The Healer.
Billie Martin ~ Bird.

The Salt Cliffs Pack Land.

"He's severely injured and I destroyed most of his connection to the ancestral realm, but I didn't have enough time to finish the job meaning he can still pull from there, we'll need Ari to figure out way to cut him off completely." Johnny explained as he stood next to his brother who kept him there protectively. "Alright, I doubt he'll have any reinforcements but just to stay in the clear, we're evacuating the Salt Cliffs region to the Felds." The patriarch stated as Jax closed his eyes, it was almost midnight, they had to go.

"It's time we go." Johnny began but stopped in his tracks as the sky turned to an aurora of different shades of orange all lighting it up, several portals around them and beyond opened aswell, wolves from all the other packs walked out. "Wow, —Ive never seen a clans gathering this large." Johnny mumbled. "It's never happened before Jonathan." Doctor Charlton replied as she came up to them. "Why are you, —how did you?" Mikhail questioned. "Isn't it obvious." Jax retorted as he pointed to the sky. "Adrian Brooke, that child will never cease to amaze me." Sonia muttered as she smiled toward her father.

A portal opened behind Jax, this one was different, it pulled to the boys. "Adrian, a word!" Mikhail yelled before the two could walk through. "Mikhail I have myself abundantly clearly." The witch spat as he walked out of the portal, it was actually the clone from before, Johnny and Jax recognized it and since the clone wasn't heavily pregnant it was obvious. "No you haven't, I want to talk to Skyler, we both know that you're the only person capable of erasing someone's very existence on this continent, making sure you alone know where he is, he'd never trust anyone else." Mikhail argued as Ari just sighed with a hand on his forehead.

"You don't get it do you, strong alpha, brooding alpha, —you don't get to do whatever you want just because you're the dominant strong alpha and everyone will bend to your will, it doesn't work like that, you are not almighty, you serve the people, you serve your family, and they are the ones that choose you to become, —for Skyler, you promised him so many things, you gave him false hope, and when the time came to fulfil any of the promises you made, you left him to the ruling of a man who barely knew him, —you didn't care nor love Skyler, you love you Mikhail, —a wolf does not harm his love, he nurtures it, gives it hope and in the darkest hour a wolf will do anything to protect what it holds dear, —thats the way, the code of the wolves, look behind you!" Ari screamed as he and Mikhail faced the different clan wolves.

"They know the code, they follow it because if you nurture love, when it blooms it doesn't fade away into embers, it comes back to you, and nurtures you in return, —you're no more worthy to know where Skyler is than any of your family, you abused him, broke him and lied to him, used him until he was hollow and had nothing to give nolonger, so how dare you come screaming to know where he is, —how dare you demand I show you where he is, whether I know or don't know where he is, it's my choice, —and he is one of my kind, I will strike you down if you ever come to me begging to see him again, —I want you and your sister to fall onto this scorched earth and beg your father for mercy, and you to beg the clans for forgiveness because you have broken their sacred oaths." Ari's voice carried power and sharpness, it resonated in all who heard him as the sky thundered and lit up with his rage.

As Mikhail slowly walked to his father and so did Alora, they both fell to their knees as their faces touched the earth indeed and they cried, everyone could hear them beg their father for mercy and forgiveness. "Forgive me father." Mikhail cried as did his sister with everyone as witness. "I will think on your punishment, —now Mikhail do as you were told." The patriarch muttered as his son stood up and walked to where the alphas stood in a half circle and threw himself at their mercy, they all growled. "Insolent, foolish, immature boy!" With each insult came a kick or punch, this was the way, if you could not endure the jeers, the pain, you weren't worthy of forgiveness since that is what you had done, it went on for a bit until the alpha, Charlton had introduced to Ari came forward.

"When this war is over, you will spend a month in every pack, learning the ways, if someone who isn't a wolf had to remind you of our ways then you have lost your path, and your penance will help you find it." He gave his judgement as Mikhail nodded, Sonia walked forward and grabbed his hand, then ported away. "This matter is now for the clans, but we still need your help when the time comes Adrian." The patriarch spoke up as he nodded to Jax and Jonathan. "We will be ready." Jax replied as they finally walked into the portal that called them home.

The Milford Home.

"Do you think Mikhail's punishment is really fitting, seems like he got off easy." Johnny muttered as they appeared back in the house. "Ah, ah, —ah, you're dirty, you are not putting mud on my floors, I will not allow it, much worse that soot you have on like you're some sort of junior firefighters." Renee hissed as they walked forward. "Dad, come on, its only a little mud." Johnny whined. "I won't have it, and as for your statement, you have to explain to them." He nodded to their pops who just smiled.

"Okay, a month in each pack means he'll be taught the everyday workings of each pack, he'll also be put on a truth trial using the claws of Hamura, it's actually a blade used by a forefather, uh—too much history there anyway the sword has the power of compulsion, Mikhail will be questioned and aslong as the blade is touching flesh, —he will tell the truth or feel extremely excruciating pain if he doesn't, that he could die from in excess so yeah it's not comforting, if they find out he beat Skyler, or just any type of abuse, the least punishment they could give is a whipping every morning for a week in each month he goes to another pack, for nine months, they call it the cycle of repentance." Nik explained as Johnny now cringed.

"Now I sorta feel sorry for him." Johnny whispered but Nik chuckled. "Wolves heal quickly, but it is horrendous, because you'll also be exposed to the elements after each whipping, to test your mind, and each day you repent you learn the code all over again." Nik replied as the family was now fascinated by this. "Does this apply to me aswell an independent wolf, if I break the code." Johnny asked. "Sweet heart you aren't independent, there is always a higher power until you're the higher power, despite being with your family, you are still of Sovietro blood meaning all the clans, are your clans, you'll have to learn their customs, their traditions, you must learn the land, and if you are to break the code, —which honestly may never happen, you will be subject to wolf trial, no matter how powerful you are, you aren't absolved of your crimes because you're special, —the wolves have barabaric ways but they are effective, wolves are the most primal creatures, brute force gets through more than anything." Nik concluded as Johnny nodded in understanding.

"Dad, beam me up, thanks for the lesson pops." Johnny asserted as he sent air kisses to both of them. "He knows something or suspects it." Renee muttered. "Yeah, he does, he's been noticing his will that won't change back, ever since he attacked the Sovitetro home, it turned black and then he was revealed as the next patriarch, he's been hoping it turns back to red but it's become permanent and he worries about well, —everything, he thinks things will change." Enzo explained as the two older gentlemen sighed. "Things will change Enzo, your mate is destined to be the next leader of this city, like Mikhail in a less painful way, he must learn the codes, the ways, —everything, he must become part of the land and it part of him, —but it doesn't mean what he holds dear must change, he'll need you more than ever, stronger than you are right now because for him to rule this city, he'll need a very terrifying you by his side." Renee explained as Enzo nodded with a smile, if Johnny was meant for him he'd do everything to stand by him.

"You're ready huh." Adrian, well the original version muttered as the sphere he'd cast over Elizabeth had vanished, the cylinder was also flushing away the healing solution he'd made for her. "And oh my good, you look a little too young." Ari mused as he looked at the girl, she now looked fourteen instead of the fifteen he'd originally predicted. She gasped back to life and began coughing harshly. "Hey, —hey its okay, you're safe, you're safe, it's alright." Ari comforted as he spread his warm aura around her, and his protection which gave her the reassurance that she was safe and alright. "I just broke up with my ex." Nik sang as he walked into the lab. "And if it feels right —promise I don't mind." He continued until he noticed the girl and the witch both looking at him amused.

"Okay little mama, I see you." Ari teased. "You shut up." Nik hissed as he took off his airpods and shoved them into his pocket. "Hey sweetheart, you're awake." He sweety exclaimed coming over to the tube as it leveled out to help her get out, Ari already had a large towel for her to wrap around herself. "Where am I, I can't remember much—." She coughed and Nik quickly grabbed a glass of water so when she sat on the conformable single bed in the lab she drank it all. "Im Adrian, you can call me Ari, this is my pops, he and my brother Enzo rescued you from a bunker where Jose was keeping you hostage, how much do you remember?" Ari questioned and Elizabeth was silent until her eyes widened in recognition.

"I remember you, I projected to you, I wanted to warn you, but his power pulled me back." She immediately stated. "That was a few weeks ago, after you warned me, my pops rescued you, you've been in the healing tube ever since." Ari explained as the girl looked at a reflective surface and shrieked away. "What happened to me, what did you do?" She demanded. "The healing sphere and the solution I made was specifically to reverse the effects of your mixed blood and add a bio- nutrient that gave it balance, the sphere reversed you to your normal age, it's still your body but you'll grow normally rather than have sporadic growth spurts, you looked years older whilst you're young." Ari explained as she began to cry.

"I was told there was no cure, the orphanage tried everything, but I was just too much for them to handle." She cried and Nik sat next to her and hugged. "There there now my child, it's okay, —everything in this world has a cure, you just need the right path to find it." He soothed Elizabeth who nodded as she cried, Ari realized that she needed time to adjust, to accept what had happened and come to terms with  it and no one in their family was better able to understand and help her than Nik, he'd literally died and come back from the dead. "I'll go see if I have any clothes that fit her, I'm the only one petite enough in this family." Ari chortled as Nik just rolled his eyes at his son's antics.

The Salt Cliffs Pack.

"We gather here in hopes of finding a solution to the problem that has happened to our kin, a mad man has threatened them and killed them, displaced entire families and even killed humans who are innocent to our conflicts,  he wants my seat, —he wants to rule and the kitsune clan restored, we fought many weres today, but he's been building his power through his own kind —kitsune, draining them of their mana completely and leaving them to die, my mate and I rescued a lot of them but he still has a few more in his hold, which means he will come back to attack." The patriarch explained as the first alpha stood up.

"We cannot let house Malain be restored, do you not all remember what they did, used their magic and the moonstones to bind their enemies, —those who followed their teachings had no moral compass, they killed mystics for sport and only until you killed their leader were we able to put a stop to the bloodshed, those of house Malain have a darkness, a blood lust that cannot be tamed, if we allow Jose to rebuild again it will be like before." The alpha argued. "So you wish to have history and an entire species ignored, some kitsune are born away from their home, their land, they are innocent, and we cannot execute them of crimes predecessors they never knew were committed, it's wrong." Another alpha protested.

"The only way Jose has captured and has been able to take from his kin was because they were untrained, for so long our kitsune brothers have lived without knowledge on how to truly harness, if they had been taught like we do with our kind, —maybe we wouldn't have this problem, they would've resisted Jose, knowing his way was wrong." The youngest of the alphas stated and it seemed to resonate with the members of the clans that had come with the alphas. "I also believe young Merrin is right, if they had been taught to harness, and protect themselves, they would not have been swayed, —but that said patriarch, if we allow the kitsune clan to truly reform, a wolf cannot lead them, they need someone strong, who has harnessed with the potency we all know they can reach but who also has knowledge enough to truly be a leader, to give them the way." Charlton explained and the patriarch hummed.

"All father, —you cannot be considering this." The first alpha protested. "I know your heart dear one, the kistune clan destroyed your home in the old age and now threatens it again, but this was all caused by one man, but what if we brought in new blood, a worthy leader who has grown up being taught the ways, who knows what it is to struggle, love, protect and nurture, to lose and gain, with all that is life." He suggested and everyone nodded in agreement. "We let them build anew, away from the burial ground of their ancestors and see if they will not thrive then, because we cannot ignore the signs, we cannot forget that they are our brothers, and children of the Goddess with as much right as ours to live in harmony and to be loved, who knows, maybe we'll even find mates there." The patriarch exclaimed and the idea became appealing to all.

"You mean to have young Jaxon Milford lead them?" Charlton asked. "Yes, young and full of youthful drive, —but he does not lack power, he does not lack knowledge, his parents have taught him the ways, I should know, he's recited them and shown them in actions many times, he didn't have to come and fight today, but he did and he saved our people along with his brother, they are destined to heal the rift between our kind and as fate would have it they were both nurtured by the same tree, so I believe he's the right choice." He replied the woman as everyone had satisfied smiles on their faces. "Is he not the mate of the witch of protection?" Merrin asked. "Yes, indeed he is." When the wolf replied a great deal of respect was in favour of Jax right then, for they all feared and respected the witch of protection.

"The remaining members of the four packs decimated by Jose will be taken in by their brother and sister packs, if they cannot all be accommodated, I've spoken to—." The patriarch began but was paused by the first alpha to argue on the issue of the kitsune's. "Forgive me all father for my insolence, but there are twelve mighty wolf pack clans, four of those were attacked meaning eight remain, we will take care of our brethren, they will not be displaced because of a lack of space, we are wolves, the forest is our home, if they cannot stay in our built homes, then we will build more homes and pitch more tents to accommodate them, but we will not let them lose their pride as wolves on someone else's land." He stated calmly yet proudly, it gave them all pride to be what they were, wolves.

"If that is what you wish then so be it, Alder." The patriarch stated as they all cheered lowly. "Now, we do not know when he'll be back, or where he'll attack first but if it's anything like the attacks he's orchestrated, he attacks at the heart of a pack then outward, killing and destroying all in his path, so please fortify your packs, be ready to strike if he comes and always warn the others so they know to come and aid you, for now that is all, go back, fortify your homes, if there is anything further you know how to contact myself or my mate." The patriarch concluded as they stood up from the ground they were once seated on.

"We came here by portal, how are—." Charlton was asking as suddenly orange swirling masses began to appear, then they changed forming into portals. "He said we only needed to say it and the gates back would open." Merrin called out as they all chuckled and laughed. "You've got to hand it to that child, he's good." Charlton praised as she hugged the patriarch goodbye and went into her own portal home, as did the patriarch who saw his mate waiting on the otherside, as they all left clouds rolled in from the sea, and poured down rains on the scorched ground, revitalising the earth.

Milford Home.

"Hey, I got you this, I don't wear it anymore, barely fit when I wasn't pregnant." Ari offered the purple sweater as he stood on the third floor where Lizzie's allocated room was, she said she preferred it to her whole name though the way Enzo said it, made her like it. "How you feeling now, a lot of adjusting to do." Ari stated as he sat next to her on the bed. "I feel better, —relieved that I'm not waking up in that horrid place, I can barely remember it, or the emotional scars that I thought I'd have, it's liberating, like I'm blank canvas waiting to be painted, but now I get to choose what color I want." Lizzie explained and Ari who was next to her giggled with her.

"I'm glad you feel that way, glad my power could give you that, —and I'm sure if you keep talking to pops, you'll be okay, he's literally my go to when everything is chaotic." Ari offered and the girl nodded gratefully. "Thank you Ari, for coming for me when you didn't need to, it means a lot to me, —to even have this roof over my head." She sniffled whilst Ari just hugged her and let it out. "I'm sure dad has already told you, that you're not going anywhere, this is your room, and if you decide to sneak out and run off because you feel like you don't deserve it, he'll hunt you down and ground you." Ari mused and Lizzie all but laughed as they separated. "He made it a little scarily clear, I'd rather be here anyway, I've got nowhere to be." She replied as Ari nudged her.

"Come on, I'll make you some comfort food." Ari mumbled as they walked out of her spacious room. "Did someone say comfort food?" Enzo asked barrel rolling out of his bedroom with Johnny, the one he'd shared with Kyle had been shifted, since they had magic, it was easy. "I wasn't eavesdropping, but this is Ari comfort food sis, you need to have it!" Enzo announced loudly. "Hey shut up, Lizzie is supposed to be asleep." Ari chided as Enzo bit his lips in anxious energy. "Sorry, but come on." He asserted throwing Lizzie over his shoulders and taking Ari's hand and vanishing with them to the kitchen. Lizzie was in shock whilst Ari just chuckled.. "You get used to him being hyper all the time." He pointed out as Enzo the tall demon pouted. "Hey I'm not hyper." He whined. "Yes you are." Ari argued making Lizzie laugh and they both joined in, somehow the world was just alright, in their bubble of peace.

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The Medium.

Saint Jay.