Raise the Wreck of Doubt

Aresenn's muscles strained as he carried Absinth over his broadened shoulders, her weight a heavy burden after the setting fatigue from his own earlier fight. Not that he would allow himself to falter- certainly not now. Blood, deep crimson that blended into his fur, trickled down his back from her side and hip among other injuries- he hadn't been able to get a good look at her. His own wounds pulsed with a throbbing ache, remnants of a skirmish that had left his face marred and battered from Sephiran's wicked canines. He could feel the puncture wound with his tongue on the inside of his lip- the tracks of Sephiran's canines having left wicked lacerations across the bridge of his nose and what felt to be to his cheekbone on the opposite side of his face.

However, the adrenaline continued to course through his system, an untamed fire that simmered just beneath the surface. Rhazien had been lucky he stopped when he had- the brute's narrow escape from retaliation lingered as a stroke of luck- or incited by Sephiran's warning, rather. For Aresenn's determination was far from satisfied; he felt an insatiable desire for vengeance, a craving for blood, and the desire to deliver retribution in his own savage manner.

Yet, amidst the chaos, his focus remained fixed on Absinth's well-being. His steps were resolute as he navigated through the Polar Sound, every stride purposeful as he sought the witch's healer den. Though the ties between Aurelia and the turmoil they now faced were tangled, she remained the only other individual who could possibly help, save for the orchestrator of this entire event- Sephiran, who he wouldn't seek out at the moment had his own life depended on it.

The entrance to Aurelia's sanctuary lay nestled between the roots of ancient trees, though he didn't take much interest in the aesthetics of it. Only vaguely aware that a thin trail of smoke traced its way from a source burning within to the open outside air. He forced himself through the opening, careful to ensure that Absinth's additional height could clear the threshold without being jostled too much. HIs eyes didn't adjust right away, but he was certain she was in there. "YOU!" He snarled, blinking through the dim lighting and fragrance of burning herbs. "It's not enough for you to be a miserable bitch? Everyone else has to be miserable with you? Is that it?" Through his snapping growls, he had begun to lower Absinth off his shoulders onto one of the thicker collections of moss on the ground. Satisfied with her placement, Aresenn immediately turned back to Aurelia. The amusement was evident in her expression, clearly finding entertainment in their present situation. He was far from joking.

Aresenn was quick to invade her space, pressuring her with his own form as he backed her up against the wall. "I'm going to give you one opportunity to fix this." He seethed. The threat was far from an empty one, though he wasn't entirely sure what would be an effective means of motivating her.

"Aresenn Praetor"