ŚÚŔVĨVĂĹ ŐŦ ŤĤĔ ŦĨŤŤĔŚŤ

[Wolfstar]

Santolin stood up and lowered his head, narrowing his eyes. "Tarka, blend in please," he said quietly. When his eyes landed on something, he stiffened and flexed his claws. "We aren't alone." He would have never thought that his own home, or safe haven, would have an intruder.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Tarka didn't question the order. She was already scared of her surroundings and had been on the verge of running and hiding the whole time. Moving slowly to let her body match its colours to her surroundings, she crept to the darkest corner and curled up, matching the colour of the walls and the ground with the nearest accuracy she could achieve. Of course they weren't alone. Tarka never assumed she would be alone in any given situation. There were always ears and eyes in the walls and on the trees, it was inescapable. She stayed low, and stayed quiet.

[Wolfstar]

He took a few steps before dashing forward, knocking into a Starved raptor. The raptor screeched as Santolin collided with it. Santolin found that the Starved was missing a few teeth, one of his arms was a stump, and one of it's claws on its feet was broken and ragged. "You come into my haven and attack me at my weakest!? You thought wrong!" He snarled, tumbling through a torn bush with the creature. Santolin dealt a few blows before being knocked back and pinned, trying to shake the Starved raptor from his back. "Run Tarka! Go!"

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Tarka, once again, did not hesitate. She dashed into the room where Aekan was and kicked him awake. "Do not say a single word to me. We need to run!" she whispered, and the look of aggravation on his face vanished. He nodded in understanding and got to his feet, though he didn't feel too great about running. Not to mention neither of them knew where to run, but they did, both of them hoping Santolin would fare alright.

[Wolfstar]

Santolin rolled into the thorn bush, making the raptor shriek as his grip let go. With a quick bite to the throat, he ended the attacker and rushed out of the herb room. Blood stained his fur as he ran out, but he shrieked as another leaped onto him. Again he rolled and stood, running out as he was chased. When he spotted a river, he took no time and jumped into it. When the water touched his wounds, Santolin winced and went along with the current. "Avana, find them before those heathens do."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The two of them ran out of the vicinity and through the trees, no bearings and no sense of direction to lead them to safety. They could do naught but run off their instincts, which were nearly rendered null by their obscure surroundings and their fright. Tarka tripped once or twice and Aekan kept her on her feet.

[Wolfstar]

Santolin kept his head above water as he swam, wondering where the starved where. He was mostly worried for Tarka and Aekan. "I should have given Tarka directions, but there was no time!"

A raptor looked up as it heard movement, watching as two raptors ran past where it stood. "Is that...? It must be, then where is Santolin? I'll get my answers, even if I have an idea of what happened to him," it muttered, running off after the two. It's pelt a dark brown and grey, it's fins folding against its spine.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Aekan lifted his head, cursing. His sharp senses detected something. "I think someone is following us. Keep your head low, let's go this way," he whispered. Then he nudged her into a sharp turn and they continued speeding off through the darkness, avoiding thorns and dashing through flowers and ferns.

[Wolfstar]

The raptor continued to follow, hesitating before calling out. "Tarka and Aekan, stop please!" It called, hoping it called out to the right two raptors.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Tarka squeaked when she heard her name and tripped, falling flat onto her face, as Aekan was too distracted to help her keep her balance. She got up and the two of them spun around, facing the voice. "Who is it?" Aekan called back, and they both took a few hesitant, uncertain steps backwards.

[Wolfstar]

The raptor stopped when she saw the two, slowing down. The fins that lined her back lifted up as they sighed in relief. "I'm Avana. The one you named Santolin told me about you two."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"Avana?" Tarka repeated. "Oh! Good, we needed to see you!" She relaxed, at least a little, and approached the leader of the Starved. "We were attacked at Santolin's home. I don't know what happened to him, he just told us to run."
Aekan sat back and watched.

[Wolfstar]

She frowned at the news. "I knew they were going to get him, hopefully he's alright. Let me lead you to my home, no one will attack you two, I'm sure of it. They're smart enough to know not attack the home where the healers, mothers, and young stay. Let us move quickly." Avana started moving, quickly walking past Aekan and towards her base. "I'm sorry that times aren't on your side, or mine for that matter. Times are cruel."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"It's fine. Let's just hope we can figure all of this out in the end," Tarka said in a soft voice, and the two of them followed Avana, keeping the quick pace. Aekan was curious about the base, while Tarka was dreading the moment they walked inside. Even knowing the Starved that were under Avana's control wouldn't attack her, she was still scared of them. She couldn't help it.

[Wolfstar]

The cavern came into view as they came close. "We'll discuss everything once we're in my den," Avana said, walking into the base. The base itself was roomy and quiet, but it erupted into whispers as the three went in. Mothers stayed in their dens, while two watched their young play with one another. The Healers watched from their dens, and one of them disappeared into their dens. The Beta walked up, his pelt covered in scars.

"Keep an eye for Santolin, he may enter and may need the healer's attention," Avana spoke. "Also, if there's anything important, come to my den. Otherwise, make sure no one enters." The Beta nodded before walking to the Healer's den. The Alpha walked to her den, waiting for Aekan and Tarka to enter.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Tarka kept her head down. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, and she walked with a twitch to her step, eager to enter the den and be out of sight. She did glance briefly in the direction of what she thought was the Healer's den, curious despite herself. Aekan looked around, taking everything in. He looked the Beta up and down, and turned his head this way and that, watching all the raptors whisper and stare or otherwise go about their business. The two of them slipped into Avana's den one after the other.

[Wolfstar]

Avana entered her den, sighing as she entered. "Everyone is on edge in here, excuse them." She went to the back of the den and stretched her limbs. "Ask any questions you have. There's a lot that needs to be discussed and answered, I'm sure."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Tarka took the lead in the conversation. "Santolin said that you were having trouble figuring out what to do about the...situation at hand. Have you come up with any plans?" There were a lot of questions bubbling around in the duo's minds, but Tarka considered this to take priority. Considering the Starved had even dared to attack Santolin's home, they needed to be dealt with soon.

[Wolfstar]

"Plans? I don't really have one, but even if I did, I couldn't do it alone," Avana started. "I would have to have the packs help, but depending on how the relationship is between the two, depends if the task would be easy or not. The packs working together is the only thing that can defeat the Starved."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Aekan huffed. "Well, we usually aren't on the best terms with them. But I think, with a situation like this, they can set their stupid quarrels aside for at least a while."
"Let's hope," Tarka breathed, fidgeting in place.