Swiftcurrent Creek speaking softly through the night

His eyes flutter open to darkness, crusted and stinging with the touch of cool, damp air, and he sucks in a ragged breath. Helios? I — His voice hitches, dying when he's met only with darkness. Alone. He scrambles to his feet, ignoring the bolt of pain through his leg, and realizes he'd fallen asleep at the outskirts of the territory. Stupid. He swallows and winces, belatedly registering the aching dryness in his throat as it sticks to itself, and tears fill his eyes. Weak.
He blinks them away, shaking his head a little. Shut up, he pleads with himself, turning to find Helios, or dad, or someone. The sudden movement leaves his head spinning, blood pounding in his ears, but he doesn't stop. He moves faster, finding comfort in the drum of his paws against the earth — and, more importantly, silence. Desperate for relief, he ignores his leg's protests as long as he can bear, until the crackling white-hot feeling forces him to halt, and he realizes in the same instant that he is no longer alone.
His gaze finds the dark pup settled just ahead quickly, and his heart drops into his stomach. It seems to smolder there, burning a hole through him as the girl's scent registers and the dots connect. Bile rises in his throat, and he takes a step back, ears flattening. You — His hind legs seem to buckle beneath him. He sits abruptly, suddenly struggling to catch his breath, and for several minutes all he can do is watch her and try desperately to ignore the echo of Maman's scream all around him.