Darkness. Smothering, suffocating, and Ember was sure the moment he touched the floor, it would consume him. "Idiot..." a voice whispered in his mind, and he flinched, for though he'd heard the reprimand in his thoughts for as long as he could remember, tonight he could almost see the one who spoke it...cruelly affectionate, cripplingly sad. Heartbreakingly beautiful, and now lost to him forever, though he could not remember why. A name...all he had was the name he'd occasionally cry when lost in a memory not his own, a name foreign, yet as familiar to him as his own. "Ciarrai..." he whimpered, burrowing deeper into his blanket so that only his tails remained exposed to the endless void that was his nighttime room. He vaguely registered that his sort-of-brother, Yrre, stirred in the bunk above him, but decided that at least if he woke the annoying kitsu up, he'd have some company, and perhaps scare away the terrible darkness of the shared room. He wished with all his heart that Rhian were here to soothe him back into sleep...a small and soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at the very thought of his mate, and some of the anxiety and tension drained away. However, he noted with a sigh, longing and worry for her quickly settled in to replace it. He wasn't sure which was worse, honestly, for though the fear had mostly gone from him...ah, but he missed his Rhi-chan something awful, so that it was almost a physical ache in his chest. He wondered at where she was at the moment, for the only friend who'd had him come to their home was Remus...but that might be a good thing, he thought wryly, smiling even as tears gathered in his eyes, for if he knew where she was, surely he would go to her. And that would not be appropriate, he knew, to bother her at such a time of...night? Morning? He wasn't sure, but either way, now was not an acceptable time to visit, even if it was to his mate.

((To be continued, maybe. If I feel like it. XD ))