Moonspear You can feel the light start to tremble

Ever since Wraen had run into the Redhawk wolf, who had been turned into a one-eyed monster by the Cerberus's missplaced assumptions of the man's involvment in Galaxy's death, she had hard time looking any of them in the eyes and not feel resentment of their actions. It could be as well that all they had said and done was true, that the yearling was fully to blame, but then again the way they had dealt with the situation was very hard to accept. The argument was very one-sided and subjective, the wolf hadn't had any chances to defend himself.

Then there was Gannet - another captive - with a broken leg, who was ironically being taken care of by the same assaulters. Except, what they did not tell him, was that he was going to be a cripple for life, if he was to survive the month or two that took for a broken bone to heal. If that damned foot did not get infected from the bite found, festered and eventually poisoned the man from within. And what had that unneccessary cruelty been for? 

The hardest to accept was the fact that neither Charon, nor Amekaze seemed to doubt their false assumptions, nor condemn the actions of the Cerberus. With this all in mind Wraen now wondered, whether she wanted to be part of a pack that allowed such things to happen, because, though she was not directly involved in any of the nasty deeds, she was still part of this "family" and therefore held responsible as well.

In search of solitude she had retreated to a secluded mountain ledge that was rarely visited by other pack wolves. The last thing she wanted was to run into any of the Ostrega wolves or Terance, who seemed to be very good friends with them.

@Rannoch

Like Waern, Rannoch had been questioning the actions of Moonspear's leadership. To him, the situation did not sit right was him, and Rannoch had spent a majority of his time since Galaxy's death contemplating what had happened and his place within Moonspear. Rannoch knew that he did not want to align himself with wolves that so easily condemned the innocent. 

Rannoch meandered with these thoughts in mind, and he ranged further from the heart of the territory. It was as he wandered as he came across the scent trail of a familiar wolf, and he redirected himself to see where Waren was. It had been some time since he had last seen her, and Rannoch wondered how she was faring in light of everything that had happened recently. 

He approached from behind her, chuffing as he slowly approached as he attempted not to startle her.

Great minds think alike or maybe are drawn to each other. Wraen was not surprised to see Rannoch, who - she guessed - had also sought time out from the family drama that was taking place in the territories. 

"Hey," she greeted him in a friendly manner and got up to free more space for him on the ledge and inviting him to stop by and spend some time with her. It had been quite a while since she had last spoken to the big man, but she was glad for his presence, because unlike most of the Ostrega family members, he was a recruit from outside and therefore could have a more objective view of the events that had taken place few days earlier.

"How are you doing?" Wraen asked, when they had settled down.

Rannoch smiled as she replied, and promptly moved to join her. Carefully, he picked his way down the incline of the territory and once he was alongside her, he sat. "Hey," he greeted in turn and bumped his shoulder gently against hers. 

When inquired of his being, Rannoch contemplated the question; he was undoubtedly better than he had been in previous days, but apprehension about the situation lingered. 

"I'm good," he decided, as he was unsure of how she perceived the situation. "You?" he asked as his ears cupped forward attentively.

"Conflicted," Wraen replied honestly, she observed thim than in silence, trying to decide, whether she could trust him and reveal the full scale of all the questions and the answers she was desperately looking for. It occurred to her that she did not know Rannoch that well, or, how well-acquainted he was with the leadership. But he was Terance's friend after all - a good one too from what she had seen from afar. And if her brother had deemed him worthy, then she should trust his judgement as well.

"I ran into the guy, who is supposedly guilty of murdering Galaxy," she then said. "Cerberus have ripped half of his face off and - technically - been merciful by leaving him alive. Though I doubt that with injuries of that gravity he will surivive long in winter. People say that you knew him?"

Rannoch was relieved to hear that it seemed as though he and Waren's opinions on the conflict aligned. As he listened to what she disclosed, his concern grew. Although he was aware that Hydra, Alya, and Lyra had done a number on Titmouse, Rannoch had not been informed that the injuries could lead to his former ward's demise. "Titmouse was apart of the pack I led a while back; he was almost like a son," he informed Waren with evident sadness.  "I had no idea that they did all of that to him," he added softly. 

"I'm conflicted about it all, too," Rannoch admitted after a pause; he had taken a moment to look around to ensure they were alone before he spoke. "I don't think it was handled correctly." 

"Decisions based on emotions," Wraen agreed, though she realized that her opinion could be biased as well. She had not been there, when everything had happened, and she could not in all earnest say that, if it had been her beloved sibling, who had died under mysterious circumstances, she would not have acted the same. Therefore - she realized - that while she did not agree with the tools that were employed to handle the situation, she also could understand, why it was done, and she felt sorry for them as well.

"I also fear for Gannet's life," she continued. "Because his foot might not heal properly and there is a possibility that he will remain crippled for life," if not worse - he dies, because the injury gets infected and festers. "What chances of survival he had, if even able-bodied individuals struggle?"

Waren had labeled the situation perfectly; though he understood what had happened, he hadn't been able to explain how the leadership had acted. Rannoch nodded in agreement, unable to mask the expression of relief. "I've learned how dangerous can be from experience," he commented, recalling the time in his adolescence that he had acted on emotion. 

As Waren spoke of her concern over Gannet, Rannoch frowned; another consideration that had been overlooked. "I didn't even consider that there was a chance he might not heal," he explained as his ears flattened onto of his skull. "Have you checked up on him lately?" 

"Indeed I have," Wraen affirmed, recalling the encounter with the young man and how pleasant and amiable he had been. "After a little chat it turned out that we are related. My mom was his dad's sister. So this makes us cousins," she explained, therefore this was another reason, why she hated seeing him with a broken foot and uncertain future. They might not know each other very well, but a blood relative was a blood relative. 

"I hope for the best possible outcome, because I have seen, what it looks like, when the odds are not in your favour," she told him.

"Small world," mused Rannoch with a faint smile. His light expression was a short recess from the feeling of remorse that curdled in the pit of his stomach; he couldn't stand to think that Gannet might never walk again. 

"I hope so, too," he agreed. "When we met, he was nothing but kind to me, and he is a childhood friend of Liffey's; his treatment was unfair." Rannoch wished he could right the wrong within Moonspear but, it seemed like doing so grew more difficult by the day. 

"I wish I had a way to return him home," Rannoch knew he didn't belong here, and knew that the wolves of the Caldera were probably worried sick. "Or, more importantly, I wish I had a way to fix the situation." He sighed, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his own stress.

"Well, he is the best Redhawk wolf I have met so far. Aside from Raven - their healer. Because the others seem to live up to their reputation of them being growling, rock-eating jerks," Wraen replied with a laugh, indicating that the last part of the sentance was not to be taken seriously. "That was Terance's first impression of them, when he first tried to join them. The story is all his - I just added some juicy details."

"The thing is - however - that... though I don't agree, I still feel loyal to them," she went on, wondering, if Rannoch was dealing with the same kind of dilemma. Charon had his flaws and many, but he had never been unkind to Wraen or unfair to them, who worked hard. Hydra reminded her a lot of her sister Sarah - stern, tough and very practical - but even behind that mask was a heart beating that loved and cared for the people that were dear to her. She feared and admired her at the same time.

"I just don't like the feeling that due to deeds of certain individuals we as a pack are responsible as well," she finished. "If either of those guys die, I will feel bad, because in a way it will be my fault as well."

Rannoch laughed at Waren's remark and found himself instantly intrigued to learn of Terance's first impression of the Caldera. "I'll have to ask him about that soon," replied Rannoch with amusement in his voice. 

As Waren voiced her concerns, Rannoch listened; she perfectly articulated what had been troubling him since Galaxy's death. "I totally agree," he agreed with a nod. "I feel a great deal of loyalty to Charon and his family. But, now, it's so hard to see past what has happened." Rannoch paused then, considering his next words carefully. 

"It's hard to feel this way; we're in a tough spot." Now that they had witnessed their leadership in the midst of conflict, they were faced with a decision. "We obviously are troubled by what happened. But, is that feeling stronger than our loyalty to the pack?" At the moment, Rannoch was conflicted, and he didn't know where he stood on the matter. To explain himself, he elaborated, "This isn't the first time something terrible has happened, and it isn't the last. We will live through more conflicts, and leadership will continue to act to their character," Rannoch could not blame them for being themselves, but he couldn't agree with how they handled things, "More blood will spill, and even though our loyalty will linger, we will also gather that blood on our paws." 

He looked to Waren then, his voice heavy as he addressed her, "It's something I've been thinking about a lot."  

Wraen was silent for a very long time, thinking about Rannoch's every word, especially about the last sentence: "More blood will spill, and even though our loyalty will linger, we will also gather that blood on our paws." It was difficult to accept, but it was true. Crimes of her pack members would be her own and so would be the moments of glory. Would she be able to live with this knowledge and stay true to her self?

Then another voice spoke - a steely, rational and self-counscious one - that it did not really matter, what had happened and that she should focus on the future. That after all the good of her pack came first and everything else was of less importance. So, what if that wolf died? Would it be unfair - yes, would that affect her in any way - at the moment highly unlikely, because she was in a better position than he was in more than one way. When viewing Gannet's situation from such a harsh view-point, it was obvious that even if he perished, other than feeling sorry for his untimely death, there would not be much else to do about it. A dead man was a dead man after all and the living had to move on. 

These new ideas were foreign and confusing for Wraen, therefore she did not voice them out loud to Rannoch. "I will remain loyal, but I will intervene, if ever such a next time comes," she said in a quiet determination. "I don't want them making decisions and acting out without having the rest of the pack a say in it."

A pregnant pause separated their thoughts, and Rannoch took the time in which Waren silently deliberated to observe her thought process. She did not make her opinion evident by her expression, leaving Rannoch to wonder what she was considering. There was a part of Rannoch's consciousness that fretted over how bold he had been; he often kept such thoughts to himself but, he had felt comfortable enough to confide in Waren. What would she think of him now that he had spoken truthfully? Would she loathe him? Appreciate his honesty? Rannoch feared the former and disregarded the later almost instantly.

When Waren shared her thoughts, Rannoch listened and nodded in agreement with what she had said. Though it didn't disclose how she felt about him, she did give her perspective on her future actions. "I think that that's a great idea," Rannoch acknowledges with an approving smile. What Waren had said was something that they could both implement for the better of Moonspear. "Do you have any ideas on how you'd intervene?" he wondered.

"The usual way - gain rank, gain influence, kick asses of the right people?" Wraen joked half-heartedly, but was perfectly serious abou the first two goals. Whether she, who was not built for fighting would ever have to revert to violence, time would show. Things changed all the time and in the current mindset the girl did not see any reason, why she could not fight as well as any other. 

"What would you do?" she asked, casting a fleeting glance at Rannoch and then focusing her gaze at the scenery below. It occurred to her that they were roughly the same age, but the size difference as well as the mature way of choosing the right words and expressing his thoughts, gave impression that the man was older than his years.

Despite their previous subject matter, Rannoch found himself chuckling at Waren's reply. "That sounds like quite the plan," he replied with twitching whiskers. Although Rannoch was confident that she could quickly accomplish the first two tasks, he could not envision Waren kicking ass. 

When asked when he would do, Rannoch considered the possibilities. "I think I would consider all the perspectives involved," he replied after a thoughtful pause. "Also, I'd be honest with how I feel." The later of his suggestions he had neglected to do in the conflict of Galaxy; leadership was most likely unaware of how he felt that the situation had been handled.

"Isn't it kind of a slow thing to do, when the emotions are running sky-high, the blood is boiling and mind screams for revenge?" Wraen asked, finding the image of Rannoch, sitting Buddah-like amidst a massacre, blood spilling and body-parts flying around, hilarious and yet quite believable. "It's very much like the time Terance tried to interest me in battle tactics and reading your enemy. Theory - as if anyone has time to think much, when one is about seconds away from dying..."

"But I agree with the honesty... though in that department you might be braver than I would," she finished with a smile.

Rannoch nodded at Wraen's perspective and considered what she had offered. "I guess that it would depend on the situation," he replied, realizing that his tactics might not be the best in the heat of a moment. "But, I just wouldn't feel right attack a foe without knowing anything," he added, hoping that she would understand what he was attempting to explain. 

Although her compliment humbled Rannoch, he couldn't help but acknowledge, "I think that you're braver than you believe." 

"I would compromise - pin it down and ask questions then," Wraen returned, laughing. "Or we could combine our forces - I would do the catching and pinning, and you do the questioning." They would be a formidable force.

"Well, there is no better chance to test a bravery, when a situation demands for it," she replied, not quite agreeing with Rannoch, because she knew herself well. And she was not sure, if she could speak easily either in front of Cerberus or their parents. 

"I hear that you hang out with Terance a lot," she changed the subject. "How is my brawny brother doing, because with me running around in the world all the time, I have no chance to see, if his brains are still intact and working."

"There would be no better team," rejoined Rannoch with enthusiasm.

When Wraen spoke to her perception of courage, he nodded in agreement. There had been times in which Rannoch's bravery had been tested, and those instances had surprised him; he was much braver than he had initially recognized. 

Waren changed the subject to Terance, and Rannoch smiled fondly at the mention of his friend. "I do," he replied with evident humor in his voice; the way Wraen spoke amused him. "And he's doing much better," he reported, assuming that Wraen was aware of the funk that her brother had been in. "We've been patrolling more, and he's in better spirits." 

"What do you mean by "he is doing much better"?" Wraen asked with a sharper edge in her voice than she had intended. She and Terance did not hang around each other that much and - the more time passed, the more she had the feeling that they had never been that close to begin with. He was also notorious (in her own biased opinion) for wanting to protect the people he cared for - had he been that stupid not to tell Wraen - her sister - if he was not doing well?

"In better spirits - what was wrong with him?" she asked, still not managing to tone down the emotions in her voice - the odd mix of anger and jealously at Rannoch being the first to know, first to be trusted. Some stranger chosen over a sibling, related by blood.

Rannoch had not anticipated Wraen's sharp reply, and once hearing his tone, he looked on with evident surprise. "He said he was in a funk recently," he disclosed as he pinned his ears atop his skull. Rannoch hadn't meant to stir the pot, and he would work quickly to resolve the issue. 

"He felt unmotivated and spacey for a while— I'm sorry, I thought you knew." Suddenly, Rannoch wished that he could rewind time, and never mentioned Terance's turmoil. Stupid, stupid boy— a menacing voice chided.

"Fool..." Wraen muttered under her breath, focusing her gaze now at a rock lying by her feet. Had it had more dignitity, it would have melted or thrown itself off the cliff. It did not and neither did the girl manage to rid herself of the anger. She did not want Rannoch to see her like this and at the same time she had the feeling that if she did not punch someone right now (real or figurative speech), she would not get over it.

"Anything else you think I should have known?" she asked, turning to her companion. "About kicking the bucket, maybe? Eloping with someone? Suicidal thoughts? Leaving?" she thought that she should ask everything, now that the opportunity had arised. Because apparently she was not going to hear that from the source itself.

When Rannoch was asked whether or not there was anything else that Wraen should know, he contemplated the question for a moment. Although Terance had disclosed his crush on Lyra, Rannoch was confident that his friend would appreciate him keeping mum on the matter.

"No," he replied as he met her gaze, "No thoughts of kicking the bucket, eloping, suicide, or leaving have been shared with me," he said with a grin.

It was hard to stay angry for a very long time and Wraen chuckled at Rannoch's honest reply to each of her questions. His grin made her cross facade crack at the edges and a moment later she was smiling again, in an abashed manner, but still. And it was her Terance they were talking about. 

"Good," she said, paused a little and then asked another thing. "He is not doing anything stupid either - like looking for bears to fight? Or people to combat with - his size or bigger?" this time it was said with a hint of humor in her voice.