Swiftcurrent Creek the wounds that cut the soul

okay keeping this vague until spars done

jace sat by the river blood dripping from his wound in his throat. still tumbling down from his anger filled spar his eyes held a red tinge to them and he still held growls and snarls in his throat. but with the feeling of anger there was one of despair for he was uncertain if ferdie was going to come back to them he was close to madness and it had been proven today on the blood soaked ground.

He hoped that he hadn't scared the girls to bad. He snarled as he moved his shoulder and pushed it back into place from where it slipped out. A darkness swirled in the air the night air cooling him but the moon glinting off the water gave him enough to see.

Keeping this vague as well until I know how Nightingale reacts, too!

Nightingale was still in a fragile state when Bazi left her, but she desperately needed to find out if Jace and Ferdie had ended each others' lives and floated downstream. The scent of blood was easy enough to follow, and the Beta breathed a shuddering sigh of relief when she spotted Jace by the Creek's edge. The moonlight was bright enough to distinguish one burly male from another, and this was most definitely the pack's black Gamma.

The pale girl crept forward, clearing her throat to announce her coming. Adrenaline put even the calmest wolf on edge, and Jace was particularly perceptive. His shoulder produced a sickening crunch, loud enough for Bazi to hear from a short distance away. She flinched visibly at the sound and stopped, poised to run. ".. Jace..?" Was Ferdie alive? Where was he?

Jace's hackles rose when he heard footfalls and a snarl rose in kind from his breast it was feral and deep and dark. He was thinking it was Ferdie coming back but the voice that reached his ears was female. He shifted turning red tinted blue eyes towards the beta. A long shuddering sigh shook his massive frame as he fought to calm down. good evening bazi

He moved again and winced at the sickening pain in his shoulder and neck. He nodded towards her stay right there for the time being bazi please I'm almost calm

There was a great deal of blood. Bazi couldn't see it, but the metallic smell was thick and fresh in the air. She did as she was bid, seating herself some ten, fifteen feet away from the injured male with her tail curled about her toes. There was no sign of Ferdie - dead or alive - and she wondered if he had suffered similar injuries, or worse. Her thoughts were still too dulled by shock to know exactly how she felt about the situation, but ultimately, Ferdie had attacked one of his own. Unprovoked. Fox would need to hear about it, ideally from Jace, but Bazi would not call her until the details had been ironed out and fully understood.

In Bazi's old world, Ferdie would have stood trial. She wasn't certain Fox would would be so merciful, and frankly, seeing Jace incapacitated like this, the youthful Beta didn't think she herself would be either.

Jace was still upset and angry but he had enough control of his facilities now. he shifted and dipped his head I'm ok now Bazi and Ferdie is fine he's just unconcious. I don't know how he'll be when he wakes up though. Idk what injuries he has yet. i did try not to hurt him though towards the end i got very angry

Truth be told Jace had no idea what he had done or how bad he had hurt ferdie he had been fighting to stay alive apparent by the wound that cut into his throat thank the gods it was not as deep as it could be.

Whatever beast Jace claimed to be slave to, he seemed adept at taming it now. In the heat of battle, Bazi doubted neither male had had much grasp on reality - and this had been quite a fight, if the state of the winner was anything to go by.

She stepped forward, squinting at the matted fur in the region of Jace's throat. His throat. You went for the throat when you wanted to kill, not maim. Bazi frowned deeply at that, re-positioning herself on her haunches some few feet away from her injured pack-mate. The very idea that Ferdie would do something so reckless, when so many dangers lurked beyond the borders, was baffling to her. It seemed he had been the ticking bomb all along - not Jace.

"Fox needs to know," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Is he diseased? Why did he jump at you like that?"

The scent of blood was impossible to miss – the metallic tang hung bitterly in the air, and when he breathed Scimitar could almost taste it. Yet it was not born of prey or fun.. the lands seemed to fall quiet around him, and against his better judgment, the cinnamon male padded toward the shrubs of the creek, his eyes seeking out the leafy greens of mother earth.

He was no healer, and yet ripping the ferns and broader leaves from the brush, he took this ‘prize’ gently in his muzzle, his pace picking up as he loped toward the scene he almost wasn’t certain he wanted to see. The ebony male Jace was there – a quick sweep of Scimitar’s eyes would show he was badly wounded, though mid-talk with Bazi, the Beta.

Dropping the plants, the agouti male uttered a low ‘woof’ to announce his presence, his large figure lurching lower in respect as his teeth began to gnaw at the disgusting green leaves. His eyes lifted up from his task, uncertain if he was even welcome.. but one thing he had learned at a tender age – a poultice was the best method to stop bleeding, and it seemed his pack mate could use aide in the area.

Jace had worked long and hard to chain his inner beast it was still there hidden beneath hooded eyes and gentle heart. It was the main reason he was so exhaustedafter all the battles and spars. reining that in was hard on the mind body and soul.

Jace laid down tired from his fight his wound and his blood loss. his shoulder ached hit throat hurt and his back felt like it was on fire from the constant pressure of being pushed down but he spoke quietly. he is depressed and like me bazi and I was trying to calm him down but then too many came near him and one he didn't know very well and the small thread of conscience he had departed. so I stepped into take the brunt so u girls didn't he was not in his right mind but diseased no he isn't."

Jace's hackles rose as a male chuff came to his ears and he growled until he realized it was scimitar so he quieted and woofed back hello there friend" then he laid his head down but kept watch of both scim and bazi.

Ferdie Von Pelt Was indeed yet another ticking time bomb; perhaps the greatest threat all since it was he who had thought his innocence and love would save him. Jace knew what he was and excepted it, Ferdie had been self taught about condition they shared.

Though adult in body one might have realized he was a juvenile or a child in soul; he hadn't had a figure to teach him what it is that he was afflicted with. he had figured much of it own, the rejection over and over in his life made it hard for the 'young soul' to understand his pain in. When he had tried to explain to Jaces what it is they were affected with or at least how to control it it was with an innocent soul and half broken heart.

If the she-wolf had not touched his flesh perhaps Nightingale would have been able to bring him back with her words. His love for the pup strong. However then things would have stayed the same, Ferdie would have retained his juvenile state.


Hours may have passed before the yellow brown eyes of the brute opens slowly only the emptiness of the sky was there to greet him. For a fleeting moment he believed that everything that had happened was I dream, a horrible nightmare; that he had fallen asleep. Then he tried to move... His body told him the truth be aching pain in his shoulders and forelimbs and torn open neck.

Ferdie tried to remember the fight he tried to clearly see the face of the Wolf he fought and all he could see was a darkened soul and then he remembered Jace was there at the very beginning was it he, he has fought and not the embodiment of his own soul. Of course it could not be the embodiment of his own soul. Ferdie rolled up onto his belly and winced greatly as the pain of his shoulders protested he had to find Jace there was no time to waste.

He did not remember winning a fight but he also did not remember loosing just submitting to his own soul. He worried about Jace state of mind after that kind of incident

shifting into a standing position a wine escaped his lips but he pushed aside his pain and began to walk; stiff and angular his gate far from the easy grace he normally held.

It did not take him long to find Jace for Jace was not far and the scent of blood was strong Bazi was there and guilt strong plucked at his heart carefully and measuredly he walked past her, offering her a sad deferring nod of his head, he didn't ignore the other wolf but he didn't greet him either as he took a spot next to jace and without further adu he began to lick and clean the wound upon Jace's neck

The brute Jace bore on his shoulders more than the mix of Ferdie's blood and his own he bore great strength.

Ferdie was afraid to speak but he doubted the others would speak before him since he was he who had alite the scene. Ferdie could scarcely offer a word to Bazi for nothing he could say would console her of his sanity, he would have to speak to Fox for himself others pleading his case would not help him.

After deciding the wound was as clean as he could get it for the moment he quietly spoke to Jace. His tone reverent and soft

You, Jace are stronger than I, in my moments of need you became my soul. I fought not you but myself.... My blood brother... I have very little to offer you in the way of my gratitude, and nothing that compares to the service you have done me, but I can offer you this; you are a soul warrior one who can take the form of someone's soul and and fight for it. Without you I would have been lost Du'Andris

It means soul warrior that is what the sebian Wolf told me when I met up with him many ages ago. He told me then that I would need one before my life was through, I always thought him a strange and dismissed him

Now I know him to be a seer a see'er of the past and of the future, not many are born with that gift and even less share it.

Jace Du'Andris I am both very sad and yet eternally grateful for you sharing your gift with me; your purpose in life with this curse and yet a blessing is to find wolves like me who need your help.

Ferdie shifted uncomfortably then, he waited to hear the response of the others, For the first time in weeks he was finally able to feel his hunger, he could scarcely ignore the gnawing feeling his stomach empty from weeks of starvation. Added to the pain of the rest of his body making him feel worse.

adding an ooc: you have no idea the trouble I had writing out this post in interruptions and then the addition of scimitar had to be an after thought I was not about to change things, I couldn't hit post reply I kept getting calls the third Time it happened I nearly threw my phone

To keep this organized and easier to follow, the posting order after me is:

Scimitar
Jace
Ferdie

.. and then Bazi again.

Edit: Editing Sky out as the post seems to have disappeared.

Edit 2: Corrected a writing blunder.

"He is depressed and like me."

Bazi snorted her derision, lips pulled back in a snarling grimace. "So?" she snapped, "You can control yourself, and you don't go and sit in a hole when you get a bit blue. What if he had 'accidentally' bitten Nightingale?" Her stark eyes were unsympathetic and hard, but the expression wasn't meant for Jace. The cold glare found Scimitar quite by chance when she turned her face away to find calm in the darkness. Whatever plant the tank-like healer was chewing had a strange smell to it, but there was an unfortunate correlation between smell and the ability to do good in the plant world. She rose, seconding Jace's hello with a silently inviting nod and a softened expression. Whatever she had to say on the subject of Ferdie von Pelt would have to wait.

Or not. Ferdie cut a sorry figure, crusty with blood and limping stiffly. Bazi's own rushing thoughts and the overwhelming scent of carnage masked the battered male's approach until he was much closer than she was prepared to allow. The pale girl sprang away from Jace with a muted gasp, lowering her head defensively and directing a cold, penetrating stare at the hobbling figure. Before she could say anything snide, Ferdie had collapsed onto the ground next to his foe. She was dumbstruck by his flowery speech (but barely acknowledged a word of it), awed that Jace would let him so close with the wound his neck still raw and bleeding.

In the midst of all this chaos, Bazi anchored her eyes on Scimitar's neutral face. "It would be good of you, she said, her voice tight with an anger not intended for him. "To tend to.. the wounds." Without looking at Ferdie, she gave the decrepit warrior a quietly spoken order to "Go to Fox. Tell her what you have done and tell her the truth about your condition. Are you strong enough to accompany him, Jace?"

>< SO sorry! I didn't realize this had become private -- I wanted to join in last night but had to wait until this morning and never seen the icon change. Have been requested to remove Scim from the thread so am doing so now. Derpy Rachel is a derp.

The dark male’s rumble was not missed, and while initial reaction was to stiffen – the age old decision of fight or flight pulling at his very chest, neither would need to be made as Jace finally gave him a small nod. He returned the gesture, keeping to his silence as his jaws continued to maneuver the plants likened to a gel consistency.

Bazi greeted him silently as well, and while he remained unknowing to what had happened, he took the poultice now, prowling forward before placing it gently closer to the dove’s gentle paws. It was likely a friendly and familiar soul was who Jace would be more comfortable with tending the wound, and he gave a casual nod to the completely chewed up pile of green mush. “A poultice. The warriors of my birth pack would mask this over the wounds to help cease the bleeding,” he murmured, his muzzle dipping before he skirted back, ready to make an exit now.

He did not make it far however – another came forward, this one as injured.. given the fierceness in Bazi’s cold stare (by the gods he did not ever want to piss her off and be on the receiving end of that!) it did not take much effort to piece together the puzzle. He did not made it far – the speech of the male almost ignored by Scimitar, as he instead was recalling the glower he had received by the beast on his initial arrival instead. Blinking up, the wrathful Beta was talking to him now, suggesting he tend to the wounds – and then immediately turned around to suggest they both seek out Fox.

Confused, Scimitar hesitated for a moment. In truth, the wounds should have been tended to at that moment, but it would also hide the truth from the fiery leader. He was also no healer – that much he should state. “I am no healer – this poultice is all I know of. Once they are ready, they can seek me out not far from here.. I will go make more.” With that, the agouti male slipped away, his aqua eyes furrowing with a frown that none would see with his back facing them.

Jace shifted and a small hiss escaped his lips at the sharp pain that shot up his neck and into his jaw. It was the nerves he knew that. he would be fine after a few days rest and some poultices.

Jace was flitting in and out of consciousness it was the simple fact of the matter so he hadn't realized Ferdie was near him until he heard him speak and a soft growl emaniated from his maw, but he was far too tired and weak at the moment to do anything about it. He didn't even want to speak really to anyone, he just wanted to sleep sleep for days. He barely heard what Ferdie said but he nodded once twice then lay his head back down.

He listened to Bazi's words and smiled softly at her, her fierceness was endearing though it was upsetting in a way. Ferdie had not been in his right mind and that alone made the shadow warrior feel for him. However, he couldn't help but still be slightly angry that Ferdie had almost hurt Sky and Nightingale and he had hurt him. Jace groaned outloud, but he got to his feet with a large snarl of pain. He tilted his head blood dripping from his neck matting the fur yet again .He looked at Bazi with a gaze veiled with pain but nodded again. Motioned for her to lead the way.

he looked at Scimitar and spoke to his retreating back softly Thanks friend i'll seek you out.

None; with possibly the exception of Jace, would understand just how close Ferdie Von Pelt came to being lost, becoming dark and brutal for the rest of his days. Becoming what he had been when she snapped at Sky and continued to attack when attacked back. incapable of stopping what had been unleashed.

A meeting with Fox could wait but Bazi seemed insistent. Ferdie looked to the ground as Bazi spoke, surprised to see a puddle of blood there, perhaps he was hurt worse then he thought. Ferdie's neck fared no better the last attack had found him pinned and bitten savagely. Though both males were not in any danger of bleeding to death from their wounds, neither should go long without being treated. Both males were exhausted and needed rest more then anything else.

Ferdie doubted he'd ever get back what he once had with Bazi, she may never again consider him a friend... his only real friend; their relationship broken and shattered. He had no idea how to fix it and now he longer was fool enough to try blindly, he would need to speak to her after .... after the heat of this moment waned and time healed the physical wounds. That is if Fox didn't kill him first.

Oddly silent now, Ferdie shifted very slowly into a standing position and huffed a pained shutter. Ready to follow with downcast eyes and submissive posture.

/weeps

Exiting Bazi here - leaving the disciplinary action with Jace and Fox.

But Bazi shook her head. "You take him." She needed to get away. The very sight of born-again Ferdie made her skin crawl with rage and hurt - but mostly rage. What gave him the right to flip-flop between raving lunacy and plain vanilla on the pack's dime? And why was it treated like an illness, and not a choice? She simply did not believe - could not believe - that either of the two males were so shackled to their inner demons that reality simply ceased to exist for huge swathes of time. Ferdie could've hurt Nightingale, or Sky - though Bazi cared less about that after the strangely marked female's insubordination - and that would have been his choice. And if he could prove otherwise, a sickness that potent warranted culling, not understanding.

An immature part of her - and it was still a large part - was just pissed that Ferdie was being celebrated for getting away with attempted murder, whilst she was beginning to feel the less glamorous burden of leading. Nobody celebrated that. On those grounds alone, she hoped Fox would rip him a new one.

The wolf in question said nothing, shrinking into himself like a pup expecting to be spanked. Both of them were still bleeding profusely, and she glanced at the poultice that Scimitar had left. The awkward not-medic had swiftly departed, leaving her alone with injuries she didn't have the expertise to deal with. Still bristling with anger and avoiding her former den-mate's eye, she snatched up the little parcel of chewed herbs and dropped it at Jace's feet. "He said he would make more," she murmured roughly, throwing one last glowering stare over her shoulder. "Don't bother coming back to the den," she snapped, and disappeared into the darkness at a brisk trot.

Jace was shaky at best on his legs like a new fawn that had just learned to stand but he shifted and watched as Bazi glared at Ferdie the girl had looks that could kill. in a sick twisted way he was glad he was not on the recieving end however he did not even want to think of how fox would react but he did know that he wasn't looking forward to it.

He looked to ferdie and spoke do you want to call for her or go to her. he was still wary and still angry with and of the brute but he also was to exhausted to care