Of memories of ashes

He had let the time between visits to Deathbelle stretch on too long. His beautiful children, and the constructions going on within his pack were a distraction. He missed his old friend, and childhood flame of his heart. The Ashen Phoenix would be a sight for sore eyes, and once he considered it he did not linger. He took himself to the borders between their territories, watching the water that separated them with a twist of his muzzle. Here was the largest part of why he let so much time pass between them… reasons of kids and packs aside.

He swallowed his mistrust of the ocean, and stepped reluctantly towards it. Fighting for the calm Zee always managed to bestow upon him as he walked the shallow land bridge between each territory, knowing the drop on either side would sink him. Dense fool that he was.

He stepped off on the first of Deathbelles archipelago of islands, and raised his head, calling to work out where he might find her.