfather here, now watching others do the same for Veri. He raised his good hand to squeeze Tlama's, letting out a long sigh as the young scholar continued to pay his respects in silence.

[Petrichor]

OOC: wordtober - ritual | WC: 268

IC:
It was never easy for Petrichor to meet new canines. He didn't like to make small talk, didn't ask how others were if he didn't care, and didn't like to talk about himself. That was all a recipe for being isolated even with a large pack surrounding him. Battle didn't have problems like those, so he leaned on her. She didn't seem to mind that he followed her around, hoping that he could get to know pack members through listening to conversations she had with them. Maybe then it would give him something to ask them about in the future.

As the weather began to cool, Petrichor wondered if they had a ritual or ceremony that they performed to mark the change in seasons. His birth pack did, though he did not usually like to take part in it. That was mostly because he didn't like most of them, nor did they like him. It turned out that there was a ceremony to attend, but it wasn't seasonal, nor was it happy. Petrichor did not know the Luperci who had died, but Battle thought that it would be good for them to show support anyway. Petrichor agreed in theory, but he also hoped that he wouldn't have to try to offer more comfort because that would not go well.

With the anxiety of possibly having to talk to his pack mates, Petrichor and Battle joined the ceremony. They listened to the words spoken by the Sola and hoped that the gathering would help their pack mates in their grief.

[Lyall Hushhowl]

Death. The irreparable cessation of all objects vital, to the living body. It starts with the heart and brain, and slowly, everything else begins to stop working…

An encounter with death, something he never wished upon anyone before in his entire life. And yet, here was his childhood best friend’s mother, Veri. And suddenly, the Hushhowl felt sickened by the site of everyone crying and weeping and down on their knees. Placing stones, following the order of those who died, falling in line, becoming sheep. Veri wouldn’t have wanted the weeping, her cold, lifeless body was six feet under with no more signs of life, and the brute felt nothing but anger.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t sad, because boy was there tears in his bi-colored orbs, it was he was more mad because if he even died he wanted people to celebrate him, not mourn over the loss of the monochrome wolf. Yet, he couldn’t help whenever his hands clutched and unchurched at his sides, couldn’t help but look over his shoulder for Aberama, for Maisie, for any of them. Lucian was a mess, and for the right reasons, too.

There was no imagination to be had to loosing a mother at such a young age, after all, Lyall was lucky. His mothers were still alive, and it would seem as though Lucian and Catalina were now orphans. Orphaned by the Gods’ themselves, forcing a lump in the black and grey boys’ mouth, as he swallowed, listening to the words of the Sola. As much as he wanted to comfort his friends’ he was sure they both needed their own time, their own need to grieve. And he would let them, giving them their space, and allowing them to have respect for their dead mother.

You start off in this world a small helpless pup and at the end, when you’re old and decrepit, you wind up helpless again. Lyall scoffed to himself before picking up a rock and placing it upon the pile that represented Beri. Partly wishing and hoping he could do anything but be here, he retreated to the background, where he stood silently, paying his respects, and then would withdraw, a battle with emotions lost as the Hushhowl boy wanted nothing more to do than fine Abe and have him hold him. A silvery hand wiped away tears.

WORD COUNT -

[Guinevere Callow-Knight]

[+000]

Ooc:: Lyrics of this small mourning ballad were written by myself.

---

It had started as any normal, calm day would have. Guinevere could remember the smell of the sawdust in her nose as she cleaned the shop; how her daughter had left just a bit earlier to do some training, and Honrin had whisked himself away into the Courthouse to catch up on paperwork.

How quickly everything had become a torturous nightmare. Only midmorning, and tragedy struck with the same lethality of a lightning bolt.

Now, standing around the veiled elder, Guin's eyes were not dry. She had been there, that morn, holding two of the boys that had called Veri 'Mom', clutching the pieces together as they fractured and fell apart at the loss of the only genuine parent they'd ever known. There had been others, of course. But Veri had been a special kind of the mother, not any more than the others housed here in Casa's walls, but indeed unique in her own way.

The third, Lucian, had fled, too overwhelmed and angered and bereaved to do anything but run from the truth that had been absconded into the Main Wetu with Jace, the eldest member of Casa, and one of the only ones probably strong enough to do what had to be done, for the sake of mercy. For Veri had fallen, and no matter how much her children pled for her to walk again, no amount of effort from her could have been enough to overthrow the damage of a broken neck, and paralysis.

By her side was Artoia, clutching a rock between both hands and trying to hold in her sobs. The young girl was only just six moons old, and she'd known Veri all her life as her own extended family, a second grandmother to dote upon just as fiercely as Jace ever had. This would be her first lesson in death and loss.

Guinevere stood beside her mate, one hand interlaced with his and squeezing, so tight that she should have been afraid of hurting him. But for how numb with guilt he felt, he probably didn't even register her hand within his hardly at all. They all watched, and listened, and grieved. After Lyall went to place his stone, it felt as good a time as any to give her own.

The phoenix mother kissed her husband's knuckles briefly and released his hand to walk forward, gently brushing shoulders with her daughter to offer what comfort, as minuscule as it might be in the face of the moment. She stood, looking down upon the veiled woman, and her eyes watered anew. Guin was no stranger to death. She'd seen it many times, up close and personal so she could see the light as it left their eyes, and from afar, where all she could perceive was the body as it fell limp.

None of this mattered now. All she could see here was a family, blindsided and in shock. And a kind woman that had given everything she had to her pack.

"You will be missed, my dear friend," she murmured, caressing the stone in her hand, but before she knelt to place it, she closed her eyes, and let her heart speak for her.

"Beauty,
In all she is.

Strength,
In all she gave.

Kindness,
In every word.

Love,
As her law,

Compassion,
As her order.

A heart of gold,

A smile from the sun,

Though you might've gone away,
Your gentle touch will stay,
We'll carry on in your memory,
Rest now, for eternity."

While her voice had not been trained to sing, there was a painful heartfeltedness to it that could be heard across the meadow. It was very simple, barely even a proper song. She hadn't prepared it beforehand either, but she had let herself put to a melody all that she knew of Veri while she'd been alive, and reassuring the now-retired elder that while they'd hurt for a while, they'd be okay without her. She could rest now.

Guin pressed her forehead to the stone she held and kissed it, and then knelt reverently to place her stone where it belonged. There was nothing more for her to say, what words she had chosen had to be enough, and so she turned her back on the pyre and returned to Honrin's side to recollect his hand loosely, unsure if he'd be the one to follow her or not. Artoia's had given up any pretense at keeping it together, her mother's song undoing her heartstrings. The Sworn opened her free arm to close it around Artoia's shoulders, pulling the girl in and squeezing to give what comfort she could.

---

[Caspian Knight]

Ooc: pNPC: Morty | Please let Draiko/Mayta post next

---

It had been a wonderful world. Now it was rotten and empty.

Caspian sucked in his breaths through numb lips and exhaled them through his cold nose. Each one trembled, a leaf in the storm. Gold could not stay still, and they looked upon pieces, this and that, impressions caught and locked away; the colors of the gathered cloaks, the sighs and sobs, the weeping and sniffles, and Guinevere's song, cutting through the stone.

His teeth were chattering, shivering together.

He was... he was...

Nausea rose, a black tide, and he crushed it back down, and away, trapping it away behind his jaws. He could not... he could not dishonor her memory further by vomiting at her funeral pyre.

The young boy sucked in a ragged breath and held it fast.

His lips quavered and for but a moment he met the blank, hollow hardness in Lucian's own eyes and looked away hurriedly, unable to hold it at all.

From a long distance, in his mind, he could hear the voice of his mentor, Pushok, keep it steady, and shuddered ever more with breaths that he couldn't draw in properly now at all.

"Ow..." Whispered the lost boy, bringing a hand to clutch at his chest.

Caspian was choking on his own self loathing. The lump rising in his throat blocked off everything.

Staring at the ground, the tears came then, with no sob or sound to herald them, just pouring effortlessly from his eyes like rain; And then it was, that he heard the voice, the old, ragged voice that cut through his senses in a way nothing else had done.

<"Poor lass. She didn't deserve this, was always so kindly. Stuck with Luca through and through though he went quite mad and all that bad business. Tch, tsk...">

Morty, the old healer, was frowning down at the corpse of his mother, as though she could not understand the decision.

"What did you say." Caspian's voice was a fragile, frail papery thing as the shaking, shivering boy turned to face her properly, his hands clenching into fists at his side.

<"It was a shame boy, but he lost his mind at the end. Didn't know whether he was coming or going, or who his family was.">

Caspian gaped at her, losing his grasp on words, on his self.

---

[+000]

[Eros Damaichu]

His stone laid, Eros decided he couldn’t hack the hand wringing and tears any longer.  Veri was gone, it was all very tragic, but damn, why did it have to be the stairs?  He took another drag and turned away from the gathered pack members, beginning to make his way out.  If only he’d stayed where he was and finished his ‘cigarette’.  If only he’d just watched the rest of the stones being laid.  If he’d done that, he wouldn’t have heard Morty speak.  Wouldn’t have heard Caspian question her, and wouldn’t have heard the healer’s reply. 

Eros took a breath, feeling his heart pounding, and blood roaring in his ears.  That wound, the stain on his heart that never seemed to want to heal, it was torn again, and the fiery pelted Damaichu almost gasped at the pain of it.  He shouldn’t react, what was the point? Morty could go to hell, why should Eros care what she said? Eros strode a few more steps away, but all that sadness fed to a flame he so often used to give him strength in a fight, flared white hot.

Turning, Eros’s golden gaze was glittering and hard as it focused on Morty.

”Well, thank goodness the old and senile healer, can still talk about the madness of others.  Did you nearly give someone the wrong treatment and almost kill them, or was that a rumour?” Eros paused his cigarette forgotten

”If we’re telling the story we should-“ grief choked off Eros’s words, but instead of allowing himself to acknowledge it, he gobbed a mouthful of spit, to make it obvious that it was anger that had stopped his words ”we should tell it properly.  We should say that Casa stands for justice, mercy and protection of the weak, unless of course it was the Lune, and he needed our help.  Far easier to just all get together and have a vote to see if we should kill him or not right?”

Again Eros paused, looking around the gathered.

”I think it’s important no one forget that there was a vote, on whether to end the Lune’s life, on whether to end Luca’s life.  Many folk here, sobbing over how tragic it is that Veri is dead, voted in favour of killing him.  Just as well Jamie murdered him, far less embarrassing all around really.  I mean, how could Casa possibly tell his pups what happened to their dad?”

His gaze went back to Morty.

”So watch out Morty, make sure you keep a sound mind about you, or we might have to have another vote.”

Eros felt his chest constrict, and it was too hard to swallow.  He couldn’t be here any longer.  Couldn’t look on the faces of his pack mates.  Eros had tried to behave, stay quiet, not cause yet another scene, but Casa could have managed Luca, they could have taken care of him, he shouldn’t have died.  Without another word, or a glance back, Eros walked away from the gathering without a backward glance.

[Lucian Marino]

His stare was cold and empty as he watched as others piled their stones at his mother's grave. Some spoke, or sang, as they too tried to make sense of the tragedy that had fallen over the pack with the loss of Veri.  One less mother, friend, teacher and honored elder to pass on the traditions, teachings and stories of the past. Of course the only thing that Lucian felt was grief and anger.

Grey ears flicked in annoyance and a low growl started to rumble deep within the boy's chest as the old bat spoke ill of his father. Hands clinched into a fist, digging his claws into his paw pads once more as he began to tremble in anger. Why would she say such things, especially here, at a wake for his mother who loved Luca with all of her heart.  Lucian was about to lash out, when someone unexpected spoke up instead and his cold eyes darted to look at the Damaichu scout. 

Was he in shock??  The Marino teenager couldn't really be hearing what he thought he was.  The pack betrayed his father and late Lune? But as he looked at each packmate, the look on their faces told him what he needed to know.  Unable to control it, Lucian let out a growl and snarl followed by an angry howl as Eros walked away after dropping a nuclear bomb on an already unsteady boy.  Unable to stay any longer, he gave one last look at his mother's grave before forcibly grabbing Nova's hand and dragging her away. The reticent had to get away, he feared what would happen if he stayed, he might have followed in the mad king's footsteps if they forced him to stay.  Instead he charged towards Artan, dragging the charcoal Hushhowl behind him for a quick escape.

WORD COUNT - 312