Redtail Rise I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears

Arielle knew he was there the second he stepped into the den. She wondered if saw their dead child already. She wondered if he would be angry with her. For a painful moment, she considered ordering him away, telling him to leave her alone. But she could never do that. Aside from the fact that she could never be someone who hurt Aves, she realized just how much she needed him there; she needed him always. 

But she couldn't move at first. She was too exhausted and too gripped by her sorrow and guilt to do anything other than lay there, a prisoner to her tears and emotions. One boy had been quiet and the other had filled the den with angry cries until thunder shook the ground beneath them and seemed to quiet him. She wanted to comfort them and revel in the knowledge that they were alive and well, but everything felt exhausting. She wished she could just sleep for days. 

Her mate's voice, quiet and gruff, made something spark within her. Some sliver of energy formed within her in that moment. She slowly lifted her head and looked at him. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She stared at him helplessly before finally looking towards the lifeless body of the first born. Tears flowed harder. I'm sorry, she told him, her voice shaky. She couldn't protect him from this loss, and it would only add to everything else that had been taken from him. Just like that the energy was gone and her head dropped to her paws again. Sleep evaded her still.