Not Quite What Was Planned [DragonSong]

[Juno]

Wary eyes followed their conversation, a gradual sense of acceptance releasing the tension in his shoulders at Cara's word. She seemed...honest. He wanted to trust her.

The protest rising from her brothers caused him to flinch, though, a heavy sigh escaping him as he lifted his hands to rub at his face. Dominik shook his head slowly. How could he just...go with them? It seemed insane to just follow them somewhere unfamiliar, but he supposed Cara's cottage was barely any better in that regard. Being on the move, though...it had to be better in the long run than waiting to be found.

"Well where is somewhere safe?" he challenged with a huff, brow furrowed in concern as his eyes flickered between them before settling on Liam. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, an unspoken question there. Wouldn't he just slow us down?

The hunter was entirely unfamiliar with the werewolf's biology, having no idea if he might heal quickly enough to go along without assistance... But the way they spoke of this threat to himself and Cara seemed incredibly urgent.

[DragonSong]

"That's...sort of the problem." Aiden sighed-- and seemed to finally remember the chill he was causing, drawing it back into himself as much as he could with guilty glance at the now shivering Liam. "There's really no one safe place. If there was, we'd have taken Cara there and--"

"What? Abandoned me again?" Cara asked blandly with another sip of her tea.

Aiden winced, guilt clenching in his chest.

[Juno]

Dominik shuddered involuntarily as the air suddenly changed again and cast a wary look at Aiden as he spoke. He shook his head, eyeing Cara and wondering for a moment by Aiden's reaction if she was about to fling some of her magic again.

After a few moment's silence in the room he finally spoke up again, leg tapping anxiously again, "If nowhere is going to be entirely safe then what? Stay on the move for a few weeks? Months?"

[DragonSong]

Liam sighed, dropping his eyes, and Aiden pursed his lips. "Well...yes. That's sort of plan."

"Oh?" Cara stared at them both, and for a moment she seemed to almost emit the same chill her eldest brother did. "And when exactly were you planning on asking my opinion?" She frowned. "Wait-- how long have you been planning this?!"

"We weren't!" Liam hurried to say. "I mean...not really. We write letters sometimes, but there was no guarantee they'd even make it to each other--"

"You. Wrote. Letters?"

Both men's eyes widened. Oh shit.

[Juno]

It didn't bother him so much that they had a plan already to protect Cara, and himself by extension. It was better than his own idea of continuing to go about his life as though there was nothing looming over him and he wouldn't be at risk being out on his own.

It seemed their secrets from one another continued, though, and he hissed softly under his breath for Cara's outrage rearing up again. It didn't seem exactly undeserved, though. Family secrets were painful and he really did feel for her for that.

"Can it wait at all?" he asked quietly, directing his question to the werewolf as he eyed Liam with a careful look and an apologetic half-smile. "You don't exactly seem in the best shape for that right now."

[DragonSong]

That seemed to be enough to snap the other two siblings out of another brewing argument-- or rather screaming match, as it seemed unlikely Cara would be really capable of anything else in her current state.

Liam smiled quickly as their attention turned to him and shook his head. "No really, I'm fine. Just give me an hour or so and I'll be good to go."

Cara snorted. "Bullshit. I don't care how fast you heal, that wound needs at least a day, even for a werewolf."

Aiden glanced at the window again, the ever sinking sun. "I don't know if we have that long..."

[Juno]

Dominik was entirely unfamiliar with werewolves, having no idea which of the siblings was more correct in the matter of healing. He'd heard things...but what was true seemed to vary from person to person from stories through his travels.

He eyed Liam with open worry and skepticism. It was his fault he'd gotten him into this position, and he wasn't entirely sure what he could even do to help that wouldn't somewhat expose his secret.

"I could carry you," he offered, voice quieter and the words spoken with a calculated and thoughtful slowness as he eyed the werewolf across the table. "You're no worse than a big stag, I'm used to it."

[DragonSong]

"Whoa, hey." Liam frowned. "I'm not some invalid. Seriously, just give me a few hours and I'll be good to go."

"And I'm telling you you're an idiot," Cara snapped. "You need at least a day, and that's if your healing is augmented with some actual medical attention!"

Millie, who rather seemed to have simply appeared on her mistress's shoulder, chittered, picking up on her agitation.

"Enough, both you you!" Aiden snapped, a burst of cold sweeping out from his form. "While you two squabble like children a whole legion could sneak up on us!"

[Juno]

It had been worth a try. Dominik just shrugged, hoping Liam was being honest but thinking he might not have been from Cara's response. With Millie chiming in the cloud of voices and noise in the room was almost too much and he dropped his face into his hands again, though it didn't really help to block any of it out. What a mess.

The short blast of cold from Aiden got his attention, though, and he lifted his head to glower for his dramatics. He couldn't help a disbelieving snort. A whole legion. Surely there was no way their problem was that big. Right?

"What do you propose we do, then? Doesn't seem like we have many options..."

[DragonSong]

"A sled might work," Aiden mused. "Something we could drag along until he's healed enough to walk."

"Hold on, who said I'm leaving?" Cara scowled at her brothers. "Maybe it's easier for you two to forget, but this is my home. I can't just up and run off."

[Juno]

The hunter nodded thoughtfully, a sled was certainly more dignified than being carried but unless Cara had one already it would be a further delay to build one, though he supposed something that only had to be temporary would be a quick thing to construct. Dominik couldn't help but shoot her a tired and worried look at her very vocal protests.

"It's not forever, Cara, just a few weeks to get them off our trail." Of course...then what? Perhaps he would be free to go but surely if she came home they would eventually catch up to her again.

He was convinced of the danger looming over them and he wanted no part in sitting and waiting for it to come for them. Her brothers had come specifically to warn her and ensure her safety, he'd certainly gotten himself mixed up in quite a mess but he had a feeling they would stay and guard her if she refused to leave. That would only make Dominik more vulnerable, but he didn't think wanting them to live was exactly a selfish desire.

[DragonSong]

"Oi, you hush--!"

"Cara."

Adrien's voice froze her in place. His attention was on the window rather than the other occupants of the room. Liam tensed, and even Cara felt an instinctive chill run down her spine.

"Get into the workshop and lock the door," her brother hissed.

For once she didn't argue, darting forward to grab Liam's arm and sling it around her shoulders. "Help me," she whispered to Dominik as she helped her brother stand.

[Juno]

The sudden shift in the air and Aiden's tone sent a shiver racing along his back and over his wings. Something seemed distinctly not right and it took the hunter a few moments to realize...he was afraid.

"Yeah," he gruffed, springing into action after a few moments more of hesitant stillness. Joining up at Liam's free side, Dominik settled a steadying arm around his waist and shuffled along with them towards the door that separated the two spaces to push through to the workshop.

"Is it...them?" he whispered, asking no one in particular and half-expecting silence for the shifting mood of the siblings.

[DragonSong]

"That depends on who them is," Cara grumbled, and Liam huffed.

"I can't smell anything," he hissed. "I don't know what Aiden's sensing-- but I trust his instincts."

"Well, what do we do?" Cara grunted slightly as she shuffled her brother into the workroom. "Aiden!" She leaned out of the doorway, eyes narrowed. "Come on, what are you doing?"

[Juno]

Dominik eyed Cara warily and stopped short himself when she paused to lean through the doorway again. She really didn't like listening to them, did she?

"The door, Cara? Close the door," he prompted, nearly trembling with the effort to keep his wings still against his back. Aiden had seemed pretty serious and it had his nerves on edge.

[DragonSong]

"I'm not leaving him out there by himself," Cara hissed back, but before she could argue further Aiden appeared before her, one hand on the door and the other giving her shoulder a firm shove, knocking her back.

"I'll lead them away," her brother hissed quickly. He looked to Liam, paused, then flicked his eyes to Dominik. The near-stranger was his best bet for rationality.

Wasn't that depressing?

"There's a glade about three miles northwest, you know it? I don't care how, but once I've led them off you need to get these two there. I'll meet you."

"Hold on a fucking--"

"Aiden, you can't--"

The door slammed shut. By the time Cara had recovered enough to fling it open again, her brother had vanished.

[Juno]

Dominik met Aiden's eyes for that brief moment and was a little stunned he was entrusting him to such a thing. He didn't feel like he really had much choice anyway though, the hunter fairly convinced his own life might be in danger if he didn't heed his instruction.

He looked between brother and sister in silence, confusion written on his face for how he'd even gotten caught up in their problems. Hunting Liam. The damned wolf that was now a man... Blessedly it was a time he hadn't struck true, hadn't killed him outright by mistake but what trouble it had led him to.

"Well you heard him," Dominik finally gruffed, narrowing his eyes at them with a serious sternness. "We need to get going, that's a long way." And it was dark, the woods shrouded in mist, and they'd be taking an injured werewolf with them.

He moved to guide Liam towards the nearest wall he could lean upon before leaving him to stoop and gather his belongings all over again. There was no way he was chancing leaving anything behind. "Get whatever you'll need and then we're leaving," he ordered grumpily.

[DragonSong]

"No." Cara was shaking, one hand on the door handle. "No no no no no, I can't leave him out there by himself."

"Wynnie." Liam winced as he reached out to her. "I hate it too, you know I do, but Aiden's right. Our best shot is for him to lead them off."

The with shook her head, unmoving. Then she took a sharp breath and pulled away, swiping at her eyes. "Okay. Okay, we need supplies. The workroom door is spelled for protection, but we need food from the kitchen."

[Juno]

Dominik was tense, a frown fixed upon his face as he silently wondered just how he was going to manage to convince Cara it was what they needed to do. Even Liam was agreeing with him, but of course the witch was a stubborn one. But...finally she seemed to see sense and he relaxed a little from his uneasy front. He turned to face her once he'd gotten his own gear ready again, not that much had been shifted when he'd last removed it all.

"If you'd rather stay with Liam... I can get whatever you need," he offered, eyeing the door cautiously.

[DragonSong]

She shook her head firmly, stepping up beside him. "No. Of the three of us, you and I are the best equipped to...handle things, if something goes wrong. I'll spell the door so Liam's safe."