Blood? 

Marquise took in another deep breath just to be sure. 

Someone is definitely bleeding, or has dried blood on them. 

They weren't too far away from their destination, he'd imagine, so it wasn't too surprising to smell such a thing, but he'd thought that Vrasje had ordered no one to attack. 

No one has. Several of the wolves are injured. 

Marquise frowned as he held on a little tighter where he'd wrapped his arms around Vrasje's neck. 

Probably a fight with another pack near the border, he pondered. 

They slowed to a stop a few minutes later and Vrasje carefully set him down on his feet. After a quick stretch Marquise looked across the clearing to the shadowy figures hunkered down in the forest beyond. 

Hello? he thought, projecting the word toward the group of wolves. 

It had been quite a while since he'd talked to his own species in such a way, but it seemed easy enough to pick back up. 

He immediately felt a cautious wave curious whispers swim through his mind, making him smile as his invisible tail swished with excitement. He was just about to begin walking forward when a firm hand grasped his wrist, stopping him before he could take a single step. 

Looking over his shoulder, he wasn't surprised to see his vampire staring at him disapprovingly. 

"I'll be okay. They aren't interested in attacking, just like your men told you. They're really nervous and stressed." 

Vrasje tugged him back against him and settled an arm around his waist. 

"Stressed animals tend to be the most vicious. Did they tell you why they are here?" Vrasje asked, not willing to let him wiggle his way free. 

Holding back a pout, Marquise looked back toward the pack of wolves and was surprised to see a few poking their heads out from the lower vegetation. 

Hello, my name is Marquise and I live in this town. The person beside me is named Vrasje and he's normally a hunter, but he's willing to talk since you guys aren't being aggressive. Is there something specific you came her for?

He waited in silence as the pack considered their words, then, finally, a massive male walked out from behind a large thorn bush. 

Brown? 

He didn't know the wolf's real name, if it even had one, but he'd definitely come to blows with it before. It was obvious right away that the wolf was injured, limping with its back right leg held up, but what took Marquise's attention almost immediately was what he saw between the large wolf's jaws. 

A pup?!

Shoving away Vrasje's arm, Marquise hurried forward with only a slight limp. 

The other alpha paused for a moment to consider the situation, but when it didn't retreat Marquise continued until he was only a few feet away. He then carefully lowered himself into the tall grass, making himself the least imposing he could. 

He normally wouldn't get so close to a wolf he didn't know well, but there were plenty of vampires behind him with silver crossbows pointed toward the pack. They wouldn't dare start being aggressive just because he got a bit closer. 

Alpha Marquise.

There he was. 

"Brown wolf," Marquise said as he bowed his head in greeting. 

The wolf returned his greeting with a slight bob of its own head, but there was clearly a rush to his actions. 

Alpha, I do not know your situation or how you came to be as you are, and at this time, I do not care. Are your vampires able to heal this pup? 

Marquise glanced over his shoulder and was a little startled when he saw Vrasje only a few paces away. 

"Are we able to help the pup, Jey?" 

Vrasje looked behind himself, drawing Marquise's attention until he saw his master arrive!

"Taru!" he greeted happily as the man approached. 

Taru smiled warmly at him, then turned that sweet grin toward the nervous wolf in front of them. He stopped right at Marquise's side, then calmly sat down beside him before speaking. 

"Hello, I'm one of this town's doctors. I'd be happy to look at your sweet pup for you." 

The alpha flicked an ear, then limped the remaining few steps separating them before, ever-so-gently, setting the little bloody pup in the grass in front of them. 

Marquise quickly but gently picked up the bloody bundle of fur, then turned slightly as he held it out so that Taru could look it over easier. 

Several wolves from another pack slipped into our den while our hunters were gone. They killed three of the guards and severely injured two others before we got back to defend the pups. He's the only one left. 

Marquise nodded and relayed the important bit of the information he was given.

"Another pack got to him. Killed all the others." 

Taru nodded as he looked over the pup closely, his previous smile slipping downward into a frown quite quickly. It didn't take him long before he was looking back up at the panting alpha  before them. 

"I might be able to help him but it will not be easy. I need to take him back to my home as soon as possible. Will you allow that?" he asked as the wolf lifted its lips away from its teeth a few times. 

"Of course, you are welcome to come along. I would be willing to look at your injuries, too, but the townsfolk here aren't too keen on wolves so I can't extend that invitation to your entire pack at this time," Taru added, his words seemingly calming the large beast some. 

The brown wolf limped forward until its massive muzzle was able to nuzzle the pup's limp body in Marquise's arms. 

I will follow you, alpha Marquise, the wolf said after a tense moment of silence. 

Marquise nodded and carefully got to his feet after handing the pup off to Taru. Before he was even able to straighten Vrasje was beside him, lifting his shaky body into his arms. 

Didn't realize I was shaking so much. 

Vrasje held him close as he wrapped his legs around the vampire's waist. 

Remember, Pepper ran around with Taru earlier, then you bathed and were running about getting ready. You're still not completely healed, you need to be more careful, he thought to him, chastising even as he rubbed his back with one hand. 

The alpha followed them silently, his attention completely focused on the little bloody ball of fur in Taru's arms. 

Once they were able to get an understanding on how fast the injured alpha could travel they made their way back to Taru's home as quickly as possible. 

As soon as Taru walked in the door he was all business. They went to the familiar room where he'd initially been treated. To his surprise, though, there were quite a few more things inside of it now. 

I was ready in case anyone else tried to hurt you, Taru thought to him as he busied himself wiping off the pup with a damp cloth to reveal several deep puncture wounds around its neck and chest. 

He made sure to keep the pup on a cloth spread out on the side of the bed where he intended to treat it so that the alpha could stay close. 

After securing an IV to its little paw he got busy cleaning up the wounds one at a time, then sewed them each up with care. 

"Phew, I think I'm just about done," he said as he cleaned up the last bit of blood from the top of its coat. 

It would definitely need a bath at some point, but at least it didn't look nearly as bad now. In fact... 

A quiet, miniscule whine squeaked from the tiny bundle of mussed fur as its little paw flexed the slightest bit. 

"There you are, little one. Don't worry, you'll be feeling better in no time," Taru said as he gently added a little medication to the spot behind its head that was likely to help with any fleas or ticks that had wandered onto it. 

The alpha had been resting on the floor while Taru worked in order to stay out of the way, but it now stood and licked the pup's little muzzle. It gave out another exhausted cry in response, making the alpha grumble back and swish its tail a few times. 

My thanks to you and your vampires, it thought to him, making Marquise smile from where he'd been forced to sit down by Vrasje. 

"Would you like to take a bath while you're here? I can look at your injury, too," Taru said as he turned to the alpha. 

The brown wolf quickly shook its head, its entire focus on the little pup in front of its nose. 

"Alright, what about the rest of your pack? Do any of the other wolves need tended?" Taru asked right before Marquise pushed himself back up to his feet and walked closer. 

"You need to let Taru look at you. If your leg is broken you won't be much good to your pack for very long."

The other alpha raised its hackles slightly, but the gesture was miniscule. It knew that he was right. To his surprise, and likely everyone else's in the room, instead of just lying down to allow his master to examine him, the wolf's form wavered, then blurred until a thin, dirty young man sat leaning against the side of the bed. 

It was now easy to tell that he was in severe pain since there was no longer fur covering his features. His leg had clearly been torn up by another wolf. There was even a bit of bone visible that had punctured through the layer of skin previously containing it. 

Taru didn't hesitate to sit down beside him with some of his medical supplies and begin working. The alpha's leg took much longer to mend than the little pup he'd brought with him. 

It clearly hurt a lot, too, but he kept his lips sealed and didn't lift a single finger toward Taru no matter what the man did. 

Marquise was honestly surprised that he had shifted at all, but it definitely seemed to make it easier on Taru dealing with a human leg instead of a giant furry one. 

By the time midnight came around Taru was just finishing up. 

"You're going to have to use a crutch for a bit, but your leg should heal as long as you're careful for a little while," Taru said, earning a tense nod from the man as he finally looked over at him with his bright gold eyes. 

It's a good thing that Kova isn't here. That stare would not make the man very happy... at all. 

Heck, he wasn't very happy with it, either, but the man was behaving as well as they could hope. Better, even. If he wanted to look at Taru in such a way, what did it really matter? So long as he didn't act out at all. 

"Alright, it's bed time for you," Vrasje said suddenly as he picked Marquise up and began heading for the door, drawing everyone's attention to him. 

I could have walked out myself...

Either way, he only grumbled a bit as he wrapped his arms and legs around the man now carrying him down the hall.

"You're not allowed near him without me there," Vrasje said, making Marquise lean back just enough to glare at him. 

"He's not going to do anything to me. We fought some in the past over territory, but he's clearly injured and knows he's not going to win anything here." 

Vrasje returned his glare with a harsh one of his own as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. 

"And what are you? Are you not injured? Do you not have permanent disabilities that would make you an easy target for him if he decided to try anything?" Vrasje hissed, clearly angry that he wasn't taking the situation more seriously. 

Marquise wisely shut his mouth, but that didn't stop him from scowling against the man's shoulder.   

 "I love you, Marra. I'm sorry I'm overprotective," Vrasje eventually said as they walked out the front door and turned in the direction of their own home. 

Marquise pouted for a few more minutes before the smell of something delicious caught his attention and he sniffed the air a few times. 

"Hungry, love? I think there's a night market going on this evening," Vrasje asked as he gently set Marquise back down on his feet, then took his hand. 

"Would you like to stop by on the way home?" 

Marquise was already following his nose, making Vrasje chuckle quietly as he followed along. They spent a good hour at the market, sampling pastries, meat pies, and even each others' mouths a few times. 

It was the first time in a long time that he'd been able to relax and just have fun. Of course, they had quite a few sets of eyes on them the entire time, especially since Vrasje was in his hunting outfit, but no one ended up bothering them. 

By the time they had finished their last bite of food Marquise was becoming dizzy with the need to rest. Vrasje noticed immediately, and with practiced ease simply lifted him back up into his arms and carried his sleeping form all the way home with a content smile on his face.