It was all around us. The grey, fading of time. Nothing was left; we were all going to freeze in time, never to move again. My fellow Yamikarasu gathered behind me, trying to shield themselves from the impending doom. I sent Chandra to the Guild of Pukurin to warn them. I pray she reaches the Guild before we are all frozen. I had attempted to get the other Yamikarasu Clan Members to flee as well, but once a Cian Clan Member, always a Cian Clan Member. All for one and one for all and now, as time froze and dew drops stopped, suspended, never to move again. I was tempted to give up all hope but as Cian, the leader of the Yamikarasu for thousands of years, I was to remain in charge.
--
We were done for; I could sense it even in Master Cian. As the grey of fading time attempted to drown us, many fled as Master had earlier advised. Time was draining, slowly and surely; I watched the Poppo suspend from flight over the frozen trees, frozen in motion. We were all going to die… No, we were all going to freeze in time, suspended until we were freed from petrified prison. There were few left as the life of grass got smaller and smaller; the grass was being petrified in frozen time. The other three, apart from Master and myself, fled and I watched in satisfaction as they made it out. Once a Cian always a Cian and I would remain by Master Cian's side, be we frozen in time or not. He turned to me, his expression grave.
"Kronos," he whispered softly in our native tongue, rarely ever used. It was long forgotten, but I knew what he was saying. "Fly, fly from here, now."
"I refuse to abandon you, Cian," I murmured back.
"Kronos!" Cian fluttered his wings indignantly. "Be gone! Now! One shall go, and it will be me, so leave! Now, while you still can!"
"I want to stay with you, Master. I will stay with you, even if it means ending my life like so. You, Master, are my life. Without you, I have no more to exist for."
He stared me in the eye; I was concerned. Eye contact was reserved for… "Master!" I cried, fluttering into his open wings.
"We shall stay together; resting in peace in the other's arms forevermore."
The grey light was the last thing in Treeshroud Forest.