Dawnlark Plains hair of the dog

It was his absence at the hunt that made Sunny so worried originally. So he had tracked down his dad and found him truly asleep, sickly in smell and feverish. He had assumed that Pema had already tended him and not wanting to wake him up, let him be.

Then on his way back from a border patrol he spotted a crowd heading toward one location and curiously followed, curiosity turning to dread as he realised where everyone was going. Before he reached it himself he stopped walking and tried to gather his wits, to slow his heartbeat and still the aching in his chest. It didn't work but he pushed on anyway, pushing past Aditya and moving past Catori and Dawn, eyes wide and steps clumsy as if in a stupor.

His eyes focused on the still and cold form of his father, painfully empty of anything like he had been in life. He stood above the body and blinked, the truth slowly sinking in and filling him up, pushing out any positivity and instead leaving a heart heavy with grief. His eyes filled with tears but he blinked them away, shoving it down and audibly choking back a sob. He slowly lowered his nose down to touch the fur along the top of his dad's head and closed his eyes. "I'll see you again wherever you are Dad. I hope you're happy. I'll take care of Catori and the kids, Dawn will too I'm sure. I love you" once that was said he stood up and let a few tears slip free but kept himself surprisingly steady in front of his pack.

Aliac stood there with wide eyes, staring with tearss in her eyes and while he wanted to move to her, he went to Catori and Dawn instead. Looking down at Kasatka he lowered his muzzle and nuzzled her ever so gently, lifting it again and touching Cat's shoulder before turning to Dawn with pain filled eyes. He could see how hard she was trying to keep it together or maybe he felt it, because he too was crumbling inside but remaining strong outside. "Dawn...I..." he faltered and fell silent again, ears flattening before he stepped closer and pressed his forehead to her shoulder. 

Stepping back he was unsure what to say to the grieving pack, unsure how to grieve himself. "We'll bury him. Hold a ceremony." he turned to Pema since she was the remaining leader. "His friends have to know....Seelie, Valette. May I help lead the groups to bring the news?" he asked and then walked over, so only she could hear his next words. "Please...I need to go. I just got over Keoni, I will crumble if I'm not busy." he pleaded in a hushed voice which cracked with emotion.