Dawnlark Plains the city is burning around them

dauntless woke up the morning following his father's death and realized that he felt different. he grieved grayday's death internally ...and externally if the state of the soft tree root — still young and green at it's core — that has begun to push it's way through the earth and curve into the far back corner of his den was of any indication. it'd been tender when his teeth — in a fit of anger at grayday that followed the initial shock and heartache — had lashed at it again and again until it severed. the satisfaction had came at his victory only to feel a rush of guilt in his wake. but the tree mirrored him now — it was not dead, not dying but it was missing something vital and it always would.

his sisters were missing ...and now his father had gone where none but the dead could follow him. he still has his siblings, older and younger but he'd understandably been closer with lavender and easy than he had sunny and dawn; it was no secret that he yearned for their presence now. perhaps in another reality the trio was still together and grieved the death of their father together. yet, in this reality: dauntless was left to grieve alone.

he knows that he must strive to help catori and the cubs in any and every way that he can. that responsibility should not and would not fall to sunny and dawn alone. he was their big brother too. he draws in a ragged breath and shrugs out of his den knowing that there is work to be done. borders needed tended to, caches needed checked and restocked and he needed to drop in on catori and see how she was doing. knowing there is much to be done and not much time to idle dauntless sets off towards the borders first.