.

"Your will is done my lady". With tail and head hung low to represent his lower status he will slip into formation behind the twins. "As the alpha wills through you I most obey... and I hope to prove that I am not just my mistakes...."

.

He looks back at Oryxxz sadly... head still low as he makes sure he doesn't offend Jys'thryn. A fate he knows is one that ends with a painful death.

.

.

The wolf as black as jet sighs and just huffs once. "Keep a watch on him...... but do not be cruel.... we cannot afford any more accidents especially with the losses we incurred to that fire elemental 2 moons ago" . With that he lowers his head back onto his mate's shoulder. Nuzzling into his thick ruff.

"Go..... and do not disappoint... I know you personally won't Ash..... little zuluinq..."

.

.

.

The wyrm gargles out its dying breath and collapses under the weight of several wolves and their crushing jaws. Its body stops twitching relatively quickly and the wolves can begin to feast if they wished, its meat having a tangy taste to it.

Apache | Incoming Mercy Pup | Between | Mentions; The Hunting Party + Levy(Ind.)

When Apache had heard the sounds of fighting nearby, his first idea was to leave. To get out there and hope he was quick enough to not get caught up in it. His second idea though, was to stealthily sneak over and watch, see what would be coming after him if he was spotted.

--

And, unfortunately, his curiosity won out. He’d ended up securing himself a spot close enough to watch, and watch he did. It seemed like a hunting party of wolves versus one of the many beasts of Between. The wolves seemed to be winning now though, which was good enough for him. It meant that he wouldn’t have to deal with the beast later on.

--

He glanced about the chosen battlefield, spotting three other wolves too, they seemed to be chatting. A bit more hastily than casual though. He shifted his wings awkwardly, getting used to them was becoming a slow process, and decided that if he wanted to survive that it’d probably be a good idea to try and follow these wolves back to their ruin. Even if he was spotted, they probably wouldn’t have the nerve to kick him out into the Between immediately. He’s still a pup, after all. With that decided, he sunk down into his hiding spot so that he wouldn’t be seen.

Mercy
⊹ Tae’oma ⊹
M: Rafael & Aluralyn (briefly), Apache
⊹
Waiting and doing nothing was starting to take its toll. Tae’oma’s muscles quivered slightly as he stood still on his post and fought the desire to pace back and forth. There wasn’t really any room to do so on the little platform anyway. The sounds of fighting increased, and now he could make out the snarling of wolves. A couple more sparks flickered across Tae’s fur in his agitation, and he briefly wondered how poofy he must look right now with all that static. Finally, the sounds of the beast gradually died. Tae’oma could wait no longer.
⊹
Turning on his heel, Tae leapt down from his lookout tower, skipping every other foothold to get down faster. He stumbled slightly as he hit the ground sooner than expected, but recovered in a blink as he quickly trotted up to one of the other members still remaining in the Ruin. “I think the fight with the beast is over, and I want to go help in case there are injured. Can you keep watch?” The other wolf agreed and Tae nodded. “Thanks. Move everyone inside the dens in case you smell danger, I’ll be back soon!” With no more delay, Tae’oma launched into a loping run, following both his nose and the direction he had pinpointed from the sounds of battle.

⊹

It didn’t take him long to get close to the rest of his pack, and Tae’oma was just about to increase his speed to meet the others when we skidded to a stop. For a brief moment, he had caught the scent of an unknown wolf. Backtracking a few steps, Tae lowered his head to the ground and sniffed around. He soon located a fresh trail, it had just almost been hidden by the scents of his own pack. After a moment he decided to follow it. He crept quietly through the undergrowth, stepping carefully to conceal the sound of his movements. Before long Tae’oma spotted an unfamiliar tail hidden in the bushes, along with… feathers? He briefly hesitated before deciding to simply approach the wolf. He didn’t know what the stranger’s gift was, and didn’t want to trigger something that would harm his nearby pack.
⊹
“Hello there,” Tae’oma said, speaking in a low voice and swiftly stepping around in front of the wolf, only a couple feet away. His tone was civil, but his body language told of his wariness. “Care to explain why you’re spying on my pack?” His posture was tense and ready to spring into action in case the newcomer ended up being hostile. He kept a close eye on their surroundings; Tae had no idea if this wolf had companions and if they were lying in wait somewhere. He had also caught a glimpse of his alpha treating his mate as he stepped out, their vulnerable state making Tae'oma all the more cautious.

.

Rafael let out a whine of sadness at the state of hos love. Padding to her side as his focus returned solely again to the one piece of existence that made his life truly worth living..... in the distance he could hear the others retreating or feasting....

.

" I'm here beloved one.... shhh... calm yourself... your hurt will leave you soon......"

.

Pressing this dark nose to her fur the area around them almost takes on a slight white blue glow... the gift of the alpha awakens and soon any that watch would see wounds stitch together.. fur regrow.. and the smell of burnt hair be replaced with a pleasant clean purity... it feels like centuries to the white wolf... but once his eyes open his Aluralyn is there and whole... sore most likely and stiff.. bit whole

Apache | Incoming Mercy Pup | Between | Mentions; The Hunting Party + Levy(Ind.), Tae’oma(Dir)

“Hello there.”

--

Apache practically jumped as a low, whispering tone spoke and a lean steel gray wolf came in front of him. The newcomer smelled a bit like the ones he’d been watching, so they were probably from the same pack. That wasn’t too important though, since this wolf had totally just blown his cover!

--

Still, he could only manage to stare as the older wolf continued. “Care to explain why you’re spying on my pack?”

--

Well, that confirmed that they were with the wolves he’d just been watching. He wasn’t sure how he should play this, he hadn’t been expecting to get caught so quickly. Eventually, he practically mumbled out an answer. “I wasn’t spying, I was just… Watching. Which is completely different.”

--

He glanced around the older wolf, trying to see if the group was leaving yet. Despite how much he hated to admit it, he was rather tired of being alone and this wolf could be his way into a pack. He hadn’t been in one before but he’d been around some long enough to know that they usually didn’t leave pups stranded and all.

--

He gave a slight huff of air through his nose, and looked back at the wolf. “I just heard fighting. I got worried that a beast would be chasing after me too, and wanted to know if I’d have a running chance… They beat it though! Which was cool.”

--

All he had to do was come off as a pup that had potential, he’d be fine. This wolf seemed nice enough, given all the poofiness, if not a bit wary and all. He tried to keep his volume lower, he didn’t want everyone to know he was here. He didn’t know how friendly everyone else was. His wings twitched anxiously, but he kept his gaze at the wolf in front of him. Not in the eyes, he didn’t want to challenge them, but high enough to come off as a confident pup. He was one, after all.

Mercy
⊹ Tae’oma ⊹
M: Apache
⊹
Tae’oma watched with clear eyes as he caught the newcomer off-guard, could practically his brain working as he decided what to say. As Tae waited for a response he got his first good look at the other wolf, and blinked with a inward jolt of surprise. He is young! Tae’oma thought to himself. The pitch of the pups’ voice and even his manner of speaking when he finally replied further confirmed the fact. “Uh-huh,” he hummed aloud, a bit amused at the kid’s reply despite himself. “Totally different.”
⊹
His gaze snapped to follow as the pup looked behind him, towards the others. Why is he so interested in us? Tae wondered, still cautious. While it wasn’t unusual for young wolves to be wandering without a home, he himself had likely been around this pup’s age when he joined the Mercy Ruin after all, Tae’oma couldn’t be positive this newcomer didn’t have companions. That mistake had cost his first pack everything.
⊹
Tae’s ears flicked forward as the pup continued. He huffed slightly as well. “Most would run away from the sound of fighting, not toward it y’know,” he remarked with a tilt of his head. He noted the pup’s submissive posture, but at the same time he still stood firm before Tae’oma, despite his nervousness. Tae felt a small spark of approval.
⊹
“Where is the rest of your pack hiding?” Tae’oma bluntly asked. He was inclined to believe the kid was on his own, but he had to be sure. He hoped the somewhat abrupt question would trigger a reaction in the other wolf that would help reveal a little more of the pup’s story.

Apache | Incoming Mercy Pup | Between | Mentions; Mercy Ruin(Ind), Tae’oma(Dir)

“Uh-huh. Totally different. Most would run away from the sound of fighting, not toward it y’know. Where is the rest of your pack hiding?”

--

Apache stared for a moment, wings ducking quietly. He honestly wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He’d never had one. So he couldn’t even say that they all died or something. But how was he supposed to explain that he had never had one? That wasn’t exactly a common thing to say, even nowadays. Most at least had someone they could lamely call the only other member. And if not that, most at least had had one at some point.

--

Well, he could always settle for blunt. The older wolf had been blunt too, so maybe… “It’s just me. I’ve never had a pack.”

--

He left it at that, hoping the other wouldn’t prod. Sure, he didn’t really mind but… Well, he tried to steer clear of anything that would make him think of different, simpler times with his mom. He didn’t have time to think about the past too much, after all. Not if he wanted to survive.

--

But, if the older wolf prodded, he’d have to be honest. If only to come off as cooperative and willing to listen, so that they’d be more likely to take him in. He really missed having someone there to keep him company. And sure, he’d be giving up some of his freedom but… He’d be safer, and maybe someone in their pack would be able to help with his gift. He couldn’t do much with the wings as it was right now, though he was sure he’d get the hang of them eventually.

Aluralyn groans as she hears her mate's words and whispers, "Don't... tend the pack..." She will sigh as he ignores her and evokes his gift. She soon feels her searing pains leave, only the dull ache of her wounds remain. She will open her eyes and lifts her head to gently lick her mate's muzzle. " You always take care of me... Just like when you found me Between all those years ago... You would have thought I would have learned from your wisdom by now..."

.

She will get up and shakes off her fiery pelt before quietly commanding a few of the pack wolves to take the monster back to the den so everyone can eat. She then hears Tae'oma's voice and will slowly limp over to the sound. "Tae'oma..? Wo are you talking to..?" Green eyes fix on the winged juvenile and she cocks her head. " You are either brave or foolish, foundling... No pup should be near this battle..." She will look back to her mate. "Tae'oma has found something..."

Mercy
⊹ Tae’oma ⊹
M: Apache, Rafael, Aluralyn
⊹
Tae’oma carefully watched the pup, closely monitoring his reaction to the question. It wasn’t what he expected. The kid seemed to deflate a little, and Tae wondered what he was thinking. The two short sentences he eventually spoke were direct and honest; Tae’oma certainly couldn’t sense any deception in them. He's never had one? There’s no way he could’ve survived that long on his own. Unless he used to travel with someone…
⊹
“Okay.” Tae’oma replied simply. He believed the pup was telling the truth. He relaxed his posture and offered a small smile. “My name is Tae’oma, this is the Mercy Ruin pack. Are you looking to join us then?” He asked with a tilt of his head. “Is that why you were spying—er, watching—us?” Tae added on with a light teasing tone. “Well if you do want to come with us, I don’t have any objections, but I’m not the one who calls the shots around here.”
⊹
As if on cue, Tae felt someone approach and turned to see Aluralyn make her way to them. “Speaking of…” Tae’oma glanced back to the kid and winked before turning back to Aluralyn. “Alpha,” he greeted with a respectful dip of his head, relieved that she seemed alright for the most part, if not a bit sore. “I found him lingering around when I got here.” Tae explained. “He doesn’t have a pack.” He added more quietly, looking between his two alphas to see what they thought.