Blackfeather Woods I've been walking out all on my own

He back - for anyone, but he's heading for Takiyok

The journey back was brutal. He felt cold. His toes and paw pads were raw from scraping over ice and rock for days.
Valette and the others at Easthollow had been kind enough to the prince. Though he hadn't stayed for long, the respite from the elements and the long trail had been needed. After what had happened at the lake, he knew that without that brief stay, it was unlikely he would have been standing at all.
As Taikon found himself on the familiar border of the forest, he looked up toward a black bird. It grumbled quietly at him, dancing on anxious, spindly feet upon its perch. He looked down, scrunching his brow, feeling a familiar burbling heat in the pit of his stomach. He retched, but nothing came up aside from a bit of saliva. He swallowed, hard, licking his lips, hoping the illness would pass.
He was late. Takiyok had likely expected him to be back days ago, but shuffling over the border after dark was the best he could do. It was not the romantic return he had planned on. He had hoped to be back early and bring her a worthy gift, either in the form of food or even something pretty from Easthollow. Instead, he came back with only his own unfit body, barely able to keep going. He pushed through whatever pain he was feeling. He hoped she wouldn't notice how bad it was, for the punctures in his back leg and his neck were not large.
The messenger of the Ivory Rose did not realize how much his neck and throat had swelled with fluid. During the extra days it had taken him to move from the incident at the lake to Blackfeather Woods, infection had started to set in. Astraeus had brutalized him when he was not fit enough to properly defend. He knew that even if he'd been in better condition, the boy was younger and stronger. Taikon was lucky to be here at all.
He did not howl for @Takiyok. Instead, he made his way as quietly as he could toward the comfortable den he had shared with her and Taktuq. Part of him hoped that she was not there, and he'd be able to crawl in and try to sleep.
Having not eaten in at least five days, his stomach was sucked into his ribs. His fur was poorly, and his snout reeked of bile. The fluid gathering in his neck and the abcess forming on his back leg were putrid and vile, though no blood was present. Taikon had promised her that he would come back alive. He'd kept that vow, but only just.

Her worry had increased exponentially now that he had been gone longer than she thought he would. Each day past the day he should have returned, the knot of dread in her chest grew bigger. Tonight had been the worst of all; she could not get her brain to shut up and had not been able to sleep. She hadn't wandered far from the den though; Taktuq was sleeping and she wanted to be close in case she woke. 

So, she paced the perimeter of the den, her nervous energy only seeming to grow with each step. She wasn't sure how much longer she could handle this. She felt stuck; she wanted to go out and search for him, but she didn't feel right leaving her niece after everything she had been through. If he was gone too much longer, though, she would have to go after him regardless of how guilty she would feel leaving Taktuq here with wolves she barely knew. 

His scent pulled her from her thoughts. She froze and drew in air again, afraid it had just been her mind playing tricks on her. It wasn't, though; his scent filled her nose again, along with the scent of sickness—infection. Why hadn't he called from the borders? If he was close enough that she could smell him, then he was already within the forest. Quickly, she turned and began to track him, finding his thin form within minutes. 

Taki sprinted forward, ready to push her face into the fur of his neck and nuzzle into her spot. When she reached him, though, she saw how bad of a state he was really in. Taikon, she said softly, her voice heavy with worry. She very gently nuzzled into her spot, unable to stop herself. Then she pulled back and looked him over. He was dangerously thin, and had wounds that appeared infected. She could tell he felt sick. What has happened to you? She wanted to yell at him that nothing was supposed to have happened to him while he was gone, but she knew that would not help anything. Plus, she wanted to soothe him anyway she could, not cause him more discomfort. Her worried gaze searched for his. Come on, we need to clean your wounds. They would need far more than to be cleaned, but that would require a healer, which she was not. She could help him clean them out, though. There is a small stream not very far from here, she told him gently. Do you think you can make it there? He looked like he might collapse at any second, but she couldn't just let him fall asleep with his injuries looking the way they did.

Of course, it didn't take her long to find him. Despite his discomfort and violent nausea, her white figure felt like a safe, warm place. A small smile came over his features, slowly and surely as she found her way beneath his chin, a signature that he had missed more dearly than he could say with words. He didn't press against her like usual — the illness was too great, his stomach too weak to bear too much touch.
Astraeus, he answered softly, knowing it had always been a possibility that Mahler's crew would somehow find him. He hadn't known just how much hatred the scarred boy held, however. He should have retreated faster. He shouldn't have gone to the lake.
He followed her guidance without speaking, knowing that now, it was her turn to look after him. The wounds hadn't seemed so bad when the attack had first happened. They had bled a fair amount and the bruising felt awful, but he hadn't thought much of it. Under the skin, however, the muscles had been shredded. Despite his best efforts, fluid had built up and the wounds had festered in the prince's race to return to his new family.
Taikon nodded, following alongside her, staying as close to her as possible. Her scent was so much a comfort that he wanted to bury his face in her and sleep, but he knew that she had other plans. No cougars this time; just hormonal boys, he joked, managing to do so despite feeling like he might throw up every time his mouth opened.

Astraeus

Rage filled her with that one word. Astraeus, a member of Sagtannet had attacked him. Now he was wounded and sick. A painful spike of despair shot through her stomach as she imagined him alone and hurt. She wanted to march back to the summit and rip them all apart, but she knew that was not logical. Plus, Taikon needed her now, and she refused to let him suffer through this alone anymore. 

Despite the pain she knew he was in, he followed her to the water. His joke was met only with a worried frown. She was not ready to try and joke about this yet; her blood was boiling inside her, although she tried to remain calm on the outside so that she could take care of him. She barely had control of her temper. Had her desire to take care of him not been stronger than her desire to seek out who hurt him and make them pay, she probably would have already taken off. 

When they reached the water, Taki walked in until the water reached her knees. She turned to him. Lay down here, she told him. I will lay down with you and you can rest your head on me while your wounds soak. He was exhausted, and she didn't want to risk him passing out and drowning, so she would just stay in the stream with him; she never minded water anyway.

Even though he could tell she was angry, he felt apathetic to it. Normally, he might have tried to calm her. Normally, he might have ensured that she didn't act rashly, or at least offer an alternate perspective. Instead, he just nodded. Okay, he relented, wandered into the water with her, and knelt down. He struggled for a moment as he bent, the weight causing pain to his joints, overtraveled, overworked, angry.
Taikon placed his head onto Takiyok's fur, and when he did, her scent came full into him. Woods. Soft wind. Moss. The comfort he had felt before flooded to his senses. He breathed. After a lengthy sigh, he relaxed and let the weight of his head fall onto her. Water rushed against the old wounds. It hurt, but the hurt felt okay. He just came at me. It was so sudden. I didn't expect it, he continued, trying almost defensively to explain that it wasn't his fault.

He didn't resist her instructions, thankfully, and followed her into the water. She stood close by while he slowly settled down and let the cool liquid seep into his wounds. She settled with him and when he had rested his head on her, she nuzzled him. She was so glad to see him, she just wished his return hadn't been tainted by more misfortune. 

He explained more about what happened, and it took everything in her not to tense at his words. But she stayed still and pliant against him, offering nuzzles and gentle, comforting kisses wherever she could. Still she couldn't help but say out loud: He will pay for this. No one hurt her loved ones and got away with it. Ever. It might take some patience, but she was willing to wait as long as it took. We have not caused them any problems since we left. How can they still be holding onto what happened? Did they not just want to get on with their lives? Now there was another wolf who she owed revenge, and Taikon was badly injured.

He didn't stop her from being angry. He neither had the energy to do so nor wished to reduce the spark she had long carried. He would have been more worried if that flame ever went out than if she continued to burn with it. She went on, and he relaxed into her fur like a big pillow. Blinking softly, he shook his head lightly when she asked why.
He's just a kid, he said. Like Zephyr. Like all of them. I'm the perfect lightning rod for whatever troubles he's got, he struggled, wincing as a pain sharply pulled at his neck. It didn't matter to him that he'd been injured. His only concern was that of Taktuq, and of the children they planned to have. Putting them in danger was out of the question.

That does not make it make it okay, she returned, shaking her head, He is old enough to know the consequences of his decisions. She was angry now and might rethink things later, but it was hard to think reasonably with Taikon laying hurt in the water, wincing in pain as he moved. 

Does the water help at all? she asked. It was cool and might feel good against his angry wounds. Her aim was to try and get them cleaned up a little, but she hoped she could also help with his pain; she didn't like seeing him this way, it pulled at her need to protect the ones she cared for.

She was right, of course. But he said nothing to her. What he'd said was not meant as a defence for Astraeus but merely an explanation for the behaviour. Like all of their boy leaders, Astraeus was young and dumb and stupid, lacking the context necessary for making rational decisions. Taikon was reminded at once that he had joined a pack so that they might find peace, but knew quite well that all of their "leaders" were equally stupid. None of them had the sense. None had the wisdom. He could not guarantee the safety of Takiyok's future babes with such leaders, and he resented it.
The water is nice, he answered, though it did not directly answer what she was asking. Taikon didn't know if cool water would help. It would not be long before these waters were frozen over anyway except where they ran fast enough to escape it. It'll improve, he said, with limited confidence. The wound had already festered and ballooned beyond what he had thought normal, but he didn't know what to do. He would either die or he wouldn't, the way he saw things.

The subject was dropped for now; she didn't want to think about it anymore with Taikon laying injured right in front of her. She could be patient, she had been forced to be many times in her life. One day, she would make sure Astraeus paid for his mistake. Until then, she had more important things to spend her energy on—like her injured partner and whether or not he would heal from this. 

Good, she replied softly. She also had no idea how to treat his wounds or if they would get better or worse going forward. She could only try and help in any way she could. I missed you, she said after a moment, reaching over to gently nuzzle his head, careful not to touch any of his wounds. This was not how I had imagined our reunion.

Taikon did not catch the flash in Takiyok's gaze that signalled her will for vengeance. Turned away from her, he felt only good that he could feel her and smell her. If he had been blind entirely, he would have been just as content.
Nor I, he answered rather formally, playing on his long-held speech patterns of nobility. He felt her against him, and responded in turn despite the pain, brushing his nose along her cheek as she moved. There was a wondrous beauty in the softness of her, in the strength of her. He enjoyed the curves of her features for the brief moment as it passed, and a warmth pierced the cold cruelty of his injuries for just a moment.
I'll make it up to you. There were strange tears threatening him as they welled. I promise.

sorry i'm the worst and let this go for so long. would you be up for wrapping it up?

Taki shook her head, her eyes closed against the polarity of her emotions in that moment—fear and warmth, anger and love. She had spent how many weeks waiting for him to return and here he finally was, but he was badly injured. It was as though she could never have exactly what she wanted; her happiness always came with conditions or exceptions. There is no need to make it up to me, she told him, softly. It is not your fault and I am not angry with you. I am just glad you are finally here.

You should rest, she told him. We can deal with everything else after that. In the meantime, she had no plans to leave his side. Nothing could make her.

Um no as your attorney I advise you stahp that
wrapping here

Though she told him that he owed her nothing, he felt had though he owed her everything. Since coming to this godforsaken place from his homeland, it had always been her. He remembered when they had met. He remembered happening upon her by chance. He remembered the feeling of comfort and strange familiarity when he was around her.
The progression to partner or mate seemed natural for anyone else, but for him it was abnormal. Their agreement was strange, for he was not attracted to her at all and likely never would be. This went against everything he had been taught, and everything he knew about love and desire.
She, somehow, accepted him as he was. You should rest. He nodded slowly. Rising from the water with delicate attention, Taikon moved to their shared den. He hoped Taktuq might greet him, even in his bad way. He curled within the den's warm hollow, pressing happily against the woman he had missed most of all.
And then the fever set.