Elyana continued to sniff the air frantically, getting up slowly. “Someone is coming,” she told Plague and Lorque. For a minute the two stags were prepared for Xylen, when suddenly Elyana spoke up, “Aya!”. Out from behind a tree appeared Ayanel. She smiled to the stags and walked up to Lorque nuzzling him lovingly. He nuzzled her in return, happy to see his mate. She then nuzzles Plague smiling, then turns to Elyana "How are you, sis?" she speaks softly somewhat exasperated, it seemed.

Then she whispers to Elyana, "I would advise not going to Xylen. The dense head is angry again". Elyana suddenly made an uncomfortable sound. "Did you make him mad again?" Elyana said noticing a small nick on Ayanel’s neck. "Did he hurt you?!". Ayanel smiled and shook her head chuckling "I’m too fast for that brute…he only got me a little.". She smiled nuzzling her younger sister. Plague had come up between Lorque and Ayanel, seeming to want to bother Lorque. Yet at the mention of Ayanel being harmed both stags looked to her worriedly. Lorque looked to Ayanel asking her why her brother would dare harm her. He was worried asking what Xylen’s motivation for striking her was.

She looks to both, about to talk, when Elyana screamed suddenly, "AYA! YOU’RE BLEEDING!!" on Ayanel’s back she had a gash running from the back of her neck to the shoulder blades. Plague looked at Elyana immediately when she screamed, and the second she got her words out, the tall stag looked at Ayanel's neck. Indeed, there was a bloody gash.

Ayanel looked to Elyana confused, "I do? I was wondering why I was feeling a pain back there, I thought he missed me...". Lorque tried to look but with Plague and Elyana in his way he could hardly see a thing. Ayanel tried to turn her neck, but that was when she felt it, and curled onto the ground in pain "OH, IT HURTS!." she cried, not moving her neck anymore. Lorque looked and finally saw the wound. He proposed taking her to the lake but she looked like she was in so much pain. He quickly lay beside her nuzzling her gently.

Plague glanced fleetingly back at Lorque before looking down at Ayanel's wound. He was thinking quickly. What could he do that would potentially allow him to transfer his rapid-healing ability to Ayanel and heal her neck wound? Maybe if he licked it... his saliva may have the healing abilities to heal it. "Stop right there, Plague!!", a familiar voice said from behind them all.

All of them looked to where the sound came from. Ferin came over to them and looked to Plague. "I would rather heal her than you, Plague. I know you mean good…but I still would rather do it. I do not know what might happen if your saliva met with her blood." Plague seemed to have realized what he was about to do and stepped back. It was true, what would stop him from draining the blood from her body? Lorque told her to stay still as Ferin walked up to them. Lorque then quickly looked to Ferin, asking if Ferin really could heal the wound as he said. Ferin looked at Ayanel’s back and nodded. "Yes...", he then leaned in and pressed his nose to the wound healing it instantly.

Lorque's eyes widened at the sight and he sighed in relief. He bowed to Ferin, giving him his thanks, then nuzzled his mate Ayanel gently. He then mentioned that they needed to do something about Xylen. Ferin sighed "I know this, Lorque...but that youth is a challenge.", he looked down. "He does what he does out of love for his sisters. I have told him many times to not touch them. I personally have fought him many times out of anger, yet he doesn’t seem to understand that what he does is wrong." Ferin then looked to Ayanel and Elyana, "I am sure you both know this?"

Ayanel nodded slowly looking down sadly. "It’s exactly how Ferin says... Xylen... has lost everyone...I didn’t know about my own past until he came into the forest." She then closes her eyes gently as she speaks, "He is frightened of losing Elyana and myself. To him, anything is worth keeping us with him. Xylen has no one except me and Ely.". Plague and Lorque both listened to their words. Plague seeming more angry every time they mentioned Xylen’s name.

Elyana then spoke softly, "Elyana knows Plague and Lorque do not like Xylen...but Xylen is our brother...Xylen is all Elyana and Aya have left of family.", she looks down. "Elyana is scared of Xylen but Elyana doesn’t know where to go...Elyana is all alone when Ayanel is not around.". Plague shook his head, not daring to come closer in case Ayanel’s wounds opened up again. He explained how Elyana was not alone. How she had Lorque and himself to watch over her. Lorque nodded slowly, and after taking another glimpse at Plague, he turned his head again.

He said how Elyana didn’t have to be alone and even if she had to be alone, that was better than being with an abusive family member. He continues to speak telling her that what Xylen was doing was terribly wrong and hurtful to everyone. Ayanel looked to her little sister and sighs looking to the others, "We really don't know what we are going to do..." she was about to speak some more when a sharp call was heard in the distance.

"He is looking for us, or me, perhaps; since I gave him a nasty bump on his back." Plague's ears pricked and swiveled in the direction of the distant call. His slit pupils contracted, becoming thin lines in his crimson irises. His fur seemed to rise slightly, like an angered cat's would. He watched the environment warily, keeping a lifted ear to sense Xylen. Ferin looked up and sighed "I shall confront him and try to stop him from coming." He moved off, running towards the direction of the call.

Elyana suddenly began to quiver. "He's coming...", she began to tremble in fear. "He...he will be mad at Elyana...". Plague growled and moved so that he was standing in between the group and the direction of Xylen. He stated that Xylen could be mad, but no matter what, he wouldn’t let Xylen act on his anger. Ayanel moved towards Lorque also somewhat fearful, but not like Elyana. Ayanel never has to spend every day with her brother, and nuzzles Lorque, glad to have him as the one she spends her days with. She looked to Elyana sadly, not wanting her sister to ever have to go back to staying with Xylen again.

Even Lorque stepped forward this time. After the training he received from Ferin, he felt stronger and braver to confront Xylen. He nuzzled Ayanel and listened closely for Xylen and Ferin. Something inside him hoped that Xylen would learn his lesson earlier today. Yet, he doubted that would happen. A sudden yelling was heard from the distance. A warning one from Ferin, then an even louder one and a quick clashing sound. Then Ferin’s call raised up loud through the forest "BEWARE! HE’S COMING YOUR WAY!!", was what he screamed in the distance.

Ayanel started to move back suddenly very frightened. Elyana moved as well trembling at her sisters side. Plague's ears pricked at Ferin's call and knew exactly its reason. The tall vampyric stag's ears pinned back and rage exploded within him, tossing his head and his growling growing louder. His fangs snapped, his eyes ablaze with the fury that burned within. Lorque shivered, but refused to show any fear. He scratched the ground beneath him. He warned for Ayanel and Elyana to hide themselves. Elyana was worried also and looked to Plague and Lorque, "You won't hurt him too much, right? Just make him go away, okay?", she pleaded with them both. Ayanel also nodded "If anything, chase him off, please? He is still our brother..." The two stags nodded towards the females, Plague seeming a little bit unhappy at agreeing to what they had asked of him. With that, the females ran off to hide behind a tree, not wanting to venture too far from the stags.

Then on the top of the hill they saw him, the large antlers the furious eyes of a false guardian staring down at them. It was Xylen, and he seemed ready to fight.