Redhawk Caldera tell me every terrible thing you did and let me love you anyway

No rounds. Quick posts preferred. @Dio @Eske @Blixen @Furi @Artaax @Hush @Hvitserk (I always feel like I’m forgetting someone?) I wrote this while exhausted and I hope it’s not terrible.

Seeing the caldera in the distance breathes life back into Thuringwethil. She suspects the others too. It is evidence of what lies around the corner in the next few days.

It is bloodshed and broken bodies; it is defiling her children’s innocence.

War once excited her and soon, she’s aged a millennia. They do not back down, she reminds herself, even if their is death on the horizon. Drageda has made a name for itself since their arrival nearly two years ago and has existed in a tiny corner and yet, there are those that do not know their name. That do not fear their name.

As they arrive close the borders, she allows her wolves settle up close. She looks to her children, worried Wildfire will show up before she gets a chance to explain their purpose, but quickly diverts her attention to the rest of them. As they settle, and their distance from the caldera isn’t too threatening—despite their anticipated arrival—she lifts her nose and calls out to @Finley and @Elwood.

Thuringwethil's voice on the wind sent a chill down Elwood's spine. They had been anticipating her arrival, and yet it seemed to have come too soon. He was filled with dread and his blood ran cold; while their goal was to ensure their own safety and eliminate the nearby threat, he knew that there was a possibility that Redhawk blood would be shed. It was something he had had to accept in spite of himself.

He made his way to the borders with heavy footsteps, though he knew there was no postponing the inevitable. With each stride, he worked to bolster his confidence, and by the time he laid eyes on the commander, he had completely grasped the situation. There were things that they had no control over, but they had prepared to the best of their abilities. He was reassured, at least, by the group of wolves scattered behind Thuringwethil; they looked to be a formidable bunch.

Anticipating that Finley would join them shortly, he came to a halt and nodded to the Heda. His head and tail remained high, in an expression of conviction rather than dominance. Words failed him temporarily, but his body language conveyed that he was ready for whatever lay ahead.

He tries to atone for his lack of action in the past half-year by scouting as much as he could. He did not know where they were going exactly — his fault, once more — but he kept his baby-blues peeled, searching ahead for good camping spots, food, water through the snow.

He had never been to the Caldera before, and the sight of it marveled him. It was so similar to their first home, Sleeping Dragon, without the soft dragon's breath in the air. The nostalgia allows him to forget for a brief moment that they were going to war, that wolves would be hurt, get killed, even if their enemies deserved it. 

He looked to Heda, seeing her exhaustion. He briefly moves forward after she howls, licking under her chin and rubbing against her before he falls back amidst the others.

Wanlida walks as close to Heda as she is allowed, allowing the buildup of anticipation to course through her veins like electricity. She is ready for war. This is what she’s been training her whole life for. She’s ready to earn her kill marks or …alternatively: she’s ready to die in battle, if that’s what it held for her. Gyda had believed that there was no honor higher than death in battle. Though Hvitserk’s continued presence makes her angry and uneasy — for she does not trust Freyja’s treacherous little bitch to have her back in battle — she assures herself that she does not need it. She has been training since she was young and in the absence of a present Cheka she will take the duty of protecting her Commander upon herself. The group stops as they near Redhawk Caldera’s borders and Eske watches as Hush slinks forward to lick at Heda’s chin moments before The Commander sends up a call for the leadership.

Eske watches as a male approaches then, presumably one of the Caldera’s alphas. Eske focuses her attention upon him and any others that would arrive on his side, wondering if the Caldera is as ready for this was as Drageda is.

Towhee and X watched the borders like, well, hawks. She didn't need her ears to know when the wolves from Drageda arrived; she watched their approach from a distance, then made sure to hasten to the borders as they came closer. She arrived simultaneously with Elwood, nodding her head and coming to stand at the Alpha male's shoulder. She started slightly when she felt an unexpected but familiar weight settle on her opposite shoulder. Towhee cocked her head and smiled grimly at the hawk, then turned and began counting heads. Her heart beat with both excitement and fear.

A flash of red made Towhee jump again. She watched as the familiar svelte figure of Wildfire flung herself at the commander, pressing into the black bear of a woman. The mercenary's eyes dropped in embarrassment and—to tell the truth—a touch of distaste. When she raised them again to resume counting, she pointedly kept her attention away from the pair of reuniting she-wolves.

"They've asked me to go into hiding with the others," Wildfire was breathlessly informing her mate even as her eyes scanned for other familiar faces in the crowd behind the commander. When she spotted Artaax and Blixen, she gasped. She should have felt anger and fear—Thuringwethil had involved their children against Wildfire's wishes—but all she felt was a poignantly bittersweet joy at seeing them and a fierce pride. They were grown adults now, powerful Drakru soldiers.

Wildfire beckoned them to her almost shyly, tears springing to her eyes. "Thur," she murmured to her mate, "I'm going home with you after this." She still planned to go into hiding with the others, though she would do whatever Thuringwethil asked. And Wildfire would, of course, express her eternal thanks to her godparents before returning to Drageda. Right at the moment, the only thing that mattered was that Wildfire's family knew—before they marched off to war—that she would be going home with them after they'd won. "And bring our children—and yourself—back safe to me."

blixen is quiet by her brother's side, the picture of a well behaved (if tired) drageda soldier. that lasts about as long as it takes for mother to slide into view and then the gona is off, darting to her side (well, as soon as she seperated from nomi, anyway, she knows better than to interrupt that). it feels like it's been years since she saw her collapse at the border -- but she's here, and alive and whole and blix catches her say "i'm coming home" and a breathy hiccup escapes her as she buries into her matching red side. (they're still nearly twins, though blix has grown slightly bigger, thicker, her father's genetics catching up to her).

"we're protecting you," she informs her mother seriously, though she's sure nomi will explain more. amber eyes scan past the rest of drageda, looking for furi - her stomach does a little flip (this is what she imagined, but not exactly). she'd been so focused on - war, the caldera, mother, her job - she hadn't thought about furi's place in all of this, either, if furi would be going with nomi and the rest to the forest. she hadn't thought about it, but now that she does she feels something small and heavy settle in her chest.

but for now she breaks her gaze and looks towards nomi and then toward elwood and towhee (her tail wagging in greeting at her cousin), waiting for the plan to be laid out.

Even though she’d started going with a feisty spirit, Furi never full anticipated participating in a war. She knows her mother has, before, in the name of keeping her family safe—that’s what she ultimately wanted—but who does she have to keep safe now that she can? She hasn’t seen her family in so long that the thoughts of them are few and far between. Thinking about them now only adds a level of worry she hadn’t had a few moments ago.

She may never seen her family again.

Pale green eyes drop to the ground as she shuffled along near the back and out of view. She looks to Eske every so often as she moves with purpose. She’s made for this. Furi isn’t. Her eyes retreat back to the ground.

The rest of the wolves come to a stop and it takes her an extra step or two before she realizes it, nearly running into Hvitserk but she catches herself and corrects it. Heda has made her call to the wolves that love her and this is the first time she gets a good glance (staring at the ground had been quite time consuming) and she notices the approach of wolves she doesn’t recognize.

She doesn’t expect any of them to come rushing at them and nervously she lifts a leg to back up. The closer she comes, however, she realizes how much she looks like Blixen and when she rushes into Heda’s chest, it all clicks into place. Again, Furi meanders away from the heart of the group and stays out of the way, missing Blixen’s glance over altogether.

Throughout the majority of the journey, Hvitserk had kept to himself—in the back and out of everyone’s way. Although he wanted to prove himself, the closer they got to their destination, the more he wondered if he was really meant to be there, to fight for them. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was even fighting for, in all honesty. Wildfire had been attacked—that’s what he’d been told, that’s why he had followed. He wasn’t accustomed to fighting for the pack, however, having spent the entirety of his life thus far defending a single wolf—Freyja. It made him uneasy, realising that he wasn’t defending her anymore but, instead, someone that wasn’t apart of his family; and for the rest of his life he would be defending many someones. Genetically, he was built to do exactly this and even his instincts insisted upon it but, emotionally, he was uncertain. He couldn’t place how he felt about it, choosing to instead ignore his thoughts for the time being and focus on the war—that was the only reason for his being there, after all.

As everyone slowed to an eventual stop, he followed suit, noticing moments later that not everyone had caught on. Whilst she hadn’t actually touched him, he still felt her hovering nearby and turned his head to peer over his shoulder at her. Silent, he watched her, returning his attention to the front of the group just as he picked up on the approach of others; silver, soot, and fire. Focusing on those gathering with the Heda, he listened closely with the hope of picking up on whatever words were exchanged—after Wildfire had finished talking, that is. He ignored what she had said, feeling awkward and being reminded of his sister; would she greet him the same way, should they meet again? Deciding that it didn’t matter—now wasn’t the time to get pulled into the past, he needed to remain alert and ready for the impending battle—he crept a little closer, stopping within the center of the group, and settled back onto his haunches. He kept his ears perked and gaze ahead, forcibly forgetting the world around him with the intention of (kind of) unintentionally eavesdropping.

The trip is long, cold, and tedious but a shade of familiarity with the road gives them that sort of assurance that they didn't have last time they made this trek. Now, they know what they're here to do, and what the days to come should have in store for them. This time, it is less about finding the answers lost in the sea of unknown and far more about action--with an intended outcome of solution for their behalf. Maybe this is why he anticipates it more, as he has something more finite to expect, and prepare for in full.

They gather at the edge of the Caldera's claim, worn from their miles covered but as well as he could tell, in decent shape. A little rest and some finishing touches aside, he knows they'll be ready when it counts. Hopefully, the Redhawks come the same, and they can make short work of what needs done.

When the howl goes up and others begin to arrive to meet with their group, the wocha settled to the midst of it to watch, and wait. He perks when he sees familiar faces, although Wildfire (upright, and livelier than he had seen in moons) is chief among them, and otherwise maintains his guard with the others.

The sound of the commander's call filled Finley's heart with dread. It was an instant rection - instant and unexpected. She had thought herself prepared for the war that was to come. She wasn't happy about it, but she had accepted the decision they had made. Or, so she'd thought. In that moment with Thuringwethil's voice echoing across the Caldera's slopes, Fin felt as though there was absolutely nothing she would rather do than to gather up her kids and go deep underground until this whole thing blew over.

The moment passed, and soon enough Finley found herself stepping up to her mate's side, bumping his shoulder lightly, and nodding in greeting to the wolves of Drageda. Many had beaten her there, including Wildfire who was smushed against the commander. A faint smile flickered across Fin's lips at the sight, in spite of the heavy weight of foreboding upon her heart. She looked around to see who of her own had come to greet the Dragda wolves and spotted only Towhee. She was not surprised at this, and was actually a little grateful. There was work to be done here and too many others would complicate it.

"Welcome back," Fin said to Thur, breathing deep and offering a smile.

The journey to the Caldera had gone much faster than the last. Artaax was glad that it was so. He was eager to see his mother again, though their reunion would mean that the rest of his packmates went to war that much sooner. It also meant that they would all be returning home to Drageda together soon, and the thought of that made his heart fill with such emotion that it felt like it would burst.

He strode up to Thur's side eagerly, his bi-toned eyes scanning the slopes eagerly as though expecting to see Wildfire sitting there waiting for them. He felt like a child again, and for once he was perfectly content with that. The hompleia kept still near the group as wolves of the Caldera began to arrive - first the alpha, then the angry girl. He glanced around at his packmates, spying Blixen's face before realizing that Furi had moved away from them. Artaax turned his head back to find her creeping away. He frowned at this, but the sound of rushing footsteps took his attention back in time to see the blur of red darting forward to press herself into nomi.

Artaax was slower to move forward than Blixen, wanting to remain the calm, collected adult he considered himself to be. The furious wagging of his tail and the bright, somewhat watery smile upon his face betrayed him though. He stopped short of the family smoosh and simply gazed at her, nodding affirmation of Blixen's statement as his heart throbbed with joy and relief.

When the call rang at the borders, Shrike’s heart sank in his chest. He’d been patrolling, as was his usual habit, following along a path which had been traced by Towhee much earlier. Though he did have his doubts about the sombre wolf, he did approve highly of how much she seemed to patroll the borders. Perhaps they were more alike than he realized- as Shrike, after all, was not terribly social and was abrupt to a fault, without realizing it. 

His journey eventually brought him into the presence of the small band of wolves who had come to their borders. Hos hackles raised slightly, instinctively, but he read the scene and saw how congenially the others held themselves. Hungrily, his eyes roved over the strangers for a split second- as these were the wolves who would be joining them in war.

Mutely, he licked his chops and meandered toward Finley, who was closest to him, and gently bumped his muzzle affectionately against her flank before he looked over to Towhee, who stood at Elwood’s shoulder. Respectfully, he nodded at her- whether she’d seen it or not- and remained somewhat passively and obediently in the background, as a representation of the pack at this small gathering.

They do not have to wait long before someone shows up. Hush’s presence is not physically acknowledged other than a slight dip of her nose into the kiss. She refocuses her attention and in the distance, she notes Elwood, and not too far behind him, Towhee, but her attention ends up on the fiery blur running in her direction. It’s a significant improvement of the last time she’d seen her on this very border and when she connects, it takes a big of effort to keep her in one spot. Before she knows it, Artaax and Blixen are closing in and she leans into her mate.

Blixen explains their purpose before she gets a chance and she is surprise not to see even a little anger cross Wildfire’s face. “They are here for you,” she says, “they will go with you into hiding.” She doesn’t know the plan for those in hiding but it makes sense. Not everyone in the caldera is capable of going, including her mate. There are other children, other wolves in the caldera she has not met—one catches her peripheral vision as he steps up to the alpha pair, not too far behind Finley—and it makes her feel better about bringing them along.

Finley speaks up and she nods, once, and offers a slight smile. “Thank you,” she says, and glances behind those that have arrived for one still calling himself Drageda. “Do you have any updates?”

A handful of the caldera's wolves arrived, filtering in and taking their place around Elwood. Despite the heavy atmosphere and the palpable tension, he couldn't help but smile as he watched Wildfire reunite with her mate and children. This was what they were fighting for -- to keep their families safe and together, and to ensure that they didn't have to fear for their lives in Blackfeather's shadow any longer.

Shrike, Finley, and Towhee surrounded Elwood and he gathered strength from their presence. When Thuringwethil asked for updates, he inclined his chin slightly, thoughtfully. "One of our members is acquainted with Blackfeather's land and described their territory to me. We can use that information when we plan our attack," he said, thinking of all the things Sebastian had described: the dangerous tree, the murky swamp, and the creek that would likely be their best point of entry to the dark wood.

"There are a few others that will be joining us to fight," he added, gesturing towards the small group clustered around him. He felt a pang as he thought of Titmouse and Phox, who each had been given a role and had chosen to flee rather than support their family. He was upset, but more than that, he found himself simply hoping that they would stay safe and alive, wherever they were.

Others arrived, and a few were faces he vaguely recognized from last time--although he could match very few names with the utmost of confidence, it was better than complete strangers here like before. It was a meager comfort, after all. He knew they'd be getting more acquainted if they were going to march against Blackfeather together, and he hoped they were ready for what was to come.

When pertinent, he directed his focus towards Elwood, who seemed to be the most valuable source of information for right now. So far, so good, as he mentioned someone knowing their enemy's territory, and others who would fight. While he took this in, Dio couldn't help but follow the grayscale leader's gesture and glance over those gathered--then wondering who had what strengths, and if this was the lot of them, and so on.

When Blixen spoke, the words didn't immediately register. Only when the commander corroborated her statement did Wildfire's face shift. She blinked several times as if bewildered, then huffed a breath and clung now to her children (roping in Artaax with a slim foreleg slung around his neck), crying quietly into their necks. She would have accepted it if they were to go off to war with their nomi, yet to know they would be with her every moment—safe and sound—meant so much to her.

While Wildfire sobbed in relief over her grown cubs, the two packs' respective heads began the conversation about logistics. Towhee chanced a glance at the commander and felt the uncomfortable tension leave her muscles when she saw that Wildfire was now latched to Blixen and a familiar wolf whose name she didn't know (or at least couldn't recall). She assessed this visual a moment, then redirected her orange gaze to bounce between her godparents and Thuringwethil, not wanting to miss a word as they discussed what they'd all gathered her for: war.

Wildfire was quick to reach out and drag him into the embrace and Artaax went willingly. He was instantly taken away, back to his hazy memories of being a small pup, tucked against this same warm, red fur back in hougeda. A pang of longing struck him and he had to silence a whine before it escaped his throat. For a moment, he could think of nothing more wonderful than being back there with his family, all together, snuggling cozily at Wildfire's side with Bobby and Blixen squirming beside him, all vying for the coziest spot in her fur.

But the voices around him brought him back shortly. His attention shifted, and gently he pried himself out of Wildfire's embrace, giving her one last affectionate smile before moving to stand more at her side with his eyes turned watchfully back to the gathered crowd. He straightened importantly as he began to listen attentively to the Caldera's alphas who were offering information as the heda had requested. It was good to know that they weren't heading into this completely blind, though it was likely more of a relief to those who didn't share his unflinching faith in Drageda's impending victory against the Blackfeather filth. He was more interested to know when they would go, when it would be over, and when they could return home again.

Elwood answered the commander's question, and Fin nodded. She still wasn't entirely pleased with Sebastian's attitude over the whole thing, but he had been helpful in the information he'd given them and he was joining the march, even if he didn't really want to. She wasn't empathetic enough to understand his reluctance or offer any forgiveness for it, but she was in no position to refuse an able body to the cause. And he at least hadn't run off like a coward as her two nephews had. Her chest tightened with an anger she hadn't shown to anyone, and she shoved it back down to focus again on the matter at hand.

"We're having a few of ours take our kids North to a safe place where they can wait this out," Fin explained, adding a few more details than Wildfire had shared, "We'll have six adults, plus your two now. They'll be safe." She knew that the safety of her kids was of the utmost important to Thur, just as Fin felt about hers.

They do not have a lot of information, which she had not expected, but learning they had someone that once knew the territory causes a little more stiffness. It will be good to know what they are getting into outside of Wildfire’s hectic memory she doesn’t like to revisit. She glances briefly to her mate, watching as she takes in their children into her embrace. If she could wrap them all up and take them back home, she would. The Blackfeather wolves are far enough away from the cliffs she’s content leaving it be—under the agreement no one (Wildfire) comes back to the Caldera without an army—but her obligation to her mate’s family can not be ignored.

Finely speaks up a moment later, pulling Thuringwethil’s attention back and she nods, thankful to hear it. Sending them away from the caldera has its good and bad points but she does not argue either way. It is not her first war, but it is her first with a family, and if she hadn’t understood the teachings before, she does now. The stakes are much higher with more to lose going into battle.

”I want to speak to the one that knows the territory,” she says after a moment, licking her lips and steeling herself and taking a small step away from her reuniting family. She paused, realizing they had not mentioned the Drageda scout. ”I assume Étoille has not returned?” she asks after a beat, wondering if they’ll reunite in the field—or worse.

By Finley's flank, there was little Shrike needed to do or say. He glanced over the other wolv es every now and again, noting the ones who seemed to know each other already, but aside from his alphas and Towhee, he didn't know anyone. He supposed that they might get to know each other a bit more on the way to Blackfeather, or they might simply keep quiet and not form attachments. He had no idea, yet, what they'd be facing. It felt strange, placing blind faith in the orders he was given- but it wasn't in his nature to go against it, either. 

Shrike still had his doubts about the entire situation. He was still relatively unimpressed with the amount of adults they'd have to take to war, simply given that he had no idea what they were up against. Apparently someone knew the layout of the land in Blackfeather, and his ears tilted forward at that note- who was it, and how did they know? And how sure were Finley and Elwood that that source could be trusted?

"Yes," Elwood added, nodding as Finley filled Thuringwethil in on the plans for their own children. They'll be safe, she said confidently, and in that moment, it seemed like the truth. How could any harm come to their loved ones, when they were going to such lengths to protect them?

As for Sebastian, he wasn't surprised when the commander expressed a desire to speak with him personally. "I'll call for him," he said, stepping back in preparation to howl for the Delta. Before he did, though, Thuringwethil asked after Etoille, and Elwood glanced at Finley with a small frown. "No, we haven't seen Etoille," he confirmed, now wondering just what the spy had gotten himself into.

With a small dip of his head, he turned and called for @Sebastian, hoping that he was in the vicinity and could join them quickly.

Fin thought about the wolf Thur had left behind - Étoille. It was odd that he hadn't returned yet, but she thought perhaps he would now that Drageda was back. She could see him working to collect information right up until it was time to fight, so the arrival of his fellows would draw him back to their midst. She was eager to know more about what they would be facing. They were going in blind but for Sebastian's input, and it was just her hope that their numbers and the element of surprise would be enough to tip the scales in their favor. Little did she know.

Elwood called for Sebastian, their reluctant informant. Though many shared his lack of enthusiasm about this war they had declared, he remained the scapegoat in Fin's mind for all of them. She already doubted her decision enough without having the full support of her packmates behind her, and Sebastian was the first to try and run before it had even started. He didn't deserve her ire, but it was there, stubbornly cemented in her heart. She shook her head, trying to push the doubt away to make room for the wolf that had become the symbol for her motivation.

Lucy.

Sebastian was always quick to respond to Elwood's call. The large build male made his way to him as fast as he could, though speed was not his greatest talent. The grey male was surprised to see so many wolves as he hadn't expected them to be there as well when he was called. He submissively lowered his head as he approached Elwood. Sebastian had a questioning glace on his face, asking Elwood silently what was expected from him.

The yearling's eyes squinted at the mention of an Étoille. Why did she know that name? It took her a moment to recall the cream-colored titan she'd once met near Big Salmon Lake. She remembered seeing him among the Drageda ranks on previous visits too, though whatever had mildly enthralled her during that first encounter had faded to her usual disinterest in outsiders. She wondered what task he had been assigned and where he was now, though her concern stopped there.

Elwood summoned Sebastian, who arrived a few moments later with a questioning look on his face. By now, Wildfire had taken a seat next to her children and was quietly paying attention, much like Towhee on the other side. The mercenary afforded her older sister one last glance before moving to give herself a better view of the conversation, which put Wildfire out of view behind the commander. She was curious to hear what Sebastian would have to say about the enemy's territory—considering she would be among those who crossed behind enemy lines—so now most of her concentration fell upon him even as she wondered how he'd come by this knowledge. Had he been a prisoner there previously? Or a member?

There was the necessary back and forth, and he was all ears as it volleyed between the Redhawk leads and the commander. He drank in it, mind churning with the thought of it all, trying to decide their advantages, and how best to play to them. When he thought of all the young wolves between the two packs and the vengeance at hand for so very many that were just the ones they could account for, he felt the gravity of how much was at stake here as they rallied against this enemy.

His interest was now on the informant, who had appeared. Anything he could give them, and any amount of light he could shed on the situation, would hopefully be of use.