When Eithne takes another step closer, the wolf turns to her, barks loudly, tenses its muscles, and puffs out its fur.

Eithne gets the impression that, for now at least, Lucian is the only member of the party the wolf trusts.

Eithne is a bit surprised ('This she-wolf... one moment, after getting hti enough, she seems submissive. She gets hit again, and in spite of this she remains submissive. Then I come near, without hitting her... and she seems almost ready to attack me? Well, ok, I don't uderstand animals too much, after all...'), nevertheless, she turns to Lucian and Pietrovich and shrugs: "It seems I cann't do what I had in mind. The beats has had her chance with me. I leave you two to handle the matter as you see more fit".

The savage stranger retreats and stops paying attention to the defeated wolves. She is ready to resume the journey, once the others have settled the matter.

Lucian again looks from Eithne to Pietrovich, then looks down at the wolf. Part of him hates the animal. She and her family killed a child. Her behavior towards him likely only has to do with the very part of himself that he hates the most. Yet part of him understands her as well. In the world of animals, it is always kill or be killed. It wasn't her fault that the easiest prey in the area just happened to be a human girl. It wasn't as if she had specifically gone out with the intention of finding a human to kill instead of any other prey. ...She doesn't kill just to kill, unlike some monsters. 

Shakily, Lucian picks up the crossbow he'd dropped before killing the other wolf. Hesitating, he glances at Pietrovich, then walks towards the wolf. He still has no desire to put the animal down, but he doesn't want to leash her either. He doesn't really want to keep her with the group, lest she be a constant reminder of the wolf inside of him. Still, something had to be done.  Letting out a breath, Lucian walks forward past the wolf brushing a hand over her back as he makes his way towards the den where the pups are. Even if Pietrovich decides to kill them, he feels that the mother wolf should have a chance to see her children again. 

"Come with me," he thinks, hoping that the wolf picks up on these unspoken words. 

As he walks towards the den, he passes Nikolai. Pausing briefly, he holds up the crossbow, handing it back to the half-elf. "...Here. This...this is yours." He says quietly as he avoids looking at the remains of what he can only assume belongs to the little girl. Then, he walks over to the den and kneels down to see if he can get a look at the pups. 

While the others seem to be busy deciding what to do with the remaining she-wolf and the puppies he seems to be cleaning his sword in the furan of the fallen male wolf, kneeled over it giving his back to the rest of the party. 

When Lucian walks over the den he approaches  Pietrovich from behind. 
“He doesn’t want to put her down,They think we can tame them. I say that she will behave as long as the little ones are unharmed. I do not know if they will be able to accomplish what they say but at the end this pack will no longer be your concern.” 

Nikolai accepts the crossbow.  "Lucian, you saved me.  I now owe you a life-debt."  He kneels before the elf.  "My blood for your blood, my life for your life.  If by my life or my death I can protect you, it will be so."  He stands and places his hand on Lucian's shoulder, and says, quietly, "I realize this encounter was difficult for you.  But you were in control, and you mastered your demons.  You did well."

The wolf follows you over to the den. Pausing to look at Lucian, it goes into the den. It returns shortly with a pup that it drops at his feet. It repeats this with all four pups until they all lay, mewling at your feet. The wolf looks at Lucian for confirmation of its course.

Pietrovich says, "Is clear you have feelings for wolf. I'm sorry but is best to kill it. I can kill so you don't have to."

Lucian is slightly taken aback by Nikolai's words, "T...that's not necessary. ...but, thanks." He looks down, still troubled by everything that just transpired. Nikolai says he'd mastered his demons...but that couldn't be further from the truth. Perhaps he was in control, this time. But control felt so fleeting, sometimes it was in his grasp but so often it was yanked from his hands. 

He stares numbly as the mother wolf brings her pups out and places them in front of him. Why did she trust him with her pups? He'd slaughtered her pack-mate right next to her... yet, perhaps that was just the way of the wolves. He'd demonstrated that he was stronger then her former pack members, and now she was looking to him. ...he wasn't sure how to feel about that. Gritting his teeth, he felt a pit forming in his stomach, and he wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry. This was so stupid, why in the world should he care about this wolf? They'd come intending to hunt and kill them. Why was this so difficult? It would have been easier if  it had just attacked him, then he would at least have been forced to defend himself. Or if someone else had killed it, and in doing so taken away the opportunity for him to question whether or not it was right. 

When Pietrovich states that Lucian has feelings for the wolf, he clenches his fists...not out of anger, but out of frustration. "I don't! I just..." he shuts his eyes, trying to ignore the mewling pups. What would happen to them if the she-wolf was killed? Would Pietrovich kill them too? It felt wrong to kill the wolf now that she seemed to trust him...as frustrating and irrational as that seemed, yet he also couldn't ignore that the hunter was probably right... unless... Lucian swallows, "You were going to let Eithne try to tame it weren't you? If it lets me put a collar on it, we can take it away from here. She won't hurt anyone else." As much as he doesn't like the idea of keeping the wolves with him, he can't stand by and let Pietrovich kill her now that she surrendered. Sure, the wolf was an animal, but if she were human would the hunter still be willing to put her down after she gave up? 

He looks to Eithne, "You wanted to keep her right? If I can get her to trust you would you still be willing to try?" He puts a hand on the wolf's head, unsure if that would comfort her or not. He doesn't want to see these pups motherless... lest he have one more thing in common with these beasts. 

Onika delicately steps to Chara's side, peering down at the scene before them and trying not to alarm the wolf.

"If I may, I find it unlikely that the remaining wolves will ever go near humanoids again, not after this. I'd be ideal for them to be tamed; otherwise, let them flee, what's left of them can hardly do harm."

Her statement is almost a challenge to Pietrovich, staring intently at him as she speaks. She looks to Lucian encouragingly, agreeing with his stance on the matter.

"I honestly see both sides," Chara says sadly, not mentioning the fact that she knows why the she-wolf surrendered to Lucian. "These wolves killed a child, and when an animal gets a taste for humanoids it will usually attack them again... and I don't know if we can realistically accomplish our task with an entire family of wolves in tow. But I can't in good conscience advocate killing her since she threw herself on our mercy, especially when this wolf has four helpless pups. I... I really need to discuss this with Lucian, since the she-wolf seems to trust him. Do you think you can keep Pietrovich busy while I do that? I'm not sure if Pietrovich has noticed that I'm a devil, and if he hasn't I'd rather keep it that way.

Onika nods and steps closer to Pietrovich. She speaks somewhat quietly to him.

"It is my family's tradition to pay respects to the dead as soon as they're found. I could use an extra set of hands if you would be so kind."

Onika gestures for him to join her as she kneels, facing the remains by the wolves. She starts murmuring in Celestial some basic funeral rites as she casts Druidcraft to create a light blue flower blossom on the remains. The tradition part was a lie, and Onika hasn't historically participated in funeral services, but this was likely the best that the little girl would get, so she wanted to make it worth something. She creates two more blossoms, smaller, in her and Pietrovich's hands. "Close your eyes and say a prayer for her." Onika had no interest in prayer, but she did wish the young girl's spirit wekll, finishing her statement in Celestial with: "...sisters, take her in."

Onika hopes that was distraction enough for her companions to speak their minds to one another.

As soon as Onika has Pietrovich's attention, Chara steps out of her hiding spot and beckons to Lucian to come join her while the Pietrovich is distracted from his task of executing the wolves.

Lucian watches as Onika steps in front of Pietrovich and asks him to help with some sort of...well he wasn't sure exactly what she was doing. Realizing that she had come from the direction Chara had disappeared to, he glances her direction. Seeing her beckoning, he hesitates, glancing down at the wolf and the pups. ...If he left would Pietrovich just... kill them? ...should he care? Swallowing, he takes his overcoat off and ties it into a sling, then he kneels down and slowly begins putting the four pups inside it so he can carry them (assuming they are still small enough for this?). If he has to, he will leave one on the ground for the she-wolf to carry. If the mother wolf doesn't protest, he stands up and begins walking towards Chara... He is assuming that the mother wolf will follow him. 

If the mother wolf doesn't let him pick up the pups (or if they are to large), he will leave them there and walk over without them. Perhaps they will follow, perhaps not. 

When he reaches Chara he doesn't meet her gaze. He has a feeling that he knows what she is going to say, but can't bring himself to ask. Instead he shifts his weight from one foot to the other and says, "I don't know what to do. I don't want to see them killed, but I also don't know if keeping them around is the best idea either."

Chara looks at the wolves sadly... she knows that there really isn't a clean and pretty solution to this dilemma. The best that can be hoped for is a lesser-evil.

"I know," the she-devil says gently, laying a hand on the elf's arm and trying not to let her voice crack as she continues. "I... I'm not really sure if there is a good solution. As much as I don't want to say it... I kind of have to agree with Pietrovich, at least in regards to the mother wolf... once a predator realizes that humanoids are easy prey, it usually won't stop attacking people until it's killed."

Chara pauses, looking down at the pups and their mother. The pitiful sight makes the she-devil's heart ache. She grits her teeth, reminding herself that these wolves tore apart a little girl. But the thought does little to harden her resolve. She knows that these are animals, acting on instinct rather than malice.

"But... I also know that you have a connection with them..." Chara continues. "I'm afraid I don't know much about your, um, condition, so I'm not sure... well... I guess I'll just say that if you know that the mother won't kill any more people, I can't in good conscience say that we should execute a mother and her pups. The pups didn't hunt down the child, and will probably flee from any humanoids they encounter after what they just saw happen to their pack. If you're sure that the mother will stay away from people after this, then I say we take her and the pups with us and release them somewhere as far away from any settlements as we can. If you aren't sure, then I don't think we have much choice but to let Pietrovich do as he said and then try to find someone better equipped for the task than us to take in the pups. I will support whatever decision you make."

"I'd really like to keep them, Lucian, you have seen me try..." confirms Eithne "If you can help me with that, I'd still like to try. If we can tame them, we will avoid other deaths now... and maybe we'll have help later. We all win. The point is the she-wolf trusts you, not me. Maybe it's you that should keep her..." she reflects, unaware of the other's nature "But if you prefer that I become her owner, I'm quite willing to try. How do you think we can do? You collar her then you bring her to me and give me the leash? Maybe she accepts me then..."

Seeing the others debate about the wolves fate Lenn will stay with the pups and watching over the she-wolf if they don’t go with Lucian. He will give Lucian and Chiara space but he will speak his mind so everyone can hear him. 

“The wolves of Barovia hunt  what they will. Humanoid or not. No need to worry about that. The fact that they hinted that poor child doesn’t make this wolf more dangerous thsn before. She will do it again not out of spite but because here in Barovia we all are hunters… and prey. 
We’ve decimated the pack. Killed its alpha. The mother alone will not be able to hunt for the pups. Probably she will run away trying to find another pack. The pups are doomed either way. Probably she is too. 
I see four paths before us. 
Taje them with us. Take care of them. It seems that she recognizes us “ he let out the fact that it seems to be only Lucian for now “ as her alpha now. For as crazy as it may sound I do believe that we could accomplish this. 
Second option is to leave them alone and let the nature run its course.. 

Third is to kill then all. Seems… wrong even after the atrocity the pack has done. 
Last… “ he looks to Pietrovich “You keep them. You train them. Then you’ll have protection against other packs and teach the lesson to all the parents and child’s not to linger alone in the woods. “ he states directly to the huntsman “ you never know what could be out there… hunting “ 

Nikolai nods in agreement as he hears Lenn speak.  "We can use all the allies we can get for our fight," he murmurs.

Chara freezes as she hears the bones crack at roughly the same time she finishes her little speech to Lucian. She looks down and her eyes widen in shock as she sees the limp body of a puppy hanging from the mother wolf's jaws. Chara knows that nature is often savage... in fact, her own diet consists almost entirely of raw meat (even if she is careful not to cause any unnecessary suffering to animals that she hunts). But the sight of a mother slaying her own child in cold blood sends a cold shiver down the she-devil's spine. It feels so wrong on every possible level... but then again, Chara knows from personal experience that even human mothers sometimes hurt their children.

Maybe that's why she finds the scene that just played out so sickening... She leans on a tree for support, both horrified by the turn of events and unable to tear her eyes away from the animal's bloody muzzle and the tiny body hanging from its jaws.

Lucian listens quietly as Chara speaks... only lifting his head when she mentions his 'connection' to the wolves. He doesn't like that thought, but he can't deny it either. Still, it wasn't as if this connection let him speak directly to the wolf. He didn't know her thoughts, or if she could be trusted. Even if he could speak to them, who's to say that when he transforms these wolves won't become an army for his other half? 

He looks down again as the she-wolf approaches, when she begins shaking the pup he lifts a hand, "W..what... no don't..." But its too late. When she lays the body down in front of him, the pit in his stomach suddenly becomes a crater. He should have expected that to happen. He should have known she would have assumed that since he left that pup on the ground...that he couldn't take care of it. Perhaps this was the wolf's idea of mercy.... 

Once again he starts shaking, "I hate this." He says lowering the remaining pups to the ground. If the mother wolf thought that death was mercy, perhaps he should let Pietrovich put her down. Clenching his teeth, he stands up and turns his back on the wolves, "Eithne, do you still want her?" 

As much as this bothered him, he still cannot find it in himself to simply agree to putting the animal down. Hopefully, the wolf would pick up on his discontent. Perhaps then she would understand. He doesn't want her. If Eithne is still willing to tame her then she can be her owner. If Eithne doesn't want her... then Pietrovich can do as he will. Either way, he lets his question stand, not wanting to offer up more death until there was no other option. Besides, even if they decide to get rid of the she-wolf, what of the pups? 

When Lucian speaks, Chara suddenly snaps out of her horrified stupor. Unfortunately, as the initial shock wears off she immediately goes from stunned to nauseous. She turns around and proceeds to lose most of her lunch into the bushes. This whole situation has gone from tragic to god-awful. The worst part about all this is the fact that these are animals... they have no idea why her group ambushed them, or why what they did was wrong. If they had been bandits, or even fiends, then they would at least understand why they were being hurt. And then when the she-wolf surrendered to Lucian, this whole situation took on another horrible layer, turning a grim but ultimately simple quest into a seemingly unwinnable moral dilemma.

"Someone please help me figure this out," she mumbles... and suddenly realizes that she probably shouldn't have made such a request out loud. She slowly looks up, scanning the surrounding area, wondering if a certain tiny devil might have heard her...