(Just after Ethne raid)

Modesty had sent her kite ahead with a message for the leaders of the Hallows to announce her arrival. She called as they crossed into the starlit plain, Siduri in tow. Their last meeting had been positive, and she'd hate to blow that out of the water by barging in, but they were seeking medical assistance, and she didn't want to make them come all the way out to meet her only to backtrack to the castle, so she continued into the plain. Modesty was clearly unarmed, and the thick scent of healing poultices enshrouded the pair. Sakana had been treating Sid since the first raid, and there had still been no improvement to her eye or vision. The tear where her shoulder met her neck was holding together, but new wounds had replaced the original.

The ferocity of the raid had left their two young healers overwhelmed, and while the others were old enough to tough it out with some stitches, there was more going on with Siduri, and Modesty wouldn't accept any less than the best. Her jaw was clenched with worry, but she spared a reassuring smile for her daughter, “We'll try to make it quick so you can spend some time with your friends,” Was she being optimistic? Probably.

“Speech.”

Siduri's mother insisted that they visit the Hallows in search of aid regarding her injuries.  The girl would have been fine to just sit and rot but her head hurt too bad to argue. The rock that she'd landed upon during the first raid had left a nasty scar on her temple and there was no hiding the fact that her pupil was blown. She looked a mess. The headaches came often now. In the most recent raid, she'd won her first battle but lost the second. Open gashes ripped across her hips. Could things get worse?

Trudging along behind her mother, snowy ears shifted to catch the woman's words. Spend time with her friends... "I don't have any friends. No one even likes me." She was sulky and sullen and why did it feel like someone was hammering on the backs of her eyeballs? The pain was fierce and each step seemed to make it hurt even worse. Why were they doing this again?

Modesty released a howl, calling to signify their presence and Siduri gritted her teeth hard against the sound. She felt a wave of nausea try to rise up but the girl swallowed hard. Ears flat out to the sides in pain and frustration, Siduri was far from the happy, perky, confident girl that she usually was.

"Siduri"

All who came peacefully were welcome in the Hallows. It was the core tenet of the pack that Artorias held paramount above all else. They were a sanctuary first and foremost, a place of healing and respite for those who needed aid, and no matter what trials or tribulations came their way, the Carpathian man was committed to upholding that ideology to his dying breath. That was why when a raptor showed up with an urgent missive from Modesty that she was on her way with her child, Artorias wasted no time in notifying Gwynevere and Solaire to be prepared to receive an urgent care patient. He had also informed Bramble, offering her a firsthand lesson at how the Hallows treated those that came to them as patients. Artorias liked Modesty; she had demonstrated herself a caring and capable mother on their last meeting, which meant that if she was coming to them for help, things had to be dire. And if it involved Siduri... Artorias dared not even consider what might have befallen the poor girl—though he supposed he'd be finding out firsthand soon enough.

The call from Modesty came expected, and no sooner had she howled the form of the Aegis was rushing out of Hearthstone to intercept them and escort them both into the castle. "We got your message and began prepping as fast as we could. Follow me," he told Modesty as soon as he reached the Raider ladies, greeting Sid with a friendly smile. The wounds across her face and hips were a gruesome sight, and his heart broke for the poor girl, but he would not let her see anything other than warmth and reassurance. He was a parent too, after all, and he knew how to keep things calm for the sake of the kids. "How're you doing there, little fighter? Tell me what's hurting and what feels off," he spoke to Sid in gentle, even tones, doing his best to triage her as he led the way through the castle gates towards their infirmary where Gwynevere was waiting. He was no medical guru like she was, but his sister had taught him enough about basic triage to get started on her treatment.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

Bramble wanted to do anything and everything she could to show she was ready and prepared for her new role. Being the Envoy meant being involved in all pack relations within and outside of the castle. Though she had pouted slightly when she had been denied helping defend Auster and Norad from the despicable Saxes, she had quickly gotten over it. Especially the moment when an unfamiliar bird had swooped in from the skies to alert Artorias about an incoming triage concern.

Insisting she join her father and Gwyn to assist and get to meet an Alpha from another pack, Bramble hurriedly followed after Artorias to greet Modesty and Siduri at the doors. Staying quiet for now as they moved through the castle into the infirmary, Bramble waited until Siduri was comfortable enough to be seen by Gwyn before scooting closer. Looking first to Modesty, a respectful dip of her muzzle to the Raid Queen, before turning to Siduri.

"Siduri, I am Bramble Carpathius, Envoy to the Hallows. I've heard you've made quite a name for yourself across the lands already. I couldn't wait to meet you myself so I made sure I could be here," Bramble smiles brightly, one more glance up at Modesty before focusing on Siduri. "Honestly, the scars look really cool. Maybe I could get some of my own some day," she lets out a cheerful laugh, settling herself into a comfortable position nearby.

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Barely back to the Hallows with time to unpack and already she was being put to work. Syanna wouldn't have had it any other way. She did truly miss this—the feeling of belonging, of having a foundation and a purpose to put her talents to good use. While Gwynevere had stepped out for some reason, she had been more than willing to step up to the plate to help treat the little Raider girl. Funny how life worked out like that... Syanna could remember a time they were imprisoning the pirate attackers, and now they were helping the descendants of that original pack. The thought brought a soft chuckle of irony from the vulpine-colored femme as she moved with practiced grace around the infirmary, pulling out swaths of gauze and cloth, setting a basin of cool, clean water and a sponge beside a bed, retrieving tinctures and medicines to begin treating their patient as soon as she arrived. The Adravendi woman was fully back in her element.

The sounds of many paws coming down the hallways alerted Syanna that her prep time was up, and not a moment later, Artorias was entering with a group of wolves. Syanna immediately directed them over to the prepared cot while she followed over, waiting until they had gotten the pale girl comfortable before stepping up to the bed to begin her triage. "Your sister's busy, Art, so I'll be handling this one," she informed the Aegis when he looked around the infirmary, no doubt searching for their Chief Physician. Syanna placed her paws on the edge of the bed and gave Siduri a sweet smile while she examined the bruised and beaten girl. "Hiya, sweetie. My name's Syanna. I'm gonna make you feel better today, okay? What's your name?" Then, looking between her patient and the galactic-coated woman who she assumed must be the girl's mother, she began her series of questions, "So how did this all happen? Tell me what's feeling bad, what hurts, what doesn't feel right."

"Syanna Alluráin"

As her mate, Ezra may enter her threads not marked as Private.
____________________

Artorias was quick to greet them, and Modesty felt a weight lift off her shoulders. They were quickly joined by another and as the younger wolf stepped up alongside her daughter, Modesty fell back, lowering her voice to confide in the other leader. "Ethne came to raid us, and they were out for blood. The chickens we took were sick, and we did what needed to be done. Sakana and Rivin are tending to the rest of the pack, but if you have anyone to spare, it might be worth checking on your neighbours. They came for blood, we could only match their own ferocity to hopefully put an end to this. Surely twice is enough to drive the message home?" There was worry on her face, not just for her daughter as she was led into the infirmary and met by a flame coated cheery woman. She was sure Siduri was suffering for the noise, but it was needed. She wouldn't answer on her daughter's behalf in case she conveyed the wrong information.

"speech"

Like the hounds of hell themselves were on the round boys heels, he pushed. He ran and he ran. Ran so far and fast that he had vomited all over himself. It hadn't slowed him down though, wasn't safe. What if they saw? What if they knew? What if he was next. The last sight he'd seen after his dad hit the ground was wolves moving towards him, he was right, wasn't he? Dad had gone completely limp. He was dead. Deaddeaddead, and Ken would be too if he didn't find his mother.

Running on instinct and adrenalin, his nose hardly engaged as nails scraped across stone floors. Shoulder to a solid wall more than once but he didn't feel it. Big door and a sideways slide, hips meeting stone as he failed to slow himself down. Wide golden eyes finally fell on his mother, only his mother. The boy scrambled forward wildly paws outstretched and seeking, whites of his eyes showing the terror that coursed through his veins. "He's dead, mum, dead, they killed 'im!" The boy sobbed, choking on his words, choking on his tears, his breath. "There'resomany an' they killed him. Dad's gone! He's not coming back cos they killed him an' I couldn't stop it! Too many, toomanyatonce. 'ewasallalone!"

"speech"

Artorias tried to cheer her up a bit. His daughter did too. Sid mumbled responses but it was clear that she was sulking. Bramble, as she called herself, spoke of Sid's scars and of wanting her own some day. The girl wrinkled her nose in distaste. No one went looking for scars. They just happened. If you won a scar in battle, then that was one thing, but hoping for them? That was just silly. She didn't say that though. Instead she kept quiet, brow furrowed.

Next came an orangey woman that talked down to her like she was a child. Well... sure, technically she was, but Sid had already seen more battle than a good number of adults. She'd just prepared to answer the woman with some snarky reply when a loud commotion echoed throughout the stone walls. Kenway.

Mismatched eyes widened as her brother, disheveled as hell, came into sight. His words weren't clear at first and it took Sid a moment to sort them out in her head. Things seemed to go in slow motion as the words sank in. Dead. Gilgamesh was dead and they killed him. 'They.' Siduri didn't know who 'They' were, but she had known where her father was headed. With a scrabble of claws on stone, Siduri turned... and she ran.

"Siduri"

Deflation echoes across her expression as she is met with sulky, muttered responses. Well, alright, she had tried. It was her first time really interacting with members from another pack. Bramble would take it as a lesson, sitting back away from Siduri to give the girl some space. When Syanna enters shortly after, Bramble instead turns her attention to Modesty who speaks to her father directly about the situation. Ethne had raided them in turn because of some chickens? That seemed a rather... superficial and childish reason to be raiding someone for, but Bramble wouldn't judge.

Before she can comment or question about anything else, the door bursts open. A brown coated boy, breathless and frantic, barges in, shouting something about his dad being dead. Was this one of Modesty's offspring? Her brow furrows looking from the boy to Modesty and then to Siduri as the pastel girl suddenly takes off running past the boy and out of the castle. Blinking in confusion, she stands and glances over at her father. "What are we to do?" Her voice is quiet, rather in disbelief that such a thing would happen so suddenly.

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Artorias listened with a heavy heart while Modesty explained what had occurred to bring them to this point. Ethne had struck back against the Raiders in an attempt to get their chickens back, but they had already perished. The violence had escalated, and as a result, a number of wolves had been injured and maimed, including Siduri. Artorias' lips pulled into a tight line and he gave a curt nod of his head. As a father, he could empathize with Modesty's worry over her child. If anything happened to any of his children, he would be the same as her, seeking any and all remedies he could find for his little loves. "Your family is safe here, Modesty. We'll do all we can to help Siduri," he reassured the Raid Queen, offering her a wry smirk when she mentioned twice being enough to drive the message home to Ethne. "Maybe, but sometimes pride outweighs any wolf's sense of reason." He remembered how he had been as a young brute, full of self righteous anger and assuredness. My, how the years had tempered him...

As Syanna began to triage Siduri, a sudden calamity out in the hallways caught Art's attention, a flick of his ear and a turn of his head spotting the patchwork boy as he came tumbling into the infirmary. Artorias did not recognize the lad, but he addressed Modesty as "mum" and seemed terrified by something, rambling in jumbles of sentences about someone being killed to his mother. After a moment of mentally sifting through the boy's words, Art managed to pick out enough bits and pieces to realize he was saying someone had killed Gilgamesh. Everything that happened next happened in the blink of an eye. Siduri was pushing her way past Syanna and running with Kenway back out of the castle with Modesty not far behind. "Modesty, wait! Siduri needs to be looked at!" he called after the retreating Raiders, but it was too late. The family was already out of the castle.

Artorias stood dumbfounded in the hallway, staring into the empty space where they had been just moments before. Even Bramble and Syanna seemed bewildered by what had just happened. Bramble was the first to break the silence, asking what they were to do. For all his wisdom, all Artorias could do was shake his head, still stunned and collecting his scattered thoughts. "There's nothing more we can do," he replied, dejected and defeated. This feud between the Raiders and Ethne was getting out of hand. He just hoped that Siduri would be all right...

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"