"Why was she out there ALONE?!"
Aragon stormed out of the clergy den, the wolves around him scattering as he sent a fiery look in their direction. Letting out a huff, his ears flattened against his head as he began to stalk back and forth, thoughts racing over what had happened. A member of his pack had been attacked - Maske had been attacked - and now, now.... He shook his head, trying to think straight. He was the alpha, he needed a level head to make decisions, but Maske... Why her?
"Solo patrols are a thing, you know. No one knew...."
She was found patrolling, something he remembered her mentioning that she had no interest in doing. So why? Why was she out there? Could her thoughts really have lead her to doing something so reckless?!
But then, the rumors were just that - rumors. He could already see her saying that rumors were not something to worry over. That the wolves she'd met on her journeys were generally friendly, but "generally" did not mean "always". Looking back, he'd always been so worried for her while she was out and about, but as it turned out, she was just as in danger here, maybe more so because of how lax the pack had become. She was so confident, so headstrong...
"She's been going out a lot lately... She... She said she had a lot on her mind...."
His face pinched as he thought about that sentence. He had a feeling he knew what was on her mind lately, and the voice in the back of his head reminded him that he had even come across one of her "patrols". Had he pushed her too much? Had she been so preoccupied that....
Aragon closed his eyes, breathing in deeply in a vain attempt to calm his raging thoughts. No, perhaps not calming them. Pushing them aside, more like it. He was King, and he needed to lead.
"Who attacked her?!"
"We don't know.... The Knight who found her said they'd fled before she could get a good look but... she did say...."
A berserker in their territory, one that had chosen to attack instead of leaving. Nowadays, it was almost unheard of! He had even begun to think that the elders' rantings about berserkers were perhaps one-sided. But now... he would never question it now. The pack was unsettled, terror coursing through them at the thought of a rogue like that wandering around. They needed answers. They needed to act.
"Her attacker got away then...."
Amber eyes burned as he turned and headed back to the clergy den. Plans needed to be made, search parties formed, allies contacted and warned... There would be no rest for him in the coming days. Not that he particularly cared about that right now. He wished he could stay by her side, but he would be no help here.
No, he was needed elsewhere. He would not allow this kind of thing to happen again.
"They won't get away with this. I promise."
The hunt would begin soon, and he wanted their prey's head.
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