Creating life among the dead

It had been some time since Stolas had seen Widow around. The leopard-spotted young woman who was usually practically stalking him at his pack's borders had been strangely absent for the past few days. At first, it hadn't worried the young Ashen wolf. But when those days pushed towards a week, he began to wonder and worry if his friend was okay. He had been spending so much time with her recently that her sudden absence felt like a vacuum in his life he didn't know how to fill. Heading for Habari, Stolas had gotten waylaid as he neared the borders when he picked up the scent of Widow. But something was off about it. He didn't know quite how to place it yet, but something in her scent was... different.

Curiouser and curiouser, Stolas averted his paws away and began to follow Widow's trail instead. It was still fresh and easy enough to follow halfway across Boreas, which was good because that's how far it took him. The young male wandered through forests and past the hot springs, following the base of the mountains until he arrived at a desolate crypt seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Widow's scent was stronger here, and it was making his stomach clench and churn in ways he hadn't felt before. What was that he smelled? Swallowing thickly, the wolf approached the entrance to the crypt. Inside was dark and musty, but reeked of Widow. Was she just out here gathering herbs for her potions or something? That possibility helped calm him, and realizing this could be a menial herb gathering trip, the dark-furred brute descended the stone steps into the darkness of the crypt.

Paws padded and claws echoed clicks off the stone walls when he reached the base of the stairs. Widow's scent filled this place more than fresh air did. Every breath drew her into his senses, making his head swirl and his core tighten like he was hungry, but he didn't feel the need to eat. "Widow?" he called out into the branching paths of the crypt, picking one direction and beginning to wander past the rows of interred dead. "Widow, it's Stolas. Are you down here?"

"Stolas"