Bramblepoint culpa

the light was wan when it reached germanicus again. he stirred, blinked, gaze sharpening as he searched for @Crowfeather.

he felt it must have been some sort of dream, a vision of every part of him encircled by starglow. pale but not in the manner of ghosts.

he could not shake its image from his mind.

A quick inhale of breath stirred the dark figure into a state of wakefulness. His yellow eyes opened and immediately sought the older man’s.

Learn to wake quickly, he reminded himself and groaned beneath his breath in the effort it took to push himself onto his shoulders.

Germanicus, he spoke thickly. The heat had not left his shape yet and he turned to see the handsome figure of the soldier there, right where he had remembered before dreams had carried him away.

six days. seven days. how long had it been now? six days to unwind his careful bindings. germanicus found the scent of the other laced with the dust, and with the scent of where crowfeather had searched for webbing.

was it his own weakness? was it only this presence? germanicus did not like to have been so disarmed. the reticence was a trained response, one of suspicion.

but there was nothing to suspect in the eyes turned toward him.

germanicus broke their gaze and turned, setting himself on aching feet. but the deeper peace had renewed him. "do you know where our destination is from here, crowfeather?" he inquired, returning rigidly to the role of instructor.

Shaking the sleep from his head, ears slapped to his skull. Leaves and twigs had made a home in his dark coat. When he found strength to rise to his paws, he would shake his whole frame to start his system.

Germanicus asked him if he knew which way they would travel from there. The dark wolf had remembered making a note of it. The lake, the first lake they had stopped at, should be south of them. Before he had carried their journey into the weald, he had scouted the area with close eyes and tucked it away.

South!

A cheery expression was shining at Germanicus.

in the sunlight of crowfeather's gaze, germanicus felt heartened. satisfied, even. the remembrance of their touches scorched his face.

the eagle nodded in approval. "you will need a meal. and i," germanicus went on, his body moving into amended stretches, "must wait here. i cannot help this time."

he had been assured of crowfeather's ability to hunt during their journey. it was regret for his own injury that now swam in the depths of his hushflower look.

Yes, food was important in their soldier's march. The dark wolf nodded his head in agreement to Germanicus, steadying his expression and peering into the dense woodland. There was sure to be any number of delicious creatures within the forest, Crowfeather was certain. 

Please rest, Germanicus. I will feed us so that we can reach Brecheliant, the dark figure assured the older man. 

One last habitual glance to the silver male and Crowfeather prowled away into the underbrush. He melded with the shadows at once. The hunt became his focus alongside the image of the strong-faced warrior who waited behind for him. The very imagining of him had sent adrenaline coursing through the hunter's frame. 

Within the hour he had returned with a pheasant and a rabbit. The dark wolf placed them proudly at Germanicus' paws.

crowfeather departed. germanicus tried to ignore the look that he had been given.

he lay back again against the floor of the tangled forest. there came a count to the eagle, of all the ways in which he had made their bond improper.

he was instructor. crowfeather was his pupil. and he was the age of a man, while he was not certain the shadow had so much as been alone with a maiden.

the ranger's brow furrowed.

he was left alone with his tumultuous thoughts until the lissome celes came back to where he waited. "the hunter returns triumphant once more." 

the smell of blood once more rising in the air.

Triumphant, indeed. Crowfeather had looked to his catches with a pleased sense of himself. 

Germanicus must have been a marvelous teacher. In their time together, the dark wolf had learned how to be useful to another. He had not only carried the lead from the lake and through the wilds, but he had managed to provide care to the older man's wound, feed them when they needed it. Crowfeather had never known what it meant to feel fulfilled. 

Take whichever you like. I can go and find more if you're still hungry, try to give you some more strength.

the shadow glowed. germanicus pawed the pheasant toward himself and bit into its breast. he spat a mouthful of feathers aside, digging toward the heart beneath the delicate breastbone.

"this will be sufficient," he assured with an amused voice. the eagle was pleased to see crowfeather in such a state. "if we rest here until nightfall, i think i will be fit to travel beneath the moon."

the ranger continued to eat, the gnash of his teeth quick and efficient.

Crowfeather took the rabbit for himself and made a spot on the ground where he could feed. 

While pulling away the meat of the prey, he could not help but to seek and watch Germanicus navigate the pheasant with sharp teeth. He was precise, efficient, even when eating. The silver wolf was nothing short of remarkable in everything he did. 

I forgot- I forgot to tell you. I have information on the Saints pack, Crowfeather blurted after a moment of silent pondering. He had remembered his visit with Satsu on the lake and how she had spoken of the frightening Saints wolves. I learned it the day you were gone.

They seek war with a pack of wolves called Ursus.

germanicus cleaned his jaws of blood. the dark ears lifted to hear the name of the saints again. his moonbuilt stare grew brusque. "ursus."

the pheasant lay plucked and barren. "there is a star called ursa. they are the bears who were placed in the skies." it intrigued germanicus, but no more than the source of where crowfeather had spent well his time.

"from whom did you learn this information?" the ranger asked, straightening with the mien of one who has buckled a swordbelt.

The shadow grew nervous at once. There was a distinct shift in the way that the man addressed him. 

Well- when you left, I went- I was at the lake practicing my swimming as you told me, Crowfeather said, struggling to find his words. His tongue felt thick in his mouth, as though he had done something wrong and was being forced to confess his sins. I met someone I had seen before in the woods. Her name is Satsu and she was part of the Saints, but she- this was where it was complicated. 

I had thought she was a captive of the Saints when I first met her. She said she was planning an escape and we parted ways. I did not even know her name, Crowfeather started again, focusing on the plucked bird that had been left by Germanicus. 

When I saw her at the lake, I asked if she had escaped them. She explained that she had, in a way. They seek to form a pack called ah- his eyes squinted as he searched his mind. Akashingo! 

Satsu said it would be in a hot place where the sun reigns. She said also that it would be protected in the north by the Saints. I asked if she had forged an alliance with them and she said yes.

Crowfeather realized this was important information that he had simply allowed to pass from his mind. He looked worriedly at Germanicus, fearful that he might have made the older man angry with his negligence. Only after having laid the information out pieced together, the seer realized how dangerous it sounded. 

That's bad, isn't it? The Saints will be a larger force with a second pack allied with them.

germanicus was riveted, and this showed in the intensification of his stare. crowfeather had come across a telling parcel of information about these infamous saints.

a single nod in answer. "but they are not yet formed." there was not yet an ally of this wild pack. time now to choose silently their path: would they seek to deter the growth of this akashingo, or turn them to a different favour?

germanicus took a low breath, considering all. satsu and akashingo. these sounds held a breath of foreign nature he had not heard before.

the man's gaze softened as he glanced to crowfeather. "do you trust her?" saint or not, captive or not, that part of the boy's meeting with this woman undermined the sense of alliance.

Did he trust Satsu? 

Crowfeather frowned, thoughtfulness creasing his young features in a way that aged him. The shadow did not think often of trust. There was a feeling in his gut, he wanted to say but didn't. 

I don't know.

A sigh and Crowfeather shook his head. 

She is kind. We met and left totems for- for those we had lost. So that they mind find their way... wherever they seek to go.

Then, Crowfeather blinked the memory from his head and released himself from that lonely sadness. 

She did not seem like the others- the Saints. But she still allies herself with them. That is not easy to look past, he finally replied.

germanicus lifted his chin, recognizing the unsurety that plagued crowfeather. the young hunter spoke carefully through it. 

his ears swept forward. "while we stay close to the caldera and brecheliant, we are obligated to protect them. the regent knew of the saints."

he faced toward the land of the redhawk dynasty. 

crowfeather and this satsu had met and done some sort of pagan rite together. he determined this from mention of the afterlife, and felt with a sudden burst of prejudice that he did not want corruption so close to him.

or the boy.

"i do not know where this land is. but i believe we must discover it."

Germanicus was, as always, duty bound. He said that while they were there, they would lend aid to the Redhawk Caldera and Brecheliant packs. The dark wolf had no issues with this. 

Crowfeather would follow Germanicus wherever he wished to go. 

I think I can get us there. To Akashingo, that is. Satsu invited us both.

Then the dark boy looked to his paws, cheeks hot. 

She said there would- there would be entertainment for you if you desired it. Crowfeather did not fully grasp this, but understood it had carried implications.

two things swiftly became clear. the first was that despite his admirable hesitance, crowfeather thought highly of satsu. enough to share with her the name of a traveling companion.

the tactician in him wondered what else the shadow might have said to the saint.

the second was that he was being specially offered something. entertainment had a thousand meetings. "after we have visited brecheliant and i have said goodbye to the regent of the caldera, perhaps we should accept this invitation."

was he setting too firm a path? the eagle looked to crowfeather then, silently expectant.

Crowfeather wondered what it was that had caused Germanicus to lean toward accepting Satsu's offer. He thought perhaps it had been the thought of entertainment, after all. 

The dark young wolf knew that he may not have been enough for the man. Crowfeather had not been enough for anyone so far. 

I will go anywhere you wish. I only wanted to say that if you would like to gather more intel on the Saints or the desired war, Satsu may help. She may not. Her relationship with the Saints confuses me.

Crowfeather frowned worriedly at Germanicus. What would they find in Akashingo?

a small smile. "that is why we will go. to know the truth of satsu and this hot land." he had not spared another thought for entertainment.

germanicus was restless. his body must rest but his mind raced with a half-dozen thoughts. mental plottings that each must be given their due.

"if she truly is a saint, she must not be allowed to succeed."

The seer understood with a bashful nod. 

They would seek the truth. If Satsu was really loyal to the Saints and their cause, Crowfeather feared that he would not be able to defend her. Their meetings had been sweet and simple. She had reminded him faintly of home. 

Yes, Germanicus. 

Crowfeather offered a tone of certainty. 

I am with you.

the ranger nodded. he lay down ruefully, keeping a sigh to himself. only a half-day more. the sungilt eyes searched crowfeather's countenance.

"what made you think of leadership? the day before," he clarified with an awkwardness quite unbecoming.

but germanicus would be lying had said it was all forgotten. even now the thought rode silently along the back of his mind.

You did.

Oh-

Crowfeather blinked several times. Their conversation just before sleep had not escaped the dark wolf. He did not recall it with perfect clarity, but Germanicus' rough baritone still dwelled in his mind. Crowfeather was not certain how he was supposed to answer without it sounding odd. 

I don't remember, he said after a moment. Maybe something you did, or said.

A half-truth. The seer was uncertain if this would suffice for a response. The belief that Germanicus would have made a fine pack leader had not left him. Only, he did not want to press matters with the older man. Crowfeather would never force fate on another.

but germanicus was not satisfied with such vague words from crowfeather. he knew the younger wolf had the gift of language. it rarely left his companion.

yet in kinship he too was not willing to press the lines of this. they had revisited the topic. it was enough for now.

"i am going to sleep once more." by the time he woke, he hoped evening would fall. "it will hasten the hours."

he did not expect crowfeather to keep watch. "i will move deeper into the forest." his eyes shone with a wary warmth. "i am interested to know what you will do with this time."

Some manner of sadness accompanied the news that Crowfeather would need to find a way to fill his day while Germanicus rested. He did not know why he had believed he'd spend another day alongside the man. It had been clear that the soldier needed to keep his leg well enough so that his strength could return. 

Yes, Germanicus, the shadow offered with a small bow of his head. 

Crowfeather would seek out one of the available water sources and practice his swimming. It would be a hot day, he could feel, and he believed the water would help ease his mind. 

I will find you and bring food later.

The seer turned his head and trotted away into the shadow of the weald.