The Halfling and the Exile

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Isaac checked the entire living room top to bottom, every nook and cranny possible, even lifting one side of the couch to look beneath it. Nothing. The kitchen was the same, and he was just moving on to the bedrooms when Niari came running back inside. He gave a faint shout of surprise when she knocked into him, tumbling back onto his ass and staring at her with surprise and then irritation. He started to protest, but flinched back instead when her mental voice started shouting at him.

Wait, you can't -! She was gone. He hurried to get to his feet and close the door after her so he could check bedrooms without worrying about the others, but he was seething somewhere inside. If you need help you tell me. He demanded, running back to start checking his room first since it was mostly empty. I can leave the door closed behind me so they can't get out. He didn't want her putting Arcady or herself in danger just to keep the pups from being alone for a little while. Somehow it felt like she was hiding something from him.
 
Niari didn't respond to Isaac's demands that she tell him if she needed help. She knew that she wouldn't do that. If she needed help, then she wasn't going to pull him into danger as well. All she cared about was getting Arcady to safety. She ran through the trees as fast as she was able, appearing as nothing but a blur to the foxes and deer that happened to see her go by. At that speed, she covered miles in minutes, soon slowing as she came to the location demanded. It was a small clearing, and she could see him standing there, watching her and waiting. She stepped into plain view, then shifted and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Tomas."

He was standing there, looking calm as could be. There was even a bit of a smile on his face. In one hand, he held his bow with an arrow already resting on the string. The other hand held Arcady, who was squirming and crying out desperately for help as she tried to get to Niari.

"You got here quickly," he remarked idly. "I didn't think Halflings cared about anything. I'm surprised you came looking for a runt. She's not worth it."

"Give her to me now," Niari growled, moving closer, but she stopped when his hold on the pup tightened and made her yelp. Tomas smirked, then simply dropped Arcady on the ground and drew back the arrow with his now-empty hand.

"I didn't want her anyway. Just a chance to get rid of you," he pointed out.

Niari wasn't about to just stand there and get shot at while Arcady was still in danger. She dove to the side and ran closer, grabbing Arcady. The pup was whimpering and squirming in pain, giving the impression that something was broken. That bastard.. She scowled and turned to run back to the woods, but then an arrow pierced the back of her thigh. Wooden. The pain laced through her and she cried out, falling to her hands and knees. Arcady tumbled out of her grasp, disappearing in a small hole in the ground. Safe. She was safe. Niari groaned and rolled over as best as she could to give Tomas a glare, but it was quickly proven effective as he buried an arrow deep in her belly.

ISAAC!

Tomas had drawn back a third arrow to aim for her eye, but then he heard Arcady crying. He paused and smiled a bit, lowering his arrow and going over to see if he could find the runt.
 
The pups were upset. That much was clear when they woke up enough to follow him, whining and trying to paw at his feet as he hurried around the room. Marie almost tripped him, more than once, and he had to struggle not to hurt any of them in his frantic search for their sister. Nothing. He'd tried to be careful with Niari's room but he'd looked everywhere and nothing.

And then, someone shouted so loud he almost nauseas, and he was running before he knew what had happened.

The door slammed behind him and the only things he could hear were his own heavy breaths, and his feet pounding against the earth. There wasn't time to stop and change. He shifted without undressing, took off almost before his bones had finished reshaping, ignored the thought of his shoes and his knife being left behind. He couldn't stop, not when she was shouting for him so desperately, not when she was in danger and needed him, there was no time, no time, no time.

Somehow, he'd known where she was. He coudnt have explained it if asked, but he knew, and he saw a man with a bow and arrow before he ever realized who it was. The silent, deadly hunters that wolves could be, Isaac leaped and slammed into Tomas' back without being heard, fangs sinking down into the shoulder of the man's dominant arm with a rabid snarl. No one hurt his halfling!

((Sorry for delay, distracted by movie lol))
 
Niari was trying to grab for Tomas' feet to keep him from finding Arcady, but she couldn't reach. She whimpered, desperate, but then Tomas yelled in surprise and fell over to the side. What? She blinked and looked over at him, seeing that Isaac was there. Already? How fast had he run? She stared at the scene, watching as Tomas squirmed and grabbed an arrow, twisting and trying to plunge it into Isaac wherever he could reach with his other arm.

A cold nose pressed into her arm and she looked down, seeing that Arcady had dragged herself over to Niari. She was crying, hunting for comfort. The poor dear.. Her 'mother' scooped her up and gently laid her on her chest, her fingers trembling as she pet her soothingly and tried to hum a lullaby. The arrow in her stomach hurt more than anything she had endured. Maybe it had to come out. She reached for it clumsily with her free hand, feeling the blood pooling around the wooden shaft. Wood. Poison to Vampires. Was that why she was getting dizzy? She frowned and tried to tug the arrow out, but it hurt so badly that she cried out with a soft scream and quickly let it go. She couldn't do this alone.

She tried to focus on Arcady, tried to comfort her. It didn't seem to be working. The poor darling was injured. Isaac had to get her out of here. She looked over at him, hoping he hadn't gotten himself hurt too or they'd all be in trouble.
 
Isaac dug in as deep as his strong jaws could, snarling even as he ripped his head back and forth to tear through skin and muscle and ligaments. He stayed out of reach just long enough to do as much damage as he could, then rolled away from Niari's fallen sibling. Just as the arrow came towards him again, he twisted and lunged forward, closing his jaws around Tomas' wrist and biting down hard enough to hear bone crack. There. Now this wretched creature couldn't touch Niari or their tiny pup again.

The weapons useless to Tomas, Isaac finally hurried away from him to Niari's side, shifting back so soon it made his head spin dangerously. "Niari-" he got out, dizzy and shaking himself quickly to get rid of it, and kneeled next to her. "Niari. . ." She was in pain, and so was their pup, but the arrows - did wooden weapons hurt halflings as much as vampires? Why else would she be so hurt?

Reaching for her, Isaac cringed and realized Tomas had gotten his left shoulder a bit with the arrow after all. He shook it off, though, powered through and took Arcady from her to cradle gently in one arm. The other he held out to Niari, his wrist turned towards her. "Drink." He panted. "Drink, and heal. Quickly." She would be fast, and they would take care of Arcady after. Surely someone would come and see why he'd been running so fast eventually so she needed to do it now.
 
Tomas was yelling and squirming in pain, but with one shoulder torn apart and the other wrist broken, he couldn't do much more than flail his legs in an attempt to kick Isaac even after he was well out of reach. He growled in frustration and worked his way to a sitting position, quickly trying to stand to draw his knife. Silver. He knew what it could do to both of them, and he wasn't going to hesitate.

"No," Niari said, pushing the wrist away. There was no time. She couldn't heal with the arrows still inside of her, or they would be sealed in there until she ripped them out and caused more damage. Either she had to pull them out now and waste time before she could feed, or there was no point. She looked at Arcady in Isaac's grasp and gave him a bit of a push.

"You have to run. Take Arcady. Tomas isn't going to give up. Take her, please," she begged, trying her best to sit up. Tomas was starting to regain his balance. Arcady was still crying. The rest of the pups had been left alone at the cabin. She didn't understand why Isaac was still lingering here instead of taking off at the first opportunity with the hurting little pup.
 
Isaac growled when she wouldn't take it. "What do you expect me to do - leave you here?" He shook his head sharply at her, handed her back Arcady, made her take the pup in her arms with no arguments. The little one cried, distressed and hurt, but he couldn't stop now. He would console her later.

Standing back, Isaac turned to face the injured, bloodied wolf approaching him with a knife, with an arm that should hardly have been working anymore. Isaac was injured, though less so than Tomas, and had the disadvantage of a lack of clothing and two bodies to protect beyond his own. Someone else might have backed down. But Isaac was not 'someone else' and he didn't give in when there was danger, not when he had something to keep safe.

"I ran for miles with blood in my fur to get here," he snarled, fierce gaze locked on Tomas and the weapon, the blood already on the other man. "Do you think you frighten me? A helpless little pup afraid of things that go bump into he night?" He beared fangs at the other wolf, a snarl in his throat as he dared even go take a step forward. When Tomas swung with the knife, Isaac used his injured shoulder as an advantage, smacked the blow away and slammed an elbow into Tomas' face even though it sent ripples of pain through his arm and shoulder and back.

"I killed my own Alpha to get these scars! I won't back down for a little shit like you!"
 
"Uh.. yes.."

Niari blinked up at Isaac, confused. He seemed annoyed that she assumed he'd take off. Before she knew it, Arcady was back in her arms and still crying for help. She frowned and cradled the pup, trying to focus on Isaac as he stood and approached Tomas. For some reason, her brother still wanted to fight. He was bleeding severely and not quite stable as he stood, but still he advanced on the angry Isaac. She wasn't sure who she was rooting for at this point. Her own flesh and blood, or the one who was protecting her? Family meant everything to werewolves, but Tomas was out for blood and had shot her with two arrows within the past hour. He even tried to get to Arcady. That was what made her mind up for her. He was no brother of hers, not any longer.

She watched as the pair collided, the snarls scaring Arcady into silence once more. From her angle, Niari could not tell who was winning and who wasn't. They both fell to the ground and she heard a cry of pain from one. After a moment, she heard Isaac yelling. He.. killed his Alpha? What?! Why?! If he had done something like that, reason stood that he would now be the Alpha of the pack. Yet here he was, latching on to hers. She blinked in confusion, her vision starting to swim as her dizziness got worse and worse.

"Arcady.." she murmured, her limbs feeling like lead as she shifted her arms to protect the pup. It was all she could manage before she passed out cold.
 
Isaac felt the knife nick his leg, and afterwards he felt it like a fire spreading through him. Silver was poison, felt like his leg would rot and fall off, but the cut was shallow and it wasn't near his heart and that was what mattered. He would live. He would heal eventually.

With Tomas on the ground beneath him, Isaac ignored the wild blows the other wolf through even when they connected, smashed a forearm down on Tomas' wrist and threw the blade aside. When it was gone, Isaac hit him. Over, and over, and over. Until Tomas' ribs had cracked or broken, until his face was a bloody mess and he didn't fight back anymore. Only then could Isaac let himself stop, let himself leave the wolf with confidence that the fight wouldn't continue, and collapsed the moment he tried to get up and walk.

It was everything he could do not to scream with the pain of just crawling to where Niari lay, blinded by it, the fever of silver already lighting him aflame. When others rushed to the scene to see what had happened, he snarled at them to protect his pup, to protect Niari. He wouldn't let them take her until they brought her mother, wouldn't let them see how the wooden weapons hurt her more than they should. Only when the Alpha was there did he let himself curl up on the ground and shake through the fever until it felt like his very bones would rattle away from him.

Finally, he slept.
 
Niari woke up on something soft. She was warm and comfortable. Blankets. Was she on a bed? She could feel that she was naked against the sheets, and something furry was tickling the inside of her left arm. Curious, she opened her eyes and peered down to see that it was Arcady, all curled up and snoozing. Her left hind leg was wrapped against a splint. Poor darling. At least she seemed calm now. Niari sighed and lifted the blanket to look down at her belly. No arrow, no blood. There was a small scar, though. Apparently even a Halfling could not escape a wooden arrow fully untainted. She frowned and glanced around, recognizing her own bedroom. Where was Isaac?

There was a faint knock, followed by the door opening. It was her mother. The woman stepped inside and closed the door behind her as soon as she saw that her daughter was awake. She walked over to the bed and carefully sat on the side of it, her hands in her lap as she gazed at Niari. The look didn't last long before she turned to look out the window instead.

"Tomas is dead," she finally said, her voice steady as though she had expected this to happen. Before Niari could get over her shock, the Alpha continued on. "You have proven yourself a danger to this pack. The others have started putting voice behind Tomas' claims of your heritage. I will likely be asked to step down, but I am here to ensure that does not happen. That is why you and your blood-bag helper are going to leave. I will not have this happening again. The wolf pups have been taken from this cabin - where they were left alone, by the way - and they will be introduced back into their pack later this week. All except that one that wouldn't let go of you, of course. You may keep that one. She is injured and would likely die."

Niari stared at her mother in shock. After all the woman had done to help her, now she was being turned out? Isaac too? And they had taken the pups.. She felt a tightness in her chest that was rapidly forming into tears.

"Mother, please.." she whimpered, but the Alpha was done speaking. She stood and glanced down at her daughter, then turned and left without another word. Niari could hear footsteps in the hallway that told her there were more people out there. How many? Who was it? Were they going to just linger around until they were sure the danger had been driven out? Tears coursed down her cheeks and she cuddled Arcady close, giving a gentle mental nudge to Isaac in hopes that he was conscious.

Isaac..
 
Isaac had struggled through the fever for hours upon waking, alone in the bedroom he hadn't even gotten a chance to use. They had tied his hands to ensure he wouldn't hurt anyone, and likely so he wouldn't injure himself in the feverish throws of nightmarish dreams that captured him, and the confusion and disorientation kept him from getting himself free, despite the ropes being tied with his arms still in front of him. After a while he had just accepted it.

Accept fact and move on. He was starting to regret that philosophy.

When he had been lucid again, exhausted and shaking in the aftershocks, the alpha had come to see him and explained. It left him feeling hollow and panicked, and he blamed the fever and the pain for the few tears that slipped past his guard. He had killed his father to protect his pack, and he had left them. He had killed Tomas to protect Niari and his pups, and now he was leaving them too.

Sick with the pain still, lying on his side with his tied hands in front of him and trying to feel nothing, Isaac almost didn't notice when Niari's mind pushed at his. With a struggle, he managed the effort of picturing his house with his door, the building feeling in shambles now, and gradually pushed it open for her past the debris.

Niari. . . They took them. . . It was all he could think of. He would survive. The pain would go away eventually, but through it all he could think of was mourning the loss of their pups. His little Marie. it wasn't fair.

((It's 630 am and I dont want to be awake DX))
 
I know.. I know.. I still have Arcady. Maybe we can get the others back.. sneak them away.

It was a desperate, unrealistic thought. Niari knew that. Chances were that the pups were being guarded, or had been mixed in with the children so that somebody had eyes on them at all times. Even if not, there was a very slim possibility that they could be grabbed and run away without anybody chasing them. How would they run if they were carrying their bags? She frowned sadly and hugged the little pup in her arms closer. There was no point in sitting here. She could sense that the cabin was empty except for Isaac.

Pushing the blankets away, she sat up and cradled Arcady in one hand as she crossed the room. Her room. But it wasn't hers any longer. This cabin had just been starting to feel like home, and now she had to leave. Leave and go where? She had never been off the pack lands, never been to a Human town or to any sort of city. Apart from Isaac and a few traveling Werewolves now and then, she had never really met anybody out of the pack. What was she supposed to do? What about Arcady? Would she be okay?

She frowned with worry and quietly stepped into Isaac's room, walking to sit on the side of his bed.
 
Isaac felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest for perhaps the second time in his life. He didn't respond when Niari talked to him, at first not wanting to tell her the truth he'd already realized. Despite his pain, it felt too cruel to tell a pain who was being forced to leave her home and what was left of her family more bad news. It angered him that he had no good news to tell her.

When his door opened, Isaac didn't move. He laid still when Niari approached, tied hands resting lightly against his head as if to hide his face. His exposed shoulder was bandaged but not yet healed, the scratches and bruises he'd sustained in the fight still present as the silver poison had yet to completely leave him. The strain of it was still clear in the tight, pained expression he didn't do much to keep at bay. What did it matter? They were both hurting. There was no point hiding that.

". . . We can't travel with them." He said finally, voice faint and hesitant. He didn't want to acknowledge what they both knew. The pups are too young. Even if they were able to grab the little ones and run, even if they got free, they wouldn't be able to keep them all alive.

"I know a place we can go for a while. . ." He added after another silence passed between them, choking on a pained groan as he shifted positions, scooted his lower half back enough that she could sit comfortably with him. "Back south." He got out through his teeth, and took a few slow breaths to calm down, steady himself. "Winter will be easier there anyway." If they hadn't found a new pack or somewhere else to stay by then, they would at least survive the cold.
 
Niari looked down at Arcady in her arms and sighed. She knew that Isaac was right. There was no way they could reasonably travel any sort of distance with all five pups in tow. It was going to be hard enough to manage with one. They would have to be fed and looked after, and they were not old enough to walk any far distance without being carried. How could they carry them if they had shifted? How were they going to cover long distances without shifting? So many questions. She frowned and looked back up at Isaac, watching him as he adjusted himself. Those ropes looked so uncomfortable.

"Where is it?" she asked, glancing up at him before setting Arcady aside and taking the ropes into her own hands. His fever was obviously diminished enough that it didn't matter if he was tied or not. He wasn't causing damage to anybody, including himself. She untied the ropes carefully and tossed them aside, then scooped up the still-snoozing pup and sat next to him. South. She had never been there. Not much of a surprise, since she had never been anywhere.

"They're probably going to want us to leave by tomorrow.. Are you going to be alright to travel?"
 
Isaac shook his head a little when he could, not wanting to try and describe the place to her since she had never left this land before, and if he was being honest it was half because he didn't want her to know exactly where they were going. When she reached for the ropes he stayed quiet and still and let her untie them, though if he'd wanted them off badly enough he knew he probably could've gotten the knot undone with his teeth. He rubbed a hand over his wrist once or twice, then just let his arms lay back where they had been before, not really moving much.

"Whenever we get ourselves a map, I'll point it out to you." He knew the general direction of the place, but it would be better to have a map of the way rather than just going on homing instincts. He didn't want to go home, he wanted to go around it. "I still have the money left over from what was given us. . . I'll ask for more before we go. . ." Her mother owed them that at least, for tossing them out so quickly, for shooing away her daughter for being a halfling even though it was her mother's fault for birthing her.

". . . I'll be fine." He murmured softly after a while, and if he'd curled his legs a tiny bit closer to her when she settled in was only to instinctively seek comfort from a pack member he didn't really have. "The rest will heal by tomorrow. The leg I'll deal with." It would slow them, but they had time before winter and they could live off the land if absolutely necessary. They would be okay.
 
"Okay," was Niari's only response. She was glad that he was feeling well enough to go, but she was not thinking about that. Instead, she was wondering why they were bothering to leave and go anywhere but the city. If they found a new pack, they weren't going to take her in. She was a Halfling. That was something that was hated everywhere. They would regard her with fear and disgust, not respect and affection. She knew that she would find no place among Werewolves. Vampires were the same thing. She was going to be turned away no matter where she stopped. No doors would open for a Halfling.

And what about Arcady? The pup was injured and so small that she still needed milk. She was the runt of the litter and had lost her mother and four siblings in the span of a couple days. Now she was losing her new home and being forced to travel for an unspecified length of time and distance. Would she even survive? Probably not. The pup deserved and needed the care of a pack. Niari could not provide that to her. Not for the first time, she found herself wishing that Isaac had just run with Arcady. Then he would not be injured and the pups would still be in his care. Tomas would likely be punished but alive, and the scourge of the Halfling would be over.

"... I'm going to go pack a bag," she finally said after several minutes of silence. She sat up and turned, tucking Arcady against his side so that she could stay warm while her 'mama' left.
 
There was something going on in Niari's head that probably wasn't good, and yet Isaac could do nothing for it. She was losing a lot, and while he would try to help when they were away from this toxic place, now he knew she had to work through some of it on her own. All he could do was promise he would get them somewhere safe. Or at least, it would be safe for her. He had to bet everything that it would be safe for her.

When Arcady was nestled in against his side, he curled around her a little more, let himself feel the pain and just tucked an arm loosely over her to keep her warm. "I'm sorry. . ." He murmured faintly as Niari left, and truly wasn't sure if it was for her or the pup. He'd ruined things for them both, hadn't he? But he had to remind himself that Niari would have been killed whether or not he had shown up, and probably sooner without the bit of help he'd given her. And Arcady would have died with the others if he and Niari hadn't gone and found them. Arcady would live the life of a house pet with them, and the others would, hopefully, thrive upon being reintroduced to pack life by someone else.

He had to list the facts for himself, and accept them. If he didn't follow his own advice, it would tear him apart.
 
Once she was in her room, Niari picked up a bag and looked around. How did she reduce her life to a single bag? First would be the formula that they had remaining, along with two bottles. Stream water could be both the mix and the tool to wash them out. Good enough. On top of that, she added the toys. She refused to leave anything behind that Arcady could desire, anything that would remind her of home and her siblings. On the toys went her own belongings. She packed two spare sets of clothing, a locket necklace that was empty, and a tiny bag that held a hair brush, a couple of hair ties, and her toothbrush. That was it. On the very top she put the puppy blanket, which was tucked in such a way that Arcady could lay on it and stick her head out of the bag as they went. It would have to be good enough for now.

She sat on her bed and looked around at what she was leaving behind, then she slowly laid on her back and gazed at the ceiling. The warm wooden planks of the ceiling. Home. She didn't even sleep in this bed yet and she was already being pulled away from it. Tonight would be their last night here. One night before they would be sleeping outside. She didn't want to sleep alone tonight. Maybe Isaac wouldn't mind sharing his bed, or maybe she could just snuggle with Arcady if he wanted to be alone. She wouldn't be surprised if he did, since she had just cost him his new home. How awful for him. Leaving one pack and finding another only to be driven out. She winced, the guilt paining her deeply. Maybe she should just stay in her own room after all.
 
Arcady drifted off to sleep, being tucked into his warmth and tired as she healed from her injury. Isaac thought he would never regret killing Tomas, if only just for that, even if it he hadn't meant to do it. Just like with his father, Isaac had had a purpose when he acted. Perhaps it was for more selfish reasons this time around, but he had still protected those that needed him, and he would do it time and time again if he had to. It was why he was taking her so close to his old home.

After a while of only laying in place, listening and thinking and mourning, Isaac pictured his broken down little house and stepped quietly over to Niari's, nudging lightly at the door. . . Niari? He prodded softly, wondering if she would even open the door at all. Will you sit with me? He knew that some people preferred to be alone when there were stressful things going on, but most werewolves sought comfort in numbers, as their animal counterparts did. He wanted her to be as okay as she could be, so he could at least keep her company. They could talk if that was what she wanted.

((Grandmas coming over for dinner in a few so Ill probably disappear for a while))
 
Even though she did not respond with words, Niari did hear Isaac's prodding. He did not seem to resent her. At least, not at the moment. She considered just staying in her room, but she could not resist his call to her. It was better than being alone, and she cared about him. He was not just a food source to her, not in the least. She sat up and slid off the bed, standing and leaving her bag behind as she left the room. Isaac's door swung open silently and she saw that Arcady was snoozing at his side. Thankfully the beds were larger than twin-sized. She walked over and gently laid next to him, curling up a bit as she scooted close but kept Arcady between them.

"I am sorry that you're losing another pack, Isaac," she murmured, looking up at him with a pained expression. "I can ask my mother if she'll reconsider, to keep you and Arcady.. You don't deserve this. Neither does she. You did nothing wrong.."

[Okie dokie!]
 
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