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Post by Zen on Jun 12, 2013 7:30:40 GMT
I’m home, Kai thought in disbelief. Only several months had passed, but it felt like a lifetime since she had last seen these familiar lands. As she’d predicted, nothing much had really changed, at least nothing that she was able to immediately notice, and she wondered why it had taken her so long to gather the courage to come back here. She couldn’t pretend that the last battle at Iris hadn’t broken much of her spirits, though. She was a different dog now, not just emotionally but physically too...except in all the worst possible ways, and she shuddered when she thought about how the pack would react to her when they saw what she had become. First there was the scars. She hadn’t thought they would matter much to her once they were healed, but every so often when she’d catch a glimpse of her reflection in a pool of water, she’d cringe and quickly look away. She really was hideous. And she couldn’t even imagine how bad she must look through two eyes.
Over the past season, she’d slowly learned how to hunt small game and manage daily life as a half-blind cripple; she’d had to learn - it was either that or starve and die, and she was too stubborn to just give up on life that easily. Her twisted leg and missing eye had become so much a part of her that she hardly noticed them anymore, but now, standing before her old homeland, it began to dawn on her that she could never hope to return to her life as a Tempest Pack soldier, not as long as she dragged this shriveled up limb along with her. Her fighting days were effectively over, the Iris Pride had made sure of that. They might not have managed to kill her, but they might as well have. What use could she possibly be now? Fighting was the only thing she had ever been good at and the only thing she really enjoyed. She didn’t want to even think about being placed into another rank...any other rank besides soldier would feel incredibly inferior.
She seriously considered just turning around and leaving it all behind, yet in the end Kai ground her teeth together and released a loud bark into the chilly afternoon air. It was one she hoped would call the attention of some of her old packmates, most of which probably assumed she was dead and long gone. Her ears - or what remained of them after the cats had shredded the floppy pieces of skin to ribbons - searched for any approaching footsteps. She hoped someone would come, anyone. Even if all they did was shun her or laugh at her horrible condition. After so much time spent alone, she just wanted to hear someone else’s voice.
OOC: just to clarify in case this was weird and confusing, I’ve decided that Kai escaped and has been been in hiding since the battle at Iris, and her permanent injuries include a missing eye, scars on almost every section of her body, torn up ears and a crippled leg. In other words she’s one ugly mofo ;__;
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2013 13:26:24 GMT
Valkyrie had very little to do these days; just her regular patrols and drill as a Soldier, as well as attempting to get used to Clegane in time for the challenge that could win them the Lexis Tribe's former territory. She was restless, and felt more like leaving the pack with each day that passed. She had no friends, nothing except her duties and fast-fraying loyalty to the pack to keep her her.
She was thankful, in a way, that she had been chosen to represent the pack; it was a chance to prove herself - and an opportunity to alleviate her boredom. Now fully recovered from her time as a prisoner of the Pride, she was almost completely fully grown; she towered over practically everyone in the Pack, her eyes and fur lustrous and healthy.
But looks could be oh so deceiving.
The young she-wolf found it terribly ironic that she, of all canines - the daughter of Gravity, the Warden, and a Soldier who had already proven herself in battle, not to mention experienced terrible things at the paws of the Iris pride - would even contemplate leaving the Tempest Pack. But part of her, a large part of her, wanted her to leave. She didn't agree with the general consensus that all felines must die; she wanted universal justice - not canine justice. But she was young, and to a certain extent, unsure of where her life was headed. Unsure of what she wanted out of it.
It was in such a frame of mind that Valkyrie was wandering the cemetery, weaving around graves as she trudged aimlessly along, her head drooping.
Then she inhaled that painfully familiar scent.
No, it couldn't be, she had to be hallucinating. . .
Looking up, she found she wasn't.
In that split second, she took in her best friend's terrible injuries. Scars everywhere. Torn ears. A lamed leg. A missing eye.
"KAII!!!"
Flinging herself forward, Valkyrie skidded to a halt in front of the ravaged mutt. Like the cub she had once been, like an overexcited puppy, the young she-wolf quivered all over as she sniffed and licked almost every inch of her friend's face.
Stepping back half a pace, she whispered heart-brokenly, "If only I'd known, I'd have come to find you.I'm so sorry, Kai. Why didn't you find me? I. . . I was unconscious, I thought you were dead."
Pressing herself against her friend's side, she gazed at her lovingly, the only creature left that she could look at in such a way, and murmured, "Please don't leave me again, you're all I have left."
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Post by Hunter on Jun 12, 2013 14:51:56 GMT
A chilly wind caught his fur and brought with it a familiar scent. Valkyrie. He hadn’t been very nice to her seen with his own eyes – since she’d come back from her time in Iris, he hadn’t really spoken to her. Only given her polite nods and happy smiles. He’d been so busy and forgotten all about the fact that she might need a talk. A talk with someone who knew what she’d been through. She was so young after all, and seemed so alone. Was she going all alone with all her thoughts and memories? He should have talked to her sooner, perhaps now was the time to make up for it.
He’d tried to put her and her brother together on a mission, hoping that they despite their differences at least could cooperate, maybe even get a good experience together. But it didn’t really seem like that was what had happened. Better make up for it, he thought and trotted in the direction of the she-wolf’s scent. As the Warden of Tempest, it wasn’t only his duty to have the pack fit for fight. He should also to a degree make sure of others wellbeing. At least that was how he felt. He didn’t want to be a brute dictator, but instead – despite his age – a guide for the members. Valkyrie was alone. Kai was gone, her mother was gone, Ares was gone… Orion was the only family she had left, and their relationship was nothing to speak of. Valkyrie needed someone.
Valkyrie’s tracks led him to the cemetery. He could hear the young wolf’s voice, but not make out the words, and he increased his pace. As he got closer, Ryu didn’t just see Valkyrie, but also another dog. A trespasser. His muzzle curled into a snarl and a deep growl emerged from his throat as he approached, tail raised high. ”Who are you to-” but before he got any further, something about the ragged canine in front of him became familiar. The canine was a ragged figure, torn to pieces by something monstrous. It was hard to recognize her… ”Kai?” His eyes widened, but it only took a split second of disbelief before he rushed to the female’s side, reaching out to lick the bigger female’s cheek in comfort. ”Oh Kai, what have they done to you… had I known you’d been alive… I’d have sent someone…. I…”I’d have come out myself,he lost words. Nothing could justify the way Kai had been treated. She was only a shadow of herself, her eye missing, her leg limp… and the scars.
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Post by Mika on Jun 12, 2013 20:00:31 GMT
Gus didn't have much to do other than patrol and, occasionally take a night shift with the other soldiers. Other than that he would spend most of his time with Brooke, making sure she could still stand on her own, bringing and doing what she asked him to do.
Gus wasn't sure how long his, now former, mistress had but, he wanted to be there to help as much as he could.
Recently, sometime after what happened to Lexis, he started questioning his morals. He began to question if Lyra would really approve of him joining a pack that would mindlessly kill felines. Sure, Gus was only against the tyrants in Iris but, not every canine in Tempest was only against Iris. Most, if not all of them would kill innocent felines without warning. He even questioned Brooke's decision to slaughter every member in Lexis instead of letting some of them go.
Gusto wasn't sure how he felt right now. Guilt maybe? He was still guilty about not being able to give Kai the help she needed and, even though he didn't really partake in the battle with Lexis, he still felt guilty about what happened to them.
Gus contemplated leaving once Brooke finally did pass on.
A familiar scent slowly brought him out of his thoughts. At first he thought he was hallucinating until he caught the scents of Valk and the new Warden. The source soon came into view. Valk and Ryu were already there, seeming to comfort an unfamiliar looking canines.
The canines was covered with scars that made the coyote cringe, her ears were torn and he thought he could see a missing eye. He stared at the stranger and thought for a moment why Valk and Ryu would be friendly with her instead of chasing her away.
Soon Gus was running toward the three calling Kai's name before stopping before Kai, nearly collapsing. He was happy that she was still alive but, it looked like he would start crying a river at any moment.
"Thank goodness you're alive. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to help you before."
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Post by Zen on Jun 14, 2013 6:05:40 GMT
Valkyrie. So she was still here, alive and well. Her fate had remained a mystery to Kai ever since they had been separated back at Iris, and it was a relief to see her again after so many months spent wondering what had happened to her. A relief at first, anyway. As Valk ran to her, Kai narrowed her eye in scrutiny. She didn’t notice anything wrong in the way Valk ran...or anything wrong with her eyes and ears...or any terrible scars and disfigurements on her body. And she noticed how the pretty girl’s fur seemed so soft and shiny, and wasn’t falling out in matted clumps like Kai’s was...
Jealousy. It was a foreign feeling for her, a dog who'd never cared much about appearances, either her own or anyone else's. Kai knew she would never again look even half as strong and radiant as Valk did in that moment.
The younger canine began covering her in a tidal wave of licks and nuzzles, and Kai had to take a quick step back to avoid being toppled over by the affectionate assault. Blinking, she silently stared as the wolf then dissolved into an emotional mess. Kai had no idea what to do. Something told her she should be crying and sniffling alongside Valk, telling her friend how much she missed her and how she never wanted to be parted from her side ever again...but instead she just stood there, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
“That’s not true,” Kai told her bluntly. “You’ve got the pack, you’ve got your health, your body isn’t completely ruined, you can still run and fight and hunt properly...” She inhaled a sharp breath and let her voice die off. Her one remaining eye focused on Valk, on her old friend, and she felt her paws start to tremble a little. Look at me! she wanted to scream at her. Look at what you did to me!
She couldn’t bring herself to say it, though. It would be so easy to blame her, but this wasn’t Valkyrie’s fault, not really. Kai had chosen to enter the slaughterhouse of her own free will, knowing perfectly well the danger she was putting herself into. What happened to her could have happened to any of the other dogs involved in the rescue. She was a victim of chance, that was all.
But still...still...if Valkyrie hadn’t been so stupid and gotten herself captured...
She didn’t want to think about it. Pushing Valk away due to her bitterness would mean losing the only person she was able to call a true friend - aside from Rikki.
Rikki. Another life that could've been spared if Valkyrie hadn't been such a careless fool. Kai tried and failed to fight the thought from entering her mind.
She gave her head a quick shake. “Nevermind, forget it. I’m really happy you’re okay, Valk,” she finally said, forcing a weak smile. A completely fake smile. Why couldn’t she be as happy to see Valkyrie as Valk was to see her?
Her head turned slightly in surprise when Ryu approached them, baring his teeth at her before it dawned on him who she really was, causing Kai to close her eye in shame. He hadn’t recognized her. He had thought she was just some disgusting loner who’d come stumbling on to Tempest land without permission. She wanted to go crawl in a hole and never come out. Nevertheless, she allowed him to lean in and give her a comforting lick, despite getting absolutely no comfort from it at all. But the fact that he was even trying made her smile a bit. For real this time.
And Gusto had come too. All her old comrades were coming to greet her, and she felt her spirits start to lift a little. “S’fine, you guys,” she said quietly, gazing off to the side. “You didn’t know, and I...I didn’t want to be found. Not 'til I was ready to come back.” Her eye flickered between Gusto and Ryu and she relaxed a little, her voice slowly getting more cheerful. “C’mon, don’t feel bad; you did everything you could to help me. Hell, if it weren’t for you guys, I’d have been cat food. You saved my life, even at the risk of your own.” She motioned down at her twisted leg, hanging limply against her chest. “And I don’t blame you for this. Or anything else that happened.”
She didn’t look at Valk.
“Ryu...” she started, then trailed off. She needed to ask him about her fate as a Tempest soldier, but she was afraid of the answer she'd get. It was downright stupid of her to think that everything could go back to normal now that she was home, but a part of her still refused to believe she would no longer get to hold the rank she loved so dearly. It was just unthinkable. “So...you’re leader of the pack now, right?” she asked him instead. That piece of gossip hadn’t managed to escape her while she had been living in her self-imposed exile. “And Gusto, were you promoted after the rescue mission? How’ve your brothers been, Valk? You guys need to fill me in on everything that’s happened.” She sat down and looked at the three of them expectantly, hoping some light conversation would distract her and make her feel like nothing had changed. At least for a little while longer.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2013 6:04:04 GMT
OOC;; Yay angst >'D
Valkyrie drew back a little when she realised how suffocating she was being. Ryu appeared, obviously taking a moment to realise who she'd been talking to, and then Gusto arrived too. But she wanted to concentrate on her friend at this moment. The friend who she had not seen in months, and hadn't interacted properly with for more than a year.
Perhaps it was best that she'd calmed down then, for Kai's reaction was not, on the surface, what she would have expected. At first, she simply stood there awkwardly, as if she didn't know her best friend that well.
Then the deluge of accusations poured fourth, and Valkyrie realised how mistaken she'd been, how blind she was not to realise how Kai would be feeling at that moment. She stood there silently as the words buffeted her. She watched as her old friend's one good eye centred on her, a tremor evident in otherwise-steady paws.
The remorse and sorrow she felt for the mutt's state mingled with her sudden resentment at the accusation. Of course, because she was alive and unhurt - apart from the scars that littered her body - and she was obviously still a member of Tempest, it would seem that all was right for her.
But that couldn't be further from the truth. On the outside, everything was fine and dandy.
On the inside?
She had no idea what she was even living for. She was a mess of guilt, had been since her release - for her mother's death, for Kai's supposed death, for her killing of innocent canines and felines whose only crime was being brainwashed into attacking Tempest. She couldn't decide if Tempest was evil or just mistaken in their beliefs.
A bitter laugh left her, hard and sharp as the wind of a blizzard. "I'll grant you that - except for the first. But I'd rather be as you are that how I am now. If I could trade with you, Kai, I would do so gladly." From the way her voice trembled, her eyes fiery with longing, it was clear that she wasn't lying. If she were Kai, all the guilt, all the confusion, and most of the loss that she felt wouldn't exist. Not to mention the cracked, warped shell that was her mind being whole and sound.
But then - if it hadn't been for her getting herself captured, Kai would have been with her all this time, unmaimed and happy. A shuddering sigh left the massive she-wolf as she ran her gaze along the other female's body before meeting her eyes with a steady amber gaze that was dark with remorse and sorrow. Surely her friend knew that it would be impossible for either of them to forget this? Every time she looked at her, she would be reminded of it. The smile that the bitch plastered on her face was entirely fake, a see-through façade. "It's my fault you're like this; I know. If I could undo that one mistake I had made all those months ago, as a half-grown cub, I would. I'd rather be dead than have you like this, Kai - and I know, I know it's small good saying that now." Her voice cracked on the word dead, drawing a sharp intake of breath but still refusing to turn away.
A bitter emptiness and utter loneliness filled her as she watched Kai turn to the others, slowly regaining some of her old composure, and a real smile at Ryu's actions obviously starting to feel more at ease in the midst of her old comrades; her instant dismissal of their exclamations of guilt while thanking them for defending her - without so much as glancing at Valkyrie, without including her - only furthered this. She wanted to snarl, I was there, I helped save your life too - do you think I would have left you to fend off those cats on your own? But she didn't - besides, it had taken her moments, far too long, to decide to go to Kai's aid. It didn't matter that she'd been weak herself; the big mutt was her friend.
The young timber-arctic wolf cross focused her gaze on her paws, trying not to let the selfish hurt poison her completely as Kai asked the other two about their positions in the pack, but not her. It wasn't as if she was the centre of the universe - but she was supposed to be Kai's friend.
Light, surface conversations always annoyed Valkyrie, and this was no exception, but she retained her composure as she lifted her head to say expressionlessly, "Lyall and Adrian disappeared; Orion and I aren't on the best of terms." In other words, he hates me. For one of the same reasons as you do She tried not to let it get to her, either, as Kai asked everyone except her how they were faring. Of course, because everything looked fine for her, it obviously was that way.
Of course.
She swallowed the bitterness and continued to gaze stonily at the other three as they conversed.
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Post by Hunter on Jun 16, 2013 12:03:48 GMT
Gusto, Valkyrie and he were all soon beaming at Kai’s return, but there was a member’s affection she did not return, and the awkward scenery soon evolved to a booming argument. ”Stop it, both of you,” he said abruptly, looking at the females, both of them ragged in different ways. Their argument would serve no good for anyone though he knew some of the pain they both felt. What was done was done, and blaming each other for the horrors of the felines would neither serve them or the pack. Hatred toward one another would only weaken the pack, dissolve it even, and thereby strengthening the Iris Pride, giving them an upper hand. A thing he wished they’d never get.
But he had not needed. Kai’s smile at her apology was a fake one as far as he could see, but he let it go. Valkyrie explained herself by then, her voice cracking as guilt seemed to overwhelm her. But he didn’t get to act on it since Kai’s voice spoke his name. She seemed uncertain as she stood there, her aura telling him of something hidden underneath the surface. She was going to ask him something. Something selfish which she feared he might not be able to – or worse, might not want to give her. But she dodged it, as if the question she wanted to ask was a foe she wasn’t ready to face. Instead, she asked him about his position, and his lips broke out in a genuine smile. ”I’m proud of you, Kai,” he said, not feeling need of answering. Besides, who wouldn’t know by now? ”It’s good to have you back.” He nuzzled her cheek with his nose before reporting of the news. ”The Lexis Tribe attacked us not long ago. We don’t know exactly what made them attack us in such madness, but we have suspected the Iris Pride to be behind since they also turned up – as if letting Lexis fight their cause…” he trailed off. He still didn’t like what had come out of the fight, but it had been necessary. Had they done nothing but stand idly by, it’d have been Tempest who’d have been driven off that cliff. ”Since then, we haven’t learned much about the Iris Pride’s future plans. They might be just as eager to fill their stores up for winter.”
Kai had sat back on her haunches as she listened. He thought about doing likewise, but the depressed figure of Valkyrie lingered in the corner of his eye, and he remembered why he’d come here in the first place. He went to stand by the bigger she-wolf’s side, tail brushing lightly against hers. ”I need all the help I can get,” he said with a mild voice, trying to catch her eyes. ”I’m sorry about your brothers. And that I might have made your relationship with Orion turn out for the worse.” He paused shortly before he continued. ”We’re pack, and I want to help you. All of you. I was lonely for a year – it’s nothing I want anyone else to feel.” For a moment his eyes went distant as he remembered the cell the felines had given him. But he brushed it away. These were other times, better times. The pack had come after him, given him a gift. And now Brooke had chosen him as her successor, giving him even more to live for. The pack he’d loved ever since he’d knocked on its doors. ”We rescued you for a reason, Valk,” he said, his soft voice barely more than a whisper. ”Life is a gift, a gift we wanted to give you.”Why aren’t you living?
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Post by Mika on Jul 14, 2013 0:50:26 GMT
Gus stayed silent as the others spoke. He didn't know what else he could say. Sure, Kai didn't seem angry at him for not getting help in time and ending as she was now but, that didn't erase the guilt he felt. The two females of the small group were suddenly arguing. He continued to stay silent, letting his leader handle the situation. Gus didn't think he had a right to step in and stop them but, he also didn't think now was a time to fight and make new enemies.
"Nothing new and exciting here, sorry." He said as he tried to smile one of his typical goofy smiles. A few seconds later his smile shrunk. "Unless you count Antigone just leaving suddenly." His voice was low but still loud enough to hear.
He actually thought about doing the same. Maybe it was the last rescue mission that changed him a little. He agreed with the thought of fighting against packs like Iris but, Gus recently started to question his own reasons for joining.
Tempest probably wasn't any better than Iris. There were members who would willingly kill and feline that they saw, Iris cat or not. One canine that came to mind was Clegane, another well respected soldier in the pack. Gus knew the elderly soldier would attack and kill a feline who could be paying him no mind.
Iris probably used the packs cruelty to their advantage. One of the prides' members convinced Lexis to launch an attack and Tempest proceeded to to kill most, if not all, of its members. If it were up to him, he would have given them a chance to escape. His enemies were supposed to be Iris, not a pack who only wanted peace.
Gus became silent once again, listening to what the others had to say.
(sorry it's so bad. I guess I don't have much muse right now)
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Post by Zen on Jul 17, 2013 3:19:23 GMT
Kai cringed. The pain and guilt on Valk’s face made her wish she had taken a moment to choose her words instead of blurting out her innermost feelings so quickly. But yet...she would’ve been lying if she said she hadn’t also somewhat enjoyed the remorse she saw in her friend’s eyes, because a part of her believed Valkyrie should feel guilty. That she deserved the pain. While it was true that Valk's misery wouldn't fix her leg or fade her scars, it sure made Kai feel better. And she'd take her happiness where she could get it.
Ryu’s sharp command sent her back to reality and, thankfully, away from her disturbing thoughts. She glanced at him in slight confusion, not really believing they had been doing anything wrong, as Kai had just been stating facts and Valk had just been releasing her emotions. They hadn't actually been arguing - not yet, anyway. But she knew when to be obedient, so she turned back to her oldest friend, keeping up her transparent smile. “C’mon, don't talk like that. Tempest needs strong warriors and hunters. You’d be no good to anyone if you’d ended up like me.” She tried her best to sound gentle and encouraging, two words she was admittedly unfamiliar with, but she had a feeling her encouragement had come out sounding just as hollow as her expression.
She flinched away from Ryu's nose against her face and dropped her gaze to the ground, softly but firmly trying to tell him she didn't want the physical affection anymore. Between him and Valkyrie it was starting to become too much, and she wanted to spare him from feeling like he had to keep comforting her. Gusto was the only one who seemed to get that she wasn't one for being nosed and licked over and over. She was starting to really respect the little guy. Kai tilted her head to the side and offered him a tiny smile when he mentioned his missing friend. "Hey, I disappeared too, but I came back, didn't I? Sometimes people just need some space. Don't lose hope." When Valk answered her question, she felt an unsettling mix of sympathy and sick satisfaction. Good, she thought, you're on your way to knowing what it feels like to be left with nothing to live for. But Kai also knew the feeling of not having anyone to call family. She could empathize. “Sorry to hear that,” she replied with a surprising amount of warmth in her voice. Even she couldn’t tell whether it was genuine or not. "Guess all that's happened in the last year has taken a toll on everyone."
Not knowing what else to say, she shifted her attention back to Ryu. “I heard about that battle, yeah. Wish I could've been there to fight beside you.” Kai's face hardened to stone for a moment as she mentally corrected herself, not that I could have done anything besides sit on the sidelines and be a useless cripple. She forced herself not to dwell on the thought and immediately went on, “But the Lexis Tribe is gone, that much I’m sure of. They were conned by Iris into attacking us. Most of its members were killed and the ones that survived will probably be picked off during the winter. See, the thing about that pack was that most of 'em were never trained to fight and survive out there in the real world. If you threw a Lexis dog into the wild with no one to rely on but himself and his own gut instincts, he wouldn’t know what to do." She snorted and gave her scarred shoulders a quick shrug. "They were so brain dead. All they did was lay around all day, waiting for their 'peace' to magically show up and solve everything. Well, they have their peace now...just not the kind they were hoping for.” While she wasn’t exactly celebrating the deaths of those dogs, she felt no remorse for them. The Lexis Tribe was weak, so of course nature would see it fit to kill them off.
“As for Iris, I haven’t heard much either. If I had to guess I’d say they’re probably just busy recovering from the battle. And the surprise we gave 'em at the slaughterhouse.” She threw Gusto and Ryu a satisfied smirk, then turned serious again. “But y'know, if they’re growing their numbers back up, we should be doing the same. Recruiting new members, birthing more pups, training new soldiers and that kinda thing. We've got to always stay one step ahead of those cats.” After giving her advice, she turned her eye toward Valk, who'd gone noticeably quiet and distant. Ryu must have noticed too, and Kai looked on and said nothing as he tried to buck her back up. What was her problem, anyway? Was she still feeling upset about before or was it something else? Kai suspected the latter, but didn't ask. As if she's got any right to complain. The weight of her dead leg suddenly felt heavier and a scowl pulled at her lips. Oh yeah, life's a gift, all right. You better appreciate your goddam gift, because it came with one hefty price, Valk.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2013 10:45:44 GMT
Pointed ears flickered back towards her skull as Ryu intervened, obviously not liking how their conversation was progressing. She didn't even try to match the smile Kai plastered on her face as she responded to her attempt at encouragement, eyes glassy, mouth set. Her tone was emotionless, a monotone.
"I'm telling you how I feel - and I'm sure Tempest would be just fine without me, we're not exactly in dire need of more members." She didn't feel like being encouraged, especially not by Kai. It was just another painful reminder of how she'd failed everyone she'd held dear. another painful burr sticking into her pawpads.
She witnessed all the rest in silence, before Kai turned to him and Gusto, and as Valkyrie sat there, she was almost relieved as some of the tension was dispelled - at least temporarily. Ryu filled the mutt in on everything that had gone on while she had been missing - mainly the battle. One more reason for the she-wolf to wish their positions had been reversed - one more event that, had it never happened, would relieve her of so much guilt. She wondered if Kai was disappointed that she'd missed the battle - at any rate, in the state she was in, there was little she could have done if she had been there. Her fighting days were over and done.
The young canine bowed her head, staring at the ground as if it would open up and swallow her - as if she wanted it to do just that. It should have been her, maimed and unable to fight. She had no idea why Iris hadn't at least gouged out an eye, and crippled her - wouldn't they have wanted to deprive their enemies of a future fighter?
But no. Maybe they were stupider than she had thought, or maybe, more likely they had been just too arrogant to think she and Ares would have a hope in Hell of escaping.
In some ways, she just wished they'd been right. If nobody had tried to rescue her, she'd have been the only casualty, instead of her mother dying, and her once-best friend reduced to a bitter shadow of her former self.
Movement nearby caught Valkyrie's lowered gaze, and she lifted her head again, not sure what to expect as the young Warden came to stand beside her, tail brushing hers. His words made barely more of an impression than Kai's. Still, she met his eyes as he spoke. Yes, he knew how she felt, to an extent - even before his time as a prisoner, she'd heard rumours of his life before Tempest - a dead mother, a father who blamed him for her death and cursed him for a useless, gutless coward. And look how he'd turned out - Warden of Tempest.
The Canaan Dog's whispers brought her back from her musing, and for some inexplicable reason, they made her angry. Furious, you'd have done better to leave me there to rot. That's how much of a gift it's been. I couldn't have been more of a mess than I am now! But the words never left her lips, the anger barely reaching her eyes before it was gone. She hated practically everything about her life, and herself now; wallowing in self-pity, weighed down with guilt, and utterly miserable here in Tempest. She shook her head then, a sudden lump in her throat not allowing her to speak.
Gusto's word's provided a much-needed distraction, and the she-wolf gazed at him, sympathy softening otherwise dead amber eyes. He and Antigone had been almost something of a item before she'd left, she recalled suddenly. She couldn't think of anything to say, but she padded over to him and licked his cheek, just once, to let him know that she felt for him. He had know way of knowing whether she was alive or dead, and Valkyrie wagered he probably had thought of seeking her out.
Padding back to her former position after a few moments, she was surprised to hear Kai react to her words in a friendly manner, but she didn't show it. She hadn't ever heard anything about her family, that she could remember - maybe it had hit a chord with her. Nodding wordlessly, she flicked her tail to one side, once again not really having anything to say.
Kai's informed version of Lexis' demise caught the timber-arctic wolf's interest, stomach roiling uncomfortably. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she went into more detail about Lexis members themselves - she didn't totally agree with what the big bitch was saying; some Lexis dogs and cats, she knew, had been Tempest or Iris members before joining, tired of the war. Why hadn't they been more willing to fight for it? She didn't know, but she didn't think it was because they were all as stupid as Kai seemed to be implying. She said nothing, though, but if her almost sceptical expression was seen by any of the others, she didn't care unduly. If they did, that was their problem.
Then she realised by not actually speaking out, she was as good as agreeing with Kai's words. Her words weren't scathing so much as challenging, spoken with more fire - more life to them - than anything else she'd said in the last few minutes. "I wouldn't be so sure of that. Have you heard? - there's a small group - mixed canines and felines - formed recently, some from Lexis, if the rumours are true. And none of them - canines or felines - sound like they're just going to sit there. Who knows, they could actually be a problem for us - or Iris - once they're organised." She shrugged her shoulders, dipping her head as if to indicate that was all she had to say.
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