(A/n) This is just a one-shot. Set a few weeks after Arra's death. Longer author's note at the end- Enjoy!

Larten was sat down on a bench in the hall of sport when Seba came in. He had just been training on the bars, and had tired himself out. He had been on them for six hours, hacking and jabbing at imaginary opponents as if his life depended on it, to improve his balance and agility.

Arra had been brilliant on the bars. Many times she had taken him up to help him train. He had never beaten her. She had told him to keep practicing, but he hadn't up until recently.

He found shadow-fighting on the bars very... calming, in a way. He could get up there and fight imaginary opponents for as long as he wanted, losing himself in waves of strikes, leaps and jabs. He could focus on training, blocking out all other thoughts. Which he did need to do, occasionally, else he was sure he would go mad, trapped in his own mind.

Seba walked in as Larten was about to get up, and practice for a couple more hours.

'Larten. I wondered if I might find you here,' the old vampire sat down next to his former assistant.

'I did not realise you were looking for me,'

The old vampire chuckled lightly. 'Evidently,'

He looked at the younger vampire. Larten was covered in sweat from his long session on the bars, his orange hair sticking out wildly and his long scar more prominent than ever on his paled skin.

There was a pause. Then Seba spoke again. 'It will get easier you know,'

'I do not know what you are referring to,' said Larten. He was looking directly ahead, staring at the wall.

Seba turned to look at him. 'I think you do. You know exactly what I mean,'

After a pause, Larten turned to face his old mentor 'Do I?'

Seba turned away again, to look at the wall which Larten had just found so interesting. The younger vampire followed his gaze. They both stared at the opposite wall silently for a few seconds.

'Yes. You do,' Seba broke the silence. 'I know how much you miss her,'

In his peripheral vision, he could see Larten stiffen beside him.

Seba finally turned to face him.

'I really do know how much you miss her. It feels like your world has been ripped apart and you are just hanging on to the shreds, willing them to come together once again but knowing that they will never reassemble into what you used to know.

You find she is the only thing occupying your heart and mind, and you are continuously pushing yourself to your physical limits, in an attempt to distract yourself, to tear your thoughts away from her.

You feel like you are falling into a bottomless pit of misery, as she was your gravity- holding you to the earth. Now she is gone you know not where you may end up,'

Larten's face was pale and he looked as though he was holding back tears.

Seba continued. 'You wish your world would end- just so you can be with her. She will be waiting for you in paradise, my friend. But this is not your time,'

Larten's eyes were starting to swim. He raised his arm to wipe away the stray tears that had escaped. He managed to speak.

'I... Miss her. I long to see her again,'

Seba smiled sympathetically. 'You will Larten. One day. But for now- your place is here. You know Arra would not want you to spend your remaining days mourning her,'

'You do not know what she would want,'

'I do though. She would want you to be happy. To carry on with life, since there is so much still in you. Where would Darren be, if you wasted your life away, hoping for something to happen that you know will not. He needs you. He will not last long as a prince without his mentor. One day, you will reunite with Arra. But until that day, relish life,'

Larten bowed his head 'I feel that... I cannot live without her,'

Seba nodded 'I would worry if you felt anything else. You will find that... You will not get over the pain, but you will learn to live with it,'

He reached out and turned his younger friend's tear streaked face toward him.

He had never seen Larten with his defences broken down like this before. Normally, he had a perfect poker face. Seba started to feel that this conversation was a mistake. But then it must be good for Larten to show his feelings sometimes. He returned his hand to his lap.

'I did not come to upset you. I apologise,'

Larten wiped the remaining tears away from his face 'No... It is... Okay. I am fine,'

'You are not though, are you?'

'You said it yourself. You would not expect me to feel any other way,'

'True,' replied Seba, 'but as I said- I did not come to re-open wounds. I came to say 'Happy birthday!''

Larten was confused 'What... Do you mean? I do not know when my birthday is,'

'Unfortunately- neither do I. But I did record the date of the day I blooded you as a half vampire. That was exactly two hundred and five years ago. I count the days to special occasions,'

Larten looked at the floor 'Oh,'

Seba sighed 'I did not expect you to be over the moon. 205 years ago you lost your humanity, which might not be a good thing. The timing could also be better. But there is one good thing about this,'

'What is that?'

Seba smiled 'Tell me, do you remember what the human tradition is on someone's birthday?'

'I am afraid that I do not,'

'Well then, I will tell you. It is the giving of presents,'

'I had forgotten that completely,'

Seba laughed 'That explains why I had no recognition on my 725th birthday last year!'

Larten looked up at him 'Sorry- I did not realise you upheld such... Human traditions,'

Seba smiled at him 'I am teasing. It was my 725th birthday last year- but I was not interested in celebrating. 205 is a much better age. And so I found you... This,' he brought out a small box. It was a small red jewellery box. He took Larten's hand and placed the small box in it, closing the vampire's fist around the gift.

'Seba... I...'

Seba raised a finger to the younger vampire's lips. 'There is no need to thank me. I will leave you now,' and he stood up and left the gaming hall, his red cloak swishing as he walked.

Larten stared after him. Then he looked down at the box in his hand. Slowly, he opened it.

Inside was a length of red ribbon. It seemed familiar to Larten. Yet why had Seba given it to him?

It looked like the sort of ribbon you would use to wrap a small present or to...

He knew why it was familiar. He knew why Seba had given it to him.

It was the ribbon Arra had used to tie up her hair.

He held it in his hands, brought them up and bowed his head slightly, until the length of scarlet ribbon touched his forehead.

He stayed like that for a long time. Comforted by his memories, and the feeling that he finally had something of Arra's to hold on to.

'Thank you Seba,' he whispered.

Seba stood, his ear to the wood of the door.

He heard the faint words spoken by his former apprentice, and smiled.

'Happy birthday Larten,'

(A/n)- Wahoo! I wrote this over four nights, for someone else's birthday- Mine! I love father/sonliness between Larten and Seba, and thought this would be fun to write.

Larten Crepsley (?/?/? - ?/?/?)

LWWF (10/12/1996 - present)

I thought that I would have to post this tomorrow- but I have access to my Laptop and can post on my actual birthday! Wahoo!

On the 10th of December 2011, Last winged wolf flying officially turned 15!

:D Happy birthday to me! :D