Blackfeather Woods Farewell

He had come, yet not directly. He knew that howl too well, for he had done one similar. Over the past weeks, he had felt the area of the den becoming sour. As if death was lingering there. He had not said a word about it, nor asked Burke. He has just waited, hoping that experience was not going to tell him right. He ached for Burke. He knew what it meant to lose a mate, even if he did not have pups to care for. Lingering further away from the pack, he felt as intruding in the sorrow and grief. He felt detached, knowing he would appear cold for not expressing what the others were showing on their faces, but Akela was a secretive person, never really expressing anything but a playful and strange smile. His face did not do so now, of course, and it took him willpower to get closer. He remained out of it, despite being within the reach of everyone's eye now. His mission was to guard now, watch over those poor wolves until this was over, and then probably help Burke move the body...well, if the older kids allowed it, after all, he was the stranger here, one that only recently arrived. He did not seek Burke's eye contact, the alpha would feel his presence by his side eventually and Akela would do as Burke would command.