Northern lands were still a foreign concept to the brown girl, who had traversed this far only in hopes of seeing her brother. Her memories of his violent attacks against her still filled her nightmares, but her waking thoughts were all that she missed him dearly. Olympus had not even begun to fill the hole in her heart where he should have been, though it had proved to be a suitable home all the same. Still, there was no denying that she missed August, and there was only one way that June could think of to solve that problem. Of course, she wouldn't dare actually seek him out, but she might have lingered a little bit longer than necessary at Tortuga's borders before wandering past them, and heading for the unclaimed frozen expanses of the North. If she couldn't have Gus, she could have the next best thing; a place that reminded her of him. Now, perhaps the rulers of Olympus might not have been pleased about one of their subjects wandering so far, but June couldn't bring herself to worry about it. She had needed the peace, and one could always find space up here, it seemed. June breathed a contented sigh, despite the shivers wracking her frame, and slid back onto her haunches. Her tail wrapped around her paws to warm them as much as she could, before the girl let her muscles relax. Tension flowed from her frame as she breathed out, seeming more comfortable alone than she had ever been around the wolves of Olympus. "Speech."

You are worth fighting for. You know we've all got battle scars. The northern lands were so desolate, so bleak, so empty... So much was missing in his heart. A bite had been taken out of it, left to rot and to be pecked by birds. Honey-dipped irises were blank, dulled by hidden pain, one that he had never spoken about, trying to keep his head held high for his queens, and for his peers. When he would be found alone in the north, his head would be held low, honey-dipped irises filled with tears of regret. He had given in to the disease. He had let it control him. His breathing hallowed as the thought of her fearful face. Her pleas. He had ignored them all. Who was he? Not even he knew anymore. He was no brother... no pack member. All he was... a shell of his former self. Where was the young summer child he once knew roamed within his consciousness. He was lost at sea. Everything was lost. He had given up trying to hold his head high. There was nothing left to fight for. He would leave. For the good of all. The summer child didn't want to break anyone else. He didn't want to shatter anymore hearts, no more bonds, no more promises. He would exit the lands of Alacritia, and leave no traces. Honey-dipped irises had only been held low to the ground, endlessly only seeing the white of snow, trudging through a field of frozen flakes. No words were said, and no thoughts were heard, except for one. "No more... I'm n-not worth it... I-I'm not w-worthy of a-an-anyone..." In his throat choked the words, struggling to be forced out of his inky lips. Frozen tears were plastered to his cheeks, inky lips sealed tight by frosty air. To his nose came no scents, to his ears came no noise. Nothing. The world was monochrome, only black and white. The bittersweet between my teeth. Trying to find the in|between. Beyond the Tortugan lands he was now, slowly moving throughout the lands. His mocha pelt stood from the snowy and bleak landscape, insides gnawing within from hunger. He was done. It was time for him to leave. He paid no mind to the sibling who had been reclining nearby. Buried in snow his muzzle became, as he would slide onto his side, honey gaze fading. A scent finally would come into his nostrils, stinging at him. He didn't care anymore... what brother would neglect his sister's love and caring? She was here now... but it was already not worth it. His mocha crown would only move upward to take a glimpse of her bodice, honey gaze dulled. "I-I-I'm s-sorry..." From inky lips the words were forced out, choked with icy tears.

When his scent curled under her nose, June thought at first that it was her imagination playing tricks on her. The brown girl raised her head, amber eyes scanning the horizon - and then her heart froze in her chest at the sight of August. He was half buried in the snow, his eyes drifting close even as she stared at him. "Gus," She breathed his name, soft as a whisper in the frigid air. She found herself on her paws in an instant, padding slowly and cautiously towards the male. Gus' apology filled her ears and June leaped forward, closing the remaining distance between them with a bound. She nuzzled against him, pressing her muzzle into his cold fur, wrapping her petite body around him as best she could. "It's all right, Gus." June soothed softly, pressing her nose against his ears, licking his head gently. "It's all right." The words fell from her maw easily, but she remained pressed against him, offering him as much warmth as she could. June needed him to be okay. She had been his shadow forever, and to stand without him was not something she could even comprehend. It had always been AugustandJune, never one without the other - until Alacritia. But even now they were close, and even with the memory of his attack pressing against her skull, threatening to make her flee, she remained curled against him. His wellbeing came before her own, always. "Speech."

It's just you and I, tonight. No... nothing was alright. He was sinned, he was a disgrace. Shame washed over him once more. Why did his sister still care about him? Why? His honey gaze sought nothing from the brown vixen's sight, as he would stagger upward, ignoring her words of encouragement. "No." Honey gaze was hard as he staggered backward, hunch-backed, with his ringed banner stiller than the ground. "Nothing is a-alright, J-June." His hackles rose with hostility, but smoothed out quickly as he recoiled against his thoughts. "W-why d-do you s-still care a-about me? A-after what I d-did to y-you?" After he had threatened her life, after he had attacked her, after leaving her wounded, after leaving her heartbroken. No-one could figure his heart out anymore, not even his own blood. He had let the disease win against his will, and he had let it twist his mind into a wicked beast. He had even turned against the Tortugan pride he knew and loved. "I h-have r-responsibilities now... in T-Tortuga. I-I was r-recently p-promoted to L-lead Fighter in m-my pack, a-after the p-plague." The aftermath of these words sent a shudder through his mocha-hued bodice, honey gaze dulling. Russet orange audits flattened against the back of his skull, honey gaze narrowing as icy tears began to fall again. Why, why don't you figure my ❤️ out?

Hurt flashed in the girl's eyes as her brother recoiled from her touch, but June forced herself to put it aside. There were bigger things than her hurt feelings at stake here. Her brother could get hypothermia any minute now - this could not be good for him. "You were sick," June whispered, fighting to keep her voice even. She had learned of the plague after fleeing him, of its side effects and of the violence it instilled upon its sufferers. "You couldn't help it, Gus." June's voice was a little louder now, a little stronger as she spoke up. June pressed forward, drawing cautiously closer to Gus, making a cautious attempt to press herself against his side once more. Should he draw back, she would take the hint, but if he was willing to stay still, June would offer him what little warmth her body could offer. "That's great, Gus." June murmured, amber gaze tracking her dear brother's form, "You deserve it all." He did - he deserved better than the anxious little shadow that June had been for all of his life. Things going well for him in Tortuga meant a lot to the girl. But it only made her more sure that she needed to help him see that it wasn't his fault. "Speech."

So wake me up when it's all over. His dear sister was so close to him, but he was so far away. Honey gaze would dull at the sound of her voice above the howling winds, a snarl ripping from his throat. "I could have helped it."?and his words were all true?He had fought against the plague, fighting against it's wicked desires to bend his will. "I let the plague control me. I submitted to the disease too early. I gave up on myself..." Tears stung against his eyes, honey gaze glassing over with sadness, his voice sounding once more, but a feeble whisper. "Why didn't you l-leave when I told you?" The summer child would push himself upward, russet orange auditories flattened against his skull. That was the only question that mattered to her now. Why? Why... Darkness peaked at the edges of his vision. No... Suddenly, he would begin to trudge in an unknown direction, honey gaze narrowed to the point of barely registering light. What his destination was?a cave?was unclear to any those who simply stumbled upon the boy. The shape of a den came to view, as relief surged over him as he would begin to trot toward the den, collapsing within, breathing short and quick breaths to warm the cold air inside the enclave.