Once Upon a Bed of Clover (closed)

[Rykett]

Mysti:

Savu’s voice said her name from what felt like a mile away. He had no magical answer to Mysti’s desperate question. There wasn’t anything she could do. Jekyll was gone and Mysti couldn’t do a thing. She couldn’t even let go of his lifeless body with she still clutched in her paws. Savu apologized. What was he apologizing for? He’d done nothing. It was all Mysti’s fault. She looked back on her life and there was always something she could’ve done to avoid all the misfortunes. Savu gently pushed her away from the corpse and Mysti finally released it. She watched, numbly as Savu dug a grave. Her shell-shocked mind barely comprehended what the hole was for.

Pulled herself onto shaking feet, she stood. Mysti padded slowly towards Savu as he beckoned her. Her head lowered as she stared down into where Jekyll would be laid to rest forever. He almost looking asleep, lying on his weedy mattress. A single clover peeped from amongst the hastily gathered plants. Mysti wanted to believe that Jekyll would wake up, that he'd jump to his paws and smile at her. The moment the earth enveloped him, she'd never seen him again and whatever futile hope she irrationally held that he lived would be extinguished. Still, Mysti forced herself to push the dirt onto that fragile body. Pawful by pawful, Jekyll disappeared from view. Mysti felt like crying again, but she'd already cried away all her tears. She leaned against Savu. He was all she had. "I wish things were different," she spoke softly almost inaudibly, "I don't know if I can keep going when the wolves I love keep dying." Rain softly began to drip from the sky as if the world had caught onto the despair of the moment.

[Deleted]

Savu didn't know how to react. All he knew is that he had to stay by Mysti. She wouldn't survive another heartbreak. She needed him more than ever before. The big grey make tentatively pushed his big head over hers, prompting her to lean against his chest. He knew he needed to say something to her, but he couldn't find the right words to give her. "Mysti.....we have to move on. For him." Savu began, struggling to keep his voice steady. "He would want us to be happy, he just wants us to be proud of him. And...we are. Jekyll, I am proud of you." Savu pressed a paw into the moist dirt covering the grave, an imprint if his huge paw was left. With a grief stricken sigh he withdrew from the grave and padded a few paces off from Mysti; giving her time before they moved on. He was sure she had mixed feelings about leaving. She wouldn't want to leave Jekyll, they had done everything together. However, she would want to leave the pain behind. The great male stared into Mysti's worn face, at his painful blue eyes. He raised his head high and began to howl. His voice started low and quiet, a solemnity gracing his throat. The sound was of a grey misty morning on the lake, a chill in the air. Then his voice grew louder, but still as soft as the rolling velvet clouds. His song was wordless, but the whole valley could feel his melody.

[Rykett]

Mysti:

“We have to move on.” Was that even possible? Moving on? It felt like this pain would forever be with her and it’d just keep hurting. Mysti knew what Jekyll would want. That selfless little pup would want her to be happy even if he was gone. Mysti tried to muster a smile for the pup. Nothing, not even a twitch. She couldn’t… she just… couldn’t. Savu’s paw splayed out onto the little mound of earth, leaving a pawprint. He was proud of Jekyll. Mysti hesitantly put her paw into the dip. Her much smaller paw fit inside Savu’s print and left a smaller one. ”Me, too…” she whispered adding onto Savu’s statement as the male took a couple paces away. ”You had… so much to give… I’m sorry that I… couldn’t give you enough time…” Mysti choked back a sob.

Suddenly, Mysti had a flash of deja vu. She’d felt this before, this pain, this loss, when she’d stared at what was left of her pack. Time had mostly healed those wounds, but they still hurt sometimes. But she’d moved on as Savu had said. She’d found the valley. She’d found Savu and Striken. She’d had Jekyll… but, now he was gone... She withdrew her paw from the grave and took a step away. ”I’m sorry.” She repeated as she began to back away then she paused, staring at the grave for another second.. A mourning howl curled into the foggy morning air. Mysti sucked in a shuddering breath and joined Savu’s song with her own quivering, fragile howl before turning away from where Jekyll was laid to rest. She padded up beside Savu, prepared herself for how painful every step away from this place would be.

((@shiver ))

[Deleted]

Savu ended the song, woefully, his lungs unable to support his breath no longer, the organs winded and vocal cords strained from emotion and exertion. Unable to find anymore words, the large male took Mysti aside, gently guiding her farther away from the grave of her son. Their son. Savu felt emotionally drained, eyes unable to cry, heart beginning to numb over like he once was far away from the valley. But seeing Mysti by his side, he knew that he couldn't retreat into his shell. She had been through enough pain. Now they had to work through it together. Savu was not leaving her ever again. Even if she wished to return to Eternal Snowfall, he found follow, regardless of What Piala said. While he didn't want to endanger Mysti's standing with the cream Alphess, he had to be with her. If not for her, for their pups. The unknowing heirs of their burden on misfortune. Surely, their lives were a series of unfortunate events.

-exit Savu-

[Rykett]

Mysti:

Life was cruel. Mysti decided that was now a fact. Life had taken everything from her then given her new hope, new love, only to have that ripped away as well. This cycle happened over and over again. Why couldn’t the world just make up its mind? Was Mysti to be happy the rest of her life or be doomed to despair? It was probably despair, judging from recent events. Everything lacked color without Jekyll and now she was leaving him behind. Mysti leaned slightly against Savu as she began to walk away. Savu was her only tether to any sort of hope. He was the only reason that Mysti didn’t just give up. She had him and she had to be there for him.

Something kicked the inside of her belly as if to remind her of what lay ahead. Another litter of pups. She’d have them as well and she had to be there for them. Giving up wasn’t an option for Mysti, she had too much to care for and they cared for her in turn. Still, what hope that remained in Mysti’s life seemed smothered by the loss of Jekyll. Mysti’s head hung low as she left his gravesite. Her eyes trained on the ground, watching every pawstep away from her pup.

-Exit Mysti-