riverlight || bird death [open]

[BLOODHOUND.]

They return home, from a night of the hunt. They shed off their mask, dropping a still-warm rabbit beside their corvid friend, tearing into the flesh with their teeth before pushing it towards the injured, sickly bird. It moves weakly, shredding the flesh and slowly consuming it. They notice that the crow has lost quite a few feathers, and had only grown weaker, and know... in their heart, that perhaps tomorrow would be a good day to end it's pain.

The Allfather, however, seemed to have different plans, as it caws once, twice, a soft, pitiful noise. Something wretched. Something painful. Its small body collapses, wheezing, trembling. They watch, as its heart gives out, as pain and infection win out over Bloodhound's nurturing. Bloodhound's ears fall back, but they knew it had to have come soon, either by their hand, or by nature stepping in, to reclaim a life they had selfishly tried to keep.

They bow their head in sorrow, gathering up the corvid in their jaws before it went stiff, and taking a quiet trip, to the banks where they had followed after Ivan, pulling the young one to safety. They fashion a small boat out of bark they strip from trees with claws and teeth, from sticks and vines and grass. They lay the bird upon the wood, and in the absence of flame, they collect fireflies, in a jar. They lay the jar on the raft as well, and drag the little boat slowly to the water, nudging it off into the calm sea, once they were out far enough.

"Thank you for your strength, little one."

Perhaps it was a lot to undertake, for a wolf to hold a small funeral for a crow. But still, they stood there in silence, until the tide took it away.

THE TRUE TEST IS BEFORE THE ALLFATHER.