Beyond the Veil

Lazuli doesn't remember much before the Veil and her time during was a hazy dream. Stepping out of the mist beside brothers, sisters and friends she had known was disorienting. Her eyes immediately picked out those missing and her heart sank. The strange feeling when she'd stepped into the Veil with her family tugged at her fur, lagging her mind even as she tried to focus on the foreign world. Her brother stood proudly and she stared, his once-mangled leg healed as Maia had promised; the power of the Veil protected her people, her pride from the dangerous two-legs. Even the thought of them brought a snarl to her lips even as her eyes searched for the one face she'd hoped had made it. Memories cascaded through her mind as she moved from face to face: his scent as they wandered the forest together, his strength as they hunted, his very presence as they'd protected their territory against the destroyers, his breath when he promised to always be at her side. Her throat constricted when she didn't see him, but didn't realize she'd moved until her brother nudged her side. Shaken from her reverie, she looked up at him, but he only shook his head and nodded towards their parents, who had moved off. She watched, shocked as her pride split up, in twos and threes, small families with nothing holding them together since their leaders hadn't appeared with them. Laz hesitated, looking back as friends moved on without a parting word. Confused, Laz finally followed her brother, looking back as her breath came in short pants and her heart twisted painfully. Her nose full of his memory made her paws stumble. She wasn't even aware when her brother gently herded her after their parents gently.

Lazuli twisted around, batting at him with a carefully sheathed paw and backed up, shaking her head. Denying the words her brother spoke so softly. **"Where is your mate? Your cubs?"** Not giving him a chance to respond, Laz backed up further. **"Too much is gone. I will not simply give up on him!"** The liothuna twisted out of his reach and pelted off into the forest.