Blackfeather Woods Farewell

MANDATORY FOR ALL MEMBERS! 

@Akela @Potema @Damien @Cicero @Pietro @Nemesis @Cyn @Kove 

We will work in rounds. At the Alpha Den. Later, Burke and the pups will move to a new home at Spiderlings' Glen.  

Burke's sense of time had stopped running. This couldn't be happening. Meldresi and him were going to grow old together, become the most grumpy couple of old wolves. Now, his beloved mate was no more. Burke's pale eyes looked over her motionless body. Burke had often killed. He had seen motionless bodies but now, when it was one of his loved ones, it gave a whole different perspective. Burke's mind was spinning. Meldresi Melonii, the priestess of the Dark Brotherhood. She was the connection to Mephala and Sithis. Burke thought they blessed Meldresi with their two children, perhaps that was not true. Meldresi did spoke of a reason why she was ill but it blurred his mind. Meldresi' couldn't die. She saved his life too. Now she breathed out her last breath. 

Burke's heart ached. It started to worsen. His pale eye fell on his two children. A single father he was. Maybe Meldresi wasn't blessed but his two children. They were healthy and active. It seemed after Meldresi's return from the north she was never the same, she quickly turned ill after that. She kept it hidden from everyone. He knew about her feeling unwell, but he hadn't thought of it as so severe. His heart ached even more. He did everything he could as a mate. He was there for her daily, hunted for her and stood by her. These things all went through his mind, looping over and over. It was close to dawn once he snapped out of it. Maybe it was one of his young, or maybe the thought of them. How awful. How was he going to explain she died? "Say goodbye to your mother," he spoke shortly to the two of them. Burke moved forward too. He burred his face into her plush neck. "I will make sure you won't be forgotten," he whispered.

Burke pulled himself back moments later. Tears had not come yet, though for once his docked tail wasn't up and proud and his face betrayed his internal pain. He gave both of his children a reassuring lick. "Your mother has to sleep now. She won't wake up. One day you will understand," he spoke to them. He wasn't sure how much they would understand of it. "Come." Burke spoke after they said their goodbyes. He helped them into the tunnel that would get them outside. It was a bit of a ledge so it would be harder for them to climb over. Call it a child safety barrier. In the tunnel Burke guided them to the outside world. How strange was that going to be for them. So many big things happening in one day. Luckily Pietro and Kendra had each other to comfort and support. And their father would be there for them too. 

The heavy male stopped a meter outside the entrance of the Mephala's Web. He offered his children protection if they wanted to. The outside world was alien for them, and he wasn't sure how they would react. Was he going to give them an introduction what was going to happen? It might be better even if they didn't understand most of it. "I'm going to call the pack. Other wolves. They will want to say goodbye to your mother too. Daddy staying here with you. Always," he explained to the both of them. Panic was rushing through his body, something he rarely felt. Though the male, as always, showed his calm stoic face to the outside world. He threw his head back filling the dark forest with the most saddened and heartbreaking howl. It wasn't a short summoning howl like he normally would do to call his members. The seriousness became more and more evident the longer the deep and heavy tones continued. The pack-members would feel the sorrow. It was demanded they would come for this tragic event.

A howl, carrying sorrow unlike anything Damien had seen before rose in the darkness filling the cold. It was Burke summoning the pack, and the severity in his call was too serious to ignore. Something wasn't right.

Damien dropped what he was doing without thinking twice. He had been around the forest more now that things with Burke had been cleared out, but had it been a mistake? Damien rushed through the trees, this time not minding his stealth, just running to get to Burke as fast as he could. And when he did, somethingwas clearly wrong. He had taken the pups out of the den, but mother wasn't with him.

Damien looked at Burke's cold eyes. They were usually serious and alive, but today they could not carry any more sadness. "What happened?" asked Damien, "Where's my mother?" he demanded, but before Burke could give an answer Damien rushed into the Kepp and into the Alpha's den, only to see the most devastating scene in his life.

"Mother?" called Damien softly. He approached slowly and sniffed around Meldresi's neck. Then his nose touched her face, it was so cold. "Mother?" he said, this time with anguish making his voice shake.

His mother did not respond.

And Damien realized that she wouldn't respond ever again. His mother had died.

Damien stood there, in silence, eyes fixed on his mother's still silhouette. He did not know how to function anymore.

A howl rang out across the forest, one filled with pain unlike any others. She would never forget the ache in her heart or the sorrow it felt for years to come, for no pain like it had ever touched her soul. Something split her ice cold heart to it's core, like her very moral code was shattering into something she couldn't contain. The sky was dull, a darkened gray as if it could tell the nature of loss. Something had happened, something that would shape the course of Blackfeather, something that would break them down bit by bit until only an empty shell remained. 

Her leg carried her faster than ever before as she raced towards Burke, not thought on her mind but the darkened desperation that circled her heart. Somehow she knew, like the forest had mimicked what was happening. 

Her paced slowed, reaching the Alpha and his kin as something foul churned in her stomach. One whiff of her nose confirmed the untamable sadness that sunk into her soul. Meldresi. She struggled to contain her stomach as the thought of her priestess gone made her want to cough up everything she had eaten before. The Dark Queen had fallen, and no matter how much she wanted to deny it, nothing could bring her back. Her ears lowered in somber silence as she waited back from the family gathering, only letting out a pained whine. This was a time for their grief, and adding her's didn't help anyone. She would do what she could in the background, like she had promised Meldresi.

The first glimpse of the Queen was the hardest, as she roughly swallowed away the beginnings of a miserable tear. Never was she sentimental but a part of her soul mourned for the children, the pups that would never know their mother. That's what made her ice crack, the selfless feelings she had for the others that would not be fully repaired by the loss.

The last few weeks had been lost to Cicero; he did not remember what had happened, or what he had done. When he had awakened it was with the smell of blood in his nostrils and dead animals in his teeth, torn beyond recognition. Cicero did not remember killing them or shredding them apart; but Damien and another pack mate, Nemesis, had been there. He had not shared this information with anyone; he was not proud of the time he had forgotten, and as for the encounter with the foxes, Cicero simply pretended he did it to help Damien. Maybe those lost days would return to Cicero eventually.

His own worries were easily shed when he was faced with the death of his mother. Damien's voice captivated Cicero's attention before he arrived at the Alpha den, his pleas falling to deaf ears, and at that moment Cicero already knew what had transpired. Sadness fell over him, a sad expression tugging his face down as he lingered outside of the den. It would not do to cluter, and so Cicero waited outside of the den for Damien, so that he could offer his brother physical and emotional comfort. Meanwhile, he glanced at Burke, silently offering him condolences as well with a sad expression on his face.

All life passed, and it seemed that Mephala had come to claim that of his mother. Even if it was all part of this world, Cicero could not help but feel sad anyway.

Death was something unknown to a child. To grasp it, to understand it, was difficult. It was with a child innocence that Kendra looked at her father, really not understanding what it meant that her mother no longer was. She was more thrilled about going outside, now that she could walk and somewhat see and hear and take it all in. Instinct maybe had worked its fingers around her mind, unconsciously cutting the link with her mother before she would feel the deep wound and emptiness the others were now feeling. She knew her mother through comfort and life sustenance, not much more. She was nice , gave great baths and told stories Kendra couldn't grasp either, she'll miss that if what her father said was true, that she would not wake up. Crawling outside, she remained in her bubble, bothering Pietro by her father's legs until other wolves came. That caught her attention. One that just went straight for their home, one that remained further away and one that came and had funky eyes. She remained stiller, feeling the negative and numb energy going on and understood that this was no game time, however, curiosity took over and after looking at Pietro, she stretched her neck and moved her nose towards the next wolf , which was Cicero. The blood was something that she was drawn too, since it meant food, and he smelled of that , and he also smelled different too, but familiar at the same time. Stretching her neck like that, she almost fell over, but caught herself just in time to make another step to her older brother, who she did not know was her older brother.

Cyn ran fast, almost too fast. She shot out of the surrounding flora and had tears running down her face. She could smell death all around here and sorrowful sobs from the area. Her leg had healed and now was much better than before, but she had the slightest of limps that might've gone away over time or could be permanent. The older female wolf was down on the ground with a blank look in her eye. Not even the gods could know how sad she was.

Things are changing. His mind is developed enough to recognize this and he is old enough to witness it and know it has occurred, but Pietro isn't old enough to understand it. His gaze is fixed on the still body of his mother and the hunched form of his father as he stands, wavering ever-so-slightly, near Kendra in the dark of the den. His ears prick forth when Burke's voice fills the desolate air with a command that he dare not disobey. Pietro is an obedient boy by nature, but his father's tone is also different and compels him forward.

Mimicry is beginning to define the young Blackfeather pups and Pietro excels at it. "Aayyyeeeee," he says quietly to Meldresi in an attempt to copy Burke's words. She cannot hear him and cannot respond, which makes him feel weird. A day ago she was here, and now she was sleeping, forever. Burke confirms this by explaining that Meldresi has to sleep now, and Pietro nods mutely, though he doesn't really understand. He knows these words, but he doesn't comprehend their deeper meaning.

Come, says the father, and Pietro follows. His thin tail whips side to side. It's inappropriate for the event, but he doesn't know. He seeks Kendra with a nip that's almost playful, falters in the tunnel to look back—what about mother, his hesitance seems to ask—but then he follows along, and all of Burke's sorrow, the heaviness of moments before, is lost to him.

They struggle over a ledge, and then the tunnel lightens. A breath of fresh air hits him in the face and he works his nose furiously to take it in. He remains hidden in the tangle of Burke's legs, and only ventures forth with a surge of anxiousness when Kendra leads the way. She approaches Cicero, but Pietro hangs back behind her with baby blue eyes wide with both curiosity and uncertainty. The wolf who rushes past them into the den causes him to flinch away nervously, but Damien is gone in that next moment. The others who arrive received the same nervousness from the young prince.

I forgot to mention; Round 2 starts the 16th of November

Burke knew that this was a big step for both his children, and he was more than ready to be there for them. It was clear that Pietro was more hesitant compared to Kendra, but as he predicted where one would go the other would follow. The howl sounded and it was Damien who arrived first. It was most difficult to watch. Burke didn't enjoy it. He let Damien mourn by himself. Nemesis followed, looking just as sad. Then Cicero came. Burke nodded to Cicero in return, thanking him for the condolences. He did the same to the quiet boy, the same sad glance. "You can go to in after Damien. All will have time to say their farewell," he spoke, the last sentence more a general notice.

He then watched Kendra approaching Cicero. It was cute to see, followed by Pietro. Burke watched their children. Both had blue eyes now, he wondered if they would go to Meldresi's indigo blue or to his pale blue eyes. He looked up at Cyn and Nemesis, then to Cicero. "These little ones are Pietro and Kendra, our children," he then introduced them to the pack members who were currently there. He watched them with a hint of pride though there was some sadness in his glance. His pale eyes turned to Nemesis and Cyn. Hopefully one of the two would pick up the task in becoming a babysitter. Burke still had to run a pack.

Potema already knew what was to happen. She had already mourned - she was still mourning, but she was afraid. She was afraid of how her brothers would react. They had just come back and now their mother was dead.

She stood, a white shadow, in the undergrowth, watching silently as her family and her pack came one by one to say farewell to the Priestess, the Dark Queen, Meldresi Melonii. Her heart broke time and time again, first cracking when Burke called for the wolves, then shattering when she heard her brother Damien's wail.

Potema wondered what her brothers would say when they would be losing her too. She was sure to come back, but the double loss must be heart-breaking. She knew it was for her.

Her mother had given her a final instruction, a recommendation for her gift to the witches and priests at Hag Fen: a few of her bones. Bones, especially those of powerful priests like her mother, made powerful charms. A charm that, she herself, might use for spells in the future, but Potema worried not about her progress. She only dwelled on the death of her mother and the loss of her family. That was all that mattered now.

He had come, yet not directly. He knew that howl too well, for he had done one similar. Over the past weeks, he had felt the area of the den becoming sour. As if death was lingering there. He had not said a word about it, nor asked Burke. He has just waited, hoping that experience was not going to tell him right. He ached for Burke. He knew what it meant to lose a mate, even if he did not have pups to care for. Lingering further away from the pack, he felt as intruding in the sorrow and grief. He felt detached, knowing he would appear cold for not expressing what the others were showing on their faces, but Akela was a secretive person, never really expressing anything but a playful and strange smile. His face did not do so now, of course, and it took him willpower to get closer. He remained out of it, despite being within the reach of everyone's eye now. His mission was to guard now, watch over those poor wolves until this was over, and then probably help Burke move the body...well, if the older kids allowed it, after all, he was the stranger here, one that only recently arrived. He did not seek Burke's eye contact, the alpha would feel his presence by his side eventually and Akela would do as Burke would command.

Late to the party, I know. Been busy.

It was not the howl breaking through the silence of the woods that urged him to respond, nor was it the command behind it, but the meaning of the sound itself. The sorrow that surged within it was easily detectable, prompting the Inuit to rise and answer with his presence. He knew not of the sickness that had befallen the Queen, her ability to keep it hidden having surpassed his knack for picking up on things. Somehow, though, he knew why he was being called—why the pack was being called. He’d known before he’d even arrived at the scene, a twisting sensation in his core telling his subconscious all it needed to know. When something like a death hits, however, grief was always right there along with it, clouding one’s mind and filling it with delusions. Perhaps it is a dream, the mind might argue, and the heart believes it. All sorts of ideas, both logical and not, filled his thoughts, giving him all sorts of reasons as to why the pack was summoned. The lesser regions of his mind knew the truth, but he was not ready to believe them. Not ready to be informed of the tragedy that had struck. Ignorance is bliss, after all, but turning a blind eye can only last for so long.

Kove hovered in the background of things, eyes drifting from one body to the next, but the priestess could not be located. He knew, then, what had happened. He accepted what had happened, but also could not stand it. He knew Meldresi to be older, but not so much so that he found it acceptable for her to be taken away. Life, death… one cannot exist without the other, the Inuit knew that, but thinking that way did little to ease the pain he felt. She was his Queen, the ruler of Blackfeather Woods and the first leader he’d pledged his allegiance to without being born into it. Now, though, she was dead. He could not bring himself to care as the children were introduced, just barely catching their names, for his focus lied elsewhere. They were the last of the Queen’s children, and he knew he should pay attention simply because of that, but he could not. Instead, his fiery gaze remained locked upon the entrance that hid her body away, legs unable to move any closer.

Alexander did not often understand the meaning within certain howls, but that was mainly because he just didn’t give a damn. He responded when it was urgent, when the situation absolutely needed his presence, but that was about it. That being said, it was no surprise when his first thought was to ignore the call of the leader, and he’d just about did exactly that, too. There was sorrow in the voice that reached through the woods, but the child was unresponsive to it. Empathy was something he didn’t possess, or perhaps had yet to develop. So, he remained in his spot, ready to head back to sleep, until steps caught his attention. It was not just any wolf going by, but his father. Curious, he rose from his makeshift bed, gave a light shake, and then took off after the elder wolf.

When Kove came to a stop, Xan did as well. He found himself drifting closer to the others while his father hung back, uncertain of what was going on. Death was not something he’d been introduced to directly before, save for the times he’d caught voles and the sort. It was new to him, as well as entirely unknown. He didn’t even know, yet, what had happened, or why everyone was gathered together without Meldresi. “Where’s Meldresi?” the boy questioned, brows knitting together in obvious confusion. He’d caught onto the somber mood of the atmosphere, but even still, he could not deny himself a direct answer. From how the woman had been spoken of, one might think her immortal, so to think her dead was impossible. Xan didn’t want to think such terrible thoughts, he didn’t want to learn of the balance in the world or be forced to comply with it. All he wanted was for things to stop changing around him so drastically, and for that to happen, he had to believe the dark wolf was alive and well, but running a bit late. That had to be the answer to his question, he knew it would be. Still, he waited for his beliefs to be confirmed, for his mind to be assured—things that would never happen.

Next Round starts next Monday the 23th, which involves the move of Meldresi's body to Red Grove, so make your wolf say their farewells in their next post. 

Burke watched as more members came, Potema of course knew about the whole ordeal. He figured she would come. She was followed by Akela and not very much later Kove and his pup joined. That was mostly everyone he believed. The large male watched all their expressions. Xan even voiced out loud where Meldresi was, like he even personally knew her. Maybe everything about that kid was annoying the male. Luckily for Kove and Xan Burke had come to his senses. He wasn't going to kick out the both of them since they could be useful in the end. Only could really ruin it for them really. But Burke had a few ideas how to keep the pup busy and out of his sight.

Burke looked over the members that were still there. "Take your turns to say goodbye. After that we will move her body," he spoke to the members of Black Feather. He would later explain where and why they would move her into the open air. Instead of burying her and waiting for the female to reveal her bones Burke came up with another way to do that. In the heart of the territory, Red Grove, her flesh would feed the ravens that lived in their forest. They will pick er bones clean for BFW to display her bones to future generations. Burke turned to the pup with the red eyes and then looked at Kove, eying at him to explain it to his son himself why Meldresi wasn't there.

Damien had been struck hard by the unexpected. It felt, indeed, like Meldresi was in fact immortal even to him, but reality was hard on the hopeful. Perhaps it was time for Damien to let that go as well. He would not have his mother anymore to guide him, he would have to find his own way in life, and right now it was very clear what he had to do.

The eldest brother decided that Grieving Meldresi would only slow him down in life. It had been a risk to breed at such an advanced age, he knew it, Meldresi knew it, and these were the consequences. She would be missed, her words would be remembered, only her physical form was not going to move among them anymore.

In silence, Damien said farewell to his mother. She would pass to another plane now, where she would surely be closer to Mephala's realm, and there she would be of more use than up here where the bodies are vulnerable. After a moment of silence on his own, Damien came out of the den to give space for the rest of the pack to pay their respects, and slowly moved towards his brother to licked his face, and then Potema's. They were his world now. But in his rush, Damien had missed the twins which had been taken out to the open for the first time. He had not interacted with them yet, but they too, made part of his little world from this moment forward.

Damien looked at Kendra, who was inspecting Cicero's paws curiously, and licked her forehead cautiously. Then he did the same with Pietro, who was a little more nervous than his sister. This was him telling them that he would be their warden no matter what.

Cicero said his goodbyes in silence, too. It worried him a little, the small sorrow he felt. It felt like it was surrounded by a crust of darkness, as if he could not quite access his grief. When Damien came over to lick him, Cicero briefly rubbed the side of his head against Damien's. He longed for more, and almost did he suggest they go somewhere else together, but he was distracted by the soft touch of hairs to his paw.

Cicero looked down upon his younger sister. She seemed to care little, still small and driven by instinct and survival. It was strange to think she would not even really know her own mother growing up. Cicero moved his nose down to the ground and licked the top of her head. He would be there for Kendra and Pietro when needed.

Her voice was still silent as she entered the the den. The stench of death filled her nose stronger than she had ever smelt before. Maybe it was now that she recognized death as an actual thing instead of a casual mishap along the way. Now, it was so much more real and so much more scary. 

And she was right, the first glance was the hardest. She would never cry but the sight of the fallen Dark Queen made her choke on the air she was breathing. Swallowing heavily, she lowered her head as she silently prayed to Mephala that Meldresi be sent to a Void of peace where she would reign for the rest of eternity. It seemed only right that she carried out what Meldresi had taught her, that everyone deserved to find peace. 

Retreating out of the den, she took one last glance at the motionless feature of the Priestess. Her eyes were unapproachable, her whole body rigid and without her usual demeanor. No quarrels would she start today not threats to be made. This was the day the forest mourned, for life and for death. She had barely noticed the pups not too far awa only acknowledging their presence with a sad look of sorrow. They would never know their mother or her salvation to them. They would never fully know, and that's what made her sad.

Potema was numb. She barely realized it when her eldest brother stepped forward and gave her an affectionate lick. Her body jolted and she blinked, quickly returning the action as Damien walked towards their younger siblings. She took this opportunity to give her mother one last physical goodbye. Her body would be moved and given to the birds and it would be the last time she would ever see her body in its natural form. She needed to take this opportunity.

The White Princess (for there was a Black-furred one now), stepped into the darkness where her mother lay. It reeked, but she paid it no mind. She approached the body with a religious reverance; this was the woman who taught her everything she knew. Not even the witches Meldresi was sending her to could replace that in her heart, no matter what kind of power they taught her.

Potema pressed her head against Meldresi's cold shoulder, burying her face into the crook of her neck. She murmured something quietly to herself and to Meldresi, before pulling away and taking one last look. "May the Dread Lord Sithis embrace you in the Void, Mother, and reunite you with all of our fallen Brothers and Sisters." The prayer over, she exited her mother's home, her first home, and stood by her younger siblings. She didn't look at them, only waiting for Burke to signal them to bring Meldresi to Redgrove.

Cyn bowed her head and said a goodbye to the deseased one. She said a silent prayer too while listening to the other one. She shook her tears away and decided she would have to tell Burke soon about the voice, as soon as she was sure that he was finally at peace with the death of his mate. She didn't hear the voice for once, it was silent. Her thoughts had disappeared too, leaving her feeling helpless.

She took shaking breaths as she felt the cold tears go down her eyes. She shook the tears away once again and in a rush she remembered every time the alpha's mate was mentioned. She closed her eyes and sat down a couple of feet away from the rest of the group. She felt lonely once again, but this time it wasn't for a mate or anything like that. She felt a loneliness that everything around her was slowly going away and the picture she had in her head when she had joined BFW was the polar opposite of what she was experiencing now.

Kove waited for his turn to give his farewells, though the longer he spent standing in place, the heavier his legs became. It felt as if he was being weighed down with boulders, though he knew what it truly was—grief. Already he was making his way through the stages of grief, but it was not something so easily done. In truth, he’d rather tie the feelings down somewhere until they could dissolve, but something stopped him from doing so. Meldresi was the Queen of the woods, forever and always, even in death. She deserved the mourning of those who knew her, and the Inuit would not deprive her spirit of that. So when his time to move finally came around, he pushed his legs to go forward, avoiding the question asked by his son. The boy would know as soon as he saw her, and while the shock of such a thing would surely have an effect on him, the elder believed it to be for the best.

Entering the space housing the woman’s body, he approached her slowly with his head low and ears back. Though her soul was no longer bound to flesh on earth, his loyalty to her did not falter. He kept himself lowered as he silently gave thanks to her. He was grateful for all she’d done, as well as all she’d left behind. Then there came his farewells, which were more difficult to get through, but he’d eventually managed to do so. Afterwards, he exited the den, passing by his child on the way out. Kove’s entire demeanor seemed to droop as he settled a short distance off once more, eyes skimming over the faces of everyone else, before settling back upon the darkened entrance. He remained there, waiting for his son to finish with his goodbyes, and for Burke to give out the order to proceed with the next step. The idea of moving her body seemed disrespectful, but he knew the grey man would never doing anything of the sort towards Meldresi. Thus, he swallowed what opinions he had and continued to wait, still reeling over the sudden loss of the priestess.

Xan’s question was met with silence, managing to both annoy and worry him. Deep down, he knew the answer, but refused to accept it. He didn’t want to accept it, to accept that the Queen had fallen. When his father moved, he followed suit, but did not enter the den right away. He hung back, something in the back of his mind telling him not to intrude. The reasoning behind it was a mystery, but he did not question it. For once, he accepted something right away, and kept himself back until the ghostly form of the elder reemerged from the darkness. With him came the scent of death, confirming what the boy refused to acknowledge, and tugging at his stomach. He felt ill from sorrow, but even so, did not deny himself the opportunity to give his own goodbyes. It took him a second to get his body to move, and when it finally did, his legs were stiff and movements rigid. Still, he managed to enter the space and set his gaze upon the woman’s remains, eyes wide and tail hanging low.

Slowly, and carefully, he approached her, then settled onto his haunches once close enough. He could do little more than stare at her, having been sent into a shocked state. “Painnguk,” he said, voice hardly anything above a whisper. “Taima, Atanik Meldresi.” With that, the boy turned and exited the space, head low as he moved towards his father. He did not know how to react just yet, and so for the remainder of the time he stayed silent. Xan still didn’t want to believe that she was actually dead, but he was not one to deny facts, and he’d seen her lifeless body just moments ago. Things would be different without her around, he was sure of that. For better or for worse, however, he did not know.

Next Round starts next Monday the 30th

Burke watched every single member go inside and say their farewell. No one seemed to speak. Every wolf did express their grief in a different way and Burke wasn't going to question them about it. The widower wasn't crying himself either which didn't mean he wasn't sad. Burke was heartbroken but he felt like he needed to be strong. He wanted to keep his calm mask so no one would question that they weren't safe in his paws. He had been there as the alpha for awhile, but Meldresi was the driving force. Now the queen was no more.

Burke cleared his throat. "If some would help me," he spoke calling for a few pack members. The alpha had a lump in his throat as he walked back inside. He would need to get Meldresi slumped on his back, and maybe even needing to have a pair of wolves next to him so she wouldn't slip off. Red Grove wasn't that far away from here, that would be her final resting place before they could use her bones. Once he got her onto his back with the help of his members Burke started to carefully walk towards the grove. His eye on his two smaller children to see if they were following.

Once they reached Red Grove Burke lowered her with such care in each movement that she gently fell against the ground in the middle of the red heart of Black Feather. Burke's heart was beating fast, his facial expression surprisingly sad. He searched out Kendra and Pietro, having them close to him before speaking. "Before us lies Meldresi Melonii. Not only a mother to her children but also the Mother of Black Feather and Queen of us all. We will let the Crows and Ravens of Black Feather Woods feast on her flesh so her bones will be revealed. May she rest in peace and look down on us with peace in her mind." Burke spoke his final words. "I want to close off Red Grove while Meldresi is resting here. No one is allowed in Red Grove until we can collect her bones. I hope that is clear for everyone." This way the birds wouldn't be disturbed and no one had to see her half eaten body. 

"Before we sing our howls of farewell maybe some last prayer from our Priest," he spoke and then looked at Kove. Before leaving he had followed lessons with Meldresi to become the priest of his own pack. Burke wasn't at a good place with Kove, but since the man was the only Dark Brother with a sense of Priesthood Burke was willing to lay his difference aside for a moment to honor his mate. After all that was what she would have wanted, for Burke to find peace with Kove.

Damien could feel all the sorrow pouring out of their skin. It was hard looking at them and not bursting into tears, but he could not give in to desperation. Damien had to be the strong one, he was always the strong one. For Potema, for Cicero, for the twins, and even for Burke, who was the spine and bones of Blackfeather Woods, Damien needed to remain strong.

One by one, each of the members of Blackfeather Woods took it's turn to express their admiration and farewells to their dark queen. There was no denying that Meldresi was a woman who inspired others, each in it's own mysterious way, and all in great depth. She had shown all of them to channel their darkness for bigger things, and all were grateful to her. Damien only hoped that loyalty also accounted for the pack as it was without Meldresi.

Burke instructed the pack to aid him in carrying Meldresi's body to redgrove, where the ravens would feed on Meldresi's flesh to reveal her bones. A shrine would be made out of them, a place for Blackfeather Woods to remember their queen and admire her greatness. Damien helped put his mother's body on top of Burke's gently. Her cold touch made Damien's chest ache, but he pushed himself through it. He also helped putting her down, and when Burke spoke, his gaze was fixed on his mother's form, surrounded by bright red. It looked like the perfect place for her to rest, it felt right to see her there. It gave him a little bit of peace, something he needed.

PP Kendra with it

Akela remained quiet.  He did only paid his respect when Meldresi's body was already on Burke's back.  While he moved away with Damien.  He took upon himself to stay with the young. They didn't need to be witness of this. He got closer to the pups, while  Kendra was getting acquianted with Cicero, already happily licking him back and playing with his paw, biting on it slightly. When she realized her father was moving, she wanted to follow, but Akela did not let her. He nudged her back gently, and got her to focus on something else while the others left for Redgrove. The upcoming weeks would be hard on all , and Akela would have much more work with Burke being occupied being a father.

I have no idea what I’m doing, w h o o p s.

When the time had come to relocate the Queen’s body, Kove had approached with the intention to assist. He remained close to the charcoal wolf, eyes never straying from the woman’s body that rested across his back. He made certain to keep near, ready to offer himself up for cushioning if she were to slip from his hide. In his mentally defeated state, he felt it was the most he could do, not trusting his legs to aid well in the actual carrying of her. He wanted to, and would have in a heartbeat, but he’d much rather watch closely than risk dishonouring her by allowing his legs to buckle beneath her weight. During the entire walk, he remained close, his senses narrowed in solely on the forms before him. He could not spare even a glance at the others as they all moved forward, not wanting to miss fulfilling the purpose he’d set upon himself for the trek to Redgrove.

Once they’d arrived, he couldn’t refrain himself from hovering as the woman was set down to touch the earth. He knew Burke would not drop her, but he couldn’t keep himself back. He’d been loyal to her since the very beginning, so to leave her side simply because he was confident in the abilities of another was impossible. It could have very well been her own children carrying her and setting her down, and he still would have kept himself near enough to watch over it all. He had to force himself to take a few steps back when the tank started speaking, though he was able to catch only about half of what he was saying. His reasoning for bringing her body there, what would happen when the deed was done, and the tidbit about the grove being closed off. He caught enough to piece it all together, but just barely. Usually, Kove was one to listen and observe, to see through those around him and get down to the hidden meanings behind their words. This time around, however, he could just barely catch the upfront meanings. Everything seemed to come together into a giant, jumbled mess within his mind, his entire being frazzled by the pack’s loss. By his loss.

The words directed towards him were nearly missed, a small nudge from his son being the only thing saving him from ignoring it all. He offered a stiff nod to his fellow Dark Brother, before stepping forward in order to share some final words. “Some of you have not been here for very long, have not known Meldresi for very long, but it's impossible to deny the effect she’d had on all of our lives no matter how short the time spent with her may have been. We have all gathered here today in order to honour the life she’d had, but also to honour the new life she’s been given through death. While she no longer will be allowed to walk among all of us, she will live on in the Void, and continue to live in accordance with Sithis and Mephala. Her physical form can never take another breath, but she will live on for generations to come through the Dark Brotherhood and Blackfeather Woods, the families she will always be a part of.” He stopped, briefly, allowing himself an intake of air. “Let us remember her for what she was—no, for what she is—our Queen, our Priestess, and to some, our Sister. A mother and a wife with the power of millions. Blackfeather Wood’s Meldresi Melonii, may she always be remembered.” At the end of it, he gave a dip of his head, bowing down to the woman for one last time.

last round!

Burke was quite impressed with the speech their new priest spoke. He couldn't deny that Kove did a goo job today. Burke wanted to put him on the spot but the ghost did well. After his speech he gave Kove a nod of appreciation. He wanted to say with Meldresi but that would mean that the scavengers wouldn't really start eating her flesh. The whole point of her move would be useless. He also remembered he had children to look after. Burke looked at all of them with a glance. Eyes surprisingly empty. "Let us all remember," he spoke his final words and then went to his children that Akela so kindly held back.

Burke's heart was aching and he was pretty use that it wouldn't go over very soon. He blamed himself for feeling this. It was what happened when you loved, hearts would be broken. It was the reason he never wanted to love anyone before. But who was he kidding. He was too deeply rooted into Black Feather now. He loved his children, he loved even the ones that weren't of his blood. He cared for the pack too. He couldn't really abandon them now Meldresi was gone. Burke sealed his hurt off, he had to look strong and reliable for the pack. Why would they otherwise trust him to lead this pack well? No he had to remain resolute and focus on the work that needed to be done.