Wolf Stray (On Hold)

Memories Of Bran

Asher stirred slightly.
He didn't want to wake up but someone was talking and it was detracting him from sleeping.
He rolled onto his side turning away from the sound with a mown and threw his arm over his head to cover his ear.
The talking stopped for a moment.
Good.
Then it started again.
What the hell?
Couldn't they talk somewhere else?

"He should wake soon. The venom should be mostly out of his system by now."

Oh yeah. He had been bitten by an Anguis.
Funny. He didn't feel any pain and he remembered he had been in some agony before blacking out. How long had he been out?

"Good," That sounded like dad. "I know you don't believe me but I do care about Asher."

Cared? He cared. That was nice. Dad's were supposed to love their sons. Not just care.

"It's not my place to judge your relationship with your son. It's my job to make sure he's healthy."
"Thank you."

Asher was fully awake now but kept his eyes closed.
He didn't want his father to know he was awake. He didn't want to face him and see his eyes. Eyes so full of "care" but never love. Eyes that would probably not be able to focus on him.
"Asher I know you're awake."
The wolfling didn't move.
A weight settled on the edge of his cot.
"I know you're awake because your ears are pricked. You're listening to me."
Damn it!
He had forgotten to keep his ears relaxed.
He rolled into his back and opened his eyes.
"Hey." Marcov murmured.
"Hey." Asher responded, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn.
"You gave us quite the scare."
He didn't respond.
"How do you feel?"
Asher sat up a little propping himself up on his elbows as he peered at his father.
"Are you... Sober?"
Marcov's face flushed a deep red.
"Obviously!" He snapped.
Asher flinched slightly.
His dad was horrible as a drunk. Always going on and on about how terrible his life was.  But he was worse sober.
Short tempered, nitpicky, and condescending.

After a moment the man started talking again.
"Listen. Asher. Now that you're awake you have to appear at a council."
"What? Why?" He asked, sitting up the rest of the way.
"Because. They want to kick me from the pack."
Fear struck through Asher. If his father was kicked from the pack he would be a stray. He was too old for anyone to want to take him on. Nobody claimed a stray that was already mostly grown. Who would he live with? What would happen to him.
"Well why do I have to be there?"
"Well Asher it would kind of change the course of your life forever. We thought you might want to have a say in my fate since it ultimately decided your own."

Just them the Healer walked into the room.
"That's enough of that. You're scaring him."
Marcov stood.
"I'm simply telling him what's expected of him."
Conall eyed the man coolly.
"He's a young wolfling. Hormonal and injured. I'm afraid in his current state he will startle rather easily. So if you don't mind let's keep all the startling information to a minimum."
Turning to Asher he put his hand on his shoulder and applied a gentle pressure pushing the young wolf back onto the cot.
"You, young sir, need to rest."
Asher allowed himself to be pushed back. He was actually still quite tired now that he thought about it.
"Rest?" His father asked. "He was just asleep for 32 hours!"
Conall turned and bared his teeth at the man and spoke with a low growl in his voice.
"The wolfling was bitten by a Sicut Anguis and spent many of those hours delirious with fever! Or had you already forgotten?"
Marcov locked his jaw.
"If you'll excuse me." He said stiffly before leaving the room.
The Healer returned his attention to the boy.

"I'm sorry about that Asher. Horrible bedside manners. I do apologise. How do you feel?"
Asher wasn't sure exactly who the Omega was apologizing for.
"Uh. Fine. I think. A little weird."
"Weird how?"
"I don't know. Just kind of tired. Maybe dizzy."
"Mhm." The man checked his pulls on his wrist while peering into his face as if looking for something in particular.
"Your breathing seems normal. Does it feel normal?"
"Uh... Yeah."
"Good. Now Asher about what your father was telling you about the council. I don't want you to worry about that right now. I want you to rest some more. Nobody expects anything of you until you're feeling well enough. Do you understand?"
Asher nodded his head and Conall smiled at him.
"Good."
He placed the back of his hand on the boys forehead. He was still a little warm but that was likely from being under the covers.
"Healer?"
"Yes Asher?"
Brown eyes met his own before glancing away shyly.
"Was I really delirious?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Did I uh...say anything?"
"You said lots of different things."
"Like what?"
The Healer seemed to think.
"Well I couldn't understand all of it but you said somethings about the Anguis who attacked you. Why? Do you remember something?"
The wolfling looked up at him with big sad eyes.
"I don't know. But it though I saw Bran. I was in so much pain. Pain like I've never felt before. It burned something terrible. I thought I might die from it. Then I saw Bran. Or I thought I did. He was right by me. He was talking to me."
"What did he say?"
"Not much. He just said 'It's alright Asher. It's just me.' And then he was gone."
"I think who you actually heard was Batraz. He carried you back himself and stayed with you until you settled."
Asher seemed disappointed.
"I knew it couldn't have really been my brother. I just miss him sometimes."
Conall's heart broke for the boy.
He remembered the frantic panic and denial Asher had displayed when told his twin had passed away. The wolfling, at the time a pup, had yelled and screamed at them that they were wrong. That his brother couldn't be dead.
When he had finally realized the truth of it he had gripped at Bran's shirt and wept bitterly refusing to let go of his twin.
When they finally tore him away from the lifeless body he had clawed and growled at them. Even tried to bite someone.
At Bran's funeral the pup had let out howl so mournful that even the most cold hearted shed a tear upon hearing it.

"I know Asher. Sometimes I miss him too."