Jade Fern Grove have you no idea you're in deep

some people thought of life as happy accidents, others as a meticulously planned out event--though by who, opinions differed. aditya fell somewhere in-between the two, or perhaps beyond. . .choices were what were most important. the choices you made determined your existence, for better or for worse. choose differently at any occasion and your life could be dramatically altered.

he didn't much think about it, except when he thought of coelacanth. he had began to make peace with that situation, though: there was no use in fretting over it any longer, not in the wake of grayday's death. there were more important things to ponder.

so, that day, aditya chose to do some hunting; the caches were low, and pema and aviana both heavily pregnant. they couldn't afford to be without food in this trying time. he chose to leave the familiar shade of the maplewood for the more unfamiliar grove, just to the southeast. he chose to follow the scent of a rabbit, bounding through the ferns.

but his eyes did not choose to see what he came to eventually see.

he'd taken note of dawn's scent, but he'd chalked it up to a coincidence--she was a hunter, she traveled around a lot in search of game. and he'd noticed that the smell grew stronger as he continued on, and his heart grew light at the thought of chasing deer with her. but this. . .this took him aback.

i love you, coelacanth. and this was his karmic punishment, for saying those four words. he squeezed his eyes shut, but he was unable to erase the image, burned forever in his mind. bile rose in his throat; icy chills rippled down his spine. they seemed to take no notice of him, even when he staggered back and wheeled around, crashing through the ferns.

i love you, coelacanth. it was not to the coast he ran, but north, further and further until his legs finally gave out, sobbing for breath. completely disbelieving everything he had not chosen to see.