Redsand Canyon The Grey

Khalys had been doing very little as of late. Her fur hadn't been groomed in nearly two weeks; she had bad matting in her fur, mostly on her face, neck, and chest. Kailoh had always liked to groom her there, and since his death, she just hadn't been able to face it yet. She was clearly not doing well, but at least she was out of her den. Though it was mostly overcast, eventually the sun would poke through, warming her slightly. At the moment, she was snoozing just outside of her den, trying to absorb what light she could, while she could.

Many things were afoot in Mereo lately, yet Towhee found herself thinking of only two things these days: @Ruenna’s pregnancy and her own. There was no way of telling if she’d conceived yet—she marveled at Aquene’s confidence in her own early diagnosis—but her friend would be delivering any day now. Sensing it, the Redhawk spent a lot of time standing guard outside the palazzo, when she wasn’t inside, conferring with the Matrona.

Her legs were beginning to feel stiff this afternoon, so she decided to go for a brief walk, just looping around the housing. She didn’t get very far before spotting Alys slumped just outside one of the Plebians’ apartments. Towhee slowed, frowning. She had heard about the woman’s situation and could not help but think of Asterism Grove’s similar fate. Of course, nobody had lost a mate and litter in one fell sweep during that landslide…

Alys, Towhee said as she approached, trying to keep her voice low, though she never quite succeeded. Volume control was beyond her. I heard what happened. I’m sorry for your losses, Towhee said with true empathy, mind wandering now to Blackbird, Butterfly and even Marten, though she drew in a sharp breath and exhaled, pushing those thoughts away to focus on the newest Plebian.

Khalys stirred upon hearing her name, and she blinked blearily a few times, before her pale yellow gaze refocused on Towhee's form. The other woman offered her apologies, and Khalys nodded, swiftly blinking back tears. "Thank you... It's been very hard. But... at least I woke up today. I even got out of bed... sort of. And it's Khalys, now, in honor of Kailoh." She grimaced slightly, then sighed, trying and failing to push down the well of darkness within her at the thought of her dead mate. Khalys forced herself into a half-sit, becoming distinctly aware again of how far she'd let herself go. She didn't even recall the last time she'd eaten.

“I even got out of bed…” The words stirred an old, aching memory for Towhee. She had collapsed beside Tailfeather Creek for who knew how many days following her miscarriage, losing all sense of time. She had pulled herself together eventually, just as Alys—Khalys, now—was doing. Yes, she certainly empathized.

Is there anything I can do for you? Would you like me to find you something to eat? the Praefectus offered as Khalys sat up, orange eyes moving from head to toes, then up to her face again. You should eat something, she said a little more decisively, though she waited for an answer.

Khalys forced a small, wry smile at Towhee's words, then she sighed and nodded, saying, "Yes, I know,  you're right... I just... I have no appetite." A rough swallow, then she forced herself to stand on slightly shaky legs. She was a pitiful sight, for sure. Looking to the older woman, she asked throatily, "How... how long will all this last?" Then, a bitter laugh, "Does grief even have a timeframe?" How long would she have to endure this vast emptiness within?

I get it, Towhee said without elaborating, but I’m sure your mate wouldn’t want you to waste away, Al—Khalys. You have to live in honor of his memory and all that. And no, she added with a slight frown, it’s very personal. But don’t worry about that. Just take it one day at a time. I’m going to go fetch some meat.

She turned on a heel and marched away, returning about a quarter of an hour later with a limp rabbit in her jaws. Towhee set it gently on the ground at Khalsys’s feet, then took a seat. She was no counselor, though she was unfortunately quite experienced in this department and could hopefully offer a bit more guidance.

Just do your best to eat some, maybe a couple bites every hour. You’ll feel better after, trust me.