The elk had been a lucky find indeed, giving Rayne the strength to make the trek back to the Thickets. Not for the first time, Aideen had to supervise a patient's eating, making sure that the emaciated wolf didn't gorge himself, only to throw it all back up. Rayne was a good subject though, obeying her commands to slow down, and stop long before he probably felt like doing so. Whether it was because he trusted her judgment or from past experience, she didn't know, and she didn't much like to think about how long her friend had been scraping by in hunger. Instead she praised him and promised more food once they were back in the Woodlands, walking close by his side through the whole trip. He seemed to be handling himself well enough, and that made her feel a little easier; She didn't doubt that he would get back to his full strength again, but the weaker he'd gotten, the harder it was gonna be.

Of all the things that worried the fox-like woman, Miccah wasn't one. She was prepared for a greeting of their new addition, much less warm than her own had been, after all her mate had never been particularly close with Rayne, but he had however experienced as much betrayal as she, through their time in the Woodlands, and unlike her, he wasn't one to be swayed by his heart; Not easily anyway. But she was confident he could be convinced to give their former pack-mate a second chance, and that Rayne could prove his loyalty once more. So when the russet man paused at the borders, Aideen raised her brows, tilting her head at his concerns. She hadn't even thought of that, she'd been so focused on getting him home; Could he be right..? It hadn't been that long since Nina stepped down and the younger lass became leader, she was still a bit green, but she had trained under the former queen throughout the winter, and participated in several meetings at the borders, with wolves asking admittance. She knew how it went, it didn't necessarily take both leaders to make the decision.

Briefly she wondered if she should council her mate before letting Rayne rejoin them, after all their situation was different from what his and Nina's had been. But what was there to discuss? She wasn't about to turn her old friend away, and she couldn't imagine that Miccah would force her to. So she shook her head, lips pursed in determination; "I told you, I'm leader now. With my permission, you can cross." Her stern expression gave way for a fresh smile, her shoulder teasingly bumping his; "You'll see @Miccah soon enough, if we don't run into him on our way to the den, he'll find us there." She knew her husband would be patrolling the borders, eventually he'd come across their scent and know where to go for answers. Right now she was focused on getting Rayne settled, she had some strengthening herbs she'd like to get him, along with some meat from one of the caches, then he would need sleep. At the latest, Miccah would be back by the communal den at nightfall, and she could talk to him then. She saw no need for formalities.

They moved much slower through the thickets than she would have on her own, allowing Rayne to maneuver his, much larger, frame between the brambles. In time, she was sure he would regain the ease that most Woodland wolves moved with, for now he needed to take his time. "Watch the thorns," She warned, jumping over a particularly nasty vine, snaking across the forest floor. She paused, waiting for her companion to catch up, ears flicking at his question. She tilted her head, taking a quick census in her mind, then chirped: "Two other females besides Nina and I, and four males below Miccah. One of them is Nina's brother Ash, and two of his pups are here as well." A small shadow passed over her face as she thought of @Nineva, Ash's third child, who'd run off shortly after their arrival; Despite attempts at searching, there had been no sign of the girl. As much as she worried, and knew Ash did the same, there was very little to be done though, other than stay vigilant and hope news of her whereabouts would find them.

The queen's smile returned at her friend's second question, her eyes sparkling and heat flushing her cheeks. "I hope so." She replied carefully, not wanting to tempt fate; "It's too soon to tell for sure, but the signs are promising." She couldn't help but look down, muzzle curling tight against her chest. They were in there, Miccah's children, and hers, she felt it very strongly in her heart. But as a trained medic she had to look at the facts, and it was too early to be sure of anything; But we'll see soon enough. She looked back up to meet Rayne's eyes, her joy clear in her bright expression. She was building a family, and now he would be a part of it too.

The dark king could usually be found at the borders of the thickets, for though he now held more responsibilities as leader, the borders were where he felt most comfortable and productive. Patrolling them brought the quiet man comfort and satisfied his craving for solitude. Though, he wasn't one to flake on his duty. He would go around the territory, and silently check in on his pack mates. Sometimes, he even partook in a rare conversation with a few of them. It was in his nature to be like a silent shadow, making sure things ran smoothly while remaining in the background. Aideen was the one who was incredibly social, making friends out of everyone. At times, Miccah worried his wife's open nature would one day lead her to trouble. But her open nature was also one of the many things he loved about her. He reasoned one couldn't have everything.

Miccah was brought out of his thoughts when a particular scent filtered through his muzzle. He would recognize Aideen's perfume immediately, but the other tangled with hers made a distant bell ring in his mind. It was clear his wife had brought in a new wolf into their ranks, but why did this scent seem familiar to him? Temporarily abandoning his patrol, the man followed the scents through his lands until he broke through the thickets to witness the new stranger acting pretty cozy with his wife. His blue gaze ran over the man, the bells in his mind ringing louder and louder. It took a few moments, but he finally remembered that the man that stood before him was Rayne.

An old friend of his wife, but only a stranger in Miccah's eyes. Rayne had left with no word. One day he had been here, and the next, he had disappeared. Like so many others before him. His blue orbs were cold as they raked over Rayne's form. The Woodlands prided themselves on being a family, on loyalty, but quite a few had taken the notion for granted and had abandoned them for whatever reason suited them. Aideen knew how he felt about traitors, so Miccah reasoned that she had a good explanation for welcoming this injured man back into the fold. His gaze warmed slightly as it landed on his wife's form. Silently, he waited for her explanation.

"speech"

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

Hearing the mournful tone in her friends voice and the weight of his words, Aideen felt her heart lurch. No one should ever feel so hopeless, and that that fate had befallen Rayne, of all wolves in the world, almost brought tears to her eyes. She forced the sadness off her face, not wanting him to see her pity. Instead she shaped her features into a stern grimace; "Now there's no use in thinking like that! I found you, and we're home now." She said crisply, the definitive tone in her voice clear enough; She would hear no more of such talk. His next comment was of a much more positive nature though, and she smiled benevolently, slipping back into the happiness of having him here again.

At his affectionate touch she giggled, returning the nip with a similar caress at the base of his ear. She didn't even hear the soft footfalls, only noticing her mate's presence as her eyes lifted from the russet male, gazing over his head. Heat flushed her cheeks as if she'd been caught doing something lewd, and she quickly drew away, chin rubbing over Rayne's head as she turned hers to face Miccah. The expression on his face was clear enough, even if it thawed a bit as his eyes met hers. Aideen's lips pursed for a second, copper gaze locked with her husband's cerulean. Then she smiled, taking a few steps toward him so she was mid between the two males; "I found Rayne out in the fields," She began her explanation as she halted her advance. She wanted so badly to go greet him, place a kiss at his nape like she did when they met at the den each night, but she held back, feeling a need to remain strong for the moment. She'd known that convincing Miccah would be the hardest part of bringing Rayne back into the Woodlands, but she was gonna do it; He's not going back out there!

So she straightened herself – not that it did much compared to her partner's large form – continuing to smile and look him in the eye as she spoke: "He's been alone for a long time, no one would take him in!" There was indignation in her voice, cheeks once again flush, though this time it was at the strange leaders who had turned away her friend. "He needs a home and I've told him he has one here. We can make good use of him, with the little ones until he regains his strength," She glanced over her shoulder at the emaciated wolf, knowing he didn't look like much, but never faltering in her determination; "And then… It'll be up to him, and you I imagine." She raised her brows lightly at her mate. Leading the packs male's was primarily his job, especially if, as she suspected, they wanted to train for guardianship. But for now he was a patient, and that made him her responsibility; "But first he needs food, and rest. And proper care."

His wife came forward, and his eyes warmed even more as she spoke, explaining the situation. Clearly, she felt the need to convince him of Rayne's worth. Turning his attention to Rayne as he spoke up, the man's gaze hardened immediately. Miccah would never understand why promises needed to be uttered with words. It was better to show your loaylty, not to simply speak of it. @Rayne continued to talk, and the king felt a slither of annoyance. When @Aideen rambled, he found it endearing. When others showed the trait, he found it irritating. But could he blame the man? Miccah was making it clear that Rayne had not won him over, and it would take time for Rayne to prove his worth to the stoic guardian. The alpha didn't have time to believe what could end up being false promises. But to really make it clear to Rayne what he expected of him, Miccah spoke briefly in his rumbling baritone. "Your words are not what I want."

Turning his attention to his mate, the dark man stepped forward to close the distance between them. He was not one to show affection often in the light of day, especially when in front of others, but he had missed his lover. Placing a gentle kiss at her nape in late greeting, he moved away. Then, looking at them both, Miccah finally nodded his assent. Rayne was welcome. For now, he tacked on mentally.

"Give him what he needs," he told Aideen. Like she said, he needed proper care and rest. Usually, Miccah would take his departure now and leave the healing and warm bedside manner to his wife. But though Rayne was a friend to her, he was no friend of Miccah's. He would stay and do what he did best. Plus, it wouldn't hurt that he would be able to spend a little more time by his mate's side. Working or not, Aideen was a sight to behold.

"speech"

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief