Thaddeus Rogue was,well lounging. It had been such a long time since this male had taken time to just lay down and ponder the direction his life has taken. Was he happy with the constant wandering? Now that he seen his brothers lovely mate, his sisters new puppies; was he, the loner, the rogue, happy with what his life had become? Thaddeus Rogue had nothing to show for, his life had been nothing more than faces that he only met in passing, he had made no lasting relationships in the past four years, hell he could not even count how many different wolves he had seen in his life; how many packs he had spent time with. But with all the lives he had met over the years how many where touch by his prescience? He could probably count them on one paw alone, so few of the wolves he met actually meant anything to him and he to them...

Thaddeus Rogue shifted, the quickly yellowing grasses soft under his duel colored fur. Maybe this was why he did not spend time to himself, he was such a downer sometimes. But Rogue can not help himself, his life was crap, he had done nothing other than run from himself; all his life Rogue had been running from his failures, all his life he had been avoiding the reason for his first departure, all his life he had done NOTHING!

The lanky brute got to his paws then, a deep frown etched into his muzzle. Why did he feel like such a loser? Yes his home had been the trail and yes he had seen more wolves then ten separate ones, but he had done good things in his life, right? He had seen packs through a harsh winter with his hunting skills alone, he had been able to see that year's pups into the next, but why did he still feel.... So empty? With all the lives he helped in his journey, why does it feel to him time wasted? WHY DAMN IT!?

Thaddeus Rogue sat on his rump, his fur shifting in the light breeze of the day. His head was down, and his body just showing the signs of the depression gripping his soul. He saw his brother, the love that he held with her, he looked at his sister, and watched as she played with her young her mate watching with a tender loving smile. Yes Rogue knew why he felt like he had done nothing in the four years he was on the move, he had no family to show for it. Yes he had his brothers and sister, but they where not always in his life. Thaddeus Rogue needed someone that was his companion, ah but not everyone could live like he does, and he lived on the move; never in one place longer than a season or two... Not all wolvens could live like that, and he was beginning to understand why...

~*~ Orica had been playing outside with her Papa. Outside! It was so huge! All she'd known for so long was her mother's warm, cuddly belly and the stone walls of the pack cave, and now there was a great wide empty for her to explore. No walls. No roof. No limit to the sights and scents and sounds. The little pup was doing her best to process it- but it wasn't easy. Those dark blue eyes of hers widened more and more with every step. The air had just begun to get nippy again. Her father had been trying to explain that in only a month or so the whole world was going to turn as white as their mother's tail tip. Orica wasn't sure she could beleive it. Did the world do that? Just - change colors whenever it felt like it? So much to learn.... Somewhere along the way, her Papa had stopped and looked over towards the tussocks of tundra grass. Orica felt his mammoth paw giving her a nudge. "Why don't you go say hi to Uncle Rogue" he'd suggested. Orica had seen nothing over there, her eyes were still getting used to distances. But she toddled off faithfully, nearly tripping over her large paws every couple of steps. As she got closer she did indeed see a wolf - black and white and big - though not nearly as big as her Papa. She'd seen her Uncle Rogue a few times in the cave - but never really said anything. She was a very busy lady what with all the wrestling with siblings and taking naps and pouncing on Mama's tail. "Helloooo!" She cried. Her nose lifted up into the air, her tail wagged happily. "Papa says you're my Nuncle! But what is a nuncle? And wow-!" she gasped on getting a look at the scar on his chest fur. "How'd you get that pretty pink line?" ~*~

Thaddeus Rogue was so absorbed in sad thoughts he did not see one of his siblings come trotting up with one of his minnie-me trailing behind. Rogue was jolted out of his thoughts by said minnie-me's voice. He looked down at the little form of the pups, she was black and white much like himself, she looked up at him with big round eyes filled with such innocence. Flashes of the past mixed with the present, Instead of the blue eyes of Gargoyle's offspring, he was seeing 'little sister's' brown ones, looking at him with such trust, looking at him like he was the world. Flash He was back with his brothers get, her blue eyes full of questions and wonder.

Rogue smiled at the little scamp, she was a cutie, much like her lovely mother. But he would have to not say that to Gargie or his young, He might make good on his threat and steal his tail, and well Rogue was rather fond of his tail and lets be for real, black and white does not match his hide. Rogue smiled as he looked at the little one, his eyes soft, she did remind him of 'little sister'. "Hi little one." He leaned down and ran his tongue across her head in greeting. "I am your uncle because I am your fathers brother." He smiled down at her, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Your fathers much handsomer brother." He winked at the little girl his blue eyes filled with mischief. "But lets not tell him I said that, he may not take kindly to me saying that."

But it was the last question made him stop cold, laughter and playfulness all draining from his face and eyes. Flash, he was back in that bloody war, fear but yet courage filling his system. He would protect them, with his last breath. He lashed and lunged, blood covered his face and the rest of him, his and the attacking wolves. He was getting tiered he knew, but this war could not last forever... It had to stop when one or both sides had exhaust their resources, right? But seconds turn into minutes and minutes turn into hours, it felt like it was never going to end, until a small scream hit the air.

It was then that time slowed to a crawl, he did not think, he just moved, placing himself in front of the small form of the little pup that. Pain, lots of pain is all he could remember, he could feel skin and muscle tear as teeth ripped into his flesh. That was the last thing he remembered before he woke a few days later. His throat torn out and his jugular nearly fallowed.

Flash, he was back, looking down at his brothers line, her eyes still filled with the question that kicked him into the past. "I got it in a battle long ago, I was protecting a little girl, a girl much like yourself, darlin'. Come little one, sit with me, lets watch the grasses together, and you can tell me how your wrestling is going." He sat on his rump then, his tail curled about him, his green blue eyes watching her small form, he wanted this, he wanted to remember her, not in the final moments of battle or her disappointed face when he told her she could not go with him, but as they where before the war that left him with his 'pretty pink line', a badge of courage and also the remembrance of who he was willing to give his life for. He wanted to remember 'little sister' as she was, the cute little mischievous pup, the little girl that looked up to him...

~*~ Orica liked her Uncle! He was funny... even if she didn't quite understand some of his jokes. She didn't really understand the concept of 'handsome' yet. There was 'pretty' like her Mama or the butterflies or the sky, and there was 'ugly' like the bat that had flown out of the back of the pack cave once. Just thinking of it made her shudder. Still, even if she didn't understand the jibe at her Papa, she wagged her tail along, just happy to please and get attention. And she was glad to learn what an uncle was. She had SO much family. All the other pups who were something like siblings, and then Aunty Crusade and Aunty Keki. And there were others too! Maka and Arcane and Asheni! And Frisk - whatever he counted as. Orica had sorta taken to thinking of her aunts - espically Crusade and Keki as 'Other Mamas'. Maybe Rogue was her 'Other Papa'. he looked alot like her away! But then her uncle grew quite. Was he mad at her? Did he not like the question? She cocked her head to the side, resting it on one shoulder as she gazed up, waiting wide-eyed, for the male to answer. He looked less happy now. More like he'd looked when she'd seen him from the distance, before running closer. Kinda sad... The girl didn't see sad people very often, and she wanted to cheer him up. But before she could try he was speaking again. He got it while protecting someone? But that meant... that meant it was a wound! And a great big one too! She and her brother and sister and 'other siblings' were always play fighting, but no one had ever really gotten hurt. Certainly not like that. Orica thought back to the other pink lines she'd seen. And patches! She gasped - Crusade had a whole patch over the side of her face - and a pink hole where her other eye should've been... Did that mean that that had happened to her in a fight, too? "Come little one, sit with me, lets watch the grasses together, and you can tell me how your wrestling is going." Orica padded over on little white fairy paws and flopped her haunches down beside the much larger male. They could sit together now, staring at the waves of browns and golds and greens. The grass was so tall and healthy... could it really all turn white in a few weeks? There she was though, letting her mind wander again. Her uncle had asked her a question! "Oh I like wrestling!" Orica replied in her little squeak. "I other day I made F'isk cry for help from Papa!" She dissolved into a fit of giggles, that, under the circumstances, seemed a little naughty. "But you know Nuncle... when I grow up, I don't think I want to put any of dose pink lines on people." She twitched her big ears. "I wanna be da one to fix 'em up!" ~*~

Rogue had to smile as the little scamp made her way to sit with him. She was a cute thing, and he had a feeling that she was going to be someone extremely important to him. But whether he had the heart to bring her with him is another story. It was like 'little sister' all over again, she had wanted to go with him, even begged him to take her with him when he left, but he did not have the heart to separate her from her grandfather, and that sealed her fate. But Orica is different, she has a lovely home and is going to be well feed, she will have no reason to be taken from her father or mother, not like 'little sister' did.

He smiled sweetly as she went on to talk about her wrestling prowess. She reminded him of... Well her father. Being one of three boys they where contently fighting, trying to prove who was the most dominant. Well Rogue was always the loser, no matter who he was fighting. Gargoyle was also a monster, twice if not three times as big as his siblings, and Collision was more aggressive, and besides Rogue was not a fighter, he was a hunter. He smiled at the little whelp, "That reminds me of your father, he used to sit on me and I would have to call to mother to get his large butt to move." He chuckled, his eyes shinning as he looked at his niece. "He was fat even as a pup."

Then she started to talk, telling him her hopes and dreams and what noble ones they where. She wanted to heal hurts not dish them out like so many Thaddeus have met over the years. The Major blood wolves where not the first or last wolves Rogue met in his travels, He had seen so much destruction and blood in his life, but not enough good or healing; being one of those wolves that made the world a better place was a noble road, one he wishes his niece more luck at then he had.

He looked at the little girl, his eyes showing all the love in the world for her, which was shocking how easy it was to love this little girl beside him. "Healing is a noble quest, darlin'. I was saved by a good healer the day I got this scar, he was an older fellow, but very skilled at what he did. If he was not, I would have died, no ifs ands or buts about it. He saved my life, in more ways then one." He was also the leader of the small Lesser Blood Pack and the grandfather to 'little sister'. "I do not know much about healing but I do know the land, and some of the plants that are used for healing and there uses, would you like to hear about them?" He looked about him, seeing the many plants a herbs about them, he was not skilled in healing what so ever, but he had once helped a healer collect the supplies needed to treat the wounded.

~*~ She was a pup - she knew a story when she heard one - and setting into the grass, looking up with intense interest. She liked hearing about Rogue's past - it was frightening, but exciting too! (exciting as fear only can be for those who have never had to face real terror) And to hear that her Uncle approved of her desire to be a healer - well that made her tail blur with happy wagging. Rogue's offer to teach her what he could was met with equal excitement. "Oh! I'd love to hear them!" How wonderful that would be! She could start early: gathering up her own little store in the pack cave, bandaging up her brothers when their brawls went south,....threatening to poison them when they were naughty. Oh yes, this would be fun. Orica beamed. She'd be as skilled as her Auntie Asheni by the time she was a yearling! (or such she told herself) She popped to her paws at once. "Can we go? Can you show me?" Daddy wouldn't mind her leaving his site - he could already see that she was with her Uncle. Truth be told, she felt as safe with Uncle Rogue as she did with her sire. ~*~

Rogue chuckled at the little girls enthusiasm, she wanted to learn and he was more then willing to lead her and teach her the little bit he knew about the herbs he himself learned from a very wise man. He smiled as the little girl bounded about him wanting to see what he had to say. He slowly got to his paws, becoming envious about how the little girl could just bound about. "Sure little one, lets see what we can find." He moved slowly so his little niece could keep up smile as she fallowed him. He looked about his eyes searching the foliage for the few plants he knew.

He moved closer to the forests edge his nose fallowing a faint smell that he recognized. He stopped in front of a plant that has a flowering effect of leaves around red berries. He smiled this was a good starting point in his little lesson. He turned his green blue eyes to Orica a smile curving his mouth. "This, little one is called Ginseng. It is used to reduce fever." He let the little one do as much as she pleased whether it was sniff or even chew on the plant. But when she was done he moved on fallowing his nose to the next plant he knew. It was a deep green stem and leaf and a flower that was a powder pink. "This is cranesbills, or Geranium. This plant is used to help stop bleeding and heal canker sores." he let the Orica do whatever she pleased then moved on, his lanky legs moving him from the forest and across the field. When the next scent hit his nose he could not believe it. Could he be so lucky as to have this one plat be this far north? He stopped next the the lack that was sported in the pack lands and smiled as the large tree came into view. So he was. The tree had one thick trunk with thin breaches that was weighted down by slender leafs. "This little one is called White Willow, and it will be your best friend. Its bark reduces pain, and even helps with inflammation, as well as fevers and chills. But the pain relief is what is going to be most used." He sat on his hunches watching the little girl wondering if he was any use for her. Wondering if she saw the world like he once did whenever he found a new scent.

~*~ As soon as her uncle started walking, Orica was racing off into the grass. She'd drop dead into a nap in an hour or so but for now she had enough energy to light up a small star. She rushed off into the grasses that were tall enough to be a jungle. They waved and danced and meshed over her head like a canopy. One could almost imagine howler monkeys and macaws crying over head. Even when her marbled form disappeared in the green, it was still easy to track her movements - the grass bent and rustled in a line where-ever she went - like waves the ocean or dirt rippling from a mole tunnel. She'd scoot out ahead and then swirl back around. She wouldn't have a prayer of keeping up with her uncle if he decided to run, but so long as he was just walking, she could skip circles around him. Soon enough they were out of the tall grasses and closer to the forest. Here the mountain roots created valleys and dips, where the harsher winds seldom entered. This would be the perfect place to look! Orica adopted the serious look of a hound-dog on a scent trail. She looked at each plant with wonder, lowering her wide blue eyes to the level of the leaves and blossoms. She drank in the words that Rogue gave - Ginseng meant fever stopper. She knew what a fever was, well sorta, it was when your head got hot and your paws got shakey. "How does it do that?" she asked "How much do you eat?" The next one had a silly name. Gerannie- er- Germie - no, no - Gertani - Well whatever it was, she knew what it looked like now. And this was a good one because it helped with bleeding. "What are canker sores?" she asked. "Are they really bad?" The last one they found was her favorite though. A whole tree of medicine! It looked a bit like the rock-willows that were more common in the mountain crags, but those were just bushes really, this was a tree! Orica couldn't focus on Rogue's lessons at first - she had to make herself dizzy running in and out of the curtain of trailing leaves. In she ran for the fourth time and then popped her head back out, giggling. "Heehee - I'm invisdible!" She liked the white willow. It certainly made her happy. And now she knew three plants! Ginseng for fevers, Gerani-something for bleeding, and the Funny Willow for a whole bunch of stuff. ~*~