A Bloody Return[[CLOSED]]

[Ayame]

The scarred ebon fae lifted her muzzle slowly, making sure not to stretch the gaping hole on the side of her neck too fast or too much, to look at Tor in all of her fullness. She was brilliant tonight and led the way for the trio as they slowly made their way back to the mountainous lands of List. Gently she lowered her aching head down and looked at the two by her side. One a rusty mann, the other a gray mann; neither had left her side for long in many moon, but tonight they had not left her side at all. Oren, the rusty mann, was the first one to come across the battered fae and not long after Styr came along too. The two were inseparable, and if apart it was never for long. In fact the two had given Ayame a purpose in life, they had given her a “motherhood” that she so longed for; and tonight they had given her the strength to get up and move on, and not rot away like a dead piece of wood, consumed with ants and termites, slowly breaking away until there is nothing left. And after a strenuous journey, one of pure exhaustion and excruciating pain for the injured fae, they were almost home.

The fae lowered herself gingerly to the cool ground, wincing in pain. “Oren my dear, and Styr my love, please come closer. Just over that ledge is the great lands of List, my home, and soon to be your home if you so wish. Now is the time to decide whether you truly wish to be part of a tight knit family that comes with more enemies then friends, as you have so learned on the dark night. No matter which you choose, we will always be family and together. In short do not join for me, but join because it is what you feel is your destiny.” She smiled at both of them, tears swelling in her fiery orbs from the love she felt for the two. “You must also know there is great danger ahead of you if the Drappa and Dragga do not accept you, they will have you escorted to the dark lands of the Balkar and have them do what they want with you. You have shown loyalty to me, especially on this night and I see no reason why they will not accept you but it is only fair that both of you are forewarned.” Her speech was slow and raspy, but she had said all she needed to say. Speaking left her out of breath, and she needed to rest for a moment before they moved on; plus it would give the two manns with her time to choose their destiny.

After a few moments, Ayame slowly rose to her paws once more to finish her journey home. Each step she made sent a shooting pain through her body, but she knew she must go on for the sake of Oren, Styr and herself, she had come too far to give up. Soon, the boundary of List hit her like a brick wall and she collapsed on the spot. “We are here my sons, it is up to you to call for help, ring out with all your might together and ask for help and Tratto’s Blessing; I don’t have the strength to even lift my head.” The ebon fae lay there, breathing heavily, blood still seeping from her open wounds. Exhaustion took over as much as she tried to fight it, and before she knew it she was rushed to the land of dreams as she and her “sons” waited for help to arrive.

[Oren]

Padding along silently next to Ayame, Oren watches his "mother" out of the corner of his eye, making sure she is alright and getting ready to ask Styr to take a rest if the ebon fae looks like she needs one. It has been hard, these past few hours. The brothers have never been in a situation like this. When their birth pack was killed, that was it. It was hard for them to suddenly lose their family, but they learned to live with it and support each other. Before meeting Ayame, they were the only ones in each others lives. The brothers hunted and wandered together, crossing the wide expanses of Transylvania on their own, but never felt lonely because they have always had each other. Though there aren't twins for vargs because all cubs in litters are born together, but the brothers are as close to twins as is possible.

Oren and Styr have grown much in the past months, and are almost as tall as Ayame. Though they are still lanky and have not yet fully grown into their frames, they will both be good-sized manns when they are fully grown. Glancing at Styr on the other side of Ayame and catching his eye, Oren conveys much of his feelings in that one look. In their time growing up together without anyone else, the brothers learned to tell much of each others' thoughts with a glance, and that hasn't changed. The rusty young mann can tell that his brother is worried about Ayame as well, but just as determined to get her home and do everything possible for her. They will get her well no matter what it takes.

The fae stops on her own, looking at each brother in turn as she speaks to them. Her words do not change his resolve in the slightest, but he appreciates her concern for his brother and him, and listens respectfully, nodding in understanding. He looks in the direction she indicates, anxious to finally see List and to... if the gods are with them... be accepted as part of the great pack. Lowering his eyes from the majestic sight of the tall peaks, he turns his gaze back to the wounded fae and nods, his face set as it shows his resolve. The only vargs that matter to him are right here, so he does not have a problem with the fact that List has few "friends". He has never known many others, and is certainly not bothered with the knowledge that his life will likely stay that way. "Ayame," He speaks up, his voice a calm rumble that is much deeper than his puppy voice, but perhaps not quite to the level it will reach when he is fully grown. "Since we met and you first offered to bring us back here, I knew that it would be so. As much as I appreciate your warning, there is no need. We will accept our fate together, whatever it may be. Do not fear for us, for we do not fear our future." Growing up with no family other than his brother, Oren has learned to be rather fatalistic. There is no profit in fear, and he is confident that the two of them will be accepted, especially if List is truly much smaller than it has been in previous years.

Ayame's speech seemed to have worn her out again, so the three rest quietly for a few moments before she regains enough strength to continue on the next leg of the journey. Getting to all four paws from his sitting position, Oren returns to his place on the ebon fae's left side as she struggles uphill. "We are almost there, Mother... We are with you." He says softly, knowing that a little encouragement, though it offers no physical support, can give the strength of spirit necessary to go on. His words are true, and the trio soon reaches the strongly-scented boundaries of the pack. Standing proudly next to the now prone fae, Oren glances once again at his brother, and catching his eye in this glance, knows that there is a mutual agreement. Throwing up his head as he throws caution to the skies, Oren sends up a proud howl, matching his voice with his brothers and singing a song that is both a request and a fact. They are here, now they simply must wait for List to answer...


(Styr - PM me with any thoughts)