Boreal leaned against Alys's leg, a quiet rumble in her deep chest as she turned her eyes up to the Seer. She couldn't provide all the comfort that her human's mate needed, but whatever she had was Alys's for the taking, given freely and with her whole, big heart. The comfort that she received in return was shared through her bond with Tal, giving the Messenger strength to continue their grisly task.
The edge of his shovel struck softer dirt and he took a deep breath before adjust his angle and scooping the looser soil out in shallow scoops, careful not to drive the blade deep now. He listened to Alys as he pulled back the blanket of earth that had protected the little bear through Deepfrost and swallowed hard when a careful probe found resistance a few inches deeper.
"Yeah... Zav's goin' through a lot, what with Lena an' all. Ronin's a hero an' Maea's, well, she's been through some changes, I think. Zav, though..." He swallowed hard and set the shovel aside, bending down to start scooping the last layer of earth away with his hands to avoid damaging the body - further damaging it, at least - that was so near now. "I'm glad they came back. All o' 'em. An' I know Sascha'll be happy t'be with you again. Seein' you alive an' bein' able t'come home... yeah. Yeah." He wasn't crying. He just had a runny nose from the chill Flowerbirth air that he couldn't feel, thanks to his Frostbite Cuff. Maybe some allergies. It was spring, after all, and the small body that he gently freed from the earth was so terribly fragile inside the stained linen that it had been buried in.
He lifted it and straightened, then stood hesitantly as he cradled the companion's remains close to his chest and looked at Alys, lost and unsure of what to do next. What she needed next.
The edge of his shovel struck softer dirt and he took a deep breath before adjust his angle and scooping the looser soil out in shallow scoops, careful not to drive the blade deep now. He listened to Alys as he pulled back the blanket of earth that had protected the little bear through Deepfrost and swallowed hard when a careful probe found resistance a few inches deeper.
"Yeah... Zav's goin' through a lot, what with Lena an' all. Ronin's a hero an' Maea's, well, she's been through some changes, I think. Zav, though..." He swallowed hard and set the shovel aside, bending down to start scooping the last layer of earth away with his hands to avoid damaging the body - further damaging it, at least - that was so near now. "I'm glad they came back. All o' 'em. An' I know Sascha'll be happy t'be with you again. Seein' you alive an' bein' able t'come home... yeah. Yeah." He wasn't crying. He just had a runny nose from the chill Flowerbirth air that he couldn't feel, thanks to his Frostbite Cuff. Maybe some allergies. It was spring, after all, and the small body that he gently freed from the earth was so terribly fragile inside the stained linen that it had been buried in.
He lifted it and straightened, then stood hesitantly as he cradled the companion's remains close to his chest and looked at Alys, lost and unsure of what to do next. What she needed next.
