She was here again. It had only been two days, but she was here again, waiting at the edges of the borders on Halcyon Mountain. Again, she was at the foot a short distance south of where she had met Gabriel. Then, she had not hesitated to venture close to the borders; however, today, she kept her distance. She knew that not everyone in Inferni was as open-minded as Kaena or as close-minded (but nonetheless unthreatening as a whole) as Gabriel and she did not want to take any chances. She slowly edged closer to the border, but paused. Why was she here? Because she was greedy. But what did she hope to accomplish? Nothing. There was nothing good that would come from this, especially a meeting with Gabriel. She respected him in a way, but disagreed with so much of what he based his life on. She did not want to invalidate that, but at the same time, it seemed so wrong to her. And she felt horrible thinking that, so she hoped to stay away from him until she could figure out what she wanted. She didn’t want to say anything she would regret.

Annoyed, she began to make her way home, travelling southwest toward AniWaya. Nothing good would come from this. She quickened her pace, hoping to get away from the clan as quickly as possible. Now that she knew her purpose for venturing here was wrong, she didn't want to stay any longer.

Tayui was surprised about the incredible hostility this coyote was showing her. She had been ambling around, minding her own business (not really) and he had just showed up making threats and demands! She’d never had this sort of problem the last few times, so she was surprised to be confronted on her way away from the borders.

She was taken aback when he demanded if she was spying. She shook her head and took a step back. She got a rather sour taste in her mouth and wondered if that was fear creeping up on her. He was certainly an intimidating, if rather ragged, male. He moved with such a sense of purpose that Tayui suspected he had been doing this job – warning intruders away from the borders – for a long time. That did not make him any less terrifying though.

Even Gabriel had not come across as so hostile. He had been quiet and contemplating, yes, and terrifying in his own calculating way; but this creature looked like he made every movement with the thought of inflicting pain. His eyes were hard and sharp and his steps were precise and mechanical. Tayui took another step back and frowned, hoping she might explain that her intentions were good.

“I was hoping to talk to Kaena or Gabriel, but I decided against it. I didn’t want to bother them. I didn’t mean any harm – I wasn’t that close to your borders. I mean no disrespect,” she replied, and then quickly added: “sir.” She knew he was no gentleman, but she hoped it would soften the anger he felt.

Tayui’s fear grew every second. The short silent pause that followed her words was subsequently accompanied by a burst of violence. His words and his body propelled him forward, stalking her and watching her. She felt horribly alone and exposed. She knew he could probably hurt her and kill her if he wanted to. What was she? A warrior of Anathema? What a joke! She was a joke. She’d had some training with Skoll and friends a few years ago, but since then, she hadn’t pushed herself to learn any more. She remembered a great deal of her work with Skoll, and probably knew a bit more than most wolves, but that wouldn’t protect her against this coyote. He certainly looked the part of the warrior: she could trace the many scars that criss-crossed across his face and body. She suddenly felt ashamed for coming here thinking it was all well and good. Inferni was not as misunderstood as she had thought it was. They might not all be demons, but perhaps this creature was one of them.

And then, Tayui was struck with an idea. If she wanted to avenge her daughter, she would need to learn more. Become more… like him. He disgusted her, but what if he was willing to do more? She considered this, but as he spoke and stalked closer, her hope faltered. He would never teach her anything. It seemed as though he had taken one look at her and decided to hate her. She didn’t understand this kind of bigotry, but she didn’t need to understand it too well, she supposed. He promised her death and she believed it.

“I’m sorry,” she sputtered. She glanced down and then quickly back at the creature; she didn’t want her gaze to leave him for one second. “I’ll leave, I’ll leave. I’ll… send the rest of the wolves your message. I’ll tell them not to bother you – or Inferni – again.” She didn’t know what else to do, so she turned to leave. She backed up slowly, moving back with her head down.

He was going to attack! That son of a bitch was going to attack her even after she had been very polite and barely near the borders. She moved back quickly and turned once he lunged at her. Since she had anticipated the attack – there was enough snarling and growling to let her know his intentions – but he still ended up grabbing hold of her flank. Tayui screeched in pain and thrashed about wildly, kicking back with her legs. Hybrid swerved out of the way and let go of her fur and she took this chance to get a head start and run away. Unfortunately, in his hulking Secui form, he was quick and agile and had not sustained as many wounds as Tayui had. Tayui fled, heading straight east to avoid scrambling up the mountain. In her Lupus form, she could easily outrun him in the end, but it was the beginning, now, that counted.

Tayui kept running and running. She didn’t dare let him gain anything on him for fear that it would be the end of her. His eyes were frighteningly vicious and

As Tayui was distracted with these thoughts; Hybrid used a burst of power to launch himself at her. He threw all his weight and landed on her back and immediately dug in with his claws. Once she felt his weight, she began to thrash and roll wildly and Hybrid lost his grip momentarily. She kept running with him half holding on, but soon he was able to regain his grip and dug in to each shoulder with his long claws.

Snarling – from both Tayui and her male attacker – drowned out every nearby sound. All she could hear was her own anguished, laboured breathing as she struggled to push the barbaric coyote off of her. However, for a split second, she felt his grip change. She wasn’t sure why, but whatever the reason, it gave her enough time to pull away and dislodge one of his laws from her shoulder. Suddenly, there was more noise and there was another body. In a few moments, the heavy weight of the coyote was almost entirely off her back and Tayui stumbled to the ground.

She turned to see another wolf engaged with the coyote now. The coyote looked like he had just been ripped from Tayui’s back by the monstrous wolf. He was massive! Tayui turned quickly, trying to ignore the blood that was now seeping out of the wound on her shoulder.

She saw the coyote tumble down from the force of the other wolf’s attack and the wolf (whoever he was) moved back and issued an ultimatum. The coyote did not seem to happy about it and he snarled in response, first to the unknown wolf and then to Tayui.

“For now,” the coyote responded with a widening grin. Tayui took a step back, her own eyes wide. “My name is Hybrid Holocaust. One day, I will kill you.” The coyote’s grin seemed to widen somehow as he took a step back. One, two, three, and then another. The coyote looked from the other wolf to Tayui and then back again. Tayui suspected that even though she didn’t have much skill in fighting, two against one were not good odds. The breeze shifted and the coyote perked up his nose and then turned and left. Tayui chuckled as he began to leave, quietly at first, and then louder. They were so close to Anathema – that must have been it! He had chased her all the way to her own territory. And they all knew that with a single howl, they could bring the entire pack down to the mountainside.

Soon, Tayui’s chuckles turned to coughs. She winced as pain shot through her haunch and her shoulders. She glanced over to the other wolf, whom she now recognized as one of the wolves at the meeting with the rest of Anathema in the caves. She chuckled once more, again, a bittersweet sound of pain and pleasure, before she took a step forward to thank him.

“You saved me,” she stated. “Thank you.” She closed her eyes as she felt her legs tremble. “I need a medic.”

Tayui was surprised to hear the venom in her packmate’s words. He was full of fire and fury and even Tayui felt a little suspenseful when he spoke. He certainly knew how to speak with a certain tone. She was a little surprised he was not a warrior given that he seemed far more adept at the art of war than she was. Whatever the reason, she was grateful for his words, since they seemed to do the trick. Hybrid disappeared into the night and Tayui was left still gasping for breath. Soon enough, the wolf relaxed and trotted over to where she was. Tayui earned herself an odd glance when she laughed, but she didn’t think anything of it. She’d just had a near-death experience: she could damn well do whatever she pleased.

As he inspected her wounds, Tayui felt her legs begin to shake even more. They had to retreat further in to the pack lands before she could rest, but she knew she wanted to lie down right now and say to hell with Hybrid and his threat of death.

Tayui flinched when the wolf asked her if she could walk, to which she nodded slowly. She stopped halfway through and replied: “yes.” The pain in her neck was too great to nod apparently. “Not for long though,” she explained. She only wanted to get a little farther in and maybe call for someone with some medicinal experience to treat her wounds and send her home. She felt the wolf shift and lean under her shoulder with great care. Tayui rested some of her weight on him and wondered if he would be able to support her the entire way home walking like this. She began to walk very slowly, waiting to see if this would actually work out.

They managed to get themselves to the border, but every step was laced with fire and pain. After a time, he spoke up, but his words sounded hazy and distant in her ears. She tried very hard to focus on them, contorting her face in concentration. When he finished speaking, it took her a few seconds to process everything. When she did, she let out a long breath and replied in a rush.

"Tayui Aston," came her words. "Thank you," was all she could manage. Perhaps when she wasn't so focused on breathing she would be able to formally thank him. Until then, she was trying not to black out as her vision came and went.

Tayui was grateful for when they finally stopped to rest. She collapsed inelegantly when he let go of her with only just enough control to prevent further injury. She took long, deep breaths in an attempt to steady herself, but she still felt very dizzy and confused. She heard him howl for someone, but that too sounded distant and far away. She felt as though her ears were clogged with moss and lichen because all the sounds were muted.

She noticed Liev moving and doing something, but she couldn't quite tell what it was. Her vision blacked out for a few seconds before returning again. She saw a great mass of white in front of her eyes and felt a pinch on her shoulder. She was vaguely aware that Liev had done something, but could not quite understand what. She just hoped she would be able to stay awake long enough to see Liev finish tending to her injuries. She didn't want any of this to get infected. Slowly, she realized she had gotten blood all over his cloth and felt bad about it, but could not vocalize this. Instead, she let out a small whimper and tried not to succumb to darkness again.

Suddenly, silence was overcome with noise and words. Tayui forced herself to focus on the words, clinging to them like a sailor cast overboard might cling to a piece of driftwood. She sharpened her attention, trying to understand what the newcomer was saying to her. In the absence of sight, her sense of smell felt so sharpened and heightened. She could tell that this was a new wolf because they smelled, moved, and felt so different from the other one. She realized that someone must have sent for help at some time, and that help had arrived.

Tayui understood that she was going to be moved. She understood -- for some reason -- that this new wolf did not know who she was, and could not understand why, but also recognized that this new wolf would help her regardless. Tayui felt very happy knowing this, but less happy knowing that she would soon be moved. She tried to focus her gaze on something, anything, to keep herself conscious. She caught fleeting glimpses of fur and movement, but could not understand it.

Just as suddenly as the noise had come, her entire world shifted. She felt herself being lifted from the ground. Her head swam and she let out a groan. She felt like she was going to be sick. Everything was sideways and she hated it. She shivered and tried to move, but was immobilized by her wounds.

She felt like she was swimming. With every small jostle and bump along the way, she felt it right down to her core. It felt like an eternity before the world stopped spinning and moving. In the absence of action, it was replaced by words and sounds. She heard them drift in and out of her consciousness. She realized she had been placed on the ground, or perhaps a bed (she wasn't sure which) and was lying down. She was still in her Lupus form -- she knew that much. But she couldn't quite discern what was going on. Words were meaningless as they floated in through her mind and wrapped her up in a cocoon of ignorance. Her mind felt thick, heavy, and fuzzy. She couldn't process much of what was going on, but she at least understood that the wolves were still there and that she was safe. She had to be safe if she was no longer moving.

She tried to stay awake and listen to their words, but it was difficult still. She felt her shoulder tingle with a new sensation. Something was touching her wound, but it felt like long, slippery vines. The feeling was incredibly disconcerting, but not necessarily painful. She made a noise -- she wasn't sure what -- in protest and then lapsed into silence. The world spun again.