Chimera Fields Straight into the bar

What should he do? He'd heard some of the chaos -- like boom kind of thing -- but didn't know the specifics. He didn't have the spirit to adventure and see. And nobody came. Kyr had left... Maybe. She'd disappeared at that same time. Simmik. What did it all leave him with? It felt like things were dying. If he actually knew what all would happen, perhaps he'd think that really was the truth. Right now, his wandering was aimless. He felt he should do something, but wasn't sure what that actually was. He just wanted to fix things, but apparently people didn't want to have things fixed. They'd stopped trying. 

Though when he last ran into Hua, he might have been somewhat ruffled, at the time it might have been easily dismissed as just his panic over the search but now? There wasn't really an excuse any more, was there? He felt hollow, thinner, empty. Still unkempt. Things hadn't improved, so why should he? It was all very bleak.

finally, 1k :'P tags 4 reference 

The past few days had felt long, each second dripping by slowly. Huā felt she was suspended in that hourglass as the sand pooled around her, and she struggled to claw her way out of that sort of slow death. She hated being alone with time- it left her alone with her thoughts, too. Who remained on Moonspear's slopes was a mystery for now. She wanted to know, and yet was afraid to explore, to find out for herself. If there was something horrible to know... she didn't want to have to be the one to uncover it. Her trail leaned to Neverwinter instead... and though it was far from Moonspear, she felt herself getting sick with worry. It was hard to control paranoia once it struck. It enveloped her thoughts entirely, and Huā found her dark paws carrying her more hurriedly, as if by rushing she might be able to reverse time, and save Mal from whatever hypothetical disaster she had invented in her head. After all, she had never seen something that burned so brightly in the sky. The island had only been a neighbor to the rushing beam of light, and then it dissapeared into the mainland, but who knew how far the impact could travel, or what pathways it followed? All she knew was what @Kukutux had told her- the impact, at Moonspear. Wolves missing. Huā tried not to think about @Hydra . She had to be out there- she was one of the strongest women the empress knew; she could not imagine her being struck down in her good health and young age. 

She focused her energy of thought on Mal instead, and when she caught sight of him, she seemed to stumble in her step. He looked different. She thought of his bright smile and lively energy. He was like a shell now- messy fur, dull eyes. Less healthy. It was like he had aged a year in the time she hadn't seen him. She scampered, and then broke into a run, towards him, desperate. With her kids away visiting their aunt, he was the one steady ground she had in her life now besides Aiolos. Even her idol was missing from the mountain, and Huā hung onto her remaining security by a thread. Mal was that thread, and he looked very worn out. She paused before she reached him completely- she didn't feel right embracing him with an affectionate tackle in this state. Instead she delicately reached out, planting a confident kiss on his cheek before pulling away, and looking sadly into his eyes. You look... She began, and trailed into silence. He had to know how he looked, didn't he? She didn't want to say bad, or even different- they were true, but it wouldn't help to point out the obvious, nor kick him while he was down. Tell me... anything. She offered finally. Huā nudged him gently with her muzzle. It was pointless to ask what was wrong- there was so much on that list already, though somehow she knew there must be more.

Wooooo! :D

He didn't spot her immediately -- it was only her movement towards him that finally caught his attention. His ears pricked forward. Could the world be being kind for once?  Mal had been ground into the earth by life itself. So many had disappeared, Hua was one of the few remaining. He had wished she wasn't so far away, and now... There she was, coming towards him.

He tried to smile, Hua, his tail wagged heavily, glad for her touch, her presence. But that faded quickly as he answered, They're gone. More. Sullivan and Finin. And -- he cut off then for a moment, stepping forward to lick along her jaw, and tuck his face into the fur of her neck. And Simmik isn't coming back. She's -- she wants to stay with that monster. He couldn't expand on it right now, to say the full breadth of what she'd revealed. He'd tried so hard to keep his friend safe and she'd left. 

I can't... he wheezed, but didn't finish the sentence. He just couldn't. Period. He just couldn't and that fit for so many things. He needed Hua, and perhaps he did need her help to find his way out of the metaphorical weeds, he didn't know really how to ask, nuzzling her as if somehow that would both ask and express how despite his dour expression, he was happy to see her. Happy she was ok.

His tail wagged and he tried a smile but she could tell he was hurting. She frowned when he spoke. Whatever happiness had remained on her expression slipped away. She pressed her cheek against him, sorrowful. I'm... I'm so sorry.. they don't deserve... you too, you don't deserve this. She added. His poor children out there alone. Simmik, being puppeted into doing God knows what for that asshole and staying for some reasons the empress would never be able to understand. Her period as a victim had been nothing but hell and she had never wanted anything more at that time than escape and perhaps Simmik's experience wasn't as ruthless as the seawolf's had been but she knew what Donovan was capable of and it cast darkness over her heart. Huā wished it could end. It was Mal's pain but she felt herself drifting away with it. I can't, he said, and she murmured I know, and nudged at his shoulder. His touch was warm. For some long moments she just breathed him in and then after that she let out a heavy sigh. You should come with me. To Yuelong. Don't put up with all this pain any-more... please Once hoping that he'd satisfy her wish for now instead of trying to be strong any longer. The land wasn't safe she knew; time and time again disappearances and attacks proved such and it was where all the dark and evil things lived. She couldn't bear to keep seeing him crumble there and only able to comfort him with her embrace once every many weeks. She wondered dimly why if there were really Gods, why they would treat wolves like Mal like this. One loss was a lesson, five and six and seven and more was needless torture. Mal, with his good heart and shoulders heavy with the weight of everything he had borne until now and all the people he had protected the best he could. But nothing was ever enough and the cruel world tears them away from him regardless.

I will. He didn't really take time to think about it. Did he really need to? Not really. Because some part of him was afraid that if he didn't, Hua would be the next to disappear. He was afraid he'd end up alone. All he'd wanted was a family, and he felt like for some reason the world felt it necessary to tear it away from him. Maybe it was wrong of him to not ask about details, to work everything, but honestly he wasn't thinking that far ahead.

His ears were folded back against his head in a sort of surrender. Because at this point he didn't know what to do. He had tried, he had failed, and Hua was offering something that felt like an answer. Help. He tilted his head again to lick her chin, whining submissively at her, his tail tucking slightly. Mal was one who would quite happily do anything for the wolves he loved, but to top it off, right now he hoped Hua could somehow pull him out of the mess he was in. Save him, essentially. He'd pledge his loyalty to her in a heartbeat if she and the rest of his family would be safe. He wasn't quite a broken man, but he was certainly hurting. How much more could he take?