She felt.. empty. Jewel had fought hard - she had shed blood, sweat and tears and now there was nothing to show for it. The ebon woman knew that part of her failure to heal had been her own emotions - the depression cloud that had risen up like a storm across the ocean.. But it was also the lack of healers. Kyon had left - taken by the curse that was her own cross to bear. Kyon, Topaz, Keir. Her sons that had lived to adulthood - all three had turned one and left. Erevu had ...gone with the death of his mate - and her heart sister Willoughby. Jewel had wished to share their children - to spend time with them.. but the death of the pale flower had left her with even more stormclouds covering her world in shades of grey. Jewel moved with listlessness across the sands, her head low, ears splayed to either side as she searched for @Vysemala. Her mate had become her rock - and now.. she was seeking her wisdom. Once, the ebon lady would have held pride - she would have known what to do.. And now? Now she was lost and it pained her. Still, she needed her mate - the constant presence she felt. But.. would vee fall to the curse as well?

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@Jewel- Vee's voice was pained with sorrow. She knew her beloved well enough to see how worn down she was. Souls were made up of pieces and parts stitched together and right now something was trying to tear JJ apart, straining and tearing. Stretching. She looked soulfully upon her mate as she approached, bade no pause to her steps she ushered herself forwards and aimed to curl up below Jewel's chin, nestle against the warrior's chest. I'm here, I'm here. Their lives had changed, they'd had their tests. For all of them, for all the future, Vee would be there.

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@Vysemala came - and Jewel leaned into her with a sigh, closing her eyes. It was the scent, the feel of the caramel fur against her own. The warmth that had become so familiar over time. "Tell me..this curse won't take you to." Her voice was soft, nearly broken in the quiet of the Cove. Once, she would have noticed the calming roar of the waves, the familiar cries of the gulls overhead. But now it was silence.. Borne of ..se wasn't sure. "I've lost...them." She knew they still had Sanson, their two young starlights.. but the rest - the ones she had carved Caladan out for - had all gone. And with time, so had many of the faces she had recruited for the Cove. Some had simply departed, drifted away - others had gone to better places and families. "Did...I fail them?" She'd made promises to protect - yet to see many of them falling away only hastened the slide into darkness.

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It won't take me. Vysemala promised, her own words nearly breaking apart. Jewel couldn't be cursed. The idea was ridiculous and she wanted to push her mate to the ground, pin her there until she saw reason. But she couldn't; she just couldn't do a thing but assure Jewel she wouldn't go down so easily. Vysemala reached her maw forwards, aiming to pepper the strong lines of her mate's muzzle with nuzzles and small kisses. I'm here, I'm never leaving. Anything that tried would need to drag her kicking and screaming away, especially now as she sat here promising @Jewel these things. These things she meant from the bottom of her heart and all of herself. They'll be back. She'd raised strong children, confident children who stupidly left without giving their mother a chance to send them off and wish them well. She curled as close as she could to her dark mate, coiling both of her tails around to lay against Jewel's warm body and reaching out with a paw to place it over top of one of hers as well. You haven't failed them, or me. You made a very hard decision for their benefit. You put them, you put your family's, safety above any want to be in charge that I know you have. She said forcefully as if the combination of close contact and firm words could coax her to the light.

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It was the touch of her caramel mate, the warmth of her hide and the vehemence in her words that broke the dark - offering a small channel of light to shine in the inky cloud of depression that surrounded her. Jewel swallowed and leaned heavily into @Vysemala, wishing fervently that she could be stronger for her - that this hadn't managed to break her so completely. The woman would shift, a smile - the barest of gestures touching her lips before she rumbled a soft, stuttering purr. "What would you suggest?" To go from here - to try to break this curse. The once queen would lift her skull, letting her gaze cross the lines of her mates face, shifting so that she could gently nuzzle her jawline - to inhale a scent that helped to ground her.

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Jewel was still so whole, so strong. Vysemala wanted her to see that, wanted to help her see that herself so that she could have the fire back she used to. She exhaled deeply, enveloping herself up against her mate so on the next inhale there was plenty of her scent drifting up into her nose. I think we start with a vacation first. Get @Jewel away from the Cove, away from memories and into something new, something fresh. Vysemala was not so head in the clouds to think that time away would solve anything long term but it seemed like the best place to start. It was so refreshing to cross that bridge a year ago, to be somewhere new where I could be anyone, anything. Nothing that had happened before, nothing I did before mattered when I took those steps into this. Leaving entirely was not an option she was considering, but she didn't think it had to be either to get the same effect. There was no hope of stopping this curse, be it real or in Jewel's mind, until there was some path ahead and something normal to their cadence again.

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She wasn't going to lie - the idea of a vacation had her smiling, leaning into her mate with a chuffling purr as she let the scent of @Vysemala surround her. "Where would you suggest we go?" A shift of her ebony hide against chocolate and she would throw herself to the sands beneath their feet, staring up at her mate with a curious expression - though it was guarded. "And what of the boys?" With their elder sons gone - there was no one to make sure the two hellcats didn't get into anymore trouble.. Especially with both females out for whatever amount of time they might be out for.

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Vysemala shifted to stand over her mate as Jewel flung herself down to the sands. Her paws were carefully placed around the shadowcat, close enough to make slight contact with her beloved. She aimed to drop her head and place a light kiss along Jewel's jaw line. Maybe to the forests in the north, by those cliffs? I'll find us a beautiful waterfall and we can camp out beside it. She day dreamed with a smile, adorning her mate with another soft and gentle kiss. Or to some hot springs in the mountains? I'll give you back rubs all day while you soak and relax. Whatever they did Vysemala knew she wanted to pamper @Jewel the best that she could. She'd spent so long taking care of them all, of the pride, it was overdue for the Queen to be made to feel like a Queen. Do you think Hecuba and Drakon would agree to watch them for a bit? She suggested in a voice a bit more realistic and grounded than the one she'd used while suggesting vacation plans. They'll have Sanson too.

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Unknown to the chocolate woman, her suggestions where being filed away for Jewel knew that she had strained her mate ao very much in the last few months and intended to pay her back. The ebon woman purred and kneaded the sands below her at the tender touches of the smaller female. "They sound lovely. And those two boys can handle themselves for a few days as long as we tell them 3r aren't leaving forever." The ebon woman chuckled at the idea, glad at least they had a safe space to stay while she and @Vysemala were away. Her first litter had never been far from her sight..but they had never bad the chance like her second and third to grow in a place of safety. Always on thr run.

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Might even be a bit of a vacation for the boys too. She pointed out, a thought that helped Vysemala herself overcome the idea of leaving the children for a little while. They could enjoy themselves without mother's eyes around them. Extra space in the den, no one telling them they couldn't eat themselves into stomach aches... She softly chuckled and leaned against Jewel. She aimed to press upwards against Jewel's chin and instill a little bit of chin up attitude. It'll work out, it'll be good for you. She promised with a little nip at her mate's chin. C'mon, lets go hunt or patrol. Something to get movement into their legs. /exit ?

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