Kathryn wandered amongst the darkness, her thoughts shattered and confused,
she didn't really know what had happened. All she knew was the great gates
before her, they stood looming in the darkness, foreboding and welcoming in
the same moment. She looked with broken hopes for the end to the pain in
her heart; it had stayed with her, a sort of comfort in the darkness as it
wrapped itself in happy memories. Her thoughts were always on him as she
collapsed before the gates, strange mists swirled about her, flowing over
her skin, she shivered in their grasp.
She gripped the clothes upon her body tightly, clutching them for warmth and protection from the cool dark, her clothes felt safe. Actually they were his clothes, the high school jacket with his letter proudly sewn onto it, the shirt she had kept on their nights together, all he mementos. She pulled the jacket tightly around her, keeping the warmth of it and the memories within her. She wasn't ready for anything, up bubbled a memory. She'd gotten lost on her way home, a little girl frightened at shadows, then he came and made it all right, comforting as his jacket did now, bringing her to safety.
She didn't speak, but felt something call to her, beckoning her to the gates. She rose on wobbly knees and stood, staring at the gate, wondering where they led. To him? She didn't know, but then in the moment of the gates calling, she felt it, a second spirit calling for her, its call warm and soothing as the memories, she stumbled awkwardly away from the gates. He wasn't there; something called her into the darkness, something that gave her strength, a feeling of power and courage grasped.
She broke into a stumbling gait away from the gate, half expecting them to reach out and pull her into their depths, wherever the gates led. They just stood; watching her without eyes, stray the beaten path onto the true path that led to the light of the world through the darkest depths. She broke into a run as strength flowed from her heart, she knew where he was and it wasn't there, she didn't know where she was going, but she felt it. She ran on through the dark, uncaring for the nothingness that surrounded her and then as he had done before her she fell.
From the deepest dark she fell, the light shone below, the warmth of it invading her soul and she could feel it, another soul passed before her, up into the dark. It was somehow similar, yet very different in her eyes; she saw hills, grasses, mountains and a whole world waiting below. She fell farther then any skydiver would hope to, a few thoughts passed through her mind regarding a parachute, but she ignored them. She could feel him, stronger as the land drew itself up to meet her, a great mountain rushed up from the seashore, that was where he was.
The details became much clearer, she could see an abbey in the distance, people upon the ground, walking and going about the lives oblivious to the rogue soul above. She felt him getting closer, her heart healed with it, the only tears presented were of happiness and a small smile crept over her features. She had found him, with only that she was content, the ground rushed up and she went through the mountain and then all was darkness again. From the darkness through the light and into the dark again, that was it.
+++++
Greenbrush cried softly as she always did, her husband stood behind her a comforting paw upon her shoulder, squeezing gently as he saw the otter maid's paw go limp. He prayed for a miracle, he hated to see his wife in that condition; helpless to do a thing, it was her duty as a healer to be sad when a life was lost in her care. She was strong though, she would go on; battles and deaths had hardened her enough to keep her sane amidst it all.
"She's in a better place now . . ." He began, not really sure how to comfort her, more skilled in the ways of war then conversation. He just hugged her tightly; he felt her tears drop from her eyes and onto his arms as he held her.
"Suppose your right." She stood up and away from hi embrace, wiping a few stray tears from her face. She straightened her clothes and slowly slid the sheets over her patient, watching a small stains of blood leaked through. Quickly she went about her other duties, her husband stayed to help her and every so often he looked to the dead beast, some part of him still hoping for a miracle. Later he left as the sun began its journey from the zenith of noon down into the horizon, bathing the world in golden light.
"Damn . . ." He muttered to no one as he walked down the halls of Salamandastron to the main cavern, where a few of his friends, eagerly awaited news of the otters they had rescued. Back in the infirmary Greenbrush went about her duties, her eye skipping over the dead, pushing the thoughts from her mind as she had trained herself to. However the curiosity, the urge to hope was strong and she sat at the side of the maid lowering the sheet from her face.
"Still looks so alive . . ." She remarked in a soft voice, lower then a whisper. She ran a paw down the maids arm as if she was trying to comfort her in the afterlife, and then she stumbled from the bed in shock. The otter turned over in the bed away from her comforting touch. "Wot in the name of Salamandasthingy?" She exclaimed and leaped up and gripped the maid's hand gently, she could feel warmth flowing from the once cold fingers and could see the maid's chest rising and falling gently with her breathing.
"Wot's goin' on in there gel?" A hare outside in the hall yelled in at the nurse's exclamation. Greenbrush leaped out into the hall embracing the hare in a warm hug before skipping off down the hall to the main cavern of the mountain.
"A miracle!" She shouted back to the bewildered hare that blushed brightly beneath his fur.
"Greenbrush!" Her husband hurried to her side as she entered the cavern, she leapt into his arms wrapping her paws around his neck. "Wot's up?" He asked confused by the sudden mood swing, he had left her in a sour mood; he silently prayed she wasn't pregnant.
"A miracle." She whispered into his ears, jumping down from his grasp she led him quickly through the halls to the infirmary, she opened the door and they saw the otter sleeping in her bed, snoring softly. In each other's embrace, Greenbrush and her husband smiled and thanked anybeast who would listen for the miracles that had been bestowed upon them.
She gripped the clothes upon her body tightly, clutching them for warmth and protection from the cool dark, her clothes felt safe. Actually they were his clothes, the high school jacket with his letter proudly sewn onto it, the shirt she had kept on their nights together, all he mementos. She pulled the jacket tightly around her, keeping the warmth of it and the memories within her. She wasn't ready for anything, up bubbled a memory. She'd gotten lost on her way home, a little girl frightened at shadows, then he came and made it all right, comforting as his jacket did now, bringing her to safety.
She didn't speak, but felt something call to her, beckoning her to the gates. She rose on wobbly knees and stood, staring at the gate, wondering where they led. To him? She didn't know, but then in the moment of the gates calling, she felt it, a second spirit calling for her, its call warm and soothing as the memories, she stumbled awkwardly away from the gates. He wasn't there; something called her into the darkness, something that gave her strength, a feeling of power and courage grasped.
She broke into a stumbling gait away from the gate, half expecting them to reach out and pull her into their depths, wherever the gates led. They just stood; watching her without eyes, stray the beaten path onto the true path that led to the light of the world through the darkest depths. She broke into a run as strength flowed from her heart, she knew where he was and it wasn't there, she didn't know where she was going, but she felt it. She ran on through the dark, uncaring for the nothingness that surrounded her and then as he had done before her she fell.
From the deepest dark she fell, the light shone below, the warmth of it invading her soul and she could feel it, another soul passed before her, up into the dark. It was somehow similar, yet very different in her eyes; she saw hills, grasses, mountains and a whole world waiting below. She fell farther then any skydiver would hope to, a few thoughts passed through her mind regarding a parachute, but she ignored them. She could feel him, stronger as the land drew itself up to meet her, a great mountain rushed up from the seashore, that was where he was.
The details became much clearer, she could see an abbey in the distance, people upon the ground, walking and going about the lives oblivious to the rogue soul above. She felt him getting closer, her heart healed with it, the only tears presented were of happiness and a small smile crept over her features. She had found him, with only that she was content, the ground rushed up and she went through the mountain and then all was darkness again. From the darkness through the light and into the dark again, that was it.
+++++
Greenbrush cried softly as she always did, her husband stood behind her a comforting paw upon her shoulder, squeezing gently as he saw the otter maid's paw go limp. He prayed for a miracle, he hated to see his wife in that condition; helpless to do a thing, it was her duty as a healer to be sad when a life was lost in her care. She was strong though, she would go on; battles and deaths had hardened her enough to keep her sane amidst it all.
"She's in a better place now . . ." He began, not really sure how to comfort her, more skilled in the ways of war then conversation. He just hugged her tightly; he felt her tears drop from her eyes and onto his arms as he held her.
"Suppose your right." She stood up and away from hi embrace, wiping a few stray tears from her face. She straightened her clothes and slowly slid the sheets over her patient, watching a small stains of blood leaked through. Quickly she went about her other duties, her husband stayed to help her and every so often he looked to the dead beast, some part of him still hoping for a miracle. Later he left as the sun began its journey from the zenith of noon down into the horizon, bathing the world in golden light.
"Damn . . ." He muttered to no one as he walked down the halls of Salamandastron to the main cavern, where a few of his friends, eagerly awaited news of the otters they had rescued. Back in the infirmary Greenbrush went about her duties, her eye skipping over the dead, pushing the thoughts from her mind as she had trained herself to. However the curiosity, the urge to hope was strong and she sat at the side of the maid lowering the sheet from her face.
"Still looks so alive . . ." She remarked in a soft voice, lower then a whisper. She ran a paw down the maids arm as if she was trying to comfort her in the afterlife, and then she stumbled from the bed in shock. The otter turned over in the bed away from her comforting touch. "Wot in the name of Salamandasthingy?" She exclaimed and leaped up and gripped the maid's hand gently, she could feel warmth flowing from the once cold fingers and could see the maid's chest rising and falling gently with her breathing.
"Wot's goin' on in there gel?" A hare outside in the hall yelled in at the nurse's exclamation. Greenbrush leaped out into the hall embracing the hare in a warm hug before skipping off down the hall to the main cavern of the mountain.
"A miracle!" She shouted back to the bewildered hare that blushed brightly beneath his fur.
"Greenbrush!" Her husband hurried to her side as she entered the cavern, she leapt into his arms wrapping her paws around his neck. "Wot's up?" He asked confused by the sudden mood swing, he had left her in a sour mood; he silently prayed she wasn't pregnant.
"A miracle." She whispered into his ears, jumping down from his grasp she led him quickly through the halls to the infirmary, she opened the door and they saw the otter sleeping in her bed, snoring softly. In each other's embrace, Greenbrush and her husband smiled and thanked anybeast who would listen for the miracles that had been bestowed upon them.