He couldn't really hunt anymore, without risking a searing pain in his bottom jaw. And, because of the promise he made to Zisa, with a slight nod, he couldn't do anything that got him hurt. His adopted daughter apparently didn't like the sight of him hurt. If the gold and black male tried to speak, the dull throbbing became a pain like when he opened his mouth. The black and gold male had not taken care of himself, enduring the pain to make sure that Zisa was okay. Freyr could talk some, but he didn't really want to talk for long. Mainly, he was sending his adopted daughter back to Akemi and Einarr so she could be healthy. Then, if two the two females let him, he would head back to where he had found his den until he healed. Glancing at the small child walking beside him, her white tipped tail wagging, Freyr felt a pang of sadness. Well, at least this time he hadn't lied to her; she knew that she was going to live with her mother and brother until he got better. Then, as they were walking, a quiet voice rose up to his ear, and he glanced down at Zisa. "Dad, why don't you stay with us? I bet mom would be happy to see you again." Freyr shook his head, and Zisa fell silent again. At the border, Freyr lowered his head to his adopted daughter. "Can you howl for me?" Zisa nodded, her light purple eyes shining. She raised her head, and let out a puppyish howl. "Hear Me Talk," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Zisa was happy for a reason other than her adopted father knew. As soon as her puppyish howl went into the air, and even before that, she knew her mother wouldn't let him leave. If she did, there would be something wrong. The multicolored pup was sure that Akemi had worried about the two. And even if Akemi let him go, Zisa sure wouldn't. Even if he wasn't her real father, she still loved him like one. After all, she'd probably never meet her real father. Glancing at Freyr, who stood in silence, her tail wagged, and she waited with him. She wasn't the one to be quiet a lot of the time; she had Einarr for that. She loved her brother, but he was so quiet. Or maybe she was too loud.

Now she was confused. Shaking her head, she sighed. Was it just her being impatient, or were they taking too long? The logical part of Zisa stepped in at this. They probably only then heard your howl. Give them time.

He had been gone, as had her baby girl. Akemi was enraged that Freyr had left with the child, or perhaps that Zisa had followed him. But moreso... it was out of worry that they were both hurt, rather than just the one that should have been old enough to take care of himself. But Akemi was worried, so scared for them. If anything happened to her daughter... Akemi knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself. Oh her poor child... her poor baby... The female would walk with Einarr beside her, trying to speak to her son, to get him to open up, when the small puppy howl was heard... within the territory. Akemi breathed in. Freyr was technically trespassing now... having abandoned Secretua after getting his jaw broken. Hopefully she could get there before Rune, but the girl had no doubt that the man would show. She would have to allow him to pass judgement on her brother, her daughter... but at least they were together. Akemi would rush ahead, her single red eye focusing on the two. It looked like Freyr's jaw was healing somewhat... though without a healer proper healing could be an issue. An aggravated sigh left her as she came up to the two, examining her daughter first before placing a lick on her head. "Gods above Freyr do you have any idea how worried I was about the two of you?" Her hardened gaze held a bit of mist, tears threatening to fall. "...and you've been off the grid so long... I don't even know if Rune considers you Secretuans anymore." "Hear me talk," 'but read my thoughts.' "Hear Tiny talk," 'but read Tiny's thoughts.'

Table by:: Keno

Freyr had relaxed for a moment or two, his blue eyes closed as he waited for the brown female to appear. Zisa was at his feet, pressed against one black and golden leg; he could feel her licking the fur he could reach. Moving his paw out of her grasp, her heard her annoyed huff, and the feel of her sharp teeth nipping at his paws, her tail hitting him and making him jump whenever it moved. A familiar scent made him open his blue gaze, and he saw his sister standing there, letting out an annoyed sigh at them both. A tiny, happy whimper was heard from Zisa, and Freyr glanced down, as she stared at her mother with wide violet eyes. Gently, Freyr nudged his adopted daughter towards Akemi, into the territory, but he stayed where he was. Zisa gave him a questioning look, but Freyr kept his blue gaze on Akemi, listening to her. "Gods above Freyr do you have any idea how worried I was about the two of you?" At the sight of Akemi's gaze watering with tears, Freyr pushed himself past the border and closer to her, nuzzling her in a way that wouldn't hurt his broken jaw. At her next words, he backed back out of the territory. "...and you've been off the grid so long... I don't even know if Rune considers you Secretuans anymore." He shook his head, glancing at Zisa, who tilted her head with her eyes watering as well. Still....Rune wouldn't want a wolf who would take up space without being able to make up for it. Backing away even more, he managed to speak. "Good thing he'll only have to think about accepting Zisa for now." He glanced at Akemi, and, even though it hurt him to leave his family again, he spoke the words that he hadn't been able to when his adopted children found out the truth. "Akemi. I'm staying by myself until my jaw heals and Einarr and Zisa are okay. I may not be back, if my jaw doesn't heal well enough that I can hunt." He stared at the ground, suddenly unable to look at them. "I'm sorry." He turned his gaze towards where he had come from, and began to walk back. Until he felt sharp teeth in his leg, not playing now. "Hear Me Talk," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Einarr had been with Akemi, though stalking along after her slower than perhaps his mother would have liked. He was surprised when she sped up and, with a frown, he would trail after her like the loyal son that he was. Soon, however, he saw the cause of her speed up. He hadn't heard Zisa, preoccupied with his thoughts, but there she and Freyr were. Freyr was, trying to leave? His heart would give a small ache. Freyr might not have been his father, but the man had tried to be. Tried to make him smile and be a father for him when his real father was nothing but a worthless heap of dirt. A whine left the boy, and surprisingly, Einarr acted before Akemi, racing to stand in front of the man.

"F-- Dad... Don't go." The male would whine softly. It was the first time he had ever called Freyr dad, but it was the simplest way the boy could think of to show the man he cared for him. Respected him. Loved him. Red-violet eyes would try to meet with blue hues, wanting to stress his desire for the man to be there. "We're a family. We need you." He would say. For the first time in a long time he felt something more then his angst and bitterness.

When her adopted father had been about to leave, Zisa wasn't sure what to do. So, she had raced towards her father, and sunk her fangs into his leg. When Einarr spoke, she released her adopted father's leg, waiting for her brother to finish before she spoke up. Einarr's right, dad. Without you, we wouldn't be anything like a family. She glanced at her brother, and Akemi. I bet you'd do anything for mom, right? Well, she'll be worried about you if you just leave again. So, if you really would do anything for her, stay. That would be the best thing to do for her. While Zisa was the more childish of the two siblings, there was nothing about her that would make anyone think she was kidding. Speech

Walk | Talk | Think He had heard the howl and had only delayed going to answer it himself because of his respect for Akemi. She had proven herself as a valuable member of the pack, stepping up when it was not asked of her and when it was. She was an asset for him, but her brother? Freyr had disappeared without a word, to him or Akemi. And not only that, Akemi's young daughter Zisa had gone missing with him. He hoped beyond hope, as a parent himself, that the girl was with her uncle, that she was safe, for Akemi's sake if nothing else, but it caused a deep rage in him that the man would disappear with the girl that was not by rights his. In the end, he could not wait very long, and though he had not been called Rune did hurry to meet those who stood upon the border. He found them all gathered together in a group, Freyr safely on his side of the border and Akemi on hers, both children obviously placed in some kind of distress by the looks on their faces. It only raised his concern for Akemi's small family further, and he quickly padded forward with every air of authority. His gaze was all frosty coldness as he looked at the man across the border but softened slightly as he glanced at the young girl, returned presumably safe and sound to her mother. "Is she okay?" he asked as he stopped beside Secretua's Huntress, the question directed at Akemi only. It was probably the only thing running through his mind that seemed appropriate to ask in front of the kids.

Akemi was truly frustrated with her brother beyond belief, but she was very glad her little daughter was alright. She would lower her head to the brown and tan girl, licking her head. Then, as Freyr came close, she would gently press into him. She cared for her brother deeply, and she had been so scared for her. But... As he backed away, the remains of Akemi’s ears would shift. Only accept Zisa...? The female was less than pleased with the news, though she was frustrated with his disappearance in the first place. Now that he was back he was just going to leave? “...and how do you expect to care for yourself in the meantime?” Akemi would ask slowly, remaining where she stood. Did he expect to live if he couldn’t hunt for himself? Wasn’t he damning his own existence Both her children would try to convince Freyr otherwise -- even Einarr calling him ‘dad’. The huntress would let her gaze fall, barely registering Rune’s approach until the man was beside her speaking. The huntress would lift her head, her single red orb resting on the Secretua Guardian. There was pain in her gaze, mixed emotion to duty and family. She would breathe in, swallowing hard. “Rune... I... I’m going to leave this to your judgment.” The words were hard for her, but she could not beg on Freyr’s behalf when he left Secretua before without a word. She would turn her gaze back to Freyr and the children. “Einarr... Go with Zisa and wait by the den for now. The adults ned to talk.” "Hear me talk," 'but read my thoughts.' "Hear Tiny talk," 'but read Tiny's thoughts.'

Table by:: Keno

"Not easily." Came the quiet reply from Freyr, in response to his sister. Lowering his voice, so the pups wouldn't hear, he continued. "Hell, Akemi, I can 't even eat the smallest thing without being in pain." It was true. Even though the male was nowhere near the state he had originally been in, he was still starving. Most or all of the food had been given to Zisa, in hopes that the pup would stay strong. And, guessing by her begging for him not to leave, she was. Blue eyes softening as he watched his adopted pups, his head lowered. A small smile managed to find it's way onto his maw. "They're like you, Akemi." He muttered to his sister. When Rune appeared and gave him a frosty glance, there was no response from Freyr at first. "I suppose I deserve that look, allowing Zisa to stay with me." He sighed finally, glancing at his niece, who was watching Rune with wide, scared eyes. Carefully lowering himself to the ground, tucking his legs neatly underneath him, resting his head on his paws. Really, the whole sight was of complete defeat. There was no fight left in him, not yet. Glancing up at Rune, he spoke. "I'm sorry for leaving, Rune. And keeping Zisa with me. I will leave if you want me to. But will you keep Zisa in the pack?" "Hear Me Talk," 'Read My Thoughts.'

At Rune's question, Zisa spoke up. "I'm fine!" She huffed, a little angry that the alpha had directed it towards Akemi. Her mother didn't know if she was okay, because Zisa hadn't said. But she had been. But, glancing towards her adopted father, she was about to speak, when he did something that made her gasp. He lay down, and Zisa moved away from him. "Dad?" Her voice was soft, as she nuzzled her father. At his words, she glanced at Rune. No. Rune couldn't make him leave. Freyr would die. He couldn't eat. He couldn't hunt. Tears shining in her eyes, she stared at the alpha. "Please, Rune. Let him stay. He's not able to hunt, and what he found he couldn't eat. He won't..." She allowed her voice to trail off, glancing at her adopted father again. She thought of the worse things that would happen. Her going to check on him and finding him dead. He had to stay here. "He's not my father, my real one, but he may as well be. He's been there for our family." Speech

Freyr’s words to his mother were hardly comforting at all. The boy just wanted Akemi to be happy, for his family, broken as it was, to be together. He would look between his adopted father and mother, giving a whine when he noticed Rune there as well. His mother wanted to send them away, and... Why wasn’t she sticking up for dad? Didn’t she care about what happened to him? No... Of course she did. This... This had to be hard for her. Einarr could read it in her body language. Choosing between what was right for the pack and for her family... It was hard. Einarr would give a whine of his own, looking to Zisa as she plead their ‘father’s’ case. “I know you’re probably mad... Cause he disappeared without a word... But... Our other uncles were really scary... And they hurt him bad. He needs help...” Speaking wasn’t easy for the boy, especially like this. He would look at his mother again, feeling his heart clench. “Can he stay until his jaw is better at least?” Medical treatment... A temporary stay. Just so his mother wouldn’t have to worry about the man. That was all Einarr would ask. "Talk" "You" Think

Table by:: Shelby

Walk | Talk | Think The little girl had some bite to her, taking offense to his question somehow as she huffed in an indignant sort of manner. Rune was not impressed with the little prissy display, though seeing Freyr sink to the ground on his side of the border was enough to allow him to overlook it. Yes, he deserved that look, and more, but with the young ones present, the Guardian hardly felt right saying exactly what was on his mind and showing his authority as he would have preferred. If he had it his way, he would have chased Freyr clear of the border, herded the family back inside to the pack lands proper, and never given another thought to the injured runaway. It was just a shame he had an impressionable audience who would have responded poorly to it. Akemi, in a clear show of her loyalty, gave Rune the freedom to do as he wished with Secretua's transgressor, and even Freyr did not try to plead his case, his only concern being for Zisa. It might have spoken well for his character, that little selfless act, but one small act could not account for all the time he had done nothing to prove himself a worthy member of Secretua. In Rune's eyes, he was useless, now more than ever, and to keep him around would have meant wasting food on someone who brought nothing to their pack but strife. The children, however, seemed to think differently on the matter. They pleaded for him, in the girl's case speaking as if he was worthy of their help and in the boy's with mercy, but Rune could only stare at each of them with a stern look that could easily have been mistaken as a glare. Zisa obviously did not understand the seriousness of what he had done, and Einarr still thought him deserving of their help despite his abandonment of them. Rune growled, losing a bit of his patience as his lips curled slightly back and the dark fur between his shoulders rose. "He deserves nothing," he all but hissed, turning his piercing blue gaze upon the injured, runaway man himself. "He's never done anything for the pack. Even when he was a part of it, he chose to run away rather than come back and seek our help when we would have provided it. He turned his back on us." On you, he wanted to add, but he doubted the kids would see things as he did. Somehow they still thought him "good," though he was far from it. "Even now he doesn't want to be here," he stated lowly, sure that if not for Zisa Freyr would have continued to avoid the pack. But he waited, giving the male the chance to prove him wrong if he wanted to. Otherwise his mind was made up: he wanted him gone.

Rune said that he didn't deserve anything, and Freyr glanced at the alpha, and at his adopted pups, who seemed upset. His daughter wouldn't react all that well to what the golden and black male was gathering his courage to say, but he doubted that she'd go against both him and Rune. Raising to his paws, even if it wasn't the best move, he glanced down at his adopted pups, but didn't meet their gazes, or his sister's gaze. A soft sigh escaping his jaws, the male got ready to say what he was going to, even if it would bother the others. Well, the male thought, his blue gaze meeting Rune's for a moment, most of them.

"He's right, you two." The pain spearing through his jaw was worth it, in a way. His presence had caused this, not Zisa's. And it was only right that the small female be returned to her home. "I deserve nothing, and I ask of nothing." It was clear to the golden and black male that Rune was going to let Zisa stay. Glancing away from the others, away from the border, the male spoke to them all again. "With this, I take my leave." The male was being quite proper, if only for his adopted children's sake. Lowering his head, the male didn't meet his children's gazes, but kept his own gaze lowered.

"I'll see you around, hopefully." Glancing at Akemi and raising his head, he met her gaze for a moment. The male didn't move any closer to her, but gave her a small nod. At the moment, the male wasn't sure if he would make it to see his family. But the golden and black male accepted that.

--EXIT FREYR--

The pleas of her children hurt her heart. Hearing them call for Freyr to be giving another chance, a chance at being something better than what he was, being able to heal in Secretua hurt her so. But Akemi knew that this was the right choice, the only way. She would listen to Rune pass judgement, and she could not deny his words. Freyr had not acted for the sake of the pack. He had barely shown his face around here... She would keep her gaze lowered, her heart clenching in her chest. Somewhere deep inside Akemi wanted to cry. She wanted to cry and cry and let herself break down. But she knew that Freyr would not stay. He had come just because of her daughter, because of Zisa, and that alone was it. Akemi would slowly lift her head, just in time to meet Freyr's gaze one last time. The remains of her ears shifted, her red eye shining with hurt. She didn't want him to go. Gods above she didn't want him to go. The only one who was still able to stand beside her. She would fight the urge to whimper, watching him leave. Then, and only then, would she call to her children. "Einarr, Zisa, come on. It's time we go back to the den." The female would give a small look to Rune, giving a small, almost apologetic smile. Then the tiny female would turn, making her way back to her den. -Exit Akemi.- "Hear me talk," 'but read my thoughts.' "Hear Tiny talk," 'but read Tiny's thoughts.'

Table by:: Keno

Did his mother not care? Einarr did not hear her speak on his father's behalf, though Zisa would try as well. The young man would give a deep sigh as Rune spoke, passing his judgement. There was nothing more that could be done, was there? The boy felt a sense of anger, both at his mother and at Rune. Without help he wasn't sure what would happen to his stepfather, though he was certain that it wouldn't be too good. He would feel that anger bubbling up, even as Freyr spoke. Did none of them see it? Did his stepfather really not want to be with them anymore? Einarr would heave a sigh, looking to his mother. No. Seeing how sad she looked he knew that this pained her, letting him go like this. But still... why did she let him go then? Why wasn't she stepping in and asking Rune to make Freyr stay? There was still so much of this world that the boy didn't understand at all. After asting a look to his sister, filled with worry, Einarr would follow after his mother. There was surely much to discuss back at the den. "Speech"

Table by:: Eldarwen

The tiny female gave a sigh as Rune spoke, then her dark ears pricked up as her adopted father spoke. For a moment, a single moment, Zisa thought that he was going to prove himself, to do something, anything. She wanted the golden and black male to stay there, but it seemed that he would not. Her purple eyes lowered, barely giving her mother a glance as she watched her father disappear from sight, away from them. Glancing up at her brother, the tiny female glanced at where her adopted father had been just a few minutes before. Zisa opened her jaws to speak, and what came out of her was a tiny voice, almost a whisper. Why didn't he want to stay, Einarr? Didn't he think? Zisa was almost sure that her adopted father hadn't considered much of it. Then, if he hadn't considered his own safety, what had he considered? That he would be a loner from now on and die a loner? Zisa glanced at her mother, taking in her own sadness and only making her worse. Her mother probably knew that the male may not see them again. Once Einarr started to follow their mother, Zisa glanced back one final time, then walked to her brother's side. EXIT ZISA Speech

Walk | Talk | Think Rune's hardened gaze stared at the golden colored male as he made no objection, no pleas, to stay in Secretua with his family. In fact, he seemed resigned to the fate the Guardian wished to condemn him to, even though it could have meant his death. It was impossible for Rune to decide whether he did it out of cowardice from not wanting to beg the leader of his pack for a place to stay or if he had simply grown a backbone and wished to accept what fate dealt to him. But either way, he backed away from the pack border, offering his goodbyes, and departed. Staring after the broken man, the grey wolf felt just a bit of smugness. He had been right, had known that Freyr would leave and called it openly, only to have his assumptions confirmed. But as he huffed and turned his attention back toward Akemi and her children, none of which looked the least bit happy with what had happened, his pride deflated. He hated being right sometimes. The small but strong mother called her children to her and excused them, to which Rune answered her half-hearted smile with a firm nod of his head. He let them walk ahead, giving the little family space and time to process the loss of their father figure for a second time. Eventually he would go to check on them, to see that Zisa was settling in okay and that Akemi was hanging in there. But for right now he suspected they would only need each other. With one final glance over the border at his pack's most recent loss, Rune shook his head disappointedly and turned to go make himself busy elsewhere. -Exit Rune-