Morningside Cuesta Surviving can be the worst kind of pain

@Grayday @Sylvas Streiter anybody else is welcome too :)

[table width=85%][tr][td]Instinct, or perhaps it was the Tiny Voice back from such a long vacation, told her to run. It screamed for her to hide herself and her unborn child away from the cruelty of the world. 

Perhaps that was for the best; no one would hurt them.

Logic, however, told her that this was unwise. She had barely made it to this pack's territory on her own, would not survive on her own; the sylph would be lucky to remain alive until she delivered. 

Liri limped heavily, her mangled leg throbbing with every breath, movement, and heartbeat. It was partially healed though horribly damaged beyond compare. Liri would never regain the ability to use it as she had before. 

She found there was no distinguishable border the closer she got, only a confusing interlapping of scents. 

Weaving on her feet momentarily, she crashed down like a fallen tree with a grunt. Perhaps laying down would help, it could be taken as a submissive gesture; besides, Liri found she could no longer stand. 

Her lips parted but the nymph found she could not howl, only a feeble croak escaped her throat. The broken and obviously pregnant female waited with hopes that someone, anyone, would find her.[/table][/tr][/td]

Sunspot had stayed away from the inner parts of the territory, on-edge ever since her unpleasant encounter with the pregnant bitch. Of course, she knew she ought not to have taken it so personally - but it'd been a strange several months, and the woman was willing to hold onto anything she could control.

But she wasn't stewing. She refused to stew. Her anger might still be real, still be present - but she wouldn't dwell on it, if she could help it at all. And more than that, she'd resolved to be kind, the next time she saw the woman. At least until the woman decided to be unkind to her.

Still, she stayed on the outskirts, not quite ready to be polite to the dark woman, yet. Besides, the borders still needed marking, even if Grayday had shared a private desire to seek thicker forests. So Sunspot marked, and kept a level eye out as she did. And she was shocked when she caught sight of the strange creature collapsing upon their borders - a shewolf, probably, but mostly just a patchwork pelt of scars.

"Ma'am?" she called out, quickly closing the distance between the two, only to rear back when she caught wind of the woman's state. Not another one, she thought, wondering what the black bitch would think of another pregnant wolf encroaching on her territory. Sunspot huffed. I'll protect you, she thought.

[table width=85%][tr][td]So lost was she in the sea of grief and pain that Liri nearly failed to hear the woman's voice. 

My child, my baby...

The woman, cream coloured and haloed by the sun behind her, came into focus slowly. Liri rasped in response, struggling to roll over onto her back in submission. With a wheezy gasp of pain, she settled for collapsing onto her side and letting her head fall back to bare her throat. 

"I know what it looks like," the ice spirit croaked, voice thin and reedy from her weeks of silence. "It looks as if I am begging; begging you to give an injured woman safe harbor, to give a mother a home for her children, for life."

"But I am no slacker. I am loyal. I am a healer. I...I cannot run very well, nor hunt I suppose...but I still have legs, I can track game. I was fast enough to escape and smart enough that she will not find me. I can be of use," Liri whispered urgently to the woman, a beacon of hope. 

This was too much to say at once for her, exhausted as she was on top of everything else, and Liri slumped against the earth with a sigh as if it had taken everything in her to speak so much.[/table][/tr][/td]

Paws stepped softly as the brunette male walked along the borders, a habit the male found even now when life was good, hard to break. His unkept tail swished behind him as he strolled onward, leathery nostrils flaring as he scented the warm breeze that swept through the land, occasionally toying with his mixed brown pelt, but also bringing with it an aroma that caused his head to lift with curiosity. His golden gaze peered in the direction the unknown smell seemed to be coming from and without hesitation, Sylvas began to swiftly make his way in their direction, the mercenary's attention now solely on this new arrival.

A frown furrowed across the male's brows as he began to increase his pace, eyes squinting some as he peered over the Cuesta, eventually spotting the outline of two figures up ahead of him, gradually coming more into view as he beelined straight toward the pair. Ears swiveled atop his head as he listened to the sound of the stranger's voice as he approached and though some of her words were inaudible to the male, he'd managed to pick up enough to know why she was here at their borders. 

Sylvas' golden eyes observed the pregnant stranger that was currently slumped upon the ground for a moment, his light pink tongue escaping his mouth as he licked at his muzzle thoughtfully. The bulky leader quietly stood, considering the woman's exhausted plea as his bright gaze averted away from the patch-work woman and slowly to Sunspot, ”If she remains in this state, she will be of no use to anyone.” He stated, a singular ear twitching as he stepped closer to the she-wolf, ”Asking for our help, a place within our ranks, you will first need rest, especially if you wish to be of any use to us.” He said gruffly as he peered down to the woman, ”..but mostly, to be of any use to your future young.” He added as he briefly glanced to her stomach, ”Do you have a name?” Sylvas questioned.

A tiny whine escaped the hunter as the woman immediately began to beg and bargain for a place among them. It was sad and disheartening to see another so beaten down by life, and likely, by others of their own kind. Why couldn't wolves just be kind to each other?

"Don't worry about that right now," Sunspot said, her voice gentle but firm. She would've gone on, but her ears pricked and then swivelled toward the sound of another's arrival. "Sylvas," she greeted, her voice friendly, but her stance shifting unconsciously to put herself between the male and the stranger. It was not that she didn't trust Grayday's friend - just that the woman and the scents surrounding her invoked a powerful instinct to protect in the creamy shewolf.

She nodded in uneasy agreement at the leader's words, glancing distractedly toward the scarred woman even as she tried to pay attention to Sylvas's words. She couldn't tell whether or not he would accept her, so Sunspot sought to convince him.

"I'll take care of her," she offered, tail wagging encouragingly. "Please, Sylvas? She needs us."

[table width=85%][tr][td]She could not pinpoint when the male approached, it seemed as if suddenly he was there. It was obvious he was one of the leaders of this pack, large and commanding as his presence was. 

Liri struggled to remain calm as he drew closer, not for fear but for anxiety. As the honeyed leader spoke the sylph found a lump forming in her throat. The ice nymph hated how useless she felt, how tiny and insignificant he made her feel. 

"Liri," she murmured, not entirely able to keep her ears from drooping with shame. 

Let him agree, she urged silently. She did not care if he thought her a beggar, if he believed her to be worthless. Liri was not ready to die nor was she ready to see the last flicker of life within her go out.[/table][/tr][/td]

Sorry for the terrible post <3

Sylvas silently continued to observe the scene before him, an unkept tail swaying behind the brute as a soft breeze gently suddenly swept through the land, toying with his mixed brown fur as he stood at the borders edge. The mercenary's bright stare remained on the nameless stranger, though his gaze soon averted from the she-wolf toward Sunspot as she slowly began placing herself between him and the battered woman. With this, the leader tilted his head slightly, somewhat confused to the Hunter's sudden protectiveness over the creamed woman and Sylvas soon found himself glancing between the pair, his mind ticking away silently as he tried to consider and quickly, on what to do with this serious situation.

His head jerked, ears swivelling forward as he caught sound of the scarred woman's weak voice and his amber eyes shimmered in the light of the sun as he turned to face the stranger, whom he could finally name as Liri. Sylvas offered Liri a small bow of his head, but before he could part his lips to speak, his attention suddenly fell back to Sunspot as her voice rung out over the brief silence. Sylvas pondered on the Hunter's plea to care for the injured she-wolf and found himself delving deeper into thought on the woman's caring offer. 

Gradually, Sylvas took a step away from Liri, his light pink tongue escaping his mouth as he licked at his muzzle, ”Sunspot will care for you during your stay here.” He said, peering over to Liri for a moment before allowing his gaze to shift to Grayday's sister, ”And not only that, I'm placing Liri as your responsibility. Since you've offered to tend to the woman's health, I only see it fair to place you as the woman's keeper of sorts during her time here with the pack.” Sylvas said gruffly, his stare remaining fixed on the Hunter before adding, ”Though, this will only last until she has proven herself deserving of a place within our ranks.” Sylvas said as he looked to Sunspot, ears arching forward as he waited for someone else to speak.

Sunspot let out a sharp sigh of relief when she realized the poor, beaten woman would not be turned away. "Of course," she replied to Sylvas's charge, tail flicking in easy submission to this order. She'd planned on caring for Liri, anyway, and how hard could it be to keep track of her when she was so hurt?

"You'll stay near me, right?" Sunspot asked of Liri, wondering how the woman felt about all this. If she didn't want to follow the rules, Sunspot would doubtlessly change her tune about the other. It seemed like a good practice to Sunspot. Hopefully Liri would understand.

No worries XD I am posting trash posts right now anyway. Sorry, guys!

At any other time the man - Sylvas - might have made her feel safer.

His presence was strong and steady like an oak yet there was little warmth to him. The man left her feeling chilled even in the summer heat; his eyes seemed to pierce through the small woman unnervingly, as if he saw every misstep made in her young life. 

Liri shrank where she lay crumpled, pressing as far into the earth as she could as Sylvas moved closer. The sylph did not yet expect pain but could neither think why he might approach. A sigh of relief burst from her lips as Sunspot blocked his passage, subtly as she did. 

"Thank you," Liri whispered, unsure of whom she addressed with her gratitude but not daring to look at either of them. He was not unkind but he made her stomach squirm with how obviously he thought her to be a burden. 

Disgust at herself coiled low in her stomach and the woman merely nodded. The nymph longed for the moment she could be out of sight and hopefully, out of mind.

Apologies it's short! And you're now properly titled! <3

His ears swiveled back as he caught the woman's near quiet whisper of gratitude, though the male's golden gaze softening as he watched the scarred female for a moment before his stare gradually averted to Sunspot as she began to take over the situation. The mercenary's paw shift upon the grass as he began to take his leave, but slowly he stopped, allowing his head to turn as he called back to their newest member, his tone warmer than before and a small smile present, ”Welcome to Moringside, Liri.” And with a small bow of his head, to both Liri and Sunspot, the leader turned away and swiftly jogged his way along the border., continuing in his work of marking the edges of the Cuesta.

It was something of a relief when Sylvas finally left. Sunspot hadn't missed that Liri had failed to answer her question, and she'd worried, for a moment, that the male would take that badly and decide to chase Liri off their lands. Even now, Sunspot contemplated it, knowing that she couldn't allow a stranger into these lands without at least extracting a verbal promise of goodwill.

"You will cooperate with me, won't you?" she asked again, but her voice was warm, and her eyes were trusting. What did Liri have to gain by causing trouble?