Breeze was making efforts to keep herself calm and hold her anger within. The muscular fae let it slowly simmer within her mind, knowing that was the best place for it for now. She knew better than to deny that he could have abandoned Agavos after finding his scent near the border of Helidos on a recent quest. It had been very faint, but the familiar smell had been unmistakable around the border. She hadn’t found any other evidence, but she planned to find Desmond later today and alert him of her discovery. He would be furious of course, and he had every right to be. The scent she had found had been unmistakably mixed with the aroma of distress…or so she suspected. Such a faint bit of evidence left many things unclear, except that he had not simply become the victim of some horrible accident or fight. Yet perhaps he had been captured…no. Only his scent lead to the border, and why else would he purposely head for another pack’s lands? A soft growl rumbled in her chest as she stalked through the neutral lands, tail curled high to signal to any wolf who might appear that she was in no mood to be messed with. Frustration was clear within her golden amber orbs as she moved easily among the dense undergrowth of the forest. A packmate she had so readily trusted and attempted to befriend had chosen to abandon her and the rest of Agavos. How could he just leave behind the place that accepted him with open arms? Twelve had told the delta that he was more comfortable in Agavos than in….wait! He originally came from Helidos. Could he have been lying all this time? Was he a spy? What if he never actually had any interest in Agavos? Breeze wondered suddenly, her paws suddenly rooted to the ground. It felt like icy water had seeped down her spine and froze her fur. Silently, the fae stood where she was as the spark of rage was ignited within her heart. How dare he treat my pack in such a way! The grey pelted she-wolf thought.

Amber orbs darkened dangerously and she broke into a brisk trot, determined to talk to Desmond and then set out to find the traitor. She was just approaching the familiar Falls of Serenity when something else made her skid to a stop once more. There, along a small trail that wove through the forest, was the fresh scent of her target. Twelve was here somewhere. The delta couldn’t believe her luck. Here was the very wolf she needed to confront. Immediately, her mind made a choice. It was either tell Desmond and miss her chance now, or face the foolish brute and possibly drag him back to Desmond. If it came down to a fight, she would do what she must. Desmond had every right to face this wolf, and it was her job to see to it that this happened. Swiftly and as silently as possible, the muscular female leapt from among the verdure, sprinting out into the open space and standing tall. In a matter of seconds Breeze was standing on the shore, her tail raised dominantly as she gazed at where the male stood motionless within the water. Her mind took into account his ragged appearance. Even with most of his form submerged, it was clear he wasn’t doing so well. Some small part of her felt concern for this brute even as she tried to suppress it. He had always seemed a bit of a mess beneath the cool and calm facade. Still, that didn’t excuse him from the disgust and anger she felt at his choice to leave Agavos. The she-wolf mentally shoved away her concern and desperate wish to make this event disappear. It was crutial for her to find out what he had been up to, and there was no way of denying what he had done. Much to her disgust, she could detect the aroma of Helidos on his pelt from where she stood at the edge of the water. "Well well well, look what we have here. Where have you been Twelve? Certainly nowhere near the lands of Agavos.” She called, her voice devoid of friendliness or much emotion. Instead, her gaze bore down on him, curious yet harsh. This was no time for pleasantries so she had gotten straight to the point. Let’s see what he has to say to me about how much he likes my pack now! What lame excuse does he have to give me? Breeze wondered as she stared him down.

Much to her annoyance, the brute didn’t respond or even appear to acknowledge her presence for awhile. He remained facing the falls, unmoving, like he was simply a natural landmark and not a living creature. The fur on the fae’s neck began to spike with anger and alarm. What was wrong with him? The sight of the brown male standing there made her suddenly wary of him. Could he have lost his sanity?  “Face me Twelve!”  The Delta snarled with tail curled high. Then he slowly turned around. Much to her shock, his eyes appeared dull, almost akin to that of the dead. He squinted, almost as if he couldn’t see. What the heck is wrong with him? Is he sick? Breeze wondered. The grey female was torn between her annoyance, disgust, and concern for him. She was no heartless demon, although she was far from soft. He seemed weak, unhealthy, and rather shaky. The she-wolf looked on, concern mixing with her annoyance as her gaze softened slightly, although the female was now definitely wary. Even the best of wolves could loose their minds and the dusty grey canid had no way to tell if that had happened to Twelve, at least not yet. A soft moan escaped the male’s jaws and she could see faint tremors in his body. Clearly the brute wasn’t doing well, but she didn’t dare step closer. No, she stayed where she was and simply frowned. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?" The Agavos fae asked quietly. Then he spoke. At first, the Delta wanted to roll her eyes. Well no duh he hadn’t been in Agavos. She had just said that hadn’t she? Golden amber orbs soon widened, then narrowed as he continued in a broken, rough voice. She had heard of the Helidos leader of course…and according to Desmond she had died at the jaws of Teren. Failed. He had failed how? Did this brute seriously think he was to blame for the Alphess’ death? Nonsense. He wasn’t even in their pack at the time!….OHHHHH! Suddenly the realization dawned on her. That was why he had left. It was a twisted and dumb reason to say the least, but that had to have been it. His loyalties should not have been to Helidos. He had been a part of Agavos, and that was where his loyalty should have been. The fae stepped forward, feeling pity for the mess of a wolf before her. “Oh Twelve…you don’t seriously think you could have stopped Teren do you? Not even the high ranks or the Alpha of Helidos could have stopped that beast.” Breeze said softly.

Then, almost as if somebody had lit a fuse or flipped some sort of switch, her expression became stern, disapproving, and annoyed. Disappointment washed over her like a typhoon. The Delta had thought Twelve to be stronger than this. She had thought of him as a dependable friend…and here she was, watching him fall apart…she almost felt like she was talking to some pup having a meltdown and complaining about his life. “It wasn’t your job to support Helidos anymore. Agavos was your home…and you thought just because one wolf died that you had to leave? You are not their savior Twelve. Wolves died in more than one pack this season and I don’t see any concern from you on that matter except for a few. Only one of those being from Agavos and he is not even one who died. Did you even know that others had died? Or was that not an issue for you?” She added, the bitterness in her voice building the more she spoke. The she-wolf glanced down at her paws in frustration. When she looked back up, the brute would be able to see the twin flames of rage and resentment burning within her amber orbs. “Could I have saved my parents when rogues attacked my birth pack? No. I tried, but in the end I watched as they were murdered. Do you see me giving up and wallowing in that sadness I felt or the fact that I couldn’t have done more? Heck no! I know that I did what I could, and that was all they ever wanted from me. I can not save every wolf and neither can you. The best thing we can do is try to help our packmates as many as possible. Yet that doesn’t mean you should run around back and forth between packs. There are wolves who help each other in every pack, so choose where you want to contribute and stick with it. I thought you had decided that you chose Agavos when you joined our ranks. I thought you would surely be a strong and dependable packmate. Apparently I was wrong. I guess you never really cared for Agavos. You didn’t just fail Desmond. You failed me, you failed Fel, and you failed Desoto. In fact, you failed every wolf in Agavos and you let us down. For what? All for a dead wolf who had already passed away by no fault of yours.” Breeze said, her anger evident in her quiet icy tone. The last words were cold and bitter as she spoke, her voice barely even raising. The hurt of being left by so many wolves she knew in this world had made her resentful to see Twelve standing before her, alive and rather…indifferent. To see this frail brute complaining about his life right here in front of her only made the fire of rage blaze even brighter within her heart. It was just like hearing him complain before, about… Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. “Don’t you dare blame it on your past either! Is this what this is about Twelve? Just because you aren’t so-called 'pure in blood' - which is nonsense by the way - doesn’t mean you are disloyal. It’s your choices and your own thoughts that make you loyal or disloyal. I knew wolves who had one parent that lived in another pack. It wasn’t easy for them to be accepted, and it took the Alphas awhile to forgive the family, but in the end they weren’t really different. They were some of the most trustworthy packmates I had. You are letting your past and your origins choose who you are. That is sad, and I thought you were better than that.” The grey female said with a mixture of anger and sadness.

She did not move except to tilt her head in confusion as he mentioned leaving. Where would he go? Then his next words began to sink in. His poor health and his pathetic complaining, the lack of light within his orbs, and the negativity that radiated off of the earthen colored brute all made sense. He wanted to go to the other forest. A shocked growl rumbled in the fan’s throat. “Are you joking? You give up over the death of a couple of wolves just because you blame yourself? What kind of warrior…what kind of wolf just gives up that easily? That should teach you to enjoy the moments you have with your packmates, not waste your time whining and sulking over what could have been. It can be harsh in this world, but that doesn’t mean every moment has to be spent being so negative and hopeless. You disappoint me. I have seen the death of most of my birth pack, the death of others this winter, but ya know what? I like to think they die to give me and those who live to see another day the chance to improve, and to enjoy life. I often wish they didn’t have to die, but that is the way life works. You just have to move on. Yet here you are, sniveling and whining…it’s pathetic.” She said, her stern expression a mix of disbelief, disapproval, and even a bit of disgust. So this was the true wolf hiding beneath the smooth mask of a warrior. She now knew who Twelve really was, and she despised him for deceiving her this long. Any more whining from him would just go in one dark grey ear and out the other.

Twelve had stepped closer so that he was barely in the water anymore. The grey female looked at her emaciated former packmate with disappointment and disgust. She did not hate him, although perhaps it would be difficult to tell from her expression. Her eyes had hardened with anger and lack of trust for the brute, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to help him. She would try and get him out of the state he was in. The Delta could see his pain and confusion. He was a mess, and yet she had no clue of how to fix him. Breeze was trying to help, to explain to him that he didn't have to feel responsible for all of this. It was clear he couldn't grasp that concept at the moment, but she would still try. Suddenly a spark of anger ignited in his amber orbs and sharp words were spat from his maw. A growl rumbled in the she-wolf's chest, but she let him finish what he had to say before replying. Then the brute had the audacity to assume she only cared about the wolves in Agavos. His assumptions stung like wasp stingers in her ears. The muscular fae let out a soft, cold snarl. It wasn't loud. It didn't need to be, since the outrage and even a hint of bitterness could be heard within the sound even at such a quiet level. Her words were not shrill, but icy and full of contempt and disgust. "How dare you! Never assume that I don't care for other wolves. I am not unemotional or uncaring. I did not judge you for being from Helidos. I never labeled you for which pack you came from. Good wolves are good wolves, it's as simple as that. You're the one that doesn't understand. There are pack wolves in each pack to support one another. I do not run over to Helidos to help them because packmates are supposed to be there for each other. These wolves you speak of had packmates who held them in high regard, if I'm not mistaken. I assume they are capable and willing to help such good wolves as the ones you speak of. I would hope that is why they joined. That is why I joined Agavos. I wanted to be there for the pack, I want to help. It's not that I don't want to help others, but rather I did not know that those in Helidos needed help." The Delta said. Her narrowed eyes remained locked on the pathetic fur-ball before her. "The well-being of those in Agavos is my primary concern. I put their safety above even my own. Even though Agavos is my priority, it is still a concern of mine to see other packs in distress, especially at the paws of that black demon. I do have some concern for that other new pack as well. I surprised Helidos hadn't sent anyone to inform us of the battle."

Breeze relaxed a bit and tilted her head. "If everyone rushed to save the same wolves, then we would all be fools. There are enough wolves to save the good wolves. Was not the whole pack of Helidos fighting for Quinn? Were her Guardians not trying to protect her with their lives? Think Twelve! If she could not be saved by her mate and her Guardians and her pack, then stop blaming yourself. Perhaps Rose is a different story, I know nothing about her, not how she died. I'm sorry to hear she is dead. There are wolves in every pack, and they all should look out for one another, and if they can, then also look out for others too. You can't save everyone. You chose to leave Helidos, and although you went back for a kind-hearted reason, it was too late to save Quinn...you have to pick your battles. Not just because of loyalties, but because you cannot save everyone." The fae explained, her eyes no longer holding rage, but rather sadness. He couldn't seem to understand this. The male wanted to run around and be the hero, but in the end he was never in the right place at the right time. Instead, he had missed nearly every chance to save those he cared about. The Delta listened, a bit surprised at his words. This brute cared for her? A bit of anger sparked at this confession, as well as pain. Why hasn't he ever shown it? The grey female pushed all thoughts of that away. It was obvious that the brute was going through a lot of pain. Loss could hurt more than any physical pain. When he was finished, she waited, unsure of what to say to him. "I do understand, and I'm sorry I can't help you. It just would have been better if you hadn't just left as you did...we were sure you were just a traitor. Actually, I thought you were dead for awhile." She said finally admitted, her voice sounding rather dull. The she-wolf shook her head. "You say you cared for Quinn, but you left her. You cared for me? Well I guess so cause you left Agavos too." Her words had turned bitter as she thought of how all those who had cared about her had died or left. This brute was no different. "As for fighting between packs, you exaggerate it all. The only packs fighting are Helidos and Erenyx...and let's hope it stays that way. If there was any pack that would start a fight, it's Erenyx. It's a risky thing to send your packmates to the battlefield, as I'm sure you know. I have seen fights fought over small strips of forest territory. That was foolish to say the least, but they realized that quickly." The fae said, one ear flicked back in disdain. She enjoyed the thrill of battle, sure, but fighting was folly without a valid reason worth the injuries she might sustain. The honor involved in a rank challenge was one thing, but fighting over a bit of land with few benefits  was another. For the most part, the Delta would try diplomacy first, then fighting as her last option.

As her Alpha approached, Breeze would glance at him, unsurprised by his rage. She expression remained neutral and nearly unreadable as she turned back to look at Twelve. The muscular female shook her head sadly. "The world is not falling apart Twelve. It is your world that is falling apart. Helidos is still together, perhaps distraught and disorganized, but still together as far as I know. Yes, Erenyx is terrorizing the rest of the packs, but perhaps if the rest of us joined together, we could stop Teren." She said quietly. The way he spoke of Teren and so called doing what he had to do, a horrible thought formed in her mind. Would he try to kill the beast? He will fail! He can't! Yet somehow Breeze knew that if he wanted to fight Teren, there would be no way to convince him to step aside. A sad and slightly bitter smile formed on her lips as she listened to the end of his little rant. "I get that you meant only to do good by returning to help Helidos when they needed it. It's just a shame you weren't able to do much." She nodded to the skinny brute. "At least do yourself a favor and find a good way to make up for leaving. Perhaps you can't help Helidos as you want to, but I'm sure you can find a way to help otherwise."