Hushed Willows if we never make it back to california i want you to know i love you

timelines are fake but this is roughly probably a few hours after big arrival thread, @Seabreeze/@Lily /whoever?!

he does not find brilliance or solomon. he returns to an empty sanctuary, the trail of his friends leading away, and remembers -- of course. they'd talked about escaping from the stench of death, the mangled cat-bodies, more of delight's various failures neatly stacked. 

bitterly he can't help but wonder what his life would be if he had not left the forest at all.

it would not be difficult for the chancellor-cum-shiva to catch up, and he starts to, but something holds him back from completely reintergrating into his pack-mates path. there is too much sorrow and anger in him right now -- he does not want to show his face yet. does not want to apologize again. and then alarian breaks from the group and --

his heart is already too heavy. what is one more small tragedy?

eventually there is nowhere left for him to linger back. lily's territory is beautiful; delight has grown tired of beauty. wearily he calls out -- i'm here, i haven't left you -- and sets out into the willows.