Blackfeather Woods the good, the bad, the crazy

Ramsay said that the rest of the pack had gathered elsewhere, but that he didn't trust Vaati's judgement to lead the pack. Cicero knew he should have taken control of the pack before, for it was too much pressure to put upon the shoulders of such a youth. Yet if he had done so, would he not have been cast out by that very youth for his physical weakness? Blackfeather wolves were arrogant, at times deserved but often overly boldly so.

No matter. What had happened had happened, now.

Maegi seemed distressed at the thought of leaving the woods, saying it was safe now. Now, yes, but the other wolves might come back should they realise that Blackfeather Woods was still inhabited, or inhabited again.. After all, what reason did they have not to? They had wiped them away once. All they needed to do was rinse and repeat. "No. It is not safe here. The wolves will return once they realise that the Blackfeather wolves are not truly gone, are not all dead. They have won once, so why would they stop now?" From all that Cicero'd learned about the psyche of wolves, he was certain with this conclusion. Now, he turned to Ramsay and nodded.

"When Cicero was younger, he had a mentor. A father of sorts. He will bring those of you who wish to come to him. It will be safe. This mentor was once a leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and was the wisest, calmest leader that Cicero has ever seen at its head." It was only after Burke had stopped being its leader that the Woods had made more and more enemies, had spun out of control. Cicero did not think he could have stopped it. Maybe Damien, with his commanding presence, with Cicero as his advisor to stop him from following his hot-headed thoughts... But not without his brother. They were a pair, but no longer now. He would always love Damien, but perhaps their journey together had come to an end at long last now...

"Now, let's see those poppies and moss," Cicero murmured as he lay his head down between his legs as a shiver crept through his spine. He was cold and wounded and he may not survive this, but he would get those puppies to Burke. "Meanwhile, you can all think whether you wish to undertake this journey, or stay here." He did not remind them again that the wolves that'd harmed them might return, or that it would be dangerous to stay with Vaati or the wolves that'd challenged him. They needed to make this decision by themselves.