Usually, when Alvin talks about friends and lovers long gone, there's certainly melancholy in his voice but fondness too, a resigned sadness that surely must be from years of experience with heartbreak - at Razz's name there's nothing but grief. Shine feels like they can share this - this over-shadowing pain of losing what feels like your everything but he knows, even as watches Alvin, that despite the bond, despite what mate lore says about that indisputable connection, holier than life itself nothing can possibly hurt more can losing your oldest friend who you always thought would share eternity with you.

He breathes in and prays for a sudden skill...