1/24/2026, 9:50 PM
Solulfur was tired. Of trying. Of failing. Of the pain that always followed the joy she painstakingly built from this uncaring world. The elation of her admission to Torgar had been brief indeed. All she could muster now was relief it was over, and confusion over her inner turmoil, the very same that had led her to the First Class' den. The very same that would wake Aurelia, it seemed, during much-needed and well-earned rest.
She felt guilty, and ashamed for having done so. An effort to direct her gaze to Aurelia's with a stony visage failed entirely, leaving Solulfur's gilt eyes to fall onto the silver she-wolf's face with every fracture in their shining lens fully exposed. They had shared moments like this before. Solulfur remembered inviting Aurelia to her den; glad to have the Shakti-Vaes close enough to soothe Solulfur's fears of seeing her slip beneath the black waters of the life-claiming lake. Touched to have been the sanctuary necessary for such a wolf of unmatched prowess and accomplishment. Solulfur wished for that now, she thought.
Sanctuary. Freedom. Fragility.
Is something on your mind?
Yes,Solulfur replied,
but I shouldn't bother you at such an hour.An apology, hidden as ever. The Sun-wolf felt ambushed, exposed; there was no shelter she trusted more than the silver-shield of the Shakti-Vaes.
I received a marriage proposal earlier.She couldn't decide what details to mention, couldn't parse her feelings on the matter, revulsion and exhaustion and disappointment and grief. She did not know if Torgar would return from his hunt - perhaps only an excuse to abscond from a pack Solulfur was so rooted in, so omnipresent, at least by her biased measure.
I don't know why I came.Her inflection was flat, but the statement was honest. So rare did she not know something, or pretend she did. Rarer still for her to admit to such a state. But she knew she needed to be here, now.
