What's going on here?

[hitobannofokkusu]

Hitoban staggered into the grotto and was instantly relieved to smell not only Dawn, but everyone else as well. Mar, Shimo, Neo, Maname, Rin, and Kaze. She knew where the others were. She padded quickly over to where the others were and sought out Mar. He always seemed to know what was going on.

"Mar, would you mind explaining some things for me?" She couldn't fight the fear in her eyes. Something told her that a lot had happened while she hadn't been here, and she didn't like it. She felt utterly out of control.

[Tsukikage]

Mar swallowed hard and gritted his teeth. The moment he knew was coming had finally arrived, and once again, he was the one who had to explain things. He took a deep breath and looked calmly into Hitoban's eyes.
"If it wouldn't... bother you too much," He almost winced, "we should go into the den, or maybe outside if you'd rather." He took a quick look around at the group, and lowered his voice, "Everybody's a little on-edge right now, and I don't think talking about it will help, at the moment."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Hitoban looked around, knowing that everyone was on edge. Still, she wanted answers and outside wasn't the place to get them. What with Bounder out there waiting for her return, and this being such a private matter, she figured the den would be the best place for this discussion. She nodded and turned toward the secret passage.

"Fine, then we'll go to the den." Her manner was swift and down-to-business now, as she climbed up into the den where she'd just been moments before.

[Rynn]

Kaze opened his eyes and lifted his head as Hitoban came in and got Mar and left again, with a sigh he started to lay his head back down when a sudden movement caught his eye. It was Rin, she was trying to get into a sitting position but Kaze gave a quiet warning growl and she froze and turned to look at him with a slightly annoyed glare, they stayed like that for a little while before Rin sighed in defeat and laid on her stomach with her head on her paws and she stared at the wall.

[Tsukikage]

Sounds... Shimo could feel sounds coming through the ground. People were moving. He opened his eyes, but too late to find out who it was. One set of footsteps were distinctly Mar's -- too heavy to be anyone else.

"Rin..." He whispered, "You awake?"

[Rynn]

Rin blinked brought out of her daydreaming by a voice, that she recongnized to be Shimos' she smiled and replyed back to him though her voice was scratchy sounding, "Yeah Shimo, I'm awake...felt like I've been asleep forever though, ljust aying here gets old after awhile...and your mind tends to wander to places you didn't want it to." She chuckled and fell back into silence as she waited for Shimo to speak again.

[Tsukikage]

"Are you--" he suddenly stopped and flinched, like he'd been slapped in the face, but chances were it was just his condition. "Are you feeling any better?" He smiled warmly at a wall in Rin's general direction, which meant that he couldn't see again...

[Rynn]

Rin smiled, "I am feeling a little better, though I know my...condition...is far from being under any ounce of control, I can feel it...and it still spreads through my body I wish I had any idea what it was exactly or how to stop it, I hate being a burden to others..." she trailed off into silence again.

[Tsukikage]

Shimo twitched. He knew exactly how she felt about being a burden. Even before his affliction, he'd felt useless.
"Ever since that day..." He sighed. "The day I got sick. Ever since then, Mar's been looking after me. I... ask... why..." he squinted his eyes, and his tail flailed around for no apparent reason, but he couldn't move any other part of his body. After a few moments, the neurons caught up and he relaxed again. "He said, 'You did this to save my son. It seems like people are giving up a lot for him lately... but anyway..." the accuracy with which Shimo recited Mar's explanation was eerie -- he'd even matched the tone of voice Mar was accustomed to using. "I can't do much around here, but I'll do what I can to help my son, and if that means being nurse to the wolf that saved his life, then I'll gladly accept that task.' One day, I hope he says that he takes care of me for my own sake, as well as Tsuki's, but that's not important. The important thing is that you have people who take care of you because they care about you -- just you, and not just because they feel sorry for -- gaah!"
Shimo flinched in pain. It felt like his head was going to explode. A moment later, a blank expression locked itself across his face. That sentece would not be finished anytime soon...

[Rynn]

Rin listened to Shimo as he spoke sounding almost exactly like Mar, but then he went silent again and she could tell that he would be for a while so she laid her head back on her paws. Kaze had vanished, probablly off to find Fallen. A sudden sharp searing pain went through Rin's right side and she ground her teeth together to keep from crying out , she rolled over onto her side to get the pressure off of it and she started to inhale to see exactly how much she could inhale only to be greeted with another searing pain as she did so, she couldn't even get half a lung full of air before the pain came back. With a small sigh she laid there and waited for the pain to subside while she breathed slowly, and if noone was looking closly at her it would be hard to tell that she was even breathing.

[Bounder]

Bounder looked up at Hitoban, a small grin on his maw. "Thanks," he replied. He then made to stand, his legs shaking, his breathing ragged. He lifted his head, and sniffed once, twice. Though he recognized Mar's scent, he didn't know the rest of them. He swallowed, feeling a bit nervous. Hitoban didn't mind his being there, but what would the others have to say about that?

There were two of them resting in the corner, their backs to the timber. He wondered if he should go over and introduce himself. It appeared as though they were in the middle of something; he thought it best not to interrupt. So he waited, wondering what would happen next.

[hitobannofokkusu]

Hitoban padded over to the others, grabbing their attention with a quiet woof. She stood, facing both them and Bounder, and flicked her head-a signal to Bounder to come over. While she waited for him to come over, she introduced him.

"Maname, Kaze, Shimo, Neo, and Dawn-this is Bounder. He will be our guest for a while. Please treat him with the same respect you would treat your packmates."

She turned to Bounder, addressing him now.

"This is Dawn, my Beta, Maname, the Healer, Shimo, Neo, and Kaze, Fallen and Rin's sister. Rin is sick at the moment, or I'm sure she would welcome you as well."

[Tsukikage]

Shimo twitched in acknowledgment at Bounder, then froze like a statue.

Meanwhile, Mar was returning with Neo from a nearby alcove. Mar stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes caught sight of Hitoban.
"Hitoban," He said in surprise. "W-we just finished... um..." without finishing another word, he turned and retreated back to the alcove from whence he came.

Neo stayed behind, and quite subtly managed to block anyone from following Mar. "You'll have to forgive Mar, m'lady. We've finished moving the boys, and he's... not quite himself." Signs of fatigue showed in Neo's eyes, but he had the strength to hold his composure and his ground. He bowed cordially to Bounder, and even chuckled a bit as he welcomed the newcomer.
"I certainly hope the big red thing didn't scare you, sir. He really is quite a gentlewolf, once you get to know him. Anyway, we're all a bit taxed, under the current situation, but please do make yourself at home, as I'm sure Lady Hitoban has already invited you to do."
He let out a sigh, and shifted his weight a bit. "Mar just needs a moment to..." he quickly glanced over his shoulder and muttered, "actually, I'm not sure if he will be alright. Hmm..."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Hitoban watched Mar and Neo re-enter, and saw how completely not composed he was. She allowed him back into the den without a word of protest. After all, he'd already met Bounder and he needed some time for himself. She smiled at Neo, glad he'd not been as effected by everything on the outside. He was holding up rather better than the rest of them, actually.

Dawn finally woke, having fallen asleep unexpectedly, and discovered that there was a guest about. She righted herself, standing and shaking her fur back into place, and dipped her head to the wolf whose name she hadn't yet learned.

Greetings. I am Dawn. I hope you pardon our conditions, and make yourself at home. She smiled at him warmly, throwing a glance at her flower.

[Bounder]

As soon as she gave him the signal, he moved a bit closer. He dipped his head to those in the room. He tended to get nervous around crowds, but they seemed friendly enough. There was nothing to worry about.

He nodded. That female in the corner must have been Rin. Indeed, he could tell she was sick by smell alone. The wolf resting beside her acknowledged his presence before zoning out. Was he sick also? Bounder didn't know, but he figured it best to let them get some rest. He saw Mar enter the room, his expression troubled. Another wolf came in from behind him. Mar was there for a minute or two, and then he was gone, leaving Bounder confused. So much was happening in such a short time. He bowed to Near, his tail twitching slightly.

"Maybe at first," he confessed, laughing softly.

Bounder did find Mar's size somewhat intimidating, but if the others said he was gentle, then Bounder would take their word for it. "He seems nice," Bounder agreed. "I just hope he gets to feeling better." And with that, he bowed once more. "Thank you for allowing me to rest here awhile."

He came to face with another female. "Hello," he said. So this was the beta female. Dawn, was it? He dipped his head to her, his ears and tail down as a sign of respect. "Thank you," he said. "I'm Bounder, and it's a pleasure to meet you. All of you, actually."

He lowered his head.

"I know I'm just a guest," he went on to say. "And I hope I'm not speaking out of turn. But if you need some extra help, I'd be happy to oblige."

It was the least he could do.