What can she do? The blood seemed so deep and dark, a ceaseless thing that which Sila had never seen before. It barely seemed to pause as she licked at the wounds, desperate for anything to work and yet, Sila's heart continued to well with hope. She had to believe, that she knew, that she could somehow put this wolf back together. Those thoughts are what drove her as she continues desperately even as Asariel's eyes flutter and close; each time they twitch, Sila can only pray it is a good sign.
I know it must hurt she thinks but she does not allow such thoughts to hinder her efforts. Still, there is a fear within her the forest remains ever quiet, the birds reluctant to call out in fear of being next.
When she speaks, Sila breathes in, pausing in both anticipation and recoiling because of the scent. Even with her efforts, blood permeates the air, surely luring in the darkest of creatures. She is tempted to call out but she does not know what to say, what to do. Instead, she grins and she grins, pressing herself closer to the girl in an effort to warm her. "A beautiful name," she remembers what Niviaq had said - to keep them talking, to keep them here - "did your mother give it to you?" With that, she nuzzled in closer, using the brief moment of peace to inspect the girl's neck - blood still bubbled, and for a moment Sila cannot help but be amazed that the words had managed to escape a throat so bloodied. Still, her smile remains despite the fathomless sadness that begins to seep into her eyes.
There is a sudden awareness, one that Sila cannot help but gasp back when it arrives. She cannot save the girl. She cannot do it. There is something that she lacks that the girl needs and so, she is but an extension of her suffering. The thought, the realization, makes a sob well up in the back of her throat as Asariel falls quiet. Her steps are tentative as she unravels from her and then, in some final act of desperation, she releases a solemn howl of her own. She does not call for anybody, for anything, but there is a yearning in her voice that begs the universe to send this woman the cure.
Then there is fear. She is suddenly alone. The world around her is silent and she feels the fur across her back begin to prickle. She is being watched or, rather, something is coming. Deep in her bones, she knows that it is simply something she cannot understand. For a moment, her breath catches in her throat and with a sadness that reaches into every part of her being, she looks down at Asariel as she chokes back another sob. She has tried but she knows this now: she must leave. If she does not, she will only seek to prolong the worst. Taviora. It is the only word that seems to make sense. Asariel. Had another star named this day?