Legend of the Black Claw Epilogue

Epilogue.


Rollo sat staring at the two mounds of dirt and rock not far from the blackened structure that was once his home. The barn, the cabana, everything had been burned down by the hunters. The police had been everywhere so he had had to wait to bury the bodies. He and Carter had spent a good portion of the day and night hiding the dead hunters and their SUVs, though they couldn’t get rid of all of them. He had vaguely answered the police when questioned and knew that eventually, they wouldn’t remember anything. The Step would see to that, they always did. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and knew it was Carter from his scent. The man looked like hell.

“How’s Daneel…?” Rollo asked, unable to take his eyes away from the two mounds before him.

“She is inconsolable but Sauna is doing her best to sooth her. I did not know Owen long but he seemed to be a good man.” Carter said quietly as he sat.  Rollo fought back tears as his friend’s face passed through his memory. He had been a good man; he had loved him like a son.  He deserved better. When they had gone to the overturned truck to pull the kids out, Daneel had found Owen, dead. One of the bolts that had gotten through had struck him in the head. Carter had blamed himself and his inability to hold the barrier but Rollo quickly shut him down. The hunters had killed him. Simple as that.

“He was…”  Rollo murmured and wiped a stray tear away quickly.
Neither one of them could mention her name, though, the other who had died. He wasn’t sure he could ever say her name again. He had to give it to Carter, the man stepped up when they needed him and he hadn’t broken down. Not yet anyway. Rollo had been angry at first, feeling that perhaps Carter hadn’t loved her as he should have but then he realized that breaking down wouldn’t have helped anything and Carter had been there when they needed him the most. Rollo reached out and pulled the other male against him, hugging him hard to his side. Carter allowed it and lowered his head.
“This pain… I hoped I would never feel it again.”

“Its part of life… loving something means you will lose it one day. I envy other people that they sometimes will be spared the loss of a mate by dying first. You and I don’t have that privilege. I’ve gotten used to death but it never stops hurting. She wanted us to find her friend. I’m going to fulfill that wish. Are you in, I need that bird of yours to help me.” Rollo said.

“Yes…” Carter barely managed the word.

“Good… because I can’t do this alone.”

Rollo had never seen such a busy place as the San Francisco International Airport. So many people. He wrapped an arm around Daneel and kept the children close as they made their way from the international terminal to the baggage claim. Carter and Sauna were taking up the rear. It had been awhile since Rollo had been on a plane, like since the fifties. This was all new and confusing to him and worse for the others who had never been on a plane in their lives. Carter had, had a panic attack mid flight and had to be knocked unconscious and Sauna and Daneel had spent most of the flight in the bathroom. The kids loved it, of course. It was nice to see them smiling again after what had happened. Losing their father and having to give away their pet was hard and he hadn’t had time to sit down and talk to them about it yet. Daneel was in no state to console them as she was barely managing to hold herself together. They passed the security check point and despite the wand not making a buzzing noise, as it had the time before at Sibiu, Rollo was still asked to step aside and be frisked.

“Wow…” Rowan muttered looking up. The ceilings were tall and like something from a scifi movie. There were long massive windows in the ceiling that looked like over turned boats.

“There is the baggage claim, come on guys, let’s go find out bags!” Sauna said, urging the children along. Daneel followed them. Rollo noticed that she kept her arms around her body almost constantly now. He recalled wanting to do that after their mother had died, as if he could pretend that she was still there, holding him. He looked away, feeling that terrible burning begin to flood his chest.

“So, where are we headed?” Rollo asked as Carter joined him.

“Yerba Buena Commons, 88 Perry Street. That’s where Kraki found Vita and another woman renting. It must be the friend she mentioned to you.”

“Are you sure?” Rollo muttered.

“There are not many Vitalina La Fabro.” Carter pointed out quietly.

“What’s the other girl’s name?”

“Zoriona Izenak.” Carter read slowly from a piece of paper he had pulled from his pocket.

“Basque…?” Rollo guessed.

“I believe so… does that matter?” Carter asked, giving him a look.

“Of course, they have great food.” Rollo said and grinned but he wasn’t feeling it. Any future smiling or laughing would be fake or forced for a long time. Vita had made him happy and he didn’t want to let her go, he didn’t want to let go of her memory, either. Perhaps fate had made her Carter’s true soul mate but it didn’t change the fact that he had loved her, too. He wouldn’t sulk or give into self-pity now, though. Daneel had lost a mate of many years, her pain was the kind that could kill one of their kin and Rollo’s sadness was overtaken by the concern he had for his daughter. Had Vita been a true mate, he would be in poor Carter’s shoes right now.