Numbered Days

She knew that she had put it off long enough. While speaking with Gentle Night had been a nice distraction, Amalia knew that she couldn't avoid her mother forever. What a terrible daughter she had been, neglecting to even go and make sure that everything was okay. It was fear that held her at bay, pulling her back. She didn't want to see just how much her pale mother had changed. While Epiphron was only two years older than her, it was two more years above her ripe age of six. She knew that most healthy wolves lived until ten, she had met some at the age of eleven and even twelve. But putting an actual amount of time on how much longer her mom would be here killed her. Ama had spent so much time away from her family, and while she didn't regret meeting Athena, she did hate that she missed out on so much time with them. With Arian, before her life was taken before her time. Even with Cassius and Quintus before they disappeared. Now it was just her and Leo, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of Isolde or Caeto. They were pretty much it, and that thought alone slowed her steps. Brushing up gently against one of the mangrove trees, she looked out at the water -- nearly dried up from the rain free summer -- and a heavy sigh left her lips. She knew that she was trying postpone this meeting, but the red headed woman knew that she was being silly. It wasn't like Pip had two paws in the grave, not just yet.

Mortality was something that healers knew a lot about, and worked their hardest to prevent. But it was ultimately something that no herb could stop; time. No matter how hard she looked for a rare plant or tried to mix a few different things, she couldn't stop the years from passing. But to face Pip now was something else, she felt like it was an admonition of guilt. It had been so long since she had even come to her den door, like she was now doing. Rising off the bark of the tree, she padded carefully over to where her mother made her den. She didn't know if she was even in there, but sat near the entrance anyways. "Mom?" she asked carefully, unable to hide the emotional crack in her voice. She couldn't stop the rise of terror that sought to drag her down, thoughts of time and death. There was not enough time on this world, not in the least. She was just realizing that now, or at least allowing herself to think on it. Swallowing hard, her dark blue eyes closed as she waited, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Speech"