Aventus took up the rear, withdrawing into his skull to contemplate.
Next to Avicus and Merrick, the boy might appear indifferent to his mother's fate, but on the inside, he was grasping futilely at the black ribbons of his control. Within him there were gushing geysers of various emotions that he struggled to control. First was rage, that his mother would be the target of such horror. Most of them had done something to deserve it, but not Astara. Not since the birth of her children.
Guilt was a close second. It was not Aventus who first suggested leaving Bearclaw, but the Bruin-jaw had not argued, either. He took his father's word for gospel law and agreed. If they had never left, would this have happened? An impossible choice — he would have accepted the scarcity of prey and hardship for Ursus if it meant his mother lived.
Anguish, too, for the loss of an anchor in all their lives. Without Astara, Merrick would surely slip into violent madness, and Aventus believed his sister was made of the same unstable stuff as their father. Asperas was gone, but would have been the same. Astara was what kept them all afloat, and now Aventus felt like it would have to be his job, and he was not certain any of them would listen to him. In fact, he was sure they would not.
His breath cut sharply in his throat when they found the mangled remains of the queen of Ursus. He did not stumble forward to cry hoarsely as his father did, but he watched Merrick while his grief untangled itself in his belly, making his legs shake while his throat went dry. More than anything, he wanted to rush to his mother and press his face into her bloodied flanks, but he knew full well Merrick would tear his face off if he approached now. He would have to settle for the memories of her he began to access in his mind, one at a time, while he sank down within himself and became far away from all this.
His movements were rote as he began to inspect the area, finding tufts of white and brindled fur. No mistaking who those belonged to. With a wicked snarl, Aventus descended on the first clump of Nyra's fur he found — the scent was no longer recognized on account of his young age when last he encountered her, but who else could it be? She had always wanted a pound of flesh from Astara!
He was glad when Merrick stepped away and decided they would return with Astara's remains rather than storm the Saints right here and now. They needed time to plan, time to regroup. Gather the troops. No sense leaving anyone behind to defend their territory; they would either win or they would all die in the effort.
He snatched up clumps of her fur in his jaws, intent on bearing them back to Ursus, to show them all who their primary target must be. Aventus did not like Donovan, but he loathed Nyra, and she had done him dirty on two occasions now, if not including her arrogant smirking at Astara on first meeting. It must be her blood to paint the earth first. It must.
Next to Avicus and Merrick, the boy might appear indifferent to his mother's fate, but on the inside, he was grasping futilely at the black ribbons of his control. Within him there were gushing geysers of various emotions that he struggled to control. First was rage, that his mother would be the target of such horror. Most of them had done something to deserve it, but not Astara. Not since the birth of her children.
Guilt was a close second. It was not Aventus who first suggested leaving Bearclaw, but the Bruin-jaw had not argued, either. He took his father's word for gospel law and agreed. If they had never left, would this have happened? An impossible choice — he would have accepted the scarcity of prey and hardship for Ursus if it meant his mother lived.
Anguish, too, for the loss of an anchor in all their lives. Without Astara, Merrick would surely slip into violent madness, and Aventus believed his sister was made of the same unstable stuff as their father. Asperas was gone, but would have been the same. Astara was what kept them all afloat, and now Aventus felt like it would have to be his job, and he was not certain any of them would listen to him. In fact, he was sure they would not.
His breath cut sharply in his throat when they found the mangled remains of the queen of Ursus. He did not stumble forward to cry hoarsely as his father did, but he watched Merrick while his grief untangled itself in his belly, making his legs shake while his throat went dry. More than anything, he wanted to rush to his mother and press his face into her bloodied flanks, but he knew full well Merrick would tear his face off if he approached now. He would have to settle for the memories of her he began to access in his mind, one at a time, while he sank down within himself and became far away from all this.
His movements were rote as he began to inspect the area, finding tufts of white and brindled fur. No mistaking who those belonged to. With a wicked snarl, Aventus descended on the first clump of Nyra's fur he found — the scent was no longer recognized on account of his young age when last he encountered her, but who else could it be? She had always wanted a pound of flesh from Astara!
He was glad when Merrick stepped away and decided they would return with Astara's remains rather than storm the Saints right here and now. They needed time to plan, time to regroup. Gather the troops. No sense leaving anyone behind to defend their territory; they would either win or they would all die in the effort.
He snatched up clumps of her fur in his jaws, intent on bearing them back to Ursus, to show them all who their primary target must be. Aventus did not like Donovan, but he loathed Nyra, and she had done him dirty on two occasions now, if not including her arrogant smirking at Astara on first meeting. It must be her blood to paint the earth first. It must.
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
Messages In This Thread
the haunted palace - by Avicus - October 07, 2021, 09:45 AM
RE: the haunted palace - by Merrick - October 10, 2021, 09:12 PM
RE: the haunted palace - by Aventus - October 13, 2021, 11:04 AM
RE: the haunted palace - by Avicus - October 14, 2021, 04:13 PM