thoughtformed | [Private, very high security text to Aisling]

[A muzzle streaked with fresh and dried blood snuffles all over the screen accompanied by an upset whine. She pulls back to turn around, once, twice, back the other way, filthy fur tight over compact muscle. She whimpers, unable to settle, coming back around to shove her nose into the screen while her tail beats an irregular tattoo between the dirt floor and her flank.]

Shh, hush, F'annwylyd. It's all right. I'll come get you. Everything is all right now. Can I come and find you?

[He smiled, speaking soft and even, regardless of the strain in his voice. He would find her first. Before anyone else could. What happened was not her fault.]

[Her ears perk up toward his voice and she licks her nose nervously. A more emphatic tail thumping can be heard, but it seems to set off something unexpected. Her ears flick flat to her skull and something feral and insane surfaces in her eyes. She whips her head back, ears flat, biting at her own flanks with a vicious snarl, but it only lasts a moment and she's back, whining her pain and confusion. Nosing at the phone, she flips it over and picks it up in her teeth, carrying it out of her hide-away so that he can see the surrounding area. The edge of the forest across the empty lots on the edge of town, the half-completed structures of houses in progress, a sweep over the skyline to get a bearing from the forlorn supports that used to hold Genosha tower.]

Thank you, I'll be there soon.

[Ianto knows it's dangerous. Going to find a feral, angry, confused and perhaps even frightened Aisling in the forest. Trapped as she seems to be in the large and imposing form of the wolf. But he's not letting the NMPD try it first. Aisling very likely would lash out at them in fear, where she was far more likely to calm down when she could see for herself Jack was alive and okay. He just had to keep faith that she would not attack him by mistake in the process.

It's almost half an hour before Ianto makes it to her. He passes the supports where the tower stood before, sparing a glance. When he finally gets to her, he approaches slowly, stopping well enough away for her to notice him before he is too close.]

Aisling?

Edited 2013-03-01 04:46 (UTC)

[A tattered, ghostly shape appears at the edge of a poorly piled stack of timber near one of the houses. Crouched low and defensive, her ears are half pinned-back and an uncertain growl burbles just on the edge of hearing. Then her head comes up and she licks her nose again, sniffing at the air. Something shifts in her body language and she creeps forward on her belly, nose outstretched and tail tight to her haunches where it fluttered hopefully. An omega begging the attention of the pack alpha. A puppy afraid that her parent will smack her for something she's done wrong.]

[ Jack isn't far behind, having started off in a slightly different direction than Ianto. ]

Aisling? Aisling are you-? Oh...

[ Jack stops when he notices Aisling, staring at her while he admires her form. Ianto had mentioned that she might be stuck, and her body language thus far seems to agree. Jack looks between her and Ianto, taking a deep breath and kneeling to her level, outstretching his hand for her. ]

Wanna come back with us?

[It's something of a relief to see Jack there as well. Ianto wasn't sure what he would do if Aisling didn't decide to recognize him in person. He stayed back from Jack just a shade, only to avoid over-crowding their startled, blood-soaked ~~daughter~~ girl.

Ianto just nods to Jack and looks around, relieved that they found her before anyone else.]

Jack, how are we going to get her back to the warehouse without being seen? [Or at all] She isn't exactly inconspicuous like this.

Edited 2013-03-04 10:22 (UTC)

[Jack's appearance startles Aisling badly and she leaps back away from them with a yelp. She dances away, panting a distressed whine, eyes wild. Her chest is soaked with old blood and new, forelegs bleeding from fresh bites and streaked with dirt. It looks like she might have tried to clean herself off at one point, but there was just too much and she was distracted.

Whimpering, she circles further out, trying to ascertain if this was real or just another painful dream. She pauses to sniff the air, ears flicking back and forth uncertainly.]

[ Aisling's reaction startles Jack, not having expected anything of the sort from her. It's difficult to get a look at her wounds from here, and she looks as though she's been bleeding rather badly. ]

Aisling... Aisling, hey, don't run off. We're here to help you, okay? I don't want to hurt you. Relax.. it's me. Here...

[ Jack turns to Ianto briefly and clears his throat, reaching into his pocket. ]

Ianto, I need you to turn around for a moment. I need to show Aisling something.

Jack, I really don't think that's a good idea...

[Because Ianto assumes Jack is going to injure himself to prove who he is to Aisling. He doesn't have a clue there could be something else to prove who he is.

But he turns, regardless, entire body tense with nervous energy, expecting everything to go horribly wrong in the next few seconds.]

Just trust me. It'll be fine. Worst she can do is maul me.

[ He laughs a little, trying his best to inject some much-needed humour into the serious situation. He removes from his pocket the small ring box he'd shown to Aisling the day that it snowed and opened it up, outstretching the small token in her direction for her to see and sniff at her leisure. ]

See? It's me.

[Her ears flick forward. Back. Forward. Ianto is upset and nervous, but she doesn't know what that means. But... It sounds like him. It smells like him...

She edges forward, keeping low to the ground, bunched to spring away if he lunges for her. He hadn't pulled the weapon she'd expected. It was just... a little box. A familiar little box. Hope pushes at the howling grief and pain in her chest. A few feet closer... a few more. She is close. So close. The contents of the box appear as she remembers it. Smelled as she remembers it.

Gently, gently, she reaches forward and snaps the box closed. Your secret is still safe with her, Captain. Athair.

She crowded forward, trying to get as close to him as possible, worming her way up against his chest to lick his chin and throat, a big ball of wiggling fur crying like a baby puppy.

It's you. It's you! Oh blessed isles, it's true, you're alive, you're here...]

[ His smile grows when she closes the little box and nestles herself against him. He puts the little box away and pets her head, neck and shoulders gently and kissing the top of her big white head. ]

You can turn around now, Ianto. She looks like she's pretty badly hurt... we should get her back home, clean and wrap some of these up. Has anyone followed us?

[Private, very high security text to Aisling]

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