Winter was in full swing by this time. And Hansel had hardly left his den since the last meeting. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew he had been growing too old and lacking the energy to do much. His appetite had nearly become depleted weeks ago, his frame no longer bulky nor his fur well kept. He felt like a skeleton of his former self, and although he had tried his best to push through life for as long as he could, fate would deny him that chance. Just like it had denied him the chance to be happy... He lay curled in his den, blue eyes that were once clear were now dull and glazing. His bones ached with every movement, his lungs hurt with every breath of cold air. Swallowing, he regretted not doing more since he had come back to Abaven. To Bass. The younger male was the closest thing Hansel had to family, more since his had been taken away from him far too soon. Shifting a bit, the old male shivered when a rush of cold air swept into his den. It was then that he struggled to his feet, not wanting to remain where he was. He felt pathetic, to say the least. But even when he was in pain, he always managed to hide it from the pack members he occasionally passed. Now though, he would slowly make his way towards the river. The ground beneath his paws was deathly cold, and it felt like the world itself had already succumbed to deaths grip. Even so, it was...refreshing. He wanted to be outside, to try and see the world instead of lying in a miserable heap in his den. Ears flicked as he heard the gentler rush of the river. He had chosen to make his den closer to the part that wasn't so dangerous, a little more...serene and less intimidating. Step by step, he seemed to almost shuffle and hobble his way to the waters edge. The cold season only working against his body and seemingly freezing up his joints even worse then the previous season. Harmony had told him that she had herbs to help, but being the stubborn old coot that he was, he refused it. Believing he didn't need it. Now he didn't know whether or not he regretted that decision, but his mule headed self would probably still deny it even now. Finally, after several painful moments, he had made it to the water. The scarred male slowly leaned down to drink, his body shivering as the icy water slid down his throat. When he finished, he stared at the moving river...always moving. Always changing. Shifting the world around it in some form. Just like the way his life shifted. Could he have changed anything the way the river changed its environment? Probably not. Though he wished...day and night...how he wished he could have saved them... Gretel...his beloved twin sister...taken away from him much too soon. Rescuing her, only for her to die not long after. Alice...the one and only that he had ever come to love with his entire being. His eyes narrowed on the water, swallowing back the pain that began to rise. But it wasn't just physical pain...it was also the pain of his memories, driving themselves to his heart. And he could feel it. "Alice...I'm...sorry I wasn't there when...you needed me..." Every day he blamed himself. Had he been there...he felt that he could have prevented her death, and the deaths of their newborn litter. Rainer...Winter...their tiny bodies lifeless and cold...and Brand...he had searched and searched the aftermath, but nowhere could he find his baby boy...he didn't know if the rogues had killed him, or taken him away...but everyday Hansel had lived with the thought that they were all dead. Four graves were made that day. Alice...Rainer...Winter...and the empty, bodiless grave he dared to dig for Brand. Had his baby boy survived, then he would be three now. One handsome, wonderful, amazing man. His throat tightened on that thought...They could have all been amazing and wonderful... His eyes squeezed shut as tears threatened to spill, his yellowed teeth gritting and grinding hard together. His throat tightened, chest tightening as well. And then it would seem a sudden, painful heartbeat would force him to gasp for air, bringing the man to fall to the ground just beyond the waters touch. It was at this point, tears would begin to slide down, staining his grey and white fur. He lay on his right side, heart beating painfully as his chest seemed to tighten even more. It felt harder for him to breath, and he was now left struggling for air. He didn't have the strength to call for any help...and although he didn't want to acknowledge it...he knew, that today would be his last. "Speech"

As the days grew colder and shorter, Bass was worried for his friend Hansel. He knew that he was getting up there in age, and the fact that he hadn't seen him made him concerned. A deep frown was on his face as he made his way to the rapids, his paws slapping the frozen earth with loud thumps. There was a fear that tugged on his heart, something wasn't right and he could already feel it. The sky was covered in dark grey clouds, soft white flakes drifting lazily towards the ground. The frost from the morning hadn't left yet, this time the snow sticking without becoming slush. It was a beautiful day, but the sinister undertone didn't put him at ease. The white man paused for a moment to look up to the sky, his yellow eyes scanning the swollen clouds. Letting out a silent pray, he wished to find his friend alive and well. Taking a deep breath he resumed his steps, his head lowering as he made his way to Hansel's den. When he reached the dug-out, he sniffed around the outside and picked up on a fresh trail leading away from his den. Worry took over his features as he slowly followed it, feeling like he knew what he was going to find at the end of this path. His rib cage was painfully tight, his breath rattling in his throat. He was too afraid to move any faster, his eyes downcast as he watched his paw cut through the small blanket of snow that was starting to cover the lands. And then, finally, at last, he looked up and saw him lying there. Freezing, Bass wondered if he was too late, if his dear Hansel had already left this world. But no, a shuttering gasp left his gray muzzle as his chest rose and fell. A choked sound escaped Bass, and the pale man raced to the others side. His knees felt weak as he dropped to the ground beside him, his head shaking back and forth with vigor. Anger suddenly coursed through him, a growl rumbling deep in his belly. Anger was easier to feel than pain, easier to deal with than the utter loss of a dear one. Too many had died here, there were too many wolves lost in his pack lands. "No," he growled, a dangerous whisper in the wind. "You can't die, you're not allowed to die dammit!" Bass fought against the tears that gathered in his golden eyes, focusing on the fire burning within him. He didn't know if he needed to call for anyone, for a healer or someone. He tipped back his head anyways, an urgent tone shouting into the wind that gently curled around the two wolves. He called for anyone, anyone who could help. He wasn't ready to let go, to let another wolf die. As his song ended he looked back down at the gray male, fighting to hold onto his flash of fury. He didn't want to be hit with the depression that followed, the guilt for not checking in sooner. The anguish of losing someone who he treasured as a friend, who he just got back so recently. He struggled to grab a deep breath, air hissing between his clenching jaws. This wasn't happening, he had to be dreaming! No, not Hansel, not anyone. He wasn't ready, he would never be ready to say goodbye again. Bass had already lost enough wolves close to him, not all through death but they all but vanished from his life completely. His siblings, besides Harmony, his nieces and nephews, his aunts and uncles. His mate, and even some of his kids were distance. His heart couldn't handle being broken all over again, he had just begun to piece it together again. "Talk" "You" Think

His body shivered from the cold, chest heaving with the effort and pain of breathing. His teeth continued to grit as he fought against the pain. He was plagued now, with every type of pain there was. Or at least, he felt like it. Not only was he already pained with the weight of his past, but also the weight of everything and everyone he had lost. He didn't want to lose anymore, and for years he fought to keep from losing himself. He wasn't sure how anyone had been able to deal with his attitude, but the few who had, had also come to know a side of him that rarely showed itself. Gretel...Taurig...Bass...Alice and her small pack. There was nothing he would change when it came to meeting those he had let into his little bubble. The sound of the water just beyond his reach did little to comfort him, but was there anything that could? Yes. Of course there was. Ears flicked when he heard the approach of another, blue eyes resting on the male; his closest friend. He knew Bass was upset. Angry with him even. But what could he do? His time had come. "Heh...you know...if I had a choice in the matter...I'd choose a better day." He smirked a bit, trying to lighten the mood a little. His attempted grin was quickly lost when he winced from another round of pain in his chest. His eyes closing for a moment as he tried to steady himself. When Bass howled his call for help, Hansel knew it would be of no use. Opening his eyes again, he raised his head as much as he could, shifting himself a bit to get a better look of his friends features. " It's no use...We both knew this day was coming, Bass. I've been feeling it for a while..." Sighing, he lowered his head back to rest on the ground again. Again, he would swallow back the emotions that threatened to choke him. He wished he had done more here...done more for Bass. Would he die with regret? Probably. "I'm sorry..." He felt he needed to say that. To let Bass know that he was truly sorry. He felt like he had disappointed him in so many ways. Would he ever be forgiven? He had done so much wrong in his past. But had also done what could to make up for it. He regretted not coming back to Abaven sooner. But at least, he could die here. It was his home, after all. "Speech"

He ground his teeth together as he tore his eyes away from the gray man, too afraid to see him struggle. Instead he glared at the flowing river, so close to where he had lost Chrono as well. He was always here feeling like he couldn't do anything, like he failed them in his inability to change fate. The sound of gritting teeth sounded in his ears, drowning out nearly everything around him. It killed him to hear the wheezing sound of his breath, the pain of death slowly sinking its claws into him. His jaw worked as he tried so hard to stay mad, afraid of what would come if he let the red hot emotion die out. Bass needed to fuel the fire, but it was hard when Hansel spoke. He could hear the strain in his voice, but the corners of his lips did twitch slightly. Nothing else became of it, a snort rattling out of his nose. "Idiot," he muttered, his shoulders growing stiff as the blanket of snow started to gather on his already white coat. "That means I'm getting old too," Was that part of the reason why he was so scared? Hansel wasn't that much older than him, only a pawful of years seperating the two. If everyone he knew was starting to die... He swallowed the lump in his throat, finally turning his brown marked face to the dying man. It made him flinch, seeing him in pain, and for just a moment he wished that he knew something about herbs to put him at ease. Bass' ears pinned when Hansel mentioned that they knew this was coming; time wasn't something either of them could run away from. A long sigh left his maw, as he finally relaxed and let go of his anger. He was fine until the older man apologized, a broken cry following the words. "Don't," he choked, but it was far too late. The floodgates had been opened and he couldn't retain the broken sob that tore through his entire body. He couldn't be dying, he wasn't allowed to die on him. Who else would be a grumpy asshole here? Him? He nearly gagged at the thought. "C-can I do... anything?" he asked, looking down at the gray wolf with tears flowing down his face. He didn't know what else to say. Suddenly a sick, gut wrenching feeling gripped at his belly, his jaws parting as his stomach heaved. It was a dry gag, but everything wanted to flow out of him. The thought of being here without Hansel made him feel ill, and it wasn't something he wanted. Digging his face into the man's belly, he openly wept for his dying friend. "Y-you b-bastard, you're n-n-not supposed to d-d-die on me," he said, muffled into the fur of his friend. He wouldn't accept it, he couldn't. This wasn't happening. "Talk" "You" Think

Getting old was a part of life nobody wanted to deal with. He certainly didn't, but there was nothing anyone could do to stop the process. He watched Bass for a moment, his lips twitching with a smile when he called him an idiot. His tail lightly thumped the ground as he watched him. Listened to him. "You still have plenty of time, kid." He teased. Granted, Bass was nowhere near being a kid anymore, he was still a good few years younger with lots of fight left in him. But for this old man, his fight was reaching its end. It was...strange...to know that he was dying at this very moment. He had never really thought about it at all. Before, death had seemed like it was a normal part of his life. Having lost so many since he was younger. And now? It was his turn. He flicked his ear when he felt the snowflakes landing on him. The cold air. The frozen ground. The gentle sound of the river. And Bass' company made him feel, in some way...comforted. He would get to spend his last moments with someone he cared about. Someone he loved. Not alone like Alice almost had...he was grateful. Eyes turned once more to the larger male, watching as the tears began to fall. He had to apologize. He refused to go without Bass knowing that he was sorry. For letting him down. Especially today. He knew he was breaking his friends heart. And it was then Hansel realized, his was breaking too. He thought that it couldn't break anymore than it had already. With the loss of so many, he thought he didn't have anything left to lose. But this...this reminded him that there was still someone He loved. And in turn, he was loved back. His own eyes grew misty again, unwanted tears silently trickling their way down his fur. "Just...stay with me...I promise, it won't take too long." After all, there were others waiting for him. What Bass said next though, made his heart clench. He wanted to apologize again, but he kept himself from doing so. "Bass...I'm ready..." He whispered, his brow furrowed for a moment as he reached towards him, nose pressing into Bass' fur. "I'm sure we'll meet again on the other side...you know I'll be waiting." A cough would cut off anything he might have said next. His chest sprouting with another round of pain as the man laid his head down again. "I can...finally be with Alice again..." A smile would quiver on his inky lips, gaze on the river. "I never told you...I didn't want to hurt again...but I had a family, Bass." A pained chuckle left him, his eyes lighting up. "Her name was Alice...and we had three beautiful children. Two boys, and one girl...Rainer, Brand, and Winter..." He sucked in a breath as the memories came flooding back. Alice's scent flooded his mind. So much that he swore he could actually smell her. As if she were the one next to him, and not Bass. "They were so beautiful..." He recounted the days that he had them. That he had been allowed to love them. But those few days hadn't been enough. "I wasn't allowed more time to love them before they were taken away from me..." His grin faltered, replaced by the pain of memory. "Remember...when I told you, to take care of and cherish your children?" Glazed eyes sought out Bass' own amber. "I wasn't kidding...you have the opportunity of a lifetime. Something that was stripped away from me." He took a shaky breath, "I had to bury two of mine...I never found Brand..." And he honestly, truly did not know if his son was alive or dead. Perhaps that was why he had pushed on until now. Subconsciously looking. Hoping. Praying, that he was still alive somewhere in the world. His gaze suddenly got intense, blue eyes zeroing in on Bass as his body fought itself. "Promise me. Promise me that you'll always be there for them. Otherwise I'll have to figure out a way to come back and knock some sense into you!" He huffed, his strength faltering a bit. Just a few more moments...he needs to understand... "Speech"

His ears flicked back slightly when Hansel called him 'kid', mostly out of habit than having bitter feelings towards his friend. He knew that he still had time, but how much? It always took someone dying to see just how short life really was, to notice how fleeting it all was. He sniffled as he was unable to keep his emotions at bay for long, the more that Hansel spoke the more his heart was starting to break. It was then that he buried his face in his dying friends fur, refusing to let him go. He had asked him to stay, but there was no way in hell he would have left. Sobbing into his gray coat, he shook his head when the gentleman said that he was ready. "Well I'm not," he said, voice muffled in his current position. He didn't want to just let him go, no matter if it was his time or not. Just because he thought he was ready didn't mean it was true, right? But Bass heard the pain in his voice, the suffering of letting go of this world. Did he really want him to stick around if he was going to be half dead and miserable? What kind of life was that? He realized that he was being selfish in holding on, but even know he knew it, it didn't stop him from feeling it. Hansel started to talk about his family, and he pulled his head up slowly to meet his silver eyes. In all the years he had known him, he never said that he had kids. It didn't stop his weeping as he spoke of losing his kids, his heart twisting and breaking even further for him. He listened to the story as he felt like he was going to lose his lunch, his head turning away. So his family was waiting for him then? Bass nodded stiffly, unsure of what condolences he could offer him now on his deathbed. He nodded again when he mentioned what he had said before about his kids, understanding where that fierceness had come from. "I promise," he said, his voice broken up by the sobs that consumed him. Knowing that Hansel was growing weaker, the pale man laid down beside him, twisting his head so that he could bury it in his neck. He would keep him safe and warm until the time came, tears nearly freezing on the icy ground. The rush of the water sounded around them, nearly hiding Bass's sniffles as he just waited. There were no more words that he could think to say, his throat closed off by the weight of his grief. Another wolf down in his pack, another friend gone. How many more wolves would he lose in his lifetime? It was nothing close to the pain that Hansel must have felt burring his children, something no parent should ever have to do. Oh wait. Sitting up slightly, he tried to find the mans gaze once more. "Where are they buried? I will lay you to rest beside them, place you with your loved ones," he didn't care how far it was, he would make sure that he got there. "Talk" "You" Think

Another weak smile showed when Bass said he wasn't ready. Hansel figured that his brother in arms wasn't quite ready to let go yet, but whether or not he wanted to stay at this point was no longer his choice. He could feel his heart beat growing weaker, the cold slowly creeping up his body. Of course, being as stubborn as he is, he would hold on until he couldn't hold on anymore. It was what he always did. He always fought until he couldn't move. Even now, he knew that once he stopped moving, once he stopped breathing...it would be the end of his fight for good. There was no getting back up. No second chances. No coming back home. He was so, so grateful to Bass for giving him a home, even if he was the biggest pain on earth to deal with. If he could go back in time and change some things, he would have. He would have found his sister sooner. He could have done more for Bass. He could have probably left his mark on the world and leave a changed man. But at the same time, perhaps if those things had been changed, then he would have never met Alice or had his children, even if for just a few short days. He had felt what it was like to truly love. And that was something he wouldn't trade for the world. Part of him felt bad that he hadn't told Bass that he had found someone and started a family after he had left a few years ago. But the memory of it had been much too painful, and he didn't want pity over it. He had loved and lost. And it had been a hard loss for him, but it served to push him on whether or not he had a purpose after that. He had grown colder towards some, and not so much towards others during his life. Bass was one of few that he had allowed behind his walls. And he didn't regret that at all. "I promise." His eyes closed when Bass promised him. His smile growing a little more. "Good." He was content with Bass' answer. He shifted slightly as Bass moved to curl up with him, his warmth felt over the creeping cold. But even that wasn't enough. He hated to see his friend cry. He didn't think he had ever seen Bass cry before. Then again, Hansel never did either...until the day he lost those most important to him. He had learned that no matter how old you were, or how tough you tried to be...there would always be something to draw out those emotions that broke you down. Everyone had their kryptonite. And his was the loss of his sister, his mate, and his children. He kept his eyes closed, his breathing slowing down. He would try to conserve what little bit of energy he had left to stay just a few seconds longer. He was ready to see his beloved mate and children. They would finally get to be a true family. They could be together. Assuming of course, he didn't go to the depths of whatever dark world there was. With all those he had killed during his time as a bounty hunter and assassin, he was afraid he wouldn't get to go where Alice waited. He supposed he'd find out in a minute or two... His snow flecked ear listened as Bass spoke, the pale man asking where his family was buried. Offering to take him to where they rested. Hansel's heart clenched harder, his throat tightening as his eyes opened to meet Bass' own. Tears would fall without his wanting them to, lip quivering slightly as it fell into a broken smile. "Over the northern mountains...a place called Ilmen...the days are longer there...but it's beautiful..." He remembered the days he and Alice ran through the forests, the fields, around their favorite lake. "They're buried...beneath the weeping cherry tree..." He remembered that tree quite well. It was where he and Alice had met. Where they spent most of their time together. Where he proposed. And now...where she was buried. The tree always seemed to be flowering, its soft pink petals often covering them like fresh fallen snow. It was...beautiful... With the last bit of strength, he reached towards Bass and gave him a grateful lick on his muzzle. He would get to go back to them. He would get to go home where his heart was left behind. "Thank you..." Slowly, his head would return to rest upon the earth. The curtains beginning to close over his icy blue gaze. His heart grew weaker. Breathing slower. The world around him getting quieter. His body colder. This was it... Behind closed lids, darkness enveloped his world. Seconds began to feel like an eternity...his world fading away. And just when he thought he would be forever lost in darkness, she came. Alice. She came for him...and in that moment he knew, he was going where she was. He would be spending the rest of eternity with her. I'm coming home... -Exit Hansel via death-  "Speech"

Bass could tell that their time together was starting to end, his eyes slipping closed when he promised. Silently the male wept into his gray fur, his claws digging into the earth as he rested his head over Hansel's neck. He wouldn't leave him, not even for a moment. Not until this was over. He could hardly feel anything else under the blanket of grief that weighed down his heart, so much so that he hardly felt the man's cold tongue run across his muzzle. Blinking open his eyes in surprise, he watched the dying man carefully as he explained where he buried his family. It sounded like quite the journey, but he would do it for his old comrade. He would walk to the ends of the world if he had to, to see that he was with his family. It would be the same if it were the other way around, he knew that. Bass nodded his head, unable to say anything as he laid his head back down. He listened with a stabbing pain as his breaths slowed, his heart giving one final pump before it was all over. He didn't think that he could feel worse, but his chest contracted painfully as that last breath slipped out of Hansel's mouth. With the snow falling around them his body was quickly growing cold, and he knew that he would freeze out here. But he couldn't bring himself to move, as tears poured down his face like rivers. Bass' yellow eyes squeezed shut as sorrow coated him, his whole body aching. It felt like he had ran a marathon, his heart pounding hard against his ribs. But it was too late for him to do anything, far too late for him to save Hansel. It was done, his life had already drained away to nothing. Bass hadn't been lying when he said that he wasn't ready. He didn't want to bury another friend, to feel the pain of another loss. A lot of wolves around him had just vanished without a word, his own mate and kids included in that list. He just couldn't... He didn't want to feel anything anymore, but it wasn't possible for the pale man and he knew that. Sobbing, he tipped his head back and let out a painful howl, his song mourning the loss of yet another friend. He sang with all the strength he could muster, his raw emotions clear in every note. Bass howled until he ran out of breath, his call ending abruptly. His head dropped back down on top of Hansel, his body curling around his tightly. He didn't want to leave, couldn't find it in himself to even get up. His coat was wet with snow, the flakes sticking into his fur in clumps. They were almost vanishing right into the ground, his brown markings painted white by the snow. The Primo's eyes closed, his eyes dry as he ran out of tears to cry. He was gone... never to come back this time. ooc;; This is now open to the pack to come mourn Hansel/console Bass. Friends outside Abaven are welcome. "Talk" "You" Think

Sparrow heard her father's strangled call and gathered what little herbs she had. The late rains had brought some, but her supplies were still far from full. She had questioned why she kept collecting herbs, but she couldn't help herself. It turned out to be useful, for once.

Sparrow hurried, the herbs hanging from her maw. Who was hurt? Who needed help? Sparrow was unsure, but she wanted to make sure she was there for whoever might need her. She felt like she could handle this. Maybe she finally would be able to be helpful. She could see her father and the other beside him.

She could make it.

She could help.

She was too late.

Slowing, Sparrow dropped her herbs. She nuzzled her father's shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Father. I... Don't know what to say..."

The woman knew nothing of this man, but when she came to the scene with Bass and Sparrow there. She pulled her ears back sadly. She got it now, and it was a terrible thing that it almost felt like the world around them was crumbling. Renhett if she was allowed would try to press herself into Bass. She lowered her head towards Hansel. A stranger, but that was no matter to her. "I wish I could have known you. Please rest in peace." she prayed quietly before looking over to Bass. "Do you need any help?" Mainly it was towards could he even bury his own friend. Of course he also could be stubborn and want to do it himself. Either way she would be here. This was what she was designed for, and solemnly she was here to provide comfort to all who needed it. "Talk"

Karabela crossed the border into Abaven without even stopping to blink. Karabela and Bass were close and the Chieftan sought for their packs to be equally so and so it had been agreed that either alpha could cross into the others territory in times of important circumstances and this was indeed important. Dagmær had gone hunting several days ago and had yet to return. Karabela had Birna scout the territory from top to bottom but there'd been no sign. Last she'd heard the youth had gone east and she'd hoped that perhaps Bass or one of the members of Abaven had seen her. Silently she prayed that her niece was alright but the rolling of her stomach insisted otherwise. The wind was her ally and she quickly picked up Bass scent as well as the scent of others collected not to far from where she'd traveled. Drat! Was she about to interrupt a meeting? Karabela hesitated, unsure if Bass had passed along the word of their deal but she did know a good number of the members of Abaven and hoped they would not attack her on sight. Either way, she needed his help. Karabela strode confidently toward the small gathering of Bass, Sparrow, another femme she didn't remember and…. "Oh no… Hansel…." Karabela swallowed hard as she approached the body of the man. They hadn't been close but she'd known the older man from various meetings and patrols. "Bass, I'm so sorry, I had no idea…" She moved toward him, reaching out to nuzzle his shoulder.

The call made the white woman freeze, her eyes flying wide open in fear. It was such an awful day; snow covered everything and it was so high. She knew immediately what it was - she was needed, as a healer. Any healer, anyone who could help. It was Bass who called, and that made an instant terror fill her entire body.Who was hurt? Who of the pack? How bad was it? Bass' tone made it seem as if it was horrendous, and Vali wasn't even certain she could make it in time.

She tried, though. She tried as she bolted forward, kicking snow everywhere and beelining straight for the scene... and she made it, at the end. She made it, and she stood as Bass pressed his face into a man's fur and sobbed. It was Hansel, if she recalled from earlier, an older member of the pack. She knew what happened there - and as she watched quietly, Hansel died. But... it seemed as if he did so with aceptance; he did so talking to Bass. From what she remembered, the man had more white fur on him where he ought to have been black-furred, and it was his time.

Even knowning that didn't prepare her to see the death of a wolf. It saturated the air, and what hit her harder than anything was the agonized howl that Bass made moments after. After several moments, when Bass curled himself tight around the man, Vali approached,yellow eyes focused on Bass. She dipped her head in acknowledgement to Bass' daughter, a soft, sad smile on her face. The girl's presence didn't stop her as she folded herself down next to him, her nose resting in his neck briefly just to say that she was there for him, and as a comfort. She didn't say anything to her friend; she had nothing to say... but she would offer the silent comfort, and she'd be there and she'd help in the best way she could.

Spotting the clumps of snow that was starting to melt and clump in his fur, she simply started to work on those, nibbling at them and licking them out. Snow still fell, of course, but it fell less in clumps this time as Vali was just there for Bass.

He laid stiffly beside his now cold friend, refusing to leave him but knowing he wasn't strong enough to go and bury him now. There was no way he could leave Abaven for that long in the winter to fulfill his promise, but as soon as the ground softened he would be on his way with whatever was left of Hansel. Bass flinched at the morbid thought, his body clamping tighter around him. His call hadn't seemed to go unheard either, and he was surprised to hear Sparrow's voice. He didn't move his head, only a single yellow eye opening to glance at the brown and creme woman. He was surprised that she was even here, but thankful for a familiar face. The man tried to offer her a smile for her words, but it faltered and sputtered into his deep frown before the corner of his lips had even turned that far up. Sorrow dredged his face in tight lines, making him look far older than he was. He let out a soft humming sound as she nosed his shoulders, his single eyed gaze roaming over to Renhett as she entered next. He took comfort in her kind words, his shoulders shrugging in an answer to her question. Bass couldn't find words even if he tried, feeling like the weight of the world was on his shoulders all over again. Movement caught his eye, his head lifting slightly as both eyes blinked open, glancing at Karabela as she entered the scene. Her voice was full of sorrow as she noticed who it was that Bass was curled around, quick to offer her condolences. He shook his head, if she was here there was probably some alpha manners to attend to, right? Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to speak but found that words once again failed him. It took a few times of him opening and closing his mouth before he managed to say anything. "Is. There something... wrong?" Bass' manner of speaking was torn up, his tone hardly above a whisper. He was an alpha first, right? No matter what, he had to keep Abaven in the back of his mind. He cleared his throat again, shivering slightly as he finally felt the cold that was seeping deep into his skin. His entire body was coated in snow, his face pure white as they hid his brown markings. Feeling weak, his head fell back onto Hansel's stiff shoulder, sniffling slightly as he turned towards the river. For a moment he just listened to it run, until he felt a warmth moving in to replace the bitter chill. Slowly his neck craned over until his gaze met one of a similar hue, locking for just a moment before she set to grooming the snow out of his fur. His eyes closed against the soothing motion, shivering again as Vali's warmth showed him just how cold he truly was. He was a mess, this was all a disaster. This was not how an alpha should appear in front of his members, but he couldn't bring himself to stand up. Not yet. "Talk" "You" Think

Sparrow watched her father fail to speak and fail to move. She was at a loss for what to do. She could heal physical wounds, sure, but she didn't usually deal with the whole emotional sides of things. Even her own emotions often went ignored or drove her to wander in and out of the pack lands.

Sparrow shook herself, "Father I-" What? She couldn't think of anything. She nudged his shoulder. Others arrived, and even Vali seemed to know more how to comfort her father than herself. Rarely are children made to comfort their parents, right? It's an odd situation regardless, right? Still, she envied Vali for being able to do something.

Raba came freely into the pack and Sparrow shot her a questioning glance. Sure she was familiar, but as an alpha shouldn't she respect the borders? Or maybe it was because she was an alpha that she didn't need to? Sparrow couldn't really bring herself to be upset or anything. She didn't think she could do anything anyway even if she wanted to.

Without anything to contribute, Sparrow settled for sitting close to her father, offering him small licks of comfort every so often.

She ignored the looks from members of Abaven, aware that Bass may not have had time to explain their agreement but either way she had more important matters to tend to and little to fear from her former packmates. Although… as she stared at the sorrowful man she felt her voice catch in her throat. She wanted his help but she didn't want him to worry more than he already was. "I…" she stared at him for a moment and then sighed. She'd come here for a reason and she would carry that reason through. Bass was a man strong in the ways that truly mattered and while this passing would hit him hard now she knew he would move past it. "My niece Dagmær went hunting in the east weeks ago, she has yet to return. I was… wondering if perhaps you or anyone in your pack had seen her or if you do you could send her home…" Her voice trailed off quietly. "I'm sorry Bass, I don't mean to burden you. I had no idea Hansel was ill."