Since Askan had returned from his journey to Oak Tree Bend, he hadn't seen Adelayde. And as rude as it sounded, that was okay with him. He hadn't missed her when he'd been away and he certainly wasn't pining for her now. If anything, the peace and quiet was nice. Since that conversation he had felt a little awkward about being around her, because she knew things she shouldn't. But at the same time,  if he happened to see the tawny monstrosity he wouldn't slink off like a coward either. Things between them -not that there was anything there in the first place- hadn't changed in the least. Or so he would adamantly claim.

Still, he was somewhat curious as to where she was. He had been back for days and he still hadn't seen her, not even a quick glimpse. So what was she up to? Had she scurried off on some errand for the Rye King and Queen? Probably not, as from what he could tell the alphas were keeping everyone close. She probably wasn't with Icicle, as the albino wolf tended to keep to himself. And he knew for certain that she wasn't with Percy, as for some reason she seemed to despite Adelayde. The kid didn't even try to hide it, but neither had she explained why she felt that way. She just sort of glowered and muttered beneath her breath. Askan would have to ask her about that sometime, but not now. He was busy, sort of.

He wasn't suspicious and he definitely wasn't worried about her well being. It was simply that once he'd set himself a task he couldn't rest till he had achieved it.

And so, Askan began his search.

It took him a while- longer than he would have liked- but he found her. She wasn't by the den, nor was she in the field. No, he found her in the woods, plodding along through the snow as though she intended to disappear between the trees. Her posture was off, unfamiliar. Instead of walking with a bounce in her step she was quite obviously limping along, like she was in a great deal of pain. Her head hung low, her spine was curved slightly and her thick bushy tail was tucked meekly between her legs. All in all, she was an unfamiliar sight. If she wasn't a pack mate he might not even have recognised her. But he did,so he did what came naturally to him.

"Oi!" Askan called out, breaking into a trot so he could catch up. "Where the hell have you been?" His scowly expression faltered a moment as he took in the wounds that marred her face. "What the hell happened to you?"

Adelayde flinched, as though he'd caught her by surprise. But that was impossible, his footfalls weren't quiet by any meaning of the word. They were loud, unabashed, much like Askan himself. So something else must have made her flinch, as much as Askan tried to figure out what it was, he just couldn't. He didn't care, why would he? But then she dismissed his questions-as though they were irrelevant- and Askan decided that he couldn't just ignore this slight. He couldn't just allow her to brush him off quite so easily. It was rude, intolerable, and if she thought that he would be content to let her speak to him in this manner, well she had another thing coming. Because pack mate or no, he wasn't going to let her get away scot free.

Askan's eyes narrowed in disdain, and when he spoke his voice was a low, displeased grumble. "You think I'm stupid? Don't look like nothing. And don't ignore me either. I'm talking to you."

With ease, he caught up with the limping Rye wolf and planted himself in front of her. If she wanted to get passed him she was either going to have to forcibly move him, or go around. He doubted she'd go for the first option, and if she tried the second he'd just get in her away again. He wasn't going to be ignored, she would talk to him and she would explain what had happened whether she wanted to or not. She might think that it wasn't his buisiness to pry, but the way he say it, it was. After all, she was a Rye wolf now. Her business was his business, most of the time anyway. There were exceptions to that rule, as he was well aware.

"You hypocrite. You told me it was important to talk, to be open. Yet here you are not telling me a thing. Not exactly setting a good example Adelayde. So tell me what happened, ain't got all day."His gaze was firm and unwavering. He wasn't backing down, no matter what. His legs were near buried in snow, but he didn't care, nor did he even notice. His attention was solely focused on the tawny excuse for a wolf who stood before him, who stood there trembling but not from the cold.

She didn't want to talk? Well Askan didn't care what she did or didn't want. She sounded like a whiny child who wouldn't eat their dinner, who wouldn't go to bed early without kicking up a fuss and throwing a tantrum. Askan wasn't in the mood to deal with temper tantrums, he wasn't here to deal with the emotional shit she threw his way, he just wanted to know what her problem was. So he ignored her first set of words, like how one would dismiss the words of a stranger. Irrelevant. Askan didn't care. But then she had to go and raise her voice.

He'd never seen or heard her do that before. Adelayde had always been rather soft spoken and from what he could tell she was the patient sort, hell she had to be if she willingly put up with Askan's company. But this? Askan wasn't sure what to make of this Adelayde. If she was simply annoyed, he wouldn't have thought anything of it, if anything he would have snapped right back with twice as much venom. But her words were heavy with something Askan couldn't pinpoint, and her voice was hoarse and unpleasant to his ears. Nothing like the soft melody she had sang that night they had met beneath the stars.

He watched her storm off- well limp off- with a tilted head and squinting eyes. What the hell was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to react to that? Instinctively, he just wanted to leave her be as she was clearly not in the mood for company. But at the same time, he was unwilling to let this go. It was like an itch beneath his skin, a feeling he couldn't shake. Not knowing would drive him crazy, it would bother him to no end. And no, he didn't particularly care about Adelayde's feelings or welfare on a personal level. But as a member of the pack, she had to be running at full capacity, he wouldn't allow her to become a drain on their time and resources. She had promised to contribute, so how could she do so when she was in such a pathetic state?

Askan had to shake her out of this,  he had to make her useful again. For the packs sake, it was nothing personal.

With a huff, Askan once again trotted to catch up with her. Once again he blocked her path, before she could protest he spoke, slowly as though he was putting the puzzle pieces together in his head.

"Right, okay so you're upset for some reason." He glanced at her again and his brows drew together. "Cause you got beat? Who did it? Loner? A gang?"

Either prospect was troubling. Adelayde clearly wasn't a lone wolf. During her stay in the field, she had bulked up and regained some of the weight lost during her long travels. Not to mention she carried the scent of her fellow pack mates, as well as the lingering smell of rye and pine needles. So who the hell had the nerve to attack her and why? Again, not because he cared all that much, but because he saw it as his job to find out. He was the self elected protector of the Wild Rye Fields, after all.

"Tell me and I'll sort it out."

Askan watched and waited to see if she would crack, if she would finally give in and tell him what he wanted to know. His tail tapped impatiently against his hind leg and he counted the seconds, then minutes. Come on, he didn't have all day. The sooner she came clean the sooner they could get this over with, the sooner he could deal with whatever had troubled her. Not because he cared-he was getting tired of pointing that out, but it was true- but because it was his duty. If someone didn't teach those wolves a lesson, for all he knew they might try and hurt Percy next. Like he'd let that happen. Ever. He'd rather die than let that come to pass.

Finally she responded, and it was like an overflowing dam. Once she started, she just couldn't stop the flow of words that passed her lips. Askan didn't flinch, nor was he taken back by her loud outburst. He simply watched her with a detached sort of neutrality, like he wasn't fazed, like he couldn't feel the shame and embarrassment radiating from her. He wasn't about to gently nudge her and tell her everything was all right, but he wasn't so heartless either. The prospect of being defeated by children... Well it would never happen to Askan, but it was a mortifying concept. And he couldn't exactly sympathise with her, as he had never frozen in fear like that. But then she had to go on and continue, she had to describe one of the wolves that had been there, that had watched on as though it was a sick show.Her description was vague but there was no mistaking it. @Craw , it had to be Craw. That son of a-

Askan's teeth ground together and he felt his hackles rise.

The mere mention of that bastard was enough to make his blood boil and now his kids-his spawn- had hurt one of his own. The Whitestone wolves had attacked a Rye wolf. Damn it, they had gone too far. Craw and his lot were pushing their luck, if they weren't careful a war could be on the horizon. And blood would be shed, on both sides.

But Adelayde... Askan turned to her, disdain still simmering in his bright eyes.

"Two kids took you on and won? Pathetic." He tsked. "How'd you manage that? I bet even Icicle could hold his own, and you've seen him." Askan rolled his shoulders and squared himself in front of the larger, Mackenzie wolf. "Come on then, let me have it. Let's see how shit you really are. Promise I won't hurt you, not too badly anyway."