The Sentinels Every word I say is kindling

Days had passed and Sam had not gotten better. Ghost was growing frustrated, not with him, but the situation as a whole.

An idea came to her, and she found herself searching for @Kirain with the hope of her assistance. She had found the perfect spot, now she just needed some extra paws to help her follow through with her plan.

She was confident it would work. She needed it to work.

The situation with Sam left Kirain steeped in guilt. It had been her responsibility to keep the members of the Sanctum safe, and she had failed them, failed Solenya most of all. Her shoulders sagged as she stared out from the mouth of her den, the weight of it pressing down on her.

She had done her best to treat Sam’s injuries, to comfort him in his pain, but it never felt like enough.

As she sat there, caught in the churn of her own regret, she spotted Ghost moving through the clearing. The she-wolf seemed to be searching for something, or someone.

Probably Sam, Kirain thought, a pang of guilt twisting in her chest.

Still, she lifted her head and called out, voice gentle. Hello, Ghost. Need something?

Kirain's voice called to her followed by the familiar scent. She was yet to speak to the other, she was yet to speak to anyone but Sam, but maybe today she would make that push.

Just not yet.

Nodding to Kirain's question, she followed it with a gesture that said 'follow me' before turning back the way she came. She did not move immediately, waiting to hear movement behind her.

When no response came, it only made Kirain’s guilt tighten further in her chest. She didn’t know why it stung so much, but it did.

Still, when Ghost gestured for her to follow, Kirain rose without complaint, falling into step behind her with quiet diligence. She wondered where they were going, but kept the question to herself, her paws moving automatically even as her thoughts remained clouded with regret.

She was still very much sulking, and she knew it, but for now, all she could do was keep moving.

A large tree with an abandoned rabbit burrow is what the blind girl brought her to. It was too small now, but if they worked together it would make a suitable den for Sam. Far more used to den than sleeping outdoors, Ghost wasn't sure why she hadn't done this already, but her own could wait until later.

Lightly clawing at the dirt around the hole, she let out a breath. A den.. for Sam. She said, voice just more than a mumble. It might be better. When her head ached she always preferred to retreat to the dens in her home, quiet dark places that lessened her pain. She thought it could help Sam too.

A den? Have you two not picked yours out yet? Kirain’s ears perked, a small spark of purpose flickering through the fog of her guilt. I’d be happy to help.

She padded forward, giving the burrow’s entrance a sniff before pawing lightly at the dirt. It was clear Sam wouldn’t fit in its current state, but that was an easy enough fix.

Lowering her head, Kirain began to dig in earnest, paws pushing aside old debris and loosening the packed earth. She worked methodically, pulling out clumps of roots and smoothing the floor as she went, her tail giving a soft wag behind her. It felt good, needed, to do something helpful again.

Visala shook her head, quietly working away at widening the entrance. To her the sanctum had only been something temporary, a place to wait for her family. But her family hadn't come. Sam was still here though, and he was all she really had.

She hated the feeling of dirt in her claws, but she kept working through the quiet discomfort. We like the trees. A half lie, intended to mask her feelings for the sanctum. She knew it would probably hurt if she outright said the sanctum was a halfway point to her.

The trees are really nice. Kirain sensed Ghost wasn’t in the mood to talk, so she let the conversation die, sinking back into her guilty silence. She kept digging, white fur streaked brown with dirt as she worked. Not that she minded. Nature was always present, always deserving of respect.

She could feel the awkward air without needing to see Kirain's clear built-up misery - and what was this? A tightness in her chest, could it be? It is! A pang of sympathy, rarely dished out by the ex-listener.

Clearing her throat, she wriggled her way further into the burrow to take on some of the work needed inside. Being closer was a bonus, since it would allow Kirain to hear her a bit better. You're upset.. She trailed off for a moment, settling into a frown before asking a question. Why?

The question caught Kirain off guard. Part of her didn’t want to burden Ghost with the heaviness clawing at her chest, but the guilt was relentless, chewing at her resolve.

I failed Sam… Her voice was so quiet, barely more than a breath. I should have done better. I should have kept him safe. Look at him now…
The words fell like stones, each one adding to the crushing weight on her shoulders. She couldn’t bring herself to say more. Instead, she lowered her gaze, focusing on the rough scrape of dirt and stone beneath her paw, grounding herself in the pain she could not run from.

Well looking might be hard.. but I'll try. She hoped her attempt at humour would lighten up the situation.

Sam is.. She trailed off, frowning. These words weren't coming as naturally as self-deprication. He will be okay. It isn't your burden alone. After all they had both been there, and now they were both caring for him. Ghost found the idea that it was Kirain's responsibility, and nobody else's, to treat his injuries rather sad.

They were a pack - even if Ghost was only one paw in.

The attempted humor wasn’t lost on the little dame, but she couldn’t bring herself to play along. She let out a soft sigh, giving a small shake of her head.

Sam will never be the same, she murmured. Injuries like that… they change everything. You didn’t see it. The horror of it. Her voice faltered, and she turned away, the memory shadowing her expression.

Sam is lucky to have a friend like you, she added after a moment, softer now. I have a feeling he’ll need your support more than ever.

As if deciding the conversation was finished, she returned to the task at hand without another word.

She was quiet for a moment, her paws slowing. I didn't need to see it. I could hear it. To her, that was worse.

Resuming her work with a heightened pace Ghost had to wonder how long the den would take to expand enough for Sam. Once her and Kirain could both lay down with a bit of space, she thought that would be good enough.