Redhawk Caldera i warn you not to doubt the silence before the storm

Artaax felt his breath coming in deep gasps as the panic consumed him. He did his best to remain still as it happened, desperately praying no one would see this. The commotion behind him was enough that he didn't believe they would, but he had also never thought he would be so weak as to fall apart like this. He felt so helpless, and weak, and terrible. His mother needed him. He had been so convinced that in coming here, he would be the brave hero and would be the one to save her. And now, when it came down to it, he was nothing but a sobbing, panicking little boy with his tail tucked between his legs, being of no use to anyone at all.

The panic attack lasted a few minutes before finally, he felt his breath slow. His vision and hearing began to clear again as feeling returned to his legs and his shoulders ceased their quaking - all things he hadn't even realized had been impairing him until they began to fade. The boy gazed at his paws, felt the dirt driven between his pads and his nails from clenching the earth so violently. He blinked, then shut his eyes as he began to wrestle himself back into submission. To gain control again, though the simple realization of how badly he had lost it was fighting to quicken his pulse all over again.

Thuringwethil’s ears swivel forward as Portia speaks again, giving instructions to Blixen. She watches her daughter as she focuses on every word that is spoken as if she knows exactly what is the healer is doing. The basics are there, but for the most part she knows she is useless in these situations, especially when it is not apparent what is wrong with her mate aside from the obvious emaciation. Her nose twitches, drawing in what scents she can but it is not familiar to her but the crowding of the other wolves, with their own, makes it difficult to really decipher anything Wildfire still carries with her.

As Portia demands food and water, her ears droop and she glances back, following the female’s direction for the cache. “@Hux,” she beckons a beat later and points with her nose to go with the alpha female. From the corner of her eyes, she sees Eljay and the way the woman freezes but she does not allow her time to assess the sudden tension in the air. The woman eventually moves past it too with the next step. Her mind swims in the helplessness that has overcome her, letting another make the decisions but there is not much she can do. Any sign of resistance or dominance in someone else’s home can risk their entire operation.

Thuringwethil nods and turns to search for Dio, landing on him not too far away, she jerks her nose to beckon him closer. She makes a circle to the other side of her mate to prepare but she catches a glimpse of Artaax that stands so tensely in the other direction. She moves to his side with a low rumble of her chest, letting her nose touch the back of his head for a brief few seconds before she pulls back to begin the moving Wildfire.

portia barks instructions and blix moves into action without a word, gathering the bright yellow flowers between her jaws. as quickly as she can she chews and spits onto the designated stone, anxiously watching the delicate fisa apply the salve. there is noise all around her - the adults are talking, she can hear the rumble of nomi's voice but none of it actually processes. there is only her broken mother and portia's orders and the roar of blood in her ears - and that's all there will be until her mother has been safely moved and wakes up.

Elwood stepped back as Drageda's healer began to give instructions. He didn't want to crowd her while she worked. There was no immediate sign of Raven, but luckily Thuringwethil's medic seemed to be adept. Briefly, he considered using the time to speak to Eljay, but then the she-wolf was asking for food and water, and Finley was quick to point out the location of a nearby cache.

"I'll bring back some food," he said, turning to go. Finley's mention of an abandoned densite caused him to pause briefly, and he looked back over his shoulder and nodded. "Yes -- take her there if you can," he added. "I'll meet you there with the food." He cast one last glance around the group to ensure that he wasn't needed to do something else, and then he picked up a trot.

His forward motion brought him close to Eljay, and he slowed long enough to press his nose against his son's shoulder. "We'll talk with you soon, after we get Wiffle settled," he said quietly before heading in the direction of the cache Finley had indicated.

Raven was nowhere near the Caldera when the first faint howl reached her ears. She was all the way up near Wild Berry Meadow, foraging for certain plants to bolster up her stores before the winter snows came. The faint, distant echo, clearly Towhee's voice, barely reached her. It was enough to make her perk up and turn her head toward the Caldera in curiosity, but after a moment of wondering, she shrugged it off and went back to her business. It wasn't her responsibility to attend to everything that went on at the old volcano's borders.

But a moment later, a second howl reverberated across the miles and it was much more direct: her own name was carried in the notes with an unmistakeable message of urgency. Immediately, she dropped what she was doing and bolted in the direction of home, anxiety rising like a tide of cold water inside of her.

---

Due to the distance, it took her a while to get there. She intercepted a frantic and confused Towhee on the way there, and she let her younger sister lead the way. Moments later, she arrived to a scene that confused her and raised questions -- what was going on? Who were all these strangers? A who were they gathered arou---

Wifi.

She couldn't believe her eyes at first. It had been so long since she'd seen her littermate and childhood best friend, but sure as shit, it was her lying there in a skeletal, filthy, bedraggled heap. She looked dead, and for the briefest of instants, her heart dropped through her stomach and she teetered on the edge of a full-fledged panic attack. Her trained eye quickly spotted the shallow, rapid rise and fall of her sister's sides, though, and an overwhelming sense of relief washed through her. A quick explanation from Finley filled her in on what had happened, and without further ado, Raven threw in and began to help the other moves Wildfire. While she did, her eyes roved over her sister's battered body, cataloguing scrapes and cuts with the efficiency of experience. She was in such bad shape, definitely starved and dehydrated, with possibly worse wounds beneath the surface. She would be able to find out more once they got her settled and Wildfire regained consciousness.

Of all the times she had imagined reuniting with her sister, she had never imagined it would be like this. Worry and fear plagued her heart, topped only by the never-ending stream of questions that ran through her mind.

It was like everything was going in slow motion. Everyone already realised that Wiffle was laying there and Eljay did somewhere at the back of his mind but not really, like it was a thing that was happening but maybe not right now, or... Well, he didn't know. He listened to the Heda's words and then watched as everyone dove towards Wiffle. He didn't want to be a bother so Eljay decided not to be in the way over there. He watched mommy and daddy. Mommy's attention fell on Wiffle too and Eljay watched as daddy approached and said they would 'talk later'. Whatever that meant. Eljay numbly nodded and he turned to face the crowd standing over Wildfire; the reason he had ever joined Drageda in the first place.

He just stood and stared, not sure what even he could do, watching everyone fret around until Raven arrived. Eljay's heart skipped a beat as he noticed Raven, an involuntary smile falling over his face but it didn't last very long as he saw her focus on Wildfire too. Of course she was focussed on her sister. He didn't like, matter, super much, or anything. It was cool. Maybe they'd talk later. Or maybe it was better he leave Raven alone, too, maybe she'd be better off. Eljay wasn't sure why he was feeling all these weird things and thinking all these weird things and he looked away from Raven, to the ground, to his paws, then back to Raven and Wildfire and everyone else crowded around her while he waited for something else to happen or for someone to tell him what to do.

Towhee was feeling a little frantic by the time Raven materialized and galloped up to her. The young guardian quickly signed a summary of the situation, then urged the medic to follow her. Spinning on a dime, she sprinted back toward the borders, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. Nothing about the scene had changed significantly. The guests hadn't suddenly waged war while her back was turned.

But they were still here, and there was a great fuss being made over one member of their party. Towhee peered suspiciously at those gathered around the red heap—Raven included—but then lifted her gaze and sought out the only familiar face in the crowd (not counting her pack mates, of course): Eljay. In a blink, she was moving toward him, though she glanced mistrustfully at the gathered strangers every second or so.

-Eljay, what's going on? Who are these wolves? Why are you here?- she demanded, sidestepping a bit when she noticed several wolves getting ready to begin moving their apparently unconscious comrade.

let me know if I need to change this or if something is wrong and I will gladly adjust it! :3

The boy Artaax asks Hux to accompany him and without hesitation he starts toward the young wolf. Hux doesn't mind following him to keep watch, as well as keep him company, during the hubbub of the many wolves gathering around the boy's sick mother. But just as he turns away, he hears the voice of his commander and turns tail immediately. For a moment he hesitates, but he knows he must obey Thuringwethil's demands, and so he flashes Artaax a sad, apologetic smile and returns to Wildfire's side.

Carrying the unconscious shewolf will be quite the undertaking, but the snowy Kru has an idea. He is a little uncomfortable with speaking out amongst so many wolves, especially since his rank is so low. His ears splay anxiously as he emits a slight cough, clearing his throat, swallowing the nervous lump that has formed there.

Here, he says, his voice rising above its usual softness so that he might be heard. She... I can carry her on my back. Can - can a few of you walk beside us and, er, make sure she doesn't fall off? His stormy eyes dart around the others as he speaks. He is a large wolf, and strong - carrying Wildfire will be easy enough, as long as someone flanks him on either side to ensure she doesn't tumble to the ground.

Does that sound okay? Hux approaches Wildfire and lowers himself to he ground, nosing himself beneath her belly. With a few gentle shoves he eases her onto his back, but he remains on the ground, unable to lift her without help - not because she is too heavy, but because she will slip off without someone to steady her.

 In the sudden influx of chaos, Étoille has largely stayed back. He thinks, maybe, heda finally says her name but between the arrival of their missing party, the ginger-furred child's disruption, Towhee's arrival and subsequent shrieking - and then the collapse of order as Wildfire takes priority - it goes between the titan's ears unheard.

 He is not family, nor does he know Wildfire (the news that she is heda's mate is one thing caught and processed, and Étoille feels a smidge guilty for his previous assumption of her demise). He is also not a healer, and so he lingers back, observing the scene - only stepping closer when all of Drageda's party forms a circle around the body. 

 The man he had been standing by before - Hux? - steps up to volunteer to carry her form. Ah. Étoille clears his throat and finally speaks: "I can assist." Like the pale man he is large and tall and shouldering the frail red woman would be of little issue. The titan moves to stand closer to Hux, waiting for orders - from him, heda or the Caldera wolves.

When he isn't assessing the slew of strangers, he keeps his sights trained on either Thuringwethil or Portia, and occasionally Wildfire's suffering young ones. His heart goes out to them, but he does not reach here and now. Blixen was right in the midst of it, and Artaax fanned out. Dio swallows thickly, and resumes keeping an eye on the Redhawks in the meantime, even as he moved in nearer.

There were many involved here, far too many for his taste, and in mere moments, action is looking to progress. Portia expresses her needs--Wildfire's needs, and he trusts these wolves are wise enough to make it happen if they want her to have a real chance judging by how poorly her condition seemed to be, and that was just by what he could see here on the edges of the commotion. He imagined that was only the half of it. Wildfire needed plenty right now, and was perhaps lucky that of everywhere else in the wilds beyond their own seaside cliffs, that it was here in the homeland of her family that he had turned up on.

The wocha moved in closer when he spied an opening opposite Étoille, and edging up alongside him, helped to steady her battered body over Hux's shoulders with the others. There was little to their red-furred scout now, but he still hoped everything would be fine and that they could get her awakened--and on the road to home--soon.

Artaax tensed as he heard the approach of another. Frantically, he checked himself to make sure he was showing no outward signs of his distress. He determined quickly that he was showing thousands of them, but there was nothing for it as nomi stepped to his side. He felt himself begin to tremble harder as she reached for him, and then still quite suddenly when he felt her touch upon his crown.

The boy shut his eyes and bowed his head, feeling himself fly straight back towards the breaking point in less than a second. That she had to come to him with all that was happening was another knife to his pride, but as quickly as she had come, she was stepping away again. And the abruptness of it was his saving grace. His eyes snapped open in surprise, and he too turned to see her move away, back towards the crowd. His dual-toned eyes slid over to the wolves that shifted to lift Wildfire onto Hux's back. Alarm rose in him at the sight, and he moved finally, following in heda's footsteps.

The Drageda wolves went to work lifting Wildfire with Raven's help. Fin stood back, stealing glances at Eljay as Elwood spoke briefly to him and then left to retrieve food from the cache. Her son looked uncomfortable and awkward - not altogether unfamiliar a sight. Her heart ached at seeing it though, simply for the fact that she never thought she would ever see him again. Towhee approached him then, just as the others managed to gather Wiffle onto the back of one of the strangers. Pushing her emotions aside once again, Fin stepped forward.

"Come on, it's this way," she said, turning to lead them to the den she had spoken of. There would be time to talk to her son and welcome him home properly, but for now, caring for Wildfire was the priority.

As soon as Etoille and Dio stood beside him, Hux stood - carefully. It was not until she was lifted that the Kru realized just how feather-light Wildfire's battered body had become. He thought of the last time he had seen her, such a bright-eyed young mother, and it pained him to realize that terrible things had probably happened to her in her absence. It made him want to help her, to make absolutely sure that she stayed alive.

He began to walk, following Finlay the short distance to the den she had specified. With gentle motions he relinquished the help of the two men on either side, lowering himself to his belly again and easing Wildfire into her new quarters. He backed away from her, thinking perhaps her family wanted to settle her in, but stood close in case he was given further commands.

Thuringwethil suddenly feels very useless. Hux takes initiative with Dio and Étoille on either side of him. There isn’t much left of Wildfire and perhaps three is overkill but it keeps her safe and in one place. She takes a moment to steel herself as the males stand and begin to move, following behind Elwood to their destination. Quickly, she rounds up Blixen and Artaax together and nudges them in the direction. If she catches a look with a nearby Redhawk, she gives them an appreciative glance but her mind runs a mile a minute.

“Eljay, help Portia,” she says softly when she moves by him, pointing in the healer’s direction should she need help carrying anything without Hux to help.

Elwood moved quickly toward his destination, and unearthed some meat to bring back to Wildfire. Luckily, they had been able to replenish most of their caches since the food shortage in the summer; Elwood shuddered to think of what would have happened had Wildfire and Drageda shown up on their doorstep when they had nothing to eat. He seized a plump hare and carefully re-covered the burrow, then turned and loped back in the direction of the abandoned densite, where Finley had suggested they move Wildfire.

The group had just settled their injured ward when he arrived. He hung back for a moment as other wolves shifted in position -- the ones who had carried moving away from her, the medics (Raven now included) moving to her -- and then, when he saw an opportunity, he laid the rabbit near Thuringwethil. "Here," he said, nudging it and indicating for her to push it further towards Wildfire. He stepped back then, glancing among all those gathered as they assessed the situation.

They reach their destination, and it isn’t long before Elwood has returned with a kill for Wildfire. With her unconscious, she isn’t sure what to do with it, but she quietly thanks him and picks it up. When Étoille, Dio, and Hux have come to a spot to lay her down, Thuringwethil moves and sets it nearby. She nudges for Portia’s attention, pointing to the kill the alpha had brought but she doesn’t force it into the equation. Between the two healers, perhaps Eljay and Hux, they can figure out how to get the emaciated woman to eat. These are not where her skills lie and, once she brought attention to it, she takes a step back.

Thuringwethil corrals her two children, encouraging them to give them space to work. In the days to come, they will begin to sort out the next step. All they’ll be able to do is waiting, from what she can gather, and she releases a heavy sigh of defeat. She forgets the rest of the wolves for the time being, watching as Portia addresses her outer wounds and doing whatever she can to get her the help she needs.

A little later, they talk about their terms and how they will stay over the next few days and Thuringwethil accepts whatever they are given. Later, she expresses all this to her own wolves and they take the next few days one step at a time.

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