passerine

the drizzle stops. in its wake, delicate dewdrops hang from elm leaves. the mist turns thick. within, a shape appears.

when the fog parts, it reveals a pup. white, its juvenile coat strives for lenght; nettle fuzz on its muzzle suggests a beard. large ears fold and frame the pointed face.

it was born eighteen days ago, and its eyes are still newborn blue.

the world outside is cold, and the patch of moss the tiny body is seated on soaks its fur. it cries for comfort, but receives none.

it continues to cry, the nature of this land incomprehensible to it.

​hello all! :D i'm a newcomer to this site, and i've decided to run a little experiment. i've made accounts for six three-weeks-old dog puppies, and with each of them i will post in a different pack territory. my goal is none, really. what happens to the pup is completely up to whoever finds it, and this does very much encompass both killing and adopting it. i'm doing this for the sake of seeing what happens, and getting acquainted with the site, its writers and characters in a way that'd be entertaining to me. i hope we all get to hame fun aaaand maybe commit some infanticide! ;D

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He had forayed beyond Blackwood Reach long enough; tonight he returned to the Nightwalkers after having spent three days in the lands where the air was clearer and the darkness lifted.

Here the shadows shrouded him again, and only deepened the patchwork of his pelt.

As he roved through the Reach a cry reached him, and a new scent. His hackles flared and his paws picked up a hurried step towards the wail.

“shhh shhh,” his breath rushed out in a hushed sort of way. He did not recognize the child and knew none had been pregnant. It is vaguely wolfish but has a way to it that is not completely right. Anai sweeps towards it at a crawl, low and perhaps a little too hurried, “don’t cry, you’re okay,” he tries to soothe, ”where is your ma?” You shouldn’t be here.
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the child turns its head until it sees a dark blur approach. it gets up on four stubby limbs and begins to waddle towards them.

"ма-ма!" it cries. the shape isn't мама, that the babe knows. мама is small and all white, and smells of milk. unfortunately, the only language it was ever taught hasn't provided it with a term for not-мамаs. thus, this'll have to substitute.

the not-мама sets itself low, and the child comes up to their snout. it is disgruntled. things are confusing. it sets two white paws on the stranger's muzzle.

"ма-ма!" it repeats. demands, actually. why are things strange now?
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It was a normal day for Mystery, out gathering herbs as usual. As she moved through the land though, her nose caught the scent of two others. Curiosity got the better of her as she made her way closer, seeing a male speaking with a young child. At first she thought nothing of it until she saw the males bewilderment. Concern was clear on her face as she approached.

"Hello there, I'm sorry to intrude but. Is everything alright?" She could very easily be seeing the situation wrong and if so she would leave. But, she had to check to make sure. Something just felt off to her.

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Made the assumption Mystery and Anai would have at least heard of each other in passing! Let me know if you want anything changed ^^

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It's bold for something so small.

Tiny toes touch his nose, and Anai is filled with another rush of anxiety. Should he even be helping this child? It speaks his tongue. More important it has life within it. But Anai knows half-wolves are not welcome here.

He isn't even sure this thing is wolf at all.

I ought to kill it. What would Vengeance do to him if he ever caught wind he'd helped a thing like this? On the other hand, what did it matter?

Anai was staring at the child when he heard his packmate behind him. He flinched, "everything's fine," and tugged away from the tiny paws to rise up, throwing a paw around the child in an instinctual move to protect it, only to recognize Midnight at once. He didn't know the woman well but always saw her around the healing herbs. His ears tipped askew. "Sorry," he said to the healer and would glance down at the kid, if it had stayed in the space beneath him, "I found a kid. I think it's lost."
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The woman watched the man closely, narrowing her eyes slightly as she moved towards the kid. "Don't need to apologize." She didn't know him other than in passing, but it wasn't that she didn't necessarily trust him, she trusted all of Nightwalkers with her life. She didn't trust Nightwalkers with the life of this pup. She had heard how they were about non wolves, but she was never going to let a puppy get killed. Walking over, the woman would begin to sniff the child, looking for wounds or anything that would make her think the puppy might be sick or hurt. 

It seemed the small child was healthy for the most part, and she turned her head to look at the male. "Don't even think about it hun. If you're not going to take them  in, I will. I don't care if they are a wolf or not." She was a very head strong creature, though she had something she could bargain. She was a healer and would fight anyone who tried to hurt this child. 

Even as she spoke though, no venom laced her tongue, only a small warning to not just him, but to all of the Nightwalkers.

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She didn't trust him.

He understood the feeling, because he felt it, too, and he was hard-pressed to move when she budged up to sniff at the child, allowing her to get into his personal space if only to show her that he wasn't about to let her get near the kid without his saying so.

His nostrils flared. "I'm not like Vengeance," he said, a sharpness to his words, and hot shame flooded his ears. But that had only been a moment! And thoughts didn't make an action, everyone knew that. But he wished mom would come back soon. "We have to get 'em someplace else," his voice was hushed, "if we keep 'em here, you know they'll kill 'em."
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The woman saw that the male didn't move as she sniffed at the pup, noting that he seemed protective of the child. Cocking her head to the side slightly, she pulled away from the pup, watching him with a much more relaxed expression. Ears tilted around as she sniffed the air, noting that currently no one was around. However, she didn't put it past @Err and his rat group not to be listened. She trust him and cared about him, but she knew his allegiance would always lie with Vengeance. 

"Very well" She spoke in a soft voice, relaxing herself near this man. "Until we know were to put them, we should keep them somewhere not in the open. You two can stay in my secondary den for now, your scents will be covered by the herbs and its on the outskirts of the pack, a place where I could gather herbs without having to go all the way back to Err's den." She would have to speak with Err later, but that wasn't something for right now. "I will let you decide what you want to do with them, however, I have no problems fighting off any and all of this pack to protect this child. I am a necessity to this pack, a healer as good as Err himself. Vengeance may attack me and hurt me, but he will not kill me." She didn't want to say it outload, but she didn't put it past Ven to not attack and kill his own son. 

For now though, she would sit down, letting him decided what he wanted to do. She didn't entirely trust him, but she was willing to in order to help this helpless creature in front of them.

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He was glad when she relaxed. Gladder still when she offered a solution to the problem he had posed.

Secondary den? Anai hadn't known anyone could even have such a thing. But then again, he didn't even sleep in a den anymore. Crawling into one again would be a change.

But for how long? The kid couldn't grow up cooped up underground, and even if he and the healer would fight to protect the child, they were two against an army. Mystery was their healer, but Vengeance would only need to disable her enough to get the child. And Anai, well, he wasn't even a child of the Boss, and he wasn't sure dad's loyalty to the Nightwalkers would do him any good if he himself helped someone Vengeance thought should be killed.

"We'll watch him in shifts," Anai finally thought aloud, "so no one gets suspicious. And when we're not watching him, we should spend that time looking for someone else to take him in, as fast as we can," that was the only clear answer. He stood up and shook off his nervers, though they lingered and made him feel like others were watching from the shadows. He looked towards the child. "I've never really been around a kid before," he said, "do you know how you're supposed to pick 'em up?"
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Mystery wouldn't lie, she was a little shocked at how fiercely this man seemed to want to protect the small dog. If there was one thing she had learned from joining the Nightwalkers, it was that not many here opened their heart up to others. The scarred woman wouldn't question it though and simply thanks the gods that she had found the pup with someone who wouldn't eat them. 

Hearing his words, the woman would nod, thinking for a moment before speaking. "That sounds good, I will stay with him as often as I can, however if I don't go back to the den I share with Err every now and then, he will start to get worried and likely come looking for me." The last thing they needed was the rat finding them out. "Do you know of anyone who wouldn't instantly go tell Vengeance?" She didn't know many others in the pack, at least none that she trusted that much.

A soft chuckle would escape her lips as she shook her head slightly, a soft smile on her face. "Gently at the scruff of their neck. Come, follow me to the den." With that, she would lean down and pick the small creature up by the scruff of his neck, holding him gently. Turning, she would walk to her herbal den. It wasn't too far away and was hidden near the base of a tree. 

She walked down into it, the scent of herbs hitting her hard, something she was used to. Setting the small child down, the would turn to the man, assuming that Anai had followed her. "Stay here with the boy for now, I'm going to go back to my den and grab some bedding." She would move to exit the den, heading into the pack to grab the items she needed.

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the child understood nothing, even though its head swayed to look at each speaker in turn.

weird words spilled from the too-long muzzles of these too-tall strangers. it frowned with concentration, trying to decipher the sounds using a wholly different language as reference. it was annoyed, tired, cold and wet. hungry, too. it sniffled, and looked just about ready to weep.

a large jaw picked it up by the scruff of its neck, and the moment its paws could no longer touch the ground, the pup went limp. it dangled from the stranger's jaws, expecting to be transported to a warmer place, where it would get its fill of milk.

the world turned dark and a great, burning scent invaded the toddler's nostrils. it made no sound, until it was set down onto a surface that was definitely not the comfy blankets of the litter's basket.

it sneezed.

then, it whined.

"ма-ма! 'оћу!" it cried to to nearest blurry shape. "-оћу!" it repeated. what it wanted was both hard to explain with its limited vocabulary, and very vague in its mind. comfort, chiefly, but for a needy puppy such as it to achieve that was needed quite a few things.

a wet nipple would be a good start.
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"Don't worry, I hope to find someone else to take him before anyone starts asking questions," Anai said, but when he thought through any others they could confide in, his mind drew a near blank. "I really dunno," he said, "my sister, maybe. Or mum, but she won't be back for a little while," he considered Aries but reasoned that in this thing, he couldn't trust what dad would do.

But this, too, he would have time to dwell on; Anai followed Mystery to her den and crawled in after. His nostrils wrinkled, unaccustomed to the sharp smells and the heat of the underground. Soon he was alone with the boy (having given Mystery the last word of, "bring him something to eat, too!") and it was then, only then, within the tangled scent of herbs, that he began to feel the full weight of what he had just done.

"Shhh," he repeated again to the child. Anai lowered himself to form a sort of barrier against the opening of the den. With a paw much larger than the kid, he reached out and tried to draw the puppy into his warmth, though he felt clunky all the way. "Shhh, c'mon, go to sleep or something."
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it continued to whine, fat tears rolling over its eyelids and soaking the silky fur of its cheeks, even as a large paw pushed it into a faceful of soft fur. it served only to muffle its cries, as little hindlegs kick in defiance of this well-intended attempt to appease the weeping babe.

but slowly, the cries soften into hiccups, and the writhing babe calms down, until only an occasional sob twitches its body.

unless disturbed, it would drift off into an exhausted nap.

skip skip unless a response is needed

---

the staff team luvs u

Tagging @Err in case he comes along with Mystery!
@Mystery feel free to timeskip as discussed!

---

Anai began to think the child would never settle down, but eventually, it stilled. Heavy breathing turned to calmer breaths, and its little heart found some rest behind closed eyes.

Anai, however, found no rest in these calmer moments. His own heart thumped a little quicker at every rustle in the world above. His own nostrils flared a little wider to catch a whiff of his surroundings and to interpret any dangers that loomed around him. His own mind raced a little louder as he considered their true options, now that Mystery was gone... they could not keep the child here, not even for a night.

Vengeance would know.

But still, he waited. Waited for Mystery and the herbs she would bring, as he poised like a gargoyle, having hidden the little pup in the crook of his arm.
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Time skip - Mystery left, went to talk to Err and then came back with Err in tow

The woman was away longer than she would have liked, but finally she was returning. Her conversation with Err hadn't necessarily gone the way she would have liked, but nonetheless, they finally came to an agreement. Part of her really didn't think it would work, but she was determined to try. She walked carefully, basket of goodies on her mouth and her rat buddy hanging on her fur, lingering near the base of her neck. 

As she entered the area, she would sniff around, making sure that no one else had found them yet. So far so good. Using her front leg, she would paw at the ground in front of the den, letting Anai know that she was here before she entered. Swiftly following the scratching, she would walk in, laying the basket down near the sleeping pup. "I'm glad he finally fell asleep. The basket contains bedding, herbs to help him grow, and food." Pulling out the food and the herbs, she would mix them together before eating them. She needed them both mixed and soft for the little one. 

After doing so, she quickly regurgitated it, placing it near enough to the pup where the smell might entice them. Turning to Anai, she would sit herself down, letting Err slide off should he want to. "We have a plan, it may not work, but it's a plan nonetheless. I'm going to call for Vengeance, and tell him that I'm going to raise the child as a healer, hopefully that will make him see the boy as useful." 

She sighed slightly as she looked down at the small child, speaking softly though her words were aimed at Anai."We need something to call him, do you want to name him or want me to?" 

[/color]

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^^

It was an interesting collection of scents. One in particular was not one that she had ever found within the Nightwalkers claim. It was young, very young, younger than the child that Aries had sired in the midst. Morag hadn't met the other scent though she knew they had become a Healer of the Nightwalkers, similar to the little rat boy that called Vengeance's fur a nice ride. Still, the child didn't necessarily smell... wolf. It was like wolf but quite clearly not. It was the best she could get with the distance she had between herself and the little cluster but Morag was intrigued and she was Vengeance's second-hand, pregnant or not.

She had a duty.

Plus... she really liked to ruin days, if she could. Not that she knew if this was a time she could ruin but there was a scent of another in their lands that wasn't claimed and no one had yet sounded out a call. Morag slipped through the foggy trees, her tongue sweeping across her lips as she called out, "oh, Nightwalkers~" If they were housing a creature that wasn't wolf, they either had a death wish or they didn't know how @Vengeance felt about non-wolves. She recalled the distaste for Alduin rather easily, her fiery gaze full of mischief as she haunted them through the trees. ^^

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 He rode on Mystery's back silently, contemplating what exactly they could say to Vengeance to get the child in his good graces... and barring that what they could say to not be killed. He sat like a tiny stormcloud, being pulled along with Mystery and into the den with one of Vengeance's very own children. There was the sleeping babe. Pure white and the most unwolflike thing he'd ever seen, even the scent was hardly wolf... although it was canine. Problem number one. He thought briefly about using plants to change its scent but that would just tip off the boss that something was wrong and trickery was afoot. No. It was best left to honesty and passing this creature off as useful.

 He was undecided about it all but did know that such a tiny creature could have delicate paws. Easier to mix herbs and apply them to patients. So long as he stayed that small. 

 He still said nothing, even as he climbed off of his friend's back and went to the pup's side. His eyes were narrowed in a mixture of contemplation and worry. "I wouldn't name him until you know you can keep him..." He finally said, looking between Anai and Mystery. No point in naming, that would just make you more attached when if Vengeance killed the pup...

 He stiffened at the singsong voice of Morag. Normally he wouldn't mind but now? He looked at them and hissed, "Now is the time to come up with your speech on how much this creature will help as a healer. Starting with how small it is and how useful it'd be at handling herbs..." He'd slink back into the shadows, hiding himself amongst herbs and crevices after offering his advice, not wanting to be too close if Morag decided to take care of the dog herself. Perhaps she might not even see him in the shadows and he could wash his paws of this when it died...

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Post order for ease of reference: Anai --> Mystery --> Morag --> Err , with mistchild posting as is fitting!

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Drowsy eyes shot open as he met Mystery's arrival with a chuff of surprise. New aromas swallowed up the healer's scent and he eyed the basket with an outstretched neck.

He said nothing as the healer mixed up her poultices, nor as she chewed up what she had combined for a meal. Any other day he would be wont to ask what each of the herbs would do for the child but he was still strung with the stress of their secret, which was only enhanced by the company of Err.

Anai had never had a problem with the rat before, but here, he did not know what to make of his presence.

"I think it'd be better to run the kid somewhere else while we're still ahead," he said, once Mystery had laid out her plan. Surely it was wishful thinking to keep the child alive, especially when there were many capable paws in the pack who helped to heal already, and in that moment, he looked at Err, "I don't think we should name the kid yet either," a glance back to Mystery, "but if he's going to be your student -- "

A woman's voice - distant, yet all too close, chilled his spine.

"Damn it!" he hissed. Morag! She was just as dangerous as Vengeance would be, and he wished he could fold into the shadows as Err had done. But he was here, tied up with the child's scent as much as Mystery, yet without her credentials to save him if her wishful plan failed. "Quick, if we're going to do this, we need to do it outside the den," he said quickly, "you do the talking, I'll hold the pup, then if anything sours, we've already got the kid and we can just run."

He would stand as tall as he could then, cowed as he was within the low roofed den, and would reach for the child to scoop him up as Mystery had shown him, unless she otherwise stopped him.
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The sighed slightly as they both said not to name the pup, however, to Mystery, the pup still needed a name as she was determined to keep the child safe and in the event that she couldn't, she still would hold a proper funeral and morn for the child who, mentally, she named Rafael. Whether or not she would ever get to have a discussion about that name would have to wait as she heard a voice she wished she didn't. Morag. 

Seeing his moment, Err ran to hide and Mystery turned to snarl at him quietly, letting him know that she was not happy with his way of washing his hands of the situation. However, her attention would turn quickly to Anai, speaking quietly to him. "Grab Rafael and get ready to leave, listen for my call and run. I can easily keep her busy while you get him to a safe place." With that, she would relax herself and walk out of the den, eyes blinking a few times to get used to the brightness of outside. 

She saw Morag and would offer the woman a small smile, nodding her head in greeting. "Hello there Morag, did you need something for your pregnancy? I hope everything is going well." Though one may think that her words were a ruse, they weren't entirely so. She actually did care about the pregnant woman's needs and was willing to help out as much as she could.

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^^

Err nor Anai seemed to come to face her despite their scents being two of the four dominant ones in this small space. Instead it was the little healer who came to face her. Morag knew Vengeance would not house a non-wolf. Whatever the little beast was, it was no wolf. It was canine, of sorts, but it was not wolf. That would make all the difference to Vengeance and thus, to her. They hadn't announced it, which was something that bothered Morag. You chose your fellow Walkers over an outsider, child or not. Mystery came to her, question on her tongue and Morag smiled, all sharp edges and head hanging between her shoulders like a wolf on the hunt.

"@Err has been a sufficient healer so far," the she beast started with a coo, "I'm sure he will continue to be sufficient if we... lose you." What hope did she have to wiggle her way out of whatever it were that she were trying, when Morag could smell the beast. "Do you wish to try it again?" Morag was second in command and had earned her respect, earned her place and yet they were going to try and pull a fast one?

Morag drew her tongue along her teeth and lips, tilting her head as she watched the little healer. Morag had come close, close enough that if she wanted to try, she would be able to see the boy and the beast in the den. Would he try to run? "@Err," Morag drawled, "are you no longer loyal to Vengeance, that you would sit in the dark and be part of this?" She would call to the rat, not being able to see him even if she were to try and look but she had smelt him, she knew he was here amongst the near-traitors. "Speak," Morag barked, to any of them willing to try and save themselves now or forever hold their peace. ^^

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 He could care less about Mystery’s displeasure, if there was one thing he wanted it was to stay alive. Being on the boss’ shit lists was not a good way to do that, nor was it conducive to your usefulness. In fact, it was a good way to get them to replace you with someone else…

 Briefly the thought flashed to run away with the dark she-wolf… but there was no guarantee they’d find another pack… and no guarantee they wouldn’t be hunted down and killed. Living with an eternal target on your back was no way to live.

 Why couldn’t she get that?

 In any case, he didn’t come out. He stayed trembling in hiding while he prayed to whatever gods above that Morag didn’t notice him…

 Except she did. After Mystery tried to divert the attention away from the child, all of which Morag was having none of. The woman made a direct threat on Mystery’s life. Something he might have been amused at –or grabbed his metaphorical popcorn to watch—if it was anyone else but her. She was going to get killed.

 Was going to get him killed.

 He had a few options. Stay in hiding and risk Morag’s wrath and guilt by association. Or he could come out and defend the pup and Mystery (ha, that’s funny). Or… he could save his own skin and maybe Mystery’s. At this point he figured the pup was a lost cause so better to just toss that and leave it.

 Clearly she didn’t see that yet, clearly he had to do something to help her… even if he put himself first.

 He wasted no time when he was called and skittered out, he looked at Anai and the pup on his way out. Shaking his head sadly. He knew how this ended.

 He walked out into the sunlight, not looking at Mystery as he passed her and settling on the ground in front of Morag. It was a rather submissive play to hopefully play on her merciful side. She could snap him like a twig in an instant, they both knew that, yet here he was right at her paws to hopefully show that he was throwing himself in the lion’s den at a bid for her nicer side. He was being compliant… brownie points, right?

 ”I am always loyal to Vengeance first, boss. I am no part of this. I only recently found out moments before you did. Otherwise I would have told Vengeance myself the first chance I had.” Normally, saying such things might have brought a grin to his face but now… stabbing this loved one in the back brought no joy. ”The pup, there was a thought,” His thought but he wouldn’t say that. He didn’t know if that was signing away his life. ”That it might be trained to be a healer. It is small, tiny,” Like himself. ”It’s paws could be useful as an additional healer. One can never have too many of those.” Maybe that might soften Morag, drag out some mercy. Maybe get an appeal to Vengeance? He didn’t know… she’d already said that they’d do just fine with only him.

 For once in his life… he felt like shit for the actions he was taking to an actual friend.

 But he still cared more about preserving his own hide and his place in the pack.

 He blinked up at Morag, not knowing how she’d react… while he was unable to bring himself to look at Mystery.

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He stayed where he was hidden, prevented by Mystery from leaving the den. But at least she knew of the danger they were in. At least she allowed him to grab the pup.

Anai bent low and placed his teeth around the pup's wiry scruff and lifted the tiny thing up. It was near weightless, and Anai thought that if he grasped a little too hard, he would surely kill the child. That thought filled him with as much dread as the thought of facing Morag.

He strained himself to listen to the conversation that drifted in through the opening in the ground. Pleasantries from Mystery, threats from Morag. They ran against each other like water and fire. Anai thought he caught a glimpse of the Consigliere around the corner of the den's great mouth. Her voice was closer, and he pressed his lighter side closer to the earthen walls glad, hoping that he might camouflage himself, at least, even though the pup was like a moon against him.

For a moment his eyes met Err's. There was sadness in the way the rat looked at him, and Anai knew his face reflected something of the same.

They were all going to die here, damn it!

He should have listened to his instincts. He should have never brought the child to Mystery's den.

He should have taken the child out of the territory when they'd still had the chance.

Anai waited in baited silence, ready to run.

Or to at least try.
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She didn't expect it to work, not one bit so when Morag snapped back at her with threats of violence, Mystery didn't even bat an eye. However, as the pregnant woman moved closer to the den, the scarred woman would move to place her body in between her and the entrance, ready to protect them all with her own body. As the woman talked about Err being able to be the main healer, Mystery would find herself scoffing softly. I doubt that. She thought to herself but refused to speak up, keeping herself calm even though she really wanted to attack the woman in front of her. Leader or not, this woman hadn't gain the healer's trust or respect and this certainly wasn't doing that. 

She went to speak up, but a familiar tiny creature run out before she could. Eyes would narrow at him, hurt and betrayal clear on her face. He ratted her out, something that she should have seen coming. He is a rat after all. Perhaps she was wrong for putting her trust in him, opening her heart to him like she did before. She should have known better but he was so kind to her before. What an idiot she was. 

Ignoring him, she would look back up at Morag, her face one of someone who was entirely done with everything now. It the other woman attacked, the scarred woman would greatly accept it, perhaps it would help her ignore the pain in her heart. "I was going to call Vengeance before you arrived, but this works as well. I took in a small pup, he is not wolf, but I'm taking him in as my apprentice, he will be taught to be a healer and will be able to get into small places that I will not be able to and carry much more than a rat can." She had no love for Err right now and refused to even look at him.

Standing like a protective barrier, she moved herself slightly so she was protecting the den, letting Err do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to put himself in danger by stepping away from her towards Morag, that was entirely on him and she would mourn his death.

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^^

One of them chose to be a loyal Nightwalker. One of them chose to act right and even still, she was certain it was from both his loyalty to Vengeance but also his desire to save his own skin. Still, the little rat came out in silence and sat himself at her paws, Morag looking down her nose at him. The Consigliere looked at him, expecting. He did not keep her waiting, his words falling from him with no hesitance. "Err," she cooed mockingly, "it is not wolf." Surely the rat knew of Vengeance's dislike for canines that were not wolves? Surely he knew better?

"You have done well in picking your side, Err. I'll be sure to let Vengeance know of your display of loyalty," there was a threat there, lingering on the surface. He had opted to partake in the farce to begin with but Morag would conveniently leave that out, for he had chosen right in the end. "You will not be taking him in," her gaze slid to Mystery, her freckled features looking at her in disgust. "Vengeance has no love for canines that are not wolf. Do you think he would have even given you a moment to excuse yourself before he ripped into you for your blatant disrespect and traitor-like desires?" Morag's lip curled over her teeth in an open smirk, fire filled gaze filled with excitement.

Mystery was attempting to play with the big boys, it seemed. The she-beast would step closer to Mystery and looked down at her, not a sliver of warmth written on her masked features. "Stand down, Healer. If you go against me now, you will ensure yourself a traitor. Sure you might try and run, you might even manage to slip past me -- but you will not leave the lands alive," Morag laughed then, uncaring for the spit she sent the little healer's way. "You are trying to save the life of this kid but you do not seek to keep the other kid alive?" Morag would tilt her head then, tongue sweeping across her lips in anticipation. "Choose, Healer. If you wish to keep the non-wolf alive and reveal him to Vengeance for his sentencing, you are choosing to kill Anai."

What Aries didn't know wouldn't hurt him but even still, she didn't particularly care either way. "The boy has a father here, you know? I am sure he would have something to say to the girl who signed his sons life away," she cackled, looking amused. Would Mystery choose to save Anai or would she choose to save the little nothing that he was hoarding away in the den? It was almost cute to know that any of them thought that they had the upper hand here, that standing their ground was a show of strength -- it only showed that they were not Nightwalker material if they didn't accept their way of life. Beasts that they were, the Nightwalkers adhered to some codes. Those of which, Mystery and Anai were going against.

A child was going to die today and it was up to the Healer to decide which one it happened to be. Morag would resort to brute force, happily but she rather liked to play some mind games whilst she was at it -- especially since the two thought that they were something special in their disrespect. Morag felt gleeful. ^^

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He found himself in a terrible position.

And who was he kidding? He had put himself here.

Anai heard every word the women spoke in the space above him. How Morag gambled his life like a card to be played. But in effect, isn't that what they had agreed on? He knew that harbouring the child could be death for him if anyone ever found out, yet hearing Morag say it slapped him in his face.

And how she spoke like he was just some child! Cowed in a den, his life entirely in the paws of someone whose first plan had already failed. If he had only stood stronger, then none of this would have happened!

He had options. He could kill the child, and this whole mess would be over with. But he knew the guilt would eat him alive. It was no more of an option than it was a sticking thought. He could not kill the child. He would simply make a new mess in its place.

He could wait, as he'd already been doing.

He could trick Morag. Pluck off a bit of the child's fur and make a run from the den, carrying the fur in his mouth while leaving the child behind for one of them to circle back and collect later.

But the more he considered that, the more foolish the option seemed, and the more apparent he had only one option left, while Morag was distracted, thinking she had him in her paws.

Anai might have been a Nightwalker, but he was also a child of the sun. And he prayed he would see mother again. He did not know if he believed in a god, but right now, if one existed, he needed all the help he could get.

Leo's face was the last that came to mind as he kicked off the ground and forced his way out of the den, pushing past Mystery through the small space left between her and the den, and aiming to sprint as fast as he could away from the den, away from Morag, away from Nightwalker territory, pup still dangling from his mouth.

His life was not a life to gamble away.

If he was going to die, he would be the only one to give it up.
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