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Vidar had managed to round up Phanes to help him in the mission Kafele had sent him on and the longer he had to ruminate on what his son had said, the more he was starting to believe it. Visions weren't something he was an expert on but with the way the sky kept flashing and how serious Kafele had been, the more he was inclined to believe something was up. Hopefully it wasn't too serious because in the end what could mortals do for a god? This was a pride of fighters, not peace keepers or healers.

"C'mon, Phanes," he called back to his other son who had agreed to join him. "Kafele said it was this way and I think I see something. Can you? It's like...smoke or dust or something." Despite it being a clear day something hung in the air not far from where they were. It looked like a cross between a smoldering fire and a dust storm sort of suspended in the air, not really billowing or flowing at all.

"Smells like dirt," he added as they got a little closer and he took a big breath. Strange...very strange.

Despite being their father and with much more world experience than either son, Vidar knew to trust what they said. There were those in the pride that were godborn or simply lucky enough to have visions that had predicted battles and deaths long before they had happened and to turn his nose up to what Phanes and Kafele were saying would be foolish. He nodded slightly as Phanes echoed what Kafele had said, although he didn't bother to say what it was that had fallen. He hoped Kafele had been wrong at that part.

"Careful," he cautioned as Phanes moved to the edge of the crater, examining what he could see. All he got were some lungfulls of dust and dirt, not smoke like he had originally thought. Looking around, he spotted the flash of red among the shrubbery just as Phanes called out to him. He knew that pelt even if it looked worse of the wear from back here.

"Oh dear," he muttered quietly, his mane jingling as he trotted over to the bushes. Sure enough, the closer he got the more he knew it was her. Na'ira. Kafele had been right. But what had happened? He could smell singed fur and flesh, see raw skin and tattered feathers. As he rounded the edge of the foliage his stomach rolled at the sight of the usually splendid goddess - if a mortal looked like her he would assume they were dead.

"Na'ira?" he said quietly, unsure if she had survived. She had crawled from the crater to here, at least, but who was to say if she was still breathing? Gods could die, after all.

Vidar felt a rush of relief wash over him as the mass of feathers and fur and pain shifted. She was alive, although he couldn't say if she would remain that way given the extent of her injuries. But she was the goddess of rebirth, wasn't she? Perhaps this was normal for her. He hadn't really bothered to ask her much about what rebirth entailed for her specifically but now he wished he had in their short time together before this.

He felt Phanes approach and he turned to glance at his son, a worried look on his face. He didn't want him to see his mother like this but clearly the young lion had no choice. Vidar wasn't the largest lion and even now Phanes and his siblings were nearly as large as him despite not being fully grown. They'd have to work together to bring Na'ira to safety.

Her voice drew Vidar's attention back and he gave a weak laugh at the question. "Honestly? Yeah," he said, taking a few tentative steps forward, lowering his head to speak softly to her. It was then she noticed her son and he held his ground for just a moment, letting the two meet again for the first time in months.

"Easy now," he agreed, moving to inspect the wing and the goddess as a whole. No bones were poking through and although she was burned and bloody, everything at least looked as if it would heal given enough time. The only bit that looked a bit broken was the wing, but Vidar knew enough about gods to know they didn't need their wings to fly. He'd seen wingless gods buzzing about before after all.

"We gotta get you somewhere a little less exposed, all right? Phanes, get on her other side, you can lean on us. Kafele's getting our den ready, it's pretty big and empty now that the kids all a bit bigger and not constantly sleeping in there. Should be enough room for you." He gave her cheek a gentle nuzzle to try to get her up as he spoke, knowing that while he and their son may be able to help her walk, she'd need to rise on her own.

Vidar watched and waited as Na'ira summoned the mental strength to force herself onto her stomach, trying to piece together what had happened. When she had left the cubs with him she had warned him of a brewing storm, danger that would soon befall the lands. He hadn't known exactly what she had meant but he had been confident that he'd be able to keep their children safe. Perhaps this was the danger that had finally come to call.

"Easy," he said quietly as he situated himself beside her heaving body, mindful of her wing but also well aware that broken bones would mend eventually. Leaving her out like this was a death wish for certain. At least if she could survive the pain to get back to the den she might have a chance at recovery. Phanes joined him on her other side and together they supported her as she got to her feet.

The pained noises coming from the goddess tore at Vidar's heart. While he would only ever love one other lioness romantically, he cared for more and more the older he got. Obviously his children were number one in his life, both his first litter and the second, but Na'ira was among those he would never turn his back to if they asked for his help and who would always do whatever he could to aid them. There were a few other lions on that list, namely his band of Reavers, but it was growing almost every day.

"One step at a time," he encouraged once Na'ira was steady on her paws. "No rush. If you need a break we'll take one, but once you get moving let's try to keep going." Although he didn't want to push her to the point of passing out, he and Phanes were mere mortals and would tire eventually. If they could get to the den before that it would be ideal and all three would have to work together to ensure they made it.

"Phanes, if you get tired just say something. We'll rest if we need it too. We'll do you mother no good if we stumble."

Vidar kept himself sturdy as he felt the weight of the goddess shift completely to him as she took one laborious step, then ease off to press against Phanes as her momentum shifted. He knew by the end of this they'd all be exhausted, but they couldn't just leave her out in the open. Not with everything going on. Hopefully the strange hunger pains wouldn't affect her as well. As if on cue, Vidar's stomach gave a painful twist to remind him that despite eating, he was still starving.

"We can," he agreed as Phanes answered Na'ira's question. "One step at a time. Each one you take is further from where you started." At this rate it would take at least an hour if the pace was steady. They had only been searching for about ten minutes when they had found the crater.

"You landed within the pride borders...Kafele made it sound like you were out in the rogue lands," he said, holding still as her weight shifted back to him. "It's a good thing you did. Not sure we'd be able to help if you landed too much further away." He bit his tongue after that, not wanting to press for questions, but his mind burned with curiosity. What had injured her like this? Did it have anything to do with the strange lights and rumblings in the sky? Was it the danger she had warned him of months prior? But those were questions for once they were safe within the den and she had rested.

"Phanes, maybe a Viking song to take her mind off the pain?" he murmured. Bards were more the ones to sing songs and tell stories but there were a few that Reavers going a-Viking might sing to rally their spirits. He nudged Na'ira to try to get her to measure her paces, using her footfalls as the beat for the slightly chant-y tune.

"I've seen many lions wandering, all strong and brave and keen, see them growing into rulers but I long for the sea. Heard a rogue came from North to our lands for a day, and before misfortune knows I'll be on my way." Vidar certainly wasn't the best singer out there - he wasn't a Bard for a reason - but he did give it his best. It wasn't too hard to keep the beat with the way the goddess was swaying and he hoped his off-pitch 'singing' was distracting her a least a bit from her pain.

"I'm all set to veer away and I'm all set to go astray, all burdens I will leave ashore to find what I've been longing for- ouch!" One giant paw stepped on his own, the little jolt of pain making him stop his singing before laughing softly. It hadn't hurt so much as surprised him and he knew no lasting damage had been done. Pressing his nose against Na'ira's neck again, he tried to keep from grinning too much.

"It's a good thing I'm a very forgiving lion, Na," he teased, trying to keep the mood light. "Otherwise I might be looking for three favors for slighting me like that. If you wanted me to stop singing you could have just asked instead of trying to squish my poor toes."

Vidar shook out his paw with a little grin on his face, not at all minding the squished toes. He had hoped that Na'ira's return to visit her children would have been a bit less dramatic than this, but he really had no say in the matter. As much as he hoped she'd hang around to chat with him a little as well he knew that her true desires rested on the shoulders of her cubs, to see them and get to know them now that they were older and starting to become more independent. To know she had been listening to Phanes singing warmed his heart even if it embarrassed their son.

"Damn straight you will," he encouraged, clearing his voice before launching into the next verse. He sang as long as he could, trying to recall any little ditty or lullaby or Viking tune he had ever heard, and by the time he ran his voice ragged his den was in sight.

"Not much further," he encouraged, rasping rather than speaking properly. He didn't mind at all, though. His voice would heal in a day or so, the goddess was in far more pain than he. Together the trio shuffled forward and Vidar was thankful for the strange things going on in the sky. It was keeping most of the pride away from the dens, instead heading out to the open areas of the pride to watch. A few cries of fear and pain could be heard still from dens where new mothers were trying to comfort their cubs from the pain in their bellies and the strange rumblings beneath their paws, but beyond that the area was deserted.

"Phanes, once we get her inside you'll help me drag some of the food the Thralls brought in to her," he said. Even though his own stomach felt shriveled to the size of a pea he could only hope that eating would assist the goddess in recovering. Could she even feel the hunger that wracked the lands?

Vidar helped Na'ira the rest of the way to the den, relieved that they'd made it without much fuss from the rest of the pride. He could see Kafele silently watching from a dark corner of the den, eyes on his mother, and he gave the young male a little nod of thanks for clearing out enough space for the large lioness. Once she was on the ground he turned his attention back to her, ensuring she was as comfortable as she could be before backing away.

"Sleep. We'll be here when you wake," he said reassuringly before moving to position himself in the mouth of the den. No one would be coming or going unless they were her children and he would be sure of it.