Larksong Grotto Standing still in your past

The sound of his call echoed through the cave, reverberating back in waves like a residual whisper. No response came from the grotto's depths apart from the sound of Reek's panicked voice. Tavi, it seemed, was elsewhere. Resigned to wait for her here, Reek found himself unable to sit still. Pacing in a neurotic, nervous fit, he moved from one end of the cave to the other until the air was saturated with the scent of the blood from his reopened injuries.

His breathing grew heavy and Reek settled against one of the grotto's cool walls. The panic attack that began to ensue was far beyond his control. He rocked back and forth in a fit, much like the night he had returned to the grotto -- but this time, he did not have Tavi to bring him back. His mental state was rapidly deteriorating. Without conscious thought, Reek began to gnaw on his already mangled foreleg, pulling the scabs away until he bled freely. As he shook on the cold cave floor, Reek's leg left streaks of blood in its wake.

It must have been an hour, but eventually, his panic subsided, but he was left with a splitting headache. He tried to close his eyes, but each time he did, it felt as if the room was still spinning. He felt sick his stomach. His pups were going to die -- and there was nothing he could do about it.

Eventually, Reek spotted Tavi's silhouette caught in the light streaming in from the cave. Her voice was harsh, but Reek felt he deserved every ounce of anger. Once again, he had added to his steaming pile of blunders. "Tav," he whispered between sobs. In the wake of his most recent mistake, Reek wanted nothing more than to explain himself, be he did not know where to begin. The fault lay completely with him. "I'm so sorry." Of course, even his most sincere apologies fix this predicament, however, it was a start.