Echohowl Mourns

[»|¢yηdєя|«]

Echohowl, after finishing with stocking the herbs, left camp. There was something she wanted to do. Scenting the air and following her nose, she found several marsh poppies--the last ones of the season. The poppies were bright red, with dark green stems. Careful not to damage the flowers, Echohowl gently pulled them from the ground, and headed back towards camp. She went around behind her den, where there was a clearing. Where the fallen Shadowpack wolves rested forevermore.

She found Ashfang's grave, and laid the poppies right on the center. Sitting down, Echohowl bowed her head and closed her eyes, shutting herself out of the real world. Feelings of guilt seeped their way in to the medicine wolf's heart. Silent words began to form in Echohowl's mind.......

Oh Ashfang, my dearest friend, I miss you. The life of a medicine wolf is hard. Had Starpack not chosen me for this, we might have been what you wanted us to be when we were apprentices. Instead, I watched you move on. You fell in love with Moonfeather, and I was happy for you, despite myself. And then, when Bramblethorn came into the picture, you left us. Left me. Consumed by your anger and sorrow, you joined the Renegades, and fell in love with Layla. And then...you died. Ashfang.....I'm so sorry. I didn't try hard enough to make you stay. If you never left, you would still be here. Forgive me. Please. Send me a sign; anything, to let me know you still want to be my friend. I'm sorry.

As her mind wandered, if one happened to walk by, they could see the sun catch the glimmer of tears on the medicine wolf's face.

[Moony]

A pretty honey-ginger wolf weaved between the graves with a few perennial sunflowers and placed them on multiple graves.Thunderheart, Thornshadow, Cocoamane, you were all true warriors. Rest in peace, she prayed as she placed three sunflowers on the mounds.
Sundance padded over to the two recent ones, Ashfang's and Swanflight's, and placed flowers on them. She saw that Echohowl was crying over Ashfang's grave, and the new poppies. "Oh Echohowl," she murmured, placing her tail on Echo's shoulders. Sundance looked at Swanflight's grave and tears flowed. Sister, she thought.

[»|¢yηdєя|«]

Echohowl was roused from her thoughts. She looked over at Sundance. "Oh, hello Sundance.", she woofed softly.

[Moony]

Sundance smiled faintly. "You miss him, don't you?" she asked, not looking up from Swanflight's grave. She missed her sister.

Suddenly, an Ash-gray leaf fell from the sky, landing on the flowers on Ashfang's grave. The leaf was shaped like a heart and in the middle of it was a fang-like cut out.

[»|¢yηdєя|«]

"Yes.", Echohowl answered, when the leaf caught her eye. She studied it for a moment, then a small grin played on her lips.