wish i had a river i could skate away on

So much had changed. The lands had been ravaged in their time cloistered on the islands. There were pathways that had been cut through the plains of lava - now black rock. They mostly bordered the edges near the rapids but it made no less painful to see. The landscape was inescapably different, just like the landscape of the pack and her life. Shaye was dead and Abaven was hers to carry. Rhyme helped as much as he could, but she could tell Shaye's death had stunned him in ways that the young girl couldn't comprehend. How could she? She'd never loved anyone like that; not in a way that cut deeper and transcended familial bonds.

She was scouting the territory in preparation of relocating the pack. The skies had cleared enough and they were too large to remain on Ibis for much longer. It just wasn't sustainable. Theory sighed and looked up at the grey spring sky. Part of her hoped for a piercing blue and sunny rays, but she knew that would be a long time coming. Maybe they'd get blue skies come summertime.

Prey hadn't quite returned. Small mice and voles, maybe, but she couldn't spot any larger animals. The acrid smell of ash and volcanic soil covered everything. Even if there was a deer a few hundred yards away, she wouldn't have been able to smell it. Cussing quietly, Theory continued on her harried patrol. The plains was the most inhabitable of their former lands. She hoped it would set some of the pack wolves at ease - if you cocked your head just right, you could hear the burble of the distant rapids.

No matter how she looked at it, everything was different. There would be no going back. Theory stuffed her emotions down deeper as she felt something dark and painful well up between the cracks of her heart. Shaye was dead. Tana was dead. Her sisters were scattered and hurt and she hadn't seen Noir in seasons - for all she knew, black sheep though he was, he'd also been savaged by the volcano. Theo gulped and turned her head to the sky, cursing the bleak weather again. What would she have to do for a little sunshine?