A Ballad of Sacrifice
Professor
CosmetologistTHIS THREAD CONTAINS TRIGGERING THEMES.
Including birth, labor, stillborn, drugs, blood, mental break, meltdown, full psychotic episode, death, gore, mutilation, disassociation, black out, trauma.
Please take care of yourself.
She couldn’t do it. Another contraction tore through her body- she too weak to even cry out. Her cyan eyes stared blankly ahead, glossed with a layer of unfallen tears. Her mind raced with thoughts she dared not confront, traumas she wasn't ready to face. Yet, they continued to assail her nonetheless, each thought more crippling than the last. She wanted to scream, to let out all the heartbreak and despair that gnawed at her core – but her throat was raw from screaming. The silence of the den was broken only by the pitiful whimpers that escaped her, echoing and rebounding off the close walls. Every few moments, a particularly harsh shiver would rake through her body, causing her muscles to seize and her already labored breathing to hitch. She was trapped in this dark abyss with no knowledge of when - or if - she would ever be free from it.
She couldn’t do it. Almost an entire day. In a few hours she reckoned it would be. She had done everything for herself that she thought of. But this … She had aided in several births in her time. And nothing about this felt normal. Natural. Aurelia’s gaze drifted towards the entrance of the den as she became frantic. Her cyan eyes darted to the dead vines of the ivy curtain hanging in the entrance of the den, its veins etched so vividly against the backdrop of seamless black. The thin vines rustled slightly as a chilled breeze swept past the narrow opening, whispering eerie lullabies into the tenebrous silence. Almost an echo of her own terror-ridden thoughts. She yearned for someone — anyone — to whisk her away from this hellish nightmare, yet no one came. She was alone, as she had always been.
In a last-ditch effort of preservation, she lifted her head from the cool- blood saturated floor, her every movement straining against the relentless pull of exhaustion. It took every ounce of strength to haul herself up off the ground. Searing pain shot through her with every inch she moved, the agony so raw and primal it stripped away all else. She could feel the warm trickle of blood seeping down her underbelly to meld with the sticky tears that had pooled beneath her. Each throb of her heart was a pulsating echo of the anguish she was steeped in, yet it pounded on, stubborn as herself. Aurelia staggered toward the entrance, leaning on the archway before casting a final look back at her two pups she had to leave behind. She couldn't do it. She couldn't carry them with her, not with every movement bringing searing pain. It broke her heart to leave them there. But maybe their siblings were still alive. Tossing a final dreadful glare at the lifeless forms of her pups, she lurched forward into the frigid outside air.
Her vision blurred as stinging tears welled up in her cyan eyes. The world beyond the den seemed an unattainable fantasy – bright moonlight streaming down, illuminating the frozen landscape with an ethereal glow. The thick blanket of snow on the ground reflected the light, turning the world into a sea of luminescent silver. Yet, it did nothing to soothe Aurelia's torment. The sharp sting of frigid air was a shocking contrast to the humid warmth of the den, setting her nerves ablaze in renewed agony. Her already tortured body shuddered under this fresh assault.
She couldn’t do it. Each step was agony personified, yet she pressed onward as her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She didn’t know how she could have possibly made it to Caedes. But she did. And as she supported her body against the entryway- her entire frame trembling from the indescribable exhaustion. Her usually vibrant markings were dull and faded, marred with dried blood and filth. She was a pitiful sight - broken and bordering on the edge of life. “Caed…” Her voice was barely above a whisper, strained and hoarse from hours of screaming. The familiar name hung in the air like a plea, echoing hauntingly in the desolate valley. She couldn’t get his whole name out. She didn’t think she could even tell him what was wrong. But surely he would see. Surely he would see that she couldn’t do it.
Juggernaut
Field Medic
Caedes meticulously arranged his workspace, each tool and ingredient placed with exacting precision. The hollow needle-like stonefish spine he’d procured from Azrael lay in a neat row on the polished stone table, their tips gleaming ominously in the dim light of his den. He examined each one closely, marveling at them.
His thoughts were interrupted by a distant sound — a faint commotion at the entrance of his den. Caedes tensed, his senses heightened to the anomaly. He sniffed the air, and his nostrils flared at the unmistakable scent of blood. Not something foreign, but it begged the question of who was bleeding at his door. His motions stilled and his brows furrowed as he heard a weak, broken voice calling his name.
‘Caed-..’ It was Aurelia. Oh no. It was Aurelia. Was her due date so close?
He moved swiftly to the entrance, his mind racing. Aurelia was there, staggering and in obvious distress. Her usual defiance was replaced by a painful, laborious expression. A hopeless one. A desperate one. Blood soaked her fur, and her face was a mask of agony. She was in active labor, and from the looks of it, she was on the brink of collapse. Or death.
”Aurelia!” Caedes’ low voice was a harsh exclamation, rushing to her side. He immediately offered her his shoulder, supporting her weight so that she would not buckle to the floor. Her eyes, usually so full of life and sardonic thoughts, were glazed with pain and exhaustion. “Hold on,” Caedes urged, his tone firm but gentle. He guided her to the bed in the corner of his den, laying her down with care. The sight of her suffering stirred something deep within him — a blend of concern, and an unfamiliar desperation. But he had work to do, so he kept his head on straight.
He worked quickly, his hands moving with practiced efficiency. He gathered the necessary supplies: clean cloths, water, and a selection of herbs known for their analgesic properties. He prepared a tincture from the herbs, carefully measuring and mixing them. Holding the vial to her lips, he coaxed her to drink with a nod of his skull. The potion would help dull the pain and give her strength.
And as he knelt beside her, he noticed the extent of her distress in full. The blood loss was severe, and her body was wracked with violent contractions. He pressed a damp cloth to her forehead, his touch gentle. “Focus on your breathing. Can you tell me how long ago your labor started?” He instructed, his voice calm and steady. He didn’t even know if she could talk with the state she was in.
Unless otherwise stated, assume he is not wearing his feathered skull mask.
The coolness of the cloth against her skin provided some respite from the relentless clenching of her insides that mirrored the convulsing turmoil of her mind. She focused on the sensation, the cold seeping into her fur, grounding her to the present.
“Too… Long,” she managed to gasp out between heavy panting. It was an understatement; the hours had bled into one another, shaping a nightmarish reality where time blurred and faded, reconstructed by agony and despair. Aurelia tried to answer his question more fully but fell silent as another wave of pain pushed through her, stronger than the last. The world tilted precariously on its axis as she succumbed to the relentless torment coursing through her veins. Her surroundings disintegrated into hazy smears of color, all thought expunged by the rawness of her suffering. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the spiraling chaos. “After … after midnight.” A handful of hours short of a day. But there was no use in trying to get that out.
Another contraction overwhelmed her and she let out a guttural cry, her body straining against the invisible chains of the relentless agony. Her cyan eyes flew open, their usual spark diminished by the toll of physical torment. She could vaguely register Caedes' form against the backdrop of her blurred vision, a solid shape amidst the swirling vortex that was her world. A shallow panting followed as she rode out the aftershocks of pain. The analgesic herbs in Caedes' tincture had yet to take effect and she was left raw and exposed, her nerve endings afire. When she could almost catch her breath, she tried to offer more. “Two didn’t … stillborn.” She could barely say the words without breaking. And if she had the life left in herself to grieve them, then she certainly would have.
Caedes' lips pulled into a hard line as he watched Aurelia gasp out the words, her strength waning with each contraction. He could see the exhaustion etched into every line of her face, the spark in her cyan eyes dimming by the second. Too long. After midnight. Two stillborn. Ah. Of course. She was a healer herself. She would have been fine on her own unless something horrible had gone wrong. His eyes narrowed, and he knew, with a sinking certainty, that she might not survive the night. But he wanted her to live.
Swallowing his dreary thoughts, he moved closer, his touch as gentle as possible. “Aurelia,” He began softly, trying to keep his voice steady and reassuring. “Hold on. Just a bit longer.” Longer than she already had? He hated to ask it of her.
As another wave of pain crashed over her, Caedes carefully placed his hands on her abdomen, trying to assess the position of the pups. His fingers moved with precision, feeling for any signs of distress or abnormality. He could sense one of them might be turned, complicating an already dire situation. This was the only viable reason, if she had already birthed two. Time was of the essence, if the pups still within her womb were to survive.
“Okay.” He murmured, his voice betraying a hint of the worry he tried so hard to suppress. “I need to check on the pups. This might hurt a little.” Her shallow panting and the occasional guttural cry tore at his composure, but he forced himself to remain focused. Caedes shook his skull, trying to reorient his thinking. He needed to be calm, to be detached. Professional. Why was it so hard? His hands, usually so sure in their work, trembled as he palpated her swollen belly. He felt the faint movements of life, but one pup's position seemed off. Damn it.
“You have to trust me,” He whispered, almost to himself as much as to her as he sought her eyes. “I will do everything I can to help you and your pups.” He repositioned himself, trying to gently manipulate the pup into a better position. Aurelia's cries of pain cut through him, each one a knife in the gut to what he must do, but he kept going, knowing it was their best chance. Her only chance.
As he worked, he spoke to her, his voice a steady stream of quiet encouragement. “Just a little longer. Breathe through the pain. I am right here.”
Unless otherwise stated, assume he is not wearing his feathered skull mask.
Aurelia could only vaguely register Caedes' movements, the pressure of his hands on her distended belly. Her breath hitched in her throat as another wave of agony washed over her, turning her world to white-hot pain. Her ears flattened against her skull, a low growl rumbling in her throat as she clung onto consciousness by a thread. It was as if all the sensations of the world had been amplified a hundredfold. Every touch was a brand, every sound a harsh cacophony. And amidst it all, she felt a profound isolation, a despair that clawed at the pit of her stomach. The world blurred at the edges of her vision, fading into a distant hum. Every nerve in her body screamed in protest as he continued his assessment. She was acutely aware of every movement Caedes made, every shift and press against her swollen abdomen triggering a fresh wave of torment.
Yet, through it all, there was a sliver of hope, a tiny flame flickering amidst the tumult of her pain. The sensation of warmth trickling through her body at his touch, his scent wrapping around her like an invisible veil. It was a small comfort in an otherwise harsh reality, and she clung to it with every shred of her being. "Cae... des," she gasped out, her voice strained with the relentless edge of pain. "The... pups..." she managed to whisper, desperation lacing her every word. The need to protect her unborn children surged through her, overpowering the torment that threatened to consume her. “Save … them.” Not me. Them.
Trust. The word echoed in her ears, it would have normally stirred a bitter laugh but she didn’t have it in her. Trust was a luxury she had never been afforded, a fleeting phantom she had chased after in vain. But now, amidst the unrelenting waves of agony, trust was all she had left. And if she trusted anyone in the world, it was this man. With every push and prod from Caedes, the pain escalated anew, each wave more potent than the last. Yet Aurelia clung to his words with a desperate ferocity. She took a ragged breath, forcing herself to focus on his voice, his reassurances - they were all that anchored her to reality. To survival. Just a little longer.
Caedes' mind warred between his professional detachment and the deep, conflicting emotions he felt for Aurelia. She was begging him to save them. Her pups. Fuck. Fuck! He knew he had to act quickly. Caedes gently adjusted the position of the pup, feeling it shift into alignment. Yes, finally! Relief washed over him momentarily, but he knew it was far from over. Aurelia's pain was still unbearable, and he couldn't stand to see her suffer any longer. She needed a reprieve. And he instantly knew what would help her.
“Aurelia, I will be right back,” He said softly, his voice betraying a hint of the worry he tried so hard to suppress. “Hold on.” He left her side briefly, moving quickly to prepare a crude epidural. Procuring one of the stonefish spines, he filled it with the anesthetic tincture. His hands trembled slightly as he worked, a vast contrast to the usual steadiness he prided himself on. Damn it. No! Stop! Please! He took a deep breath, and forced his hands steady. He reigned himself in, for her. This wasn’t just any patient; this was Aurelia, his packmate, someone… he cared for. A friend if ever he had one. Impossible as it might have seemed to an outsider, but they were too similar for him to deny it. She was standoffish and antisocial — so was he. And somewhere within that truth was a connection. A vague and now painful one. One he did not want to see vanquished.
Returning to her, he knelt down and gently lifted her, exposing her spine. “Aurelia,” The dire brute whispered, his voice steady but filled with an unspoken urgency. “This will ease your pain.” Caedes gently inserted the needle along her spine, administering the anesthetic. His hands were steady, his touch as light as he could make it under the circumstances. As he withdrew the needle, he murmured soothing words, trying to offer her some comfort amidst the storm of her agony. To tell her she was doing well, that she would live, that this was a task she would easily supersede.
“Just a moment more,” He said softly, his voice carrying a tenderness that he rarely showed. “It will help. I promise. You will not feel the pain any longer.” It was his final option, and with the uncertainty of her fate looming over him he had to give her at least one final reprieve from the horrid circumstances she’d been dealt by life. By Sephiran.
The minutes dragged on as the anesthetic began to take effect. Caedes felt her muscles relax under his touch, the rigid tension easing. He continued his assessment, heart pounding with a mixture of concentration and determination — his focus sharp. He supported her through the next contractions, guiding her body through the process of expelling the pups now that she was properly numbed.
Unless otherwise stated, assume he is not wearing his feathered skull mask.
Aurelia's eyes squeezed shut tightly at the new sensation, a prickle of discomfort that was nothing compared to the crushing waves of labor. In her haze of pain, she barely registered Caedes' return or his words, but the promise of relief won a strangled whimper from her throat. As the anesthetic began to take effect, Aurelia could feel the edge of her pain begin to soften, the sharpness blunting into something more manageable. The relief was like a lifeline thrown out into stormy seas, and she clung to it with all her strength. Her own breathing sounded loud in her ears as she tried to steady it – in through her nose, out through her mouth. It wore away to the overwhelming exhaustion that threatened to pull her under. The edges of her world blurred and dimmed, but Aurelia fought it, gritting her teeth against the tide. She could be strong. If only once. Just this once.
Aurelia warily opened her eyes, locking onto the image of Caedes. His unfamiliar tenderness in his voice sent a shiver down her spine, but there was comfort in his promise of easing her pain. His presence was like an anchor, something solid for her to lean on while her world tore itself apart. "Thank … you …" she choked out, her voice made hoarse by waves of pain and fear.
The anesthetic was starting to work its magic, the edges of Aurelia's world becoming a bit less sharp, the pain a bit less immediate and demanding. She dug deep within herself for the strength and resolve to ride out the fight of her life. Her breaths came in short huffs, each one labored and ragged, echoing the turmoil that raged within her. With the pain dwindling into distant throbs, Aurelia could focus on Caedes' instructions. Her body moved according to the messages her brain managed to send, despite the howling emptiness that yawned within her. She was dimly aware of the sensation of something moving within her, but it felt as though it were happening to someone else, in another lifetime.
Time seemed to stretch and warp around her, minutes feeling like hours and seconds like lifetimes. "Caedes," she murmured, her voice shaky and weak. So much she wanted to say. But it was his name hung in the freezing air between them, a fragile thread connecting them amidst the enormity of their situation. Thank you. As time slowly ticked on, Aurelia could feel herself growing weaker, the energy drained from her body by the painful spasms and intense effort. Her sight began to blur around the edges, black spots dancing in her periphery. For a moment she couldn't breathe, the weight on her lungs almost unbearable until it passed with a sharp gasp of air. Fighting the creeping tendrils of unconsciousness, she looked up at Caedes, mouth parched and lips cracked, desperation seeping through her eyes.
And then came the shift. With her next contraction she could feel the pups moving, their tiny bodies pressing internally as they sought the egress that nature had intended for them. The next push was difficult, but it brought them nearer to the exit. By the time the last wave of contractions hit, Aurelia felt like she was on fire, her body straining to push the pups into a world that as of now was unknown to them. After what felt like an eternity, she heard the first faint whimper of a newborn pup. It was a delicate sound, fragile and full of life; a sign that all her struggle had not been in vain. Its cries were tiny, almost lost in the wintry atmosphere, but to Aurelia, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard- and she too weak to even sit up to greet it.
He could see the exhaustion etched deep into Aurelia's features, the pain that had ravaged her now giving way to a numbing relief. Her whispered gratitude tugged at him, breaking through his indifferent facade. But he was a strong man, with a strong resolve to help her. Even with the sight of her so vulnerable and broken, Caedes remained a pillar of strength. He had to be.
Offering her a squeeze of his massive paw on her own fragile one, Caedes tried to convey that she was not alone — locking his gaze on her own in reassurance. “You're welcome.” The brute murmured, his voice firm but steady. He watched as the anesthetic took hold, her mind relaxing, her pain dwindling down somewhat. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, emeralds scanning for any signs of trouble as she continued her labors.
The minutes stretched out, each second feeling like an eternity. Caedes could feel the weight of her trust, the desperation in her eyes cutting through him like a blade. He had to focus, had to keep his hands steady and his mind clear. He felt tired, like the situation was draining him, inner composure waning with every stressful passing second. But he would see this to the end, after her battle was fought and won.
Finally, the first pup emerged, its tiny cries filling the cold air. Relief surged through Caedes, but he knew there was still more to do. He quickly cleared the pup's airway and placed it gently beside Aurelia, his touch as careful as he could make it. This he could do for her in her weakened state, even as he took note of the strange nature of the child’s appearance.
“Almost there, Aurelia. You can do this. Final stretch. You are doing amazing.” Caedes said softly, his voice filled with determination he hoped would rouse her spirit and a genuine desire to see her job finished.
Unless otherwise stated, assume he is not wearing his feathered skull mask.
Just as everything seemed to settle, she was struck with another wave of contractions. And then another. A strangled yelp escaped her throat, echoing through the valley as a fresh wave of pressure tore through her- but at least it was bearable. The pup nursing at her side whimpered in surprise and distress, instinctively clinging to her for warmth and safety. Biting back a groan, Aurelia tried to steady herself, her muscles trembling under the strain. The instinct to push once more surged within her. The labor was not over- not even close.
Over the next several minutes- or perhaps it was hours- she couldn’t tell. She was met with contraction after contraction. Eventually a second puppy emerged into the world. And a final third, surprising even Aurelia herself. Each had a similar tone to their cries, each stronger than the last. Caedes helped them into place at her side, and while it was hard for her to look at them, she could feel them. Three small bodies squirmed against her, Aurelia found herself grappling with a type of pain she had never known before - emotional pain. The kind that crept up on her and threatened to drown her when she least expected it.
She lay there, weak, nearly lifeless. Not even the energy to pant through her exhaustion. Her body was limp- it felt as if it were made of lead. Like her eyes had drifted shut, but when she thought they were open, she still couldn’t see. Her senses dulled to a point of nonexistence, and silence engulfed her. She was so very tired. So tired. So quiet. So still.
Knight
Poison Master
The metallic tinge of blood is heavy in the air as he approaches her den, shoving his way past the curtain of dead vines. The scene that unfolded before him was… harrowing. Even for Sephiran. Blood contaminated several sections the floor, matted heavy around a thin layer of lichen she had been using as her bed. Claw marks were etched into the stone, sweat and sputum intertwined with the scent of blood, a testament to the struggle that just occurred here. But where was Aurelia. A snarl erupts from his jaws, his eyes darting around the room with frantic intensity. It moved from one corner to another, as if she would suddenly materialize in front of him. But instead, something far beyond his comprehension appeared.
As he pushed her belongings aside, searching for whatever secrets lay hidden in the confines of her den, for the clues that would lead to her location. His gaze settles on the disfigured, grotesque corpses laying on her makeshift bed, adorned in vernix coating and reeking of the early stages of decay. His throat becomes tight, eyes widening as he nears the bodies, bringing his head down to nudge one of them with his snout. Lifeless and cold. Every muscle in his body tenses, nails digging into the stone, as if seeking to draw blood. She did this. Aurelia did this. His face contorts with fury, his jaw clenching tight, his eyes ablaze with an intense fire. Did this. Did this. Did this. He becomes consumed by a singular focus- that Aurelia had given birth to the pups, and left them to die in the bitter chill of winter, having condemned them with her ritualistic beliefs. He’s blinded to reason to logic. She cursed them. Cursed them. Cursed them. He does not contemplate that these pups were stillborn at birth. Liar. Liar. Liar. Sephiran does not contemplate his actions, he moves on instinct, driven by indignation and resentment. “Find her!” He seethes, snarling at his panther, before grabbing the lifeless bodies and rushing out of the den.
Her scent is still fresh in the area, paw prints etched into the snow, leading them in the direction of Caedes’ workplace. Why. Why. Why. His chosen Effendi Haakim, it was logical that Aurelia would seek assistance in such a dire situation- but Sephiran could not piece that together. He was blinded by his rage, a cataclysmic force on the brink of explosion, as he forced his way into the male’s workshop without hesitation. The scent of blood is heavy, mixed with the tinge of amniotic fluid, urine, and mucus, and underlying it all, is the smell of a herbal concoction. His eyes are darting across the room, catching the large, scarred frame of Caedes looming over something in the far corner. Sephiran surges forward, the corpses clenched within his jaws as he shoves the male out of his way, pushing him back. The soft, weakened cries of pups slice through the silence, stronger than the nearly lifeless groans of Aurelia who was anchored down on the den floor. Three, tiny, squirming bodies were nestled at her abdomen, bloody and adorned in an array of mutated features, but alive nonetheless. But Aurelia… she was nearly lifeless. Limp yet somehow, rigid. She looked exhausted beyond belief. The turmoil of the event etched into every inch of her body. The scene was… intense. It should have elicited an almost humanitarian response from Sephiran, or any wolf for the matter- an empathetic sincerity to offer comfort and support, to admire her vulnerability and applaud her efforts. But, within Sephiran, there was nothing of the sort. Only the desire for retribution, the need to inflict pain, to regain control, the primal instinct to dominate and destroy. She did this. Did this. Did this.
And he will make her pay. “You fucking bitch.” He seethes, hissing through the lifeless bodies dangling from his jaws. He drops them onto the floor, and they fall with an audible thud, right in front of her face. Their scent is undeniable, unmistakable- even with her closed eyes, she will recognize them. “You worthless, disgusting, vile witch.” Sephiran is seething, spitting saliva in her face with every syllable, growling a melody of venomous rage. “Your taunts did this.” He does not think. He only acts. With Caedes bearing witness, Sephiran unsheathes his blade and stabs it straight into Aurelia’s shoulder, piercing down to the head of her humerus. He twists it, the serrated end gnarling her muscle into a mangled, sinewy mess. “Your cursing did this.” He twists it again before ripping it back out. Then, Sephiran completes a volatile act, fueled by derangement and resentment. He brings the blade down onto the neck of the corpse closest to him, beheading it with a single, fluid motion. The three, feeding pups sense the palpable shift in the atmosphere, and start whining louder. “Your ‘praying to your goddess’ did this.” He snarls, taking the severed head and throwing it at Aurelia’s face. It was a grotesque thing to do. But he didn’t see the lifeless bodies as his children- he saw them as victims of Aurelia’s manipulation. Of her deception. And she would reclaim them and atone for her sins.
“Are you satisfied now, Aurelia?” Another snarl, and Sephiran descends upon her, the head of the mutilated pup in his paw. He rubs it against her face, like an owner punishing an animal, pressing it against her cheek, her muzzle, her lips. “Their deaths are because of you.” She’s not fighting back, but she’s still conscious, he’s sure of it. And so, Sephiran pries her jaws open, shoving the head into her mouth to make her taste her sin. “Reabsorb it.” He seethes, manic and vengeful. “Tell your goddess to give it back to you.” His throat tightens, eyes narrowing as he fights back… water. Water in his eyes. Why? “You did this.” But even with the fury of raw emotion whirling inside of him, Sephiran’s voice does not crack. His paws do not falter. He moves with methodical precision, shoving the head deeper down her throat, gagging her with it, wanting her to revel in the taste of her stillborn child. But of course, it won’t go down- she’s gagging, but barely. Her gag reflex is nearly absent at this point. An indication that she is not long for this word. Why. Why. Why. “Reabsorb it.” He repeats, as he takes his blade and stabs her again. “Reabsorb it.” He pulls it out, and stabs her again. “Reabsorb it.” Another round of sickening, gut wrenching stabs. “Reabsorb it!” He screams, dropping the blade and using his paws to bash her head against the ground. Over. And over. And over.
Until there is nearly nothing left.
The severed head landing with a sickening thud against her muzzle - a grotesque mockery of her failure. The smell of blood was thick and cloying, making her want to retch. Of all the sensations that came to her in that moment, the sudden silence of the pups tugged at her heart the most. Their tiny forms were unmoving against her. She loved them. She hoped they knew that she loved them.
Their whimpers no longer echoed in her ears, and the warmth that had seeped from their small bodies into hers had vanished. Aurelia lay there, every muscle in her body screaming in agony from the torment inflicted by Sephiran. The scent of her own blood mixed with the metallic tang of her pups' was spreading rapidly through the air, the acrid taste of it lingering on her tongue. The wind swept it around her, as though mocking her inability to protect them, to save them from the wrath of Sephiran. Unshed tears stung at her eyes as she lay there, helpless and defeated. Dying.
No sound escaped her lips. No protest. No feeling. Just nothing.
Aurelia drew her last breath, a shudder passed through her weakening body; a signal of surrender to the inevitable. And with it came peace.
With it came release.
-Exit Aurelia via Death-
Caedes watched as the second and third pups entered the world, their cries echoing against the walls of his den. He carefully cleaned and placed each one at Aurelia's side, his movements precise yet tender. He could see the toll this had taken on her, the weight of the emotional and physical pain evident in her every breath. He could see her struggling, the exhaustion and pain written in the lines of her face, in the way her body lay so still, almost lifeless. He knew she was at her limit, her senses dulled and her world reduced to a haze of weariness. He nearly reached out to gently brush against her face, to wipe away her sweat and offer some small comfort he wasn’t sure she would even feel before the drugs wore off, but he never got the chance.
Sephiran crashed into the space between them. The force of the collision caused Caedes to stumble back, his eyes wide and fur bristling. He couldn’t have predicted what would come. What would happen before his eyes, and what he would feel.
Sephiran's venomous rage filled the den, each hateful word cutting through the fragile peace Caedes had fought so hard to maintain. His eyes burned with a cold fury, the detachment giving way to a fierce, protective anger that boiled within the pit of his stomach. In his mind, he was surging forth, knocking Sephiran aside and shielding Aurelia with his body, come what may. He was attacking Sephiran, killing him, mutilating him — he was doing anything and everything instead of watching the mad man do this to her.
But…. that was not what was truly happening. He was not moving, he was still. Limbs planted firmly onto the ground, because if he moved now he would surely kill Sephiran this very moment. And what of his life? Of his love for Mariah? What then?
His mind ceased rationality. His thoughts stilled.
Sephiran seethed, his voice cutting through the haze but failing to reach the core of Caedes' awareness. The sight of the lifeless pups hitting the ground, the blade tearing into Aurelia's shoulder, the grotesque beheading — it all registered in a detached, almost surreal way. Caedes felt as if he were watching a terrible nightmare play out from behind a pane of glass, unable to break through, unable to intervene.
Caedes was simply rooted to the spot, the world around him narrowing into a tunnel of detached numbness. Sephiran's rage-filled voice became a distant echo, his venomous words blurring into an incomprehensible drone. The gruesome scene unfolded before him in slow motion, each act of violence another weight pressing down on his already burdened mind.
Sephiran's voice, his every word was a growl, dripping with venom as he assaulted her. Caedes' muscles tensed, his instincts screaming to intervene. Why. Why. Why did he have to watch this? Why was he watching instead of acting? Please. Why.
As Sephiran twisted the blade, mangling her shoulder, Caedes could feel his control slipping. The smell of blood, the sound of Aurelia's pained whimper, the desperate cries of the newborn pups — all of it fueled a burning rage within him. But he did not move.
‘Are you satisfied now, Aurelia?’ Sephiran's words were a bitter snarl, his actions grotesque and inhumane. He rubbed the severed head against her face, the macabre punishment meant to break her spirit further. But she was already broken.
Enough. Enough. Enough!
Sephiran's snarls cut through the fog, but they did not draw Caedes back to the present. Instead, he felt himself sinking deeper into the abyss of his own mind, retreating from the unbearable reality before him. The severed head of the pup, pressed against Aurelia's face by Sephiran's cruel hand, was a grotesque image that seared itself into his memory. Yet even this horror felt distant, like a terrible story told in a language he no longer understood. He could only watch as Sephiran forced her to swallow down her own stillborn babe’s head.
Caedes' body felt heavy, his limbs unresponsive as if weighted down by an invisible force. His vision tunneled, the edges of his sight darkening and blurring. He could hear his own heartbeat, a steady, oppressive thud that seemed to drown out everything else. The world narrowed further, his perception shrinking to a pinpoint of awareness that held only the barest semblance of the brutal scene playing out before him.
Aurelia's voice, weak and broken, echoed in his mind from her earlier in her labors. but he could no longer grasp the meaning of her words. Nor the meaning of Sephiran’s now. The cold, clinical part of his brain noted the signs of her pending expiration, the fading strength in her body, the slackening of her muscles. But the part of him that should have acted, the part that cared so much, was buried under layers of dissociation and numbness.
He was aware, on some distant level, that he should be doing something — anything — to stop Sephiran, to protect Aurelia and the children, to stop this madness. But that awareness was a dim flicker, lost in the overwhelming tide of his disconnection. He felt like a ghost, present in form but absent in spirit, watching helplessly as the scene played out before him.
Sephiran’s insanity echoed against the walls where minutes ago there was the serene sound of crying newborns, now drowned out by the sick crunch and wet squelching of Aurelia’s skull reduced to nothing. Nothing. Just mash against the cold ground. Her life snuffed out by this creature before him that was no longer his cousin. Caedes watched as the last vestiges of her life ebbed away, his mind desolate of emotion while his body burned like liquid fire in a disjointed sense of body and mind.
The last thing he heard before the world went completely dark was Sephiran's voice, dripping with hatred and malice. But what was he saying? Caedes could barely hear.
And then, silence. The world slipped away entirely, leaving Caedes adrift in a void of his own making, cut off from the pain, the horror, the unbearable reality of what had just transpired. His body stood silent, watching, void as Sephiran killed her.
Unless otherwise stated, assume he is not wearing his feathered skull mask.
Standing there, with his paws still in her, as he struggled to catch his breath. Each breath that came from him was short, ragged gasps, nostrils flaring with each intake. His heart was hammering in his chest, muscles quivering with the sheer force of his emotions. The quivering escalated into trembling, until Sephiran shook so hard he was forced to sit down on his rump, heaped over Aurelia’s mutilated corpse that was growing colder by the second.
His eyes are fixated on Aurelia’s face - or rather, what used to be her alluring features. His pupils were dilated to an unsettling extent, swallowing his heterochromatic irises in a pool of black. Previously filled with manic rage, they now contain an eerie emptiness- the light of reason extinguished, flickering with unpredictable intensity. “You did this.” Flexing his toes, he feels a warm gush of blood rewet his paws, pulsating from an artery he’d pulverized. “You did this” His shaking did not stop, the cries of his surviving pups echoing inside of the den, causing his ears to twitch. “You did this.” Sinking down, Sephiran slumped over until he was sprawled out over Aurelia, nearly squishing his own pups in the process.
His face started to become wet, tears weeping from his eyes but Sephiran showed no recognition of it. Was he feeling remorse? No, Sephiran Saxe couldn’t comprehend feeling guilty or apologetic. He is an insatiably possessive creature- even now, he is exuding his dominance over her corpse, reveling in her scent and the feel of her body against him. “I loved you.” He grits his teeth, clenches his jaw. “And you.” He’s still gasping. “Did.” Gasping erratically. “This.” Sephiran and his jaded sense of love.
Retreating into the labyrinth of his mind, the room is overtaken by a chilling stillness. For a while, Sephiran forgets Caedes is standing behind him, having bore witness to the brutal scene of his cousin murdering the mother of his children. Sephiran is seeking solace in the silence, tunneling in and out of his fragmented reality. He is not aware of it, but he’s repeating the same phrase over, and over, and over. You did this.
Caedes stood rooted to the spot, his mind a churning void of chaos and numbness as Sephiran's words echoed endlessly. You did this. You did this. The mantra dug into his psyche, each repetition a further twist of the knife. But something deep within Caedes stirred, a flicker of duty and care, a reminder of who he was and what he needed to do. He pushed. He pushed his vision back. Past the blood, past the loss. His scars ached. Every one of them that littered his frame.
The cries of the surviving pups cut through the haze, their tiny voices like a beacon calling him back to himself. A child’s cry was a haunting thing. He focused on their cries, using them to anchor his fragmented mind. Slowly, the fog of detachment began to lift, replaced by a grim determination. Aurelia's memory deserved more than this horror, and her pups deserved a chance at life. He’d promised her. Fuck. He’d promised her.
Move. Move. MOVE!
Caedes forced his limbs to move, his body feeling heavy and sluggish as he approached Aurelia's mutilated form. Sephiran was still draped over her, lost in his twisted reverie, but Caedes paid him no mind. His focus was solely on the pups.
Fucking- Fucking madman.
Gently, with the care of a healer, he gathered the three squirming bodies from her remains. Their small, fragile forms were covered in blood and remnants of the birth, but they were alive. He placed them carefully in a soft blanket, wrapping them snugly to keep them warm. Their cries softened, the warmth and security of the blanket providing a semblance of comfort their mother could no longer provide.
Hang on. I have you.
Caedes straightened, his gaze lingering on Aurelia's lifeless form for a moment. A silent promise formed in his heart: he would protect her pups, no matter what. He whistled softly, a specific call that summoned his raven. Third Eye. The sleek black bird fluttered into the room, its beady eyes taking in the scene with an eerie intelligence.
“Get Aresenn.” Caedes instructed the raven, his voice low and steady despite the turmoil within him. “Tell him to come. Quickly.” The pups needed a nursemaid. Absinth would do with her recent birth. The raven cawed in acknowledgment, then took off, disappearing into the night.
As the silence settled once more, Caedes picked up the pups, wrapped in a blanket dangling close to his chest. He turned his back on Sephiran, refusing to acknowledge the broken man who had caused so much bloodshed. His focus now was on ensuring these pups had a chance to thrive. He would not fail Aurelia’s last wish.
Keep your head on. He grit his teeth, and kept pushing.
With careful steps, Caedes left the den, stepping out into the cold where he would hand them over to Aresenn. His mind was made up. With Absinth as their nursemaid, they would be safe and given the care they needed to survive and grow. He’d seen it in her eyes, whether she knew it or not upon her diagnosis, that same motherly love Aurelia had held for her babes. How fleeting that had been.
Numbness wrapped around Caedes like a shroud, but he pushed forward. He could fall apart later. Now, he had to fulfill his duty, to honor Aurelia's memory by ensuring her pups lived. That was all that mattered.
[exit caedes]
Unless otherwise stated, assume he is not wearing his feathered skull mask.
But as fate would have it, rest would not be afforded to him so easily. Just as he was about to cross the final clearing to where his family awaited him, a sudden fluttering of wings interrupted him. The raven's dark eyes were insistent, its harsh cawing grating against the silent canvas of the frigid night. Aresenn watched it with a scowl, his breath misting out in front of him. Trust Caedes to send for help at this hour, he thought with an irritated sigh. But of course he knew the obsidian brute wouldn’t ask unless it was truly necessary. The wind howled around him, a biting symphony that stung his exposed skin and tugged at his layered fur. With an irritated sigh, he altered his path, bolting in the direction of where he knew the Haakim’s den to be.
But when he arrived, Caedes was standing in the entrance. A bundle clenched in his jaws, an empty stare in his gaze. He met the man’s eye contact, but he saw little to no recognition. On reflex, Aresenn’s hackles began to rise along his back, a primal instinct warning him of potential danger. He held his ground, eyes narrowed on the seemingly entranced brute before him. As Aresenn drew near, he prepared to ask what was wrong, but the wall of stench hit him first. Blood, decay, birth, fear, panic, outrage, and death. Aresenn’s eyes widened as he pressed forward. Not hesitating to try and engage Caedes, Aresenn walked past him, crossing through the threshold of the den and onto the inside.
Where he was met with a sight so grotesque he couldn’t have possibly dreamed it himself.
Aresenn’s amber gaze settled on Sephiran’s back as he lay clinging to something. Fuck. Was that Aurelia? The wretch’s face was unrecognizable as fragments of her skull and brain matter lay in a heaping mess around the floor, and in a pool of her own blood. He couldn’t see the detail in which she had been slaughtered, but slaughtered she had been, and it was a sight he knew would forever be etched into his memory. It was one of those things- the longer you look the worse it got. Was that little scrap a pup? Oh gods … where was its head!?
His stomach churned, the vile taste of bile threatening at the back of his throat. The crisp winter air suddenly felt stifling, choking him as he tried to make sense of the scene before him. His gaze found Sephiran again, the man's body shaking uncontrollably under Aresenn's watchful eyes. His sobs echoed eerily in the den between his mantra: you did this, a haunting serenade to the fallen woman he most certainly had murdered himself.
Aresenn's instinct recoiled at the sight, heaving a guttural growl of disgust. A primal reaction to the sight of death. He was no stranger to blood or violence, he had killed just the same when he lost control of himself. So what could he have possibly said? Was it madness? Without a doubt. And yet, as he stood over the crimson scene, a cold numbness seeped into his being. His hardened features betrayed nothing as he turned away. Back outside to where Caedes stood. In the bundle that the larger male held, he could hear faint cries. Whimpering. The cries of children who had lost their mother’s warmth. She’s dead. They need a nurse.
Fuck.
He knew what was being asked. What this meant for the babes who had been bundled in a blanket. Likely in the protection from their own father. It was hard not to think of his own in that moment. How fiercely protective of his own children he had become, even as they were days old. How could this have been allowed to happen? With a tired sigh, Aresenn gently took the bundle from Caedes. Turning his back on the brute in an instant as he made his way back to Absinth. What could he possibly say to her? How could he even ask her?
The chilling breeze whipped against his face as he carried the fragile bundle across the expansive tundra. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing a dull and ceaseless dread. He could feel the tiny shivers of the infants against his chest, their cries only making the lump in his throat grow larger, and even more so as they weakened. Aresenn grunted with resignation, shifting his hold on them to block out more of the biting wind. He didn't know how they survived the immediate aftermath of their mother's death, but he was sure that their survival was hard won. Maybe one day, he would ask Caedes what exactly had happened.
As Aresenn crossed the threshold to their shared den, he came face to face with a sight barely less overwhelming than the one he'd just left. Absinth lay there, curled up against their young pups who were suckling blissfully oblivious of the tragedy that had struck their kindred. His amber gaze locked with hers, distant, cold, uncertain. What the fuck was he going to say? He had been speechless the entire time. And he was speechless now. He needed help. Their whimpers had grown weak- nearly non-existent in the frigid cold. And all he could do was stand there.
Sephiran doesn’t notice Caedes wrapping his children in a blanket, to carry them away from their father and transfer them into his Emir’s care. You did this. You did this. You did this. With Caedes gone, the silence in the den intensifies, overcome with an eerie stillness that threatens to consume him whole. And in the dimly lit room, the shadows all around him danced ominously- demons bearing witness to the mutilation, reveling in the fear and agony. You did this. You did this. You did this. Seconds feel like minutes. Minutes feel like hours. Truly, no one knows how much time had passed, before Sephiran pulled himself to his paws and grabbed Aurelia by her scruff. You did this. You did this. You did this. His gaze is empty as he stares down at her, boasting a gleam of cold, calculating predatory intention, as he slowly drags her out of Caedes den.
Emerging into the Polar Sound, Sephiran is met by the whipping chill of the midnight wind. Aresenn’s scent is fresh, mixing with Caedes but Sephiran does not show any recognition of the event that transpired here. His children being taken away from him. Slowly, Sephiran begins to drag Aurelia to his domain, his mind consumed by the tasks he will complete.
He will peel her fur from her flesh, and drape the bloodied hide over his body. To feel her skin against his until the end of time. He will unionize their bodies, revel in the fragmented state of her corpse in hopes that she can feel him in the afterlife. To remind her that he is her sanctuary. And he will hold onto her body until she has rotted away into nothingness, just as he promised her seasons ago. Even in death, you will not escape me.
-exit-
The sound of steps, familiar and welcome draws her attention from her light slumber. Her skull rises, and then Absinth’s sharp emerald eyes flicker from her suckling babes to the sight of Aresenn at the den entrance. Her eyes are warm, until the fragile bundle in his jaws snatches her attention in an instant. A bundle that contained life, that smelled of fresh afterbirth and blood. The scents of Aurelia, Caedes, and Sephiran heavy in the air, invading their den with what she could only assume was a grim reality.
Her mind raced, grappling with the situation. Aresenn standing there, consumed by uncertainty and hesitation. She knew. Of course she knew. No scent that bloody would mean anything but tragedy.
Absinth could feel the burden of his gaze, the unspoken words, the desperate plea for guidance. She remembered the harsh, unforgiving wilderness they lived in — a place where the weak were left behind. Yet here was Aresenn, standing before her with a bundle of vulnerable newborn lives.
She heard soft, weak whimpers coming from the blanket.
Her instincts roared to life, a fierce protective urge that was almost primal as it gripped her senses. Her fur bristled, a combination of indignation and resolve. She could sense the uncertainty in Aresenn, the weight in his amber eyes that mirrored the raw dread she had felt so many times before while trying to survive as a child in squalor. A rat of the streets, claimed by no parentage, chased by demons and never knowing warmth.
“What are you waiting for, Aresenn?” She snapped, her voice a whip crack in the still air. ”Bring them here, quickly!” Her movements were swift and fluid. Slowly, carefully disentangling herself from her own plump, well-fed pups.
With a gentle touch, he pulled back the cloth that veiled them. And when he got to look at them- really look at them for the first time, it left him in shock. Their eyes were still closed of course, their fur soft and fuzzy with a promising array of vibrant hues. The one male had Aurelia's signature azure coloring, while the female boasted dark tones and intricate Saxe purple markings. But then there was one male who seemed to have no fur at all, his skin covered in small bristles around his neck and shoulders. As he studied them further, he noticed bony growths protruding from their skulls behind their ears- indicative of … horns? Did that one have a fucking forked tongue? “What the fuck?” He asked lowly, not expecting an answer from anyone. How could anyone explain this? The creatures before him were unlike anything he had ever seen before, both fascinating and unsettling at the same time. Sure, he had seen grown wolves with similar attributes … honestly he hadn’t given it much thought. He just imagined they were also born normal. Clearly that wasn’t the case. And to him, the pre-developed features looked just as odd on the newborns- or perhaps it was merely just because he just had his own for comparison.
He couldn’t help but run his large paw over the course bristles of the tiny pup’s back- the one male who had nothing covering his body otherwise. “Have you ever seen anything like it?” he asked, his gaze flickering briefly to Absinth before returning to the motherless pups. Seeing them next to his own litter was a stark contrast, and it was bizarre to say the least.
As he obeyed and brought the pups to her, she shifted her position, creating a cocoon of warmth around all the pups. Her body shielded them from the cold, her heartbeat a steady rhythm of life. Absinth's sharp emerald eyes narrowed as she observed the newborns. Her mind working, analytical cogs turning, trying to make sense of the peculiar sight before her. Her own pups nestled close, their tiny bodies radiating warmth and familiarity. But these new ones mixing in... they were an enigma. Foreign, yet oddly endearing. Were they little cuckoos who invaded the nest of a hapless mother of another species, or simply pitiful orphans?
She scoffed softly, a sound both incredulous and resigned. “Seen anything like it?” She repeated Aresenn’s words, her voice laced with a mix of wry disbelief and dark amusement. “Aresenn, in these lands, I've seen wolves born with fucking wings, with scales, with eyes that glow in the dark. I’m not about to question anything I see now.”
Her thoughts churned as she looked at them, wondering how they had come to her. Aurelia was surely dead, and that fact would have been laughable… except for the newborns shivering and hungry at her side. She watched as they writhed their way to her teats, their hunger superseding any innate attachment they’d had for their deceased mother now. ”We don't fucking get to choose what the world throws at us. We only get to choose how we respond.” She murmured, half to herself, half to the new babes and Aresenn.
She looked at her brute now, emeralds checking in with his own amber gaze. Wondering what his thoughts were, what his reaction would be to her response. “You’re lucky you weren’t bringing me your own bastards, then it would have been a different story.” She sneered, grinning through the sharp impish slight in her voice.
Then her gaze shifted back to the strange pups, her eyes tracing the outlines of their odd features. It was as if the land itself had shaped these creatures into something new, something adapted to the harshness around them. The world had a way of throwing the unexpected at them, and she had learned long ago to adapt, to survive. This wasn't about sentiment or duty; it was about pity. Maybe compassion from a new mother to a motherless brood, she wasn’t inclined to hammer her reasoning down right this moment.. Absinth's heart had hardened long before, tempered by the brutal reality of her existence. These strange pups were here now, and they were vulnerable. That meant they needed her.
“What happened to Aurelia? Is this temporary?” She said, her voice calm, indifferent. With her own nursing brood, she was certain that was the driving factor of her receiving these newborns now, in the dead of winter. She shifted slightly, making more room for the new pups beside her own as they nursed. Her movements were methodical, driven by an instinct to protect and nurture, even if her heart was not fully invested.
"Sephiran? Did he finally kill her?" She met Aresenn's gaze, her expression hardening with knowing. “I knew he would. I know his type. I warned her to do a better job of killing herself. Or else he would. And now he has, and she’s left her children without a mother.” Dumb bitch. But she was not about to make a habit of insulting the dead more than necessary. “Who knows about this? Caedes must. Kaino? Rhazien?” Sentiment had no place here; survival was the only law she followed. And she would follow it to the bitter end. As a warrior should. She needed to know what the situation was.
He raised an eyebrow in amusement at her playful comment, his gaze darkening with an unreadable expression as he locked eyes with her emerald orbs. "Is that so?" His tone was questioning, and the corners of his mouth turned up into a half-smirk as he leaned back on his heels. "I’m sure you would have been just as pleased," he teased, blurring the line between jest and sincerity. Noted.
His gaze affixed on the pups once more - Aurelia's brood and Absinth's combined in an odd harmony against nature’s course. There was very obvious uncertainty; it hung thickly in the air, a palpable weight that pulled at the corners of his mouth and furrowed his brow. Despite the assuredness of his words, there was a hint of doubt. What were they getting themselves into? His thick tail twitched behind him, casting flickering shadows in the moonlight as he watched Absinth nurse the pups.
He glanced back at her, his face a study in stone. He hesitated, caught in a tangled knot of conflicting emotions. There was relief there, yes, for the lives he'd managed to save, but also frustration and anger. Finally, he settled on blunt honesty. "Aurelia didn't make it," he said flatly. He paused, his gaze drifting over the pups again. His words hung in the silence between them like a specter, stark and undeniable against the backdrop of their new reality. "Sephiran …" Aresenn cleared his throat uncomfortably. The truth was harsh, bitter to swallow, but necessary. It wasn’t that he was surprised he killed her, it was the fucking grotesque manner he had done it in. How could he even describe what had happened? "He beat her to death." Among other things. But that was a start.
"Caedes knows. He was there," Aresenn's voice was more of a growl, his eyes clouded with anger. He shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping him. "But Sephiran was amidst a psychotic breakdown. As for Kaino and Rhazien... I can't say. I didn't stick around to exchange pleasantries. I took the surviving pups and left." His words dripped with sarcasm as he gnashed his teeth together. The conversation hung heavily in the air between them, as stoic and cold as the snow-covered valley outside their den. His gaze was distant, as he remained lost in the grizzly scene. “He beheaded one of them, Absinth.” He said lowly, not making her eye contact. “He cut off the head of his own pup …” A moment of silence hung between them, the air thick with the weight of the revealed truth. Killing he respected. Killing infants? Well, that was brutal. “What kind of sick fuck would do that? To his- his own.” Perhaps it was his own newfound fatherhood that stoked the flame of his fuming rage. For all his character flaws, Aresenn could never fathom such brutal savagery against infants, let alone one’s own progeny. He snorted harshly to himself, mostly out of disbelief. But a good part of not knowing what was to come next.
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| 1. | A Ballad of Sacrifice | The Polar Sound | 12:25 AM, 06-14-2024 | 11:44 PM, 09-30-2024 |