,Wishing on a Shooting Star, :MB:

Link quickly pushed into the cave glancing nervously behind him for his companions. Zelda shot forward and with a whine burrowed her head in her brothers shoulder. He nuzzled her back, touched Varaak's flank and finally dipped his head to Rodion. He wondered why there were so many more missing but could not make a comment on it. Looking for Cinder he moved away so that there was more room to enter and Zelda did the same. "Cinder? Are you okay?" Zelda voiced her anxious concerns. She could see the shape of Morgan behind them and felt even more relieved. But there was still so much of the pack missing...who who had they lost? One two? All? She could not go through this again..Glancing at Rodion he body shook with its nervousness but she could do nothing but wait. What a cruel commander time was...

Fran followed Rodion and Zelda into the hole, figuring they would want to converse. She was worried, as she hadn't seen Exodus for some time, and she was worried about Link and Cinder, as they hadn't been with them when all this started. Right now, the only thing she could do was stay with the pack and help to keep Balthier's brother from separating from them. After a while, three scents were approaching. She let out a small grin, saying, "At least we know three are safe."

Vaarak became more agitated when he didn't hear anymore sounds. That should be a good thing, but at least with noises, he knew the wolves were still fighting. Now... they could all be dead. His gaze turned to Rodion, who was entering what appeared to be a small space. He crawled through the hole, having a better time than the larger adults, and was looking up towards the entrance, willing his brother to suddenly appear. Then, Fran spoke up before he noticed the scents.

Then he heard a gentle noise, but didn't recognize it for a few seconds, before he said, "Link and Cinder?" Then, he shot towards the exit, but Link was in the way so he couldn't exit yet. "Is Morgan ok?" Vaarak questioned, trying not to be too loud. He didn't smell blood, but couldn't help but be worried, especially since Balthier wasn't with them. "Did you guys see Balthier? I haven't heard any nosies for so long. Do you think he's ok?" He whined a bit, but his outward appearance showing he wouldn't have ran away, even if he was able to. He knew that the others would stop him from proceeding, anyways.

Balthier didn't respond when Fell spoke. To be honest, he didn't care, and chances are, the dog was being a hypocrite. He was busy looking at Tom, then back to the human. The wolf accompanying Exodus was speaking, and Braeden joined him, trying to revive Tom, and his attention turned to her now, seeing that she did recognize Tom as a pack mate... or perhaps just to some extent. He gently asked her, "You hurt? I help," as he gave her a warm look- one of his typical expressions used when he tried to be comforting or friendly with those he hadn't met and needed information from. Body language, he learned early in life, were more effective than language alone. Especially in this situation, since she couldn't yet speak complex sentences. Although, he wasn't sure if she'd behave as females typically did and relax because of whatever happened to her in the past.

He wasn't sure if there were any more hunters around or if Braeden understood what he was trying to say, and didn't want to risk summoning Fran yet. He waited for her answer before looking at the one speaking with the dog. Balthier gave him a look, as if saying he'd help out if the dog didn't run.

He started to walk past Exodus, toward the dog, but paused. "Exodus, I'd ask you to take Braeden to the pack, but she is still limited in her vocabulary and is cautious of those she hadn't met. I don't know if there are any hunters, but if possible, perhaps you can find the pack and bring Fran here, or just find any herbs around here. I would guess you're well versed with herbs as well. Ideally find anything that will cover my wounds as well as Braeden's." He glanced back at Tom. "I fear I may have been engaged in battle too long to help Tom, but if you wish to try to help him, do it... I'm glad you're well, though. Zelda will be relieved." Balthier had to respect Tom's wishes to protect the pack, even if it hurt to leave him laying there, even if Balthier normally would have retreated by now. Light spots of black started to invade his vision, but he stubbornly pushed it back. There was no way he'd fall now. His appearance seemed strong, despite this, not wavering or shaking. The only sign of strain he was showing was in his muscles... for now.

Cinder

Cinder looked back to Morgan and told him softly. "Stay close." she said putting trust into Link. She followed him as they went through the forest and slunk away from the death that stalked them. Quickly and silently she followed Link. Sure that Morgan was in tow. Suddenly a familiar structure came to her silver eyes. Her keen nose too smelled the familiar scents of the pack lingering strongly. They were here. She looked to Morgan and nodded reassuringly and then flanked Link. She paused and looked around to keep watch while he slunk his body inward to see if the family was there.

She sighed and kept on high alert and swallowed. She felt a heaviness and a slight stirring if you will in her loins. A worry sprung to her mind. No ...surely not...no. She looked back to Link's form and then away again forcing the thought into a deep recess in her mind.

Exodus couldn't help but stare as the dog stepped back towards her human, petty words coming from her maw. She was going to back down? Her eyes fluttered to the stranger then back towards where the fem lay torn and broken. She limped over towards her and settled near her a little. "We need to get out of here. We need to find Rodion, Zelda, Link, everyone else" It was more for her sanity she wanted to make sure they were okay and everyone else. "I'll help you..." she was being cautious, and she felt calm until laughter filled the air and she looked to the dark king like creature who saved her life. What was he doing!?!

It filled the space between them all and he laughed aloud at the dogs words. "You're a stupid creature. Kill with dignity? You, us... hahahah. We kill for the right to live, to eat, to survive, you kill because it is in your nature. Have you ever met a vegetarian wolf. I have, it's strange way of life but it's possible. Would you kill a wolf who harvest the fruit of nature to survive during winter instead of killing animals that would help them survive longer?" The words were honest, and he stepped closer to the dog. "If you can carry your master I suggest you do, and if you decide to come back, be ready for action, not words. Unless you're ready now..." He growled and stepped closer again. "I'm not so much a dark wolf as I am a light wolf. I am a wolf to you and nothing more and you are a dog to me. I will kill you faster then you can take a breath and I'll bet my life on it. I'd rather die in honor to protect this pack, killing you in the process. Take option A, or B dog...cause I've grown short on patience..." The orbs of this wolf danced with dangerous thoughts and he stepped ever closer. He was a foot away now. He'd kill the human first, then round on the dog, or he'd attack the dog, hoping the brute with the knife would kill the human with a smart thought...

"Shall we dance, or will you leave with your life, never to return..." He growled and stood ready to kill this creature who dare harm Exodus and the pack he protected...

"The human's right here," a calm voice spoke up, off to the side.

Both Balthier and the hunter had rolled further away from where Braeden and the dog were fighting. He stood up in what appeared to be a casual manner, and grumbled, "I really need to wash now.." as he wrinkled his nose. The knife was finally in his mouth, where he continued to hold onto; it had been some slashes that had done the human in. He shook his head, not believing how long it took to figure out to use the sharp object that had formerly been sticking out of his own body. What was good for a human would be good enough for a wolf like him.

Glancing down, he moved closer to see if the hunter was still alive. A faint grin came over his features as he said, "It appears to me, that it is just barely alive." A slightly dark look settled in his eyes before it vanished. Even though he figured that humans would be diagnosed differently than wolves, it was clear that the hunter would die, and he wasn't overly keen to speed up the process. He was more inclined to let the human suffer, if only to irritate the dog. At least, that's what others may believe. Turning away, and back towards Braeden, he noticed that there were two other wolves... including Exodus, helping out. By now, he didn't care what happened to the prone form of flesh. If it miraculously stood up, then so be it.

Immediately, his eyes snapped to Tom, and he dashed forward, ignoring his still bleeding injuries, although his speed was slower than normal. Although he was tired and starting to feel the fatigue and the result of blood loss, there was too much going on for him to rest yet. He did not want to believe Tom was dead. If he was, Balthier knew it was his fault for not grabbing the stick in time. His body was tense, a quick look to the sky making him wish he could run... just like he used to. It was easy when his brother was younger, but... he just couldn't now. He couldn't run in a situation like this. He noticed a coppery taste along with the cool, smooth handle of the knife, remembering it was probably a mixture of both his and the human's.

Exodus could feel the panic as she tried hard to run back into the lands of Midnight Meadows. This was her home, and her home was being destroyed. She fell once more as she came closer to the struggle. What good would she do when she got there? Obviously she could be killed faster then anyone else here for even if they were injured now, she was injured from before and lacked any ability to fight at this point. But she could help, she could use herself to help. The snapping of a jaw and she stretched her limits pushing herself towards the dog. It was big, tall. And she felt small as she rammed into the vermon that stood over the fem (Braeden). She tumbled around the dog once she knocked him away and felt herself being snapped at.

Panic filled her chest when the dog went back for her packmate. "Stop!" she screamed, but what good would that do? She scrambled to get back up and felt her body scream out in protest. She shouldn't even be moving! It was then the black flash of a pelt rushed to her side, she drew back as he sniffed her pelt, sighed and then rushed forward. His flurry of words were swept past her head, she heard Damean's name but that was it and then he was gone. "No!" she screamed but she couldn't get the words out of her mouth. She stood slowly, her legs shaking, where was everyone else. Her body shook with fear and power of being a wolf and she felt the need to rip the dog's face apart grow inside of her.

He hadn't known what to do till now. Save the princess and then speak with her afterwards. He had known she cared for everyone more then herself and that it would be a pain to have to watch her die when he had known so much about her already. "Stupid Dog" he spat, running to catch the wolf killer. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size you coward. They don't beat you by half and yet to want to pick out the weakest one. You're just like a wolf, coward." Yes, he was shaming his own species but he didn't care. Anything to get this things attention at the moment.

"You two need to get going. Head for your alpha if you can. I'll do my best to hold it off or drive it off...where's the human?" He was speaking as if the dog before him didn't matter. It didn't though. It was a dog, bred for killing wolves, but a dog none the less. It had no outside experience in the world of wolves and though it's one tract mind was deadly...it was a stupid dog...

Cinder would find something very heavy slamming into her body and subsequently pinned to the ground, but it was not ungentle. Link was on top of her and he whined frantically indicating that she be quiet. Pausing her cocked his head listening. Cinder and Morgan had been making so much noise they had lured the other hunter right to them. Scrambling off of her he pushed her with his head indicating haste. He glanced back frequently and his ears were pinned to his skull. His body was lowered as he tried to herd Cinder away from the impending danger. There was no dog with this hunter luckily for them. Though Link had panicked when he heard the gunshot and fled his hiding place probably alerting the hunter to their prescence even more. Come on...move move move...thoughts fled to his sister and the rest of the pack. Who was shot? Who...was it anyone? His chest tightened at the thought. They must get to Rodion...

Zelda was on the heels of Rodion when she heard the gunshot and froze. O Fenrir please let Link and Cinder be safe...and Exodus? A small whine escaped her maw when she saw a familiar stone structure. Why hadn't she thought of this before! This was the perfect hiding place! "Rodion...here is safe...It is too small for a human to enter and it goes deep into the earth. Though the roof is low and it may be a bit..uncomfortable..." Eyeing him anxiously she looked to Fran and Varaak. She knew how worried he must be. Someone is dead...she knew it but rejected the thought vehementely.

The human cried out in pain when Balthier bite down harshly on an already heavily injured site of his lower arm. Unfortunately, it was the hunter's non-dominant hand, and there was another just noticed wave of pain. Too many chemicals in his body had activated to even notice his wounds, including the newest addition. The hunter's knife had been embedded in Balthier's side, but not to the hilt. He took a step forward and flinched, then backed away from the human, quickly deciding what he should do. He bounded forward, but some of his feeling had returned, and he hesitated, wondering what was hurting, but tried to keep an eye on the hunter, who seemed to run out of dangerous items. Still, he was cautious in case the hunter had another trick.

An eye quickly glanced at how Braeden fared, and noticed not so well. Suddenly, he jumped to the side as the hunter had taken a lunge towards the knife, and consequently, Balthier himself. As his paws touched the ground, he darted forward as fast as his injured body would travel, not even thinking about clenching the knife with his teeth to pull it out of his side to use for himself. He lept up with a savage growl, his now-bloody fangs aimed at the human's neck, wondering if this human's pet would do anything about it or not care at all. The gun was now somewhere on the ground- perhaps a bush, but the layers on the human were loose, and looked like hiding places for more sharp objects. Still, if he caught the human by enough surprise, hidden weapons wouldn't matter.

He heard a series of noise, a whine, a bark. It was Tom. He looekd confused... Maybe it was because th eloudness of the stick was unexpected.... Loudness? He cursed himself for being distracted in a fight, even if his teammate could ahve been in potential danger, but if Tom can't hear anything temporarily- the fight made him forget the deafness could have been permanent- then he yelped. The hunter had taken his distracted chance by clubbing him before turning the gun to Tom while Braeden was still fighting the beast. The hunter shot, and he reared up, knowing he'd never make it, and willed Tom to, but he didn't. It was seemingly slow motion that he fell. He whispered, "My apologies, Tom... I'm sorry."

He'd seen that look Tom gave him to act. He dodged a kick from the hunter and hoped that Braeden would keep fighting. He didn't know if she'd understand communicatino from the eyes, and knew, in this case, to act as if he were alone. Besides which, he might scare Braeden if he looked in her direction and she saw. His eyes were dark, and it was difficult to distinguish what exactally the intelligent canine might be thinking. He growled, "May a curse fall upon you pathetic humans, taking what isn't yours. A life for a life..." He lunged, as the hunter swung the rifle, this time swinging it because Balthier was lunging with the wolfhound right behind him, still fighting Braeden. As the barrel of the gun came close, he too a chance and bit down, his momentum causing the gun to fall away from hunter hands. Too busy focusing on keeping the rifle away, he didn't notice the rock where he would have landed. Fortunately, the gun hit first, slightly bending it as Balthier's full weight landed upon it.

He growled lightly as he rolled off the gun. It jabbed him rather harshly, resulting in a gash on his side and he needed a small amount of time to recollect himself. Through the haze in his head, some instinct called him to move, and leap away he did. There was a less piercing noise, but still a gun shot. It was smaller, hidden inside the hunter's coat until the needed time. He took a few steps forward, his brain telling him something was wrong with his body. He didn't feel any pain- the rage at the hunter and the possible loss of Tom smothered his physical pain, wherever they may be. It was all he could do to stop himself from running to Tom's side and put pressure on the wound, or else they'd all be dead and the sacrifice would be for naught.

He, again, lunged at the hunter, this time clamping down on the right wrist of the hunter. Both of them fell to the ground and a heap, and started to wrestle, his actions driven by pure instinct. He saw the left hand move, but his jaws were still clamped on the other hand, then felt a vauge pain bloom near his hind leg after a flash of steel. It was a knife, another trick up the hunter's sleeve. Balthier didn't know what to think of the weapon, except that it reminded him of wolf claws, but much larger and sharper. Shiny, too. A glint came to his eyes, knowing that he'd steal it if... when he came out of this fight. By now, he wasn't quite sure if the human was still holding the gun, but both were constantly changing control. One moment, Balthier would be on top, trying to bite and slash, then next it was the hunter, trying to either choke him, or use the knife, although for all Balthier knew, it could have been dropped in the scuffle by now. All he knew for certain was that both were injured, and the human's right hand, near the wrist, was bleeding quite a bit. Because of this, he was doing all he could by keeping the hunter fighting and not mending it. Ideally, if he got in enough injuries, the human would bleed to his death. Of course, that could go the same with Balthier, but nothing was going to stop him from allowing this human go to kill the rest of his pack.

Vaarak flinched when he heard the shot. Normally he probably wouldn't, but.... his brother was out there with others. He whined, until he heard Rodion's voice before nodding, and kept his feet moving, as if placing them in automatic. He didn't want to say anything, not wanting to be the cause of the rest of the pack dwelling on the possible fate of the wolves not present. He was certain, though, that his brother wasn't about to die anytime soon. Balthier promised, and he didn't make many promises. Still, it was difficult to keep from worrying. Even he knew you can't always keep a promise faced with a gun. He also wondered how Morgan was doing.

Fran almost stumbled upon hearing the first gunshot that reached her ears, then looked at Rodion, seeing the fear at not knowing what was going on with the others. It was easy to guess the noise had something to do with the human. A bit later, her pace slowed down before she sped up to regain pace with the pack. She was worried, although for who, she didn't know. All she could do was run over all the possible types of injuries and the remedies of them if they were alive and injured. She glanced at Vaarak, who was rightfully scared for his brother's safety. She caught up with him, and said, "You don't know how he's doing, so for all you know, he's alive. Tell me about some of his adventures while you two were stil traveling." It was clearly a way to distract Vaarak from thinking about the different ways Balthier could have died, but they needed the members of the pack who were here right now to keep a clear enoguh head.

Vaarak's eyes glittered as he started to reply, mostly telling her about how Balthier had a tendancy to find the need to steal most shiny items, and some of his adventures involving said items. Vaarak was never allowed to take part in the, potentially, more dangerous trips, so she recognized the story about when the older brother actually snuck into her pack. Naturally, Vaarak wouldn't recognize her since he himself never went in. Some of the details of the stories, though were exaggerated or weren't true. Either Balthier added them to make it more interesting, or Vaarak really looked up to him. After he finished three tales, Vaarak felt a bit more relaxed and confident in his brother being alive.

He heard noises- too many of them. The barks from his packmates were too loud, and he knew he was late. What may be surprising was that Balthier did have some faith Tom could hold out on his own, but then again, faith and trust are two different concepts, albiet at times, a bit similar. Mostly what took him so long was that he was disguising his scent in a very short time. He was hidden well enough, but if one was really trying. Of course, at the moment, the human... and canine? were preoccupied.

Act as if this was just another one of your plunders. Steal that... what did they call it again? Oh yeah... but it'll always be a stick to me... He wasn't scard of what he was going to do, although he really wished he had time to wash the dirt off himself, even if it was helping him mask his scent. Balthier felt filthy, and he was just going to have to take it out on that human. Licky two-legger.

Peering at the scene, he noticed Braeden had yet to move, and Tom was facing the hunter's pet. He was right behind the human, and Tom was now engaged with the fight. He didn't delay, unsure of how much stamina Tom had with his age. Suddenly, he leapt out of his hiding place, aimed at the human's legs.

Suddenly, the human heard or sensed something was wrong, and ducked, not bothering to look at what he thought was aimed at his back. Balthier looked smug, as he was at least able to take a scrape at the hunter's leg. Now the hunter had a good look a him, who looked surprised this wolf didn't go for the killing spot on the neck. At least that stick wasn't aimed for Braeden or Tom anymore, but... it was now aimed for him. He saw fingers tightening on the trigger, and he darted to the side, watching where the stick was aimed, and hoping Tom was able to keep the wolfhound busy, as most of his attention wasn't on that fight.

It was difficult to change direction as he got closer, since the gun was much closer, but he also had observated that most of the time, the hunter couldn't get another shot right away. The gun was shot, and it collided with the dirt, mere millimeters from where Balthier had been. He quickly lunged, but the hunter used the rifle like a club, knocking him away. He growled, hating the fact that it was going to leave a bruise and enraging him more. At times like this, he was glad his brother wasn't present, as Vaarak hadn't seen this side of him before. Humans didn't disgust him, but hunters did, and when there were hunters, he wasn't about to let his behavior reflect that of a pure wolf.

((Don't worry. This will still be interesting even if Balthier gets the gun away in my next post, despite me wanting him to win without a scratch. I'll let Tom and Braeden post again.))