The Heartwood Pouliá

Set three days after the previous thread with @Chickadee. <3

Nothing mattered, once he had crossed the borders of the vale for the last time. Not the look on his mother’s face, not the disappointment in her voice, not the hurt that he knew she would feel. It did not matter because he could not allow it to matter. Emotion was weakness, he thought. Love was a weakness and a plague on the heart.

Across the flatland and to the woods, Antigone trekked on hurried paws. He would be slightly early for his meeting with Sorcha. He thought of the girl he had made a promise to. He considered that he did not have a plan for where they might go or if she was worthy of his trust. Though he did not want to admit it, Sorcha had won him over with her desire to leave home. He felt they were kindred.

Near the place where he had made his vow to her, Antigone slumped into the snow.

He didn’t know when the tears started falling. He only knew that they were cold.