Later that day, Krugi opened its gates to welcome several frantic Ferals. Kellenas came across a small batch of his Ferals while on his way to Krugi.
But that wasn't the first group they welcomed in. Several caretakers, cubs, warriors, hunters, and workers arrived hours before.
Some of which included Oria and her sibling. They fought their way through the calamity, encouraging those weaker than them to continue pushing forward. And they listened.
Leading them to Krugi. Except for Tenni. She saw Deterna run off into the forest alone, so she went after her. Hoping to protect her Alpha Female from any harm.
That day was a huge defeat for the entire Legion. Without Etek Dur, they had no actual way of getting closer to the Light Legion without breaking through their defenses.
Ether helped some of the more injured Ferals inside. They wrapped an arm around the much smaller Zesher and used him as support. In cooperation, Ether stepped when they did. Allowing them to walk almost normally.
Mila sprinted to the newcomers, she began assisting who she could. Looking over wounds, guiding Ferals to places where they could rest, and even picking up the cubs that needed comfort.
As Ether helped a female Feral settle down beside her mate, he got up to see Mila standing beside him. Her serious face showed how different she was from Oria.
She said something in Kenekuor to a lonely male, before realizing someone was staring right at her.
"You're the leader, right?" Mila's rough voice asked.
In response, Ether nodded. "Yeah. Pleased to meet you..?"
"Mila. And please, forget about me. These Ferals... they are injured so badly. Please, get your people out here with medicine and remedies," Mila urged.
"They are already on their way. We had to wait for Suth to complete a ritual for some more supplies, but she gave up her own health for it. So please, use them wisely," Ether answered.
Instead of standing around and talking, the duo decided to make their way around the group of injured Ferals together. They helped who they could, and looked over those that needed it the most.
Mila gave Ether two small, weeping cubs to bring back to Oria. They made their way past three groups where she sat on the ground, head down.
"What happened to her?" Ether asked, shocked to see Oria in such a mood.
Especially in the middle of several cubs that shared the same position as her. They silently wept, mourning their loss together.
Mila silently plopped her two cubs on the ground. They instantly hugged each other, hoping to comfort the other. But to no use, they bowed their heads and began weeping just like the rest.
"You see..." Mila's throat tightened tightened. "Everyone gave it their all during the surprise attack. We weren't expecting it, making many of us vulnerable."
She turned to see Ether. Her eyes softened and cheeks saddened, water threatened her eyes with tears.
"Including our parents."
Her voice went silent. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she remembered watching her father get torn apart while her mother desperately tried to help him.
With the cubs in his arms, Ether got closer and wrapped Mila in a warm embrace. He knew how the experience felt. Seeing someone he cared about being taken from him right before his eyes.
Mila welcomed the comfort. She hugged Ether back. Although she wished he was Tenni. Somewhere in Etek Dur, Tenni and Deterna were still running around. With predators behind every tree.
"You're a strong girl, Mila," Ether assured. "I promise your parent's death will not go unanswered. Not when I'm in charge."
A couple steps away from the two, Pearl stopped. She watched Ether comfort Mila, curious about what that interaction meant. On the outside, she wanted to barge in and push Mila away, but she knew Ether was only trying to help.
Between tears, Mila made out a figure with two baskets on both hands and one larger basket attached to their back. So she let go, then wiped away the tears.
"That's the medicine, right?" Mila called out to Pearl.
She nodded, lifting both baskets in the process. "Come take a basket. I will help distribute them."
Ether quickly placed down the cubs. Being held up by a Zesher brought them a strange sense of comfort and security they instantly wanted back after being released.
"Pearl," Ether whispered. "These people are in ruin. Look at them. They lost homes, family, and hope for reclaiming Etek Dur. I am going to get in there and liberate the forest."
"No you are not," Pearl snapped back.
He flinched at the sound of Pearl's sharp response. "I've been through what they've been through. I am not going to leave them without a proper home. Call me whatever you want, but these people are my people."
She brought up her free hand up to Ether's chest. "You are one half-Yonie. Etek Dur will butcher you if you tried. I am not downplaying you, I am just saying its better to let some of the Legion do the work."
"Like who?" Ether quickly responded.
Pearl tilted her head towards the distant homes. "So many Ferals in your fingertips and you want to put yourself out there? Come on, Ethy, give some work to your people."
Ether nodded. He picked up the other basket. The heavy medical supplies weighed him down as he tried his best to carefully make his way through the groups of Ferals laying all over the place.
Ferals of all types groaned and pleaded for their injuries to be attended. Inviting Ether to come closer and treat their wounds.
He placed the basket down beside a Feral who had a dislocated jaw. Her mouth hung unusually wide, while her tongue mindlessly stuck out like she was constantly taunting.
She pointed at her mouth, signalling it bothered her. Ether got on his knees and opened the casket. He pulled out a small wool doll meant to endure pain and pressure while its patients squeezed from all the pain they felt.
Ether handed her the doll. She took it took in a deep breath. It was now on his hands to fix her. After preparing himself for the worse, Ether lifted two hands up to her mouth.
The Feral flinched. She closed her eyes, preventing her from watching the two gentle hands get closer. But she kept her tense body. Allowing Ether to put his hands on her chin and push the jaw in place.
But it didn't move. The Feral groaned in agony, tears rolled down her already battered face as she squeezed the doll with anger.
Realizing it bothered her, Ether knew he had to change his technique. So he patiently waited for her to calm down before balling one hand into a fist. Then he drove that fist into her chin.
With a loud crack, her jaw came into place once again. She howled in agony. The pain haunted her body, making her desperately beg for death.
Ether quickly reached inside the basket and pulled out a wet piece of cloth. With it, he put it over her nose and held her as still as he could. Seconds of struggling out of the cloth later, she got knocked out.
Despite how cruel and unusual the method seemed, it was effective for decreasing the amount of pain a Variant felt. Now that she was asleep, her body was free to recover without disturbing her.
"Hey, can you come over here and help us?" A nearby Feral called out.
Ether grabbed the doll from out of the female's hand and picked up the basket. He took a couple steps away from her and sat back down next to a batch of Ferals.
One of the Ferals had a broken leg. He squinted his eyes in pain while trying his best not to scream out of discomfort. The bone stuck out of the skin, piercing it like an ugly weapon.
Without hesitation, Ether reached inside the basket and pulled out another wet piece of cloth. This one was different from the last one. Because this one numbed the patients, not knocked them out.
"Please, allow me," Ether's fatherly voice asked.
The Feral lowered his head to meet with the cloth. He sniffed the inside as much as he could, eventually he forgot all about the pain. Instead of staying still, the Feral tried to get up and move around.
But Ether tried his best to keep him down. Yet he insisted he was okay by trying even harder to stand up.
"Hey! Hey! Help me keep him down!" Ether asked the nearby Ferals.
Two of them came over and held their fellow Eterra member down. Allowing Ether to quickly shove the bone back into place, then wrap it with an iron cast.
As he prepared to turn to face the other injured Ferals, Mila approached Ether. She carefully and mindfully walked through the fields of her injured members.
"I am so glad you are willing to dirty your hands in order to help my people recover. Thank you very much, Ether," Mila thanked.
Ether looked over his shoulder. "Your pack was the first pack to join my Legion. For your people I will always have respect."
She got on her knees beside him. "In that case, Kellenas wants to speak with you. I can take care of these Ferals for now."
After hearing what he hoped for, Ether allowed Mila to take his position. Ever since the rest of the Ferals arrived, Ether wanted to speak to Kellenas in hopes of understanding what happened.