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It had been a long night, filled with confusion, but through determination a resolution was found as well as information that calmed the worried Nomad’s mind. She was able to sleep soundly knowing there was no threat to her Family, but was still troubled by what had caused the misunderstanding in the first place. Sira.

She had taken extensive care over the young woman. Coddled her, tried to help her assimilate into the pack as welcoming as she could. All in the hopes it would let her trust the Family more and see there was no reason to fear. But these hallucinations of bad males trying to take her away… they were growing tiresome and disheartening. The Issor was no stranger to time healing wounds, but a positive influence tended to quicken the process. But were her experiences here not positive enough? What had the autumn female been doing wrong for her charge to still be fearful of what did not exist?

Waking with these troubled thoughts, she left the chambers in the morning to seek out her friend. Instruction was left to the pup in her care to tread lightly when he walked around the dens, but otherwise affirmed his freedom to roam. Blind though he was, he was a resourceful and able pup and trusted him to be in the care of the Family if he wandered too far from a ‘safe’ path.

X’yrin followed Sira’s scent, easily distinguished from the heavy scent of wolf and the wild. She took the façade of the mountain underpaw bounding from stable rock to the next to quicken her assent keeping her companion’s scent fresh in her flared nostrils. The sobs of pain…emotional but not physical, drew her ears forward as her search came to an abrupt and heart wrenching end. Halting just a little ways from the small jackal, she lowered both her ears and tail portraying a non threatening image before coming closer. “Sira..” the she-wolf called softly to her family. “Sira wasn’t wrong? It is the morning of a new day…you should smile for it. Not cry for the loss of night.”

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Where to begin...how to begin. She had had this conversation countless times before and it seemed the previous talks were getting them nowhere. The Issor was at a loss for what to do now... how to convince her dear friend that what she saw was not real.

She could not stand to see her cry like this, for something there was no cause for. How was she to undo the trauma inflicted on so fragile a mind? How was she to pull it from the dark horrors of her imagination and into the light of reality? X'yrin was growing exhausted with trying, but she had not given up on her friend. But looking into her tearing eyes, she could not help but wonder if all of this had been in vain. Doubt knotted her brows and laid her ears flat against their auburn bed.

"Sira...you know that we do trust you," she began softly. "But you feeling you do not belong is brought upon yourself. You have made great progress in accepting the members of this family, finding a way to help it prosper. But your trust in those that care for you is still lacking." Pausing to let her words sink in, the Nomad took a seat. "In the time you have been here, you claim someone is still coming after you, but no one else can see him Sira. He does NOT exist. Or do you believe we would let someone trespass onto our lands to attack you? Do you have so little faith in your family?"

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"Sira please..." X'yrin tried to console her friend as she fell into deeper sobs. There were no need for these tears, not when it was apparently she had nothing but her own mind to fear. A gleaming of understanding in her eyes would have been enough to convince the Nomad her words were getting through. But reflected were blank, fear stricken orbs staring back at her. That was all. It was discouraging, and her ears sank deeper within her mane in disappointment.

"He may exist, but he is not here..." regardless of her body postured in defeat she continued on hoping she would grasp onto something. "He is a part of your past but not your future. You are letting the past rule you and it is not allowing you to move forward. It is keeping you from trusting your family to insure your safety. The only thing that is waiting for you is your sanity slipping away. If you truly were being watched, being stalked by these men, why would they not just take you away? Why would they sneak and watch you when you are supposedly within their grasp? Why go to such lengths just to torment you..."

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Her words were harsh, but they were meant to sink in and jar some sense loose for Sira to mull over. She may not have known to the fullest extent how her friend was tortured and used, but what the Nomad did know was the power of the mind and how such horrible things could be pushed back and dealt with when ready. It was never an easy feat, for it was fairly akin to denial in any sense, but differed in the fact it was not being overwritten as 'never happened', but embraced as 'happened and accepting, but pondering later'. What was needed now was a time to heal so that her trust would have a chance to seed and grow.

"I realize that perhaps we have been going about this wrong," the Nomad breathed softly and turned her kind eyes to her friend. "It is my own fault for not understanding what happened to you and how it impacted you... and I hope to rectify my ignorant mistake." Ears drawn down in sadness were perked up with determination as it was newly found and dawned on the female's face.

"If you believe he will come for you, if that is what your mind will not let you be rid of, then you must make yourself stronger Sira. Strong enough that even if he did come after you, he would not take you willingly. You would fight, you would resist, you would use every ounce of your strength against him until your Family came to send his worthless existence to his Death. You will make yourself strong, so should you see him you will learn not to fear his face, but despise it and want only to tear it apart... When you see his face again, you will see fear in his eyes."

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Seeing something other than a warrant for pity in the jackal's eyes gave X'yrin hope that her words were received and would be adhered. Her own disposition became more excited as the same was reflected on Sira and then some. Regardless of what X'ies told her small friend, undoubtedly with a callous tongue, she could and would be able to fight for herself and for the pack. It was an expectation that would be maintained by all the members of this Family.

"You will not be weak Sira," the Issor affirmed this expectation and stamped her paw on the ground with emphasis. "And I will personally see to it. And in time the Family will lend you their expertise as well to ensure your strength reaches its potential and beyond." The basis of this pack was to utilize the strength of the Family to better themselves and then the Family in turn. Positive forces reinforcing the other regardless of the challenge of a single individual. This value was the cornerstone of the pack, and she would damn well see it be fulfilled especially now that one of their aspiring members was in need.

But before great things could come to fruition, it had to begin small. And this was no exception. "We will start with what comes naturally to you, when you are ready. And from there with time your abilities will be molded to suit defending yourself and more. It will be a process that takes time, but I promise you will see the positive results of your labors."

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She was surprised to find that what was said struck and obvious cord with her jackal companion, turning her from a timid little thing to an excitable black-backed ball of energy. Emotions with a hairline trigger had its negative effects but that was a lecture best given when the training had actually begun. For the meantime, she watched her friend exhibit her happiness while at the same time demonstrating her surefooted abilities. A quality the Issor intended to keep in mind.

“You mean the arrows?” she replied, going off the description of the ‘wooden things’ and the events from the Family hunt. “I am afraid that that is something only Jaden would be able to teach you. The use of weapons is not something I was taught… only the use of my body as a weapon. As yours will be.” And as Sira fell to the ground beside her, X’yrin smiled and placed a delicate paw on her head. “But we will begin your training before dawn tomorrow. Today, I must see to our guests. But do not lose that enthusiasm, you will need it.”

After lowering her muzzle to give her friend an affectionate nudge behind the ear, X’yrin turned back down the mountain’s path to find Sequoia and Willow to see how they fared during the night.

[Exit X'yrin]