Broken Antler Fen Dilemma Disease

@Ambrosia

Sebastian had a lot of catching up to do, also with the sick Ambrosia. He felt terribly guilty and had not been a very good pack leader in his own eyes. He howled for her, so he could pin point her location. He was also carrying a fish he caught to give her as a meal. He still wasn't sure what kind of disease she had and it kind of frightened him and if it was contagious for his kids.

He didn't want to kick his most loyal member out, that would not be a nice thing to do, but on the other hand he didn't want his kids get what she has. It was a real dilemma for the good guy. Wanting to do right for the both of them.

Ammie waited for the day Seb told her she had to go. Each day she got a little worse, though she'd moved to a den across from the one Brandy and Aduin occasionally slept in, threw herself into duties, even steered clear of Pearl's whelping den. Not because she thought it was contagious -- in fact, she was positive it wasn't off of her time spent with Brandy, grooming each other and sharing food -- but because she didn't want to be a bother. Much as the tawny woman wanted to travel again, the thought of never coming back to the Fen, never seeing her family again, it hurt her soul in a way she hadn't felt since leaving MidnightShadow. Brandy was here, Seb, Aduin, Pearl.... Most of those she'd first bonded with were gone, but their ever-fluctuating home was just that. Home.

When the alphas howl rang out for her across the fen, Ambrosia's belly clenched. Forgetting completely about the border patrol she was in the process of doing, the long-legged warrior turned her frame in his direction and set of at a quick trot. Every few paces, her ankles would cross, her knees would buckle, her shoulder would twitch: something to send her lurching forward or, even, backwards. Usually, she caught herself before falling, hindering her speed and progress more than her health. 

Talking was something more greatly effected -- in her heads, the black-faced woman could write novels! What her mouth gave, however, was never the same. It could be anywhere from stuttered, missing chunks of words or sentences, or even completely missing words. It brought on a self consciousness Ammie hadn't ever known, making her much less likely to even try to speak.

Thus, when she stumbled her way up to Sebastian, she nodded her head briefly in respect but didn't speak.

Sebastian let out a long sigh when he was Ambrosia approach. He felt bad for her, especially seeing how she approached him, half stumbling etc. The male grabbed the fish and walked towards her. He felt bad standing there and waiting till she would stumble towards him. Sebastian didn't mean for her to come to him, he wanted to come to her. His message had not been clear.

He placed the fish by her feet and then sat down. "How are you feeling?," he asked. He knew from trotting past the borders that she had been helping out, and he couldn't ask more of her. It was good of her to still help out while being ill. It helped her case that was for sure.

Ambrosia wasn't dumb to the fact Seb hadn't technically wanted her to come to him, but this was another problem her pride wouldn't allow her to accept. As long as her legs would hold her, she would do her duty. 

She ignored the pity and sadness in Seb's frame, approaching with as much balance and as little stumbling as she could muster from her body. She was panting softly, but smiling as she turned her lemon eyes to the alpha. They waivered from him from time to time, shivering, but she really was looking at him! Her quiet words were upbeat and sarcastic, but laced with the knowledge that one day this would kill her. 

                             "J-Jussss f-f-fine."

Sebastian grabbed the fish and placed it before her. "Here, I hunted this for you," he spoke to her, hopefully she would be able to eat it. He wondered how long it would take for her to lose any sense over her jaws and she would be unable to eat. It was a horrible thought and he hoped that she wouldn't be starving to death, that was a horrible way to go really.

"You are not doing just fine though," he corrected her. She was not doing fine at all, she would need to have someone that would watch over her. But who? Nathaniel? He was not sure if his brother would be into that, besides Sebastian still wasn't sure if it was contagious or not. "Sorry I haven't been around. The pups..."

The alpha offered her a fish, and her ears slicked back, lemon eyes flicking down to her paws. Every bit of her wanted to reject it, to go catch her own food.... But the slimming of her frame was a good indication that she just couldn't keep her stomach full. Timidly, she reached forward and grasped it, teeth digging in and latching on far tighter than she wanted to but pulling it closer nonetheless. 

His correction was like the crack of a whip, and Ammie flinched back. Head hanging, she mumbled underneath her breath before tearing a bite from the fish, chewing with a trembling jaw but still able to eat. 

                                      "B-b-better th-than whaaaaat w-will one d-day b-b-b-b-befall me...." 


She didn't know what Seb was thinking, but if she had she'd surely have put his mind at ease: since moving into her own den across from Brandy and Aduin's, Brandy had been taking very good care of her. It was Ammie who often strayed away or requested to be left alone. Talk of the pups, however, perked her ears and brought a smile to her face. 

                                                                                    "P-Pups! C-congrats! W-When c-c-can I come see th-th-them?"

Sebastian didn't mean to speak so harshly towards his packmate. The grey male could see that it was not going well with her. He rather had a healthy pack mate that could help hunt and babysit. She seemed to take the fish though, and he was glad that she was eating. The grey male quirked up his lips lightly, mostly for her comfort. He himself was a bit on edge.

"Well they are only a few weeks now. I am not sure... Ambrosia. I'm sorry but I am not sure yet if your disease is contagious," he admitted and letting his ears fall back. "I don't want this to infect the pups, they are small and perhaps more vulnerable." He would have to discuss this with Pearl and if she would allow it or not. It was a tough decision. Sebastian head hung a bit feeling horrible because he saw her smile and now his words would probably do the opposite.

Ammie chewed the meat without tasting, eyes focused intensley on the fish as she listened to Seb -- she couldn't hunt, she couldn't patrol, and now she couldn't even see the pups. Her voice, degected, wasn't as argumentive as her words suggested -- her shoulders sagged and she eventually just lowered herself to the earth competely, and could wolves cry, tears would have been soaking her face. Sure, she tried to give reason, but her hope had already died: her talk with Pearl about playing with them and teaching them warrior skills.... Those were now void. Some part of Ammie didn't even want to see them anymore, because though she knew it wasn't contagious -- it didn't occur to her that it might be genetic, or even just take a long period of time to kick in --  now Seb had her nervous that maybe it just took a while a set in, or maybe it was genetic and only Brandy and her children would have it too.

            "If it w-w-w-were contagious, Brandy and Aduin would ha-have been sick by now I-I think -- I've been s-s-sleeping in a den across from t-their own, and Brandy spends e-everyday with me. It's been w-weeks -- Od-Odette is a pup too, y-y'know, and she isn't s-sick."

Sebastian felt bad to say no to Ambrosia but he was not sure what was ailing her body and the male was not very convinced that it wasn't contagious or not. He was not risking it. Ambrosia did give compelling arguments but he was stubborn. "I don't know, Ambrosia. They are all bigger than that my children are," he spoke to her apologetically.

Frankly she was lucky to even stay here. She couldn't be much help of the pack with her illness and Sebastian had been considering kicking her out had she not been one of the most loyal members of his pack. He found that he had to show loyalty to her too. Yet meeting his young were too much in his eyes, the one thing he couldn't allow. "I'm sorry but I cannot accept it."