[OOC: After this and this. Before this. Also a little mood music if you like that sort of thing.]

Her howl had been hollow, but it was clear she expected the wolves of the pack that were available to come. Haggard was not often a descriptor one would associate with Modesty, but here she was, puffy eyed and snot nosed, disheveled. But what else could she be in this moment? Her heart had been ripped out and she hadn't even been there to see it.

They had barely crossed the borders, stumbled across them really. Siduri must hate her, but she couldn't let her daughter charge off to meet the same fate. There would a time to deal with Ethne but it would require more planning than blindly charging off. By Kenway's estimation they had met a lone wolf with 6 others, and a bear. A fucking bear. Siduri already knew what her mother had to say so she didn't expect the girl to make an appearance, Kenway was curled into her side. He had seen things today no child should have to see.

She didn't register who came and who didn't, they would have time to share the news amongst themselves, there were enough bodies about to say what needed to be said. "Today Kenway witnessed six Ethne wolves and their polar bear set upon Gilgamesh. He saw his father's death with his own eyes." No point to beat about the bush. "A bounty to whoever brings the bear, and on any body part an Ethne wolf can be parted from. Leave the leader alone. There are other plans for that one."

She had said all she needed to. Stay or go, she would be here to speak to those who wished to, despite her desire to do little more than race home and hide from the world. Any chance to be alone with her grief, even if just for a moment.

"speech"

He was nearby when Modesty returned, but when she had left, Gil had gone too, and as he watched Mod walk by, she looked like shit. He looked beyond the celestial babe for signs of Gil, but didn't see him. Maybe she had finally knocked him into next week. So why was she all gross looking like someone had died? And her kid equally looked traumatized. The fuck? Before he could ask what the fuck was going on, she announced something unexpected. Gilgamesh? The Gilgamesh? Dead!? He was shocked to hear it, of course, and it took him a moment to process what had been said. But once he managed to regain his composure, even if just a little, a feral snarl ripped from his throat as his gaze grew dark. Who had dealt the killing blow? Bellamy? Her giant pet? He remembered when he took the child from them the first time...

"Let me handle the bear." He snarled, fur bristling. "I took her once before. It's time I remind Bellamy and her pet what I am capable of. I'll have the bear before the day is through." Or ya know, as soon as possible, anyway. Provided Modesty gave him the authority to do what he needed to do.


"Speech"

Exhausted but clearly grateful, Modesty draped a paw over Kenway's shoulder, holding the shaking boy close. "No rush, we should savour revenge, no?" There was a dead glassiness in her eyes as she responded to the Provoker. "Don't go alone, I can't afford to lose you too. Someone has to be around to teach these brats I'm carrying to fight, we can't have them tripping and falling to knock opponents out." It must have been delirium taking hold, the way her lip quirked in a grin and tore her heart to tatters with the movement. She was certain she had run out of tears on the journey home, but still more fell. "Y'know, I didn't even get a chance to tell him..."

"speech"

In truth Flurry was probably living up to her self appointed role as the disappointment at this point. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been sober. Couldn't remember much of anything in truth. Logically it had to have been before that final conversation with her father, when she'd tried to just express what she feared most and then had left, too afraid to see how much she'd let him down. They hadn't exactly been on solid terms in months, even prior to that.

What Flurry was about to learn was going to nearly kill her. She staggered her way drunkenly towards her mother's call. And the words she heard felt like she'd been knocked around by a polar bear. Flurry was pretty sure she was going to be sick. Others were speaking, and she could only make out voices, everything sounding like she was underwater. This. This was what she'd been trying to avoid, the fear she'd been trying to get anyone to take seriously. That aggressions would keep mounting until someone ended up dead. There was no satisfaction in being right. Only nausea. She was sick. Her booze filled stomach heaving itself onto the ground in front of her.

Flurry had to get away, had to leave. She needed oblivion and she needed it now. Having emptied herself into the ground she wobbled herself away. She was going to avoid consciousness for as long as she could it was all she could do at this point.

-Exit Flurry-

- | movement | speech  -

code by Cloudy

Updated 01/13/23: I am currently on indefinite scarcity, please be patient and don't remind me of missing tags right now.

The sound of his mother's howl is different. Off. Something he's never heard before and it concerns him. Having returned from the raid not long before the call, he was busy tending to his own wounds. Chatting with the new Morwenna girl as she slathers some antibiotic on his open cuts. He doesn't stick around though to continue their conversation. Whatever his mother was calling about had to be important, especially if she was sounding so... harrowed. Making his way to the ravine where she stands with Ignis, a paw draped over Kenway, his ears perk up. His father dead? A bounty on Ethne? Unborn pups? Another round of heathens? The information swirls in his eyes and head, making everything around him woozy for a second. He doesn't notice Flurry emptying the contents of her stomach nearby, but his own feels seconds away from doing the same. Inhaling a deep breath, Scald holds firm and finishes approaching Modesty and Ignis. If his father was truly dead, he wanted proof. "I will go with Ignis. We can take Deluge and Dread with us," there is a firmness in his tone that isn't usual - Scald isn't known for giving any fucks. "They don't deserve to handle his remains so I will be bringing his body home," his teeth clench together, his gaze hardening as he stares between the two older adults. There wouldn't be any arguing this time around. Nope, he was going to bring Gil home, dead or alive. Scald Fallen

table coding by bunni ♥

Just finishing setting up her own humble abode along the shores of the Avian Estuary, Calliope was heading back toward the ravine. She was in need of some more furs to fluff up her bed and some raccoon or badger sounded perfect. Minding her own business as she stalked through the shadows, checking every tree, she was surprised to hear her mother's call. Since she's not an official member of the Raider's, Calliope would normally ignore the call, but something sounded... different.

While Calliope wouldn't typically worry about the well being of others, she also wasn't going to miss a death of her family or anything like that. Making her way through the woods, she arrives just as the initial message is finished. Standing at the back, dazed and confused, her eyes widen and mouth goes dry. The words of Ignis and Scald go unheard, even Flurry's appearance is unnoticed.

Dead? He's dead? He couldn't be... Fury rises as the bile does in her throat. Whoever had done this to her father would be dead by nightfall. "They'll fucking pay for what they did," the words seethed out through clenched teeth before she even realizes what she's saying. Muscles tense, fur bristles, ears pinning to her head. They would pay. "Where? Ethne you say? Point me in their direction," Calliope steps forward, eyes ablaze as she stares hard at her mother.

"Speech"