I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis spared a glance to the sky, wondering if the thick cover of gray clouds would ever release their rain. Her joints were sore, more than they had been, and as a result she'd taken a tumble, cutting the back of her left hind foot. It bled and stung but sheer stubborness pushed her deeper into what had been Aerie's territory. However, there was no pack here. Had they fled? She'd warned Eligos that the pirates would some day raid, but she'd expected him to build up his forces instead of fleeing. Had something else happened?

Pyralis sat heavily at the edge of the lake. Her age was catching up swiftly with her now and her mind turned toward her children. Asharya was such a wild spirit she had little hope of sending a messanger but as far as she knew Ashiel was settled in the old homelands. Could she send a message to him? Could she see at least one of her children one last time? She hissed as she shifted her legs, sticking the injured limb out and forward so she could bend over and lick at the wound.

Riva mused at the sudden changed in her life as she carefully picked the wild yarrow. She supposed she should be accustomed to change by now. When it happened to her, it happened in great sweeps that changed the landscape of her life. Time and time again and yet each change still startled her. She and Pyr had opted to stay behind when the pack shifted to a band and started their journey as a roaming group. It had been too hard to leave behind her garden and the body of her daughter lay beneath this soul.

She had realised how hard it would be, without the bustle of pack life to dilute her sorrow. That she would be lonely, instead of joyful with just herself and her partner. She missed her son, through she didn't fault him from wanting to explore the world. For leaving them.

She sighed, and turned and was startled at the intense gaze of her Lynx as he stared into the forest to her right. The spotted cat started forward. trusting his judgment, the tiny wolf followed after. The Lynx led her to another wolf, A stranger, and one clearly injured. "Hello" Riva said, straightening and approaching on her own now. The long night might have left her with mental scars, but she would always be a wolf who healed first and worried later. "Do you mind if I take a look?" She patted her healers bag, the freshly picked yarrow sticking slightly out. She looked very much like a little healer.

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis wasn't sure if she was making things better or worse. She hissed at the stinging sensation that crept up the limb as she attempted to clean it. Alkali called out from her perch and Pyralis looked up to see a small, pretty woman standing there with a bag of plants. She led with a greeting and asked if she could take a look. Pyralis looked her over for a moment. She seemed like the genuine helpful healer type rather than a psychotic poisoner.

Pyralis nodded and smiled softly. "Certainly, I'd appreciate the help. These old joints don't let me be as graceful as I once was." She shifted and flopped on her side, allowing the injured limb to lay within easy access of the healer. "Do you have a name? And what brings you out this way?"

Riva approached the ageing wolf, and made soft tsking noises under her tongue. Really, her poor old body deserved better than the abuse this wolf seemed to give it. She didn’t say anything however, and instead got to work. She pulled out a jar which contained salt water induced with Trillium. “This is going to sting” she warned the woman as she pulled out a piece of clean moss and bent down to take a closer look at the back of her left hind foot. “Luckily, it's not too deep. You’ll get away with covering instead of stitches” she decided “I’m Riva, and I was a part of Aerie which used to reside here before Eligos turned it into a band” She explained to the other woman, her words mostly to distract the other wolf as she began to apply the cleaning solution. ""

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis quiety observed the pretty little healer, nodding at the warning that it would sting. She grit her teeth but did her best to put on a tough exterior. She couldn't really say why. Who would care if she wailed and winced at the pain? Old training she exposed. Much of what she'd been taught as a pup was still embedded deep within her even at her advanced age. Even after all these years of freedom she could still feel the weight of her family name pressing at her shoulders and gnawing at her heels.

Her ears perked up as the woman introduced herself as Aerie and explained that Eligos had turned the pack into a band. How the mighty had fallen. The Abraxas were apparently never meant to keep a foothold in these new lands. Had Eligos packed up because of her warning about the pirates raiding or for another reason? She felt that tug of responsiblity again but shook it off. She wasn't Amon, she wasn't some great leader that would lead her kindred into the future. Pyralis was far to given to impulse, for instance, the impulse to lure this woman back to the pirates. Sparrow had Hanako, rumor was Ignis had Eden and she had failed in abducting the Armada girl. Maybe she could succeed here.

"Ahhh I see. My name is Pyralis. Why didn't you go with Aerie? Not that I mean to pry. It works out well for me. If you have the time I'd really appreciate some help back to my den. Old joints and spring bears are a bad combination I'm afraid. I don't live far, just in Fern Gulley."

She gave Pyralis a quick, sad smile. Glancing up from her work on the taller wolf as she did so. She wasn’t going to get into the fill of it, but even the short version was painful. “My daughter is buried here. My garden, my partner - Pyrrhic. I decided to stay, instead of to go with the rest of the band” She explained. Having finished cleaning the wound, she patted it lightly dry and began to wrap it. The older wolf's offer of helping in her den was surprising. Riva liked to be useful, she needed to be applying her healing skills. But… “I’m not sure, I'm still not sure I could leave here.” She explained, though it was painful to say no to an old wolf in need. ""

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis wasn't the sort ot easily give sympathy but at the mention of a daughter buried here her thoughts couldn't help but flash to Asharya, her own daughter. "Ahhh… I'm sorry." She wondered what had happened but opted not to press. It didn't bode well that an Abraxas child had been loss. What on earth had been going on with her family? She hadn't caught much of Pyrrhic's scent about but based on Riva's words she could only assume he was around somewhere. Though why had he decided to abandon Aerie and hang around here with little to no show of ambition? She inwardly scoffed. She'd never have been allowed to grieve the loss of a child so deeply as to lay her duties to the side. Would he come for this woman if she did not return?

“I’m not sure, I'm still not sure I could leave here.”

Pyralis smiled gently. "Oh, I'm sure you could. You see, my full name is Pyralis Abraxas. I'm Pyrrhic's aunt, well, great aunt. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you helped me home."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the mention of the lady's last name. She was Pyrrhic’s Auntie - she hadn’t meant the woman, but that was no surprise. There was much of the Abraxas family she hadn’t met. The older woman asked for Riva’s help home, and for a moment the healer hesitated. She paused, and then was ashamed of the pause. Her heart might hurt, but she was still a healer first. She could not more turn down a request for help then she could stop her breathing. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I suppose that makes us in-laws. Of course I’ll help you home” She agreed. Pyralis had told her it wasn’t far, so Riva knew she would be able to find her way back here. Back to the quiet lands of a once pack and a well-settled grave of a girl too young to be gone. ""

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis grinned wickedly as the woman agreed to help her. She had to admit she was having fun pulling at Riva's heart strings and she wondered if she could get Riva all the way back to the Plunder before Pyrrhic or anyone else noticed. Bonus points if she could keep the woman away for awhile. Wouldn't it be fun for Pyrrhic to come riding in like a heroic knight to rescue his lady? Some might call it cruel and perhaps it was. Pyralis had eyes for her own entertainment and little else, even when it came to family. At this point even if she wanted to stop herself she hadn't the will. Carefully, she eased herself up onto her feet, groaning as she went. With a stretch she popped her back. "I do really appreciate this. Old joints are a real curse."