*set after encounter with Cina*

It had been several days since the encounter with his son. He had run into Cinaed with nothing more than sheer luck, and when he had seen him, he had wanted to try and clear the air and see if the damage that had been caused could be repaired. But then he showed up. The moment after Cina had declared he was no longer a Praetor and was abandoning the name, Blödhgarm had surfaced. He had appeared at the raid, too. Tearing into a member of the opposing pack and leaving a vicious mark. He had attempted to do the same to Cina, nearly tearing apart his child by the tail, but Cina had prevailed and the moment that happened, Blödhgarm had disappeared to leave Ignis with the aftermath. The Crimson male had taken his time returning from the Bifrost, unwilling to return in a hurry, and instead, remained in the wilds of Boreas to grieve the loss of his son. How had it all happened? He couldn't even remember what had led him to leave Incendium and half his litter of children behind. But because he had been pulled away for something he couldn't even remember had strained and just about completely destroyed the relationships he had hoped to have with them. But it had all been shattered in an instant. The pain that emanated from his head where his left ear used to be was strong. But he welcomed it. A reminder of his sins against his family. All that was left there was a small bloody stump, the ear practically completely gone and there was definitely no saving it. Like a pitbull whose ears had been cropped for a dog fight, that was Ignis. He would accept it without complaint, but would Blödhgarm? He had no idea if the demon would seek retribution for this crime against his lineage. And Ignis hoped against all hope that his children would be spared from Blödhgarm's wrath. Stumbling onto pack territory, his fur was stained with now dried blood from his fresher wounds that lay over some of the wounds he had received at the raid. Physical pain was the only thing that seemed to cover up and distract from the mental and emotional wounds, but this time, it wasn't enough. He had taken some bottles of the strongest drink he could find and guzzled them down until he was so fucked up and so far gone that he had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten here. It was only thanks to his companions that he had even made it to his spot in the caverns, paws sloshing through the shallow waters until they guided him towards the pool that sat in the back of the cave. "Go get Eden." The wolverine instructed the cockatoo who wasted no time in flying off to get her. In the meantime, his wolverine companion tried to get Ignis settled but struggled as the dire wolf resisted and snapped at him before sliding halfway into the pool. Water sloshed and whatever little creatures that had gotten stuck there frantically swam or hid trying to avoid the intruder. The water bubbled as his face disappeared under the water for a moment, paws scrabbling against the slick rock as he tried to pull himself out, but in his intoxicated state, couldn't. His body kept swaying too much and he could barely stand let alone see clearly. Instead, he settled for simply accepting defeat and dropped his head against the sand just above the edge of the water. A mournful howl sounded from his lips, eventually dying away into silence. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Eden lay in her den, snoozing. It was only when the arrival of one of Ignis' companions frantically shrieking over her head did she wake up. Starting from her nap, she had only moments to compose herself before the cockatoo was leading her off. Her mind was still fuzzy and unclear, and she stupidly stared at Ignis's frame for a few moments before something snapped in her to hurry. His ear was torn off, never to be recovered. Old wounds from the raid opened up again. She bit back a sigh. What had happened now? It was becoming common to welcome him back, beaten and bloody.

He seemed to have dropped into the water to wash, or just... admit defeat. His howl made her sad. Even if he never would speak to her about his problems, it still made her feel compassion. "I'm here" she said, at last, moving closer. His companion seemed to leave her be after that, but she could feel both their eyes on her "I won't ask you what happened" Eden accepted he would always just show up like this long ago, no explanation given to her. It was too much to ask, apparently "but I'm here." She reached out with a paw to try and touch the ragged ear, trying to access the damage done.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

He felt...a different kind of pain this time. Something different. Something...new. It wasn't like the pain that he felt when Corvus broke his heart. Or like the abandoned feeling from when his father left him and his sister to die. Or even the pain he felt when he realized what he had done to Acere when he drove him and his cousin out. Or when he abandoned the pack...he really couldn't place it. He had let his kids down. Let Cinaed...down. Blödhgarm had attacked him, likely making any chance at saving their relationship irreparable. It hurt like nothing he'd felt before. And it didn't help that the feeling was coupled with fear of what might happen in the future. Ignis was content with leaving him be. Leaving them be if they told him that they didn't want him in their lives. But would Blödhgarm leave it be? Would he accept that? The words that his Demon had said to Cina echoed in his mind. Defectors must be purged! He shuddered involuntarily. The thought that his Demon would pursue those he loved terrified him. And he didn't know what to do about it, or if there was anything he could do to avoid it. "It hurts..." He murmured to both himself and Eden. He would take whatever punishment came his way. No matter the cost. The inebriated man breathed in Eden's scent. The scent of her pregnancy. The pups that were growing inside of her. He didn't know whether to take comfort in it or to be afraid of it. This was the first time he had been around someone that carried a litter of his own. His first had been found as tiny things, their eyes not even open. Yet somehow...they were still his kin. A whine escaped his lips at the thought, eyes squeezing shut as he tried to push past the pain of it all. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

The maim... was a mess.

She breathed in the scent of infection easily. If she didn't do something soon, fast, it could spread. Digging out a chunk of moss, she began to dip it into the water and clean him. Eden didn't know how long he had remained in the wilds, but it clung to his pelt even when she tried to clean it away. Someone had gotten to him. Maybe he deserved it. It really didn't matter in the end. What was done was done. "I know, Ignis." She tried to soothe, placing another paw on his massive shoulder. She rubbed her paw there, letting him know she was here.

He didn't seem to realise she was, complaining about pain and hurt. Emotional or physical. She tried to clean fast, but gently. The dirt began to succeed. It began to become treatable. She was careful about his shredded ear though. Careful, slow motions. If he winced, she stopped - but only for a few minutes. Let him adjust to the pain, the stinging sensation of blood dripping clear again. "I can't save your ear" Eden began slowly "but I'll clean it the best I can. You won't lose hearing in it." Not if she could help it.

"Speech"
2/3 - treat patient

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"I know, Ignis." He breathed heavily, almost as if he were holding back the beginnings of the need to sob. But no matter what, the tears wouldn't come. He leaned into her touch when she placed a paw on his shoulder, a pitiful whine slipping past his lips. How pathetic he must look now. How...vulnerable and stupid he must look. And yet, it was only in front of her. Nobody would ever get to see him like this. Not if he could help it. Not for as long as he had control over it. What had he done in life to deserve the brutal mind beating of the demon that coursed through his father's blood? He had tried so, so hard to stay away from it. To fight it off for as long as he possibly could. But maybe he hadn't been strong enough. Maybe he was weaker than his uncle. Maybe it was Acere that had been the strong one. But his demon tried over and over to convince him otherwise. He would wince here and there as she touched his mangled ear. Sucking in a breath as he blinked through blurred vision to try and find the source of the discomfort. He tried not to move while she worked, but sometimes it was hard not to sloppily jerk his head back or sway as he lay in the water. He could vaguely hear the drip of blood as it flowed fresh from the wounds being cleaned. Tainting it. Just as the demon had tainted him. She said she couldn't save his ear. That his hearing wouldn't be impaired. But honestly, he briefly wondered if losing his hearing on that side would somehow mute the Demon...but alas...he could dream right? "Do what you must..." He whispered, lowering his head down again to give her easier access. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Do what you must.

The words again. The words she hated to hear. Eden controlled her bristling pelt, the venom of her words in her mind. Do you want to die? she thought do you want me to just leave you here? She didn't care he was being vulnerable, even weak. He was a patient as well as the father of her children. If he sought fit to be vulnerable with her, show another side of himself... She only hoped he would do it with their children too.

"I shall."

Eden said shortly, cleaning and massaging the poultice onto his ears. The burning wounds would be clean by now, so she applied the poultice of marigold and other herbs to that as well. She allowed the silence, even if she hated it. Not until she was done applying the treatment did she speak again. Eden eyed him out of the corner of her eyes. "Come on" she said gently "come lay down." She prompted him to rise, curling her small snout under his chin to also prompt.

"I'll be right here" she also vowed, trying to guide him to a spot clean and comfortable in the Cavern. She circled the spot she chose, quickly covering it with some spare moss "I won't leave." She had every intention of sitting next to him while he worked through the pain.

"Speech"
3/3 - treat patient

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children