Corvus had been alone when the fire had started to spread. A commotion outside his den, which had been not-so-conveniently located in the thicket, should've been the first sign that something was awry... but he had insisted upon ignoring whatever was going on in favor of more alone time, which the sullen male definitely didn't need. He'd been aware of the strong winds, whistling through the foliage outside, and the occasional crack of lightning.. but he was stubborn enough to ignore it all, willing his eyes to stay closed and his body to succumb to sleep that it seemed insistent on fighting. As soon as the smell of burning touched his nose though, he quickly slipped out of his miserably state and became suddenly alert. Something was on fire, something close, and the smell was overwhelming. It wasn't until he stood and reeled around toward his den's entrance that he realized that the fire wasn't only close, it was licking the ground right in front of his den. Corvus was normally a level-headed wolf, but in the face of something so terrifying he wasn't quite sure what to do. The flames seemed to grow by the second, licking the unusually dry grasses of the thicket until they stood taller than his head. Sitting and waiting idly seemed like a bad idea - and if he called for help, he worried no one would even hear him. He'd never been that great at expecting others to come around when he needed them most, and this moment was no exception. Wincing, he waited for a gust of wind to blow the flames down and dove straight through them, hoping that no more waited for him on the other side. The pain was nothing like he expected, searing the pads of his paws and singing the fur on his lower legs. The smell was almost worse than the pain, and a low bubbling growl left his throat at the feeling. Luckily the ground was solid on the other side, and his leap through the flames had been so quick that his coat hadn't remained on fire... though the red and orange flames that filled the corners of his vision didn't allow him a break to stop and see what was going on around him. He thought he heard someone crying in the distance, but stopping suddenly seemed like a foolish idea. Limping away from the thicket as quickly as he could muster, knowing he'd be no help at all with the intensifying pain that suddenly wracked his body. The dark clouds overhead signified rain to come, though a glance behind him told him that the fire wouldn't be put out immediately. His mind immediately went to his family and though he wished he could go back to help them, he feared he could only hinder any progress. Guilty - that was how he felt. If he hadn't been so trapped inside his own head he could've reacted sooner, and he wouldn't have been forced to literally jump through fire to make a hasty escape. Once he moved out of the thicket to quite literally lick his own wounds, and once the heavy rain started, he knew returning immediately to Abaven wouldn't do any good. In the distance the fires had died out, and his presence surely would only be a hindrance rather than any kind of help... right? He had no useful skills, though he wondered if as Blackthorn he ought to stay and assess any damages. Oh well - he'd be home soon enough, and hopefully his injuries would be a good explanation for his brief absence. Sighing, he headed north. He'd known where Ignis's uncle planned to stake his claim and he hoped desperately he hadn't changed his mind. By the time he reached the pine forest, after traveling farther north than he'd ever gone, he was quite the sight - he was soaked from the rain, his paws blistered and bloody, and the fur from his front limbs had been visibly singed. Truthfully he probably needed a healer, but even more than that he needed somewhere away from Abaven to rest and clear his mind. At least he'd come to the right place. He smelled Ignis's scent on the borders, and was glad he'd done at least one thing right. Wearily from travel and his little fire encounter alike, he lifted his head to the sky and let loose a soft call for his friend. Overhead the sky looked as though it was still on fire, morning finally breaking through with a vivid read sunrise sneaking over the horizon, and though the earth was damp, the rain clouds seemed to be breaking to make way for a clear sky.

"Talk" Walk They had only been here for a couple of weeks, and he was getting used to the new surroundings and even took it upon himself to patrol the borders and strengthen it along with everyone else. It was a whole lot different here than it was in Abaven, and he wasn't quite sure yet which area he liked more. He stuck out like a sore thumb in the white landscape, but the pines they lived in wasn't as covered with snow as the surrounding areas. The snow actually melted away here during the summer it seemed, giving way to grass and herbs that he was sure any healers they had would be grateful for. He had gone to his den to sleep early that night, tired after running the perimeters and checking out some of the nearby lands. Though his wolverine companion had gone out hunting, and a few hours later he felt something poking him awake and heard a voice whispering urgently to him. Groggy, he lifted his head to find and hear the little beast mention something about seeing a black plume of smoke coming from the East. Not quite awake, he wasn't totally sure what he was talking about or if it was even something he should be concerned with, so his black cockatoo decided to go out and investigate. He glanced out of his den for a moment and he grumbled when he noticed how late it was before tucking his head back in and promptly going back to sleep. No more than an hour or so later, he was woken up again, but this time...his flying companion had urgent news. "Oi! Abaven's on fiya!" That definitely woke him up. He ran to the side of the border that led out towards the Eastern lands, but he couldn't see the smoke against the dark sky. He remained frozen on the border, wondering if he should go to Abaven or let his uncle know. Either way, what could they do? They were a little too far probably to make it in time to do anything, and if they did go, what would they be able to do about it? He was still young, and had no idea what help they might be able to give, if any. He figured it was safer here away from the fire that supposedly ravaged the East, but he felt like doing nothing wasn't the best thing, either. Conflicted, he debated himself on what to do. And for several, long minutes...decided to seek out his uncle to at least let him know... -------- He couldn't go back to sleep. The hours ticked by and he sat in front of his den, restless and worried. He had woken his uncle up and told him, and he was told to stand by until further notice. He was sure that his uncle was thinking about what to do...but it didn't help to soothe his thoughts. On one hand, they had left just in the nick of time and managed to avoid it. But on the other...they had friends there. His eyes widened suddenly when he really thought about it. His friend was there, and he found himself glancing in that direction again when he realized that. Was Corvus okay? He started to a whine, a low and pitiful sound forming in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and lowered himself to the ground. All he could do was wait for now...at least until morning. If his uncle didn't come up with something by then, he would go by himself. By this time, he was drifting in and out of restless sleep. And as the sun started to break over the horizon, he was woken up by a soft call nearby. His head shot up and he scrambled to his feet. He recognized that voice! Without hesitation he raced to the border and to his immediate relief, found Corvus standing there. The smell of smoke and fire surrounded him, and with it he could smell blood. He didn't stop until he was practically on top of his friend, skidding to a halt a mere foot or so from him. "Corvus! I'm so glad to see you! I heard what happened, I-I thought something bad might have happened to you..." Internally, he was kicking himself for not just going to Abaven. But at the same time, the only one he was really worried about was standing in front of him now. He looked him over with a concerned look, and although the situation was likely pretty dire, he couldn't help what came next. "Man, you look like shit..." He frowned and sought to close the distance, aiming to try and lick some of the soot off of his neck if he let him.

He shouldn't have come all this way - Corvus was fully aware of that. He should've waited until the fire died out and headed back, both to see if anyone in Abaven needed his assistance, as well as to seek the aid of a healer. Instead he'd foolishly traveled all the way here, not totally know what to even expect; but he knew he didn't necessarily want to be home right now. He felt like an idiot, and instead of feeling like an idiot at home he wanted to be anywhere but. Maybe he was being selfish thinking anyone would even care that he'd been off licking his own wounds... if anyone else was injured, surely the attention would be on tending to them rather than focusing on him, right? Either way, that didn't stop his annoying thoughts from plaguing him. Only when he saw his friend did some of his anxieties begin to fade away, even if only temporarily. He realized suddenly how badly his paws hurt, especially his front two, and carefully he lowered himself to the ground against one of the pine trees that stood at the edge of Winterfell's border. He didn't even want to stop and check out the pads of his paws yet - he already knew the sight wouldn't be pretty. He briefly caught sight of the singed fur there and cringed, tilting his head to focus on Ignis instead. "Yeah, there was.. a fire," he explained weakly, wishing he had more information than that for him. But he didn't. He'd sulked away like a coward, and if only he'd reacted more quickly he likely wouldn't have gotten hurt and would've been able to make sure everyone else was okay, too. "I.. I'm sure everyone's fine," he said weakly, trying to convince Ignis of it was much as he was trying to assure himself that. Instantly his mind went to Peggy, and her children - he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to them. Maybe that was why running away had seemed like a safer bet. "I feel like shit," he finally admitted with a choked laugh, not fighting Ignis as he tried to clean his neck. He knew he needed the help - in reality, an actual bath was probably a better option but the thought of cold water on his blistered paws sounded more painful than refreshing. "But.. I'm okay. I just need to sit for awhile. Maybe a week or two," he joked lightly, giving his friend a playful look. "I just really didn't feel like being at home right now. Hopefully it's okay that I came here?" He didn't know much about how Ignis's uncle would be running the pack, but technically he wasn't trespassing, so he wasn't too worried about his presence here.

"Talk" Walk "Yeah, there was.. a fire," So that rumor was true. He knew he could trust his companions with accurate information. He had been worried the whole night, but leaving to rush towards Abaven didn't seem like the best idea at the time. What could he have done if he did go? He was glad he hadn't, otherwise if he did then he would have missed Corvus at the border. His friend said that he was sure everyone was fine which brought the crimson wolf to nod quietly as he continued to try and clean off as much of the soot as he could. It was tedious, but he would do anything and everything in his power to try and comfort his friend. He had been through one helluva night, and then the journey here...he wondered if things would have turned out differently had they stayed in Abaven just a little longer. Maybe he could have helped Corvus out before he got injured, but as it was, he was just glad he was safe. He couldn't linger on the what ifs or what-could-have-beens now. "But.. I'm okay. I just need to sit for awhile. Maybe a week or two," Ears flicked slightly when he heard the joking tone of his voice. He knew his friend was trying to make some light of the situation just as he had tried to, but when he glanced down at Corvus' paws, he internally cringed. That looked so painful and he wasn't sure how in the world Corvus had managed to make it here without his feet falling off. Perhaps it was the adrenaline that kept him going until he felt safe. I just really didn't feel like being at home right now. Hopefully it's okay that I came here?" Ignis pulled back as he sought Corvus' gaze, "Yeah, honestly I don't think my uncle will mind given the situation. You can stay until you feel ready to go back home or..." Or what? Until someone came looking? Or you can just stay here... He wanted to say it. But he didn't want to get his hopes up. "Let me see your feet," He said quickly, trying to change the subject as he moved to lower himself in front of the earthen male. He could smell the odor of singed fur and burned flesh, and although he was no healer, he could tell Corvus' feet still needed tending to. He didn't want to wake his sister, so instead he frantically searched his memory for what he might need to at least help the injury until his sister got a chance to look at it later. Being around her for so long, he often watched and listened in on her herbal studies. "Can you walk? I can get some medicine to help you from my sisters den, and you can rest in mine i-if you want, it'd be warmer and more comfortable than out here..." He cleared his throat, feeling a little embarrassed, but he did want to help him, and if he could get Corvus to his den then he would be able to easily and quickly grab what he thought would be useful to help.

Corvus winced slightly as he explained, in rather vague terms, what had happened. There was a fire. Surely everything was okay.. right? They had to be. He teetered slightly on his paws, though before long he made the decision to recline right there onto his stomach. Getting up might be a struggle, but he found it hard to imagine standing for much longer. Maybe, if it came to it, Ignis could just drag him across the border if need be - the thought was enough to barely lighten his somber mood, if but for a moment. Ignis didn't laugh at his quip, but he hadn't really expected him to. Luckily he agreed that his uncle wouldn't mind him staying for now, until he was.. ready to go home. Whenever that was. Given his relatively newfound responsibilities, he didn't think staying here for long would be a wise idea, but maybe just a few days. Enough to let his paws heal and to heal the aching feeling of guilt that he felt for not staying. He shifted onto his side so Ignis could get a better look at his paws, unsure if he knew what he was doing but willing to hear him out anyway. Corvus nodded at his idea. "Yeah, I can walk," he assured him, slowly rolling back onto his side and slowly, painstakingly, pushing himself upright. Maybe lying down hadn't been such a good idea - his body seemed to struggle to stand and he felt the sharp pain emanating from his blistered paws.  "Hopefully it's not too far?" He questioned, casting Ignis a wary glance as he finally steadied himself - after nearly stumbling, he instinctively moved as if to lean against him for support on the way to his den.

"Talk" Walk He inspected Corvus' paws as the earthen male lied on his side. Well, his paws didn't look good...but it could have been worse. He felt bad for asking him to get up again but once they were at the den he could lie down and not worry about walking until he felt well enough to do it. "Well...your feet don't look good, but it could have been worse. I can treat this...I think." He quickly looked up to look him in the eye, knowing he didn't sound too reassuring but he was sure that he could treat the burns. "I mean, I can treat the burns at least. I've learned a bit from my sister," He offered his shoulder for Corvus to lean on before he slowly led the way. "It's not far at all, I promise. But if you have trouble walking I can always give you a piggyback ride," He joked, that trademark smile coming easily to him despite the situation. Everything would get better once he was able to get him to the den, treat him, and let him get some rest. He'd explain things to his uncle in the morning, but for now his priority was helping his buddy. He walked at fast as Corvus was able, though he made sure to keep an even and steady pace and kept checking to make sure Corvus wouldn't stumble. His den was only a few yards from the border, and he was glad he hadn't chosen to den in the heart of the territory or it would be a more difficult journey. Once he spotted his den, he gently steered towards it until they were at the entrance. "This is my den...sort of. My sister and I share it, but our spaces are separate." Slowly, he guided Corvus into the main part of the den that he and his sister had carved out. At the back of the large room, there were two openings that led to each sleeping space. He motioned to the one on the right, "My side of the den is on the right, you're welcome to go in and rest there, or you can rest here while I go grab what I need for you," His tone was still worried, but he mentally prepared himself for the task ahead.

All the adrenaline he'd felt on the way here seemed to fade all at once now that he was here, and now he just felt completely exhausted. At least he felt safe, despite everything else, which he supposed was a start. Maybe he'd even be able to sleep - something he wasn't sure would happen if he'd stayed back home.  "If not.. oh well," Corvus shrugged, stifling a sigh. The burns would heal on their own, though if Ignis came up with something that might help.. well, he was sure the healing process would be hurried along. Regardless, he trusted Ignis and figured he'd come up with something, however minimal. He groaned a bit as he stood, leaning against him as they headed toward Ignis's den. "A piggyback ride? Yeah right; I'd crush you," Corvus jested, despite the fact that Ignis was definitely the bigger of the two, letting out a sound that was a wince mixed with a slight laugh. Ignis's smile was clearly contagious, and he mirrored it with a small one of his own. Each step seemed somehow more painful as they got closer to his den, and by the time they arrived he was visibly wincing with each step he took. He nodded at Ignis explaining he shared his den with his sister. Was she here now, he wondered? He didn't pay much attention to his surroundings, slipping inside toward the space his friend directed him to. He was grateful to get off his paws, and he slid easily into the sleeping space Ignis occupied - his scent was strong here, and it was weirdly comforting in the face of everything that had happened tonight. He let out a tired sigh as he settled down, stretching his paws away from him and letting his head fall to the dirt, though before Ignis left he offered him a tired - but grateful - grin.