It still hurt to breathe. Every step was not quite a knife digging into her side and lungs, but it was almost to that level, especially as they drew closer to their destination. At least she could walk, though - she remembered the first nights, the first weeks where she just laid there, the intense pain causing her to lose any lucidity after mere moments. Blurs and flashes of agony was all she remembered from those early times, and the woman shuddered when she recalled it. Anything, everything was better than what had happened then. Had it not been for her intense luck with Vali running into her, Lillianna wasn't even certain that she'd have survived.

She faltered again, even as she spotted the territory in view. What... what would Bass do? What would Lark do? How angry would they be? She wondered if they thought she abandoned Abaven; surely not? She'd never made the inclination to do so, so that wouldn't happen... right?

A soft brush of a nose on her shoulder made her tip her head to the side to glance at Vali, the taller woman who had taken care of her during the time of hell, and made certain Lillie survived. And truly, the woman was a blessing; Lillianna was walking on all four legs, and rather stable, even with a slight limp resulting from the pain that still radiated from where her leg had broken.

She was finally at the border, and the red wolf took a deep breath. Tipping her head back, she let out a howl - a somewhat soft, wavering howl that requested the presence of the alpha of Abaven.

"Speech" "Language" "Farrym"

The girl - Vali couldn't help but think of her as such - recovered remarkably well. She hadn't expected Lillianna to even live; how hectic it had been, those first few weeks, trying to make certain that the wolf didn't die on her. Fever, infection, malnutrition were all things they had to battle, and half of it Lillianna didn't even know about it.

It was, truly, a miracle that the girl survived... let alone be walking as well as she was, with nary a limp and breathing quite fine, if still tenderly. She'd make a full recovery, though that recovery would still be slow. It had been many, many weeks - almost two seasons, if Vali recalled, since the incident. Now she was in heat again, and another year older; it added on a new layer of misery that was just itching under her fur.

It didn't distract her from her duties, though. From the start, Vali had been there for Lillianna; she'd grown to learn a lot about the young woman. Certainly hotheaded and foolish about way too many things, but also surprisingly insecure and caring about those around her. She wouldn't say that they were the closest of friends, but the experiences between them would be something neither would forget in a long time, and there was an unforgettable bond that would never be broken between them. That Vali believed, wholeheartedly.

Vali smiled softly as her thoughts wandered, though she was quickly pulled back when Lillianna faltered. She was there in an instant, brushing her nose on the red woman's shoulder in a show of silent support. This was Lillianna's journey back, though it was hers as well. She didn't have any of the worries that Lillie did, for some reason. She was fully confident that even though their absence was undoubtedly noticed, they would be accepted back, after everything was explained. They just had to get there.

Finally, they were there, and Lillianna took initiative and aclled. Vali laughed softly, her own head tipping back to strengthen that call for Bass, and anyone else who would like to appear.

©sanctuare-2k16

The call was not specifically for him, but he had no intentions of ignoring it. The day was crisp and clear, and the sound rang out far across the lands - Lillie was home. The feeling that suddenly washed over him was... difficult to place. Dread weighed down heavy on his heart, mixed with a feeling of relief, of anger and uncertainty and sadness and joy all at the same time. He had just barely, finally, come to terms with his feelings about her.. well, more with the fact that he had some kind of feelings, even if he wasn't quite sure how to express it or what he wanted from it.

And then she left him.

He'd been angry about it for awhile, though he hadn't really showed it much other than his usual sulking. Showing that he was so upset about her absence would've only prompted further questions. He didn't feel like talking much lately, especially not about her and about her leaving. It hurt too much, and even admitting that was difficult. He wasn't used to having such intense feelings, not for anyone, and especially not for her.

He fought back a groan as he pulled himself upright. Seriously, where the hell had she been? He hoped she had a good excuse - but really, would any excuse make him feel better? Slowly, without hurrying at all, he made his way to where she stood. He recognized the girl that stood beside her, from a distance, and his face tightened. He didn't want to give her to satisfaction of seeing that he'd missed her, or that he'd been worried about her.. and honestly, he wanted his father to handle this first. Lark was silent as he came to a halt at a far distance from them, lips pursed as he sat and waited.  

If he was being honest, he didn’t think that Lillianna or Vali would be returning. So many wolves had come in and out of his life -- mostly out. If he tore out his heart every time, he would long be dead at this point. While he had been looking for them for a bit, he gave up after a week. He was just a wolf who was destined to be alone, besides his children. A somber sigh left his lips as he laid on top of her den, his tail tip flickering where it rested by his nose. But by some sick twist of fate, Lillie’s call echoed over the plains. His head snapped up, and soon Vali’s joined in. His brows rose towards the heavens, he stayed where he was for a few moments to see if it was really something that he had just conjured up, or real. Several heartbeats later the last whispers of the calls reached his ears, and he knew that they had to be real. Leaping off the rocks, he took off before his hind legs fully touched the earth. It didn’t take him too long to reach the borders, his golden eyes cutting towards his left to see that Lark was sitting a fair distance away. He slowed and opened his mouth to ask him what he was doing, but remembered what they had looked like at the meeting before last. Snapping his jaws shut, he looked over to where the two women stood waiting for him. Lark was upset, and rightly so. Letting out a soft sigh, he brushed his nose across the man’s shoulder if he allowed it. He could come up when he was ready. Carefully Bass closed the distance, as if he still thought that he was dreaming. Looking between the two, so many questions rose to the forefront of his mind. He was tempted to sit there and grill them, but he found himself making a beeline for Vali and softly brushing his chest against hers, his head lowering to wrap around hers if she let him. He was still and silent for a few moments before pulling back, sudden anger taking over his brown marked face. Vali had been one of his dearest friends since they were children, how could she just vanish on him like that? She above all other wolves knew how much it hurt him every day that Wren had upped and left them, making her disappearance that much more painful. His gaze cut towards Lillie, she had wounded his son in her sudden disappearance as well. But to see them back together? That was even more confusing. "Where the hell have you two been?" he finally asked, his voice sounding harsh even to his own ears. They flicked back against his head, his lips threatening to curl upwards. It was the searing pain that Vali had vanished that made him angry, covering up the pain of his nearly shattered heart. His narrowed eyes found hers again, his jaws clenching together with an audible grit. There had better be a damned good reason for this. "Talk" "You" Think

When Vali's call rose up beside her, Lillianna smiled, though nervousness and fear tainted her every thought. She was afraid of being rejected... and with good reason. She was also scared to see the hurt in the eyes of the ones she cared for - she didn't want to see anyone hurt. She wondered what they all thought; surely that she wouldn't just abandon them, right? They couldn't think anything like that about her, right? They knew that she would never leave of her own volition, of her own accordance, at the very least without asking... she hoped.

Silence was strong between the two women as they waited, the tension clear as they waited to see who would show. It was Lillie who spotted the figure first, though at a glance she immediately knew it wasn't Bass - the figure was too dark, too tall. It was with a jolt that she realized it was Lark, and she whined softly. She took a step forward, but she couldn't go any more forward; he stopped far inside the border, and she... she was no longer Abaven. She couldn't pass that border without trespassing onto pack lands.

She couldn't see his expression from here, but hers was pained, staring in his direction with emotions that even she didn't quite understand. She didn't expect the surge of emotions when she saw him, but at the same time she couldn't be surprised - not after what they shared. What this relationship was, she was hesitant to admit, but she didn't want to lose what they had had... and she was utterly terrified that she completely lost him.

The thought made tears pric her eyes, and she turned her head away, ducking her head to the side. She could feel the knowing, empathetic gaze of Vali. The woman knew - to a degree - her emotions, and Lillie also knew that they were similar to Vali's own because of the fact that Vali also had a wolf she cared very much for, albeit differently as far as Lillie was aware. The former officer couldn't look at Vali; she didn't want to see that look.

Thankfully, or perhaps not, another figure appeared. This time, the figure was ghost-like, a pale form that was still very familiar. It was Bass, alpha of Abaven, and a man she was very hesitant to face. He made a straight path for Vali, though, and Lillie watched as his head snaked around Vali's, and Vali leaned into him. She resisted glancing at Lark, instead bowing her head again. It wasn't long before Bass stepped back, and she looked up at him. That put Lark in the corner of her eye, and her gaze drifted past Bass with an expression of pain as it focused on the man.

She flicked her gaze away when Bass spoke, his harsh tone nearly making her flinch. Please, please let her be able to explain without screwing up. Please. "I... I got wounded," Lillianna began, glancing away from Bass. "I was hunting, and far from here. You know I travel, and explore the lands around - I was exploring fertile lands in the south, where no packs dwelt, but the land was beautiful. I traveled with Vali, who wanted to check out the herbs there. We only meant to be gone a couple of days. I had found a baby moose; I checked around and I did not find the mother anywhere... so I took it down, quite easily. Where I took it down, the mother had been. I got kicked, and... that's where I don't remember anymore." The last thing she remembered was being delirious with pain, the pain of it making her shudder slightly. She glanced at Vali, wondering if she should go on or let the other woman answer; she received a half smile, and then the other began speaking. Lillie was okay with this; she'd let the other say her side, and she simply listened and watched Bass, though she couldn't help her gaze drift to the brown form too far away from her.

"Speech" "Language" "Farrym"

Lark was beyond relieved at his father's arrival, as prompt as ever. He heard Bass approach before he saw him, and slowly tipped his head to the side to find him padding toward him. Grateful his father said nothing to him - he didn't know what to think, let alone what to even say right now - though he didn't retract from his father's reassuring touch.

Instead, he sat as Bass approached them. He embraced Vali, and Lark found himself reminded of how he had once greeted his mother. Curious, he watched the embrace, tender for a moment before he realized that he needed to get to business first. Bass had let Wren come and go, many times, before finally saying she wasn't welcome back. Would he do the same for Vali and Lillie? And why, oh god why was he reminded of his mother when he watched Bass greet her? He shook his head, pushing these thoughts from his mind as his father demanded a reason.

As Lillie spoke up, he found himself lifting to all fours and straying closer to get a better look at her as she spoke. He was only half-surprised at the explanation. He caught the pain, and the uncertainty in her voice as she spoke too. She'd been hunting, and she'd been hurt and recovering. His gaze shifted to Vali as she spoke, wondering what she could add - and wondering how he felt about all of this. On one hand, she hadn't meant to stay away. On the other, why would she even be foolish enough to try taking down a baby moose on her own? It'd been foolish, but obviously not meant maliciously. He felt his heart beating steadily in his chest as he eyed Lillianna again, glad at least to see some regret in her eyes too, but he didn't quite know how to feel still.

It was tense while they waited for someone to appear. Despite the cool confidence, the patience, and the 'this-is-fine' attitude, she was actually a nervous wreck. She was afraid of BBass rejecting them away from Abaven. She hated that she wasn't able to get word out; hated that he likely thought they abandoned him. She would like to believe that he trusted them enough - at least her - to know that she would never abandon Abaven willingly, but she still feared.

So caught up in the thoughts, Lillianna was the one who clued her in on another's approach. She saw the girl tense up immediately, and Váli turned her head to peer at the figure. Dark in color and tall, it was immediately noticeable that this was not Bass. Váli's gaze switched back to Lillianna, and understanding flashed through her eyes as she glanced once more at the figure that had paused a considerable distance away. This was Lark, one of Bass' older sons and definitely his tallest son. This was the one that Lillie was fond of and cared for. Váli smiled sadly, sympathy in her eyes as she regarded the two of them. She knew what was happening here, or so she thought.

Her gaze drifted away back to the deeper pack lands. Where was Bass? Her chest tightened as she sough out that all-too-familiar white form, and with a start, she spotted it. Now it was her turn to step forward, though she did so eagerly and with her tail wagging. Váli was grinning, too, as she caught herself doing something so childish. She had no regrets, however.

When Bass practically barreled straight into her, she leaned into him with her muzzle shoved into the fur on his chest, even as he snaked his head around her neck. She took comfort in the touch; oh, how she had missed this. How she had missed him and Abaven and... everyone. "I've missed you," she breathed, relishing in the moment. She truly, truly did. She missed the Bass that was happy and carefree, the one who would joke and laugh. Hopefully, even with her disappearance, and who knows what he thought.... well, hopefully he had found that happy side after what happened with Wren, his former mate. She knew that before she left, he was in a bad spot.

The serenity of the moment didn't last long, and she sighed softly as Bass pulled back, anger finally sparking in his eyes. It was then that the moment turned from reunion. Váli popened her mouth to explain, but Lillie beat her to it. She listened quietly to the young woman even as she spoke, telling her side of the story of what happened. When the girl paused, Váli gave her an affirming nod, then launched into her part, her gaze never straying from Bass.

"It was bad," she began, pain flashing in her eyes at the memory. She'd never seen such a bloody mess on a wolf before; it truly was a miracle Lillianna survived. "When I arrived, the mother and the child were far gone, thankfully. Lillianna had been crumpled against a tree, her leg twisted all wrong under her. Blood covered her chest; she looked dead." And truly, Váli had feared that had been the case. "She was still breathing. The moose tore open her flank and broke several ribs, and it was only sheer luck that prevented them from piercing her lungs. Her leg was also broken, from landing on it wrong. It broke somewhat clean, which is good because that was the only way I was able to get it to heal properly. We were in the Southern Continent, as well - no way to send contact." She looked away briefly, before resuming speaking. When she did, her tone was much quieter, though there was no hiding her next words. "I didn't think she would survive. She was never lucid the first two weeks; she barely woke up. If she didn't die of the wounds, I was afraid she'd die of starvation or of dehydration." Lillie didn't know just how close to death she got, and Váli didn't exactly want to tell her - but she needed to tell Bass, and Lillianna was just too close not to hear her words. The sharp intake of breath from the red woman indicated that yes, she did hear, and Váli winced slightly. "We needed to wait for her to heal, and with the length of the trip back, I didn't dare leave her on her own before then. I would still have her there, but I wanted to get back to the pack before winter. We both did." She glanced at Lillianna again, and then back at Bass, waiting for the verdict that had to be reached.

""

©sanctuare-2k16

Her muzzle pushed its way into his coat as he embraced her, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. It had been too long, but that didn't stop the anger that entered his face as he pulled away. Lillie started to explain what had happened, and muted horror took over his face. Why the hell would she even think to go after a moose calf on her own? The mother was never very far off and they were relentless when it came to protecting their young. But he stayed silent, glancing over his shoulder briefly at his son before looking back to the scarred woman. He didn't miss her looks in his direction too, but he would not force Lark to come any closer. If he wanted to listen from a distance then he could, he was allowed all the space that he needed. Vali quickly took over the story, obviously she hadn't told her the full extent of her injuries. After it all he let out a tired sigh, falling back to his rump with a solid thud. She could have sent someone to tell him, anyone really. "I was looking all over for you two, why didn't you tell anyone where you were going?" he asked, a crack sounding in his vocals evidence of the pain he felt at both of them vanishing. He had really thought the worst after all this time had passed, and apparently he wasn't far off. But who was he to push them away when they clearly weren't at fault here? Sure there were things that they could have done differently, like telling anyone that they had a trip going on, but instead they had kept to themselves and nearly made him sick. After all he had told Vali, he hadn't thought that his friend would just walk away. Then again, he didn't think that of his mate either. Sighing, he peeked back at Lark once more before facing the two females. "You are welcomed back to Abaven, but you have to start from the bottom. Both of you will be the lowest tier in your respective ranks, if you wish to stay a healer and an officer. You should have told me or anyone else where you were going. Lillie you should have known better than to go after a moose calf, I thought you were smarter than that," his golden eyes looked between the two, his face falling as he shook his head back and forth. Perhaps he was being harsh, but nevertheless it was a mistake that both wolves needed to learn from. He honestly thought about sticking them back as apprentices, but they didn't exactly have enough wolves for that right now. Licking his lips, he blew out a short huff as he rose to his paws. "Vali, we've had a few new healers in the pack. Storm has taken over and has been holding meetings, you are to answer to her for right now. She's blind and still new to these territories. Lilliana, a new officer has entered our ranks. You are to show Asha the ropes on what is to be expected, to be overseen by Finch. Have I made myself clear?" Bass held an authoritative tone in his voice, but he was betraying how tired he really felt. How relieved he was that they were in one piece. Bass leaned forward to nuzzle Vali again, aiming for her cheek as he once more looked between them. A hint of a smile broke up his somber features, but nothing else about him relaxed. "I'm glad to see you both alive and well, but you'll be under probation for the next season. Once spring rolls around we will talk about you getting your higher tiered positions back." "Talk" "You" Think

Ice filled the young woman, and she drew in a sharp breath as Vali's words washed over her. Die of starvation? of dehydration? She was that bad? She knew she had been delirious and had been out of it for a long time, but she didn't realize... one look at Vali made Lillianna realize that that had been the intent. Vali hadn't wanted her to know the extent of her injuries, and how far she recovered. She'd kept that purposefully hidden. Anger flashed in her eyes briefly as she stared in disbelief at the white woman, and she shook her head roughly even as she saw the regret in Vali's eyes. Regret what, though? Not telling her? Or having to finally say something in front of her? Or that it happened at all? Lillianna didn't know, but she did know that now was not a time to approach that subject.

Instead, for once in her life, she kept her mouth shut, and simply listened as Bass responded. Okay, yeah, not telling anyone was stupid. But how was she supposed to know that anything bad would happen? She never told anyone about her trips; nothing bad ever happened - nor would it, or so she thought. She bit back a sigh, and instead tried to school her expression into neutrality, but she wasn't sure how well she worked. Truth was, she felt rather awful about the whole thing, and felt guilty as hell - especially as she kept glancing at Lark and him only moving close enough to hear, but still pausing so far away. On one hand, perhaps she should be glad of that; she didn't even know what to begin to say to him.

Pain flashed in her eyes again as she looked away and down at the ground, even as Vali answered Bass' question - by admitting that they didn't think to; that it wasn't supposed to be a long trip, only a few days. That was certainly true, Lillie agreed.

She kept her head down even as Bass spoke again, though her ears pricked at his words. Welcomed... but at the bottom. She supposed it made sense, but she couldn't help the stab of disappointment in her heart at it. She didn't expect to walk back in without consequences, but there had still been that sliver of hope... oh well. She was accepted again, right? That's what she wanted... right? A wince crossed her face as Bass flat out said that he believed she was smarter than that. She wanted to protest - to explain that she thought that the mother had been killed previously, or that the baby had gotten more than far enough away - but a glance at both Lark and Bass merely had her grimacing and looking away again, biting her tongue.

She wouldn't be able to find the right words, and she could just imagine the scorn from the both of them, so she just kept silent. There was no use protesting - they were damned anyway. It was a bittersweet moment, and Lillie really just wanted to go to sleep from it. Still, hearing her name made her glance up, and listen to what Bass had to say - a new officer, huh? Asha. Hmm. Training her, too, but to be overseen by Finch due to being demoted. Interesting situation there, really. Lillianna nodded her agreement, not trusting her words even as she thought more of the situation.

Finch didn't have the knowledge to train Asha herself, but she had to watch Lillie train Asha because Lillie technically no longer was a high enough rank to actually train without supervision. It actually made her head hurt a little bit. It made her brighten a little bit, though, the thought of seeing Finch and being useful by training - but on that same thought, it darkened her mood further because she had no idea how Finch would react to her absence.

She guessed she'd find out at some point.


"Speech" "Language" "Farrym"