Lately chill had set in in more ways than one. With winter, Caerus was nearly grown into a man (albeit a somewhat small and skinny one,) and home didn't feel much home anymore. His sister had told him the world would be better without him. He had met Sullivan, part of that youngest litter- and discovered what a beast lay within him, looking upon a sweet and good-hearted child and only wishing pain for him. It wasn't at all who Caerus wanted to be, but he never worked very hard to curb those selfish desires, nor did he ever discover ways to remedy his jealousies.
Out here, beyond the place where all his half-siblings lie, he felt he was a better man.
Caerus picked his way across the rocky base of the slope, inexperienced with heights and still too afraid to try them. It was during his stroll that he heard a loud yelp- and his dark ears swiveled suddenly, distracted from whatever thoughts he had been processing.
Come on, boy, aren't you a doctor? He thought to himself after a moment of hesitation, and began to make his way towards the source of the sound-
and there she was-
despite having never really met, Caerus hadn't forgotten her. She was like a pastel sunset, and sometimes he glimpsed her in his dreams-
and she was collapsed at the base of a tree.
The doctor rushed over, snow flying up behind him before he practically skidded to a stop, beginning to nose fiercely at her cheek before her scent hit him. Her? No, not her. Him? But was he a him? He couldn't know for sure, he thought- his own father wasn't a her, even if he'd smelled like one.
Caerus had to awaken them, for the sake of gaining this one little piece of information, if nothing else.
He was still busy nosing at Primrose's cheek, trying desperately to awaken him- the only thing to break his focus was the sharp scent of blood, and the boy dared to turn and look. There, at his spine, the snow was painted red, an expanding lake. Caerus was stunned still for a moment, and then-
no, no, no!!!
He cried, shaking his head to himself as if it was a bad dream that he could wake up from.
He pulled at Primrose by the nape, trying to turn him over, to do anything that could awaken him. He released their fur from his jaws gently, come on, come on, you gotta wake up,
He whined. It wasn't time yet- they were too young, and too goddamn pretty. All he wanted was to know him, maybe see his smile.
Couldn't he do anything about this? Primrose was already gone, but Caerus wouldn't dare to check his pulse, determined that his dream boy was still just unconscious and could be saved. He just had to try harder... Cae scrambled around to look at his spine, where the blood flowed. Fuck, fuck, it was all red, bright red... he was a doctor, but he hadn't ever seen this much blood. It made his guts shrivel uncomfortably. He raced to the nearest tree, hastily gathering gobs of cobweb, before returning to the body, which was already growing cold in this winter. Caerus settled in front of Prim, placing cobweb bunches along the split in his skin. Each time they only took a few moments to begin to become wet with blood, a sopping wet bandage that ought to be replaced, and so he did- until his supply was gone. He wasn't one to give up so fast, and so he visited another tree, digging in the nooks and finding more web, bringing it back and doing it all again. Placing, replacing. The ground around him was strewn with red-soaked web.
How long could he keep doing this?
He didn't want to think it was too late. But now, the earth was red, his paws were red- so much fucking blood, and Primrose was still asleep. Caerus sighed heavily, his whole body apart of the motion, moving around to the pale boy's face again. In his ear, WAKE UP!!! WAKE UP!!!
He shouted, and then sunk to his stomach, pawing at Primrose's neck gently, please... please wake up.
He lowered his head onto Primrose, his chin rested on the boy's chest. please...
A soft breath stirring his fur, which looked like the plumage of a baby bird, still soft and clean. He buried his face into Primrose's chest, even breath breaking suddenly in a loud sob. His body heaved with every cry as his tears stained the fur of the boy he never knew, and though he tried desperately to avoid the thought, he knew he was gone.
Gone.
Prim's body grew cold beneath him, but Caerus did not leave the scene for many hours, crying until his eyes were red and swollen, sobbing until there was nothing left within him.
When he left he carried Primrose's broken body on his back, away to his last adventure.