[Ayliyra]

It had been quite an eventful day that was now wearing late. She'd run across one who knew of Nardir and apparently knew, if not everything, at least something of its fate, it had moved apparently, northward according to the stranger, which was going to make things complicated. Some of those she intended to look for had, so she'd been told, last been seen in the north and well..she didn't want to really head towards Nardir, if Nardir even still stood though there was no guarantee it did if there had been trouble enough to cause a second of their allies to fall. But Mercury..unless she had much changed that was where Mercury would likely want to go and the direction they were likely to be heading in. Ah Mercury. More important than Nardir, at least to her, was Mercury being back. Her mentor was back and there was oh so much to tell to her. So much she needed to know..but..she worried. Some of the things Mercury needed to know were also things that might, and quite possibly would, hurt her and she didn't want to see Mercury hurt. It left her rather torn between wanting to protect Mercury from the pain of..the past and perhaps the now in a sense but also wanting to protect her from pain in the future and she couldn't do both. So she supposed it would be better for the pain to be now while she could possibly do something to ease it rather than in the future when she might not be there.

But first to find a suitable spot, a place safe enough for such discussions and that would allow her and Mercury to both gather as much rest as they could while they could since the lands out here were unpredictable. Well not wholly unpredictable perhaps. They could always be predicted to not be safe and for there to always be the chance of being hunted by someone else for just about any reason at all. And she didn't like that fact, not one bit. She didn't care so much about the danger to herself as she had become accustomed to it but Mercury..she rather minded the possibility of that happening to Mercury. She'd lost her once and didn't intend to lose her again at least not any time soon as she knew, even if she didn't want to admit but..still she knew she was going to lose her anyway in the end. But until then she needed to figure out a way to keep her safe. To prevent an attack if possible. But then Mercury's size should help with that anyway so..what was left? The desperate, the thrill seekers..or those who..had a vendetta..like her father. Zvulun. Yes. That would be a problem if he showed up..of course it wasn't likely and was probably a worst case scenario but..better to plan for the worst and hope for the best rather than to just..hope for the best and have no plan at all. So..how to plan for a possible attack by her father? Well he liked ambushes which meant it was likely he'd try and strike from behind and she knew he wouldn't let anything remain standing between him and her so..That meant she needed to be behind Mercury so that Mercury wouldn't be the something in between in case of an attack.

But then she needed to be able to protect Mercury from all the other directions as well since..well it did occur to her that the only way Mercury was likely to have been kept from the pack for so long was by force, and that usually meant injuries and while she did know more about healing than she had she didn't consider herself a healer and she didn't know enough about humans she didn't think to be able to really tell what sort of condition Mercury was in. She didn't look great and seemed tired and there was what seemed to be a collar of sorts on her but that wasn't enough so..once again..better to assume that Mercury was too injured to hold her own in a fight and plan accordingly rather than simply hope she could and pay the price for it later. So..fighting..if Mercury couldn't hold her own in a fight then that meant the best option would be to avoid fighting all together if possible. That could be hard to do in the neutrals though without prior warning and an injured Mercury might not be able to flee too fast anyway so..prior warning..and as much time as possible were what was needed.

And her longest reaching sense for doing that was her sense of smell..but if she was standing behind Mercury..unless..if she didn't stand or walk directly behind but a little to the side she'd be able to see what was in front of them and smell what was in front as well. Yes! That should allow time enough to assess threats and ensure Mercury was protected from the front and with her walking behind any ambushers would have to deal with her first before they could get to Mercury and the sides were covered as well anyway by virtue of being the spot before the front so..seeing and smelling the front meant being able to see and scent along the sides and she could easily put herself between any attacks launched from the side or from behind and Mercury. Yes. She was going to be a one wolf guard patrol. Nothing and no one was going to take Mercury away from her again..at least not without a fight. But only if it came to that.

"We need somewhere to rest. Somewhere safe enough for me to make my report..there is..alot you..need to know about and alot of it is..not pleasant". She'd say once they were out of earshot of any listeners trying to give Mercury as much warning as possible about what things she was likely to hear so she could brace herself for the strain although given the conversation they'd had already she probably was expecting bad news of some sort. Until then though she'd simply follow Mercury, letting her lead so she could set the pace, another thing that might help with any injuries, and so there would less risk to her from an attack from behind until a new destination was reached. Once at that destination..well something would need to be done to check it out to make sure it was safe for Mercury though how she was going to do that and make sure no attacks were launched while the inspection was going on she had no idea. But she supposed she'd figure out something..after all she'd been teaching herself things for so long now..but..maybe perhaps..with Mercury back..there would be less of that. Yes with Mercury back..there were so many more possibilities than there had been, for her and so many others, that had not been there before.

[Rieal]

Mercury was tired.

So much time spent away from her home and loved ones, fighting all the while in hopes of returning to them, had left it's toll on the coal and cream woman. Her skin, her muscles, her very bones seemed to ache, each step almost agonizing. It was likely that the warrior princess would be slowing the duo down with frequent stops to rest. Mercury had been fighting, and running, crawling at times until exhaustion took her and she was forced to rest and eat. New scars carved out hairless strips on her body, proof of a time that Mercury just wanted but couldn't forget. For now, the dark woman put it out of her mind.

"We need somewhere to rest. Somewhere safe enough for me to make my report..there is..a lot you..need to know about and a lot of it is..not pleasant."

Her cream and white ears fell back a little at Aylie's words, teal eyes narrowing a fraction. She was still somewhat shocked to have found Aylie of all wolves, in the freelands especially. Mercury was still trying to figure out if the brown wolf was just a mirage, some hallucination due to overexertion. Aylie's presence in the neutrals gave Mercury a bad feeling - why was she here, instead of where she should have been, with Nardir?

The warrior shook her head and made her way to a small pond, walking directly into the water and laying down in the cool liquid, drinking a little before turning her attention to Aylie. "There is a lot I have to tell you as well, Ayliyra," Mercury admitted in a tired voice, aquamarine eyes focused on the other wolf. "I would hear what you have to say," the woman said, ears perking forward in interest.

From the way Aylie spoke, it wouldn't be a happy tale.

[Ayliyra]

The pace was slow, which only helped to confirm that Mercury wasn't in good shape. Whether from injuries she couldn't see or simply from exhaustion though..but she could wait. Of course she didn't really want to be moving at such a slow pace but that was more out of concern for Mercury than impatience. She didn't like her being out in the open like this in this condition. There were far too many in the world that would try and take advantage of that..to cause more harm to her Mercury. Of course they'd have to get past her to do so and well..even if Mercury wasn't in the best condition she wasn't stupid enough to think that she couldn't do something to help in the event of an attack but..there were limits. As much as she hated the idea of it happening even she knew that there were individuals out there that she would have no way of stopping, and neither would Mercury. And with groups..that got even more questionable. No..the open was not where she wanted to be with Mercury so..vulnerable. And well..allowing herself a small moment of selfishness..she didn't like the idea of being vulnerable herself. But a small moment was all it would be. She didn't want to make Mercury feel guilty when she knew..knew all too well what it was like to be injured, exhausted and still have to keep going. She knew what Mercury was doing wasn't easy. And so with each pause Mercury took to rest, she would quietly wait mostly keeping watch over her mentor while occasionally she would look at Mercury, perhaps even catching her gaze, with understanding, admiration and respect because..she knew. She knew what it was..what it cost to keep on going, to keep pushing yourself to just..move. She knew.

Once the destination was apparently reached, a pond, which..well she didn't know if this would have been her first choice..but..well a den or cave as she had been thinking of did have the potential to echo..and to..entrap whereas this..this place wouldn't echo and..wouldn't allow them to be cornered or be come upon unawares which made it more suitable to..everything. Purpose and her personal preferences..and..perhaps Mercury's as well as she walked in and laid down before drinking. It worried her. Mercury laying in the water like that. It was a good way to get sick, and she didn't want Mercury to get sick, but she also knew it was a way of easing pain..which didn't make her feel that much better. Mercury was either in pain or was going to get sick and she didn't want for either to be the case. She didn't want Mercury to be hurt, to be in pain. She was..Mercury.

She kept watch though and waited and once Mercury had finished her drink she spoke and said there was much she had to tell as well. After that..in ever the way that was Mercury, calm, confident, and fair even if tired, she said she would hear what she had to say. She gave a nod of acknowledgement because even out here, so very far  from where Nardir was, as far as she was concerned Mercury was the true and rightful ruler and leader of Nardir, and while she did contemplate sitting to deliver her report..standing was the better position from which to defend and also..it seemed..wrong..to allow herself to sit when that was a luxury best and more suitable reserved for Mercury, a wolf of greater importance, of greater worth, than herself so..standing she remained.

"There were warning barks from the border and the scent of wolves who I believe had been living on the land before we moved in. I had been hunting nearby so I responded to the alarm. When I arrived Ijanu, Firebright and Byakko were already there. Ijanu already had several injuries so was likely the first on the scene. Our side was outnumbered as it was and if Ijanu was forced out we would be even more outnumbered. I joined in. Shortly after doing so your sister, Alana,  and Raka arrived. Alana summoned for the guard and then joined in the attack as well. I had been keeping an eye on Ijanu in case she had trouble and needed to get out so when Alana arrived I kept an eye on her as well". And she was trying to keep emotion out of this, to keep it precise and to the point and so far..she thought she was doing a pretty good job of it. But now..now it was coming to dealing with Alana and well..that was going to be a tricky thing to address not just because of her feelings on Alana but also because..Mercury was her sister and what she was going to say was..not exactly going to be flattering.

"Alana I do not believe was experienced enough to take to the field in those circumstances. She ran in to trouble with her opponent. I had injured the one I had taken suitably enough already I thought it would be safe enough for me to disengage and go and assist your sister and did so. Unfortunately the one I had disengaged from instead of ceasing to fight, as the one I had assisted Alana with chose to do, it had joined with one of its companions against Byakko. I knew of Byakko's Fury and knew if he was pushed too far it was possible that he could fall to it. Your sister..she seemed to be in..shock. She provided no orders as to what was to be done about Byakko's circumstance. It couldn't be left that way and with your sister in the state she was in..I took action. I started towards where Byakko was to try and lessen the strain and thus the chances of his falling. The opponent that Raka and Firebright were fighting was nearly done whether it would choose to stop or not as it was badly injured and looked on the verge of collapse as far as I could tell. It surrendered at that point as I told them to end the..conflict with it. The ones Byakko were taking on were about the size of Byakko himself and with two of them..I would not have been able to deal with them quick enough and needed Raka and Firebright to help".

And well she knew Mercury was probably already not exactly pleased with her well..giving orders on a battlefield but well..she was the only one aside from Alana who'd been free enough to observe the state of things and when Alana had frozen..it also meant she was the only one left to give any direction at all. "I assumed that they would abide by Nardirian law and allow the one who had surrendered to flee just as Alana had allowed the one she had been fighting to flee when it surrendered. They did not. They instead violated Nardir's law and the example already set by Alana and toppled and pinned the individual and then killed it. The time it took them to do so was..too long. I was unable to take enough strain from Byakko to prevent his fall and Fall he did". And this was where things were really going to be..

"Alana had recovered enough at that point  that she..fled the area while calling retreat. Raka and Firebright followed as I started to. I had not made it to cover when I realized that Ijanu was still on the field. She was unable to run and was in almost direct line from Byakko. I started back to try and help her to get to a safer location. Your sister ordered me restrained and I was, by Raka, so I was unable to assist Ijanu and no one else went back to aid her either. The guards Alana had summoned, neither Thundershock nor Starfleet nor any of their charges, ever came. Ijanu was left on the field to fend for herself". She would pause a moment to allow Mercury to absorb it all, the lack of the response from the appointed guards who had failed in their duty to the pack as well as to respond to a call from a member of the royal family. The fact that two of those present had violated one of Nardir's founding beliefs and laws when they'd killed an opponent who had surrendered when, again, a member of the royal family had demonstrated they were to do otherwise. Then the fact that one of their own had fallen to the Fury and that another of theirs had been left, injured, on the field unable to escape it.....

It was alot to take in. So she would wait for Mercury to be ready before continuing.

[Rieal]

It seemed that Ayliyra was dealing with Mercury's slow progress well enough. The dark woman appreciated that. It also seemed that the walnut hued woman was ready to speak, though Mercury could tell Aylie was somewhat reluctant to do so - the warrior princess had a sinking feeling in her gut.

"There were warning barks from [...] needed to get out so when Alana arrived I kept an eye on her as well."

Heat flared up in her chest and forehead and neck, the coal and creamy gold woman feeling incredibly upset at the notion of Nardir being attacked, especially if her sister had involved herself in the fray. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest, Mercury eager to hear what happened next, preparing herself for the worst.

"Alana I do not believe [...] have been able to deal with them quick enough and needed Raka and Firebright to help".

Ayliyra spun a tale of battle that filled Mercury with anger and disappointment (pretty much entirely at her own lack of presence when her Nardirians needed her). The wolf swallowed dryly, throat feeling sticky and tight. If she had just been there, maybe things could have ended differently, maybe things would not have gone so far south for all involved -- Aylie began to speak again, snapping Mercury out of her thoughtful trance.

"I assumed that they would abide by Nardirian law and allow the one who had surrendered to flee just as Alana had allowed the one [...] had summoned, neither Thundershock nor Starfleet nor any of their charges, ever came. Ijanu was left on the field to fend for herself."

For a long time, Mercury said nothing, silence and shock paralyzing her into stillness. She stared forward, taking in the information and processing all of it. There had been an attack on Nardir, for whatever reason.. five Nardirians, including Aylie, including Mercury's own sister, had fought back, one assailant had fled but another had been taken and.. killed? Killed? Mercury's lips began to wrinkle, tiny creases in her white and cream-marked muzzle bridge. Why? Why had Alana of all wolves ordered the death of another? It was so unlike anything Mercury could have ever expected from the gentle, sweet Alana that she knew. Aquamarine gaze flickered to Aylie -- she knew the motley girl wouldn't lie to her. And Byakko, experiencing that exhausting rage, and Ijanu being left behind... The former queen's brows knitted together, a headache shattering the last little bit of her peace into sharp fragments that cut and dug deep.

There were questions gnawing at her mind ceaselessly however, and Mercury felt the need to voice them. "What happened to Ijanu, and Byakko?" Had Ijanu died, left alone and injured? Had Byakko in his blackout rage hurt anyone, had he hurt Ijanu? What happened afterwards, was there dissent among the Nardirians over Alana's fatal ruling? Mercury couldn't wrap her head around the idea of Alana ordering the death of anyone. Perhaps Alana had been less prepared to rule than Mercury had initially believed. But then, perhaps it was her own fault for acting so foolishly and investigating the humans which led to all of that chaos. She sighed, heart and mind burdened by the thoughts. Maybe Alana had been stressed, not thinking clearly, shell-shocked from being involved in a battle (something that Mercury had always hoped to prevent).

Hopefully, Mercury would find out the reasons why Alana had done such a thing from Alana herself, and soon.

"What happened to Nardir, and why aren't you with them, Ayliyra?" It was a topic that Mercury was almost scared to explore. The answers to her questions could very well have been something Mercury would never want to hear in her life. Had Nardir fallen, and her sister along with it? A chill ran up her spine, dread overtaking her senses. She could only hope and pray that that wasn't the case.

[Ayliyra]

She had watched the slight indications of..unease?..displeasure? That Mercury had exhibited as she gave the report on the battle. And as she had expected there was a wait after she had paused but then came the questions. It didn't really surprise her that Mercury was inquiring for more information it was just..how she was. Always getting details, always looking for details, always looking for..well..everything. It was what allowed her to be so..fair. To be a leader. She just wished she could provide as thorough answers as she knew Mercury was looking for..but she would answer what she could. "Ijanu did survive the battle. Byakko, there had only been one free attacker when he fell who fled. The two engaged with Byakko however..there was a large blueish one who seemed very surprised at the turn of events. I don't believe he knew..anything of the Fury and what it meant. He fell to Byakko's fangs. The second, a large brown..". The brown was the one she had been fighting, the one she should have..she pushed those thoughts away before the guilt could overtake her. If she allowed herself to feel the guilt or..really anything anything at all while trying to make this report..it probably wouldn't make much sense and would possibly cause Mercury more worry than she was probably already feeling. So she shoved her emotions down and continued with her report. "He attempted to aid his companion. His injuries prevented him from doing so..or from even saving himself. He to fell to Byakko's fangs. No others were touched by him. When the Fury subsided he collapsed. Injuries were dealt with as best as possible as was Byakko's condition but there were no full healers within the pack at the time so what could be done was limited".

And once again the reporting was going to brush on emotional things that..she didn't need to get emotional over when she was trying to present her report. "Your sister had no physical injuries but had apparently been very shaken by the event. Byakko was also shaken by it. I was worried that as badly shaken as he was if he continued to patrol the borders he could fall again but that it could be during an acceptance and an innocent would be the victim. Ijanu's injuries were too severe to allow her to patrol and Raka and Firebright were recovering as well and with their actions during the fight, I wasn't sure if Alana had plans to call them and place them on trial or to simply demote them. The rest of those ranked were either having troubles not connected to the fight or were those who had not seen fit to answer Alana's summons. It left few wolves to patrol the borders so I began making circuits when I went hunting so that the borders would not be completely undefended if any tried to take advantage of the situation". Because while she was unranked and knew she was unranked it just wasn't practical for an able wolf to not patrol, to at least be able to raise the alarm if one should be needed, when there were so many who weren't able to do so.

"I continued to do so for days. Your sister did not emerge from seclusion and Ijanu..I last scented her near the waters edge. I found no trace of her scent anywhere else after that". She didn't go any further with that because elaboration was hardly needed as disappearing at the waters edge..well..it was perhaps not exactly impossible that Ijanu was still alive but..in the condition she'd been in..it was highly unlikely. "I was out hunting and caught familiar scents at the border. One was Byakko's the others were family members. I wished to see them and to check on Byakko so went to the border and greeted them and then watched things progress. Salenia and Jase had their pups with them and were answering questions when one of the pups decided to play. At that point Byakko told them that despite being family he would have qualms about leaving him at the border, refusing him entry, that Nardir had no use for wolves with no self-control". Which of course was problem in more than one way. First Byakko was family to Jase and so shouldn't have been the one to take the acceptance anyway according to Nardir's law, but wolves who weren't related to Jase or Salenia in some form or fashion were hard to come by so..there hadn't been much choice but..it was not the way things were supposed to be done.

Just as healers were not supposed to treat their family member and relatives, except in dire emergencies, so that emotions could not cause any undue errors such was the way it was with acceptances and for the same reasons which was why the law had been made..or part of the reason at least. But there hadn't really been anyone else to call so..Byakko had taken the call. The next problem of course was how he had addressed the issue with the pup. It had been quite..harsh when all the pup was wanting to do was play. Not that the pup should have been playing because well..he shouldn't have been but still..he was a pup. "After he had corrected the pup he went on to ask them what they would be interested in doing later when they were grown. I did not think it was a bad idea but with so many still recovering from various things I thought finding out what they could do to help the pack in the immediate future, such as fetching water for those still recovering from injuries or helping to hunt for others who were unable to do so themselves, would be wise as well and mentioned it to Byakko. He dismissed the suggestion as unnecessary. He did not have any of them to seek out others in need of assistance. Did not even inform Jase of those who were in need of a healer". When there were so many who needed just that, it was a definite problem. A very definite problem. The third or perhaps fourth problem of or with that acceptance.

Once again she would pause to let Mercury absorb the information she had provided on the acceptance. Of the familiarity protocols that were ignored, mostly because there was no choice as even she was considered a relation of Jase. But also that a healer had not been informed by the one taking the acceptance, a ranked wolf, the Gamma, who should have informed Jase of there being injured wolves needing his attention. Of there actually being several individuals in need of the aid of a healer and that none of the pups had been assigned to so much as fetch water for their new packmates. Of course she was also trying to avoid the other questions..of why she wasn't in Nardir because well..she didn't really want to drop all of that on Mercury all of a sudden when..there were things she still couldn't answer for her. Like what had happened to Nardir after she was gone.

[Rieal]

Ayliyra's recollection of events in her absence made Mercury's heart harden and her head hurt. A skirmish at the border, Byakko succumbing to the fury his breed suffered, her sister becoming involved in an actual fight.. it made the dark woman's head spin. She sighed roughly, brows knit together in a clear display of frustration and disdain. How had so much gone so wrong in her absence? The woman snorted, aquamarine eyes focusing in on Aylie once more as her tale continued.

"After he had corrected the pup ..... not even inform Jase of those who were in need of a healer."

Mercury's gaze fell to her paws, wavering beneath the surface of the water. Had the Nardirians struggled so badly in her absence that they would toss away their responsibilities to the pack, to Mother Moon? Byakko had been foolish in dismissing Aylie's suggestions, and Ijanu's disappearance after the fight was extremely troubling. Mercury cared for each and every wolf that called themselves Nardirian; to know that such bad things had happened to them hurt her heart terribly so.

The warrior princess turned her attention from Ayliyra for a moment, eyes seeming to gaze into nothingness as she delved deep into her own thoughts. She needed to return, to set things right with her pack. Alana had taken up the mantle as sole alpha when Mercury had been captured; what had her sister done since then? What about Nardir had changed, if anything? Did it still even exist? Ayliyra's presence in the neutrals was a troubling thing to find; Aylie should have been with Nardir, but here the mottled girl was, alone in the free lands.

Her attention snapped back to the other suddenly, fierce eyes focusing on Aylie. It hadn't escaped the woman's notice that Aylie was pointedly ignoring answering the question of why she wasn't with Nardir - and although Mercury did not want to press the girl, it was an important question that needed to be answered. For now, though, she supposed it could wait - if only for a few more moments. "Byakko did not perform his duties as he should have," she commented, letting her feelings on the subject be known. "I had faith in him, to do the right thing.. perhaps his judgment was clouded due to the fury overtaking him before.. but perhaps not." Mercury tried to see the best in everyone, but the actions taken by Byakko - or the actions not taken, rather - could have cost lives. Was it pride that led him to ignore Aylie's suggestions? Arrogance? Mercury did not know, and refused to spend time thinking about it.

"We should keep moving." A statement, not a suggestion. Mercury stood up, water rolling off of her underside and chest, the woman wading out of the pond and giving pause to - once Aylie was out of range - shake herself off. With that, she began to walk once more as she had been doing for so long, and although her paws and legs ached, she felt.. rejuvenated. Maybe it was the drive to get back to her pack and see for herself what was going on, why such bad decisions had been allowed to come to fruition. Mercury did not like the stories of Nardir that Ayliyra told her, but the dark warrior had to have faith that Nardir was not in ruins.

[Ayliyra]

Mercury's rough sigh in response to the report said volumes the furrowed brow said even more and would have been quite sufficient indicators of Mercury's displeasure at the report so far..the snort that followed shortly after though made it unmistakable that Mercury was clearly upset at the news, of course she hadn't really expected anything different but..she hadn't even made it through the rest of the report which had worse news. News that she still had no idea how to deliver without just..dropping it on Mercury which she still didn't want to really do. It was quite a problem and Mercury wasn't making it any easier staring at the water as she now was as it just made her worry all the more about how the news would be taken. Mercury looked up again but instead of focusing on her was staring off into nothingness..and well it did occur to her that it likely meant that Mercury was thinking, which was likely why she had been gazing into the water..it did still concern her and make her wonder what kind of toll her report was taking on Mercury.

But then in a flash Mercury's gaze was on her with all the intensity of The Look which meant Mercury had more than likely, almost certainly really, realized she was avoiding answering the question causing her to shift slightly worried that Mercury was going to insist on it being answered now which..gentle phrasings and let downs weren't really her strong suit and..she wasn't sure if it had ever been a talent she possessed as even her conversations with Rio tended to be either very vague or very direct with hardly any variance in between. But then instead of pursuing the issue of her being in the neutrals she instead seemed to let the matter drop allowing her to heave a mental sigh of relief, even though she was sure it was going to come up again, as Mercury instead addressed the issue with Byakko stating that he had not performed his duty in the way he'd been expected to and mentioned something that she herself had also thought of, and she nodded to show as much, even before the incident she'd just related to Mercury had occurred, that the stress from falling to the Fury could have clouded his judgement. The next part though..that clouded judgement might not have been the issue..well that had also occurred to her after it had kept happening and with some of the discussions between them but..for now she needed to figure out what to say when the subject of her came up again since she doubted she'd be able to avoid the question next time and then..there were bound to be questions..lots of them and she already knew she was likely to end up being on the receiving end of Mercury's The Look when she answered those questions..or..some of them at any rate.

First though..Mercury said they should keep moving which she agreed with but didn't want Mercury to feel like she was being rushed when she seemed so..tired even now as she left the water and began walking away. Which brought her back to the other issue that she didn't know how to address..what had happened to Mercury? Why had she been absent from Nardir for so long? What could have kept her away from Nardir from so long? And once again the only things she could think of to answer those questions, until Mercury either chose to speak of it herself or until she figured out a way to ask, was that it had to be something very powerful..very formidable..as formidable as Mercury herself to keep her mentor from returning home..nothing else would or even could have done it. And while she would have liked to know sooner rather than later just what that was so she'd have a better idea of what she needed to do to help Mercury and keep her safe..she would simply wait watching as Mercury shook the water from her fur and then began walking once more at which point she took up position once again behind and slightly to the side to try and give Mercury the best protection she could provide to her on her own.

[Mercury]

It was so much to take in.  They walked in silence for a short time, and Mercury seemed lost in her own thoughts.  While she was a dog among men, Nardir had been frozen in her mind.  She pictured them as they were, unaltered by time or consequence.  Somehow , she had forgotten the prophecy that Alana could not rule alone, and had taken it for granted that she would have been able to do so in her absence.  Guilt stabbed her through the scar at her breast, a sharp reminder of her failure.  She had failed her pack, and Nardir seemed to have fallen into chaos.  But the Oracle had never said Mercury was to be the guiding Moon.  She had always thought she would remain the shadow to her sister's light.  Had the light truly failed in her absence?

She barely remembered Jase leaving the pack, but Salenia?  When had that happened?  Too many gaps, too much that Ay alone couldn't fill her in on.  She brooded for a moment, ignoring her pupil as she walked.  The ground passed underneath her unnoticed.  Names and faces floated through her mind as ghosts.  Byakko has always been a strong, able male.  For him to not only succumb to his fury, but to be unable to recover so... it hurt her to think about.  The Ijanu she knew was as courageous as the one in Ayliyra's tale.  But for her to be left behind... What had Alana been thinking?  Nardir was supposed to be a family. They protected their own.  Was she lost forever? Another soul to mourn.

The collar around her neck was a testament to where she had been.  Anyone who had known of man knew they could enslave other creatures.  Mercury was not ready to explain her time among the humans and domestics just yet.  Her tale was no happy recount either.  At least, not all of it.  There were good parts, but she was more concerned with what had happened to where she was heading to, not where she had come from.  The village, and all there, were her past now.  Just like the ghosts that Ayliyra spoke of.

Still, there were more questions she had for the younger female.  Somehow, Ay had ended up very far from Nardir.  Why was she so far away?  Mercury stopped walking and turned back, pinning Ayliyra with her argonite gaze.

"Why aren't you in Nardir, Ayliyra?"

Too late.

[Ayliyra]

They continued on in silence for awhile with Mercury thinking everything through she was sure and she..was trying to figure out what she was going to say when the moment came as she knew it was going to. Mercury was far too detailed, far too thorough, far too..caring to ignore her as so many she'd known and thought she could trust had done before. She could be quick and blunt, something she often was and had been when she saw potential threats looming about which there were threats out here aplenty but Mercury was not one of them nor was she the cause of them and she didn't want to hurt Mercury but..a long version..it would be painful as well. So..she supposed the best she could do, or try and do, was to try and cause as little worry and strain as was possible given what she was about, or rather now as Mercury had stopped and was now facing her with the look she knew the time for avoiding the question Mercury asked once more, was gone. Hm..the long version..she hoped it was the right choice but she was still so unsure. Still..she took a breath and began, "Your sister, Alana, she summoned me. I went and..Alana was displeased. I..had been disobeying the orders of..several individuals who were ranked above me as they conflicted with..things I had..already been taught". Things Mercury had taught her but she would try and spare Mercury as much as possible for as long as possible but..Mercury was thorough so how long it would be before..but she would do what she could. "Others were there also..I was..accused of being a threat to Nardir. I was asked to explain the reasons for my actions which I did but..the reasons I gave were dismissed as being inexcusable. They said it did not matter what my reasons for disobeying orders were that all that mattered was that I had disobeyed them. I was..deemed a coward, disloyal and a threat to the..royal family".

She would pause here just in case though she was sure Mercury could already see where this was going.."I have been exiled from Nardir..by the order of..your sister's mate, King Julek for the..crimes I committed". Hm..crimes. Her crimes were that of disobedience, if being loyal to Mercury's laws and teaching could be called as such, and she had been condemned as a traitor and given the same sentence as Hexilia..except for the scarring..but that was all..even the threats of death had accompanied the mockery they'd called a trial, a trial in which she'd had no defense other than her own when even Hexilia had been assured and given a defense by Jase, a respected member of the pack to ensure a fair trial despite the charges of attempted murder that Hexilia had faced..and she..had been abandoned with not even her adoptive family willing to speak on her behalf..but then perhaps that should not have surprised her when they'd left her to die in the mountains at less than a year old and injured besides so that they could save their precious bloodlines.

She didn't know what else to say, it was alot to take in and she felt..guilty for proving the information even though Mercury had asked it. It just wasn't fair that Mercury would now have such an unpleasant event to think upon..but she supposed it was even more unfair..and selfish of her for not telling Mercury sooner. As an exile Mercury shouldn't be associating with her but she'd missed her mentor so and had been so worried for her and still was but.."I should have told you sooner..I'm sorry". She said quietly feeling the guilt of not being better, of failing to keep Mercury's teaching not merely alive but thriving, of failing to be able to help Mercury without having to endanger her by her very presence. Mercury was the rightful queen of Nardir but caring about someone that many in the pack, including the new king, wished dead would not make her welcome.

But she could not leave Mercury on her own in such a state either, and she wasn't about to. She knew all too well what it was like to be abandoned and she wasn't about to inflict that pain on Mercury, not if she could help it. No. She would stay with Mercury either for as long as she was needed or for as long as she was allowed and wanted..and then after that..she didn't know.

[Mercury]

"Your sister, Alana, she summoned me. I went and..Alana was displeased. I..had been disobeying the orders of..several individuals who were ranked above me as they conflicted with..things I had..already been taught. Others were there also..I was..accused of being a threat to Nardir. I was asked to explain the reasons for my actions which I did but..the reasons I gave were dismissed as being inexcusable. They said it did not matter what my reasons for disobeying orders were that all that mattered was that I had disobeyed them. I was..deemed a coward, disloyal and a threat to the..royal family.  I have been exiled from Nardir..by the order of..your sister's mate, King Julek for the..crimes I committed."

Mercury stared at Ayliyra as she spoke, her face as neutral as any mask.  Her countenance darkened as Aylie recounted the event with a vagueness that told her everything and nothing.  She did not say what she had none beyond refusing orders, and how she could have been perceived as a threat.  No events, no names.  And punishment handed out by Alana's mate? Too many things missing, to many hazy recollections.  Mercury grew tired of veils over the past.  She turned, facing Ay with all of her muscled frame, blocking the path.  Her partially dire stature gave her the height over her full grown pupil.  She raised her tail and looked down at her, once again taking the stance of the queen Ayliyra had known as a child. Ayliyra needed to tell her what had happened to her that led to her disobedience, what had brought her to trial, the circumstances of her exile.

"You are being vague." She said, her tone flat and her eyes hard. "I will not formulate my opinion based on an incomplete report. Tell me what happened."


Mercury had not known that Alana had taken a mate, let alone installed a king.  She hadn't even gotten back to Nardir yet and she was already dreading the interactions to come. How would they take the return of a lost queen?  Mercury had no doubt that Alana would treat her as they always had, but from what Aylie had already told her about this new Nardir, she wasn't sure if she were capable of leading it.  Alana could not rule alone, the prophesy had said so.  But it had not said that Mercury had to be the one at her side.  The introduction of the idea of this king, it gave Mercury a kind of lightness.  If she did not have to return as a queen, but rather as a sister, it could work in the Dark Moon's favor...  But without knowing what had really happened, how could she judge this unknown king?  She had hoped Alana would find a mate to shelter her and boost her strength.  But since when had Nardir become such a violent place?  Attacks and trials...  More facets to this new Nardir that had been lacking in her own.   Once again she thought of how easy her life had been as a dog.

[Ayliyra]

The effect her words had was instant but then she  hadn't really been expecting anything less and the response Mercury gave was a clear indication the details were expected and quickly and while Mercury was kind and merciful she was still not one to be trifled with so..that was apparently going to be the end of her attempting to spare Mercury's feelings as there would be no way to give detailed explanations otherwise. She gave a quick nod, the formal nod which equated to a silent yes ma'am as she'd been taught and began. "A few days after the acceptance with Byakko I had a conversation with him during which he stated that life was more than keeping the borders and pack safe and asked me why I worked so hard and said that my work was meaningless and that I was alienating myself from the pack which was expected of Akutan rather than me and that he could not afford such a distraction as the pack's Gamma". Yes she recalled that quite clearly and all the issues with that particular conversation that Mercury was surely seeing but there was more of course and it wasn't going to be any better.

"After he made those statements I proceeded to explain the reason for my work was due to concern for the borders safety especially in regards to Zvulun having followed me there as I had already informed you of and Starfire as well. I pointed out that there were members within the pack who had not been with the pack previously and who would have no knowledge of Zvulun and the danger he posed and how to recognize him and that I did not wish them to come to any harm on my account. Byakko stated that it was foolishness and that I was assuming too much responsibility and said that I should be careful as doing so could cause me to make enemies within the pack and that he was especially worried about that occurring with Akutan". Yet even more red flags, more issues from the same instance and she was still not through re-counting this particular instance to Mercury.

"He then went on to say that my concern over the impact Zvulun could have implied I thought he was weak and that the pack was weak and he stated that it hurt him and would offend you and he continued saying that Zvulun was no threat to the pack as he and another individual were a greater threat to the pack than Zvulun ever would be". Oh yes. Byakko had actually stated that Mercury would be offended by someone, her, using Mercury's own lessons and teachings of being fair and merciful but also cautious and practical and had claimed to be a bigger threat to the pack than a known pup killer and attempted pup-killer. "He also stated that my taking responsibility for Zvulun following me and trying to make it right by trying to protect the pack was a selfish attitude more fitting of a loner than a packmember. He said that the members of the pack could take care of themselves and didn't need protecting with the exception of Sarajevo but that Akutan protected her and he said that Akutan was just as dangerous as the Fury despite not actually having it and said that Sara told him there had been an incident of some sort when she and Akutan were traveling on their own and that Sarajevo was scared to death of Akutan and what he might do because of it".

Yes this one conversation did not present a pretty picture of things at all and yet there was still more of it to re-count, "He stated that Zvulun was only a mere nuisance that his Fury would be an ally in dealing with and that him and Vante were the real threats to the pack due to having the Fury". Though who Vante was she wasn't sure as she didn't think she'd ever run across anyone called Vante but still that meant Byakko had stated that himself and this Vante were the real threats and that Akutan was just as much of a threat, or more, than even them as if it were perfectly normal and there was still the rest of the conversation to go.

"I attempted to express my concerns about his views to him and told him that Zvulun should not be discounted as a threat and that the Fury was not something that could be considered as good and that the pack did need protecting as a whole rather than just Sarajevo but stated that Sarajevo had to be protected as she was Nardir's weakest link as she had refused to even learn to hunt for herself and so could not provide for herself and would not learn to defend even herself let alone the pack. He said that if Zvulun showed up I would be his first target but once I was dead Sarajevo would be his next". And the fact that Byakko apparently expected her to end up dead was, even now all this time later as she recalled it for Mercury's report, still more than a little unpleasant considering how close she'd already come to that the day Mercury was challenged by Loath for Nardir's lands but she couldn't dwell on that as there was still more to inform Mercury of.

"He then said he was aware that the Fury did not make him invincible but that it made him feel no pain and in a fight he was unable to stop until either it had passed, he was dead or he had killed everyone around him". Statements that already contradicted each other just as her own observations contradicted what he said and so too did her previous lessons on the Fury. "He said that those who had run from him during the border fight had been intelligent for doing so that it meant they valued their lives and that only those who did not value their lives would try and stop him and that it wouldn't mean thing once they were dead because he wouldn't know it until the Fury passed. He said that it did not matter whether one was friend or foe all were the same when he was under the influence of the Fury and to not insult his intelligence when I would never understand what he had to live with". And of course it hadn't ended there...

"He then said he did not wish to discuss his curse as it would always be a point of contention regardless of who he spoke to. He then went on to say that we were in the marshlands and that skirmishes were bound to happen, that it was the law there. He then went on to say that I insulted him and the pack, and you most of all with my attitude. He said I dare insult you after you won Nardir's land by being concerned for its safety and the safety of its members and said he would not allow such a transgression against you to stand and accused me of being ungrateful of your acquiring the new land for us". Which she had thought was a pretty good indication as to how little he really knew about Mercury..or her but...

"He then challenged me to tell Akutan of the conversation and see what Akutan's answer to it would be and to then see if I held the same opinions". At last she was almost to a stopping point, a brief one anyway, but before she reached it there was more to relate. "I did not think his assuming the Fury made things harder for him than for anyone else and attempted to express as such as respectfully as I could and then pointed out that running as he had said to do when he fell to the Fury was not always possible and used what had happened to Ijanu as an example of such. I also stated that even enemies were supposed to be shown mercy and that every effort to do so was supposed to be made as had been done in the past in accordance with Nardir's laws and values and that the ones from the border skirmish had apparently been after nothing more than food and with Nardir's experience in being in that same position before the marsh territory was won they especially should have been shown mercy, and understanding of the situation they were in of trying to survive, rather than them being killed without ever having been given a chance and I pointed out that Raka's execution was also murder which meant Nardir was responsible for the murder as Raka was one of ours and it occurred upon Nardirian land". And almost there...

"Byakko stated that was reality, that we killed prey to survive because we must that the world was a cold, uncaring place that did not care who lived or died and did not care about our efforts to protect those we cared about. He then stated that it was possible that one day one of his packmates would fall to his Fury but that it was a risk they accepted because that was how it was and said they were not afraid to die and he said if one of them were injured in a battle in which he succumbed to Fury it did not guarantee they would be killed by him, he said they would either get lucky or they wouldn't". A very harsh stance to be sure, at least she had thought so but she was supposed to simply give the facts at present rather than opinions which Mercury was perfectly capable of forming all on her own without her adding her own input of opinions so she would simply continue with the facts as she had been.

"He then went on to say that he thought it possible that Sara refused to act as a wolf was the result of her being one of the last things her grandfather, X, had seen before he passed as the first day he saw her was the day he died. He said he wondered if she felt responsible for his death and felt guilt from it. He also stated that he wondered if she also felt guilt for being born white, the same color as Loath, and was comparing herself to him and perhaps feared being judged by the color of her fur which he said Sara and Loath did have in common. At that point the conversation ended as I was dismissed". And that was finally the end of her re-counting of that very odd, and even more concerning conversation that had left her very worried about the stability of the pack and of Byakko and everyone he had mentioned as to what Mercury thought of it well....

((and I'll be doing the report in increments same as the Alana/Aylie thread that way neither one of us gets overwhelmed by massive walls of text since as much as I love reading Alana and Mercury replies with you and Hayley both being such incredibly talented and amazing writers trying to figure out how to reply afterwards..any reply I typed would probably look horrible in comparison since I am no where near as talented as yall um..yeah lolz. so..increments is going to be the thing for all Aylie reporting needs))

[Mercury]

Ayliyra launched into a meandering tale of woe. Names flashed through, and while Mercury recognized many, she did not know them all.  This Zvulun seemed to have been a threat in Ay's eyes, but Mercury could not place him.  She had never met Ayliyra's father, and thus didn't know how personal this vendetta was. She didn't know a Vante, either.  Had they been members of the pack?  Sarajevo, she knew, was one of Byakko's daughters.  She remembered Akutan, Starfire's boy.  But Aylie spoke as if she should know all the names, all the faces.  They hazed in her mind's eye, and while those she had grown up with were clear, those who were not were but shadowy figures. 

The more Aylie talked of Byakko, the more troubled the Dark Moon grew.  He did not at all sound like the male she remembered, and she began to wonder if he was falling into madness. Ay's recollection of his words clashed with the calm presence she had known.  With the family man she had seen him to be.  As she recounted his defense of the Fury, she realized it must be a power that held an addiction.  Byakko had fought against it, had suppressed it where he could, but now... He sounded drug addled, and was contemplating violence for his next fix.  The pack did not need protecting?  They had lost their home, several of their family, and had been cast adrift.  Enemies sought to tear them apart, had sought to tear Mercury apart. How could he say it did not need defending.?

"He then went on to say that I insulted him and the pack, and you most of all with my attitude. He said I dare insult you after you won Nardir's land by being concerned for its safety and the safety of its members and said he would not allow such a transgression against you to stand and accused me of being ungrateful of your acquiring the new land for us"

"I do not find insult in any who desire to protect others against any threat.  No matter how minuscule."  Mercury said, her brows knitted into a scowl.  Byakko had once thought that, too.

"I pointed out that Raka's execution was also murder which meant Nardir was responsible for the murder as Raka was one of ours and it occurred upon Nardirian land."


"Raka was executed?!" Mercury turned abruptly, snarled in a circle, and then back. "Why?! By whose decree?" 

Raka... The female had never exactly been the most friendly, but Mercury had admired the steel in the she-wolf's spine, and had sought to emulate her stoic demeanor.  Raka had been a fine and proud Guard, and Byakko's mate besides.  For him to be so cold and unfeeling about her death...  She was not sure she would recognize the old man if they met again.  With the report of the final moments of X, Mercury briefly closed her eyes at the loss of one of the elders of her youth.  Another ghost.

With the mention of Loath, the White Demon, Mercury's hackles involuntarily rose.  She had come to realize that he had been but a mortal male, and she had been young and inexperienced in defending her home.  Her undercoat was now speckled with small scars from the many fights she had endured, but his brand on her chest remained her first and more horrific mark.  As she had lay fevered in a healers den after her wound had been infected, she saw white specters who danced and laughed at her.  It made Mercury bear a great distrust for white wolves, and she had felt that way when she had defended Nardir.  But then there had been Arrow.  She had met him on the battlefield like she had Loath, but she had felt no hatred.  She knew Arrow, and could not bring herself to place him in with the monster that Loath had been. As she defeated enemies and took the occasional loss herself, she realized that coat color was just as random as the parents one was born to.  It was something that could not be changed at will.  As her experience grew, so had Mercury.

"Continue.  How did you come to be exiled?"

[Ayliyra]

Mercury interjected briefly that she did not find insult in those who desired to protect the pack, as she had figured she would, and then went back to listening to the continued report until the very clear indication from Mercury that she had not chosen her words carefully enough, had not paced the report carefully enough for a tired and exhausted Mercury to follow without error. That was something she would have to correct though the alternative was no better than the misunderstanding. "I should have taken greater care in my choice of words, my apologies". She said hoping to bring Mercury's attention back enough so that she could explain and correct the misunderstanding. "When I spoke of Raka's execution I was referring to the individual she executed herself. I do not know what became of her afterwards. I had been working on keeping an eye on her in case your sister Alana called a trial but she disappeared. I searched the lands and found no trace of her at all as though she had never been in the lands at all and later learned that there had been animosity between Raka and Akutan and Starfire had also told me of her fears for Akutan and her fear for his hatred of even Storm but she said she would not interfere in whatever should occur between them as Akutan was her only son, her legacy who would carry on the Lindras name and Byakko said he would also not interfere for much the same reason, Aukutan was his sister's only son and the one who would carry on the Lindras name and legacy". Which that added to Raka's disappearance and the animosity that was supposed to have existed between them and the fear others seemed to have of Akutan made for some rather concerning possibilities as to what had or might have happened to Raka.

There was so much more to report though. "I continued patrolling and searching though just in case anything turned up but I was also hunting quite a bit as I had spoken to Jase myself about those needing care and was informed that Storm was no longer able to hunt for himself and that he was going to speak to Alana about having Storm removed as Beta for the good of both Storm's health but also for the benefit of the pack. So with Sarajevo having refused to hunt for herself I was hunting for both of them as well as Jase's pups so he would be free to tend to patients and familiarize himself with the territory and the herbs there. It was during one of my hunting trips that I heard what sounded like an altercation between Akutan and Jase's pup. I immediately headed in that direction but arrived to late as the area was empty but there was fear scent there from one of the pups though there was no sign of an injuries occurring". Because she knew Mercury would want to know that immediately because an altercation between a pup and an adult was no light matter, not that any of her report was exactly light but...

"I searched for Jase to inform him of the incident as Starfire and Byakko had already stated they would not interfere with Akutan's actions but his scent trail had indicated that he was with Alana and was checking on her as he had expressed concern for her health as well and I did not wish to interrupt and there was a call from the borders as well. There were few individuals other than those there had been difficulties with that could answer the call and I was concerned for what might happen if one of them answered so I went myself as I had already been training for rank regarding the borders and thought it would be in the packs best interest if the call were answered promptly. As I neared I realized I recognized one of the scents but couldn't quite place where it was from. When I arrived there were two Fringe Dires an older and a younger one. I asked them who they were and what business had brought them to the border. The older one spoke saying they were former members of Nardir wishing to return". Which would have been fine and good if not for the problems that had followed.

"At that point Beta Storm arrived on the scene growled at me and then proceeded to continue the acceptance himself even though Jase had said he was no longer fit for the duties of a Beta. He greeted the older one as Blackstripe but he did not know the younger anymore than I did despite the claim they made of having both been former members of Nardir. Blackstripe then went on to introduce or rather to try and introduce the younger as Warin, but was corrected and the younger instead gave the name Saytred". Which was so different from Warin that it being a nickname was highly doubtful and at the time she had thought it was an alias but now after her new experiences to compare the rest of that conversation to she wondered if Warin was the alias instead.

"As Blackstripe and Storm seemed to be friends and with Storm's health being what it was as well as his past with acceptances I was concerned about his taking the acceptance himself rather than allowing me to take point with him as a supervisor as normal border protocol and pack protocol said was proper for the good of the pack but as he was still Beta as Alana had not removed from the rank I tried to make do with the situation so as to afford the rank he held the respect it was due while trying to maintain border protocol as well. I was concerned about the different names provided but waited for Storm to address the issue. He asked the pair how they had faired and if there were any who might have followed them who might seek to harm Nardir. Blackstripe replied that those stupid enough to follow him and his son learned quickly to not mess with Blackbloods. At that point the younger, Saytred, remarked that Makers of trouble run fast when many fall to one which implied they had the Fury and had run into trouble with a group that would have to have been rather sizable for there to be survivors of two Fringe Dires falling to the Fury and numbers in that amount are not typical excepting for packs". She well remembered her concern that they may have brought an angry pack to Nardir's borders that might wish to hold the pack accountable for whatever had occurred.

"They had been asked questions but the answers had been vague despite it being implied they might have wronged a pack and led them to Nardir and with the younger wishing to go by a different name..I waited for Storm to address these things. He did not. When that occurred I acted. I informed them that if they did not explain the meanings of the vague answers they would not enter Nardir and subject its inhabitants to unknown threats and dangers. At that point Starfleet violated border law and common sense and arrived insisting that regardless of the vagueness of their answeres there was no reason they should not be allowed entrance into the pack as Blackstripe was her mate and Saytred was her son". Which that had violated all common pack law as there was no pack she had ever come across that allowed individuals entrance without requiring questions to be answered rather than brushed off as they had done. That sort of familial bias was exactly why that border law existed in the first place to ensure the pack was not being endangered unnecessarily and yet that was precisely what had happened.

"At that point Storm said I had no right to accept or deny anyone at the border that regardless of what was said, whether it violated Nardirian law or not, was up the Betas discretion. He then stated that I would no longer be permitted to patrol the border and that if I was summoned to the border I was to remain silent. He then stated that if I violated any of these orders I would be severely punished and that he would ensure as much by speaking with Alana about the matter". As Mercury had already vanished by that point unfortunately. "They were in violation of Nardirian law, of alpha law put in place to ensure the safety of the pack and  I informed that as such and stated that either the pair would answer the question or in accordance with Nardiran law and Common pack law they would be denied entrance. At which point a third unidentified individual leaped out of the bushes and began racing forwards. I moved to place myself between Storm and the border in case the new individual was seeking to attack. Instead Starfleet went to meet him crossing over and outside of Nardir's border to do so. While she was still standing outside of Nardir's borders she bared her teeth at me and said I had no right to override my Beta's judgement". More highly concerning things and yet there was more..

"While I was watching the new arrival and trying to ensure the safety of the pack Storm growled from behind me. I turned in time to see him lunging not towards them but towards myself. He was already above me making the proximity too close to dodge so I moved into the attack to try and defend myself attempting to shove Storm hard enough to wind him. Before I was able to get him to let go of me Starfleet joined in coming at me from the side". And this was where thins were going to become more difficult for more than one reason.

"Your sister, Alana, arrived at that point and commanded everyone to halt. I complied, Storm and Starfleet did as well after a slight delay". Because neither of them had stopped instantly but then with the previous records was it any surprise? "Alana asked for an explanation and Storm stated that I had been insubordinate and he had sought to reprimand me for it but that I had retaliated against him. When he finished speaking I informed Alana that I had defied Betas orders but explained that I had so due to the Betas not addressing the issues with the answers the recruits and given and I told her what the answers they had given were, that the younger had given a different name and that they had stated having trouble with a sizeable group but had provided no further information and that Storm and Starfleet had deemed it as unimportant and unnecessary to familial ties". And now for the really difficult part..

"Your sister..told Storm he had done the right thing and told me that regardless of reason or intent disobeying the word and judgement of the Betas was unacceptable. She stated that whatever troubles Blackstripe and Saytred had encountered and possibly brought with them could be dealt with in due time and she had them escorted inside and I was ordered to accompany her to discuss the matter further". The Betas had gone against pack law and all common sense and been praised for it rather than reprimanded, no. She was the one that had faced reprimand instead all because she had tried to uphold Nardir's laws and keep the pack safe..only Alana had insisted on placing the pack in danger and there was nothing she could do.

[Mercury]

"I should have taken greater care in my choice of words, my apologies. When I spoke of Raka's execution I was referring to the individual she executed herself. I do not know what became of her afterwards."

Mercury's posture relaxed, and she nodded before turned again to walk down the trail.  The meandering way she was told the report had her realizing how young Ayliyra still was.  While she had been gone from Nardir for seasons, long enough for the pups she had known, like Aylie, to become adults, she noticed that they were still young adults.  She did not interrupt, but idly wondered what kind of event had caused such a universal distrust of Akutan.  He had been but a pup when Nardir had fallen, and grew up when she defended the Marshlands.  She only had vague memories of him, but remembered him being a happy child. The loss of their homelands had broken something in all of them, and they certainly had the right to a bit of melancholy. But if he were considered such a danger, why was it that the others deferred to him so?  Fury or not, they should have been holding him in check. Honestly, this was starting to all sound like a gigantic family drama.  X's kin had always been numerous, but now there was this in-squabbling.   She was starting to think this big crisis of Nardir wasn't as big an issue as she thought it was.

It was then they came to the argument, and at the mention of Blackstripe's name, Mercury's attention sharpened.  She remembered him clearly, as well as him being Starfleet's mate.  Ayliyra insisted that Storm had been in the wrong about accepting them, but Mercury really couldn't find fault with the Beta's decision.  Blackstripe had never behaved in a way that would have caused Mercury to mistrust him, and if he had left or had been lost when the pack moved, it stood to reason that he would want to come home.  Aylie repeated her decision, so defended the fact that they needed to be interrogated properly, especially with the son's choice to have a different name.  But didn't Mercury herself adopt a new name in a new home?  She had accepted that she was "Tikaani" as much as she was Mercury.  Names weren't that important, and she felt that Aylie had, indeed, overreacted.

"Answer truthfully, Ayliyra.  Had it been I, and not Blackstripe at the border, would you have demanded such interrogation?"

The Dark Moon knew the answer.  She would have not.  Aylie would have welcomed her back, celebrated her return, just as she had been pleased to find her in these neutral lands.  She would have brought her into the lands without question.  To Mercury, Storm had had a very similar train of thought when it had come to Blackstripe and his double nomenclatured son.  He was Starfleet's mate come home, her offspring returned.  Ayliyra had, perhaps unwittingly, blockaded the reunion of a family.  Mercury was a bit disappointed, for she had not taught Ay to be so suspicious.  She supposed that time and the harsh reality of the Marshes had done that.  Nardir had been suddenly steeped in violence and the struggle for survival.  In a darkness like that, family was light.

"You handled the border situation poorly." Mercury stated after Ayliyra had finished this chapter of her tale.  "Do you see that you placed yourself between mates?  Between a mother and her son? You were denying Nardirians the right to come home."

Her tone was factual, and there was no anger as Mercury spoke.  She was once again a mentor, a teacher telling her student where they had erred and how it was to be corrected.  Mercury took the situation out of borders and safety, and brought it into a much more intimate realm.  Starfleet's voucher should have gained them immediate entry.  They belonged to her, and she to Nardir.  They weren't intruders or hopefuls, they were family come home.  That did not excuse the fact that her pack, those she thought of as an extension of family, did not behave in Aylie's tale as she thought they would.  She had never known Storm and Starfleet to be violent, even when it came to defending the pack.  They had been reasonable creatures and sound minds.  Nardir sounded brash and impulsive, much like Ay had been.  She felt a cold knot in the pit of her stomach thinking that others could easily treat her like Aylirya had treated Blackstripe.  They were journeying towards Nardir, but she was now unsure of her welcome.

"It appears the situation held great tension.  It was improper for both Storm and Starfleet to lash out as they had, but you were in the wrong. You should have trusted the word of your superiors as to Blackstripe's credentials. You let your fear cloud your judgement."

The fact that Ayliyra seemed focused on all the "what ifs" that went along with the situations in her reports made Mercury think that she had been creating mountains out of molehills.  She was perceiving trouble where there was none, and had, in turn, had acted out.  She sounded like a teenager, and Mercury supposed she had been.  Perhaps, like so many others, Aylie had been forced to shoulder responsibilities at too young an age.  Mercury felt a twinge of guilt.  She couldn't help but shoulder some of the blame for Ayliyra's situation.  Had she not been absent, she would have continued Ay's education. Somehow, despite being mentored by one who had been called the "Brave Princess of Nardir", Aylie had let her fears get the better of her.

Mercury continued to walk, feeling the fatigue in her legs, but knowing that her destination was close kept her going.  She inclined her head again, indicating that Ayliyra should continue.  There was more to the story, she was sure.

[Ayliyra]

With the mistake corrected Mercury visibly relaxed and once again started walking heading in the direction they'd been told Nardir was in which wasn't surprising. What did catch her slightly off guard, even though she it shouldn't have, was the question of would she have done the same thing had it been Mercury at the border rather than Blackstripe. It was just like Mercury to ask questions like that, ones that made you think not in the casual sense but on a larger level and that question was definitely on the larger level of things and did make her think. The conclusion she reached was that she was glad it was more of a theoretical question than an actuality because it was a struggle enough trying to figure out an answer as it was and all she could think was she didn't know what she would do. She hoped in that situation she would have the restraint to keep from giving in to bias but she didn't didn't know if she would actually be able to do so. That ability of Mercury's was something she had always admired and tried to copy but she was no where near as good at it as Mercury and she knew it. Just as she had known that Mercury wouldn't be entirely pleased with her actions at the border. She hadn't been entirely pleased with her actions at the border herself, not that anyone would have believed her if she'd said so other than Mercury. "I know". She said going over the whole thing again in her mind, how fast everything had happened and how she wished it had gone differently. "I'm sorry". Unlike Alana though, as she had also figured, Mercury did not place the blame solely on her but stated that Storm and Starfleet's actions in lashing out had also been improper.

They continued walking and Mercury signaled for her to continue and she already knew that Mercury wouldn't be entirely thrilled with her actions there either but Mercury was better at seeing things from different perspectives so..."I followed Alana as ordered. When she stopped she asked what I had been thinking contradicting a Beta, she said it did not present a good image to strangers who might think the pack was at war with itself and was weak. She said she realized I was trying to defend Nardir but that wasn't the right way to go about it. Then she asked me what did I think she should do given the situation and circumstances". And this was where things were going to be.."I told her she hadn't been paying any real attention to the goings on of the pack with the way she had been secluding herself. I told her that until Blackstripe's arrival Starfleet had also been in seclusion along with her brother Thundershock and that Hakan, Jase and Firebright had all three gone missing and that the only high ranked individuals left to speak and report things to, other than her, had been Storm, Starfire and Byakko. I told her that Storm had refused to listen to my reports, that Starfire had dismissed them and that Byakko had indicated he didn't have time to deal with them. I told her that with her secluding herself as she had she had abandoned myself and the rest of the pack. I told her that there was no clear direction and hadn't been since she had secluded herself. I told her she did not know how to lead a pack. I told her she was not you". Yeah she hadn't handled that discussion very well either but she'd been hurt, angry and frustrated and anxious as well, not just with those from the border but also with Alana herself..it was not a good combination for dealing with anything but probably especially not something that needed tact.

Her criticism hadn't ended there though. "I told her she had allowed those wolves on the border to be killed when she could have stopped it and should have stopped it, but perhaps she hadn't known how to stop it. I told her that normally her peaceful nature would be fine but with..with you being missing the pack could not afford her to think only of peace. I told her the pack needed the duality it had when the two of you were together, that it was that duality of mercy and common sense, which made the pack strong and that without it the pack was weak and vulnerable". She knew duality was a must as it was not only something she'd been taught but something that could be seen with there being not just day and not just night but with there being both day and night together.

There was more though. "I told her no one in the pack thought I was capable of doing anything useful and that because of that I couldn't be useful to the pack. I told her I should leave, that I would be able to be more useful to Nardir outside of the borders, away from others searching for the missing members and for herbs that weren't within our territory". Because they'd had a rank like that, the Scouts, for wolves that worked better on their own than with others. It was something she was more suited for, even with all of Mercury's tutoring as a pup she was still more of an introvert than an extrovert and dealing with others on a continuous basis was not something she was good at. "She said she was not you and asked if I thought she wanted the wolves at the border to be killed. She said she hadn't but their attack on Nardir could not be tolerated. She said she was not a fighter but that violence was sometimes necessary. She said she was meant to protect the pack and that if it meant killing wolves at the border that it was what had to be done". Which that had..Alana knowing and approving of murder..she knew of Nardir's spies and assassins and knew that one day they might be used but she would have never thought such methods would be used against individuals who, given the dead deer that had been at the scene as well, were probably just hungry..perhaps even starving rather than being outright villains.

"She said I spoke of what I thought was wrong with pack, or how unprepared it was and then spoke of leaving..of abandoning my family she called it. She said if I left Nardir, left my family she wouldn't stop me but that if I ever returned it would be remembered how I had abandoned them and that I would be received with caution and the same cold shoulder she said I gave them". Which had been so much double talk, to accuse her of abandoning or even wanting to abandon her family when she had been asking to be allowed to go search for packmates that had gone missing was not only cold and heartless on Alana's part but ridiculous as well.  "I told her violence was sometimes necessary, even drastic measures but that there was difference between what was necessary and what was cruel and that two of the lives lost on the border could not have been prevented but that the third had been killed while begging and pleading for his life. I told her I'd tried to get her attention so that she could put a stop to it but that maybe she..hadn't heard me. I told her I had no intentions of abandoning my family but of helping them and the rest of the pack by finding the members who had gone missing rather than abandoning them. I told her I knew she wasn't you and I told her I was sorry if I had insulted or offended her". Because she hadn't wanted to insult Alana but she was, or at least had been at that time, an honest individual who unfortunately was also rather low on tact.

"She said she had heard. Then she said that I first avoided answering her question then insult her by telling her she was doing everything wrong. She said my mind was all over the place and she couldn't make any sense of it. She said I needed to spend a few days figuring out what my priorities were. She said was never to disrespect Storm or anyone ranked higher than I was again that Nardir needed to work together rather against each other and that she wouldn't tolerate any more outbursts like that". Because Alana had apparently thought it was all her fault and that higher ranks were infallible and never made mistakes themselves..probably because if she acknowledged that she would be acknowledging that she wasn't always right herself and wouldn't that be just a disaster..for an alpha to have to admit that they were no better than their subjects. Mercury had done just exactly that though..that was why she was the Queen of the people and Alana was not.

"She then said I had yet to answer her question of what had I been thinking when I contradicted Storm. She said I needed discipline regardless". A word that had so often meant cruel things as it  had been used often by her father, Zvulun, before he'd abandoned her to the wrath of the volcano and again when he'd come so close to killing her the day Mercury had fought Loath. A word and statement that Alana was suddenly using as well. It hadn't set well with her at all but then neither had any of the rest of the conversation. "I told her I had thought he was not being objective enough to maintain and ensure the security of the pack. She said I would train directly under Byakko, that she would speak with him and make it official and that I would obey his orders. She then said that Nardir did not turn family away..". Which had been yet another contradictory statement considering what Alana had said about receiving her with caution if she left and returned.  

"She said that it was not up to me to decide what was needed at the borders, that I was let those with experience do so and that she trusted Storm and Starfleet to make the correct decisions. She said I was to stay away from the borders for the time being and let others handle acceptances and that she would speak with Byakko soon to have him begin my training. At that point I was dismissed". And there was nothing left to tell really unless she added Alana telling her to get something to eat which..could h ave been considered relevant she supposed as she had been unable to hunt for herself at the time and was essentially starving but...the whole conversation between her and Alana despite being rather unpleasant had, unbeknownst to her, been something more..it had been an echo of a prediction..of a prophecy that had been made about Alana and her rule before she had ever set foot upon Nardirian soil.

[Mercury]

The Dark Moon of Nardir                    ☿ "Being brave means to know something is scary, difficult, and dangerous, and doing it anyway, because the possibility of winning the fight is worth the chance of losing it. - Emilie Autumn

Mercury glanced over to Ayliyra as they walked.  It was clear her student had considered her question seriously, and had come up with the mental answer that Mercury had suspected she would.  The Dark Moon did not make her answer, and instead let them move on from the subject.  She did not scold, nor insult Aylie with disparaging remarks on her behavior.  She had not even raised her voice. Instead, she laid the situation out in neutral black and white, and showed through gentle prodding where her protégé had gone wrong.  She taught as her elders had taught her.  While Alana was trained to lead, to be the mother of the pack, Mercury had gained real insight into how the pack was run from working within it.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"The important thing is that you have learned, and will be all the more wise for it."

Mercury said, dismissing that incident and moving onto the next in the situation.  Ay recounted another verbal bout with Alana.

"... I told her she did not know how to lead a pack. I told her she was not you."

While she did make good points on the difference in styles of leadership, her delivery was one that once again reflected her age.  She raged and spat and in the end, jabbed Alana in the spot where she would be the weakest; Mercury's loss. Closing her seafoam eyes for a moment, Merc let out a sigh.  In her absence, Alana would have already been feeling the strain of holding the weight of the crown all on her own.  To have one of Mercury's closest packmates express such a disdain must have been very hard on her sister.  What of this king of hers? Mercury wondered again, How did he fit into all of this?  She did not interrupt, but let Ay continue on, in case her mental questions would be answered with time.

"... She said she was meant to protect the pack and that if it meant killing wolves at the border that it was what had to be done"

"Oh, Alana..." Mercury shook her head sadly. "She walks a darker path than I ever wanted her to see..."


In all her fights, Mercury had never killed one of her opponents.  Even when she had fought the White Demon, she had not attempted to kill him.  She had refused to kill the dogs in the ring.  She used her fangs to provide meat to grow lives, not to snuff out that light.  She held the teachings of Nardir's peace close to her heart, and even though she had been the one to be bloodied, torn and broken, she had never let go of that light.  Her sister, the Bright Moon, had.  How?  Hadn't that king of hers protected her?  How many battles had she been forced to fight alone?  Mercury's brow furrowed, and she once again felt that she had let her pack down in more ways than one.

Alana's discussion with Aylie, however, didn't seem unreasonable to Mercury.  Her pupil had been acting rashly, and the disjointed way she made reports was sometimes hard to follow.  Mercury, however, had much more practice in picking apart the nuggets of information Ay gave her.  Merc was disinclined to agree that Ayliyra would serve Nardir better away from it. While collecting herbs and searching for the missing were both necessary at times, Mercury would not have wanted her out alone, chasing ghosts.  The Dark Moon had learned firsthand how dangerous the world was.  But none of this explained how Aylie had ended up outside of Nardir, and by banishment, no less.  There was still more to this tale.

☿

[Ayliyra]

Yes she had learned though trying to pinpoint exactly what she had learned would be hard to say or articulate so she simply nodded as Mercury was glancing back at her for a reply and a nod was a reply even if there were plenty of others that didn't think it was. The wisdom part well..she wasn't sure if she could be called wiser since usually being wiser meant not being reckless and taking risks which she still on a rather constant basis but she'd already given a reply and trying to express her thoughts in a way that wouldn't make then sound worse than they probably already were wasn't exactly something she excelled at but rather got by with like alot of other skills she now had. The sigh Mercury sighed confirmed that no Mercury wasn't pleased about the confrontation with Alana and now..now she wasn't sure what to do. Mercury was upset, not in the sharp, yelling, screaming typical scolding type way but still she was upset and..hurt and she didn't want that for Mercury but she didn't know what she could say that would make it any better. When she spoke of Alana walking a darker path than she'd ever wanted her to see she nodded in agreement. She hadn't wanted that dark path to be walked down anymore than Mercury as she had been born to that dark kind of lifestyle and knew where it led and had tried so many ways to prevent that path from being taken by Alana, by Nardir, but she sighed mentally at all the things she tried that had ultimately failed and she wished they hadn't.

It seemed to be time to continue though so, "I obeyed and stayed away from the borders and worked further in the territory keeping locations where herbs grew free of snakes and I rescued Fynn after he got trapped in the mud and once he was free of it he was treated by Sarajevo". Because Sara had been there and had treated him and while she didn't approve of everything Sara had, or more often not done, she would still give credit where credit was due. "There was a call for aid near the borders after that and since I had been told that if there was a call for help I was allowed to respond to it I did so and found Sara standing on the shore while Adolph, Buckshot and Byakko were struggling and drowning due to a flash flood. I entered the water and helped Byakko and Adolph, whom Byakko had been trying to rescue, and we got to shore. Adolph was in rough shape and was presenting symptoms I recognized and knew how to deal with and when I told Sarajevo what treatment was needed, which was not the method she was using and then returned to searching for Buckshot and trying to rescue him but as I left I heard Sarajevo accusing me of treating her like trash and saying she was going to leave and that someone else could tend to Adolph because she was not going to stand to be corrected and then I heard her leave without being dismissed and Byakko allowed it". Byakko had allowed an individual to leave and abandon more than one packmate in the middle of an emergency simply because the individual didn't want to be told they were wrong. It was frustrating and infuriating. She didn't like being corrected herself but she had never left without being dismissed, even in non-emergency situations, that Byakko had allowed Sara to do so jeopardizing lives in the process was...but of course there was still more to report though Mercury might not want to hear anymore of her report at this point.


((and I'm just gonna leave it at this..short I know sorry but having some issues with Aylie's timeline that I'm trying to figure out and I'm not sure how long it will take or when I'll have time to write anything up again cause holidays and I haven't been feeling great either so..again sorry it's short))

[Mercury]

The Dark Moon of Nardir                    ☿ "Being brave means to know something is scary, difficult, and dangerous, and doing it anyway, because the possibility of winning the fight is worth the chance of losing it. - Emilie Autumn

The story was becoming a bit circular to Mercury.  Aylie had apparently been out of sync with the pack for quite some time before she had separated from Nardir.  She reflected that it was, at least in part, her fault.  It had been Mercury who had been mentoring the youngster, and suddenly she was gone from Ayliyra's life.  Could she really blame her for acting like a teenager when she was an adolescent?  The overall feel of the Nardir reflected in the recounts was one in turmoil.  The normally calm, stoic warriors she had known were behaving erratically, the sense of comradely lost.  While a warrior might fight for the sake of honor, home and family, a healer could rise to righteous fury for the sake of their charge.  They fought death itself, wielding weapons more complex and finite than mere fangs. She had never discounted a healer's quiet strength.   Mercury had great respect for them, though the path was not her own.  A healer abandoning her charge due to harsh words was unthinkable to the Dark Moon.  The healers of Old Nardir had risked their lives to save their fellows, and never let danger, let alone meaningless words, get in their way.

Before she could launch into the next repetitive chapter about her woes, Mercury shifted Ay's focus.

"Let us bypass the trivial instances.  What brought forth the final confrontation that led to your banishment?"

Mercury wanted to get to the bottom of this whole affair before she talked to Alana.  There was a hiccup in her stomach.  She was going to get to talk to Alana!  A few months ago she wouldn't have even dreamed she would see her sister again.  She had settled into life as a dog, had come to cherish the bond with her team, and her Master.  It had not been true loyalty, however, for she had bolted as soon as she had opportunity.  Not for the first time the Brave Princess wished she had an oracle to guide her.  She knew not what had become of Arrow and his Revelation, or if he continued on his own, twisted Path.  She had wished for him to stay in Nardir as their oracle.  Perhaps if he had, he could have foreseen all of this, and she could have prevented it.  But that was a different Path, a different life.  Mercury must continue on the one that lay before her.  She tried not to dwell too much on what lay behind, lest the ghosts consume her.

☿

[Ayliyra]

Mercury spoke asking her what had been the final thing she supposed stating the other incidences as trivial which was ironic since it was those very trivial incidences that she had been cast out for. Still she supposed she could jump to the one that had come before the would be trial. "I ran across one of Nardir's prisoners from Paradox and asked who he was. He replied with a threat. I informed him that it would be unwise for him to threaten to attack someone of the pack as such things were not taken lightly even within Nardir. At which point one of the diplomats, a dog named Puffin, came and told me to back off that I had no authority over the prisoner and that the prisoner was under his and Alana's protection and did not have to answer anything I asked and then he said I should try showing more compassion towards strangers and new packmates and then he ordered me to leave. I refused. I told him that regardless of the prisoner being a guest of Alana's and of Puffin being a diplomat that the prisoner would explain why he was threatening a packmate since if he had been accepted as a packmate threatening to attack a packmate physically was bordering on treason". Just like what had happened with Hexilia.

"I said that Alana's pups were bound to ask questions of their own and if a question was all it took to cause a threat of violence from the stranger then he and i were bound by duty to ensure the safety of the pups from any threat and that rather than being biased towards the stranger for being a fellow dog and someone that he considered a friend he should do the job his rank and allegiance required of him in dealing with a potential threat or did he wish to see Alana dead. I told him he had to pick a side, loyalty to Alana and ensuring her safety or loyalty to his friend who might be inclined to try to harm Alana or her children. I asked him which side did he choose". She had asked him point blank, did he choose Alana or did he choose his friend and the answer...

"He answered that he was an ambassador trusted by Alana herself to represent Nardir to the outside world and that I dared to refuse his order. He said Nardir offered sanctuary to all and that if I felt threatened I could take it up with Alana because Philip, the one who had threatened me, had his approval and protection and by extension of his rank as an ambassador had Alana's as well. He said that he spoke with the voice of the Queen and that for me to go against Nardir's primary teaching of compassion and suggest that one who had claimed sanctuary of Nardir was a traitor was treason, that I was a traitor to Alana and merely claiming to protect her. He said I had no authority to challenge him and no authority regardless of what his friend had done. He said that I had shown blatant disregard for Nardir's laws and teachings and he would see to that I was brought before the alphas before the end of the day and that he would drag me before them himself if need be". And that had answered the question she had asked without Puffin's ever realizing it. By choosing to defend his friend instead of ensuring Alana's safety he had chosen a side..he had sided against Alana.

"At that point the one called Philip said the reason he had made the threats was because I was a wolf and he did not trust wolves. I was once again ordered to leave by Puffin and asked to leave by Philip. I could not stay without risking being attacked by the pair of them and so I left at that point to try and locate the pups to make sure they would be safe. Shortly afterwards I was summoned before the alpha's for that incident and all the prior ones. She said I was arrogant, rash and that everything I did was a rebellion. She said that by my challenging the orders of those she trusted and appointed to the ranks they held I was challenging her and that I was a threat to Nardir. The King's brother spoke at that point saying that in his opinion I should either be forced out of Nardir or held and kept as a prisoner he said he did not wish to see me granted mercy of leniency that might allow me to harm anyone". It was all ironic, cruelly ironic, that she had been trying to protect the Queen and the royal children from one who considered one's species to be grounds enough for a threat and yet she was the one to be turned against. She was the one being betrayed by all of them..including the very individuals she was trying to protect.

"King Julek arrived at that point and stated that I was an insolent fool and that if it were Bacchus rather than Nardir I would be dead ten times over. He said I called myself a Nardiri while my insolence mocked Nardir and left his children vulnerable. I explained what had occurred in regards to Puffin and Philip and the other prior instances and when I finished Alanas's reply was that Sansa, had attacked me as a test to see if I could be caught off guard and that it was a vital part of my training and that Sansa would have explained that if I had simply asked her rather than accusing her of ambushing a packmate and of being a spy. She then stated that Philip had every reason to be mistrustful of wolves after being held captive by Paradox and then burned in the fires that Nardir had helped set and that I had no excuse for disobeying a direct order from someone ranked higher than myself. Then she said she would give me one chance to give a reason for why I should be allowed to remain in Nardir". Betrayal. While she was trying to suppress the emotions she still felt them wanting to break free. The anger, the hurt and of course the ever present feeling of having been betrayed, of being stabbed in the back in return for all she had endured in service to Nardir.

"Byakko spoke then and accused me of being responsible for Starfire's death due to my insubordination and that he also wished for me to be gone, but that he would allow me to answer Alana's question". And now.."I told King Julek that he was correct that I would be dead several times over even without being Bacchus and that I had nearly been killed before but had always held on because I believed Nardir needed me and I wanted to protect my pack, but that despite the sacrifices I had made they still wished for my exile and possibly my death because my sacrifices weren't enough for them. I told him I was tired of dealing with the individuals who said and demonstrated as much and for him to go ahead and kill me as he and the rest seemed to wish so that they would have what they wished for, my punishment and condemnation, and so that I would be free of their constant persecution and would also be able to know that I had given everything for the benefit of my pack". She had no idea how Mercury would react to all of that but..

"I was exiled instead..sent to another pack to be taught how to behave properly in a civilized society by the order of the King and I was escorted there by Bulan, the pack's General, and by Byakko. I was kept under guard for awhile and then a severe blizzard struck and the pack fell. I remained in the area until it became impossible to do so and then left first going to see if Nardir still stood, which it was gone from the marshes when I arrived, and then after that I took to roaming and searching the neutrals and other pack lands I came across to try and discover what had happened to Nardir and to the ones that had gone missing before my exile, such as yourself, and to do what I could to ensure yours and their safety". Because despite the betrayal she had suffered at the orders of Nardir's monarchs, of Alana and Julek's words, she had remained loyal to Nardir and had continued doing all she could to try and ensure their safety while trying to do right by all the others that had been cast aside just as she had been.

((so I hope this makes sense..I was feeling a bit better today and the timeline thing got sorted sooner than I thought it would so I thought I would try and get a post up for this))

[Mercury]

The Dark Moon of Nardir                    ☿ "Being brave means to know something is scary, difficult, and dangerous, and doing it anyway, because the possibility of winning the fight is worth the chance of losing it. - Emilie Autumn

The Dark Moon tired of the petty posturing.  She did agree that this Phillip's actions were suspicious, and she questioned how a dog who feared wolves had accepted being a member within a wolf pack.  And how he had been accepted at all with his Lupophobia.  From the sound of things, there were many things that were going on outside of Alana's sight.  Had her sister become so blind as to allow the pack to so easily turn on one another?  Where was the animosity towards Ayliyra coming from?  She was young, yes.  Impulsive, certainly.  But traitorous?  She was going through a growing time.  Pups were supposed to try their teeth.  Why hadn't Alana seen that?  Mercury could not fathom what darkness had enveloped her sister Moon.

"Alanas's reply was that Sansa, had attacked me as a test to see if I could be caught off guard and that it was a vital part of my training and that Sansa would have explained that if I had simply asked her rather than accusing her of ambushing a packmate and of being a spy."

Mercury scoffed. The name Sansa was not familiar to her, but she could not say she approved of her methods.  It was one thing to teach alertness and reaction, it was another to bully under the guise of tutelage.  And to not even bother to explain the exercise?  It was not at all surprising that Ayliyra had perceived an actual threat.  It had never been explained to her otherwise.  Alana now had children of her own, and yet she had treated this child of Nardir so very poorly.  Ay had not been allowed to grow, had not been guided into the strength of the pack.  She should have had a mentor. She should have had... Mercury.  It sent a cold stab through the dark female's heart.  Guilt washed over her, and she could not help but get mired in the feelings of regret and failure.  It made her want to run and hide back among man, to never face the pack again.  It was painful for her to hear of the darkness she had fought so hard to stave away.


"Byakko spoke then and accused me of being responsible for Starfire's death due to my insubordination and that he also wished for me to be gone, but that he would allow me to answer Alana's question."

"Well that is just too much." Mercury said, her ire plain. "At this rate, you must have single-handedly held the entire pack at ransom."

The whole thing was so horribly blown out of proportion.  The adults were acting like children.  At least Aylie had the excuse of actually being a child. She was starting to wonder if a brain disease had spread through the pack.  They we acting like it.  Not that Ay was much better.  Asking for death was a foolish move, but she supposed she understood the despair that had fueled her pupil's words.  To have the pack turn on her was a feeling of desolation she could not even begin to describe.  The rest of the story was summed up in a rush, leaving more questions than answers.  She was going to have to see this new Nardir for herself, but she wasn't sure she was going to like it.

☿