The last hope of light (Free to join, just jump right in)

Island fell limp again, her amber pelt beginnning to loose its shine completely and she shivered. A grave and hopeless look crossed her normally jovial face. "Your probably right Kahlan, I should rest." And with thta being said, she somlemnly put her heavy head down and began to weep quietly.

Her chest felt heavy and compressed, and hollow all at the same time. She felt urgent, but she couldn't form words. To the poor sickly fae it seemed as though she were drowning in that creek all over again...and it hurt her so bad but she didn't know why...therefore she hadn't an answer for him. Island lifted her weary eyes to his and shook her head, looking dreadfully confused and ill "It hurts...it hurts so bad.." she sobbed "I don't know why.." she whispered through a weeping choke. "I - I- I think I should just..." she broke off and closed her dreary eyes "Sleep." she said quietly and fell limp, immediately within slumber.

Island was far into slumber...and yet in her what seemed lucid dreaams she could all but arize from it. It felt so real...the rushing water, her violent reflection from the bottom of the ice, how powerful to current was. She kicked her legs vigorously as if she was truly in the dream. Horrified yelps and choking noises echoed from Islands derranged body. She cried too, the saltwater tears left trails down her cheeks. Island shivered and her eyes opened. "Make it stop.." she sobbed at the wolves within yards from her.

"I'm so cold.." she sniffed. Island scooched herself into a patch of dawning sun on the dew sparkled grass. She curled her stumpped tail around her rump and curled tighter so her face was burried in the fluff of her tummy. "Shhh hush wee pup now don't you cry...mamas gonna sing you a lullaby.." she recited, and though her voice was smooth like velvet, it seemed tormented and frightened. She crossed her paws and gazed up at the dawning sky, it's colors seemed ablazed and brilliant.

"No, no no...The coyote sang that to her pups...but never me.." Island said slowly, regarding the other fae with curiosity, as well as neediness. Island whined and thumped her tail, pleased that she was being spoken to. A derranged look though beheld her amber eye...and the blind one had begun to look straight forward, never as it had before.

"they were a family...not a pack." she began warmly with a weak, but ernest smile. "The mother, and father, and seven wee pups. They lived in my territory.." but a very sad look crossed her face again. "Five of the pups though, and the mother drowned in the laughing river.." tears swelled in Islands wide eyes. "And the father, blinded by anger ate the other two..I watched him do it and I was too scared to do a thing." Island began to cry again. "I'm horrible." she spat at the earth beneath her, but gazed at Kahlan with such plea in her eyes that you might think she were actually a pup again begging for nurture.

Island lifted her chin to look the beautiful fae next to her in the eye. "That's very kind of you Kahlan..." she began, smiling. The response to kindness Island beared made it looked as though she were glowing. "But I never knew my parents, I've lived alone, adoptive to the elements." she sighed. "Not much of a beginning eh?"

Island whined and licked the fae's paw. "Thank you...but it's you, who has shown ME so much kindness." Island smiled and layed her head down. Exhaustion had gotten the best of her and she fell into a deep sleep, nurtured by the warming glow of the evening sun.

Island laid there, her sleep was blissful...for the first time in years. Perhaps it was because she was finally part of something important, and she was no longer alone. "Let the badger run.." she whispered subconciously.