Rhyme stood on the carved boulders that made up the monument to give the rapids their name. Blue and lavender eyes unable to separate from the deep black clouds that gathered to the north of Abaven. Solitude perched on his back while Imperia struggled with the violent winds above them. The slate alpha felt his stomach drop when the ravens had brought the clouds to his attention. If they brought rain it would be torrential, guaranteed to bring about flash flooding.

That threat was secondary on his list of worries, the first was just as frightening. Lightning seemed to continuously flash in those impossibly dark clouds. If they finally found purchase on the ground below a fire would surely begin. Dark brows knit as the storm was blown closer, revealing that they would not be letting their rain loose anytime soon.

”Imperia!” He shouted over the sound of the wind as the Clouds grew closer. ”Find Shaye!” He couldn’t hear her reply, but it seemed she heard him and veered off with the wind. Rhyme’s eyes returned to the ground as the clouds reached the far side of the thicket. As he was aout to take shelter on lower ground he saw it happen. What he feared the most.

Lightning cracked ad the bright flash of light raced to the ground. Without the rain the fire started quickly. Rhyme felt his heart stop, but didn’t hesitate to take action. He threw his head back as he raced towards the thickets, his message a clear warning. There was fire in Abaven.

Shaye was just outside Abaven when the day-storm started, and she hurried back. Her children hadn't seen many storms in their time, and she wanted to make sure they were safely in their dens. Who knew where they might be in the early evening hours. She had just crossed the border when Imperia found her, she looked to the bird at the same time as lightning flashed. She couldn't see it hit at this angle, but the flash of light in the gloomy day startled her. She really wanted to find her children. She was about to ask Imperia to help her when she heard Rhymes warning cry. [I] fire [\I] his frightened voice cried. Shayes fur bristled in worry. A threat of wolves was one they could face, but nature herself? She picked up her pace, the dry storm crackling over head, and she could feel the energy in the air tingling on her tongue.


She ran, she ran like her life depended on it as she moved towards Rhymes cry. She found him when she reached the thicket, and she could see the blaze, tearing through the long grass as quickly as rushing water through a river. “Rhyme!” she shouted as the clouds boomed above them. “RHYME!” She shouted again, certain her first cry had been swallowed by the sky. Her eyes were almost white with fear but she didn't stop moving towards the fire. “EVACUATE THE THICKET. EVACUATE THE THICKET. GET TO THE RAPIDS” She howled with all her might.


She didn't do as she ordered, she was close enough now to feel the heat on her coat. “Get to Brandr’s den!” she cried to Rhyme, thinking his was closest to the blaze and afraid him and his family may get trapped within their den. She struggled to remember how many denned in the thicket. “I'll get Octave!” The only other wolf who denned here was Cael, but she was certain her navigator wasn't in abaven territory, she hadn't scented her for a while. [I] Cannival[\i] she wasn't certain where the lioness denned. She would try, she would try to find her next. "Octave!"

Motif loved her new playmate and best friend. She sneaked into the thicket every chance she got to score piggy back rides and simply play with the giant lion. She was having the time of her life getting to know the woman and treasured every moment with her.


She was hopping through the tall grass, utterly unaware of the dark clouds above her. All she could see was greenery, through it didn't frighten her, getting lost here, as it had the first time. Not since Canny had come to rescue her. She didn't stop until the sudden flash of lightning, where she froze in surprise. She didn't start to panic until she heard her parents cries, warnings, and orders. “Help!!!” her tiny voice howled, she was too small to see the way out of the thicket “Mummy, Daddy, Canny, help!” she began to run in frantic circles, already she could feel the heat of the blaze.

(Cannival rescue?)

Cannival Cannival had spent the morning napping peacefully in the depths of the Thicket where she was to stay out her probationary period. When Motif wasn't around the territory was rather boring, so the cat would often find herself sleeping the day away as the best felines did. The foreboding darkness of the sky had gone unnoticed to her, and the bushes that bordered her make-shift nest did wonders to block all but the hardest gusts of winds from penetration. Deep within sleep, the lioness stirred. Something was happening and somehow, instinctively, her body had sensed the change in the air. A loud crack boomed overhead and the winds began to rage harder then. Cannival was awoken so abruptly that the female's head bashed into the brushes overhang, catching her ear and face painfully. She tore away from it and with a surging of adrenaline the lioness shot from the bush as fast as her legs could carry her. On the wind she could hear a chorus of panicked howls and it hit Cannival hard that she was likely not the only one in danger. Her pelt puffed up in panic, and head swiveled intently to find the largest tree she could. The fire was looming now, and even though her breath was coming quicker she felt she could hardly breathe. Finding a suitable tree not too far, the lioness launched herself to scramble to the highest point she could, teetering carefully upon one thick branch to survey the area. Her eyes were beginning to burn now, and she was almost ready to turn tail and run when just before her and towards the flames she noticed the rustling of tall grass. It moved against the wind, and whatever it was that ran through the blades was doing so in a wide circle and was most certainty panicked. It was impossible to hear with the proximity of the blaze, but as she narrowed her eyes and prepared to step off the branch, she saw a small blue snout pop up into view. Motif! Cannival was shaking now, and she threw herself from the tree haphazardly, feeling a sharp pain shoot through her paw up along to her shoulder as she did so. She couldn't afford to dwell on it long, though, and she continued in a dead-sprint towards the rustling grass. It was pure luck that the lioness didn't trample young Motif in her urgency, and as the pup came into view she slowed just enough to ensure that her first grab wouldn't miss. Large jaws parted wide, and she enveloped the youngling's back with them and tore her from the ground. Cannival couldn't take care to be gentle, now; the fire surged before them with growing intensity. She continued forward for a very brief moment before slamming her front paws into the ground to force a sharp turn away from the enveloping heat. The pup's paws swung helplessly below her maw as they weaved, and she wished she could say something to comfort her. The lioness thought hard back to when Motif was explaining the layout of the Thicket. She'd not been toured around the other territories of Abaven, and she had no idea how large the blaze might truly be. Water was what they'd needed. Salamanders! With a re-ignited urgency, Cannival took off towards the east. "Speech"

Leonce had been spending his days in Abaven trying to get somebody, anybody, to teach him healing. He wanted to be useful to the pack but their healers felt hard to get ahold of. Despite being a navigator Leonce hadn’t left packlands much, he had scoped out the neighboring lands but not much else.

The boyish wolf had been hiding from the potential rain in his den when he heard the call. Fire?! He hadn’t been around much fire but he knew it wasn’t good. He looked around to find his companion before lightly scooping them up in his mouth, he wanted Colin where he could see him. Leonce ran towards the rapids and looked around, depositing the annoyed ferret on the ground. He could smell the smoke starting to drift over. None of this was good, how many of the other wolves were safe? Should he go try and help? He couldn’t stand around and do nothing.

He saw the approaching form of another animal that didn’t look like a wolf at all as it got closer, it looked more like a cat with…a pup! Leonce immediately went on the defensive, he couldn’t tell which pup it was but all the pups he knew about were Shaye and Rhyme’s. Leonce had never seen a lion, but seeing the pup in a foreign animal’s mouth didn’t set right with him. Staring at the lion with a gaze he had never made before Leonce said “Put the pup down.” He wasn’t the best at sensing the other animals true intent which would undoubtably make for an awkward encounter later, but in the moment Leonce was ready, willing, and able to rip that lion limb from limb should they make any sudden moves.

Eulogy's day had started like any other, wake up, get a little morning snack and hide away in the thicket being, as she saw it, useless as always. No one could of told her the hot day would of taken a turn for the worst in such a quick time either. She'd been doing her best to avoid everyone and stay out of the way. But the storm clouds she thought had signaled rain to the dry land. An end to this drought. Everything happened so fast. She'd been laying in the thicket under her close to dying tree, where her den and home was, when as it seemed all hell broke loose. The lightning seemed to strike almost directly behind her on her tree and in the moment she let out a yelp. She had never once encountered a wild fire so the smell that reached her and the sounds of orders and panic that came next, to say the least stunned her into shock. There was danger here somewhere her head told her but as her eyes watched the flames flicker and roar into life before beginning its rampage she was frozen. She didn't know what to do! Her home! It was burning her tree! And heading for her! Her ears folded and she reacted as quick as possible but not quick enough. A branch falling struck her, a gash opening on her brow, knocking her to the ground and causing her to emit a screech of pain. It burnt! She scrambled to get up and shook her dizzy head. She needed to find Ryme and little Poem. She rushed to escape the fires skidding to a halt as she heard a cry from a child. It wasnt poem but that didnt stop her. Of course she spun and ran towards the sound squeezing her eye shut to stop the blood from flowing into her eye. Her head was throbbing and her breath came in coughs. She came to a halt as she saw the scene through the smoke. A cough came from her and she eyed the Male and lion. What were they supposed to do? Obviously she wasnt hurting the child. A croak of a howl left her for Rhyme. A lion on top of this disaster, stealing a child no less!but there was no way she was reaching them with this headache. It was almost as bad as when her father had bit her upon the head, if not worse. Actually no, it was worse, definitely worse. She couldn't stay here either though. She needed to make sure Poem made it out okay. She turned on her heels and started again towards where she hoped Rhyme was. But then again she had barely left her den, let alone learned the territory. But self preservation and her determination to see the next day had her. She was starting to move slower but she was still moving. By the time she made it clear of smoke and her paws touched water she was exhausted and just flopped. If she had the sense about her right now she'd of called for someone. But her head was splitting open it felt like. She let herself lay there in the shallow water though, it felt nice on her brow as she pushed the brow into the water and settled on her side. Coughs came from her as she struggled to catch her breath in clean air. ""

She had joined Abaven a few days prior, and while she had picked out a place to den, she hadn't quite finished digging it out. She had chosen a spot near the edge of the thicket for now, at least until she felt more comfortable and integrated herself more into the pack. She had a few herbs set in a disheveled pile, not quite put away. She wanted to finish her den before starting a big pile, so for now she just had a few of the basics before the season completely wiped them out. Having worked on her den since dawn, she had decided to take a nap after all her hard work. She curled up in her shallow den, head resting against dirtied limbs and was out like a light in a few short seconds.

She was unaware of the storm that was brewing outside. Her sleep was deep and dreamless. She didn't smell the smoke or hear the thunder that shook the world. It wasn't until the distant echoes of howling stirred her that she finally woke, though not as fast as she should have. Outside of her den, she could see a thick black curtain that prevented her from seeing beyond the mouth of her den, and for a moment she thought she had slept until nightfall. It wasn't until her groggy mind realized, however, that it wasn't the darkness of night that enveloped her, but smoke. Her nostrils flared and she breathed in, only to choke and sputter as the burning smell completely enveloped her. Panicked, she stood up and sought to find her way outside, into the veil that blocked her senses. She could hear howling and the distant cries of what she assumed were her new packmates, but she couldn't quite tell where they were. She was outside she was sure, but the smoke was thick and heavy and the air felt incredibly dry and hot.

Glancing around, she could barely see her own feet let alone which way was safe to go. She took a few steps forward before she heard crackling behind her, and almost as soon as she turned around she saw the orange glow of fire encroaching over her den. Wide eyed with fear, she stumbled away from her den and into the thickness of the smoke that surrounded her. It felt hot on all sides, and all she could hear and focus on was the crackling of flames as the glow grew brighter. Soon, she realized that no matter which way she went there was fire. She was surrounded, and she had no idea how to get away from it. The smell of smoke made it harder for her to breath, and it sent her into an eye watering coughing fit. Her heart pounded in her ears as she desperately tried to find a way out.

Her den wasn't safe anymore. It was likely swallowed by the flames at this point. Panting and struggling to breath, she figured there had to be a safe path somewhere. She stood there to try and think, but the onslaught of wind drove the fire a little too close and before she could react, it practically jumped at her and she felt the searing pain of it sizzle the skin and fur on her right side. She screwed her eyes against the pain and the heat that she felt, and it was all that was needed to send her running blindly through the smoke. A wall of fire was all around her, and in her panicked state she called for the only name she knew. "Octaaavve!!" She cried out, though it was likely he couldn't hear her over the roar of fire. Desperate to get away, the only choice she could think to make was to run through the fire.

She would probably singe her fur, but she didn't think about any potential consequences other than just trying to survive. Charging ahead, she raced towards the flames that ate the field ahead of her, narrowing her eyes and pinning her ears against the heat it gave off before she coiled her legs and launched forward. She briefly soared through the flames, feeling the heat lick at her body for a moment until she landed on the other side. Unfortunately, she had been unable to land right and she stumbled and rolled into the ground. What had already burned on this side was still hot and riddled with glowing embers, almost like coals that glowed in a fireplace. A few spots still burned with low flames that consumed whatever little vegetation had been left. When she finally stopped rolling, the right side of her face hit a portion of the ground that had yet to cool, and she yelped and screamed with pain as the flames licked at her once again. She struggled a little too long to get up due to panic and pain, and when she finally did find her feet again, the fur and skin on a portion of her face had burned.

She stumbled blindly, the inhalation of smoke the whole time had made her dizzy and struggling to breathe now. She managed a few, short yards before collapsing on the ground, the whole ordeal rendering her unconscious.

Octave hadn't failed to notice the storm brewing, dark clouds gathering as the wind whipped to a frenzy. He'd taken precautions and sheltered himself in his den, Noko curling up at his belly so they could wait out the storm. But as the storm continued to bluster outside his den he heard a massive crack of thunder, the flash of lightning happening nearly at the same time and Octave winced. He slowly opened his eyes, wondering how loud the thunder had been to still be ringing in his ears. Slowly the boy crept towards the mouth of his den and the first acrid tang of smoke hit him, and it slowly dawned on him that his ears weren't ringing, the sound he was hearing was the roar of a fire already a full-blown blaze. Octave was frozen solid for a moment, his mind unable to comprehend what was happening."Octave!" Finally Noko's panicked pleading pushed through the haze of his mind. Over the roar he heard his voice called again, Shaye calling for him. Octave felt his limbs start to race towards her instinct driving him to flee from the pressing wall of heat slowly creeping up behind him. He was ahead of the fire but not the smoke, which was quickly spreading thick through the air and as he raced he felt the smoke descending over him, he tried to take as shallow a breath as he could manage while still running. He spotted Shaye and quickly sidled up to the woman, looking at her questioningly, unsure if she knew where safety was. There was a moment for the boy to catch his breath, he looked over at the blaze noting it was quickly approaching his den. Then over the roar of the pyre, he heard a call, his name just barely rising above the din, in fact if it wasn't for a haunting note of familiarity he'd have assumed it was his imagination. His blood turned ice and Octave stared at the fire, dread like none he'd ever felt flowing through him. This new fear overwrought his usual nervousness around Shaye, driving him to speak. "Novel..." His barritone soft and laced with the deep anxiety that had taken hold of him. "Noko, go with Shaye." He said louder, his voice almost emotionalness. "Octave? You can't-" But Octave didn't have time to argue with the lemur, not today. He roughly shook himself out feeling Noko slip off him, not prepared to grip onto him. Octave didn't take a moment to look back, simply praying his companion would do as he asked, he couldn't afford to be worried about her as well. She's smart she'll go with Shaye, she'll be safe. He assured himself, but it didn't do anything to ease the pit in his stomach. The fire licked at his pelt, singing hairs as he pushed through the flames, fighting the instinct to run and hide. Octave kept his gaze low, squinting through the bright glare all around him. The heat was oppressive within the fire, laying over him like a weight. His throat was quickly coated with smoke but he couldn't stop running. Some part of Octave wondered if he had been wrong, that he was running to his death, Novel already safe and sound wherever the lands were being evacuated to. Yells were just barely audible under the roar of the fire, nearly deafening. He wondered how many of his packmates in desperate need of help he was just missing. Then Octave tripped over a prone form. The boy managed to stop himself from totally falling over. He whiped his head around to see who or what he'd tripped on, his heart nearly stopping as he recognized the familiar pelt of his sister, covered in soot as it was. Octave scrambled to try and grip Novel's scruff, not stopping to check her condition first. He needed to get her out of here before he worried about anything else. He struggled forwards a few steps, forced to drag his sister's still form across the ground. Octave's lungs ached for clean air, his nose filled with smoke and tasting only ash on his tongue. Octave gently lowered Novel for a moment, his gaze brushing over her burned face for only a moment, not even really registering it, and he tipped his head back. His howl was weak, his smoke coated throat constricting the noise but he called anyways, a call that meant "I'm here, please help!" He knew he couldn't get Novel out of here, not alive, by himself and yet he quickly grabbed her again desperately dragging her... somewhere. "Speech"

She was almost surprised when Octave heard her voice, and came to her, though she had been calling it so loud her throat was raw. All she could feel was heat and fear, fear for herself, and those that looked to her. She could mourn the packland later, and she would be content if the only thing lost today was land.

Octave pressed against her, and she towered her larger form over him, protectively, casting her eyes around for the fastest way out of here. She didn’t hear the voice, but she did see Octave stop and look towards the fire. She heard, but didn’t comprehend as he shook his companion free, but Shaye did go to grab her, and nudge Noko onto her back if she allowed. She would be safer there then the floor with the sparks of cinders the fire cast. However, she did not take the companion to safety.
“I don’t leave until every last one of my wolves are safe!” she growled in warning, giving the lemur one chance to find her own way out of this mess, before she plunged forward, and after the white wolf.

His call for help guided her, and she was able to find him again amongst the choas of the flames. She saw the newest member of her pack, and saw the condition Novel was in. Shaye didn’t hesitate, she charged forward, her paws burning and coat singed as she got to Novel’s other side, and gripped the back of the scruff behind where Octave himself was trying to grab. Shaye was the largest wolf among them, through Octave had a bulkier build then she. Luckily, Novel was light, and she believed that together they could drag the injured wolf to the safety of the rapids.

never , in her life, had she seen a more wonderful sight, when Winter appeared through the reds and blacks of the fading day, like a guiding angel. Her flapping wings heavy to keep updrafts from taking her as she glided before the wolves. “Follow!” the bird cried, as she acted as their guide. If the wolves followed her, she would take them the fastest, safest path from the madness.

She was crying in the thickets again, only this time it wasn’t because she was stuck in a tree. She was lost, and fire burned around her. Already smoke entered her lungs, and her crying heaves where mixed with hacking coughs. Never had she truly felt afraid in her life, not until that moment. Her world was coming to an end, and all she could feel were regrets. How much she wished to see Poem, mumma, puppa, and Canni again. Those were the people that mattered most in her world.

When all hope was lost,a giant would appear from the grasses and the fire, cast in sharp relief from the flames, the dark lioness’s form would soar free from the shadows, and before Motif could even comprehend her saviour, she would feel sharp teeth in her scruff, and a wrenching sensation as she was pulled from the earth so fast her world spun.

As she let herself hang limp in Canni’s grip she would cry even harder. “I was gonna die, I was gonna die!” she wailed, the tears oddly joyful as she knew now that she would live. Canni would protect her from anything in the world. She would save her from nature itself.
She felt a bond in that moment to the lion that was stronger than any other she had felt in her life.

The rescue attempt was cut short when a wolf she didn’t recognise stepped in front of them, demanding her friend put her down. “Canni is Abaven, she saved my life! It's hot here, please get out of the way!” the tiny pups composure didn’t last long as her voice wobbled and tears threatened her singed eyes once more.

Cannival The smoke threatened to choke the life out of Cannival as she ran. The little pup Motif was clutched gently between her jaws and her mouth was parted as far as she could allow while still maintaining a solid hold on the soft body. As the lioness tore across the thicket, smoke flowed between the open space and down her throat with a burning cruelty. Her saliva was starting to thicken around her gums, and her panting draws of breath became ragged and raw. Her stinging eyes were squeezed nearly shut, just enough that she could still see the general direction of that she ran. The air was definitely becoming cleaner as she traveled, but they weren't out of danger yet. As they broke through a particularly thick expanse of grass, she was forced to a stop as a strange wolf stood directly in their path. As his words reached her, her adrenaline surged further than she thought possible. "Put the pup down.” The male had said, and the little pup in her mouth protested desperately. "Canni is Abaven, she saved my life! It's hot here, please get out of the way!" Another wolf came barreling by. It released a howl, and in the back of her mind Cannival realized how the situation looked to an outsider. A part of her wondered if she'd ever be accepted as anything other then a danger in Abaven. She did not watch the wolf leave, she only steeled her gaze upon the male before her. This was the worst possible time for Cannival to be a lion, she decided simply. Drastic times called for drastic measures, and in her determination to bring Motif to safety the lioness did what she felt was right. She couldn't push past the wolf, with his pose being so defensive there was no doubt in Cannival's mind that if she tried to run that he'd come after her. She couldn't guarantee that Motif would not be injured if he initiated a fight while she hung in Cannival's jaws, so the lioness bowed her head to drop the pup between her forepaws before looking up at the wolf with a burning, unbridled hatred. "Yes, it is hot here. Now get out of my way before I throw you into the inferno and show you what it is to burn." A growl rolled out from deep in her chest, smoke-torn throat giving it a deep and gravely quality. It was her intention to be as intimidating as was possible, as she had seen multiple wolves cower before her towering form when she was simply trying to be kind. She needed this wolf to see. To realize how serious she was, and that she was absolutely not going anywhere without Motif. She wrapped a protective paw around the young one's side and chest, pulling her closer. "Do you want me to tell Shaye that the reason her daughter could not escape the smoke was because a pack wolf was stupid enough to get in the way?" "Speech"

”Noir, come on! Someone might need our help.” Poem pleaded with her half brother as he lay under the shade of the maple tree that was their father’s den. She had found him after she had heard Rhyme’s call. She’d never seen fire before, but the warning in her father’s voice had made her fur stand on end. Normally the girl would avoid Noir, he made it clear that he did not like her and she wasn’t about to give him a reason to show her why. However, he was big and could potentially be of use in this kind of situation. She was already thinking like a leader, now if only she could figure out how to get Noir to do as she asked.

He glared at her, obviously not interested in moving. She didn’t want to beg, and stared him down with an intensity she didn’t know she had. Their eyes were locked for a long moment before Noir seemed to relent. Poem felt a sense of relief wash over her as he stood. She smiled genuinely at him as thanks and started to lead the way towards the thicket.

They were fast, both of them taking their height from their father their strides long. Noir was bigger though, and overtook Poem as they got closer. She could see the flames now, bright flecks of light and smoke against the dark of the clouds. Her eyes widened in awe and she was forced to pause as she watched the flames grow closer. She’d lost track of Noir by now, but her mind was solely on the flames.

That was her mistake. She didn’t see him, but she felt him as she suddenly went tumbling towards the flame. Poem called out in alarm as she rolled through the burned grass. The heat was intense and she felt like she couldn’t breath when she finally stopped rolling. Permanent damage would have taken place had she not tumbled into the rapids.

Adrenaline raced through her veins as she tried to regain her feet. She suppressed the scream that bubbled up in her chest as her head was thrust above the water. Poem gasped for breath as she looked around for Noir. He was gone. She didn’t have time to think about what had just happened as her gaze fell on Eulogy not so far away. She was bleeding from her head and barely moving. Poem’s eyes widened as she raced to her side. She would gently lick at her aunt’s wounds, trying to comfort her and help in some way. ”Auntie?” She whispered softly, afraid she was too late.

Noir was relaxing under the maple tree when he heard the thunder. His raven Summer was off who knew where, if he called her though he knew she’d come. The bird didn’t often linger in his presence just for the heck of it, but she did do exactly as she was told. The boy might have continued to sleep there for the rest of the day, but Poem’s annoying voice was suddenly in his ear. He heard his dad’s call, it didn’t seem directed at him he should have been able to continue his nap.

He peeked an eye at her as she tried to order him around. The last thing he was going to do was listen to Poem, but a plan was already forming in his head. A way to finally get back at her. Their parents and all of the adults would be too invested in the hectic events, no one would be paying attention to his actions. He sighed heavily and found his feet. Poem even smiled at him. He felt himself smirk as they got on their way.

The boy was not as impressed with the flame as Poem, which worked in his favor. As she stood frozen against the backdrop of destruction Noir took his chance. He circled around making sure no one was around to see, and gaining as much speed as possible barrelled into his sister’s form. She was sent tumbling towards the fire. The boy felt himself grin as a sense of elation filled him as he watched his hated sister roll right through the fire. Unfortunately he hadn’t been smart enough to realize the river was right in her path.

His grin disappeared as she fell into the water with a splash. With narrowed eyes he gave her one last look before vacating. No need for anyone to catch him at the scene.

-exit Noir?-

Having made his home in the plains Odysseus’ default position at the time of the blaze’s start was a safe one. The howl brought him from his den but the smoke in the sky was what changed his expression from vague alarm to grim determination. He had only a brief moment to decide where he would be the most useful. At the rapids he could tend to injuries, assuming there were any. In the thicket he might be able to help those who had been caught off guard by the fast moving fire. In the end he decided the decision wasn’t a difficult one. After ducking back into his den Odysseus re-emerged with a bloated bundle of supplies. He handed them to Olafur and the two exchanged a brief look before parting ways; Olafur to the rapids and Odysseus to the thicket. Quite quickly Odysseus found his path choked with smoke and ash. He pressed on, navigating the path with the aid of his memory. Soon he found himself where the three Abaven territories met. There he quickly splashed though the shallows so he was soaked before leaping into the thicket. Through the smoke he could see flickers of orange but he all but ignored them in search of familiar shapes. A frantic deer sailed past his head forcing him to duck instinctively, and then he was alone in the smoke once more. He stood there, listening and uncertain, until a howl from further in the territory jerked him into action. He ran towards it with bleary eyes as the smoke assailed him. A tree crashed in front of him suddenly sending embers in all directions and forcing him to change directions. And then through the smoke he made out two shapes. Though they were near the fringe Odysseus ran towards them anyway. He had no idea what shape they were in but the fire had spread rapidly enough that it was safe to assume those caught in the thick of it had sustained injuries of some sort. He rounded a fallen and fiery tree just in time to see Noir push another child into the fire. There was no mistaking the act for an accident. It had been deliberate. The smirk on Noir's face gave Odysseus all the proof he needed to convince him of that. The fury that took root in Odysseus' chest burned as hot as the fire that now destroyed the Thicket. He moved to intercept Noir. Odysseus wasn't going to do anything to him, wasn't even going to touch him, he simply wanted to block the boy's path and make his presence known. He regarded his apprentice for a moment, his expression dark, and then after glancing in the girl's direction to make sure she was alright (and she was, he could see her rise and take off running), brushed by Noir without a word. If the boy was smart he'd realize that this was not the end. Though he contained it Odysseus was fuming. A third of the pack was on fire and he learned that his apprentice was enough of a beast to push a what, a rival perhaps, into the fire instead of fleeing or helping those who were trapped or injured. Had the circumstances been different Odysseus might very well have drug him to his father after giving him a well deserved beating, but there was no time for that now. Instead he strode into the smoke in search of those who needed assistance.   "Odysseus" and "Olafur"

Epitaph Tears streamed down the dark male's cheeks as he struggled his way from the Thicket. He'd been tending his new garden, as he'd been so busy doing over the past few weeks, when the storm had begun to roll in. The change in barometric pressure brought a renewed ache to the joints of his crippled leg, and he'd been forced to sequester himself in the shade until he regained the strength to move back to his shared den with Miss Shaye and the girls for the remainder of the storm. Unfortunately, he hadn't been allowed the luxury for long. Just as the pain had devolved into something bearable, a flash of incandescent light blinded him. It was a fair distance away, the contact point impossible to pinpoint through the tall grasses. He knew the scent of smoke well enough to sense the immediate danger. Rising to his paws had lost him a few precious moments of headway from the flames as they licked at the dried grasses. Panic welled in his chest, exacerbating the pain of the acrid smoke scraping its way down his trachea and into his lungs. Long, thin limbs propelled him as fast as his aching joints would allow. Where were the girls? Miss Shaye? The whites of his eyes were stark against the darkness of his pelt- they burned as the harsh smoke grated against them, and were soon stained pinkish-red. His mind flashed briefly to his lovingly tended herb garden, and he felt an intense pang of sorrow at its loss. He had been working so hard on it, with young Motif. They would have to start all over again. The Rapids were far ahead, the rush of water inaudible over the roar of the fire behind him. It was gaining on the lame male, and he panted harshly against the impossible heat. He needed to find the den, and make sure the girls were safe. They had all parted ways this morning, unaware of the danger lurking well beyond the horizon at the time. His paws ached with the strain of pushing his body further than it could feasibly move. Something to be dealt with later, when his life and the lives of his family were no longer on the line. The previous safety of the thicket was being overrun by flame, and soon enough it would close in on the Rapids. As the greenery grew more lush, fed by the waters of the Rapids, the flames seemed to slow their consumption of the foliage all around him. The smoke was still unbearably thick, but as he moved he could feel the heat lessening. He began to gain a lead over the raging flames that chased him. The familiar scenery around the entrance to the den was beginning to grow within reach, and soon enough he was able to poke his head into the entrance. No one was present. He could, however, hear a great commotion beginning to meet his ears over the crackle of fire. Hope flared in him, and he felt his strength return. They must be there. They had to be. Limping his way towards the dangerous waters of the Rapids, he could see at least a dozen wolves gathered along the banks. His acidic gaze travelled further down the length of the river, and figures could be seen dotted along the waters. The most prominent in his attention, an unfamiliar creature. As his attention fell upon it, the piercing wail of a very familiar youngster rang through his skull. He'd seen mountain lions, but this was not one of them. Worse yet, his gaze landed on his precious niece in its grasp. Tattered auds tipped towards his skull, tail tucking instinctively between thin hind limbs. Exhaustion was pulling at him body, mind and soul. He heard the rumbling vocals of a feline very much on the offensive, and felt his stomach drop. His limbs were leaden, fear sending his heart into a violent, lurching staccato. However, he was able to pull himself the few feet towards the small group, facing the lion head on but still a few feet away from the strange wolf who seemed to share his motives. "Whatever you want in exchange is yours, please turn over my niece." he pleaded, throat raw from the smoke and head fuzzy with the strain. Motif's features were streaked with tears, and the male wanted nothing more than to console her. To pull her close and clean her soot stained fur. He wondered, suddenly, where Poem was. The two must not have been together when the lion had taken Motif, and so the other child was still absent. "Speech"

Cannival Before the wolf had the opportunity to respond to Cannival's threat, another white knight appeared to 'rescue' Motif. This one though, was black as the soot that covered them all. She gave the new male a once over, seeing his many battle wounds and scars and the way that he favored his left hind leg. This stranger seemed much less threatening then the white one who stood before her. The wolf pleaded for her to release his niece, and in her frustration Cannival failed to think on what that meant. He was the brother of either Shaye or Rhyme, and that was something that would have cowed the lioness if she was calm enough to consider it. "Seriously?" She spun to face him, right paw still placed protectively over the pup beneath her. "You all must think so very little of Shaye and Rhyme if you feel they are incompetent enough to let a lioness sneak past their borders undetected." Her massive paw lifted from Motif and was pulled back to gesture behind her, to the burning depths of the Thicket. "Or are you stupid enough to think that I'd run across the border- which, unless you hadn't noticed, is on fire- steal a pup, and then what? Continue east and carry her into the ocean? Turn tail back through the blaze to escape unnoticed?" Her voice cracked and her breathing became ragged as the remnants of smoke constricted her throat. Cannival continued to hold her ground, tail whipping vehemently behind her. She wanted nothing more in the moment then to just grab Motif and run, to take her to safety, bath her gently in the river and await Shaye and Rhyme so they could sort this whole mess out. However much she might have hoped for it, she knew how unlikely it was that these wolves would let that happen. Cannival wanted to live here- to be at peace with others that she could one day call family- but there was a crisis... and she couldn't fault anyone for their prejudice in these trying times, no matter how much it hurt. With a heavy sigh, the cat forced herself to let go of her tension. The muscles in her limbs relaxed to take up a neutral stance with four paws upon the ground. Long, black claws found their sheaths, and her tail dropped to rest between her hind legs. She dipped her head between her forepaws to lick the top of Motif's muzzle gently. "Go to your uncle." Cannival told her, pausing before nudging her nose against the pup's back end to push her out from beneath her. Cannival let her gaze drift over the men, and then turned. Seeing a nearby tree- and that the fire did not show signs of coming this far towards them -the lioness pushed off the ground to catch a low hanging branch. She scrambled up, and found a place to settle that was high above the wolves reach but still thick enough to support her weight. Her oversized head flopped down in dejection onto her forepaws, golden eyes intent upon the distant flames that looked as if they might touch the sky. "Speech"

She was a little overwhelmed by everything going on, from the stranger in their path, and Cannival, who had dropped her gently on the earth when she had preferred her high-vantage position. It had felt safe in her friends grip. Even if it hadn’t been entirely comfortable.

When Taffy appeared, Motif was grateful, certain her uncle was here to help. The girl wiggled, grateful, until he spoke. Her words confused her, and she blinked at him, not understanding. Her mumma had told everyone that the lion was here in the pack. She had howled it out in the news, and even little Motif had known to listen to it. What, did everyone think this was the other lioness, not the pack one. She was already starting to smell like Abaven, like home if they just sniffed from their muzzle and took a moment to think.

She wasn’t expecting Canni to push her, and she stumbled off balance and fell on her nose in the earth. There was already a light blaze nearby and a spark landed on her sensitive nose. She yelped and scrambled to her paws. She turned around in time to watch Canni jumping into the tree tops. “No, come back, the fire, it’ll eat you!” she cried, frightened and coufsed. She looked to her uncle, stressed and confused with tears already bawling from her eyes. “Taffy, Taffy, help me get her down!” she cried, imploringly. Her Uncle had always been there for her, she knew he would help.

Utterly overwhelmed with everything around her, and feeling the heat from the fire, she began to bawl in earnest. She ran to the tree and scrambled ineffectively against the bark. Succumbing completely to her emotions, the young girl would begin to yell. “I’m not leaving until I get Canni. I would rather DIE!” she cried, delving into a full blown tantrum as she threw her claws into the tree, beating it rather then scratching it, crying hard and screaming incoherently, she already felt the heat of the fire licking at her paws.

As Leonce stared at the lion he heard the pup cry out “Canni is Abaven, she saved my life!” He began to let his defenses slip as the lion put the pup down. He noticed another wolf come up and start accusing the lion of the same thing he had. The lion began to speak at them in a rather intimidating way, it had never been Leonce’s intention to keep them from reaching the river. After all lion lives were just as important, he just wanted to make sure the pup was safe. He was in the right here wasn’t he?

Taking a step back Leonce saw the lioness nudge the pup towards her presumed uncle before jumping into a tree, man he wished he could do that. Seeing the pup’s reaction to this Leonce was assured that this lion was no stranger, he did feel bad though since he had jumped to conclusions. That wasn’t normally like him, he began to slump over a bit. He had tried to do something good for the pack and it had back fired on him. This story wasn’t going to leave him alone anytime soon.

He hadn’t noticed the other things happening around him, he looked at the wolf the pup had called taffy to signal that he would have to deal with this situation by himself. Leonce wasn’t going to be any more help here, he had done enough damage as it was.

Looking around him he noticed the ongoing chaos, there were a couple wolves around who looked burned or injured in some way. He noticed a female wolf on the ground by the river with a pup standing over her. As he got closer he noticed it was the pup he had met before, Poem. The woman had a cut over her brow it didn’t look too bad but who knew what could be hidden. The woman possibly passed out from exhaustion or breathing in the smoke so that wasn’t the main concern, she seemed to be still breathing at least. Leonce looked at poem and said “She’ll be fine, focus on keeping yourself and your siblings safe.” He looked around for his companion and yelled out to him “Colin, go get the orange flowers and fuzzy leaves from the plains!” He wasn’t sure how well the ferret could hear him and he didn’t know how fast the ferret could run on his own, but Leonce had to stay here to keep an eye on things. Or at least it felt that way.

It didn't feel right snatching a morsel from the kill pile for just a late night snack, not when Brandr had been working to build up the packs stores. It seemed they grew quickly or perhaps it was just the growing mouths to feed. He meant to speak with Allegro some time to arrange a pack hunt for larger prey like Bison but it just hadn't worked out so far. He was well on his way to hunting a rabbit when a flash on the horizon illuminated a wall of dark clouds. His ears went back as the wind shifted, picking up speed suddenly and blew cold. That was not a good sign. The sudden drop in temperature and the frequent cloud to ground lightning was bad enough, he just prayed they'd be spared hail or worse, a tornado.

A sudden bold struck the ground, and a moment later the place where it struck birthed an eerie orange glow. Oh gods, the thicket! Brandr's heart raced as the glow suddenly became flames. He heard Shaye's call as he barreled back toward the thicket. While he trusted Corentine and Lucine to hear the alpha's call he wasn't completely sure. He had to make sure. He had to make sure they were alright. A booming roll of thunder echoed over head as he burst into the thicket. Smaller animals were sent scattering but he had no time to pay attention to them. Brandr could focus on nothing but finding his wife and daughter.

Sliding to a stop at the entrance of the den as the smoke thickened and the wind swirled he called down. "Corentine! Lucine!"

The slate alpha rushed to Brandr and his family’s den the opposite direction Shaye went. Rhyme’s paws raced beneath him as he tried to keep his head low to avoid most of the smoke. The fire was building faster than he’d ever imagined it would. He made his way to his goal just as Brandr came to a halt. He heard his wife and daughter’s names fall from his lips. ”The way I came is clear, it’ll take you right to the rapids.” Rhyme offered himself as he heard a wolf not far off. Samara.

He looked in the direction it came from, obviously desperate and Rhyme gave Brandr a quick look before racing in the direction of the call for help. Thankfully she wasn’t far off, and despite the smoke being this the flame hadn't gotten this far yet. Samara had already passed out. He was doing his best to hold his breath as he grasped the woman by her scruff and returned down the path towards Brandr’s den. Willing to do what he could with the tiny wolf dangling from his mouth.

The devastation was more than apparent, the pack would be lucky if they didn’t lose any members today. Rhyme worried for them as he struggled through the heat and the smoke. Would he make it through the day with his life?