He draws ever closer; both death and he move as one, a symbiotic relationship drawn between the two in these moments. I cannot help but feel such serenity in these moments, aware of how soon years of preparation will come to a close. It is the finality I find pleasure in. The control. Control over his time, his position, his very existence here and now. It has been... so long since I have enjoyed such a thing, and indeed, it stirs a fierce hunger from within. Solaris' arrival is the only thing that seems to break my silence, my stillness. It is within those seconds of his arrival that I return his touch with the briefest of my own, a mere grazing of fur against fur. I shift slightly aside, ensuring Heyel cannot make this more difficult than it need be. After all, he still has enough limbs to make it painstaking. I wish to do him the mercy of ensuring he cannot succumb to his emotion - his instincts. I stand aside, but I do not let my muscles rest from their anticipation. It burns below the skin. Red hot, like pain.

He has always been... a talker, Solaris. He speaks and speaks, and though I listen, I do not speak in those moments. This is his reason. My own is, well, my own. It does not need to be spoken. I am sure some part of Heyel must surely understand the need to prune the proverbial tree every so often; thin the ranks, remove the weak from the herd. It is just a natural process. Heyel, too, is a talker. I watch him closely, though I remain as impassive as ever. Perhaps slightly elated, if anything. It is... endearing to see this battle of words put out before me. It is a pleasure to pick through them; each new word shines a new light on the speaker.

It is only when I see Heyel's teeth latch onto the flesh of Solaris that there is a flicker of movement - a mere twitch of my brow, my toes flexing in the dirt beneath me. I am as ready as he is to finish the job, and if he cannot succeed, then I will do so.

"Igitur stare."

So stand. I finally speak as Heyel sways atop his feet, crimson breaking the white of his pelt moments after their scuffle. I have seen Solaris' anger now, something I watch keenly from the corner of my eye, though much of my attention falls upon Heyel now. Perhaps there is a small mercy within me, for I do not speak with malice. Instead, it is encouragement I suppose. I wish to see him stand until his eyes cloud over entirely, and until he pours a river onto the land. I want to see his greatness until the very end. I can see him failing, and my eyes narrow as he begins to speak through his teeth.

His words come sharp. Like teeth in their own right. Dull. But there. I cannot suppress the quiet growl that bubbles in the back of my throat as he speaks of me - of my mother - my apparent lineage. I take a step towards him then, b ringing myself eye to eye with him as I stare into their glassy depths. There is a coldness in my own stare. I do not feel. I do not... feel like I believe I should. I am aware that I should care more, or at least feel some sting of sadness as I hear Solaris thunder towards him. But, he says things that stir only an anger right now. To start with me? To claim that my blood makes me? It makes me bite down on my teeth.

"All blood can be washed away." I say it dryly as he falls, so close to him as his breathing grows dull. "Even yours."

I wait until he is still then, my gaze never leaving his until I see his mind leave its vessel. They are dull now. Duller than before. It feels as if I am breathing once more, the rain washing his blood across the dirt. The sky rumbles and I cannot help but sneer; I am almost convinced it is him, mad at his end. But he should not be. He almost died standing. He stood long enough. He survived longer than he should have. Perhaps there is little shame in having your burdens removed by those younger, more capable. I want to taste his greatness, but I refrain and instead, I turn towards Solaris in those moments, breathing out a deep, long breath of relief. My voice, however, twists with suspicion as I eye him closely.

"Will you listen to him, Solaris?"

He surely knows what I speak of: will he begin with me? I will stop him if he decides to do so. My blood may lay heavy with the white wolf's own but it is not the only blood I possess, and surely it is not blood that I care for. Blood is just blood: it is eaten, it is let out, and it washes away just like every other creature's. His blood only decides the way in which my body appears to others. So, Solaris? What will it be? The tension is thick, but I already know his decision before it comes. I do not think he could do it. I am his shadow. He knows I am not a keepsake of Heyel's.

I lean down then, pressing my teeth into the lower half of my leg. I bite down slowly, allowing them to puncture into the flesh, feeling my own blood crawl down my skin, slick with rain. I feel it enter my mouth - red hot and ridden with the taste of adrenaline. I pull away then, watching back towards Solaris before I speak so casually of it.

"We were attacked," I say simply, pacing towards him and momentarily inspecting the wound that laced his chest. "Or perhaps we sparred. It is... easy to take a spar too far, after all."

Heyel's scent will leave us soon enough, and with it, we too must leave. His silence will be noticed soon enough. We must begin to... watch the world change from the safety of secrecy. I do not think he will be forgotten but this night will be - or at least, nobody will know enough to warrant its forgetting. This is our secret now. Secrecy sworn over blood.