But for whom does the next bell toll?

"Talk" Walk

Souzan had known he was playing with fire, his bastard of a half brother had already made it clear he wasn't above killing wolves to get what he wanted. Still there was resolve there, watching his brother circle again before he felt the attacks start, his shoulder flaring in pain a moment before teeth met his face, instantly the man who'd never really bothered with fighting training felt his weight dropping, the pain lacing through him with such force he threatened to knock him over. Then it was over quicker than he'd expected, Lücien jumping back, hot sticky blood running down Souzan's shocked face. It wasn't that he hadn't expected his brother to attack him but rather he'd never really felt the heat of battle, gods his siblings had enjoyed this? Rain hit his face, mingling with the heat of his own blood and helping it to flow down his nose much easier.

It was the next attack that finally pulled Souzan from his stupor, a cry of pain that quickly morphed into a low rumbling growl pulled from the man's lungs as a shoulder blade jammed into his hip and his brother tore at his flesh. He was, in a brief flash that felt like hours, aware he was going to die here. Some part of him welcomed it, he'd finally be reunited with Avis, with his mother... But just as he thought of the kind face of the woman that'd borne him it was replaced with the image of his daughter, his only daughter, and a surge of strength went through him. If he died who would look after Cen? She'd already been left behind by her mother and littermates... He was all she had left. Silently he cursed that he hadn't gotten to Valhalla quicker. Still, it was enough for him to twist in his brother's grasp, anger and the sudden will to live, to survive pulling his jaws open as he sought to turn on his brother. He hardly registered the shift of pain from his rump to the base of his tail, snapping at his brother's heels, though his paws were quickly feeling heavy and not just with the mud that was starting to cake onto the long fur at his wrists and ankles. He was slow... too slow... Lücien managed to grab hold of his paw and pull the ice giant off his paws, he hit the ground with a heavy thud and a wheeze of air from the man's lungs.

Souzan's eyes slid closed for a moment, feeling a creeping cold start in his toes, but as his brother spoke, gloating over him the man felt the same surge of anger and he, faster than he would have felt normally possible, launched himself upwards, teeth finding purchase on his brother's face, finding his paws under him and repeating a single mantra the entire time. Survive, for Cen! He met his brother's shocked gaze with one of his own, the pure anger and drive to win pulsing through him. Lücien tried in vain to free himself, teeth clashing off of Souzan's own face but he hardly even blinked the adrenaline pounding in his head was working wonders to stave off the symptoms of the fight, if not the unfortunate outcome. He tried to hold his brother in his forearms, tried to weigh him down, tried to smother him with his fur and his blood and his body. But though adrenaline still pumped through his system the blood loss was out racing it, the weakness in his own body the hindrance that sealed his fate. Lücien escaped. Panic ran through the man, he lunged forward, teeth latching onto a retreating paw, which one he wasn't even aware, and destroying it. But all it took was for the final kick to his skull, his head throbbing with pain and Souzan would collapse. He wanted to get back up, wanted to keep fighting but the chill was moving faster now, his limbs only twitching once or twice before they refused to even do that much. He watched with bleary eyes as another wolf approached his half-brother and he heard talking as if from underwater, the world was growing darker as he lay there, his eyelids felt heavy... so heavy. He didn't even register the form that approached the pair before he was slipping into unconsciousness.

-

Ignatius' call jolted the man back to the world of the living, though his grasp there was weak. Fire and ice gaze rolled for a moment, sliding past his brother until he was able to focus. Gods his brother looked fucking terrible... but then he probably wasn't one to talk. The ice giant tried to lift himself slightly, feeling his limbs creaking as they finally seemed to relent to his attempts, he pushed himself onto his elbows. "Cen..." He croaked, gaze sliding towards the den, then louder his body shuddering as he called out for his daughter, knowing he had to get her to go with Ig, he had to make sure she had someone. "Cendrillion!" He swung his head towards his brother, lifting his nose. "Take care of her, please... Aurielle, auri-" But then he felt his daughter push into his blood-soaked chest and all the things he'd planned to tell his brother left his mind, his attention turned to the tiny girl. He pushed his nose into her back, knowing this was the last time he'd hold her, his paws slowly circled around her, holding her close even as he started to lose feeling in his paws.

"Hey Princess." He said softly, tears falling from his face as he pressed his brow ridge into the curve of the back of her neck. "Be good for me okay, Daddy had to fight off a bad man... and he's just feeling a little weak." He opened an eye to try and look at his brother as he spoke, willing his brother to understand he needed him to do this. "Daddy needs to rest for a bit, so I've arranged for your uncle to take you. He'll take real good care of you."

"I want to stay with you!" His daughter protested and Souzan shook his head softly, already he could no longer feel the warmth of her form at his chest.

"There might still be bad guys lurking about honey, I need you to go with your uncle Ig." As his daughter started to open her mouth to protest he added quickly. "I'll be fine, you know how strong I am!" Cendrillion nodded, though he could tell she was starting to cry now too. "Once I'm well enough, I'll go to where you're mom is and when it's time we'll come and get you."

"Promise?" His daughter's voice cracked and Souzan gave her one final lick, from head to tail tip.

"Promise." It wasn't a lie, not really. He had every intention of seeing her again, but hopefully not for many many years. "I love you Princess." His voice was faltering now, cracking as his lungs heaved for more air than they could pull in. The chill was starting to creep up his face.

"Love you too papa." He would hold onto that phrase, playing it over and over in his head as he gently released his daughter, eyes blurring even as he tried to watch her until the end. His ears were starting to sound like static, any further words were missed. It was only as his brother and daughter disappeared into the distance that he let his eyes slide closed, his head falling to the ground.

In that last moment between his body dying and his consciousness struggling to cling to life he found himself warm, familiar scents washing over him. Avis, his mother, his mate Blanche Neige and at her paws the tiny lives they'd never even gotten a chance to name. "Love you too papa." Echoed one last time as the dream, that nice and peaceful dream died, just as Souzan did.

-Exit Souzan via death-