Silver Creek and watched as the smoke floated magically like you left me

for the second time in her short life indra had awoken in fear, her skin clammy and breath shaky. in the den all she could feel was cold, and a cool type of terror that liquified her inside. she wanted saena -- she wanted her mom -- and fitfully, the small child wriggled close to laurel's sleeping form. for a while she tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes and the darkness embraced her she felt a harrowed sense of fear seize her -- with a choked sob the girl pulled from the den and started to walk -- and walk -- until she was at the small clearing she had last seen saena. "mom!" the small girl cried pitifully into the woods, her ears and eyes strained forward. nothing but the quiver of leaves and the silent hum of the night replied. "mom," the red girl choked, collapsing in a small and defeated huddle -- a lone and shivering form under the crushing black veil of stars above.

It was Amber who heard the cries of Indra, and the sister of Spring materialized from the shadows with silent steps. She'd been unable to sleep for no other reason but a lack of tiredness, and so she set to expelling energy for a walk. The woman didn't think she'd come across a distraught pup, but it seemed the stars guided her once again this night. 
             "Indra? Are you okay? I'm Amber, Spring's sister."
She knew the pup only because she was a part of the pack, and was going to assume that the little girl didn't know her. A soft smile spread ivory across her dark maw, and her feathery tail waved behind her. 
                       "Do you want to talk?"

Laika was pleased with the new den she and Casmir had found. They had made it their own by carpeting the floor with moss for bedding. The pale beta was sound asleep, soft snores escaping her lips. Her back was pressed against a sleeping Casmir and her expression was soft and peaceful. That was until the pleading cries of Indra found their way to her ears. She awoke with a start, noting the dark blanket of night covering the sky. Her brow furrowed. What was she doing up this late? 

Careful not not to awake her sleeping mate, she tiptoed out of the den, glancing around with a brilliant gaze. The cries were coming from the Creek, and she hurried in the direction. Now, the cries were more audible and Laika could make out the single word the red pup was bleating. Mom. Her heart shattered to pieces and she pressed forward, arriving in the clearing and approaching the tiny pup. "Indra.." She murmured. Amber was already there, and Laika have the obsidian female a warm greeting, although her focus was on Indra. Amber asked if she wanted to talk and Laika nodded, licking Indra's forehead and laying down beside her. "What are you doing up so late at night?" Laika already had a good idea why. She missed her mother. She groomed the girl's shoulders to comfort her as she waited for her to reply.

indra felt the night close around her and a feeling tore through her gut like an anchor, chilling her with a strange, sinking feeling. she was alone. saena was gone. milo was gone. she choked back another whimper, resting her head on her paws in defeat. she wanted to just stay there - to not breath - what would it be like to sink into the earth, or absorb into the sky? would saena and milo be there, waiting for her?

she gasped as a noise broke the silence and hunched down in the manner of a doe, fear gripping her rapid heart. looking above a form materialized from the dark and indra shirked from it in terror, her shoulders in pinched in fear. the voice that emanated from the shadow was not that of a monster's and relief flooded her as she recognized amber. she did not know her personally, but her face was familiar from the meeting -- and any face in indra's time of need was a good face to have. amber's smile was reassuring and indra feebly tried to mirror the sentiment, though it was grossly contorted.

she didn't want to talk -- she just wanted her mom -- but her words failed her. as laika approached indra sunk into the ground guiltily, feeling as if she were about to be admonished for departing the den so late in the night. it had not been her intention to be bad -- she hadn't wanted to dissapoint laika -- or anyone for that matter.

"nothing." the child mumbled lowly, her gaze trailing her paws. she felt so small under the two adults, even if they had been there to protect her. she looked for a moment like she was going to keep the story at that but before she could help it she blurted piteously: "i want my mom."

When she awoke, Indra wasn't there. Laurel looked round the den twice, but she couldn't find anyone there. Her first reaction was to pout and sob piteously, as if that would magically sprout wolves that'd recognise her needs and bring her Indra back. She had been missing her mother an awful lot too, and didn't understand why her mom had left them either.

Since none of her actions brought anything to happen, Laurel left the den. She was pretty scared since it was dark and she didn't really know where she was going; she was just following Indra's scent trail and the prints of her paws until she eventually reached a clearing. Large ears poked forward in Indra's direction and Laurel barely realised she'd been whining and increasing her pace until she saw her sister come at her (or rather, the other way around) at full speed.

"In!" Laurel squealed with shaky voice as she threw herself at her sister and sobbed, barely registering the others present through her relief to have found the one super important wolf left in her life.

Liaka showed up before the pup could even answer the dark woman, and the two gave a silent greeting. Indra was their worry now, and Amber listened with sadness lacing her heart. She didn't know much about Saena, just that she'd started acting odd before vanishing. Nobody had time to talk with the little girl before Laurel, too, showed up in support of her sister. The actions of the two nearly brought Amber to tears and, spechless, she gave the pale beta a worried glance. What to do, what to say? Amber didn't know how to care for someone elses pups, not two that'd been abandoned. Laika could do it, right?

Laika's heart shattered in to millions of more pieces as Indra finally admited to missing her mom. Of course she missed her mother! The poor thing had been left behind while still bearing the loss of Milo. "Ssshh," She murmured softly to Indra, eyes flickering to Amber to see if she wanted to add anything. Silence flooded them for a couple moments before Laurel broke it.

She scampered in and shoved herself next to her sister. Laika placed her front paws on either side of the pair protectively. She looked up at the stars briefly, catching an idea in her brain. Looking down, she touched each of the girls atop their heads with her nose. "Look up to the stars. Do you see the brightest one?" She asked them, giving them time to see it. Laika didn't know for sure that Saena was dead, but she wanted to give the pups some comfort. "That one that is shining and twinkling is your mom. She's the brightest because she's looking down at you two and she bright with love." She said, glancing and both. Then she bent down and touched each girl's chest with her nose. "And you can feel her presence here. In your heart. If you ever have doubts, you can talk to her, and she'll respond. It may not be in words," She paused to make sure the girls understood, "But when she talks to you, you will know, let me promise you. And know this. You will never, ever be alone, because you have Spring, Shreya, Casmir, Amber, all the other packmates, me and your mother way up there working very hard to keep you safe and happy." 

She heaved a long sigh and curled tighter around them, her tail resting across their backs as if it were a silky white blanket.

it was then that the child knew the terrible truth of the world, and it was then that she was struck with a feeling of desolation as her world split into a thousand fragmented pieces. the unspoken words she had dared not speak, or even think, had been spoken -- with a strangled sob the child turned to laurel's approaching form and crawled to embrace her. not even the comfort of amber or laika's touch, nor the lilting speech laika gave the child could draw indra forth from the insurmountable sorrow that had swallowed her. "she was supposed to come back."

last post for indra! feel free to archive/PP her

we can just finish this then, i guess -- my last post, too! :)

Laurel huddled close to Indra while Laika started to tell a story about stars. Laurel looked up to the skies as Laika said that her mother was a star, or something. She thought it a silly story, and she was about to loudly bellow her opinion on this story when she realised it might make Indra more upset. Not wanting to make her sister upset, Laurel nosed through Indra's fur and she said, "I'll take care of you, In." They didn't need their mother, who didn't even come back. Laurel missed her too, but she wouldn't admit this, feeling mad for being left all alone alongside her sister. But she would be strong for Indra.