Blacktail Deer Plateau open your heart to it

no sooner had she uttered the question had she seen all hope of its answer extinguished -- for a pained flicker stole across the dark crest of her son's face, and told all there was to tell.

caiaphas felt the lull of her heart as it sank -- another notch to its battered surface, another soul lost forever to oblivion.

her gaze fell in defeat, and a shaky breath wracked her frame -- for her worst fears had come true, uttered from the mouth of a babe that ought to have never witnessed nor had this conversation at all.

instinctively she swept towards him, arching her neck around his thin shoulders to pull him close -- she needed nothing else, and to press him for further answers would only serve to thrust the knife deeper in both of their guts. "of course," she managed, her throat constricted and voice dry --

"let's go home."

as she looked up she saw grezig had departed -- but kavik remained. the proud siren held his gaze a moment, the brim of her eyes misted over with new anguish. "i owe you -- and grezig -- a great debt. should you ever need something, find me on the coast where the beach is hidden by giant trees."