They had escaped the storm unscathed. Halcyon was glad she wasn’t hurt and felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He watched her curl up into a ball, announcing that all she needed was a little rest, before closing her eyes. For a moment, nothing was said as he assumed the pup had fallen asleep, unaware she was watching him through half opened eyes. Laying his head on his paws, the russet wolf watched the storm outside the cave swirl around. The snowflakes danced and twirled on the wind’s breath, mesmerizing him by their gracefully lazy movements. Not for the first time, he yawned deeply as the day’s activities took their toll on him. And yet, he could not fall asleep.

Rising to his paws quietly, so as not to wake the sleeping girl, he moved to the mouth of the cave and put his nose out into the cold. The blizzard was not as fierce here, but the wind still took a bite out of this snout. And then, he was reminded of a time long ago, when life had been simpler. He and Mugen had been playing in the den. The older boy liked to flaunt his bigger size on the runt, and it has resulted in a nasty bite to the nose. Halcyon had yelped loudly, causing their mother to come into the small den and break them up.

The memory was fuzzy, much to Halcyon’s sorrow, but he remembered his mother singing a melody to calm them down. Her voice was distant in his memory, but the words had been imprinted into his heart. Hundreds of years could go by and he would still remember her lullaby. At first, he hummed the tune softly, watching the falling snow tumble to the rhythm. Then, getting lost in the moment, he began to sing gently to himself. His voice was not nearly as deep as his father’s, nor as high as his mother’s, but it was somewhere in-between, a beautiful tenor.

"The time has come to lay down your head. Come, lay next to me in your soft bed. Nestle close and close your weary eyes. The sun has gone and the moon darkens the skies. Fear not, my child, you are not alone. For even as the night grows as cold as a stone. I will always be right here, never away from your side. All you have to do, is look inside. A mother’s love will always keep. So, worry not, close your eyes, and go to sleep." As the song ended, the last note carried away by a gust of wind, Halcyon turned to see Mirage watching him, a single eye open and shining in the dim light. Sniffing away the sadness he felt, he offered a smile and turned back into the den. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. Not sure what came over me." He had never sung in front of anyone before, not even Aster. It was a secret he kept to himself, but it felt kind of nice to share his song with someone else. Honey colored eyes looked at the child as she laid tucked into her little ball, wondering if her own mother had ever sung a lullaby to help her sleep at night.