Farewell

Continued from another log; Kentar takes Riverdale to pay his last respects. Very short.

Kentar leads the squirrel outside to the wall where the dibbun was buried, seeing the spot, slowing down slowly. "Thinka dis' issa it zurr" he says.

The ground is bedizened with yellow flowers, now blooming brightly, just as Aikuen had promised. A smile of mingled remorse and deep affection cuts a deep crease across Riverdale's face as he looks down at the spot where his little friend was buried. The ancient squirrel sinks to his knees, first slowly, then with a sudden plummet and the thud of his joints hitting the spongey springtime sod. "Oh..." he starts, throat clogged with tears. "Oh, Ekho..."

Kentar had let go only for a moment, the stoat flinching as the squirrel falls onto the ground. "I...I'm so sorry" he says quietly to Riverdale, gently placing his paw on his shoulder. Apparently he has no real trouble with talking at all. "I...know what its like to lose a loved one" he says quietly.

Riverdale slumps forward and presses his cheek against the soil, displacing some flowers. "Ekho," he says, with a heavy swallow as he composes himself. "Ekho, please... I... I should have n-never l-let you get hurt. I... I should..." Besieged by guilt and sorrow, mind addled by injury and sleep, he cannot articulate himself adequately; not now. He turns his head into the soil, not caring about decorum for now, and tries to weep though his energy and tears be spent.

Kentar sighs and slowly kneels down beside Riverdale, his paw gently rubbing the squirrel's back. "Its not your fault, mate. never blame the actions of other's on yourself. Never...I'm sure Ekho wouldn't want you to feel bad either..."

Riverdale looks up at Kentar, his face freckled with dirt. "Thanks, lad." He draws a deep breath. "I should th-think fondly of her... brief time among us." He pauses. "She was a true friend, Kentar."

Kentar sighs slightly and nods, still rubbing your shoulder. "She's not gone, you know that right?" he says. "Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they're not there...If you remember her the way she was before anything happened, then she still exists. Watching over you" he smiles before looking up to the sky. "From what I heard of the conversation, I think both foxes that were mentioned are the same...I don't know. But I think it true." he sighs. "I'm going after him. Make sure he can't do anything else to anyone else..." he looks down. "I hate...vermin" That bit was muttered but still muttered loudly.

Riverdale appears to derive some dim consolation from Kentar's words, at least for the moment. Dusk is on its way, and the darkness of night inflames sadness and fear, makes monsters out of shadows and wrings terror from the mundane. But for this instant, with the golden light of a spring evening gilding the grave site in warmth, the world seems good, and death seems merciful. Even the imagined laughter of the departed sounds like music. And for a moment, the trail of a gentle breeze through grass could be Ekho, it /could/ be her, her teddy-badger in tow, waving a little paw goodbye. Riverdale smiles. "Goodbye..." he says, hoarse, and rises to go.

Kentar's ears perk as the slight breeze appears, giving a bit of a smile, slowly helping you up. He smiles a bit at your words, before resting his paws on Riverdale's back to stabilize the squirrel some more as he rises. "See? She's saying goodbye to you. The goodbye she never got in person. I told you she's watching over you. She'll be there forever..." he smiles softly. "Shall I help you inside now?"

Riverdale nods, pensive, to Kentar. "Yes." His body trembles, and his cloak with it. As he leaves with the stoat, his eyes linger behind for just one moment more. Then, heavily, he closes them, and turns, then begins the weary journey to his bed.