[2913] Those Lost Along The Way [Caregivers p3]

As the memory of Ashryn faded from view, Theneras found himself drawn into another: a cold winter night. Snow and wind howled around him, stinging his face and blurring the figure standing before him. The maelstrom roared, but nothing could drown out the fear clawing at his chest.

You see, Theneras was not Ashryn’s first Reosean. Before him, there had been another. The Beast of Roenden, people called her. Ashryn had tried to calm the tempest within the Runner’s heart, but in the end, she had to let her go. On his own journey, Theneras had sought out this so-called Beast. What he found left him trembling with terror.

She towered over him. Even larger than a typical Runner compared to a Chaser, her presence seemed to swell beyond the physical. Her white coat blended seamlessly with the storm, her silhouette vanishing into the chaos.  

Her breath came in warm puffs that hung in the frigid air, and Theneras felt rooted to the spot. His fear was a cold deeper than the weather, freezing him from the inside out. And yet, the Runner before him merely… watched. Her pink, fiery eyes flicked over him in a frantic pattern, searching, calculating. There was something restrained in her gaze, a battle between action and hesitation.

Slowly, Theneras’ ears edged forward. She hadn’t attacked—yet. But his wariness remained. He took the moment to study her. She was scarred, her frame thin and weathered. Survival in the wilds of Roenden had clearly been brutal, and she wore its marks with grim dignity.

Eirlin- "Her."

The word was faint, carried to him in a rough, strained voice. 

Theneras- "…H-her?"

His voice wavered, betraying his fear as much as his tail, tightly tucked between his legs. Eirlin’s gaze dropped to his cowering stance, and something in her shifted. Her body relaxed, her stance softening. The suffocating aura lifted, and Theneras dared to breathe.

Eirlin- "You smell… of her."

Her words cut through the storm, clear despite the howling winds.

Theneras- "I d- I don’t know what you mean! I haven’t met any other females before this- I only wanted to see you-"

Confusion flickered across her face, even visible through the storm’s haze.

Theneras- "Not- not in that way, but- oh, OH, you mean Ashryn!"

Realisation struck him like lightning, his tail untucking as it gave a tentative wag. She still recognized Ashryn! Relief washed over him, though he couldn’t help but think that connection might’ve saved his life.

Theneras- "I’m sorry, but can we… talk somewhere not in a storm?"

Eirlin studied him a moment longer before turning and walking away. Theneras hesitated, unsure whether she was leaving or expecting him to follow. When she glanced back, he got his answer. Carefully, he stepped after her, his paws crunching in the snow. His gaze drifted to her scars, noticing they were heavily around her forelegs. He wondered what battles had left their mark, what stories she carried. But when he caught her sharp sidelong glance, he quickly looked forward again.

She led him to a cave, its shelter a welcome reprieve. Theneras immediately curled up near the wall, shivering from the cold but finally able to let some of his tension go. Eirlin stood at the entrance, watching him silently. Her stare lingered long enough to unsettle him before she finally spoke.

Eirlin- "You… look for me?"

Her voice startled him, and he shuffled his frozen paws beneath his body, trying to steady himself. The situation came rushing back, and he grimaced, grateful she hadn’t changed her mind about staying peaceful.

Theneras- "Yes. Ashryn told me of you—she raised me. I wanted to see you. I didn’t really think you’d… uh…"

Eirlin- "Be talking."

Her lips curled in a faint scoff as she shook off the snow, settling on the cave floor. 

Eirlin- "Wait out the storm. Then you leave."

Theneras- "Oh—right… right."

He shouldn’t have expected warmth, he supposed. Still, the temporary truce was more than he could’ve hoped for.

Eirlin- "Tell me of her. Before you leave."

Her eyes closed as she rested her head on her paws. All five of them, he noticed for the first time. The realisation startled him, explaining the wild, frantic movement of her gaze earlier. She was magic-less. A mutated Reosean. He decided not to mention his realisation, not wanting to upset the calm between them.

Theneras- "Ashryn? Well, uh, she’s… great. She’s raised me since I was just a pup. Taught me everything I know. She’s patient and kind. I… I wouldn’t be here without her."

Eirlin didn’t respond immediately, though her ears flicked slightly as he spoke. Her face remained unreadable, but there was a weight in the silence that followed. Finally, she spoke again.

Eirlin- "Kind… That sounds like her."

Her voice was quieter this time, almost wistful. It caught Theneras off guard. For a moment, the Beast of Roenden seemed less like the feral legend he’d imagined and more like… a ghost of someone left behind.

Theneras- "You still think about her, don’t you?"

Eirlin’s eyes opened, and he immediately regretted his question. Her gaze pinned him where he lay, cold and sharp. But instead of lashing out, she sighed heavily and rested her head again.

Eirlin- "I remember her. Always."

Her tone was distant, her words laced with something Theneras couldn’t quite name. Regret? Bitterness? Longing? He shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to say. The storm raged on outside, but in the cave, a fragile peace settled between them.

Theneras- "I’m sorry. For… whatever happened. I think she cared about you. Still does. She told me about you- "

Eirlin huffed softly, not quite a laugh but not quite a growl either. She didn’t respond further, and Theneras decided it was safer not to push. Instead, he curled tighter into his spot, letting the warmth of the cave slowly seep into his frozen limbs.

As he drifted toward sleep, he couldn’t help but glance at Eirlin one last time. She was no Beast, he thought. Just a soul left to weather the storm of her existence alone. How awful.