King Elk Forest good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter

As the boys drew closer he sighed, content to be with them. Euron's face reflected what he felt but from an outside perspective, the heaviness that he felt in his bones and muscles, the weariness that he felt in his soul. Ramsay would surely follow suit soon. The only wolf that was missing was his Damien. Oh, Damien... What he would have given to once more lay down by his brother's side and dig his chin gently into the dark fur of his dearest companion. How he wished that he could have been by his brother's side still. Perhaps then he would be walking a different path. Perhaps then, his brother would be walking a different path.

Yet his children were good enough replacement in the moment. Cicero did not think he would ever be able to love anyone like he loved Damien, but they had proved him wrong, for he had grown to love Euron and Ramsay dearly. He wondered if they'd ever see Damien again. He was certain he had smelled his brother just before they left in the Woods, but the trail was not fresh enough for him to make sense of. Ah.. Maybe they would see him some day.

The pack's Alpha spoke, and Cicero shook his head. Unless Burke was buried right around the corner, not right now. "Maybe later," he spoke, almost as if he thought he'd find some sort of renewed energy from the short rest. Burke's body meant nothing to Cicero now that he was dead. Nothing but dust and bones. His spirit was long gone. "Malice... Does she still live here?" he asked of Delight. Her scent told him the answer, but he needed to know. He was not sure if he needed to see her again. He was not sure she'd want to see him again.

He leaned his head down on the ground and smiled tiredly at Euron, whose face still reflected all that he was in that moment from a different angle. He waited for Ramsay to come while speaking with Delight; this was but a way to pass the time until he could talk to the boys. Tell them... He wasn't even sure. That he loved them, perhaps. That they should tell Damien about him, perhaps, about his love. Not that it would likely make a difference in his mad brother's mind now. Too little, too late, perhaps. A sad smile engulfed his face as he thought of this, though it made little difference from the sad smile that he already had on his face when he thought of leaving his sons behind in the care of strangers.