She paced and paced and paced. Her body raging with emotions she was unable to explain. Where had they gone? Why did they leave? How in the hell could they just leave her here? With each question she was filled with more raging emotions that she didn't know how to handle. Elias, Zuriel, Dominus, Domina, and Casso were all gone. She was left completely alone without protection, without anything! It didn't even seem like the pack was still around anymore. How could he? She snarled, her face hot with emotion as she glared at the wall of their den. Her father the man she looked up to, the man that was the biggest influence in her life had left her without even saying anything to her. How could he not take her with him? Why didn't he take her with them? She let out another snarl unable to to hold back the emotions anymore. She let loose, only knowing how to show one emotion, anger. Just like the night of the coyote attack she let loose and began to savagely attack anything in the den she could get her paws on. Roots were plentiful in the walls of the den. The bedding was ripped to shreds, roots were ripped and snapped off, she continued to go absolutely nuts on the place not knowing how else to express herself. She disturbed a nest of rats in the far back and they went running, but nothing could save them. Running each one of them down she would savagely rips their heads off in retaliation of how she had been treated. This den had been build by her father and in her overwhelming state of emotion she intended to do as much destruction as she could. If she was bigger she would have certainly destroyed the place. She would snarl, she would scream, and anyone nearby would probably hear the major tantrum as she went about. She only stopped when she had exhausted herself and only then did she lay down in her normal corner, curled in a ball. As minutes of silence ticked by she could hear the coyotes in the distance talking with one another. She shuddered at the thought of them finding her, alone and without protection. She may be able to fight off one, but a group of them would surely rip her young form to shreds. She was numb inside and out, betrayed by the one person she held so close to her heart. Anyone could have easily seen that she had been a daddy's girl, but daddy didn't take her when he left. It broke her in ways she couldn't explain. She covered her swirling eyes with her paw and shook lightly from the emotion that was beginning to bubble again. "Actaea Talk", & 'Actaea Think"

Acere had been gone for a few days with Ignis to teach the young boy some valuable tracking lessons. The boy had done well, and would grow to be a promising young wolf that his brother would no doubt be proud of. Marching proudly back to Ruina, Ace led the boy home with the thought of seeking out Elias to let him know. However, as the two approached the borders, something was incredibly wrong. He signaled to Ignis to remain on alert, and carefully the pair would make their way towards the base of the maw. Ace's fur prickled as he approached the borders, and he noticed that Ruina's scent was growing stale. Had something happened while he was gone? Did Ruina get attacked? Observation told him it wasn't an attack though...and when he investigated further, he noticed that Elias' scent was growing stale as well. What the fuck is going on? Where was Elias? Where was the rest of the pack? "Uncle...? What's going on? Why do the borders smell different than when we left?" Ears flicked back towards his nephew, a sigh escaping his lips. "I don't know...but we're going to find out. Follow me, stay close, and stay alert." Something didn't feel right. He felt on edge. And he could feel it coming off of Ignis as well. Bounding further up the mountain, the scents of the pack members weren't any stronger than down below. Had the pack moved? He led the way towards the den site where Elias and his pups usually were, but upon approaching he stopped. He heard voices up ahead, but they weren't familiar to him. A low growl emanated from his chest as the wind blew the scents his way. Coyotes. A large group of them. Nothing he couldn't handle, he was sure. But Ignis? The boy wasn't strong enough to fight off a pack of them just yet. "I can smell Actaea!" What! his head whipped back towards the scents, and he knew he needed to act before the coyotes found her! He could hear the mongrels chatting up ahead, and they sounded pretty close to the den site. "Stay here, and stay low. Don't come out until I say so." Once he made sure that Ignis did as he was told, Ace bounded up the rest of the way until he spotted a few of the coyotes. The titan didn't hesitate as they closed in on the den where he assumed Actaea was. He charged in with a fierce snarl, hurtling towards them like a bowling ball. The coyotes yelped in surprise, promptly scattering save for one that was already halfway into the den. Charging towards it, Ace threw his full weight into the hindquarters of the smaller beast, bowling it over onto its side. Surprised, the coyote sought to fight back, its head whipping around to land a bite on Ace's face. Ace snarled as he felt teeth dig into his chest, but he didn't let that stop him. Lunging forward, he grabbed the coyote by the throat and vigorously shook it until he heard the audible snap of its neck. Breathing hard through the coyotes fur for a moment, he tossed it to the side before catching his breath. Now that that was over, it was time to find out what the hell was going on. Returning to the den, he stood outside and softly called for his niece. "Actaea? It's safe to come out now." No more than a moment after, Ignis came running forward with his fur bristled in all directions as he ran into the den. "Speak"

Her ears could hear the approaching voices, they were unfamiliar and seemed like they were heading towards the den. She peeled out from behind her paw frowning as she realized the smell of dead rats probibly didn’t help her case any and she felt the need to growl at herself, but she had to remain quiet. Uncurling herself quietly she surveyed the den, hoping to find somewhere to maybe hide. Her scent would still be scattered all through the den, but if she could properly hide they may think she had left. The problem was, there was no where to hide and it defeated her even more. All alone, no protection, and now her fate would be to die young because of it. It made her quietly shake with more emotion threatening to let loose. She laid down and quietly curled into a ball, praying that she wouldn’t die yet.

It seemed like hours that she listened to the approach of those voices, they got closer and closer. She could even here one right at the den entrance and it made her hold her breath, fearful that she would be discovered. Then suddenly a loud snarl that sounded the size of a bear and a commotion outside began to erupt. Yelps and fleeing pawsteps were heard right before the coyote halfway in the den began to fight with something. She didn’t know what at this point, but something was fighting them. The scent of the creature hadn’t lingered into the den and it could vary well be a bigger predator comming for her. All she could do was wait and when the brief silence settled she again held her breath braces by herself for what may come next.

She hadn’t expected her uncle’s voice to call her, she expected that maybe he too had went with them. She did know he had taken her one brother for training. Did that mean? She exhaled sharply before getting up and ambleing to the cave entrance only to come face to face with her blazing red brother. Her normally calm stone faced composure cracked as she attempted to press against him, thankful that she was no longer alone. She was brief before trotting towards her uncle’s call. Her molten gaze looked up to him, swirling with emotions.

“They’re all gone,” her voice cracked as the emotions threatened to spill over again.

Ignis' was in a good mood! Well, he was tired...but also in a good mood. He had been out with his uncle learning how to track, and Ace told him he had promise! Ignis was proud of himself for doing so well, and he couldn't wait to get back home to tell his dad! But his excitement slowly faded the closer they got to the borders, and when they finally arrived home, his uncle's attitude suddenly changed. His uncle had signaled to him to stay alert, and Ignis did as he was instructed, but he wasn't quite sure why. Moving quietly behind his uncle, he sniffed where the border markers were, but they didn't smell as strong as they had been just a few short days ago. "Uncle...? What's going on? Why do the borders smell different than when we left?" Crimson gaze peered up towards his uncle, ears falling slightly as the response he got. The boy investigated further and found that his fathers scent and the scents of everyone else weren't really there...he was confused, and he hoped to get answers soon. He didn't feel right. He felt like something was wrong, and it left him on edge, just like his uncle. Following Ace up the maw, he kept his ears and eyes open for any signs of his family or even the rest of the pack. He wanted to pelt his uncle with questions, but he remained silent. He knew now wasn't the time. And as the pair went further up the mountainside, his fur rose and his nose wrinkled. He looked at his uncle to alert him, but it seemed Ace had smelled them too. The scent of coyotes was unmistakable. His father often brought them their entrails, so he knew that smell quite well. That wasn't the only thing he smelled, however. Digging deeper into the scents, he smelled another very familiar one. "I can smell Actaea!" Immediately Ace ordered him to hide, and Ignis did as he was told. He watched his uncle go the rest of the way on his own, though Ignis followed at a short distance behind. He watched as his uncle attacked the coyotes that were hanging around their den, eyes growing wide as Ace fought with one coyote until he snapped his neck. As soon as things calmed and the coyotes were gone, he hurried towards the den and ran inside until he saw his sister. She pressed against him for a moment before she ventured towards their uncle, her words sending shock and confusion through him. "They're all gone," "What? W-what do you mean gone?" He sat beside her, leaning his shoulder against hers as he looked between her and Ace for answers. "Speak"

It didn't take long for his niece to come out, her face contorted in a way he'd never seen before. Then he understood why. "They're all gone," What!? He jerked his head back a bit, crimson gaze moving between niece and nephew as both of them seemed confused by what was going on. So...his brother disbanded the pack while he was gone? "God damn you Elias!" He snarled, tail lashing as his fur bristled with anger. How could the pack do this? How could his brother do this!? Leaving a pup on her own with no way to defend herself!? Was he trying to teach them some sort of cruel lesson? Did he take the others and leave Actaea and Ignis behind for some reason? Did Elias decide to walk down the path of their birth pack? He knew his brother had done some fucked up shit in the past, but this one blew all the others out of the water. How could he tell them that Elias abandoned them? That he wasn't coming back? What about their mother? He didn't know Zuriel at all, he'd never spoken to her. But it seemed she wasn't around, either. And the rest? Tyranis? Drakan? The other three pups? All Gone. This was unacceptable. He decided that he would be straightforward and tell them the truth. "It seems that Elias has abandoned the pack...and abandoned you. And it seems the pack has abandoned you as well..." And to think I believed all of his bullshit! You sure pulled the wool over my eyes pretty good this time... He thought bitterly. I should have killed you a long time ago...you don't even deserve an honorable death you fucking coward! He wanted to scream to the heavens as loud as he could to make sure his traitorous brother heard, but he refrained. He wouldn't say such things in front of the children. His gaze fell back to the two pups before him, his expression twisted in anger but slowly calmed. For their sake. "So everyone left huh? What about your mother? Tyranis? Drakan even? Did they all leave, too?" He didn't particularly care about those who weren't blood-related. But those who were...and those who acted like they were so invested in Ruina and it's doctrine...All traitors! Ruina was bound by blood. And he would have it. He vowed to himself that he would take it upon himself to punish those who had done wrong. Although he was no longer Ruina's official Judge by rank anymore, he would keep the title and serve his own justice. Abandoning a young pup with no means to defend herself was wrong. And they'd do well to remember that if they ever crossed his path. "Speak"

She was comforted by her brother, his touch seeming to ground her even with how unstable her emotions were. Like Ignis she looked up to uncle, silently pleading that there was some reasonable explanation for everything. Elias couldn't up and just leave them to die could he? The anger that filled both his words and his body made her hope begin to fade. It seems that her father may have done some similar events in the past, or so she assumed. She waited for her uncle to go on as she gently leaned into Ignis showing how relieved that he was here. She wasn't normally a creature that got real affectionate to begin with, but right now he was all messed up mentally and emotionally and she was finding that him simply leaning into her gave her comfort in all this. The words that came next made her ears flatten and she felt her body lightly shake with emotion. So this was what it was? They had been abandoned without a second thought? Her eyes looked to the dead coyotes behind her uncle and she took in the reality of the danger she had just been in. She had been abandoned and if Uncle hadn't shown up she would have been the mangy mutts dinner. Did her father even think of that before leaving her? Would Elias have even cared? She looked back to her uncle knowing that the only one she could fully trust right now was him. He had never proved himself untrustworthy and he had just saved her life. She could even say he was emotional as her, but he at least knew how to control his own emotions. Ears flicked forward as he spoke again asking her of some other within the pack. "There has been no fresh scents of them around the den. I didn't go look through the lands because I had heard the coyotes in the distance," she replied. It had been true. Before her tantrum she had tried to leave the den, but hearing the coyotes in the distance had made her retreat knowing the den would be the safest spot if they were around. "Actaea Talk", & 'Actaea Think"

"Talk" Walk He didn't particularly like what his uncle was saying, but it had to be true right? His sister had been left here alone, and there was no trace of the pack save for the fading scents. He partially buried his muzzle into her fur as they leaned into each other, saddened crimson gaze peeking at his uncle. When his sister told them that nobody was left, his heart sank. Did their father really just leave without a word? A soft whine slipped past his lips and he found himself practically wanting to hide in his sister's fur. Why would everyone just leave like that? He didn't quite understand it at all, and he could only imagine how his sister must have felt when she discovered that nobody had been around...except for coyotes, of course. He had been a little luckier. He had been out with his uncle, so he hadn't been left alone the way his sister had. "Why did they leave...?" His question was half to himself and half hoping for a logical answer from his uncle. He wasn't sure he would like the answer, but he truly wanted to know. Ruina seemed like they were close...right? At least, his father and some of the others were always around. Now things were different. He wouldn't see his father anymore, or Dominus and Domina or Cassio...or even his mother. Heck, he would even miss the lambs at this point! (Not that he even knew who they were to begin with or what their roles were). It would seem, however, that their world was turned upside down all too quickly. And he didn't like that at all.

He sighed when Actaea answered him, his seething anger held back for the moment. "You did the right thing by not wandering about...I'm just glad I came in time, otherwise..." He cut himself off, refusing to finish his sentence. Had he not shown up in time, the coyotes would have made quick work of her. His body shivered at the thought, and he felt himself tensing. What the fuck was his brother thinking!? How the hell could he just do this!? He tried his hardest to keep his composure so as not to lose it in front of them, and he was having one hell of a time trying not to rage. Taking a deep breath, his ear twitched when Ignis spoke. He had no idea how to answer that, and had no idea what to tell them.

"I don't know...but what I do know, is that we need to leave before more of them come back." He looked around to make sure they weren't about to get ambushed, but so far the coast was clear. He gently nudged the kids away from the den and started to herd them down the mountain. Meanwhile, he felt his own heart breaking. His chest tightened and his throat felt clogged. He had gotten his brother back...was going to start a life here, even. But his brother ruined any and all chances of that, and Ace wasn't sure what to do from here. For now, he supposed he would get the kids away from here and somewhere with less of a coyote population. He wouldn't be able to take care of them if they were constantly under attack, and that was his main goal. To get these kids to a safer place.

As they made their way down, the fur on the back of his neck began to prickle, almost as if in reaction to someone watching them. Looking back, he spotted a couple figures darting behind some rocks, and he knew they were being followed. "We gotta move faster!" He exclaimed, hurrying his pace though ensuring the kids were in front of him.

speech Thought Quote

She felt Ignis bury his face into her fur and strange enough she wasn't bothered by the lack of space, for once she didn't feel suffocated by having someone so close. Maybe it was because of her distress at the entire situation. She turned her head to bury her nose into his neck fur finding the touch comforting. She then looked back up to Ace wondering what they were going to do next. Her uncle's words praised her, she had done the right thing by staying in the den even though she had come close to those coyotes getting in the den. She didn't know what the coyotes would have done, but she knew it couldn't have been good. For uncle to not finish his sentence made her realize she didn't want to know what could have happened. He didn't have an answer to Ignis' question instead he stated that they needed to get out of here before more came. Actaea understood, she was ready to get away from here and to forget this night. She was quick to get up and move with her uncle's nudge. She got her little rear end in gear and fallowed the gentle herding from her uncle. She moved quickly and did her best not to trip or tumble on her paws. She also did not want to go to fast or get lost from them. For the most part they moved in silence, but she couldn't help to worry about more of those coyotes. It's like they knew her father was gone and have come to get vengeance for their family that have been killed. Then their uncle told them they needed to go faster and she could feel her heart rate increase. She pushed herself faster, her fur prickling on her back. She kept moving, kept pushing, and listening to her uncle's commands. "Actaea Talk", & 'Actaea Think"

"Talk" Walk He walked alongside his sister as their uncle hurried them along. His question didn't get the answer that he wanted, but his thoughts on the matter were diverted with the sense of urgency in his uncles tone. He hurried down the mountain, herded along by his uncle. Crimson gaze was alert, gaze flicking to every rock that could hide potential danger. Asides from their steps, everything seemed quiet. He pressed his shoulder against his sisters, a subconscious attempt at reassuring himself. Everything would be okay...it had to be okay. He glanced at his sister from the corner of his eye, watching her as they moved. I'll protect you... He thought determinedly. He would make that a promise. He would protect her from the evils of the world. From their father if he ever came back... A sudden noise startled him, causing him to trip and tumble several feet down the hill. Before he knew it, three forms were leaping towards him, their jaws open and wild eyes locked on him. He was gripped with fear, crying out in alarm, eyes wide before squeezing shut.

He hurried them along in silence. Keeping an eye out for any potential threats along the way. Ignis and Actaea were quiet, something expected of them after what happened today. Halfway down the mountain, his ear twitched as he thought he caught a sound nearby. Eyes narrowed as they moved, his pace slowing just the smallest bit. He looked around, but nothing out of the ordinary came into view. All of a sudden, Ignis tripped after a strange and sudden noise sounded, causing his nephew to fall forward several feet.

Before he knew it, three smaller forms launched out from behind their hiding places, and Ace's heart plummeted. They threw themselves towards Ignis all too fast, but Ace was just a tad faster. He leaped over Actaea and came to land over Ignis, protecting the boy from the attackers. One coyote landed a bite on his foreleg and had he not moved into action sooner, then it would have been Ignis in its jaws. The other two put on the brakes, but not before colliding with Ace's body. Like a snake, Ace struck the coyote that had a hold on his leg, teeth sinking into the back of its neck and throwing it several yards away. The first coyote struck a boulder, momentarily dazed as it fell to the ground.

As the other two attempted to scramble out of reach, Ace turned on them in an instant. Blood red eyes were narrowed and wild, a fearsome look on his face as he lunged forward. He brought his weight down on one, holding it down with a heavy paw while the other one felt the brunt of his main attack. Teeth sunk into the animal's spine, and Ace lifted it up while shaking it viciously. He felt the spine crack beneath the pressure of his teeth, and the coyote went limp. He tossed that one before turning his attention on the one he pinned down. Jaws salivated as he regarded the creature without mercy. They had attempted to take his nephew's life, and now he was about to take all of theirs.

Tongue swiped across bloodstained lips and teeth, and just as he was about to make the killing blow, he felt teeth embedding themselves in his hind leg. With a roar of pain, Ace released his hold on the grounded coyote and turned on the one that attacked him. Through narrow eyes, he noted it was the first one he had attacked, and without hesitation, he launched himself at it. The coyote held no fear in its eyes, a possible result of its hunger for the red boy. It was fearless, much like Ace was. But in its fearlessness came foolishness. Ace batted a heavy paw at the smaller canine, knocking it away from him and forcing it to relinquish its grip on him. Almost instantly, Ace followed the downed creature and leaped on it. The coyote did its best to keep him at bay, kicking his underside with blunt claws and quick kicks. Its jaws closed over his chest, but the pain was not felt. With malice glittering in his eyes, Ace lunged for the coyote's face. Canines pierced the eye sockets, causing the creature to howl in pain. He bit into its face over, and over, and over. Reminding it that it had made the biggest mistake of its life.

After completely disfiguring its face, he picked it up by its nose and flung it over the side of the cliffs. The echoing cries of the coyote abruptly cut off as it hit its death bed. He turned then, eyes blazing as he sought out the last one, but the creature was already running off with its tail tucked. He thought about following it but then decided against it. He had won this fight and released a howl of victory into the air. He dared more to come, just so they could meet the same fate as those he had killed.

He returned to Ignis, nudging the boy up to his feet. "Let's go, we're almost out of here! Stay close to me, and watch your step." He warned as he continued to usher them forward.

 speech Thought Quote