FIGHT -or- FLIGHT

[Sivoncé™]

They had to hurry. It was a long journey to Sheeran territory, and now that they were away from the battle, time seemed to be moving in hyper-speed. Outside of the fighting, it began to dawn on Kasparr and Autumn just how long they had been fighting. The battle had waged for longer than any fight Autumn could remember fighting before this. With a douse of dread, she realized it could very well parallel one of the battles of the ancient days if it kept on for much longer in such a bloody manner. Breathelessly, she rushed on as fast as her sore paws would carry her.

Kasparr lagged behind a few pawsteps, taking the rear to make sure they weren't being watched or followed. Every now and then, he cast an anxious gaze across Jolon and his sister. Would the cavern work? He had no idea, but he prayed it would. It was their only hope. As they entered Sheeran territory, Kasparr swallowed hard. There was another, more tantalizing question still: had Bain seen them? He thought not, but that didn't mean he had. If he saw Jolon, or any of us, really, this is all over. Autumn and I won't be able to spy and Jolon can't stay in the pack if he knows. All of this could be for nothing.

[featherswift]

Jolon's pads were beginning to ache with the effort. Not only had he been through a tireless day, but then a battle to top it off. It wasn't as if he hadn't gotten a good night sleep either. His body was protesting with every muscle he used, but he kept going.

His anxious gaze kept flitting towards Kasparr and Autumn. Every turn they took made his heart beat faster, hoping it was right there waiting for them after that next clearing. If he had been a pup he would have wailed at his parents to snuggle him and tell him everything would be alright. Unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury and he couldn't just stop when things were scary.

The Yozoran knew very well that this pool of water was his only hope. If he hadn't burnt himself he could pass off his bruises for a run in with a possum or lone stag.

As they got farther and farther from the battle it disturbed him further and further that Yozoran pack hadn't come to help. The others were needing as much help as they could from what he had seen. This fueled his desire to reach the pool of water and then be able to protect his pack with Autumn and Kasparr helping.

"How much farther?," he barked as the group ran on.

[Sivoncé™]

(Sorry this took me so long, feather, but exams and other things have come up lately that have been priority above posting )

Hearts pumping in a chord of anxious unison, the trio pressed onwards to the Sheeran border. "I don't know," Kasparr admitted gravely. "I've never approached Sheeran territory from this angle before. We've got to be getting close, though." Her brother's words sent a fresh clout of nerves reverberating in Autumn's troubled thoughts. They would know the border when they crossed it, surely, outdid they really know enough about this rumored healing cavern to find it, successfully heal Jolon and get back home in time?

Autumn's pawsteps slowed as a brisk, biting breeze wafted a wave of Sheeran scent in their direction. She paused and looked grimly at Jolon, hazel eyes saturated with worry. "This could get us in trouble, too, you know. Even if we disguise your scent now, before we cross the border, if anyone's observant on their way back from the fight, they'll notice the trail right up to the scent line."

Kasparr, too, began to slow his stride with the nearing beacon of the Sheeran scent line. He looked around at their surroundings, taking in the frozen expanse of the Twilight Lake in the distance and, farther away, a smoking copse of forest. His eyes poured the frozen earth, but the thick blanket of snow had smothered any hopes they had of using herbs as a scent masker. Grimacing, Kaspar muttered in resignation, "How do u feel about animal dung? Damn snow!"

[featherswift]

Jolon looked at Kasparr as they kept running closer and closer to Sheeran territory. As far as they knew, it was enemy territory as well. Nowhere was safe at the moment. If any Sheeran saw them sneak past the border, wouldn't that look like an ambush?

Autumn then suddenly paused and he slowed to a stop to listen to her. Her eyes were full of worry...for him. They were near the border and Autumn wondered how they would get over undetected or without thier scent being found out later on. If would do no good if the Sheerans thought that Yozorans had been invading their territory while the battle had been going on. Yozoran pack would be in a blood bath between Sheerans and Blood Mist. Not liking this idea a bit, Jolon listened to Autumn.

Kasparr then spoke up after looking around them. Everything was frosted with snow, not a green thing in sight. He then knew exactly what Kasparr was going to say before he did. Jolon's ears fell a bit when Kasparr said it. They would have to roll in animal dung to hide their scent appropriately. He grimaced. "It is the only solution, so we'll have to endure it," he said.

Looking around, he smelled fresh caribou dung. He then walked towards it with brief hobbling, and rolled frantically in it. The smell clung to his pelt like oil. When he was sure the smell was all over him, he got up. Sure enough there was enough for several more wolves to roll in the mess. Jolon's nose burned with the smell, but he walked towards the two.

"Now it's both of your turns," he said with a smile playing on his lips.

[Sivoncé™]

Autumn winced in sympathy as she watched Jolon carry out the repulsive, yet necessary act. When their turn came, Autumn wondered if she would faint again. This is exactly why they didn't pick me to be a healer neophyte...I'm too damn squeamish! Kaspar blinked back at Jolon in disbelief. "You know...Autumn and I really don't carry the Yozoran scent anymore. Technically, we'd be fine and dandy minus the dung--"
"Kasparr!" Autumn clouted her brother lightly over his ears. "Be a little more sensitive. The poor guy just had to smear shit in his pelt. If this doesn't work, not only might he get killed, he might have some nasty infections in those wounds of his. The least we can do is cake on some sympathy crap!"
Kasparr looked back at her in shock. That must be some ultra strong sympathy you got cooking there, sis.
Autumn, realizing how silly the whole matter was, burst into a short fit of giggles. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever done in my life!" The laughter stopped abruptly as, with Kasparr still grumbling in protest, the siblings did their duty.
"All right," Autumn murmured, subdued by her own stench. "Forward march!"
Kasparr snorted incredulously. "Let's hope this place isn't just another craphole!"

[featherswift]

His fur was streaked with the nasty sticky concotion of sweat, blood, and dung. It burned his nose and made his eyes water, but he looked at the two with a sheepish smile. If he had to roll in that stuff, so did they. It was only fair. Kasparr looked at him in disbelief as he prompted them to join in the rolling.

The male began to protest the offer, but Autumn clouted him and barked right back. What she said made him chuckle. The laugh was like a relief in the tension and he was greatful to have these two with him to help. Kasparr was right, they weren’t exactly his packmates anymore so they didn’t need to get dirty too, but Autumn had been kind enough to tell him off. Jolon really liked these two and hoped that they would stay friends when all this was behind them.

Kasparr took his sister’s advice in shock, but went ahead while she started laughing, melding into his own. It seems they were a bit slap-happy at the moment for sure. The two then commenced with the rolling and finally got up enough to get down to business. At Autumn’s command and Kasparr’s snort, he couldn’t help but stifle a laugh then shoot a look at the two and back to their destination. Now it was time to find this pool the Sheeran’s kept in their lands. The water was sacred and it would hopefully heal him enough that he could go to Yozoran lands again and keep an eye on Bain, who had clearly lost his mind. He cursed himself for falling into the trap and getting burned. The wound was particularly nasty, but the adrenaline pumping inside his veins was keeping him from feeling the total front of it. Unfortunately, it was running out and with each step he felt more and more pain. Hopefully they would get to the pool before he began to limp or couldn’t walk.

His paws took him forward, with the two wolves, as they drew close to the pool. "Are we anywhere close?," he barked quietly. Hopefully it would be there around the bend. At least Autumn or Kasparr had an idea where it was, Jolon really had no clue.