Northstar Vale too serious for a song

Killdeer skittered down the slopes of Epoch, hardly mustering a call before he broke the border and raced into the territory.

And his call was hasty, something like—

I'M TOWHEE'S GRANDSON! SHE SENT ME! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!

Still, if he got ripped apart, it would probably be his fault for the haste.

@Maxim! he cried out, skittering to a stop once he'd hit flat ground. He was more than panting, gasping for air, his lungs working overtime to adjust to the many elevation changes he'd put them through.

But he was here. Because he'd promised his grandma.

his heart could take no more!

there was only fear for the sudden call and the grand slam rush of the boy — man! — suddenly upon him. the only thing to snap him out of a deep grief was a sudden fear that something else had gone wrong.

it showed on the frazzled, raised features of maxim.

what?!

his heart began to hurt for all of its beating.

Okay. Maybe that had been too dramatic.

Maxim, he repeated, nodding. He was happy for the quick response. Towhee wants you. She's. . .down the mountains, in a forest. Come?

He didn't want to demand it, like, Come! He didn't have that kind of clout.

But he did need the man to follow. Towhee clearly needed it.

His golden eyes swiveled, looking around, before lighting back on Maxim, full of both urgency and sorrow—for he had lost a child, too.

one for me!

 

Arsenio had heard the call for Maxim and had loped to approach the young wolf who summoned the grieving father. 

The Arche arrived to catch the tail end of the conversation. Towhee was in a forest a short ways away. She wanted the company of her husband. 

Go to her. I will prepare a place for your family in the nest, beside your daughter’s resting place. The man nodded to the other father. Take the time you need. You will have warmth waiting, when you return. 

And he turned to do exactly as he had promised.

down the mountains. in a forest. towhee.

arsenio was quick to arrive with words of wisdom. that he should go at once, with killdeer to his wife and son. there was a hesitancy in place only from his grief.

but he knew he must!

he reached for arsenio first. thank you, a soft sound. the sadness still clung to him, of course, but there was a warmth here.

of course. he said now to killdeer with a strong nod.

The red man came; if Killdeer was familiar with him, it was tangentially. His attention was only on Maxim, and once permission had been granted to go, and the man allowed him ahead, he steadied himself and prepared for another breakneck pace over the mountains.

Well, maybe slower now, with company.

Thank you, he said to Arsenio, fervently. He nodded back to Maxim and gestured forward with his tail. The two would head quick as they could to Towhee and Jack, to rendezvous with them in a grand outpouring of grief and family.

Killer almost felt as if he did not belong. But he would stay.

can be last from me unless you need to stretch it for any trade purposes! <3

off they would go and maxim could see it was better to move. to run and lope, to not let the blood pool in his legs as he laid all day.

he was grateful that killdeer was there with them, whether the growing man knew it or not.