Time had passed. Bones wasn't dead.

He was not relieved of the pain. He could not run. He could not walk without wanting to cry from the agony that shot down his spine and down into his back legs. He did not want to hurt anymore. Once or twice, he had considered asking Kerberos to simply take the pain away. To die. If anyone were to kill him, he'd rather it be Kerb, but he didn't want him to feel guilt.

Bones himself couldn't imagine what it'd be like if Giggle or Kerb asked him to kill them, and so he did not ask. He was sure the pain would end at some point. Not today, not tomorrow, maybe not even the next cycle, but some day.

He comforted himself for the last few days with these words running through his mind. From lying in the den like a limp ragdoll to walking around he recited these words in his head. 'You'll get better. You'll get better,' yet he felt like he was not getting better. 'Not today. Maybe tomorrow.'

He stared at a dead rat his mother had left for him. He appreciated what she did and how she tried to help him, he could tell she was worried. The restraint in her voice when he came back to Canis-- he didn't notice it at the time but thinking back on it, it almost tore his heart out. He didn't want her to worry. Perhaps he shouldn't have tried to be a hero for a stranger, no matter how young that stranger was.

Bones pushed these thoughts out of his mind as he carefully picked up the rat and struggled to all fours, heading out of the den. Carefully, he limped towards a blank wall and dropped the rat. He hadn't painted in a long time now. He was too busy exploring to take the time to sit down and draw for a while.

The dog stared at the wall for what seemed like hours, until he leaned over to the rat and tore it open. Guts, blood and the contents of the rat's belly poured out and Bones simply placed his paws in the gore, placing them carefully against the wall as he began to drag them down slowly.

It would be hard. He had no support from his back legs to paint, but he was sure he could do it for a while.


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Kerberos had been playing with the foal-- the same one injured by Baratheon as Bones had been-- and while she had gotten better, his friend had not. So when he returned and stalked his way over to Giggle's den, he was not surprised in the least to see Bones was still around, looking about as dejected as usual.

But it was okay.

Kerb had a plan. He had a game. Delphine had showed him something so wonderful-- and they wouldn't even have to leave Canis. Just go to the entrance, and there they could play. It was perfect. He could carry Bones-- though he thought it would be better for the pup to walk if he could.

"Bones? Boooones?" He woofed softly, plodding on over to his friend. His tail was set at a gentle wag, his noses all sniffing at his injured friend. It looked like he was painting something on the wall-- the scent of blood was overwhelming, a carcass of a dead rat under the pup's paws.

"I got a new game for you," he interjected, voice full of eagerness. "What'cha doin'?" The massive hellhound crept closer, squinting at the blood smeared on the wall. Bones had only just started, and Kerberos had never seen him paint before... So this made him all the more curious.

"Can I help?" He offered, tail wagging violently behind him, wriggling his whole rump. He loved Bones to death, and seeing him up and doing something that was (well, to him) new, was exciting. Perhaps he was feeling better!

@Bones :D

i'm ready to start
the conquest of spaces

Bones had began to relax for the first time in a long time. He could not reach very far, but he did manage to make a vague figure of shubbery and trees placed thickly together. He had seen this before, in his sleep for the past few days. No matter how his dreams started, it would end the same way.

The thick forest and the figures watching him. Briefly, the pup shuddered as he dropped his forepaws and looked down at the rat. His stupid, huge ears pricked up at a familiar voice and his tail curled up to wag left and right as the dog turned his head to look behind him. "A game?" he asked with sudden disappointedness. His tail dropped. "I don't--

Bones was interrupted by Kerberos questioning his art (which was dripping down the wall a little) and he turned to look back at it. "I'm painting. Mom says to paint things I see. It's not done yet," he said. His voice had barely changed since he got back, weak and rasping. "It's a personal thing, I think. But I can continue it later, maybe."

He half-dragged himself to Kerberos, licking his face. Soon after, he leaned down to lick his paws clean.



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@Kerberos

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Kerberos stopped and listened when his brother explained just what he was up to. The air was thick with the smell of copper, and he found himself slobbering just a little bit from the prey that Bones just had laying around. Thankfully, one of his other heads noticed and licked up the drool before it started dripping everywhere.

"Painting?" While his other two heads were busy with their little... mess, crimson nose perked up. "You should paint me!" Ah. The one thing most artists loathed to hear. Well, to be fair, painting was a rare thing in the caves-- Kerberos had never seen anything like that in all of the caves. His eyes were having a hard time figuring out just what it was, but if it made his brother happy, that was good!

His other heads had finished by the time he barked out his suggestion, and the middle head let out a soft woof, "sounds good! Later though. For now, I'm gonna pick you up okay?" And then, an explanation: "The game involves the tunnel! But don't worry, we won't pass through. Gonna stay at the entrance." It was safer that way. Kerberos was still convinced that it was a passage between life and death, no matter what his mom said. It was an instinct he couldn't shake even if he tried his hardest to listen and learn.

The dog approached his friend, and dropped all three heads down low, noses gently poking at his fellow pup. One nose began snuffling at the cave rat, though. Couldn't help it. He gave Bones a quick lick on the cheek and awaited permission to scoop the injured dog up.

@Bones :D enjoy my shitpost

i'm ready to start
the conquest of spaces

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