The darkest evening of the year

Since Ariston's player hasn't been around much, I am going to do some minor power-playing to explain what's going on IC...

Koontz sat on the bluff overlooking the hot springs, her pale gaze distant as she stared at the mountains across the way. She felt the weight of dread on her shoulders. Just moments ago, Ariston had admitted to her that he felt too pressured by the expectations of leadership, that he was so anxious and overwhelmed that it was making him ill. She had seen for herself the drawn look on his gaunt but handsome face, the patches where his fur had fallen out due to stress.

He had left it up to her: she could take the helm alone or the pack could disband. Koontz hadn't even thought about it. "I'll lead us," she'd said without a second thought. Only now, after Ariston had lowered his head in defeat and wandered away to be alone and catch up on his rest, did she begin to feel the weight of this burden creeping up on her. Suddenly, she was leading the pack all alone. She'd gone from second-in-command to top—and only—dog in a matter of a week. She swallowed thickly.

The worst part was not her concern for herself nor for her pack—she knew she could do it, or at least die trying—but she felt bad for Ariston, her friend. He'd always been an energetic, charismatic party animal. He'd looked plain sick tonight. Worry gnawed at her guts. Maybe it was just stress and he would recover now that his yoke had been removed. Perhaps he'd even return to the helm beside her when he felt better. Or maybe it was something more ominous. Could Ariston be truly ill, she wondered?

Suddenly, Koontz found her silvery muzzle tipping toward the dark, drizzling sky. "Is there anyone out there that has any medical knowledge?" she asked of her pack mates via howl. "Even the slightest bit of know-how might help." She then fell silent, deciding not to elaborate unless someone approached. She knew she should announce Ariston's resignation, yet she simply couldn't bear the thought of bearing that bad news just now, not so soon after the two of them had so joyously announced her own promotion just days ago...