She ached - there was no other word for it. Isley had instructed @Palisander on what to find for her, which wasn't too hard since he knew enough thankfully. She was also grateful for the male's quick response and presence when the thug had come after her. She had asked for comfrey, trying to keep her skin from scarring, and already she had felt the swelling reduced but there would still be more to come she felt. There was, after all, much she could do to improve herself and it was with this in mind that the redhead had wanted to head towards the sea. 

Her progress was slow and she was never too far from her shadow, the male trailing her in mostly silence. Any time she lifted her voice it was to ask to stop and rest, or to ask him to scout the area because she felt unnerved. She would wish every pox upon the giant she could and plot her revenge. When a large forest unfurled before them with the distant scent of the sea promising the briney healing she sought she finally stopped. She wanted to rest and it was only morning, they had arrived somewhere far more suitable for her. There was plenty of moss to drape across the wounds she'd sustained and she could tend to any of Palisander's scrapes as well. 

For the moment she was not near the orange eyed male. She had found a spot where a river touched the forests edge and she leaned down, letting the current wash her wounds. This would help drastically. 

It was only for a small moment, albeit a bit of a breathless one, that Arturo thought he was looking at Duana, for the red hued female lowered into the current of the river resembled her physically. Logic set in mere seconds later, the scent was all wrong, mixed with the pungent scent of fresh wounds. It had been that particular scent that had drawn the Ceannasach's attention in the first place. From the shadows of the underbrush and tall seqouias, his side pressed against the nearest tree trunk, it's bark and hardened red sap residue hard against his skin, Arturo watched. Fiery, red-orange gaze swept over her, his head ducked to study her through the underbrush as he processed whether he felt disappointment or relief. Perhaps a strong mixture of both. Duana had no intention to seek him, nor follow him. She had made that clear when she'd told him she would stay behind and aid Boadicea in the running of Quicksilver Hollow. The lovers' time had ran it's natural course. He was not an easy man to love and Duana's lackadaisical disposition had made her role in the gangster's life unclear. She had wanted a knight in shining armor and instead she'd gotten a gangster and while she had raised her children to the tenants of The Family Arturo had often questioned if she believed in them herself.

Relief, then. He respected the mother of his children greatly, of course, but he still deduced that the majority of what he felt was relief that this stranger was not his estranged lover. Perhaps the disappointment stemmed from the fact that Arturo very much desired to sire children once more and it was only logical that his thoughts travel to the woman who had given him his first (and currently only) batch of children. His head rose and he gave a low chuff to announce his presence to her before he emerged from the shadows. “Are you alright?” Because Arturo prided himself on being a gentleman, first and foremost. Especially towards the fairer sex. He would deign to always help a woman in need, providing it was within his power. Still, Arturo kept his distance from her, unsure how she might perceive his presence, and he adhered to the side of caution. Soon, these lands would be claimed by him and his and loners trekking their way through his forest would be brought to an abrupt end; but while it continued Arturo figured he might as well seize the opportunities while they presented themselves to him.

She was not expecting someone to stumble upon her and whole she felt exposed without Palisander at her side. She was getting to be too reliant on him. When she was addressed the healer shifted, standing upon stable, if not sore, limbs. "A brute to the east got a little fresh," She hummed out. "My companion helped me get away, he had to been twice my size." Though little she was fierce and mostly fearless, although she did not naturally trust in men. This one had not closed the distance between them, and so she had rewarded that respect with some of her own and answered him. 

"I must have been so preoccupied with rinsing these out I didn't catch your scent."  Isley admitted. Normally she was on high alert but perhaps she had been too exhausted to properly care. She'd have to rectify that, and immediately, lest she be stumbled upon by someone else with more obvious malice in their hearts. Her emerald gaze drifted over him for a moment, water still dripping steadily from her body. "I'm Isley Kali."  

She finally shared her name, curious what he might do with the information - if anything. 

Arturo watched as she rose from the current of the water's though a moment later the Ceannasach gestured for her to relax with his muzzle. To make a physical display that she was in no immediate danger from him he reclined comfortably back upon his haunches, signaling that he would not move from his spot just at the cusp of the seqouias where they receded away from the bank of the Takoda River that fed into Ravensblood, leaving a width of clearing for the river. The fire kissed woman did not directly answer his question, instead answering the one that he left unspoken offering an explanation as to how her wounds had came about. Arturo's lips twitched for a moment as he contemplated her words, wondering what sort of heathen of a man would attack a woman. “You are lucky then,” The gangster remarked in a contemplative tone after she admitted that the male had been twice her size. “Do you think this brute is in pursuit of you?” Arturo didn't exactly want conflict at his budding doorstep. At least, not right now. Conflicts were unavoidable obstacles in life but he wished to avoid he and his Teaghlaigh built their empire. Yet, Arturo knew that if this northern male came for this woman in his forest Arturo would intervene all the same.

She offered her name to him and the gangster accepted it with a tilt of his muzzle upwards, tucking it away. “Arturo Fearghal,” The coywolf offered his own name in introduction, studying her once more. “Ceannasach of this forest,” He added after a short pause, his lips twitching upwards ever so slightly before he added with a breathless chuckle of mirth. “or rather I will be.” His salmon pink tongue swept across his jowls, once. “I am looking to build my home here, for me and the Family.” It was an open invitation for her to either inquire if he'd piqued her interest or to change the subject: the choice was her's alone.

When the man spoke of luck Isley gave a rueful smile, shoulder shrugging a bit even as the healer ignored any pains. "I like to make my own," She hummed out with a slight smile - although it was obvious she hadn't exactly done herself any favors at first with the massive male but she'd managed to get away. If not for Palisander it would have been a far harder break, but, they'd done it. For his question she gave a thoughtful pause, considering the options and if she truly thought that he was after her. "He did not pursue us." She said confidently. "We were far faster and did not cut a straight path." Of course he might have tried to follow them but he had spoke of giving her to someone, some Heda like that person might have had authority of her. Arturo. She tested his name in her mind, the lilt and weight of it, how it rolled about. She rather liked the name, in a way she liked her own. Simple, and yet not dull. 

"Your family?" She asked curiously, though she didn't directly smell a mate or the kiss of young upon his coat - she wasn't close enough to properly sample either. "Are there many of you, then, Arturo?" She asked, head lifted as she pondered just what this forest would one day be. She could see the benefits - the herbs that would grow there, the river for both hunting and for medical use. The sea to give them bounties aplenty. It would be a wise place to settle, nestled there with so many options. Isley was curious about what the male's intentions where. She might even have been inclined to follow him - could she prove useful to his claim. 

Arturo watched as she offered a slight smile when she hummed that she made her own luck. He could appreciate that, he mused to himself thoughtfully. He was not a big believer of fate but he did think that everything had it's time and it's place — whether that was considered fate or not depended upon how one looked at it. Arturo offered her a sage nod when she spoke that the northerner was not following them with confidence, taking her at her word. He had no reason to believe she was lying, after all. “Good, good,” Arturo murmured quietly, his fiery gaze like aflame twin embers against the ebony of his mask as she inquired about The Family. Arturo's lips twitched upwards faintly as if a ghosting smile was about to appear before he adopted his poker face when the presence of a male became abruptly known. The lack of respect shown to him in his presence prickled at the gangster but he kept his composure, though his muzzle lifted ever so slightly in his own, subtle displeasure at the ease in which the male stranger made it clear that he did not appreciate Arturo's presence.

He acknowledged the male with an assessing look but his gaze slid back to the woman, lips parted to speak the answers to her questions, while addressing them to the male who hovered protective by Isley. The truth was if Arturo wanted to hurt her he would have done so already. He might have considered himself a man of principle but he was a beast like any other and if he desired to inflict harm: he would. “The Family, in a broader term,” He explained, giving pause for a moment before he continued. “Teaghlaigh — it means The Family; it's my pack. Flesh and blood might not bind us but we are Family all the same. Extremely close knit: we take care of our own. Extremely territorial, and the wolves of Teaghlaigh are generally free to do as they wish as long as the two laws of The Family are enforced and followed. The Ceannasach's word is law and The Family before everything else. We accept anyone who wants to be apart of The Family regardless of age or background. Once a wolf is apart of The Family they will always remain apart of it and welcome unless they betray it.” It was the only exception; and the only thing that Arturo did not tolerate forgiveness for. Compromising The Family in the way that betrayal did was something that there was no repent for. He answered it with death.

“I am still gathering those who are interested in becoming apart of Teaghlaigh,” Which was his way of saying “no” without outright coming out and saying it. Teaghlaigh was still of humble beginnings but everything great was born of humble beginnings and Arturo was a (thankfully) patient man holding to the belief that if something was planned well there was no need to rush. His gaze flickered between the two for a moment as he lapsed into silence encouraging them to ask questions or voice interest or accordingly disinterest.

For a moment she was caught off guard by the male, his approval more evidence in the way that he regarded what she had said and seemed pleased by the notion. She was a proud creature, but not above the appreciation of others and she would give respect when it was due. She drew in a deep breath, the heady scent of the forest and the herbs within mingling with the sea nearby - almost soothing in a way. Before they got any further Palisander approached and Isley felt a surge of affection for the male, surprising her and catching her off guard. Clearly he had done some shopping not only for the things she had requested but for more things that he'd found appropriate too. She made her way too him, gently nudging at his shoulder for him to lower the herbs he'd gathered and join the conversation. "This is Arturo," She began for Palisander's benefit. "And this is my companion, Palisander." There was a flourish of pride in her voice as she said his name, offering the bridge between both males. 

"I would be interested in hearing more of your history, if you were interested in sharing it." Isley said quietly, her emerald gaze flickering between the two males. The stench of blood was mostly gone from her, though her neck was sorely hurting and she still had the pounding headache. Whatever had been hurt in her shoulder she'd been able to disregard for the time being. "I have a need of the herbs within the forest and access to the river to keep my wounds clean and have them heal properly." She was being more bold, but, perhaps that was her folly earlier. She had not spoken up for herself, after all, and the mountain of a beast had tried to take advantage of her. 

She was willing - within reason - to barter for what she needed for her own health and safety, and the prospect of Arturo's claim intrigued her. If they took care of their own - well. Maybe it might work for them. 

Introductions were made between the two men by Isley, following the mention that the stranger, Palisander, was the companion she had mentioned previous the gangster offered the male a nod of truce — a respectful gesture from one stranger to another. Surely a man willing to protect and defend women could not be a horrible beast. Whether he was a fighter or not mattered little to Arturo. He welcomed all walks of life within Teaghlaigh as long as they were willing to obey his word, put The Family first, and of course, contribute. He did not think it was much that he asked, but he knew there would be times when his fist would have to tighten and pressure would have to be applied. There always was. Allowing them free reign as long as the two laws of the Teaghlaigh were enforced and adhered to was risky business at times; but that was his business: the risky kind. It wasn't always a smooth transaction and sometimes it required clean up. No pack was without it's trouble makers, after all.

“Tend to her as needed,” Arturo encouraged with a cant of his muzzle to show that he did not find it rude. She needed her wounds addressed and surely the male could listen as he worked. As Palisander tended to Isley, Arturo turned his fiery gaze to her once more offering a soft smile. “This Teaghlaigh is a reincarnation of one I had led previous,” He began. “When my children were grown I ventured into these Wilds to build it's reincarnation out from the shadow of my natal pack's Warrior Queen. A famine had fallen upon these lands when I came upon them, in it's earlier stages. I have endured it and in the process secured an alliance between Teaghlaigh and a pack that claims a Bay to the south: Blackrock Depths. Their leader had...wanted to eat me prior to striking the deal that would solidify us as allies.” A bemused smirk tugged at the gangster's lips at the memory. Now he was able to look back upon that with amusement and perhaps even fondness in his deep seeded respect for Skellige.

“Ravensblood Forest was not the first territory I had set my sights on to claim for Teaghlaigh. Though I did not stand alone against the small family that had laid claim to the Isle I had first intended to claim: I know when to pick my battles. In the end, this patience and insight has provided to be fruitful. My time spent among the Depth wolves has kept the terms of their leader and I's alliance alive, perhaps even worked to strengthen it,” It still stood, as it would until one or both packs saw their end. “Perhaps an alliance of sorts can be extended to their neighboring pack as well.” An offer to parlay never hurt, in Arturo's experience, but first he wanted to turn his attention to his empire before he set to parlay with Donnelaith. Besides, those who joined The Family did not get a vote on the alliance with the Depth wolves but Arturo intended for them to vote on whether they should extend an offer to Donnelaith or not. The alliance with Skellige had been secured so that Teaghlaigh would be able to be reborn and in doing so spared his own life. Other alliances the Family should have a say in.

“I do not like being idle. It is not a particularly grand history and I have tried to find ways in which the obstacles that stood between me and my goals could be worked to my advantage.” It wasn't always possible, of course, wouldn't always be possible Arturo knew but everything he did was for The Family even if it was not always readily so transparent.

Palisander was not a horrible person - for Isley, she felt like he was this was perhaps one of the most noble creatures that she had met. She looked to him for a moment, breathing out a soft sigh of relief as she saw him relax -even the slightest bit. Isley settled on her stomach, giving Palisander enough room to actually work. "I will chew it into a poultice, and then could can place it on the wounds." She said as she set to organizing out what Palisander had brought her. She chewed the mixture and then laid it out for Palisander, glad that she would get the ingested benefits too.  She rested her head on her paws, her green eyes on Arturo as he began to speak and explain more about who he was, and what he had been. 

She liked that he was being thoughtful - that he had considered alliances before the pack had even properly formed and that he had worked to lay the foundations to improve their circumstances. A flick of the ear towards Palisander to hear his opinions of he offered them. "There are many in different pack lands it seems, all of them scrabbling and fighting for purchase." Isley pondered for a moment, wondering if the pale woman that they had met previously was the leader of the pack that he had mentioned - neighboring along the coast. It would be interesting to say the least when it came to yet another pack trying to get it's footing. "We recently met another woman talking of leaving her pack. She said they were a pack of healers - that the founder had passed. I wonder if it is the same one you speak of." 

Isley drew in a deep breath, the stinging of some of the juices mixing into her open wounds. "What would you call yourself? A penchant for aggression, or, happier to keep to yourself?" She asked curiously. It would extend to the pack no doubt, and it was important to her that they not seek trouble. Isley wanted no part in that, although she would still patch up whoever came to her.

Arturo was contemplative, offering the pair his rapt attention, trying to recall what very little he knew of Donnelaith as Isley posed her own contemplation out loud. “I'm afraid I know very little of Donnelaith,” And he doubted that they have a pretty bard with a memorizing voice and a child I want to adopt counted as overly informative. Yet, the words pack of healers did sound familiar as being a trait of the Donnelaith wolves. He was sure that he heard that they were a pack of healers. “It's possible,” The gangster allowed. “I have heard that Donneliath are primarily healers which was why I believe the Depth wolves wanted to strike an alliance with them, sort of a compensation for claiming the territory right beside theirs. The Depth wolves are fighters.” As for Skellige's ulterior motives Arturo did not know and frankly didn't care: it wasn't his business.

Arturo's gaze flitted to Palisander when the male spoke up of a female who from Silvertip who was looking to relocate, claiming the west was crowded. “There are many packs in these Wilds and she will find that she will never be able to escape the proximity of another pack,” Arturo had done a lot of scouting, though. He knew this first hand. “Silvertip is the mountain raising to the south west of us,” He gestured in it's direction with his muzzle where it's spire breached the sky to the southwest. “If they are leaving: good. They would have been the closest pack to us,” but with the mountain itself between them he did not think that'd be much of a problem. “There are packs nearby but there is plenty of distance between us and them that we should not interfere with each other's resources; and I've come to find that this forest is rather self sustaining for a pack.” He was not concerned, and if Silvertip was relocating as Palisander claimed well, that was all the better in the gangster's mind.

His gaze shifted back to Isley when she posed her question, inquiring as to how he saw himself: aggressive or elusive. “Happier to keep to myself. Teaghlaigh, being tight-knit, is meant to be elusive to outsiders. Even those who seek to join after it's creation will have to prove their loyalty first in order to hold a rank and to be let in on the inner workings of the pack. I do not actively seek violence or war. I am a man of compromise, a business man.” It was why he did not take Skellige up on his offer and march to take back the Isle. “but as war and violence are not always avoidable that is where the Depth wolves come into play.” They were the warriors, after all. Of course, that door swung both ways but Arturo wasn't much concerned. He would give Skellige his own warriors when and if that call to arms came.

The two exchanged words among themselves for a few moments, and Arturo offered them his individual attention when they each addressed him, offering their skills to him and Teaghlaigh. “It will be good to have a healer,” Arturo told Isley, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “There will be a child in our ranks soon — a young girl, Chusi, who aspires to become a warrior. I have no doubt she'll have scrapes and scratches that will need tending to often.” Arturo would not discourage Chusi but he would not cause her to have disillusions about her choice in trades. She would get injuries just as much as she could dish them out. Besides, it was a good idea to have a healer around, period. Sicknesses could come and go, and there were times when prey fought back. Arturo had a lot of respect for those of the healing arts even though he had no talent for it himself.

“Having another Hunter will be helpful,” Arturo murmured, turning his gaze towards Palisander. “Welcome to Teaghlaigh. You are Family now,” He welcomed them with a wag of his tail, drawing nearer to them so he might brush his muzzle against them to mix their scents, to mark them as apart of The Family — though he was delicate and careful with Isley, not wanting to disturb her wounds by accident. “There is a small food cache I started. Help yourselves if you're hungry,” He drew his salmon tongue across his lips, inviting them the little he had gotten accomplished. “Find a den, make caches for your medicines, mark the borders, rest. Any little bit you can do to help I appreciate, likewise if either of you require assistance or my presence for whatever reason, regardless of the time of day or night call for me. I will come.” He assured them, encouraging them not to be timid with asking things of him. If it was in his power, Arturo would try his best to do it for them.

“I do not know much of medicines but I will help you in any way I can while you recover,” He offered to Isley, though he was sure she would be plenty fine with Palisander (who knew his plants) to aid her in stocking up but it felt right to offer his own assistance, too. Surely, the forest had plenty to offer her. “I'll be around filling the cache or marking the borders if either of you need anything.” He informed them. Arturo did not immediately leave though, lingering only to hear if they had any further questions.

There was of course the chance that Palisander wouldn't want to stay. He might have been swept up into the notion of mistrust again, and after discussing the altercation she couldn't fathom that either of them would be exactly open for a bit. But Arturo had taken account her injuries, he'd stayed respectful, and Isley was pleased with him for that. There was, of course, the very real possibility that something would happen and they would be at risk, but it seemed that Palisander had the same ideas that she did. They could try here. It might be good for them. 

Isley offered him a soft smile before she returned her head to it's place between her paws, emerald eyes focused then on Arturo as Palisander offered himself and his skills as well. Hearing that there was a child involved made her curious - they could have much to teach a child, even if she wanted to be a warrior. Every warrior needed to know how to handle their wounds, after all. "Thank you," She murmured quietly as he was gentle with her wounds, moving against her so that she did not hurt anymore than she needed to. 

They had a home now. They had wolves that they could call their own, no matter how foreign that concept was to her. "We will be certain to contribute as much as we can." Isley promised, looking up at Palisander with a gentle smile on her face. "We will make a pass of the borders later, learn the layout more." She decided with a small smile. Once she had rested some it would do her good to move, staying stagnant too long would leave her looking even worse than she did.

Arturo offered the pair a sage nod when they each spoke their peace. He had nothing further to add and would not keep them from their rest, for no doubt they needed some of it, and with a warm smile to them the Ceannasach turned away from the pair and made his way towards where the borders would be, disappearing into the shade of the trees, leaving them to themselves. He was happy to add two more able bodied wolves to his Teaghlaigh, and contented albeit alert — in case they called for him — Arturo tended to his duties.