Stavanger Bay Life's a little sideways

After learning about Wildfire's unexpected and abrupt departure, Floki slipped away from Moonspear under the cover of darkness. As soon as he crossed its borders and his paws pressed into the soft earth that was unclaimed by any pack, his resolve crumbled. He inhaled sharply, drawing the crisp air into his lungs, and promptly began to sob.

It took him a few minutes to compose himself, and once he did, he loped towards the coast. He followed the all-too-familiar path to Stavanger Bay, eagerly anticipating the feel of the gritty sand beneath his feet and the sensation of the salt spray against his face. The coast had belonged to him long before he met Wildfire -- he could regroup there and could be alone with his thoughts for a few hours.

By the time he arrived, the sun had risen. He carefully avoided the ash trees that marked his father's former burial grounds and beelined for the beach. As soon as his feet touched the sand, he felt a rush of relief -- coupled with an overwhelming sadness. He couldn't tell Charon how upset he was; he knew that his brother felt betrayed too, but they both had to put on a brave face. Now that he was away from Charon, he waded into the ocean's frigid shallows and hung his head, though the tears didn't come.