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Description

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Once upon a December

Just go and see her.

There it was - the nagging voice in the back of his mind. Eryk closed his eyes, a puff of cold winter breath escaping his jaws and hanging like an ominous cloud before him. He had not been able to bring himself to visit those who had fallen prey to the sickness, too afraid of the memories he would find there. It was not unusual for him to avoid the other wolves, but with Winter tightening it's icy grasp upon the lands, he spent more and more time alone in his high, isolated mountain caverns. It was easy to put distance between his body and the infected, but they did not seem to leave his thoughts, no matter how he tried.

This was how he found himself at the entrance of the cave, blinking into the darkness with guilt and trepidation in his chest. He could just about see her familiar pelt, flung upon the ground as if discarded and forgotten, her back to him as she rested. He remembered this moment - he had lived it once before. A familiar sting in his chest made the great strong wolf feel unsteady on his paws, and almost made him turn away. Eryk was afraid. Afraid that he would watch her die, just like he had watched his family, his mate, his entire pack.

He gritted his teeth and finally moved into the cave.

At first she did not stir. A wolf could be forgiven for thinking she was already gone, as deadly still as she was; only the lightest rise and fall of her chest proved that she was still fighting. She was nestled upon a bed of lichens and moss, what little they could find in this harsh season, and Eryk's eyes lingered on the greenery guiltily. He should have helped. He should have been here to make her - and the other infected - comfortable and warm. He was so selfish, to hide himself away from the things he feared, when she was the one facing death itself.

He came to her side, his brows knitted in concern. At last she moved, golden eyes flickering open. With pained effort she lifted her head weakly from the ground and turned to look at him. The tiny smile that grew on her lips set his heart pounding, reminded so suddenly of the way Selah had smiled at him before she took her final breaths.

"E-Eryk?" Was all the she wolf could manage before she began to cough.

"Oh, Hedda..."

December MSE collab between myself and Rodwendess ! <3 We planned this ages ago but I am very slow and only did the ssketch yesterday, so this thing has been finished up SUPER FAST. I did the sketch, shading, effects and some touch ups, and Rod did the lines, colours and background!

Description

Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Once upon a December

Just go and see her.

There it was - the nagging voice in the back of his mind. Eryk closed his eyes, a puff of cold winter breath escaping his jaws and hanging like an ominous cloud before him. He had not been able to bring himself to visit those who had fallen prey to the sickness, too afraid of the memories he would find there. It was not unusual for him to avoid the other wolves, but with Winter tightening it's icy grasp upon the lands, he spent more and more time alone in his high, isolated mountain caverns. It was easy to put distance between his body and the infected, but they did not seem to leave his thoughts, no matter how he tried.

This was how he found himself at the entrance of the cave, blinking into the darkness with guilt and trepidation in his chest. He could just about see her familiar pelt, flung upon the ground as if discarded and forgotten, her back to him as she rested. He remembered this moment - he had lived it once before. A familiar sting in his chest made the great strong wolf feel unsteady on his paws, and almost made him turn away. Eryk was afraid. Afraid that he would watch her die, just like he had watched his family, his mate, his entire pack.

He gritted his teeth and finally moved into the cave.

At first she did not stir. A wolf could be forgiven for thinking she was already gone, as deadly still as she was; only the lightest rise and fall of her chest proved that she was still fighting. She was nestled upon a bed of lichens and moss, what little they could find in this harsh season, and Eryk's eyes lingered on the greenery guiltily. He should have helped. He should have been here to make her - and the other infected - comfortable and warm. He was so selfish, to hide himself away from the things he feared, when she was the one facing death itself.

He came to her side, his brows knitted in concern. At last she moved, golden eyes flickering open. With pained effort she lifted her head weakly from the ground and turned to look at him. The tiny smile that grew on her lips set his heart pounding, reminded so suddenly of the way Selah had smiled at him before she took her final breaths.

"E-Eryk?" Was all the she wolf could manage before she began to cough.

"Oh, Hedda..."

December MSE collab between myself and Rodwendess ! <3 We planned this ages ago but I am very slow and only did the ssketch yesterday, so this thing has been finished up SUPER FAST. I did the sketch, shading, effects and some touch ups, and Rod did the lines, colours and background!