Vorilye had staggered from the plateau all the way to the edge of the glade - he knew he wouldn't be able to cross the river to get back home to the shadewood. His injuries were not life-threatening, but they did require treatment soon, or he knew they would become infected - especially the gash on his side. He was bleeding still, though the majority of it had clotted off by now. His entire right side was dyed crimson with his blood; he had many teeth marks on his neck and throat, and a few of them stung, but they weren't that bad. Otherwise, he was fine... save for his pride. He had practically let Vex win. 'Next time, I won't,' he vowed to himself. 

As Vorilye finally collapsed onto his good side, he called out for the wolves of Atautsikut - he'd met them, once, and he prayed to whatever Gods that would hear him that they would listen his call for help.

He watched her arrive, his breathing ragged, icy eyes on her. He recognized her. He said nothing. "Who did this to you?" The question reverberated through his skull, sounding distorted. Vorilye slumped over, groaning, "Why does it matter? I'm injured. Can't you help me?" 

Damn it all! Why was he still protecting her?! The Cruor man growled softly through clenched teeth; as the adrenaline wore off, pain was swiftly surging through him again. He raised his head to look her in the ye. "Please, help me. I'll head home in the morning."

Then he thought of the shadewolves - the Hidden Ones, they called themselves. Well, he didn't feel so hidden anymore. Vex had found him.

Vorilye swallowed roughly. "I can't tell you who attacked me. And I can't tell you my name." A brief paused, and he exhaled heavily. "You and yours won't be attacked for helping me - I... she's alone," or so he thought; Vex had carried no other scent but her own during their fight. "And she's probably fucking scared," he suddenly laughed, bitterly. If the rest of the guard had not gathered by Vex's side by now, surely something had gone wrong. Was her plan failing?

A woman called Lane arrived, and she spoke openly to Antha while at the same time beginning to treat him. Vorilye was not a religious man, but in the moment, it felt as if his prayer had been answered. When Lane then spoke to him, he cleared his throat and offered them what little he could. "I... have a family - young ones. We live in the hinterlands, in secret... we tell no one our names. We mean no harm,  we just want to protect our own."

The Cruor man recalled a conversation he'd had with @Themis. "My only duty, is to keep everyone safe. If I cannot do that, I am to be removed. End of story." But, he told himself that attacks well out of the shadewood could not be prevented; none of this was the fault of Themis. Actually, it was all his fault - he had strayed from the sanctity of their forest, he had lent his call to the air. How foolish he was.

He met Lane's gaze, then, and uttered and quiet, "Thank you for helping me. I will make sure my family knows what you've done."

Vorilye let out a low, quiet sigh. He told Lane honestly, "Thanks, but, I'm certain my family would pass." He would. Vorilye had never been "good", and he didn't claim to be — he was a rough man who had a rough life, and he knew he could never fit in with other, more "normal" wolves. No... such a simple life was not the life that was meant for him. All he hoped to do now was be a good father and not be murdered by Vex.