Make me a promise that time won't erase us

After an emotional farewell awakened the howl slumbering deep within the voiceless child, Mute had succumbed to the mental exhaustion plaguing her body and her vulnerable consciousness was dragged helplessly into dark recesses of her mind. With familiar rock walls surrounding her, and any pack members that also chose to dwell there, she slept for what could be perceived as an eternity. Time was a concept lost with the passing of their Abyssal Lord and hours came to resemble days to the heavy hearts of Apollyon. For the young progeny who curled tightly in on herself as though rejecting the world, her thoughts were instead brimming with vivid memories of the massive black wolf that had once stood proudly beside her.

Inside her dreams she could see her father's powerful visage and relive the moments she spent with him as well as the teachings he shared. It wasn't long ago that she had stood beneath his massive shadow and gazed upon his gnarled one-eyed mask; stern yet kind. Their days together had been a mere fraction of her life but that was precisely the reason why she revisited them repeatedly. While the memories still burned brightly she allowed herself to be engulfed by them and in doing so she would never forget. Time no longer held importance. In those minute encounters she spent with her father he had bestowed her with more gifts than she could ever hope for: warmth, strength, and most importantly love. What he had given her was irreplaceable and precious. However as most dreams do, the end must come eventually.

When that fateful howl rang across the sky the young wolf forsook her prolonged reminiscing and pried her thin frame sluggishly from the warm security of the den to join obediently with the others. She had arrived slightly later than everyone else, thus missing a portion of her mother's speech, though everything sounded so distant that it didn't even matter. She was already well aware of the actions about to transpire and merely awaited an opportunity to approach the corpse. Watching her father steadily being torn apart was heartbreaking, especially Oath's ravenous display, yet she observed with unwavering eyes as each body stepped forward intending to burn the scene into her memory. She had already given her final goodbyes on that day but today would be the last.

As she took a place in front of her father she realized just how extensive his injuries truly were. Aside from the damage inflicted during the funeral it was obvious that her father had fought a hard battle. He seemed so small now.. or maybe she just got bigger? After the numerous training sessions Mute was finally beginning to grow into her figure and muscle had already begun to form making her extremities seem less disproportionate. The strokes of grays and dusty browns littering her features had also become more prominent with the passing days - a sure sign she was growing up. She was no longer the fragile pup she had once been.

While her elder brother continued devouring their father dull deep rubies drifted silently to his relatively-in-tact mask - at least compared to his body - and she noticed that his only remaining eye was missing leaving behind an empty socket. It made her heart sink slightly at first but as minutes ticked on whether the eye was present or not became irrelevant. She could still remember that burning ember even now and that would suffice. Without hesitation, avoiding her brother's protective hold on the corpse, she dipped her head forward to glide her tongue across her father's exposed cheek and promptly sank her teeth into his dark socket. Digging in as far as her amateurish incisors would allow, she sliced a path down the Lord's scarred face and tore free at the base of his cheek. Iron seeped into her mouth flooding over her tongue as she clutched the torn flesh in her jaws, and after a moment she wolfed it down with her pink tongue gliding quickly across her blood-soiled muzzle.

After laying her mark in its place her attention returned to her father's tattered body. Even in his current state she found herself thinking that he had won the battle. He had protected them at the cost of his life. While she held mixed feelings towards her brothers who unintentionally had a hand in their father's death, she came to understand that her father would always be with her. From now on he would live through her and she would never forget his towering figure even when she drew her final breath. Retreating from the broken corpse a short ways she took a moment to glance at the various faces gathered around the courtyard and she soon realized that everyone was suffering in some way or another - it wasn't just her. She had to become stronger. A short bow was given to her father before she tore herself completely from his side and set her sights on her mother. Everyone was beginning to change and so would she.

With a confident stride and deep rubies glimmering with a new found light, she strode in beside her mother and seized a spot near her shoulder where she could lay softly against the massive wolf. From that moment on she made a promise to herself. To the best of her abilities she would support Apollyon alongside her mother and learn every shred of knowledge she had to offer. There would never be another night where she would call for her father. Her smoldering gaze shifted to the scene of the funeral as it proceeded, observing just as her mother did and pack members that sought to claim their piece. However, as she watched intently from the company of her mother there was a brief second where her eyes had closed and her thoughts hummed a silent message.

'Father, thank you.'

( SORRY IT'S REALLY LONG.. LOL. I hope you guys don't mind. )