Stone Circle Time to say goodbye

Ezekiel had gotten back to his old routine over the past couple days. After he'd healed and rested, he'd moved out of Krypton's den with a brief but grateful thank you in the form of a hare, and found his own den. It was far from the center of the territory, where he hopefully wouldn't have to cross paths with Valette too often. He was going to go find Steady soon, but for now he was distancing himself. He figured he had plenty of time to make things right with his friend and his ex, he didn't know about what was coming. 

He was on his way to patrol the border when he heard the howl. He stopped walking when he heard it, frozen completely in his tracks. Had he heard correctly? He could hardly believe. But the howl that pierced his ears was a cold and hollow sound, it was so full of pain that it cut deep into his heart, which sank like a stone. Steady was dead. His best friend. The closest thing he'd had to a true brother. The first who had made him feel like he had a real family. He was going to go see him soon. To make things right, to catch up. It appeared that wouldn't be happening. 

Ezekiel didn't know how to cope with it. He didn't want to see Steady's dead body, or Valette's sorrowful hazel eyes. He didn't want to see Krypton sad, or anyone else mourning their alpha. He wanted to curl up in the darkness and sleep. He couldn't cry, or feel rage or sadness while he slept, sleep was just the sweet nothing that Ezekiel longed for at the moment. He sat down. He looked out into the distance. He wondered why at his return, his best friend was stolen so cruelly from him. He wondered why he hadn't been allowed to say goodbye.

He let out a long sad howl, and sat, staring. All that Valette or the others needed to know was in the howl. His feelings for once, were far too easy to read.