A Wolf In Hand

Balina tries to hide a snigger behind her glass, taking a very slow, deliberate drink. It doesn't work very well. "Not much," she finally admits, "Officially, I'm just here to relax, like everyone else. Unofficially," her smile fades a little, "I'd like to remind you that the sooner you get up the mettle, the sooner we can find out if Fenrir is willing to help. But that's not pressing."

Cilan breathes deeply, trying to regain composure from the laughter from before, during which, her hands wrap around Apostasy's waist, and hold her close, "Mine.." is happily whispered before she gives Apostasy a soft kiss on the lips, and rests her head on the wolf's shoulder moments after.

Crys looks around, and says softly, "I suppose I'm ready, I'm just not sure everyone else is. The sooner I know the Shadow isn't watching us and going to take Kay away from me, the more relaxed I can be."

Apostasy cuddles happily with Cil, but looks over to Crys. "I'm ready when you are, maata."

Loki looks over towards the two. "Fenrir? What exactly are you all looking for regarding Fenrir? And I would also like to ask if I could tag along as well. I think it could prove interesting as an experience." He then looks to REDACTED. "What do you mean by that? What is keeping the shadow from taking Kaylah away from you when you are down here and she is not?"

Sorien hugs her mate. "We'll go together."

Balina winces. So much for subtlety. "I've been waiting on this for some time," she says, as much to herself as anyone around her. "After Kay's little stunt, I owe her more than I can really readily repay. Anything that wants to threaten her has to go through me."

Cilan raises her head from Apostasy's shoulder and looks to REDACTED, "Hmm? What do you mean?.. Trust me, if it regards Kaylah, or any of you, you can count me in whatever you have planned.. or.. are we talking about the mission into Portland?"

Sorien churrs, "No, this is... Something else, Cil. Maybe an ally."

Crys softly says, "Eithne a while ago, spoke to me of a god that specializes in tracking down other gods. It... tends to eat them, but I think we may be able to find a use for something that can sniff out Hare."

Cilan nods affirmatively, "Mm.. an added ally is always a welcomed addition.. though who is this ally that you speak of? Another god perhaps? Another survivor, perhaps?"

Apostasy lilts, "She's talking about Fenrir, love."

Loki looks up. "I wonder if it is the same Fenrir from myth. The one that hunts the sun... no.. that is Skoll. Fenrir is a son of Loki if I remember correctly." he murmurs aloud. "Allies are always nice."

Balina gives an uncertain look up the stairs. "Best-case, Fenrir helps us hunt down Shadow, and rip it off of Hare. Under normal circumstances, Hare's supposed to be good at getting out of things, right?"

Cilan blinks before nodding affirmatively, "Ah.. I can see how that'd be definately useful.. well, if wished for, I could gladdly offer any assistance that I can."

Balina adds, "I'd hope Hare could escape before Fenrir ate it, too."

Sorien churrs, "Hare is good at a fair number of things. Arguably he's sneakier than Coyote. I think he MIGHT have planned this, but... At least I HOPE he planned it. Shadow isn't QUITE a god; pinning down Hare might be limiting its own abilities. I really hope so."

Apostasy lilts, "That's assuming there's anything of Hare left to escape."

Sorien churrs, "Always hope. Always believe, Apo. That alone might save Hare."

Loki nods, rising from his seat and stretches out. "You have my offer of aid as well!"

Crys heads back to her room for a bit after the group decides to hunt Fenrir. She is up alone, collecting her blades, and a few ritual trinkets that comfort her when facing down the gods. She returns to the others, milling about the lot.

Sorien asks, "Okay... So what do we do here? We need transport, or do we walk?"

Crys says softly, "One of the reasons I hadn't broached this, was Eithne agreed to lead us there, and I've not seen her in months." the woman frowns. "I know I've heard rumors of him taking up residence in the city, but I'm not sure where."

Apostasy rests her spear on her shoulder and kneels to scratch Wind's ears. "I was exploring the other day, found a patch up in the northeast of the city that was all frozen and blizzard-y. I'm guessing we should look there?"

Balina looks down at her outfit. "I'm probably not properly dressed for a blizzard. I might have to swing by my place and get something warmer."

Crys looks around and says, "I'll be fine. My fur is generally thick enough to handle most chills, but I believe we can just borrow some of Tag's things, unless you have something else to get at home?"

Sorien churrs, "If its an aberrant area, yeah, good place to check."

Cilan turns to Balina and nods affirmatively, "I should probably do the same.. see all of you soon.." before she heads up the stairs, up to her room. Returning a few moments later the woman seems to wear a heavy looking, winter jacket. "Now.. Im not sure what good I can do against a god, but frankly Im up for just about anything, even if its just 'bait'.."

Sorien churrs, "Fortunately, skunks are furballs. Cold doesn't bother me."

"I'm pretty sure that..." Balina trails off. "Duh. Fur. Right. Thank you for the reminder." Rolling her eyes, she loosens some straps and fwoofs out the coat of fur she had a few nights prior.

Apostasy giggles and Balina, and then again at Cil and her big winter coat. "I'm glad I've got nice thick fur to keep me warm. She licks Cil's nose. "Why not jsut change to a fuzzy form, love?"

Cilan kisses Apostasy and caresses her head shortly after, "Just want to be in a form Im comfortable with when going up against a god, love..."

Sorien churrs, "Welp, you know where this place is, Apo. Lead on."

Crys nods, agreeing to follow Apostasy, as good a lead as any.

Apostasy smiles at Cil. "Fair enough." She looks over at Sorien. "Um, right. From what I recall, it was pretty much due north of the on-ramp of the eastern highway. So... let's start walking?"

Sorien churrs, "Okay. "

Balina falls into rank, hands looped into the straps of her backpack. "We have nothing to lose but our lives," she muses, "and you all seem to be better at that than I am."

The journey northward is a little foreboding, a sudden cold snap forms very shortly after their trip started, the day having been hot and sunny before. Wisps of chill air grow thicker as they approach, and then flakes of snow appear, despite the sky above being still as bright and sunny as when they left.

Sorien churrs, "... I've kinda missed snow..."

Apostasy gives Sori a funny look. "Already? You forgetting the fact that somehow during winter just passed we had a load of snow?"

Balina holds out a hand. Almost worryingly, none of the snow seems to melt as it touches her palm. "Can't help but wonder what happens if we take some of this stuff with us. I could always use more refrigerators."

Sorien churrs, "I mean REAL snow. I grew up in Minnesota. Several FEET of snow on the ground for 5 months, Apo. Not... Flakes."

Soriens churr, "Though I can't say I miss shoveling."

Apostasy giggles. "Why would you -want- that though? Hiking through that is a pain in the ass."

Crys bites her teeth in determination, holding inside her clenched palm her own Japa Mala, flicking her thumb along the surface of one of the beads. She remains quiet versus the conversation, peering into the distance where it's started to almost snow, up, the wind blowing snow up into the air thicker as they approach.

Balina drawls, "I miss snow days. Entire days when you weren't allowed to be productive."

Cilan grins and adds, "Its fun.. especially snowballs, and making snowmen.. cant really do that with just a few flakes.."

Sorien churrs, "Snowballs. Snow angels. the quiet and almost glowing bluish light of winter night. The crunch of the cold as you walk... All of that."

Apostasy chuckles. "Alright, alright, I'll take your word for it."

Sorien looks around at the changing scenery, and moves closer to Crys.

There's wind as sharp and loud as a howl, or perhaps a howl. The snow now blinding as it blows from nowhere, to nowhere.

Sorien churrs, "... I get the feeling he's not into guests..."

Balina raises a hand to her eyes, trying to at least shield herself, even if it doesn't actually make anything clearer. She takes a few struggling steps towards the group, eager to keep up.

Apostasy leans forward into the wind, using her spear as a walking stick to aid her. Wind trudges along behidn her, sheltered somewhat from the snow by Apo's body.

Crys barks out into the cold air, her voice almost muted in response as she snaps at their surroundings, "Enough games already, we aren't running away from some silly weather tricks!" and she pulls Sori close while they push through. The snow is piling up underfoot, and the wind quickly covering their footprints behind.

Cilan trudges through the snow, her face blocked by a forearm being held up, trying to protect agains the biting wind. The woman seeming to fight dearly to make it to her destination.

Sorien looks at Crys, then back into the wind and snow. "Fenris!" She yells. "Loki's child! He whom trusted Tyr! I know the tales; we would meet you!"

The weather dims only slightly, but the chill increases, creeping even through the thickest fur, and chilling the very bones of those here, and in the distance there is a black spot, perhaps a cave.

Sorien churrs, "Hm. Mayhap an invitation. Shall we?"

Apostasy wordlessly trudges on towards the new feature in the distance.

Almost in response to Sori's summons, what look like a pack of small wolves appears in the distance, pure white they would normally be hard to see in the snow, but their coal black eyes and putrid breath reaches the group even from the distance before the chorus of howls erupts. They fan out around the group, bounding through the snow effortlessly.

Wind howls in reply to the chorus.

Sorien's eyes widen a bit at the sight, and she shifts her stance more towards a defensive posture. She continues with her companions towards the cave.

Cilan's hands move to the handguns at her side as she notices the pack of wolves, though the woman has yet to pull them from their holsters.

Balina is slowly getting the feeling this wasn't the best idea. No guns, no swords, not even any meat to throw. She does her best to stay alongside Crys and Sorien, leaving the warriors to do the actual threatening.

The wolves seem to herd the group toward the cave mouth rather than attacking them directly, cutting off any path to flee.

Sorien churrs, "Nobody draw on them. They've offered no threat... So far."

With her howl ignored, Wind returns to simply trudging along behind Apo, who seems to be totally ignoring the wolves, attention instead on the cave mouth ahead.

Cilan nods in response to Sorien's comment, her hands leaving the grips of the handguns before she follows the wolves directions, moving towards the cave opening with a little trepidation.

Crys stiffened at the sight of the wolves, but isn't intimidated. She does not draw her weapons, but does loose the ribbons that hold each blade in place, and one of her hands rests on a hilt. The other squeezes her mate's hand, as she moves forward towards the ominous cave.

Sorien looks at the wolves; trying to gauge if they're ferals 'recruited' by Fenris, natural wolves or something else.

The smell of rotting flesh is overpowering, there is a gentle flicker of light deep in the cave, but it seems to snow even in the cave.

Apostasy wrinkles her nose. "Ugh. Reeks a bit here.

One of the wolves stares at Sori tilting its head when her gaze passes over it, then snaps with a snarl, it's eyes totally unnatural, but showing quite a bit of intelligence within the black pits.

Sorien just looks unimpressed at the snap, truly having seen far worse and far more threatening things.

Sorien churrs, "Trust me, smell isn't everything. I should know."

Balina curses under her breath. "I think I take back anything I said about missing snow. Beach is sounding like a lot of fun right now."

A loud voice calls out as they approach, "Who doth approach?" almost like a rumbling earthquake. It takes time for it to register even as words. The accent is thick, and the stench of rotting meat accompanies the voice in even thicker waves.

Sorien looks around before responding; she prepares to speak if none else do.

Apostasy shouts back, "Travelers with a request!"

Cilan answers with, "Survivors, who're trying to destroy a dark god.."

Balina was caught flat-footed, and doesn't say anything before others have answered for the group.

Sorien follows with, "Seekers of alliance!"

The cacophony of responses is answered but a rumbling laugh, "A taste of immortal blood, an alliance, and a request of me? So many options." followed by further laughing.

Apostasy responds "All leading to the same choice."

"I smell many who claim to be immortal amoung you, approach so that I might taste their essences and taste your flesh." a further rumbling, like gravels and rocks falling.

"We are not to be eaten, but we shall come within." Sori says that, then starts forward into the cave.

Balina has regained her footing, emboldened by her companions. She follows closely behind Sorien.

Cilan makes a few steps towards the cave. The woman both under the protection of the phoenix, and facing the possibility of immortality.

Apostasy follows behind Sori, Wind still at her heels.

Balina whispers to Sorien as they proceed. "At least half of us are marked by various gods. Should we be marching in quite this easily?"

Fenrir's large muzzle is covered in scars within his raged fur, a chunk of flesh missing from the side of his face, and the jagged teeth hanging out of his mouth. His red eyes glow surrounding equally vibrantly black pits. His black nose sniffs and his response is, "What gives you the right to command me? I'm beholden to no one, I broke gleipnir's chains and feasted upon the all-father. What gives you the right to make commands upon me." followed by a deep growl as he lifts himself up onto gigantic paws.

Sori steps forward. "We do not command, nor beg. We come seeking alliance against the ancient Shadow."

Balina manages to hold her ground. "Shadow has stolen the essence of a second god. We know where to start, but we require help to finish the hunt. You help us, and we lead you right to both of them at once."

Snowblind catches up to the group with a few extra blankets in her arms. Just in time for her to come face to face with the rest to Fenrir. At first she seems to pay no mind to the rather large wolf and instead goes about with the blankets offering them to all that look a bit cold even with fur. Herself she seems to be a bit immune to the cold.

Sorien glances at Balina with a raised eyebrow.

Crys steps up to place a hand on her mate's shoulder in support, while she glares at the large wolf, remaining strangely silent, her hackles are raised and she appears to be seething, but holding the anger back.

Balina gratefully takes a blanket. Last time she listens about how warm fur is on its own.

Cilan glances to Balina, and back to Fenrir, the woman remaining silent though.

Apostasy glances at Balina. "So, we're ruling out "Agree not to eat us and then we'll tell you why we came" as a plan, then?"

Balina glances back. "If we were going to get eaten, it would have happened back at the pack."

Sorien glares are her companions with the unspoken 'Are you INSANE?' obvious in her expression.

Snowblind nods to Balina and continues to offer the extra blankets to the others. Then strangely she takes a step towards Fenrir and lays the rest of the blankets down. "Not much of an offering but then I was not expecting to meet today the one fated to end all that I work for. Once I thought there was no god. Now I work for almost every spirit I come across. Listen to what we have to say, to offer. Us mortals, we know some tricks but we often need help." She say then backs a few steps away. Her thoughts are like Sorien's in that when dealing with god's or spirits it is best not to give everything at once.

Fenrir says, "The blight on the land has not gone unnoticed, but the immortals have chosen to make mortals dance as fools." he growls at that, "Even among you I smell the trickster coyote, and that flaming bird, and faint traces of numerous other creatures I haven't decided to eat yet." His black pupils focus on Balina and his mouth opens wide, tongue hanging out. "Why should I not just eat you and fill my belly while the Shadow puts down those miserable fools who still jockey for pups?"

Sorien glances at her friends again, then speaks. "Because the Shadow grows. Because it is your ancient enemy, as it is of ALL the divine. It hungers for us all, and all of you as well; in its hunger and jealousy, it will never be sated. You know this better than we do.

"Shadow has already eaten one other god. The longer you wait, the more it can consume, and the stronger it will be." Balina speaks with a confidence she may not even actually possess. "How long can you wait for the competition to catch up?"

Apostasy kneels down and scratches Wind's ears, waiting for things to be decided one way or another.

The fenris turns a bit, his gaunt belly visible to all, and there is a gaping hole that still bleeds and drips, where a spear was shoved through his back. He takes a step closer, and says, "No matter how strong he grows, I will just eat him. I owe the others nothing after they chained me to Gioll so long ago. I am free, and nothing will take my freedom again. So the answer is no, no I won't go hunting for him. But..." he slavers a bit, "If I might taste of you, perhaps one of you might be worthy enough to join my pack and we can fight him when he comes for us." his tongue hangs down now, dripping icicles onto the ground below.

Cilan glances towards her allies, her glance is firm, a bit of hesitance as she waits to see if any take up the call to become a member of Fenrir's pack. Her legs moving as though she were on the verge of stepping forward, but still undecided at the same time.

Apostasy hold her spear out in front of Cil, barring her path. "Not a chance, love."

Cilan glances to Apostasy and nods, the actions of the wolf seeming to firm a decision as she steps back, waiting to see whoever decides to take up the call.

"You are free but you are injured." Snow states rather bluntly. "Those of us not immortal have gotten rather good at healing wounds. When you are healthy you would not even need the help of us mortals to fend off Shadow or any one else that would chose to bind you." She smiles and keeping free of those long teeth still she takes a step forward. "So a counter offer, you help us and after words I will use every skill I have to heal you up. Best to be fully ready for when All Father tries again."

Fenrir's red eyes now shift to the taur. He sniffs in taking in her scent. "You would dare to try to trick me again immortal one? If I let you near my wound you will just tie me up again. I could just eat you, and use your essence to heal my wounds oh fiery one." and at that, Snow can feel the phoenix wavering within.

Sori says, "Fenris. You are powerful. Your strength is unmatched. But even the greatest of strengths can be sapped by a cancer that eats from within. The shadow does not fight; it corrupts. It does not eat, it devours. Fear, you have none; I know that. Strength, you have in spades. But it is ancient and the truest of evil. It must be stopped, and you are one of a dwindling number who could face it. Coyote is vanished, Hare taken. Would that we knew of your presence sooner. And WE are not Tyr. We would heal you if we could.

A barking growl emits immediately at the mention of Tyr. "You dare speak his name? I ate him in full, devouring his sweet belly once I was feed. I took pleasure in watching his essence drain away!" the god's anger flares bright, and the red irises are full aflame.

Sorien stays in place, though she does look to be considering retreat. "He is gone; You, are not. You survived the End. That makes YOU the greatest of them. Now there are new threats."

Balina steps forward. "This was expected. You have no reason to care about mortals just because they're after other gods. However, I already know what betrayal is. I spent the last year tricked into a false bargain by something claiming to be the will of the planet. It bound me, body and mind, twisting me into its service. Speak plainly, Fenris. What do you really want for your help in our time of need?"

Fenrir's eyes cool at Sorien's response, but his hackles are still raised, and his wound drips as his heart thuds. The blood spattering on the ground below freezing into red ice. He steps forward to Balina and sniffs at her, bringing his black cavernous nose right up against her, He sniffs in, drawing his breath pulling her closer to his jaws. For a moment he says nothing.

Snowblind takes a calming breath. More in trying to calm the spirit with in and without then anything else. She does take a few steps back though at the outbreak of Fenris' rage. "I was not trying to trick, that is Loki's domain. I was offering my help..." She quitly looks to Sorien for a moment and seems to get her own spirit back up. "Bal, the great spirits play there games and we are just a part." She says trying to be caring but lacking a bit on the conviction. "Great wolf. Hear our cry for help. You are a great warrior and we would be grateful in having you by our sides. Please."

Crys stiffens, seeing the beast's jaws so close to a friend. She very gently pulls at her hilt, it making a quiet but defined noise in the room. Her eyes are dark and she barks. "Don't, don't you dare!"

Balina holds her ground. If she keeps eye contact, and doesn't blink, maybe her bravado will hold up. She'd dealt with big monsters before.

Perhaps in reaction to Crys, or before anyone can move, the god opens his jaws, jagged teeth wide and he snaps, tearing off Balina's hand. The action is gruesome and painful as to be expected, and he swallows it, howling up into the air in triumph.

"NO!!" Snow shouts and rushes towards Balina. Already the wisps of the fiery feathers flowing behind her threatening anyone that would attempt such an action again. Be they gods or mortals. She tires to quickly pull Balina back a fare distance away before she looks towards the wound hoping that the same feathers help at least to keep Bal fro passing out in shock. "Why would you do such a thing!"

Sori gasps at the sudden amputation; not unwise enough to start forward, she does still say, "And who broke faith here?"

Crys blade is out all the way, but the shock of the speed of what just happened has her jaw agape. The wolf still towering over the injured Balina and the prone Snowblind, she does not push forward and push him to bite down.

Balina looks down at her new stump. Bravado is good, but it generally requires you to remain intact. This is not anything one normally prepares for, and she simply stares at the wound as Snow drags her back.

Cilan's hands again move to the grips of her handguns, pulling them out of their resting spot as the giant god's muzzle moves closer to Balina, though in reaction to Balina's hand being bitten off, the soldier lifts the now free weapons and points them at the wolf.

Wind howls, a long, mournful sound. For a moment, she howls alone... but then other voices can be heard joining in. Other forms take shape all around Fenrir, more ethereal wolves. When the howl fades away, a pack of them surround the great creature, though they make no hostile moves quite yet. Apo, for her part, stands with spear readied.

Fenris swings his large jaws around, growling and looking down at the spirit-like wolves surrounding him. He barks out, "She offered and I tasted, and I will give you what you came for." he begins to laugh, the noise rumbling the ground again.

Balina's wound seems to almost reject the cauterizing warmth of the phoenix, the god inside Snowblind feeling repelled. The flesh bubbles and bleeds raw, and is all consuming. The potent smell of the coppery blood fills Balina's senses, overwhelming everything as she focuses on it and nothing else.

Snowblind mutters as she sees the wound still seeping as if nothing has been done. "Spirits..." She mutters with only Balina likely to catch the rest of the curse. She reaches back to her saddle bags to try and get gauze and likely a tourniquet out as well. "Old wolf... she did not offer to be hurt in this bargain. We where trying to help everyone involved not just ourselves." She shoots over her shoulder before seeing that hopefully her friends are taking care of the rest of the talking seeing as she has a patient to take care of.

Seeming as she has little to say to a god, Cilan moves to Snowblind's side, the soldier offering any assistance in tending to Balina's wound with physical means rather than spiritual, though at the moment all that happens is the tight binding of a tourniquet around the woman's arm, stopping any blood flow to the missing hand.

Sori sighs, an obvious sound to let her anger and frustration loose. After a moment, she puts a hand on Crys' shoulder. "Not now, love," she says, and looks to Fenris. "So bargains spoken are bargains made. What words can you give us of our foe?"

The spirit wolves don't back down at Fenris' growls or words, still standing vigilant around him.

Snowblind gives a bit of thanks to Cilan when they come over to help. Her own spirit stag standing near the back of the group showing that inside Snow is scared out of her own mind right now but doing everything in her power to try and keep it together so that she can help her friends. She turns her ears towards Sorien's words and gives a slight nod to her.

Fenrir grins, as much as the mangled flesh of his muzzle is capable of. "I think you already know the answers you seek, child of Coyote. His grand plans will come crashing down when the shadow eats the black crow and the night sky. He hunts the black hills, searching for his prey whom has flown, he knows who comes for him. When the shadow rises in the night, he will take his throne and rule the gods from above the heart of the earth. It is there I will hunt him, but you child-of-mine..." his eyes turn to gaze upon Balina. "I have tasted your flesh, and you are mine."

Balina finally regains enough presence of mind to move, dropping to one knee and pressing her stump into the snow on the ground with a scream. Anything to stop the bleeding, or at least numb herself to it. Fenris' words go almost unheard, though she does stare at the wolf in confusion.

"That's... Almost home. Almost." Sori looks around. "The Black Hills of the Dakotas. If he's hunting there, he's looking in the wrong place."

Apostasy lilts, "I guess Crow is next on Shadow's list."

Apostasy lilts, "Err, Raven."

Cilan says, "Then.. that gives us plenty of time to concoct a plan before it reaches us? Or would you rather we go to it?"

Sorien softly churrs, "Stopping him sooner is better than later. The longer we take, the more power he gains... And the fewer we can save."

Balina's pain doesn't come when it should, the expectation of pain being the grander feeling. Rather she finds herself resting on a large paw, much like the creature behind her. She still drips blood around it from where the ragged flesh connects to it.

Fenris shifts back to Sorien, "I do not claim to speak for the Shadow, but I can tell you with certainty that is where he hunts." His eyes shift back to Balina and he says, "My gift to you, you will go in my stead and hunt my child. I will wait for my destiny on the throne." his grumbling laughter this time seems much less threatening.

Snowblind reaches back to her saddlebags again and then to Cilan. "Hold her please, I only have one shot of Morphine left and I think she deserves it." She then pulls of the case and takes out a clean syringe and preps it." Turning to the others quickly. "All well and good and I hope someone wrote it down but do you think he /minds/." She stresses the fact that one is still bleeding and everyone else is talking under Fenris' own nose. Once the syringe is prepped she looks back and sees a paw where a missing hand should be. "Spirits!" Not Snow's best day it seems.

Sorien churrs, "No. I don't think he minds. "

Cilan looks to Snowblind and nods, holding Balina as instructed.

Balina waves her intact hand, gasping out, "No, no shot. I'll be fine. Just help me up already!" She quickly notices her other hand is still intact. "This is new, but I'll be okay."

The wolves turn and walk away, fading out of existence as they do, their strength ultimately unneeded. Apo and Wind also relax, as the immediate threat has passed.

Cilan looks to Balina and asks, "Are you sure?" a look of concern pressing at the soldiers features before she shrugs and adds, "Well.. if you say so.." assisting the woman to her feet later.

The large wolf growls again, and returns to the deeper earths, however his voice echo's out. "In the end, I expect you all to get eaten. You were better off offering yourselves to me."

Sorien softly churrs, "We'll win. You'll see."

Apostasy lilts, "Been eaten before. Didn't take."

A resounding crack of bone is heard throughout the room, like Fenrir chomping on bone itself, and Balina's hips shift, and then further and further her body warps, joining the shape of the wolves of Fenrir's pack. Rapid is the change.

Sorien bites down on a growl of her own at the transformation; but it's no more than she expected with the bite.

Snowblind nods and sets the syringe back in its case. "Ok then Balina." She says and helps her to her feet with Cilan. She seems to be ignoring the large wolf and his words for the moment. Yet as everyone else chimes in she looks over her shoulder. "You will see old wolf. We came in peace and offer help. You broke it but still gave us help. We will win as my friends says. One is out numbered and we, as friends, are many." She then offers if Balina would like a ride on her back as she sees the transformation continuing.

Balina gasps, promptly falling back to the ground. The shock passes, and she begins looking herself over. "I should have expected that," she growls. Looking up at Snowblind she asks, "Could you help me take this backpack off? I don't think it's going to ride well."

Cilan drops to her knee by Balina's side, easing one of the shoulder straps of the backpack off of the woman, while she expects Snowblind to do the same.

Snowblind helps get the backpack off as she sees Cilan doing the same. "I guess we all should have. At least you are not in pain?" She asks then looks with a slightly confused question. "How do you know the hunting grounds of shadow?"

Crys replaces her blade to her hip, frowning but not surprised at the outcome. She for a moment considers pushing back into the cave after Fenrir, making him give back what he took from Balina, but at the same time, she knows it will not work. She gives in and turns to see Fenrir's pack moving closer to Balina. Their coal black eyes stare at the changing woman, sniffing.

Sorien softly churrs, "I think... We're done here... Unless they have business with Balina..."

Noticing the wolves close in on Balina, Cilan uses a now free hand to reach behind her, threading her hands in the knuckle duster of the trench knife sheathed behind her hip, "You will not take her.."

Balina drops low, bracing herself. New instincts kick in, and she begins growling, snapping angrily at any wolves that start to get any closer than the rest.

A growl is the response Cilan gets, and a dominant one comes forward, sniffing closer at the growling and snapping woman. It then lays down in a submissive pose in front of her.

Snowblind looks at the encroaching pack as well. "I believe you are right Sorien. Yet for once I feel in a fighting mood. If they want her right now they are not going to get her..." She steps between as much of the pack as she can and Balina. "Back, even she does not want to be with you now." Snow says to the pack hoping that the rest of her friends are with her or coming up with better ideas.

Sori looks to her companions. "Hang back. This will sort itself. She's acting dominant."

Balina stops. This wasn't supposed to happen. She pads over, sniffing curiously, hoping her nose knows how to handle this better than she does.

Balina's instincts kick in, and she feels compelled to put her jaws around the prone one's throat. She doesn't bite down, but the creature below helpless in her mouth is enough to determine everything necessary. Each of the wolves gives their own submissive pose, and then sulk off, toward their father. Balina remains with her jaws around the last one's throat.

Cilan's fingers leave its knife, the soldier then looks curiously to Balina, but holds still.

Snowblind softly mewls, "Cil care to help me strap this back pack on my lower back. Something to do while we hope Balina has this in hand."

Sorien watches, but doesn't interfere; its not her play here.

Cilan waves dismissively to Snowblind, "Sure.. sure.. just, uh.. just give me a moment." her attention seems to be on Balina at the moment. Watching inquisitively.

Apostasy watches the display passively, wondering what will happen to the last one.

Balina glances down. She squeezes just hard enough to draw blood, then releases, licking her teeth as the other wolf scuttles away like the rest. "Yes, we're done here," she manages, eventually.

Sorien nods. "Then lets get going." She puts an arm around Crys and, when the others do, starts towards home.

Snowblind settles the backpack on her back and then gives a nod towards Balina. She seems to be thinking to herself rather then talking right now. Either that or trying to talk to the spirits inside of herself.

The last wolf remains prone, shaking after Balina releases it. The group is allowed out unmolested. The heavy winds and snow break around the group, almost as if Balina herself is pushing them off.

Balina takes one last look deeper into the cave, then pads along behind the group.