When you try your best but you don’t succeed. When you get what you want but not what you need. When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep. Stuck in reverse. When the tears come streaming down your face. When you lose something you can’t replace. When you love someone but it goes to waste. Could it be worse? Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones and I will try to fix you…
Boyce Avenue/Coldplay – “Fix You”
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Guided by the sun as it blazed across the sky, the renegade proceeded in his journey south… After staying in the Orchard for a few days to regain his strength and recollect himself, he readily meandered along the Swift River until his feet brought him to the familiar clusters of trees of Southern Eden. It had taken a few days for him to figure out where he was exactly but by the time he had, he had stumbled into a familiar scent, it was just after nightfall. The frigid air simply filled his lungs but the musk he had missed for four months curled in his nostrils. His ears folded back. Was he welcome here? Would they know who he was? A muddied forepaw lifted from the ground as he fought to keep himself on the outside of these borders. It took every fiber of his being to keep him from rushing into the heart of the Hollow where he hoped his family laid, safe and soundly underground.

He limped towards a tree to rest his back against its frozen bark. It ached; if he could sit down for a moment, then he could fully brace himself for the pack interaction he was keenly anticipating. He hobbled forward but crashed into the damp earth after his forearm suddenly folded when he accidentally put weight on it. His breath hissed through his teeth as his left limb throbbed, shoulder to digits. When the pain became bearable again he lifted himself back up, relying heavily now on the strength of his right arm. Panting slightly as he wearily arranged himself into a rather awkward sitting position – with his right leg splayed out and his forepaws unevenly spaced to accommodate his tired muscles – he lifted his muzzle to the stars. What could have been a melodious song came out in three broken, scratchy notes.

Hello? Is… anyone there?

♫How can I decide what's right, when your clouding up my mind? I can't win your losing fight all the time. Nor could I ever own what's mine when your always taking sides, but you won't take away my pride. No not this time. How did we get here, when I used to know you so well? How did we get here? Well I think you know. The truth is hiding in your eyes, and it's hanging on your tongue. Just boiling in my blood, but you think that I can't see what kind of man that you are. If your a man at all. Well I will figure this one out on my own. I'm screaming, I love you so, on my own. But my thoughts you can't decode. How did we get here. I think I know. Do you see what we've done? We're gonna make such fools of ourselves. There is something I see in you, it might kill me, I want it to be true.♫ - Decode by Paramore

The reappearing of Vlar, and the news of a rogue pack of wolves attacking Ruiko's brother had increased her number of patrols. It was something she needed to do, and to a point it eased her mind, thinking if disaster were to happen she might be able to intercept. Despite that there was the edge of doubt clinging in the back of her mind feeling whatever she tried was a hopeless cause. She was only one wolf, and could not check every inch of ground that encircled the hollow while also keeping track of children's were abouts. The little whispers of winter only further tore at her core wondering if they would all have enough to eat, how much snow would pile in the forest. She long recalled how she could not imagine being a leader, yet here she was doing the task, fussing over everything, worried about everyone. It might not have been so much if her children's lives were not in her paw, or if she could share the burden. She could did not trust anyone to stand by her...not anymore. And who would want too?The idea had been in her head, she needed someone, but she was not quite ready.

She stretched her tired frame, and opened her jaws in a wide yawn. After a short rest, she was ready to head out once more. Night time seemed a far better time to check things, least than she would know the children were sleeping, and it seemed more likely mischief would happen in the darkness, rather then broad daylight. She did not trust Vlar, and believed she would come back. Maybe not for a time, but one day she would, and she would be ready.

A look to the familiar dwelling, she trapped the air in her chest and released it in a harsh sigh. This was who she was now, and she'd make the best of it. One final look to the resting pup's direction, she started to jog to where the lines of Grizzly Hollow ended.

There wasn't anything catching her attention, though relief was evident in her very stride the further she went. She would at a time glance to the stars, but she didn't stare long. She branched out further when she heard the battered questions because they were nothing like as song nor close, they reminded her more like a cry of hurt. Something in them struck a cord within her, though she didn't know why. All she knew was someone was in her home, and her pale hair bristled along her spine feeling what peace she had stolen again. her senses on alert, ears rotated trying to pick just where the wolf would be, and with no hesitation she honed in on the sound, wondering what this intruder wanted.

At frist her eyes did not first see anyone in dark shadows, and she bagan to wonder if now her mind was slipping when she saw an obscure figure before her. Triangle points pinned, and a warning growl vibrated her throat speaking clearly she was not pleased about the late disturbance.

Shivers raked up and down his spine and he shivered as he patiently waited in the dark. If he had to wait until morning, he found that he didn't mind the idea at all, but surely at this time of night, someone would come by. The brute kept staring at the spaces between the trees, straining his ears for any sound that signalled someone or something was coming. The soft chattering of birds filled the air with a sort of buzz that drowned out the scurrying of squirrels and the ascending of owls just waking up to hunt. For some time, he had heard nothing but the comforting sounds of home.

While it had occurred to him that lying down was probably a better option that uncomfortably sitting, he remained propped up against the tree. Truthfully he wanted to keep himself at least somewhat presentable. If it had been Elettra or Raigo or Jaysyek he wanted to be able to look them in the eyes, to prove that he was still the wolf he had been if not just a little less. His search for Prosper had caused him some distress, yes, but Vlarindara had seemingly unlocked what his mind accidentally hidden away. He was seemingly on the mend now; and, his wanderlust had been quenched after miles of walking and he hoped now that he was here to stay.

He nipped at the fur and skin on his left wrist, stimulating the nerves, but immediately straightened at the sound of an angered growl. A sharp whine was quick to answer her as he wildly searched his immediate surroundings for the Hollow guard who had come forth. Slightly intimidated, he stood up and raised his tail proudly behind him, returning a growl that was just guarded.

iswitch sucks with posts time if you haven't noticed. yes, i liked your song Grey, and I did think the second was much what Jayse feels. i'm very sorry you guys had to wait for me.

Growl was met with a whine, and then a growl lacking much strength. In seconds a few things happened at once, first black movement drew her eye beside a tree, but the stranger was nothing but a shadow, and the thought there might be more had her on edge. So in the next second her mis-matched eyes looked for any further monsters in the dark, her nostrils twitching. She was met by a scent seemed so familiar, whose it was remained on the tip of her tongue. Next she thought Vlar's scent was noted, yet it was so faint she couldn't be sure if it meant she was here or had only walked by from the past day. Either way it disturbed her, and another growl almost escaped her throat when instead she heard a familiar one behind her.

Elettra was an dark blur rashing past her, already upon the intruder. She understood the worry of her second, but she had not put together who was infront of her. It wasn't until she let out a pent up breath, drawing in another that trying to determine who it may be did his scent, one she'd surpressed for so long was recalled in that moment, and quickly did she realize why Elettra was so hostile. She barely had time to react between the swiftness of El, and because she was torn between pain, and love. Much before she could do anything Elettra pretty much damned him before her, blaming him for everything. She was dumbstruck, not really believing once again this was really happening. It was to surreal to think it'd come to this. Throat dry her mouth moved to work, before she knew what was happening Elettra made to strike him. She could not stop her, and part of her didn't want too.

Then there was another part screaming no, in was with feeling such she headed to the tree. "El!" She more barked then yelled, unsure if for a brief second it might distract her from damaging Borden to harshly. She had no mind to grab her Second, not yet rather sure in her rage Elettra might snap back, or further rip apart the broken wolf Jayse had entrusted much too. Could Jayse blame what her friend was doing? She fully well knew she was not the only one who had suffered through these months. Neither did Jayse want to see him more broken.

Borden was just about ready to verbally address the lady he had pined for when a third growl filled the air. “YOU….BASTERD!” she roared. “YOU did this to us – everything! It’s all your fault!” His eyes widened in shock before clenching shut in pain when the dark woman tackled him. He let out a sharp whine as her teeth sank into his neck, causing him to stumble backwards.

The back of his head knocked against the rough bark, the impact hard enough to make him cringe when his spine painfully throbbed. “El!” Jaysyek bellowed. Borden let loose another whimper as he slowly opened his eyes. Elettra... His mind flashed back to the day he had helped her gather shells from the river before returning to the wolf before him. Uncomfortably wriggling, he bared his teeth – his first warning.

He merely glared at his attacker through the darkness, audibly snapping his jowls just once. While he did understand the suffering the Second - and his family - had gone through to keep the pack together, he would not put up with being treated as an outsider. Try as she – or they – might, but Borden would not back down or retreat from the territory borders without having a few words with Jaysyek first.

The Lyall leaned back forward into a sitting position when the dark lady released him flattening his ears now as he glanced from Elettra to Jayse. He slowly gathered his feet underneath him and once standing, he steadied himself as if to signal that he had no intentions to run away or attack - for now, at least.

The Second continued to yell, but he kept silent until she finished. She revealed to him that Prosper had come home but only to lay in rot; and it hadn't just been his first-born but Theodore as well. He shook his head, not wanting to believe it. Had he been ignorant? According to him, he had been the determined father looking for his missing child... Had he been blinded by his search? Elettra apparently thought so. In his ignorance, he had allowed not one but two of his children to die.

His pride dissolved as he took her words to heart, and slowly, he lowered himself to the ground. A single whine pierced the air and, though the movement sent waves of pain from his lower back, he slowly rolled over on the cold ground in surrender.

"I left to search for Prosper," he whispered, choosing to look at a nearby tree's roots. He didn't dare to look at Elettra now in fear of challenging her again and ending up more battered than he already was. "I'm... I'm sorry... for everything."