The Heartwood Snow Covered Pain

@Keyni | Reference Tag: @Ravaryn

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Howl had been to The Heartwood once before. The desolate forest free of vegetation and nearly devoid of all life. In the summer he had visited it last, the damage was clear and apparent to anyone that found their way within the woods. But now, covered in a layer of dense snow, the blackened scorched trees at a glance might look like any other winter tree having lost its leaves. Still, Howl knew, for the snow had recently changed him too.

Holding onto his last bit of hope weeks ago he had made a final effort to find Star and their children. It was the shortest outing he had been on trying to find them. In the midst, a blizzard rolled through and he took shelter, nothing he hadn't experienced before. But when he tried to return to Kaistleoki there was nothing there... Noone there... And along with his daughters, the blizzard had taken their scent and any tracks they would have left behind. He had cried and screamed at himself for hours on end hating himself for ever leaving their sides.

Now he wandered. Following the river down unsure of what to do or where to look. For all there was left to him to do was look, wander, search. Without his family, he had nothing else. Following the water, he recognized the trees despite their snow covering and understood their pain.