Acciona’s mouth felt dry as she approached the borders, anxiety prickling along her spine like a pest she couldn’t shake. She’d returned to these lands not so long ago, absolutely certain that she wanted to return. That hadn’t necessarily changed, but what little confidence she had managed to scrape together was shaken as reality sunk in. Forgiveness was not something she’d ever known, and so she couldn’t even begin to imagine if her disappearance was something that even was forgivable. She hadn’t left on purpose, but if she hadn’t wandered off, she wouldn’t have been such an easy target. There was no way for her to know what to expect, but there was no way she could be this close and not at least try to return. Try to explain herself and see if there was still a chance for her to make a place for herself in the Armada. And maybe she would finally be able to make herself less useless...

She stopped on the neutral side of the border, taking a moment to collect herself. The woman was no longer as fearful as she had been before, taking some small comfort in knowing that Kyros’ kingdom had dissolved, and that Enno was only a lone agent now. A lone agent that wasn’t as good at his job without his father and their minions to help him. He’d managed to get the best of her before, and in her current state it wasn’t entirely unlikely that she’d still lose to him any day, but she had a new sense of determination to make more out of herself than the shell of person she’d been before.

Finally, after several long seconds, she tipped her head back and let out a soft call, announcing her return. It was mostly for Sirius, given that he’d been the only one she’d really had any interaction with in her time there, but she knew there were others within with authority here, and the last thing she wanted to do was step on any toes, or cause unintended offense. Afterwards, she dropped her head back down, eyes eagerly searching for the sight of any approaching figures, shifting her weight from side to side anxiously.

"Speech."

There had been many wolves lost since he had started this pack. Search parties that had scoured the lands from here to the sea. He had come to terms with the fact that he would never know what happened to his people. That there were mysteries in tho world he could not solve. All he could do was patrol his borders and keep those still here safe. Watching his latest brood of children was also a full time job that kept his days and night busy.

He was wrestling very gently with one such pup when an unexpected call sounded softly from the border. He kissed a forehead and gently told the pup to stay. After the incident with Hanas keepers, some part of him wondered if this was a trap. Only one way to find out.

He set a steady pace towards the border, and found here there, alone. Acciona. A wolf that had been his, before she had joined the ranks of the missing. He didn't stop until he was right over her, where he leaned down and sniffed softly at the back of her neck. There was absolutely no doubt. His. Through his scent had long since faded from her coat. "What happened to you?"

She wasn’t left waiting there long before Sirius’ large frame came into view, heading straight towards her. He came in very close, close enough that her instinctual urge was to flinch and coware, but she held still. Her muscles were tense as she fought against her body's reflexive reaction, her breath held as she braced herself for whatever came next. She stared at the ground, waiting until he spoke. The question was simple and expected. She’d spent the last several days preparing to answer that very question, turning it over in her head to try and perfect the wording so she could convey that it hadn’t been intentional for her to leave, without making it sound like an excuse.

She worried now that her being taken again when she’d been given every opportunity to find a new life here would make her look even more pathetic than she already had been, that he would decide she wasn’t worth the trouble. And then there was also the worry that her delay in returning as she helped see to her brother’s recovery would be yet another strike against her. She’d spent so much time thinking about what she’d say, but standing there now, she couldn’t remember a damn word of what she’d intended to say.

She swiped her tongue across her lips, swallowing to try and wet her mouth as she tried to remember how to speak. "I was captured again, by one of Kyros’ men. I was trying to track prey and I guess… I didn’t realize I’d wandered as far as I had. I swear I didn’t mean to." It had been one of her half brother’s, Enno, who caught her, a son of Kyros, but he’d never been family to her, so she didn’t think that detail mattered. If he asked for more information, of course she would give it to him, but for now she just needed to lay everything out there.

"My brother Mikko was with the man who captured me as well. He was severely injured but after a while we were able to escape together, and shortly after, a woman found us and helped heal him. She said she had family here in Boreas, so I waited with them until my brother was able to travel again, so we could return together. He went with the woman who helped us, but I came back here… To see if there might still be a place for me..." She had wanted to come back sooner, but she had known that leaving Mikko and Shiba behind to come back on her own would have been a stupid call. She had needed the safety that their company brought until she was close enough to make the rest of the trip on her own. She would need to learn to be less dependent on others, but that would take time, and a lot of work that she was more than ready to put her energy towards.

"Speech."

He felt the tension of her body as she held herself still beneath the Warlords inspection. She had been a skittish wolf when he had found her, and it was a habit he hadn’t had the time to shake before she had vanished. Her silence filled the spaces between them, and he gave her time to find her words. As she mentioned captor, he let loose a soft growl. Someone had taken what was his and he had failed to protect or rescue her. No, this was on the Warlord, not the small hunter. He shook his head - not in denial at her words, but with the frustration that came with understanding what had happened to her. “Those that took you, you escaped from them - that means they still live. They will die. You are mine now Acciona, mine to protect. I will not have anyone thinking they can take and hurt those I protect. Yes, there is a place for you here, but it will come at a cost. I will need you to guide me back to those that took you.” "Speech"

The sound of the growl was nearly enough to stop her in her tracks, almost enough to stop her mouth from continuing to form the words necessary, but something told her that it wasn’t meant for her. Even if it was, she had to finish, to explain everything. She expected more questions, she expected to be scolded, punished even. Of course, she hoped she would be welcomed back, and that there would be understanding for her circumstances, but she hadn’t really thought that would be the outcome. His response, the announcement that he intended to kill those who hunted was a surprise, and knowing that he considered her his, and that he would still protect her… She let out a sigh of relief, the tension in her muscles loosening for only a moment.

The last words to leave his mouth hit her like a brick to the chest. Her breathing became shallow, the fresh scars over her left eye tingling. Though they had come from a different source, she couldn’t help but think about the festering hole that had once been Mikko’s eye. Kyros had done that, and if she thought a nasty scratch had been bad, she couldn’t imagine what her fate would be if she waltzed right up to him. If Sirius were to lose, her fate would be worse than death. She had seen first hand what kind of damage they could do, not only physically, but mentally, and while Enno had been more reserved when it came to her treatment this most recent time, she knew his anger at her escape would not be a pretty sight.

She didn’t know how to feel about what was now expected of her. There was  a part of her that liked the thought of knowing that those who still wanted her would be gone. She wouldn’t have to look over her shoulder any more and she could finally have a chance at a real life, but she wasn’t sure how well she’d be able to hold herself together if she had to come face to face with them again. She forced herself to take a deep breath and nodded. "Enno, the man who took me, will likely be close, but I’m not sure where Kyros is. They were separated before I was captured again, but they may have reunited by now."

"Speech."

The Warlord gave her time to come to terms with his news, digest it, and find the information he needed. When she did speak, it wasn’t as fruitful as he had hoped. But he would make it work. He nodded slowly, saying he understood. “Very well, lead me to Enno. if Kyros is not there, I will bleed him until he tells me how to find him.” he made it very clear that what was to come would not be easy to watch. “Once I find Enno, if you like, one of my companions can lead you back to the pack.” She did not have to watch the entire thing if she could not stomach it. He would not do that to her. He raised his head skyward, seeking out Marshal, and drew a signal in the earth before him. The great bird let out a caw of understanding, and flew off. Seeking Bast and The Bear so that he had back up on this mission. If there had been more wolves then two, he might have brought one of his sons. But as it was, he had taken on two seasoned warriors in the past and came out the better wolf. He was vain enough to think he could do so again this time. "Speech"

The lump in her throat seemed to grow as he spoke. This was happening now. Some part of her had thought maybe he would take a few days to get back up, or deal with things here in the pack, but she was smart enough to know deep down that of course he had meant now. She hadn’t been here for very long last time before she was captured again, and it was clear that she was in danger as long as Enno and Kyros lived. She would sleep better knowing they were dead, and one less thing she had to worry about, but still the thought of seeing either of them again twisted her stomach.

She nodded, turning slowly to venture back out, this time seeking the very men she had struggled to escape from twice before. This time was different. She had someone on her side, someone who wanted to help her, and would protect her. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and began to retrace her steps. He would be tracking her most likely, unless he had switched his focus to their brother, but she doubted that. Mikko had been a breath away from death last time she saw Enno, and it he had likely assumed the other Xanthos was dead.

After a while, she caught his scent. Painfully familiar and enough to make it feel as though a rock had appeared in her gut. "There." She spoke softly, nodding to the right where a narrow trail led to the spoke she had previously been sntached. "That’s where he waited for me last time." It was far enough from the borders that she hadn’t realized he was lying in wait last time, but close enough that he would be able to keep tabs on her if she strayed too far again.

"Speech."

He let her take the lead, trusting her nose. Her strengths lay in tracking, and he had no illusions as to his part of what they were about to do. He would be the hand of violence. Today, he was not a father, he was an executioner. He fell into an easy trott behind her, guarding hre back and letting her work in peace. Somewhere along the way, Marshal rejoined them, a silent shadow in the air above. Movement further behind them signalled the presence of his other companions. The sleek shake of a large cat, and the lumbering rustle of a bear. The group moved along in silence for a time, until Acciona’s words broke it. Pointing ahead at a narrow trail weaving through the undergrowth. The Warlord gave a brisk nod of his head, and signalled for Acciona to stay. He sent Bast on ahead with another signal, letting the creature of similar height to Acciona spring the trap "Speech"

He didn’t speak when she pointed out Enno’s hiding place, but his intentions were clear enough. She stepped back, allowing his companion to walk forward and take her place, watching quietly, her breath held as she waited to see what would happen. Enno had never been the brightest, he’d simply been his fathers puppet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t capable. He was impulsive and not typically very patient, so it was very likely he would take the bait.

Part of her hoped Kyros wasn’t there, so she wouldn’t have to see him, and so she wouldn’t have to worry about one of them breaking off to grab her while the other kept Sirius occupied. But the other part of her worried what might happen if he wasn’t there. How long would she have to continue to hide away before she was finally free of him? If they both died today, she would officially be on her way to a completely fresh start.

Her tail twitched, claws flexing into the ground. Sirius had offered for her to be escorted back to the pack if she wished, and while she had been relieved when he first offered it, she wasn’t sure she could walk away from this. The kind of pain and grizzly combat that was ahead would not be a pretty sight, and it wasn’t something she enjoyed to see, but she needed to see them dead with her own eyes. She had seen the aftermath of what they had done to Mikko, she experienced what they did to her, heard the stories of how they treated her mother. She had witnessed the kinds of cruelty they dealt to those they viewed as less-than. They had this coming, it was time they got a taste of their own medicine.

And, maybe somewhere inside she wanted to see the look of fear in their eyes once they knew they wouldn’t come out on top this time. She wanted to know that in their final moments, they knew it was her that led to their downfall. That their obsession with bringing her back into the fold had set in motion a series of events that led to her bringing Siruis, their killer, right to them. "I’d like to watch, if I may." Her voice was quiet, not wanting to give anything away, but it was steadier than it usually was. A strange stillness had washed over her, replacing the usual prickle of anxiety she’d felt in the long, agonizing moments leading up to this. She had faith in the man who took her in, even if she’d never seen him in action before. And if he did fail? She wouldn’t allow herself to fall back into their grasp. No matter what happened today, this was the end of her being afraid of them.

"Speech."

He preferred it this way. He wanted her to see for herself that the nightmares that plagued her, would be there no more. In fact, he would probably encourage her to get in a bite or two of her own once he had knocked them down a few times. It was brave of her to stay, and the Warlord approved of it. She would receive a nod, and a stern half-smile for it, for the Warlords attention was mostly centered on the pathway. Watching where Bast walked as the cat creeped slowly along. Marshal did a circle in the air above, searching for any wolf lying in wait lor travelling down along the pathway away from them. The Bear had moved closer to the group, and had not stopped until she was beside Acciona. She was very small, for a bear, and yet somehow still bigger then the wolf Sirius had claimed. Placed as she was, she would protect Acciona from any unseen threats and give Sirius freedom to unleash his wrath without worry about anyone snagging Acciona and using her against him. He was as prepared as he could be with what he had. "Speech"

The only indication that her request was heard was a brief nod of his head, his attention clearly focused on the task ahead. She fell back into silence, watching the shadows for her elder brothers form. They would not have to wait long, though, and she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. Impatient as always, Enno was not paying much attention, and didn’t notice that the smaller creature wandering into his path was not, in fact, Acciona. Her scent tainted the air enough for him to know she was close, and that had been enough to drive him out of the spot where he lurked in waiting. A snarl slipped from his mouth, lips curling back as he lunged, reaching out with his front legs to grab and tackle what he thought was his target.

Acciona tensed at the movement, resisting the urge to step back behind Sirius before Enno could realize his mistake, before he could set those unsettling orange eyes on her. She lifted her head, watching, waiting to see how this would unfold. The urge to flee fought with her urge to stay and see him die, but she knew that she had to stay put. She had been a coward for far too long and today would be the end of that.

"Speech."

His target was a brute of a creature that relied on brawn more than brain. He leaped on Bast, and the cat hissed, and dove to the sight. Not fast enough, Enno was definitely a fighter, there was no denying that. Marshal gave a sharp, piercing cry in the sky above. Gliding on the opposite side of Enno to Sirius. A distraction, the heavy-set Warlord was already racing forward, aiming to sink his claws into Enno’s hind leg, and wrench him off balance. Whether the first attack hit or not, the Warlord carried the momentum of his run. Aiming to bring himself closer to the smaller wolf's face, and hit him - claws out - across the muzzle. He wanted to hurt and daze the other creature. Keep him off kilter. As Sirius fought, his Bear companion reached over and gently put a paw on Acciona’s shoulder. Offering her silent support and steadiness as she watched the brutal attack between her Alpha and her brother. "Speech"

Almost immediately Enno was regretting his haste. Confusion clouded his judgement and his usual speed was hindered because of it. The feline dodged to the side and a cry overhead caused his gaze to snap upwards. It became clear then that this was an ambush. He felt the claws dig into his hind leg and reeled, twisting around to try and find the source of the attack, just in time to feel another strike land on his face. He seethed, pulling back to try and get enough distance to get his bearings before lunging forward and aiming to bite the larger mans shoulder.

Acciona watched the events unfold, her mouth dry and heart pounding. She almost flinched at the sudden contact of a paw on her shoulder but she quickly relaxed when she saw it was Sirius’ companion. She was so hyper focused on the fight in front of her she’d almost forgotten that the bear had stayed with her.

"Speech."

He let the smaller wolf land a bite, let him come in close to the Warlords range. He was a close-combat fighter, and he rocked backwards, placing his weight on his back legs, and grabbed the other wolf in a bear-hug. Throwing his weight forward, as he sought to knock his enemy off his feet. His end goal was to end up over the other wolf, and pin him helplessly to the ground. His thick coat offered more protection than most, and Enno’s teeth scraped mostly against thick fur, before lightly hitting skin. Marshal continued to circle the sky above them, like a buzzard waiting for its prey to fall. Occasionally, he would cry out, giving Sirius information from his greater vantage point. His bear continued to hover over Acciona, offering her protection and quiet comfort. "Speech"

Acciona watched in silence, her emotions flickering between fascination and fear, satisfaction and… was it guilt that made her stomach twist? It couldn’t be. Despite all their attempts to brainwash her and manipulate her, the girl had only been submissive in order to save her own skin. She had never held any love or respect for Enno or Kyros. No, the thing that was eating at her had to be uncertainty. Who would she be, without them? There wasn’t a single part of her that wanted them to live, or to have them be a part of her life, but she had been taken when she was a pup. She barely remembered who she used to be, so how was she supposed to figure out who she was meant to become? With Kyros, her life had been hell, but everything had been laid out before her. Her future, his expectations. Now that she would finally be free of them, she had no clue what to do with herself. Of course she would stay in the Armada, but beyond that she felt lost, and ashamed to admit it.

"Speech."

The Warlord was a massive beast, and in no time he had the upper hand, rolling the other wolf onto his back, and holding him down. His teeth scraped against the man's neck, drawing bloody lines. The smaller wolf drew scratches of his own down Seer’s chest in a desperate attempt for freedom. Sirius pressed an elongated fang into Enno’s throat, and the man fell still. His chest rising and falling rapidly, but he was utterly under Seer’s control. With just a little bit of pressure, the wolf that had stolen his Acciona would be gone. “Kyros.” He growled. “Where is he.” the man’s throat bobbed, pressing against his fang and drawing a pinprick of blood. His eyes were wide and fearful, but he did not speak. Marshal landed on the earth before both of them, and hoped closer. The vulture looked down at Enno, and Sirius did the same. “Do you know what a vulture does to its prey? First, it waits, waits until it is helpless, and dying. Perhaps injured, perhaps dying of thirst. Perhaps helpless at the jaws of a Warlord. First, it tears out their eyes and swallows them whole.” the vulture hoped a little closer, beak tilted, beady eyes steady on Enno. the bird leaned forward, slowly, and then… “He went North! I was going to meet him at the Hot Springs!” he gasped. “Excellent, thank you” he scrapped his fang across the wolf’s throat, cutting off his airways in a bloody, gruesome fashion. He got to his paws, and left Enno gagging, gasping for air he would never use. Sirius turned back to Acciona “If you want to end his misery, you may. Otherwise, leave him and he’ll be dead in minutes. I’m going after Kaiyo, are you coming?” These were the wolves that had hurt her. He would let her choose how much participation she wanted in all this. "Speech"

Time had seemed to stretch on for an eternity as she watched the fight play out, confident in Sirius’ ability to take out her brother, but the anxiety still lingered in the back of her mind. Each time she started to relax, the ‘what-if’s’ began replying, reminding her of what she had left to lose, and what it would mean for her if, by some chance, Kyros or Enno came out victorious.

It ended suddenly though, an abrupt end to the tension she was carrying as she noticed that Enno was on his back. The thoughts cut short, and she held her breath as Enno revealed that Kyros was, in fact here. The Hot Springs weren’t far from here, and her former captor could show his face at any moment. He was more skilled than Enno, more calculating and less impulsive. He was where Enno got his strength from, and she knew that would be even more difficult for her to watch, if only because the idea of his eyes landing on her again made her stomach twist.

She was offered to finish Enno. He was incapacitated, slowly bleeding out but there was no way he could be saved at that point. She walked closer, standing over him and meeting his gaze. There was fear and anger in his gaze. Part of her wanted to take a bite out of him, to be the one to finish it, but she didn’t want to cut this short, either. Sirius said it would take a few minutes for him to bleed out, and she wanted him to spend those last few minutes thinking of her. She leaned in closer, speaking to him in a low voice. "Was it really worth it?" He’d spent his whole life killing and fighting to make Kyros proud, so that he could one day inherit his father’s crown, and now he was bleeding out alone for a girl his father wanted but couldn’t contain. For a petty grudge the man had towards their mother. Did he have regrets in his final moments over how he had chosen to spend his life?

She turned back to Sirius, nodding before moving to follow him. She didn’t want to see Kyros, but she needed to watch him die, too. It would be difficult for her to face, but it was something she had to do. "I’m coming."

"Speech."

He watched passively as she crouched by one of the men that had tormented her. He couldn’t catch the words she whispered to him, but he knew they were private, they were for herself more than the dying man. She was stronger then those that had captured her, she would outlive them, she would find happiness in her life. They would die alone, and in agony. He brushed lightly against the smaller wolf as she returned to him. Offering her a partial, grim smile. There was more dirty work ahead of them, and the danger was far from over. He felt closer to Acciona then he ever had before, seeing the wolves that had kidnapped her. That had plagued her all her life. She was handling with an inner strength that only made him proud. “Your bravery does you credit, Acciona” he said softly, before starting them in the direction of the Hot Springs. It would be hard to scent the man out there, with the sulfate that permeated the air throughout the territory. With a flick of his wrist, he sent Bast and Marshal ahead to start the scouting. The bear stayed close by them, a personal guard to his hunter. "Speech"