Has he ever been a good son? Not really. Well, not if you consider someone being active in his family’s life good. If the standard was someone who kept to himself and minded his business, neither getting into trouble nor winning any Nobel Prize awards, then Hector was your guy. The angst had returned in droves when he’d reached his teenage years and now he was coasting day to day without a goddamn care in the world. It was nice. He didn’t really have anything to do besides entertain himself and oftentimes the cubs back home were good enough for that. Hector didn’t hate the things, he just wasn’t the world’s best older brother. Mostly because he wasn’t around.

He cruised through the badlands as he often did, weaving his way around the stony pillars and leaping from ledge to ledge. Although he no longer feared the lions, he was glad to know he could escape them easily enough by simply having nimble paws as he climbed. One wrong step and he’d go plummeting, but he’d never missed yet. Sometimes he wondered what a body would sound like hitting the ground, and then there was a distant thud and he thought that yeah, it would be something like that. Hector didn’t think much of it as he continued to climb, humming to himself. He paused once to look out over the horizon, taking in the sights with a deep breath.

Hector noticed a weird little rock, paler and almost yellow in comparison to the others. Weird. He lowered his head, squinting, and trekked a bit closer to see if he could get a better view.

Hector did not like what he saw.

Fuck, he spat, panicking. Somebody help! Help! Because it wasn’t like he would know what to do. Hector could sound the alarm, but someone else was going to have to do the work. I’m coming, mom, I'm coming! Hey, somebody fuckin’ help! he hollered, doing his best to climb down to the scene without ending up a pancake himself.

there was little for a lone pup to do, other than playing by himself, chasing bugs, shadows, tumbleweeds. lost in his own little world, he ended up at this rocky expanse, not planning remotely on climbing it at all, snapping at a little cricket that hopped ever-so-tantalisingly infrequently, just letting him close the distance before leaping away again.

somebody help! help!

oh. well...

his still-developing moral compass rocked a little, unsure. it was a voice unlike his. would he be wanted? but then, he was so small, and could scramble up the rocks more easily than some- like the lions and big cats who seemed so plentiful here, as if they had been blessed somehow by a sort of lion god. hah. imagine that.

hey, somebody fuckin’ help! oh shit, yeah.

he bolted. up the rocks, nimble, parkour, agility dog style. when he saw the lion unconscious and the tiger struggling, his weight betraying him under the loose footholds, hilo whined softly, giving his tail a soft reassuring wave as he scrambled closer. he was a stranger, sure, so he approached tentatively, sunlit eyes on the tiger as he sniffed the lioness, registering that she was 1) alive and 2) pretty injured, and would need help to move.

"i can try," he called, lifting his head, gaze upturned. and then hilo did the wolfiest thing he had done in a really, really long time.

he howled.

@Hector @Ghyslaine

you've stolen everything you believe:

cairo come back home

code by corvus

Turn the noose of war

Though Adrien is well aware that this dry expanse of red sand and jagged stone is a rather dreary, barren place that sometimes even proved to be dangerous, the noblewoman hasn't been able to squelch her curiosity about the place entirely. Is it truly as empty as it is seems? Or might there be some secret jewels tucked between the cliffs?

She weaves her way through narrow trails amongst the crags, carefully bounding from ledge to ledge, her tall frame looking noticeably out of place for a nimble activity such as this. She's far more used to flatter ground and gentle hills, a fact she's reminded of when an ill-placed step sends a shower of pebbles cascading down the cliff, drawing her gilded gaze to the increasingly distant earth down below.

She remembers a terrible vision she'd once been afflicted with by that harbinger of chaos. The sensation of being weightless and falling, the feeling of hopelessness cut short in a searing blink of an eye. The phantom nightmare dizzies her, and she staggers back, pressing her shoulder firmly against stone.

Maybe exploring here really wasn't the best idea, after all.

She sits and closes her eyes, taking a few moments in the dark to breathe and reign in her spiked heartbeat. The momentary peace, however, does not last long.

'Somebody help! Help!' The frantic cries pierce the quiet, and Adrien's eyes snap open, leaping back to her feet before she even realizes it, picking her way over the jagged rocks with a sense of urgency. "I hear you!" She calls out as a high-pitched howl splits the air. Adrien's no fighter, but she can hardly just stand by if someone was being mauled by a predator.

But the owner of the howl, when she finally comes across the scene, is little more than a pup, no pack within sight. No, the true horror lies down below, where a sandy pile of fur lays terribly, terribly still. A nightmare made real. Oh no...

"Be careful! Don't try to move them yet, you might make things worse." She calls out to the young @Hector as she tries to carefully scramble her own way down the treacherous slope, trying to assess the situation the best she can. It's @Ghyslaine, she realizes as gets closer, the kind High Sovereign she'd met at the plains. Adrien barely notices the absence of the pride's scent, more focused on the faint rise and fall of her chest. Still alive.

The maned woman tilts her head up to release a roar of her own. "We need a healer over here! Anyone, please!" Adrien only knows to do so much - she can try to stem any bleeding and keep the broken parts stable, but she's no expert. But is there even enough time left to try to find one? "Can you find any sturdy sticks, or stems, or anything, mon cher? Bring them to me." She suggests to the young tiger, trying her best to appear calm and reassuring.

The Brook is close by, closer than either the Plains or Aniadar. If they can patch Ghyslaine up enough to get her to the lions there, she should have a better chance. Adrien can worry about trying to find the woman's family then.

@Hilo

Blood pounded in his ears as he did his best to pick his way down, cursing himself for being more surefooted on the way up than down.

And then suddenly, the world's most adorable demon was approaching him and Hector simultaneously wanted to scream and hug the pup as close as possible. The tiger hadn't seen anything quite so.. not-painted-doglike before, but he'd have time to worry about that later. Right now, the guy was offering to help and Hector couldn't turn him down. Before he could reply, there was an ear shattering sound and Hector jumped off all four paws at the abruptness. His eyes were wide as he gawked at the wolf, clearly bam-fucking-boozled by the noise he'd just made.

He'd ask about it later.

A lioness from above made her way towards them, asking if he could fetch some supplies. Hector ignored her for the briefest of moments, choosing to rush to his mother's side and gently nose her cheek. Wake up, please. I'm not done being your son yet. He frowned, glancing between @Hilo and @Adrien before nodding to the lioness and rushing off to find some.. sticks? Sticks.

Someone was shouting and the howl heard in the badlands was unusual. The medic had been floating around territories as he did often when he trekked from the summit. His pouch was full as it dangled from his neck. Originally he was leaving, but the commotion commanded him to stay and investigate. Eyvindr turned then to follow the sounds to the source.

He would find a tiger (@Hector) and pup of some sort (@Hilo) and another lion (@Adrien). I can help. He chuffed his arrival. He was a little ways up from the scene so he picked his way down as carefully as he could for his size. Once there, he would seek to move closer to begin to assess the injuries. I am Eyvindr, from the Summit. Did she fall? It sure looked like it. He began by using one paw to gently test the bones in areas one by one should he not be stopped by the others. @Ghyslaine

_{art by yumpy}

Turn the noose of war

Despite a few heart-stopping slips here and there, Adrien eventually makes her to more level ground. Offering the noblewoman a distant sense of safety though it had clearly extended no such luxury for @Ghyslaine. The young tiger had reached the injured form first, clearly distraught over the young woman's state, though Adrien has no time or space to wonder about their connection. She's simply relieved that @Hector is level-headed enough to follow her instructions.

She is more relieved still when a colossal man who smelled of crisp mountain air arrives, carrying the air of someone who actually knew what they were doing. Perhaps Adrien should be more wary, but she recalled that Ghyslaine herself had seemed to hold a high opinion of the Summit, and the French woman has yet to see anything proving their lions unworthy of trust. "Thank goodness you've come, monsieur." She breathes out, moving to stand across from @Eyvindr over the prone body, frowning as she also tries to take a closer look at former High Sovereign's battered appearance. Nothing looks decidedly fatal? "How does she look?"

"She must have." Is the only answer Adrien can give, having not been there to see what must have been a horrifying scene. A questioning glance would be given to the tiger whenever he returned, as well as to the odd, howling creature above (@Hilo). Perhaps they had witnessed it? "Is there anything we can do to aid you?" Hopefully, the healer might be able to find some usefulness in the things she'd sent the young tiger to collect. Even so, she's hesitant to try anything further without gaining a verdict of some sort.

"I fear there isn't much in the way of supplies out here. Do you think she can be moved?" Not to mention the wasteland's harsh elements and the scavengers that must undoubtedly prowl the sands. "I know she has friends in the Brook." Vermeda would have both resources and security indeed, but it will be all for naught if Ghyslaine cannot make the journey.

This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of pain, the in between of life and death, etc.

The darkness is all consuming, weightless, and oblivion. She does not know if this state is permanent or a mere phase she is passing through. It isn't heavy, though there is no light here- or at least none that she sees. Perhaps her eyes are closed? She does not know, but she thinks that they are open? The weightless feeling is similar to falling- as if she hasn't quite landed anywhere... but she doesn't feel anything else. No cold, no heat, no pain, no pleasure- just numbness- an empty void.

Then a soft thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-Thump. Ghyslaine is confused, at the sudden sound that is near deafening to her- and then the compressing pain in her body as she tries to breathe. Agony flares through her, white hot like flames licking up her spine. The breath hurts just as much to exhale, and instead of taking another, her breathing changes to short pants that do little to make her feel like she is gaining oxygen but hurt a tiny bit less.

The pain is all rushing back, feeling every fiber of her being- as it trails up and down her body- and though she has yet to open her eyes- she can't see the state of her rear paw, broken and mangled. The bloody front paws from claws lost in the effort to catch herself- the blood on the back of her head, from hitting a rock- a blow that mercifully had taken her consciousness. She lets out a low groan, as she fights against the oblivion that wants to take her back- and forces her eyes open to blinding brilliant light. Her nostrils flaring, as she scents..

"Hec..tor?" She breathes softly, a comfort then- that her son is here, if she's going to pass- though she wishes he didn't have to see this. "Mm' okay." She tries to assure him, though she's not convinced that she's anything close to "okay". Eyes straining, she recognizes another face- "Ad-rien." She pronounces slowly, her eyes on the peach hued female- then drifting to the others. Another lion... another... wolf? What? A stare lingers on the wolf- confused.. but then, the pain...

"Ouch." She breaths again, closing her eyes- though this time, oblivion does not reclaim her, but she knows that she is safe- her son is here. Her first son and she is safe with Hector.

Wound Lists: As rolled: broken ribs, lacerations (can be assumed/pp'd), broken left rear paw, lost claws on both front paws, blow to the back of the head from hitting it. Ghyslaine is ouchy.

-exit-

@Hector @Adrien @Eyvindr @Hilo

ART COPYRIGHT RABBIT / CODE COPYRIGHT ANALESE

He came bearing sticks.

Hector more or less threw them at @Adrien in all his desire to be helpful. He stared at her for a second, expecting her to magically fix Ghyslaine and get everything sorted out. Don't know what happened, I only saw the aftermath. Had she slipped? There was the scent of someone else in the air, but.. well, he didn't think it was anything but coincidence. Just some bitch on a jog or something.

When he heard Ghyslaine whisper his name, the tiger skittered to her side. I'm here. We're here. We're taking you to Ver-fuckin' somewhere, I don't know. Stay awake. And then there was some guy he didn't know offering to help, and the scent was familiar. The summit. Hmm.

Let's get her to the Brook.

exit w/ Ghys?