"She didn't take him too, did she?" Torrin whimpered, her brain a bit fogged now. "Why.. Why would you let her just come and take him like that..?" She whined, "He.. He was just a pup.." Torrins babbling soon became inaudible as she began pacing. Though, she was more so hobbling as she couldn't use her one leg. It was obvious that the entire thing had taken a huge toll on her. Soon, the only thing that could be heard is whimpering.

Blackburn lifted his head, watching Torrin pace worriedly. "Torrin," he spoke gently. "It's alright, Jax isn't hurt. I sent him to figure out where Dahlia is. He's ordered not to approach her and to come straight back to me." He wanted to calm her, but wasn't sure how or what he needed to do. Licking Darkheart's lifeless face goodbye, Blackburn rose and approached the pacing Torrin.

"Come lay with me until the rest of the pack gets here," he said calmly, leaning to support her. He walked with her away to a spot underneath a tree, laying down and curling up close to her. He continued to lick the wounds that hadn't been covered in cobwebs by Jax.

"We'll figure everything out," he cooed. He lay with her for several long moments, his tail draped over hers. His mind was spinning too much to really be able to take in the gravity of what happened. Soon enough, Jax returned, followed by the rest of the pack. He trotted up to Blackburn, looking a little nervous and confused.

"Dahlia was in camp," he whispered into Blackburn's ear next to Torrin. "Curled up under a tree resting." He looked over at the several wolves who were now gathering around Darkheart's body. "She's here now with the rest of the pack."

After what felt like forever, Torrin heard Jax's voice and perked up a little. Looking over at the pup, she heard his words.

"Dahlia was in camp,... Curled up under a tree resting..."

The pups voice was faint, but Torrin could hear it. Dahlia wasn't serious?! Letting out a low growl, Torrin looked over at where the rest of the pack was. Spotting the weeping female, she moved to stand up, looking down at Blackburn. "She put that Rogue up too it.. I know she did.." Torrin mumbled before making her way over, glaring at Dahlia before looking down at Darkheart. She felt terrible for what happened, and she really didn't understand why Dahlia had done it.

Blackburn stared at Torrin, still curious as to how she thought Dahlia could have even been involved in this. He slowly stood, following loosely behind the injured female as she made her way towards Dahlia and Darkheart's fallen body. Dahlia was standing next to her dead uncle, her legs quivering and a horrified look in her brown eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dahlia had laid under a tree in camp, curling up and shivering as the images flashed in her mind. Rugar had done what she'd asked him to, and guilt was wracking her entire body. How could she have known her uncle would have risked his life for Torrin's? How could she have ever assumed?

All she could do in that moment was watch, frozen as the massive male had torn her uncle to shreds. It had all been an act of rage and hatred, but as soon as Rugar had his sights set on Darkheart, the weight of what she had caused had begun to crush her. She'd fled the scene, fearful of being associated with this heavily impactful death. Blackburn would have to choose a new Beta now.

It wasn't long before Whisper and Rosefall had made it back to camp, explaining to everyone a funeral for Darkheart was to be held. Dahlia had felt her heart sink, realizing that her uncle had died from his wounds. She followed the crowd in silence, fearing what she would see.

Now she stood next to his body in silence, her legs trembling at the sight. This was her fault. But aside from the sadness and fear, there was sharp anger. Why on earth had he thought Torrin was worth dying for?! And the packless female had been left alive!

After grabbing a rabbit, Torrin limped back toward the alpha den, hoping Blackburn would join her for the meal. Though, she wasn't exactly counting on it, knowing he was probably tending too grieving wolves.

Blackburn spent most of the rest of the day walking around camp on an almost endless loop. He was afraid the rogue would show up again. He paced the walls of camp, constantly checking for new scents and any weakened spots in the structure. The entire pack was deeply shaken by Darkheart's sudden death. The old wolf had been with them for years, had survived the harsh winter and sickness, and now he was dead. In the blink of an eye.

He would cast glances over at Dahlia every few minutes, his mind still reeling. Could there be any chance at all the young she-wolf had taken part in this? She seemed to be grieving in a similar fashion to how she mourned for the death of her parents during the plague. He couldn't understand why Torrin was so focused on her. Perhaps she was confused and dazed by the experience. Afterall, Dahlia had attacked her just the day before. Maybe the trauma of losing Darkheart was messing with the picture of Dahlia she had in her mind.

Regardless, Blackburn wanted to keep an eye on the young female. Accusations could not be taken lightly in a situation like this. He wanted her to remain in his sights. He felt a little lost.

He would usually have Darkheart to help patrol the borders and tend to the other wolves, but he was gone. And Torrin was obviously shaken and needed rest with her injuries. He was now the leader of a pack who had no Beta, and a Delta who needed time to recover. Whisper and Rosefall had come to his aide upon finding Darkheart's body, but neither of them were fit for leadership roles.

He could appoint Rift, but she was already so busy being a Healer, and he didn't think she was fit for the Beta role. Jax was too young and too weak. The others were elders too old to do much at all anymore. The only wolf left...

He cast a glance over at Dahlia once more, who was laying with her chin on her paws under the shade of an oak, staring off into the distance.

With a soft growl and a shake, Blackburn tried to think properly. What would the pack think if he appointed Dahlia as Beta so soon after her uncle's death? What would Torrin think?! He spotted the Delta female approaching the food pile, taking a rabbit and limping back towards his den. He paused, watching her for a moment before deciding. He walked over to the pile himself, dragging the half-eaten carcass of a fawn over to his den and laying down next to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"How are you feeling?"

The voice of her love broke her out of whatever trance she was in. Looking over at him, she just sighed, "I wish I felt anything other than pain." She told him before just nudging the rabbit she had away, lowering her cranium too her paws. Torrin wanted to sleep, but she also knew she needed to help out around camp. Looking at Blackburn, she sighed softly. "He didn't have to die like that.." She mentioned.

Blackburn sighed as well, also pushing away his food and resting his chin on his paws. She was right. He didn't have to die like that, no one deserved a death so painful and gruesome. "I wish I could make all of your wounds go away as quickly as they came." He said softly, licking her cheek. It was still so shocking that Darkheart was really gone. Even though he was buried, his presence still filled the air.

"May I ask you something?" he asked tentatively. "Why is it that you say Dahlia did this?" He tried as hard as he could to remember everything that he'd seen and smelled at the scene of the attack. He'd smelled the reeking stench of a rogue, the one who'd attacked, and the blood had been everywhere. Tufts of fur, loose branches and leaves, saliva...but he hadn't smelled or seen Dahlia at all. Even Jax had reported her being at camp. Maybe she could have had enough time to flee and make it back but it just...didn't make sense. Why on earth would she even have motive to want to kill her uncle? As far as he and everyone else knew, they had been rather close, especially after the death of her parents.

"It just doesn't make sense to me why or how Dahlia could be mixed up in all of this." he said. "And now I'm torn because...I need a new Beta..." He trailed off. Perhaps he didn't need to make Dahlia Beta...but maybe he could make her Delta instead. Maybe Torrin would accept a higher position. "Torrin...I know you haven't been here for very long, and I know you didn't know Darkheart very well, but...I need a new Beta and I know you are fit for it." If he wanted her as a mate someday, she needed to work her way up the ranks anyway.

"Would you take Darkheart's place as Beta?"

"May I ask you something?"

Hearing his words, Torrin lifted her crania to look at him. Upon hearing his next question, she sighed. "The rogue attacked me first... Darkheart stepped in and they fought.." Torrin stated. "I remember Darkheart being slightly distracted by something.. and that's how the Rogue tore his neck out.." She shuttered at the thought before looking down at her front paws. "The final attack I managed too make on him.. I caught a wiff of Dahlia's scent off of him... I thought I was going crazy until I heard Darkhearts final words.." Torrin's voice was breaking by the word, her tail curled tightly around her hips. Once again, she was reliving the whole thing. The large grey rogue attacking her and everything else.

"...I need a new Beta..."

This comment got Torrins attention. He wasn't truly thinking about Dahlia being beta, was he? She then went to say something but was cut off by Blackburns small speech.

"Would you take Darkheat's place as Beta?"

After hearing his question, she sat up and looked at him. "Do you think that's what Darkheart would have wanted?" She asked him softly, lowering her audits slightly to her crania.

Blackburn listened to her recount of the story, taking in everything carefully. He sighed, hoping to find out the truth. Perhaps he should talk to Dahlia and ask her some questions. Maybe she'd be able to explain why her scent had been on the rogue, and why Torrin had smelled her.

"Darkheart spoke many kind words to me about you," he said softly, reassuring her. "I know he would be more than happy for you to fall in his pawsteps as Beta." He lowered his head back down to his paws.

"He was one of the first wolves to happily accept you in the pack." He said, speaking fondly of the old wolf. "He admired your strength and courage, as do I. You've done nothing but show great promise, Torrin. I am proud of you, really I am."

"You stepped up to help Jax when nobody else would, you help anyone who asks you for it, you're a strong individual who knows how to survive and how to fight for what you believe in." He continued. He wanted her to know that she meant so much more to him than she thought, he wanted her to know that he believed in her.

"Darkheart only had a couple more years as Beta anyway, and I know he would've wanted a strong and noble wolf like you to take his place." Blackburn knew that he would have to appoint a Beta tonight, and a Delta. He wanted Torrin by his side as Beta, but the only wolf left suited for the Delta position was Dahlia. They had been without a Delta before, but with an aggressive rogue on the loose, Blackburn didn't want to risk leaving any positions of power open.

The dwindling pack needed as much faith and reassurance in their leader as ever, and one way to do that was to make sure they felt protected and safe.

"I'm sorry your first few days here have been so incredibly insane," he apologized quietly. "I never expected there to be so much trouble right around the corner, waiting to spring."