It had already begun to sink into his bones, the knowledge that it would never end, that things could never be the same as they had been. As these thoughts came to mind so did his children, so did images of Sibelle in flashes, her being blinded in one her, her kidnapping, her brain damage. Everything that happened left Sibelle more in pieces then it had before, and well he knew Cat hadn't caused all of it she had caused enough for him to know she will always keep coming. His heart and body couldn't handle it any more, he felt the urge to run boiling in his veins and screaming in his blood. He remembered the days he had decided nothing could hold him down, that he wanted to be a free man with no ties. He didn't understand how amazing that was until this moment, until he looked at all the chains looped about his neck, digging him into the earth, representations that he could never leave, never find freedom that he would be dragged down with this sinking ship. His breath came out in agonised pants, he felt like he couldn't breath, like he had to go, and if he didn't right this second he would suffocate. He paced back and forth, wearing a deep path in the snow before he raised his head and called for Sibelle, the burning need brought this on and he knew he had to talk to her. ""

She had been watching the kids, watching as they ran around playing with each other. A soft smile toyed with her lips, their sounds of their laughter contagious. Tattered ears would swivel when her mates voice would fill the air. Her smile only grew until she heard the difference in his voice. Worry would spread through her veins like ice. Rising, she would quickly usher her kids into their den, telling them to stay put until she returned. Once secured, she would turn, picking up a lope to race to her mates side. Snow covered the ground, her paw prints leaving a clear trail as she moved across the forest. By the time she reached, she found him pacing, a deep path etched in the snow. Slowly to a walk, she would aim to come to his side, trying to press her nose to his cheek. Worry etched into her features as she peered up at him with uncertainty. "Whats wrong?" Her crown would tip the side, brows furrowing in confusion. She hadn't seen him this worked up in a long time. Her heart beat nervously against her chest, ears swiveling and nostrils flaring. Though they were entirely alone and there wasn't a scratch on him. Had something happened that she didn't know about? "Burn Baby Burn"

Sibelle would be beside as quickly as her paws could carry her, his heart melted in his chest even as it played tug-of-war painfully from side to side. He deflated partly as her nose tickled against his cheek, leaning in to her touch. He had to take a moment to breath, and closed his eyes as he fought off a wave of nausea at the memory of how she had looked when she came home from Arc's territory. She would ask him what was wrong and he knew he had to speak now ? or he really would forever hold his peace. ?Sibelle? he pulled back a little so he could look into those familiar eyes. ?I'm not sure how to put this, but, living here in this pack, with Arcanium picking away at us little by little, its killing me and I cant bare it a moment longer. God, Sibelle, seeing you lying their after that brute had... and then, carrying you home alone? he shuddered at the agonising memories, the pain he had felt was nothing next the agony of seeing her like that, and seeing the feral confusion when she had awoken. ?Run away with me, Sibelle, just us and the children we can go from here where Arc can never find us or touch us again. I don't want them near our children and I know she will go for them if she ever got the chance. I think staying her much longer would kill me, can you imagine it Sibelle, no responsibilities, us and the kids and we can go anywhere we wanted and do anything in the world ? just not here, with them terrorizing us this way. I cant watch it any longer, watch them destroy you? he was whispering now, his voice going from elation to pure agony as they moved from the freedom of escaping to the remembrance of her pain and back again, was it clear that he was breaking? That staying here poison to his veins. He could feel it sneaking towards his heart with each breath, and knew that staying here truly would be his death, but even then, he may well have to watch Sibelle torn to pieces before that terrible pain could reach his heart. ""

He would lean into her touch, but she could see the pain on his face. Panic would rise in her chest and she struggled to beat it down, to hold onto her resolve and not have a complete freak out. When he spoke of the fight back at Arcanum, she was confused. She thought they had made it past this, she thought they had worked things out, that things were finally looking up for them. She had thought that they were going back to normal. Had she been wrong? Ears fell back against her skull as her weight rocked onto her hind legs with evident uncertainty. Was this the end? Was that was he was trying to tell her? Run away with me... More confusion. Solstice was everything to him. He was ready to just abandon it? Even when they had made up he hadn't suggested, no matter how badly she may have wanted him to. Running away had been something she had dreamed off. Watch them destroy you. What? Sure she had lost her memory, had her fair share of battle scars, but she was far from broken. Is that was he thought of her? Broken? Simply because she had been dealt a crappy hand of cards and was refusing to be beaten down by it? There was nothing more she could ever want than to run away with him. But her brother. Falk, he was still trapped within Arcanum. Surreal couldn't help him, or their children would end up orphans. The one thing she had going for her was the silver queens joy of toying with her. It would ruin her sick sense of fun to kill her. "Cru, I... You know I would, you know that I would follow you anywhere, to the ends of the earth." She would pause. "But I can't leave my brother there. Falk, he has a family too, I can't just abandon him." Her words were soft, but firm, despite the confusion that was still etched into her features. "Burn Baby Burn"

He could see the confusion in her eyes as he stood, and panted and attempted to hold in his pain. He himself wasn't even certain where it was coming from, this sudden burning desire to get the hell out of dodge before their world fell apart around them. Couldn't see see it? Feel it in the wind? This premonition of all the pain that was to come. But then, she had been unconscious, perhaps she hadn't seen Cat's face, that need to torture them to the very end, that promise of pain he knew he had seen in her eyes. That brute that followed her around, he knew that he would help her in her plans and that together they would rip Sibelle and Crucifix apart piece by piece, and he would be helpless to do more then watch Sibelle and their children in pain. He closed his eyes, if he could sweet he knew it would a sheen on his head and streaming in his eyes by now, but his fear was shown in different ways, the rising of his fur that responded to his fear, his tail flat and still behind him and his ears pulled back against his ears. He breathed and attempted to control this foreign feeling burning inside of him, to control the poison of fear that was changing him as it mingled in his blood stream and spiked adrenaline through his system. Sibelle would speak, but her words where far from comforting. She would admit that she would follow him anywhere, to the ends of the earth, but she could not until she saved Falk. He whined, they had all fought one of the Arcanium leaders now, and they had both lost. Was she hoping if she fought them enough times, let them mangle her as they pleased that one day she would come out on top? He had thought Sibelle invisible once, and well she was still far stronger then he, he was forced to watch as she was torn apart. It was killing him, watching them hurt her this way. He opened his eyes again, struggling to get his mind in order, to think past this unwavering, sheer force of impractical fear that was crippling him. ?I cant fight this bad feeling Sibelle, like i know that if things stay as they are everything is going to go horribly wrong. I fear so much for giving them something to hold on to, that they will find the thing that will break us ? our children. What if we left but didn't go far? Left Solstice behind to leave them less to grab on to, I could give it to a friend and we could hide our children well we decide what to do about Falk?? he knew as things stood right now that he could not take on either Arcanium leader, he needed practice, he needed to learn how to defend himself and to fight for what he loved, his current skills where tried and shown wanting against these terrible foes. ""

She could visibly see his pain. And it confused her. She had no idea where this was coming from, or why it was suddenly come to the surface. His ears pulled back, his hair stood on end as his eyes closed, as though he couldn't bared to look at her. A whine would leave his lips as she spoke, as though he didn't like what she had to say. Had he honestly expected her to just give up on her brother? To leave him behind to suffer an unknown fate? If thats what he thought, then he obviously didn't know her very well. Her brothers were everything to her, she would do anything for them, especially Falk. He would speak again, talking of leaving Solstice behind. Didn't he know that she was fine with that? More than fine. But Falk.... "Cru, I wouldn't think twice about leaving Solstice to go with you. But my children are not going to grow up hidden away from the world, or live in fear because of one wolf. We could go to my sisters, Romans, in the north. They wouldn't think to look there, no one even knows we're related, and children could have a normal childhood." Her weight would balance out over all four limbs, but she would take a small step back so she could look at him without craning her neck. Brows remained furrowed, though confusion slipped away. What was there to decide about Falk? She was going to free him, or at least try. She wouldn't sit by and do nothing. It was a simple decision. "There's nothing to decide about Falk. I'm going to help him, I have to at least try." There was resolve behind her words, she would not be swayed from her decision. Slowly her audits would relax, fear draining away though she was still uncertain. She was being bombarded by so much that she didn't fully understand where it was coming from. "Burn Baby Burn"

He tried with visible effort to calm himself, let his fur lay flat as Sibelle took a step from him. He had no doubt his sudden intensity was disturbing her, but he could barely reign it in. his fear wasn't even for himself ? or at least not his body, but his mental stability at the thought of his whole world tearing down on him. So instead, he tried stretching his thoughts out further then his own emotions. He thought of the pack he loved as he breathed. Solstice wasn't strong enough to defend them, if Cat changed her game and took the whole pack after them Solstice would fall and all the wolves in it would lose their home ? he couldn't do that to them, half the pack was made up of pups and most of the rest where not fighters, but they where his friends and he couldn't bare to see anything happen to them. He needed a solution that would protect everyone, and he couldn't help but feel that Sibelle was hitting on something. Eventually, her sensibility would win and he would nod his head slowly, yes, give the pack to a friend should destroy cat's reasons to come after the pack, if they cut all ties and vanished from these lands she should leave them be ? her vendetta was against Sibelle after all. This pack he hoped held more fighters, a better stronger pack to look after their children well they grew up in a better environment then what loner life could give. She would speak again and it would wrench him from his calming thoughts as he looked up at her in surprise. ?Of course Sibelle, I simply meant, how to go about it and how I can better prepare myself to help you and stand beside you well you do it? he told her simply, he knew that at the moment they where not a team ? he was weaker and less experienced then she was in battle, there was two of their enemy, and there needed to be two of them to face them. ?I see better sense in your words then my sudden ravings? he blushed gently and peered up at her in naked love and worry before pulling his face back together again. ?I just.. I just want you and our children to be safe, and I don't know how to go about that with my current abilities? he would admit, so softly, this deep fear inside of him. ?I think I know who could look after Solstice and the friends we've made here if you truly wanted to commit to this?? he asked softly, leaving the final decision to his mate, who at the moment stood in a righter mind then he did. ""