It's all I can do to limp away from the battle grounds after hearing the judgement. My pride has taken almost as hard of a beating as my body at this point. My father was undefeated in his reign over Paracon. I'm pretty sure everyone expected the same of me. It was a lot of pressure but I felt like I was thriving under it...until now. With the weight of defeat heavy on my shoulders, I move slower than a snail toward the first creek I can find, anywhere clean enough to collapse and soak my wounds. I still hold nothing against Covet for his challenge, though his last words burn in my mind. He doesn't think we could have worked together for a solution? I don't understand how my son being rude meant he shouldn't be given a chance as alpha over a pack some day. It means he still has something to learn but surely manners can be taught. It's not like he's unsavable. How does taking him out of a place of power make him more polite? I don't understand Covet's logic in this at all but to each their own.

I feel the shame pressing on me, though I'm sure the bite to my ribcage has something to do with it. I find it harder to draw breath but my body won't quit shaking from pain either. I whinmper with every step of my injured back leg. It's hard to hold up and even harder to put down. My neck is merely an agitation at this point compared to the rest of me. My stomach is the worst. The tearing makes me feel like I've been torn in half, my tail tucked as if keeping my back half tucked this way will somehow hold me together. If my intestines start to drop out while i'm walking, I swear I'll throw up and then probably faint. I've never felt this kind of pain before. Covet apparently takes manners very seriously. I usually never go for killing blows in fights but when he turned on the murder score and decided he was out for my blood with that trachea attack, I knew then that I had to change up my plan. I hate that Diveen now has a crippled alpha to watch over them but I've also picked up news that most of the wolves have departed from there.

I feel a sense of pride to know that the pack does not hold by the land that they live on but by the wolves that surround them. Isola really knows how to keep loyalty, that's for sure. I know they didn't move for me. I still feel like I let them down, though. I brought this on them, made them have to make that decision to follow someone new or leave. I have heard that my family heads for Spirane so once I clean up, that's my next stop. Of course with the smell of water in my nose, I follow it to the creek, making it as far as the bank before I collapse and have to use my front legs to drag me into the water. I howl in pain as my stomach scrapes across the ground but the moment the water finds it, I have to grit my teeth to keep from really sounding like a baby. I lie there with my head on the bank for who knows how long? My eye lids feel heavy and after some time, I sleep but it is fitful and pain continuously clouds my mind. When I finally pull my eyes open, it's only to find a vulture staring at me, those beady eyes daring me to try to defend myself. Dogged on by the need to get to my family, I growl and snap at the air, enough to ruffle the vulture's feathers as it hops back. Wow, I couldn't even get it to take flight. Now I really feel weak.

The sun seems lower in the sky and I know I need to find them before Isola gets really worried and sends someone after me. The thought of her face is all that keeps me going as I clench my jaw and pull my weight to my front legs. I drag the back half a couple steps ebfore I'm able to get my bad leg under me. Antoher whine falls from my lips as I stretch my stomach but I know once I get moving, the numb feeling spreads and makes it a little easier. At least my wounds are cleaner than they were, but I didn't put my head under to clean the dried blood away from my muzzle and neck. At this point, I could care less. I make it only a few steps before the feeling of collapse is eminent and just as I'm about to do just that, I see a heavenly figure ahead. I stop and blink, squinting my eyes and finally recognition hits me as I whine as way of greeting. "Maddox..." I whisper breathlessly as he makes it to me, my dry nose reaching for his shoulder to acknowledge him but my weight gives out. As I'm about to drop, I feel the warm press of his shoulder into me, holding me up and I let out a breath of relief. Without another word, he shoulders me foward and I know with a great wave of appreciation that he's taking me to my new home for now, to my family.

"Thank...you..." I breathe the words out in between painful steps, trying to keep the whimpers to a minimum as they push past my lips every time my bad leg throbs or my stomach stings. When I see the mountains ahead, a happier whine pushes past my lips, hope glowing in my blue gold eyes of seeing my beautiful Isola. And there she is, as perfect as ever, talking to Daenerys. She looks worried and I try to call out to her, my voice falling flat on nothing more than the same whines I've been doing all day. I force my ears forward and try to straighten but my strength is not enough and once more I have to lean on Maddox, thankful as ever for his continuing support. Calliel is with her and I hate for her to see me like this, my head ducking in shame and suddenly I'm lost for words. What can I say? As we get closer, my eyes remain averted to the ground as my ears fold back and my tail tucks. "I'm....sorry. I let you down." I whisper the words.