Moonspear Take me home

I decided to switch my titling convention for Wildfire's threads (previously movie quotes, now song titles from my Discover Weekly playlist) and this was the #1 song on there, ironically. How appropriate! :D

@Elwood @Finley

They didn't waste a single second. After howling to let the pack know what was going on (and requesting reinforcements to help their comrade home), Wildfire and Elwood hit the road. They ran all the way to the foot of Moonspear, with the young Outrider leading the way. If her paw hurt her, she didn't even notice it. She was far too excited and anxious to find her godmother and help her home.

"I was here with Charon and Floki a week ago," the youth panted when they finally slowed down at the foot of the mountain. She didn't think to explain who they were. "She must have been here the entire time," she realized, feeling a pang. Why hadn't any of them found her? Maybe Finley had hidden herself really well or it was possible she had been unconscious or otherwise unable to react to their efforts to find her at the time. Wildfire supposed none of it mattered now.

"This way," she said, motioning for her gray uncle to follow her as she loped toward a footpath that led up the slope's steep flank. Even as she began to climb, she screamed, "Finley!" at the top of her lungs (which was unfortunately not very loud at all).

His lungs were burning by the time they reached their destination. They hadn't slowed their pace and there hadn't been a single second that he doubted Wildfire's guidance. She knew the wilds outside of Redhawk Caldera like the back of her paw, and Elwood recognized that he was in good hands with the young outrider. A mountain range reared up before them; according to Roz's directions, Finley would be within close proximity.

He felt a mixture of excitement and dread. His heart was lodged firmly in his throat, and he could scarcely hear Wildfire's words over the thundering of blood in his ears. He was eager to see Finley, but at the same time he was fearful. What condition would she be in when they found her? He barely registered the fact that Wildfire had been here only a week ago; he nodded absently, stepping briskly over the rocky terrain with yellow eyes roving wildly over the landscape.

Wildfire led him up the slope and he followed, nostrils flared wide as he searched for any hint of Finley's scent. She called her aunt's name, and before her voice had a chance to echo back to them, Elwood found himself yelling out in desperation. "FINLEY!"

The days since her conversation with the brown-pelted female had passed by in a blur.  Fin had given up on her trek not long after the woman had gone, her strength unable to last.  She had crawled then to an alcove on the mountain's face.  She had slept then, and again the following day.  When she awoke, she felt stronger, though not by much.  She'd managed to get further that day, and had even found a stream to slake her thirst.

That was the day Finley had seen her face, mangled by the spines protruding in a ridge along her cheek and down her neck to her shoulder.  She had cried over her terrible visage, knowing well that her skin was not likely to ever heal and would always be scarred and disfigured there.
The day after, she had bitterly torn from her skin the barbs she could reach on her shoulder.  The pain was terrible, but after slipping and stumbling down a few feet, she had been so enraged by her situation that she'd barely even noticed.

The rest of her journey had been uneventful and really could not have been considered much of one for she had only managed to travel a few miles from where she had started.  Her body was bruised, her ankle fracture, and her face and neck torn and scarred.  She couldn't remember when she'd last had anything to eat and was convinced that she looked just as skeletal and gaunt as she felt, though she hadn't nearly been starving long enough to look quite as destitute as she imagined.  Fin had thus far refused to look at herself again, choosing instead to drink with her eyes shut, not wanting another reminder of just how far she had sunk, lest she again be overcome with the weight of guilt at the realization that it was far, far less than she even deserved.

But that's a story for another time.

Fin was drifting in and out of consciousness when somewhere, she heard her name being called.  She had tried to make it further, but the strength she had recovered from rest was now waning greatly from her lack of sustenance.  She opened her eyes to stare at the world around her, ears twitching faintly at the sound.  A whine escaped her throat as she heard it again and she was pulled fully from the grip of her exhaustion.  Adrenaline pumped through her veins and she lifted her head to call back to them.  The howl was weak, and it faded quickly as Fin slumped again and shut her eyes, not for the first time wondering if it would just be better to die rather than keep fighting to get home.  Fortunately, there were two wolves searching for her with plenty of strength to do the fighting for her since otherwise, Finley was already feeling herself giving up again.

They took turns calling, even though Wildfire's voice didn't carry nearly as much as Elwood's. After a few rounds, the youth vehemently motioned for her uncle to be quiet, then pressed her lips together as she listened hard. She caught the very end of Finley's pitiful howl and her amber eyes flew wide as she exchanged a glance with Elwood. She then began scrambling up the mountain, slipping and sliding and stumbling in her haste. Her ankle would hate her by the end of this but Wildfire didn't care about that now. All she cared about was finding her aunt.

"Finley! We're here!" she shouted, her small voice echoing off the rocks around them. "We—Elwood, I've got her scent," Wildfire said, veering haphazardly as she began to gallop along a narrow deer trail. Finley's scent filled her nose. There was the tangy odor of blood mixed in there, which made her heart beat all the harder against her ribs.

She screeched to a halt when she came around a bend in the path and finally spotted her godmother's familiar form. "Aunt Flea," she practically moaned, rushing to her fallen aunt's side. Wildfire saw the damage to her aunt's face and it was gently that she reached out and touched her nose to Finley's shoulder. "We're here."

Elwood's anxiety increased the further they traveled without a sign of Finley. He started to wonder if Roz had misled them, though he couldn't think of any reason why she would do that. Perhaps Finley had gathered some strength and managed to move a bit. That unleashed a whole new series of worries in his mind -- what if she had a head injury and couldn't remember how to get home? She could have gone in a different direction, which would explain why they hadn't yet come across her scent.

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. It wouldn't do to dwell on the negative possibilities. He called out every few seconds, snapping his mouth shut each time and forcing his ears forward in hopes of hearing a response. Wildfire suddenly gestured for him to be quiet, and he obliged, his heart hammering in his chest. There it was -- they could barely hear the strained notes of Finley's weak voice.

The young outrider sprang forward and her uncle followed, racing with reckless abandon up a rocky trail. He kept pace with her, remaining a stride behind as they turned sharply. The path led them directly to Finley and Elwood gasped, his breath lodging in his throat. She was slumped on the ground and Wildfire rushed to her. Elwood hung back for a moment, taking in her worn, damaged figure. She looked thin and her coat had lost its luster, but more than that, there were lacerations on her face, neck, and shoulder. His stomach heaved as guilt consumed him -- why had he let her leave in the first place? -- and then, as if on autopilot, his paws carried him to her. He lowered himself to the ground next to her with a whine. "We're going to take you home, Fin," he said quietly, knowing that it would be a monumental undertaking.

Finley didn't really think anyone would find her.  And while that terrified her, it also felt like something of a relief.  The past few days had been terrible and she was not too excited about suffering any more like them.  It was strange to be in this position, for there was only one thing keeping her holding on.  And oddly enough, it was the very same thing that made her want to let go.

But that's neither here nor there for she was found.  Her consciousness was fading in and out in the minutes before Wildfire and Elwood came upon her.  She thought she heard a voice cry out, something about here and her scent...  And soon enough, it was Aunt Flea and soft touches and urgent murmurs.  Finley could do little more than moan in response, feeling both thankful and more terrible than ever.

She blinked up at them, seeing them, but not.  Her eyes caught onto her mate's face, and tears sprang to them as she croaked wearily and miserably, "Jay."  It wasn't posed as a question, but she meant it to be.  She searched their faces, pleading without words to know that her little pup was safe and well even in her absence.

She wasn't close enough. Wildfire dropped to her belly, worming gently closer to her aunt, snuggling close in the hopes that the proximity and warmth would comfort Finley. She didn't seem to be properly conscious and Wildfire had a wild thought: had her aunt had a stroke? Whatever had happened, she wouldn't be able to explain just now. Speaking at all seemed to be a struggle and Finley could only eke out a single letter: "J."

"Shh," Wildfire murmured, nuzzling against her dear aunt. "Everything's going to be okay, Aunt Flea."

She seemed to be in a worse state than Roz had indicated. Aside from the physical injuries visible on her body, Finley was weak and almost delusional, likely from a lack of sustenance. It was good that they had found her when they did; a few more days like this would have wreaked havoc on her. Elwood glanced up as Wildfire moved in close, speaking quietly to reassure her aunt.

It took him a moment, but he realized that Finley was asking about Eljay. "Eljay is just fine. He's safe at home, but he misses you," he said, his eyes searching his mate's face for a response. He realized that talking about their son could be a motivating factor to get Finley up and on her feet so that they could start escorting her back to the caldera.

"Can you stand?" he asked, shifting his gaze to Wildfire. He would need the younger girl's assistance, because despite Finley's small size and his strength, they had a long way to go.

I'm in a training session right now, shhh...!

Her mate mercifully gave her the answer she was looking for while Wildfire snuggled close.  Fin shut her eyes tight.  A pang of guilt jabbed at her heart again as Elwood mentioned that the little wolf missed her.  She had been gone from him for so long, and he likely hadn't made that very easy on his namesake.  She wanted to bury herself straight into the earth and disappear under the overwhelming weight of her guilt, but Wifi's warmth against her kept her grounded, and the mental image of Eljay's face forced her resolve into place.  She had to go home.

Finley laid still for a moment, breathing deeply as she steeled herself to move again.  She was so exhausted and so hungry.  Her mind screamed at her to stop, to not even bother trying, but Fin had always had a knack for ignoring her own warnings.  She shifted her weight from her side to her stomach, took another moment to breathe, and then pushed upwards onto three shaking legs.  She stumbled slightly as she did so and found herself pressing her shoulder against her mate with her head bowed so that he couldn't see the mangled side of her face, as trivial and stupid as it was to even be thinking about something so superficial in that moment.  She sucked in a deep breath as she steadied herself, then finally murmured a quiet request, "Slowly."

Elwood asked if she could stand and Finley made an attempt. Wildfire sat up but did not move away from her aunt, standing by to offer support if she needed it. She stumbled a little but luckily Elwood was also there, ready and willing to keep his mate afloat. The youth smiled fleetingly at her godmother's success, though the smile vanished quickly when she saw the way Finley tried to hide her face. She seemed ashamed.

Whining under her breath, Wildfire pressed close against Finley's other side. "I should have brought some food," she thought aloud. She had grabbed something for Roz, so why hadn't she also snatched up something for Finley? She had been in a rush at the time and every single second had counted. It didn't stop her from kicking herself now. "I can try to find something, if you think it would help your strength, Aunt Flea."

Instead of giving a verbal response, Finley slowly started to get to her feet. Her legs were quivering and it was hard for her to maintain her balance; she almost collapsed to the ground once more, but Elwood leaned into her, acting as a crutch as she steadied herself. She kept her face turned away from him, but he had already seen the scarring there from the porcupine quills. He pretended as though he didn't notice her embarrassment, instead looking over her at Wildfire as they coordinated their movements.

"There, good job," he encouraged, nodding his head as she requested that they keep their pace slow. Now that she was standing, the next feat would be taking her first steps. But first, Wildfire asked if she wanted something to eat. It was a good idea, and something Elwood hadn't considered in his haste to get her home. If Fin indicated that she was hungry, he would gladly wait with her while Wildfire fetched something.

She could feel their eyes on her and she tried even harder to shield her mangled face.  They were speaking again, encouraging words that she barely heard beyond the scream of her bruised muscles.  She did heard quite clearly the mention of food, which was likely helped by how desperately her stomach had been wanting to hear that single word.

Fin lifted her gaze - disregarding what view it would give of her deformity - and searched for Wildfire.  She nodded gingerly, but there was desperation in her tired eyes.  She stepped forward again, still leaning against Elwood for support.  She lifted her muzzle after a few more steps and touched her nose against her mate's cheek as a silent gesture of thanks.  No doubt this whole ordeal had been difficult on him, and it would continue to be so for the journey home and the many, many days of healing ahead.  And though she didn't dare say it, she hoped quite desperately that he would still think her worth all of the trouble in the end.

She was no Gamekeeper but Wildfire knew the one hunter among them wouldn't want to leave Finley's side, not after being apart so long. As soon as her aunt gave her the cue, the youth swept away to track something, anything, to hunt and kill. She scrambled around Moonspear for about a quarter of an hour before realizing it would make much more sense to attempt a hunt over on Nocturne Summit. She was much, much more familiar with the terrain over there.

Perhaps ninety minutes after leaving, a breathless and exhausted Wildfire arrived back at Finley's makeshift campsite, a partially rancid white leg clasped in her jaws. She gently set it down by her godmother's front paws, then said, "I think this belonged to a mountain goat. It was hard to tell what it was. I found it. I wouldn't eat the bits there at the end," she said between pants, pointing at the rotting, bloody stump. "The meat here is probably still good," she added, pointing to the more or less intact hoof on the other end.

Sucking in several gulps of air, Wildfire dropped to her haunches again, ignoring the twinges in her ankle as she pressed her flank back against Finley's. She hadn't realized until now that a small part of her had wondered if she would ever feel her godmother's warmth like this again. She felt a little overwhelmed by it all and her amber eyes began to tear, though she blinked them away as much as she could manage.

After only the slightest indication from Finley, Wildfire took off like a rocket. Elwood watched her go, his breath catching in his throat momentarily. She had gotten hurt before while searching for Finley, and the last thing they needed now was for something to happen to the young outrider. He bit his lower lip but forced himself not to worry, placing his trust in Wildfire's abilities as he refocused on Finley.

There was no sense in continuing to move forward; that would just sap the injured Beta's energy while they waited for Wildfire. Elwood's paws came to a halt, but he kept his body leaning against Finley's, supporting her if she chose to keep standing. A long silence stretched between them, and he found that he was having a hard time grasping words. What was there to say?

So instead, he gently and tenderly kissed the side of Finley's muzzle that was still intact. The time passed slowly, but he was relieved when Wildfire returned over an hour later. He shifted just enough to allow Finley to position herself in order to eat, hoping that even a few bites would increase her strength so that they could get her home.

Last post for me! <3 You guys can post again or we can archive :) 

Wildfire was off, and Elwood slowed them to a stop.  Fin slipped gingerly onto her stomach.  There was only silence in the air besides her own labored breathing.  She couldn't have thought of anything to say to him had she tried, so she didn't.  She let there be quiet between them, which Elwood seemed to be content with as well.  She felt his touch on her muzzle and leaned into it with a soft whine.  It was unexpected, but completely welcome.  Though she didn't deserve his love or affection, she accepted it as fuel to keep her own fire burning.

While time had moved slowly for her family, it passed by in an instant for Fin.  She had drifted off at her mate's side, awaking at the sound of footsteps and the scent of meat.  The beta barely listened to Wildfire's warning as she snatched the bloody leg and began to feast.  Anything was better than nothing, though she forced herself to exercise self-control and avoid the more rotten bits.  She took a few moments after eating to digest and to catch her breath before giving Wildfire and Elwood a nod to say they could go again.  It hadn't been much, but having Wildfire, Elwood, and that tiny bit of meat was enough to give her the strength to get home.

Fortunately, she was able to sniff back the tears as Finley ravenously devoured the meat. Her aunt's appetite heartened the youth. No matter what, the trek home would be hard on all of them, Finley most of all. But having nourishment in her belly would certainly help. Wildfire was glad she had been able to grab something for her godmother to eat, rotten bits aside.

Once Finley finished, it was finally time to hit the road. It was most likely a foregone conclusion but Wildfire said, "We'll take it slow." With Elwood on one side, she moved to the other, ready to offer physical support along with the mental and emotional variety. "We'll get you back to the caldera in no time, then you'll get to sleep and eat and reunite with Elwood Jr," Wildfire said, oblivious to the contradiction of her earlier statement. Hoping it boosted Finley's morale, the youth fixed her amber eyes on the distant Redhawk Caldera.

Finley ate as though she hadn't in days; Elwood wondered just how long it had been since she had had a solid meal. At least now he knew that she would be returned safely to Redhawk Caldera, where she would have access to all the food she needed and would be able to rest and recuperate.

Once she indicated that she was finished, he and Wildfire helped her to her feet. His ears tilted towards the outrider as she spoke, but his throat felt strangely tight and he couldn't add anything else. He just nodded his head, and then the threesome began the long and arduous trek home.