Written in the Sands - the aftermath

[wound]

H er life is simple right now. It’s busy, but simple. No harm has come to her family, her daughter is bewildering but dearly-loved, Tephra is thriving and her duties are purposeful. Wound hasn’t experienced tragedy past the difficulties of her childhood. She has never felt the sensation of her heart splintering within her chest or the hot threat of tears behind her coffee eyes or the sour feeling of dread and pain in her stomach. She finds them broken at her feet. The taste of grief is thick on her tongue as Wound approaches. She is just reaching them as Warrick collapses into the Tephra earth and suddenly she is rushing toward them, steps light but limping. “Warrick!” Her voice calls across the quickly-diminishing distance, but she stops when she realizes he is physically fine — but tears soak his face. She stops suddenly, nearly throwing herself off-balance by how quickly her feet stop her. She takes in the situation for a moment (the hard lines on Aurora’s face, the weeping grimace of Warrick, the thickness of grief in the air). Then she is rushing again, heart aching but not shattered, to comfort them. She doesn’t ask about the situation. Her nose reaches to touch Warrick’s thick crest, to nip at the entanglement of his mane. Despite not knowing the situation yet, a few tears trickle past her coffee eyes. Then she leans toward Aurora and embraces her friend in a warm hug. She doesn’t say much else, allowing them time to tell her on their own, but her comfort and support is tangible.

credit to nat of adoxography.

@[Warrick] @[AuroraElis]