The poor girl had gone missing by accident. After leaving one day to go practice hunting, she found herself lost. Unsure of which way to go, the girl wandered and wandered for days. No one had any idea where she had gone off to because she had wanted to show the Warlord once more that she was sufficient enough. Instead, she had found herself inside a cave system with large painted drawings on the walls. A large snowstorm had driven her in to find safety and warmth. Hoping that the cave system would lead her to the warrens of the Armada, the girl once more found herself lost within the tunnel system. Hungry, confused, and fearing for her life, she made it out eventually at an entrance surprisingly by the cove.

Once the familiar scent of the Armada hit her, she pushed on. Trying to make it back to the warrens so she can try to find Sirius or Mortis, the girl ends up collapsing on the cold beach. Near starved, exhausted, and practically on the edge of death, she passes out. Her breath is shallow, her ribs show through her thinned coat and skin. Everything about her says she's unsaveable.

Today was just another day for Tethys, and she'd taken to patrolling the edge of the cove. Not that there was really much to see out this way - just a long stretch of glimmering black sand, vibrant against the midday sun. Its rays did little to break through the sharp cold of the day though, bringing only the faintest glimpses of relief, mostly choked out by the bitter winds that rolled in periodically from the sea. Not a terrible day for the north, even if inhabitants of other lands might consider it unbearable. For Tethys, this was just another winter day, not much different from the rest. At least there wasn't a blizzard rolling through today, and for that alone she was grateful.

Something just outside her vision caught her attention though. A form, crumpled and lying on the cold sand. An intruder? Someone in need of help? It was hard to say at first, though Tethys knew this wasn't something to be ignored. Cautiously she approached, keeping her wits about her as she closed the distance between the two of them.

Usually a stranger in Armada lands meant something bad, but this seemed... different. Unless it was a very deliberately set trap. Poor girl if this was though - was it possible she was just being used as bait? The thought made the yearling's skin crawl uncomfortably. It seemed unlikely that this was the case but she couldn't be too cautious, either. The Armada was a formidable enemy - breaking into their borders and finding out their secrets wasn't something easily done and she could imagine a scenario in which someone tried to infiltrate their ranks like this.

She had no idea who this was, her scent washed clean of any former Armada scent. It wasn't someone she knew and so she could only assume she was intruding. She let out a bark to try to shake the girl from her unconsciousness, not wanting to risk her own safety by actually touching her. She was breathing, but barely... this was definitely outside of her skill-set. So she lifted her head to the sky and let loose a call, for someone who could assist her, preferably a healer or someone who might know what to do with her.

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Honestly Crux probably shouldn't have been the one answering the call. He was exhausted and by all rights probably should have known to let someone else get it so he could rest. But the idea of doing so felt deeply uncomfortable. He wasn't exactly keen to be left alone with his thoughts right now, keeping himself busy was about the only way to not be crushed under the weight of his guilt. There was nothing he'd been able to do to help Cryptis' voice and that was constantly gnawing at the back of his mind. There were few enough supplies he had access to right now and he was forced to grab a woefully small bundle before heading out. Riya was out most days right now to try and fix the problem of their supplies so he'd be on his own today. Which he was not exactly happy about as he awkwardly navigated his way across the beach, which he still couldn't move on easily; the shifting surface often forcing him to stumble to keep his paws under him. It made him much slower than he wanted but he still pushed himself to keep moving. Crux spotted one of his nieces, one of the older ones though a girl he hadn't had much opportunity to get to know yet. He moved up beside her and gave her a nod as he awkwardly waddled up. He dropped his precious bundle and turned his attention to the prone shape on the beach, not sharing his niece's worry as he started towards the little brown wolf. "What happened?" He asked, calling over his shoulder to his niece. There weren't any direct wounds he could see, but that didn't mean a fight couldn't have happened. But more than that the brown girl was... Well she looked like death, her pelt hanging off of her ribs so tightly he he could trace them to her spine with his eyes alone. It was amazing he could even see the tiny swelling in her chest as she breathed. Clearly she was in very rough shape. "Speech"

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She had survived before and she had wanted to this time as well. Inside, her body begged her to let go. Wander on into Somnium without a second glance backward. That would have been the easy option. As each of her frail breaths struggled to inhale the crisp, cold northern air, she continued on. Her eyelids would flutter, a minuscule sign that she was at least still alive. Try as she might, she fought her brain and failing organs for consciousness.

Hanging by a mere thread, the sound of a loud and sharp bark close to her made her facial muscles flinch. Her ear which wasn't against the sand flicked backward as a paw twitched slightly. Someone was here? To save her? To end her life? The girl continued to struggle, continued to try and keep going. Silence came back and she could feel her heart begin to race slightly. Was the wolf still there? Anxiety began to trickle in until she heard a second wolf shuffling up closer to her. Who was this? The scents weren't familiar, but also familiar in the sense that she knew they belonged to Armada.

Armada! Her eyes flutter some more as she is close to waking up. She hears his voice ask what happened and she wishes she could reply. But even if she were fully awake yet, there would be no point in asking. Words didn't work for her. Barking and howling hardly worked either. It was as if her vocal cords were missing. A quiet, ugly-sounding whimper is but a mumble behind her closed, dry, and cracked lips. She peeks out from her lids to try and glance at her two saviors. Unrecognizable, but she wouldn't be able to thank them enough hopefully.

Tethys wasn't left standing here with the unconscious girl for long, which she was grateful for, because she didn't really know what to do. Instead of jumping to action she sort of just hung around and stared, noting that the stranger was breathing but just barely. It wasn't like she could really do anything to help, but fortunately Crux appeared after a brief wait and she nodded to him in greeting. He wasn't someone she knew well but she recognized him, and was glad he'd answered her call, even if he looked a little worse for wear… to say the least.

She watched as he placed his bundle down and got to examine her. "No idea. I was just walking and found her here," Tethys admitted, giving a shrug to accompany her words. Studying her a little more closely now that Crux was here, she noticed she was doing a little more than just barely clinging to life… but just barely. Her paw twitched, her eyes fluttered open, her mouth moved just slightly like she was trying to speak but couldn't.  "Can you hear us? Try to move a paw if you can," she offered, unsure if it'd even work, trying to get her attention while Crux focused on tending to her.

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The problem was, of course, that there wasn't an herb to treat this. The woman needed much more than simple treatment. She'd need food, but she also needed to be eased back onto it. She was likely dehydrated and would need to be given small amounts of water until they could be sure her system wouldn't throw it back up. She needed warmth, at a quite heavy risk of hypothermia. Crux's gaze flew to the slight twitching of her as if in response to their presence and that spurred him into action. The brown woman wasn't small but he and his niece were both still larger. He moved first, he'd ask questions later. Crux awkwardly moved himself behind the scrap of a woman and laid himself against her, able to wrap himself around her a bit. Body heat to start. "When she wakes we'll need to get her some food and water. But regardless she needs to be kept warm." When, not if, he had to say it that way. Crux kept his gaze on the brown woman, watching for further responses, until he spoke his next words at least. "Do you know where my clinic is?" Crux looked to his niece. " I should have a pelt we could use as a blanket and a stone bowl, it can be filled with the water that flows down the back wall." As for food... Well it wasn't exactly like their larder was overflowing considering how much had been lost in the flood. "Or I can go if needed, it'll probably be slower but I do know what I'm looking for. You'd need to lay with her until I can get back, try to keep her warm." "Speech" "Riya"

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The young girl drifts in and out of consciousness. As Tethys and Crux speak, she can feel herself coming to. Slowly her eyelids flutter until she can fully open them up. Gasping for breath, she tries to lift her head but is unsuccessful. Completely drained of any energy she thought she had, she looks up at the two who stand over her. A frown laces her features as she looks from Tethys to Crux. How was she supposed to tell them anything? Her Armadan scent had been washed clean and without an ability to speak, she was just another loner wolf to them. Feeling frustrated, she lifts a paw up and waves it weakly at them. Yes, she could hear, but that was about it.

Tethys nodded in response to her uncle's instructions. He was older, and she had no doubt he knew better than she did, so she'd willingly follow his lead. Doing a good job and not disappointing Crux felt important to her, more important than the obvious - saving this girl's life. But the outcome would be the same, so did it matter why she was complying?

She needed food, water, and warmth. Tethys hesitated as he spoke. "I'm not sure," Tethys admitted hesitantly, aware that they ought to be fast but finding it difficult to weigh whether she should struggling to find Crux's den or leaving that to him. "I can keep her warm though, if that works?" She looked at him, hopeful that choice would appease him. If so, she'd slowly move to lay alongside Dierdra. The fact that she'd responded to her request made her hopeful that this wasn't destined to fail.

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Tethys admitted that she wasn't sure she knew where his den was. Crux just nodded, running through a mental map of the fastest way for him to get there and back, maybe even see if he could snag something for her to eat... That was a lot to carry... His niece said she could keep the woman warm and Crux moved as smoothly as he could out of the way to allow her to lay down where he'd been. He'd missed her eyes opening but it was hard to miss the gesture. He turned to look at the woman. "I'm Crux a Medic, don't worry we'll help you. I'm going to go get you a blanket and some food." He spoke quickly, for some reason her coming to made him feel like things were now even more urgent. There were of course other questions that needed answers but they weren't his priority, stabilizing the woman was. He'd leave asking the woman how she'd gotten here to others who's jobs weren't to care for wolves no questions asked. "In the meantime I leave you in capable paws." He gave the woman a soft smile, doing his best to put her at ease. Then Crux lifted his gaze to Tethys, he spoke clearly wanting to make sure she understood what he was asking for. "Make sure you're keeping her warm, not sure yet if anything is broken internally so best to avoid movement or putting pressure on her as much as possible. If things seem to be getting worse call for me." Crux hoped those were easy enough instructions, and then he was off... Or well was moving as fast as his poor balance on an uneven surface could get. -Exit Crux temporarily- "Speech" "Riya"

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The Warlord had missed the initial call for help, but he passed Crux as his son made his way to his clinic. He got the rundown from the healer, and fell into a trot towards Tethys and the stranger. When he arrived, he realised the wolf was no stranger. Instead, they were a missing Armada wolf. Dee, his son had called her.

“Dee” He said, tone surprised as he stopped before her. “Crux won’t be long.” his son hadn’t had much information to pass along, and of course Dee couldn’t fill him in. Mortis had been good at translating her, so perhaps he should bring his oldest son in soon. For now, he wasn’t much good to anyone. He was no healer. “Tethys, this is Dee. She was a slave of the Armada who went missing a while back.” He explained to his granddaughter.


"Speech"

As Tethys and Crux talked, Dee listened. She understood and wished she could reply. Everything would go so much smoother if her voice would just work. Exhausted and in pain, she doesn't protest or hardly move when Tethys slides down onto the sand beside her. Instead, she curls up a little tighter, hoping that made it will be easier for Tethys to help keep her warm if she makes herself smaller. Letting her eyes close as they wait for Crux, she only has a moment before the sound of someone much larger approaches.

Lifting her head at the sound of her given name, Dee looks to Sirius. Her tail wags a few times against the sand before lowering her chin back down. Would Sirius be mad at her? She hadn't gone missing on purpose. She had been trying to do good by the pack. Getting lost had been an accident. Letting out a sigh, she decided waiting for Crux to return was better than expending energy trying to explain anything without words.

Crux was definitely more nurturing than she was; she was only really complying because he'd asked and because she'd just happened to find Dee. She felt awkward lying down beside her, not really one for acts of physical touch, but she reminded herself this was just for survival, not out of affection or even anything remotely like that. "Okay," she responded to Crux's instructions, scooting in closer to hopefully distribute to Dee some of her body heat without putting any pressure on her.

Fortunately for her, she wasn't alone with the mute girl for long before Sirius arrived. He announced the stranger's name before even acknowledging her, his surprise noted. She tilted her head slowly, angling it to see the Warlord without disturbing the girl who lay against her. "Oh," she said, sounding just as surprised as he was at the information. She vaguely remembered the girl, but not well at all. She'd never gotten to know her and barely recognized her from her current state. "She doesn't seem well at all. I'm keeping her warm until Crux gets back. She hasn't spoken, but I don't think she's able to," he explained, not knowing what he did or didn't know yet.

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