I've come home to...death (Open)

[Nelio]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] Nelio was exhausted, actually it was so far beyond exhausted at this moment. The journey back had been long and arduous and though he and Tawny had returned to the Cove it was not without it's tolls on the male Cael. Tawny, having been better equipped to deal with her powers of hallucination did not suffer quite as much upon their return, but Nelio was heavy hearted, though he was joyful to have her company, his heart mourned for Tor, and in it's own way Dreamith. Leaving her in the Accord's lands to make her choice of what to do now, well it may have seemed cruel. But the way she had run off and expected him to just take her back was not acceptable. Tor had at least left him and not come back with any expectations, he had even hoped he would see her in the Cove when he returned maybe with Crow, having worked out whatever was to be between them. Though he loved her, if Tor could find true happiness with anyone else, he would eventually come to accept it, and allow his feelings for the teal Cael female to wane into a passionate friendship in which he would do anything for her. His nights were spent curled around Tawny and giving thanks for her, but wondering what would and had happened to the previous females who had occupied space within his heart. Once they entered into the sparsely covered tree area within the Cove's boundaries he knew he was home, and his howl of joy echoed over the lands, as if to say 'I'm home..' He immediately rushed down to the beach area where he had chosen his den previously, before he realized he could no longer take that den. It smelled of Dreamith and even Tor, and not only did he respect Tawny too much to ask her to stay there his own heart just could not take it. So while he let his mate enjoy and rest her day away he set out to find a new den, he knew it would be a long process, it had been several months they had been away and he knew it was possible new wolves had taken up residences and although the Cove was a loner land, some loners were particularly territorial anywhere close to where they called home. He scoured up closer to the land for the majority of the morning, finding a few places and checking in with Tawny to see if any one of them would be acceptable to her. With that he found himself sliding into the ocean, his back legs quickly forming into the powerful muscular mermaid like tail which would propel him through the water. The sun glinted off his blue specks throughout his fur, and his tail the brightest blue and shining like a gem swiftly moved him back and forth much to his delight. He had missed riding the waves and spent what seemed to be several hours jumping in and out of the waves and riding them to the shore. Once he came to the beach for a rest, his tongue lolled out of his mouth smelling of the ocean waves, and pure sunlight he looked around the beaches and the cliffs and realized what a feeling of home was. This was his home, no matter where he traveled he traveled, what he did this beach with it's stunning blue waves and white beaches would be his home. He felt the sunlight on his back and fell to his side with content, intent on closing his eyes and perhaps napping, he contemplated even sleeping out on the beach, rolling on the sand from side to side his eyes suddenly caught wind of something, the birds were gathered around something not too far from him. His nose knew it was dead, whatever it was, and he shrugged, maybe he should investigate, see if it was worth eating. Hefting himself up he began his journey over to the place where the birds were gathered, with the sun high in the sky it did not take long for his legs to become two separate entities and he was now standing over the birds. With a loud bark, and several snarls the birds finally parted and what he saw after the wash and feathers, dropped his stomach to his paws and caused his metallic silver eyes to become liquid with tears....it was Tor. She was being ravaged by birds....at least what was left of her. The only way he had known was her fur was still in tact, that beautiful teal colored fur. Where once it had coated her body, protected her, it was now torn, ravaged, removed, and hanging on to torn flesh. The acid in his stomach rose up as he looked at her face, her eyes already gone, but the rest of it still in tact... ”Tor......my Tor....You left me to come home to be...killed...to be murdered...” He shouted at the corpse as though she could hear him, somehow in death she could hear what she could not have even heard in life. Tears spilled from his eyes to water the sand between them as he cried and snarled ferociously if any bird tried to get close to her, he was her protector. Had he been paying more attention she would have never left! She would have never returned here without him and she would still be alive. He was so stupid! “I...could have saved you Tor....” he whimpered, his tail never moving but to sit lifelessly behind him as he stared into her sightless face.. He leaned down and gently touched his nose to hers, smelling death more overpowering, and only a hint of her natural scent, his tears soaking her muzzle as he cried down on her. “You could have done so much better than me...but you loved me...and I...you..” He leaned forward to nuzzle at what was left of her fur, realizing that what he was looking at was the wound that had killed her, and not the damage done by predators and scavengers. His eyes flared in anger and he screamed into the sky, his howl of rage and sadness carrying over the cliffs, and the waters, he had no doubt anyone on the beach did not hear him. He swore within his howl to avenge the female teal wolf who had captured his heart, and his howl dared even the Great Spirit to stand in his way when he found the one who had done it. Tearing himself away from the corpse he began to smell the ground, maybe he could get a scent for who was here...he smelled Crow...Crow! Maybe Crow had seen who was attacking here and had tried to defend her! Obviously the damage had already been done, and knowing Crow he was mourning her just as much as he was...he needed to find his Yagi friend, he could tell him what happened to Tor, he could give him peace of mind.....after scenting no one else, believing any other scents to be washed away he looked back at Tor and more towards the dirt that met the beach he began to dig a grave. He dug until the sun was just hitting the horizon, it might have taken less time but he watched her body intently refusing to let anyone else feed on her. When it was done, he came to her body one more time, and licked the top of her head where there was still fur and touched his nose to hers once more..there...” With a sob he clamped his teeth around her two front paws, what was left and drug her up the beach and into the grave. His eyes continued to tear and he cried the entire time he buried her, but where he did the sun touched the horizon and every day she could see the sun rise and set.....He sat there when it was said and done he remembered something and went seeking along the beach, along the abandoned dens until he found where she had slept, and found the tortoiseshell she kept...choking on any words he might have said, he carried it in his mouth to where he had buried her, and set it on top, gently pushing it down until just a portion remained..his own marker, for the female who had swam the ocean with him....and swam into his heart. [] Speech

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Table by Eldarwen · Image · Image[/td][/tr][/table][/center]