1X1 with arvanien

[rubyrocketboots13]

Hawthorne

Juniper

Basil

Hawthorne's jaw clenched as Arion spoke, a controlled anger flashing in his dark green eyes. He didn't want to lose his temper with Arion, yet he was finding it hard not to be infuriated by the troublesome red-haired Quell. Was that some kind of threat? He won't be able to stay away from Basil forever? Hawthorne thought, his expression darkening as he looked away from the others, I'll take out a d*mn restraining order against him if I have too. Truthfully, he probably wouldn't try to keep Arion and Basil apart now that he could see how much they loved each other. Hawthorne obviously didn't approve of them being together, but at least he was trying to be tolerant of their relationship.

" Look, I don't want you to be with my sister- that much is obvious. But it's not just you, I don't trust any guy in Solodin her" Hawthorne said evenly, looking over at Arion with a cold gare, " Basil is far too trusting and naive when it comes to guys. She's an easy target for men who'll just use her and break her heart. I'm not going to stand by just to watch her get hurt. I've spent my whole life trying to protect her; you have a sister, you know what it's like." His jaw clenched as he looked away from Arion, " I love my sister more than anything in this life. Despite whatever you might think of me, all I want is to see her happy and safe." Hawthorne's glare softened just a bit as he sighed quietly, " As much as I hate to admit it, ever since she met you, she's been happier than I've seen her in years. If Basil wants to be with you, then I'm not going to stand in the way of her happiness." His glare returned as he looked back at Arion, his calm,even tone holding an unmistakable venom. " Just be sure if you ever hurt her in any way, I won't hesitate to break every bone in your d*mn body. " The captain's words weren't exactly a threat, but it was clear that he wouldn't let Arion break his little sister's heart.

Hawthorne clamped his mouth shut before he said anything else that he was going to regret later. Already, he and Arion were treading on thin ice. He didn't want to cause a rift between them again with half-concealed threats and pointed remarks. Hawthorne had a very quick temper, but he was trying his best to remain calm and collected. Crossing his arms over his chest, he walked with the small group in a brooding silence. Anger and a growing uneasiness put the captain on edge as they came closer to the human's machines. Even without his earth magic, Hawthorne could sense that something was wrong- he could faintly smell something decidedly caustic. Those humans' noxious chemicals He thought bitterly. The captain was snapped out of his thoughts as he caught a glimpse of Juniper running off into the underbrush. A strange feeling of worry and relief tugged at his chest painfully. Hawthorne turned to clear the path from the thick tangle of plants with his magic, but Arion was quicker with his strange blade. Not wanting to waste time, he followed after Arion quickly. As they came to the clearing, Hawthorne couldn't have been more relieved-or more surprised to see his sister. Why was she dressed in human clothes? And what were those human machines doing here so close to Solodin? Hawthorne was about to ask Basil a million questions, starting with what she was thinking by running away from Soloding, but he hesitated as he realized that it probably wasn't a good idea. After the fight they had, he would be lucky if Basil would even speak to him. Quietly, he hung back as the others spoke. It wasn't his place to interfere between Arion and Basil's reunitement.

Nervously, Juniper looked around for the others as he stood with Basil near the humans' strange machines. The noxious smell from the chemicals made him cover his sensitive nose and his eyes water. But, the young Howler perked up as he noticed that Celeste had materialized behind him. " Celeste!" He smiled and went over to meet her, though his expression turned a little more serious. " Celeste, there's another Howler here- or at least there was. Whoever it was is injured." He said a little worriedly, keeping his voice lowered out of instinct" I doubt they'll come back, but... we probably shouldn't hang around out here for too long." Juniper jumped slightly as he heard the loud Crack! behind them, though he was relieved that it was only Arion and Hawthorne. His purple eyes sparkled amusedly as he saw how shy and awkward Arion was around Basil- it was strangely cute to see the young man reduced to a nervous mess by a girl half his size. He looked expectantly between the two of them before glancing at Celeste with his usual crooked grin.

Basil hadn't expected to see Juniper in the middle of the forest, but she knew that Celeste wasn't far behind. As the lovely blue-haired Quell materialized behind her and Juniper, Basil was almost unsurprised. Still, she had no idea what they were doing out here. " Hello, Celeste! What are you doing way out here?" She said with a smile and tiny wave in greeting, " Yep! It's me. " She didn't know why Juniper and Celeste looked so surprised to find her, though she had a feeling that it had something to do with the humans' strange looking machines she was standing by. Basil was about to answer Celeste's question, but she was cut off by a loud crash from behind the trio. The human's are back!She thought worriedly. Tightening her grip on her dagger, the green-haired Quell was ready to fight whoever came through the thick underbrush. As Arion stepped into the clearing, Basil's face lit up with pure joy. " Arion?" She breathed, as if she was unsure if she had seen him correctly. Her pulse sped up and she felt her face grow warm as she meet his gorgeous hazel-eyed gaze. "Arion!" She exclaimed, nearly dropping her dagger. Her emerald eyes glittered madly as she looked at up at him. Basil stepped around Celeste and hugged him fiercely, as if she'd never let him go again. Burying her face in his chest, she felt as everything would be okay. Arion's soothing scent of fresh laundry and strong torso never failed to comfort her. Though Basil quickly came to her senses and pulled away. " S-sorry, sorry" She apologized as she stared at the ground. Her mind felt as if it were a dizzy blur- she hadn't been prepared to face Arion. Especially not here in the middle of the forest. What if he still was angry at her? Why was he even here? Basil bit her lip worriedly, trying to think of anything to say. " Erm... i-it's nice to see you all, but... why are you out here?" She asked, feeling more awkward than she had ever felt in her entire life. Basil tore her gaze away from Arion, finally noticing her brother standing a little bit off. Everything began to make a bit more sense now; Hawthorne must have recruited Arion and the others to find her. Basil's expression flickered with annoyance for a brief moment as she looked pointedly at her brother; she wasn't a child or someone who needed 'rescuing'. " Basil-" Hawthorne started, but he cut himself off as Basil turned away from him with a hurt look on her face. Did he really think she was so incompetent that she couldn't handle herself without his protection? Did he have to bring three Quell and a Howler to track her down?

Basil stared at the ground, a painful stab of sorrow and guilt tugging at her chest. Now not only had she hurt Arion and her brother, she had also caused Celeste and Juniper to worry about her. Arion and Hawthorne was also probably still angry at her for shouting at them. " Arion I'm so, so sorry... I shouldn't have.... " She started to apologize quietly, but she couldn't seem to find her voice. Suddenly, Basil remembered that she was still wearing her "human" outfit. Blushing even harder, she crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to cover up the bold logo on her blink-182 band tee. Basil took a step back from the the others, still staring at the ground. " I'm sorry," She repeated quietly, wishing she could say everything that was on her mind. "Y-you all..I mean we really shouldn't.... the humans.." Basil trailed off. Her shyness getting the better of her, she fell quiet and stared at the ground. Bashfully, she snuck another glance at Arion through her long green bangs. Her cheeks were bright pink as she attempted to look anywhere but Arion, but her gaze rested on the handsome red-haired Quell anyway.

Lyra

Lyra was just a little caught off guard by Endymion's strangely fond look, though she found herself smiling just a little more. Endymion was strangely cute in his own way- though he was just as deadly as he was attractive. Though, as alpha, Lyra really didn't have the time to think about frivolous things like handsome guys and relationships. As their relaxing afternoon had come to a close, Lyra realized that even thinking about having a relationship with Endymion was nothing more than a ludicrous dream. She felt foolish for even considering the idea.

As Miri spoke, the blonde she-Howler nodded, " Alright" She said, " Take all the time you need. I'm fine here" Lyra honestly didn't mind waiting for Endymion to get back. It was peaceful by the small, bubbling stream and it would give her a bit of time to gather her thoughts. Just because she was injured didn't mean that she didn't still have duties as alpha. The pack needed their leader to still be strong and to run the day-to-day pack life, like organizing the evening hunt. Lyra gave a soft sigh, wishing for the millionth time that there was an Alpha male or perhaps a Beta to help her run the pack. Of course, she had considered asking Endymion, but she doubted that he would want to help her run the pack. Lost in her wandering thoughts, Lyra stared out at the water with a slightly vacant expression. No one had warned her that being the pack's alpha was going to be this difficult; though she shouldered the responsibility well, leading the pack was beginning to take its toll on the valiant young woman.

Closing her eyes, Lyra turned her face up towards the sky, letting the late afternoon sun's rays warm her tanned skin. Part of her just wanted to nap on the bank of the stream and forget about everything for a while. As she heard Endymion's nearly silent footfalls, the blonde alpha opened her eyes and turned to look at him. Immediately, she could tell that something was troubling him. " What's wrong?" Lyra asked, her expression giving away her concern. Surely, enchanted potato curry wasn't all that serious, right?

[arvanien]

Arion

Celeste

Arion rolled his eyes, looking plain disgusted. "Really, Hawthorne? You think I'm the kind of guy who'll date a girl just for fun then dump her like a container of expired cottage cheese after three weeks?" He spat, his voice brimming with indignation. "I know what it's like to be used and thrown away. To be treated like something worthless and undeserving of respect. I would never subject anyone to the hell I went through, and I can't believe you think so lowly of me." A thin layer of icy frost formed over Arion's hands and crept up his arms as his eyes smoldered with resentment. "Well, guess what, Hawthorne. I want the best for your sister, too." He clipped the end of each word, as if the statement wasn't any more obvious. "If you think I'm a heartless predator in this sense, then you are wrong." He ended abruptly and stared straight ahead, his jaw set stubbornly.

It was all he could do not to put his fist straight through Hawthorne's skull and out the other side this very moment. Arion knew he was capable of it, which gave him one arguable reason not to do it. He tried to push the innate, violent thoughts out of his mind and brushed the tiny ice crystals off his hands. His energy magic tended to swing in the opposite direction when he was deeply upset, instead of throwing more sparks than usual. Arion had a horrifying temper, but it was even uglier and more dangerous when he held it quietly inside his chest. Now it thrashed madly, simultaneously stabbing up into his head and wrenching his gut. He clenched his fists, the muscles in his shoulders winding up tighter than catapult winches.

Celeste looked ahead quietly, too shocked to stop Arion. She had never heard him speak this way about anyone, except herself. Whoa, I'll have to drag either his body or Hawthorne's back to the city if this doesn't stop, she thought grimly. "Arion. Hawthorne. That's enough, both of you. Basil would be ashamed if she saw you boys like this right now. Now zip it - we have a job to finish." She said evenly, looking Arion in the eyes a second longer than with Hawthorne. Celeste might be small and on the young side in their group, but she wasn't going to let that get in the way of what she needed to do. These two were going to start a whole new war right here, or maybe a New Ice Age (judging from how Arion was beginning to turn into an electrically charged block of ice).

Celeste studied the distorted machinery with distaste before Juniper spoke. Her eyes darted from the misshapen equipment to his face, a very pleasurable change."Really? Do you think he or she might have suffered from the chemicals' effects?" She asked. This human obtrusion would take a nasty toll on the Howlers first if they didn't stop it in time. Celeste glanced back at Arion as he came to stand behind her, and suddenly felt her stomach twist. She'd never seen such a remorseful look on his face. For as long as she'd known him, Arion always did his best to never let it show when he was upset or wounded. Now, he seemed to have given up entirely - and he almost looked like a stranger.

Arion deactivated his blade and thrust it back into the sheath as he stared at the ground. He looked up again as Basil called his name so happily, his eyes flickering. His face flushed as he noticed the way her eyes glittered like that; Arion thought he'd never see the sight again. Is she really that happy to see me? he thought, bewildered, but it only lasted a second. As she hugged him, everything that had been weighing him down seemed to evaporate. Basil was still little and soft and warm, she smelled nice, and she didn't hate him - those were the kinds of things that truly mattered. He smiled softly as he stooped slightly, warmly wrapping his arms around her. Arion gently stroked her hair, his long-fingered hands no longer frozen. As Basil stepped away from him, he straightened, a little wistfully. His chest ached seeing Basil looking so hurt. Arion had no idea what to say to her; a million things were clogging up his brain. What was she doing out here? Who had she been with? Why did she even run away? Wait, how did Hawthorne even get the note if it was addressed to me? But of course, Celeste came to the rescue.

"We've been looking for you, of course! We just weren't expecting to find you so quickly. It's great to see you." She answered cheerfully, dispelling the tense atmosphere. Arion relaxed slightly and mustered another faint smile in Basil's direction, but he looked completely devastated. The unappeasable demand from the restaurant world, insatiable insomnia, and the strain he unwittingly inflicted on himself from following his strict schedule had been slowly wearing away at him. And finally this. It felt like the fragile, barely-formed relationship between himself and Basil had already been shattered. He couldn't take any more. Arion loved Basil, but was he too unstable to maintain a long-term relationship like this? Crossing his arms, he vacantly stared straight over Basil's head.

Celeste rested her hand gently on Basil's shoulder, closing her eyes dizzily. Maybe it was her imagination, or something about these chemical fumes, but she could feel the malicious poison of last night burning in her veins, greedily surging straight for her heart and brain. The obvious problem was this human intrusion - it needed to be taken care of - but there was no way she was going to ignore the painful, unspoken issue right in front of them. I hate it, but I can't step in with Arion like usual. I can help, but he needs to fix it himself.

Endymion

Endymion shifted out of his wolf form, kneeling on the sand as a person. His obsidian black hair had been blown the opposite way of how it was usually swept, as if he'd just walked through a cyclone. "The curry's all right, it's just green and sparkly." Endymion's strange sense of "humor" sometimes couldn't even be considered a sense of humor at all. He crossed his arms. "Humans have arrived at the outskirts of Solodin with their machines, bringing their artificial poison with them. Miri wasn't sure what they wanted, but we can be sure about one thing. Ma'am, we have a bigger problem than visiting tourist Quell." Endymion said flatly. He never wasted his breath nor anyone's time.

[rubyrocketboots13]

Hawthorne

Hawthorne clenched his fist to keep from throwing a well-aimed punch at Arion's jaw. Though he was trying his best to control his temper, he was having a difficult time keeping himself calm and collected as tensions were growing higher. Even his power began slowly becoming less restrained. Intentionally, the captain was causing the plants around him shift and sway ominously as if they were being blown by the wind. Hawthorne very rarely let his his power get out of his control, though with his anger flaring it was proving more difficult to keep his earth magic constrained. At Arion's bitter words, Hawthorne's temper only flared more. " I don't know if you're the kind of guy that dates girls and then just dumps them. But, I have known you for a long time, Arion. " He said darkly, already regretting what he was about to say, " None of the relationships you've been in have been in seem to last very long, do they? Am I wrong for being worried that you'll dump my sister after a while? It's none of my business what girl you choose do date, unless she's my sister. " Hawthorne took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down before he said anything else stupid and Arion decided to put him in an early grave. " Sorry, that was out of line." He said apologetically, guilt weighing heavily in his chest. How could he keep forgetting that Arion was his friend and the man that Basil loved so dearly? Arion didn't deserve to be spoken to so harshly- besides if Hawthorne kept pushing him, Arion was likely to murder him on the spot.

As Celeste spoke to them sharply, Hawthorne looked away slightly, unable to hold her gaze for long. He was nearly eight years older than her and a good foot taller, but somehow she had always been able to put him in his place. Besides, Celeste was right- this petty argument had gone on too long and fighting wasn't going to change anything. Hadn't a lifetime of war taught them that angry words didn't solve anything? " Arion," Hathorne said, his voice more tired sounding than angry, " Look, I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt Basil. You're a good guy, really, you're one of the best Quell I know. There's no one I trust more than you in Solodin, you know that" He sighed heavily, rubbing his face in frustration. He didn't even know how to begin to explain why he was so against Arion and Basil being together, but there was nothing that the captain could say or do that would stop them from being in love with one another. Hawthorne eyes looked more sorrowful than angry as he looked away from the two other Quell, " My sister loves you dearly and I know you love her just as much. " He said evenly, as much as it pained him to admit it, " I know you'll treat each other well."

Quietly, Hawthorne hung back from the small group, crossing his arms over his chest. He tried to pretend that he didn't notice how happy his sister looked as she spotted Arion or the affectionate way Arion hugged her gently. His jaw tightened in indignation and he looked away to glare at the human's now useless machinery. Hawthorne had to admit, he was impressed that Basil was able to destroy the machinery like that. Though, that didn't make him any less angry that she snuck out to the human world and put herself, as well as everyone else, in danger. Remaining stubbornly quiet, Hawthorne crossed his arms over his chest as his gaze wandered over to the dark foliage. Something moved in the underbrush just a few feet from him. Is that a rabbit? Or maybe a Howler? Frowning deeply, the captain silently went over to inspect what it was, moving soundlessly through the underbrush. Hawthorne could still hear Celeste and the others, so he knew that he could shout if he found that whatever it was wasn't friendly.

Juniper

Basil

Basil smiled softly as Arion wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her hair. She hadn't realized how much she missed his comforting hugs and the gentle way he played with her hair, but best of all, she knew now that Arion didn't hate her anymore. Basil didn't want to, but she still pulled away from his gentle embrace. " Arion... I am so, so sorry for leaving without telling you. Please forgive me.... I honestly didn't mean to worry you." Basil said quietly, looking up at him with her big, sorrowful eyes. It almost physically pained her to see her beloved Arion looking so devastated. Very gently, she put her hand on his arm and met his lovely hazel-eyed gaze " I didn't realize that you would come after me like this. I thought.... " She hesitated and mustered up a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes like her usual cheerful grin did, " Maybe it's a little stupid... but I thought you hated me and didn't want to see me again." Nervously, Basil fiddled with her bangs as she fell quiet for a moment. It was obvious that Arion didn't hate her now, though that made her feel even worse about inadvertently hurting him by running away. Basil looked away from the handsome red-haired Quell, wishing she could apologize a million times over for hurting him or at least say something that might make him feel better, but she couldn't seem to say anything at all. Her brain felt like just a giant scrambled mess of worried thoughts.

Juniper politely pretended not to listen to Arion and Basil's obviously personal conversation. With his excellent Howler hearing, he was able to catch every quietly spoken word. Though, Juniper respected Arion and Basil enough to not eavesdrop on their conversation. As Celeste spoke, the young Howler turned his full attention to her. " I'm not really sure, Bunny." He said thoughtfully," It could be possible they were hurt by the human's chemicals though." He glanced over at the forest worriedly. Chemical's in the forest would be devastating to the Howlers and every creature that lived in the forest. Already, Juniper could tell that the potent chemicals were slowly affecting his Howler side. Even though he tried to cover his mouth and nose with his shirt, he couldn't smell anything other than the repulsive stench of chemicals. Juniper looked back at Celeste, worry written on his face, " Do you think we should go after whoever it was?" He asked unsurely. Though he was no longer a part of a pack, he still felt some responsibility to his fellow Howlers. Juniper gave a slight whine as he noticed how Celeste looked a little dizzy," Bunny? Do you feel alright?" He asked, gently putting his arm around her. He had a sickening feeling that the chemicals were making Celeste sick; after all, she had been injured badly the day before and had just gotten out of the hospital. "Maybe we should all head back to Solodin?" He suggested, looking around for Hawthorne but the tall young man had disappeared already.

Basil glanced over at Celeste and gave a slight smile, " It's great to see you all to." She said in a barely audible voice, " B-but, you really didn't have to come out here looking for me.... though I do appreciate you coming. I'm sorry for worrying you all " Hesitantly, she pulled her hand away from Arion's arm and shoved her hands in her pockets. Basil's gaze wandered over to where her brother had been standing, though he seemed to have stormed off angrily. She wasn't worried about his absence- Hawthorne wasn't going to miss the chance to give her one of his famous hour-long lectures about how dangerous humans were and why running away was a terrible idea. Silently, Basil turned back to Celeste as she felt the blue-haired Quell's small hand on her shoulder. Noticing the way Celeste closed her eyes dizzily, a worried look crossed her face " Celeste? Are you alright?" She asked, immediately worried about her friend. Already Celeste had been injured, wandered through the forest looking for Basil and now she had been exposed to the human's noxious chemicals. Basil felt another guilty stab at her chest for accidentally causing so much trouble for the people she cared so much about.

Lyra

Lyra found herself smiling a bit as Endymion shifted back into his human form. Secretly she thought that he was handsome as both a wolf and as a dark-haired young man. " Green and sparkly?" She repeated with a hint of amusement in her voice," That's unfortunate; seems like a waste of a good potato curry." She quipped, her coffee brown eyes sparkling merrily for a moment before Endymion continued with his appalling news. Lyra's expression turned grim as the warrior explained what Miri had seen. "You're right, this is a bit more serious than tourist Quell." Though she seemed as calm as usual, it was obvious she was disturbed by the news. Chemicals in the forest would be devastating to the pack; soon the whole pack would be poisoned by the chemicals if they didn't fight back against the humans. Carefully, the alpha thought over what needed to be done before speaking. " Endymion, I may need your help with this." She said, looking up at him with the fierce determination she was so well known for," I'll talk to the pack after dinner when we're all gathered. We need a small group of scouts to find out what the humans are doing here with their poison and exactly where it is. The rest of the pack has to stay as far away from the area as possible, especially in Howler form. I don't want anyone getting sick from the poison and we don't need the pack to start panicking" She said grimly," And now that humans are in our woods, we all will have to be even more on alert for trouble. I think it would be best to set up more than just one patrol a day." The alpha sighed heavily; somehow it seemed that they were preparing for war against the humans and their chemicals.

[arvanien]

Arion

Celeste

Arion forced down the rage in his stomach by clenching and unclenching his fists over and over again. It hurt him, he hated it, but he couldn't stop. As he walked, the grass around his feet went up in smoke while the temperature around him plummeted in a weird, involuntary display of energy magic. He was just about to have it under control when Hawthorne's pointed comment about his past failed relationships hit, hard. What made it even worse was that Hawthorne likened Basil to one of Arion's past girlfriends, who all had been solely and shallowly interested in his good looks, financial success, or ability to drop-kick a coconut forty yards. They hadn't been able to handle who he really was - his unrelentingly severe nightmares, his addiction to the punching bag, and his unexpectedly dirty jokes. Arion hated it when someone called him out for it, especially someone who didn't know the whole truth. Not only did it result in hospital bills for the other person, Arion was reminded of how he just couldn't get the stupid thing right! He may have excelled at everything else he did, but he just couldn't form a single stable dating relationship. Although Hawthorne apologized a few seconds later, the pent-up fury had already raged out of his control, rushing straight to the top of his head. But suddenly, it cooled into something lighter and stronger. Arion's expression turned from hurt disbelief to absolute indifference. "Don't you dare mention that to me ever again." He spat coldly. "The only thing ruining my day is having to listen to your B S for one more godd-mn second. Get away from me, Hawthorne - I never want to see you again. It looks like that's the only way we can ever coexist peacefully." He said, his voice hard and unforgiving. Arion lifted his chin and marched ahead, leaving behind frigid air and smoldering grass vibrating with energy. Ice rapidly moved up his neck and closed over his facial features before he could stop it.

Arion couldn't believe it. Hawthorne had been one of his best friends for years, and he'd just called him out for his failed relationships like that. Arion would never admit it, but that remark hurt - more than anything else Hawthorne could have said. To a listener it was merely a pointed remark in a heated argument, but there were few other things that could push Arion over the edge like this. It clearly had upset him so deeply as to cause him to react so cruelly. He hysterically clawed the ice off his face and arms with equally icy fingers, leaving behind painful red scratches in the process. His blood roared angrily in his ears; he didn't even hear anything else Hawthorne had said. Arion never played victim, though. In the heat of the moment, he was sure he could get along just fine without his best friend.

Celeste glanced up at Hawthorne in equal shock. She didn't say anything, but her expression clearly read, Why? She had never seen Arion so furious that he didn't destroy something. You know what? It would be better to stay between these two than try to keep Arion and Juniper apart. Wow, everyone hates everyone else today. Oh wait, it's just the guys. She crossed her arms and looked away from Hawthorne, wishing men weren't so thick headed. At least Juniper knows better than to get into an argument of any kind, as I've seen so far.

Celeste nodded at Juniper's proposition. "Yes, we should. We need to get away from inhaling too much of these chemicals, right away." She gave him a small smile, putting her arm around his shoulders. "It's fine. I feel alright," she tried to reassure Juniper and Basil, though she knew they'd all be badly affected if they stayed here any longer. Secretly, she was worried that the near fatal poisoning last night had made her even more susceptible to the toxic chemicals; it sure felt like it. Celeste knew Juniper cared for her, but she didn't want to the one everyone worried about - especially after that nasty episode last night. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed Hawthorne slipping away. Anyone less perceptive than her would have assumed that he wanted to get away from the newly reunited couple, but she knew better.

Arion fidgeted nervously at Basil's soft apology. She definitely wasn't anything like any of those girls who he'd been stupid enough to date. She deserved the world, and he would find a way to get it for her. "What do you mean, you didn't realize? I can't believe you would think that. I could never hate you! You know that I'd would go after you wherever you went, even to the ends of the earth." He said quietly. "Please don't ever run away again, Basil. I was so worried about you." He clasped his hands pleadingly. Arion wished he could take her hands, but the old nervousness had overtaken him again. The acrid stench of the chemicals, which seemed to be growing stronger by the minute, brought him back to reality. "Celeste's right, we should leave." Arion reached out and gently put his hand on Basil's shoulder to lead her away from the waterfall. He was very careful, as if he was afraid of hurting her or scaring her away.

Endymion

Endymion smiled briefly before his face automatically reverted itself back into its stony demeanor. This was a new threat, but he knew what the effects would be. Artificial chemicals were probably just as destructive as any malevolent potion. "We'll do it." He nodded in agreement. This plan was waterproof as far as he could see, but Endymion couldn't help but wonder about the Quell themselves. "It's likely that the Quell will take action as well. But working together or not, we'll still find a way to eliminate this human poison." He laced his long, bony fingers, as if cradling a vial or stone or some other object.

[rubyrocketboots13]

Hawthorne

"As you wish" Hathorne said simply, his voice strangely hollow. The captain was dumbfounded; Arion never wanted to see him again. Good Lord, I am an idiot... He sighed heavily, his chest heavy laden with guilt. Hawthorne had known that he had gone too far by mentioning Arion's past relationships the moment he had said it. The two of them had been best friends for a long time- he knew that Arion avoided talking about the girls he dated. Hawthorne hadn't intentionally brought it up just to spite his best friend. Truthfully, it had only been a careless remark in a heated argument, though it was obvious that the comment had obviously shaken Arion. In all the years that Hawthorne and Arion had known each other, he had never seen the red-haired warrior so distraught. Hawthorne couldn't have been more apologetic about the entire argument, thought it was obvious that it didn't matter any longer. Arion, his best friend, never wanted to see him ever again.Fine. Crossing his arms over his chest, the captain's jaw clenched tightly as he sulked hung back from the others. He didn't even glance back at Celeste before disappearing into the woods.

Hawthorne stormed through the forest without glancing back at the two young couples. He told himself that he was simply looking for whatever he had spotted in the underbrush, but in all honesty, the captain was trying to put some distance between himself and the others. He couldn't stand to see his sister and former best friend looking so happy together. It was his legitimate fear that Arion was going to turn Basil against him somehow. Hawthorne couldn't bear to let Basil be taken away from him- she was the only family he had left in the world. Maybe he sounded a little possessive of his younger sister, but he had good reason to be so overprotective of her. Everyone that had ever been important to Hawthorne had been taken away except for her; his parents, his sister Rosemary, many of his friends and even the first young woman he had ever loved. Hawthorne had helplessly watched as all of them had been taken away from him right before his eyes. Life was a very fragile thing and no one knew that better than the captain.

As Hawthorne distractedly walked through the forest, he didn't notice a tall figure following him until he heard a twig snap a few feet adjacent to the small path he was on. He whipped around and pulled a dagger from his sleeve. "Show yourself!" The captain spat. His command was met with mocking laughter. " Well, well, well, if it isn't Capitan High-and-Mighty himself. " A tall, slender woman with shocking white-and-grey hair stepped out of the underbrush, the infamous Rocket. The pretty young woman put her hands up in a mock surrender. "What are you doing here? I threw you out of Solodin years ago." Hawthorne sneered, " I warned you what would happen in you returned." Rocket didn't answer, instead she grinned at him as if she had a marvelous bit of gossip she was just bursting to share. " What happened to your little tomato-haired friend? "Rocket asked with an evil smirk. She had been following the small group for a while and had heard the entire argument; Rocket was just adding salt to the wound by bringing up Arion. Hawthorne's eyes flashed angrily though he didn't reply. Rocket's expression turned to one of malevolent glee, " Ooh, from what I heard, you two had quite the spat. Bringing up his past girlfriends, now that really is pretty low, even for you. " She cackled. " That's it, I'm throwing you into the Tower until you rot!", Hawthorne spat as he roughly grabbed Rocket's arms and bent them behind her back. Surprisingly, she let him without fighting back at all. " Careful, soldier boy, I'm an engaged woman, you know" Rocket said with her same coy smirk. She wiggled her fingers at Hawthorne, revealing a simple silver band was wrapped around her finger. Hawthorne glanced at the ring with distaste as he shoved her towards where Arion and the others were. " Congratulations, I'm sure your fiancé is a perfectly lovely crime lord or something. I'll be sure to buy you both a nice wedding gift." He grunted sarcastically. Rocket walked ahead of Hawthorne, chuckling coldly " Aw, isn't that sweet? I'm afraid you aren't invited to the wedding since, ya know, my fiancé is sworn to kill you. Maybe you remember him? Reed Aldeir. Hawthorne's heart nearly stopped at the name- Reed had been one of the Howlers apart of the raid that had killed his family and permanently scarred both him and his sister. The Howler's strange yellow eyes and merciless laughter had been burned into his memory ever since that fateful night. Hawthorne grabbed Rocket roughly by the throat, his emerald green eyes burning with hate. " Where is he?!" He roared, loud enough to be heard throughout the forest. Rocket's calm expression never flickered, " I'm sure he's taking care of the other Montaigh sibling by now." She smirked coldly.

Juniper

Basil

Quietly, Basil bit her lip as she looked up at Arion. He doesn't hate me for what I've done? After making him worry about me all this time? She couldn't believe that anyone would care about her like Arion did or treat her as kindly as he had in the past couple of days. Arion really was one of the most precious guys she had ever met. He always made her so blissfully happy and had a way of making her feel like nothing could ever possibly go wrong. Basil knew that she would never love anyone the same way that she loved him. She promised herself that she would always treat Arion with the compassion and kindness he deserved.

" I'm so so sorry for making you worry, Arion. I promise, I won't run off again" She said sincerely, her soft voice barely just above a whisper. Basil didn't want to cause Arion worry about her ever again; she felt terrible about making him come all of this way just to find her. As Celeste suggested they leave, the green-haired Quell quietly nodded in agreement, " That's probably a good idea." Very gently Basil wrapped her arm around Arion's waist and put her hand delicately on his, letting him lead her away from the waterfall. She tucked her bangs behind her ear and looked up at him with a soft smile. "I love you, darling." She murmured just soft enough for him to hear.

Juniper smiled back at Celeste, his indigo colored eyes sparkling with their usual cheerfulness. He was thankful that she was feeling alright; after last night, he was afraid that she wasn't quite as healed as she seemed to be. Once they got back to Solodin, all of them could probably use a nice long, nap and a hot cup of chamomile tea. Juniper gave Celeste an affectionate squeeze, " Come on, bunny, let's go home". Noticing her looking off into the forest after Hawthorne, he frowned just a tiny bit. "Where do you suppose he's going..? Solodin's the other way." He remarked, though didn't really pay any mind to it. The captain had been pretty upset when he had left; perhaps it would be best to let him blow off some steam. Juniper winced slightly as a sharp stab of pain in his head made him forget about Hawthorne's sudden disappearance. The smell of the toxic chemicals had already given him a terrible headache. Juniper couldn't wait to get away from the human's chemicals and breathing clean, fresh air once again.

Lyra

" Thank you, Endymion. I know I can always count on you." Lyra said with a small nod. It was a tremendous relief to know that Endymion would be by her side no matter what. She was grateful for his help and valued his opinions on issues like this that threatened the pack. " Absolutely," The alpha said, a fierce glint in her eyes," Together we will stop the humans and their vile poison. Whether the Quell help us or not, we'll take back our forest. " She said firmly. Lyra had full faith that the pack would endure this new assault by the humans. The Howler pack was extraordinarily resilient; they had survived centuries of war and had never lost faith. Most certainly, the pack would find some way to fight back against the humans, perhaps with their new 'allies', the Quell.

[arvanien]

Arion

Celeste

Arion hung his head tiredly as he walked, distracted and upset. All the hate inside of him had slowly calcified into remorse. He suddenly felt like he was fifteen again, a freshly recruited boy in the guard who had never even worn armor before. The sheer weight, coldness, and clumsiness of it on his starved frame had almost made him collapse from fatigue after several hours. Although he had easily grown accustomed to it, he would never forget the oppressive and helpless feeling. Now, an even heavier weight settled on him as he silently mulled over his bitter words. His relationship with Hawthorne didn't deserve to be ended so abruptly; Arion half felt like turning back. But, he brushed his blood red hair out of his eyes, telling himself to forget about it. Arion inhaled deeply, looking up again. The other Maonaigh deserved his attention more right now.

"It's alright. I just felt that you might be in danger," he admitted, lacing his fingers together. His thoughts scattered messily as he looked down at Basil's sweet face; he slowly reached out and took her hand. The sick, worried feeling in his stomach began to unravel, much to his relief. Basil was perfectly safe and sound; that was his top priority. However, it wouldn't do any good if they let the chemicals get to them. As Basil wrapped her arm around his waist, he rested his other hand on her head in an affectionate yet protective way. "I love you too." He smiled gently. Arion felt his shoulder muscles relax as he took in Basil's soft smile, fluffy green hair, and delicate, graceful movements. It felt like forever since he'd seen her. Coming up here had been definitely worth it a million times over.

Celeste gave Juniper's hand a soft squeeze, briefly resting her head against his shoulder. "I can't wait to get out of here," she sighed. "Let's go get him." She led the way out of the clearing in the direction that Hawthorne had gone, taking in a deep breath of clear, untainted air with relief. The way Arion had treated him with such malicious contempt had made her feel bad for the captain; she hoped he was all right. "Hawthorne?" She called softly, looking around for him. "Hawthorne!" She frowned as she heard his yell, and cautiously made her way in the direction of the sound. Arion sighed drearily and followed her, protectively walking a bit in front of Basil. He looked exactly like the one movie character in every film who just wanted to go home.

Endymion

"You're absolutely right." He paused for a moment before going on. "Do you intend to lead the scouts, though?" Endymion asked. He wasn't sure how much better Lyra's leg was doing, although the rest of her had seemed to snap back into shape pretty quickly. He wouldn't admit it, but he was a bit concerned about Lyra exposing herself to the human poison in this current state of hers. What am I thinking? She'll be fine. He brushed it off, knowing that Lyra was always even tougher than she seemed.

[rubyrocketboots13]

Hawthorne

Basil

Juniper

Basil smiled up at Arion softly as he took her hand; she couldn't seem to hide the faint pink blush on her cheeks or ignore the butterflies in her stomach. How is he so impossibly cute? She thought happily, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. She loved how her petite hand fit so perfectly in Arion's. Basil hadn't realized how much she missed his comforting presence and gentle, caring gestures like the way he rested his hand on her head. Somehow, Basil found herself relaxing a bit more around Arion- somehow she always felt safe and cared for around the handsome red-haired Quell. "Danger?" She said softly, giving a small laugh" I've walked through the forest like this thousands of times without much trouble before. But, I suppose your feelings were right again with these human's chemicals." She said thoughtfully. Though she and Arion hadn't been together for very long, Basil had learned that Arion's feelings were very rarely wrong. He had been right about Celeste being in danger and he had been right about being in danger from the human's chemical. Though thankfully, they weren't in immediate danger from them anymore now that they were heading back to Solodin.

" I can wait to get back home either, Bunny" Juniper agreed wholeheartedly, coughing just a bit from the reek of the chemicals. The Howler boy wrapped his arm gently around Celeste as they headed out of the clearing and towards where she had heard Hawthorne's shout. He had never been more grateful to smell fresh air once again. Already feeling better in the clean air, Juniper took a few deep breaths of it before noticing a familiar scent that made him let out a low growl instinctively- blood. The injured Howler was back and very, very close. Unfortunately, Juniper didn't realize how close the insurgent Howler was.

" Where is Reed?" The captain demanded again, his voice filled with bitter hatred, " I swear, if I get my hands on him I'll-" Rocket cut him off, " You'll what?" She said smugly, " Kill him? Like every other Howler that's opposed you? I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Captain." With a flash of metal, the pretty white-and-grey haired Quell produced a small dagger from under her shirt sleeve. The tip of it had been dipped in a dark purple substance that was most likely a poison or some form of enchanted potion. Thankfully, Hawthorne saw the blade and dodged in time as Rocket tried to stab at him with it. The captain tried to wrestle it away from her, though Rocket was too quick. She managed to slip away from his grasp with a triumphant smirk. " You're a little slow on your feet today, Captain. I expected more of a fight from one of the most celebrated warriors in Solodin." Hawthorne let out a string of curses, throwing his hand out towards Rocket. Under the captain's control, a large vine shot out of the ground and lashed out at the white haired Quell. Rocket leapt out of the was easily. " Temper, temper" She cackled, raising her hand to counter attack with her telekinesis though the tall woman hesitated as she heard someone approaching. Rocket smirked as she saw the small group approach, " Well, if it isn't Mr. Tall, Dark and Deranged himself. Looks like you found yourself a pretty little filly, Arion," The white-haired Quell cackled, her bitter tone caustic enough to burn through metal," Too bad she's not gonna be around much longer." Basil's eyes widened in fright, instinctively edging closer to Arion. Hawthorne saw his chance as Rocket was distracted and grabbed her roughly, making the poisoned knife fall to the ground. Hawthorne held her back as she attempted to free herself, his hand was wrapped around Rocket's throat as she tried to writhe out of his grasp. "Stop struggling, " He grunted, " You're not going anywhere."

Hawthorne looked over his shoulder to glance over at the small group, his expression was still full of hatred. His dark green eyes held an alarming murderous glare that had even Basil had never seen before. "Arion, take my sister and the others back to Solodin. Now! There's a madman on the loose," He barked, his tone as commanding and placid as it had when he had given orders in the war. " I don't give a damn if you don't want to see me again, but you are still under my command in the Guard, Lindheimer. That was an order, not a suggestion. Understand? You disobey me and I'll throw you out of the Guard for the good." He said darkly, jutting a finger a Arion, " Don't you dare let anything happen to her." Hawthorne wasn't threatening Arion and truthfully he wasn't even angry at him; the captain's hatred was directed at Reed and Rocket. Basil gave a huff in protest at her brother, but she still hadn't gained the courage to stand up to him. " I'm not a child, Hawthorne. I can handle myself." She said quietly, though her tone was a tiny bit annoyed, " Don't talk to Arion like that. I thought you two sorted out your differences." Basil gave a small sigh, looking away from her brother. Will Hawthorne and Arion ever learn to get along? She thought with a sigh.

Without warning, a skeletal-looking Howler with yellow eyes snuck up behind Celeste silently and grabbed her from behind. He put one hand over her mouth and held a knife to her throat with the other. As Juniper saw the flash of a knife, he whirled around to face the strange Howler, giving an unearthly shriek. In one swift motion, he shifted into his hyena form and threw himself at the man with his claws lashing out. Though he was small, even in his Howler form, Juniper was quick on his feet and Reed was already injured, judging from the bloodied bandages wrapped around his chest. It didn't take much for Reed to let Celeste go and take a few steps away. " S-stop! Brother, I mean you know harm. It's the Maonaigh girl I want" He hissed, raising his blade towards Juniper," But if you stand in my way, I'll have no other choice but to take you out as well.". Juniper let out a low growl, standing protectively in front of Celeste. He wasn't going to back down; no matter what the cost, he wasn't going to let Reed hurt Celeste or any of his newfound friends.

" Reed, you colorblind idiot. That's not the Maonaigh girl- does that look like green hair to you?" Rocket said exasperatedly. She nodded towards Basil, " That's the girl you're looking for, honeybunch.". The green-haired Quell gave a nervous squeak, her expression filled with fear. She knew who Reed was instantly; his strange yellow eyes and merciless smirk had haunted her dreams every night for years. He had been apart of the raid that took her family. He was the Howler that had given her the scar over her eye. Basil's expression darkened into a scowl- she wasn't going to let Reed harm her brother nor her friends. Immediately, she reached for the sheathed dagger strapped to her forearm, but she suddenly found herself unable to move. Rocket's telekinesis had kept her as well as Hawthorne frozen in place. Rocket freed herself from the captain's grasp and brushed off her threadbare brown overalls. " Well now, that's much better. Let's see of we can rid the world of the Maonaigh siblings once and for all." She grabbed the poisoned dagger from the ground and stepped towards Hawthorne.

Lyra

"Of course", The young alpha said firmly, " I need to see how badly the human poison has affected the forest for myself." Lyra's leg was far from being healed, but she was determined to lead the scouts. Brother Benjamin, despite his extremely negative attitude was right about one thing, Lyra always pushed herself to her limits to protect her pack. She was a very strong warrior, both mentally and physically. Her injury wasn't going to hold her back from protecting the people she so dearly cared about. The blonde she-Howler looked up at Endymion, her expression blank as usual, " And you? Will you join the scouts as well?" She asked. Lyra knew that he had a family to take care of, so she wasn't going to blame him if he declined.

[arvanien]

Celeste

Arion

Arion nodded, brushing his hair back out of habit. "I figured. Based on what you told me the other night." He shrugged. "I was just afraid you weren't going to come back. I guess Hawthorne was, too. He and I can't seem to stop bickering, though," he admitted. Arion didn't seem to be disturbed anymore by Basil's ties to the human world. "But you can handle yourself just fine! You weren't hurt or anything when we found you, thank God. And it was pretty amazing, how you wrecked those huge construction machines." He laughed nervously. "I wish I had showed up a little earlier, to be honest." Arion seemed to be feeling a lot better, provided that that last dispute with Hawthorne had been one of the bitterest they'd had. He wasn't going to waste any more time thinking about it; that time was much better spent enjoying Basil's company and sneaking glances at Celeste and Juniper up ahead.

Celeste rubbed Juniper's back gently, looking over at him. "I'm just glad we're away from that clearing. I don't want any of us to be sick. When we get back, you should rest for a bit at our house," she offered. "I'll send Arion on some crazy errand if he looks at you twice. He likes to pick out the prettiest watermelon in the grocery store and walk home holding it like a baby. You okay back there, Arion?" She glanced behind her, smiling. He grinned back at her. "Oh, nothing much. I'm just, you know, holding hands with the most beautiful girl in Solodin." Arion rubbed the back of Basil's little hand with his thumb, an impish smile on his face. Celeste gave a small giggle, cheered to see Arion so happy. Even back when he was dating someone else, he'd never looked so heartwarmingly happy. This was obviously the first time he'd ever really fallen head over heels for someone.

Arion sighed drearily as he caught sight of Rocket. "Ugh, not her again," he muttered, as if she was a pesky fly that had gotten into a bowl of soup. He sneered disdainfully at her words, very subtly pulling Basil closer to his side. " 'Pretty filly', huh? Too bad I can't say the same for you, missy. Did someone dump a barrel of flour over your head after giving you a electric shock on your way out of the mental asylum? That must have been a sight worth seeing." Arion snickered. Rocket was wickedly beautiful in her own way, but all Arion saw before him was a worthless tramp.

Celeste bit her lip to keep from laughing, flicking a glance at Juniper. Arion was always going to be like this. But she stayed alert, keeping her eyes on Rocket. She was determined to get Basil safely home after seeing Rocket's burning hatred for the Maonaigh siblings, although Hawthorne had commanded Arion to do so. Honestly, Celeste wasn't quite sure why he had. Arion was an even more formidable fighter than she was; they would be better off with him here, provided that he and Hawthorne could stop squabbling. Besides, she was better at this kind of thing. Celeste gave Juniper's hand a warm squeeze, as if to tell him to stay safe, and slipped over to Arion and Basil.

Even more exasperated, Arion gave Hawthorne a distasteful side glance. "For heaven's sake, Hawthorne. I'm sick and tired of you treating me like I don't know what to do! Go find someone else to boss around." Arion snapped sharply, his voice dripping with pure disdain. But then, Reed interrupted him by sneaking up behind Celeste and grabbing her. Even as Celeste angrily kicked the rogue Howler away, Arion was already in motion. Whatever dislike he held for Juniper immediately crumbled - they were fighting on the same side now. He pounced on the Howler, seizing Reed's throat and grabbing the arm that held the knife, twisting it forcefully behind his back with lightning speed. All the pent up rage in him finally exploded as he applied torque to the arm. "No one touches Basil on my watch," He hissed angrily as he wrestled Reed to the ground, choking him harder with each word. Murder pulsed in his heart; he was hell-bent on killing Reed. Arion was infuriated at the very thought of anyone wanting to hurt someone as precious as Basil.

Thankful that Reed had mistaken her for Basil, Celeste snuck over to her side. It was clear they were not going to stick around any longer. "You had one job, and you failed!" She mocked Reed, though she wasn't sure if he could hear her over Arion trying to kill him. Celeste reached for Basil's hand and found her to be rooted to the spot with Rocket's telekinesis. Cursing silently, she frowned and concentrated, imagining a dark tunnel with Solodin at the other end. Instantly, two girls vanished in a shimmer of blue light. Celeste had never run from a fight before, especially when some of her loved ones were left behind, but she was not going to let anyone hurt Basil, especially after seeing how set Rocket and Reed were on killing Hawthorne and Basil - for whatever reason. Basil was a good friend, but after seeing the way Arion looked at her, Celeste was only all the more determined to keep Rocket and Reed far, far away from her. As they blinked into existence on the front lawn of the Basil's mansion, Celeste let out a soft sigh and knelt wearily on the grass, even more drained. It had been ages since she'd tried to teleport someone with herself; she'd fallen out of practice.

Endymion

"As expected," Endymion commented dryly, sitting as still as a block of wood. Not even his fingertips moved anymore. Even after suffering grievous injuries that almost claimed her life, Lyra would take on the world if she had to. When and why did men ever portray women as the weaker sex? He arched an eyebrow, "Yes, of course I'll come. This is too serious of a matter to miss out on. That is, unless you want me to." He smiled wanly, as if it were a no-brainer. Endymion had almost always accompanied Lyra everywhere important. He sighed unhappily, "I know Miri will want to come along as well. As capable as she is, I don't want her exposing herself to any more chemicals any longer. I can't lose another sibling." He crossed his arms, his voice harsh and unforgiving. "What do you think?" Endymion asked hesitantly.

[rubyrocketboots13]

Hawthorne

Basil

Juniper

As Arion mentioned her leaving, Basil felt a painful tug of guilt in her chest. " I didn't want to come back at first. " She admitted quietly, " But then I realized I couldn't stay away from Solodin. I didn't want to lose you" A soft smile tugged at her full lips as she looked up at Arion. Noticing the way he brushed back his hair, she couldn't resist reaching up and tucking a stray piece of blood-red hair behind his ear. Basil absolutely adored Arion's messy, bright red hair; she thought that his hair made him somehow even more attractive and she loved the adorable way it stuck up all over the place whenever she ran with her fingers through it. Maybe it was a little strange, but she loved running playing with Arion's softly tousled hair- especially when they cuddled. Blushing faintly at the thought, Basil gave a soft, happy sigh and walked a little closer to the tall red-haired Quell. She wanted nothing more than to go home and have a nice cup of coffee with Arion.

" Don't worry about my brother... he'll come around eventually. He always does." She murmured with a small smile " Hawthorne pretends to be a tough warrior, but he's got a soft heart underneath that grumpy appearance." Basil knew Hawthorne and Arion had argued before, though usually they worked out their differences after a little while. She hadn't known them to be angry at each other for more than a couple of days at a time. She was sure that the two men would eventually get along once again after they had cooled off for a while. Still, she couldn't help but feel guilty about Arion and Hawthorne's argument. After all, it was her fault that they were fighting, right? Basil pushed the thought from her mind, not wanting to dwell on the thought for long. She hadn't forced them to argue and she couldn't make them stop fighting either. Arion and Hawthorne would have to be mature about the whole thing and apologize once they had let off a little steam. Until then, there was nothing that could be done about the argument and it wasn't worth her worrying about.

Basil smiled as Arion praised her for destroying the human's construction machines. " Really?" she said, her eyes lighting up delightedly," You really think it was amazing?". Basil wasn't used to being complimented on her earth magic- most of the time she could barely control her powers, especially when she was being watched. Though she was pretty sure she wouldn't have minded Arion watching her wreck the machines- heck, he probably would have helped her do it. Basil gave a warm laugh, smiling up at him playfully, " Next time I destroy the human's machines, I'll be sure I'm with you so you can watch".

Completely oblivious to how Arion kept glancing at him, Juniper contentedly walked hand-in-hand with Celeste. He smiled as she suggested that they go home and rest a while. " That sounds like a good idea to me, Bunny." He nodded in agreement- truthfully after everything that happened, Juniper was quite exhausted. He couldn't wait to curl up somewhere comfortable and take a nice, long nap. As Celeste explained how Arion liked to carry watermelons like babies, the young Howler boy couldn't help but laugh. Overhearing Celeste and Juniper's conversation, Basil gave a bubbly giggle and looked up at Arion with her bright green eyes sparkling amusedly. " Do you really do that? That sounds like a lot of fun" She said, resisting the urge to squeal at the adorableness of it. In her mind's eye, she could see Arion carrying a watermelon like a baby down the main street of Solodin which made her giggle even more. " You must take me grocery shopping with you the next time you go to the market! Please?" Basil laughed giddily, looking up at Arion with hopeful eyes.

Basil's cheeks flushed pink as Arion complimented her again, though she couldn't help but smile. " Aw, Arion you're so sweet!" She giggled. Standing on her toes, she leaned over and kissed his jaw lightly- that was as high as she could reach without Arion stooping just a bit. Basil smiled up at him affectionately, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Juniper looked back at Arion and Basil, smiling despite himself. They were the cutest couple he had ever seen- perhaps except for Celeste and himself. Without a doubt, he believed that Celeste was the most adorable person he had ever laid eyes on; though he knew better than to mention this around Arion. Juniper was still convinced Arion wanted to kill him or at least liked threatening to kill him. Either way, the Howler boy knew it was probably best to stay away from Arion and try not to make him angry.

Rocket smirked as she spotted Arion and the others. " I heard that, pretty-boy. What, you're not happy to see little ol' me?" The beautiful white-haired Quell feigned a pout, " Aw, you hurt my feelings Arion! I thought you liked me?" She seemed unfazed by his glare nor his taunting. Rocket smirked even wider, running her fingers through her hair. " You must need your vision checked, tomato top. Apparently you can't appreciate true beauty like mine." Her wicked smirk widened with evil delight as she pretended to carelessly admire her flawless fingernails," Maybe that's why you're dating an overweight garden gnome with the face of a spider monkey".

Basil gave a small huff in annoyance at Rocket's insult, strangely sung by her bitter words. " Maybe I have the face of a spider monkey, but at least I'm not as stupid as you are, Rocket. You have the breeding and intelligence of an igneous rock. " She said in an angry huff," Did you really think you could attack three members of the Royal Quell Guard and a Howler and live to tell the tale?". Rocket gave Basil a sly smirk, but didn't reply. It was obvious she had a plan to take out the small group, not just the Maonaigh siblings. " Why don't you stick around to find out?" Rocket cackled, holding Basil and her brother frozen in place while she turned to Hawthorne.

Hawthorne muttered a string of curses under his breath, glaring at Arion. " Why can't you obey a single order?" He hissed, " Why are you so damn stubborn, Arion? I swear, you are the most troublesome recruit I have ever trained in my entire life." He grumbled, though truthfully he knew deep down that Arion willfulness had saved both their necks on more than one occasion in battle. As he saw Reed make a move for Celeste, Hawthorne firmly kept his grip on Rocket, determined not to let her get free. Both Rocket and Reed were deadly on their own, but together they were the greatest criminal couple the world had ever seen. Merciless and clever, they always caused devastation whenever they went.

Reed hadn't expected both Juniper and Arion to pounce on him at the same time nor was he prepared for their fierce attacks. He dropped the knife and howled in pain as the red-haired Quell wrenched his arm back. Reed shifted into how mangy wolf Howler form, biting and scratching at Arion's chest furiously in an attempt to push him back. Juniper stepped back, careful not to get in the way of Arion and Reed's ferocious battle. He glanced around, catching just a glimpse of Celeste and Basil before the girls disappeared. He felt relieved to know they would be safe, but Juniper didn't dwell on the thought for long as he hear a pained shriek from not too far away.

As Celeste teleported away with Basil, Rocket lost her telekinetic hold on her as well as Hawthorne. The captain took the chance to attack the dangerous white-haired Quell from behind. Rocket gave a pained shriek as she hit the ground hard face first with Hawthorne's weight on top of her. " You giant, troublesome oaf!" She grunted, pulling her arm free and lifting Hawthorne off of her with telekinesis. Rocket stood and swiped at her bloodied lip, wielding her poisoned blade, " You're gonna pay for all the pain you've caused us. This is for every sorry sap you've thrown out of Solodin just for being too poor to make an honest living!" She thrust her blade at Hawthorne, who dodged just in time to miss being hit. " What the bloody hell are you talking about? I banished you from Solodin because you killed a nobleman! Not because you were poor! Who cares if you stole a little fruit now and then?!" He hissed, throwing himself at Rocket as he summoned a huge boulder. " Lies! All lies!" She screamed hysterically, lunging at him with her blade. Cursing and shouting at one another, the two powerful Quell collided, throwing punches and sending shattered rock and dust flying everywhere. Until suddenly everything grew quiet, too quiet. As the dust settled, both Rocket and Hawthorne were laying crumpled in the debris of their merciless fight. Rocket wasn't moving, her chest had fallen still and her head was bleeding badly. Hawthorne didn't look any better as he was bleeding badly from his head and chest; Rocket's blade had wounded him just inches from his heart, though he was still breathing shallowly.

As Reed turned his head to see his beloved Rocket laying in the dirt, he let out an unearthly scream in sorrow. The Howler transformed and desperately tried to free himself from Arion's grasp" JENNY! " He sobbed pitfully, " Please no... Jenny...". Juniper dashed over to the two fallen Quell, in hopes of helping them- after all, his best friend was a Healer's apprentice. But, he knew there was nothing that he could do that he could do at the moment to help them. Looking over at Arion, the despair was written all over his face " We need to get to Solodin as quickly as possible." Juniper said urgently, " They're gonna die if we don't do something!"

Basil blinked in confusion as Celeste teleported the two of them back to Solodin. One moment she was frozen stiff in the forest the next... she was at her house? The green haired Quell looked over at her friend with despair, " We have to go back and help the boys! Rocket and Reed won't stop until... until they kill my brother as well as Arion and Juniper!" She felt tears well up in her eyes, making her choke slightly from emotion " We have to-" She bit her tongue as she saw how worn out Celeste looked. Immediately, Basil felt bad for panicking like she had. " No.. I'm sure they'll be fine. If anyone can handle themselves in battle its Arion and Hawthorne." She said, though she didn't believe it completely. Rocket and Reed were clever, devious opponents. Basil knelt down by Celeste and put her hand on her shoulder to steady her, " Are you alright? Can I get you something to drink?" She offered, worried about her. After all, she had just came from the hospital not long ago.

Lyra

Lyra smiled faintly at the warrior's comment, " You know me well, Endymion." She said, purposely not adding the formal 'Brother' to his name. Very gently, she put her hand on his as a faint smirk played at her lips. "Of course I want you out there, though I respect you enough to give you a choice. " She said in her usual straight-to-the-point manner, " I know you have a family you have to take care of." The alpha's faint smile didn't waver as she knew that he was going to accompany her no matter how dangerous it was. As ENdymion asked for her opinion about letting Miri come, Lyra thought carefully for a moment before giving her advice. " I think she's old enough to know a bit more about how dangerous the humans are. And your sister is intelligent enough to learn to stay away from the chemicals. I know you want to protect her, but overprotecting her will make her ignorant to the threats in our forest." Her voice softened just a tiny bit, understanding how Endymion felt about losing his brother. " I think you should let her come with us. I can't guarantee that Miri will be completely safe- no one can guarantee that- but she will be with us." The alpha gave a small chuckle, adding " Besides, she'll most likely follow us out there any way."

[arvanien]

Celeste

Arion

"You didn't want to lose me," Arion repeated incredulously, just to be sure. His face felt strangely warm in a way he did not like. The way Basil looked at him made his heart speed up in just the way only she could do to him, and they'd been walking like this for at least five minutes. "Oh. Um, thanks, I guess." He laughed awkwardly, biting his lip in an inadvertently cute way. No one had ever told him something like that in this way. He wasn't quite sure how to react to it. Arion gave her a small smile as Basil reached up to brush away a piece of his hair, admiring the delicate, graceful manner in which she moved. Basil reminded him of a fairy all too well, with her perfect skin, small and curvy frame, and adorably bubbly giggles. Struck by impulse, he gently took her hand before she could pull away and kissed her fingertips softly. He lingered slightly before he shyly let go of her hand, a small smile playing on his perfectly chiseled lips. "How do you get your hands to be so soft?" He grinned goodnaturedly.

Arion's face darkened as Basil mentioned Hawthorne, though he hadn't meant it to. He looked away, as if being jolted awake from a pleasant dream. "You're right. Yes, Hawthorne is one of my dearest friends, but I can't believe how stupid both of us had been. I was so angry that I told him I never wanted to see him again. Gods and Titans! He had the nerve to-" He stopped, scowling as he caught himself. Damn...it. There was no going back now, though. Arion ranted on, "He had the nerve to compare you to one of my exes. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Do you know why I even bothered with shallow, self-seeking girls who only liked me for my looks? It was because I thought love was something soft and silly that you threw around like a glittery beach ball. It was because I hadn't met you yet, Basil." Arion drew a deep breath, his eyes strangely bright. "Not to be cliché, but everything changed when I met you, okay? You are so different, and that's why I love you." He said vehemently, somehow looking angry while simultaneously confessing his love.

Arion relaxed, seeming to be put at a bit more ease. "Of course it was amazing! You make flowers bloom with that smile of yours, and it turns out that you destroy vehicles with the same ease. Basil, you are simply breathtaking." He smiled as if they were back in the Teakeeper, sipping lattes over puff pastries and holding hands. "And don't worry. I will always be your biggest fan, Sugarcane." He teased her lightly, running his fingers through her hair. Arion gave a huff at the mention of his weird habit. "What? It's just a habit; of course it's fun. And yeah, you should totally go shopping with us sometimes! I would love that," he grinned, flushed with excitement and pleasure in an attractive way.
Celeste giggled. "Oh, Arion. 'Habit' is putting it mildly. You've been doing it faithfully since you were fourteen. Did I ever tell you that everyone who has seen you thinks that it's a weird coping mechanism you developed?"
He rolled his eyes. "Let them think."

As Basil kissed him, Arion was just as taken off guard as he was yesterday at the restaurant. It was just an innocent kiss on the cheek, but all coherent thought in his mind scattered like frightened birds as he blushed hard and looked away shyly. He couldn't help smiling, though. Celeste started to laugh, making him even more flustered. "Awww, Arion, you're such a cutie! Isn't he, Basil?"
"Hey, stop it," Arion protested, pouting in a boyish way. "Go kiss Juniper." Celeste patted him on the back, smiling. "I'll do just that." She put her hand on Juniper's shoulder and gave him a quick, affectionate peck on the cheek, beaming.

"I see how it is. So you think you're such a snack, sweetie? If you're food, you're expired as hell. Level up before you dare say anything to Basil, you vain strumpet." Arion's mouth twisted with contempt as he bit back a laugh. Rocket didn't even have a tenth of Basil's cuteness. Arion had heard every single red hair joke in existence, but he would not stand for any insult against Basil. He couldn't launch himself at her at the moment, though, since it probably meant Hawthorne would get skewered. Celeste frowned thoughtfully. "I dunno, Arion. I think Rocket would look a bit less stale with pink eyeliner." She said thoughtfully, but the mockery in her voice was unmistakable. Celeste was an intrinsically uplifting person, but Rocket and Arion roasting the crap out of each other was the funniest thing she'd seen in a while. If they had met as kids, no doubt they'd make good friends.
Arion gave Hawthorne an aloof glance. "What was that? I can't seem to hear you over the sound of how much I don't care."

Adrenaline rushed so fiercely through him, Arion didn't even feel it when Reed tore into him with his claws and teeth. "This is for Basil, you cur," he snarled, embracing him in a choke hold fueled by pure hatred. But he never got the chance to finish him off. Right before he could crush Reed's windpipe, a flying rock smashed into the side of his head, stunning him enough to release his opponent. Arion tumbled for a few yards before scrambling frantically to his feet, grabbing a tree trunk for support. Dark red quickly seeped through his ruined shirt and dripped down the side of his face. "Let them die," he snapped at Juniper. He spat the blood out of his mouth and stumbled over to where Hawthorne lay. Arion grinned as he took in the sight of Rocket lying motionless and Reed mourning over her. This ruthlessly cruel side of him hadn't surfaced since the last battle with the Howlers. Apparently, it would never go away completely.

Arion dropped to his knees by Hawthorne's side, taking the captain's head in his hands. "Hawthorne? Can you hear me?" He cupped the back of his friend's head as he fumbled desperately for a pulse. "Don't you dare die on me, you mother trucker. We're still supposed to be the best men at each other's weddings, remember?" His head drooped wearily and he hugged Hawthorne to his chest in a fit of remorse.

Celeste felt horrible, at the way Basil reacted. She had not been expecting that. Taking a hard seat on the lawn, she rubbed at her face in anguish. "I'll be fine, thank you. Basil, I'm so so sorry. I wanted to push you out of harm's way. Arion would have wanted it," she sighed quietly, burying her face in her hands. How did I even jump this far? Blinking the stars out of her vision, Celeste stood up as well as she could. Basil's words seemed to have had an impact on her. "Nope, you're absolutely right. We're not damsels in distress, and we're going back up to help our boys," she said, with much more confidence than she felt. Whisking Basil away for a few minutes had kept her from danger for a bit longer, but what good would it do if Rocket or Reed ultimately got their filthy paws on her? "Sorry if you don't like teleportation, Basil." Celeste wasn't sure if she could pop the two of them all the way up a second time, but she had no choice. She briefly pictured the destination in her mind like she always did, but this time she refused to take no for an answer from herself. Celeste thought about how happy Arion and Basil had been together. The way Juniper had laughed and hugged her on the porch. For the first time, Celeste actually wanted to see Hawthorne's grumpy frown and disapproving look while Arion pulled some stupid stunt. With the last of Celeste's energy, both girls materialized a few feet away from the clearing.

Fragments of rock had embedded themselves into the tree trunks and ripped smaller shrubs into shreds. Torn foliage and stone shards littered the place. Blood stained the ground where Arion and Reed had tried to smash each other's brains out. Celeste choked on the turbid air and tried to look around for Arion, Juniper, or Hawthorne, but her senses simply gave out. A wave of nausea crashed over her and she fell, cupping the forest floor between her fingers as she barely managed to stay conscious. Stay awake. Stay awake. Celeste couldn't see anything, but she was dimly aware of a most piteous sobbing and strained, hoarse wheezing coming from Arion. The red-haired Quell still knelt on the ground, using ripped up pieces of his own shirt to staunch the flow of blood coming from Hawthorne's head. Normally, he wouldn't pull a weapon from a wound because it prevented further blood loss, but he had seen the strange purple substance in Rocket's dagger. He had pulled the knife from Hawthorne's chest and applied pressure on the wound with one knee. "Come on," he murmured over and over again under his breath, wheezing as he struggled to get enough air. Arion was so focused on trying to help his best friend that he hadn't even registered his own wounds. He hadn't been hurt as badly as Hawthorne, but he was bleeding heavily. As he wrapped Hawthorne's head with pieces of his shirt, his hands shook more and more with effort.

Endymion

Endymion returned her smile, albeit rather briefly. The beauty of the afternoon seemed to have been spoiled to him with the nagging thought of humans. He tried to get himself to focus on Lyra, which was usually quite easy, but his mind was in a different place. She, however, effectively recaptured his attention by taking his hand. Endymion curled his fingers over the back of her hand, watching the stream absentmindedly. "Oh, they know how to take care of themselves. I'm just sick of losing relative after relative. You know how it is." He hadn't just lost his brother and his father; every single one of Endymion's relatives had been claimed one way or another by the war, leaving only himself, his mother, and Miri. "I suppose you're right, as usual. She is a valuable asset. One I cannot lose." He set his mouth sternly and looked up at the trees, silently hoping they too would not be marred by human greed.