Set at Lord's Cellar The shadowy figures successfully tie her up and carry her from the depths of the cellar. On their way out, she sees a bruised and beaten Kuroki lying on the ground off to the side. His eyes are closed, but she can see his sides rising and falling softly. A muffled sound of relief leaves her as tears brim her eyes. Thank the heavens he wasn't killed. Without any energy left to fight, Celeste falls limp in the hold of her captors before she finally passes out from sheer exhaustion. a few hours later... A blunt object smacks across her cheek has her waking up in a fright. Blood and spit sputter from her lips as she blinks away the sleep and tries to see who it is. Their figures are hidden well within the shadows. All she can see is the glint of their eyes from the light of the moon. They untie her muzzle and she works her jaw to rid of the soreness that she feels in her mouth. "You're not her. Where is she?" Their voices are garbled and it has been so long since she has spoken Nihongo that she almost doesn't understand. "Who?" The confusion is obvious in Celeste's expression as her brow furrows. Memories from her own past arise, but she knows that no one would be looking for her. She had left willingly in hopes of amending past relationships. "The koi woman. Her pale figure is marred with red and black. We need her," again, Celeste is trying to focus on understanding and she shakes her head. A second later, the blunt object is whacking across her cheek once more. "Where is she?" The voices are spoken in unison as they become more persistent. ~Days and hours pass of travel and back and forth of Celeste leading them astray until they stop along the edge of a creek~ Laying against the soft ground, Celeste first felt water running up her nose. Choking on the liquid, she thrashes, but it is no use. The hold on her body from their restraints has her stuck to the ground. Coughing and exhausted, she glares up at the menaces. Time has passed in such a way that she has no idea where she is or how long it has been since her capture. She was on her last strings of life. It was either life or death and she wasn't sure whoever this woman was they were looking for was worth her own. As a paw comes up to press her face into the shallow water, she can feel their hot breath in her ear. "Tell us now or we will leave you here." The threat is real. She knows whoever it is, whoever they are, they are serious. They had had enough of her leading them astray. With how many bruises and injuries she had been given, she was ready to give in. Celeste looks up at the mysterious figure who is conveniently shrouded by the shaded canopy above. Struggling to nod, the captors can tell she is ready. Releasing her face from the water that she slowly drowns in, she gasps for breath. "South. Go South until you reach the bamboo. There you will find who you look for," Her voice is raspy, nearly gone. It hurts to speak. Straining her throat, she glares up at who she believes is her captor. Whoever this group is... is dangerous. She can hear them begin to howl in harmonious unison. A song that is terrifying in its own right. Moments after the howling echo dies off, they are untying her and disappearing. Not a sound to let her know that she was actually alone. Scooting just barely out of the water, Celeste curls up and closes her eyes. Tears fall in streaks across her dirtied cheeks. She had no idea where she was, whose lands these were, or how far from home she was. All she knew was that she was barely alive and thankful they had spared her. "Italics = Japanese"

Bay was growing more comfortable here, in Ethne. Day by day viewing it more as his home, and viewing those who lived here as his friends. More than that, his family. They're just as much his responsibility as the plants he's begun to tend to. Bay was putting down roots. He's putting down roots that will help him grow tall and strong, or at least, he can hope as much. There's always been an optimistic streak to the creature, and he suspects that everything will work out. If it doesn't, then he'll just have to keep rolling with whatever does. Easygoing is supposed to be the name of the game. Supposed to be, at least, until something strikes him as... off. There were different scents lingering on the breeze, and around the border. It wasn't super unusual for something to blow in off the sea but... was that blood? Could he smell it on the water, could he taste it on the air? Not moments after that, a howl. It sends Bay's hackles up, gaze growing fierce and rigid at once. Heart pounding in his chest, a sort of twitch coming over him. An alert, a warning, a call for anyone-- no, not for just anyone. Haydee. He needs Haydee, but he doesn't hesitate to charge headlong into whatever danger could be lurking. Plodding forward down the creek, Bay's gaze is alert. His steps careful, though over the water he can hear... is that crying? "Hello?" Concern has erased all suspicion of who this girl could be, and why she could be crying. "Oh no, you look cold... are you hurt?" Bay spoke softly, gaze soft as he closed the gap. Concern coloring his expression, the golden boy wouldn't pressure her but... well, it's clear she needed help. "Bay"

The sun warms the Auster lands as the mild summer days seem to be flying by. It is nearing the change of seasons and Haydée is loath to see this wonderful summer, end. Still, there is much to be done in her pack and, while she would have loved to spend the day stretched out on a warm rock, there are patrols to be run and things to be done. As she walks the well-worn path that leads around the borders of the falls that Ethne claims, a strange sort of dread begins to weigh down her stomach. Then, as if sensing her sudden apprehension, a chilling chorus of howls sings out from within the lands of the creek.

It is eerie, a challenge and a warning and the girl is off like a shot, racing toward the intruders even before Bay issues his own call… for her. Fear strangles her heart, making it flutter and pound like some caged bird as she worries for her Bay. Branches whip at her from the underbrush she rushes through, lashing out at her racing form and leaving welts in their wake but the young leader pays them no mind. She cannot, or maybe she simply will not, allow anyone to be harmed in her pack again… not since.... Morbid images of her father’s mutilated corpse flash in front of her eyes and, without slowing, she booms a command to those within the pack to seek shelter and be ready.

Soon after, a familiar golden coat appears near the creeks edge and Haydée slows, casting her eyes around in search of danger as she slows down to a trot. The soft sounds of crying reach her young ears and the youth casts her emerald eyes to the form curled up in front of Bay… and she stops. A monochrome woman lays in dirt, bloody, beaten, and just this side being alive and she feels anger boil her blood at whomever did this to her. With slow, measured steps the young woman approaches the pair, still alert for danger but also now protective of this injured woman. There is a scent that lingers around her, one that strikes her the girl as familiar.

As she attempts to remember why it is familiar, she comes to a stop near the woman and gently says, “You are safe now. I am Haydée, Leader of the pack Ethne and no one will hurt you here.” A paw lifts to gently brush at a tear that is trailing down the woman’s dirty cheek as she softly says to Bay, “She is hurt pretty badly, we need to get her warm and check her injuries. Go and gather the supplies you will need, I will stay and guard her.” Green gaze moves to catch his blue one and there is a seriousness in it that holds no room from argument.

This woman needs their help but the young woman will be damned if she is going to leave them alone while she goes and fetches supplies. No, at least she can defend the woman if someone still wishes to cause her harm.


"Haydée Kedieo"

As she lays there in the mud, a crumpled mess, she hears someone approach. Instinctually, her body tenses, and her eyes squeeze shut a little tighter. While she waits for whoever it is to come back and finish the job, she is surprised when a kind voice speaks up. Opening her eyes slightly and tilting her chin, she sees the golden dog standing beside her. Was she dead? She didn't feel dead. Blinking a few times, she opens her mouth to speak, but it is quickly cut off by the sound of someone else approaching. Again, her body tenses until a small wolf only a few inches shorter than herself comes to a stop near her and the golden canine. The words that come from Haydee are slightly muffled but understandable. Celeste only flinches for half a second as Haydee gently brushes a tear from her cheek. Letting out a sigh, Celeste lets her eyes close for a moment as Haydee turns to speak with the golden canine. Laying there, feeling helpful, she takes a moment. Her body hurts. Every inch of it felt bruised and it was clear some areas were bleeding. "Do," she rasps, her throat still aches from lack of hydration, but she has to get it out. "Do you know," her eyes crinkle as she fights the pain, "Hattori or Vidarr?" As much as she wanted to see Kuroki first, she knew that it was more likely this Alpha of Ethne would know Hattori or Vidarr before her husband. "Italics = Japanese"

Bay felt his heart squeeze, worrying for a moment about leaving Hay alone with her. What if whoever had done this to the stranger came back? He wouldn't argue, she was right, just... okay, he worries. He worries about everything, most of the time. It's in his nature, the man worries because he cares. He had a job to do, and the golden boy nods to his companion before taking off. He'd gather the supplies quickly, bundling them in a clean deerskin sheet. Careful, deft movements, though he's not the most graceful beast. Panting by the time he returns, Bay is quick to set about his work. He spreads the clean, dry sheet in the soft grasses beside the creek. Grabbing two bowls full of clean water and setting them to the side would come next. One to drink, one to wipe out the wounds so he could get a better idea of their extent. Perhaps a bit oblivious to the true gravity and implications of the situation, Bay was just happy to help. The golden boy approached the pair of women once satisfied with his setup. "Let us help you into the grass, please." She'd been through a lot today, that much was clear. Bay wasn't going to just grab her. "I'm healer, my name is Bay." Right, well he couldn't expect her to accept help from a stranger. Now he wasn't a stranger. Was he doing this right? Oblivious to her prior question, he looks to Haydee just to make sure. "Bay"

The injured woman tenses as Haydée approaches, finches when she gentle wipes away the tear and the young woman’s heart breaks into a million pieces that lodge painfully in her throat. Without needing to hear the words, she knows that these injures were purposeful and inflicted carefully by other wolves. Worry paints her features, tugging her lip down into frown and knitting her brows together. When she orders Bay to go and fetch what he needs to help the woman, she reads his anxiety in the boy that he feels about leaving them alone. A gentle smile is offered to the golden boy and she dips her head, promising him without words that they will be safe until he returns.

Then Bay is off, racing away to gather what he needs to help the unknown injured wolf. Raspy words each her ears and Hay turns from where she had been watching the retreating golden form to look at her new charge. It is obvious the monochrome woman is in pain and she gently shushes the woman while saying, “I know that there is a Hattori leads the pack Tojo-kai not far from here but I have not met him yet. However, I have met Vidarr! He is a very kind man who leads the pack that resides in Fenrir’s Maw. I can send word to them both about what happened and where they can find you… if you would like.”

It occurs to Haydée, as she is offering to send out word to the two men, that they may have been responsible for her injuries and she quickly amends the offer so that the stranger can simply tell her yes or no. Part of her doesn’t believe an alpha could willing injure another wolf to this extent but, since her run in with those scary males up north, she isn’t as certain as she use to be. As the moments tick by, Hay slowly moves around the woman while explaining what she is going to do, “You look like you are really cold. I am going to lay behind so we can share our warmth together. I am not going to hurt you and I can promise you that no one in my pack will harm you in anyway. This might be difficult but I need you trust me… okay?”

Gently, carefully, she lays on the ground behind the woman, slowly and steadily leaning into the injured woman until she can give use the girl’s body’s warmth. A smile is offered to Bay when he reappears, panting and hastily moving to set up a treatment area in the nearby grass. As he works, Haydée tells the woman, “I am going to lick away some of the blood now so that we can see your wounds better.” Waiting for the woman’s consent, the girl then slowly and carefully begins to brush away some the dried blood with her tongue so that Bay will be able see and treat her wounds better.

The golden boy soon joins them and Haydée stops her gentle licks to look up at him, nodding when he asks the woman to allow them to help her to the grass. As he introduces himself, the girl looks to stranger and says, “He is the gentlest soul I know. I promise you that you are safe in Bay’s paws.” With that she stands, readying to help the injured woman stand and guide her to where Bay has set up his healing area.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Celeste has not enough wit around her to pay attention to the golden dog. Even as he leaves, her attention remains on the small alpha beside her. Her attention is even more drawn to the woman as she confirms that she knows both Hattori and Vidarr. A sigh of relief swiftly leaves Cel as she lets her eyes close for a moment. Good, good, yes, they needed to know. They needed to both know that whatever happened, she had tried to prevent it, but whether it was her own life or someone else's she had a family to look out for. "Please, they both need to know," her voice hurt but she speaks anyway. When Haydee offers to help her stay warm and requests her trust, Cel only manages to nod. Trust was something she could give easily. Anyone who had met Vidarr and Hattori and thought pleasantly of them was a friend in her book. As Haydee moves to lay beside her, she hears the return of the dog, now named Bay. Allowing them to assist her up and out of the water and onto the sheet that Bay had spread out on the grass, Cel quickly flops back down. She doesn't move or speak as the two around her work. She barely nods when Haydee offers to link her wounds clean. That much is fine. At this point, as long as she lived, she didn't care what they needed to do. All she wanted was to get back home. "I-I want to go home," Cel whispers as more tears cluster around her eyes. How was she supposed to do that? She was in no condition to even be walking. How long had she been away? Did anyone know where she was? Had they gone looking? Was Oki okay? The last she had seen him, those... whoever they were, were beating him to hell. Fuck. Were her pups okay? A shuddering heave swells in her chest as she holds back the fear she has in her heart. "Speech"