Within the wood that ringed Ardane, three dark bodies loped; all lesser males and each felt restless. They moved with ears pointed forward, mouths open, but their teeth covered, and their tails in relaxed positions against their hind legs. Inquisitively, they sniffed at the ground and searched for their Alpha?s scent marks, or anything else that might be interesting.

Neano danced and hopped behind his pack-mates. His hindquarters went up as his head went down. Giving a low huffy bark, he threw himself at Gre?Stok in an impromptu attempt at a game of tag. The larger Gre?Stok twisted and rolled with him making Neano?s decision to play a wrestling match. Twigs and fallen needles crackled beneath their rolling bodies. Robert Galstrum, the remaining wolf, watched briefly with amusement. His lips pulled back into a wolfish grin.

Wandering away from the two, Robert continued to submerge himself in the scent wonderland of the winter wood. His ears swiveled, and eyes narrowed in curiosity as he pawed at the ground. Dipping down, he rolled first one shoulder and then the other in one particular intriguing scent. Eventually, the wolf was on his back rubbing it into the whole of his coat with his mouth open and tongue peeking from his mouth.

Suddenly, he stopped. The fleeting sound of nails scratching snagged his attention. After a telepathic heads up, Neano and Gre?Stok stilled as well. Rolling over, Robert regained his feet. His head went low and his tail went out in a classic stalking stance. With muscles bound, he started to creep toward the source of the noise. Neano and Gre?Stok fell in behind him.

It took a few minutes to locate it, but the trio was silent and patient. Their journey took them up behind an evergreen bush. Its glossy, thick leaves provided the perfect hiding place. There was one moment of thick tension before Neano lunged at the bush, and drove from it a thin winter hare. The blonde-and-brown spotted creature dashed from the bush, and the wolves stumbled over each other in a moment of incomprehension. The creature had run toward them, rather than away, just winning past Gre?Stok?s legs and his snapping jaw.

Disgruntled, and with a measure of mental humor flowing between the three of them, they gave chase. The trio tore through the wood, but lost the hare temporarily near to where the trees bordered the road that emptied out to Lake Serenity. The creature was rediscovered again moments later as it darted out onto the road. Robert redoubled his efforts in order to follow it across, but to his horror, discovered there was a woman walking there. He put on the breaks, and stumbled over some roots and debris. Sliding along, he came to a full stop at the edge of the road. Quickly, he darted back into the shelter of the trees. A warning was given to his pack-mates who later joined him in silent observation.

?It?s only Amthy,? Neano relayed with a snort to Robert and Gre?Stok.
?Something?s wrong,? Robert replied to Neano?s observation, ?look how she walks. I smell blood.?
Gre?Stok lifted up his nose to scent the air before cautiously leaving the tree line to investigate the road behind Amthy. The nymph was already well a head of them, and on her way to cross the frozen wonderland that was Lake Serenity in the clutches of winter. He ambled around with his nose to the ground. ?There?s blood on the road.? Gre?Stok?s bright gaze focused on the zombie-esque shuffle of his Alpha?s aunt. The path across the lake was treacherous, but it was shorter than going around the lake itself.
?Should we follow her?? Neano asked.

The three wolves were of an accord, and crept back into the disguising tree line. Hardly a sound was heard as the trio advanced toward Lake Serenity. Their ears were back and flat with their eyes narrowed in suspicion. They stayed in the trees, their dark coats camouflaging them, until they had no choice but to stray out onto the ice.

Amthy never once looked back to see them, her attention was focused on the promise of Ardane, and the comfort to be found there. Her arms hung limp at her sides, and she was exhausted. It took effort on her behalf to keep herself conscious. Her bare feet slipped on the ice, wrenching her leg. Falling to her knees, she cried out in pain. She cupped her hands over her ruined calf. Blood coated her fingers, and she could feel the muscle underneath. Nauseous, she looked at her reddened hands and fainted.

Gre?Stok and Robert pad across the ice to where she lay. Cold noses pressed against her as they investigated. Tongues lashed out to flick against her exposed wounds. Robert whimpered, and yipped. Neano bound up his shoulders and howled. Gre?Stok curled up behind her, and Robert and Neano pressed to the front. Neano howled again, and sent a message of urgency to the rest of his pack-mates, and most importantly, to his Alpha, Aurora.

A wane smile tipped Amthy?s lips, and crinkled the corners of her brilliant emerald eyes. The short mop of her pale milk olive green hair was a mess, and there were still hints of scrapes and bruises, but otherwise the nymph looked to be in good shape. But then, when one discarded all the bad things one did generally look good. She slumped back against the pillows, and stretched out a hand to ?Rora while the Alpha licked at her other arm.

Amthy gave the wolf a small scritch before dropping her hand back down. ?Rora?s whines made her want to gather the girl up in her arms and give her a big ol? squeeze. ?Tell Cayt tha? I wann to have waffles with powdered sugar and lemon juice for breakfast,? Amthy called after the sable-and-silver wolf as she left the room. Oh, sure, it wasn?t breakfast any more, but that?s what she had the itch to eat. Her dark olive brows furrowed before she called out toward the hall, ?an? a bowl o? whipped cream.? She smacked her lips softly at the anticipation of eating.

All things considered, Amthy was in a fabulous mood. One might have expected otherwise, but that person would have been wrong. She was made even more tickled when she drew back the cover to investigate her leg. Now, it was still bruised and there were faint pink-and-purple welts where her more serious injuries had been. The nymph certainly ached all over! But she could wiggle her toes and flex her leg. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she tried to stand. Wobbly kneed, she tipped to the side and flopped down across the width of the bed with her arms spread out. She gave a low hiss to indicate her discomfort. ?Ouchie??

The nymph-y pix wasn?t exactly dressed for company. The bloody clothing she?d worn the night before removed, and probably burned. That left her in one of Cayt?s pajama t-shirts and her knickers. Imagine her surprise when she heard Miles? voice! She?d been quite sure that she was alone. Squawking, she bolted to sit straight, and her knees went together.

?Chou,? she whined with a faint blush, ?did you not ever hear o? the convention o? knockin??? She huffed and puffed childishly. Her lower lip thrust out, and her chin dipped down toward her chest. At the mention of thurgid?s, her stomach twisted and her mouth started to water. Thurgids weren?t known for how palatable they were. They were, in fact, known for being exactly the opposite.

?Did you get the letter?? She asked with a measure of curiosity. Amthy wriggled back on the bed to make some room at the edge. Patting a hand to the cover, she tipped her head to indicate that he should join her.

He was nearly out of breath by the time he reached the manor. He hadn't flown at his full speed, since he had to stay low to follow the wolf and had to maneuver through the woods, but such maneuvering took more effort than full speed, especially when he had to touch down for a moment a few times to make quick direction changes. A skittering sort of landing, rather less graceful that might normally be expected, and those wings folded tight against his back.

A "thank you" breathed to the wolf before he went to seek out Amthy's room, the contents of the letter, as well as the few details he had been given, at the fore of his thoughts. Eyes constantly shifting, though not processing much, until he saw Miles slipping through that doorway.

A deep breath drawn in before he came up behind the pirate, then a relieved sigh as he caught sight of the nymph who, though not unharmed, seemed to be not too gravely injured and to be in good spirits. A slow smile, though he didn't say anything just yet.

Still bowed, the pirate pivots to view Morpheus with a grin. "Oh good, you got the message as well." Straightening, Miles continues, "I'm glad you're here, actually. You can attest to Cayt that no panky of the hanky kind has occured."

"And Amthy, you do not have to drink the Thurgid. I don't even know if it will help a nymph. I merely offer the best I have, as always."

Espying a pair of chairs, they are pulled over and arranged for the nymph's two visitors. Settling into one, Miles leans back and crosses his legs.

"Now then, what shall we discuss? Oh, I have an idea! How about "Ways Not To Get Mauled By Wolves"?

Her cheeks puffed out and her eyes narrowed briefly as she looked between the two of them. Her features flowed into one of more sincerity. ?I am sorry, mah belove-eds. There is not anything I would not have done to keep either of you from worrying about me.? A flush touched her still bruised cheeks.

?But, lemme tell you, it was exciting!? It wasn?t everyday she had an adventure! ?There were bats, and wolves, and broken windows?.? She let her voice fade off. ?And I hit my head on the swing, but I did that first. Afterward, I got a bat in my hair, and when I was runnin? away, well, I fell,? she glossed right over that, ?and then these wolves,? she snarled for emphasis, ?came out o? the wood all a howlin and wha? not. One grabbed me by the leg!? She made motions with her free hand since she?d released her nose, but still held the vial. ?And then it started to draaaag me into the forest.?

She was really warming to telling the story. She was making wild motions with both hands now. ?And then, someone tackled the wolf, and someone else snatched me?the rest is kinda fuzzy, but I do recall being shoved through a window.? She was so into her story that she forgot it was a thurgid she held. Up ending it, she took it all into her mouth. Immediately, the disgusting taste attacked her defenseless taste buds. Her mouths ballooned like a squirrel?s as she tried to figure out if she was going to spit it out, or swallow it. ?Ugh,? she grimaced as she forced it down. ?Why does it have to taste so bad??

Her tongue lolled out of her mouth and she crossed her eyes. Grabbing the corner of the blanket, she scrubbed the traces of thurgid from her mouth. Not that it helped. The damage had been done. She just hoped it didn?t ruin the yummilicious breakfast she had requested. ?I wann som?than ta drink.? She gave a small whine. ?It wasn?t like I planned on getting hurt. I was just in the wrong place. I did hear Grem say som?than about danger, but I thought he meant generally. I mean, really, generally the Dragon is dangerous.? She nodded her head pertly, and scratched at her arm. The thurgid had made her skin feel itchy. ?If I had it to do over, I would have followed him and been more of a nag until I did understand wha? it was he did mean.?

Uncurling her legs, she started to scratch at them as well. The only high point being she thought the bruises were starting to look lighter. ?I am sorry I worried you both,? she apologized again as she looked between them. ?I did try to keep the letters nice and light-hearted to avoid tha? all together.? She wriggled her toes and assaulted her calves with her nails. ?Cayt did a fine job of making me better. Ya shoulda seen me when I first got here.? She pressed both hands to her cheeks and widened her eyes to emerald saucers. ??Rora?s pack found me on the ice and I heard she carried me all the way from Lake Serenity!? More than a little hero worship worked into her voice. ?Aurora?s so cool! I wanna be like her when I grow up.?

And then she paused. Her head tipped to the side and she wound her fingers around a tuft of her pale milky olive green hair. ?Thooough, your combined concern has made mah heart all fluttery and flip-floppy,? she confessed to the two of them. ?Gave me goosebumps, it did.? She stuck out an arm to show them where the fine hairs were standing on end.

Amthy clapped her hands and gasped in complete delight. ?Cayt!? She squeaked. Balling up her hands, she pressed her knuckles against her mouth. Emerald eyes focused on the tray. ?While I might not know wha? a thurgid tastes like?besides tasting completely disgusting?I can certainly tell you wha? it doesn?t taste like,? she said to Miles happily. ?It doesn?t taste like waffles and sugar and whipped cream. I?m o? the opinion tha? Magister has no int'rest in improvin? anythin??unless o' course it improves his intimate life. If thurgids made'un more, ah, virile, I think he would have solved the flavor problem ages and ages ago.?

Belatedly, she realized that she was supposed to be Cayt?s patient. Not only that, but she was supposed to be taking it easy with little, to no, excitement. Her shoulders slouched, and she played with the bottom of her borrowed pajama top. Just as well, she couldn?t decide whose lap she wanted to sit on, anyway. Wriggling back, she tucked her legs under the blanket and sat with her back against the head board. There was no reason to court more bodily harm than she had already, especially not from Cayt. ?I?m glad as well, mah dearest Feathery?un, because you know it?s nearly time for me to commission my late spring and early summer wardrobes. It would have been a disaster had my injuries been of the lasting variety. Though, I?m sure I escaped relatively unscathed compared to some of the others that were present. I hope no one died.?

Amthy was distracted by the arrival of her long lusted over breakfast. Fingers wriggled in anticipation before descending to rend the flaky waffle into bits. Dipping the small squares dusted with powdered sugared goodness into the whipped cream, she popped one into her mouth and sighed in pure, unadulterated bliss. ?I do love Hedwig?s cooking,? she cooed to everyone present. Licking the sweet whipped cream from her fingers, she looked first to Cayt then to Miles with vaguely uplifted brows. Her cheeks puffed out around her thumb. ?Oooh, I would make sure someone came with him,? she said teasingly to lift the tension in the room, ?or he might try to make off with King?s Pride.?

She offered the Pirate a warm, playful grin as she tipped up her chin and wriggled her toes at him under the covers. A charming blush in a dusty sage warmed her cheeks at the wink, and she tittered. ?As if Cayt would letcha play at being mah lady?s maid,? she said while fanning one hand at him. Of course, that knowledge didn?t at all diminish her flattered amusement that he might try! She made kissy faces at Miles, and gave him an air kiss with a loud 'mwah!' as he took his leave.

?If I eat half o? this, and can stay awake,? she turned her attention to Cayt briefly before letting her gaze skip on over to Morpheus. ?I can have company, even if it makes my heart flippity-flop and my pulse race faster than a peg in flight?? Her brilliant eyes sparked with mischief, and the corners of her eyes crinkled upward as her lashes narrowed.

Amthy?s cheeks puffed up, and her mouth tugged to one side in disappointment. She played with her food, poking around the torn up waffle as she digested the pros and cons of a social gathering in the den. The Nymph gave a lip fluttering sigh and grabbed a piece of fruit, shoving into her mouth. ?It was Ms. Scarlett in the den with the candle stick,? she said with a cheeky smile. Licking the juice from the pad of her index finger, she looked between Morpheus and Caytlin once more. ?It would be tragic iffin you were set upon by a pack o? wolves because your verra presence was too stimulating,? she said as her gaze stopped ping-ponging back and forth and fixed on him.

A wave of warmth flowed through that link she had with her sister, despite the poke the silvery-blonde had given her. ?Oh! If I finish my breakfast?can Morpheus be my maid?? Lashes fanned as her grin widened to show off her pearly white teeth. ?Cause ?m infirm an? stuff so I need all the help I can get.? She did a nice woe-is-me collapse back against the head board. The fanning of her lashes stilled as if she was in the throws of a swoon. Unfortunately, it was ruined by one eye opening so that she could dunk a piece of her waffle into her whipped cream and consume it.