The night was still young but many were asleep by now and once again sleep was just out of reach for the leopard. It didn’t take much debating for them to finally decide to just get up and head out from the camp, it seemed so scary to them just how easily they could slip from the camp without anyone really noticing. But honestly maybe that was a good thing. Their paws sluggishly carried them through the territory, their tail dragging along the ground and their mind completely drawn elsewhere.

Almost automatically they made their way towards the flower garden they had started planting, settling back in their haunches and head tilting up so their blank gaze could stare up at the stars rhey so longed to be able to see. Pain shot through their chest and gripping their heart and the thought of being able to see the stars, oh how they so despised the scars that stretched across his face. If it weren’t for them he would still be able to see the world in all its beauty. As these angry thoughts swirled into a raging storm he was quickly thrown into memories he tried so hard to shove down.

”Saturn!” Boomed a harsh and deep voice, drawing a skittish feline out from their hiding spot. Their belly drug the ground as the slowly made their way to the middle, their terrified gaze sweeping across the crowd that had formed. Their icy orbs landed on a smirking cheetah, Saturn’s expression turning pleading, begging the cheetah to own up to what they had done instead of forcing the blame onto them. But alas Saturn wouldn’t get that luxury and instead would have to turn their attention to the leader of their pride, a plead for them to see what they had seen dying within their throat.

“You have been caught at the scene of Jakiva’s murder with her blood on your paws, we have heard your side of the story and have come to a conclusion,” their leader called out, sending waves of panic through the feline. “You are hereby exiled from the pride and your eyesight will be traded for the life of the elder you murdered,” he called out. Saturn’s ears flattened against his cranium, please tumbling from his muzzle as he started to back up, tail curling around him. Their leader leapt from his perch on a rock, stalking towards Saturn before lunging at him with claws extended.

Saturn startled out of his trance, body shaking as tears fell from his eyes. He lowered his head to gaze down at the ground, his body still shivering as the pain and sadness raked through him.

As a god of war, Byriath knew of times when he was treated unfairly, kicked and shoved around. A war criminal he was once, and they spared no details in giving him enough pain that his mortal body had ceased. Though he was a god, he could still be scarred. Him, he could go back into fighting no problem. But mortals couldn't come back. They couldn't heal like him. That, he always knew. And if he knew what injustices had happened to mortals around him, the people he unintentionally began to see as someone significant, someone important in a way, hell would break loose.

On another night patrol he was a little late to Saturn's departure, but he caught the snow leopard's scent with ease and had begun to follow. Slowly he walked, careful to make sure it was actually Saturn he was tracking. Why? he didn't know. He was really acting unlike himself now. He halted as he saw Saturn, gaze set to the stars. Blank. God, if he just now found out that Saturn was blind...

Then he saw the leopard shake, and his paws moved instantly. He wanted to stop but at this point his body knew more than he did. The wanderer needed comfort. But Byriath was shit at being a comforting person. He stopped a few feet so the other wouldn't be too startled. "Hey.. Saturn, what happened? You want some help?" He inwardly cursed. He was so shit at trying to comfort.

BYRIATH - GURU OF THE COALITION - FALLEN GOD OF WAR

Saturn hadn’t heard anyone approach until the voices spoke up beside him, sending a startled shiver through his body as their head snapped towards Devraj before his blank gaze settled onto Byraith, tears still streaming from his eyes. The feline harshly flinched from the touch he felt on his shoulder, his body instinctively moving away from the paw that only sought to comfort not harm but that was something lost to the feline at the moment. The memories still dug their claws deep in Saturn, making it rather difficult for the other to tell comfort from harm.

“I-I-“ they stammered out, confusion racing through them as they struggled to figure out what to say or do. “I’m okay, I’m fine just a little dust in my eyes,” they finally said, letting their gaze fall back to the ground. “I’m sorry if I worried you both but there is nothing to be worried about,” they mumbled softly, rubbing their cheeks on their shoulder, trying to wipe the tears away.

Oh.. dear god, the look. he gritted his teeth and tried not to look concerned. Byriath spared a glance to Devraj, before forcing himself to look back at Saturn. Dust in his eyes? That was a little difficult to believe. He clicked his tongue gently. "Dust doesn't cause someone to shake, as far as I know." He softened his voice and stepped closer, hesitant, scared, for once. What if Byriath fucked up? In a nervous attempt to comfort, the god tried to place a paw on top the paw of the snow leopard.

BYRIATH - GURU OF THE COALITION - FALLEN GOD OF WAR

What happened next honestly shouldn’t of come to a surprise to anyone. Between the comforting words and the soft touches it didn’t take much to break the snow leopard. And so when Byraith placed his paw on top of theirs Saturn just seemed to completely crumble. His forehead was shoved into Byr’s chest, a pitiful and broken cry ripping through their chest and past their muzzle. His tail attempted to curl around Dev’s leg, clinging to anything that would ground him to the reality that he was in as his world came crashing down all over again. His body trembled as the cries racked through him, his eyes clamped shit as the tears escaped past.

There was once a time where Byriath thought he was incapable of being shocked by the emotions of mortals. As soon as Saturn practically headbutted him in the chest, the Xeno let out a soft huff in shock. His eyes went wide and he froze. Something slammed against his ribcage, a feeling so volatile in reaction he wanted to scream. But he just breathed, lowering his head a bit so his chin brushed against Saturn's head. He looked at Devraj with a grateful look before he smiled. A full, but broken, smile.

Saturn had been hurt before, that was certain. And a rage bubbled within him. Who dared hurt Saturn? Who hurt him so badly? His muzzle rested on Saturn's head, fuming a little now. He wanted to pull Saturn closer, but he also didn't want him to get uncomfortable. The god was more than willing to, along with Devraj, be a sort of corner stone right now. 

BYRIATH - GURU OF THE COALITION - FALLEN GOD OF WAR

His broken cries only seem to grow louder to fill the silent night when Byraith rests his head on top of his and when he felt the warmth of Dev’s paws wrapping around him. Honestly what he wouldn’t do to keep these gentle embraces forever but all good things must come to an end. And so after some time his broken cries slowly began to quieten down, the tears still filling but silently now. The trembles that shook his body lessened to be not nearly as violent.

“I-I’m sorry,” they finally croaked out, his tone full of pain and sadness. “I wasn’t supposed to be found tonight much less cause you two to have to comfort me like this,” he softly said.