77. NO SPACE FOR GOODBYES

After we all ate, everyone eating in silence, the king then stood up to mention that they would all march out at night to the Valley of death where the war was being fought. The warriors had been told much earlier so the whole pack knew at that point. They were all even sadder, heads bowed. It was the saddest moment in my life with the room falling even more silent if that was possible. One of the head warriors had then stood up and said a prayer for the whole pack and all of them that would march out to the battlefield.

The king sat down for a few more minutes, nothing said, just staring around at his people and somehow I could not read him but he was not okay, I could see that. He was never okay. My hand slipped on his thigh, giving it a brush then moved until I found his hand, taking it in mine and feeling his fingers lace through.

I squeezed his hand a couple of times, reassuring him that things would be better. I knew better days were coming. My eyes went through all the warriors