Alone

Desync event for being without a guardian for too long

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Pain.

That's all her mind would allow her to focus on. The pain that coursed through her leg, stemming from the now swollen bump along her hind leg.

It started shortly after her departure from Winterheart Forest, right as she began her path trailing the mountains. The pale girl never did see the snake, not until it was too late. She must have trampled near its hollow or stepped a little too close to its face for comfort. All things considered, she thought she was lucky at first.

Instincts let her quickly shake the creature and since it was small, it never bothered following after her in her escape. A quick glance showed a clean puncture mark, nothing too serious to worry about. As she traveled though, the throbbing set in, a constant reminder with each step until she managed to hobble to the thick forest she now wandered in.

Hotaru had noticed the swelling hours ago, but she knew nothing about treatment. Her best bet was to find someone who did. Now the scent of wolves was fresh and somewhat present. A group perhaps? She could only hope they might have a healer or at the very least a way to ease the pain. Shaky legs urged on, ignorant to any borders that might linger as she let out a weak howl. Something, anything for help.

The end of her call weakened, a step too far as she shifted her weight over a log onto her injured leg and felt the muscles give... at long last the pale girl collapsed.

Above her the tall oaks seemed to sway with the breeze, budding branches and pine shifting enough for the evening light to shine down, spotting the lush greens of the forest floor with dancing dots of light. If nausea hadn't set in it could be beautiful, but at least it was distracting, just enough so to hold out and hope that someone would respond to her call.

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+2

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As time went on and the more visitors that came, an unpleasant started to crawl to the self proclaimed Queen. The issue was that while many came, they all went, little staying within her claim. Some she was glad to leave though, for the white upon their pelts was only a curse, giving a shiver down her spine that she was a gatherer of bad luck. Karma from the previous sins she commited, did He, do so? Was it but a test? With no divine eyes to tell what signs could say - she at a loss. 

The wind rustled through the tree tops, a hawk travelling by as it eyes the now overgrown vegetation that layered the ground. If it wasn't for the herd that controlled the growing bushes, the forest would truly be a lushed with greenary. It eyed through the thin layers for it's pray, but all that can be seen is Célnes, laying upon a fallen wrong, long ago had it toppled over, and now does it unevenly lean against a rock. Like a throne her feet sat within while paws dangling over, gently ruffling over the moss that blanketed it, and scratching over the remainder of mushrooms.

Though regal in appearance as she tries to be, her brows furrowed as pumpkin-pink gave a long-stare ahead, to a fallen figure in the distance. Eye catching compared to the brown trees and the green leaves; someone white, someone unwanted. Célnes considered approaching, helping a weakened child..

Though if she were to just leave them alone, no one would really know, would they?

Humming in the quiet of the forest, that only the rang the occasional song of the birds, she watched, and waited. Survive or to pass, for there was no healer in this forest.

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+2

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The longer she laid the more the blowing branches seemed to spin, twirling in the sky above almost as if the Earth itself was moving. At long last, it seemed as if the branches lurched, and with it her stomach as she held back the desire to empty her stomach of what little contents they still contained. The sound of footsteps would be her saving grace, something else to focus on other than how gross she felt.

Peering through the green ferns, she spotted a tall woman of darkened browns. She was stark in comparison, yet blended all the same with the trunks of the woods. Hotaru swallowed the bile and saliva rising in her throat, her maw parting to find a voice to speak with “Here— Here, Miss, I need help—”

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+1

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"I'm afraid I am of no help dear." Her voice drawled on like a concerned mother, yet her mouse twirled in an amusing devilish attire. She dare not move either, her body firmly planted on the fallen pine, as her claws turned down and occasionally swiped at the branch. A few claw marks could be seen as eyes fallen to below, before reaching back to the sinful wolf. She was a fawn, a small child who unfortunately had met within this forest.

"The High Elk will forgive her," the the whisper was so inaudible she did not believe the other would hear. To die within these forests, was a sign she would be forgiven, and a new body in through the reincarnating lifetimes. One blessed with the sanction of the beautiful colors of their browns, a sign of beloved by the God she so believes in - yet it is well-known Célnes picks and choose when to believe in him, and what to follow. Though, wasn't that all religions?

"I know no healing arts."

There was no healer - for her.

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+1

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@Izumi !

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^^

After a while Izumi and Reiko picked up the path once more where she had found Hotaru's scent. Being so close now, there would be no stopping the young mother from finding her daughter. The lack of Haruki's scent on this trail was concerning, but one was better than none.. and where one was, the other was surely to be near as well.

Picking through the scents through the woods, she was careful to keep to Hotaru's trail. Some were older than others but Reiko was sure that they were on the right track. Excitement and the burning desire to be reunited made it near impossible to not allow haste to blind her nose and eyes, yet, she was wise enough to be cautious and patient - as getting lost and charging blindingly ahead would only prolong the reunion as opposed to following the proper path carefully.

Then, her heart lept into her throat as a call rang out in the distance. The thick feeling of something choking her throat as that little howl rang through the woods, heard even where Izumi and she stood, calling for aid. Pointed ears honing in on its direction as cerulean eyes, wide and hopeful, stared through the trees if she could. Her posture akin to that of a hound finding its target, she was focused in its direction... Hotaru was near. Mother was near, and in the instant of a heartbeat, she was off. Hoping Izumi would be quick to follow too.

Heart beating furiously in her chest ached, stinging with exertion. So did her lungs as they pulled the air desperately into them to keep her running just a little longer. Nothing could stop her now, not even the blatant borders of a pack as Hotaru's scent carried beyond it just a little further ahead and—

Then... she paused. Breath caught in her lungs as they stung with each breath, casting only a fleeting glance to the woodland woman who simply stared at the child in need of help before finding herself right at her daughter's side. “Hotaru-” The words simply failed to make sense to her as tears stung her eyes, fighting back the need to weep in sorrow and joy. Approaching softly as if she were afraid to scatter the girl into the wind should she approach too hastily. Naturally, her eyes wandered the little figure of her daughter, catching the sickening swell in her ankle. “What happened?” She was in disbelief over it all, even now she looked to the woodland woman, asking for answers on what had happened to her daughter. Within her eyes, there were no accusations that this woman would have harmed the pale girl, but instead, she hoped the woman knew.

^^
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Long limbs carried Izumi at a sprinting pace just so she didn't lose the dove's trail. One of Reiko's children was in this forest, she was told, and while the young wolf's scent couldn't be identified by Izumi the same way Reiko knew it at heart, the scent of someone nearby was unmistakable. So, she decided to trust Reiko's movements and follow the scent leading up to the trail.

Then there was a howl in the distance -- soft, fragile, desperate -- one that made the siamese stop in her tracks and look around the same way her travel companion did. It didn't take long, however, for the pale dove to follow after the sound with a certain confidence in her change of direction that could only lead Izu to assume that this was her child's call. How strange it was for there to be a doubt in the princess' mind towards their survival; and yet here they are....

She fell a bit behind from the empress' pace, and as a result came across two things: A mysterious woman who sat just off in the distance, and a writhing, pale shape in which Reiko sat near with a look of distress on her face: Hotaru.

There was not an idea in Izumi's mind as to what was going on, and her eyes crossed repeatedly between the two white wolves and the brunette that stood afar in thought. Then she moved, closely towards the young girl's opposite side -- though her gaze did not focused on them yet. Violet hues were instead pointed in the directing of the elken woman who lied at the hinges of her throne, and the crane awaited for an answer in silence since she too wished to know what happened here -- except a part of Izu was not all too trusting....

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"I'm afraid I am of no help dear."

The words seemed kind, but the feeling they gave only stirred dread. The long-legged woman sat perched like a queen on a throne, her paws reaching out to scratch at the bark of the fallen tree while she kept that orange stare on her. Her eyes burned like the rays of the desert sun as she caught her mumbling under her breath though the words she spoke had been inaudible. It wouldn't be until she spoke again that she felt her disappointment welding up.

It wasn't her fault that they had no healer, but traveling to the next closest one pained her in thought alone. “T-That's okay. Do you perchance know where I might find one?” She shifted in an attempt to sit up, wincing at the stiffness that had set in through her legs. The pale girl's head spun as she rose, so much so that when the sound of her mother's voice graced her ears she thought she had imagined it until she found herself staring into Reiko's eyes.

“Mother—?” Lavender eyes blinked, half expecting the image to vanish should she look away, though she didn't and soon another woman would follow close behind. Hotaru could feel her mother's gaze wander her, quickly finding the swell of her leg as she turned to the stranger for an answer. “I was caught off guard— a snake— I thought it would be fine, but it's gotten worse throughout the day.”

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"You've barged into my forest without introductions." Voice coated with icicles, but a smile upon her frosty looks, she curiously looked at the group of white-kin who bounded in without a thought, and demanded answers. She did not remove herself from the throne of the fallen tree, pleasantry laying upon it as the sun shined and warming her pelt, but continued to move her paws across the oak, a claws lining so for a thin mark to appear.

"I'm afraid she been but - but there is no healer to be around." At any point she imagined one could be called, yet, she did not. Their kind did not deserve such luxuries, especially as Célnes took offense to the factor they barged in without a thought - any other situation she would demand a blood. Though with little numbers, she could not quench that vengeance against them. Politics were tough, but the Queen held confidence within her reasoning to persuade them to leave.

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+1

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^^

Izumi was right on her tail, thankfully appearing quickly as the mother found herself looking over the injured daughter's leg. Knowing of their faux-pas but she was hopeful the woman who stared daggers at them would be more understanding once knowing that they were here for a child. For her child. And yet, she was not. The disdain in her voice was cause for concern.

Fear clutched her chest as she not only had to worry about the possible pack who claimed these woods, but the explanation behind Hotaru's wound. A snake bite... her raced as her mind tried to figure out the best course of action to get them all out of here safely to deal with the snake bite. To not bring the wrath of a territorial being who was staring them down at a distance.

Turning her gaze to Izumi, she pleaded silently for her to watch over the yearling. Nodding a signal for her to get closer and see if she could do anything, even if it was just to be comforting. This was Reiko's fault after all, her daughter too, she had to mend it somehow.

Stepping away from Hotaru just a couple paces, protectively stepping in front of the child while she focussed on the new danger they faced. “My apologies for our intrusion, but surely you can understand the situation at hand?” Once again she tried to plead, to gain some kind of sympathy. “I am Reiko Izuka, Izumi here is my companion, and this is my daughter Hotaru. I have been searching for her and her brother for months now. Is it possible to forgive us long enough to leave safely somewhere where I may treat her wounds? Away from your claim.”

^^
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There was a certain bad feeling in her gut she couldn't describe -- like things would go terribly wrong soon. It was then that Izu realized the collection of scents here, which told her of a group that already took residence in these woods behind the suspicious brunette woman. 

How many? The crane was not concerned, for their extended stay would've caused trouble they did not want either way -- the trio should leave before any of that actually happened. Though Reiko turned to Izumi, with pleading blues asking her to watch over the young snow fall, and she'd nod her head in return to wait for what she had to say -- despite her urge to take the two away immediately.

The duotoned woman took her attention away from the two for a moment to look after Hotaru as she shuffled closer and sat beside her with a tail wrapped around the sickly yearling's body. She wasn't well-versed on how to comfort a child (or a teenager in this case, since Izumi was more or less expecting Reiko's children to be this big), but she figured this was the best she could muster for now...

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This had been a dead end and as frustrating as the girl found it, she didn't have many options. Her mother moved away in hopes of pleading with the alpha, though the look in her eyes left her with no high expectations. Perhaps she had been brash knowingly trespassing, but she wouldn't have changed her actions even in hindsight.

Another moved to her side, this time an unfamiliar woman those she bore a pelt similar to her own kin. Despite the kind gesture, she would have to shrug off the comfort and grunted as she worked her way to her paws. Rather they were given clearance to leave or not, they would have to go and if they were given chase, it was better that she started now. 

“Sorry to bother you, we'll just go.” There was no point giving her name now. Maybe on another day, though she doubted she would be back.

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permission to PP hotaru out with the group when they go!

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"I will not stop you from leaving. You are free to go." She felt like a villian by their looks, that is was laughable when it should be the other way around. They intruded into her forest, and even for a child, she should not expect mercy from not paying attention to the scents. Though she did not pay attention to the words of pity, much less to the names. All she mentioned they are free to leave, of course the Queen would not stop them. A peaceful solution compared to the other sinful wolves, who continued to loiter around her forest, and she had no choice to result into a stampede.

They were free to go, and to stay out.

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^^

She trusted Izumi with Hotaru even with her back turned, they had spent enough time together that she had no doubt the crane would do her best to watch over the princess while she dealt with what they all seemed to believe was the leader here. They surely acted as if they were. Their words were harsh despite them letting the group go peacefully, a bitting tone to their graces that stung as soon as they were uttered.

This was when the lessons of picking your battles came into play. On both sides as she saw it there was a need for understanding and it seemed that they had come to such an agreement. With a dip of her head, “Thank you.” She was sure to be as polite as possible even if Hotaru may be feeling a little bitter about the outcome judging by her words.

Trying to make quick work of them all making haste out of the claimed lands, she turned back to Hotaru and Izumi's side. Offering a thankful glance at the pointed woman before turning back to usher the injured Princess away. “Quickly now, I will take a look at your injuries as soon as we leave.” She would try to help Hotaru to move as quickly as her injured body would allow, even if it meant offering for Hotaru to lean against her, hold her scruff to help alleviate some weight even if that was necessary - anything to get them moving before the brunette lost her patience and called in the rest of the pack that resided here in the dense fern carpeted woods.

Once they were out of the scented borders, they kept walking just a little while longer before she could comfortably look over Hotaru's wound...

^^

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Exit!

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+1

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