Rise.

When Medin came to, Róan was waiting for him. His mouth felt mossy, soft and sticky from lack of water. The man was by his side in seconds, a cup of water held close to his lips.
"Slowly."
Medin swallowed, handed it back, and immediately Róan was hugging him, not tight enough to hurt, but tight enough that he was sure his adopted badi had been kept completely terrified, absolutely on edge until his awakening. Medin smiled a bit, swallowed again, tried to speak. His throat ached when he moved it, so he just whined instead. Róan stroked his head, stepped back.
"Six days. You've been under six days. Stasis, they said, to help you heal. You had a reaction to the chew Walker gave you. Another hour and you would have been dead." Róan was shaking, tears resurfacing.
"I - I didn't know. I'm sorry. I tried to - "
Medin frowned, took Róan's hand in his own, squeezed it tight to tell him that it was OK. Róan took six deep breaths, let each out, and squeezed Medin's hand back.
"They let you Change while you were under. It's done now."
Medin nodded, sighed and laid his head back down on the pillow. Suddenly he looked back at Róan and tried to speak a question, but a shooting pain went down his throat and so he tried to mouth it, but Róan didn't understand. Medin frowned, pointed to the water. Róan offered him another cup, which he sucked down greedily.
"Slowly. Slowly, and it will help you get your voice back."
Medin ignored him, finished the cup.
"Walker?" his voice was tinny and small, but clear enough for the fear to come through in just that word.
Róan shook his head.
"Missing. Escaped. Marik went to him - they fought. Both were brought to the infirmary. The doctors put them in stasis. The next day, Walker was gone."
Medin requested more water. Róan brought it to him.
"Papa?"
"Walker's mother cut his throat. When they went looking for her afterwards, she was gone, too."
Medin sucked in a sharp breath and Róan let him fester in fear for a moment before continuing.
"Guards got to him before the Wolf did."
Medin exhaled slowly and reached for more water. His hands were shaking. Just then, the door swung open and the Doctor entered.
"Ah. He's awake, then." he smiled in a satisfied way and walked over to Medin, who looked up at him warily. "Your vare here was quite worried about you - glad to see you making your way back to well." The doctor began examining him, touching his skin in a number of different places, feeling for his pulse, rubbing a hand through his hair to check his scalp.
"Very good; you seem to be in good health for a boy who was once just hours from the grave. Come, lay back and let's take a look at your Change."
Róan's eyebrows shot up, but Medin just quietly complied, kicking down the bedsheets and hitching his tunic up to reveal himself. The doctor was quick, and after giving Medin a generally clean bill of health, he ordered two more days of bedrest under supervision in the infirmary, then six more days at home. As he left, Medin let out a long sigh. Róan looked up.
"What's wrong?"
Medin was staring at the wall, focusing hard on something.
"Everyone's going to know."
Róan cocked his head, listening.
"When I go back to classes and Walker is gone...everyone's going to know." he looked away again, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.
"I'm so stupid."
Róan shook his head, held the boy again in his arms.
"It will be alright." he said. "Everything will be alright."

~:~

"I want his head."
Róan didn't answer, just wrung the cloth out in the bowl, then dabbed it again over Marik's healing neck.
"I know."
Marik made a sound like a growl, but it was interrupted by the wound. Róan dabbed at the cut again, but Marik stopped him, gripping Róan's wrist in one thick hand.
"I want his head." he repeated. Róan swallowed and flicked his eyes to the floor in a show of submission.
"He was only defending his son, Marik. You or I would have done the same." He flexed his wrist in Marik's grip - to remind him. Marik released him and shook his head.
"Not him. The boy."
Róan exhaled.
"Alpha Marik, please don't. He's gone. He's not coming back. He's no threat to you anymore, and he's no threat to Medin. Please, Alpha. No more bloodshed."
Marik scoffed.
"No more human bloodshed, you mean."
Róan bridled at the implicit accusation.
"Walker is not a human, so I'm sure I don't know what you're implying."
Marik shrugged.
"Just that you wouldn't be so quick to jump to his defense were he full blooded wolfe."
Róan wanted to swear and swing, but he bit his tongue, dropping the cloth back into the small bowl of water and getting to his feet.
"I'll see you at home, Alpha." his tone was icy.
Marik groaned.
"No, wait - I'm sorry, kit. Please, don't go. Stay." Róan did as he was told, but refused to meet Marik's eyes.
"It's not you. I'm not - it's just very frustrating, Róan. You have to understand that. Seeing Medin hurt like that and then just...letting his attacker escape? It hurts my very soul."
Róan softened a minute amount.
"He didn't go free, Marik." Róan's face turned hard. "He ran like a coward, like the little boy he is, and now his only hope is to lead the life of an exile, or else beg his way back into the Melloszians and live lower than he would even here."
Marik signaled his accordance with a raise of his right hand. Róan went on.
"From what you've told me, Alpha, the life of an exile - or a Melloszian - is not a happy one. I would hardly say that Walker escaped."
Marik smiled a little, glad to see the fire back in his mate's eyes.
"You want his head as well."
"I want my family back."
the words slipped out before Róan could contain them. Marik studied him quietly for a moment.
"Your clan family, or us?"
Róan's silence was his answer. They didn't speak again for the evening, Marik lost in thoughts of revenge, and Róan lost in thoughts of home. When the afternoon meal came at four, Marik was asleep and Róan was sitting by the window.

The compound came under attack at five.

~:~