Stone Circle Mission Finale

pain.
the woman's jaw was a trap, one which life could not flee from. it was over before the battle could even begin, over as soon as the pain burst through her like an explosive force, as soon as the blood soaked through her fur. as the blood streamed down, her body fell limp and pain screamed through every nerve, she knew one thing.

she had failed. 

by dying, she left her children. she left behind anything she could had been. her life had come to nothing, not even the great reward that seeing her children live and grow would bring. she failed them as her mate had once failed her, and suddenly grief and shame the horrible weight of failure left her body limp, her mind overloaded

the pain begun to fade. please. no. to see her children once more, to wish them goodbye. no. there was one, shimmering, faded in he corner of her eye. no. please, they could not see. not see her fail them

it was not Keoni, nor Nikai nor was it Witchhazel. it was her fourth, her son who could have been. her body seized, the pain was nearly abated, yet one more burst of frantic energy, the will to live, and her son almost vanished. yet then he was back, stronger then ever, and she gazed to him a moment. his blue eyes, untouched by age, gazed back.

then, they were both gone.

the body of a woman once called Althaia fell limp