Phoenix Maplewood and it's all fun and games, 'til somebody falls in love

Whump!Club Rolls · BWP3 Roll

She had wanted to see the wood that had caused so much havoc.

Magpie supposed it might have been beautiful, before the locusts had destroyed it. It seemed thin, now— barren. Wasting away like the rest of the Wilds, and certainly no longer deserving of adoration. She wondered if the wolves that had lived here had sensed it, or perhaps even cursed them all. She didn't believe in magick, of course, but there were stories that the Corvidae told; and it might have been her hunger, but her certainty that the legends were wild exaggerations faltered for just a beat. She didn't have the chance to ponder this for much longer, for the thick drip of saliva that fell from her lips made her realize it was rabbit she was smelling.

She was tired. From hunger, from the energy she had spent chasing the hare back home. But desperation and rage was on her side now, and Magpie made quick chase of it; its neck snapped between her jaws, and her sides heaved from the exertion of the chase even as she savored the flavor of the creature's blood as it ran over her tongue and down her throat. Magpie settled into a laying position, rabbit between her forepaws, and began to tear flesh from bone. She swallowed a few hunks of meat without chewing. Her ears moved to catch the sounds of the forest, but her other senses were all-consumed by the first meal she had caught in over a week.

Magpie lifted her head at the sound of enraged grunts, but too late; a heavy paw met her side with a sickening crunch. She skidded a few yards where she lay in a heap, too startled to even yelp. Struggling to breathe, both for the wind knocked out of her and the ribs that were now surely broken, the Corvidae labored to position herself so that she could see her attacker.

To be greeted by the inspiring vision of a bear, eating the last of the rabbit.

"You fucker," she whispered through gasping breaths, the words sounding more like a death rattle as she worked to regain control of her breathing. Magpie would need to recover quickly; under normal circumstances, the bear might've toddled off after finishing the hare's meat, but she was sure it was starving as well. If she couldn't present herself as a difficult fight, the Corvidae might be next on the menu.

He knew not what brought him back to the maplewood that day, but it was with a heavy heart that Reek returned home. Most of all, Reek felt it was the desire for emotional closure that pulled his heart away from the grotto, or perhaps atonement. The trail was easy enough to follow -- even with the landscape devastated by the Summer's swarm. He had made the trip too many times to count; it was forever bored deep into the archives of Reek's memory. As the old patriarch of the maplewood placed one paw in front of the other, each step carrying him further away from his current claim, his mind went on autopilot. His misery was briefly dulled.

Passing over what was once the border (now a lingering specter of what once was), caused Reek's heart to palpitate in a sad, unsteady rhythm. It no longer smelled of him. In fact, none of the maplewood was as he remembered. What had once been a lively and beautiful place was now nothing more than a graveyard -- its headstones being the spindly skeletons of the maple trees stripped bare.

He pressed forward in the direction of the whelping den to pay his respects to his children that he never knew. Knowing there was nothing he could do to emotionally prepare himself, Reek bit his lip in a fruitless attempt to keep his emotions in check. He pushed deeper into the wood, but a victorious roar and the sound of struggle caught Reek's attention, causing him to stop square in his progress. He never made it to the whelping den. Instead, he set out to investigate, but what he found sent chills up his spine.

As soon as Reek laid eyes on the bear, he froze with fear. Next, his gaze fell on the wolf whom had unfortunalty found herself on the bear's shitlist. Even from his distance, Reek could pick up the scent of soot on her pelt. She was one of Sleeping Dragon -- he was sure. For a brief moment, he contemplated turning around and letting the bear do its thing. After all, the wolves of Sleeping Dragon were responsible for the (perceived) death of his pups -- why should Reek risk himself to save one of them?

He tried to turn away, but found himself unable. There was already too much blood on Reek's paws— even if it was unintentional. Even after everything, he couldn't just let her die. He took a few slow steps forward toward both the bear and the dragon wolf. All the while, he planned his next move.

She lingered near the edge of the woods, returning to her earlier endeavor: tracking. She had already made one kill, so perhaps she could rustle up another. Yet as she scoured the forest floor, she turned up nothing worthwhile. The light was beginning to fail and she couldn't decide which was worse: the hunger or the frustration. With a quiet sigh, Wildfire sank down with her back against a crooked oak, giving her weary paws a rest before she made the trek back home.

The sounds of a scuffle drew her attention. Eyes squinting, she peered around the tree. She couldn't see anything from where she sat, so she rose onto her paws as she tried to locate the source. She saw Reek first, a flash of black scurrying very purposefully through the woodland. Wildfire's lips parted in surprise and she gave pursuit, though she quickly forgot all about him when she came upon the Magpie vs. bear scene.

The ursine appeared to be distracted for the moment, feeding on something. Wildfire flashed Reek a quick glance, wondering if—and possibly hoping—her sister's ex would serve as another (edible) distraction. Meanwhile, the yearling gave a fearful squeak and forced herself to go to her downed aunt's side, quickly inspecting her for visible injuries before whispering, "Are you okay? Can you get up?" Her voice shook and soon she was staring at the bear rather than at the two-toned she-wolf, her heart racing.

Even roll, the bear shows interest in the three of them... odd, it leaves. 20 and it tries to attack?? Result: 1

She could hear only the sounds of her own breathing, and the sound of the bear tearing into the rabbit's flesh; the crunch of its bones. Magpie was a wolf, and took lives of prey like this without much thought. But knowing it was a bear making the sound, a wet ripping noise that might next be her body, made the black-and-white woman sick. Her stomach churned as she gasped to catch her breath, as she strained to reposition herself. Her heart felt like it was completing somersaults in the cavity of her chest.

Magpie didn't notice the presence of the male, nor would she have recognized him for who he was if she had.

But a panic rose anew in the woman as the fiery visage of her niece was suddenly thrust in hers, and she whined through her gulping breaths. It was evening out, now, as her diaphragm regained its natural rhythm... but there was a pain in her ribs if she inhaled to deeply, and she quietly prayed that the break would not pierce a lung. In the chaos of the situation, she hadn't noticed the long gash in her left haunch-- down the leg-- that would certainly complicate their escape.

"Run," she pleaded of her niece. Whatever strain had developed between them, it was forgotten now; Fox would never forgive her, and she would never forgive herself, if anything were to happen to Wildfire.

His approach was deliberate and slow, however, the rhythm of Reek's fast-beating heart was anything but. With each and every step Reek took toward the bear and the injured dragon wolf, the terror that gripped his chest like a vice squeezed even tighter, but Reek fought through his own fear (thus relinquishing his own safety) for the greater good. Though his legs shook at the knees, he continued on with uncharacteristic bravery in place of the shrewd cowardice he had come to know. Something was different; he was not the same coward he used to be. Discontent with living a life he could not be proud of, Reek was set on changing -- and he would start today with the life of a stranger.

However, before Reek could offer his aide, the injured stranger was joined by a familiar face. Reek stopped in his tracks for a moment as Wildfire attempted to offer her assistance, yet the injured stranger simply shooed her away. Of course, it was an act of self-sacrifice -- just being here automatically put Wildfire in danger of incurring the same injuries as the other. Though Reek remained unknoticed in the trees, he couldn't help but agree that it wasn't safe for her.

It was then that Reek noticed the bear had lost interest. The sounds of snapping bones and tearing sinew came to a hault as the bear finished its little snack and it soon set out on its merry way. Reek breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he neither he nor Wildfire would come to bodily harm, but the injured stranger still needed assistance. Soldiering forward, Reek approached with his head tucked and tail tucked low in the least threatening way possible. His eyes trailed across the injured wolf's body, eventually resting on the laceration on her haunch. It needed attention.

"Wildfire," he muttered, biting his lip. The emotional wounds of their last meeting were still fresh. "She needs a healer." Thankfully, they had one of the best medics in the Wilds right in front of them.

She had already been dismissed once today by a leader in peril. Wildfire grit her teeth together and shook her head, still staring at the bear instead of at Magpie, though she eventually dragged her amber gaze down to the injured Beta. "No," she said simply, complementing the petulant word with an apologetic frown. She was a typically obedient subordinate, yet there was no way she would just turn her back and let the bear snack on her relative.

Fortunately for all involved, the bear finished its easy meal and sauntered away. The tight, painful knot of fear in Wildfire's chest and stomach loosened and she gulped in some air, unaware that she had been holding her breath. She blinked once at Reek, then refocused on Magpie. Without the imminent threat looming nearby, she took a moment to assess her aunt's injuries. All she could see was the gash in her leg. The yearling winced sympathetically, her eyes lifting again when Reek spoke.

"She needs to get safely home," Wildfire said, though not in an argumentative tone. He wasn't wrong, after all. Did Drageda have a healer? She didn't think so, though she wasn't sure. "Is there a medic back home?" she said softly to Magpie herself, not recognizing Reek's statement for the offer it was.

She didn't have the capacity to argue with Wildfire, her own panic and pain too overpowering to leave much room for logical or rational thought. Magpie had always been pro-individual, anyway, and at the end of it all— it wasn't up to her what others did or did not do. It was the way of travelers; communal, yes, but only as a device to achieve individual freedoms and goals. She realized her attention was wavering. Not great. Her breathing remained odd, more from the pain now than anything, but steady.

"I hope that bear gets the shits," she said, wincing as she focused on the pain to remain alert. It was retreating, now, perhaps satisfied by the rabbit or simply unwilling to take on more than a single wolf. Diarrhea wasn't nearly as bad as what the bear had done to her, but Magpie wished some intestinal hell on it anyway. They were all hungry. At least it hadn't eaten her or Wildfire.

She continued to ignore the male, even as he approached and spoke. He was a bystander, not of Drageda and not of her blood. He didn't matter, and seemed intent on stating the obvious— she didn't catch that he apparently knew her niece. "Am I bleeding out?" she queried softly, green eyes seeking her niece's face for anything that might tell her more than simple words. There was no trace of panic in Magpie's voice, only acceptance and perhaps a very small hint of fear. "I don't... I don't know. Lucani left."

Of course, like Wildfire smartly suggested, the stranger needed to return to the care and protection of her own pack, but moving her back in this condition could potentially cause her harm. And so, unwilling to let anymore misfortune fall upon the stranger -- this Sleeping Dragon wolf who lived among the band of savages that had laid waste to the maplewood -- Reek stepped in and would not let her be moved in haste.

"No," he spoke, shaking his head in response to Wildfire. "Moving her now would be far too risky -- not until we know the extent of the damage." Reek's eyes fell on the flank of the injured wolf as he watched the ragged rise and fall of her chest. Her ribs bowed at an unnatural angle, suggesting a break. If tweaked the wrong way, internal damage would be added to the stranger's short list of injuries.

With the meantion that Sleeping Dragon no longer had a healer, Reek knew what he needed to do. He drew his gaze back to Wildfire. "I'm a healer," he spoke. In fact, Wildfire had been one of Reek's first patients in the Wilds... Though, he was doubtful she even remembered. She had been so young at the time. "I can look her over if you let me help."

The yearling sucked in a rapid breath at her aunt's question. There was a disconcerting amount of blood but she was no medic, so she couldn't say. She dearly hoped not and decided to say, "I don't think so," trying to reassure herself as much as Magpie. Her lips twisted when the other she-wolf explained that their healer had left.

That was when Wildfire remembered Reek's presence. Her hard amber eyes flicked to him as he explained that it would be a bad idea to move Magpie, then offered his help. Her lips parted. Wildfire felt torn about accepting his offer, though she was aware it wasn't her decision to make. Her gaze flicked back to the Beta.

"That's up to her," Wildfire answered simply.

Powerplaying Magpie to tack on a conclusion!

He had the means to help her; the know-how and the will to try. He, however, could not force his aid upon her. As Wildfire said, it was her choice wether or not she would be treated. The medic's eyes soon settled on the stranger and she soon gave him an answer. A muffled, tired no. Reek shook his head, exhaling softly with dissapointment. He understood her decision, of course. She did not know him -- in fact, he was the enemy to these Dragon wolves.

It was a wonder that he wanted to save her in the first place. "Alright then," he said, weary with resignation. "Just be careful when you move her. She could puncture a lung, so keep things slow." At this point, this final piece of advice was all he could give. With one final, sad look to Wildfire -- as if to say, I'm not a monster -- Reek turned to depart from the Maplewood.

Thx Ryan! <3

Wildfire pursed her lips when Magpie declined Reek's offer to help. She looked at him shrewdly, expecting him to put up a fight. He acquiesced with a few parting words, however, and made himself scarce. Her amber eyes tracked his movements until his figure grew distant, then Wildfire turned all her attention upon her ailing aunt.

"We'll get you home in one piece," she promised, scooting closer to offer whatever support Magpie might need, "even if it takes days." She huffed a mostly humorous laugh. Minding Reek's last words—especially the ones about puncturing a lung—the yearling carefully helped Magpie up and began the painstaking journey back to the sleeping volcano.