ooc;; any welcome but Erani first please! Each day the pain seemed to recede a bit more, allowing him to venture further and further from the den though often not without his daughter these days. Since her run in with the `ghost`, or so she had called the male who seemed to want to make his daughter his, he had rarely let her from his sight. But today he had needed to be alone, and so he had started the rather long trek towards the Valhallen boarders, blue gaze distant as they skimmed the lower ground where the debris from the flood could still be seen on occasion. He could still visualize the path that he had swum with his dead mate and his daughter latched on his back. He still felt that numbness and sorrow within him but each day got a bit easier to handle it. For forever it had seemed to be all encompassing, crushing his very soul to the point where he had wished for nothing more then for death to claim him in his sleep and take him back to his love. As frustrating and demanding and confusing as she had been he had loved here and there was no denying that. There was no pretending that her death had just skimmed over him. No, he knew for a fact that if not for Liberty he would have allowed himself to float beside her in the depths of their den and let the coldness wash over him. But he had their daughter still. He had to keep going for her. She was his everything now and she was in danger. He took this walk at least once a week, so often so that he rarely had to watch where he was going. As always he carried the same bouquet of flowers withing his maw. Amaranth, arbutus, berrirose, a white carnation, honeysuckle, jasmine, primrose and of course a read rose. It was the same bouquet his mother had brought to the place she had found pools of Maze's blood. He didn't care what his younger siblings said, Maze had loved her and she had loved him. It was what he had always wished he would find with another and what he had eventually found with Aislyn. Strange how he had become so much like Maze, the father figure who had only been around for the first year or so of his life. Maze too had been around only occasionally, not wanting to be a part of the pack and his mother had accepted that. His younger siblings had never liked it as much but Friction and his siblings had been fine with it. Maze had been more of a father then their biological dad had ever been after all. Slowly a path was being worn into the ground so all would be able to follow it and see the tree his mate had been buried beneath. Generations later some may not remember her name but they would all know that the once beta of Valhalla lay there. For now, it was where he felt closest to his love. He moved with a solemn purpose, stride long and head held higher then it had in a long time. The tree wasn't far away, in full bloom now with stunning red leaves. He didn't know what kind of tree it was but Liberty had done a good job of choosing it when she had he would admit that much. And he words stuck with him, as long as this tree remained alive Aislyn would always be with them. He slowed as he approached, standing with his head tipped back as he allowed the sun to dance across his features, a sudden warmth spreading through him. Then after a moment he walked forward, laying beside the place they had buried his love. He placed one paw atop the soil, though grass was already beginning to sprout, before brushing away the wilted flowers from last week and replacing them with the fresh ones in his maw. A soft smile spread across his features as he tipped his head back and leaned against the tree. There was a subtle breeze trickling through the trees, allowing the sunlight to dance across his features. It was beautiful in this area, he had fallen in love with it since they had washed ashore here. After a moment the male would tip his head further back and howl for Erani. He had only spoken to her briefly at the healers meeting but if he wanted to make Aislyn happy he would have to do more.

Erani

The place was peaceful, birds singing softly in the trees that ringed the clearing. She touched her nose to the herbs that had sprouted and begun to bloom. Summer blooms, They marked where the dearest friend she had ever known lay in eternal slumber. Deep blue pools studied the lavender, Summer Crocus, and other various plants added a patch of riotous color to the verdant green in the clearing of one of the small patches of forest. The soft purple of the lavender, the cheerful white and yellow of the daisies. The deeper violet of the Crocus. She settled down beside the grave, resting her chin on her paws. There were so many things she still wanted to tell him, but couldn?t. How Surreal was growing up into a fine wolf, how Cormalin?s children had found him. How Chrysanthe was bringing back what he had built as an Alpha. A soft hum whispered from her nose, a song without words. It went on for a while, intertwined with the soft whisper of wind, and the chirping of birds, before a call for her made her head lift. Friction. She cast a last glance at the patch of flowers, before she took off at an easy trot. Duty called, and she answered. She followed Friction?s call, giving a gentle woof of greeting as she arrived, pausing to bow her head over Aislyn?s resting place; an acknowledgement of respect. She settled on the other side, deep blue pools lifting to study the male. He looked more peaceful than he had since the flood. Some recovered from loss of loved ones faster than others. ?You called?? Gentle tones of hushed velvet voiced the query, as her tail flicked over her haunches.