Since the departure of sisyhR, ariaN, and anehtA lleirT had doubled his patrols often seeking out past the Swift River to figure out where they had settled. It bothered him greatly not to know where they were now, and he was hellbent on finding out, and soon. He was aware it probably for the best to leave them be rather than shoving a stick into a hornet's nest and hoping not to get stung. How could he pretend it didnt matter? It did. Though the Tainn might not claim it as war, it certianly did not mean what they had done was something to look the other way. They were enemies were they not? One had to keep them close, and he had failed to in this. Not anymore. He thought gruffly, pressing himself onward in his scouting of their winding trail.

He threw himself into his search, every ounce of him demanding he find the fugitives. The Tainn was so engrossed in his duties he thought little of the darkening sky. Until he heard an old enemy. Thunder. It quaked against his very bone, making his heart throb, and he was soon pelted by what felt like a million drops of rain breaking hard against his skin. His ears flattened, he raised his lips, and growled at the dancing bright light across the sky. "Damn you," he would mutter to Mother Nature's change of mood, and for all that she had done to him, his family. With the words his anger had poured from his lips, or most of it, and he began running away from the Drooping Willows. Trees were damned things in a storm in his mind. The darkness, and the static atmoshpere overwhelmed him, and he had bounded closer to the lagoon of all places. It was in a flash of darting light he saw a dark figure, the edge of the rising water, and suddenly the fire that sparked in the tree. On past experience of cold memories, and in self preservation he bolted toward the water. The water was his friend when it came to fire.


Wait, in his sudden fear he recalled seeing someone else moving. He hung onto that silhoute, and found himself wondering where were they? It was if the need to help someone took away his own fear, and he rapidly worked his eyes trying to see anyone in this wretched storm. Then suddenly he heard the break of wood, and saw the tree tumbling down. He bolted, the dip of the land propelling him onward. He had not been quite in the tree's path and it went tumbling past him. The Tainn saw her trapped between the raising water, and the blazing flames. Wish danger to choose? Which death to suffer? If he had anything to do with it she would not die. He found this spark of strength he could do something. He was not helpless.

"YOU!" He barked roughly, bounding quite dangerously to the roaring heat of the fire. He could not tell if she was frozen by fear, but it was evident in the flickering colors of her eyes. Who in their right mind wouldn't be scared? "Get in the water!" He screamed out, knowing that was quite frankly her only option. If to assure her or let her know what he was thinking he bounded a safer distance before throwing himself into the crashing waves. He fought hard against them, working his thick muscles against their frantic ups, and downs using the light of the fire to guide him to her best he could. It was hard not to feel insignificant in their somersaults.

His past nightmares were trying to grip him just as the very dark water lapped at his body, threatning to pull him under. He worked his thick appendages, concentrating on the sylph. If he could distract himself, and ignore his fear maybe he wouldn't die in this place, this way. He was hardly making progess to the she-wolf he saw her break from the hypnotising flames, and enter the thrashing depths. She went blended in with the shadow, and Triell wondered could he really save her? He saw no other option, and put out his moment of pesimisam. He would save her....he had too.


In a single moment he saw her across the way trying to swim against the fray. A large rolling way pushed against him, and he was hidden behind it, cast farther out of the lagoon. Keeping his head, he continued paddling, knowing he was making some kind of progress. It was probably best he was not getting a full dose of the smoke. He soared close to the soar with the help of another wave he saw another pull the lady beneath. Damn. He counted his strokes in his mind, much how he had taught Kinis to do. He was trying to see a trace if she had met it above water when a yelp rose amongst the distant rumble. Stupid rain should be putting the fire out, he thought miserably. He had a target now, and was almost there. It was no longer two wolves in the water but three. He could not make out the words upon the water, not until she had screamed wondering where he was. He raised his head letting out a short woof, followed by a howl. He could see them outlined by the blazing flames. He pushed his tired form harder, soon coming steady near their soaked forms.


"Ready?" He asked, shifting his bright topaz toned eyes from one sylph to the next. "If you stay together, hanging on to each other I think we can make it over there." He pointed to the shore closest to them that was no consumed by fire. After that they'd have to find somewhere safe from the rising water, and biting flames. "Hey," he barked, "don't look at the that, just keep lookin' at me," he half grinned, but treaded the water coming in contact with theirs forms. "Hang on then," he said, ready for another crashing wave, when he thought they were secure he started to swim to "safe land".

The dark and silver lady was quite terrorized by the sight of him. He was both puzzled, and hurt. She looked like she'd seen a ghost or something. He tried to assume he had surprised her. She seem more collected by his tones, she scared him when she started to go under. She came to before he could grab her, and he had his own relief when she swam a little closer. She was such a little wolf he did not want her to drown. The ldy coated in pure black did well to hang close to the other, and togetherthey worked their way to shore.

It was the longest swim of his life.


Each small progress was taken with no effort by the crashing waves. the Tainn pushed onward trying to be the one steady thing in the chaos. At times he'd grab the small wolf's rough to keep her from going under. He let Ava be in the front, but was no less worried over her. She blended in much like he did into the deadly midnight depths. She was hard to keep track of while. When she'd fall beneath the water he would swim a little quicker tosoon see her rise above the tamertault. Somehow they all continued, and he kept urging the smaller lady onward. He could see the shore just barely, and it was the beckon of hope.


Many a time the smoke threatned to bind him with his own fear. The fire that had taken his parents life often played in the back of his mind, his nostrils taking on the feel of dried partchlement. It was knowing he had to get the ladies to safety that had he keep his head. He'd be damned if he was going to drown. He'd preffer his murderer to be something other than water.

Paws eventually felt the crunch of sand, and the gulp of mud. He continued making himself move despite his body's protest.At last Ava made it to the land, and Triell did his best to help the other stranger walk the rest of the way. He ignored the voilent trembles of his legs, and coughed a couple good times to try to clear his lungs of both water and smoke. He hated his nostrils were tinged with it, but they were upwind of the fire now. He gently smiled at the timid lady, and then took a look around making sure they were safe for a minte or two of rest. The lagoon wasn't threatning to rise as badly here, and the fire would soon be put out by the rain or other rushing waters. They really were okay. He felt like he had not slept in weeks with the forces that had struck against him. He hobbled a little farther from the water, making sure he was being followed. He too would collaspe in the cool sand, trying to collect his ragged breaths. What a night.