Brother, Brother

Powerplay allowed by Shadowed :D

The outrunners had set back out after informing the pack that the basin, exploring widely. Two had broken off toward the desert. Barren as the sandy lands might have seemed, there was still life, and herbs that could be found. They’d been out for a good hour when they came across the staggering dark figure.

Tavaya tipped her head toward the boy and they altered their course to intercept the boy, just as he fell. They bounded forward, Kavaros stopping to pull at the bindings around his ribs that held a pair of long saplings and a length of hide to his side. Tavaya bent, speaking urgently, sapphire eyes concerned. "Ní mór duit a fháil ar bun, ceann óg. Suas, anois."

There was no recognition of the language, and she switched swiftly to the Common tongue, repeating in an accented voice that held a strong similarity in accent to Paladin and Xodus’ mother’s brogue, You must get up, young one. Up, now." The boy rasped a response, which told her how badly off he was, even before Kavaros called gently, "Níl aon rud ar sé, Tavaya, beidh orainn é a iompar ar ais. Cabhrú liom stráice seo amach."

Tavaya nodded and gave the boy a gentle lick on the brow before she went to Kavaros and helped the pale sand colored male stretch the hide out, lashing the edges to the saplings with thinner strips through holes that had been poked into the edges. As they went back to the boy, Kavaros bent and took hold of the boy’s scruff in a nip, tugging slightly and letting go, watching the slow return to relaxation of the boy’s hide with a frown. Dehydrated and in heat shock. The paws were burnt, too.

As one, the two outrunners took big grasping bites of Exodus’ scruff and back, lifting together and dragging the limp frame onto the hide. They worked their way under the ends of the saplings and set off with their found stray.

~

It was evening when they reached the edge of the basin, and Tavaya sent out a howl for assistance as they descended down the ridge into the shade and the grass. Paladin arrived shortly after, staggering to a stop as he saw the wolf they bore between them. “Xodus?” The name came as an incredulous gasp, before he bent to his work of checking his own brother’s vitals as the outrunners set him down and stepped away, panting.

His eyes flicked up to the other healers that had approached. "An bhfuil muid aon cheann de na lamhnáin uisce? Agus duilleoga aló? Is cuimhin liom ag bailiú roinnt inné ..." There was an edge to his voice as he asked. He couldn’t allow his brother to die. Not when he’d just reunited with him, although Xodus wasn’t very conscious at the moment.

Kavamaya nodded, turning and howling to one of the apprentices across the camp. "Tá a fhios agat air, ansin?" She asked, turning back to Paladin and bending to sniff the other male, nodding without him having to answer. Brother. This was another nephew. Another child of her sister. No wonder Paladin was so determined and edgy.