Redhawk Caldera Spooked

@Raven *smashes goblet* ANOTHA!

The ground was made of fire this time, flashing gold and red and brown like autumn, and there was a rushing like a strong river in his ears. The earth didn't feel right on his paws, it felt both soft and smooth. The wind too, felt wrong. It rushed by and somehow made him feel claustrophobic; it felt like water pouring over his face, but no matter how much he tried to drink, he couldn't taste it. The view shifted gradually until the ground was revealed as a massive wing - and then a massive bird, giant and red and gaping its beak open to scream, and all that came out was a cloud of blackness - feathers! They were feathers!

Titmouse spasmed awake from his latest strange dream, slurring over the word Blackfeather -- ! as his hindquarters kicked. One paw touched upon a hard surface (likely a tree stump) while the other hit something soft and supple, and the boy jerked his head up groggily in time to see a figure move from behind him. He was breathing hard and feeling woozy, uncertain of where he was for a long couple of minutes.

YAAAASSSS

While he slept, Raven herself dozed in that gauzy, fluttering place where dreams are intangible, flickering ghosts laid over the things seen, heard, and smelled around her. She mumbled softly and twitched, and her ears flicked as Titmouse did the same thing nearby. She was jarred awake by his sudden outburst, though, and quickly she was on her feet, moving around to his front to check on him. She waved her tail and smiled sadly as she looked down at him. "Hey," she said softly, hating that even in sleep, Blackfeather still tormented the boy. "It's okay. They're not going to get you here."

Through the fog of his half-awake state he could hear Raven talking, and that helped to anchor him. He seemed to return to himself after a few seconds during which the dream's power faded, and he was left feeling a bit stupid. Titmouse couldn't remember the entirety of it either because, well, dreams were like that sometimes. The feeling of being trapped remained, the panic was still there inside of him, and he squished up against Raven as if holding on to her would make everything better.

When his breathing slackened and his pulse wasn't racing so much, Tit sighed and let her go. The warm spot where he'd been sleeping had since cooled. With a small groan he muttered, Sorry, as if his residual stress was something to apologize for.

As he huddled up close to her, Raven arched her neck and head over him protectively and made no move to disturb him or otherwise put any distance between them. She knew the closeness soothed him and was glad she could be there for him, though deep down it broke her heart. She was not, and never had been, a violent wolf by any means, but in that moment she really wanted to get her teeth into one of the sons of bitches that had tortured such a pure, sweet soul as Titmouse's. "Don't be," she said softly in reply to his apology. He had nothing to be sorry for. "It's okay."

I could've stopped him, Titmouse blurted, his tone still groggy. I didn't have to come back... Green Eyes, she could've led me to him, and I could've stopped him. No more Blackfeather.. It was highly unlikely Titmouse could've faced-off againt Vaati and won, and even more unlikely he could've done that and escaped unscathed; but the more he thought about it (and the more awake he felt), it didn't make much sense that he could've escaped at all, with the girl's help or not. The boy thought it had been some kind of daring adventure to get back home - but what if it had been easier than that? What if Vaati had let him go just to follow them back here? Tit shook his head and fixed his attention on Raven, unwilling to continue down that path.

Do you think we're safe here? He asked next, and watched her expectantly. There was only one answer she could really give him - yes, of course - but he wondered how true that could be. Before she could respond he added, I don't... feel safe. 

She let him talk, uninterrupted, even though she disagreed with his comments that he could have stopped Blackfeather. There was an entire pack of them, and no matter how brave he might be, Titmouse could not hope to take on all of them by himself. There were rumblings of a war between Redhawk and Blackfeather -- potentially involving some other packs, Raven's knowledge of the details was sketchy at best -- so hopefully that useless band of terrorists wouldn't be a problem much longer.

To his question, though, she did not hesitate to respond. She nodded and said, "They're cowards. They slink around in shadows, pick off the unsuspecting, and poison them to keep them weak." Bitterness crept into her words as she spoke, anger settling like a frost on her heart. They had attacked two members of her own family now. It was starting to get awfully personal for her. "As long as you stay close to home, I think you'll be fine. There's safety in numbers."

She was right, of course. They were cowards. He couldn't overlook her point about poisons, but that got him thinking. Are they similar to.. Whatever you use to heal? I mean, poisons, specifically. As terrible as the Blackfeather wolves were, maybe there was a reason they had survived in secret for so long and had managed to target so many people. Maybe their knowledge could be used against them? It was unlikely; those wolves were unlike anyone Titmouse knew, they were malevolent and terrible creatures that were less than wolves. Still, maybe that was the key. They're sneaky little shits, but maybe we just need to be sneaky too.