1X1 with arvanien

[rubyrocketboots13]

Basil

“It’s not easy to walk around in those diabolical chopstick shoes!” Basil gave a bubbly laugh, wrapping her arms around Arion’s neck,” But, I’m sure suits are just as uncomfortable to wear all evening. I’d hate to have to suffocate in a suit. Honestly, I don’t see how guys willingly wear those things, especially ties! They seem like silk nooses to me” She grinned up at him crookedly.

A faint blush crossed her cheeks as she noticed Arion watching her with such a fond look in his eyes. Basil smiled shyly at the ground, not minding it in the least. She absolutely adored the way Arion was so gentle and caring around her. Even though they had only known each other for less than twenty-four hours, Basil knew that he loved her and that she loved him just as much. Giving a quiet laugh, she beamed up at Arion happily, “I don’t think I want the whole world. In fact, all I think I’ll ever want is to be with you.” Basil smiled softly as he ran his fingers through her hair; though it only made her drowsier.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s fine,” Basil insisted, not wanting him to have to leave, “I’m not terribly sleepy. But… maybe it would be best if we both got some sleep”. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, they both needed rest. Arion looked as if he would fall sleep on the cobblestone if they stayed here like this. But, what if this the last time we can be together? She thought worriedly, No, Arion promised that we'll see each other again.

Juniper

Juniper fell quiet, a hopeless feeling settling in his chest. He could feel the poison in his bloodstream, though he hadn’t taken notice of it until now. He was so worried about Celeste that it made him almost completely forgotten about his own injuries. Though, now they were hard to ignore; every breath he took felt like fire in his chest and his vision was rapidly becoming blurred. Juniper coughed weakly, wincing in pain. He hadn’t breathed in quite as much of the strange blue poison as Celeste had, but he knew that she was in much worse pain than he was. I’m so sorry, Celeste. I am so, so sorry for all of this. Guilt and anguish were far worse than the pain from his injuries.

Juniper held Celeste close, trying to support her as best as he could while attempting to give her the remaining potion. Despite his best efforts, it was clear that she wasn’t going to drink it. Juniper gave a soft, defeated sigh,” Alright… I’ll drink the rest of it.” He whispered. Very gently, he brushed her hair from her face, mustering up a small smile,” Don’t worry about me, okay?”. Though he was still hesitant, Juniper took a tiny sip of the vanilla scented potion to please Celeste.

Lyra

Lyra forced herself to relax a little as the healer cleaned and bandaged her wounds. After the fight. She had been covered in several deep gashes and dark purple bruises. Lyra gently squeezed Endymion’s hand, unsure how to properly thank him for all he had done. What was that runestone? She wondered, her thoughts hazy from the blood loss, [/i] Why is Endymion… acting this way? Why does he…care whether I live or die? [/i] It wasn’t hard to notice how he treated her differently than the other Howlers, though she assumed it was simply because she was the pack’s leader. Tiredly, Lyra rested her head back as she blankly stared up at the ceiling. The fierce glint in her coffee colored eyes had faded; now her usually enigmatic expression just looked drained and hopeless.

“The whole pack is counting on their leader to be strong and fearless. I have fathers and mothers and their children depending on me to protect their pack. And just look at me… nearly taken down by a single Quell and an impudent pup.” Lyra murmured weakly, grimacing. She looked up at Endymion as she continued, “I’ve fought countless battles with the Quell. What went wrong? The…. The Quell girl didn’t even have a weapon! And I [/i] yielded[/i]” A fit of coughing interrupted her before she could continue. The healer offered Lyra a bit of water, but she refused it with a shake of her head. Sighing softly, the alpha looked down at the already bloodstained bandage around her leg, “What must the pack think of their fearless leader now…?”

[arvanien]

Arion

He laughed, putting his arms gently around her waist and holding her warmly. "You're absolutely right! They get really hot in the summer. At least you ladies get to change up your dresses and stuff, right? I don't know anything about girls except some things from Celeste, to be honest." Arion shrugged lightly, grinning. Girls are always strange creatures. Especially her. God I love her so much.

Arion smiled amusedly at Basil. Her shyness was so adorable, he felt this warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest that wasn't supposed to be there. The bashful way she looked at the ground like that made him feel like he was watching a small, cute animal. He still couldn't get over the fact that she actually liked him back. It was the kind of stuff that happened only books and movies, yet here they were. "That's all I will ever need as well. You." Arion's eyes glinted with delight in the dimming glow of the lanterns as they focused themselves on Basil's face. It was probably past midnight by now. He knew he would never love anyone like he loved Basil ━ and it was a sure fact, not a fluffy promise to himself.

"Don't get me wrong, sunshine, I love being with you. But I don't want to be the reason you lose sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." He promised gently, carefully tucking a strand of Basil's hair behind her ear. Arion rubbed his eyes and slowly stood. He wished time would go back, even for a few minutes. But he had a strange, strong instinct that something was terribly wrong ━ and it had nothing to do with Basil or Hawthorne. Arion chewed his bottom lip, trying to put his finger on it. Am I just tired? No, I've never felt like this particularly...

Celeste

Celeste raised her chin a few inches in a desperate attempt to see Juniper's face one last time, then it dropped on her chest as she leaned entirely against him. The pain was ebbing and slowly being replaced with a numbness which was probably the first stage of poisoning. She tried to smile back at him, but it looked more like a small spasm of her mouth. "Good...puppy." She whispered inaudibly, relieved that Juniper would also have a chance to survive. The vial held only one serving, but it was better than nothing.

Endymion

He kept watching; there really wasn't that much to do now. Lyra looked terrible, but he knew she would make it. She had to. The alpha was one tough Howler, how else could someone as young as her be in such a position of leadership? Endymion forced himself to exhale after finding himself holding his breath. He stayed motionless, save for his eyes darting back and forth between the healer and Lyra. I'm just trying to help because she's the alpha. We need her leadership, he kept trying to tell himself. But he knew it really was just part of the truth. Endymion had watched calmly as the last alpha died after a brief but bloody battle, only a few years before. Don't get distracted, he scolded himself. He fixed his attention back on Lyra. It angered him to see her once-piercing expression so dull and colorless. The small red runestone had started to glow very faintly in the water, the broken dagger symbol turning a very light yellow against the ruddy stone.

"No one is invincible, Lyra, but you're pretty dαmn close. Each fight ends in either a dead soldier or a stronger warrior. And I know it will be the latter for you." He said quietly, looking back down at her. Burning hatred mixed with worry flickered in his dark blue eyes. "And don't worry about Juniper and the girl. They're probably dead by now. If not, it's just a matter of time," he smirked slightly, remembering his poison. The only thing making him feel better was that Lyra was in good hands and Celeste and Juniper were not. "The one thing our respect for you can do is grow. You pulled us through this war to peace. No other alpha has been able to do so for centuries."

[rubyrocketboots13]

]

Basil

“Right,” She laughed warmly, “I suppose we girls are lucky that we can wear dresses, especially in the summer. They probably are much cooler than a suit would be in warm weather.” Basil smiled up at him, amusedly, “Really? Well, to be honest, I don’t know too much about guys either, except what I know from Hawthorne, so I guess we’re even.” Truthfully, she didn’t know much about guys in general, but she knew Arion wasn’t just any ordinary guy.

Basil smiled up at him softly, lacing her fingers through his. Her words hadn’t been empty at all; she would always be perfectly content with having nothing more in life than Arion by her side. Her eyes sparkling madly in the lamp, Basil smiled up at him fondly, “You’re worth losing sleep over, you know” She said, gently putting her hand on his. Noticing his expression, Basil frowned a bit, “Arion? Is something wrong?” She asked worriedly.

Juniper

Juniper felt as if his heart was breaking all over again as he saw Celeste’s chin fell to her chest. He couldn’t bear to see her so weak. This is my fault. Celeste doesn’t deserve to die because of my mistake He thought miserably, hot tears welling up in his purple eyes, Maybe it would have been better if I would have never met her in that library. Now I’ve lost my home, pack and… soon, I’ll lose her. Juniper didn’t bother to swipe at his eyes as he was still holding Celeste close to his chest. No matter what, he wouldn’t leave her side or let her go. If they weren’t going to make it, then at least the last thing he would ever see was Celeste’s beautiful face. No amount of poison could rob her of her beauty to Juniper. "I'm so sorry, Celeste" He murmured softly, his eyelids feeling so heavy he could barely keep them open.

Lyra

“Lyra smiled faintly, somehow comforted by his words. Perhaps Endymion was right, maybe she wasn’t invincible, but she could pull through this. The alpha was undoubtedly a brilliant warrior. She had triumphed in hundreds of battles and had eventually led her pack into peace. It was vital that the alpha was there to protect the Howlers of her pack; they needed their leader to be strong and unyielding. Lyra may have seemed like a villain for her ruthlessness towards Quell and anyone she deemed a threat to the pack, but she simply did it to protect the people she cared about. “Good”, She murmured, nodding in approval, “Let them be an example to anyone who decides to threaten the wellbeing our pack.”

The healer remained quiet as they talked, looking somber. As soon as he was finished bandaging the last of her wounds, he gave a slight nod to both of them, “If you will both excuse me, I’m need to go find my son. He’s probably gotten lost patrolling with his terrible sense of direction” He said, giving a wane smile. But, the healer’s expression turned serious again, “Endymion, will you stay with her for a bit? Make sure she stays off that leg.”. “I can handle myself,” Lyra said, giving a slight dismissive wave, though she wanted Endymion to stay. The healer nodded before heading out of the hut. He prayed that they wouldn’t suspect what he was actually going to see if he could help Juniper and Celeste. It was no secret that Gilly and Juniper were good friends; the healer had watched them grow up together and was fond of Juniper in a fatherly way.

[arvanien]

Arion

"You really think so?" Arion squeezed Basil's hand, hoping she couldn't see his blush in the darkness. She was just impossibly sweet. "Well, you're my whole world, and you're too precious to lose sleep." Arion inhaled uneasily, "Man...I just realized that Celeste wasn't at the restaurant when we were there. I knew something was off. She always comes there after training to get a cup of tea or something. It's part of her routine, and she's a very punctual person. I know it may sound trivial, but something's probably wrong." He knew it sounded strange. However, his uneasiness was obvious as his bandaged hands wouldn't stop shaking. "I have to go. I'm sorry. Good night, darling. I love you." Arion stooped, gave Basil one last, warm hug, and sprinted away as fast as he could. It's been a while since I felt this way...I have to be quick, he thought as he raced through Solodin's streets, heading straight back to the training center, from where he hopefully could track her down. Arion hoped his premonition was wrong, but a twisting feeling in his gut told him he was probably right.

Celeste

"Do you remember...what the night sky up here...looks like tonight?" Celeste whispered barely audibly, her head still against Juniper's chest. "Can you see it now...Juniper?" She lay perfectly still in his arms, just managing to stay awake. The half-vial of healing potion had managed to curb the blood flow slightly, but she already was weak from losing too much blood. Celeste took a shaky breath, slowly lacing her fingers with his. "I can't remember."

Endymion

"If the boy somehow lives, it would be best to keep him in the pack so he doesn't cause any mischief to us from somewhere else," Endymion mused, though it was just a suggestion since all final decisions came from Lyra. "Well, I don't think either of them shall be a problem anyway, since my poison works quickly." He smiled quietly.

Endymion looked up at the healer, slowly releasing Lyra's hand. He knew from the healer's expression that he had other motives. Though the dark-haired Howler didn't know exactly what, he had an idea. "I'll come with you, Brother ______." He said calmly, his voice smooth and cold, leaving no room for debate. "Our alpha Lyra doesn't need a babysitter when she's the one who babysits all of us." He joked humorlessly. Endymion glanced back at the alpha, his expression betraying for a second that he wanted to stay with her, but he knew the healer was up to something - he just wasn't sure exactly what.

(Lol I don't know Gilly's dad's name)

[rubyrocketboots13]

Basil

“Yeah, I really think so” Basil smiled up at him, “I don’t mind losing a little sleep to stay with you.” She said sincerely. She frowned as she noticed Arion’s uneasiness a bit more. It wasn’t hard to tell that something was bothering him. “What?” Basil said, instantly worried about Celeste, “Where could she be?” She didn’t doubt that Arion was right about his sister being in trouble. Biting her lip, she cast a glance at the mansion, then back at Arion. I have to help him find Celeste. “Wait!” Basil called, jogging after him. Though, with her short legs, she couldn’t keep up quite as well. “I want to help you find her! Please?” She asked as soon as she had caught up with him.

Juniper

Very gently, he stroked her hair in a comforting way. "Shh, save your strength" He murmured quietly. Juniper closed his eyes, his voice dropping to a soft whisper, “The sky?...It’s truly breathtaking tonight. It’s stretching above us, painted with dark, majestic purples and blues instead of just black. And… and there are countless twinkling stars above us, like God threw millions of diamonds down into our atmosphere.” He smiled a tiny bit, continuing after he found his breath, “But, that’s… nothing compared to the moon tonight… it’s a full moon. It’s huge and milky white and somehow…. it’s lighting up the whole forest, but not like the sunlight. There’s… there’s something about moonlight that makes everything look even more beautiful” Juniper coughed, wincing as his shoulder shook violently. By now he was wheezing a bit, but he wanted to describe the loveliest picture of the night sky he could for Celeste. Very gently, he gave her hand a comforting squeeze, “I know we’ll make it out of this. Together.” He murmured almost inaudibly. They couldn’t afford to give up hope just yet, even if things seemed disheartening.

Lyra

(lol I could never decide on a name for him, so I’ve just been calling him just the Healer. XD I’m going to say Benjamin)

“Perhaps…” Lyra said, thinking it over quietly, “Still, if he survives your poison, I would feel safer if he is as far away from the village as possible. What if his disloyalty influences the pack?” She sighed softly, staring blankly up at the ceiling, “Or maybe you’re right… I don’t know…” Lyra rubbed her temples in an effort to clear her head. I can’t think straight like this. She thought, annoyed, I was never this indecisive before. What’s wrong with me? I can’t fall apart like this. Her glassy eyes held a very faint, but noticeable determination as she tried to pull herself together and straighten out her thoughts. Still lightheaded, Lyra carefully attempted to sit up a bit. “Brother Benjamin, Gilly isn’t a pup anymore. I’m sure he can find his own way home.” She suggested, wincing visibly,” Though… you could be right. If your son is lost again , maybe it would be best to organize a search party.”

The healer gave a small nod, not seeming to be bothered by Endymion wanting to come with him. “The more the merrier” He said, with a shrug. Endymion didn’t seem like the most cheerful company, but Benjamin didn’t dare to say no. “I know she doesn’t need a babysitter, “He said cracking a smile. He knew what Lyra was capable of, even in her weakened state, “Though, someone has to stay here to watch her. After all, she’s lost a lot of blood.” The healer reasoned. Lyra gave a soft noise in contempt, “You make me sound as if I were helpless….” She said frowning. Though the fact that the alpha looked as if she were going to pass out didn’t her argument very much.

[arvanien]

Arion

Arion was walking back towards the entrance of the building, his darkly rimmed eyes full of anguish. Even though it was quite late, some members were still inside. He'd gotten some information from the grey-haired Howler he had wrestled with earlier, who almost always seemed to be able to be in more than one place at a time. "Basil?" He seemed surprised as he saw her outside, "Are you sure - Well," Arion sighed, "It's horribly late now and I really don't want to get you into trouble with your brother. I'm not going to tell you what to do, though." He shook his head. "But I have to go now." He turned and began to jog away. A simple, elegant leaf-shaped blade was strapped in a midnight blue scabbard to his back. It was so long, it couldn't be comfortably hung at his waist despite Arion's formidable height. Wherever Arion was going, he definitely wanted to be prepared. He was also acting quite differently, very abrupt and so distraught he was on the brink of being impolite. It was a little strange to see him shift so quickly, but Arion had always been unpredictably unstable. He hadn't meant to be rude to Basil in any way at all, though, he was virtually blind in his distrait state.

Celeste

Celeste felt a slight glow of warmth in her numb body as Juniper stroked her hair like that. His touch was something she wanted to feel as long as possible. Her hair was disheveled and loose, but was still soft and smelled very faintly like lavender soap. She sighed softly, her eyes still closed. The pain had ebbed to a dull throb, though it might have been due to the fact that Juniper's words were all that were on her mind.

"Purple..diamonds....moonlight." She repeated to herself. "Beautiful...just like your eyes." She whispered almost unintelligibly but happily. Her words had only gotten spacier and spacier. Celeste smiled wanly, trying to roll back her head to look at him. It just fell limply back on her chest. She felt as if her heart would shatter against her ribcage at the way Juniper coughed so painfully. She knew he was dying too, but things seemed to slow down so...enormously. It felt like death now existed in a different plane of reality; they would stay here until their pain ebbed out and they'd live forever, holding each other's hands and looking at the night sky. Celeste's thoughts had grown unreal and everything had begun to blur, except Juniper's real, very solid presence.

Endymion

(Sounds cool!)

"His disloyalty will have a broad deterrent effect. You have made it clear that traitors will share his fate." He kept his words clear and concise, as he knew that it was disorienting to hear someone being verbose while you were sick or wounded. Poor Lyra seemed to be having a headache. As much as he wanted to stay with her, Endymion headed out the hut with Benjamin after giving Lyra one last concerned look. Why am I feeling like this? Snap out of it right now. "You're treating her like a newborn pup. She just needs rest. Also, there are others in the village." He pointed out. Endymion glanced over his shoulder at Juniper with Celeste in his lap, several yards away. A dark satisfaction welled up inside of him. Juniper had proven to be disobedient to Lyra and was suffering for it, he thought. He really didn't have anything against Celeste herself, except for what she had done to Lyra, but her death was a great way to avenge his own brother by letting her brother be crushed by grief for her. That is, until Endymion finally managed to put an end to Arion himself.

[rubyrocketboots13]

Basil

Basil chewed her lip worriedly, a bit frightened by Arion’s sudden change. He was acting totally different than the sweet, considerate guy she had been talking to earlier. Now he was paranoid and almost impolite. Though, she completely understood; if Hawthorne had been hurt or missing, Basil was sure she would have acted a bit strangely as well. “Arion I-“ She started, but hesitated. Not that it mattered, he had already dashed off before she could decide what she wanted to say. “I want to help you….” She finished quietly. Who am I kidding? I won’t be of much help. Arion’ll find Celeste and bring her home safely. He’s a warrior, remember? Basil sighed softly, watching him run off, But… what if he needs me? [i] She clenched her fist slightly, determined not to let doubt could her thoughts. Basil ran after him, though she suddenly realized she didn’t have anything to protect herself with incase there was a fight, not even her daggers. It seemed Arion expected trouble by the sword he was carrying. [i] You're a nature Quell, the whole earth is a weapon! She thought, perking up a bit. Maybe she could be useful?

Juniper

Juniper smiled to himself softly, a strange sense of peace settling over him. Everything around them was slowly fading as he completely focused on Celeste resting in his arms. Even the pain in his chest seemed to numb slightly. “Your eyes are much more beautiful than mine” Juniper murmured quietly, “I’ve never seen anything quite like them before. They’re even more spectacular than the night sky.” Gently, he cupped his slightly calloused hand to Celeste’s face, delicately brushing his thumb across her soft cheek. Juniper gave a small chuckle that sounded more like a wheeze,” Your lovely blue eyes… I think that’s one of the reasons….I fell in love with you” He admitted softly, his words sincere, though he sounded a bit dazed, “ The way you’re eyes sparkle when you’re happy… and the way you look at me….no one’s ever looked at me the way you do” A small, melancholy smile crossed his face as he looked down at Celeste,” I’d give… anything to see your eyes light up like that again.”

Lyra

“I hope you’re right…” Lyra gave a small nod, somehow his words comforting her by making her feel as if she had a bit more control. All of this was overwhelming, but the alpha couldn’t fall apart. She looked over at Endymion, meeting his gaze for a moment. Part of her wanted to ask him to stay, though Lyra couldn’t ask him to do that. After all, he had already done so much for her, more than duty to the pack required. Lyra had noticed his attitude towards her, but she kept telling herself that he was just acting this way for the good of the pack. There was no way that he actually cared about her… was there? A sharp stab of pain in her leg chased away the thought. She watched as Benjamin and Endymion walked out, leaving her alone in the Healer’s hut. Giving a small sigh, Lyra laid her head back and soon fell into a feverish sleep.

Benjamin walked out with Endymion, giving him a strange look for a split second. Making sure that Lyra was out of earshot, he said grimly,” You know as well as I do that she needs more than just rest. I’ve done all I can for her, but it’s up to fate now. To be completely honest… I’ll be surprised if she makes it through the night. “The healer gave a slight shrug, frowning a bit more “Maybe I was wrong, but I thought you’d like to be with her.” He glanced around at the village quietly. Most Howlers had gone home, but many were still sitting in the warm glow of the bonfire or talking quietly outside their huts. The once bustling village was now strangely tranquil and quiet. Benjamin spotted Juniper and Celeste, his expression flickering with concern, though he was glad to see that they were still alive. Though, he made no move to go help them because of Endymion. Instead, Benjamin motioned to the entrance to the village, “Come on, lets get a move on.” He said, a little less grim, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy the idea of trudging around in the dark all-night long.”

[arvanien]

Arion

Arion raced out of Solodin, plunging into the dark forest. He was a very fast runner, but he was relatively easy to track as light shone from his raised hand as he raced deeper and deeper. He'd been utterly exhausted just a few minutes ago, but this mere feeling in his gut drove him harder than caffeine ever could. The blood pounded angrily in his skull, his teeth clenched. Arion couldn't believe Celeste had headed to the Howler village, had she gone mad? As he neared the village, everything grew even darker. He heard a faint sound behind him and whipped around, his hand bursting into flames. But it was Basil; she had followed him. His expression changed from determination to astonishment. "Basil!" Arion jogged towards her, putting his other arm around her tightly. He was at a loss of words; Basil really ran after him in her desire to help? "I'm glad you were careful. There are still traps set around here." He cast his light around them, then continued deeper, keeping her close in a very protective way. "Basil. I-I can't believe you ran after me like that because you wanted to come along." He shook his head, smiling, "You really are a goddess." Lord have mercy, she's such a perfect little lady. He seemed to relax a fraction of a degree, though his high-strung anguish certainly hadn't gone away.

Celeste

Celeste steeled her will and slowly lifted her chin from her chest, dropping her head backwards to gaze up at Juniper. The poison had turned her once-glowing face a pale unnatural blue, but her eyes glimmered faintly as she listened to him, completely enraptured. She smiled softly as he touched her face, clearly enjoying it despite her weak state. "...really? You're in love...with me?" Celeste gave a soft, soundless giggle, reminiscent of her bright, cheerful laughter. Her eyes lovingly fixed on his, a soft warmth stealing through her body that chased away the numb feeling of blood loss. "You always...make me...so happy...and...I want to...be with you...forever. I...love you too...Juniper." She looked at him sincerely, a small smile on her sickly face. "More than...anything..." Celeste was pushing herself hard to even just talk, but she needed to. She opened her mouth again, then closed it sadly. She hadn't even said all she wanted to, but simply felt too weak. Is this just a dream? There's no way someone like him could fall for me, she thought hazily. But I love him so much, and I'm glad I told him.

Endymion

Endymion trudged alongside with Benjamin, his countenance darker than a thundercloud. "You've treated others wounded even more severely than her. Are you saying this because she's so young?" He asked. The Howler cast a sideway glance at the healer. "I never liked it when anyone stuck by my bedside out of pity." It was partly due to the fact that he always chose to quietly hide pain, not because of the all-too-common tough warrior attitude, but because he wanted no pity or are-you-okays. True, he had wanted to stay with Lyra, but he knew she had her pride. Maybe she felt the same way he did? He wasn't going to let his feelings <<ugh why am I like this?>> get in the way of respect. Endymion looked coolly at the bloodstained couple lying on the ground before heading to the village entrance with Benjamin. "Well, I hope your son won't be too troubled when he learns of today's casualties." He knew Benjamin and Gilly were close to Juniper, but a traitor is a traitor. he thought, resisting the want to smile. Perhaps it was sadistic, but to Endymion's point of view, justice doled out.

[rubyrocketboots13]

Basil

Basil jogged after Arion into the dark forest, doing her best to keep up without being too loud. How is he so fast? I’m in shape, but I can barely keep up! She thought, wishing her legs weren’t quite so short. Though somehow, she still managed to keep track of him as he ran by following the bright glow coming from his hand. She followed him carefully through the forest, a bit surprised that they were heading towards the Howler village. Why would Celeste be here…? An uneasy feeling settled in her chest, putting the green haired Quell on edge. Though, normally she loved walking through the forest at night, she couldn’t help but worry that Howlers could be lurking around in the shadows. Howlers could move through the forest without making a sound; you’d never know they were following you until they were right on top of you….and then it was too late. Basil felt her chest tighten with a painfully familiar fear. No… Get a grip! The war is over. The Howlers wouldn’t attack a Quell… right? Maybe Celeste just knows a Howler who lives here or something? She took a shaky breath to calm herself down. She couldn’t let her past experience with Howlers get in the way of her better judgement. Still, she had trouble controlling her anxiety.

As Arion whipped around suddenly with a handful of flames, Basil let out a panicked yelp, throwing her hands up in front of her face. Lavender flowers popped up out of the ground harmlessly around her ankles. So much for a powerful nature Quell defense “Arion!?” She squeaked, both relieved and startled at the same time. Basil gave a nervous laugh, lowering her hands, “Sorry, sorry…. You startled me…” She put her arm around Arion’s waist, glad for his comforting presence, “Of course I wanted to come along! I want to help you find Celeste.” She gave a slight laugh, “Though, you weren’t easy to keep up with, you know?” Hearing a quiet rustle of leaves nearby, Basil stiffened, “What was that?” She whispered nervously.

A long-legged stag with metal tipped horns gracefully stepped out of the bushes. Gilly transformed, his friendly attitude apparent, “Hey-o! What is this? Three Quell in one evening? I should start charging a fee to get into the village” He joked cheerfully. But, noticing Arion’s sword, he didn’t dare to come any closer. “Whoa! Easy there, fella! I’m just on patrol, I don’t wanna fight you if I don’t have too” He said, putting his hands up to show he didn’t mean any harm. Though, Gilly was a bit eccentric looking with his loud Hawaiian shirt and odd accessories, he was far from intimidating in human form. His eyes widened a bit as he recognized Arion, “Hey, I know you- “Gilly stepped back cautiously, ready to call for back up. There was no way he, a deer Howler, could outfight a Quell like Arion. Arion was feared and hated among the Howler pack; nearly everyone had heard wild rumors about his fighting during the war.

Juniper

Juniper smiled softly at her, a happy warmth settling in his chest as his noticed the sparkle in her eyes. It was good to see a little life back in her lovely blue eyes. “Yeah… I am” He said, giving a breathless chuckle, “I love you, Celeste....ever since I....saw you back in the library...I knew then that...I loved you” Juniper gave a raspy cough, though he didn’t wince this time. Slowly, the pain in his shoulder and chest was being replaced with an almost peaceful numb feeling. The only thing he could truly feel was Celeste’s soft warmth in his arms. Gently, he laced his fingers through hers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, smiling softly down at her. His own purple eyes held a very faint, cheerful sparkle. “I know we’ll... be together forever...” Juniper’s voice had grown slow and drowsy, though he felt completely euphoric.

Lyra

* Lyra's still sleeping in the healer's hut*

“I’m a healer, not a miracle worker.” Benjamin said calmly, though it was obvious that he was trying to keep the edge out of his voice. Endymion was questioning his authority as a healer and he didn’t appreciate it. “Yes, I’ve treated others with worse injuries.” He sighed, the grey-haired healer somehow looking older and wearier, “But, I can’t heal someone who doesn’t want my help. Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but let’s face it, Lyra doesn’t accept help well nor does she think she needs it." He was speaking very liberally, but hoped that Endymion wouldn't call him out for it." Anyway, I've done everything I can, but I can't make her rest or force her to take the time to heal. If she aggravates her injuries any more...." He gave a dismissive wave, "Never mind, you probably don't care to hear about that. Enough with these gloomy predictions!" The healer smiled wanly, leading the way out of camp. The grey-haired healer looked back at Endymion with a strange expression on his face. “It’s not pity, Br’er Endymion, it’s mercy. It’s cruel to let someone suffer by themselves.” He gave a soft sigh, “We’re Howlers! We’re a part of a pack, each of us can depend on one other."

As Endymion mentioned Juniper and Celeste, the healer's jaw tightened slightly, " Juniper and Gilly always were good friends. I can imagine that he's going to be upset." The healer obviously didn't want to talk about it. It strangely hurt to see Juniper and Celeste like that, but there really wasn't anything he could do. If he helped them, he would be a traitor as well. But, the healer knew that it would hurt Gilly much more than it hurt him. Gilly and Juniper had been friends since they were pups; they had always been up to mischief when they were younger. Benjamin smiled slightly to himself, remembering.

[arvanien]

Arion

Arion lowered his hand, quickly willing the flames to extinguish. "Uh, sorry," he said breathlessly, but couldn't help grinning at the lavender flowers. Green magic wasn't anything unusual to him, but the way Basil summoned flowers when she was surprised or flustered was so cute. "Thanks for coming to help. I couldn't ask for a better partner than you." He smiled. The light began to shine from his palm again. It lit up the surroundings quite well, but cast weird, twisted shadows everywhere. Every single one of Arion's senses were on high alert. Turning, he immediately stepped in front of Basil just as Gilly appeared, his free hand quickly reaching back to grasp his sword hilt even before he registered Gilly's face.

Arion's eyes narrowed as he sized up Gilly. "Three Quell? Have you seen Celeste?" He demanded, stepping forward in a way that wasn't exactly nice. Gilly was friendly and quite disarming, but everything standing between Arion and his sister was an enemy. He glared at Gilly as the deer Howler took a step back. "What, you don't know me." He sneered. In his determined focus to find his sister, Arion seemed to have forgotten his feared reputation among Howlers. "I don't care; I know my sister's somewhere in your accursed village." He turned sharply and kept walking, keeping Basil even closer to him. Arion's memories of the Howler village began to relive themselves, uninvited. They had been seared into his brain by the war - raw torture, starvation, and utter dehumanization. The war was over, but he had to get Celeste out of there as fast as possible.

Celeste

Celeste smiled up at Juniper, every shred of her consciousness fixed on him. She was visibly slipping away, but appeared perfectly happy as her eyes held a serene, faraway look. "I knew...you were....special...from...the start." She managed, the spaces between her breathy words getting more and more frequent. "I love...you...darling." Celeste was barely audible, but she meant every word. She found that she couldn't move her fingers anymore, they were quickly getting cold and white like a corpse's. Celeste was grateful for the feeling of Juniper's strong fingers between her limp, flaccid ones. At least he will be the last thing I will feel, she thought peacefully, determined to keep her eyes on his even though it wouldn't be long. "For...ever," she repeated after him, as if really tasting the word for the first time. It did feel like it; Juniper had given the word a completely new light in her mind. Celeste smiled very faintly, closing her eyes as her pulse started to stagger.

Endymion

"Those two things will mean pretty much the same for this evening, if we're still going to seek unity." It was a purposefully blunt statement, as a united pack was incredibly important. He inclined his head, "No one else is capable of bringing our alpha back other than you, Brother Benjamin." Unless I finish my study on necromancy which will take how many more years, The dark Howler thought bitterly. Endymion frowned at Benjamin's words regarding Lyra. "Certainly she isn't that big-headed or blind." was the only comment he offered. He obviously knew Lyra, but certainly not personally or intimately. "Why would she be that foolish?" He almost snapped. "Even a warrior with the biggest ego wouldn't try to make their injuries worse. Except for those careless Quell with their purple magic." Endymion just shrugged, "Whatever you choose to call it. It's the same." He clearly didn't see things from Benjamin's more compassionate point of view.

"Upset. Well, the young man can always befriend better peers, can't he." Endymion said, his satirical demeanor betraying his light tone. "Friends are friends until they turn back on you." He muttered half to himself.