Lament Pyre He had finally brought the Ademre together as a band, and a family. They would be a force in this world, once they had paid off their debts and could live for themselves. He had planned to scout out places for them to camp, but his musings were cut short by the sudden activity of the volcano. The ground shook, and the sky exploded in a plume of ash and smoke. Lament howled for his family, and called for them to head South, away from the Vulcano, and towards the territories of Auster. He saw Eris and Oxide, fleeing together, and looked back for Balland and Kindle. As he watched his sister run towards him, she tripped, and went down. He went to her side in a heartbeat, pulling Ballad back to her feet. She took a step and stumbled, and he could see she had twisted her ankle. Kindle joined him on the other side of his sister, and together they supported Ballads weight as they continued to make their escape towards Auster. Somewhere along the way they lost Eris and Oxide, the thick smoke hiding them from sight and scent. He worried for his little blind sister, but knew Oxide would look after her. His main concern in the moment was Ballad. When they finally reached a place the smoke had not yet tainted, he instructed Kindle to put down her cousin. “I will find somewhere for us to camp.” he said, knowing he also needed to find Eris for her healers knowledge. Ooc: feel free to have Eris and Oxide find them at this point, i’m cool with being vague about timing for how long they’ve been gone "Speech"|"Ademic"

Though specific memories from her past were still blank, Ballad felt more confident in her spiritual recovery. She had drawn near to Tor, and Tor drew more near to her. She took up her rituals once more, and felt fulfilled in them. She mourned for the memories that had not returned, but felt whole with her connection to her goddess restored. Her body was not as far along. The volcano eruption brought out a fear in her that she didn’t know was lurking. Her life was threatened and as they fled the girl stumbled.

With a cry Ballad hit the ground. She lost sight of Eris and the man, Oxide as they didn’t see her fall. Lament was there in a moment's thought and she thanked Tor for him once again. Kindle took up her other side and together they made the grueling journey towards Auster. Ballad would have liked to beg for Eris and her assistance by the time they stopped to make camp. Her ankle was swollen three times its normal size and she felt nauseous as she was lowered to the ground. Hopefully their services wouldn’t be called upon before she healed.

Ballad knew her brother and cousin had saved her, she wouldn’t have been able to escape the volcano’s wrath without them.

Time had sort of lost meaning since her tryst with Oxide concealed behind the falls. She felt like an entirely new wolf! Something had lit a fire inside of her. It must have been that... special thing they did. The shared dance felt like a spiritual revelation. Eris felt closer to Tor than ever and believed now more than ever that Oxide was her soul's twin flame. No matter how perfect their reunion, she could not deny her thoughts lingered on her family. Their safety from the volcano was her primary concern.

Eris and Oxide had tracked their scents to this watery cove. She could smell saltwater and occasionally found herself stepping through tide pools. There was a fierce bite in the air and from the way the light filtered in through her eyes, she could tell the sky was still bleak with ash. "Oh!" She exclaimed as their scents grew stronger and she doubled her pace. The mood was off. Eris could tell something was the matter before she touched Lament's nose with her own. "Is everyone alright? Did you make it across okay?" She had always thought of her siblings as invincible, but knew in her heart this was far from the case.

Oxide was loathe to leave the privacy of the falls, but knew that he had made a commitment to the Ademre as a whole. Eris wouldn’t have allowed him to keep her there anyway. Responsibilities. Everything he’d aimed to avoid in his life and look at where it’d gotten him. He couldn’t say all the effort wasnt worth it though, the last day.. week.. however long they’d been lost in each other beneath the falls. Seemed to have renewed his tiny shadow. The spirit in her step was back, and she was eager to make sure that her family made it to safety.

The pair were quicker to find them than Ox had expected, but it was better this way. Deep ruby eyes fell on the other Ademre, the one who was obviously Lament’s sister seemed to be injured. Ox stood back, his purpose clear, keep her safe. His eyes returned to the horizon and he swept the area. No one was sneaking up on them today.

Her dear sister, and the man who helped to save her, arrived quickly. Ballad didn’t show it on her features but she could tell that Eris felt renewed. How long had they been apart? What happened to so drastically revitalize her? Ballad would have to inquire later, for now she was more than ready for her paw to be looked over.

Ever the worried, and rightly so, one asked if there were any injuries Ballad cleared her throat softly. ”I twisted my ankle pretty bad.” Ballad admitted ashamedly, still haunted by the fact she’d needed to be saved. What kind of debt would she need to pay off for her own life? ”You two are alright?” If anything Oxide looked almost nervous, like something was about to jump out and get them at any moment.

Lament didn’t get a chance to take two steps from his little band of survivors, he knew that this out-in-the-open stopping point was only temporarily, they needed somewhere defendable to bed down for the night. In times like these, people could get desperate, and desperate people were dangerous. He looked down at the little healer as she bumped noses with them, keeping him from the task of finding a den spot. He paused, and then drew her into an embrace, kissing her gently on the space between her ears. “Your safe.” he said simply, warmth in voice, stillness in his face, and pleasure in his paws as they tapped relief, worry, love against her foot. He released her and stepped back, knowing they had need of her at the band healer. Ballad spoke before Lament could bring attention to their wounded sister, and so he stood back so he did not impede the little healers path to the injured wolf. As Eris saw to Ballad, Lament would step up beside Oxide, looking to the fawny man. He did not miss the caution in which he stood guard. “Thank you, for keeping her safe” He said to the man. "Speech"|"Ademic"

Sota wasn't sure he could ever forgive himself. What he'd done - putting his friend's life on the line, for the sake of Balsam - was unthinkable. Of course, he hadn't thought she'd truly be in danger in helping him, not at all. He never would've considered it had he known what was possible. Though perhaps he'd been being selfish, thinking about Balsam above all else, now he knew the error of his ways.. enough to offer up himself in place of her. Perhaps luckily for them both, someone who seemed familiar with Eris and her way of life had bid on her, and he'd won her freedom - and judging by the way she'd looked at him, there was no doubt he was a friend. Perhaps he should've just been grateful she'd been freed at all, but he couldn't help the aching feeling of guilt that settled heavily in his stomach. Not only for losing Eris, but for failing to save Balsam. What if he'd spent his time trying to free Balsam rather than Eris? Of course he couldn't have known someone else would win her freedom, and since her captivity was largely his fault, he had felt obligated to try to save her... regardless of all else. After making sure she was freed - from a distance, of course - he kept his eye on Balsam. Someone entirely unfamiliar to him had won his tiny friend, and he'd tracked his scent to the west of Valkyrie's stomping grounds. He couldn't save Balsam on his own, at least not without seriously putting himself in harm's way, so what could he do? Regardless of whatever plan he concocted, he had a nagging urge to make things right with Eris.. one way or another. He'd already been trailing after her when the explosion happened. Sota had been far too close to Mount Volkan for comfort, and though panic had flooded the tiny man, he was confident he could outrun anything - well, almost anything. Even Balsam hadn't been that lucky, apparently. Either way, he wouldn't succumb to whatever was happening, no matter how terrifying or (literally) earth-shattering it might be. He wasn't sure how long he ran; his paw carried him swiftly across the lands, toward the continent he'd been born in, along the coast and sporadically through the treetops, though the erratic quaking of the ground made it hard to find anything stable. By the time Eris's scent grew stronger, he was sure it ought to have been daytime, but even if the sun was overhead it was obscured by smoke and ash for as far as he could see. He was panting by the time the small group came into view, and for a moment he hesitated approaching them at all. But Sota had never been a proud wolf; humility was ingrained deep in his veins and he couldn't go on without admitting wrongdoing and attempting to make amends. Slowly, hesitantly, he approached the gathering on unsteady paws, casting a glance to the male that had offered for Eris before focusing on her. "Eris -" He started cautiously, feeling his lips begin to quiver. "- I'm sorry. So sorry. I didn't mean to -" Words couldn't begin to express how much he regretted what had happened, but he could only hope she might someday forgive him, even if not today.

"Oh, sister," her voice melted as she moved to her sister after accepting Lament's affections gratefully. This was such a familiar scene, all of them together again. It meant the world to her that they were all reunited again. Finally everything was falling into place. She had paid her price and it had cost her dearly, but to be reunited with her family again was no small prize. "Yes, we are doing well!" she said brightly, some of her old self appearing in her chipper tone. "But enough about me, let me get a feel what's going on," Eris added, taking stock of her sister's injury. It certainly wasn't good. Ballad's ankle was swollen and hot to the touch even through her fur.

Eris pondered ways to treat it. It didn't seem like she'd injured it so badly that it needed to be set. "Well, you ought to stay off of it for now. I'm not sure where to find what I need in these parts..." If only someone who was more familiar with this territory were there to help them. As if answering her unspoken call, Sota's voice came to her.

She spun around, her eyes roving for his small shape against the dim shadows she could still make out. "Sota!" she gasped, her milky eyes wide with surprise. "Sorry? Oh!" He was apologizing for the whole wretched thing... but it didn't really matter. She was so happy now! "Please, it's alright. It was the sacrifice I needed to make in order to reunite my family. Everyone is here now!" Wistfully, she stared in the direction of Oxide's scent on the breeze. "But I could use your help. Don't you hail from the trees in this area? I need some herbs to treat my sister's twisted ankle, some fine twigs, and something to bind them with."

She considered what she'd need. "Agrimony and lamb's ear would be best. It's a small yellow flower and tiny, soft little leaves. Soft like puppy's fur. Could you bring those to me?" Eris was hopeful that with his help they could get Ballad situated and move on to a safer site.

Lament moved to intercept the stranger as he made a beeline for Eris, but then paused just before blocking off the white man's path. He realised he recognised this wolf, he had been at the auction, bidding for Eris. For her freedom, or for her capture? The words the man spoke as he stopped before Eris, and what he said didn’t clear much up. Lament, who was still standing quiet, his face neutral, but his paw gently, almost idly tapping gave little away to an outsider. Those in his family would catch the anticipation of his movement, the expression spoken in his paws as he prepared to engage the stranger, and chase him from his sister's side, the only thing ceasing his action, was the reaction his blind-sister gave to the man. She greeted him by name - Sota - and with affection. Eris paused, letting Eris speak for a moment, and make her requests, before clearing his throat. “Eris, would you like to introduce us?” he said, the hidden question in his paw as he moved beside her and gave her paw a gentle tap with his own. Trust, question, weary, curiosity.” his trust in his sister was clear there, as well as the question of trust to the stranger, and the importance of Eris’s opinion. "Speech"|"Ademic"

She offered up her injured limb to her sweet sister, who was quick to look over the injury and give her opinion. After she spoke about how well she and Oxide were doing. Her sister’s bright answer made her want to quirk a brow, but instead tapped out on her sister’s shoulder with her good paw. Hope. Curiosity. Congratulations. She could tell her little sister was becoming quite attached to the rust marked wanderer. Ballad couldn’t deny his good looks either.

Staying off her foot was a no brainer, and she knew she was going to have to get more help from her siblings as they made their way to a better defended camp. She watched then as the smaller wolf appeared, he was even tinier than her sister. Ballad watched him as he apologized and eris put him to work gathering herbs. ”How about some pain relief, sister?” She asked softly, knowing she couldn’t completely hide her wincing.

It was hard to shake the feeling that he might collapse right there on the spot, as he stood and faced Eris and apologized for what he had done. He knew he had to be strong - he had to make amends with her, in whatever way possible, and if she rejected his offer he would simply have to find a way to stealthily offer her assistance. Either way, he needed to work on building his strength and finding a way to free Balsam, in whatever way possible.. Much to his surprise, she didn't seem at all bothered by what had transpired. She seemed.. almost happy to see him. He felt his jaw slacken slightly, his gaze briefly roving to the wolves around her, who seemed to be focusing their attention on him now, surely wondering who he was. Sota found himself nodding dumbly, though after a moment she asked something of him, and the mere suggestion of needing his help was enough to firmly ground him back in reality. He'd do anything for her, without question. "Oh - yes, yes, I am," he confirmed quickly. Eris needed some herbs, some fine twigs, and something to bind her sister's limb. Already his mind was reeling, thinking of some of the strong, thick grasses that might work. Fine twigs were easy. He had seen lamb's ear before, though wasn't entirely sure what agrimony was. Small yellow flower, tiny leaves. He nodded again, implanting the information to memory. He'd bring back every yellow flower he could find, if he had to. But he wouldn't slip away just yet. Another male spoke up, one who'd looked as if he'd wanted to chase him off at first - at least that was what his body said, though his expression was oddly neutral. Sota offered Eris a questioning look, since the male had asked her to introduce him, and he knew it wasn't his place to speak up.

Although she appreciated her brother's prickly response, she quickly shoved her paw on top of his and tapped away: calm, happy, calm, calm. Sota wasn't anything to be upset about. Although Valkyrie may have poisoned her fairy-tale idea of this new land (everyone certainly was not her friend), the small tree-climber had proved himself a true, honest wolf when he had appeared at her auction. Thinking about it upset her and so she quickly banished the memory from her head. She was safe now.

"Sota and I took shelter during a downpour together when we were separated. I offered to help him locate his friend... which is how I wound up where I did. He came to my rescue, just like you did," Eris smiled hopefully up at Lament. He was fiercely protective of them and she loved him for it. "I am surprised to see you here, though. Do you know where Balsam is...? Did he make it through the eruption alright?" Eris tilted her head.

Ballad's request made Eris wince. Yes, pain relief was also important. It was a beginner's mistake. "Ah, some feverfew and valerian... But I'm not sure any will have survived this long. A white flower with a bright, gold center and tightly packed, small pink buds. But we may be out of luck due to the season," she bit her lip and gave Ballad a quick nuzzle. Treating family was always difficult, but she was still a patient nonetheless. Eris wished she could taken on her sister's pain as her own - anything to help.