A/N: In which more things happen… that don't necessarily fall under 'good'.
I also hope it's kinda obvious I've been waiting to get to this section of the fic… due to the length of these last two chapters, and how closely they were posted. I literally finished this off less than a day after posting the last one, and the only work that really needed to be done was the simple grammar and spelling errors.
Canon Name = Nickname: Corrin = Lupus. Velouria = Vella. Keaton = Keaty. Setsuna = Seta. Hinoka = Hina. Sakura = Saku. Subaki = Superman. Ryoma = Red. Selkie = Silky. Kaden = Ka-da. Orochi = Viper. Takumi = Tako. Lastly, only Selkie/Silky refers to Corrin/Lupus as Lu-pu.
Consort: And that's what caused King Garon to lose Corrin in the first place… he assumed they were nothing more than 'just beasts'. While sure, Beast Killers do inspire fear, but if the guards didn't know the attack was incoming, then the Wolfskin can work around that, simply due to the element of surprise. Something he apparently didn't get across to well to the others, like Camilla. They are all still considering them nothing smarter than 'just a beast'. Ironically, it is because Lupus was taken by the Wolfskin that Camilla and the others don't recognize just how smart the Wolfskin are. And yeah, Lupus certainly was not stupid when she traveled across Hoshido and met her blood-family… she just wasn't taught about the human customs. Does she know what to do at a dinner table? Nah. Does she know how to defend herself and react quickly? Yeah, and probably do it better than most humans.
Keaty can do that probably just fine… he was only starting to get into some trouble when he tried to tackle the much more… complex aspects of human thinking. Sure, he and Hina might not be able to have a full-blown conversation, and Keaty might even come off as a bit snappy, but at least he'll be willing to talk. He will most certainly not call for an order to attack, thankfully.
And it's not like that battle went on for over, like, half an hour. Even Lupus, who probably suffered the most hits, who had lost the most amount of blood without being outright killed, was still standing. And thanks to a Wolfskin's strength, it'd probably just take one or two of them in their shifted forms to carry the rest. After they settle, then they can be looked over. Also, c'mon, this is Superman we're talking about here. The perfectionist. Of course he would have something on him. For as far as I'm concerned, he has one of those MMO-style bags on him, the kind where you can shove like, twelve battle-axes into one pocket. And from what the battle showed, the Wolfskin didn't really start falling into Beruka pulled out that Beast Killer, but as Dadaan also showed, they weren't fighting until they dropped. There clearly isn't enough room for a half-dozen Wolfskin for one person, so it would be one or two, back off when you're injured, let the next one take over.
I think Hina and Superman would at least have some Falcon Knight training. It'd make sense to at least see if either of them, or well… any of the Sky Knights, have any potential in Festals, so… plop an 'E' rank on Festals for them. Yep, not to mention the Vulneries or Concoctions they might have on them… though, I think an Elixir is a stretch.
Perhaps for the healing process, they are more willing to listen, but after that? I think it would be fair if a deal was made. Just think of all that time and resource was just spent on the pack. Hina and Superman swooped in, despite the raging fires around them. Pegasi aren't as hardy as a wyvern, so it was very viable for one of those flying mounts to succumb to the smoke. They undoubtedly had some sort of mage taking care of that section of fire, so there's another few people. Then comes in all of the potions, anti-toxins, Festals, and time taken to properly treat the Wolfskin. Ultimately…
Good call Hina. You just scored a huge win for the relation between Wolfskin and Humans. Sure, it won't be enough to make it a complete bridge, but you just set a definite foundation for that bridge. Just don't push them too much with that fiery determination of yours, and everything will be just fine.
By the time Lupus had recovered enough to be conscious, she noticed a few things. One was that she quickly vomited… but no blood, no ashes. In fact, aside from that vomit, the air smelled really clean. The second was that she wasn't experiencing the feeling of burning so much… that is, until she placed a hand on the spots where she was struck. Still hot, but not that hot. Lupus nods to herself, it was rough, but they made it. They survived.
Where is Hina?
Following her nose for that spicy scent, Lupus walks from the cave to the outside. She squints her eyes as she walks out. This certaintly is not like the last den, as there are only three caves. There are a total of three Wolfskin off to the side… Lupus doesn't need to approach to know, she can smell the scent of death from here. That's three to the already relatively small number they have. She can see that their Beaststones are still there, too. Well, those are theirs, after all. It would be an insult to take them… even if they can't be used.
Looking around the grounds, she can see that Keaty is sorta fidgeting, leaning against a tree, talking to Hina. Or, rather… Hina is talking to him. Keaty notices her presence far before Hina, and he clicks his tongue. "Gods, sister…" Hina quickly pulls Lupus into a tight embrace, "You're alive… I… I saw the smoke pillars from the nearby fort and… Gods, you're safe now."
"No, we aren't." Keaty bluntly states. "We won't ever be safe, Hina."
"I… you know what I mean." Oh dear. "Er, sorry… I, wha-!" Hina squeaks as Lupus twists her and her sister around. "C-Corrin?!"
"Get off of my sister!" Vella, she looks like she should still be resting, as even with her fur, she can see that her skin isn't as healthy as it should look. "Lupus is…"
"Velouria. Stop." Keaty growls. "Superman advised you to rest. So rest. Now."
"I won't…" Vella stubbornly starts.
"Sister, please." Lupus speaks up. "I'm allowed to have more than one sister."
She glares at Hina, "That's not the point! She's…" Vella clamps her mouth shut.
"Let me guess… she's 'human'?" Vella's silence was all the confirmation that Lupus needed. "She just saved us, Vella. She and the others went out of their way to save us. If you don't want to accept that she's also my sister, then at least treat her with the respect of someone who helped us!"
Vella looks between Hina and Lupus, before stiffly nodding. "...thank you. Hina." She turns on her heel and leaves.
"Uh…" Hina starts.
"She's having trouble." Lupus supplies. "She has a serious obsession with me. I was going to try and help with that yesterday, but…" But the pack was lured into a trap. They were almost slaughtered. Lupus was about to be scaled and turned into decorations for an insane woman… but, Hina, her big sister, saved them.
"Hey, I'm here for you." Her hug has tightened as Lupus visibly trembles. "I swear, as long as I can stay by your side, I won't let anything bad happen to you." A pause, "But, I also won't push my presence. If you tell me to, Keaty, then I'll make my leave. I… can't say I understand it all, but I'm going to try and…"
"She was going to scale me." Lupus interrupts, causing a thick silence to cover the area. "She said she was going to take my horns and use them as decorations. I… I've seen skinned Wolfskin, and I'm aware of what happens, but… I never imagine myself in the same position. She talked about how she was going turn me into ornaments for her family and..." By now, Lupus is crying, just from the images popping in her head… of a Camilla sitting down with a knife and... what? Her scales as armor? Her horns for the haft of a weapon? Her body as blanket? Her skull for a trophy? She shakes her head, make it stop. Make it stop! Make…
"Sister, sister!" Hina forcibly shakes her, snapping her out of her thoughts. That fiery spark in her eyes is burning bright again. "Who?! I'll… I'd skewer them just for even thinking that!"
"Purple-hair, Camilla." Lupus quickly responds.
"Bloodthirsty bitch." Are the two words that drop out of her mouth.
"Bitches have more sense than that, Hina." Keaty speaks up. "Watch what words you use."
Hina blinked her eyes, before realizing how Keaty just took that. "Oh, I… it's just. When humans use it, it's meant as an insult, not because we're actually describing someone to be an actual, yeah…" And now she's hesitant to actually use the word.
He sighs, "Bitch is a normal word. There's nothing offensive about calling a female Wolfskin a bitch. Bitches…"
"I get it!" Hina cuts him off.
"Sister?" Lupus asks, her eyes still teary, but otherwise the images have vanished and she has managed to steady herself, "Maybe you should take a moment to calm down?" Not that was the exact reason why she was asking.
Something that Hina thankfully picked up on. "Right, I should see if I can help some of the Wolfskin, anyway." At last, she releases her embrace. "I'll talk to you later, alright? She waves goodbye as she walks to one of the dens… slowly.
"Keaty?" Lupus asks after she is out of ear-shot. "How are you?"
"Recovered. Selena didn't do much to me." He shrugs it off. "Velouria was reckless, she took several hits, but… she also did the most damage." A pause, "I'm having a hard time believing it… humans took their time… to… save us?" He frowns, "Or is this only because you are family to them? If you weren't here, would have they let us burn?"
Lupus thinks it over, "I think…" She starts. "Those Nohrian humans were causing a lot of damage to the area. I think they would have helped, anyway."
"Yeah, the forest… but what about us?" He presses. "They can fight to protect their land all they want, but would they fight for us? If you weren't here, would Hina still have saved us?"
"I… I don't know, Keaty!" She wants to say yes, but she honestly doesn't know. "What about the rest?" She shifts the subject, "What about Superman, is he still helping?"
He huffs, "Him and Hina had a lot of healing supplies on them already, which ended up saving most of the Wolfskin that were struck by Beruka's Beast Killer," A pause, "Doesn't change the fact we lost three Wolfskin. The pack can't keep going like this. If we lose anymore… we'd need more of the pack to become Wolfseggers to continue with this few." And that is certainly not an easy task. Maybe Vella? Dadaan is proven to be pretty strong, but… "It takes a lot of energy, Lupus." He answers her unasked question. "I burned through several bears by myself… we don't have that kind of meat here. The older Wolfskin would have an advantage there, they wouldn't have to push themselves as much, but us? We're younger, we aren't as trained. And a burst of energy from protecting like how Vella or Dadaan does isn't enough. Wolfsegger requires the Wolfskin to constantly maintain that level of strength… not just because the Wolfskin is under some adrenaline."
"Oh." Is all she responds with.
"Lupus."
"Yes, brother?" She tilts her head.
"I'm going to need you to talk to your sister." He certainly doesn't sound happy about it. "Can't get through to her why I am not allowing more humans here, even if they 'healers'." Oh… "I'm going to round up the healthiest of the pack. Still need to get food." He walks off.
Lupus sighs… oh, Hina. Once more, she follows the spicy trail. This time it leads to the den she was just in earlier. Wasn't she going to help some of the Wolfskin? "Sister?" She calls out, startling her.
"Hey, little sister." She even sounds a bit… sad?
"Having trouble?"
"I keep using the wrong words with him." She bluntly replies. "I say what I mean, but he keeps getting a different meaning out of what I'm saying! It's… ugh." She sighs, "I tried talking to him about getting a few Shrine Maidens here, but I don't know how to get it out without him taking offense. Sister, could…"
"No." Lupus cuts her off.
"The Wolfskin here…"
"No."
"But, they…"
"No." Slowly, it seems Hina is getting more and more bothered by this. "Do you know why he won't take them?"
"Why wouldn't he? They're healers! Shrine Maidens don't have any training in weapons, so I…"
"He doesn't trust them."
"Huh? But they didn't do anything to the pack!"
"They're humans."
"So am I!"
"You and Superman saved the pack."
"Super… oh right, Subaki." Another sigh, this one more irritated. "Well, that means he trusts…"
"No, he doesn't. He respects the fact that you saved the pack, he doesn't trust you or Superman. The Wolfskin aren't stupid, Hina. He understands that if you two didn't come in, that we would have all died, but that doesn't mean he's just going to let you do what you want. He'll let you and Superman help out the pack, but only you both. Nobody else." Lupus takes a breath, still feeling rather bad for scolding her sister like this, "There's a lot of bad feelings in the Wolfskin against humans. They've been hunted and killed for so many years, and a single rescue isn't going to be enough to change their minds."
"But, I…"
"However, doing that also helped make a starting point for a better relationship. I'm not saying it'll happen while we're still alive, but if things like this keep happening, then there will be a bond later on." Lupus pauses, but continues before Hina speaks up, "But, one of the things that you are going to have to do here is obey him. As long as you're here, you are going to have to follow Wolfskin tradition, and one of the biggest things is that when the alpha wants something done, it gets done. If he tells you to stop, you stop. This isn't like our family… Vella being his sister does not give her any privileges. If he had a mate, then even she wouldn't be able to do anything without his approval. He's willing to give you some room since you weren't raised a Wolfskin, but not that much. If you keep pushing topics like that, he will snap back. He might even go and force you both out."
"He would… attack us?"
"We would attack you." She corrects.
"I don't get why, since…" Hina blinks as her mind properly processes what Lupus just said, "We? As in… you, too?" Lupus slowly nods, regretful, yes… but it's the truth. "I… sister?"
"If he made the order, Hina. Then I'd listen and obey."
"...but, we're family!" Hina is clearly hurt by this, so much so that her eyes are already shining with tears. "He can't force you…"
"The pack comes first, Hina. Seta knows, even though she hasn't experienced it herself." A breath, "Believe me, I wouldn't want to, but Keaty is the alpha. The pack obeys the alpha. That's how it has been, and that's how it's going to be."
Hina looks away, "Alright then… how much longer, then? Before he tells us to leave?"
"Depends. Are you able to help the Beast Killer struck Wolfskin recover?"
"I managed to convince him to have Subaki fly to a nearby fort to gather some special herbs for advanced poisons, I… don't know if they'll have the right ones. I'm certain Castle Shirasagi has those herbs, though."
Lupus thinks it over, "And how long would it take for him to go to and from the Castle?"
"Without having his Pegasus collapse from exhaustion? Three, maybe four days."
"Keaty will force you to leave the second day, then."
"Even with the promise of proper treatment?! We don't have everything on hand in every location, sister!" Oh, and there is that fire again. "If the fort doesn't have the herbs, could you please try and have him accept Subaki to go to the Castle and back?! I don't want these Wolfskin to die on my watch. I don't care if I didn't grow up with them, they didn't commit any wrongs, they're innocents, and innocents shouldn't be left to die!" Her voice has slowly raised into an outright yell. Tears still sting her eyes, but they coming more from anger this time. "It doesn't matter what 'race' they are. If… If there were a group of Nohrian villagers left to die out in the Hoshidan plains, then I'd lend a hand to them, too! We aren't like those Nohrian scum that are 'Royalty', if there is someone in need, then by the gods we are going to help them!" Her body shakes as she gets the rest of her rant out… then her eyes widen, "I'm sorry, I… gods, I just yelled at you." She backs up to the wall, now ashamed.
"I can try." Lupus simply replies… maybe with that kind of determination to help, Keaty could accept? "I can't promise he'll agree, but I'll try."
"...thank you, sister." Yet once more, Hina's fire has been calmed. She's really having a tough time. "I'll… be here if you need me."
Nodding, Lupus heads out once more. This time to Keaty.
Out of the current cave, across the area, and into another, much smaller, cave. Lupus lets herself in, to where Keaty is, predictably, leaning against the cave wall… but this time, Dadaan is already in here. He also has seem to mostly recover, thankfully. "...ing any help." He informs Keaty.
"Let me guess, because Lupus isn't beside her?" Huh?
"No, it's more because she's…" Dadaan ears twitch, enough to silently acknowledge Lupus's presence, "She won't accept Hina's help. She only takes Superman's help."
Keaty groans. "Stubborn… Yes, what is it?" He stops just long enough to ask Lupus.
"Vella?" She assumes.
"Yep." He curtly replies, "She won't let Hina help heal her, and since Superman is currently out, that means she has no way of getting any actual recovering in. I'd go over there and order her, but I have things to take care of, too."
Jeez, what is Lupus today… the messenger?! "I also came to ask about possibly allowing Superman enough time to travel to Castle Shirasagi and back if he can't find the herbs at the nearby fort."
"Too long." Of course. "You should know."
"I do."
"Then get it into Hina's head that I'm not allowing it." A little snappy now, isn't he? "Listen, I get she's your sister. I get she wasn't raised by Wolfskin. I get she isn't used to how Wolfskin live, but as long as she's here…"
"She has to live by our traditions… I know. I told her that, Keaty." Lupus calmly replies. "But, the toxins probably won't ever leave their bodies, and our numbers are few enough as is."
"I know. But I don't trust them. Which is something you should also know." Walking a dangerous line here…
"Hina is willing to help us through the injuries, but she can't without the proper things."
He grits his teeth… but then takes a breath. "Dadaan?"
"I respect the fact that she saved us, Lupus." The other starts, "But we can't just let them take several days' worth of trips."
"Even if it will save the others?"
"Lupus. Listen to yourself. You are not thinking like a Wolfskin right now, you're thinking like a human. You know how we live."
"I'm aware." She quickly replies, "But I'm also aware that we…"
"Lupus." Keaty this time, "Leave." He growls. Keaty the 'brother' is gone, and it's back to Keat the 'alpha'. "Now." As such, she turns and leaves without a shred of protest. Pushing him anymore will just bring bad news.
The den is still unusually silent without all of the Wolfskin out and about… making cringe-worthy conversations. Shrugging with a heavy sigh, she plays her role once more and heads over to Vella, who apparently needs a reminder that she does, in fact, need to be healed, regardless of who does it. So, out of the smaller cave and into a much larger one, where there are a number of Wolfskin around, resting.
And on one end, she can pick up the distinct, sickening scent of the toxins that drip from a Beast Killer.
"Sister." Lupus calls Vella out as she approaches. And, wow…
She is looking rather weak. "Sist…" Vella coughs.
"You need rest." Lupus bluntly states.
"You're here, so I'll be fine." She sniffs.
"My presence can't heal you."
"Better than…" Cough, "Her." She growls, saliva drooling out. Eye narrowed, Beaststone slightly glowing. Lupus is getting anything but good vibes from this. "Don't like… Hina." Lupus internally sighs and ignores that insult.
And, contradicting her recent statement, she tugs Vella up. "Turn." Lupus's eyes scan over Vella.
"I'm…"
"Not fine. Can't lie to me." Lupus cuts her off as she drops lower. This isn't just Vella recovering from cuts and gashes. Yet, she also doesn't seem to be a victim of Beruka's Beast Killer. Nothing on her chest, back, legs, waist, rear end, tail… She jerks Vella's only piece of clothing off without a second thought. Shoulders, face, back of her head, everything seems to be just fine.
"Sister, I said…"
"You've been scratched..." She cuts her off again. "Between your neck and shoulder, right at the base. Vella, what struck you?"
She shrugs, "I don't know, I never noticed." A little aggressive there, isn't she? "Listen, sister, I…"
"Sister, be quiet." Lupus takes a closer look at the wound, some small claw marks… must have been one of those dragon mounts. Some small amount of blood is coming out, but it doesn't smell right. Not like what blood should smell like. Despite having a personal distaste for raw meat, Lupus can't deny the sickly-sweet allure of blood, but… Vella's blood smelled anything but sweet. Vile, rank… tainted. "You're sick." Not that Lupus knows with what, she just knows that Vella has caught something from that dragon mount, or maybe it came after? Did something enter her open wounds?
"I said, I feel…" Still so aggressive, too...
"And when was the last time you were so angry with me? I'm only trying to help!"
"I'm not angry!" She paradoxically shouts back. "Maybe I do need some rest, so…" She growls…
Vella just growled at her.
…
Vella just growled at Lupus.
Trying to keep herself calm, she shakes her head, "Nope, that's it. Hina's gonna use one of those 'Festals' and heal you, sister. Hinaaa!"
"Don't call for that piece of…" A short silence, "She's not going to take you from me!" Pushing Lupus aside, Vella bolts out. Wait, what? …Vella is worried about 'Hina taking Lupus from Vella'? No, that's not the important thing right now...
Not good, not good. Lupus follows, "Keaty! Dadaan!" She calls out instead, since they'll easily pick up on her distress faster, "Vella needs help!" A short pause, "Hina! HINA!" Vella's scent is much more… sour than it should be. Whatever she has in her is really intense. A loud neigh sounds out… Hina's Pegasus. From out of the cave Hina was just in, she bolts out, smoothly stopping by her mount and grabs her shield-lance. Oh dear… not good. "Hina?!" Lupus frantically asks, "Hina!"
She isn't untouched, either. There's a huge chunk of her chest armor missing, literally torn off. "She just tried to tear my heart out!" Even she sounds understandably shaken. "Vella just tried to rip me apart!" Hina's Sky Knight armor, at least in the front, is almost all gone, in probably one swipe. Yet, that still wasn't the end of it, as her left breast has suffered three moderate scratches. Lupus can quickly tell how it happened. Vella charged in, tried to claw into Hina's chest, but she backed up, hence why only one of her breasts were clawed.
The next second, both Keaty and Dadaan were there. "Infected." Is the first word to come out of Keaty's mouth. "Dadaan?"
"I don't know… the herbal bitch would know…"
"But she isn't alive." Keaty finishes, before shooting a glare at Hina.
"I didn't do anything! You had several Wolfskin watch Subaki and me. She's the only one acting like that!"
"Keaty… Vella has claw marks near her neck. I think it's from one of those dragon mounts."
"It could have been diseased." Hina suddenly supplies.
"Why would they ride a sick mount?" Dadaan shoots back.
"Not both of them, just Camilla."
"What do you know?" Lupus tries to calmly ask.
"Camilla isn't a Wyvern Rider or trained to be a Wyvern Lord… only Malig Knights are trained..."
"Get to the point, human!" Keaty growls.
"Malig Knights don't always ride live wyverns. Unlike a Wyvern Rider or Lord, they never switch mounts. If their wyvern dies, they just use Dark Magic and bring it back to life!"
"Bringing the…" Lupus pauses, unable to wrap her head around the idea.
"Because of that, their mounts are not just dangerous because of their talons and teeth, but also because they'll carry lethal diseases. Their riders are the only ones immune to them due to the Dark Magic that bonds them!"
"L-Lethal…?" Lupus breathes. "Then, Vella…?"
"If she was injured by Camilla's undead wyvern, then she probably has a serious infection right now!"
"Why didn't you mention this before?!" Keaty growls.
"I'm assuming Camilla's wyvern was brought back from the dead. I wasn't around long enough to look at it. Who actually fought the mount? Did it have glowing eyes? Discolored scales?!" A short pause.
The group is as silent as the cave Vella is dwelling in. "Red." Dadaan finally speaks up. "They were glowing red, enough to leave a small trail of light from them. Some scales looked black and others were grey or red, but… I thought that was because of the heat messing with my sight."
"What can we do, human?" Keaty rounds on her. "Vella is the second strongest in the pack. What do you need. I'll allow it! I refuse to lose her! Those 'Shrine Maidens'? Fine, bring them, I don't care! Save my sister!" Due to the sheer intensity of the situation, nobody paused at the fact that Keaty just referred to Vella as his sister.
"Mother could, but…" Hina shakes her head, "She's the queen, she can't just make a sudden trip. Uh, Sakura! I could bring our little sister, she's…"
"Stop explaining and go do it!" Keaty shouts. "What do we do? Just subdue her?"
"Y-yeah." She flinches under Keaty's pure desperation. Hina whistles for her Pegasus and promptly leaves in under a minute.
"Sister…" Lupus whimpers.
"We're staying here." Keaty states. "Do not enter that cave. If she shows, we'll knock her out… and if any of us get any open wounds from her, then… we'll also have to knock that one out, too… even me." He turns to Dadaan. "Understand? If I'm struck and you aren't… you'll be in charge during that time. If we're both stuck. Lupus is in charge, after that? Hunting leader."
"Understood." Dadaan quickly replies.
"Lupus?"
"G-g-got it." She slowly nods, her eyes never leaving the darkness of the cave. "S-s-s-sister…"
"Focus. I need you aware." Keaty says. "We aren't moving until she is unconscious." With that, he taps into his Beaststone. "Can't afford to take the time to shift, either." A short pause, "But, also can't hold it forever… we'll take turns. One of us will be shifted… wait for a few hours, then unshift and let the next take over. That way, at least one of us can hold her off to let the rest shift."
Lupus remains silent, only nodding in response. Dadaan doesn't even do that much, instead just keeping his focus.
Oh sister…
A/N: Oh… I hope none of y'all ever saw this first hand, but yes... I'm referencing that disease. Rabies. But, don't lose hope yet. While it would probably be too late for the real world, since Vella has to wait at least two days before Hina gets back, the real world doesn't have magic. So, maybe Saku can whip something up with a combination of magic and herbs. But for now? Vella is very much a high-risk threat.
As for Camilla's mount. Well, Malig Knights are supposed to have risen Wyverns, but it's really just a cosmetic appearance in-game. Wouldn't having an undead creature pose more of a threat? I mean, they could be carrying so many diseases, but now the creature is without a proper immune system. Though as a safety precaution, I'd think the Malig Knights would have a magical barrier that covers most of the mount's body. On the note on risen Wyverns…
I could have sworn that there is a different name for them! A risen/undead wyvern or dragon, but I can't remember it! Ugh, it's so bloody irritating! I can see the word, but it's all blurred out because I can't remember what it actually is. I know there is some word for it, and I…
Pardon the rant there.
Nope, that's all. I'm dun. D-U-N, dun. See ya next chapter.