Completed Dark Omen From the Past

[Ricky Maze]

Dark Omen From the Past
Summer 2nd 513 AV, 9th Bell

Dark was the night as he prepared himself for the charge, it was cold enough for the Bonesnapper to take hold as Ricky patrolled the docks of Zeltiva. The sky clouded as a ominous whistle filled the breeze, a thick fog covered the surface of the water as waves gently lapped over to make splash noises. Ricky stood in his uniform with caution, aware that someone was around but not sure where. When he heard the sound of scratching on the wooden deck, he twisted around with his hand near his blade. To his surprise a dog stood some odd feet away, or at least a shade in the shape of a dog. Ricky looked confused at the dog as he heard a bark, then before he knew it the mutt charged at him. When it did he drew his longsword and retreated back for defense, then before him a whirl.of black smoke as a shade in the form of a human walked through him. The shade had a blade made out of thick smoke just like the rest of him, and the sword was raised in a manner that would be jabbed to someone who was lying on their back.

But the shade that looked like the dog intervened and tore at his shin area with furious snarls, which caused the shade with the blade to roar in pain and kick back the dog in the face. Ricky experienced deja vu again as he remembered what came next, the dog reacted just the same as his companion did and retreated in horrible pain. Then the same end befell him as it did time and time again, the shade plunged his sword right into the back are between the shoulders and silenced the dog. The black smoke that made the shade of the dog scattered like dust onto the wood of the dock, all while Ricky could reach out and scream no once more as he remembered Odis being slaughtered before his eyes. He felt a flush of emotion fill him then, and charged once at the shade just as he did the pirate. Only this time he had his own weapon with him, and he swung from his right it as hard as he could. When he did so the blade cleaved through the shade without slowing, unaffected by the mass of smoke that made the body. The shade only turned to Ricky right after the swing, no sign of damage done to the figure.

With another swing from his left he pulled the longsword hard, retreating back in the process to avoid a possible incoming blow. Rage filled his heart but it still didn't seem to be enough, and now fear soon gripped him as his strikes seemed unaffective. As he backed away he felt a hand grab his left shoulder and when he looked over it was black smoke like the shade before him, and before he even had time to react he felt a sharp object pierce through his back and out his chest. He'd been stabbed right where his heart was, disbelief filled his thoughts as despair plagued his mind. The sharp pain went through his chest and soon began to numb as the cold air soon felt colder. Ricky lost the ability to grip his sword and fell to his knee's, the world around him slowly turned into a blur. 'I have... a family. I can't...' He couldn't die now, not with a child on the way. What in Sylira happened to cause this? How did he not see the other shade from behind? A scream came from a woman somewhere far off, a bone chilling cry that made his skin crawl. He heard the metal of his blade finally crash with a clang onto the wood of the docks, and he too fell forward with a crash as his world now became cold, dark, and empty...

"Ricky! Ricky wake up!" Ricky jumped out of his skin right then and there, and looked up to find Telion watching him. She had a hand on his prickly cheek with a concerned look in her eyes, sweet broke from his forehead in drones as his breathing was heavy. Thankfully when he saw her face he became aware, that it was only a nightmare that finally ended. Relief filled his gasps as they lessened, Telion comforted him with soft words as he held her close. He actually felt like he had lost her forever, that his life had really ended and he would never get to see her again, or be able to feel the soft touch of hrr hands when she would speak to him softly. Like now. Moments like this wouldn't be no more had he lost his life, which scared him even more when he thought about it. "You're okay now, it was just a nightmare is all. You muttered in your sleep, which is when I knew you were having a bad dream."

"It was the same nightmare as before, only a little different this time." He had told Tel about the nightmares he had during winter, the season in which he spent grieving for his loss. He really hadn't had a nightmare since around the time the new year approached, but this one definitely proved more vivid than the last.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Her concern only grew even more, worry filled her eyes when she looked into his.

"Nah," he placed a gentle hand over her stomach area and drew in close to her face, "Think I'll just have some air." He pecked her lips with his and turned over to slip out of bed, and reached for his pants as he started to get dress. Once he fastened the belt he then picked up his short sleeve shirt, and sat on the bed while he slipped it on.

"Well... okay," She leaned up and watched him still worried, "I love you." She finally said as he finished slipping on his shoes. He turned back to look at her sincerely, a loose grin came on his face as he went in for one more kiss.

"Love you too." He responded as he went off to the door, the smile he held faded though when his back was to Telion. When he went out of his room and went on to exit the building, he found the warm humid air of summer to greer him. The sun had risen to the height of the morning hours, and the day seemed to already begin for Zeltiva. Ricky went on to the one place that he needed to see once again, but before he went there he made a side stop to the docks. Right at the spot where the incident occured, the moment that somehow seemed etched in his mind and dreams like stone. History written to never be erased nor forgotten, not by this man to say the least.

"Ricky's words.", "Ricky's thoughts.", "Telion's words.", "Hannah's words.", "Other's words."

[Leila]

Leila was rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she finished dressing, a light, white sundress today. Slim, playful, a hint at her feminine figure, as she grabbed Shaco's leash. She stepped outside, hooking him to the rope after he returned from his morning relief. She wasn't normally up so early, but she was receiving a delivery down at the docks. When she received approval last season for her shop's loan, she had gone to the Sailor's Guild and discuss importing plants. They didn't do this often, but she did manage to order in two potted Bilberry shrubs. And the ship had arrived this morning, and Leila was making her way to greet it. Moving lightly along the streets, her white dress making her seem like a specter in the fog, she eventually made her to the docks. She looked around, not seeing the portmaster, or many people at all. But there was only one ship that looked to have any activity on it at all. She made her way over to it, walking straight up to a man holding a scroll as the ship was unloaded by laborers. He greeted her with a cocked eyebrow and a look of suspicion, "Hello, I'm Leila Hughes, picking up my delivery." The man looked her over, then back down to his scroll, going down row by row with his quill. "Ah yes Miss Hughes, here you are. Two immature bilberry plants, potted, from Riverfall. Payment already received in full. Sign here please." He gave her the quill, she dipped in ink, and scrawled her neat signature. "Thank you Miss Hughes, would you like to collect your plants in person, or would you rather them delivered to your shop?" "I'll take them now, no need to bother your busy workers with such a chore." The man nodded curtly, shouted a few things up to the deck of the ship, and shortly there after, a man came walking down the gangplank with two small pots in his arms, with little bushes growing out of them. He handed them to Leila, "You must be a fine sailor's wife, bilberry is good luck for us. Never leave port without it. We had smooth sailing the entire way back after these came on the ship. Here you are." He handed over the plants to the blushing auburn herbalist, the rosy cheeks coming from the bit about being a wife. She started carrying them back down the dock she thought she saw a familiar figure on the next dock over. She quietly made her way over there, hugging the plants to her chest, as she came into sight of Ricky. He looked awfully lost in a painful thought, "Ricky? Are you okay?"

[Ricky Maze]

Dark were the thoughts that stretched into the central expanse of his mind, the memory of the night still present in its memory as though it only happened before he went to sleep. The traumatic experience he survived when the pirate overwhelmed him repeated with no end in his dreams, a endless haunter that occured for weeks on end during winter. Yet why? Why now did he experience the nightmare? He damn well moved past it all now, focused on what was important in his life. Something strange happened in the nightmare this time, it took a much different route compared to reality. That and the world felt darker, much darker with a cold deathly touch to it. He pondered about it with troubled thoughts, unaware of any possible meaning to it if there were one.

Just then a voice cut off his thoughts and brought him back to reality, right in the moment when he recalled the blade peircing his chest. The burning sensation that mixed with the cold fear radiated from his core even in reality when he recalled the terror, thus when he heard the voice of a person he nearly jumped out of his skin from the unexpected appearance. When he looked around to see it was Leila she held two plants, likely for her herbal shop she just opened yesterday. A faint smile came to his face ad he recalled the fun events of yesterday, the grand opening turned out to be on he thought a great success.

"Leila lass! Gave me a good jump ya did." He sighed. A bit relieved the nightmare to be over again, his mind focused on his close friend before him. However this wasn't enough to flush out the wretched feeling of a dark omen, that which put him on a tight edge all too easy. "I just've a bit o' me mind." He wiped his left eye to prevent the sorrow of old from showing itself, the melancholy that planned to torment his day being held back with thoughts of distraction. "Why're ya carryin' those by yerself?" He inquired with an attempt to hide his troubled state of mind, quickly he proceeded to take them from Leila whether she refused or not. "Let me carry them for ya, it's the least I can do for all ya done." He remembered the news he gave to her yesterday, a faint smile still on his face with a sincere look in his eyes.

"Ricky's words.", "Ricky's thoughts.", "Telion's words.", "Hannah's words.", "Other's words."

[Leila]

Leila's ever watchful eyes didn't miss a thing about the Wave Guard before her. She saw the startle, the sigh, the skittish look dancing behind his eyes. But she definitely didn't miss the attempt to hide the tear. "Oh they aren't heavy or anything, and I didn't want to inconvenience the dock workers. You know my shop is just a hop and skip away." She knew it was further than that, and her arms would probably be quite tired from carrying them, but she was trying to get him to focus on things less painful. She may not be able to fix the unknown darkness in his heart, for that would require him to let her in, but she could at least distract him. "I'll make you a deal Ricky, you tell me what's bothering the strongest man I know, and I'll let you carry at least one of them. And as a gesture of good grace," she handed over one of them. Leila still held a special place in her heart for the man, but she'd come to terms and understood everything that had happened. Maybe in a different time it would've worked, but she could be happy as his friend. And she loved Telion too, how could anyone not? They deserved each other, and Leila would do anything to help keep her friends happy and healthy. She still smiled to herself after what they'd asked of her the day before, "Now walk with me." Leila had realized as of late that when people were hurting, whether physically or otherwise, she took charge. And usually people responded to that well. She looped her right arm into his left, similar to the night they'd first met, letting him know he could still keep her safe, but that intimate desire was gone. She wasn't sure if he'd noticed, she'd gathered that he could, at times, be quite dense at that sort of thing. But that was just another thing that made Ricky, Ricky. Leila wouldn't talk while he spoke, just waiting and listening, her pace slow down the docks, toward her house in the southwest.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky's expression was a look of sadness and awe, Leila was far to smart to just simply overlook the signs. He had given her credit for her merits before, thus how could he fail to do so even now? With a sigh he knew she wouldn't let it go, thus when she handed him the first plant to carry he took a moment to think on where to start. Leila waited patiently for a good few chimes, the silence in the air between them a sure sign Ricky truely felt that something was wrong. "Okay lass. Its a long story that I'm gonna cut short to save time on, mostly because it was a time that I would rather nobody know me as." He confided with a stare into the bush of the plant he carried, a simple distraction to avoid her looking into the deep stare he would usually have when expressing emotion. Not because of their history, but simply because of his. A time where he truly fell into a dark place, was indeed a time he would rather not reflect for others to see.

"If ya remember me tellin' ya before, I too owned a dog that acts just like Shaco. He was a mutt if I ever owned one, but he became the only brother I could've only wished for." There was a sigh and silence for another long chime, as he pieced together the story that he clearly wanted to leave behind. "I swore me self to never look back upon this time Leila, because when I lost Odis I became a lesser man whose only friend was the mug of Kelp Beer at the bar. I believed me self to be alone at the time because I wallowed in self pity. Because the night I lost Odis he didn't just die, he saved me from a pirate who nearly ran me through... at the cost o' his own life."

He could feel it. The overwhelming feelings of a past he worked so hard to bury. Only the memories he fondly looked upon were the ones he kept, but when the one reminder came back to haunt him it felt like he was torn apart again. "I had nightmares for weeks after the incident. Endless nightmares that only alcohol could keep away... but only for a short while." He tried not to be emotional in front of Leila, his chest heaved in deep breathes though as he only looked forward. "When I finally began to pick up the pieces o' my life, and put it all together I thought the nightmares had ended. But this mornin', I just had the same dark dream again, only this time somethin' was different near the end..." They were nearing her store now, turning on the corner down into West Street as he fell silent the rest of the way. A lump in his throat as he struggled not to lose it, when he finally could manage to look at Leila again she would then finally see it. Pain. Dark, loathsome, miserable pain. A cursed thing that haunted the deepest most outer reaches of his heart, as it struggled to penetrate its walls and leech away the happiness in his life. She could see it all there because just this one he would allow it, just this once he would let her see the darker side of his soul that he kept tucked away from the world.

"I didn't want to... drop all this on ya like that." He sniffed a bit, his glassy eyes proof that he choked back tears. "I didn't want to worry ya, or Tel, or even Hannah for the matter. Because I should be strong, I should be the one who can handle it." He looked down to the ground, waiting to hear her response. He hardly had any words left to say now, every thought that welled up in his mind was fully expressed. He trusted Leila after all, she had become someone so important to him.

"Ricky's words.", "Ricky's thoughts.", "Telion's words.", "Hannah's words.", "Other's words."

[Leila]

Leila waited for a long stretch of time to hear what Ricky had to say. She didn't look as if she were expecting him to talk, nor annoyed at the wait. Her face was simply full of concern for a dear friend. She watched him stare her new bilberry bush, and saw the difficulty of what he was about to say. She listened to him talk about Odis, and her heart broke for his dog again, just as it had the first time she'd heard the story, though this time there was a lot more detail. She wondered if Ricky would ever have another dog. Maybe if she ever found Shaco a mate, she would give him a puppy. Leila tried to keep her face from showing shock when she learned that Ricky had been an alcoholic at one point in his life. Leila had enough experience with people of that lifestyle to know they all had one thing in common, and that was tragedy. So she now knew just how much Odis had meant to him. Leila wondered if she would end up in a similar situation if Shaco perished. She hoped not. He'd been having nightmares, and Leila wondered if she could find something that would help him sleep. She could do that, it would be something to help him. And she wouldn't charge him either, he was too good of a friend. She watched his face in turmoil as they neared her shop, and Leila's heart matched up with his, especially after she saw his tear filled eyes. And Leila's tears joined his, and she set down her plant on the ground next to hers, and took the one from Ricky's hand, and set it down as well. She looked up at his down-turned face, tears rolling down her face. Using a hand, she lifted his face by the chin, to have him look her in the eyes. "Ricky, you're the strongest man I know, you're the one who keeps us all safe." Her eyes studying his, tears still flowing, "But you're not alone. The burden isn't yours alone. We can help you. Telion is going to be your wife one day, you have to let her share your pain, just as you will share hers. You're a father now, you will have a child that will have to tell you things that will scare you, that will hurt you, but you will endure it. You will share that with your child, and you will understand. And you have me, and I have you. You're my best friend, you, and Shaco, and my dad, are all my closest friends. I can't imagine my life without you in it. I can't imagine how scared I'd be if I didn't know you were out there protecting me. Like you protected me on my first trip through East Street, like you protected Ariann when she came to Zeltiva. Let us, all of us that you protect, help you Ricky. You may be our shield, but we are the arm that holds you up." Leila then burst out in full blown crying, lunged forward, trying to get her arms around his torso, hugging him tight, as she cried into his chest. After a few chimes of this, she stepped back and wiped her eyes, "Now let's get these back to the shop, and you can share anything, or nothing, if you'd like. Have you had breakfast yet? I could make us something, even something for you to take back to Telion."

[Ricky Maze]

When Ricky saw the same expressed emotion in Leila's face he knew very well that she had seen a different side of him, a part of him that he believed to be better off tucked away. Forever to remain hidden and never again seen. Yet what she did was not only see into the very depths of his being, his soul, she connected with it just as he and Telion did. Only this time he was sober and it was Leila. Her words were the far cry onto the deaf ears, the echo that would never have been the long desired sound... had she not truly put herself out there as well. What she told him was more then encouraging, it was uplifting more than anything. The sweet melody of life that reality somehow lacked, the tune of the world that many failed to hear because they never listened. What Leila told Ricky... was absolutely beautiful. No friend, not even his closest ones, had ever looked directly into the deep stare he had and faced the darkest reaches that which rested within. With the exact words that Leila used Ricky felt his heart, his core, and his soul all at once be tugged into a lighter form. A form free from chains and shackles, a form free of the pain that ever so longingly nagged for more. That one part that Ricky had always kept hidden away had been seen today, and who else to bring out the true form it waited to become other then Leila.

"It's... fate." He didn't need to think on returning the hug as the tears finally broke free, his pain now finally able to run along move past his what was broken but now mended spirit. Her words were an inspiration to the very reason why he looked forward, but no longer now did he have to feel so ashamed of his past. Leila was absolutely right when she said the things about Telion, about the child, about every single damn thing. Her point validated his very reason, very being, in existing in this world today. "Thank ya... so much." He had a better but still faint smile on his face now as the two pulled apart, his appreciation for her being such an important person in his life met no end. Possibly knew no boundaries even, his admiration for her peaked many times before as he remained a devoted protector to her. Leila was no doubt fated to meet and come across in Ricky's life, her influence impacted not just his mind but even his soul greatly. Such a fated friend was something worth protecting, even admittedly dying for should it come down to it.

"I think I'd love breakfast, and Tel would be most grateful to send 'er some too." He nodded with a humble and grateful attitude, honored to even think that Leila became such a highly important person in his life. "But first, after we drop these off, what say we pay my brothers grave a visit?" He wanted to see Odis again, see how his grave had been while he was gone. Now that he was back in Zeltiva and things were finally going to.settle, he would be able to visit him as often as he would like. With a more guilt free concious now that Leila brought to light the bigger importance of his role. He took her words deeply to heart, knowing that he would have to allow everyone that he cared about know when he was troubled. Starting today that change would definitely occur, and he would do his absolute best to no longer try and stand alone.

"Ricky's words.", "Ricky's Thoughts.", "Telion's words.", "Hannah's words.", "Other's words."

[Leila]

Meekly, "Okay hun," She picked up one of the plants, then made her way to her shop. She unlocked the front door, Shaco barking from behind the fence, having smelled his good friend Ricky. She stepped inside, turned right, and unlocked her herbalism lab. Inside she went, leaving the door open for Ricky to carry the other plant in. She'd never brought him all the way in here, but now he'd get a first hand look. Her lab was like a miniature forest, several potted plants dotting the room. There were plants hanging by string as they dried out, and Leila moved to her furthest table, for it was the emptiest, aside from her patient table. She set her plant down on the table, taking a moment to check it over, to ensure it had done well on the trip. The stems were intact, leaves uncrumpled, budding berries not burst. She turned to him, "So this is my shop, where most of my work is done. It's my favorite room here. If you can't find me in the shop or outside, odds are I'm in here." She stepped back out into her little hallway and grabbed Shaco's leash. She then walked out the back door of her lab, and Shaco was there waiting, tail wagging. She hooked up his leash, rubbing his head, "Ready to go for a walk hun? Ricky's here, you excited? Huh, you excited?" And excited he was, he couldn't keep still, shaking from Leila's build up. She gave him a moment to greet Ricky, then started toward the gate of her fence. Leila made her way to the front of the shop and locked the door. She then hooked her arm in Ricky's, and began the long walk up to the Memorial Cemetery. It was somber, Leila just enjoying her time with her best friend, holding his arm for protection like last season. Leila had never visited the cemetery before, never having had a family member die. But she could always see where it was located, for it was one the highest points in the entire city. "So has work been treating you and Telion well? I imagine you must be quite busy juggling all your responsibilities now." It was just idle chit chat to pass the time until the two finally found the graves. Leila fell back, allowing Ricky to lead the way.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky's face warmed up with a small grin when he heard Shaco excitedly bark, the dog would be given plenty of head scratches more affectionately then usual now that he had thought more about Odis. Ricky followed Leila into the shop with eyes soon full of wonder, when they both entered the room with all the herbs and plants he admired the set up Leila had achieved. Her shop had definitely been a worthy investment on her part, and she no doubt would work hard to take care of his child whenever the due date happened. "Its impressive." He admitted when she explained she'd likely be here if not elsewhere. He couldn't help but feel happy and proud about her, Leila had absolutely come a long way since their first meeting. The fact that she now stood her with her own shop as the closest friend he could imagine, that was evidence enough to show the amount of progress she'd made.

Ricky followed her back out to the yard as she locked the shop up once more, Shaco now on the leash as he took her with his arm gently. It was the same manner of escort as the first day they met, a day that couldn't have been simply any better compared to the wildness of the season. There was small talk for the passing of time while they made their trek on to the memorial cemetary, the mood eased with a sort of peace in mind when they arrived of course. Shaco being such a reminder of how Ricky had Odis, he was glad that the two would get to meet now, even if his dog rested in the ground where he was left. "Work's been the same," he responded softer than usual, as if too loud of a voice would disturb the resting dead, "I have to admit it feels longer then usual though. Probably 'cause I'm always eager to get home and see Tel." He hoped he didn't put Leila down when he said that, after all his stupidity led her on in spring when he should've said something sooner. However with everything shared at the season's end and the story explained, he finally understood what she had wanted and to his greatest regret he hurt her. He never meant to, nor did he ever want to. But he hurt her because his lack of ability to make time and tell her, and now that the two stood together as what he believed as fated friends he couldn't help but try to be mor aware of her feelings.

"I'm excited 'bout the baby though, we both are actually. Even now I can't help but think of that moment when I first get to hold him... or her." He chuckled as he added "her" at the end, a happy smile that could only describe the feelijg of being complete. He would be fullfilled when that day came, he knew that when the very moment became a reality, his entire soul and being would feel complete in this world. A purpose to love and raise a child in a world full of danger, to protect and teach that child as one they too would find someone they loved. He thought about it everyday, and each time he did the days themselve seem to stretch. Yet he would be patient and hopeful that when the day came, because he knew from the very moment when the child would be born that his life as a father truly began.

They came to be near a tree as Ricky guided Leila, next to it an grave that was marked with a cutlass inside the ground. That cutlass was the "tombstone" that marked Odis' grave, the blade rusted and weathered as it remained untouched. Upon the handguard dangled a grey rope that was tied in the fashion of a collar, the very collar his companion wore on the first day of their journey outside Zeltiva. There had been so much fun, so much pain and homesickness, but the best part of their journey was that they made it home... together. Even though their time at home was cut short by the pirates on that dark night, Ricky found that he still had Odis with him at this very moment. The dog lived inside his heart after all, and Ricky knew now unlike then that was what mattered most. "This is Odis' restin' place." He allowed Leila's arm to slip out of his as he knelt down, his smile turned fragile as emotion built in his eyes once more.

"Hey boy, how ya been?" He didn't expect an answer of course, but he felt like the momentary pause was enough. "Sorry I've not visited since the end o' winter. Spring came with a lot of unexpected surprises. Like Tel and I, were together now with a child on the way. Hard to imagine huh?" He chuckled as he wiped his right eye, a glance and smile up to Leila before he continued to speak. "I got someone I want ya to meet, she's someone special to me just like Tel. She's gonna help take care o' the baby when he... or she, is born." He held a hand out for Leila so she could take it, as he would help her kneel down next to him if she took it. "This is Leila. She has a dog too, his name is Shaco and he reminds me of you." The word slipped off his tongue with the Zeltivan accent still present, likely sounding a bit funny to Leila's ears when she heard him. "Leila and Shaco, say hello to my brotherly companion; Odis." He rested a hand on the dirt before him, what was once a mound finally weathered and flattened to be shaped with the earth. He watched how Leila responded and interacted, hopeful that Leila didn't think him some crazy loon or something.

"Ricky's words.", "Ricky's thoughts.", "Telion's words.", "Hannah's words.", "Other's words."

[Leila]

Leila listened and smiled as Ricky talked about Telion and his coming baby, and was surprised that she felt nothing from being led on, being spurned, for being picked as second sail to another woman. She finally realized that she was truly over all of it, that she appreciated Ricky totally as a friend now, and had in fact forgiven him. And they'd picked her as the godmother, much to her surprise. She'd half thought Ricky would have just forgotten about her when this was all said and done, but realized that he would be one of her closest friends until one of them entered their grave. They would be like intertwining vines, always together as they grew, but never truly one with each other. And Leila was okay with this. Ricky led her over to a tree with some sort of sword sticking out of the ground. Then her heart broke as she saw what she assumed was his leash and collar hanging from it. This was Odis' grave, which Ricky confirmed shortly after. Then Ricky began talking to the grave, as he would if Odis were still alive, and Leila's breath caught in her throat. She held a hand up to her mouth as tears stung in her eyes, not yet falling. She had no words of comfort to give, nothing to say at all. She took Ricky's hand and knelt down next to him, Shaco wiggling his way between them. Then Ricky introduced them to Odis. Leila managed to choke up a few words, on the verge, but never going over, of tears. "It's so nice to meet you Odis. You've done so much for me, and we're just now meeting. I'm very grateful that you protected Ricky, for he protects me now. So in a weird way, you protect me too. Thank you so much kind friend, I could never repay you. But I will take good care of Ricky, I promise, and I will take care of Telion, and their child, and I will make you proud. Rest easy dear Odis." Leila saw Shaco lay his paws on the edge of the grave, lay down, and buried his head down, as if praying to his fallen comrade. This is what broke down the wall. Leila's tears came silently, sliding down her cheeks and she squeezed his hand tight, not able to speak any longer.