Thread: Howls of Mourning. (Immediately following Vision Con on Battlefield)

Wapoke MyHoDo*stood their looking at those around him. *His eyes focus on Sam as his rage subsides, he rushes over to him but stumbles as he goes to all fours while in crinos. *Crawling to him he wimpers as he comes upon his unmoving form. *

His face comes to within a hairs width of Sams face, slowly sniffing as if their might be a chance he is still alive. *His head pulls back as he moves to Sams chest, looking to see if it is moving. *He sits unmoving for a few moments before his head whips back in a bainful howl of morning as tears fall from his eyes. *

Wapoke falls to the ground as he starts to back away from this place, back to the woods were everything smells right. **

((Dang! Dee beat me to it!))

As the sky begins to fade to dusk something darker crosses overhead. As you look up a hundred owls and many times more owl spirits of varying power also fly overhead and light upon the trees surrounding the area. A large butterfly flutters in, quite out of season, and lands on the body of Drahcir. Claudia sits, with his broken body pulled into her lap. She reaches into the open chest cavity and pulls out a gold scarab. With tears flowing down her face she puts the scarab into her pocket and collects his other things. She whispers to him fiercely and then looks up at Sam as the owl spirits float down from the trees to surround Sam and Tala, and Drahcir and the other three Striders.

Shadow stands to the left of his Alpha watching the events as they unfold. Reaching down he puts one hand on Tala's shoulder, gently pushing for her to rise.

"We must not leave them lying here in this tainted place."

ayven sat away from the rest his head hung low in shame and defeat. more losses, it was always more losses to add to the losing battle for gaia. two good warriors had died and yet he still remained. he had told tala this would not be his chance to redeem himself this was the story of the dead. drachir and sam two garou who had sacraficed themselves to save a sept from distruction. they had to honored above all. he pushed himself to stand and moved closer to the other garou his voice mixing with the others in mourn for the dead.

"Wolves," She says softly. "... they walk away from the dead and leave them where they fall, forgetting about them almost as soon as they die... that's nature... but we are not merely wolves." She looks to the pup nearby, as if pointing out for his benefit, the feelings inside him that aren't quite wolf any more.

"No matter what we feel, we are neither." She will scoop up Sam. "Let's say our goodbyes somewhere else."

The rain drips off of Shadow's hat as he watches everyone. He walks over to Claudia, crouching slowly down as if the motion causes him pain.

"Its time to go," he says softly. "We must do the rites to honor the dead, to speed their return to Gaia."

He stops when Tala's gaze falls on him. He looks down, averting his eyes only to see what he has become. His eyes wide with horror he looks back up to Shadow as what has happened comes rushing back in a torrent of memories. The tears still streaming down his face he rocks back on his haunches till he is balanced. He looks off to the north, a look of yearning in his eyes at what is out in his woods.
He looks back as Tala picks up Sam and Shadow standing their. The only three he trusted, and one of them is dead. He had tried to stop them all, Sam being the first, but then went with them. Now Sam is dead and he couldent do anything about it. He shakes himself, why was he morning this human, what had he become. Why had the ansestors do this to him, all he wanted to do was help and now one of them were dead.

"NOOOOO...."

He screams as he falls forward onto his knees as the truth of it sets in, his clawed hands covering his head as his tears stain the ground.

He whispers 'What have I become.' as his crying takes over.

Claudia looks horrified at Tala and Shadow.
"No! You can't do that to Sam!! No! Oh he'll be Mahrime!"
She is completely torn about staying with Drahcir's body and going to Sam's body.

He whispers 'What have I become.' as his crying takes over.

Shadow looks over his shoulder at Wapoke and a tear falls down his wrinkled face, mixing with the rain from Grandfather Thunder. He speaks softly in Lakota, a humming sound, almost a song, a mourning sound that drifts away in the rolling thunder and the sounds of the wings.

"No! You can't do that to Sam!! No! Oh he'll be Mahrime!"

Shadow growls as she cries out, his head turning back to her.

"I don't know what you refer to sister, but this is no place for those who have fallen. Grandfather cleanses it, but they should not lie in death here, they should have their pyres built so that they may be re-embraced by the Grandfathers. Wakan-Tanka will carry them home, showing them way back into Gaia's embrace."