Silent Remorse- Open

[»m o rr i]

The moon cast long, cold shadows along the ground. Yami wanderd through, her delicate head hung low. The healer had lost her pride for the moment, lost her strength. She flopped on the ground with a heavy thud and sighed, a great sound that rattled her willowy body. The golden vixen gazed up at the stars with forlorn, topaz eyes lay there silently, unseeing to the world around her.

[FawnStar]

A small swift fox wandered through the dark forest in his territory. He was looking for prey, hungry from working in the Shrine. Takeo skipped along the forest floor, happy to be out in the fresh air. The male fox slowed down as he got closer to a bush. He listned for a sound of a rabbit, or anything for that matter. After sitting in a crouch for a while he got up and stretched. Takeo looked around, and travelled a little ways east. There, on the ground, he saw their Healer, Yami, on the ground. "Yami!" he barked with alarm. "What's wrong?"

[»m o rr i]

"Everything," the golden vixen replied mournfully. She heaved her thin frame from the gound and sat up, curling her thick creamy tail around her paws. She gave another mournful sound, a low howl that barely made it to Takeo.

[FawnStar]

Takeo felt his heart starting to race. "What? Tell me? How can I help?" the warrior would have asked if she wanted the Healer to come, but since she is the Healer, that would be pointless. "Can I fetch you anything?" he yelped with worry

[»m o rr i]

Yami shook her head. "You cannot mend a broken heart, Warrior Takeo," she barked softly. She gave her chest fur a few licks, a sigh rattling her bodice. She stood and walked over to him, her topaz gazing at him, though she couldn't see him. "If you promise not to worry the clan, I will tell you," she barked, though it was almost inaudible.

[FawnStar]

Takeo almost strained his ears to hear the old fox. "All right" he whipered. "I promise." the warrior wondered what was happening?

[»m o rr i]

Yami sighed. She sat down once more. "Warrior Takeo, I will not last through the battle. Our ancestors have will me to take my place with them among the stars." She paused to lick her chest a few times, her black tinged maw barely parting.

[FawnStar]

Takeo widened his blue-grey eyes. "What?" he yowled. He couldn't believe his ears. "How can you let this happen! We have to make sure you are safe!" the warrior started to pant with despair. "We have to find a hiding spot! A cave! Or a den in the ground. Something!" his panic stricken face turned to his Healer. "NO! I won't let this happen. My job is to defend my pack, and you are part of that! I will not let you die!" he growled

[»m o rr i]

Yami's face turned. Her lips curled back from her fine white teeth and she stood, a hiss slithering through her lips. "Do not be foolish, Takeo! Do you wish to defy our ancestors?" She snarled, taking a step towards him. "If you try to defend me, then you will most likely die in the process. And if your job is to defend the pack, then what good would that do to leave it without one warrior?" She demanded, and then sat down. Her eyes narrowed. "I wish not for you to become stupid for my case," she barked sharply.

[FawnStar]

Takeo lifted his head and took a step back. His eyes narrowed as hers were. He growled. "You fool!" he spat "We need you! You don't even have an apprentice!" he sofened his voice but stepped forwards, growling quietly. "If you die, and many foxes are infured, what will happen to them, huh?" he looked at her in the blind eye. "They will be sick and probably eventually die! Whats worse. One less warrior? Or no pack at all!" Takeo challenged her.

[»m o rr i]

Yami spat. "You call me a fool? Defying our ancestors will bring death upon us anyway!" She hissed. "Mai is finding me an apprentice, and there is still a ways to go before the ten year mark. Don't give yourself a brain hemorrage," she added in a growl, and turned to walk away. Insolent fool, she thought bitterly. Why couldn't he understand? Yami herself had accepted her fate, so why couldn't Takeo?

[FawnStar]

Takeo bristled with rage. He had enough. "You know what? At least I'm not afraid to fight my battles. At least I have the will to live!" he yelled after her. The warrior stood his ground. "Huh?" Takeo sighed "Look at you! Running away from a challenge." he sofened his voice.

[»m o rr i]

Yami flared on her paws, coming right up to Takeo so that her nose touched his, just barely. "Running away from a challenge? Takeo, do you even understand what it's like being blind? I bet you don't because you can see," she hissed in a low voice, instead of being loud. A low, feral growl ripped from her, and she took another step closer so that she could have easily bitten his muzzle off. "I'm not afraid to live. I'm afraid to die," she spat, never wavering. Her stance was anything but casual; her golden, creamy fur was bristled, her neck fur standing on end, and her lips had pulled back from her teeth in a sign of aggressiveness; even her tail fur was bristled, and her body was tensed to give the warrior a few scars he would never forget.

[FawnStar]

Takeo turned to stand beside her, to avoid being bitten, but still showing his bravery. "As a matter of fact, no, I don't know what it is like being blind." he barked. The warrior bristled "And you are not the only one afraid to die, Yami." he growled. "We all are." the warrior, slightly hurt, turned and left her. He was furious with the Healer and wanted to be alone to think.

[»m o rr i]

Yami, who was growing old anyway, coughed and hacked for a minute, watching the warrior leave. Did he not understand? What he had just done was the worst thing he could have done. The vixen hung her head, feeling slightly disapointed, but she turned to walk away. She had nothing left with the warrior, it seemed. He wanted to be alone? So be it.