Curiosity may kill the cat, but it certainly was no picnic for the wolf. The Queen of Glaciem had found herself interested in the great pits that had opened up during the earthquake. One in particular wasn't very far from Glaciem, and she had found herself drawn to it and ultimately into its depths. The tunnels were long, dark, and bleak - but they led to areas she found interesting and worth exploring. It didn't take her all that long to come across a river of molten rock. Precariously - and quite foolishly - she would find herself standing at its' edge, peering over and down while it flowed sluggishly below her. Her heart leapt at how beautiful it was, how majestic - but her mind told her that she was an idiot for standing so close. Immediately she backed away, following the river as it wound deeper into the underground. There was a point where it stalled and then leapt over a small precipice, creating a rock waterfall. As she passed it the river splashed up to meet her, gnawing furiously at the flesh on her right front paw. She screamed in agony, fleeing from the edge of the river and toward the wall of the cavern. Slowly the heat ebbed away, but the pain remained hot and angry. Furiously she shook her paw, but the molten rock had already fled. She collapsed to the earth in pain, whimpering and lapping at her paw repeatedly - to no avail. The battle queen had experienced more than one injury in the past, and was familiar with pain - but this sort of agony was like none she'd ever known before. Her flesh and her mind screamed, and there was nothing she could do. "Speech"

Erani

Erani padded easily along the edge of a tunnel mouth, one ear back to listen to Jinxx?s passage beside her. The young male had argued, and in the end, she had won the argument with one of those looks. So they were here, exploring the lands that the earthquake had opened to the surface. She needed to know if any of the underground passages reported by Erion and Alpine would be a danger to Valhalla, leaving a way open into the inner sanctums of their home. One thing was for certain. Valhalla would be prepared if Glaciem launched another attack. Snowy shoulders rolled smoothly as she paused, looking over at the cross marked son she had begun to see as a son. She had made fast time for a wolf her age, and still had a lot of energy left. She cast the male a smile. ?Ready?? Whether he was ready or not, she turned and stepped down into the mouth of the tunnel, going slowly and allowing her eyes to adjust to the growing dimness. Eventually, all she could see was a faint glow far ahead. She made her way toward it, ears flicking back and forth to catch any sounds. The glow grew, along with a sense of heat and movement, and the faint sounds of sluggish boiling. Her ears perked slightly as she approached, her pace slowing as natural caution rode her movements. She came out onto a ledge of stone, fur rippling in the hot thermals sent up by the roiling, sluggish river of liquid fire. Not fire? Stone. In this river, she could see the contours, see what this would look like if it were still. Her eyes turned, to seek out Jinxx. ?Quite the sight, is it not?? Soft voice was low, almost matching with the soft, slow bubbling of the hellish river below. Turning, she continued carefully. ?Keep well away from the edge, and one eye on the danger. If one of those splashes right, we could be in for a world of pain.? A scent brushed over her nose, and she froze. ?Glaciem.? The scream of agony followed shortly. Now, Erani wasn?t a wolf who could turn away from someone in pain, no matter who it was. The cry was female. Isardis had a great deal to answer for, and if it was he in pain, she would have let him suffer, and called the price even. Politically, she would rather stay as far away from the northern enemy of Valhalla as possible, and undermine them with subtlety; helping the lesser wolves of the northern pack, as Cormalin had done; though he had done it from the kindness of his heart, and a need to get the female as far from Valhalla as possible, and as swiftly as possible; and befriending the friendlier wolves, yet never giving too much information. As a healer, politics had no sway over the kind heart. She started forward at a careful trot, deep blue eyes seeking out the source of the agony. She found the female pressed against the wall, as far from the river of hell as she could get, licking at her burned paw. Her scent told a great deal. She was the queen, and Isardis? scent on her coat told a great deal about what was going on. The Ice King was ill, possibly from the injuries sustained during his fight with Seraphine. Erani felt no remorse for the male?s pain. This was a two pronged boon, possibly. Politically, there could be a gain from helping the Queen. A peace treaty, at the least. An Alliance was too unlikely. The bitterness between Glaciem and Valhalla was too deep by now for the packs to merge strengths. From a healer?s standpoint, she would be helping someone in need. Deep blue eyes held a hint of the feral ice about the edges as she gazed at the agonized female. To Jinxx, whom she hoped had made it safely with her, she uttered a soft phrase. ?Jinxx, Attend.? The Queens command to stand at attention. It was spoken with such a gentle regality, and yet as firmly as the stone under paws. ?I recall seeing a stand of Mullein outside the tunnel we entered. And Yarrow. Do you recall them? If so, please, fetch some for me. She?s in no condition to pose a threat at the moment.? Gentle directives, with the same penetrating stare that brooked no arguments. She was in the dual mode of Queen and Lead Theta. Stepping closer, she studied the injured paw, using the light from the molten river to assess the damage. ?Glaciem Queen, I suggest you stay put.? No name was given, as yet. From her bearing, it was obvious what her status was.

He had lost. Jinxx had done his best to talk Erani out of not going to one of the unexplored places that had mysteriously appeared after the earthquake. But alas, he here was...trailing after her. It had been several moments since they crossed the threshold into unknown land, Erani turning towards him with a one worded question upon her lips. With no more then a brief nod, he followed at a short distance behind, audits swiveling to and fro as he occasionally checked behind him to make sure they were not being followed or ambushed. He had not been much outside of Valhallan territory since joining, though it was mostly due to his caring for his ill sister. However, it would soon change once she got stronger, for he would have to eventually go back out and find those of his family that were still out there. He followed her through the cavern, his breath falling easily and calmly as blue opts adjusted to the dim light of this place, nose twitching as he took in the musty scents of cave and...heat? A tilt of his head would show upon his features that he felt a little puzzled. He could see a glow just over Erani's head, the light reflecting within his own eyes as they neared closer and closer, the light growing bigger and brighter. Soon, it would become apparent that it was not the sun or any other source of light he had seen, but rather something that seemed to be alive yet...not so. He slowed his movements so as not to walk into his companion, keeping pace with her all the same. They would come out onto a ledge, a blast of hot air rising up on a breeze and blasting his fur, the sudden temperature caused him to shut his eyes momentarily, before they slowly opened them again. Erani's voice would find him again, and slowly he turned his head forward again to look at the boiling liquid rock that seemed unreal to him. Never had he seen such a thing, and curiosity gripped him though he knew it was dangerous to try and get a closer look. The heat it emanated was a clear sign of that. He nodded slowly, glancing at her as she told him to remain away from the ledge. He chanced another glance at the molten river below once more as he continued on his way again, unwilling to near the edge and instead, keeping to the rock face on his other side. He was near the point of being aware and distracted, for he nearly walked into the older fae when she halted in her tracks. "Glaciem." He tensed for a moment, hackles beginning to rise before ears fell back at the sound of a piercing scream. He waited for Erani's orders, wondering if she would continue forth or turn back. Would she help an enemy wolf? He wasn't sure whether he would leave it alone regardless, after all, He didn't truly know Glaciem. Only what he had seen that day and heard from others. Jinxx was not one to judge, so if Erani had chosen to turn back, he might have chosen to go forth. But to his ease of mind, she had chosen to move forward, and so he would follow her towards the source of the sound. They would soon find a figure ahead of them, unknown to him, but carried the scent of the other pack from the battlefield. "Jinxx, attend." Immediately the male would come up to her side, his stature standing as tall as he could as oceanic blue opts gazed at the fallen queen. He glanced at Erani as she instructed him on what to do. With a few quick nods, he would turn around and make his way back towards the entrance to retrieve what was needed, though he didn't want to leave Erani alone for longer then he needed to. "Speech", "Thought", "You"

Had she had her way, the Queen of Glaciem would have loved more than anything to be completely alone at such a horrible, painful moment in her life. But alas, she very rarely got her way, and the scent of not one - but two others drifted toward her. She breathed a sigh, continuing her fervent massaging of her singed limb with her tongue. In the dark she could hardly assess it properly, but it looked as if blisters were already forming where the fur had been burned away. Oh damn this underground pit of hell. The two approached her, one at the head, the other standing at the ready. She ceased her licking and stiffened, lips drawing up to reveal her fangs. She was in no mood to be trifled with. The scent of Valhalla filled the air and she knew at once who the woman was. Erani, the Queen of the reformed Valhalla. She was ordered, or rather 'suggested' to stay put, and the right half of her upper lip would twitch involuntarily. Still, she knew enough of this woman to know that she could possibly help the situation if she didn't first make it worse. "I can hardly go anywhere," came the ever so slightly begrudging tone. Did Erani really think it necessary to order her around? "Stay away from the river," she noted with sincere concern. Even if she were injured it didn't mean someone else had to suffer the same fate. Besides, what good was a healer if she were disintegrated? "Speech"

Erani Adravendi

Jinxx obeyed quickly, slipping back into the shadows of the cave system, and Erani cocked one ear toward Sendoa as the female replied, a small glint of the healers amusement at a grumpy patient flickering through her gaze as she studied the paw. Nasty burn, it was. She probably should have asked for a scrap of willow bark, or alder, but Jinxx was gone already. Never mind. She could ask for it when he returned. Circling around Sendoa, she settled well away from the molten river, the light better favoring her work. ?Duly noted.? Was her calm reply. The part that was enraged by Glaciem?s attack on Valhalla over one wolf and their King?s injured pride wished nothing more than to find a way to harm those who had hurt her family. However, what would she gain through such actions? More war? So she would set aside the fury, and save it for the next war, should one come again in her lifetime. Politically, she held an advantage here, if Sendoa was an intelligent leader who could see the gain in cooperating. So she voiced, in measured tones, her proposition. ?I had been thinking over ways to solve a few problems. One, Glaciem has taken two children away from their mother, and a pack that loved them, despite who sired them. Two, I wish to secure a peaceful future for my family and pack. I know better than to suggest an alliance between Valhalla and Glaciem. The bitterness on both sides runs too deep for either pack to accept such an idea. However, in return for your paw?s treatment, and seeing you safely toward your home, and Eris? care, I wish to propose a Peace Treaty. Glaciem will leave Valhalla in peace for two years. Likewise, Valhalla will do the same. ?I would also like to negotiate the return of Soren and Kismet Adravendi to Valhalla.? She stated finally, deep blue gaze locking with verdant green. ?Do you accept these proposals as fair?? The choice was left to Sendoa, as she awaited Jinxx?s return with the plants needed to soothe the burns on the paw. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

It was only natural that a proposition would come from assistance, and Sendoa's emerald eyes nearly rolled as it fell from the Valhallan Queen's lips. However, she would resist the urge to do so, and would listen intently while the healer spoke. It seemed she would rehash old history of Glaciem and Valhalla before proposing a peace treaty between the two packs. And, to add the icing on the cake, she would ask for the return of Soren & Kismet to Valhalla. It was a lot to contemplate, and Sendoa found herself wondering if this was a risk she was willing to take. To give up Soren & Kismet and to advance a peace treaty was asking a lot - all for the simple treatment of her injured limb and an escort home (the latter of which she doubted she even needed). "So to recap, you're offering treatment of my wound and an escort home in return for two years' peace and the release of Soren & Kismet Adravendi. I see your two years' peace and offer forth, in addition, a clean slate. Glaciem will forget what was done to us, as will Valhalla forget what was done to them. This war was started over the desire for one woman and one woman alone - I see not why bitterness should continue now that she's chosen her side. No longer can Valhalla hold anything in the past against Glaciem. Grudges are dissolved, hatred diffused, prospects of war annihilated. In effort to demonstrate our good faith, we will agree upon the return of Soren & Kismet Adravendi - if fetched properly by one of your own in a timely manner." She paused, allowing this to sink in. "Now, Queen of Valhalla, do you see this proposition as fair?" Renegotiation was probably and most likely, but at least Sendoa had said her piece and the ball was now in Erani's court. The burning in her paw remained, a constant reminder that she was in need of assistance and would have to agree on some level to get along with Erani. "Speech"

He would return at last with the supplies needed for the injured Glaciem queen. He would arrive in a rush, paws slipping on loose rocks and gravel while the heat would warm his left side, pelt brushing the rock on the right. Black stained audits leaned forward as he caught traces and words of the conversation, though was it really any of his business? Yes, possibly so. He was a part of Valhalla, and Erani trusted him if he had been brought to explore new lands with her. He admired her as a leader, much more so as the mother figure he had lost. He was grateful that she had taken him in, and more grateful that she was willing to take in his lost family when they were found. But Valhalla was growing in numbers, and he was afraid that soon it might be time to go, to find solace and peace in a place where his family would be safe. But for now, those were thoughts for another time.



The figures would come into view, illuminated by the glow of the heated river as he made his approach. Setting down what he had gathered by Erani, he dipped his head in apology for his prolonged absence. "Sorry Erani, the heat from the river is a little overwhelming." He glanced at the female with the burned paw, his gaze indifferent as he did not know her, but even at first sight would not view her as an enemy. He knew little about the rivalry between Glaciem and Valhalla, though it did not concern him unless they did something to his family, of which they had not done.

Erani Adravendi

Erani watched as Sendoa mulled it over, ears pressing forward as the female that resembled her adopted son Taurig began speaking. A wry smile slid across the snowy Alpha Primary?s features. Such things as forgetting what was done will take time. Hopefully, by the end of two years, a treaty will not be needed. I accept the terms, however. Also, I wish to warn you. There was a male that allied himself with your pack during the siege. Very large, shades of grey, with markings like these under blue eyes.? With her paw, she drew the marks she remembered seeing when she, Cormalin, and Obsidian had defended Rayne from the male in question. A ?V? with a dot below. Her eyes were glacial as she spoke of this male. She met the verdant emeralds with the deep sapphire pools of chilled rage. ?This male, before the war, attacked one of our healers, Rayne. He attempted to rape her, but I and my brother, along with our friend, managed to run him off before he could defile her.? Jinxx? return was ignored for the moment, her eyes firmly locked on Sendoa?s. ?Soon after the war, he came back. He attacked Rayne while she was just feet from the borders. Raped her, and murdered her, tore her to shreds. If you have any information, or hold him within your pack, there is a blood dept that must be paid, and the price is his life, with as much agony as he has ever dealt, to anyone. If he is not allied with you, be on guard. Keep an eye on your females, as they could be at risk.? As she finished speaking, the fierce, feral rage was sheathed, knowing the point would be clear. Turning to Jinxx, she nodded. ?Thank you, Jinxx.? A gently brush of her muzzle to the males shoulder held warmth and motherly love, though it was clear he wasn?t of her blood. Turning back to Sendoa, she bent to examine the paw again, taking a few leaves of the Mullein and chewing until it formed a paste on her tongue, and began slathering the paw with easy, sure licks. Once her tongue was clear, she spoke. ?I will send a wolf to collect Soren and Kismet upon my return to my pack.? Her eyes flicked up to Sendoa?s face. ?What will you do, should you dear king choose to threaten this tenuous hold on peace? Stand up to him? Or will you cast aside your word?? It was a good question, and one that needed to be asked, and answered. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Erani spoke on, mentioning that forgetting would not be easy - but Sendoa knew it was possible. One only had to want to forget something in order to forget it. Time was another factor, and if - after two years - Valhalla could not forget, then it would be their loss. She then began to treat Sendoa's wound with care and concern as soon as the male with her had returned with what she had requested. The Queen relished in the feeling the salve provided and hoped sincerely that the wound would heal soon enough. The white Queen mentioned she would be sending someone for Soren and Kismet, and Sendoa nodded - pausing to contemplate the followup question. What would she do if Isardis cast aside this agreement? ?I will cross that bridge when - and if - I reach it.? It was the most honest thing she could say. Truthfully she knew not if she had the drive to stand up to Isardis, she would never know unless she was backed up against the wall. "I had best be getting back to the Kingdom, thank you for your assistance." The words tasted bitter - like day-old meat - but she spoke them with relative ease. Reluctantly she placed weight upon her injured paw, finding it to be sore and tender - but able to hold enough weight to hobble back home. Exit Sendoa~ "Speech"