Dead Empress Backwater I'll scratch your name on the side of a bullet - {m}

The Valle man felt his body connect with the loner and the other man crumple to the ground beneath his weight. Quickly, before the beast could get away the salt and pepper wolf stamped a paw down on the enemy’s throat, pressing down dangerously. Before he could react to the words that were thrown at him his son was on the scene…stumbling.

Viorel had had every intention of murdering this man who had clearly killed one of their own, but Archer’s appearance held him back. He wouldn’t do that in front of his son, and he did not know if Asmun and Llinea were still close by. He wouldn’t let them see a second violent death today. Breathing heavily through his nostrils for a few seconds he stared the creature down below him, pressing down further on his windpipe.

The leader waited until he was sure the other man was about to pass out from lack of oxygen before he leaned down. His voice was dark as he threatened, ”You’re lucky those pups are still okay, and that I won’t kill you in front of them. But, if I ever see you again, I will tear you apart limb by limb, and that is a promise.” Growling, he bit blindly at the man’s face, trying to rip at whatever he could to drive the message home.

Once Viorel was satisfied he had done enough damage, he spit into the wounds before letting the man up. Yellow eyes watched sharply for any sign that this loner was going to go after him or his son, ready to re engage at any second.

Eros didn't know what was happening, but the clues built up as he hurtled through the forest and toward the fray. Asmund and Llinnea were in some kind of trouble, his father and brother were present, there was so much blood, and then-

His tawny form burst onto the scene, all snarls with his tail stiff and muscles readied to leap onto whatever was threatening his pack. The stranger was already subdued however, and so he remained apart but watchful. If things turned, if the wolf he now recognized showed even the slightest sign of trying to hurt his Dad... but Rayjiek was practically incapacitated, helpless. Unable to properly defend himself when Viorel began to tear at his face more savagely than anything Eros had witnessed before.

His mind emptied and the only thing he could feel inside was the adrenaline.

Just this single post from Vasco, showing up and leaving again to round up the kids.

With the pups now big enough to start wandering, there was plenty of work to do for the adults of the Backwater. Vasco enjoyed spending time with the youngster’s - teaching, playing, telling stories - but of course there were times when the growing pups wanted to explore alone, without pawpaw watching over their shoulders. So, he tried to give them the space they needed, though he worried endlessly. He remembered all the troubles Eros and Archer had gotten into and had no doubt that the triblets would be just as skilled at mischief and misfortune. That’s why, when he heard his son’s call, Vasco’s heart was instantly in his throat, fear washing over him as he raised to cross the territory in answer. He didn’t know what the threat was, all he heard was pups and danger, but that was more than enough. As he neared the source of the alarm, his nose stung with the stench of blood, not that of prey, but of another wolf. It was the foreigner he realized, just before the first of her brood raised past him, shortly followed by his sister. They whipped by much to fast for him to stop them, but they were heading for safety, which was good enough for now. He needed to make sure none of the Valle pups were caught up in whatever was going on. He wasn’t far behind Eros, bursting through the last bushes in time to hear Viorel’s message to the stranger. Vasco took in the scene for a moment, making sure that his son had things under control, pride swelling in his chest to blot out the fear. With the threat neutralized, and both Archer and Eros present to back their father up, Vasco nodded and turned back towards the territory center, intent on rounding up the orphans as well as Viorel’s litter, making sure they were all safe. . Thoughts ”Speech”

Lakela @DA

Reyjiek wished he had been able to get out of there. That was what his initial plan was once he discovered that there were more. But no, because he wasn't able to make it out of there in time he was subjected to a fierce beating. He was deprived of oxygen, bitten in the face, and told to leave and to never to return.

Reyjiek slowly got up, feeling pain from the two intense fights he had been in and started to limp away. This pain he felt was all too familiar. It reminded him of his days being locked up, and poked and prodded by those other beings. The pain the cause him, was why he even went down this path of causing others pain. But as he had learned, he wasn't invincible, he could still feel that pain.

If he wanted to cause more chaos in the future he would have to be more careful about how he planned things out. He accepted this defeat and decided it would be better to heed the other mans warning, for now.

"Chaos lost, chaos done. Will leave. Will.....leave."

Sharlee's morning hunt had just been finished. A rabbit held in her jaws as she madebher wsy toward the cache. It was dropped the moment she heard Vi's alarming call for help. She'd never heard such a call from her cousin before leading her to wonder what could have caused him to make such a call. She hadn't hesitated to turn and run to aid Viorel.

The tawny woman raced through the backwater trying to get there as fast as she could. Finally when she arrived she was met with a scene that seemed unnatural in their home. The scent of blood filled the air, so much blood. There was a strange wolf covered in the red liquid. Ingers pups were there and Archer had come too. Vi and his son were facing the man down.

Fights like this never occurred in the backwater buy Sharlee was there to help defend her family. "I'm here Vi," she called to her cousin through the fray. Sharlee didn't know if he heard her but she was ready to jump in if necessary. Then Vi pinned the man down, Sharlee was surprised by the viciousness of her cousin as he spoke to the man in dark tones.

Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed Vasco coming for the children. Collecting them amd taking rhem to safety. That was good, they didn't need to be there though she felt they'd witnessed too much already.

Finally it seemed the fight was over. The man got the message that he was not only not welcome but would die if he remained.

The Vuesain-Slayer girl had been taking some time to herself. Thoughts of her father stayed with her and would often occupy her thoughts everyday. She still grieved him deeply though as time passed she was trying to help more around the pack. Do the things that needed to be done. Deep down she didn't want to stay in such a sad state but there were times she just couldn't help it.

It was the alarming call that brought her from thoughts of her father. They were replaced by the worry that something terrible was happening. She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to someone else she cared about. Kateri ran as fast as she could to help with the trouble.

When she reached the scene of the fight she was alarmed to find Archer in the middle of its. "Archer, please," she yelled clearly scared that he would be hurt or worse. She didn't know what to do. Should she jump in and help. She paced at the edge of everything knowing she should stay out of the way but wanting to help make sure Archer and the others were okay.

Everything seemed done when Viorel pinned the bloody man to the ground. This relieved the young girl. She went to Archers side to make sure he was okay.

Archer Valle

In an instant there were so many others there, Vasco going after the children and his aunt Shar coming forward to stand with them. Even Kateri arrived, just in time for the horrible creature to admit defeat and back away. Archer continued to snarl, energy from his slip coming out in his voice. When Kat yelled his ears flicked in her direction and his snarl faded a touch. She sounded worried - afraid. But she was safe here - they were safe now. Too many of them had come for the man to fight, and he'd already conceded the fight.

"We've met three times now, wretch," Archer said, spitting the last word at the vile man, "The next will be your last."

He allowed himself to relax enough to turn to Kat as she joined him and brush his nose against her cheek. His heart was still pounding and he was sure once the adrenaline faded he would need her support. If what the children said, what the evidence before them stated, was true... he'd failed in his task to protect Inger.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Going to fade this here since it's quite old now!

Everything was happening so quickly, and so slowly at the same time. As he assaulted the stranger’s face he was acutely aware that others were appearing around them. He would later thank his father for appearing at the right moment to shepherd the children away, and also thank his teens for rushing to the rescue. For now though the only thing he did was release the loner to take off into the woods. Yellow eyes watched sharp as a knife, half expecting for the brute to turn around and attack again, but he didn’t.

Releasing a long breath Viorel suddenly looked back at the crowd that was gathered. His sons, Kateri, Sharlee. Given the reactions of the pups and how much blood the loner was covered in the leader was acutely aware that what they found left of Inger would most likely not be pretty. He needed to keep his kids away from that, ”Archer, Kateri, Eros, go find all the pups and keep them at the den until we make sure everything is safe.” He waited for them to leave, silent against any protests that may come until he gave Sharlee a knowing look. Gesturing with his muzzle in the direction of the bloody path, they needed to go find what he was expecting to be a body and give her a proper burial.

This wasn’t what he had wanted for any of them, but they had no choice now.