Sun Mote Copse how hard did i just seal the deal

When Njord and Meerkat broke the news to Stingray about his brother, he was too stunned to react in the moment. He appeared to take it remarkably well, much like his dam's initial reaction. That was only due to the way time froze in place when they uttered Swordfish's name, his true one and his chosen one alike. Stingray's thoughts froze, too, and only began a sluggish churn hours afterward.

How many nights had he lay awake with Fish's sea blue eyes piercing into his soul? How long had he carried the guilt of leaving his brother behind? He believed Swordfish must be dead, and that was the only comfort Stingray could find in not searching far and wide for him.

To learn his brother was indeed alive, that Stingray had forsaken him ... That was too much for the young Sveijarn-Corten to bear.

It began slowly, a persistent stabbing of guilt in his belly while he patrolled the southern border. His brother's oceanic gaze was back in the rear of his skull, weighing him, judging him. By the time he crossed the river into thicker forest, the stabbing had moved up into his chest. The closer he drew to Fish's Loch, the more it felt like a hand was reaching in there and squeezing his heart.

When he could see the lake, it all came to a head. It felt like he couldn't suck enough air into his lungs. His heart pounded and his ears began to ring. His stomach was filled with writhing snakes and his head was filled with the sense of impending doom. Stingray's legs wobbled like jelly. He made it only a few more steps before he dropped to his hindquarters and began trembling and gasping for breath.

Hope you don't mind if I snatch!

Seal never managed to cross Whitefish River, and so she looped back toward the Hinterlands on her final stop before returning to Moonspear.

I wonder how much Skipjack and Otter have grown! Seal wondered to herself as she crossed from Ghost Lion’s Crag into the Copse. Summer was fast approaching the Teekon Wilds and so her new siblings would be entering a new stage of development. A little guilt hit her heart for missing so many family milestones.

Just then, she spied a familiar golden pelt right by a small lake.

“RAAAYYYYY!” Seal called cheerily and skipped-ran to greet her big brother, only to realize the state he was in. “Hey, Ray… is everything okay? What's wrong?” she asked with concern as she neared his hunched and shivering form.

Her youngest son had gone missing for half a day, long enough to give Meerkat quite the scare. He was eventually collected from the neighboring sweep, weak from hunger and thirst. She called Njord to help her carry their son to The Taigh, where she played the part of mother hen quite well.

She couldn’t help but think of tending to Fish at the roja den. When Skip told her just why he’d left the copse, Meerkat collapsed like a dying star. She held it in until the bairn fell asleep, then sneaked out of the cottage to find somewhere she could weep in private.

She tried to collect herself over the course of that evening. She grounded Skipjack, asking that all members of the copse keep an eagle eye on him. To his credit, her son seemed quite sorry for upsetting her. He promised he would never leave home again, spending nearly all his time in The Taigh without complaint.

It was hard to let him out of her sight, though the lady of the copse forced herself to go for a walk the following afternoon. Meerkat decided to stroll the perimeter, especially since Towhee had gone again. She wondered if her mother had gone after Swordfish despite everything, her chest aching at the thought as she slowly made her rounds.

After finishing near the southern stretch of the borders, she headed back toward her family’s home by way of Fish’s Loch. As she approached the small pond, she heard voices and paused to listen. “RAAAY!” a familiar voice screamed, hastening Meerkat’s step.

Several different emotions flitted across her face as she came upon her son and daughter, whisky eyes flicking back and forth before settling on Ray. She rushed toward him, her heart in her throat.

Are you hurt? she asked, wondering just why the world liked to torture her sons.

No matter how much air he sucked in, Stingray just couldn't catch his breath. It felt like his ribs were being squeezed inward, and with that came a pain in his chest. Was this what it meant to die? His ears snatched back on his head and his eyes rolled with fear.

There would be no death for Ray, only the anticipation of it, the same suffocating dread his father had felt all those moons ago. And just like when Njord had reached for him and tethered himself to his real son, Stingray turned toward Seal and reached out for his little sister.

Help me!

His breathing came rapidly as he swept his sister into a tight embrace, clinging on for dear life. He was not much more composed when Meerkat rushed up to them. His blue eyes found her face over his sister's shoulder and then he screwed them shut, unable to bear the worry he found there. He heard her speak but did not comprehend the question.

Instead, he picked up a keening moan while he rocked helplessly against Seal: we left him we left him we left him...