how long had it been since they'd left the forest? he tipped his chin upwards to glance at the mid-morning sun, golden eyes narrowing at the overwhelming light. the days and nights had muddled together, though he assumed it had been near a week since the pair of them had left the taiga. he wanted to stop, to rest again, but they were so close that he could practically taste the sea salt on his lips.

an hour later and they'd made it within howling distance. he stopped and turned to face @Ying, a gladdened smile tugging at the corner of his lips as tapped the spot next him with his paw. "you should rest", he let out with a brief sway of his tail before he spun on his heels to glance back out to the island in the distance. the tide would be at it's lowest any minute now, and after all that walking they'd done, he figured someone from her home could make the short trip to come and meet them.

and so, after a moment to consider who he should call for, astaroth tipped his chin back and sent up a howl for the sisters she'd briefly mentioned before their trip to the volcano.

his attention drifted between the island and ying as he wondered if any memories had resurfaced. surely the sight of home and family would bring her back? if not that, then what could? he had little time to daydream of the possibilities before the familiar sight of a dark face drew his focus away. this was ying's sister? and oh, a younger brother too perhaps?

he wished to return her greeting with one of his own, but found it difficult to muster the strength to do so. "we went on an adventure. nothing terribly far, but...", he stopped to turn and glance at the pale form of his friend, a rising pain his chest resulting in an apologetic twist to his face. "she fell in an icy river, and when i pulled her from it, she wasn't the same." she wasn't ying.

he finds himself wincing at her words and the visible hurt written across her features. she asked questions he didn't have the answers to, and so could only offer back an apologetic "i don't know. i'm so sorry", as she looked at him with tears streaming down her face.

he wished to offer her some sort of comfort, but found himself firmly grounded in place. "it was my idea to go on the adventure", he revealed as his gaze fled to the sandy floor. he was partially to blame, for he'd been the one to invite ying to the volcano with him. if only he'd been there with her. if only he could reverse time.

he'd been expecting huā's fury, so when it did not come, it left him a little confused. if anything, it made him feel even worse about the whole situation. she didn't blame him, but it was still his fault no matter how he looked at it. he'd been selfish to ask her to travel with him given her current state. she'd left whole and returned broken. that was on him.

"i'm -", he sucked in a breath as he stole a glance to the porcelain body of his friend, a wave of discomfort washing over him. "i'm not ok. i want her back. " was it cruel of him to say that? to think of who she was now as no one more than a stranger? "her paw is badly injured. she won't be able to hunt, patrol, or fight, so i will do this for her." he couldn't place this burden upon huā and then walk away like nothing had happened. he wanted to help, to somehow lighten the load that had suddenly been tossed upon her shoulders.

he visibly sunk when her words echoed his own. would she ever she be their ying again? they'd had lots more adventures to go on, more stories to tell, more time to share. that couldn't be over...not like this! he nodded his head in response to her words, the decision having been made since before he'd even left the taiga.

"i want be here for her, in any way i can." sure, he'd miss the freedom and life of a rogue but really now, how much did that matter? even if he hadn't offered his aid and had chosen to dump her here and walk away, his thoughts would still be entirely of ying. of her health, her memories, her children. he wanted to be here for all the good and all the bad, because at the end of the day he still loved her, even if she couldn't remember loving him.

she said he was a good man, but if he was a good man, none of this would have happened. still, her words helped alleviate some of the guilt he felt. "never again", he agreed with a nod of his head. even if he had to care for her for the rest of time, he would do so. so long as she was healthy and happy, that was good enough for him.

he followed the sea-woman's gaze until his own golden eyes landed upon the lost form of ying. even if she couldn't remember them, at least it looked as if she wasn't in any serious pain. slowly, he turned away from the duo and took a few strides towards the pale mother. "ying", he let out gently once he was beside her. "we made it home."