Exhaustion.

That one, simple word didn’t even cover what Mesec was feeling. For over a year he had been lingering on the edge of exhaustion - keeping himself weak so that if he turned he would do the least amount of damage possible. Not exactly a fool-proof plan, as it turned out, and he had more than gotten himself in trouble along the way. Some trouble a little bit less bitter (such as his twin children) and some too horrible to even describe.

Such as the event that had preceded this visit.

To say he was a bit rough looking was an incredible understatement too. His lower jaw hung loose and was swelling with infection but no longer bleeding; there was a bruised hip and ribs; bits of his mane and the flesh of his neck hung loosely off of his neck, sticky with drying blood; and various scratches, bruises, and even an electrical burn riddled the rest of his body. Even Lucius, the proud zephyr, lay on his back - cradled by his wings - with a broken wing hanging loosely out of the three that were folded.

But they made it. He had lost control and he had stopped himself before things could have gotten so much worse. Zero was safely back in the Throat with his parents and would be healed and Mesec… well, beyond this visit to the Veins he had no clue what came next for him. It was difficult to focus on anything past this. A series of tasks had preceeded them and it had been beneficial to have goals but after? There was no telling.

It was dusk as he arrived, the sun to the west slipping below the horizon - burning red behind the clouds that shielded the stars and moon. According to Lucius’ marking, it should be just about full tonight.

Limping slowly, he made his way to the shrine of his mother - calling out for her with his mind and his heart because his swollen mouth and jaw simply would not permit anything else.

He felt hollow and broken, his head hanging down low as he waited - sure that it would not be long now.

And then?

It was hard to think of the future as he was haunted by his past - each blink of his eyes bringing forth Zero’s terrified screams and the look in his eyes as the warg hunted and tortured him. It seemed only right that the memories tortured Mesec now.