Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He’d decided to explore towards the north. Perhaps he’d find some of his missing pack. The stale scents of Creed and Valor had gone north. Perhaps they’d gone to see Creed’s birthplace; it wasn’t a foreign idea. After all, he had revisited his own birthplace, not long past. What irked him was that neither had told him, or been working all that hard to be active that he had seen. Trips to the southern continent, maybe, but not truly working in the pack. He didn’t want to split a family up any further, but he would have to do something if this continued. He’d crossed the river, drawing near to the area Imperium had once held so assuredly. A soft sigh left him. It was a pity that pack had fallen. It had been strong, a pack worthy of respect, and he’s liked Valentine, for all that they’d only met once when he was a yearling. He was mulling over these thoughts when he found the blood trail. His own blood chilled as he recognized the scent. Marina. He swerved immediately, following the path she’d taken, quickly noticing the gait was off. One leg was broken, or injured in some severe manner. The bloody hell had happened? He quickened his pace, then threw up his head, howling loudly and urgently for the rainbow marked female, concern heavy in the tone, stopping in his tracks to listen for any answer. A side path in his thoughts wondered, and hoped, that his brother was nearby. Or had even found the female and was tending to her already.

Marina was resting, thank the Gods that she had found her son… or rather Chasm had found her. She found herself better at ease, though as each day passed she was more than certain with her changing scent that the male had impregnated her. She twitched her ears and nose, having finally been able to move into the barn after a day or so under Chasm’s care. The temporary shelter was no den, but at least it was warm and dry. Her son and his companion brought her food, and the female found herself a bit happier than she had been despite the circumstances.

But the howl of Regulus was not something the female could ignore. She perked her ears, slowly opening her eyes. She still had a fever, and the more mangled leg had it’s wound become infected. The broken one wasn’t fairing much better, though both had been cleaned thanks to Chasm. It was just a matter of seeing a healer now.

Marina threw back her head, giving a loud call to her alpha to let him know where she was, to let him know she was alive. She wasn’t keen to move, however, and she let out another howl after calling to her alpha for her son, a more maternal howl, to let Chasm know that it was a friend, not foe, that neared her. Then the woman lowered her head onto her paws once more, her red and pink gaze fixed on the opening to the barn. Hopefully Reg wouldn’t have too much of a problem finding her here.

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

A howl answered, Marina’s thankfully. She wondered who the second call was for; it sounded motherly. A child? No matter. He was already running hard, throwing out a call for his brother, and hoping he was nearby. He had no trouble following her blood trail; it was dark against the ground, and the scent was strong. He reached the barn and slid to a stop, blinking up at it before he stepped inside and sought out the multicolored woman. She looked a sorry sight. One leg was indeed broken, another mangled. The lacerations were made by a wolf, and the ones on the mangled leg looked similar to a small predator or scavenger’s. “What happened, and who did this?” His voice was very quiet, much like it had been when he’d arrived at the Challenge for Celestial, but his touch was very gentle as he nosed along the injuries, snorting softly at the infection he could smell. And there was something else in her scent, a difference that hadn’t been there when he’d invited her to join the pack, but had been there when he’d first met her. Pregnant. She was pregnant. “You were raped.” It wasn’t a question, and the chill in his voice deepened as a slight glaze came over those sapphires as they fastened on Marina's eyes.

Regulus came, voice quiet as he spoke. He nosed along each injury, and Marina let out a soft sigh. She could still picture the brute that had done this… his damned little pet. “A brute that has taken residence in the North it seems is the one who did this. He lives at the abandoned site of the ship S.S. Antiox…” The female could picture the state of the place so clearly it sent a shiver down her spine. “He was massive, Reg… He called himself Satan.” The femme would spare no details in explaining to her alpha.

“I was investigating… the place showed signs that those who lived there might have been… cannibals. I… I lost myself. He attacked me with his pet wolverine…” She kept her gaze focused on his own. “He was brown… with a distinctive white mask and bright red eyes.” The female let out a low growl when Regulus pointed out the fact she’d been raped.

“He was a vulgar beast, Regulus. His voice promised fear… pain…” Marina kept her ears pinned. “He was larger than even you… I’ve only encountered such beasts one other time in my life… and those beasts stole my parents from me.” Marina frowned, furrowing her brow.

“I’m sorry, Regulus… this wasn’t how I wanted to be part of your pack… causing more problems…” It was only at this Marina lowered her gaze. “But… there is one stroke of good news in my absence on my behalf… My son, Chasm, has reunited with me and has been trying to care for me since I made it here.” Marina swished her tail thoughtfully. “Reg…” She shifted her gaze back to the man.

“I don’t want to get the pack involved in this… This… this shouldn’t have happened. Unless you find this male a danger to the rest of Celestial… I fully take responsibility for what happened. It was my own fault… I should have run.” Marina’s gaze softened. “I’m sorry… if you need to demote me, or remove me from your pack, do as you must… but please… should my son need somewhere to go, I only ask that you have mercy upon him. He’s a good child.”

Tor had been quietly tending to the pen of prairie hens he'd spent the last several days catching, dropping dried seed heads he'd been gathering all autumn through the opened top. The painstakingly woven and lashed-together cage was on a travois along with the supplies he carried with him on a journey that took him far from the barn he usually used as his base. The preserved meat he'd carried was gone now, but he was on the return leg of his journey anyway and would soon be home. He'd been nervous about leaving the elk herd with possible predators about, but he couldn't remain with them constantly and still gather the supplies he needed.

His head jerked up as a familiar call came to him. Regulus', and it sounded urgent. His blue eyes widened in consternation and alarm - what could have brought Regulus so far out here? And the call was not for him alone, but for another. Dropping the top back over the pen and giving a soft bark to call Aiden to him, he raced towards Regulus' call as a second voice answered him. He adjusted course towards the second call, startled to hear it coming from his home. He arrived to the scent of infection and pain, and a quiet word to the falcon who'd caught up with him sent her winging back to guard the prairie chickens. He wouldn't need her to go for herbs after all, since his supplies were cached in a scavenged metal container here in the barn. A soft murmur of voices, muffled by the vast structure so that he could not hear what was said, only voices, led him to where Regulus was.

Gaze studied the pair before him with a quiet calm. The last he'd seen this female was in support of the male who'd challenged for Celestial, but Regulus seemed to be comforting rather than confronting, despite the chill in his eyes. Well, anyone who knew Tornach knew it wasn't in his nature to withhold treatment from someone simply for being on the wrong side of a conflict, so it was without hesitation that he padded toward the pair. "Regulus," he greeted, dipping his head in a quiet nod, then shifted his attention to the female. "May I examine you? I'm a healer. I can help."

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He listened intently as she told her story, mentally jotting down the description she gave in his mind. He, too, rarely met wolves larger than himself. It wasn’t a question of if he’d be fighting this male. It was a statement of when he would be fighting this craven wolf, he would need to be lighter on his feet, and use his smaller size to his advantage. Not a usual thought process for himself. He huffed sharply at her apologies and request, shaking his head firmly. “This wasn’t your fault. He committed the act. And he will pay for it with his life. You will not be punished for something you didn’t choose. And your son is welcome to the pack as well, if he can pull his weight.” Movement behind him made him turn, half bristling until he recognized his brother. “Tornach, thank gods. This is Marina. She recently joined the pack, and was attacked in the north… Bhí sí ... iallach. “ He finished in the old tongue, feeling the words souring on his tongue as he spoke them. Turning back to Marina, he added gently, “This is Tornach, one of my younger brothers. He’s a good healer. You can trust him. Tor, if you need me to fetch anything , let me know.”

Marina found relief in Regulus’ words. She found comfort in his presence, too, and thanked Celeste and Nox for at least sending this man to her. Even during these dark times, she felt like, somehow, things might be okay. “He’s a year old now that’s it’s winter… but I’m sure with some more training he’ll be just as able bodied as any other wolf in the pack.” She shifted a little, offering Regulus a small, sad smile. “…and thank you, Reg, for understanding… I know now that I’ve made the right choice in following you. Her gaze turned towards another male that entered, younger than Regulus and herself. A healer…

“I’d appreciate the help. Go right ahead and do what you need to do, Tornach.” The female shifted her head towards the door again, ears perking for signs of her rainbow marked child. If anything it was he that she was worried for after all this time. The poor thing had been without anyone for too long… and thank goodness for Bones. If anything had happened to him Marina would have been livid with Liar. But it was alright… she didn’t need to focus on that. “If you see a little devil come in, or a rainbow marked male, they’re both safe. The tasmanian devil is Bones, my son’s companion, and really is never too far from my Chasm.” She relaxed a bit more, taking a slow, steadying breath.

“Regulus… I am… not one to fault children for their parents. If I chose to keep this litter… and raise them as Celestians… would that be alright by you?”

The lanky child was out with Bones gathering more food to help keep his mother's strength up. He couldn't heal her wounds, but he could at least help her survive and that's what he planned to do. The rainbow boy looked over at his companion who willingly stayed even though they had found his mother. They had bonded and he was vary fond of the relationship he had with the devil. Together the pair were able to catch enough rabbits to feed them all and while hunting they were always making rounds in the territory keeping an eye out for trouble. Hearing his mother's first call made him perk, yet worry still bubbled through his veins. Why was she answering that other wolf?

She then called for him and he turned his gaze to Bones. Huffing slightly he got up from his spot and together the two began to gather their three rabbit kills and padded back towards the barn. Chasm was glad his mother was able to get herself into the barn, it had been much better shelter especially now that winter was here. It was going to be a lot harder to survive the winter, but Chasm was not willing to give up on his mother.

Trudging through the territory they neared the barn in enough time to see the dark figure of a wolf enter the barn. His hair prickled though he kept himself calm. His mother knew this wolf and called him here so things had to be okay. He got to the doors before peeking his head around the door, looking in at what was going on. Not one, but two wolves stood by his mother, one looked to be comforting her and the other, well he just got here.

He then let the rest of his body fallow his head and the rainbow child quietly approached the group. His mouth was full of two large rabbits and behind him Bones fallowed with the third, and most mangled rabbit in his jaws. Going to his mother's right side he laid the creatures on the ground and took a seat his bi colored eyes examining the two males as he remained quiet.

Tornach didn't understand Regulus' words for a moment as he greeted him - not because they were in the old tongue, because Tornach still spoke it as fluently as he did the common, but because they simply made no sense. He eyed Regulus uncomprehendingly, until the meaning finally caught up to him. His stomach turned, throat tightening as though he would retch, but outwardly he didn't allow how much the very idea made him feel ill. The woman needed him to show only calm, to be soothing, not to lose his composure... but he could not begin to comprehend why anyone could do such a terrible act.

He did take a deep breath to loosen the sudden knot of tension in his chest before he turned his face back towards the female and crouched at her side. "Marina? I will try to be careful but there may be some pain as I examine you and move you around. I'm sorry."

With the soft apology spoken he got to work checking her over, carefully touching and straightening each limb and noting her reactions, sniffing at wounds and gently pressing against her flesh, listening to her heart, her breathing, touching her nose and pawpads gently to feel her body temperature, checking her eyes and nodes.

Finally he sat back thoughtfully, making a list of what he would need, before glancing around. He was startled to see they'd been joined by a young male, whose coloring would have given him away as Marina's son even had she not warned them in advance. The creature beside him was, apparently, a devil, as per Marina's earlier explanation. Tornach glanced at it swiftly, wishing he had the time to satisfy his curiosity over the unfamiliar creature, but his mind was already consumed in his task and there was only room to make a vague note to himself to observe it more closely later.

Trotting to another part of the barn, he rummaged for a moment in one of the strange metal bins there and unearthed his wound care bundle, then added what he'd need for infection and broken bones to the pile. Carrying the bundle carefully he set it down near the Marina and seated himself to explain her condition. "I'm afraid your wounds have gotten a bit infected so they'll need to be cleaned and poulticed to draw it out. You have a fever as well that we'll treat separately to keep you comfortable. The biggest issues are your right front ankle and your left rear leg. The ankle is broken, and I'm afraid the rear leg is in pretty rough shape. We'll have to treat the infections and immobilize both legs completely for a while to give them a chance to heal."

To Marina he added gently, "Are you all right to continue so I can start treatment right away? I know you're probably hurting right now."

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He listened, nodding quietly at her thanks. As she gave Tornach her permission and his brother went to work, he bent to take in what scents might have been left over in her fur from her ordeal. They would be crucial to the future days; however long it might take to abolish the threat. Under a young male’s scent – her son, he assumed, as the scent was very similar to her own – there lingered a stale remnant of another male; a loner as far as he could tell, reeking of testosterone and brutality. He nodded to himself, memorizing it. There was another scent, very faint, but clinging dimly to the male’s. Too muddied by time and travel, and her swim in the river to guess at an age or gender. Marina’s question turned his thoughts away briefly, and he studied her. “If that is truly your wish, then I have no issue with allowing their birth. I’m a sucker for kids, anyway.” He offered a gentle smile before his analysis of the scents resumed. As far as he could surmise from just this bit, there was at least one wolf up there in the north that was a deep threat, possibly two. And Lirim was closest to that area. But there was another thought that sent a chill through his spine. Valor and Creed’s scents had been heading north. And a wolf that was stupid enough to attack a pack wolf and rape her, likely would have no qualms in attacking a youngster and an old male. And neither held what could have been Marina’s saving grace; that of being female and bearing the chance for further hurt and humiliation than simply mauling and killing. He listened to Tornach’s words, nodding. It was what he’d expected to hear after his own initial examination of her legs. “I can have Laisren or two similarly sized wolves come down with a litter, in a few days, or whenever you feel she can be moved safely… The river may be a problem. But I can’t wait here. The issue of that male needs to be dealt with quickly, before more damage can be done to, someone else...” He rose to his paws, going momentarily still as a further thought occurred. Justice could choose to follow her father and brother’s scents. Those could very well lead her north. And depending on where they’d gone, possibly right into danger. He had no doubt she was a scrappy individual, stubborn and proud, but she was still young, and not trained very far beyond what she had learned on her own in order to survive alone. And it could be multiple against one. “Marina, if there were signs of more than one wolf there that are like the one you encountered, they are a threat to the whole pack, and anyone who goes in the north. And they’ll be a threat to my sister and her pack. This does threaten more than you.” His head turned as he sought to catch her eyes with his own fathomless gaze, stare intent. “Did you smell more than one there before the attack? I thought I could smell traces of another wolf with that male’s scent in your fur.” Swift movement was important, he knew. The faster he could get a warning out, and the faster he could wipe out the threat or threats, with help or without it, the better. The thought of one of his sisters' kids wandering out of Lirim's borders and exploring up north, and what could happen made him feel queasy.

Chasm and Bones’ arrival brought Marina comfort, and the femme turned her gaze momentarily towards her son with a gentle, reassuring smile on her lips. She knew that Chasm didn’t know who Regulus was… but she wanted her little one to know these wolves were safe. They were going to help. Her son also gave her courage, the courage to continue living. The worst of it, at least for her, seemed over now. Then her gaze slid back to Tor, giving a small nod of approval for him to go ahead.

She was no stranger to pain… though some of his actions, particularly with the damaged limbs, caused her grunts of pain and even a low growl. But Marina didn’t snap at the healer, no, she kept herself calm as he went about to see what he’d need. She knew her legs were damaged the most… and Marina felt certain that she’d be immobile throughout winter for the most part at the very least… but she hadn’t given up hope that she might be able to one day run with her children again.

As Tornach stepped away the femme turned her gaze back to Regulus, feeling her heart sink in her chest. On the plus side the litter could be kept, protected, raised as little Celestians… but the threat of the male was clear enough. Her alpha’s words were serious, and she knew he knew a bit more about who this could potential affect. She closed her eyes, letting out a small sigh before nodding. She’d think of all the information she could.

“There are some more things you need to know before you go, Regulus.” The female rumbled, her fur standing on end. She opened her eyes, meeting those blue sapphires. “He’s… likely a cannibal. There was a wolf corpse outside the ship that looked at least partially eaten.” Her eyes betrayed her fear at this. “He had said it had been a male coming to… ahem, mate with his… female.” She chose different words than the brute had used to make sure Chasm’s innocence was spared.

“He’s territorial… and no doubt will be more aggressive if the she wolf is in. He had a wolverine with him too, the nasty little bugger… he’s the one that got my back leg.” Marina furrowed her brow. “Please be careful… I… I don’t want to see anyone else hurt but…” She lowered her gaze, as if fighting within herself. “I know that he has to be taken care of…”

After that her gaze shifted back to Tornach, frowning as he confirmed what she suspected. Both legs were in bad shape, her ankle broken… and she’d have to have both legs immobilized. She listened as Reg said he’d have some of the Celestians come get her, and she felt better… for now she just had to focus on getting better and trust her alpha to do the rest.
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“Y-yes… Go right ahead…” She was hurting, sure, but if she waited for treatment much longer things were only going to get harder for her. Besides, this was Regulus’ brother… she felt she could trust him. He seemed experienced too… and Chasm was there with Bones. What did she have to fear now?

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He listened silently as Marina went on to explain, nodding slowly and taking in each detail she gave. The words were very telling. With them, Marina confirmed that there could also be a female up there, and a small seed of a plan grew in his mind as he listened. When it came to fighting the male, he would know about the wolverine, and he nodded again. “Thank you, Marina. Now, you rest.” He rose and turned to pad away. He paused to give his brother a look of deepest gratitude as he added, “I know I can trust you to take care of her until she can travel. Thank you so much for your help, Brother. I owe you a lot.” He nodded and paused on his way out to study the boy, Chasm. “Your mother has requested that you be offered a home in my pack, with her. Understand that you will need to work hard and earn your place just as everyone else. If you’re willing to join us, then welcome home to Celestial when you get there. I’ll test you for what you wish to do when I can. In the meantime, I don’t think I need to tell you to take good care of your mother, eh?” He smiled encouragingly at both boys before slipping out and taking off at a run. -exit unless stopped-