His search had taken him all over the western side of the northern lands, near where he'd originally had Ignatius captured from. If the fucker's pack was meant to be around here it was gone now, unsurprisingly. After all, who stuck around for a missing alpha this long? It amused him to think that that poor bastard probably had held out hope that they would, and more so to know that if the now free roaming Ignatius was indeed on his trail like he assumed, then the man had made the same discovery most likely and already visited the now unsettled location. Lücien couldn't be sure if the items he found were remnants of that disbanded pack, but he surely hoped they were. Having made it to the lower west corner of the north and reached the edge of southern lands, he was preparing to turn back north and continue sweeping that side of the continent thoroughly when he found himself taking a brief detour. Earlier it had been a pretty woman, but this time it was a dark and haunting landscape that mirrored the ruins of his own homeland that gave him pause. The scattered broken remains of rusted human objects scattered the landscape, items of war and killing long retired after their users met their end one way or another, covered the place and glittered in the distance when the sun would strike them. Lücien might have felt homesick like a lost puppy if he were anyone else, but he wasn't Ignatius and he had a mission to tend to. He did, however, find many an interesting nick-knack among the clutter. Pausing the momentary distraction to lift his nose to the wind, Lücien took in the dusty air thick with the scent of coming rain. Sorting through the jumble of metallic, prey, and old loner scents he eventually caught a whiff of something fresher that made his single ruby eye widen as he took in another breath to confirm. The gathering clouds of an early autumn storm were the perfect backdrop for the moment as a wicked smirk settled on his lips. Moving through the cluttered jumble of unoccupied machinery nearby he took a quick moment to roll on the dusty ground to dull his vibrant coat before he scaled one out of commission metal beast, scaling the hull and settling near the open hatch up top and remaining still as he could while he cast glances out over the unmoving landscape. He checked over himself to make sure he was indeed covered in enough dust and dirt to hide his brilliant fur. It wasn't perfect and he was still definitely red but, not so eye-catching and that worked for now. Now he simply needed to wait a while and see if his memory wasn't failing him. "Words" I just want revenge And a little bit more

"Talk" Walk Souzan had not been in enough of a rush to get further south. Though he could not know that yet. But they were moving now, Souzan had every intention of taking himself and his daughter to Valhalla, offer his daughter stability for the first time in her short life. But he wasn't pushing her too hard, they moved at her pace and that did mean he had lingered for some time in the northern territories before finally heading further south. Maybe he'd been hoping for any sign of his brother, maybe he simply had been caught up in his memories... In the end, it didn't matter, they were on the move now. Well actually to be factual they were stopped at least for now. Cendrillion had become fascinated with the landscape as they'd moved and so the pair had settled in an old badger set. Souzan had had to dig it out a bit but it was cozy enough for the two of them, especially with his daughter's much smaller stature. They were admittedly having a bit of a lazy day, not having yet left the den. Cen was asking him for stories and he was more than happy to simply spend the day snuggled up with her. That was until a long-forgotten scent reached him. Souzan tried and failed, to keep himself from reacting too much but a shiver of fear went through him and the man froze. Cen started to whimper and Souzan quickly shushed her, pulling her into his stomach and covering the girl in licks until she settled. He murmured into her pelt: "Cen move further into the den, don't come out until I tell you too okay? Hide if anyone comes close." And then Souzan would step out into the field, his bright blue pelt stark against the drab surroundings, eyes scanning.

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Poised like the predator on the hunt that he truly was, the dusty red monster held his position with patience, not much minding when the winds changed and his own scent went drifting the way that the one he caught came from. If anything, he was content to let that draw out the new quarry he had his sights set on. For this, Lücien could willingly wait all day. Sure, he was aging and he didn't have forever, but he'd already worked his way to this point over a number of years, what was another few minutes to ensure that he got what he came for and maybe a bit more? Sure enough there was no mistaking the scent of one of his worthless half-siblings, as evidenced by the prompt emergence of none other than Souzan onto the desolate scene. Another of Eira's offspring, so far from what they'd once been. Sou didn't look unwell, but he did appear to be alone. Good. Very good. Lücien had to quell the adrenaline that started rushing through him as his body seemed to know that things were about to get interesting. Observing for a while longer to make sure that he neither saw nor scented any backup lurking around his larger - but admittedly always more peaceful - half brother. No Sephira or Ignatius to throw the punches? Shame. Debating the proper approach, it was tough not to go in with force. If he played it right and Souzan hadn't been fighting as often as Luc over the years, well, it wouldn't be too hard to have him down and pleading would it? That was probably Lücien's ego getting ahead of himself but he didn't see it that way. In his mind Sou was at best still the young wolf he'd last seen at home after he'd been none the wiser to many of the things Lücien had managed to pull to make Ignatius look like the bad guy. Or, if he had clued in he hadn't shown it if Lüc recalled right. "When will this be enough for you? Are you done yet Lücien?" Damn those words from that broken shell on the floor had been so sweet to his ears. Maybe he could make Souzan feel the same way... Never any good at keeping himself from something he wanted, Lücien rose slowly, watching with a sick kind of too-intent interest for any reaction from Sou to the movement before climbing carefully down the barrel of the tank he'd taken refuge on. "Fuck, you look worse than I remember, Sou." He mused, his posture unmistakably threatening, yet somehow also at ease. He was comfortable being a domineering monster. Dropping to the ground light on his paws as he had been when he was but a few years old rather than an aging old man so marinated in his own desire to hurt those he though hurt him. There was no motivation for him in life that ran deeper than that though, and it left him entirely blind to who and what he was to anyone else outside of himself. All he knew was that this was right to him and that was sufficient. He needed to finish this quest for blood. Ignatius' wasn't nearly enough. And if Sou was tossed into the mix? Well the more the merrier; for Lüc anyway. Sauntering closer with his tail raised he added, "Let me guess, now that it's only you and old Sepphy running around you you let yourself go?" Luc didn't actually know if Sephira was still here, but he did know that they were definitely down two siblings with Ignatius out of the picture and Avis, well... A mostly forgotten casualty. He did find it funny to prod at the large man, but his patience for detours suddenly ran thin and his desire to get to what he was really after cut short his goading. "You gotta tell me though brother, have you seen a little lady running around here somewhere? Almost your coloring, lot less red though..." He still took the tone of a jesting and amiable fellow, but the look in his one remaining eye told all and if Sou knew he was looking for Kirsi, well, he'd also be able to tell it wasn't just for a friendly chat. Standing between him and the little blue woman wouldn't be a move that was good for one's health though. "Words" I just want revenge And a little bit more

"Talk" Walk Movement would be all Souzan needed to spot him, the monster that had torn his kingdom apart, for what? A throne, and crown? Sou had to take what little pleasure he could from the thought that whatever he'd won for his fratricide he'd never gotten to enjoy it. The kingdom crumbling right in front of his eyes. The dull ache of Souzan's grief, the anguish of Avis' murder flared then, ignited like it hadn't been for years. Souzan locked his jaw, taking a few steps further away from the den where his daughter hid, but otherwise, he kept his mismatched gaze on the beast he'd once called brother. A wolf who didn't even deserve the dignity of one of their kind, worth less than the dirt under Souzan's paws. A snort, a ripple of annoyance on his face, that was all his older half-brother's attempt at an insult earned him. More like the annoying buzzing of a gnat than any real damage. Souzan hardly cared what Lücien thought of him. Though his gaze hardened at mentions of their sister, no other indication of what befell either himself or their misplaced siblings to his demeanor. Lücien started speaking of a "little lady" and for the briefest of moments Souzan's face was a flash of panic before being replaced with confusion. Souzan forced his mind not to think of his daughter, and indeed as his half-brother went on to describe her he knew he hadn't somehow learned of the only wolf in the world left his brother could use to hurt him. But he also knew he had to do everything he could do to cover for the moment of weakness try to avoid drawing attention to it. "Ig's old 'friend'?" He asked, doing everything in his power to keep his tone even, gaze never moving from the approach of the thing that killed his sister, much as he wished to check that his daughter was not visible he refused to draw attention towards the otherwise innocuous old badger set. Kirsi... was that who Lücien meant? Twice now he'd heard her name, the knowledge she was still in these lands weighing on him heavily. Where she was though? Well he neither knew nor cared. So it wasn't a lie when he replied to his brother, voice hard: "No."

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Honestly the distain that Sou seemed to be feeling could be felt through the crisp air between them and it was just so damn delicious. Lücien didn't especially loathe the existence Sou the way he did Ignatius, but causing a little pain and misery for any of that litter wasn't something he'd fail to enjoy. After all, if it hadn't been Ignatius that had usurped his position it would have been one of the others and that was enough of a crime in his eyes to earn them whatever casual hate he had to spare. He might've gone on ahead and really started trying to bother Sou for the hell of it but the longer he stood there the more he itched to get on with finding that ice bitch. He wouldn't fail to bask for a moment though in the ripple of irritation on Souzan's stoic face. Ever the serious one, clearly nothing changed no matter how many years faded on by. Lüc couldn't tell if Sou knew where any of the others - relatives or any others who might hail from their lands - might be, if he did he wasn't carrying their scents with him and his face was unyielding as per usual. So fucking funereal. Moving in an arc around Souzan, Lücien paced with an unhidden impatience to his movements as he watched Sou take in his words and respond. There was a moment of... panic. It didn't continue once there was recognition though and something told the red man that what he saw wasn't concern for Kirsi. Interesting. He supposed he didn't expect her to be someone that Sou would be too worried about but still, the giant was a bit of a stony-faced teddy bear last Lüc checked... What was he up to? Brow raised in clear suspicion, he paused his pacing to deliver a quick scoff, "Certainly, 'friend', fuck-buddy, whatever." Traitorous little slime-ball. "No," he echoed, eye fixed on Souzan's mismatching gaze for a long moment. Not good enough. "That's not really helpful, Sou, is it? I mean I guess I can't expect you to be sure of exactly where the bitch hides but you must give me something now. You've been here a while, no?" The neutrality of his voice quickly faded to a more subtly but unmistakably threatening tone, probing for any hint of anything from the larger male , any slip, a sign he knew just a tidbit of useful information. A deep breath and a sigh preceded the realization that there was indeed something, if not the thing he was after then perhaps a point of leverage. His slow arcing this way and that around Sou resumed, this time a touch closer and much more methodical, keeping that one ruby eye fixed on the subject of this chat turned interrogation for any reaction at all. "You know Sou I just hate to say it, but, I think there's something you're not sharing." Pausing a moment to gage the reaction, Luc sighed in feigned exasperation. "Never were big on sharing though were you? Maybe I'll just have to... drag it out of you then?" Moving to sweep closer and draw Souzan's attention with a quick attempted snap at his side, Lücien snapped back to a safe distance a heartbeat later with a snarling laugh. It was all a game to him but he'd be damned if it didn't end with the spilling of both words and blood. Necessary or not. The psychosis haunting every corner of his mind was alive and well and it loved to come out when he was close to getting what he was after. It didn't always give him the best judgement, but that never got to be a problem before so he'd carry on as he was. His stance had remained loose and ready to react if Souzan got the idea to make a move towards him. Moving like he was stalking prey - and he very much was in his mind now - Lücien rumbled, "Do you think you'll last as long as Ignatius did before I got all I wanted from him?" Never mind that that particular play-thing was alive and on his trail. And took Lücien's fucking eye... Bastard. "Or maybe you're gonna end it like Avis, or Kirsi's spawn? Just crying?" Not a complete fool, Lücien fine-tuned his fight stance as those words were leaving his mouth. The avis thing was probably a sore spot still. "Words" I just want revenge And a little bit more

"Talk" Walk If Lücien thought Souzan was hard to read that only told him that his older half-brother had never spent enough time to get to know him. As far as Souzan had once been concerned he had once thought himself an open enough book, sure he didn't speak much but he'd always been easily swayed by his emotions, when he'd been younger he'd thought himself a little too prone to crying but as he'd matured and grown to accept his mate and child in his life he'd learned to actually appreciate his openness. He hoped to one day pass on a lack of shame for his own emotions onto his daughter. So it was no surprise that his disdain for his brother was evident and clear. He rolled his eyes as his brother "corrected" him about Kirsi, he admittedly don't know what his half-brother had to do with her but the last thing he was going to do was give away any idea that she might even still be on the continent, which frankly he had no way of knowing anyway. Lücien accused him of knowing more than Souzan actually did and the blue-toned man felt his lips curling. "Not for some time actually." He said, clearly annoyed and maybe even a tiny bit smug and condescending. "I left nearly, what? 3 or 4 years ago? And that was the last time I saw her... when Ig also disappeared. I don't know where she is, where she went." While his brother swung around him Souzan stayed stock still, the only thing moving was his head tracking the biggest threat, but also it kept him from focusing on his hidden daughter, doing everything he could to protect her from being found. And then: "You know Sou I just hate to say it, but, I think there's something you're not sharing." His anger slipped again, one moment of panic. Fuck! Souzan regained his composure, pure hatred pouring off of him. His jaw locking as Lücien brought up their brother, was that where he'd gone then? Fallen to the man that had fought so hard to ruin his life? It was a sad thought but it only helped to fuel the fire in Souzan's soul. Each word only solidifying Souzan's resolve. Horrific as the admissions were, the fratricide he already knew of, and the poor lives of Kirsi's own children? It was terrible and Souzan was never more certain of anything than the words he spoke next: "Neither, there's nothing more you can do to break me." It was a bit of a bluff, his tone was all growl, it was true that his half-brother had hit a very very sore spot.

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Patience was a virtue that the monster clothed in red was running painfully short on as he toyed around with the stolid brute. Something in Lücien's very being was saying that this needed to wrap up. The weather seemed to echo his own tension as the wind picked up and a few fat drops of rain began to splatter the ground with solid thwacks that would surely become a downpour. Dusty fur streaking into mud with every drop that landed on him, Lücien kept his eyes trained on the blue man before him. Sou's contempt was funny in a way, but neither of them were really getting anywhere. Assured of that fact when the bold words came forth, "Neither, there's nothing more you can do to break me" Lüc chuckled darkly. He wasn't positive if Sou's hate for him was entirely enough on it's own to warrant him remaining in a prolonged confrontation - after all, Sephira or Ignatius would have been trying to tear him apart on sight for certain - but the fact that he suspected at all that it wasn't meant that he needed to see what he could pry out of the icy man. Ignatius had been trouble because he had a woman and a pack to protect, but Sou? What did he have? Lücien had an idea but he was content to try force first anyway. It wasn't pretty but important work never was, was it? The quiet giant was unmoving as ever when Lücien resumed his arcing path around him once more, sussing out the best approach. Souzan had a good bit of height on Lücien, but he was also a lot softer like a big fucking pillow compared to Lücien's lean muscle. Darting in close he shot to Sou's right side, weight careening forward through a well aimed left shoulder to the connection of Sou's shoulder where it met his elbow joint while Lüc's jaws tore viciously into his red-marked face. There was some give in Souzan's leg immediately in response letting Lücien know he'd done some damage. With blood on his tongue and a thirst for more in his heart the slender wraith lept back while his opponent remained temporarily shocked, or so Lücien assumed. Whether or not his half brother was planning to retaliate didn't matter much to Lücien. If Sou thought he had something to prove or would protect whatever he was trying to by taking some hits he'd be wrong either way. The fool wasn't exactly one of the warriors of the family, and that meant he wasn't too prepared for what followed. With speed and agility being his strengths as well as a lengthy career in a war-torn homeland, Lücien thought himself the perfect wolf to make short work of the round-edged oaf who only offered him disgusted look and some teeth but no real retaliation even as he swept back to deliver another blow, this time throwing all his power into a precise blow to the flank with his right shoulder while digging his fangs into Sou's rump. Head shaking side to side he nearly smiled around the muscle he was digging into when more blood ran warm over his lips and down the now growling Souzan's leg. Finally pulling his paws from whatever invisible quicksand they must have been trapped in, the dire man moved to turn and retaliate, blood flying from his face with the quick turning movement and landing in the mud, a slightly crimson patch in a sea of desaturated earthy tones. Unfortunately for Sou he wasn't nearly as light on his feet as Lücien was and not only failed to grab a mouthful of Lüc's tail-fur but received the indignity of having his own tail latched onto near the base. It wasn't too elegant but Lücien did manage to steal a speed boost as Souzan's own movement toward him only pulled him away. Taking the chance to dig his teeth hard into the tail he was almost surprised at the dramatic flow of blood this particular bite earned him. Must have hit a vein? Ooh. In a few rotations of their death-dance the hulking blue beast managed to turn a lot redder and get a bit slower. When he stopped to change tactics though no time was wasted by Lücien who was swift as ever, leaping to Sou's left side and easily reaching under the giant to grab hold of his right front leg and drag it to the left. With his left leg already unstable from the earlier hit to the joint, Souzan came crashing down like a weighty sequoia. Good. Staring down at his similarly marked "sibling" with a grin, relishing the sight of his years-long quest to right the wrongs that had been done to him, he couldn't help but feel a little giddy. Ignatius lay prone at the bottom of the drop, crumpled and prone for a long while before he started to stir and groan as the pain of his landing hit him. Laughter bubbled up from Lücien's chest - oh it was so good to see the broken wolf below. Slinking down the rocky path to the ground below, he savored every second as he came to loom overtop the injured wolf. What a delightful sight. He couldn't wait to destroy this man. Huffing slightly as he stood over the fallen wolf, Lücien collected himself, haughtiness returning to his expression as the now pouring rain slicked down his fur against his skin. "Now give me something usef-" teeth digging into the right side of his face just by his lower jaw shook the rest of the sentence from his lips. Souzan made a last-ditch attempt to stop his attacker, cold hatred in the fire-and-ice gaze that met Lücien's single wide open orb. Jaws widening slightly and digging in harder, Sou took his turn to shake his opponent before Lücien reacted and pulled against the grip, his own jaws slashing less purposefully at Sou's face and connecting with it in wild bites. Sou grappled him with his arms, holding Lücien in place which caused Lüc to begin kicking hard at Sou's stomach to try and slash at it with his muddy claws. The pair rolled in a mess of muddy snarling fur, both becoming more desperate the longer the battle went on. Determination kept Souzan holding tight as long as possible, and his fierce grip might have kept Lücien there long enough to be smothered but blood loss weakened him with every passing second as he painted the ground red. Ultimately he slackened long enough for Lücien to break free and stagger away, but not before he was briefly drug back by one last snap of Souzan's jaws, clenching around Lücien's left hind paw and shredding the toes raw when the limb was yanked free. Lücien howled, "ARRG, you fucking BASTARD!" A shift of his weight to his front paws and a violent kick to Sou's face with the right hind was his retaliation before he lost balance and crumpled to the ground a few feet away. For fucks sake, when did the damn giant get the drive to go at him like that? Actually, none of this was supposed to go this way and it left him positively seething, the rage simmering in his gut a blazing wildfire as he glanced back toward Souzan. Pulling himself to his paws Lücien snarled, watching the now motionless muddy brown-blue lump with narrowed eyes. He was about to go inspect his 'sibling' when the sound of hurried paws splashing through the soupy mud and puddles caught his attention. Whirling in time to see one of the useful idiots he'd brought with him in his search for Kirsi. Before a greeting or a comment on the bloody scene strewn across the lifeless land could be offered Lücien barked, "What is it?" "We think we found where she is sir-" "Think, or know?" "er- know, sir, I can take you there, we found the scent." "Move your ass then." Not allowing time for the lackey to question him in any way, and with Souzan suddenly but a distant memory, he set off, shoving his messenger ahead of him. He'd have been but a muddied crimson patch on the horizon in a few minutes if it weren't for a second interruption as a blurr of motion cut in front of his path and a familiar form came to rest in a low crouch. "I didn't realize we were having a family reunion today, he mused, sneering at the other man while his companion had only a shocked expression to give in response to the new arrival. "Words" I just want revenge And a little bit more

It took longer than he'd hoped to track down the sick monster that was prowling the northern lands of Boreas, almost too long. Ignatius had known he'd caught up when the trail started getting stronger. Lücien had slowed down which not only let Ignatius catch up but made it so much easier to track his mad brother. Lungs burning from the hurried pace he'd been maintaining for too long - to the dismay and frustration of his new companion - Ignatius didn't have the luxury of stopping to asses the scene he'd arrived to but rather threw himself right into Lücien's path the second he heard the short discussion with his minion. "I didn't realize we were having a family reunion today" It'll be your last one, Ignatius vowed silently in response to the snarked comment. Poised in a crouch with his knees loosely bent in preparation to react to any movements that Lücien or his friend might make, Ignatius' eye was drawn to the muddy spot of blue on the ground a short distance behind his half-brother. Breath catching for a moment, he knew without further inspection that it was Souzan who was laying prone in the mud and the rain like some discarded thing. Ignatius shuddered slightly, the scene bringing his mind back several years. Although he came equipped with his leather armor for protection he suddenly felt much smaller and more vulnerable. "Apologies dearest brother, for ending your nap time, but you've simply been asleep for so long that I thought it prudent to give you a little... nudge. See if you're ok, because I care for you so deeeply you know," the villainous creature snickered, the movement of his dark red form at the top of a ledge catching Ignatius' eye though his vision was blurred and he couldn't seem to win the battle to lift his head, it was pounding like mad and his muscles were screaming. As the shock that had kept his body from realizing the actual trauma of the fall began to wear off the shades of pain came in all new colors. There was no doubt he had more than one broken bone and probably some nasty bruising under that thick pelt from nose to tail. As he watched Lücien saunter down the narrow path that he'd sent Ignatius over the shorter way - straaaight the fuck down - Ig rightly predicted this was only the beginning of the abuse this sadistic lunatic would inflict, all for his own amusement and messed up sense of vengeance or whatever. "Getting me banished wasn't enough for you?" he groaned in a short raspy tone. "Oh, well why on EARTH would that be enough??" Lücien gasped dramatically, his face soon twisting into something like rage and pity and more emotions Ignatius couldn't name, "Ah, right, silly of me to forget that you never heard my story, did you? Poor sap. You've been allowed to think I'm the only fucked up one in this family and I just... went mad or something for the hell of it, hm?" For a moment he was frozen, rooted in place by the memories that came slamming through his mind like a tidal wave crushing him beneath it's weight. The tsunami of suffering that threatened to drag him back down into the past with it was almost too much to bear. He wasn't the young wolf that had been torn from his new home all those years ago, no, he was battle-wearied and broken with no more long and bright future to chase after. The best he could hope for was to put down this walking nightmare for good. Move, you fool. Everything slowed down, time was moving at a crawl. Even though he could see that Lücien was barking some nasty words his way and preparing to move Ignatius from his way by force still Ignatius couldn't move. What the hell, why? His eyes flicked back to Sou and he saw the man move enough to reveal his torn up face. Their eyes met for a moment and Ignatius' heart seized painfully in his chest as he stood powerless to do anything for his brother in that moment. First there was shock on Sou's face, but then an unspoken request. With his large paws sinking in the thick mud that was continuing to develop around them while the rain poured on, Ignatius snarled his challenge to Lücien. Lücien had only just moved to launch himself at Ignatius but Ig was quicker for once and dodged left, avoiding Lücien and charged his companion. The unknown wolf wasn't ready for the assault and was slow to respond as paws churned the ground around him. Slamming into the smaller male at an angle Ig managed to throw him to the ground in front of Lücien, causing Lüc to stumble around for a beat in an effort to not trip over his fallen minion. "GET UP!" he snapped, face twisted with rage both at the interruption and his follower's incompetency. "Useless." Wasting no time, Ignatius let every bit of fury stored up over the long years of his life push him forward, a fiery streak of movement trampling over the fallen wolf hard trying to bruise or break something on his way to the real opponent in this fight. They met with snarls, roaring their opposing rage into the air, only the steady patter of rain competing with the sounds of their fight. Lücien was ready but he was also injured, they slammed together chest to chest and tore into one another with flashing ivory teeth the second brightest thing on the scene, dwarfed only by the brightening glow of Ignatius' fiery pelt as his emotions burned hotter than his appearance even could achieve. A flash of lightning highlighted the pair as they reared up, front legs grappling one another and claws tearing at one another before the peal of thunder that followed drowned out the clamor for a few moments. Unsteady on his feet normally, Ignatius used Lücien for support as he tore into the man's face a second time, aiming for the eye he'd left last time and only missing it by a hair when a sharp stab in his already weak hind leg split his attention. The downed wolf had scrambled closer and haphazardly made a wild grab for one of Ig's hinds to try and knock him over for Lücien. While Lücien tried desperately to rip away the armor guarding Ig's throat, Ignatius wrapped his forelimbs around Lüc's neck and used the purchase he'd found to balance himself while he struck back at the jaws holding his left hind leg with a swift kick of his right. The spiked bracers on his hocks did their job and he was rewarded with a howling shriek of pain and his left being released while the dislodged minion on the ground reeled, covering his face with one muddy front paw. Using his grip around his brother's neck Ignatius threw his weight to the side and drug them both down to the ground where once more there was rolling and snapping and slashing of teeth and claws in a confused jumble of limbs. The sight was messy and confused but the warring wolves were precise in their attacks, finally pulling apart and rolling to their paws with a collection of bites, bruises, and lacerations on each. While Lücien was looking a bit more ragged, Ignatius was wearing out, his own old injuries slowing him down. Mud sucking at their paws the pair moved around one another slowly, taking stock of both their own injuries and each other's. The unfamiliar wolf he'd struck was regaining his composure and made an uncoordinated move towards Ignatius only to be swatted at with another hind leg, the bone spikes of Ig's bracers tearing a good deep line through the unskilled wolf's shoulder. Retaliation was forgone when a new face entered the scene descending from one of the long dead metal beasts and landing on the reeling wolf's back. Screaming a wild battle cry the gelada dug long teeth into the wolf's back and held on tight to his fur. With the battle temporarily narrowed back down to a one on one rather than a melee Ignatius used the distraction to his advantage. Slamming back into his opponent who wasn't fully prepared for the assault, Ignatius drove a shoulder into the center of Lücien's chest and sent him stumbling backwards, knocking the breath from him. A suddenly off-his-game Lücien would make a a wild grab for Ig's hood, finally managing to yank it apart before he fell backwards and Ignatius jumped on top of him, Driving a paw hard into the prone figure's chest and feeling the satisfying crack of several ribs as his weight came down hard. Gasping and beginning to panic, Lücien threw all his energy into lunging upward and snapping at Ignatius' throat, managing to tear open a sizeable wound but only barely missing the vitals. In retaliation Ignatius pulled bac slightly, bracing both front legs on the ground and stomping down onto Lücien's stomach with both hind legs, digging the already bloodied spikes into the vulnerable flesh there. Howling and kicking out Lücien managed to shove Ignatius off of him and send him stumbling to the side. The mess of blood and mud at their paws coated his pelt, he was an unrecognizable mess as he sought to right himself, fearing the wound to his stomach would send his entrails spilling but more determined to at least end Ignatius than he was to live. Mud got in his eye yet despite the lack of vision he still struggled to lurch towards Ignatius with jaws snapping blindly. He was met with another devastating kick, this time earning him permanent and complete vision loss as the well aimed strike took his remaining eye. Struggling to keep his wounded body upright while he listened to the agonized screams of his brother cursing and threatening Ignatius and everyone else he could think of, "Fuck you, you mix-bred fucking dog bastard, if you think I won't get your little whor-" That was enough. It was merciful to end the beast here, and though Ignatius was sure that this thing didn't deserve mercy but rather to suffer and bleed and die a slow death of infection, everyone else he'd hurt did deserve to have him erased. A violent bite to the throat crushing Lücien's windpipe and opening his arteries to spill his blood all over what was left of the truly brown mud was the final blow that sent the man who'd terrorized his own family for too long to an early grave. With his tattered armor stained crimson, Ignatius sagged slightly as the strain of the fight started to finally reach him through the adrenaline that had been masking his pain. His imposing figure was made smaller as he turned back to see Souzan. The wolf who had been helping Lücien was bloodied and beaten by the gelada and slumped against one of the rusted cars, no longer a threat and soon forgotten when Ignatius made his way down to come to rest at his real brother's side. To say that sorrow was heavy on his expression would be to woefully understate the immense weight of the pain and regret that began to swallow him up. "Sou," Ig rasped, voice only a touch louder than the rain, "I- I should have come sooner... I can't fix this, can I?" the coppery scented mess around Sou made that abundantly clear. It best he could try and keep his sibling alive a little longer but he'd needed aid right away and there wasn't another soul in sight anyway. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Ignatius' companion made her way down to the pair, inspecting the prone blue-ish man and shaking her head subtly to Ig. Why. Why did it always have to end with good souls dying? Ragged and struggling to keep himself upright, Ignatius murmured, "What can I do for you, brother? Nothing can keep me from you now." He only wished that he could have cut short the years that had separated him, could have traveled quicker, could have done anything at all to alter the outcome of this day. Wishing to scream and cuss and tear apart every object in sight at the injustice of it all but unable to allow himself that while Souzan was still laying here, Ignatius held back his flaring emotions and listened attentively instead, taking a lesson from his stoic brother and holding it together for the one here that he cared for. "TALK" "YOU" Sometimes you have to run into the storm to calm it

"Talk" Walk Souzan had known he was playing with fire, his bastard of a half brother had already made it clear he wasn't above killing wolves to get what he wanted. Still there was resolve there, watching his brother circle again before he felt the attacks start, his shoulder flaring in pain a moment before teeth met his face, instantly the man who'd never really bothered with fighting training felt his weight dropping, the pain lacing through him with such force he threatened to knock him over. Then it was over quicker than he'd expected, Lücien jumping back, hot sticky blood running down Souzan's shocked face. It wasn't that he hadn't expected his brother to attack him but rather he'd never really felt the heat of battle, gods his siblings had enjoyed this? Rain hit his face, mingling with the heat of his own blood and helping it to flow down his nose much easier. It was the next attack that finally pulled Souzan from his stupor, a cry of pain that quickly morphed into a low rumbling growl pulled from the man's lungs as a shoulder blade jammed into his hip and his brother tore at his flesh. He was, in a brief flash that felt like hours, aware he was going to die here. Some part of him welcomed it, he'd finally be reunited with Avis, with his mother... But just as he thought of the kind face of the woman that'd borne him it was replaced with the image of his daughter, his only daughter, and a surge of strength went through him. If he died who would look after Cen? She'd already been left behind by her mother and littermates... He was all she had left. Silently he cursed that he hadn't gotten to Valhalla quicker. Still, it was enough for him to twist in his brother's grasp, anger and the sudden will to live, to survive pulling his jaws open as he sought to turn on his brother. He hardly registered the shift of pain from his rump to the base of his tail, snapping at his brother's heels, though his paws were quickly feeling heavy and not just with the mud that was starting to cake onto the long fur at his wrists and ankles. He was slow... too slow... Lücien managed to grab hold of his paw and pull the ice giant off his paws, he hit the ground with a heavy thud and a wheeze of air from the man's lungs. Souzan's eyes slid closed for a moment, feeling a creeping cold start in his toes, but as his brother spoke, gloating over him the man felt the same surge of anger and he, faster than he would have felt normally possible, launched himself upwards, teeth finding purchase on his brother's face, finding his paws under him and repeating a single mantra the entire time. Survive, for Cen! He met his brother's shocked gaze with one of his own, the pure anger and drive to win pulsing through him. Lücien tried in vain to free himself, teeth clashing off of Souzan's own face but he hardly even blinked the adrenaline pounding in his head was working wonders to stave off the symptoms of the fight, if not the unfortunate outcome. He tried to hold his brother in his forearms, tried to weigh him down, tried to smother him with his fur and his blood and his body. But though adrenaline still pumped through his system the blood loss was out racing it, the weakness in his own body the hindrance that sealed his fate. Lücien escaped. Panic ran through the man, he lunged forward, teeth latching onto a retreating paw, which one he wasn't even aware, and destroying it. But all it took was for the final kick to his skull, his head throbbing with pain and Souzan would collapse. He wanted to get back up, wanted to keep fighting but the chill was moving faster now, his limbs only twitching once or twice before they refused to even do that much. He watched with bleary eyes as another wolf approached his half-brother and he heard talking as if from underwater, the world was growing darker as he lay there, his eyelids felt heavy... so heavy. He didn't even register the form that approached the pair before he was slipping into unconsciousness. - Ignatius' call jolted the man back to the world of the living, though his grasp there was weak. Fire and ice gaze rolled for a moment, sliding past his brother until he was able to focus. Gods his brother looked fucking terrible... but then he probably wasn't one to talk. The ice giant tried to lift himself slightly, feeling his limbs creaking as they finally seemed to relent to his attempts, he pushed himself onto his elbows. "Cen..." He croaked, gaze sliding towards the den, then louder his body shuddering as he called out for his daughter, knowing he had to get her to go with Ig, he had to make sure she had someone. "Cendrillion!" He swung his head towards his brother, lifting his nose. "Take care of her, please... Aurielle, auri-" But then he felt his daughter push into his blood-soaked chest and all the things he'd planned to tell his brother left his mind, his attention turned to the tiny girl. He pushed his nose into her back, knowing this was the last time he'd hold her, his paws slowly circled around her, holding her close even as he started to lose feeling in his paws. "Hey Princess." He said softly, tears falling from his face as he pressed his brow ridge into the curve of the back of her neck. "Be good for me okay, Daddy had to fight off a bad man... and he's just feeling a little weak." He opened an eye to try and look at his brother as he spoke, willing his brother to understand he needed him to do this. "Daddy needs to rest for a bit, so I've arranged for your uncle to take you. He'll take real good care of you." "I want to stay with you!" His daughter protested and Souzan shook his head softly, already he could no longer feel the warmth of her form at his chest. "There might still be bad guys lurking about honey, I need you to go with your uncle Ig." As his daughter started to open her mouth to protest he added quickly. "I'll be fine, you know how strong I am!" Cendrillion nodded, though he could tell she was starting to cry now too. "Once I'm well enough, I'll go to where you're mom is and when it's time we'll come and get you." "Promise?" His daughter's voice cracked and Souzan gave her one final lick, from head to tail tip. "Promise." It wasn't a lie, not really. He had every intention of seeing her again, but hopefully not for many many years. "I love you Princess." His voice was faltering now, cracking as his lungs heaved for more air than they could pull in. The chill was starting to creep up his face. "Love you too papa." He would hold onto that phrase, playing it over and over in his head as he gently released his daughter, eyes blurring even as he tried to watch her until the end. His ears were starting to sound like static, any further words were missed. It was only as his brother and daughter disappeared into the distance that he let his eyes slide closed, his head falling to the ground. In that last moment between his body dying and his consciousness struggling to cling to life he found himself warm, familiar scents washing over him. Avis, his mother, his mate Blanche Neige and at her paws the tiny lives they'd never even gotten a chance to name. "Love you too papa." Echoed one last time as the dream, that nice and peaceful dream died, just as Souzan did. -Exit Souzan via death-

Image by Ulfeid3

Despite his pelt being slick with blood and rain, Ignatius found the sound of the steadily pouring rain didn't really register as he saw Souzan stir with what little energy remained in his withering body. Part of him wanted to encourage his brother to rest instead, to alter course and try to treat the numerous wounds but he knew it was nonsensical when the frosty giant's gaze turned and he called out, "Cen..." Ignatius' heart dropped lower than the muck his paws were sunk into when he saw who Sou was seeking with such purpose. A child. Heavens above, how could this happen? The tiny pup came out from where Ignatius presumed she'd been hidden during the fray, and as she nestled close against her father's blood-soaked pelt Sou's final words to him repeated in Ig's mind. "Take care of her, please... Aurielle, auri-" While there was a familiarity to the name that Souzan rasped, the wolf attached to it evaded his recollection. Between the passage of time and the crash after all the adrenaline he'd just felt his brain wasn't in top shape at the moment but he did understand even before his brother instructed his tiny child what was about to happen - there was no one else right now, the little girl needed him. If he were asked under different circumstances if he were able to take in a kid the answer would have been a bemused no. Naturally, things were different here. This was the second litter-mate he was seeing fall to Lucien's selfish and outright evil ways. If Ignatius didn't at least give his brother peace of mind in his last moments he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. The details would just have to be figured out as they went. "I want to stay with you!" Cendrillion cried, cracking Ignatius' heart into further pieces when he'd thought it was already torn beyond further disrepair. He'd hold back the sobs his body wanted to let out for the sake of his new charge, though his expression couldn't help but remain softened with the weight of the emotion on all of them. When they'd finally said their goodbyes Ignatius gently encouraged the girl to follow him, giving her a gently nudge with his nose and murmuring, "We'll see him again, okay? Right now we need to go." He hoped that Souzan was right and that they would see each other again - it just, wouldn't be in this lifetime... But the giant was right, there was still the possibility that Lucien twisted up some other wolves' minds and they could be out there angered by the disappearance of their leader. Ignatius didn't think Lucien was charismatic enough for that, no matter how hard he'd tried, but the risk remained and that was enough to spur him to move as quickly as his wounds and the short strides of the niece he'd met in the worst possible way would allow. His companion lagged behind, glancing back as Souzan stilled and releasing a heavy breath. Wolves and their tragedies, so senseless. The gelada would keep a weary eye out as she followed the ragged pair of canines, anxious to get out of the rain. As for Ignatius, his mind was struggling to bounce through what he had to consider now. They needed to get out of this rain for certain - ideally somewhere where his new charge would not immediately go back and find her father's body. He wasn't totally positive if the child was entirely aware he wasn't coming back or would retain hope he'd come find her, but he didn't have the mental fortitude to face that conversation the very next day and much as it anguished him he had to plan ahead for her sake. Greif made him feel numb from nose to tail. He'd rather feel the full sting of his injuries than carry the weight of another life lost but that was out of his paws now. Taking a shaky breath he glanced down towards the tiny girl. She looked as interesting and colorfully marked as any child of mixed lineage from their home, bearing a almost green oceanic base coat and eclectic fiery markings as well as a frosty eye marking that harkened back to her Grandmother. "I'm Ignatius," he finally said, "I promise I'll keep you safe as long as you're with me Cen." As he murmered the words his eyes slid across the junky landscape and landed on a vaguely familiar sight. Oh. "No! Avis cannot be dead," Sephira sobbed, her face for once an open book in the heat of the emotion that told him she knew it was true and processing that fact was killing her. With a savage snarl she flung herself back out of the car and into the storm, which was now howling and faintly thundering, the strong winds whipping at her fur. Ig watched her, his chest pained as though he'd been stabbed in the heart. His brows knitted firmly into a pained scowl as he followed her out into the storm. "If I ever see Kaius again, I'm going to skin him. I'm going to wear his pelt as a fucking cape. No. No!" His sister wailed, digging her claws into the sodden earth, her body suddenly sinking, the weight of the heart-shattering news shrinking her down. "He will more than pay for it," Ig choked out, swallowing the tears and the sobs that threatened to break loose again, pressing them firmly back down with the mountain of anger that had been building in him since the moment he laid eyes on his sweet sister's body. "We will find him eventually, and when we're ready, he will suffer for what he's done, and he will never know what it is to have the power he's killed to achieve." While Ignatius wasn't sure that he'd kept any of his vows from that day, most obviously the fact that he'd gone onto swear they'd be ready - yeah that went swimmingly. Though, the relative destruction of their homeland ensured that Lucien never truly got the reign he sought, only the loyalty of a fraction of their wolves who'd remained nearby. And now, no one would be following him and he'd surely suffered as he breathed his last breaths, so that would have to do. 'If only you could have been here Seph,' he thought to himself, heart aching, stopping himself from thinking any further. If he kept returning to how this could have gone different, he'd never get any rest again. His new charge would need him to be fully functioning and that was asking a lot of him even on his better days lately. Walking on in search of shelter for the lot of them, the small procession disappeared from view of the blood-soaked scene. -exit- "When I speak" "You answer" Memories "Your old words" "What I said" The words you don't get to say Are the ones that stick the longest