Mother Glen silently sighed to herself as things quieted down in the medical area. Her own children had apologized to Yamato for their outburst while Jeff and Gloria began to follow the instructions given to them. She had overheard Yamato and Chiyoye's conversation about returning to some form of statue life, and she heavily disapproved of it. Even if it was their choice, it wasn't fair for them to spend eternity in an unmoving existence... but she had no right to force them to do things her way. Not to mention that she distrusted the Game, even if the "minds" inside the Curse were now dead for ever. Mother Glen only hoped this Madame Serenity could kill the curse before these loyalty blinded wolves left themselves immobile forever.
As the medical wing began to settle back into the stages of work had been going on, Mother Glen approached each bed that a Pride member laid on to allow them to brush a paw down her head and sides. Once she finished this process with Mal'akh, Mother Glen then went to the door.
"If you need any more help," Mother Glen offered, "Do not hesitate to ask for it. I can gather other Pride members or even escort the other wolves here, should you need them."
"Thank you Mother Glen," Julie and Darla nodded.
+++++++
"Wouldn't Joseph Running-Bear have recognized the wounds on Goldwyn's face as claw marks?" Samantha asked, "hitting a tree branch would have left a puncture wound, while getting clawed would leave up to five cuts and tears in the skin, depending on how many digits actually make contact when we or the leomen take a swipe at something."
"In theory, yes," Marie nodded, "since the "shamans" of the Native tribes predominantly served as the physicians of each tribe... but both Princess and Goldwyn herself had tried some magic before their return to the home, which actually healed the worst of it... but altered the rest. And Princess followed after Goldwyn and Running-Bear to insure that he wouldn't notice the exact details of what Goldwyn's wounds could really be, leaving Gita and Griselle alone..."
++++++++
"That raven was huge," Griselle said, "bigger then any horse."
"What do you suppose it was?" Gita asked.
"Either it was Marie's familiar or it was some dark adult that holds her prisoner," Griselle spoke, "We must free her."
"We don't know where she lives, and you and I have yet to meet our familiars," Gita answered.
"But we must," Griselle urged, "save her from becoming an evil adult."
"We will, once we are strong enough," Gita encouraged, "but we must prepare first. We can not be caught until we are too powerful to be stopped. Searching for her now will delay that."
"So the raven was a dark adult?" Griselle asked.
"Most likely."
"Do you suppose he knows magic?" Griselle asked.
"Most likely," Gita nodded, "which means we must prepare if we are to save her from Joelle's fate... murdered by the big bad wolf."
The fact that John was thrown into Joella's statue did not even occur to either Gita or Griselle. In their minds, if John had simply let Goldwyn do as she pleased, the whole incident could have been avoided... not knowing anything about property laws and the fact the wolves didn't allow for trespassers of any kind, and ignoring the fact that if they left Joella as she was before they transformed her to "save" her, the incident ALSO would have been avoided.
"That raven man must be powerful in magic," Gita then finished.
+++++++
"They're ignoring their own mistakes, and failing to see the wrongs they've committed," Maddex spoke, half shocked.
"They saw what they were doing as a good thing," Marie spoke, "and as feelings of self-righteousness grew, they were continuing to refuse any advice or guidance that would lead them away from their intended mission. And since they were already beginning to distrust the systems of laws and rules that Glendale followed, that the Pack followed, that the leomen followed, expecting them to understand that those laws and rules were there for a good reason, would probably be foolish... but as I said before, you already know the ending to the story. The witches are killed and curse Glendale for it... which ultimately lead to the battle against Kurse..."
"Which finally end the nasty thing," Samantha spoke, earning a nod from Marie.
+++++++
"Will you miss your old life before you forget it?" Penny asked curiously as they watched Zelipe join the other wolf pups in refilling his water pistol.
"Probably," Amy sighed, "but as reality alters, the things that I lost from the old reality are slowly being replaced by what is part of the new reality. I have a father, four "mothers" and a brother... a loving family. You still have Kirk/Katie, even if your roles are now reversed from where you originally set out to restore."
Penny and sighed and then glanced to Kirk, who was following Paula and Saba to where their wrestling match was to be held. She then sighed. A good part of her longed for their original roles to be restored, but she agreed that that would only make things worse.
"It still depresses me to feel the loss of everything," Penny sighed, "I guess maybe our best hope is that we assimilate into the new reality as quickly as possible... so we don't feel all this pain."
"Maybe, but the magic in our lines, Penny-san," Amy told her, "will not allow for us to forget quickly. My thankful point is that this is the last wave of misery the game will ever cause... unless someone in town has a turn and leaves Glendale before the Priests can bless it, and then comes back..."
Penny only gave a gulping sigh, "Let's hope that doesn't happen then."
+++++++
Mother Glen made her way out, finding the door to the outside slightly open. She found Mr. P, Whitney, and Amethyst watching the pride's cubs go about a mock battle with squirt guns, while Kirk was in a different corner of the yard with one of the pack's pups and one of the cubs.
"Where is Penny?" Mother Glen questioned as she approaching.
Mr. P turned his head to see the snow white lioness's return while Whitney and Amethyst both stepped back. Through the new gap between the Pack's elder and "nannies", Mother Glen could see Penny talking with the young white furred female pup.
"Everything go well?" Mr. P asked.
"As well as can be, Blackie," Mother Glen nodded, "with everyone hurt."
"So you're out to watch the kids have fun?" Amethyst asked.
Mother Glen watched both the pups and cubs reloading their water pistols.
"Maybe later," Mother Glen spoke, "I must speak with my granddaughter first."
Mother Glen then politely made her way to where Penny and Amy where. The pup was the first to recognize her presence.
"Good evening, Glen-Sama," Amy spoke.
"Good evening, dearie," Mother Glen spoke, "why don't you go have fun with the others. I must speak with my granddaughter in private."
Amy carefully gathered up her scroll and stood up. She bowed to Mother Glen and then to Penny.
"I will not go far, should you need help, Penny-San," Amy told them.
Mother Glen then turned to Penny who looked at her nervously.
"I am very disappointed in you, Penny," Mother Glen said firmly, "to lie to us the way you did."
Penny didn't answer, but lowered her ears in shame.
"Your parents and I met the Hokkaido wolves among the wounded from the battle with Kurse," Mother Glen continued, "the ones you encountered at the Gallery."
"They're here?" Penny asked.
"And they explained what all went on, this battle against the curse and everything," Mother Glenn spoke, "your parents nearly attacked them thinking they were "art thieves". If it weren't for the Catholic wolf, they would have made a disastrous mistake in a room full of injured beings."
"I'm sorry, Grandma," Penny said weakly, looking down, "I was so anxious to get Ka... Kirk back that I wasn't paying attention. I thought they were art thieves at the time. Amy has informed me of why she and the Japanese wolves were there, and that is where I realized my mistake."
"You should have been more patient and more calm," Mother Glen scolded, "if you had let Yamato explain his mission, you never would have been hurt, and he wouldn't be contemplating cutting his own guts out to satisfy the "dishonor" he committed in the altercation."
"I don't want to see anyone die!" Penny gasped.
"Then sometime this evening, it would be a good idea if you spoke with him," Mother Glen spoke, "he feels he has dishonored himself by fighting with you when he could have found a peaceful way, since the pack and the pride are not enemies. He wishes to speak with you to ask your forgiveness for his mistake and ask for some form of penance to atone for the incident."
"It was all a mistake, Grandma," Penny told her, "we're both probably at fault."
"That does not change his opinion," Mother Glen commented, "and since it's cost you the use of your legs for a month, the misunderstanding weighs heavily on him. His wounds, and the wounds of one of his mates were not inflicted until the battle against Kurse started."
Penny only looked down again.
"I would hope that this has been a lesson for you, Penny," Mother Glen said firmly, "Not to overreact to things and to always be calm and to pay attention."
"It is, grandma," Penny nodded, "I am sorry."
"Now, why are you writing in your own blood?"