Blackfeather Woods and what price will you pay?
Ghost
backwater peon
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#1
Joining 
It was the scent of wolves that drew him close but not too close; reminded of how he had been chased from the Caldera, Reyes did not want to put himself at risk for further damage. 

His shoulder hurt. He'd tried to treat it but the best he could do was coat it in mud and let that dry to a protective barrier. It was hard to reach — his skin burned, and soon enough the tear to his shoulder was sporting an infection he couldn't do anything about.

He sank to his haunches beneath a plethora of dark trees. The young man's head was swimming; he sought clarity from himself in this trying moment, yet all he could think of was Towhee, was Phox, was Niamh, was — the family he thought he'd found, only to lose.

s t i g m a t a
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#2
Something strange came his way.
Something dying, if the caws were something to go by.
Perhaps a deer with sickness; a good meal would be very welcome.
But this wasn't a meal.

A wolf clad in a dark, earthy-red coat and very not ok was slumped, seemingly trying to gather strength in himself to rise again. His ears tilted, thinking. His nose twitching. A Redhawk? No, maybe. No.
He'd had a run-in with them and came out looking like him. So all that was bullshit? About hardly believing that they were peaceful and that they wouldn't possibly attack just anyone.
Rowan had every right mind to mich over and rid them from the land. But that wasn't what he stood for.

"Hey? Do you need help?"
He inched closer, working his body into looking as non-threatening, and concerned as he possibly could.
Infection did funny things to wolves.
He'd need his herbs - the ones he used for Taikon. They seemed to do the trick so they would do again surely.
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One lie is enough to question all truths. 
Ghost
backwater peon
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#3
The stranger came upon him quickly, as if they knew the forest. Maybe they did; the myriad of wolf scents in the area told Reyes to be cautious, while his brain turned in to a slow-brewing slurry from the growing illness in his skin.

He looked around for the stranger's face, seeing a remarkable similarity in their bone structure and those of his siblings — but Reyes could not know who this stranger was. Only that they offered help. He nods slowly, feeling tension in his neck that roots itself all the way down to his shoulder.

Got in a fight, he explains. Who're you?
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#4
Rowan thought this man's face looked sunken and weathered. Likely from the illness, but perhaps something a bit more. That wasn't for now, though. He wanted to help get him better first so he might survive, then live.
He didn't seem very wary, just tired.
He pursed his lips before talking.

"I'm Rowan Blackfeather, this is Ivory Rose."
He wouldn't be shunned, shamed, or shunted into hiding who he was, what this place was. Especially on his doorstep. If he didn't like it, Rowan guessed he could just...go die? But the Blackfeather boy wouldn't be that callous.
He'd just patch him up and send him away.

"I can help you if you want." If the man were unconscious, Rowan wouldn't hesitate. But unconscious wolves couldn't bite. 
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One lie is enough to question all truths. 
Ghost
backwater peon
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#5
Reyes, he snaps back, not intending to be hostile, but the weary look on his face speaks volumes. The stranger's face fizzles like static on an old television for a split second. He doesn't appear disturbed by this, but he does sink down to his chest in the grass. Lower, steadier.

Help? Just like that? Suppose you want something in return though. Reyes doesn't trust easily. That's only sort-of a lie; he trusts one person in the whole world outside of himself and wishes he didn't. Not much use to anyone with m'head swimming...

Fuck, he couldn't let this other guy see him so low, so weak. A little late for that. But Reyes struggles to stand and then holds himself carefully upright, a ripple of unease causing the nape of his neck to spike. Got a bite taken outta me by a Redhawk. A bitchy one at that. Bitchhawk. God, I wish I could say that to her face... he mumbles and then snorts, amused.
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#6
He sunk lower, needing the ground to support him.
He was getting worse. Rowan held himself to his spot, waiting for acceptance rather than rushing in and getting himself into the same state.
Rowan shrugged, "No, I don't want anything. What could you possibly give me?" It wasn't about that really, it was about how he needed this help, and was mostly given it. But knowing he'd have to run at a seconds notice always kept him on edge in Rusalka.

The yearling offered him a tight smile. And when Reyes sat up, Rowan drifted closer to see what he could smell on the wound. He didn't get within three paces because of Redhawk.
"I thought I could smell them on you. Bitchhawk is perfect."
He fucking knew that Eljay was a front. Some innocent-looking, babbling bumblebee to hide the stinger. It suited that the stinger was on the ass. Fucking Towhee.
"Bastards," he muttered flatly. He didn't want to feel hate towards them, but it was pretty fucking hard with evidence of their brutality stacking up against them. Especially on his doorstep.
The Blackfeather sighed, smoothing the fur that has slightly raised along his back.

Back to the task at hand.
"May I look?" The mud covering was hiding the true extent of the wound, and was likely the cause of infection. He knew wounds were covered to stop dirt from getting in the wound. 
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One lie is enough to question all truths. 
Ghost
backwater peon
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#7
So, this guy knew about them. Of course he did; if he had been living within the woods this whole time, he'd have heard the howls and found the scents on any routine patrol of the neutral territories. The way the other wolf spoke of them sounded as if he had history with them — of similar calibre to Reyes' own, which made him good company.

The offer to inspect the wound made Reyes bristle a little, regardless. He did not know this guy. He especially did not like being in a vulnerable state; but he needed the help, so he had to suck it up and handle it. 

Bite to my shoulder. Think it ripped through a lot of it. I got her back pretty good — grabbed a leg, I think? Heard it crunch. He paused, sighing, and let the stranger get close enough to investigate on his own terms. Just don't go pokin' at it. He warned.
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#8
Rowan couldn't tell where his unease sprang from.
From being vulnerable, or the woods, or Rowan himself claiming to be a Blackfeather? Unlikely the last, otherwise he probably wouldn't still be sitting there.

A bite to the shoulder - easily infected, makes it harder to move, and the proximity to the heart and vital points in the neck surely made it worse. As far as Rowan could know.
"I'm not trained by any means, but I can patch you up well enough." He gave Reyes an apologetic quirk of the lips.
Now, he wanted to see how bad it was. He knew that if it smelled stronger it was worse, like when he treated Taikon.

He brought his nose close, but not close enough for his breath to touch the mud as he inhaled the scent. The mud covered the scent with its thick earthiness, but there, Rowan managed to pick out the thread of infection. A festering, heavy scent.
The wound needed cleaning, he'd have to help him to the eastern side of the woods where the creek trickled in.
Wash the mud off rather than pulling it.

He pulled back before giving his verdict.
"We'll have to get you to the creek and wash that mud off and get the wound clean. I'll look for herbs while you make sure you get all the mud out. Sound good?"
 
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One lie is enough to question all truths. 
Ghost
backwater peon
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#9
It did not take long for the man to ascertain the damage. The tear in his shoulder wasn't fresh anymore and probably smelled of sour-mash, as infections often did. The mud and grime from Reyes' sleepless nights did not help matters. It was a good plan that Rowan had - getting him cleaned up in running water, giving them both time apart. 

Sounds good to me, Reyes answered somewhat roughly, and continued to slog his way across the terrain in search of this water source. He paused along the way though and murmured, thanks for helping me, with a little less gusto, although he did mean it. And you're serious about me stayin' here for a bit?

It was a kindness Reyes wasn't sure he deserved.
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#10
Rowan beamed, tail waving with happiness. This was good. Rowan was getting better at this making friends business. And being a medic it seemed. He gently directed Reyes towards where the creek was. IT wasn't too far and was sure he'd make it there. They'd made it this far already.

He tilted his eyes to the man - who Rowan now realised had a rather similar coat colour, albeit darker.
Strange, but nothing clicked.
Rowan never knew his father or anything about the man. Only that he probably had one at some point.

"I'd rather help than have you die on my borders," he smiled tweaking, realising it sounded better in his head. Whatever. "Of course I'm serious. Stay as long as you like as long as you don't start fucking my shit up," Rowan chuckled softly, "just treat the pack with respect and don't kill the birds. They're sacred."
He looked up, wondering where Stone was. Probably looking for another gift for the Altar.

Rowan licked his lips, sniffing around as they walked, wondering what his pack was up to. Takiyok had come through here a little while ago. He wondered if they'd meet at the creek.
Through he didn't see her pale fur as they neared the bubbling water.
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One lie is enough to question all truths. 
Ghost
backwater peon
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#11
The stream came in to view and Reyes picked up the pace, eager to get there and soak in the water. He listened to the other wolf speak of his home; it was odd to think that anyone would find birds sacred, and Reyes raised a brow at that. He didn't want to be insensitive in the heat of the moment but he was a little addled, and he blurted the first thing that came to mind: You're tellin' me you worship sickness-carrying, flying shit bags? I could see the value if they could be trained to aim their shit but, c'mon. Birds are just.. birds.

He let out a small laugh, the sound of which was grating in his throat. It didn't last long. Reyes dipped his toes in the water and then sank to his belly in the shallows, taking a shuddering breath as the cold swept over him. No offense, he added as he melted in to the water.
s t i g m a t a
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#12
Rowan gave the man a sharp look.
Holding his tongue. He didn't want another Hela in his woods, but for christ sake.
He could see why he was smacked up that's for sure.
Rowan forced himself to let out a breathy laugh, trying to keep his cool. Outsiders weren't to blame they were just uneducated.
"I wouldn't have found you if it weren't for them."

It'd probably be too late, or Reyes would have moved on.
He let his lips quirk up. 'No offence' really covered it, didn't it. Rowan wasn't Hela. He wasn't some boasting dickhead who threw his weight around.
"I'll go get the herbs." He practically muttered, turning away sharply and moving off to take his sweet time picking up his little stash. The strong-smelling collection of herbs was still unidentified, but it didn't kill Taikon so...

Rowan returned to the creek after a few long minutes, wondering how Reyes was faring. 
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One lie is enough to question all truths.