Morningside Cuesta We said forever but forever wouldn't wait for us

@Grayday :)

It was late afternoon when Kieran returned from a small hunt (mostly practise) with a limp young rabbit in his jaws. He had spent the day away from the others, just thinking like he often did. After losing so many - his mother, his sister, his friend - he just had wanted some time alone, and hunting provided that little seperate world that Kieran needed for a while. Hunting cheered him up. He supposed that was why he did it often. Hunting for those he had lost (and those he still had) was what helped him stay in the game. He tried to be cheerful and pleasant to be around, he really did, but sometimes he needed to take a break, even from that.

As he padded through the territory, the boy found a nice shady spot under a large tree and placed  himself under it, laying down on the ground with the rabbit between his paws. He would not eat it, he did not think. He was not hungry. The hunter would probably take it to a cache, where someone else could take it. 

He just lay there for a while, listening to the whistle of a bird and the soft hum of nearby crickets. The sun was beginning to fall, he noticed, but the youngster made no attempt to move toward a den. No, he found the night to be more comforting than the day - perhaps because it was so peaceful. Everything seemed still, and he liked that. It helped him create the illusion that he was in another world, one without problems and pain and fear. It was the time he liked to let his mind wander.

The past few weeks had seen several new faces around the territory. He'd met briefly with 'Masky', the woman that Sunspot had welcomed into the family, and had accepted Katya and Gwen himself. His days had been filled with new friends and family - namely, the three tiny additions with his common blood. But although he was gladdened to see their family growing, there were a few missing faces that had begun to bother him, in recent days. He felt as though he had not seen his daughter in weeks, and Sylvas? There was no trace of him.

Grayday had done his own investigating, of course. Dawn, he knew, liked to come and go, but it was strange to pass a week without seeing the larger male around. He'd searched everywhere, keeping an eye out on his travels and around the territory alike, bu there'd been no sight nor sound nor smell on the wind that had hinted at Sylvas's whereabouts. All Grayday knew was that he was gone, and that didn't sit well with him at all.

He sought Kieran out with a heavy heart, pained to know the boy had lost so much in his young life. He didn't want to add to that burden, but what else could he do? If he hadn't noticed already, he would pretty soon.

When Grayday found him, the boy was sitting by himself, a rabbit nearby.

"You're gettin' to be a real good hunter," said Day, coming to settle beside the other male.

As he lay there, the boy's mind drifted to many different places. First to his childhood - why, he was unsure, but he let the memories take over him for a while. So many good times, he recounted as many as he could. Perhaps somewhat unsurprisingly, his thoughts eventually rested on the memory of each wolf he'd ever met, family or not. Hawthorn was a big part of his life, whether he knew it or not. His first friend other than his sister, and before coming to the Cuesta, his only. Briefly, Kieran wondered whether it might have gone further than just a friendship - for the boys had cared very strongly for one another - but he shook it off, knowing that dwelling on something that was no longer possible was a useless ordeal. Even so, he treasured the memory of Haw, and always would.

The hunter had, soon enough, begun to think about some things in the present, too. One of the first things that came to mind was his father. The only one of his family left. But where was he? Kieran had spent a good amount of time yesterday trying to seek him out. They hadn't had much alone time since being with the wolves of the Cuesta, and he had wanted to just talk for a while. But the man was nowhere to be found. Kieran just assumed he was out hunting or something. 

The remaining thoughts he had lingering in his brain were pushed aside as the sound of footsteps drew closer and closer. Lifting his head from his paws, the youngster glanced up to see the grey-pelted leader. "Oh, hello." He greeted, managing to give a small smile, despite the troubles that he had. "Thanks... I've been trying to get better." His gaze trailed to the rabbit's body before it returned to Grayday. "Is there something you need?" He asked with a tilt of his agouti head, curious as to if the man needed anything. After all, he was always prepared to help.

Grayday settled down on his belly, ears drooping as he tried to decide just what to say. "Kieran," he began, "Have you seen your pa around lately?"

There was still a part of him that hoped that Kieran might have information on his father. Maybe the man had just gone out somewhere, and he'd be back, of course, and Kieran knew when. Maybe he just hadn't realized how long it would take, so he'd told his son but not his friend. Day knew he'd fill Dawn in before Sylvas, if it came down to it.

"I just - we haven't seen him, and I wondered if he said anything to you," he added, hoping against hope that the boy would have news.

Crap post, sorry >.>

Kieran's face fell as the leader spoke of his father. "I... I thought you would have known... I haven't seen him." He knew there was a chance his father had just been caught up in... something, but for him to not be seen or heard of by anyone... was he... was he gone? Just like the rest of Kieran's family? First his mother, then his sister, his best friend, and now... now his father? The boy felt a pang of fear in his heart - as painful as that of a knife wound. He knew - he just knew that he would be alone one day. That day had come... sooner than it should have. Even with Grayday here, he felt alone. Completely and utterly alone. He was only a child still - not even a year old... he should not be by himself already. He didn't know what to do.

The words spoken by the man were drowned out in a sea of rushed, panicked thoughts that shot through Kieran as his world turned upside down. They were gone, all of them. His vision faded for a moment, black seeming to swallow him, but his sight returned as quickly as it had gone. He had not fainted, no.... what had happened? He was scared, now. His father. The only one he had had left - the one he relied on, the one who kept him going after all was lost. But it seemed not all had been lost. But now... now it was. That's if his father was truly gone. There was still a chance...

He whimpered, glancing at the leader with tear filled eyes. "Is he... do you t-think he's... gone?"

Day watched the boy's face, and thus, knew before Kieran even spoke that he would find no answers here. "He didn't say anything to me," the male said regretfully, wishing he had better news to give the boy. He leaned a bit closer, so that their shoulders touched. "You're not alone here, though. We'll all take care of each other until your dad gets back. I'm gonna need a lot of help while he's away."

He gazed at the boy a moment longer, feeling his pain rather acutely. He could relate to missing his father, and to feeling alone and abandoned as well. "I'm sorry, Kieran," he said gently. "I wish I had better news for you. Just don't give up hope - it took years, but Sunspot still found me. The world is a big place, but sometimes it can surprise you."