[Roderik]

"It's going to be alright Taverin! I-I promise, you're going to be fine..."

His mouth was dry, and the words almost died in his throat before he said them. Roderik was tired and aching, but the sabre refused to stop. He was carrying his best friend on his back, and feared his injuries were too severe for any healer to repair. The words he had spoken had been meant as a comfort, as much for him as for Taverin. Despite this, Roderik refused to leave him behind. Taverin was a brother to him, if not by blood then by all other things worth swearing to on this earth.

They had set forth on their journey only a few moons ago, leaving behind his father on the edge of the western sea where he now made his home. They were to find Stoneclaw and reclaim their places among the ranks of their clan. But this was not meant to be. Upon their return, they found nothing but ashes, as though the land had suffered a great burning. Amids the ashes, the traces of their clan mates was found and followed to a strange settlement in a forest with trees as high as Roderik had ever seen.

It was there they had met them for the first time, the two legged creatures that had attacked them. At first they had not seemed a danger to them, though their presence had seemed to alarm them greatly as they made much of a ruckus and ran around from the height of their dens up in the trees. Then they attacked, like porcupines releasing their quills, only the projectiles traveled great distances and burrowed themselves deeper than porcupine quills. Roderik had quickly called a retreat, but they had not been able to flee before being injured. Taverin had received a spear through his left shoulder, and both sabres sported their fair share of arrows sticking out of their backs and legs.

The trace of their clan mates had vanished, but Roderik no longer sought them out. He had more pressing matters at hand. Ignoring the burning sensation of his own wounds, he carried Taverin on his back, seeking the closest pack or clan he could sniff out. He needed help and he needed it quick. The wound at Taverin's shoulder had soaked both the sabre's sides with blood and left a clear trail on the ground as they moved. If Roderik didn't find help soon, Taverin would bleed to death.

"R....Roderik... j-just l-leave me...."

"I'm not leaving you! We're going to find help... I'll find someone to help, don't worry."

He stopped a moment to think and look around for any sign of a pack. Lifting his head to the air, he tried to pick up the scent of a group, someone... anyone to help, but the scent of their blood was all he could pick up. He took a direction on intuition alone and hoped it was the right path to take. Plains gave way to a strange forest, where the trees arbored leaves of purple hues. In any other situation, the young sabre would have stopped and gawked in awe at this strange phenomenon, but right now Roderik didn't have time to admire nature's folly.

"H-have I g-gone m-m-mad?...." Taverin's chuckle died in a blood soaked cough. "The trees are.... t-they are... "

"Purple... No, you haven't gone mad. I see it too. Don't speak Taverin, save your strength! We'll find someone soon."

But it seemed his friends strengths were at an end, for the next moment, Taverin's body limply slid off his back and landed on the ground with a heavy thud. "TAVERIN!" Roderik turned in alarm and urged his friend to continue. "You can't quit here, come on I'll carry you further... just a bit further!" Even as he said the words, Roderik knew his friend would not move. The growing unease at the pit of his stomach told him so. There was so much blood... too much blood.

"Th-this... this is... a g-good place t-to die."

"No! you can't!!!"

Taverin's eyes momentarily lost focus, before they caught sight again of the purple leaves gently swaying in the wind. Despite the amount of pain he was in, he felt surprisingly serene. "It's...b-beautiful..."

Roderik lifted his head to the sky and unleashed a roar of the strongest magnitude he was capable of, before crying out again for help. "SOMEONE HELP!!! PLEASE! ANYONE!!! HELP!" He stood beside his brother in arms protectively and prayed someone would come. "Taverin please... don't die on me, please..."

(Got permission from the alphas to start this plot. Healers, if you read this, I've pretty much decided Taverin is going to die because I'm culling out some of my characters and I don't think I could find anyone to play him. Still, feel free to do your best to save him. Looking forward to roleplaying with all the awesome people in Inaria! If anyone wants a thread after this one with Roderik, just let me know through pm and we could start it soon! Thanks!)

[Blaise]

OOC: Sorry for the delay getting round to this. Roderick though! And Taverin! </3 So glad to see you back!

---

Blaise's heart started to beat faster, his paws sweat and his tail lash in anxiety as he cast about on the air for the source of that smell. Sabers. Accompanied and the awful iron smell that could only be blood. He felt young again, not for any lack of aches or flourish of strength, but for the sickly feeling in his stomach, the creeping fear that made his blood run cold, fur stand on end and shivers sweep his spine. He wanted to run, to flee, to get as far away as he could. The fear was so deeply ingrained and conditioned. Five minutes ago he would have said he would love to relive his youth, now he was, and once again he felt like the pup thrown in at the deep end because better wolves than him were dead.

He took one halting backwards step before he froze, stopping himself, mind battling body's reaction. He shook himself, loosening the hold of the intial shock. "Get a grip." He snarled. He wasn't some snivelling pup anymore. Unlike so many of those from his youth he'd had the chance to become old bones, in part due to sheer luck, but also due to the sacrifices of others. He owed it to them to be brave. Besides, he thought mirthlessly, better to risk old bones than young ones.

Like a veteran proud to display his right to his medals he raised his head, stuck out his chest and turned towards the smell. He would not be cowed by this ancient enemy of theirs. He would face it.

[i]"SOMEONE HELP!!! PLEASE! ANYONE!!! HELP!"[/b]

As he got closer the cries reached him and, fearing the worst he sped up, loping run turning into a full sprint the type of which his muscles had known in a long time. He errupted onto the scene, teeth beared, glowing around: there were two of the beasts, one standing and one... Down? No one else. Just them. The smell was thick here, the huge cats and the sticky, sticky blood. They were drenched in it, and it crusted around the cuts and lacerations that covered them and seeped from the punctures of arrow shafts stuck in their flesh. It was a pitable sight. He would not wish it on his worst enemy.

He narrowed his eyes at the golden one who remained standing. "Hunters?" He demanded, question made succinct by both urgency and lack of breath. "How many? How far? Did they follow you?"

Blaise edged closer, letting his hackles drop, and surveyed the extent of the injuries. The big golden one would probably heal, as the one laying down... Raged flesh and seeping blood showed at the shoulder wound. Well, that was one less Saber to bother them, he thought. It struck him then that despite the fact these creatures were huge, they were young, too young to have had any part in the wars, and probably not much older than his own children. He felt a pang of guilt for his earlier thought.

"Answer me quickly and honestly. Help me and I'll help you. I can call a healer for you or the guards, what will it be?" He said firmly, but not quite so unkindly as before, then eyes drifting to the form of Taverin added "...And your friend." A bit to late after the fact giving away that he had a bleak view of Taverin's chances.

[Aeolus]

The roar from the border had him off and running in an instant moving as quickly as he could to get to the scene while his mind raced even faster than his paws over all the possible scenarios that he might be running strait into. It was one of his jobs though to run towards potential danger even when others were, or might be, running away. The nearer he got  the more he could make out calls for help from a voice he did not recognize and a strong scent of blood which almost covered the scent of one he had already met and knew to be a fellow Inarian. While trouble had been a certainty before it was doubly so now as he pushed himself to move faster still almost tripping in his haste to reach the scene before any harm, or further harm, could befall the pack. It did not take long traveling at such a speed to reach the sought after location of Blaise and a pair of sabers drenched in blood with the marks of man protruding from their sides and it seemed from just about everywhere else on their bodies.

Blaise was present and asking questions which was good however more needed to be done. He was no healer of course but he knew enough to know the bleeding needed to be dealt with and it needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later. "You need to lay down, conserve your energy". He spoke quickly to the one who was standing while he moved towards the one who was laying on the ground seeming to just barely be clinging to life. While he was well aware that moving so swiftly towards the more vulnerable might result in an attempt at defense from the other, and even without the cats Saboro had brought for their war knew the sort of damage that could be wrought by a cats claws having had a saber as his mentor during his youth, he still took the risk. Though it would not be an entirely foolish one. "I'm going to do what I can to slow down your friends bleeding until a healer can arrive". He said as he neared until finally he was within range of both sabers, the one clinging to the life and the one defending him.

He would pause for scarcely a moment just long enough to give time for his statement to register and then, as long as the other did not move aggressively towards him he would begin applying pressure to the worst of Taverin's bleeding injuries while keeping close watch should the humans appear as he was no more ignorant of the fact that the one responsible could follow the blood trail here to finish what they started and if they did it would be his job to hold them at bay regardless of whether the elder and the strange saber contributed whatever they could to aid him.

((so the thread says open and given whats occurring figured Aeolus should be here since he is not just a diplomat but a sentry as well but if this is meant only for specic people I can delete))

[Roderik]

He waited with his friend for what seemed an eternity, but in reality only few minutes had passed by. Roderik stood protectively over Taverin, his nose against the other sabre's cheek. With each pain laced breath his brother took, Roderik prayed for the next one... and then the next. For as long as he could remember, they had been a team. He grimaced, trying to keep the tears at bay, he needed to be strong for him. To keep Taverin awake, he recalled with him the adventures of their youth. He spoke of the time they'd scattered pinecones as cubs and pretended to fight against an army of enemies, always coming out victorious; He spoke of the time they had caused a cave in, and his big sister had rescued him; He spoke of their journey to the sea, and the time they spent there together... all those nights watching the stars. Taverin's eyes would sometimes glaze over but he clung to live, his gaze sometimes shifting from his brother in arms to the sunlight that filtered through the trees.

When a wolf suddenly appeared through the bushes in full alert, Roderik didn't react at first. So desperate he was to see anyone, he was glad for the presence of another regardless of their species or their actions. To show he meant no harm, the sabre pinned his ears back and lowered his head.

"Hunters? How many? How far? Did they follow you?"

Brows furrowed, he glanced back to the clear trail they had left for any enemy to follow. If the creatures had wanted to pursue them, they would have caught up with them ages ago. Still, there was a possibility they could regroup and follow their trail. He hoped no harm would come to these wolves because of them.

"Answer me quickly and honestly. Help me and I'll help you. I can call a healer for you or the guards, what will it be?...And your friend."

"No, if they had followed us they would have caught up to us long ago." Roderik was certain there was nothing to fear for now, except for Taverin's decreasing chances of survival. Looking back to the stranger, he pleased: "Please, its my brother... he needs help urgently."

"R-roderik... don't.... " Taverin was unable to finish his sentence as he became overcome with coughs, more blood spewed from his mouth, some from his nose. It was obvious he would not see the end of the day and it broke Roderik to see it. He returned to stand beside his brother and nuzzled the side of his face. "I can't lose you Taverin... you're all I've got now... Stoneclaw is g-one." His voice broke at the last word. He couldn't lose his brother in the same day he'd lost his home, he just couldn't. He barely noticed when another wolf entered the scene, it was only when he was addressed by said wolf that one of his ears turned to hear him.

"You need to lay down, conserve your energy. I'm going to do what I can to slow down your friends bleeding until a healer can arrive."

Still not a healer... and even if one showed up now, Roderik knew it wouldn't change the outcome. Stepping around Taverin, Roderik laid down beside him on the side opposite to the wound that caused them so much grief. He pressed his forhead against that of his brother, and Taverin mustered enough strength to turn his head to do the same. It was how they greeted, it was how they said goodbye, and at that moment both understood that this was the final time they would ever do this. Roderik could no longer help the tears that coursed down the side of his nose, he had thought they would always be side by side to face whatever life threw at them. He began to feel the pangs of guilt, they pierced him deeper than the arrows had. "I should've been more careful... I should have kept us away... We should have stayed by the sea. We would still... you wouldn't be..."

Dying.
He couldn't say the word; he swore if he did his body like his heart would break into a million pieces. Without Taverin, he would truly be alone. Stoneclaw had gone and he had no home to go back to. He regretted being in this place... his brother would not lay to rest on the land of his ancestors, he would remain in a strange land where no sabre had possibly ever tread.

"I'm sorry Taverin... I couldn't get us home."

"Shh.... I a-am home.....I've... a-always been ho-me b-by your side." Taverin laid his head on Roderik's paws and closed his eyes. He tried to forget the pain, tried to forget the voices he heard calling from the sea... his siblings, he knew he would see them again soon and though his heart soared at the thought, he also grieved for he knew he would have to leave Roderik behind. So he tried to forget and lay beside him like they were simply ending the day. Someday, he knew he would wake again to see Roderik's smiling face. It was with that comforting thought that he finally let go, in the warmth and safety of his brother's embrace.

"Taverin?.... Taa-ver-in.... " His paws wrapped around his brother's neck and he cried uncontrollably in the still warm fur of his cheek. He wasn't ready to let him go. The last words he had spoken rang true to him as well; he spoke them back in between broken sobs hoping Taverin could still hear him. "Y-you were m-my home t-too!"

At that moment in time, he felt like the world had crumbled away.

[Rieal]

((hey is this still a thing or?...))

[ypput]

((Not forgotten, I am just really slow right now with life and work and stress but yes it is high on my priority list! Hope to get all caught up by next week. Sorry for the hold up guys!))

[Blaise]

OOC: I'm not saying I cried but that was a beautiful and painful post Risty and it's raining indoors and someones chopping onions.

@Rieal - We can always make up an NPC healer if you want?

---

"No, if they had followed us they would have caught up to us long ago. Please, its my brother... he needs help urgently."

The cat made it obvious he meant no harm through his words as posture and while Blaise's suspicions were not totally alleviated he did nod stiffly in response to the sabers words and reply courteously "Thank you."

"You need to lay down, conserve your energy. I'm going to do what I can to slow down your friends bleeding until a healer can arrive"

Blaise made no move to stop Aeolus getting closer to the cats, he still had misgivings - A saber was a saber after all - but one was dying, the other broken, they were too wrapped up in their personal drama to pose any threat. Aeolus might think him cold for asking questions instead of helping straight away, and it was true that if it were another wolf before him now he would have rushed to their aid. The memories and prejudice were so deeply ingrained in Blaise that he would never have been able to see past what Roderick was to make that initial leap of faith, it wasn't fair or just, it was not something he could unlearn at a moments notice.

"R-roderik... don't.... "

"I can't lose you Taverin... you're all I've got now... Stoneclaw is g-one..."

Blaise knew he was intruding on a private moment and looked pointedly down at his feet, attempting to blend into the back ground, to let them have this last few precious minutes together. He tried to make eye contact with Aeolus, then shake his head, gesturing he should step away. It was no use, any seconds Taverin could gain were only more seconds of agony, his fate had been sealed the moment the spear struck, no healer could have helped him, then or now.

He let their words wash over him, though the name 'Stoneclaw' and its fate did not pass him by. So their ancient enemy was gone. Things had been quiet on that front for years, but the threat always lurked at the back of his mind, a shadow on sunny days. He would have thought the news would elate him, instead he felt a pang of sadness, perhaps because it was another meaningful part of his life that had been swept away. He felt like one of the last trees on the river bank, clinging determinedly to the dwindling soil as the inexorable force of water rushed by. Soon he would be the last.

"Y-you were m-my home t-too!"

Roderick curled against his brother and wept, Blaise glanced at Aeolus, then back at the saber, unsure quite how to handle this for the best now. How do you interupt such fresh grief? Should they just leave them here in peace? Or stay and offer what comfort strangers could?

Now Roderick was crying Blaise could finally see just how young he was. He really was little more than pup, no older than his own kids. He could not unsee it. That settled it. This over grown puppy had stumbled into his reluctant care. "Hey." Blaise said softly stepping forwards, "Kiddo?" He didn't touch Roderick, or step with in striking distance of those monsterous paws until he knew what the reaction would be, grief never made anyone calm and sensible and he didn't want to be on the recieving end of an angry swipe whatever the intentions behind it.

"He's gone, but you still need help." Blaise inched a step closer then slithered down on his belly as smoothly as his old joints allowed. There was no way the kid was going to just up and leave his brothers body here though. He looked to Aeolus and asked "What healers do you know? Can you find one for him?" Then to Roderick, "I'm going to lay here and I want you to tell me about your brother, then I can know him a bit too and remember him as well. Tell me little things, ones that don't even seem that important. Or if you don't want to talk that's okay too. If you like I can tell you all about my Wife and what she was like?" It seemed crazy that he was laying next to a life long enemy wanting to hear his life story or tell him all about Kita but the moment he had realised Roderick's age he wasn't an enemy anymore but a child and Blaise was a father.

[Anglachel]

ANGLACHEL

The healer had been planting when the metallic scent of blood reached him. He froze, wine red eyes narrowing and silver tipped paw stuttering over its work for a heartbeat. Something has happened. Grabbing whatever herbs he could, the former Saboran prince raced toward Inaria's borders.

Bloodshed by the borders... He couldn't help the flood of worried thoughts — Sol Katti may no longer be Sabora, the war was over, but did Saboro still hold a grudge?

But as he arrived, there were no Saborans by the borders, but two large... creatures. He had never seen such beasts before. A bear? His mind wondered, recalling childhood days when a singsong voice murmured something about terrific beast. Tortuga gave us one, but he died. His mother had murmured one day, her vivid sea green eyes staring blankly at the roaring waterfall. He had wondered if she had loved it.

He stood beside Aeolus for a brief moment, wine red gaze assessing the injured and the dead (another death — was he doomed to always be too late?) The doctor in him noticed the spear to the heart, knew that no matter how early he had arrived there would have been no hope for giant creature. Still, Anglachel reigned in the churn of frustration, stepping past the sentry — sentinel he reminded himself. He moved toward the cat and his fallen brother, his approach slow with respect rather than caution. "I'm a healer." He greeted the three, but his eyes only focused upon Roderik.

(Swirls of scarlet burned beneath the meshwork of scars. Would the two wolves see an Inarian healer or Redtat Saboran? He did not wait to find out.)

"I need to take a look at your wounds." The healer would not wait for grief to pass, one had already bled out, he would make sure the other was not in danger of a similar fate. With a nod directed to Blaise — keep talking, Anglachel would quietly examine the array of cuts and arrow. Shallow, thankfully. None were life threatening but they were surely painful. He could treat him here, take the arrows out, make a quick poultice over the wounds... but it would be a crude job, and there was no telling what sort of infections could come from the human weapons.

"I don't have the necessary tools here." He paused, hesitating only briefly because Anglachel knew he was in no position to make such offers — yet he found he did not care. The silver haired healer found himself remembering an orange and earthen tone medic on that bloodied field, and in the next heartbeat, his decision was made. "I'd like to take you to my den, I have more herbs there. Your brother won't be disturbed — we will hold a funeral for him after you've rested. I promise." Wine red eyes flickered to give both Blaise and Aeolus a firm stare.

He would not send the boy on his way, wounded and in pain with a body to bury.

[Aeolus]

He listened to the back and forth of questions asked and answered in an attempt to avoid additional tragedy from striking where it had obviously already struck. There was still no healer and the one who seemed to be called Taverin, the one whose life he was trying to save, was slipping further and further away. It was hard to watch especially with his experience with the war. There were so many he'd fought to save only to watch them slip away. He'd done it again and again even when he'd known that he would likely loose them anyway, he'd still tried right up until they took their last breath, for the family they would be leaving behind. Only then the family members had been off fighting their own battles, this time the family was right here.

He noticed Blaise motioning him, and he had an idea why, he realized this was a private moment as well. He turned his head trying to give them as much privacy as he could while remaining in position he realized that a healer would not arrive in time now but he wouldn't stop trying. Not because he thought he could do anything to save the dying Taverin but because he was trying to buy time..for them to say their final goodbyes.

He stayed like that until, despite all his attempts to delay it, the end finally came. It was a sad and tragic affair. There was nothing more he could do though. He carefully stood, where he had pressed himself against the wounds covered in blood, and backed away moving towards Blaise. He hadn't forgotten the injuries of the other and knew those still needed to be tended to but he wasn't a healer and besides it was only appropriate to give the remaining survivor, Roderik, a moment alone with his grief.

He wasn't quite sure what to do now though. He had noticed the mention of the loss of a home, something he understood himself having lost his own former home, but he hadn't had the misfortune of having anyone he knew or cared about pass away right in front of him before or after the fact. Oh he'd been told they had passed or were believed they had passed but he hadn't actually seen it and now with this..he wondered. Seeing them pass would have been hard but perhaps he would at least have gotten to say goodbye as these two had, he would never have that opportunity though and he wasn't sure if he wished he had or not.

But Blaise was speaking, addressing things he had thought of himself, namely the fact that this..Roderik still needed a healer and there still wasn't one present. When Blaise asked him what healers he knew and if he could find he wasn't sure what to say, he knew healers, or had known healers, but the ones he knew he had no idea where to find them as he had passed near the healer garden many times without coming across hardly a trace of them being there. There were traces of others but as much as he tried to keep track of everyone and who they were there were still always a few who slipped through the cracks. The youth was in need of a healer though which meant he still had to try and locate one though he disliked the idea of leaving an elder and an injured individual at the border where they would be so vulnerable to any threat that might stumble this way but as the calls had been unanswered he didn't know what else to do. He nodded to Blaise that he would try and do just that when suddenly another appeared on the scene.

It was..he immediately noticed the absence of the new arrivals foreleg but with the proximity and his previous experience in the war he also couldn't help but notice what appeared to be remnants of Saboro's mark..red tattoos. There were so many thoughts and emotions churning within him he found himself at a loss for words. Being at a loss for words did not however prevent him from hearing the other state they were healer and so where words failed him action did not. He quickly moved out of the healers way to allow him better access to the patient. It was risky in some ways to do so given all the unanswered questions about this..rather unique individual and how he had wound up in Inaria but he doubted there was any danger from the three-legged healer and even if he was wrong about a lack of danger he doubted that he would be wrong about the time frame and he didn't see this healer posing a threat to the pack in the immediate future.

So for the time being he would be on stand-by just in case of..whatever might occur. Whether he needed to go fetch someone else or if it turned out the hunters really had followed the great cat after all he would be here to do whatever he could. The healer's remark about not having the necessary tools was..somewhat unexpected and yet still held a haunting familiarity of another time and a similar situation. He was prepared to go fetch whatever tools were needed, though leaving so many vulnerable individuals at the border was not something he especially wanted to do, before he could say anything though the healer had further expressed a wish to transport the feline, Roderik, to his den where he would have more herbs. It would also be more sheltered which would solve his dilemma of leaving so many in need of protection alone at the border without a guard.

Of course bringing two of the three in might not be popular, especially when he himself didn't know how he felt about a former Saboran being in Inaria, but the look on the healer's face said that no wasn't going to be an option here. He'd already more or less decided to help transport the patient anyway though as neither were likely to cause any trouble at present and also the further inside the packlands they were the better the chance of preventing them from escaping if there was trouble caused by them. But there was also the fact that he felt sympathy for the youth and..perhaps pity for the healer who he looked at and asked, "How do we get him there?". Because he wasn't sure how the three if them would move the large saber when of the three of them one was an elder, and another only had three-legs leaving him as the only one that wasn't physically challenged. Not only was he worried about the weight though but he was also concerned about whether or not the patient could be moved without making his injuries worse.

[Roderik]

Omg guys thank you for your patience and for your amazing responses ;0; I loved reading them all! I've been really busy with life stuff lately, namely getting a new job and settling into a new work environment. I've been thinking about this thread a lot and kept wanting to come back to it but never finding the time </3 Here's my response finally! Since Roderik has been welcomed in, anyone who wants to make a separate thread with him is free to do so! I'll join as soon as possible.
--------------------------------------------------------------

He understood now.

The darkness that had swallowed Taverin's soul after the death of his siblings. How his eyes, which had once been filled with unimaginable pain, had lost their light. How easy it seemed, to just let go... let this darkness take over him and swallow the pain; swallow everything. For a moment, he wanted to die alongside him. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. He just wanted the pain to stop. He had loved him, as more than a brother. He understood that now; a moment, a breath, too late. Every memory screamed it at him now. Nothing had ever made him happier than Taverin's smile, or the sound of his laughter. He would never hear it again, and it broke him. The darkness lurked over his mind and for a moment he welcomed it. It slowed his senses, and numbed the pain.... but a voice inside whispered: 'Don't let it take you'

Eyes opened to see the world was still bright, though hazy through the tears. Blinking them away, he gazed mournfully at Taverin. He seemed peaceful, as though he was just resting. The young sabre's jaw clenched as he tried to stall the feelings that still yearned to spill from his eyes. He wanted to scream, curse the world for what had happened.  He knew it would be pointless; nothing could bring back what he had lost. Still, he couldn't help what he felt. His chest burned with all the emotions that wrestled within. Sadness; despair; grief; disbelief; ANGER. It boiled within him so quickly, he didn't even know it was possible to feel so much hatred all at once. His eyes flared as he thought of the miserable creatures that had dared to kill Taverin. The muscles in his shoulders clenched then, as madness took him. He would follow the trail of blood back to them, and he would kill them all. He would KILL them ALL. KILL THEM. HE WOULD-

"Hey.... Kiddo? He's gone, but you still need help."

Snapped out of his thoughts, he turned his bloodthirsty gaze to the one that had interrupted them; his mind still rampaging with visions of revenge. They were broken by the sight of an old wolf with nothing but care and concern on his face. The anger in his eyes melted away. Still, the stupidity of his idea lingered on. The pride of his ancestors still flowed through his veins. He would avenge his brother. With effort, the young sabre attempted to get himself back to his feet. Teeth clenched in pain as the arrows burned with renewed fire into the flesh of his shoulders and back with each movement. Roderik grunted, closing his eyes shut and trying to breathe his way through the pain. He was unable to stand just yet, the world began to spin around him and he collapsed once more. It occurred to him then that going back to the village was a death mission. They would finish him off before he even managed to kill one of them.

"I'm going to lay here and I want you to tell me about your brother, then I can know him a bit too and remember him as well. Tell me little things, ones that don't even seem that important. Or if you don't want to talk that's okay too. If you like I can tell you all about my Wife and what she was like?"

He looked up to the wolf in front of him. The cream colored creature had inched closer to him. He spoke in a gentle voice and Roderik swallowed back tears as he looked at him. He wanted to talk about Taverin... or his wife? Was she gone? It's true, he was reminded, he was not the first to suffer grief and surely would not be the last. He opened his mouth to speak, but found the emotions blocked his words. He couldn't though he wanted... there was much to tell. Taverin loved to watch the stars... he loved to play fight... he snored, though he'd always denied it... he loved to hunt boar, it was his favorite meat... He always won every race they did....  "I loved him", he finally whispered. What else needed to be said? Nothing. Nothing could bring him back.
There came another wolf. This one proclaimed itself a healer. There was a momentarily rage inside as he wanted to throw blame on someone, something, anything; but it died quickly. He knew, Taverin was dying long before the borders of these lands had been crossed.

"I need to take a look at your wounds. I don't have the necessary tools here. I'd like to take you to my den, I have more herbs there. Your brother won't be disturbed — we will hold a funeral for him after you've rested. I promise."

They offered him much. More than he thought a sabre could ever expect from a wolf. He had not known the war that had separated their species. Roderik had been born in an era of peace, but still repercussions of the old wars had bled into the stories he'd been told as a child. Some of his people thought wolves simply couldn't be trusted, but his father had trusted them... they'd saved his sister's life once when she'd been sick, he'd been told. He couldn't recall ever seeing one of their kind before... not this close anyway. While on his travels maybe, but they'd always been wary and kept their distances. He was grateful for their presence, and their help.

"Thank you...."

"How do we get him there?"

Taverin shook his head at the question. He would not cause them anymore trouble than he had. He would find the strength to stand and move, whatever the cost. Moving his front paws under his chest, he took a moment to gather his strenght and gave a push to stand. His muscles flared with pain but he ignored them. Progress was slow, and he hoped to himself that the healers den was closer rather than far. Finally, he stood, his legs shaking and his breathing heavy, but it was clear from his demeanor that he would accept no assistance for this task. His gaze steadfast upon the healer, waited for him to lead the way.

Glancing back to Taverin again, he took in the scene. A breeze shook some leaves from the nearby trees, laying them gently on and around his friend. It was hard to leave him. Harder than anything he'd ever done before. His eyes still on the scene, he spoke to the older wolf. "Will someone watch over him until I return?", he heard himself saying. It was dumb... he just... didn't want Taverin to be alone. He would return, to send his spirit off to the sea and cross the great divide. Until then, he just wanted to make sure nothing disturbed the scene. Once he would be assured of this, he would nod and finally tear his gaze away to follow the healer.

[Blaise]

OOC: You on Discord Risty? I still have Kobolt if you ever want an awkward family reunion!

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"I loved him."

There was nothing to be said to that truth, Blaise only pressed his lips together and nodded. His loss was so different to Roderick's, but loss is loss, and he knew the desolate islands that grief carved in the soul, lonely places that no one else could ever find. Blaise could see Roderick's island from his own; his own shores were calm, waves lapped against them, constant lashes of pain, but he no longer fought them and whipped the sea of grief into a tempest like Roderick's. In time the sabres own storm would calm, that was the only consolation there was and right now it was not somehting the boy would want to hear so he remained silent.

"I'm a healer. I need to take a look at your wounds."

It was a day where all his prejudices would be challenged it seemed. First a saber, now a Saboran. Prejudice was perhaps an unfair word to describe his distrust, how would a fly feel about spider? It was the natural wariness of one who knows what it is to be hunted by the other. Blaise could not help but flick his eyes to the mottled mess that remained of the red scars, they held his attention more firmly than the missing limb that only deserved a cursory glance and moments -complete incorrect- wonder on which Inarian's handiwork that had been. He was more interested in what brought this particular enemy into thier fold. Perhaps he too had been picked up at the borders, bleeding and half dead? Or maybe he was a prisoner of some sort that knew he wouldn't get far on those few legs if he tried to run. 

"I don't have the necessary tools here. I'd like to take you to my den, I have more herbs there. Your brother won't be disturbed — we will hold a funeral for him after you've rested. I promise."

Blaise blinked at the firm stare he was being given by a Saboran, a challenge to see if he would argue? He did not. Compassion was present in the most suprising of places these days and then so entirely lacking in places where it should have been.

"How do we get him there?"

Good question. Aeolus never said any the elder stuff out loud, good job too or Blaise would have told him to pack it in, but that didn't make him any less right. There was no way he, Aeolus and a Saboran cripple could have shifted Roderick's weight. 

"Thank you.... Will someone watch over him until I return?

Blaise sat back on his haunches as the saber rose, a process that was painful to watch. "I will keep him company." He seemed the most fitting one to keep death company, being closest to it himself. "Taverin will be safe with me." He promised. "Go on." He said softly. "Go get better." Live.

[Aeolus]

He listened to the words spoken by each, he too understood what it was to miss someone, several someones but he did not consider his own grief to be of the same kind as the others which meant he was ill equipped to properly address it with words that that would soothe a heart that was so clearly, terribly broken. There was more than just a broken heart in need of mending though as the sabers wounds still needed tending and he still wasn't sure how they could get Roderik to the healer's den without making the saber's wounds worse or injuring themselves in the attempt. It didn't take long after his asking that Rodrik shook his head. He knew what that implied but still watching the great cat rise, though slowly and carefully, to his paws was still something to watch. Though whether it was sad to see such a brave thing in pain or gladdening that the cat was well enough to move under his own power he didn't know.

Then came the request for someone to stay with Taverin who would now forever sleep until they could give a proper farewell. He was not unfamiliar with this custom but this was still a predicament. An injured saber and Saboran, or former Saboran, didn't need to go walking through the packlands unaccompanied as there were all sorts of issues that could arise from if such a thing were to occur. Leaving an elder at the border, especially under the circumstances, was also not exactly desirable. Both things were his duty though and both things required one to sometimes make hard decisions, this would be one of them.

A threat arriving at the border was serious, but two potential threats walking through the interior of the packlands was even more so and they could also very likely end up needing his help anyway so..he would accompany them as an escort. He gave a look and nod to Blaise, who had likely already figured that was what he was going to do, and then he moved to be in a position to aid either the healer or Roderik as they made their way through the lands to where the healer's supplies were.