your poker face ain't fooling nobody

Samara didn’t offer him any false promises, she acknowledged his pain but offered her sweet touch to help dull the ache. Rhyme tried to immerse himself in her affection it was a softness he needed in the harshness of his current world. In the back of his mind he could feel himself warring between the truth and his illusion. He couldn’t accept Shaye’s death. Samara tried to comfort him, to give him hope that the ache would dull. Rhyme grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, still wracked by his silent sobs.

Thy held each other, Samara whispering to him as she told him moving on would be possible one day. Rhyme shook his head lightly still rejecting the truth as best he could. This was a long and tedious road they were going down, but Rara held onto him tightly. She was his guiding light, and vowed to see him through. The tiny woman reminded him they couldn’t remain here. There was no shelter and they were still in the mud.

Still Rhyme panicked inwardly. Shaye was out here somewhere and he needed to find her. He needed to make sure that she was safe. His heart raced in his chest as Samara continued her grooming and nuzzles and instead of leaping to his paws and racing further into the woods he focused on Samara. He had to keep her in his mind's eye, her subtle scent, her soft fur, and her sweet voice. She was all that kept him from self destruction in that moment.

”You’re right.” He whispered back through gritted teeth as he held her tightly to his chest. It was weird such a huge wolf taking strength from such a tiny woman. Did he have the strength to get back to his paws? Maybe, but he had to release Samara before he found out. He whined softly and clung to her, the great raven warrior laid his lowest.