Kaze didn't move from her arms, a sort of numbness stealing over him. He was aware of nothing except Syri. Her eyes were still open, staring at him as he stared back.

Distantly he heard screaming. Far away Cynthia was sobbing, screechy voice wailing that she'd never meant to kill anyone. Somewhere the manager was calling for paramedics. Then came a voice that broke through the fog that had enveloped his mind.

"Syri baby..."

His movements slow and almost drunken, he raised his head to see Nadia. She was standing just inside the door to the docks, one white-knuckled hand clenched around the doorknob. Her disbelieving eyes were locked on the blind woman's corpse and she slowly shook her head.

She released her death grip on the door. Stumbling she made her way to where the wolf and woman lay, dropping to her knees at Syri's side. Kneeling in the woman's blood Nadia laid a trembling hand on Syri's shoulder.

"Syri, Syri baby, no... No you..."

Tears welled in Nadia's eyes to flow unheeded down her cheeks. Lowering her head the black woman hunched her quaking shoulders, hands gripping her upper arms with her fingers biting bruise-deep into her own flesh. Sobs clawed from her throat, ripping into voice. Nadia screamed, eyes clenching shut as the world seemed to halt.

Kaze watched the woman, a small emotion rising at the back of his mind. He swayed to his feet, allowing Syri's arms to fall from his body. Stepping carefully he made his way to Nadia's side, pressing against her in an effort to comfort the woman.

Just as her friend had done only two nights ago she latched onto him. Burying her face in his fur she screamed until she was hoarse, begging for Syri to be alive. Her pleas went unheard and when the paramedics arrived the blind woman was pronounced dead.

The instant she heard that Nadia's tears vanished. With calculating calm she rose from where she'd been crouched on the ground, leaving on hand on Kaze's neck. She swiftly ordered the body to be prepared for burial with the grave to be dug in the forest behind Syri's home. Everyone scrambled to obey her, mildly surprising the wolf.

After Syri's body was gone Nadia turned to face the lupine. "I'm going to go make sure everything is taken care of. Go back to the house and tell Kantama what happened."

Kaze nodded. With his fur still bloody he loped to the house. When he got there, however, his heart fell.

Kantama was sprawled out on the windowsill, tail dangling over the edge. His eyes were closed, paws tucked beneath his body. His face was peaceful, serene in death.

The wolf needed no explanation. He knew the cat had chosen to die of his own free will so that he and Syri wouldn't be parted on the day of her death. At that moment the lupine envied Kantama.

Kaze waited for Nadia to appear with Syri's body; standing guard outside the blind woman's house. When the black woman arrived she came with the grave diggers and a coffin. Once the grave was dug they lowered the coffin inside but before they could smother it with dirt Kaze gently leapt down to land lightly on its cover.

He lowered his head, appearing only to be a dog sniffing at the coffin. In reality he was saying goodbye. In his mind he could hear the blind woman's response and that was enough for him. Kaze vaulted out of the grave, trotting away as they began to shovel dirt into it.

When he returned the wolf had Kantama by the scruff of the neck, carrying the cat respectfully to where his owner lay. Ceremoniously Kaze dug a grave for the cat just beside Syri's. When it was deep enough he lowered Kantama into it, laying the feline to rest at his owner's side.

The grave diggers left. Only Kaze, Nadia, and the two graves remained behind. The living gazed down at the resting places of the dead, silent thoughts wandering aimlessly through their minds.

At length Nadia broke the silence, her voice soft and weary. "I wish you'd known her longer."

Kaze glanced up at her, pale eyes flashing. "I do too."

Without words the black woman knelt, wrapping her arms around the wolf's neck. Her embrace was strong and sure, evidencing a need to both comfort and be comforted. The lupine satisfied both.

After a while they broke apart and Nadia left. In the years that followed she would often return to the forest where her friend lay buried to let Syri know what was happening in the world. When the black woman died herself she was buried beside the blind woman, restoring a unity that had been lost.

Kaze never left the forest. He stayed there, guarding the graves of those he loved. He could do no less for them now.

For him, that was enough.