Meadowlark Prairie i watch the colored animals across the floor

before her alone could merrick give vent to the tangled roil of emotions in his soul; dark shoulders begin to quiver, bitter salt falling to earth. "i've never been scared like that," he whispered in a dull croak, lifting a tear stained face to his lover.
"i don't want to do this again without you." perhaps that was his punishment: near death at the hands of a kill. lips trembled.
"the man had a son and a daughter. the son is dead. should be," he minced in a monotone. "and the daughter — i want her too."