Stavanger Bay O'Death

Awinita is gonna die here. Feel free to come in. Killer whale. Yay. @Engel or @Smokestep or anyone who wants to comfort a dying Winni .

Today was a good day. The air was warm though the breeze was a bit chilled, but even that was alright because the wind smelled of spring. There was no snow in sight anymore and she had spotted some flowers. She met some new crewmates and had gained her old confidence back. She could become someone here, she could live and be happy.

Patrolling the shores was boring so she decided to swim. She waded into the waves and then began to kick her legs once ahe couldn't feel the sand anymore. The current wasn't bad at all so she swam out further, unaware of the beast that was unfortunately lurking. As she swam out away from the shore, a black and white form breached in front of her. A spray of water went up and she yelped, her eyes going wide at the rows of sharp teeth. Those teeth could tear a wolf in two with one snap! If she tried to swim back, she'd lead it toward the shore and put others in danger. She couldn't do that...she wouldn't do that.

Sucking in a breath she howled for the crew, hoping someone would come to help or at least if not, someone would see her die valiantly. As the large creature moved toward her she snarled and bit but it on the broad nose, earning a shrill shriek. It dragged her beneath the water and then surged upwards, flying out of the ocean with her attached. She let go and cringed as she fell into the waves, hitting the water hard.

Before she could turn and recover, large jaws wrapped around a single paw, crunched down and slung her out of the waves again. She screamed in pain and terror, being tossed about like a rag doll. She fought back in vain but the creature bit her in the side, dagger teeth sinking in deep. It tossed her again, but it made a miscalculation and she was tossed roughly onto the shore, skidding and bouncing before laying  still on the sand. Her blood pooled quickly from the gaping hole along both sides and she whimpered weakly, looking out to see the dorsel fin disappear. She had satisfied whatever game it wanted to play, but apparently at the cost of het life.

Engel heeard the howl that she sent out, and as quickly as he could he got running to find Awinita. She was howling, it sounded like an alert. Like...like she was in trouble. But as soon as he got there...pain struck his heart.

"Winni...Winni no no no!" He rushed over to her side, nosing at her wounds. Blood everywhere. "Please please no, Awinita..." He looked them over...he knew there was no coming back from this. "I'm here....I'm here..."

Her ears flicked slowly, a late response as he was already at her side by the time she realized he had called out to her. She licked her lips and furrowed ber brow, confused. It didn't hurt at all, maybe she would survive? Then she realized she couldnt feel anything below her neck and when she tried to move her body there was no response. "Giant fish..tried to fight it. Engel...i can't feel any pain, it's alright" She murmured, eyes rolling up to state at him. She slowly curled her lips up into a watery smile, bravado only. She was scared, she wasn't ready for this. Yet...she had experienced good things.  She had friends, she had family, she survived hardship. Maybe she had done what she was supposed to do in life. She kept the smile on her face despite the fear in her eyes. "I did good right? It's gone now." she asked hopefully.

"Shh, Shh" Engel quieted Awinita, slowly nodding to her. he had tears in his eyes. He had seen this plenty enough where this would lead. The road she was going down. He nosed at her face, nuzzling against her. "You d...you did good...you did good..."

She needed rest. He could see this, she needed rest. A rest he knew she would not return from, and it upset Engel so. "Awinita, my dear, you've had a long life. My dear, you've had a good heart. The warmest I've seen, the kindest of all. You were my dear, and you've lived long. But now you need rest, my dear...so rest now...rest now." He could hear his voice breaking every now and then. "You need rest now, dear."

She released a trembling sigh as he praised her. She had done good, something meaningful. As he nosed at her she licked against his cheeks weakly, trying to comfort him from his sadness. She felt so cold, so tired she just wanted to sleep .She was old enough to know what that meant. As he began to sing to her she closed her eyes, focusing on his voice. She smiled and extended her neck, pushing her nose against his chest as she faded. "So beautiful...like an angel" She murmured and her body gave a gentle shiver once more before she was gone, rosebud eyes closing for the last time and pale face serene with a smile.

Engel smiled lightly. A sad smile, to see she was going peacefully. But he didn't want this...Awinita had been so close to him. A friend...perhaps more even, even though he would not have accepted that himself. "Go Awinita...rest now dear..." He would tell the others of her bravery. Even though he had not seen it all, he would tell a tale of how brave she was.

Conclusion post. Feel free to post again or archive

And with his last words she breathed in his scent, the last thing she would ever smell and her spirit left her body. She went still, nose still pressed into his fur but no longer there. Awinita was no more, now there was just a destroyed body laying upon the sand.

---

the teekon wilds had been warming, and the fog that had gripped the bay since her arrival had finally lifted.  spring had arrived in ironsea, and it seemed as if awinita's spirits were not the only that had been lifted that afternoon.

ava had set upon the waves with her head in the air and a confident glint in her eye, the breeze tousling her pelt.  it was only as she arrived on the desolate scene before her that her mien shifted, and her pace quickened as concern darkened her features.

physician's gaze traveled over the broken girl, and she offered the pair their space.  she made no move to help; the girl was not long for this world.  she made her approach only after her packmate had passed, her voice low.

you can mourn, but we should move her, mon amie.

sandpiper had seen the black fin cut through the cheerless grey water -- but had not made the grim connection until a scream rent the cold shore and chilled her far more than ice ever had. she ran for the direction of the shrill cry, and was within close enough distance to watch awinita's form suddenly fling violently through the air. the breath left her then, and for a moment terror stilled her -- until she saw engel rise to the still woman's flank.

spurned by necessity more than desire, sandpiper closed the distance -- but she was not close enough to offer any sort of comfort to ironsea's fallen comrade. solemnly she padded up behind engel, ears askance as she listened to his croon. a simple glance towards awinita showed sandpiper the woman's wounds were mortal, and she could not bear to meet the woman's fading gaze. 

and then she was gone; sandpiper's gaze trailed the matted, dark blood left in the sand. black as an oil-spill and seeping. she had not known awinita well, and did not wish to infringe on engel's tender moment. she estimated whenever engel was done paying his respects, she would help him drag awinita's form back into the sea for the sharks -- for that was ironsea custom. for now, she said nothing -- though her angry expression was cast towards the sea in search of the black fin.

Engel could hear someone approaching, quietly after Awinita had passed. He turned his head slightly, his tail hugging his rear legs as he heard heard their voice. He caught sight of another there as well, Sandpiper. "...Yes...Yes we should" he said. The tone he had...it felt empty. Unlike anything Engel had ever heard like before.

---

her gaze swept between her packmate's crumpled form and the red stranger on the sand whose furious eyes foolishly swept the sea for the whale, though she did not let her concern bleed over into how she addressed engel.  (part of her thought even if she had panicked he would not have noticed but it was easier to remain calm than to find out).  come.

it was less of a command and more of a gentle persuasian, but she wanted engel to be the first to begin to move awinita's body.  it was not her place.

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sandpiper only afforded a slim smile to engel -- it was meant in encouragement, but in the face of death, what good was a smile? she could see the sorrow temper his gaze, and in support stepped towards him with a light shoulder. from his wooden tone to his hurt gaze, sandpiper knew engel cared for awinita dearly.

awinita's body held awinita in it no longer --- sandpiper's eyes trailed the red-clotted gashes, the disfigurement only a leviathan of the sea could exact. she was reminded of their code -- when one of their own was slain, its body was given back to the sea.

"do you know the custom?" she asked softly, her tone surprising for one so raucous and impetuous. she stepped towards awinita and pressed her nose to the woman's lifeless cheeks in a solemn farewell before she hunkered down, ready to help engel drag her body towards the everlapping, ever-constant shore.

Engel nodded solemnly. He had learned it once during his time here, and he started helping Sandpiper pull Awinita's eternally sleeping body over to the water line. There they would allow her to pass on among the waves. Ava helped them, he was grateful for both their help. 
Then once was said and done, Ava remained for a bit then went off elsewhere in the territory.

He began to hum. Humming to himself with a sad tone. A tune he had hoped to sing to Awinita one day, perhaps have her put some words to it. And then, he shed another tear...Smokestep should know what had happened. He deserved to know.

Given permission to PP by Ava

skipping since ava is inactive - will archive as well

once the deed was done, sandpiper stood on the sandbar a while, watching the body as it floated beyond their reach -- awinita was beyond the reach of any soul now, and the solemnity of such a thought caused her to sink deeper into introspection.

she did not notice ava depart, or engel -- nor did she hear his soft hums. she stood along the cold embankment in her own world, wrestling her own thoughts of life and death, and would remain in that hellish limbo for quite some time.