To Mend a Broken Heart

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Ryah slept soundly and quietly for the rest of the night and most of the the next day. She woke up around dinner time the next day. But she stayed in bed for the most part, dazed and confused to her surroundings. The smells and the sounds and the sights were completely unfamiliar to her. But she could hear movement in the other room and assumed it was Az so for now she felt safe. Glancing around the room she noticed the bag of clothes in the corner and crawled out of bed, grabbed her last pair of clean jeans and shirt and went into the bathroom.

As much as her legs begged her to not stand up she refused to take a bath in the bathtub. It was too similar to the pool of water in the temple. It brought back too many memories. But she needed to shower. She left the necklace on as she did just that, taking a bit longer then she usually did. By the time she was done she'd scraped and scrubbed at her skin until it was pink. She then spent a good five minutes brushing her teeth, trying desperately to get the taste of poison and vomit out of her mouth.

Once she was done and dressed in her own clothes and feeling stronger then she had before the shower she walked out of the room hesitantly. Afraid of what she would find in the next room only to find Az asleep on the couch. Oh good, he was alright. She'd feared the worse, that something had happened to him. They basically had no food left so Ryah had to leave the small room they were sharing to buy something to eat. Good thing there was a small grocery store right next to the inn. Their room had a microwave and a mini fridge in it so Ryah simply bought food that was already cooked and that she could reheat. She also bought non perishables and bottles of water to restock their bags.

She wasn't sure where their journey was going to take them now but it was better safe then sorry. She returned to the room after about an hour of shopping. She knew Az would probably be starving when he woke, if he wasn't awake already. Inside the room she placed the bags on the floor and brought out one of the serving cartons filled to the brim with meats, rice, beans, noodles, and other foods and placed it on the small table next to the couch where Az slept. He'd smell the food soon enough.

She took her own carton of food and a bottle of water and ate outside on the balcony that was attached to the room. As ravenous as she was she didn't want to throw up again so she forced herself to eat slowly and enjoy the view. She'd closed the balcony door just in case Az was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him if he was that tired.
 
Aztrex had been aware of when Ryah woke up and he would have gone to check on her if it wasn't for the fact that he was half asleep and his eyes just didn't want to open, his body felt heavy. He hadn't been this tired in a long time. But, like usual, though asleep, he was still also awake. His sensitive ears picking up every sound around him. Heard Ryah turn off the shower, leave the room and come back. Heard her place some food near him and then go out to the balcony. He groaned, wanting to sleep a bit more, but the smell of food made his stomach growl.

Making a face, Az slowly opened his eyes and he glanced at the carton of food before he grabbed it and ate around half of it before he put it aside. He stood up and stretched with a yawn before he wandered out to the balcony to see how Ryah was doing. "How are you?" he asked as he opened the door and stepped through. He sat down on a nearby chair and looked out over the view.

"What do you plan to do now?" He asked her after a while, turning his blue gaze to look at her. She didn't need him any more. Here, she'd be able to hide. They wouldn't know where to start looking. She could blend in well enough. Aztrex, on the other hand, he couldn't stay. He needed to leave. Before he had moved to the small town where he had met Amnesia, he had wandered aimlessly. He didn't stop in one place for long, didn't settle down. He needed to get back to that, keep one step ahead.

He cared for Ryah, and, he thought, keeping her at a distance would be the safest option for her. His world was too dangerous, too messy. Constantly on the move. It wasn't something he could bring to her. It was no life. It was simply surviving. And she deserved a lot better than just surviving. Ryah deserved to find herself a mate, settle down, be safe. And though he promised himself he would always be there for her should she need it, he couldn't drag her down with him.
 
Ryah had turned her gaze to him when he stepped out into the balcony with her and asked her the question she'd been dreading. What to do now. She couldn't stay here. She'd told him an entire continent was after her fur, this was that continent. Here she would never be able to shift safely. If she managed to find love here it would be with a human who wouldn't understand her past and label her as crazy. She'd probably be locked away in a mental institution.

Then the thought of children crossed her mind and she lowered her gaze from his own, back to the landscape in front of her. She wanted children, wanted to be a mother. She liked babies they were cute to her. But she'd never be able to have that, not here. Probably not ever if she was constantly looking over her shoulder for men who wanted to harm her.

"I'm not staying here." She murmured softly "There's no where to run. I'd never be able to shift. My fur would become my curse and that part of me is not something I despise enough to keep it chained away." As she spoke she'd place her food down. She'd barely eaten. She didn't know what else to tell him. He was probably leaving her. Even if he cared for her she doubted he cared enough to stay....or take her with him and she had no viable reason to keep him with her.

She'd come to grow used and fond of his strong yet silent presence. Vaguely, she entertained the idea of turning herself in to the men who were after her now that she knew what and who she was. It would solve all her problems. Dead she wouldn't have to worry about settling down, having kids, being unhappy and terrified for the rest of her life. It solved everything for her. Except the problem of him.

"You know what I am, whats inside me, who's inside me. I can't tell anyone else that, they'll think I'm insane." She paused. "I know you probably think I'm annoying and more of a burden then what I'm worth. I can't offer much help. I'm horrible at cooking. I'm not as good as you in fighting." What she was trained in was not in fighting. It was in bed. "But....I know how to stitch up wounds and....and..." What other help could she offer him? He had everything.

"I can...I can find food. My..my first master he taught me to steal. Money, food, whatever. I'm good at that. I can be useful." She figured the only reason he'd ever keep her around is if she was useful, just like every other man she'd met. "I won't get in the way of things. I'll keep my distance from you. I'll leave you alone when you ask and even when you don't." She'd begun to panic a bit now as she finally came to her conclusion. "I don't want to be alone, Az and I don't want a simple life. I want to stay with you. Wherever you go, ok? I know you think I can't handle whatever life you have but I can prove to you that I can." She paused. "But....but if you don't want me to. All you have to do is say you don't want me around. That you never want to see me again and I'll vanish from your life and you'll never had to worry about me again or come running after me whenever I get into trouble."
 
When she told him she wasn't staying here, he raised a brow. Really? He thought she would have. But she then told him she'd never be able to shift and he sighed and leaned back in his chair. That made sense. He'd never be able to let go of his Wolf side, never feel the wind through his fur. He couldn't do it, so he wasn't surprised when Ryah said she couldn't do it. He cast her a disapproving look though when she placed her food on the table. She needed to eat.

Then she started speaking again about how he knew what she was, what was inside her and he canted his head to the side, unsure of where this was going. When she started talking about how she was more trouble, but she could stitch up wounds, she could find food, steal, that she could be useful, he understood what she meant, which caused him to groan inaudibly. She told him she wanted to go where ever he went, wanted to stay with him. But then she fell silent for a moment before telling him that she'd vanish from his life if he said so, that he wouldn't have to feel responsible for protecting her again.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face before he reached over and cupped her face in his large hands, hoping to cease her panicking even though all he wanted to do was run. He wasn't used to this stuff. "Calm down, Ryah," he told her gently, "stop panicking," when he thought she had calmed down enough, he dropped his hands to his lap and looked over the view. "You don't need to be 'useful'. I wouldn't want you trying to do things you don't want to do.. I wouldn't want you stealing, period, actually," he sighed and looked back at her. "It's not that I don't want you with me. But, my life.. It's not really a life. It's survival, and every single day there's a chance I might die. If you were to come with me, I wouldn't be able to guarantee your safety. I don't want to do that to you," he watched her reaction for a moment before he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and bowing his head to stare at the ground.

"But, I can't stop you from tagging along," he sighed, staring at the ground and not daring to look up for a few minutes before he glanced up at her through his eyelashes. "But if you do," he said and straightened, "you need to listen to me. If there is ever any danger, don't you dare stay and try to help. Get the hell out of there. I don't want you getting hurt.. And.. If I have another attack like I did on the ship, don't try to help me. Just stay away from me.. Okay? Can you do that?" he asked her, feeling defeated.

He couldn't stop her from following him so he may as well set a couple rules now.
 
Ryah froze in fear when his hands towards her face, she seemed to shrink back from him before she realized he wasn't going to hurt her. Whether she felt obligated to stay with him because of everything he'd done for or whether she wanted to stay with him because she wanted to stay with him. She knew she cared for him deeply but she believed that she was more of a burden then an actual help. Did he feel obligated to let her stay or did he want her to stay?

"And you don't think that my life is survival? You know nothing about me, Aztrex. You assume I led a picture perfect life without you. Do you know what my picture perfect life consisted of? That house I stayed in was Tamar's. I was not allowed to sleep on the bed unless he wanted me to." She paused. She wasn't sure if she was angry, frustrated, both or just exhausted at having him assume she had a picture perfect life. "I was only allowed to eat when told to. I was basically a dog to him. I wore a fucking collar!" She had tears in her eyes. "I've never had a normal life!" As much as she wanted it it wasn't hers to have. Sitting back on the chair she wiped her palms over her eyes before she continued. "Most nights I slept in my wolf form in a cage. I stayed with him because he was....nice to me. He always said he was sorry that he only did it to teach me a lesson...but he always gave me gifts afterwards. Flowers, candy, jewelry."

She trailed off as she pulled her knees to her chest as if using them as a shield. "I want to stay with you because I feel safe. I've never had another person who protected me. Let alone a..man. I mourned his death because he gave me a home and I liked to believe he cared a little bit for me." She shook her head before standing from the chair. "I'll leave you alone when you ask me to but not because I want to. I wasn't scared of you on the ship. As much as you want to protect me, at that moment I wanted to protect you because you looked so scared despite being ferocious. I won't stay away from you if you get an attack like you did." She paused. "You assume so much about me, Aztrex, but you don't know anything. I'm not as weak as you think I am to. You just haven't given me a chance to show you how strong I can be."

Ryah turned to go back inside the little room. "I'm not Amnesia, Aztrex. You have to stop comparing me to her and assuming I'll be like her. I dont want you to feel obligated like you have to keep me around. I want you to want me around." With that said she disappeared back inside where she gathered up their dirty clothes so she could go to the laundromat she'd seen downstairs. She needed to keep her hands busy or risk another panic attack....or worse. She didn't have her pills here.
 
He had already known she hadn't had a good life, he could see that in her eyes, the way she acted, how she thought he had going to hurt her on the ship. A person who had lived a normal life wouldn't be so scared of men. He knew something had happened to her, but he didn't dare correct her when she went off at him. She told him how she had been treated at Tamar's, what she had to do there and he felt a surge of anger toward the male. How could one treat her like that? She deserved better! But still, he stayed silent as she went on.

She told him she felt safe with him, that she's never had someone protect her and especially not a man. When she said she wasn't scared of what happened to him on the ship, he shook his head. It had nothing to do with her being scared, but everything to do with that Aztrex was too proud to let someone see him so weak. Weakness meant an opening. Easier to kill. That was his way of thinking. The way he was made to think. It wasn't something he could erase. But he couldn't tell Ryah that, for it meant explaining his past. His most vulnerable time was during his attacks when he couldn't see a thing and couldn't move properly through the pain in his skull.

Protection was not something Az would accept. He could be quite the proud man and he didn't like the idea of being protected by someone. That also showed weakness. He watched as Ryah went to the door and then told him that she wasn't Amnesia. Of course she wasn't. She was so different to her there was no way he could really compare them.

And he did want her around, but how could he say that to her? There was no way he could say that! He sat there for what felt like forever, his thoughts running a mile a minute through his head before he finally stood up. He glanced down at Ryah's partly eaten food and he sighed, picking it up and walking back inside. He threw it away. It had gone cold and it wasn't like it was good to reheat it again after it had been sitting out for so long. Whilst sorting through his thoughts, he cleaned the room until it was spotless and then he sat on the couch with a huff. How could he show Ryah that he did, in fact, care? What would make her understand?

A little over an our passed and he was now pacing the room when he heard Ryah walking toward the room, heard her heartbeat. He froze and stared at the door. He listened as the she turned the doorknob and opened the door. He raised his blue gaze to watch as she stepped inside. He took a deep breath and walked up to her, leaned down a kissed her, his lips meeting her own in a fleeting kiss before he quickly pulled back, eyes wide like a frightened deer and bolted for the closest door he could find. Which happened to be a closet. He shut the door behind him quickly and sat in the dark, his whole face feeling hot. Gosh, he was so embarrassed. He couldn't believe he had just done that. What was wrong with him?! He was losing his mind!
 
Ryah spent as long as she could in the laundromat. She was glad it was mostly empty, save for the teenage girl who was 'running' the counter and listening to music. This allowed Ryah the chance to fume and cry without Aztrex running to her rescue. How she wanted to just shift and run for as long and as far as her legs could carry her. She should have let that goddess win. At least then she wouldn't feel the pain she felt now. She was a burden. She couldn't fight, she was basically useless.

She probably spent longer in the laundromat then she had to. Dragging out the time it spent to fold the clothes and place them back in the bag she'd used to bring everything down here. Once she was done she headed back to the inn but not before she stopped at the store and, using her last bit of money, bought a stuffed bear. She was unused to having no one to hold and she hoped by having something to hold it would make her feel better.

Ryah had been hoping to simply walk into their room and scurry off to the bedroom but she wouldn't have a chance to do that. After closing and locking the door behind her she turned only to feel the soft brush of warm lips on her own. But before she could even comprehend what was happening it was over and she watched Aztrex scurry into a...closet. Weird.

Shaking her head she carried the bags back to the bedroom. As hard as she tried to be angry at Aztrex, she couldn't stop the stupid smile from appearing on her face. The kiss had been brief but her lips were still warm from his own. Briefly, she debated whether she should go into the closet after him. Usually, she would give him his space and let him come out on his own but not this time. This time she would open the closet door and crawl in after her.

Huffing and growling lightly when she accidentally pinned her finger in the door. Everything was against her today it seemed. Stupid door. Her eyesight probably wasn't as sharp as his was but she knew where he sat. Tentatively, she would crawl onto his lap and curl up into his chest. She knew he would tense underneath her, that she was probably pushing her boundaries. She could feel her memories threatening to over take for breaking the rules but all she needed was a few minutes.

She wasn't sure what this meant but it gave her hope that she'd found someone different. Someone that cared. Laying against him, listening to his heartbeat, it was human. This was so human. Lying in on his chest and saying nothing was so human. He didn't even have to hold her. She just needed the reassurance and comfort her gave her. "I'll listen to you. If theres danger, as much as it pains me, I won't stay and help. If you have another attack I won't do anything."
 
He heard her making her way toward the closet, heard her grip the handle and he let out a soft growl. Non-threatening. More of a growl saying don't come any closer. But of course, she ignored that and she came inside the closet, jamming her finger in the door with a huff and a growl. He watched her warily, unsure of what he should do. There was no where else to hide. He could see her clearly, the smile that tugged at her lips and he briefly wondered why she looked so happy before she crawled onto his lap, curling up against his chest.

Every muscle in his body seized and his breath hitched in his lungs and he stared down at her heart accelerating slightly. He was nervous, confused, had no clue what he should do in this situation. It was foreign to him and he didn't know what to do about foreign things. They threw his mind over the edge. Didn't know how to deal with them.

She was silent for a time, before she told him that she would listen to him, wouldn't stay to help when there was danger, would leave him alone when he was having an attack and slowly, his muscles relaxed and he let out a small sigh. He hesitated for a long while before her lifted a hand to ever so gently run through her hair in a comforting gesture. He bowed his head down toward her as he murmured, "it's not just for you, Ryah. It's also for myself. I don't want to have to worry you're going to be hurt if there's trouble.. And it's not that I think you're scared of me during one of my attacks.. I just like being alone during those times.. I go blind, I can't see a thing. I'm weak. I do not like showing weakness. Vulnerability. I don't want anyone being around when i'm so defenceless.. That's just the way I was.." he paused, thinking of how to say it, "raised," he finished. "I want to protect you, Ryah. But i'm not sure if I can provide that for you."

He hoped she'd understand, hoped she wouldn't pry as he wasn't ready to answer those questions. Wasn't sure he ever would be ready.
 
Ryah was quiet after he finished speaking. She wasn't sure how much she should speak for fear that she would loose this moment with him. As strong as she made herself out to be she was so easily put down and it was the little things that made her confidence soar once more. Little things like this, even his fingers in her hair did wanders for her broken state of mind. She wasn't aware how much she'd craved this until she had it. Even if she didn't have this in a regular basis, she could feel his unease in how tense his body had gotten, once in a while would always bring a smile to her face.

"You've provided it since we met, Az. I don't need you to be around me constantly to feel protected. I'm not a child." There was a teasing glint in her voice at her last sentence. She didn't mean it with harm. How was she going to explain this to him so he'd understand? "Protection isn't a physical thing for me. Its a....mental thing." Maybe it was a pack thing? She'd been born in a pack setting so maybe she just had that pack mentality. "Like, even when you were locked away in that metal room in the ship I felt protected. Right now I feel protected." She paused. "When I yelled at you at stomped away...even though I was mad at you..I still felt protected."

Ryah was silent for quite some time after that. Simply enjoying the feeling of laying with him. "I've lost the ability to feel on my back...and my arms." She admitted softly. He'd revealed a weakness so she felt the need to do the same thing. She'd been beaten so much and so hard and for so long that she simply lost the ability to feel. "If you actually look at my bare back and you don't turn away you'll see why." All the whip lashes and the scars on there, they told a story if he bothered to look. Its nothing but scars. It was hideous. She felt hideous because of it.

"We're all weak in some way, Az. No ones perfect." She paused. "Learning to live with your weaknesses and strengthen instead of fear them is what makes us strong." She turned her head to look at him, cupping her cheek in her hand and stroking his skin with her thumb. "You are strong, Aztrex. Not in the way I know you want to be but you're strong. I don't know what sort of life you lived in your past but its what made you who you are today. You are strong."

She'd probably over stepped so many boundaries just now. She figured now was a good time to let him be before he kicked her out of the closet. Smiling up at him, knowing he'll see it, she moved her body and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before she crawled off his lap and out of the closet. Giving him some time alone while she packed their bags. She wasn't sure how long they'd be here but better safe then sorry.

Once done with that she shifted into her wolf form to let the canine roam about for a bit, she hadn't been in her wolf form for quite some time and didn't know when she'd be able to be in it again. It was strange, hearing the click of her claws on the wood floor and for a moment she allowed herself to be distracted by the sounds of it as she jumped around and just acted like a pup chasing her nonexistent tail.
 
His brow raised in surprise at Ryah's teasing tone when she told him she didn't need him to be there constantly, that she wasn't a child. Then she explained her meaning of feeling protected to him and he stayed silent, listening. So her meaning of protection was different to his. His was a physical protection, to keep them safe from physical beings. And though their definitions were different, he was glad he could provide her the type of protection she wanted.

When she told him that she couldn't feel her back, he paused and his gaze flashed toward her back, curious. He knew, when it actually came to looking at it, he wouldn't turn away. But the thought of seeing her bare back made him flush, embarrassed at the thought. And then when she told him that everyone was weak in some way, and that he was strong, even if it wasn't how he wanted to be strong, that what ever his past may be, it was what made him him. He supposed so, and though he knew he couldn't change it, at times he wondered who he would be if things had been a little different back then.

He tensed under her touch for a moment, before he forced himself to relax and lean into her touch. He was thankful for her words, more than he knew how to ever express. He watched as she tilted her head back, smiling up at him before she gave a soft kiss to his cheek and then left him in the closet. He stared at the closed door for a moment before he leaned his head back against the wall, staring up into the darkness, at nothing. He listened as Ryah shifted into her wolf form and played.

Aztrex sighed after a while and he eventually left the closet and stretched his arms high above his head with a groan as he stood up. He glanced over in Ryah's direction, deciding to leave her be, and he went out onto the balcony and leaned his hands against the railing. He stared out into the distance, not really seeing anything. After a few moments, he closed his eyes and cocked his head to the side and listened to the sounds around him. The birds, the other small creatures, the people in town and the sound of wild dogs off n the far distance. He inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh air and tilted his head forward, enjoying the breeze. It wasn't often he allowed himself to just listen. And though this wasn't the place he normally would have chosen to do it - so close to so many humans - it still calmed him, slowed his heart rate to an almost impossible rate.
 
A month would pass from Ryah's ordeal with the goddess. Her health improved greatly in that time frame, mostly because Az forced her to eat whenever he could but that was another matter together. She'd been so used to eating morsels that growing accustomed to large meals would take time. But at least now she ate at least half her plate when they were able to get large meals.

In that time frame she'd also become quite attached to Az. She'd never felt like his with Tamar and she wasn't sure if she was terrified or not. She'd seen Tamar as her mate but she hadn't necessarily bonded to the other male like she had with Az. Was that it? Did she see Aztrex as a mate? She kept this tidbit of information hidden inside her more to protect Az from the guilt and shame of it since it still looked to Ryah like he was attached to Amnesia. She'd come to terms with that topic already. Believing Amnesia would want her to be happy above all else.

But being so attached to Aztrex and not telling him also came with its challenges. Although she tried her best to give him the space he asked for she slipped up sometimes but none as worse as the night he'd caught her sleeping next to him in her canine form. She'd been so ashamed for the following week that she couldn't even look at him. It was just her luck that she came into heat that week. Needless to say, it was hell. Much worse then the one she'd suffered in the boat. Back then she hadn't been attached to Aztrex. For the entirety of her heat she stayed as far away from as she possibly could, suffering in silence.

They didn't stay very long in the inn either. Once Az was assured that she was well enough to travel they bolted out of there. Though they stayed in the continent of Asia for a time there came a moment when Ryah knew she wasn't in Asia anymore. When she asked Aztrex she informed her they were in Russia. Russia? What were they doing here? She had trouble with the snow. Mainly that she sank in it because she was so small. She slowed him down so much that one point she had to be carried, which she felt immensely guilty for.

Around the fifth or so day of trekking around the wilderness they came to a stone....thing. It wasn't necessarily part of the landscape but it wasn't really a building either. It made Ryah uneasy. So much so that she didn't want to go inside, despite how cold she was. Huffing, she glared at Aztrex before she shifted into her wolf form and wriggled out of his grasp. Plopping down into the snow.

Oh! In the timeframe of a month Ryah had found out she was a bit more useful then she gave credit for. Now more or less entirely healthy, the strength had returned to her small frame and she found she could jump quite high when she wanted to. At one point she'd even surpassed Aztrex in distance. At point she'd found out she could dislocate her shoulders so she could fit into tight places but she kept this one hidden from Aztrex.

Ryah watched Aztrex enter this house....building...rock tree thing and would stay outside for a bit longer. Chasing after rabbits and other small mammals before she tired and went into the rock building thing. Expecting to find just Aztrex in there but was she in for a surprise. She almost bolted at the sight of two more people. A female she could handle, a male not so much. Especially not one that bore a strong resemblance to a previous master. Except his skin was darker. Nope. No. This would not do. Feeling unsafe in this new environment she remained in her wolf form. For the first time, she was terrified to shift back. She'd be naked if she did. Az didn't seem to care but around these new people Ryah did.
 
A month. A full month. He had expected Ryah to leave him long before this. They rarely stayed in one place for more than a couple days and the direction that he travelled shifted just as often as the wind. Creating an easy to follow path wouldn't be good. For the most part, Ryah was pretty decent company. She didn't push him to speak, gave him the space he required and demanded, didn't pry.. Except that one night he had woken up to find Ryah curled up against him in her wolf form. Before he had completely awoken, he had no clue what it had been and had totally flipped. His fangs and claws had come out quicker than they ever had, ready to harm his attacker. But as quick as they had come, they had vanished as he had seen it was Ryah. He had made sure to tell her never to do it again when she had woken the next morning. He wasn't sure even now how he had fallen so deeply asleep that she had managed to sneak up on him, but he knew it'd never happen again.

And then he had gotten a message from an old friend. Lukan. He had told him he needed him to come to their usual safe house so he could speak to him face to face, claiming over any type of media could put them all in danger. Az hadn't asked any questions and had immediately changed course. Around a week later, they were in Russia and he trekked it the whole way, at times carrying Ryah when the snow was too deep.

When they eventually arrived at the safe house, he glanced at Ryah when she wriggled out of his grasp and dropped to the ground. She started chasing some snow hares before he walked inside. He could hear two sets of heartbeats inside so knew it was just him and his friends. When he stepped inside, he shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it over the back of a nearby couch. The fire place was going, as well as heaters so the place was nice and toasty. Standing in the kitchen was a man taller than himself, standing at 6'5'', with black hair and golden spots through his hair. His deep amber eyes turned to him and a smile spread across the man's features. "Aztrex, my man!" he man exclaimed and loped over on graceful legs and enveloped him in a quick hug. "It's been too long, mate," the man proclaimed and Az grinned with an agreeing nod. He wasn't exactly a touchy feely sort of person, but he knew he was completely safe here. Knew this man wouldn't dare harm him. Plus, he'd tried multiple times to tell him not to hug him, but the man didn't seem to understand personal boundaries.

"Hey Lukan," Aztrex replied and gave a half grin. He was happy to see him again. But then he heard footsteps upstairs and he sighed heavily. "Hey Kandice," he said, looking up at the stairs at the girl. She had Reddish brown hair with a black streak right down the middle with silver peppered through the black and large sandy brown eyes. "Last time I saw you, your hair was at your shoulders. I see you've grown it out," he stated and a giggle erupted from the small female and she bounded down the stairs.

"Azzy!" she exclaimed loudly, causing him to flinch. She threw her arms around his neck and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck as she pulled him to lean down. He shuddered at the touch and pried her fingers from his neck and straightened. "I'm so glad you noticed! I decided i'd grow it out. It looks so much prettier long, don't you think?" she questioned as she hugged his arm despite he efforts to keep her away from him, looking up at him, batting her lashes.

"I suppose?" he tried and the female scrunched up her nose at his answer. She was shorter than Ryah, even shorter than what Amnesia had been. She barely scraped the scales at 5'2'', with what Lukan often describes as a baby-doll face. He had no clue what the other male was speaking about, be he figured he must be right. Kandice never corrected him, after all.

He glanced at the door when Ryah stepped inside and then froze when she saw Lukan and Kandice. He glanced at the two, Kandice clinging onto his leg and Lukan, who stood beside him and casually draped an arm over Az's shoulders as he looked over at Ryah, a grin on his face. He shook his head and looked at Ryah again. "This is Lukan and Kandice," he told her gesturing to both of them, "they're my... friends," he studied her, wondering what was wrong with her. "Guys, this is my friend, Ryah," he told them and they glanced at him, Lukan surprised and Kandice suspicious.

"You made a friend?!" they both inquired and Az shrugged.

He looked back over at Ryah and tried to shake Kandice's hold off his arm, but her grip tightened. "They won't hurt you, and Lukan's a pretty decent guy," he tried to assure her, thinking maybe she was hesitant because Lukan was a male. "Oh, and they're both shifters, too. Kandice is a Jackal and Lukan is a Cheetah," he told her, watching her reaction.

"Well, why're you just standing there?" Lukan asked with a light hearted laugh as he strode toward her with easy steps. "Come in properly, it's nice and warm in here," he told her as he came to her side, looking down at her with a big smile as he placed a guiding hand on her back gently, leading her further into the house so she wasn't so cold. "So Az, you guys can stay here for as long as you like. Kandy and I will speak to you once you two have gotten settled and had some rest," he told his mate and cast a fleeting wink in Ryah's direction before he went and grabbed a beer from the fridge, popping the lid open and taking a swig. He offered one to Az, but he shook his head.
 
Az's words didn't exactly make her feel better. A part of her was hurt that he'd call her just a friend but she decided not to dwell on that. Their last kiss had been over a month ago and it was so hard to gouge how he felt when their relationship was strictly non touchy feely.

She was jerked from her thoughts when the other male began walking towards her and she immediately tried to bolt, nearly having a panic attack when he laid a hand on her. She'd never had to deal with other males since she'd stuck to Az's side. He had yet to see how she normally was around other males. So this would've come as a surprise. She didn't like it here. As soon as she was left alone she would scamper away into the nearest room, her belly close to the ground and her ears practically glued to her skull in submission and fear.

Another problem, she'd never been around so many shifters in her life. So many predators and she was so small. What if they ate her? Or worse? She was probably worrying for nothing but still. She'd crawled underneath the bed, as far away from the door as she could possibly get but soon she was faced with a problem that had her, quickly, going back to the main room and dragging one of her bags into the room. This one had most of her clothes in it but she was insufficiently prepared for the cold. She was short furred and had been born in a warm climate. She didn't like the cold.

After she'd shifted and changed into the warmest clothes she had she still ended up borrowing one of Az's hoodies and even then when she stepped out of the room to gather the rest of the bags she was trembling. She would've stayed in that bedroom. Hell, she would've holed herself up in that bedroom for the entirety that they were here. But there was a fireplace in the main room and, being so cold, she was drawn to the warmth. "St-St-St-Stupid....c-c-c-c-cold..."

Ryah was clearly not a happy camper here and it was made worse with Kandice's clingy behavior to what Ryah considered her man. But it wasn't her place to be jealous. Jealousy was something she tended to hide for fear that she'd be beaten for displaying such behavior. Why was she jealous anyway? They were clearly just friends. Az hadn't exactly reacted in a way that Ryah considered...loving? Welcoming? Az wasn't any of those but still.

Then there was the male, Lukan. Just like Az Ryah liked her personal space. Especially around males regardless of how nice they were. It wasn't Lukan's fault but she naturally feared and avoided males at all costs, especially those that looked like a previous master. She'd tolerated Aztrex for so long because he wasn't pushy. That and she'd grown more then just fond for him. Maybe she loved him, maybe she just cared deeply for him, hell, maybe she saw him as a mate. Either way, Az was pretty much stuck with her for a long time.
 
Az was quite surprised by Ryah running off when Lukan touched her. He watched as she scampered up the stairs and he heard her in one of the rooms, seemingly crawling by the sounds of it. He raised a brow, puzzled, but Kandice tugged on his arm and he glanced down at her before glancing back up not long after when he heard Ryah coming down and dragging their bags upstairs into the room. She came down a few times to grab the bags and he watched her silently with a sigh. He jerked in surprise when Kandice started dragging him toward the fireplace, forcing him to sit on one of the couches and practically sat on his lap. He glared at the tiny female and pushed her off of him, but she wouldn't budge any further than sitting next to him, pressing her side against him. Behind him, Lukan snorted in amusement and he cast him a glare. "Kandice, move over," he told the female, looking back at her.

But she shook her head, snuggling closer, "but i'm cold. You're nice and warm," she whined, digging her fingers into his arm. He knew she was lying. After all, she was wearing a singlet top and leggings.

Aztrex looked at Lukan again, asking for help, but Lukan let out a bark of laughter, "you're on your own, man," he told him and Az glared at him, causing the male to laugh harder. Aztrex looked over at Ryah as she came back downstairs, dressed in her warmest clothes and one of his hoodies. He had forgotten that Ryah would probably be affected by the cold. Like Kandice and Lukan, Az barely felt the cold so really, him and Lukan walking around in just jeans and t-shirts wasn't anything odd for them. But to Ryah, it probably seemed crazy. Especially Kandice. He watched as she came and sat on the couch closest to the fireplace, complaining about the cold.

Az tried to yank his arm from Kandice's grip, but she clung harder to him and he groaned. "We have some blankets if you want a few," Lukan said from behind him and Az looked back at him. He was leaning against the back of the couch he and Kandice were sitting on. Lukan watched Ryah, studying her before he offered an easy going smile and walked off, opening a linen cupboard, where he pulled a few thick blankets from. He kicked the door closed lightly and walked over to Ryah. He placed the three blankets on the arm of the couch next to her and draped one of them across her shoulders. "We wouldn't want you getting sick," he said with a grin.

"So why did you two come to this safehouse? There are plenty of others that you could've chosen. Much closer ones to where your location was when you contacted me," Az inquired and Kandice and Lukan glanced at each other. He watched as Lukan went and sat on a couch, crossing one long leg gracefully over the other and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, this one is pretty well hidden. Most overlook it if anyone is stupid enough to come out here. Plus, most people aren't stupid enough to come all the way out here in the snow," Lukan told him casually and Az raised a brow.

"I suppose that makes sense," Az muttered and then glared at Kandice, "Kandice, get off of me," he warned and the girl batted her lashes innocently, but he glared at her. She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip as she finally let go of him and shuffled over. Az turned his attention to Ryah. "Are you alright? You seem tense," he asked softly, canting his head to the side, confused and genuinely concerned.
 
Ryah's trembling had gotten worse when Lukan draped the blanket over her shoulders. She knew he was only trying to help but she was terrified of him. Her heart was probably beating faster then a startled rabbits and she could feel the blood pounding in her ears. Her natural instinct would be to get as far away from the other male as possible. Hell, she'd choose the snow over being so close to him but Az would probably have a heart attack if she stayed out in the snow and turned into a popsicle.

She'd barely paid any attention to Kandice but now her gaze was fixated on the female who was clearly moving in on her mate. As much as she tried to push the bitter sting of jealousy down it was just growing stronger. She wasn't usually someone to be affected like this but then again, she'd never felt this territorial over another person before. It was an ugly sort of anger that bubbled up inside of her. How dare she. How DARE this other woman move in on what was hers!

This sort of anger was so unlike her that a part of her was scared of it. But that part was quickly overcome by the more dominant, angry side. The side that she knew was being affected by the goddess that dwelled inside her. Since the incident where she almost lost her life, she hadn't had any other troubles with Arpahia, or at least, none as far as Aztrex knew. But Ryah had begun to notice that her ugly feelings were made stronger by the goddess, as if she was manipulating her. Thats why Ryah very rarely grew angry anymore. Then again, Aztrex never really gave her a reason to be angry.

On one of their stops in another city Ryah had asked Aztrex to take her to a library where she disappeared among the stacks of books to do research on the amulet that bound the goddess and that she never took off. In her research she'd learned that there was only so much the amulet could do. It would give her control of her body but the goddess was still more powerful then she was. She'd have control of her body but not control over her primal emotions. Greed, anger, jealousy, lust. Those were mostly controlled by the goddess now. Thats another reason why she'd stayed away from Aztrex in her last heat, she'd even yelled at him to go away. Acting completely out of character. But she was only protecting her from herself.

But there was only so much Ryah could do and so long she could hide it from Aztrex. She was still shaking but that was mostly from the effort it took to contain herself. Turning her gaze up to Az's she mouthed, "Help...me." Before her eyes began flashing between a brilliant gold and her normal eye color and she cried out in pain as her hands went to her head. 'Kill her. Do it. He's yours not hers. Defend your territory. Be an Alpha.'

Oblivious to the world around her and her actions Ryah had shifted into her canine form on couch. Her form mostly hidden by the blanket that was draped over her head. She was panting and whimpering softly but her senses were on overdrive as she isolated the scent of Kandice. If anyone came near her they'd be barreled to the ground as the normally docile and skittish canine charged at Kandice. Her eyes a brilliant gold and anger in them. The attack would come so suddenly that Ryah would actually manage to snap her jaws around Kandice's leg. 'MINE! MINE!' The voice would scream in her head, not her voice though.
 
Aztrex watched Ryah as she trembled, her heart rate speeding up to that similar of a rabbit being chased by a predator. He shifted uncomfortably, ready to get up and go over to her, to see if he could do something to help her. Calm her down, talk to her, take her to her room. Anything that would settle her down. He didn't like the sound of her heart beat, it was too fast for a normal person. Much too fast. And when she looked over at him and mouthed 'help me', Az didn't hesitate to get up. But her eyes shifted between gold and her duo coloured eyes and before he could get to her side, she had shifted into her Wolf form.

Az could do nothing but watch when the small female attacked the even smaller female, latching onto her leg. He could smell the blood and Kandice yelped in surprise, not pain, before a snarl escaped her lips as her features shifted. Her claws and teeth extended, not as large as Az's, but still enough to do a lot of damage, her ears furred, pointed, pupils dilating. Her face shifted to grow a small canine muzzle and her nose changed to a Jackal's. Fur sprouted along her face and Az took a quick step toward them. "Kandice, don't even think about it," he warned. The female glanced at him before a cruel smile spread across her face, her Beast form taking over.

But, then she shifted into her tiny little Jackal form in the blink of an eye, her leg shifting quickly to it's tiny size that she could yank it from Ryah's jaws before they slammed closed. The tiny Jackal, barely even half the size of Ryah's wolf form darted to the side, jaws snapping at the other female's throat before darting under her and snapping at her leg. Az knew this wouldn't end well. Kandice was a master at dodging and quick attacks. Darting out of reach and then darting in and snapping at them. She was made to wear down the opponent, making them try to catch her tiny frame, become tired from blood loss from multiple wounds Kandice would make on their body.

Az highly doubted Ryah would last very long against her if Kandice really tried. He looked over at Lukan, "don't just sit there, you grab Kandice," he growled at the male. Lukan gave a sheepish grin and stood up and attempted to grab the Black Backed Jackal, but she darted away from his grip every time he tried to make a grab for her. So the tall male was made to shift into his Cheetah form and he pounced on the Jackal, pinning her to the ground and then reaching down and grasping her scruff in his large teeth. He then backed away from Ryah quickly whilst Kandice squirmed, letting out high pitched yelps like a normal Jackal call. She growled and whine, complaining, wanting to get back at the female.

Az stepped around to stand between Lukan, Kandice and Ryah and knelt down. "Ryah?" he asked softly, "come on Ryah, it's alright," he glanced back at Lukan and Kandice and waved his hand behind his back. Lukan nodded and then he went outside. Az could hear him throwing Kandice into the snow and she shifted back, yelling and complaining at him for being so mean to a girl. But he turned his attention back to Ryah. "It's alright," he murmured to her and he tentatively reached over and ran his fingers through her short fut at her neck, hoping to calm her down.
 
Ryah herself wasn't a trained fighter like they were. Her instincts were centered more on flight then fight. But the same couldn't be said for the goddess inside her who would survived countless wars, killed thousands and was trained in the art of assassination. Even after Kandice shifted Ryah actually managed to get a few good strikes in and would have continued until she was either dead or had won had the two males not stepped in. But even then her yellow eyes were locked on Kandice as Lukan took her outside.

Her gaze was on the door, her body tense as she waited for the female to be brought back so she may be slaughtered properly. That thought was enough to scare her then Aztrex's voice rushed into her head as her senses returned to her and her eyes went to normal. When he touched her neck she would instinctively lean into his touch, seeking comfort and solace from him even though she knew it wasn't in his nature to offer it.

It was only then that she realized the enormity of what she had done. She'd attacked someone else. In normal circumstances she would've been beaten for doing such a thing but instead she was being comforted. What had she done? Stepping towards Aztrex, she licked the underside of his chin. It was a submissive gesture she'd taken to doing lately. She wasn't sure why but it was just something she felt she needed to do when she did something wrong in an effort to apologize to him.

Glancing at the door she walked to the couch and pulled a blanket over her before she shifted into her human form. Shame clear as day on her face. "I'm sorry." She whispered. Her voice hoarse from what she wasn't sure. As far as she knew she hadn't made much noise in the attack. All the noise had been in her head. "It wasn't me." She tried explaining. "It...it was her. I should've told you but you worry so easily and....and....and I thought I could handle her."

She was on the verge of tears, her heart speeding up once more as she gulped back a panic attack. "Oh god, Az, the things she told me to do." She paused. "The things she showed me that I could do....with my teeth..and..and my claws and where to bite and tear and....and..." She shook her head, trying to rid such images and words from her mind. She knelt in front of Aztrex and gently ran the tips of her fingers along his cheek. She'd taken to doing that as well. Like a child seeking comfort.

"She was in my head. I-I was so....angry. I've never been so angry in my life. It filled me and it was all I could think of and it was such a hot, terrifying sort of anger. I think there was....jealousy too but I'm not sure. I saw red. Thats all I saw and......" She trailed off as she bowed her head and pressed it against his chest. "I'm so sorry."

With that said she suddenly stood and disappeared up the stairs to the bedroom she'd claimed as her own. Ryah stayed in there for a long time, huddled under the covers before she makes up her decision. She was unpredictable now, dangerous. Who knows how far this would've gone had the boys not stepped in and broke the fight. Even though Kandice was a good fighter Ryah knew that sometimes the bigger prevailed and she wasn't going to take that chance.

Taking one of the smaller bags she filled it mainly with food and water before she thought against it and simply left it here. She left no note, nothing to explain her disappearance. She merely opened the bedroom window, shifted and jumped out into the snow. As soon as her paws hit the ground she broke into a run. She wasn't sure where she went, just as long as she got away from there.

Ryah wasn't sure how long she was running for but it was night time by the time she stopped. She was so cold and hungry and tired, no, exhausted. Her legs were trembling under her weight. She'd only stopped to take a short breather when the sound of a gunshot would cause her to bolt once more. Another gunshot, then another. Unbeknownst to her, her pursuers were using the guns to round her in the general direction that they wanted her to go to. She wasn't looking where she was going and had suddenly slammed inside a cage which had been hidden in the undergrowth. It closed and locked behind her and Ryah watched as her pursuers approached.

Before her cage was picked up and carried to a waiting car, she would howl out for Aztrex. Ryah very rarely howled so he'd know something was very wrong for her to do so. She wasn't sure if he heard or not though because the next thing she knew something sharp was jabbed in her thigh and her world turned dark as the car began to move.

When she woke up she was in....a warehouse? The first thing she noticed was the strong stench of blood and fear. The sounds of animals crying and growling and snarling. Her cage was picked up and moved to a large tunnel. Once the door was opened she bolted into a crude arena where a large...dog? Or was it a wolf? Some sort of canine was being held by handlers as it howled and snarled and lunged towards her. A bell went off and the canine was released and Ryah bolted. The walls were too slick for her to climb up so all she could do was dodge her opponents teeth much to the watching crowds disapproval. They'd paid for blood.

Suddenly, she felt something choking her and realized she'd been roped by one of the observers who held her steady as the dog charged once more. An ear splitting screech left her muzzle as the dogs teeth sank into her flesh. Unable to run because of the rope she was helpless to the attack. As much as she fought bought she wasn't strong. She was built for speed not strength. The loss of blood was making her woozy and weak and it wasn't long before she collapsed on the ground from her wounds but still the dog tore at her.
 
She leaned into his touch and he offered a small, hesitant smile, hoping she was back to herself again. When she stepped toward him and licked the underside of his chin, he didn't pull away, but he nodded softly, understanding her meaning, knowing she was trying to apologize. He watched as she went and hid under a blanket before shifting and pulling the blanket around herself, looking over at him. She told him it wasn't her and he shifted slightly, wanting to help her somehow. "it's fine, I know it wasn't you, Ryah," he told her gently, watching as she came over to him and knelt in front of him. He didn't dare move away when she reached for him and ran her fingers along his cheek.

She went off again, rambling and his brow furrowed, concerned. "Ryah, seriously, it's fine. You're fine. Despite what you think, it's a lot harder to really hurt us than what you think it might be," he told her gently. She didn't have to be worried about them. They could handle themselves. She had enough to worry about. But she leaned forward, resting her head on his chest momentarily as she apologized again. He sighed heavily when she quickly stood up and went back upstairs. He didn't follow her. She had to sort things out herself.

He stood and grabbed two blankets, went to the door, opening it and throwing them outside. Not even a minute later, Kandice and Lukan came inside. "What's her problem?!" Kandice muttered darkly and Az rolled his eyes.

"Leave her alone, Kandice. I can't exactly blame her for going off at you. You're a pain in the ass," Lukan retorted and the small female glared at him and made a face, sticking her tongue out at him. But the male winked, snapping his teeth playfully at her, causing her to screw up her face.

An hour later, Az heard a howl off in the distance and he finally realized that he couldn't hear Ryah. His brow furrowed and he stood up and went up to the room. "Ryah?" he questioned as he stepped inside. But she wasn't there and the window was open. His mouth parted, shocked. "Bloody hell," he growled to himself and stormed downstairs. "She left. Just like that. Left," he muttered to himself and the other two looked at him.

"Her choice, right? Who's cares," Kandice piped up and Aztrex glared at her.

"I'm going to go get her. She's not thinking straight," Az replied, getting worked up.

Kandice looked at him, getting up from the chair she sat on, "Az, she's not like us! Who cares?!" she growled.

Az turned on her, eyes flashing. "I do!" he snarled at her and she flinched like she had been hit. "Lukan, you coming?" Az asked and the male nodded. "Good, let's go," and he left the house, Lukan right behind him. After a few minutes, Kandice joined them, telling them she was coming for them, not for Ryah. But Az didn't care. The more people, the better to help her. Kandice thrust a bag toward him.

"There's clothes in there for all of use. It's quicker in our feral forms," She told him and Az shrugged on the bag, noticing the straps were long enough so he could shift and keep it on him. He smirked. They all shifted into their feral forms and Az quickly found her scent and followed it. They eventually came to tyre tracks and he growled, knowing she had been taken. And the lingering scent of gunpowder. Damn. Az didn't hesitate to follow the tracks, Kandice and Lukan running on either side of him. He wasn't sure how long passed, but they came to a place that looked like a warehouse, 6ft chain link fence surrounding it and places off to the side that looked like kennels. He could hear howling and baying from dogs. He didn't know exactly what the place was but had a feeling it was a dog fighting centre. There were cars parked at the front and he could hear cheering from the inside of the warehouse looking building. Ryah was here somewhere.

"Kandice," he said through their mind link, "sneak in and see if you can catch Ryah's scent," the Jackal gave her an exasperated looked but nodded and dug a small hole under the fence and ran in, keeping low and out of sight. That's why he chose her. Her tiny size kept her well hidden. After a while, she raced back and nodded.

"She's in there alright," Kandice told him and Az growled. But they couldn't go in there. They had to wait until she was out of human eyes so they could get her back.
 
It was a miracle Ryah survived the attack at all before she was shoved back in her cage. She was placed on a cart and her cage was pushed outside. She could vaguely hear the words of the men above her. Something about breeding, she was too far gone to really hear anyone's words. At least her muzzle had been removed. After the fight, she'd been....stitched up? She hadn't been expecting a vet to look after her. Especially not after the way she was treated. But after a few minutes of listening to their conversation she understood why she'd been spared the release of death. She was the only female dog here, besides the Champion, and they needed new blood to add to the bloodline. Plus her coat color would make for some fearsome looking fighters.

Ryah wasn't outside for long. About an hour or so later her cage was placed back on the cart and rolled to a different part of the encampment. There were no cages here. But there was a crudely made contraption nailed into the ground that looked oddly familiar. She was muzzled once more and pulled of her cage and towards the contraption. Only when she was close to it did she realize what it was, a breeding stand. She knew them all too well. Her paws would be strapped to the legs and she'd be placed in a position where a male dog would be able to breed her without fighting back. She'd been bent over one before but only in her human form. She'd never been bred in this form and that wasn't about to change.

Hell no. Hell no. Screeching loudly Ryah started squirming and pulling and soon had pulled out of the handlers grasp and was running full tilt along the perimeter of the fence with a group of humans shouting and chasing after her. It would have been a comical scene if she wasn't running for her virtue and her life. But the thing is, Ryah was still weak from her previous fight. She'd slept for about an hour but that was it. She needed more time to heal but she didn't have more time. The dogs were after her now.

Around her third time around the fence she skidded to a halt as a familiar scent crossed her nose. But she really shouldn't have stopped as a dog tackled her to the ground. The one dog was joined by another and another before she was surrounded on all sides by dogs. She'd long since tugged the muzzle off her and was cowering against the fence when something.....snapped within her. Why was she always the damsel in distress in these situations? Snarling loudly she charged the first dog and soon it turned into one large scuffle with all the dogs coming at her.

But suddenly the entire pack stopped and backed off, clearing the field and revealing the cause of their sudden cease. Their Alpha lay dead at the paws of another. Ryah was panting hard over the Champions body, her muzzle tainted with blood. One would expect her eyes to be yellow but they were her normal dual tinged color. Meaning she'd been very much of away of what she was doing. Her stupor was broken as her ears flicked at the sounds of the humans catching up. Trotting past the dogs who now cowered from her she finally found the gate that opened to the outside world and nosed the latch open before she simply walked out.

Once outside she broke into a hard run feeling oddly.....free. She'd done that all by herself. She stopped running only when she was sure that no one had followed her. She found a suitable den within the roots of the a tree and once there she would nurse her wounds. The thought of Aztrex crossed her mind multiple times and as much as she tried to push them away she couldn't help but wander whether she should be proud of what she'd done or ashamed of it.
 
The sounds of all the barking, howled, crying and yelping coming from the nearby kennels was overwhelming Aztrex, disorientating him, but he shook his head, doing his best to concentrate and think of a way to help Ryah. Beside him, Kandice shuffled on her paws, restless. On his other side, Lukan sat, his long tail swishing from side to side as he seemed to be thinking of something. But before he even had to put any plan into action, he heard screeching. His whole body tensed at the sound. He knew who it belonged to. Ryah. His lips peeled back, baring sharp, large canines as he snarled. He heard Lukan stand and bumped his shoulder with his own and Az huffed and sat down. "Calm down, Romeo," Lukan told him and Aztrex gave him a blank stare, causing the male to give a snort of amusement.

Then her saw her. She was running around the perimeter, humans chasing after her and then the dogs. His body went rigid and he was about to tear open the fencing to go help her, but Lukan practically jumped on him, pinning him to the ground and crouching on top of him. "We can't get seen, dumb ass. She needs to sort this out herself. What will happen if you're caught?" the male stated and Aztrex groaned, not wanting to agree with his logic. He could do nothing whilst so many humans were around. He couldn't risk getting caught, no matter how much he wanted to help her.

He had to watch, crouching as low to the ground as possible and just watch her. When she was tackled by the other dogs though, he growled and he really was about to march in there and tear out all their throats. But Lukan hissed, biting the back of his neck hard enough to draw blood. Az growled at the Cheetah, spinning on him, but he dodged away too quickly before grasping Az's neck again and practically dragging him away. The male growled, thrashing but Lukan held fast as he pulled him away, Kandice trotting behind them, not fazed by the situation at all. It had been a regular occurrence back when they were a team on either one of them would get too wound up. One would come in and physically drag them from the situation. Unless they both got excited, then it had been her job to get them pissed enough at her to chase her. After all, she was too tiny to drag them. But it sure had been a pain to keep out of Lukan's grasp. Being a Cheetah, he was quicker than her, so she'd often have to make the most of her surroundings to get them away. Luckily though, it wasn't often they'd both get too wound up.

Once they were far enough away, Lukan let go of Aztrex and the black wolf snarled and shook his coat with a huff before he sat down, irritated. "Just calm down, mate," Lukan told him, "she'll be fine. They're not going to kill her. We can wait it out until tonight and then go get her. Just chill," the Cheetah stretched with a yawn before laying down. Az knew he wouldn't be getting back there so he set to pacing instead, hoping Ryah was alright.

Then he smelt blood in the air and so did Lukan and Kandice. They all raised their heads, scenting the air and glanced at one another. Dog blood. Regular old dog blood had a much different scent to wolves, and especially wolf shifters.. Dirtier. Az cocked his head, listening and he pinpointed Ryah out from the rest, heard her running out of the compound. He didn't give Lukan or Kandice warning, he took off after her, listening to where she went, using that as his path. He soon came across her tracks and he followed them. Soon enough, he came to the den Ryah had found. Much to small for him to fit through. He laid down in front of it, sticking his head in and seeing the small female. "Ryah," he breathed and sighed in relief, "are you alright? Please tell me you're alright," he asked, watching her, concerned. He could hear Lukan and Kandice a fair way back, following his scent, but he ignored them. Ryah was his concern, not them.
 
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