Swiftcurrent Creek played-a-live

Nearly a week later, Druid couldn’t stop dwelling on the conversation with @Viinturuth. She spent more and more time patrolling the borders, even as she wondered: should they move elsewhere, perhaps even temporarily? Somewhere where @Glaukos couldn’t find them? Maybe they could go “vacation” on @Heda’s island?

But she felt the same way she’d felt all those years ago, after the raid: she refused to be chased from her home. Druid would not leave Rivenwood. In lieu of uprooting her pack, she decided to disembark on another venture today. She sought Swiftcurrent Creek and, specifically, the white wolf who’d visited her borders. Had Viinturuth found and dealt with Glaukos?

It took some time to track down the pack’s location, especially after taking a wrong turn to the north. She backtracked and finally caught the scent of wolves just past Duck Lake. It had rained during much of her journey but the sun peeked out now, glinting off a distant ribbon of water that must be the pack’s namesake creek.

Long before she came close to it, Druid announced her imminent arrival by way of a howl. She hoped the heads up would allow someone to meet her at the borders.

She announced her arrival, and Viinturuth answered with a short call in acknowledgement - one meant to alert @Akavir and encourage the Alpha along. The white wolf headed her way at once, both curious and concerned as to what brought her to the creeklands so soon after their exchange of information.

His dark eyes sought her own mismatched gaze as he located the sterling wolfess, and there was relief in him to see no fresh harm had come for her. Is everything alright? Viinturuth asked.

Someone returned her call. Druid imagined it was Viinturuth, though they’d only spoken the once and she couldn’t be sure she recognized the voice. Her ear flicked at the byline he included, wondering if two men might greet her. Perhaps the other one was his brother: Mae’s father.

When she arrived at the edge of the pack’s claim and found the familiar, pale face, Druid immediately blurted, I’ve been worrying ever since we spoke. I was hoping you had an update on the situation, to put my mind at ease.

Did she want Glaukos dead? Was that even when Viinturuth had hoped to achieve? Druid couldn’t be sure of the latter, though she realized—with a slight twist in her stomach—that it was probably the only way to truly take care of the threat he posed. She swallowed, her two-toned eyes suddenly hardening.

Druid offered no pleasantries, diving straight to the point. Viinturuth frowned thoughtfully as she stated her worry; it wasn't right that one wolf had set several on edge. He liked this no-nonsense attitude about the Noctisardor leader, however, and shook his head.

No update yet, he informed simply, I'm sorry. We want to be careful with this, have a good plan in place. Akavir will decide what we will do. Viinturuth's dark gaze was sympathetic as he regarded Druid, for he suspected it might not have been easy for her to freely provide Glaukos' location if they'd been close once before.

She swallowed thickly when he reported no updates. Druid shook her head at his unnecessary apology, drawing in a breath. Viinturuth answered her next question before she could even ask it: there wasn’t even a formal plan yet, as he deferred to someone by the name of Akavir.

Is that the man you called? Is he… Mae’s father? Your brother? Druid guessed, piecing together the context clues.

Was he coming? She glanced past Viinturuth’s shoulder but saw no one. The gnawed at her bottom lip, an uncharacteristic display of anxiousness. Druid liked to think of herself as cool as a cucumber but, damn it, those four little ones had changed so much.

I brought him here, Druid blurted softly, apropos of nothing. Glaukos, I mean. He actually saved my life. I know I’m not the one who hurt anybody but I feel partly responsible. If I hadn’t made him leave, he wouldn’t have hurt Mae. But he was hurting us…

She looked to Viinturuth, her two-toned eyes full of conflict. It didn’t help matters that Druid could not picture a solution that did not involve Glaukos’s death. Did she really want any part in killing her children’s father? Even though he’d never been particularly involved—a great point of contention for her, especially in hindsight—it seemed a terrible thing.

But then her eyes shuttered as they had a moment ago. She would do anything to keep those children safe, Druid knew now. The only way anyone would ever harm them was over her dead body.

Yes, he confirmed smoothly, following her mismatched gaze over the silver of his shoulder to look between the foliage for any sign of his ebony littermate. Akavir was on his way, surely. He will come.

Druid was clearly unsettled. The white wolf turned to look upon her once more and he saw how she gnawed at her lip and his ears pricked as she suggested that she was somehow responsible for her former companion's lack of self-control. He made the decision to harm you, to harm Mae and the others - he quieted for a moment, aware how he wanted to rant his frustration. He inhaled.

None of this was your fault, Druid. Not one bit of it.

Ashen, in more ways than one. It was the only way he was able to describe the somber creature before him—Viinturuth’s song having summoned him from a different direction on their borders. The white man had come and gone many times over the weeks—as per Akavir’s request to find the man who had attacked them.

As such—the man closed the distance toward them, emerging on the opposite end Viinturuth had been upon his howl. Pale eyes swept over them both—the conversation he came upon drawing only an arched brow for a moment as he stepped closer, tail lashing the air once. “What wasn’t her fault?”

His voice was a low rumble for a moment—his patience tested over again by visitors the past moon, and thus, he leveled a stare between them both before lingering upon the bi-toned stranger.

She appreciated Viinturuth’s reassurances, though the smile that flickered across her face quickly disappeared like a candle in the wind. And before Druid could think of what to say, the wolf who must be Akavir appeared with a gruff question on his lips.

She looked to Viinturuth to let him answer and offer introductions, head dipping in respect and eyes averting even as she snatched little glances at the new arrival. He and his brother couldn’t possibly look more different. It made her wonder if they were adopted, like she and Heda.

Viinturuth caught the ghost of Druid's smile, and something encouraging tugged at his lips. It was just as short-lived, however, as Akavir's arrival drew his gaze toward his raven-pelted brother's frustrated expression.

He'd heard the tail-end of his discussion with their guest, it seemed, as he looked to Viinturuth and requested an explanation. This is Druid, he shifted, looking once more to the silver wolfess, of Rivenwood. She told me where we should find Mae's attacker.

The she-wolf shifted her eyes instantly—muzzle dipping—and the moment his frosted brother explained he felt the expression on his features soften. He shifted his weight, considering, and then moved past the she-wolf to the side of his brother—greeting offered in the gentle brush of a shoulder.


“Can you tell us more of this man?” A pause—his eyes searching for her gaze—imploring. “You do understand we intend to make him pay for what he’s done?”

An eye for an eye.

In Glaukos’ case… Two.

Yes, Druid replied when Akavir questioned her. I actually came here in the hope you could tell me more about your plan of attack.

She shot Viinturuth a glance. He knew she’d come here in the hope it had already been executed—Druid sipped in a sharp breath as that word crossed her mind—but now that she knew otherwise, she was curious just what these men intended to do with Glaukos.

I already told Viinturuth most of what I know but I don’t mind going over it again. What would you like to know?

He stood quietly, glad to see Akavir slacken in knowing that Druid was not some rogue lurking on their borders in wait for a moment of opportunity. Viinturuth found that he'd appreciated her from the start, impressed by her willingness to provide the vital information regarding the beast who'd harmed his niece. Her visit did not rouse suspicion in him, and his gaze attempted to communicate this with his brother when he glanced his way.

Akavir asked for more, and the pale wolf lifted his ears with interest. He wasn't sure what more his littermate wanted - a better insight into Glaukos' character, perhaps? He was a big guy with an unpredictable nature, that much was obvious, and he was curious to know what else the Rivenwood leader could provide.

He found his tongue pressing to the roof of his mouth for a moment—suspicion coiling within him that he had trouble shaking away. How could he, given so many recent events and a life of upheaval? Why did she want to know their plan of attack—second thoughts, perhaps—wishing to warn the man?

“Well,” he began, feeling Viinturuth’s eyes upon him—quiet, for the moment. “As we know, he’s pretty damn big. Mae wouldn’t have stood a chance alone—he told her women needed to learn their place and stay quiet, or something like that.” He licked his lips—swallowing the rumble of anger that threatened as a growl.

“The attack was in the marsh. It slowed him down—pretty sure the only reason I forced him into submission is because he was actually stuck in the mud.” His eyes narrowed—regret. Had he known the damage done then, he would have finished him.

“Do you know how he fights? Any certain movements or maneuvers that might help us?”

He could indulge more if she did—but the truth was… his only point of attack was locate the man, and take a handful of wolves and bring him to justice.

She could only make a sound of agreement in response to Akavir’s first point. Glaukos was the biggest wolf she’d ever seen, which was what made him so dangerous, even when he didn’t necessarily have terrible intentions. But then the creek’s leader mentioned the remark about women and Druid could only blink, truly appalled.

Druid wanted to say something then, though Akavir continued, which was probably for the best. She swallowed her loathsome words and listened to the details of Mae’s attack. She realized belatedly she should’ve inquired after Mae, though it would have to wait. Akavir wanted to know how Glaukos fought.

You probably know more than I do, if you fought him. The one time I tried to get physical with Glaukos—pardoning, of course, their trysts of yore—I bounced off him and broke into pieces like a baby bird. I lost several teeth and broke a leg. He didn’t even have to try to hurt me to do that kind of damage.

She let that sink in for a moment, wishing she had more helpful feedback for the two men. Druid’s mismatched eyes flicked back and forth between them for a moment.

That’s why I’ve told Viinturuth he must be careful. And why I’m here. Ever since he came wandering into the bypass the other day, I’ve felt incredibly unsafe. He left when I told him to go both times, though if he changes his mind, I don’t know what he’s capable of. My sister doesn’t seem to think he’d hurt our kids but he tore out Mae’s eye. And now you’re telling me he was spouting misogyny while he was at it…

Druid lapsed into seething silence. She considered telling these Swiftcurrent wolves she would join them in their manhunt. Of course, she would be more of a liability than anything. She was a scrappy wolf, a survivalist, but she had never really been a fighter. If Druid went after him, she would likely just get hurt again.

I was wondering what exactly you planned to do with him, because I don’t want to live my life in fear, wondering when Glaukos is going to abruptly turn up again…