He had Wilder’s approval, and he trusted the young wolf to do what he needed to. He gave Wilder a nod “Thank you” he said when the moss toned wolf promised to keep him updated. He and Yara had a job to do, and if this thing was contagious, it would be putting them in the most dangerous part of it. “Once this is done, we’ll need to keep separate even from the quarantining wolves.” he warned her. He wasn’t taking any chances with the health of his wolves.

“If we get out of this alive, you’ll have a rank in the Armada.” He promised her. She was volunteering to put her life on the line for the wolves of the Armada. She was facing her fears for them. He let her lead him to the blighted trees, and nodded his paw forward. “Look for anything worth grabbing for samples.” he instructed her, pulling out his blade to use to stab some fallen leaves, and place in his bag along with bits of bark, and anything that looked remotely out of place.

Yara Grey

Yara's heart pounded in her chest as Basilisk's words echoed in her mind. His promise of a rank in the Armada took her by surprise, and she looked at him with wide, grateful eyes for just a moment. She steadied her resolve, determination flickering in her eyes, though fear lingered in the shadows. "Understood, Warlord. We will do our best to keep everyone safe. Hopefully we don't get sick of each other out here." she chuckled slightly, her voice steady and smooth despite the anxiety bubbling beneath the surface.

She moved carefully through the blighted area, her senses on high alert for anything unusual. She waited as Basilisk took samples of the leaves; the sight of the fallen deer, its flesh mottled and discolored, caught her attention as they continued. With a deep breath, she approached, carefully slicing off a piece of the meat with Basilisk's borrowed blade. She hesitated for a moment before placing it securely into the Warlord's bag, hoping the contamination wouldn't spread.

Next, she turned her attention to the trees. The bark seemed to ooze with an unnatural substance, and the leaves were a sickly yellow, mottled with dark spots. She carefully stripped some of the bark and collected a few more leaves from this tree, securing them within his bag as well.

After gathering the samples, Yara lifted her head to Basilisk. "Meat from a fallen deer, bark, and leaves from the blighted trees." She repeated their progress so far out loud for her own sake, her sun-yellow eyes glancing around the forest for anything else that might be interesting.

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That was a good point, there was every chance that he and Yara would be stuck with each other's company for a while. Until the healers had a chance to do some more research into this, they didn’t know what they would be in for. He pushed aside any thoughts of things more permanent. So far, he was keeping himself too busy thinking about what actions to take and the safety of his wolves to consider Consequences. He would see Ignita again.

He placed bark and leaves in the bag, and Yara added some from a different tree as well. She borrowed his blade, and returned it. He cleaned it on the grass and returned it. “Now, help me build a fire break.” he instructed her. They didn’t need two disasters occurring at the same time.

He started work churning the dirt around the affected area. They were going to do this right.

Yara Grey

Yara nodded, taking Basilisk's instructions to heart. She followed his lead, using her paws to churn the dirt around the affected area. Her movements were swift and efficient, a testament to her determination.

"Alright, let's make sure we don't add fire to our list of problems," she quipped, a playful smirk tugging at her lips despite the gravity of their task. "I'd rather not become a roasted wolf today." The humor was perhaps a way at keeping her mind from acknowledging the fear she felt being so close to the source of the blight.

She worked quickly, her muscles straining as she dug and cleared, creating a barrier to contain any potential fire. Her focus was intense, but she couldn't resist throwing a light-hearted comment over her shoulder. "Think we could start a new trend with this? Make being muddy the new look?" She smirked, looking down at her light coat getting completely covered in the rich soil of the Mile-High Woods.

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Well, yes, that was what the firebreak was for. He couldn’t join in on her humour, though he knew she was only trying to lighten the atmosphere. He dug as quickly as he could, releasing as he did so that he had become accustomed to the unvoiced aid of his companions. It took a little longer, just the two of them. But at last the job was done. Yara was right, they were a mess. If this soil was infected, they were badly screwed. They needed to find a way to clean off.

“Suits you better than me.” He told her dryly, shaking out his coat. He got the fire starter and got to work. He set fire to multiple places, and stood back. Watching as it started to burn. He intended to stay there until the job was done. “We can clean up in the Northern lake after this.” he told her.

Yara Grey

Yara gave her fur a vigorous shake, noticing that Basilisk didn't appreciate her humor. She cleared her throat and looked at him with sincerity. "Sorry, Warlord. I guess I'm just a bit nervous being out here," she admitted, her eyes serious as she watched the fire start to consume the blighted area.

As the flames grew, the weight of their task settled more heavily on her shoulders. "Let's hope this does the trick," she said, her voice steady but tinged with worry. She knew how crucial it was to contain the blight and prevent it from spreading further.

She stood back, watching the burning area closely, feeling the heat against her fur. The gravity of the situation left no room for mistakes, and she was acutely aware of the danger they were in.

When Basilisk mentioned cleaning up in the Northern lake, she nodded, her expression softening just a bit. "A good wash sounds like a plan. Let's hope this fire break holds, and we can get out of here safely," she said, sincerity in her voice.

CODE BY SIN

It was certainly his hope that this would be it. That Oleander would give them the all clear in a couple day and they could put this behind them. Something in the pit of his stomach told him it would be otherwise.


He felt the heat before them build, and was forced to take a step back. He wrinkled his nose at the scent of burning flesh and watched as the tree was consumed by the flames. 


They stood there for a long time, the two of them. until the fire had raged, consumed its fuel, and faded. When there were just embers left, he kicked dirt over them and nodded his head to Yara. “Let's home fire cleansed it.” He said, and led the way to the lake.

Yara Grey

Yara watched as Basilisk kicked dirt over the embers, the smell of burnt wood and flesh lingering in the air. She nodded her lighter colored muzzle in agreement with his hope that the fire had cleansed the area.

"Let's hope so, Warlord," she said, her voice quiet but resolute. She turned to follow him, her steps a bit lighter now that their immediate task was done and she'd had a chance to rest for so long by the fire.

As they made their way to the Northern lake, Yara felt a sense of relief. The forest around them seemed to breathe easier, far away from the blight and smoke. The path was serene, with the sound of rustling leaves and distant bird calls providing a stark contrast to the earlier tension.

When they reached the lake's edge, the sight of the clear, shimmering water was a welcome respite. Yara glanced at Basilisk and offered a small, genuine smile. "Thank you for trusting me with this," she said, her tone sincere. "I know it's not easy, and I appreciate the chance to prove myself."

She stepped into the water, feeling the cool liquid embrace her tired muscles. The sensation was invigorating, washing away the grime and stress of the day's work. As she submerged herself, the weight of their mission seemed to lift from her shoulders, replaced by a calm determination.

Yara emerged from the water, droplets glistening on her beautiful gray fur in the sunlight. She turned to Basilisk, her eyes reflecting the clarity of the lake. "I would like to keep an eye on things," she added, glancing back at the forest. "If anything seems off, we'll need to act quickly. Whenver you are ready to move from here, I'm right behind you."

Her gaze was steady, filled with a determination. They had taken the first step in combating the blight, but she knew their journey was far from over. With a deep breath, she steeled herself, trying hard to keep the thoughts of her own tragedies with sickness in the back of her mind.

CODE BY SIN

He stopped by the waters edge, and looked at the midnight slave. The little thief he had taken as his own. “Thank you for being brave enough to stand with me.” Not everyone would have, and a slave least of all. Especially not a new one, a brazen one who didn't have the instincts to duck her head and listen no matter what.


He stepped into the water, taking off the coating of mud, and the ash that had come from the open flames. The scent of burning flesh and the sheer wrongness of that tree finally seemed to ease. He sighed softly, forced to go deeper than Yara just to dip his colossal form into the water.


“I'll need you to grab the samples and pass them on to whoever Oleander sends. I trust you'll know how to minimise contamination.” He told her, stepping from the water. His huge form slick with water. He shook some of it free, and felt droplets sliding into his eyes. “I'll head to Wilders' meeting point and check on the wolves there. Join me after. Keep your distance from them.” He ordered her, reminding her that they had been the closeted to the blight.

Yara Grey

She listened intently as Basilisk spoke, her ears twitching slightly at his words. She felt a surge of pride at his acknowledgment of her bravery. "Of course, Warlord. I wouldn't let you down," she replied, her voice filled with sincerity.

As Basilisk stepped into the water, Yara watched him, hiding a bit of a blush underneath the water's surface as she did. She noted the relief that washed over his colossal form as the mud and ash were cleansed away. She followed his instructions closely, her mind already planning the next steps, however distracted she might be from her unexpected attraction toward him. "I'll make sure the samples are safely passed on to whoever Oleander sends," she assured him. "I'll handle them with care to minimize any contamination." She repeated him almost verbatim in her attempt to clear her mind, Ignita's scarred face appearing vividly in her mind.

Stepping out of the water, she shook her fur, droplets scattering in the sunlight. "Understood," she said with a nod. "I'll keep my distance from the wolves at Wilder's meeting point. Safety first." She sighed, shaking her head clear of the thoughts she had when she was in the water.

She took a deep breath, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "I'll join you as soon as I can, Warlord." Her eyes met his, reflecting her intentions on keeping her promises.

With that, she began to prepare herself, gathering her thoughts and focusing on the tasks at hand. She knew the importance of their mission and was determined to see it through to the end.

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