Silvertip Mountain You will hear music and then you will not

Ursus returned to their mountain to lick their wounds and brood, and Aventus returned with good news. Every day he wasn't tracking them further was a day wasted if they chose a different path, but he felt sure of their whereabouts. He didn't think it was possible for anyone to travel much further in Nyra's condition, so he suspected they were looking for somewhere to lay low.

Moonglow was as good a pack as any, if they sought an existing group. They were healers and gentle wolves, yet they had more teeth than Easthollow ever had. Having witnessed their justice firsthand, he felt certain they would not tolerate a murderer in their midst. Perhaps they would sense the evil in them and turn Nyra and her accomplice away. Aventus would lose their trail then. Perhaps they would stay, though, and he would find them. He relished the opportunity to flush her out, right into Ursus' waiting jaws.

Aves steeled himself as he climbed the mountain, unsure of what to expect. @Merrick was already half-mad with grief before Nyra managed to slip between their fingers. He knew his father was likely to be in the glass caves, but found himself procrastinating, meandering about the mountainside in search of @Arielle instead. Without really knowing the reason, he wanted her at his side when he faced his father. It would make him feel a lot better.

merrick was with evien, far below the earth. the medic's skull sat silently upon its plinth of stone.
merrick's single eye glittered out from the darkness where he sat rigid and hateful, scarcely breathing, every thought reliving the taste of nyra's blood.
his own face had received a buff of new lacerations from her teeth, but they would only scar over those already present.
apophis was gone. asperas was gone. avicus was gone. astara was gone.
aventus was what remained now.
and so merrick could not yet surrender, take what was left of the blackbird in his arms, and fade until their bones were entwined.
the bearwolf stared at evien. the healer said nothing. merrick let out his breath in a tattered annoyance. 
"do you want me to run forever? is that it?"
the skull's teeth did not clack in response.
"when will it be enough?"
merrick suddenly leapt to his feet; his roar was terrible. "say something!"
he did not know his son and arielle were outside the caves; it was only merrick, fully insane as he gnashed his teeth toward the remains that did not answer.

It had not been a peaceful time for the healer, not even when they had returned home. They had been unable to find Nyra and the tension from the need for vengeance was thick in the air of Ursus; it haunted the bear king and his son and the only thing that would heal the seeping wounds on their hearts would be the cowardly Saint leader's fall. There was nothing Arielle could do to help this time other than helping them search. Which she did without question or complaint. 

And while they were home, she felt anxious and restless, like there was something urgent that needed her attention, and she couldn't remember what it was. Only she did know, and there was just nothing else she could do. She had wanted to check on Merrick and Aves, the latter more often than she cared to acknowledge, but she fought against the urge. She worried they both wanted time to themselves and she would just be disturbing them.

His scent drifted by on the cold breeze like she had summoned it with her thoughts, and Arielle paused. She had only been on her way back to her medicine den to find something to pass the time, so she easily abandoned that idea and searched out the dark prince. 

When she found him, she trotted forward brushed against him in greeting. Where are you headed— her question was interrupted by Merrick's booming voice from inside the caves, like he was yelling at someone. Fear gripped her heart and she looked to Aves with worry and question before taking off inside the caves to find the bear king and make sure he wasn't in trouble.

And there she was. Aventus lifted his eyes to find the subject of his thoughts coming toward him, jet and smoky grey and beautiful auburn, and felt himself becoming taciturn. There was still something unspoken hanging between Arielle and him that needed resolving, but he didn't know how to put words to it. It felt like there were snakes wriggling in his chest, fighting to be free, and they only writhed more vigorously at the brush of her plush fur against him. He felt his stomach leap into his throat.

I'm— so glad you aren't hurt; so angry that she got away and I don't know how to handle it; sorry about the day at the stream; feeling things I don't know how to feel; desperate for you to run away with me; lost;

He said none of the crazy little things that flashed through his mind then, because his father shouted from within the cave, making him flinch. Thank god Arielle was there and far more composed than him. Not for the first time, he marveled at her dedication to her pack and readiness to jump in. She was more Ursus than most anyone. He was hot on her heels into the cave, overcome suddenly with the inappropriate urge to press her to the wall.

Stop it! he chastised himself. It wasn't about him and Arielle right now. They found Merrick in the dark, on his feet, raging at Evien's skull. Father, it is us, he called out, firm and quiet as he found his place at Arielle's side, curving protectively lest Merrick mistake them for the demons that haunted him. He hoped his news would placate the one-eyed dragon just a little. Seeing him like this never ceased to unsettle the Bruin-jaw.

merrick was soon no longer alone;
and yet he was, he was, he was;
the single eye burned with bedlamic frustration; he licked his dry lips as he finally swung his battle-scarred head to face his son.
naked pain entered his gaze; aventus looked so like her that for a moment —
it cleared. merrick was not bitter that it was his son who was before him, that he was here and whole —
father;
"i've — i have been trying — attempting to reach your mother."
"from the beyond."
merrick was no soothsayer, he was no shaman; he was only weak for he could not exhume her without blood, without nyra's blood, without
"she isn't speaking." he stared now into the empty eye sockets of the former bruin-leaf. "not yet. she isn't — she isn't bones that i can bring here. not yet. she's in the middle."
merrick slowly tilted his head to stare at the cave's ceiling.
"stuck, maybe. she needs —"
his voice cut off.

What they found in the caves was not even close to what she had expected. And after seeing the crazed, lost look in Merrick's eye, she wasn't sure if things were any better than finding some intruder, locked in battle with the bear king. She certainly didn't feel any better. Her heart broke to see him this way, and even more when Merrick stated he was trying to speak to Astara from beyond. After everything she had seen and felt within Ursus, she didn't necessarily think speaking to the dead couldn't be done, but she wondered if he was even in the right state of mind for such things. 

Aves stood next to her, blocking most of her view as though he were trying to protect her. But from what? She slowly pushed forward and towards the grieving king. Merrick, she said gently, taking a few more steps before stopping. How long have you been down here? It was dark and stuffy. Maybe she should have checked on him sooner. Maybe we could all go for a walk outside, she suggested. He needed some air and clearly a distraction. Sometimes, taking a break helps me to better see what I'm missing.

This was worse than anything Aventus could have imagined. He knew his father was in terrible pain. He also knew his father was prone to horrific rage. Losing Nyra had surely thinned Merrick's control over the part of himself that found power and comfort in harming others. That was what he was most afraid of.

Once, he was terrified of the dragon that was his father. Once, he worshipped the man as fervently as he feared him. Merrick was a god to him, great and terrible all at once. His loyalty still belonged to his father and Ursus in totality, but for the first time, Aventus was not afraid of what Merrick could do to him. It was what he could do to Arielle that made him feel like he'd swallowed ice shards.

The healer moved forward. It was everything Aventus could do not to come between her and Merrick. His father did not turn on her with vengeful fangs, however, but began to speak to the ceiling and the skull alike. The ice shards turned to motes of dread. Astara was dead. There was no retrieving her from where she had gone, just as there was no retrieving Evien, no matter how often the Bruin-witch spoke senselessly to that skull.

No way he would tell Merrick that, though. We will reach her, he said in a shaky voice, with a helpless yet grateful glance to Arielle when she suggested a walk outside. We can go to the forest next door, he added. He didn't dare to brighten up, but he remembered where the blood splatter was. Wouldn't it be better for Merrick to see it for himself instead of merely taking his son's word for it? There's something there that might help.

how long;
merrick suddenly felt senile, insensate. his gaze flickered between aventus and arielle.
his lips gathered into a snarl that quickly lost its luster, and did not come to formation.
arielle's voice was soft. he clung to it as the single eye sliced to aventus.
"help," he croaked sarcastically. he pulled free of them and stared once more at the skull. and then merrick was marching again, letting the younger wolves follow in his wake as he wound through the cave and into the open air.
it struck his face and found a lukewarm running of maddened tears. he did not clear them from his features, but looked to the dark bruin-jaw, silently accepting his son's lead.

Merrick seemed to come back to them, at least partially; his gaze still held the crazed look that had fear creeping up in her chest. She felt the tension in the air even if the bear king did not actually make an aggressive move towards them. Her ears fell back submissively but she did not move. If he were to lash out at her in his grief, she wouldn't hold it against him. She knew he was not himself. 

When he spoke, his tone implied that he was doubtful whatever Aves had to show him would help. It made hurt burn in her chest for the prince, the way Merrick disregarded his son's efforts. 

The bear king looked to the skull again, and then he moved towards the exit of the caves. Arielle turned to follow, pausing to brush her muzzle against Ave's shoulder in comfort. Maybe she was more sensitive, and he wasn't bothered his father's tone, but she offered her support all the same. 

She would remain close to the raven's side as they moved outside. The tears dampening Merrick's cheeks hurt her heart as if they were her own, but she sensed he was not in the mood for talking, so she said nothing of them. She would follow Aves to the forest, hopeful that whatever he had found would lighten the bear king's spirits.

Aventus tensed all down his spine when his father whirled. He could have swore the Bruin-witch was about to lunge for them, but then Merrick sagged from the posture. He knew how that felt. That same whirlwind of emotion caught Aventus up in its arms whenever he was alone and not focused on another task, but while sons were meant to move on without their mothers eventually, husbands could not so easily let go.

He clenched his jaws together when Merrick looked at him with a sneer in his voice. I am hurting too! he wanted to shout at his father. Knowing it would do no good, he kept his mouth shut. The man's tone stung more than anything. That after all this time, and after everyone else was gone and Aventus still stood firm and loyal beside Merrick, he would speak that way. He was thankful that he was so good at keeping his thoughts to himself, for none might realize how deeply that cut.

He was thankful, too, for Arielle's gentle touch. He leaned into it and once more yearned to reach out, but held himself back for fear of being improper. Then they were moving out of the caves. He was shocked to see the wet tracks on his father's face when Merrick turned to face him, but Aventus made no remark. Instead, he turned down the mountain and led the way down into the pines at a trot. He wound along worn game trails and clearings, choosing the easiest path, until he found it.

There, he said, stepping aside so his father could inspect it. A few drops of blood in the crackling leaf litter. It is hers, he affirmed. She might just have passed through, but her injuries were grievous. It is possible she sought refuge with Moonglow. He couldn't know for sure without going to visit, but even if he was wrong, hopefully this discovery would stoke the fire of his father's life just a little.

a gift;
a promise;
merrick tasted salt upon his ragged mouth now.
there was hope in that splatter of cerise across the cold ground. 
fire surged eagerly inside him.
"you are my heir, do you know that?" merrick at last pulled his single yellow eye up from the blood and set it upon aventus. "asperas and apophis are not here. your sister — she lives. she is bear-blood. but she did not choose this life for herself. only you did."
his gaze slid to arielle. merrick considered how curious, that she should not share their lineage but bear the first-letter emblem of their name. "ursus has its future."
it was a gruff, reticent sanctioning.
"moonglow. the place where tuur was wounded. if she goes there, we will have another fight."
merrick grinned his old smile. "an enjoyable thought."

The bear king's mood shifted so suddenly that she worried she had imagined his reaction at first. In the cave he had been so snide when he spoke to the prince, and now he was going on about how Aves was his heir and the future of Ursus—something she already knew. No other wolf could hold Ursus together if something were to happen to Merrick. The raven was chosen by the bear, she could see it clearly. She was in awe of it. And although she was still reeling a bit from the volatile mood of the bear king, she was glad to see him praising his son.

She felt his gaze on her, and she looked down, feeling as though he could hear her thoughts. She was relieved that Aves had found a clue to maybe lead them to wherever Nyra was hiding, and she was even more relieved that Merrick was so pleased. She could see how the thought of finding the cowardly Saint filled him with excitement and hope. We should go there as soon as possible and check things out, she said, looking first to Merrick and then to the prince. She didn't want to waste anymore time or risk the bear king falling back into his spiral of despair.

Merrick's eye on him seemed to scorch right through Aventus when his father began to speak. From his very first days, Aventus had feared the dragon deep down in his soul. His soul remembered being seized from the den as a newborn, tumbling in the grass, Merrick's teeth over him, Fraser's sacrifice for his life. These were not things that mortal Aventus had any knowledge of, but his eternal soul did, and from that moment, had worshipped Merrick with a god-fearing fervency. To be named his heir was sublime.

Merrick's glance to Arielle and subsequent remark had him scratching his head. Of course Arielle was part of Ursus' future. Aventus could not imagine the pack without her. There was hardly a pack left, in truth, but despite how they splintered and fractured in the aftermath of Nyra's great escape, there she was. He failed to grasp any meaning beyond that, so nodded his head in agreement and said nothing more on it.

Yes, Aventus agreed, we should learn what we can. I have dealt with Moonglow before. They have strange ways, but I do not believe they would harbor a murderer. I can speak with them. There was a good chance they wouldn't take kindly to him showing up on their doorstep after abandoning them without a word, but his Arctos character was verbose. He thought he could talk his way out of it if he had to.

merrick out! <33

it was decided then.
merrick looked at both of them with an air that would be renewed in the days to come.
"i — am going to see your mother." his voice was lighter despite its darker intention. what was left of her slowly changed beneath the snow and earth.
"do not follow me."
but the last was not a threat. it was said softly. he wanted to be alone.
merrick knew it was the time now to take a talisman from the grave of his blackbird, and he wanted to be without eyes upon him to do so.

Arielle's face scrunched with concern at the bear kings words. She wished there was more she could do, but she knew there was nothing more than what she was already doing. 

She said nothing as Merrick turned and left; she only watched him leave with sadness in her heart. Then she looked to Aves, attempting to gauge his mood. It had been kind of a roller-coaster of emotions since they found the bear king in the ice cave, screaming at the former healer's skull. Perhaps he wanted to be alone too.

Despite the airiness in Merrick's tone, a welcome change from the shrieking madness in the cave, the line of Aventus' jaw grew taut with his words. His mother was dead. She was moldering in the ground. He knew exactly what Merrick meant to do, and disapproved of it wholly.

He said nothing. He did nothing, only watched his father depart. His temple pulsed along with the silent grinding of his teeth together. Of all the wolves he thought should rest peacefully, his mother ranked highest. Slowly, he willed the tension out of his shoulders, only glancing to Arielle when he felt she would not find only coldness in his eyes.

Yet he, too, wanted to be alone now. Even her company could not settle the unease in the pit of his stomach. He held her gaze for a moment, then dropped it, and his voice was uncharacteristically soft when he said, excuse me, and took his leave.

Her suspicion was correct: the prince wanted to be alone, and she didn't blame him. She held his gaze before he moved his moonlit eyes away from her. She could hear so much in the two words he offered, and she wanted to follow after him and help him sort things out, but she would respect his wishes. She wouldn't force him to talk about what was in is heart, she never had. It would need to be his decision to bring it up. 

So she watched his form get smaller as he moved away, only leaving herself when she could no longer see his raven fur in the distance.