Aurinka

Aurinka sat in a cage on a thick layer of blankets. She was recovering from distemper now, but she still needed some time to rest. She had no home now. She couldn't live with the Lurkers, and she was most certainly not going back to the Haunters. Her mother was aging and it was sad to see her fade away. She couldn't go to her mother's pack. It would be heartbreaking.

Aurinka sat there, depressed, lonely and cold. It was lucky that she couldn't reach a cliff. For if she could, she would have jumped.

Bullet & Pirqua

With Temptation being denied access to the Lurkers, Bullet did the next best thing he could for her - take her to the ultimate nuetral group in the Valley. There were only a handful of times that fighting had broken out here, but it was more or less a no combat zone for everyone, and he figured it would be the safest place for her to stay. "From what I understand, there's three humans that live here now; there use to be an older female and some random younger ones, but it's hard telling what happened to them. Humans are so unpredictable." Bullet was saying, trying to get into a friendly, casual conversation as he led the wolfess towards the house.

As he got near, his eyes fixed on Aurinka in a cage, and he offered an awkard half-smile to the exiled Lurker before looking quickly away. He hadn't been there during the fight, and it pained him to see the female turned away from the group, but he knew there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation. "So, uh..." Bullet trailed off, trying to quickly pick up the conversation again to keep his mind occupied.

Pirqua continued to shadow the group, soaring high aove the land.

Aurinka

Aurinka's ears perked up in alertness when she smelled a Lurker. "Desm--" Her words were cut off abruptly when she saw that it was not her best friend, but another canine instead. Her eyes filled with tears to see a dog with whom she once lived. She glanced at Temptation, feeling nostalgic when she thought she could recognize the young canine. She spoke up again, her voice quivering. "I-I need to get out of h-here, Bullet." She said sorrowfully. "I'm going to the canyon, and I'm going to jump. When you see Desmon, tell him that I love him." She had no home, no friends, and felt as if she was being ripped apart. What reason, then, did she have to continue this miserable life?

Bullet & Pirqua

It seemed like deja-vu to the big hybrid as he listened to the coyodog's threat of suicide. She reminded him so much of the wolfess Dream, who he had tried on various occassions to save, and who's brother had initially called upon his pack to help. But in the end, she was ousted from the pack for allying with their enemy, and he could not convince his sister to let her in. The last he heard, she had perished at the hands of humans, though she had tried on so many occassions to take her own life.

"Aurinka... there isn't much I can do for you, aside from offering advice..." The hybrid spoke softly, taking a step away from Temptation as he faced Auri's cage, "...I cannot be your messenger though. I won't be the one to break his heart further." There was a solidness in his words now, while his gentle eyes shone with sympathy for the ex-Lurker.

Temptation

The coal black female followed in tow, whispering things to herself as they moved along. "They-they don't..." She couldn't bring herself to tell Bullet that the way the other two Lurkers looked at him was the same as....

Her eyes lifted at the sight of Aurinka. the older wolfess would not recognize Temptation for she was not even born when Aurinka ran away from the Haunters. When Bullet told the story about the humans Temptation stopped in her tracks with an open jaw. "S-so the stories...... th-they are true!?" Quickly she jumped back... Staying clear away from the humans. "The humans I was staying with s-said that there was a murder down here. I don't remember the place, but they said an old lady with some near pup humans were murdered by their family. Th-The same medicine they use to help the wildlife was used in their execution.... y-you actually trust these humans?" She cowered to the ground as her wide eyes stared at the home of the human creatures.

Aurinka

Aurinka lowered her head, sobbing. "I...I just can't go on anymore." She said softly and sorrowfully. "I need to get out of here. I'll talk to Des."

Bullet & Pirqua

Her previous words made him crease a furry brow in suspicious concern. Something was troubling her, and he decided to get to the bottom of it - but then she made a startling revelation that really threw him for a loop. Murdered? Bullets heart sank at the thought of Starlit Eyes, whom he simply assumed had died with them, for he hadn't heard from the fae since the old lady's diappearance. Before his involvement with Sasha, he had quite the habbit of flirting, and she had been his main attraction.

"I-" The hybrid looked uncertainly towards the door of the house, then to Aurinka, and finally back to Temptation, "...are you sure? We've never had problems before...." There was a hint of skepticism in his voice now, as humans had always made him a little wary.

Bullet spared a moment to look to Aurinka again, "Auri, I can't change what happened, but I can give you on offer still. Stay here at the Woodland Farm - this is nuetral ground. In fact... I'll send Desmon here to talk with you."

Aurinka

Aurinka shook her head. "No, I'm scarred. The memories of those who have wronged me haunt me every day and every night. I can't go on like this. If the Devil wants to fight me, I will fight him face to face." She sighed, burying her head in her paws. "Yes, send Desmon here first." She then said.

Temptation

There was a grave and solid nod. "Yeah, they-they said the animal "healers". There was only rumor that this group of people will save animals, but only the ones they find cute. If they don't like the animal that comes to them th-they'll kill them. Poisons." She looked around, wide-eyed. "I heard even the pets who live here have been brain washed. They have medicines that make you forget who y-you are.. and.. and, if they like you a lot, they'll change the way you look and say that you are their pet. Th-That might be why they sent you here......" She gave a notable shudder before covering her eyes, she looked to Aurinka. "Wh-Why is she here? D-do you think she is here to be poisoned?" She gasped and backed away. Growing more and more scared.

Aurinka

Aurinka looked at Temptation and gasped. "Poisoned?!?! Get me out of here!" She cried, panicking and throwing herself against the sides of the cage.

Bullet & Pirqua

"Brainwashed...?" He repeated at length, resisted a shiver that threatened to snake down his spine. "No, you must be mistaken." Bullet shook his head, even though a hint of doubt lurked into his less than certain words. This is where he brought his own pups for safety, it had to be a good place... He looked to Aurinka, tension as she began to panik. "Woah, hey, calm down!" The hyrid barked, sprinting over to her cage.

"Auri, calm down, it's alright." Bullet tried to sooth her somewhat, while roving the cage with his eyes and trying to find a way to open it. "Easy there, you're just going to hurt yourself like that."

Pirqua had settled herself on the edge of the roof, looking less than kindly at Temptation. She wasn't nearly as tender-hearted as the big wolfdog. Nor did she pity a creature that had once been in the ranks of the Haunters, if only for a short time.

Aurinka

Aurinka seemed to not hear Bullet's words. She was intent on getting out of here fast.

The lock was a simple lift-and-slide bar. Aurinka had seen the humans open it many times, but could not reach it from this inside. "I saw the humans slide that little bar. Maybe you can open it." She said dully.

Temptation

"Shhhh!" She yelped to both of them. "They'll hear you, if they know you're afraid of them, they'll only get you faster." She moved up to Bullet nuzzling his side. She wouldn't even glance at the bird that stalked them. "There is no mistake, take it as it is, it is what I have heard from other humans. " She lifted her eyes to his "I've also heard, packs will send unwanted pack mates here. If they come enough time the humans know they pack doesn't want them and will put them d-down..." Her eyes softened in fear as if fearing for his life.

Bullet & Pirqua

Keen eyes settled on the latch, quickly recognizing it for what it was. He had seen this type of simple lock before, and he went to work straight away to undo it. "When I open this, Auri..." Bullet paused, his nose hovering over the metal rod as he looked with softened eyes at the coyodog, "...do not return to the Aegis Den. You can find shelter with the Sedge Creek or Ancient Haunters if you wish; they are our allies. I'll send Desmon to speak with you." He had to give her reason not to end her life, and with those sentiments, he nuzzled the latch about until it slipped back and the door creaked open.

By this point, his heart was thumping madly in his chest, despite the calm facade he tried to put on. A linger doubt and worry cast in his yellow orbs as he looked to Temptation, embracing the nuzzle and offering a comforting one in return. He had come to trust the kind old lady, and her sudden disappearance, along with Temptation's lies, cast some serious doubt on the three younger humans now living here. "...maybe.... we should find somewhere else then..." He offered hesitantly, taking a step back from the house.

Aurinka

Like a torpedo, Aurinka bolted out of the cage, clumsily at that. She had nerve damage from the distemper, causing trouble walking or even standing up. She looked back at Bullet, taking a deep breath, happy to be free. "I'll go to Sedge Creek. ...The Ancient Guardians hate me..." She shuddered to think of the Guardians. They killed her brother. With that, she smiled crookedly and walked away.

Temptation

The wolfess nodded to the suggestion. "P-please, I-I'm afraid to be here. I-I don't wa-wa-want to die." She took his nuzzle and then backed away with him, looking around just in case some creatures would come to get them. "B-b-b-ut where?