“This isn’t fair.”
Nari smiled at Arbre, but said nothing. Her throat was too sore from coughing, her chest too tight, and what was there to say? Everything had already been said.
“It’s not,” Arbre repeated, as he curled around his mate. “It’s not fair.”
Nari rested her head against his flank, trying to stifle a cough. It came out anyway, shaking her entire frame.
“You’re the keystone!”
You can’t get sick, Nari filled in silently. But she could. She had. And the one person she couldn’t heal was herself.
Arbre nuzzled Nari gently. “You saved that kid, but now you’re dying…”
“It is our law,” Nari whispered, “to save others, no matter the cost. It is a good law.”
Arbre said nothing, turned away.
“Arbre,” Nari croaked.
Arbre turned back, met her eyes, and looked away once more.
“A f-fav-” She started coughing once more, and waited for the spasm to pass. “A stone. Make me necklace.”
“I won’t leave you.”
“It is my last wish,” she pleaded. “One stone from the path to remember you by.”
Arbre nuzzled her gently. “I’ll be back my nightfall.”
“I love you,” Nari sighed, and lay down to await Arbre’s return, knowing full well that she would be unconscious by the time he returned. But she would have that stone, one stone from the path, and she would take it with her into the afterlife…
She would use it to stay, to look after the pack, to look after Arbre. He needed her now more than ever.
