"Rhydian?"

Rhydian's mind stumbled further and further down into the darkness.

Morriva and Aedric, he felt a warmth rise in his chest as he recalled, once two little whelps, with no care in the world save for their supposedly rightful claim of a teat. Vaella's soft face, finally blushed by the sight of her newlyborn. It was the only time he ever heard her laughter, he thought. Two helpless, squirming bodies already so full of vigor and life, their tiny, opinionated voices echoing against the walls of their rooted den. The last thing he remembered was their first words-- Morriva, ever the quiet one, to speak first. Who would've thought? As he stumbled about in the depths of his mind, he struggled to recollect the memory of her first word. Desperately, he fought to remember. Mum, was it? No, not that... Gods, why couldn't he remember?

A rumbling growl finally stirred him. "Rhydian," Dazefully, his eyes obeyed the source of the call. Faeline. Her voice rang clear in his ears, and he couldn't help but startle. Blinking away the fog, he hadn't even noticed his body had collapsed against the ground. Again.

"Get up. We're going to find your kids."

"My kids," He would parrot, empty words spilling from his lips as if they were honey.