Rest, My Friend

[Dakirennis 959]

 

Spoiler

 

 

Aztran had begun to make his journey downward  across the sky as the pair trekked their way up the snowy mountain. Perhaps not clear to most people, they followed the small trail that their kin had carefully trodden down to pass the rocky range. The wind blew in a soft lul against the two dark figures. One tall with a black cloak wrapped around him, one hand keeping it secure and the other clutching a staff tightly, both bloodied. The other, while slower, still snaked and weaved around the rocky outcroppings with a predatory movement that would never leave it’s soul, despite his age. The wolf stood nearly as tall as a horse, licking at what gore remained around it’s snout. Dak’ir stopped to lean against a boulder, looking back to watch and wait for his ever faithful companion. The ‘Ker wolf, Eclipse, was an alpha from a bygone age one who perhaps deserved his rest far sooner than this. But his soul was strong. Dak’ir knew this, staring into souls was something he did quite literally. Though these were usually ones that had already passed on they wisened him and helped to give him his sense of judgement. The old shaman knew for ages this wolf was special, his fire burned brightly at all times. From the ferocity in the way he hunted to his soft growls as one disturbed his slumber. Dak’ir ran his hand over Eclipse’s head as he finally caught up, picking a spot of deer skin from his ear with a soft chuckle. It had been a long time since they hunted together. He shook his head as he rumbled softly against Dak’ir’s hand. The dark elf pursed his lip, he knew this wasn’t something the old wolf tended to do. He seemed to beckon for Dak’ir’s touch more and more these days, it wasn’t something completely out of his realm but even to Dak’ir the alpha always tried to play it off as a begrudging love. Bearing his teeth at his companion or even snarling, but always accepting of the touch. Now it seemed like he was asking for it, asking for more, for help. After a scratch behind his ear they continued on until Luara rose to watch over them. Seeking a familiar peak near a glowing pale pillar bathed in moonlight the two finally came to a stop. The shaman sat slowly, his ankles and back popping as he settled in and folded his legs. Bringing a shaky hand to his robe he drew a long wooden pipe that was already prepared with a bowl of the family smokeleaf, their favorite. He sat quietly as he watched his companion circle the flat mountain peak and sniff edges here and there, taking a look up to the moon for a long moment. Finally after a small huff the hulking eldered wolf made his way to Dak’ir circling him before laying behind him, wrapping himself around the dark elf and resting his head in his lap. This was their way for as long as Dak’ir was a shaman, Eclipse had always watched over the ‘Ker’s body and even journeyed with him beyond sometimes when he took other dark elves or orcs into the Ancestral Plane. They were one. Always watching over one another. Dak’ir lit the pipe with a matchstick, tossing it to the side as he laid back against the onyx sea of Eclipse’s fur, breathing a soft grey cloud into the night sky. The old wolf raised his head for a moment to take in a deep breath of the sweet smelling smoke, afterwards his eyes turned to meet Dak’s staring into them for what seemed like an eternity before finally laying his head to rest on Dak’ir’s lap once more. The shaman bobbed his head slowly as he took another deep inhale from the pipe and settled against Eclipse once more. His voice was shaky as the words left his throat, the otherworldly speech of the Spirits, they slowly managed to leave him in a soft monotone as he seemed to try to sing them. The embers of his pipe glowed a golden hue as he took in the smoke and held it within, tears rolled down his cheeks as a thick black cloud poured from his lips. Washing the two in a cloud of ebony as the world melted around them. Traveling to the Ancestral Plane was something Dak’ir did daily, but this time he felt different. As if he was being hurdled through the darkness, like when he first became a shaman. Lost. He panicked, reaching for anything to take hold of within his grasp before taking a tight hold of a tuft of fur. Eclipse snarled as Dak’ir’s vision swam back into his mind, the realm of Stargush fading in around him as he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he breathed another one more somber as he realized that this was the end, their final journey was meeting its conclusion. They stood in a sea of tall golden grass bordering a great forest. Dak’ir could see a familiar tanned figure waiting at the edge, he raised his hand to his old friend, the one who would watch over his companion now. Dak’ir knelt before Eclipse, here in this realm the old wolf was in the prime of his age, a predator unmatched. Here he would know paradise, he would know the rest and honor he deserved. Though it still pained his heart to say goodbye, Eclipse moved forward to bump his head against Dak’ir’s before turning and zipping off though the grass towards Phaedrus. Dak’ir stood slowly as he watched him leave, he knew this was not to last forever, he knew that better than anyone. He knew a day would come soon when he too could join them. He’d lost many over the years. But there are rare times you will ever meet a descendant as faithful and loyal as that.

 

Rest, my friend. Rest easy…

 

Spoiler

I’m not one to make sad posts like this, usually these are the kinds of moments that I feel deserve to be in character only for the sake of Dak’s development. He’s had Eclipse since Vailor which was far too long for a dog to live to but in that way he reminded me so much of my own eldered little girl, Sugar. She was seventeen when she had her own little trip to Stargush just recently which was what led me to writing this, it helped a little. But anyway, I just wanted take the moment to say love your little buddies to the fullest, be patient with them when they get to those golden years and of course spend as much time as you can.

Frauntuludh, my little fox.

 

[ThatFunkyBunch 2818]

"Such is the will of the spirits" A dark elf offers the aged primarch comfort. "May you meet them once more in the lands beyond Dak'ir. If any deserve such peace, it is you."

[KeiaTypeBeat 3277]

******* crying in the club right now, F