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"Bacteria," he mumbled, and took a cloth from his pocket to gently dab at the blood. "I could help you at the capitol, but I'm afraid I'm useless out here." After a moment, he sighed. "And no, I didn't think that your own people would be killed on purpose. Perhaps an accident, maybe assassination depending on whoever was behind it..." He shook his head and trailed off, continuing to mop up the blood and beer that dripped down her arms.

* * *

Stacia was satisfied with his answer, if embarrassed somewhat. Her heart was pounding as they walked and she silently begged herself not to blush. She wondered what Tannim would say if he could see her, if he knew that she'd fallen into the volcano. She smirked at the thought, enjoying the imagined look of frustration and fear, of jealousy and outrage.

"Butchers?" He finished cleaning her wound and took another cloth from inside his pocket, tying it over the worse one of the wounds to staunch the bleeding. "That's all I can do for now."

* * *

"I have a knife," she mumbled. "Or two. I might've just lost one..." She felt unprepared and inadequate. "I didn't really think we'd need weapons," she said in defense.

"Meat-eating," he echoed, "Of course. I wonder why they were with that woman, then. You say you've never seen her, but the dog seemed to be familiar with her."

* * *

She looked over at Tannim, reluctant to go to him and leave Garred. She considered asking to go with him, but remembered that she didn't like Warren very much - and he seemed to like her even less. "Yeah. Sure." She looked up at him. "Will I see you later?"

Angrboda blinked a few times at the woman's words and started to rush back to the rooms. She had to go through the feast grounds, stopping when she saw the carnage.

Warren appeared beside her, panting. "What the f - " He was interrupted by his daughter, shrieking at her other side. The girl, once so arrogant, clasped her hands over her mouth and sobbed quietly. Warren looked at her, surprised and unsure of what to do. She approached one of the cadavers and kicked it in the ribs, stood there watching the man's pale face and fell to her knees, manically slammed her fists into his torn chest.

Angrboda's brow furrowed, she was unfazed by the horror before her. The only objective was to find Lavender. "What had happened here and have you seen my sister?"

Caleb grabbed his sister from behind, pulled her from the corpse and held her tightly so she could vent her emotions. He thought that she had followed the others, only to realise halfway to their home that she had strayed back to the feast.

"Monster! Son of a ******** b***h!" She trembled and folded her bloodied hands against Caleb's chest. "He didn't deserve what he got," she started, her voice shaking. "I wanted to... I was just waiting for the right time."

"I don't know. Let me know when you find her immediately." He gave her shoulder a squeeze and rounded up some warriors to figure out what had happened and to find the absent.

Caleb stroked his sister's hair and looked at the broken soldier. He did not say anything, knowing that it would not help his sister.

Angrboda made her way across the clearing into the forest on the opposite side. She hurried along, sniffing the air regularly. Thus, when a blast of copper hid her senses she stopped immediately. Crouching down she put her fingers to the ground and felt the wetness that accompanied the smell. It was easy to follow the trail as the victim was bleeding heavily. "You," she moved to him.

Her quakes sobered and she stood up, regained her impeccable posture and lowered her brother's arms, holding onto his hand as she looked down at the soldier and smiled. "Pathetic." She looked up at Angrboda with hope and defiance, then, as she left them, turned around to a younger girl that shyly came to stand with them, embraced her and rocked her slightly. "Shh. It's all over now."

Warren felt nauseated and disorientated. He applied a warm hand to his daughter's shoulder and that of her friend's, who seemed to be around the age of sixteen, protectively and in attempt to soothe them. He had no idea. To Caleb, he said, "We'll have to investigate the others."

Caleb stared at the massacre in disgust. "Yes. This is unacceptable."

The Priest twisted his lips as he tried to sit himself up against a tree. "Golden One," he greeted in a broken voice: the dog had gotten to his throat, blood splurting from the wounds and seeping into the soil. "Your fault." He coughed, warm blood spilling over his lips and into his lungs.

Angrboda crouched by his side, "I wasn't aware that I ripped out your throat during our conversation. Do you know what happened here? Something strange is going on, because I had a peculiar exchange while I was out there looking for my sister and obviously at the festival things took a gory turn."

His lips stirred, but his voice inaudible, his breath wheezed, then his eyes saw no more.

Angrboda sighed and closed his eyes. Then she turned away from him more determined to get to Lavender than ever. She ran through the forest and broke into Lavender's room without a knock, a frantically, anxious expression on her face.

Lavender rested on the bed, dipping in and out of sleep. She sat up, expecting Bulrick to have come for more, and collapsed with relief when it was only her sister.

“I have been looking all over for you!” Angrboda crossed the floor and gather Lavender close to her chest in relief. Never had she been this anxious over someone else’s safety.

Lavender flinched. "Um. Hello." She patted her arm and smiled. It felt good to have her there. "Did you have fun?"

Angrboda's brow furrowed at Lavender's response. It was Lavender who hugged her so fervently and spontaneously the first time. Her eyes narrowed in on her sister, "It was something... Did you have fun?"

Her jaw felt stiff, glued to her skull. She nodded dismissively. "I became a little tired, so I headed back here. By the way, have you seen a strange, tall woman? She gave me this poncho and I didn't get to thank her."

"Yes, I saw a women and she said a lot of things that didn't make any sense. You seem off somehow. And don't say you got tired, I have been looking for you. You don't know these lands. Why did you just walk off alone?"

Lavender closed her eyes and ran her hands over her face. "I met someone. And then I didn't. I don't want to talk about it. We should gather the others and go; we're on a mission." She slid off the bed and helped herself to another handful of berries, cramming them into her mouth so she wouldn't have to say any more. It was humiliating and she didn't want anyone to know.

Angrboda made Lavender face her. Her voice had dropped dangerously low, "What happened?"

"It's none of your business," she said, cold. She shook her off and went into the bathroom to gather her things. "Are you travelling with us?" There was a hopefulness in her voice despite her behaviour.

"Yes, but I have to do something first." She turned on her heel and headed back to the clearing. The fierceness clear in her movements.
Lavender rolled her eyes and packed in the last of her things, stepped outside to saddle up.

Angrboda approached Warren and through clenched teeth, asked him if he saw who Lavender was with last.

"Did you find her?"
"Yes and she seems different," she seemed thoroughly exasperated. "Now did you perhaps see who she was with while she was at the feast?"

He thought about it for a moment. "She chatted to a few girls from the bakery, and then..." He regarded her carefully. "Bulrick entertained her most of the time. When I glanced around again, she was gone and so was he. Listen to me, Angrboda. If something did happen, shouldn't you consult your sister before doing something rash; before fighting her battles for her? It's just a thought."

Her lips curled back from her teeth and she growled, before calming herself. "Do you know where Bulrick is?"

((Worked out with m i s s Rieux via PM))

Garred watched her leave, admired how her hair was swept by the wind and how her hips moved when she walked. He watched her being fussed over by Tannim. He fell into conversation with the alpha and was sent to investigate the abodes of the fallen.

Frey joined the two. "He was worried about you. There was an attack," she defended Tannim. "Anyway. Be careful. Both of you. I have to go have this checked out. It was a pleasure meeting you, Leon."

"His bungalow? I don't know." Warren watched her carefully.

She turned and headed for the bungalow. It isn't long until she has covered the distance. Focusing on her breathing, she gives a fast knock on the wall, "If you're in there Bulrick would you mind stepping outside for a few questions. Something crazy has happened at the feast."

"Yeah, I heard." He swung open the door, casual as he usually would, and beckoned her to come inside as he returned to cutting up some carrots. "I'm so relieved my mother decided to stay home," he said, swept the roasted carrots and soft vegetables into a bowl and gave it to an elderly woman who took it with shaking hands. "Gangrene," he explained in a hushed tone, his forehead crinkling with worry for his mother's well-being.

She stood in the doorway, "I heard that you spend some time with one of the outsiders at the feast?"

"What?" He seemed confused.

"I asked if you spend time with a timid looking redheaded female. Her name is Lavender."

His face lit up. "Oh, Lavvy! Such a sweetheart. She's leaving soon, isn't she? I always thought As'ardens hated us. Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you. Did anything happen before she left for her room?"

Bulrick frowned, then his eyes widened. "She's in her room? Oh, thank the gods. I was looking for her everywhere, but couldn't find her. My cl - " His words trailed off. "Oh, no. Did I?" He sank to the floor, head in his hands and eyes wide, unable to speak.

"What is it?" Angrboda stared at him, a chilling look in her eyes. "What do you know?"

"I blacked out. I remember talking to her, I remember her laughing and dancing along the roots of the forest - she wanted to see more of it and I agreed to show her. When I woke up, she was gone, her scent left behind, but no trace of her. How is she?"

Angrboda clenched her fists, "She seems different. Colder."

"Soup should warm her up. Did she fall ill?"

"Step outside with me for a moment," her tone indicated that this was an order not a question.

He frowned and hauled himself to his feet. "I won't be long, mama." The old lady opened her mouth to speak, but popped another carrot and nodded. He guided Angrboda out of his house. "You seem a bit upset."

"I am." Her back was taut, as she looked at Bulrick. "Tell me exactly what you remember."

He started to panic. "It's black. It's all gone, like I've been knocked unconscious. Where is her room. Please take me to her."
"Why are you getting so riled up? I was only asking you to tell me what you remember?"

"Because you're mad at me and I didn't do anything." He didn't want to admit that he was scared of her. Many people were.

"I'm not mad at you specifically. Come on then, I'll show you that she's alright and then you tell me what you remember." She waited for his move.

"I trust your judgement... If she's genuinely alright. Gods, Angrboda, if I had blacked out and did something to her." His hands were in his hair again. "She hates me." Coward, he chided himself. "And I just left her there, alone. No. I'm sorry. Beat me up. Go ahead. I can't face her."

Her eyes started to smolder, "Are you implying that you might have done something to her? Because she has become an ice wall. I need her to tell me what happened and I have a feeling that seeing you might help. If you are no help, then I'll beat you up to work away some frustration."

He lifted up his hands to give her permission.

"Not now idiot! Come on, you and Lavender can tell me what happened together. You can tell me what you remember and she can fill in the rest."

"If she freaks out on me, scratch my eyes out, I'm holding you responsible."

"I don't care. Come on," she led the way back to Lavender's room.



This time she knocked when she reached the door and waited for Lavender to invite them in.

"Who is it?" Lavender's voice betrayed her state of mind. She was on edge.

"It's me. I brought someone who knows some of the details to where you were tonight," she got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She's going to hate me, but it's okay. I need to know.

Silence. "Go away."

"I will not," annoyance had begun to grow into genuine anger. She motioned for Bulrick to wait there and opened the door. Stepping halfway into the room.
"Bulrick has been very vague as to the happenings of tonight and I am very concerned." It nearly killed her to admit it.

Lavender's eyes widened in fear. "Get out!" Her voice cracked in the high notes and she hurried to the door, slamming it in Bulrick's face and locking it, then looking about her for an escape. "How could you?" Tears pricked her eyes. "You just couldn't wait for me to tell you, could you? You had to bring him to my door? Who are you?"

"I brought *him* to your door, because he had some information on what happened to you. And who am I?" She bristled, "Your sister!"

"By blood, not by bond." The words were out before she could stop herself.

Angrboda's clenched her jaw, until a muscle started to bounce in her neck. Without a word she moved to the door.

“Don’t!”

"Don't do what?" Angrboda rested her hand against the door.

"Don't let him in." Lavender had her back pressed to the wall and her hands in front of her, her feet close together.

"What's the matter? Tell me... please?" she faced Lavender now with her back to the door.

"I can't." Tears spilled over her cheeks. "Please. Try to understand."

"I don't," she pursed her lips then turned away. "I'll leave and take him with me."

"Can we go then? And never come back?"

"You will, but I'll probably always come back."

Lavender nodded and locked herself in the bathroom.

She opened the door, stepped outside and closed it again. Resting her back against it. Bulrick was gone. A feral growl rumbled from her throat and set off after his lingering scent.