The trip back from the rusted ship doesn’t take long since Syndicate lands butts up against the frozen metal husk and, even after helping haul the dead carcass of Scald from the icy cavern, the man is able to make good time on the trip home. His steps are slow as the pulled tendon throbs almost constantly and he is forced to use the back leg sparingly and, by the time Zeke limps toward the den he shares with his sister, the Saxe brute is completely exhausted.

But he cannot rest yet.

Ely deserves to know what has happened to Scald and, the fact that the father of her children is now deceased, has made his resolve to bring home his nieces and nephews stronger. Pausing outside the doorway, he takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the emotional talk that is sure to come and then the blood-covered man is pushing his way into their den. Worm and wolf blood mingle on his coat and his features are heavy with fatigue as he calls out, “Ely? You home?” He hopes that she is out patrolling so that he can catch him some sleep before having to share the news.

Unfortunately, Ezekiel has never been a lucky guy.


"Ezekiel Saxe"

Elysia was slowly getting her act together after her brother’s unintentional intervention. Focusing on how to get her children back, and make time for scald. While still being the saxe warrior she was supposed to be. It was time consuming but she was determined to find a way to make it all work. She had no choice but to make it work, for herself, for her kids and for scald. Her handsome start sky dipped pirate boy, her first lust, her first love and the father of her children.

She hadn’t seen him since their babies had been born. And she needed to make it up to him. She missed his carefree demeanor and the way he made her feel so free. Her mind was dancing with memories of him. Happy memories, it was almost as if she could smell him nearby.

But then her brother’s voice broke through her trip down memory lane. But his scent, scalds scent… didnt go away. “Ze, I’m here” her voice had more pep to it than it had lately. She moved towards his voice and scalds scent got stronger, but so did the smell of blood. “Ze, I smell blood and scald… is he wi-“ her words were cut short as she took in the sight of him.

She paused drinking in his blood soaked, disheveled appearance. “Ze?” he reeked. Not the blood, not the scent of her lover. No there was something else mixed into the scents she loved. Something wrong.


"Ely & Ezekiel"

Ely’s voice is peppy and Zeke’s heart is speared with an icicle of guilt as his stomach flip-flops through the sudden rollercoaster of emotions. True, he had not liked Scald, maybe he even hated the guy, but it was only because he loves his sister. Now, as she rounds the corner to take in his blood-soaked appearance, her voice turning from lively to something more… uncertain, his ears slick back and his features drop into sorrow.

Duel-toned eyes meet her gaze with a steady intensity as his jaw works, willing the words to form that will strip away yet another thing from her life. Clearing his throat, he gently says, “Ely… there was an accident. Scald…” Voice falters and falls, the bitter taste of ash filling his mouth as he haltingly continues, “He saved many lives.” It wasn’t a bold face lie, his death had bought some time for the others to attack and Ely deserves to think of Scald as a hero forevermore.

Ezekiel swallows thickly in a suddenly dry throat and he carefully folds his haunches, seating himself so that most of his weight on his uninjured left leg as he says, “I’m so sorry.” He prepares for the assault of questions, ready to give answers where he can to hopefully bring her some closure.


"Ezekiel Saxe"

Ely stands there unmoving as she studies her brother’s demeanor. The way he does t speak right again, the way his ears fold back and his eyes drop to avoid meeting hers. And she knows something is wrong. The saxe rarely acted like this. Something had happened. Something he didn’t want to say. She could tell. And it felt as if time had begun to stand still. Her breath caught in her throat as the tension began to build around them.

Spit it out. her inner voice spat at him.

An accident. What kind of accident? He wasn’t making sense. And he was beating around the bush. Why did he smell like scald?

SPIT IT OUT it rattled in her head, this time louder, angrier.

Had something happened to scald? What wasn’t he saying. He’d saved many lives, so where was he. Where was her scald?

His next sentence hit her like a wave of ice. It took all her breath away and she sank to the floor. A foreign feeling washed over her as she screamed. A heart broken scream. A sound she didn’t even know she could make. Her heart shattered, her mind raced as her work came tumbling apart. Every little piece she’d begun to pick up came down in her mind around her.

Salty tears stained her fur, running down her face as she sobbed.

Scald. Accident. Sorry.

Scald. Accident. Sorry.

Scald. Accident. Sorry.

Those three words kept repeating in her head.



"Ely & Ezekiel"