We Were Brave like Soldiers

[Skoll]

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Figured I'd throw in the segway for the next idea in, save us both some time. The lone wolf nodded, satisfied with the report. Iskata knew how to take care of herself, as did Phoenix. He wasn't as sure about Pilot, but numbers never hurt anyone, and with a family of his own within the borders, anyone could be sure he was going to give it his all if an intruder ever tried to break through. The fact that the pack was on alert was a good thing. Skoll had almost always been on alert, and it had helped him a few times, though it had meant vastly less time to build relationships. Still, the wolf had been alone for a long time, and while he couldn't say he necessarily preferred it that way, he was used to it, and in a way it was a comfort. It meant that he didn't have to worry about popularity, he didn't have to worry about politics. Now, apart of Storm, that was even more true, and while it was galling to have been banished, there was a great deal of freedom in it. "Just be glad you cut off the connection when you did. There are things in here I wouldn't want you, or anyone else, to have to see," he said, pointing to his skull with one clawed finger. "The Four Pack War was no small ordeal, don't get me wrong, but there was at least a veneer of civility. If they wanted you dead, they killed you outright. Not everyone is so kind." Frowning, he looked off in the distance. "You know, a lot of the people who went with me to the War of Shadows never could go back to their old lives. Many of them had seen too much...they couldn't go back to the way things were before. Others had lost their entire pack in the effort, and had no home to return to. Some of those wolves followed me here, deciding to live outside of Bleeding Souls. I led them through hell, but now that they're out, they don't know what to do. I wasn't about to bring a gang of followers in with me, you know? The wolves here are leery enough of me without thinking I'm trying to start a coup. I visit them occasionally, those that settled down closest to the edge of Bleeding Souls, but they aren't doing so well. Some part of them died, and I don't know what I can do for them." He was deeply troubled by this. He could get some of them out of the war alive, but saving their minds was different matter entirely. They weren't insane, but troubled so profoundly that there was no going back. When he reflected on it, he was largely the same way: there was no going back for him, either, but he had developed thick enough mental armor by the time he saw the cultists' work that he could go on. Many of these wolves had gone from ordinary, day-to-day life, to the deepest pit of nightmare overnight. The trauma was written in the very being of some of them, and as a diseased corner of their mind in others. None would ever shake it off completely, but even if they could go on living, he wanted to give them something to look forward to. Something to take their minds off of it, if only for a little while. "You know, I think I'm going to schedule some sort of event for them. Maybe a friendly competition. This girl issue is important, and, well...I guess I'm glad it came up. Still, it'll take a while to resolve. In the meantime...what do you say? Interested? We could set it up on the far side of Storm, a few miles out so that none of the Souls' wolves pee themselves. You could even participate. A guy built like you? I'm sure you'd hold your own, you'd be more than a match for some of my old buddies." It was sort of spur of the moment, but hey, as long as he had Phoenix's ear, why not ask him? ~The lyrics are from the best song ever written.

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