The long war with King Garon had finally ended countless lives had been taken on both sides. The royals lucky enough to make it out alive. Everyone could finally raise their children in a peaceful time.
"What are you two doing out here?" Corrin asked her making her presence known. "I was just going to show Kaden some awesome bones I found." The kitsune smiled, "I just agreed to come because I need a new brush." Corrin returned the kind gesture, "Well just be sure to hurry back you two." With that she left them alone once more. "Keaton, I'm glad you agreed to make this trip with me." Keaton sighed, "Well we're heading to the same place so I figured it would be easier to start coming out here together."
The two walked in silence through town to a large hill housing a familiar portal, "You wanna go first?" Keaton asked looking to the Kitsune. "No..." he said timidly walking through followed by the Wolfskin. Seeing the forest surround them it suddenly became too much for the humanoids, and tears started to form. "Damn it!" Keaton yelled punching a tree, "This is all my fault!" Kaden stood next to his companion, "I'm to blame as well Keaton... Selkie was my child..." "Well Velouria was my daughter! ...I should have been able to protect her..."
The two sat down in front of a pair of headstones each with a Beastrune in the center. "As much as it hurt me... I hope Hinoka knows why I left..." The kitsune said placing a hand on the ground in front of him. "Same for Camilla and I... If I can't protect my child-" Kaden finished the sentence "-what makes you think I protect my wife...?"
"Exactly..."
"Selkie I hope you're doing better than we are..."
"You too, Velouria... I love you."
Keaton let out a small sigh and placed an acorn on top of his daughter's head stone, "An acorn?" Kaden asked placing down a small bunch of flowers in a similar manner, "When Velouria first came through the portal it was because she was looking for the perfect acorn. It just seemed fitting to give her what she wanted back then." He laughed, "She always wanted little things like this, just like me enjoyed all the treasures."
"It's no wonder her and Selkie were friends. She always ended up a mess with mud and twigs stuck in her fur. One time her mother found two dead lizards in her tail. Boy did Hinoka scream."
"I remember that. Camilla was first on the scene, she thought something happened to Corrin and wouldn't let go of her until she was certain she was alright. I wish they understood..."
Kaden nodded, "Yeah, no one else understands what we're going through. But hey, maybe that's a good thing. No one else has to suffer the loss of their child." Keaton sighed, "Yeah... At least." Kaden stood and extended his hand down, "We should probably head back to the castle." The other man accepted his hand and stood, "Agreed, let's leave." Reentering Valla Kaden stretched out his legs and sighed, "Knowing Corrin she'll figure out we lied about the bones and the brush." The wolfskin only shrugged as they walked back to Corrin's castle in silence listening to the world around them, birds, crickets, the river moving slowly, wind blowing through the trees, a howl in the distance...
In Hoshido, on their way to Valla, Takumi and his son were making their way to the Bottomless Canyon. "Dad look at that deer." Kiragi whispered as he and his father both drew back their bows. And release The arrows ripped through the air the world was eerily silent as one arrow struck taking down it's victim, the other shooting right past. Damn it he's a better archer then me. I need to st- A pained scream pierced the silent world around them. "Kiragi wait here. I need to see what that was." He did as he was told and watched his father disappear into the woods.
Struggling to keep consciousness the one who fell victim to Takumi's rouge arrow tore a piece of paper from a leather bound book and frantically began writing. Tears formed in her eyes as the final word was written, she folded the letter in half and pocketed it. She watched the world around her became black and she could feel herself slowly slipping in and out of consciousness as if her body was fighting the inevitable. Before finally being enveloped by the darkness a man she didn't know ran to her side and held her in his arms. She noticed the bow on his back and although she could barely force a smile. She managed and whispered, "Thank... you..."
