He was in a time of disbelief, a time where he was unable to grasp what had happened. His one companion, someone that knew his deepest secret, had perished right at his paws despite his, and a silver-black male's efforts. It was late night as he walked, crown below his shoulders, spine slumped, tail drooped and ears folded, downsteam from Sparkling Springs. Crickets were chirping and the moon was on and off peeking from behind long, thin gray clouds.

He looked for all the world like he used to look in the arctic, a beaten omega, but his wounds were on the inside this time, except for a few scratches and cuts and bruises he had endured from several fights and trying to reach the mexican female — mostly unseen beneath his thick black fur. The Devil had really never lost someone he had come to care about, for he never really had anyone to lose, so Styx's death was tremendously hard on him.

At last, after wandering absent-minded, he found himself at the shores of White Rose Lake. Weariness overtaking him, he collapsed on the ground, a plume of dust spreading out from him. He faced the water, chin on the ground, forelegs stretched out in front of him, leaning against either side of his cheek.

He smelled her before he could see her, the scent familiar but still unknown to him. When at last he saw the black and white female approaching, he began to recall who she was. He had no name to her face, but he recognized her as the one he had met at the lake before, and in his foolish unrelated anger he had engaged in a fight with her. She did not deserve that, and after the fire in his chest had calmed he knew that.

He remained still on the ground, feeling no threat from her, confident that he could act should she decide to continue their fight now that their wounds had healed. He did not even look at her, his red eyes still looking across the lake, but he could see her fine in with his peripheral vision. What does it look like. he replied flatly, his tone quiet but distant. It was only a matter of time before she picked up the scent of her pack member on his fur, the scent that he had been inhaling with grief since he had layed down.

Go ahead, he snapped with a low growl. He just couldn't bring himself to care if he bled or not. He was too far wracked with grief. He also doubted she would also do it. Somehow it seemed like she didn't want to make the first move, did not truly want to fight him again. Or else, he thought, she would have done so already, would not have hesitated to make a move when he was in a vulnerable position such as this.

She circled him, but soon her attention was diverted. Her anger calmed enough to allow the thick scent of Styx to reach her nose. Perhaps even the scent of death as the black male embraced his lifeless companion. Nothing. He said quietly, closing his eyes, his soft, somber tone betraying his feelings on the subject. Cypress and I tried to save her, but we were unable to.

Now he was roused, defensive that she should think he would hurt someone he had come to think of as a companion, someone whose death troubled him so. He rose to his feet and whirled on her, bristled and snarling. She fell of a cliff! He snapped, his breath ragged, almost shaking just like the female. Both wolves were in emotional turmoil. Cypress and I dragged her from the water, held her to keep her warm, tended her wounds, but we could not tend those inside! He was shaking now, his muscles tense but quivering.

There was silence as his red eyes locked fiercely to her cyan ones. She's dead. But it's not. My. Fault. Each word emphasized more than the one before, leaning into her face, saliva from his rough breathing dripping from exposed fangs.

He stood steadfast letting the black and white female unleash her verbal rage. All the while his snarl left never left his face. He didn't expect her to believe him, but it greatly angered him that she thought he had been responsible for his only companion's death. Still, he said nothing back, gritting his teeth audibly, until she turned to leave. He shouted out to her then. Sparkling Springs! Check with Cypress! If she heard him, chances are she'd ignore him, but he had to say something to attempt to clear his name in this matter. He remained where he was for a while, but once she was gone from sight, he too, turned and headed off.