Anakumath had needed Martirae's iron will, unbending and unwilling to fall on it's knees, to keep her from greying as she checked in on each of her clutchsiblings once the drills had completed. Most of them had made it home - each who she had known would be receptive to it had been booped or pulled up against her chest or nuzzled. They would know how thankful she was and how much the gold loved them. And she did. Some she knew would not enjoy her brand of fussing had been allowed their distance - barely. There was at least one she'd waited until they'd returned to their ledge to offer a soft mental caress to, as close as being allowed to lean her head against theirs as perhaps she'd ever be allowed. If each and every one of them would let her soak up their fears, their pain, their tears, she would take it all upon herself eagerly.

It was in the much later hours, Martirae restlessly curled up in her bed, when Anakumath stirred as if she was going somewhere. There is nowhere to go this late, my love, Martirae rolled over to inform the young queen. In the darkness of the night one who was unused to how her hide usually gleamed would not be able to see the greyed tone it had taken. Martirae had memorized every inch of her beautiful lifemate and even without seeing her sadness worn so openly could feel it now that she'd taken on what grief she could from all of the others. It will not be far. I promise, Anakumath did not wait for permission to glide the barest drop from her ledge to land in the sands of the bowl. Behind her, she could feel Martirae moving to wait for her on it.

She walked slowly, but not casually, off towards the Hatching Grounds. While many eggs had come and gone from it since before that time, Anakumath could still remember where they'd all been. Even if remains of their shells were long gone. There had been many songs hummed in these sands, but one still echoed so in her hearts and it would again fill the sands as she leaned her head against places where each pair - and one alone - had stood.

Little Flower, bloomed and lost....your moment that still shines, Anakumath's eyes greyed as she laid in the sands with each nuzzle of the sand as she held onto those images of cousins and sibling lost, To you what has been lost, together forever in time. May you all be together - You, your brother, and mine.

If a dragon had been capable of physical tears, she would have wept into the sands. That one place they'd last been all together. Only for a moment. But she would linger far longer. She could not bring them back. It would be a heartbreak she had to learn to live with time and time again. But first, it had to be felt.