Winters Soothing Kiss

Kailos was hardly a season and a half old, wiggly and timid on his paws as were all pups his age. Still finding his balance in that amusing stumble young wolves did to get around and explore the world. And yet he had just walked right on by without making a sound to wake the elder. It took Tahlia's frantic exit to rouse Bane, the old wolf smelling blood. His son's and mate's blood. The elder's heart rate increased immediately as he frantically uncurled and shook the snow off his pelt. "Tahlia!" Bane called after his mate. Unsure if she had heard him as she took off down the hillside towards the lake. What had happened? A discoloration in the snow caught his remaining eye, and right when he sniffed it his head snapped back. Sickness.

A cold knot of worry and fear formed in the pit of his stomach as Bane stumbled forward towards his mate and the wolf she was shouting at. His hackles rose as he saw the rogue female and who lay next to her. Kailos! Bane's blood was up immediately at the sight of his son all alone with this stranger, the male rushing up in front of his mate. He tilted his head to whisper to Tahlia that she go right, and that's when he saw the blood trailing below the fur of her eyes. "Tahlia? Tahlia your face..." A shiver of horror caused his legs to tremble, a whine slipping past his maw. The situation was confusing, Bane hearing the mysterious she-wolfed her explanation, but he still stared at Tahlia. The elder wolf took a step back. The rogue's words were heard and a small nod was given. But Bane didn't care right now. He was surrounded by sickness.

Deathly sick. A smaller voice was heard in the panicked haze that settled over his vision. He looked towards Kailos. A fox. An often overlooked creature standing over his son and him that they all needed immediate help. "Do what you must red one. Tahlia, we have to go back to the den." He touched nose to his mate's and turned with a swish of a tail, walking past the cream pelted rogue and picked up his son, leg brushing against the fox's side in his haste. He would make for his firstborns den and let the sick use it, just a moments walk from where he'd been sleeping peacefully. The three would have to be roused and told to wait in the main den with Lior. Everything would be explained to them just as soon as he knew what they were dealing with.