Noctisardor Bypass [raid] The antipathies, I think

@Aventus

Her long, eerie howl had joined in with the bear king's as they crossed over the invisible boundary line. She wanted to find @Laurel for Merrick and keep her from getting away. That was her plan, but most important to her was that she stayed at the prince's side. She believed that together, they were unstoppable.

So she marched forward with adrenaline surging through her veins, ready to take on anyone in their way.

There were raiders in Rivenwood. Worse still, two of the voices that screamed out for Laurel were familiar in a way that made Druid’s blood run cold. The hunters had come here… but not for her.

Run, now, Druid whispered to @Witch. She’d wanted to shield her guileless sister from this nightmare. But now it darkened their doorstep. Go, she insisted if her litter mate put up any protest.

Although she didn’t think of herself as brave and she most certainly wasn’t a fighter, this was Druid’s home. She would do anything to keep it, her sister, her mother and Mahler safe. Breath ragged, legs shaky and stomach twisted in knots of fear, she followed the sound of the shouting.

She had never gotten a good look at the two hunters, yet she would never forget their smell. This she-wolf was one one of them. Druid felt as though her bladder might void as she came closer.

If I tell you where to find Laurel, Druid puffed, will you leave the rest of us alone and leave Rivenwood?

How lucky was she to find the girl that had led them here. Even luckier to have the girl offer her what they came for in return for the lives of the rest of her pack. Arielle could smell the fear that drifted off her—the weakness; it made a malevolent grin spread across her face.

You would give up your own packmate? the bruin-heart asked. Excitement rushed through her. The question was rhetorical, so she continued: She is what we are here for, and the faster we find her, the faster we can leave. Arielle shrugged. So, tell me.

Druid clenched her jaw at the woman’s question, in part to stop her teeth from chattering. Elsewhere in the wood, she heard someone tauntingly calling the Zuerste’s name. She wondered why she was their target. What could they possibly want with Laurel?

Only if you swear you won’t touch anyone else, Druid answered both the question and demand, her voice barely stronger than a whisper. How could she trust such a senselessly violent creature? What choice did she have?

Mustering courage, Druid asked, Why do you want her, anyway? What will you do with her?

Arielle conducted the inquisition while Aventus leered down at Druid from her flank. They had described their trespasser to him. He knew fully well this was the selfsame wolf who had been sent back to Rivenwood injured as a message of Ursus' intent. He let Arielle take the lead on this; if it was up to him, they'd have killed her already and moved on.

What better way to christen a new relationship than with blood?

Druid wanted to know what they wanted with Laurel. Once upon a time, Aventus might have doubted the need for senseless violence and threat here, but he was not that young boy any longer. Now he cracked a foreboding grin and said, you don't wanna know.

Of course they wouldn't heed Druid's request. They couldn't even if they wanted to. Their ultimate target was Laurel, but unlike this little traitor, the rest of Rivenwood was likely to defend their packmate. That meant they would turn tooth and claw on Ursus, and those wolves would be met in kind whether Druid liked it or not. It was a naive hope. In some ways, it was cute that she wanted to save the rest by sacrificing one, but mostly it revealed that Rivenwood had weakness in its intrapack relationships. Chinks that Ursus could exploit.

She watched the grin spread across the bruin-jaw's handsome face. His viciousness made her heart beat furiously. She had missed seeing this side of him. 

Arielle might have just been up front about what they had planned, but his vague, teasing words were so much better. 

She looked back to the girl. I swear, she lied. They would eliminate anyone that stood between them and what the bear demanded, but she didn't need to know that. Arielle took a step forward as a low, ominous growl rumbled from her chest; it promised violence. Now tell me where she is before I lose my patience. She was tired of answering questions. If the bruin-heart was made to wait any longer, she and Aves would finish what had been started the other day with Merrick.

“You don’t wanna know,” the she-wolf’s lurking partner cut in and Druid realized she didn’t need them to spell it out for her. They’d attempted to murder her in cold blood, so she could only imagine what they intended for Laurel. She still couldn’t grasp why.

Tears blurred her eyes as the woman swore to honor Druid’s conditions. The Mäher flinched and shrank backward when she took a step toward her, a deep growl preceding her words of warning. She was losing patience and Druid didn’t have time to think through her own choices, though what choice did she have?

Desperately needing to keep her closest loved ones and their home safe, Druid choked out general directions to Laurel’s den. She didn’t want to see the woman harmed but Druid could live with losing her. She didn’t know if she could survive without Witch, Sequoia and Mahler.

She drew in a shaky breath, wondering if she’d bought Laurel some time to grab her kids and flee into the night. Feeling terrible, Druid hoped not. She intuited that if these wolves didn’t find Laurel, they would only turn and visit their senseless wrath upon the rest of Rivenwood.

maybe a new thread is more convenient for them finding Laurel - i will start one :)

When she first heard the sky-rending howl of madness, Laurel didn't recognise it. She didn't even recognise it as anything wolf, let alone her own nephew. It took her a while to realise exactly what was going on, and when she did, immediately told @Indra III to come with her and hurry. Laurel honestly didn't really know where to go. Leave the territory, perhaps? If Mahler could not defend them — would not defend them — then perhaps Rivenwood was no longer safe. Laurel had pleaded with Mahler to kill Merrick before, but he had refused. And now they were paying the price for it. She tried to think what to do quickly, while rushing Indra to get out of the den and come with. @Abel Redleaf wasn't there, and Laurel felt her heart lurch with a worry she didn't normally feel for him. However, for now, all she could do was get Indra safe. Abel would have to be second priority; as he always was.

Aventus watched, enamored and impressed, the way Arielle commanded the situation with ease. He could almost see the way the blood drained out of Druid's face. It was in the undeniable waver of her voice as she told them where to find their target. It gave him such a thrill to watch their normally warm and kind Bruin-heart put the fear of god into Druid. Druid who would have to live with the consequences, she who had set all these events in motion.

When the girl had finished stammering out directions, Aventus lunged in her direction with a snap of his teeth meant to frighten her away and a rumbling cackle. He would honour Arielle's word, but that didn't include treating any of them with any kindness, and if they drew his or his wife's blood, there would be to hell to pay for it.

Jostling against Arielle and murmuring something sultry in her ear, Aventus started off in the direction of the hidden den Druid had described.

Finally, they had what they needed. Arielle could scent the traitor's tears as she gave up the location of Laurel's den; it only had a cruel grin spread across her face. The bruin-heart's kindness was reserved only for those of Ursus who had proven they deserve it. 

The prince lunged forward and scared the girl off; Arielle's laughter joined his own as she watched her run. She hoped that wasn't the last time she would see the little wolf. She still owed a debt to the bear for trespassing on their sacred land and it could only be paid with her blood; what she had already spilled wasn't enough. But for now, they had more important things to deal with. 

She felt the bruin-jaw against her, his breath against her ear as he whispered something that made her heart jump; a heated smile spread across her face as she sprinted after him.

She didn’t run, not because she wasn’t frightened—she most certainly was scared out of her mind, and eager to leave the company of these wolves—but because her heel was agonizing. Druid had paid no attention while trying to usher her sister to safety and betraying Laurel’s location, the adrenaline numbing the pain. But now it hurt her terribly, making a quick exit impossible.

Nonetheless, she cringed away from the vile pair and slipped as quickly as she could into the shadows. The earlier commotion had fallen into an eerie silence. Breathing raggedly, Druid pushed herself to the far edges of Rivenwood, trying to locate Witch’s or even Sequoia’s scents.