Sleipnir buried his head against his brother's shoulder, aside from his tight grip and the slight tremble of his body, no one would know was thinking, but to Skylark, Sleipnir was radiating mixed feelings of confusion and...the slightest bit of fear. He wanted Father and his brother to stop joking around, it wasnt at all funny. Daddy woukd come back. He wouldn't just leave them would he? No Daddy wouldn't leave them. He had novreason to go and all the love to stay. He felt tears roll down his cheeks, but resolved not to let the feeling crush him, "Daddy will come back...Daddy loves us." He conveyed softly to his brother, though he wondered just who was he trying to convince now. Clinging onto Skylark as Path gathered them both in his arms.

 "Shh..Daddy's not gone forever...He just...needed some time t-..to think." He murmured, feeling unsure of himself. People didnt grow well on lies, but Path, himself, barely knew the truth, only what he was meant to do...and maybe without Edge....without Edge...he avoided the thought by rocking the twins, singing softly tobthem a song with no real words, only a feeling of a low deep longing. He sang about the forests and the rivers, made up stories of the workd before and tried to do everything Edge had done for them until their cries subsided and each lay asleep at last.

 Sitting back in his chair, he sighed, gazing upon his offspring. Perhaps they were a mistake too and oh what an easy mistake to erase, to eventually forget and bury behind him. He reached out, the contrast of his claw agaibst Skylark's soft round cheek. He could.....No....what was he thinking? Hurriedly he pulled back. He was being foolish, exhaustion playing tricks...he had yet to eat since he woke up too...but...all the vaults were locked...resigning himself, he sat and watched his young sleep.

 It was with a jolt that he woke up, realizing he had fallen asleep in his chair. Turning to the loud noise thst woke him, his eyes fell upon Edge. For a moment, he sat shocked, golden eyes widening when the caught Edge's frantic...yet oddly peaceful gaze. In the next moment, his chair had fallen over and he was by Edge's side. Somehow, in those last few moments, the dying connection they still shared, he understood. And he realized the biggest stupidest mistake in his life that he would probably still have made if given a choice. 

 He ran his hands over Edge's burns and cuts, kissed away his tears and smeared his own blood in a desperate attempt to stop or at least delay the inevitable. Begged and promised and cursed, going as far as to say that Edge shouldn't have come back, all because it was easier to watch him walk away than to havr him crael back dying. Out of all of it though, he shed not a single tear. The strong didnt cry...

 Path held him as he lay dying, as he breathed his last and when he breathed no longer. He could feel his mate's thoughts drifting away and silently he bid the goodbye. Goodbye his love, goodbye to the times they sgared, good and bad and....goodbye to......to......His thoughts trailed off as he watched the darkness surround his lover and pull him away. Path moved back, watching it spin its web....Silently, reaching out....he found Edge.

 [I]For you I cannot be weak...for our children, I cannot be be indulgent...For my kind, I cannot forget...For myself..Path was a beautiful lie...[/¡] He ran his hand over the cocoon, making up his mind. This was what he was meant to do...

 Stepping back as the cocoon faded to darkness, he took his place on the chair he had righted. He vould ferl Edge....when he was still midway in the stages before reality, Path could feel him, everywhere, but the dragon wanted his mate just here. Next to him, with their children.,.here so they could pretend everything was alright again. Edge...He closed his eyes imagining the soft smile that he had not seen for so long....

 He could hear his name...the fake one. And he opened his eyes and Edge was there, smiling at him and laughing and joking...Was it sad that the first thing that Path wanted to say was to not call him Path. That wasnt his name..it was a beautiful dream, but it didn't belong to him. Instead, he just shook his head and leaned forward to press a kiss to his Mate's forehead, "No..just tired....the...the twins had a nightmare thats all, but everything is alright now Edgey." He pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes in thought. Better, to keep Edge human like this, keep his family like this, in the dark...but happy. 

 "Edgey...I think I'll take the twins out tomorrow, it'll be good for them. I want them to learn how to hunt and survive...like how I was taught." He murmured softly, keeping his eyes closed. "And.....and I think we should look for....any remaining creatures of the old world...to see what we can salvage from their survival..." Hebit his lip and stared at his lover, like before, and couldn't help but pull him closer, "I want to make this place better for them...for us...I want...." [I]To kill all the humans who condemned us to this...To rid us of the Hydras..so you'll never need to remember...[/I] "I just want you Edge. Happy."

 He cupped his human's cheeks and met his gaze, golden eyes searching for something that he evidently found as he pressed their lips together. Remembering how moments ago, he had touched cold unmoving flesh tgat failed to breathe. Now though, Edge's lips were warm and he slipped past them as they parted allowing for a more passionate kiss. A lasting loving kiss tgst onky ended when they ran out of breath and Path pulled away to stare at Edge.