Darkness, a blue toned Vail that hid the world from her, and her from the world. There was an eerie quite to it, one some might consider peaceful but to current it was lonely and isolated and dreaded. She found that when she moved it was like her paws where slicing through jelly. Her paws where hampered by the substance around her. It took her a long moment to realize she hadn't taken a breath in some time and the realization had her lungs burning with need. She parted her lips, prepared to take in blessed oxygen but instead salty water flooded her mouth and coated her tounge, burned her throat. She couldn't breath! The water was endless, it moved into every pore of her being her brain felt like it was flooding I'm her skull. She was more water now then wolf and she could feel the sea that filled her slowly begin to control her. Her paws moved beyond her controls and she began to dance like a puppet on a string. But oxygen! Oh god, she was dying, and knowledge of a puppet master barely registered. She couldn't breathe, she needed air, she opened her mouth wider, a soundless scream of bubbles and water from her lips as she cried out illumes name.

She sat up straight in her den, the scream she had started in her dream continued in reality and the rough cry burned her throat, reminded her of the feel of salty water sliding down her throat and the scream turned into a cry. She sobbed in earnest, afraid, lost and alone. Her soul felt split in two, a part of it and her being wasn't there beside her and she knew in her heart of hearts that illume was dead. The sea had stolen her sister from her. Current had been it's intended victom and she should have gone quietly, had just let it take her from the world. Instead, she had cried out, and Illume had taken her place.

Voltage had always had sporadic insomnia. Ever since he was a child, it had been a result of his boundless energy at first, but as he grew, he began to have nightmares. It wasn't something that he shared often, not that he ever doubted Glacier knew. Sleeping beside his brother had often pushed them away, but sometimes his worry would get so overwhelming that they came reguardless. He was a worry wart, everyone knew that, that was true. So he knew it when he saw it, knew the worried creases, knew the twitches. Yet, he just laid there, numb and watching his daughter. He couldn't sleep, himself, because every time he closed his eyes he pictured his sweet little girl, alone and afraid...sometimes drowning, sometimes freezing on a beach. The visions were terrifying, and sometimes to vivid and severe. Birds, beasts....little illie never made it out alive. And it was all because of him. He had allowed them to swim, and in that very moment he had almost lost both of his children. When she jolted awake, her scream ripping through the den, he was jolted from his own thoughts. Quickly he shuffled over to Current, not saying a word as he pulled her into his arms and laid kisses over her face. She was warm, she was safe, she was here. That's what mattered to him, she was safe and alive and he could hold her in his embrace. "Current.." He whispered softly, nuzzling her. "Shhhush, my sweet little baby. I have you, you're safe, it's okay." He whispered, wanting to calm her, to hold her, to keep her safe from the world. "I got you, sweetheart...you're safe.." "Burn Baby Burn"

She was barely aware of her surrounding but she sensed more then felt the movement, until the heat if her father registered. She cried out, whimpering as she struggled to move away from him. His warmth burned her at a touch, and it was clear to her that was a creature of the cold now. She wasn't to know warmth, comfort, safety any longer. At least, that's how she saw it, she didn't deserve nor want any of that any longer. It was her fault that illume was dead, and only she knew the truth. Illume was her litter mate, and a part of her soul. The sickly absence of it told her all she needed to know, more then she had wanted to understand. Illume was dead, gone from them and she doubted they would ever find her body. She couldn't understand why they kept looking, why they suffered the cold and a total lack of sleep to search for something they could not find. Didn't they feel it to? Her absence from the world. Current was absent now too, or at least by half. It took her a long time to register what happened in the world around her and she shuddered away from real sensations like the warmth if her father. She was but a ghost now, and the warmth of reality burned.

It took even longer for his words to register, the sweetness of them was bitter to her ears. She shuddered, he had been there, he knew it had been her fault. That he could out on that fatherly voice of love and speak so sweetly to his monster shocked her. She shuddered again, pulling herself away from him and curling into a ball so that her back was to him and her face to a den wall. "She's dead pupa. I know it, I feel it. I don't know why you all still look, because she's dead" her cold words where designed to repel him, to show him the monster that had taken over his little girls body. Perhaps it was the water controlling her, that compelled her to sout out the hateful words, or maybe she was just broken. It didn't matter, voltage would realize soon enough that thr girl curled up in his den wasn't his current, and she would have from him the bitter sweet hatred she deserved

Nothing could amount to the level of hurt he felt when she pulled away, and he had to clench his jaw to keep from making a sound. Grieving was different for everyone, and not only had she lost a sister, but Illie was lost because she had saved Current. Not only had Current faced drowning, she always had survivor's guilt. He had never felt it, not once... The only death he had experianced were his parents, and despite the hate he had for them he had taken that so difficult. He had mourned and grieved and hurt so terribly. He couldn't begin to imagine or understand what Current was feeling, but he wanted to be there for his daughter, his little girl. With a frown, he'd watch her as she curled up away from him, turning her back to him, speaking words he didn't want to hear from her. How could someone so young feel so hurt, so much pain. His daughter, his little girl. He'd tilt his nose to the ground and slowly crawl towards her. Instead of wrapping her up in his arms, he'd slowly reach out instead and rest his chin on her small back. A soft sigh would fall from her nose. "The sky..." He whispered softly. "A storm will cover the sky, blocking out it's light. When darkness falls...there is no light. But, Current, it always comes back." He whispered so softly. "We don't give up hope because there is light. Current, you and Illie were a pair, so similar in life and in elements." He whispered so softly. He had never told them about their heritage, never really touched on the elements, and dear god he was regretting it now. "Current, it is my fault she is missing. Please, turn your blame from yourself to me. It will hurt the two of us so much less." He whispered, he pleaded. He couldn't bare to see her this way, couldn't bare to know she shied from his touch. "I wish I could make this world perfect, make this life safe and easy for you...Please, baby girl, share your pain with me. Let me help you." He was tired, so tired, so sore, but he wanted to hold his little girl close, wanted to help her through this. Together...together they would get through this... "Burn Baby Burn"

His understanding tone only further angered her. Clearly he didn't understand, he couldn't see it and therefore it was her job and responsibility to show him. She would shove it in his face until he saw the monster she now was. He didn't try to press his warmth on her again but she felt the pressure of his muzzle on her coat. She could feel the slow burning sensation drill through her being snd she gave a violent shudder in an attempt o dislodge him. She would not be thawed, he would not breathe life into her. His words did little to offer comfort, they spoke of hope when she knew it's truth absence. She had once thought him wise and all knowing but she saw now how nieve and blind he was. There was a monster right under his nose and he refused to see it. He invited it into his home and showed it compassion. Perhaps she would have to show him what happened when monsters turned on those that let them in.

She didn't know what survives guilt was nor how acuratly it fit her. After all, she had survived and illie had not. He told her to turn the blame on to him but her soft voice corrected him "Monster" she whispered. It was the monster in currents body that had done it. It was her fault, not his. Of course, the single explanatory word could easily be mistaken for accusation. "It's all your fault. Monster. You killed her" currents rightious self hatred turned somewhere into tears. They burned unshed in her eyes, reminding her of the feeling of salt in her eyes and face. God she hated the sea, through now she almost felt a part of it calling to her. That made sense, since thr ocean controlled her now. It had taken her over as she drowned, illume had given her life to save a puppet. Illume had died and left their father with the shell of his remaining daughter. The knowledge was so bitter on her tounge, illume and voltage both deserved better then this, then her. "Illume is dead. She drowned alone in the ocean and her body is washed on some empty shore, abandoned. There's no light any more. Only darkness. The ocean spared the wrong sister" she spat the words bitterly, searching so hard for voltages anger. She wanted him to despise her, she needed his hatred like she needed to breath. Why could he see it? Why could he see the monster.

Voltage was prepared for nothing and everything. Grief was a torrent in the sea, a strong wave crashing upon the shore, flooding everything in sight. It was the shock of denial, anger of fire. It was the icy realization, and the soothing touch of acceptance. It was learning to live with it, and learning to accept it, despite how unimageable it was. He couldn't begin to understand what she was feeling, but he desired to none the less. It was his job in this life to shelter his loved ones, and help them through the throes of life, despite his own pain and his own agony. He was last in the world, he and Glacier had taken a vow to stand to the sides. Protectors, unyielding and unmoving as their family experianced life. And now...he had lost a daughter, perhaps forever, but it was Current's pain that mattered. They would get through this, or so help him. When she spat her accusing words, his ears would fall back and he'd slowly lift his muzzle from her back. He felt bile and acid rise in his throat, and he had to swallow against it. "You're right.." He choked softly, looking down at the ground. "I killed her, baby girl, if she truley is dead. It is my fault the ocean stole her away, nearly stole both of you." It had been his greatest fear, his worst nightmare since they had moved to the ocean. And then he'd pause, looking at her with tear filled eyes. "She is not dead." He whispered, perhaps stubbornly. "We will find her, Current...and when we do, we need to be alright. Do you want her to see you this upset when she gets back? You know..sh-she'll make fun of you." He whispered, hoping to try and help Current that way. Illie wouldn't want her like this. Never. "She wouldn't let you drown..." He whispered softly, trying to reach out for his daughter again, to pull her into his embrace. He needed it, needed her warmth. "Forgive me, sweetheart. Please, one day...Please forgive me.." He whispered with his broken heart, his voice tight as a tear slipped down his cheek. "Burn Baby Burn"

Voltage completly misunderstood her. It was like he was blind to thr monster inside of her. Her anger bubbled upwards, burning her from the inside out. It did a little to thaw the ice that numed her senses of the world. She parted her lips and took in a shuddered breath as she seethed. If he could just see thr monster, condemn her for what she had done. His words brought her pain, and thr knowledge and guilt that every pain he felt in this regards was her fault. No doubt if illume had lived she would know how to handle this situation, she wouldn't be swollowed by a monster that grew on the inside. She had always known what to do, she was the brave and fierce one, she knew how to take on the world, to have fun, and she would have known how to get through this nightmare. My illume she cried silently. I need you... why aren't you here? but she knew why. She wasn't here, because current had killed her. her tears finally came through then and she cried bitterly. "You don't understand daddy. You cant see it" the words where probably inaudible through her tight throat and tears that, now they had found a way through, felt like they would never end. She was beaten by the current that had built up inside of her.

Voltage would say something then that made her thing he was finally beginning to see the monster. He was right. Illume would never have let her drown and she had ultimately proven that. "No. Illume always protected me. That's why she's dead. Because I needed protecting, because I called out for her and she saved me, and I couldn't save her. All I could think aboht was getting to shore. I'd dont even look back daddy. I didn't even know she was gone. I'm nothing without illume and now I'm reason she's dead. I don't even know who I am any more daddy. I'm not anyone any more. I'm just a monster" she didn't think she would have to explain all that to him but clearly he couldn't see it without her guidance.

That he begged for her forgiveness was a bitter irony. Thr innocent begged for the guilty to understand. She had never see him cry before and seeing him struggle with tears now nearly stilled her heart. Just look at the damage she had dealt. She had done this too, for taking illume from him, for coming back a monster and not as current. He had lost both hid daughters and he didn't even know it yet. Poor voltage, her poor sweet father, and she would never be able to undo what she had wrought. "I'm the monster. And I won't even ask your forgiveness. Daddy..." She trailed off, losing her voice, a raspy sound emitted from her throat, and she was crying again. How could she explain to him that he couldn't and shouldn't forgive thr monster.