she lay beside the graves.
teya had not told her mate nor eljay nor maia where she had gone.
her paw traced the earth grown over now with moss and with wildflowers.
her tears silently watered them.
teya could not speak to what had drawn her here. her sides had expanded, throwing her balance to pieces. but she had come all the same and now lay nestled in the earth.
no words, only thoughts that would never be translated.
when the darkness fell, when the sun rose again, teya lifted herself up and returned slowly to the caldera.