Greatwater Lake each morning I get up, I die a little

@Murdock how's 'bout a brother vent sesh/tell-all/spill the beans on our terrible past thread :) warning incoming emo Shale

A pebble.

That was all it took to bring the memories of her rushing back, making his body ache with the weight of them. One pebble.

But worse than the physical pain was the emotional turmoil he now was feeling, staring down at this smooth, shiny rock. Its dark gray surface was polished and gleaming, reflecting the sunlight, winking back at him as if in jest. Suddenly incensed, Shale kicked it away; it bounced and skipped into the water, where it sank to be seen no more.

Seen no more. But not forgotten.

She had once given him a rock that looked quite like the one he had just tossed into the lake, presenting it to him with a wry grin while on a hunting trip. It was the beginning of their courtship, and they were madly in love, untethered to reality by any pack or children. They flew across the countryside, one sleek silver, one ruddy brown. And lived.

Shale felt as if he had not lived since she had went away. Not a single day. Worse than not living, it felt as if every day brought him closer to death; he felt worse about life with each dawn. Seeing Murdock had boosted his spirits a bit, but had not removed him from this moons-long cycle of anger and guilt, depression--oh, most of all, depression.

Maybe the presence of Grayday would not be enough to lift him out of the abyss. Perhaps his life had ended the moment her soul had taken flight, and would not return to him, even after death.