Reconnaissance

Caedes trudged through the familiar terrain of the Syndicate territory, his body a canvas of fresh wounds. Each step felt heavy, his mind a haze of exhaustion and numbness. The battles over the past days had done little to alleviate the storm within him, only serving to deepen the chasm of his despair. His fur, once sleek and dark, now hung in tangled mats, dirt and blood clinging to it stubbornly.

As he neared his den, the sight that greeted him was a visceral reminder of his failure and the horror of that night. Blood stained the ground, mingling with the remnants of Aurelia’s last moments. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the sickening stench of death, in the corner lie what he knew to be bits of her skull and brain matter. The den, once a place of refuge, was now a grotesque scene of destruction. The shelves and storage containers were strewn about, some salvageable and some not. His workbench was cast on its side, his work; parchments, anatomical drawings, specimens of poisons and various organs, were littering the ground in neglect. He had not been back here for many nights now, and it was as horrible as he’d imagined.

Caedes’ eyes, dull with sleeplessness, took in the remnants of his home. His paws hesitated at the entrance, claws digging into the dirt as if the ground itself could anchor him from being swallowed by the void. He felt the buzzing in his ears grow louder, drowning out everything around him. He was barely aware of his surroundings, his mind consumed by the memories of Aurelia and the monstrous visage of Sephiran. Most notably, he wondered if he would freeze up again once he stepped inside.

With a strangled growl, he took the plunge, the buzzing in his ears amplifying to a deafening roar. He didn’t notice Mariah’s scent or presence, his senses overwhelmed by the grisly scene before him. With each step the air felt thick and suffocating. He closed his eyes, his breath shuddering as he tried to hold back the tidal wave of emotion threatening to drown him.

He had been so lost in his anguished attempt at normalcy, to cleanse the den and perhaps return his peace of mind… that he hadn’t noticed Mariah's approach. Her scent, usually a comfort, was masked by the overwhelming stench of death and decay that permeated the den. It wasn't until he heard the crunch of snow beneath her paws that he realized he was not alone.

Caedes turned slowly, his eyes locking onto Mariah’s. For a moment, he was unsure if she was real or just another figment of his tormented mind. A memory, maybe? Born of insomnia and the desire to be free from his trauma. But the concern etched into her features, the determination in her silver gaze, anchored him to the present. His breath hitched, a ragged sound in the cold, still air.

“No…” He gasped, his voice raw and strained. “No. You can not be here.”If she were discovered here, she would be another puddle of blood and viscera to clean up – and so would he.