The sun was at its zenith when the heather marked warrior descended the mountain and crossed the borders. His lengthy stride carried him swiftly from his homelands, eating up the ground as he steadily loped along, putting the mountain further and further behind him. It was not in fervor that he made this trip. Rather, he just needed a moment to step away from it all, to perhaps gain perspective on the choices he had made. But for now, he simply let his mind run blank as he weaved through the forest that encompassed Spirane’s southern border. It did not take long to break free of the trees and into the open stretch of land that would lead him to the crags. Sleekwing had left Spirane with no particular destination in mind, but it would seem that this was where he would end up yet again. It was a spot he frequented in times when he felt the need to think. It was easy to be alone here. Place yourself on an outcropping of rock that had space only for you, and no other perches nearby, and you were set.

And so this is what he did. He wandered through the head of the craggy region, lowering his head to lap water from the small pools formed by the cascades of water from the lake’s outlet here. Glancing up at one small waterfall, he noticed a flat ledge near its peak that was just large enough for him to rest comfortably upon. Scaling the rocky terrain, he made his way to his chosen perch and laid down. Crossing his forepaws, he curled his tail around his hindquarters and lifted his head so as to survey his surroundings. When he had deemed himself to be alone, he let his composure fall away.

His head lowered quickly and his ears drooped to the sides. His tail went limp, and his paws slid apart, allowing his chin to rest on the hard surface between them. Eyes of dark blue, haloed in lavender, almost seemed to glaze over. This was the first time he had let himself grieve. MoonGlow and Alcide had been a dyad so strong that they would not let death separate them. He had had to be strong for his siblings as they had watched their parents die before their eyes. And there had been nothing anyone could do for them. He had accepted that fact, that there had been no way for him to save them. No salve or plant that could have kept them in this world. But as Taliesin and Daenerys and his other siblings had left the mountain in the aftermath of their mother’s murder and the overhaul of their pack and home, Sleekwing had felt a duty to stay behind. What if this choice was pure treachery? Was he an abomination for staying and serving the wolf that had by her tooth ensured the death of his own mother? These and many other thoughts caused such tumultuous discord in his mind, and he remained languid atop the rock, seeing and feeling nothing, allowing his grief to consume him now because when he returned to Spirane, he knew he would have to cast it aside for good.