It had been about a week or so since she had come to the aid of a pair of younger wolves near the Elysium border. While she did have other family and pack matters to attend to so she couldn't see to their care herself, she was more than confident leaving them in the capable paws of Irilyth and Ikigai to make sure their injuries were treated and she stopped by occasionally to check on their visitors. She had never intended for Elysium to be a landing spot for wayward souls, but quickly it had become just that and she was not one to question what fate brought her way or when. She and her family were fortunate enough to have more than enough resources to go around so she certainly didn't mind providing for those that needed it.

After finishing up a patrol and doing her usual touch base with Avacyn, Manea made her way through the mountain range paths to the cave where they had made an infirmary and place of healing. It had been Lotus and Terra's temporary home for the time being so that's where she came to check up on them. It was in the afternoon by now and with the winter came shorter days, but there was still several hours of daylight still ahead of them. Manea stepped into the cave and out of the chilly winter wind, stepping into the warmth provided by a burning fire near the entrance. Spotting the pair on one side of the den, she gave them a smile and walked over to join them. "How are you both feeling today?" she asked while trying to get a visual gauge for how their wounds were coming along. She knew Terra got the worst of it, but she wanted to check on them both regardless.

"Manea Mendacium"

The week that followed Terra being brought into Elysium lands is a haze of drugs and pain. She remembers a slate and cream shoving a concoction down her throat when she had awaken screaming from the pain of her leg being set. She remembers Lotus had been there and, as tears of pain slipped past her dark eyelids, the girl had shoved herself as deep into his side as she could before giving herself up the darkness. After that, the earthen toned girl remembers that there were a few times that she woke up, drugged, uncertain, and fearful and, each time, Lotus had been there. Now, with a week of pain management and time for her cracked ribs time to heal, the girl is feeling… slightly better.

Today, she lays propped up against Lotus, drifting in between sleep and restless wakefulness when the purple Matriarch appears. Groggily, Terra blinks her eyes open while attempting to shift away from the large form of Lotus so that she may sit up. Cracked ribs protest at the movement and, after several moments, a soft whimper escapes before she gives up her attempts and remains laying down. At the woman’s words, the girl softly says, “Much better than I was a week ago.” A chuckle bubbles up but is cut short as the movement jars her healing ribs and causes her to wince.

Giving a small sigh, she looks to the woman and softly says, “I owe you my life. I… can’t thank you enough.” Dipping her head in respect, Terra knows just how woefully inadequate her words are at expressing the sheer amount of gratitude that she feels at the help and care Manea and her pack has offered them. She also knows that both of them will remain in the pack to help if she will allow it.


"Terra Qilaq"

Since following Manea and Alastor into the Elysium pack, Lotus had scarcely left Terra’s side. The horrible sound of her pained cry haunted his dreams, and he often woke, anxious to check on her at all hours of the night. He knew that the time they spent within the pack lands would cost them, but he could hardly bring himself to care. Whatever it cost, he would pay. They had come for them when Lotus thought no one would. It was because of Manea and Alastor that Terra would make a full recovery.

As Manea entered the den and checked in with them, Lotus placed his head over Terra’s side, looking at the purple wolf from across Terra. “Much better, thank you” He said. Talking more about her care of Terra than anything else. His own injuries had been slight. “We both owe you” he said softly.


"Ivy"

Manea could tell in Terra's struggle to sit up and the wince she made at any movement and chuckle that while she might be doing better than she had a week ago, there was still a lot of healing and progress to be made. At the very least it seemed like the earthen hued woman was making progress and that was comforting. Still, she smiled gently and nodded as Terra and Lotus both replied that they were doing better and expressed their thanks and the debt that they owed her. She shook her head at the latter part and came to sit across form them, not so close that she would be encroaching on their space, but still close enough that they could speak comfortably and Terra wouldn't need to struggle to speak louder than a soft tone.

"You don't owe me anything," she assured them, waving off the notion with a wave of her paw. "I've spent the last few years building up this pack and our resources, but it's very rare that we ever have a reason for the excess we accumulate. I'm happy to be able to provide for wolves that really need it." She gave them both another smile and added, "But I do appreciate your gratitude." Even though she had never truly considered herself an altruistic individual, but being a mother and an alpha had certainly given her a reason to reconsider how she approached the world.

"There is absolutely no rush, please take all of the time you need to get back on your feet, but do you have somewhere to go back to? Or any plans once you're ready to leave?" she asked after a moment, giving them a curious tilt of her head. This was the first time since they arrived that she had really had much of a chance to talk to them so she didn't know much about the pair or where home was for them. She hadn't picked up on the scent of a pack on them, but she hadn't been sure if that was because they were truly loners or if she had simply missed it in the rush to get them to the healers.

"Manea Mendacium"

Lotus has been the one constant thing in the young Terra’s life. Since she met him, during the flash flood, the boy and girl have scarcely left each other’s side. The fall had been scary, the pain almost unbearable but, when she would wake up in a daze of pain and drugs, Lotus was always there. When she struggles to sit up and fails, the blue boy gently lays his head over her back in a protective, yet comforting gesture. He speaks and she gives a small nod, offering a thankful smile as Manea approaches.

It is a kind gesture and one that Terra is extremely grateful for. Having busted ribs hurts and she tries not to expand her diaphragm any more than necessary. Her head rests on the ground but her emerald gaze is glued to the Matriarch, ears perked to catch her words. A smile tugs up the corners of her lips and at the talk of plans, a sad, yet, hopeful look appears in her eyes as she softly says, “We, uh, don’t have anywhere to go.”

Ears slick back a moment as she thinks about the cave she grew up in and knows she will never go back to that. Luckily, the pair had been talking about their future and what they want to do… together. But talking hurts so Terra allows Lotus to relay what they had discussed to Manea and hopes that the purple Matriarch will be willing to receive them.


"Terra Qilaq"

The only person he wanted to bind himself to was Terra. He would have thought he was done with packs, after his home had disintegrated… but a debt was owed, and he was starting to realise that he didn't mind where he was. So Long as Terra was with him. Manea spoke as if they didn't owe her a debt, but Lotus didn't feel that way.

His gaze drifted back to the girl in the healers bed, and fondness softened his expression. He thought of the threadbare bag he had made for her fire starter, of how little they both knew about survival. The two of them had discussed staying if it was offered to them, and Maneas words seemed promising. "Do you have any spaces in your pack, Manea?" He asked softly. Not wanting to assume that an invitation had been issued to them if it wasn't explicitly stated.

While she wasn't entirely surprised to hear that the pair did not have anywhere to go from here, given the lack of a pack scent on their coats, she had more expected for them to want to go back to being loners. She knew many wolves that preferred to live on their own or in smaller pairs or groups so perhaps that would be the case for these two. Instead, Terra seemed forlorn and almost a bit hopeful in her mentioning that they did not have a home to return to and when she glanced over to Lotus as he spoke she was pleasantly surprised by his question over whether or not she had space available in her pack.

Manea's smile widened and she nodded easily. "There is plenty of room here in Elysium and I'd be happy to have you." When she created Elysium she had never imagined it being a refuge or as much of a collection of lost souls as it was, but she was happy with what her pack had evolved into. Being able to offer a home to those that needed it brought her an unexpected joy. "We can get your permanent living arrangements and positions in the pack set later. For now just continue to rest and heal and let me know if there's anything else I can do for you." With that she gave them both a small dip of her head and turned to leave, leaving the young wolves to the peace of the healing den once more.

"Manea Mendacium"