StarHawk/AfterDeath

Nel after the funeral sat quietly in the sand by the dock clutching Owl's sword to her. A dark figure walked out of the treeline. Death's Keeper walking without making a single noise, he walked up behind Nel. "Hello Nel dear, I've missed you..." His voice was thick with emotion. But still unmistakable.

Nel lost in thought, has let her guard down and is oblivious. Nel turned almost violently in the direction of the voice. "Who...?" She stammers in the dark, though she could not forget his voice. It must be an illusion. She felt helpless without her artifact, which she left on the boat. She did not relish the feeling of a soggy blindfold.

"Its me, I've finally made it back to you" The all too familar voice of Still Owl spoke out. Nel felt blindly out at the figure. She stands, dropping the blade, and clutched at him instead.

Death's Keeper huged her tight "There, there dear, I know... Its ok, I know you were forced to leave me there, by those betrayers"

Nel sobed freely into his chest, something she had rarely done when he was alive. "There is so much I wanted to say... I was so scared... I never felt so alone..." Her seemed out of breath. Nel shifted to hear him speak. "Betayers? The Lunars?"

Death's Keeper ran his fingures through her hair, as he always did. "No, no, no, you must know, Kye and Eleria, and the rest, they betrayed me, left me for dead, they probably told you I was dead before they could save me?"

Nel's sob caught in her throat. "Wha... What?" Her brow creased in confusion.

"I watched them, as I sunk deeper and deeper, they left me there. I tried to reach out to them to get free but they knocked my hand aside, they were willing to let me die!" He spoke with obvious anger in his voice. He paused feeling her hold back. "You....you believe me right?"

Nel's brain rejected the information she heard, barely. "Bu... But, Eleria, she hurt inside too... Kye was crushed... How... How can you believe that they meant you ill?" She held herself back enough to 'look' him in the eye, as if she could decern his hurt and expell it with a look.

"Look you must believe me, have I ever lied to you? Look I cant stay for much longer, just trust me. And tell no one I am still alive." He spoke with such urgency it shocked Nel.

Nel looked confused. She wanted to believe him. Part of her needed to, but her new found friendships... She tried to cling to him harder. "No, please... Don't go yet..." She whimpered into his chest.

Death's Keeper huged her for a moment more, then kisses her deeply. "I'm affraid I must, everything will be ruined if they know I am alive."

Nel nearly choked on her tears. "I never told you... I love you Owl..."

"I always knew, dont worry I will be able to be with you soon, I love you Nel...be carefull of the rest of them" Death's Keeper huged and kissed her once more, and then vanished...

Nel felt him let go of her and fell to the sand. She groped the sand for his sword and again pulled it to herself. She cried harder into her arms.

And so the sunset, and all was night...