he had no idea how long he had been running. his paws ached, burned, for release that he refused to give them. he could take it. he could stand to hurt more. it's all he ever really knew how to be. a worthless mutt, too weak to stand on his own. the lifeless body of his sister swam into vision but no tears would come. nothing formed for her. he just needed to get away and he didn't care whose body he had to climb over to get out. whether it was Theodora's or his captors... he'd prevail. panting heavily as he entered this land he didn't know the fuck the name of, Thaddeus would allow himself a second to pause. his piss-colored eyes darted wildly around him, a warning growl for anything nearby echoed in his sunken chest. as soon as he gasped for air, he was off again.

his own coat was littered with scarring, both old and new, and bloody and filthy. he hadn't had a good wash in a while and he probably smelled like shit. he didn't really care. he didn't care about anything right now. at random, he picked a direction and walked quickly around his new surroundings. the orchard was slowly dropping the fruit from the trees, content to go into hibernation until spring came once more. the mutt didn't register the scents and potential voices around him. he walked, and walked and walked some more until his body gave out. with a surprised grunt, he felt himself stumble. then he tripped. his chin smacked against the hard ground and he tasted blood. another snarl threatened to overtake him, but it left his body in a pathetic whimper.

Theodora's lifeless form sat across his vision once more and he curled his body tightly to try and rid himself of it. how he didn't help her. how he failed to notice. what an utter fool he had been. "damn it" he'd curse softly, fumbling to place both long limbs over his eyes to try and resist sobbing. everything hurt. every action caused him to scream internally. but he absolutely refused to show weakness despite inner turmoil.

Dodging out of the way of a falling peach Chrysanthos cast his eyes up into the tree where Bolla, his ring-tailed lemur, was happily munching away on the last of the ripe fruit. Wrinkling his nose he returned to gathering a few springs of yarrow, carefully working his teeth across the stem of the plant. Satisfied he placed it into his pack and shrugged the leather knapsack back across his shoulders. "Come on Bolla, it's getting late." The lemur stuffed one more peach into her mouth answering with a muffled reply before bounding down out of the tree and onto the top of the pack. Satisfied that everything was in order Chrysanthos started working his way east. The Orchard was a wealth of interesting herbs but its proximity to another pack made him nervous. He didn't know much about Legion but from the little he gathered they were a more war-minded pack. Not a group Chrys cared to get on the wrong side of, especially with Olympia still in its fledgling state.

Chrys was just beginning to work his way through a row of apple trees when he was struck but the sound of sobbing and the smell of blood and filth. Oh no… he immediately crouched down, senses on full alert for any signs of attack as he carefully snuck toward the source of the misery. Hopefully it wasn't those bloody Abraxas. What he saw was a particularly scrawny piebald wolf with what he thought was an injured ear. The young man was covered in scars and wounds and clearly was not in good shape. Bolla crawled forward, her fingers clutching the fur of his scruff. Chrysanthos scented the air but couldn't make out the scent of any other wolves. Either way, this young man clearly needed help.

He stepped tentatively forward and spoke as softly and calmly as he could. "Sir? I'm a healer, do you need some help?" Bolla stayed silent and instead just stared sadly at the man with her huge round eyes.

the mutt felt something near him. people! his mind flashed, taking no comfort from the presence. he unfurled himself from the ground in a quick yet ragged movement, eyes staring directly at the wolf. pure-blood his insides screamed at him. his captors... had been pure. though how pure their actions were, was another story. Thaddeus felt his thin fur fluff defensively as he wobbled to all fours. like a drunken idiot. "get away from me!" he'd snap, saliva dripping from his mouth in the form of a mad snarl. his back arched like that of a feline as if he was backing away and forced into a corner. "don't... fuckin' look at me." he'd snap, catching the lemur's pathetic stare. did that thing feel sorry for him? he... gods. where was he?

all at once it hit him. Thaddeus felt the brief spurt of energy leave him as he slid to the earth once more. he tried to keep his head up, crouching low and glaring openly at the 'healer'. instinct told him to bite and claw. but that same instinct told him to run fast and far. if only he had the energy for it. he'd settle for a fight. "who... who are you?" the mutt finally asked. he had never seen another being outside of the ones who kept him and his sister like a pet. his sense of wonder was caution now, adjusting to the situation and the presence of the other male. if the other approached him in any way, he felt his lips raise to growl defensively. "w-what do you want?" was he going to be taken back to the cave again? was this man a new one, sent to recapture him after he escaped...?

"I'm not going back! tell them to piss off!" he'd snarl.

The strange man stared at him wildly and one of Chrys' ears flicked back. Something was definitely wrong with the man, he looked absolutely terrified. The man snapped at him, hurling curses but Chrys sought to remain calm and collected. He stayed where he was, willfully letting the tension loose in his body. "Please, I just want to help. I don't want to hurt you." Bolla didn't think much of the wolf personally. If she had her way they'd just leave him be. If he wanted to be alone let him be alone. she settled onto Chrys shoulder blades and busied herself with grooming her stomach.

The man suddenly slipped down onto the earth, clearly exhausted but Chrysanthos chose to remain where he was. He'd only move forward if the other man gave some indication that that was ok. "My name is Chrysanthos Beaufort. I'm a healer in the pack Olympia. This is Bolla." He gestured to the lemur who looked up from her grooming, gave a little hand wave and then got right back to her initial task. Chrys had to use his patience as best he could. He could smell the blood and what he thought might be infection from here. He wanted to rush over and help the man but logically he knew a sudden movement would not be appreciated.

"w-what do you want?"

"I just want to help you. As a healer of Olympia I am sworn to help those in need. Though I won't pressure you. I will stay right here if that is what you want me to do but I assure you I have herbs with me to help the pain and the bleeding." He could only hope his words would reach the other man.

"I'm not going back! tell them to piss off!"

Chrys brow furrowed and he looked around them with concern. "You're being pursued?" He felt his heartbeat quicken. Crap! He was not really a warrior and was not sure if he could defend this man from his pursuers. "Bolla, keep a look out for any unfamiliar wolves." The lemur nodded then leapt onto the trunk of the nearest tree, shimming up it swiftly. "I won't let them take you, but if there are many of them we may need to hide. I'm not a warrior." But where to take shelter? There were the Whispering Caves to the south but they'd have to cross the Rio Grande first and he wasn't sure the man could make it that far. Perhaps there were some overgrown places in the Orchard they could hide. The smell of ripe and rotting fruit was bound to obscure their scents.

the pure-blood before him insisted he wanted to help. he didn't know what to do with an offer of help. Thaddeus uttered some words, too soft for ears or too deranged for reason, shaking his head like he had an irksome fly buzzing around. he felt strength leave him as he slid more to the ground, his skinny legs shaking too much to hold him up. this pureblood was unknown. he could be lying to him. using ignorance as a means to lure him back to the cave. he could have been one of the ones to hurt Theodora so much she took her own life. it was all too much to take in, considering the cave was all he ever knew. it was a wonder he could talk. "I... I..." with a resounding thud he hit the earth.

"nu...nobody helped" Thaddeus let out a shaking sigh as he looked wildly around with his eyes; the only part of him that could stand to move. the pureblood introduced himself as Chrys-something-or-another. "nobody ever helped. so don't lie to me...!" he wailed to the wolf, voice half-deranged and half desperate plea. he was tired of the games. mental and physical. the beatings all blended together with his sister's crying. "I'm not goin' back. you'll have to kill me." he breathed out harshly, sides heaving with the effort to keep himself conscious. the mutt wasn't sure why they even wanted him, didn't know that without their prized bitch he was useless to them.

he didn't know they fled the cave after hiding the evidence. his skinny body curled up again, dry sobs wrecking what tough persona he had previously adopted. the words of the pure-blood meant little to him. his trauma was too deep to make sense of the new world he found himself in. "do... whatever ya want. I won't fight ya." he resigned himself to his fate. hope died long ago.

Chrys' heart continued to race but he worked to control his breathing, to keep it calm and steady not only for himself but also for this poor man. If his own body were to scream out stress it would only make the situation worse. He could feel Bolla's fingers digging into his fur. Suddenly the man hit the ground and it took every ounce of self control for Chrysanthos not to immediately run over to him.

"nu...nobody helped"

"Then please, let me be the first." The man railed and screamed at him once more before curling into a ball of misery and then finally relenting. Chrys glanced to Bolla and the lemur climbed quietly down off him. "Ok, I'm going to take my pack off and get some herbs to help with," he wanted to say everything but instead kept it to a few items of note, "the pain, the swelling and any potential infection." He also felt a stronger sedative might help relax the man. He slid his pack off carefully to avoid a loud bang or the clinking of his jars and various items. Once the pack was off him he stuck his head inside, pulling out a wetskin of water which he haded to Bolla. This man needed to be washed but he wanted to tend to the worst of the injuries and maybe bring the man a little peace of mind.

He pulled out a small vial of wolfsbane soaked in wine which he gave to Bolla. It was a small and precious amount but if ever there was a real need for it it was now. The only way he'd really been able to make a tincture so far was to use wine. He had said he wasn't going to work on creating any alcohols but moved by pity for his brother Orthos he had been working on a wine now that he had Bolla's deft fingers to help him. She reached in and pulled out a small jar of deep red liquid and prepared to make a small tincture, adding only a few drops to a chipped ceramic bowl then filling the rest with water.

Bolla stuck her finger in the drink then tasted it on her tongue. "Well, that definitely helps with the bitterness." Definitely an improvement over vinegar. She walked over toward the man with her little jar while Chrysanthos pulled out yarrow, lamb's ear and five leaf grass.

"Here," said Bolla. "We put a pain killer in it so you don't hurt so bad." He was likely dehydrated and the water would help as well. She held out the jar towards the man's mouth and Chrys looked up for a moment from what he was doing praying their patient wouldn't not suddenly try attack. Bolla was deft and quick but it still made him nervous. The little amount of wolfsbane would be enough to ease the man's pain and also act as a sedative perhaps calming him down.

”I…” don’t know how to accept hung in the air, unwelcomed and unwanted. It wouldn’t be a quick fix. It wouldn’t happen overnight. He had been through nearly a year of hell before escaping. The mutt barely registered as the stranger began to work, so focused on his own stewing that he allowed someone closer to him. The lemur would approach with the liquid and he felt if it was poison then at least it’d put him out of his misery. An amber eye tried to focus on the creature as she held out the bottle before he couldn’t manage to look anymore and glanced away. He did think about biting her. She’d make a tasty meal and he was starving. Perhaps it was his youth acting up; he was curious about why this person would ‘help’ him. ”I… I don’t have anythin’ to give ya.” Thaddeus felt it prudent to say such a thing.

He had nothing on his person of value. He was so used to everything having a price that he didn’t even consider the other wanted something. It was second nature by now to assume. Food was thrown in his face, making him beg for it near starvation until his sister screamed at their keepers to feed him for real. Thaddeus didn’t want to take anything from the pureblood. Nothing that could be traced back to him. If he was indeed ‘saved’ he’d owe this person his life. Maybe that was the gimmick. Maybe that’s what the pureblood wanted. It was all a ruse. Like the cave. And this time, no sister to take the fall for him. She was dead because of his failure. He was utterly alone. So, if he was alone, there was no risk of another’s life.

"f-fine..." what was the worst that could happen? The closest thing he had to a family was gone. As normal a family as one could get growing up in that environment. No excuses. No reason for him to refuse the treatment. Propping himself up a bit, he’d reach out with his narrow muzzle to allow the concoction to be dripped down his throat. His maw opened, a salmon pink tongue gasping for hydration as he awaited.

Chyrsanthos reached back into his pack to pull out a small selection of herbs. Yarrow would help reduce bleeding, lamb's ear would help with swelling and help to bind the wounds. Finally he had some wild garlic. A precious if smelly herb. The juice from this herb soaked in sphagnum moss was an excellent antiseptic and would help ward off infection and kill existing bacteria. He didn't have any moss with him but he felt mixing all the herbs with bentonite clay would serve as enough of an adherent for now since he would likely need to bathe the man.

Chrys looked up as the man spoke. "You don't need to give me anything. I want to help." He wanted to leave it at that because that was really the truth but he some how doubted the other man would find that a suitable explanation. So he tried adding on another reason. "I don't know much about what you believe in but my god would be pleased with me helping someone in need and it makes me happy to do so." When the man was finished drinking, Bolla hopped back over to him. Chrys dipped his head down to begin working the herbs into a mushy paste that he then mixed in with a bit of special clay. Satisfied he pulled the mixture, which sat in a ceramic bowl, over to the ailing man by pulling a piece of hide on which the bowl sat and dragging it over.

"Ok, this mix of herbs should help your wounds to heal. I'm going to go ahead and start putting it on ok?" He pondered what he would need to do next. He wished he still had his travois. If he did he could drag the man onto it and carry him more efficiently. At this point he'd have to maneuver the man onto his back and then carry his pack in his mouth.

Thad disagreed; everything came with a price. if he let it be, the pure-blood could throw it in his face later. 'I helped you, so you have to help me now' was that it? what would he have to do for these precious herbs wasted on him? he should just die. he didn't know how to survive outside of the cave and his captors. they always fed him, gave him water, kept him in check. fuck, was he really justifying their actions now? he shut his eyes, recalling Theodora say the same thing this one was saying. 'I just want to help, brother' but he rejected her efforts. he only let her tend to his wounds when they were so severe he couldn't bother to lift his head. she knew he couldn't resist, like right now with the pure-blood.

and suddenly, gods were thrown into the whole thing. "happy?" he uttered weakly, turning his head slowly to watch the pure-blood work. so it was divine will that made Chrysanthos help him? he didn't know shit about gods and magic. it was a wonder a god could look down on him. if one did, they surely turned away. where was a god's will when I needed it? he didn't need the pure-blood's pity and he wasn't going to provoke him either when he was so weak. "wha...what's in it?" he asked instead as the other approached him, eyeing the mixture warily. Theodora had taught him little of herbs while they were stuck inside, but he didn't recognize the smells coming from the mixture.

"Chrys, let me know if you need more from me. There's some meadowsweet nearby, I can gather some." Chrysanthos looked over to where she was looking and nodded. "Go ahead and get the whole plant, I can find a use for it." He turned back to Thaddeus. "I have three herbs in this poultice. Yarrow, Lamb's Ear, and Wild Garlic. Yarrow helps slow bleeding while lamb's ear helps with the swelling and also acts as a bandage. The wild garlic, which I do apologize for the smell, will kill bacteria and help prevent infection."

Bolla bounded over to the meadowsweet while Chrysanthos explained what was in the poultice. She didn't really know how to feel about this situation or the strange wolf they'd run into. For one thing he looked a bit off for a wolf, like he might be a mix of a wolf and something else but she supposed she had no idea what the something else could be. It was best to collect the herb during the summer but it could be harvested later if needed.

"Is it ok if I put this on your wounds? If you'd rather I use something else I can go back to my pack and see what else I have."

the pure-blood would say what the mixture was, but Thaddeus couldn't even nod his head numbly. he only heard of yarrow... because his sister said not to eat it, else it'd make you sick. he'd eye the man as he neared, trying to resist the rise of his back and prickling fur defensively. "make it quick" he growled, still not trusting the pure-blood's intentions. he knew it was going to hurt, not as much as the beating and left for dead shit, but it would sting. herbs... always stung. he was at the complete and utter mercy of the man. if he wanted to poison him, Thad wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of begging for his life. his life was never his own, and he had accepted it long ago.

he was ready to die. that was the sad thing. he mentally prepared for it for so long, only to be teased and brought to the brink. then he was pulled back, and it always hurt more than each time it happened. there was nothing else to say to the pure-blood. he'd simply wait for the mixture to be applied, and should the other near him, Thaddeus could smell the garlic's tangy scent. he refused to beg and refused to whimper about it 'not hurting'. he'd slide his head away, not caring anymore if it was poison or something to make his body shut down.

At last with the man's permission Chrysanthos moved in and gently started applying the poultice to the mans wounds. He worked quickly and carefully until at last he was satisfied that he'd gotten the worst of the wounds. They could examine smaller cuts and bruising when he had the man somewhere safe. Chrys hadn't forgotten the man's words and he was still nervous that at any moment the man's attackers could come bursting onto the scene. He glanced over to Bolla who was gently digging in the ground around the marshmallow plant, clearly intent on taking the whole thing. All Chrys really needed was the leaves but it wouldn't hurt to have the full plant.

Chrysanthos returned to his pack and pulled out a folded up deer hide. He carefully unfolded it and laid it out next to the man. "If you can climb onto this I can drag you to your den or if you don't have one I have a spare den for patients in Olympia. You'd be safe there."

he felt weird. like, the world was spinning. it wasn't the herbs and it wasn't the poultice. Thad had fully been aware he had no idea where he had been going, only that he had been away from the cave. everything he once knew was gone in an instant. he felt lost, maybe that was the word. he was lost. everything was so new and scary around him. as the pure-blood applied the poultice to him, he'd take the time to avoid eye-contact and look around. "den? I.. have nowhere..." he admitted softly, refusing to look at the man. there was no name he could think of to call the trees and fruit above him. he knew basic speech and basic things. the herbs that Chrysanthos had told him were lost already on his mind. though he had sobbed before in the presence of the pure-blood, he felt his eyes stinging with fear. he didn't know what a pack was, what Olympia was, only that he was suspicious. "are... a-are ya gonna keep me there?" his voice was hoarse and dehydrated already. his tongue felt fat. he wanted to know if he could leave. Thad hadn't escaped, hadn't used his sister's desperation, for the sake of being re-captured. eyeing the deer pelt, he'd struggle to pull himself toward it but was gonna be quick to flee if the man told him yes. he wasn't as valuable as a female mutt, but he was still 'of value' in some circles. ""

Bolla had finished gathering the meadowsweet. Her deft paws gently pulling the plant from the ground as she bounded back over to Chry's pack. She quickly opened it and added the herb to the pack. Chrysanthos to busied himself with placing his items back into his bag, ever vigilant in case they needed to make a hasty retreat. Bolla assisted, her nimble hands packing the more delicate items. The man stated that he had nowhere to return to which was what Chrys had feared. He wasn't quite sure what to do with the man other than try to get him well enough that he could travel on his own to seek his fortune.

"are… a-are ya gonna keep me there?"

Chrys turned to gaze at the man and shook his head. "Of course not. You will be free to leave whenever you wish to, though as a healer I will obviously recommend you stay until your wounds are healed and you've had a few solid meals."

"free...?" the mutt licked his dry lips, not seeming to understand the word spoken. he succeeded in throwing himself on the deer pelt, though he left a bloody trail in his wake. Thad wasn't sure what had been done to him - he wasn't sure about a lot of things actually - and if asked he would pussyfoot around the answer. he didn't want to be weak and useless anymore. he felt like he was dirt, used to keep his sister in line for the longest time in their very short life that he couldn't hope to think of more possibilities. he didn't hope for anything. and he certainly didn't understand some offering him freedom. not one of his tormenters had asked him to leave. nobody had helped him escape. they didn't show pity or sympathy. the pure-blood right now was a beacon of some kinda light that hurt too hard to stare at for long. he shot the man suspicious looks a few times before relenting. this was a piss-poor joke if it was a long drawn out thing. just kill him already... unless... the guy wasn't gonna kill him. why wouldn't he? was there something wrong with Thad? wasn't he a perfect victim? he was defenseless and unable to properly lift his head let alone his teeth. Thad couldn't even drag himself away. maybe he felt a bit terrible the man would have to literally drag him back. all this for what? help and freedom. ideals that never were drilled into the young mutt's mind. the fact he protested no more meant he was ready. he'd lower his head, resting his slender muzzle on his paws and faded off. the loss of blood and the continual aggression made him weary. he was not awake for what happened next and was at the mercy of the pure-blood's intentions. /EXIT VIA UNCONSCIOUSNESS ""

Chrysanthos nodded as the man finally pulled himself onto the deer hide. He soon slipped into unconsciousness and Chrys let out a sigh of relief. "Oh Bolla, what have I gotten myself into?" The lemur finished packing up the bag and then rubbed her temples. "You're too nice for your own good some times you know that?" Chrys sighed and shrugged his pack back onto his back. Examining the deer hide he picked what he thought would be the best spot and began to pull. All the while he made a mental note to make a proper travois so he wasn't straining his jaw all the time. Thankfully they weren't too far from Olympia, but it was still going to be a bit of a rough journey for Chrys. With a sigh he carried on.

-exit-