Dust was anxious, he knew where his alpha was going, and he didn't like it. In his restlessness he'd taken to patrolling the town in his wolf shape, helping out where he was needed. He too frustrated to focus on any one thing for long though. He knew Myra's sister had a second even if they didn't know who it was yet. She shouldn't be going out alone, even to neutral ground. Syr was a traitor, how long before she decided to just try and take what she wanted? Myra was great in a fight but he didn't like to think that one day she might walk into an ambush.<br/><br/>She wasn't supposed to be gone long but that didn't make the waiting seem less like hell. He leaned against a scouting tower by the edge of the village. It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear and cloudless and while the air was warm there was a steady breeze that kept the heat from becoming unbearable. Too beautiful a day to be stressed, he decided. He respected Myra's decision and trusted her judgement but that didn't stop him from internally scolding his alpha for making him worry on a day like that. But in the end she was his alpha and was determined to do certain things alone. It was just his job as beta-wolf to be overprotective towards his alpha and his pack.<br/><br/>Hopefully she wasn't gone too long, she was needed to help with preparations for the Midsummer celebration. Dust always figured she was better at planning than he was. He preferred to be more hands on. Building carrying things, settling disputes, these were areas Dust excelled. Myra was the one with the vision. That's why she was Alpha, and Dust was perfectly fine with that.<br/><br/>A relieved grin split his muzzle as he spotted Myra reenter town. The healer, Neon, accompanied her. He was a good kid, not much of a fighter but he had a keen nose for the best herbs and Dust trusted him. He shifted back to human form as he approached, calling out a greeting to the pair. "Hail Myra, Neon. Good to see you." He cocked an eyebrow quizzically as he sensed at the Alpha's potential mood. "Everything alright?"<br/><br/><br/>__________________________________________________<br/><br/><br/>"Ouch, be careful you jerk. I know you get off on this." Briar snapped, Quill only smirked at her. "If you'd been more careful, this procedure wouldn't be necessary." Briar silently glowered at the Witch Doctor as he pulled another spine from her neck. It was embarrassing enough that the huntress had managed to run afoul of a porcupine without Quill rubbing literal salt into the wound. "You're lucky." He said, it doesn't look too bad but if you had waited too long to see me you'd have a real risk of infection and frankly I'm running low on leeches." He smirked again as Briar shuddered. He pulled the final spine from her flesh without her so much as wincing, impressive. Wouldn't stop him from teasing her though. "Don't be a whimp." He taunted as he slapped a poultice on her wound, knowing full well the nettle extract would smart fiercely. She gritted her teeth and politely told him where he would find those porcupine spines if he didn't watch himself. "Then they'll really have a reason to call you Quill."<br/><br/>"Yeah yeah, well you're fine now so get out of my tent." Briar nodded in gratitude before exiting the tent. She was just in time to see the alpha, Syr, storm into her home. Briar thought she was cute when she was mad, of course there was even less of a chance of the Alpha noticing her with a stupid-looking poultice on her neck and shoulder. The leader of the guard passed by her, presumably to check in with Syr. Food was getting scarcer, Briar knew it. Even her hunting parties were coming back unsuccessful more often than not now. If things didn't change war was likely. She called out to Smoke as he passed. "So when are you gonna join in on a hunt. We'll see how fast you are out there in the tangle." She grinned wolfishly. Smoke was a bit of a brute but apparently Briar was just a glutton for punishment.