He had spent hours next to her body. Hours filled with a pain that ripped deep into his very core. She was lifeless. Empty. A mere shell of what she used to be. It was just a body, just a vessel for life to breath in. She was gone and only her body remained. Yojimbo lay next to her, bloodied in denial at first. he could feel his insides swirling, tightening. He had failed to protect her, from this creature that ended her life. He knew the marks. He saw the bites. No deer or moose did this. It was one of claws and teeth. He could smell the scent of feline on her remains. Yojimbo had not gotten here in time to protect her. As much as his mind wanted to blame himself, as much as he wanted to think that it should have been him, he knew that was no the case. He was meant to live and she was meant to die. He was meant to live with the pain of her absence. She was on the other side now, somewhere among the stars she lingered. There was nothing of her here now. There was no rise and fall of her chest. There was no glimmer of light in her eyes. There was only stale blood and the cycle of life. Yojimbo no longer felt the wind pushing him towards her, for she is no longer here. The bond was shattered, and the body that lay before him was no longer his Pompeii, his Gaia. He felt as he did before he met her, and it was a much colder place.

He could not linger any longer. Vega needed him. She was now all that he had of Pompeii. She was a part of her that still lived, that still thrived and screamed for life. Yojimbo knew he had to find someone to keep her alive, for she was not weaned. Yes. Vega was the life of Pompeii now. This...this was nothing, the red body before him. Yojimbo had to move on from the remnants of the past. He had to look to the future. He may be in pain, a pain so dark and deep, but it would not consume him. Pei would not want that of him. She would want her daughter to be safe. She would want all the puppies of Diveen to be safe. That is what she would want. Yojimbo knew this for he knew Pompeii. He knew her soul, he felt it like it was a tangible thing to touch. He could taste it, see it, hear it. It was unlike anything else, so different than his connection to Akasha. With hesitation, Yojimbo lifted his dark chocolate form from the grass tainted with the remains of Pompeii. The primal side of Yojimbo leaned down, his dark muzzle reaching to nudge her face on last time...just to make sure. Blue eyes fell upon her in their icy gaze, waiting for a movement that was never going to come. It was time. He knew it but part of him wished to deny it...he knew not to be foolish but it was more difficult than that. It was time and he would sing the song...the song his people sang when one returned to the place of origin. The sun was setting in the distance, on the other side the stars were popping up for the first time since this parting of the souls. Yojimbo lifted his head, a howl of low tones vibrating the sky. It was the song of parting. So sweet and so slow, so tuned to the falling star in the sky. It would last, longer than normal for a song sung alone. It was never meant to be sung alone. Yet, there was no one here to sing with him. Ice blue eyes were closed as his soul poured into the whole of Diveen. They will all know the sorrow. They will all know the song of parting.

With the song completed, he did not look down again. He did not rest his eyes on her form, for that is no longer her. She is gone and this he knew. Yojimbo turned, paws still caked in her blood now catching dirt and grass. Vega was waiting. She was probably getting hungry and he had to provide for her, his little piece of Pompeii. He moved in his ghostly ways, each step a step of pain from the inside. His icy eyes were plastered forward, like a haze was over them in how he seemed so...soulless as of this day. His ears were pinned against his head, but not for long. Screams. He heard screams. They got louder as he approached the den. Vega. He must protect Vega. Yojimbo quickened his pace into nothing else but a sprint. Dark legs bolted forward to see Dimitri near the entrance of the den, the source of the screams that still ring in his ears. Yojimbo slowed as he came from the other direction of Dimitri, walking up to the den with a calm confidence, and yet on this day, there was an extra harshness that usually did not grace his face. Mother. He speaks of mother. Pompeii, she had other pups, other family that he never met. Pei was always the motherly type. He was not too surprised to find a young male screaming for a mother at the mouth of her den...yet it wasn't a good time. Dimitri looked stressed, shaking, a complete mess. Yojimbo remained composed as he stood before him, his blue eyes staring at him as he had his little break down. He just stares at first, his body stopping, his breathing heavy and the blood of Pompeii still on his paws. He stared and he stared as Dimitri called for mother. Yojimbo's eyes narrowed, his tail flicking behind him. He clenches his teeth as his ears fall onto his skull.

"Quiet, boy.....Boy....Quiet. Listen to me, you will. She is dead, boy. Pompeii is dead. Gone, she is gone. Pompeii is no more. You hear me boy? Parted from this world. It was a cat, boy. A cat. It took her away. She is gone, boy, she is gone..." he said with a firm voice, so deep and yet it shook. It shook as his lip quivered., a single ear flickering in an attempt to hold himself together. His lips were closing and squirming, never quit finding a spot to be comfortable. His blue eyes till remained on Dimitri. He didn't know if he was talking about Pompeii. He didn't know. It was just...just all that was on Yojimbo's mind. Dimitri happened to be here. He happened to be at the den after he discovered her head. He happened to be the one Yojimbo spoke to, to let it sink in that she was gone. Yojimbo's whole body began to shiver at the sight of Dimitri, after hearing his screams, his pain and feeling his own pain inside. Yojimbo shook and his teeth clenched even harder.

"She is gone, boy..." he said, the breath he was holding and didn't even realize, rushing out as his head fell, his eyes closed, and his body tensed. Vega...Vega was close and she needed him. She needed to see him strong. She needed someone strong in her life...Yojimbo had failed Pompeii but he would not fail Vega. No...she is all that is left of Pompeii.