Paws would come a full circle as he found himself back at the start. It was here, in Travellers Lake that he had first held Twig in his arms again and learned that his family had been found. Since then he had had found himself walking the other lands of Alacritis. It was perhaps with surprise that he would stop his tireless walking and bring himself from his daydreams and back into reality. He would find himself by the surface of the lake and would cast his eyes out to see his reflection. He would notice the shades against his face, an almost exact replica of Twigs, in its inverted form. He would sigh, settle down on his rump and allowing his eyes to trail upwards, noticing the heavy clouds that clustered against the sky. It looked as through rain was due, but even with that thought he could not bring himself to move away from here. He was eager still to see the family he had once known so well, most of which lay just over the border and into valhalla territory. He just.. couldn't commit himself to joining the life of a pack, not yet, anyway. "My sounds""My Soul"

Madieke

She would make a bee line to the lake, a tiny bundle of poppy flowers in her jaws. She was careful not to bounce them around too much and drop all their seeds. And she had a feeling she might find something there. She thought it was possible she'd find more herbs to ease her stress, panic attacks and her loss of Skoll. But life held so many twists, turns and surprises. She neared the lake, eyes set on the water, her mouth dry. But before she could drink a cluster of valerian root. Her path would turn to it and she would set to gather the plant carefully, adding it to her poppy pile next to her. Once satisfied and leaving still a large amount left to grow she sighed happily. Eyes roamed over the lake to only freeze on a figure to her right. They seemed to be lost with their head in the clouds. But there was no deny Angel knew who that was. She gave a soft yip. "Cru?! She called out. She feared to go closer incase she was seeing things. She hadn't seen her litter brother since the pack split up. She stood there, hopeful with tail waving slightly.

The brute would be pulled from his thoughts with the sound of a yip, his name. He would turn quickly, moving a paw forward and swivelling his head around to see her in a cautious movement. The surprise would register first on his expressions as his eyes settled on her and the recognition grew. ?Madieke!? He would bark back and his tail would give a flick behind him as he bounded forward. He would be in front of her in moments, and his purple orbs would full with the vision of her. ?Sister, it's been too long? he would say with a soft rumble in his throat like laughter. In the next moment he would cover that last trace of distance between them and draw her into a hug. If she allowed him, he would bury his head into the upper side of her neck, draw her close and reveal in the reunion of more family, and for the first time, a litter mate. "I want to hear everything Madie" He whispered to her, and he meant it, the good and the bad, he needed to know everything. Already one of their family had been taken advantage of, and he would wade through blood if it meant clearing the earth of any who harmed those whom he loved. "My sounds""My Soul"

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn

She stood there waiting, holding her breath as he turned his purple gaze on her. She smiled softly as he called back and ran over to her. How good was it to see her brother again, and one her age. Something about older siblings just made them not understand her as well as Cru or someone else from the same litter. A siblings bond through and through. As he drew closer he would greet her with a rumbling laugh and a hug. She murmured agreement into his neck as they hug grew stronger. She felt so small compared to him. They had grown a lot over the seasons.



He would ask her to tell him everything and her body tensed up. Ice pale blue gaze drifted away as she pulled back slightly, looking away. Should she tell him the truth? Could she trust him not to tell the others? She would study his face for a moment before her jaws parted."Cru..you cant tell anyone. Swear it. I met someone I thought would be special..and he was. He made me realize how important I am, my worth in the world. I felt abandoned when I lost Twig and Jinxx. I followed him and we were never apart. Except one day..i went to look for herbs while he was sleeping. When I got back he attacked me. Out of fear though! But..Cru I get panic attacks."She said, her eyes glued to his paws. She had never told anyone of her panic attacks, never explained them. Jinxx had seen it once but that was it."Anything violent sends me into a blind panic attack. I cant see, only hear screams and wails of others being hurt, smell the thick tang of blood, the cold of death. I cant escape it, I cant do anything. Its..horrible.." Her voice dropped to a whisper, a shiver running down her spine.



"Speech"

but that's alright, because I like the way it hurts

Cru could feel his sister accepting his embrace, welcoming it and he would draw her in tighter. He had not even realised how much he missed her until that moment, he had pushed away it all, his worries and his heart-sores for lost family but it would all come flooding into him in that moment and he would be forced to draw in a shaky breath as all the emotions he had suppressed washed over him. He was almost astounded at how small his sister felt in his arms, and wondered if somehow she had shrunk over the seasons or if he had just grown, and continued to grow even as her own growth had stopped. That protectiveness would swell inside of him, swallowing him until all he felt, all he could feel was his need to protect her, this little creature, this little sister. He could feel his sister pull back, pull away from him and his foremost desire was to wrap her up again, to hide her from the world. Of course, he could not and never would do this, he could not suppress who she, could not take her from the world. He watched her pull back and did nothing to stop it, but instead took it as an opportunity to take a proper look at her. He had been too astounded at her presence to do so before, had lost her in the embrace. But he could see her now, her light form, her small stature, and what he hoped was a spark of strength against those blue-blue eyes. She asked him to swear his silence, he hesitated for the briefest moment, his thoughts to Twig and Jinxx, and knew somehow that they where included in this promise, only a breath past but he already knew his answer, he could not protect her from truths he did not know. ?I promise he whispered, moving his nuzzle close to her, his words for her alone. The words she spoke next almost still the beating of his heart. He could hear it in her tone, the love, the devotion and the fear and knew in that instant the heart of this brute she 'loved' and the searing mass of his sudden hatred chilled his veins. He was using her, he could see it without even seeing him, could see it in her words and devotion. He knew it, and could barely say how, that this brute was using her love and her fear and was owning her soul in a way no creature should ever dare own something that was a part of Cru, of his love for his family... not if they wanted to live.The panic attacks confused him however, her aversion to fighting, her inability to face it, the walls that ram up and block out the world. He drew her in again, gently, moving his front paw against her small body to ever so gently draw her against him. He could already feel the rumbling in his throat, a sound of soothing and warmth and love. ?My Madie, it will be okay? he whispered gently, holding her with a tenderness that seemed to off to the anger that seethed and turned his veins. He had never known anger like this before until the day he had seen Twig again. This was his family, his life and his loves. The thought of any taking advantage of them, hurting them, it turned something inside of him, this hatred was an entity he held no control over, a being that thirst for blood and would not, could not quite until it got what it desired. ?What was his name, sweet Madie, this boy? Is he gone from you life?' his voice was so gentle, a caress against her even as he seethed. He was here now, and no one would dare harm her again. "My sounds""My Soul"

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn

How was it that this family could be so tender, soft, and kind? She was fully unaware of her brother's boiling anger in his veins, unaware he was capable of such a thing. That revenge and surging protectiveness. As Crucifix pulled her in she would snuggling into him, a sigh slipping her lips. His warm and love covered her, seeped into her bones. She needed her brother more than she could even image possible. After her heart had shattered when Skoll felt, she needed someone to go to. The tears that had held in for the most part since that day began to fall. Though he said everything would be ok, she finally felt like she could let go of the jar on her emotions. Her body shook as she silently cried. Never one to make a noise.



He asked for his name, the one who broke her heart.Skoll..skoll..skoll. Her mind whispered over and over but she couldn't get the word out. She could only think of the possible fact that if she gave his name her family would be after him."Cru..you cant harm him..in any way possible. I still..love him. Skoll, I still care about him.. She whispered. And she did, she would always and forever care about those she encountered in her life. No matter all the wrong they did to her, she still cared. She would always be the forgiving one, soft spoken and gentle.



"Speech"

but that's alright, because I like the way it hurts

He held his sister in his arms, she had accepted his gently tugging, his pull as he drew her back into his embrace and he held her there. He drowned out the world with her presence, and his burning emotions, these thoughts and feelings that where only their brightest in the presence of family. They created him, made him who he was and he needed them. He could feel the shaking of her body, the build up of her own emotions had finally over turned at her silent tears would touch his coat, fall into it and seep into his bones. With every tear that touched him, he knew would be a claw into the brute that had hurt her. He would not let this go unpunished, and felt that knowing he could never hurt her again would help the pain in his sister, the fear that over turned her so easily. Her next words would catch his breath, and he had to truly force himself, school his breathing and wait with clenched teeth. He struggled with himself for a moment, forcing his hold on her to remain light, so light that it became a feathery touch against her as he forced himself to calm. She still loved him, he had bet her, he had left her broken, and she still loved him. He could not understand how she could still see something in him, for surely it was not the 'good' that kept her heart to him. Perhaps it was in the need for someone to love her, wanting someone to want her, and having found it if even for a time her loyalty could not be broken, even by the betrayal of the very one he loved. He struggled to find reason in her words, and well he might have found he still struggled to wrap his head around it. ?Oh Madie? he said softly, and this time it was almost a cry. His emotions where such a tormal inside of him they almost overruled his being, his thoughts. He felt like he was nothing but emotion, and that emotion was fear and hate and love and worry, and all the things Madie's words brought to him.She had given him his name but asked him not to hurt him. He could not promise that, he would not. Yet, in doing so would he be betraying Madie? It seemed he had two battles here to fight, and one would have to be in words. ?Your telling me he hurt you, that he cast you aside Madie.? he did not want to hurt her, but was afraid of the ties she still seemed to harbour for him. "My sounds""My Soul"

Madieke

She knew many would not understand her reasoning, why she still loved Skoll. In part she couldn't really reason with herself on it. But deep down she could not deny the fact that she did. Yes he had hurt her, placed fear and darkness in her heart, had made her distance herself from her family. But he always showed her how to be independent, what it was like to be loved by someone outside the family if only for a moment, to dare to see more of the world without her family, and most of all to be her and cast away the walls she held so high around her family. She was able to be herself. But how could she explain it all to Cru? She could feel his body tense up inside, but his touch around her grew so light she wondered if she was still being held in his embrace. She snuggled into his chest where her tears had soaked his fur. She wished he could understand, wished he could see things the way she did." Cru.. I know he did me wrong. But at the same time..he helped me grow alil. Something that none of the family could do. She paused as she leaned into him. For a long while she sat there, taken in his presence and pondering over things. His voice would draw her attention back to him and she frowned."I cant..i cant stand any kind of violence. To anyone, no matter how wrong they have done. It is not our decision on how they will be punished for it, but nature herself. Why most everyone think blood being spilled will solve things?" She would pulled back to look at him directly in the eyes. Her question was like a challenge. Give her one good reason why someone should seek out revenge? Why blood needed to be shed? Why was that always the answer? Why couldn't they just let it go and move on like she was trying to do right now? Yes it hurt, more than she could ever image but she knew she would live and move on. That in time things would get better and the wound would heal up.

She drew closer to him, snuggling into his chest as through seeking comfort there. He would tighten his embrace again, although not nearly enough to hurt her and would bury his head against her shoulder, holding her with every bit of himself. This was his sister, his litter-mate, she was of his blood and it was his duty and his heart to protect her. Already he felt the terribleness of his inability, how Twig had been raped well he was still searching, how Madie had found herself with an abusive mate but found herself loving him anyway. He ached to taste the blood of the one who had done this to her, to hear his cries as he must once have heard Madie's. And yet, here his sister was, hurt and broken and pleading for his life. She spoke again, and it was another stab in his heart, another reminder of how he had not been there for her. Her words created a new story, one where her family had not been enough for her heart, and she had been alone but still unable to stand up without her family, and then this brute had been there and had tought her to stand without her family even as he damaged and hurt her. He clenched his teeth, closed his eyes to the image of this unknown stranger hurting his sister. ?Oh Madie, I want to help you as well, watch you grow and ensure your happiness.? he whispered softly, not entirely certain his help was welcome, considering her words spoke of a want to be able to stand without her family. But how could she want that? He would be there for her, protect and love her without ever expecting anything in return, for his love and ties to her, for the blood they shared. Her next words would be a judgement, and she would pull back to look into his eyes, but at first he would cast his face away from hers. He had too much rage their, boiling beneath his eyes, threatening to overspill and burn the world with its fire. It was an odd blood-lust that surged inside of him, despised the thought of any hurting his sisters and crying out for revenge, for certainty of their safety. He fought himself, ashamed at the judgement her words rendered upon him before at last he was able to blink them free and meet her gaze, and instead of anger there was raw pain and worry in his glistening orbs. He could blink free the rage, abit painfully, but the raw emotions beneath that had been hidden by its flame could not be cast aside. ?Because I can't stand the thought of him out there, a constant shadow from your past cast over you in an inability to heal and move on ? both mental and physical. Because he wronged you and cares nothing of it and would simply continue on with his life as through the pain he dealt you was inconsequential, and because it burns me inside that he could be happy if you are not? His voice was hoarse, and raw and utterly honest. "My sounds""My Soul"