DaVinci had finally wisened up and set out to the lands of Phoenix Valley. He knew that he had to talk to his mother finally though he knew by now that there was no way she couldn't know that he was in the lands. His steele furred paws moved across the red dirt road towards the innerworkings of the packlands. He had avoided the lands until now and he was more than surprised at how peaceful the place seemed.
He hated to be the one to break the peace, though he knew it wouldn't be the first time. Shaking his head at the truth the hybrid tilted his head back and let his pathedic call to the matriarch of his family. The yipping vocals of the half breed made him wince, just another reminded of who he was.
Iskata Sadira had been spending her morning at the pier. They'd begun to gather boats to the docks and piers along the lands and she'd started to check to make certain nonperishable goods and packs of equipment the pack may need onboard the ships were in order and stored neatly. Standing on the deck of the boat she stood there coiling a length of rope neatly before stashing it in the hold.
Her work was interupted by the call, perking her ears up she shook her head and tossed a second half coiled roll of rope onboard the deck before leaping over the rail and landing on the dock. She had expected DaVinci to have shown his face by now, but she hadn't expected her son to actually come calling. He'd always been more of the arrival with the night, or in the middle of a storm.. something a little more dramatic... but she was rather curious why he was calling her so she moved on down the path towards the red dirt road.
It didn't take her long to find the boy sitting there on the old country road. Her silver and gold paws tracked lightly through the dust as she finally paused before her son, a slight smile to her maw as she nodded a greeting. "Hello DaVinci..." she said softly as she caught the full sight of her firstborn son.
The hybrid didn't wait too long before he saw the familiar shade of his mother's pelt moving towards him from the distance. He sat there quietly trying to ponder just what he was going to say as she drew closer and closer still. Finally it seemed that time wasn't on his side as she came to a stop and greeted him. His stormy eyes watched the woman with little emotion as she met him in the middle of the grounds.
Sighing softly to himself DaVinci smiled a bitter little smirk and spoke, "Hello mother.." The greeting was bare, but he wasn't here to chat happily over nothing. He'd avoided her this long and he could have went longer.. he just didn't know where to turn.
He stared at the woman who'd nearly killed him so long ago for a second before beginning. "Look.. have you seen Firefly?" he asked bluntly.
Iskata was more than startled by the question that he'd asked. Last she'd known Firefly had been held hostage in Inferni. She'd figured that DaVinci would have known this. Shaking her head in confusion she asked slowly, "I thought.. she was being held in Inferni.." She narrowed her eyes at DaVinci and stated. "But you knew that already.. right?"
She wasn't about to start playing games with her children. There was a reason that DaVinci had showed up here but he seemed to be hiding something from her.. it wouldn't be the first time and she wasn't exactly surprised.
The silver and steele hued hybrid wasn't surprised that Iskata actually knew that Firefly had been held in Inferni. Though she hadn't been keeping up on recent events, that much was obvious by the next words she'd asked. He shook his head and updated his mother on the chain of events. "Firefly was released a few weeks ago.." he looked away a mmoment before admitting. "She sortof ran off and no one's really been able to talk to her.."
He stopped a moment before correcting himself. "She actually came to me not too long after being released.. but something happened.." He hated the fact that he was having this conversation with his own mother, even stranger was the fact that it involved his sister.
He sighed and went back to admitting the sad truth of it all. "She was raped.." His stormy eyes glazed at him mother, pleading in his eyes as the words dropped from his maw. "I think.. she's pregnant.."
She hadn't really been paying attention to the works of the other packs and the clan since Skoll's death but at the information that DaVinci passed along she nodded. She realized just then that she should actually get out and pay more attention to the world around her pack. Narrowing her eyes slightly she curled her tail around her hindlegs and settled down, assuming that this duscussion was more than just an update on the current events.
The silver and gold lady's heart stopped a beat as DaVinci spoke those words. Naniko had went through hell resently when Conri had beaten and raped her.. and now it seemed that Firefly had went through the same horrors. She bowed her head as she tried to push the thoughts out. Of course Inferni had a part in it again.. but the last words that DaVinci had spoken were what killed her. Snapping her head back up she asked suddenly. "Are you sure?"
DaVinci figetted as his mother questioned him. He could tell that she was troubled by the news he'd brought to her lands but she tried to move past it all. He had grown use to her icy exterior long ago even when he'd wished only to hate the woman he'd witnessed her building those walls to keep the world at bay.. now when she asked that question he had to admit that he wasn't sure. "I don't know.." he sighed.
Like his mother he bowed his head, but he didn't raise his stormy eyes back to meet hers as he spoke. "She said she doesn't want them.." She'd told him just that, but he wasn't even for certain himself. He hadn't seen the child since that day though he'd tried repeatedly to track her down.
Shaking his head he told Iskata the request he'd been hating to ask. "She needs help.."
Iskata turned her eyes away from DaVinci as she nodded. She hated to think that no one was watching over the yearling but it was obvious that DaVinci was trying. She shuddered at the thought of what her baby girl must being going through as she spoke softly. "I'll get Deuce.. she's our Apothocary.." she didn't know why she was even explaining everything to DaVinci, it wasn't like he really would care who the woman was as long as she could help.
Iskata leaned her head back and let out a musical howl to the winds, calling her fellow leader to meet. The tone was urgent and needy, not a command but a pleadying request. She just hoped that Deuce wasn't still angry with her for their spat the past moon.
He sat there and waited, not wanting to go further into explaining things He knew that Iskata could have blamed him for letting Firefly return, she could have said a million things but she didn't. He wasn't for certain why, though he could tell that she'd already had things on her mind when he'd showed up. He turned his face off towards the distant lands where Dahlai de Mai resided and just hoped that soon enough he'd be able to help his kid sister.
The pale woman heard the call. She cocked her head, looking to the direction it came from. She had been tending to her hebs until the sharp yips of a coyote caught her attention. She immediately headed to the borders, fur raised. Moments later Iskata's voice rang out. Deuce cursed softly, then let out a quick howl, her dulcet tones letting Iskata know that she was on her way.
Moments later she scented the coyote hybrid. Her hackles raised again. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, breaking into a lope. She arrived where they waited, on the old road. Deuce saw the hybrid and snarled. "What is this filthy mutt doing here?"
No, Deuce was not fond of coyotes, or their hybrid cousins. Anything with coyote blood in it was an enemy to her. If only the pale woman knew her own grandson was a hybrid. She might change her mind, especially if she learned he was in Inferni. Or perhaps she'd attempt to 'rescue' him. Who knew? The time would come when she would see him again too.
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Iskata knew that her fellow leader had no love for their coyote cousins but she hadn't thought that the first thing thing from her mouth would have been so negative. Flicking her ears back Iskata snapped at her friend suddenly. "That mutt is my son." her words weren't filled with anger though they were dry and humorless as she gave Deuce a desperate plead with her eyes.
Instead of leaving it at that Iskata quickly explained why she'd called Deuce to them. "DaVinci wants to know a few things that I think you'd have more experiance with than I would.." She really didn't want to stick around for the conversation but she'd stay as long as needed.
DaVinci waited silently as they waited on the other to join them. He wasn't certain what to expect but the words the woman granted him was nothing like what he'd expect from a leader. Sparks of anger flashed in his eyes as he growled softly at the rude words he'd been granted. It wasn't the first time that he'd been met with those types of words or feelings. His life had been filled with discouragement from others and now this was nothing new. While his mother explained he sat there quietly and waited to find out just what the woman was going to say to the news that her fellow leader's child was a halfbreed.
His stormy eyes turned to the lady with the multihued orbs and waited. The anger at her words still burned in his eyes but had faded to a soft simmer as time slowly passed. Just another view from the world that he tried to hide from so often.. and another reminded on why he hadn't settled into the packlife that so many others seemed to need.
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The distrust was still in the womans eyes as she looked to the hybrid. Conri had only proven one thing to the woman. Hybrids could turn on a person at any given moment. The shaman's eyes flicked to the matriarch, and then back to the hybrid. "Very well. Since you are Iskata's son, I will assist you. But let it be known, boy. If you harm ANY in these lands, vengance WILL be mine."
She'd get this done as quickly as possible, and then they'd move on with their lives. Bi-colored eyes watched the hybrid and his mother. Deuce herself would rather die than bear a coyotes children. She'd tried to die when she was carrying Shadow, the son of a rapist.
The weather was clearning up at least. for now. Patchy spots of blue ocasionally peeked through the deep grey of the clouds. That was nice. It would be nice to have some dry weather ofr once.
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Iskata had expected as much of a warning from Deuce, they'd both once spoken of the duties to the pack and what came first. Nodding to the ivory womam Iskata added one more comment, hoping that Deuce perhaps would learn to understand. "DaVinci was born of the same litter as Magdalena, he's been watching over Firefly for too long now.." She knew that her son had been dark and moody growing up but she couldn't blame him, part of that had been her own hand, the rest was his own fight with the world.
She sighed and looked back to Deuce as she asked to be excused. "I need to go tend to another matter.." she looked to DaVinci for a moment, sadness creeping into her eyes, "Please keep me informed of everything.." She wanted nothing to do with the conversation she knew would happen. It was obvious what DaVinci had on his mind and though Iskata didn't wish to hear of it she knew that it was seriously not a possibility for the life of the youth if the puppies lived.
She shook her head sadly and turned to walk away, hoping that Deuce would atleast be kind to DaVinci for the time being and with the discussion at hand. The day might be brightening but her world wasn't.
DaVinci stared at the woman who was suppose to be his mother's equal in rank and a fellow leader of the pack. He wanted to sneer at her but refrained from showing how disgusted he was with the words she spoke. Assuming that he was going to harm a single member of the pack. His ears flicked back to his mother as she mentioned his relationship to Magdalena and Firefly, he hadn't even asked about Mags when they'd met here but there were more pressing matters than small talk of family and catching up on the past.
Nodding to his mother as she made to leave he figured he'd hold his words until she'd excused herself. He watched her move off into the distance and down the red dirt road before he turned his stormy orbs back to the woman at hand. He wasn't for certain what to think of her though it was obvious what she thought of him. "You can assume what you want of me, but you don't know who I am... and you probably never will." he said with cold disgust in his voice at how she believed he'd turn on her or another of their precious pack.
He shook his head and figured he might as well explain everything before they began to tear at eachother's throats. "Firefly was raped. I'm not for certain but I think she's pregant, atleast she seems to be afraid she is.." He shook his head in annoyance at having to speak of it all again. "She doesn't want the pups but she's half lost her mind and won't show her face to anyone now.." His stormy eyes flared as he lowered his head in defeat, admitting the truth of everything. "I don't want to see this happen again, I don't want to know another child was born of the same chain of events that brought me into this world." he knew nothing of puppies and pregnancies.. but he knew that his sister needed help.
Her eyes softened, concern creeping into them as he spoke of what happened to Firefly. The Shaman was a victim of rape herself, and knew the pain one felt upon that sort of violation. Her mind began flying over options, weighing and discarding options. After a few minutes, she settled upon the best options. Her eyes cleared and she focused on Da'Vinci again.
"Come to my house. I have some tinctures for you to give to firefly. You'll need to stay with her, though, as they need to be administered every couple of hours." She paused, then spoke soflty. "I admire you helping her." That was the closest she'd come to apologizing to him. She turned and led the boy to her house, which was further in the lands.
She left him in the living room, moving into the kitchen area. She'd stuffed the cupboards full of herbs and the such that she'd found in the human lands. Between her and Naniko they'd grown many, and the tinctures she'd found at another herbal remedy store.
She began sifting through her cupboard, murmuring the names of the herbs aloud. "Here it is. Penny royal." She set it on the counter, pulling out another bottle. "Blue Cohosh." She turned around, facing the male. "Pennyroyal is one of the best herbs for inducing abortion, but it can also act as a powerful poison. Do not give her more than 20-60 drops every 3-4 hours. It may make her nauseaous, numb, dizzy, or sweaty.
The blue Cohosh induces labor. It can lower her blood pressure and cause headache, nausea and vomiting, or pain in the limbs. Give her about five to ten drops thrre to four times a day."
She paused, studying him. "Mild cramping and spotting are signs that it's working. Herbs only work 50% of the time. Don't let her take the herbs any longer than four weeks.
Make sure she gts plenty of fluids during and after. Boil some bones and feed her the broth and the marrow. She'll need a lot of iron afterwards, so make sure she gets plenty of fresh red meat. Rabbit won't have enough. She won't be able to swin for a few weeks after. And she should come see me to make sure everything is going well afterwards. Do i need to write this down Da'Vinci?"
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He didn't fail to notice the look that seemed to change the hard edge in her gaze as he spoke but he remained silent on that note. He might be a little bitter towards the world but he was no fool when it came down to it. If the woman was willing to help he could keep his maw shut and respect her.
When she asked him to follow he nodded sharply and began to make his trail after the woman. While she spoke he gazed around the lands silently, taking in the sights and works of the lands. He paused a moment as they went past the barnyard with the pasture filled with cattle. He shook his head for a moment and rolled his eyes, assuming it was another crazy idea of his mothers.
At the mention of Firefly he flicked his ears back to the woman and sighed softly. "She's my kid sister.. " he tried to explain, how could she understand what it was like raising a sibling and in return feeling more like the girl's father than her own. Their travelings took them far into the lands and almost out of them as she brought him to a house, hers he presumed.
Following her into the house he sat down on the floor and waited for her, listening with half an ear as she rattled around in another room looking for things. He turned his eyes back to the lady as she came into the room with vials and instructions. He listened with his ears half back as he tried to take everything in. He could understand everything she spoke of but he wasn't for certain if he could do it all by himself.
Gazing up at her with doubt in his eyes he asked, "Yes.. but...can I bring her here... I don't know if we can do this on our own.... Haku and I.." The second in command of the pack had agreed to help him complete the task and hopefully bring the wild child back into their world but they were just two guys, they knew nothing of tenderness and a woman's touch when it came to sickness and grief. He just hoped that it wasn't too late.
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So...Deuce, being a practiced healer, will know when touching Firefly's tummy that she isn't pregnant. I figured that, instead of giving her tinctures, which cold make her really sick or kill her, Deuce could see the pregnancy is all mental, give her harmless herbs like St. Johns wort and hamomile and peppermint, instead of the penny royal and blue cohosh. And it could be up to you if Deuce tells anyone that Firefly isn't pregnant, just mental.
Can they bring her here? Wouldn't that just thrill Iskata? But Deuce couldn't turn them away. It wasn't in her nature. "Yes. You and Haku may bring her here. I will have a room prepared for the three of you. My house isn't big enough for you all to have seperate rooms." In fact, thre were only two rooms. She'd hoped her sons would move in, but they never had. She missed her boys.
"She needs to come as soon as possible, Da'Vinci. If her pregnancy is too advanced the tinctures could make her very sick, possibly kil her." It was a very real possibility.
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DaVinci nodded as she spoke, he wasn't even for certain if Haku would join him in bring Firefly to the lands but he knew if it needed to be done he would have the male's assistance. He wasn't for certain what he thought of the Lilium and his sister's strange relationship but he wasn't about to walk down that road, having a sibling that was more like a daughter was strange enough, getting involved in her life like a father would was more than he wanted.
He raised his eyes back at the lady as he asked. "Is this the right thing?.." he sighed, she'd wanted this, or so she'd said in her fit.. but he wondered if it was more something he wanted than anything, to keep another like him from being born into this hell hole. He shook his head as his stormy eyes grew distant, his thoughts on the girl they had to find now..
"Is this the right thing?.." Deuce studied him quietly, her eyes full of sympathy and compassion. "Is it the right thing to keep your sister from bearing pups she doesn't want? You are a child of rape, you know the stigmatism. I bore a child of rape...I know the pain of looking at the child, and remembering it's father's sins. My lover bore a child of rape. She abandoned it. Do you wish either of those on your sister?"
It wasn't easy, and she spoke again to say as much. "It's never easy to end a life, Da'Vinci. Especially not one innocent of it's father's crimes. Especially not one who hasn't had the chance to live. But if we force firefly to bear the pups, she would possibly abandon them. And they would starve, a far more painful death than the one we propose for them. The death we grant them is painless for them, and less hurtful for Firefly."
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