The pair had set out towards Ichika, Tharin bouncing between hope that Zalen would be able to protect and care for Kiara to worry that the differences in the packs would make it difficult. Tharin managed to hide this fairly well, his tail lowered in respect for his alpha, following at Zalen's shoulder as they walked. He still wasn't too sure what he was going to say to her. He just knew that her pups needed protection, and he was going to help give that to her however he could. Zalen thought that it was alright, and that was all the encouragement he needed.
Stopping on the borders he glanced over to Zalen. He was the one to make the call as he knew Kiara better, but still looked for reassurance for a moment. Lifting his head Tharin called for Kiara. He was glad that Zalen had let him grab a rabbit on the way over, something simple to help feed the pups. It was a lot easier to carry as well, not needing to worry about the difficulties of dragging larger prey over to the den. His call was deep, a true wolf's, the strong call of someone more dominant. It was how it was between them after all, Tharin the leader with Kiara as the happy follower. Hopefully that was alright.
The trek to Ichika was an easy one, just as Zalen had predicted, but as they traveled he began to get more and more on edge. He didn’t show it outwardly though, but while Tharin took a moment to catch a rabbit, Zalen stared towards Ichika land with a worried eye. What had truly become of them? Were the rumors truly outlandish like he had believed. He had not seen or heard from X’y for such a long time, what had happened here? When Tharin returned though Zalen was quick to put on his supportive, leadership mask once more, and the two were on their way.
Upon the borders it was Tharin who let out the call, and Zalen nudged flanks with the male in gentle support. He was nervous; Zalen could sense it, but there was no reason to worry… at least that was Zalen’s hope. He was curious as to what Kiara would say, and what Tharin would say; would he try to convince her to move to New Dawn? Zalen doubted she’d be so eager to move with such young cubs. And what if she did choose to go? What would Zalen do then? He would definitely push Tharin to mate with her, a mother alone in raising pups was never a good thing, even if there was a large pack to support her. Having pups in New Dawn would be such a blessing though, for it seemed this spring would be unfruitful for the New Dawn females, most likely because their Alphess had not yet reached her first heat.
Zalen raised his head high then, taking on the flawless visage of a strong leader, a statuesque example of his breed. He watched, and waited, for the mother to arrive.
Bird songs thundered through the forest as they called to one another and several trees had reached their blooming peak. The forest was scattered with petals, some trees still remained dormant while others let out blossoms of magnificent colors. The she-wolf sat just outside of her den, the sounds of puppies playing roughly soothed her ears. Her puppies were nearly a moon old, their babbling voices happy and pleasant. Kiara turned her head as a soft paw pushed against her side. Bright blue eyes stared up at their mother, Kohaku's face filled with joy and wonderment. Kiara gently licked his head before ushering him back inside the den.
Both Lucia and Kohaku had learned to stay inside the den when their mother was out hunting. However, that didn't stop them from wandering outside when mom was home. Kohaku babble constantly as the young mother picked him up and moved him to the main cavern of their underground home. Lucia began to babble as well when she saw her mother. With shaky steps, the young female moved to greet her mother and brother, her ink-dipped tail wagging happily behind her. Kiara deposited Kohaku next to his sister, which immediately brought small growls from both of the young wolves. A smile stretched across Kiara's face and brought twinge of pain to her eye. The scar around her eye was almost fully healed and completely visible in the femme's thinning fur. The spring had brought forth Kiara's shedding cycle, and her den showed it. Scattered clumps of white fur littered the den as well as the area's around it. Her older scars had become more visible, and the newer ones were completely visible.
Kiara settled herself down on the inside of the den and thought about her encounter with the two luperci. By all rights she should have had her first shift. They had infected her, there was no doubt about that. Even so, Kiara had yet to shift, to even feel the urge to change forms. It had been over a week since the attack, but Kiara had felt nothing. At first the wait had only increased her fears and anxiety however, her fears had begun to wain at the end of the week. Perhaps, she would never shift. Kiara watched her puppies wrestle as she pondered the miracle. A familiar howl broke through her thoughts, and the puppies too recognized the voice. They turned their heads up and called in their high pitched voices. Their howls were weak, and barely recognizable as such, but they could use the practice. Kiara too rose her elegant voice in song, before she stood and exited the den.
Once the young mother had reached the outside world she took off for the boarder. Her shoulder burned a little as she moved, forcing the female to slow down. Even so, it didn't take long for Kiara to reach the boarders, her tail wagging low in delight. The white female paused as she reached the line of fresh flowers. Tharin stood just beyond the row of flowers and scent markings, a dead rabbit placed at his paws and the usual dominant air settled around him. Yet, a black stranger stood beside the massive male and his air of dominance was on a completely different level, he was an alpha.
The arctic wolf stood confused, her body stiff while her once wagging tail had take refuge between her legs. Her ears flicked back nervously as sapphire eyes stared questioningly at Tharin. What was New Dawn's Alpha doing at the Ichika boarder and why had he called for her?
Zalen stood tall and proud beside Tharin, giving more strength to the wolf. It eased out of him, tail wagging softly at the prospect of seeing Kiara. It didn't matter how dominant he was standing, holding himself with rank. He had his alpha there, and he was here to see the one that he thought of as pack, the one that should belong to his pack but didn't. Tharin wouldn't push her to come to his pack, knowing that travel with young pups was impossible. The offer of the protection was definitely something he could give, especially since Zalen had supported his decision in caring for Kiara.
Kiara's scent reached him quickly, Tharin tempted to cross over the border and see her. The wolf froze before reaching him though, the happy posture quickly vanishing, low with worry. Glancing over to Zalen Tharin smiled. It's alright. Ichika's done nothing wrong. We're here with good news. Tharin sat down patiently, waiting for Kiara to relax, for an invitation to cross the border so he could check her out. There was something wrong with her, he could see that. Her movements were a little stiff, worrying him. Had she been hurt? It only increased his opinion that this pack couldn't protect her, too weak and spread out.
Word Count → 218 :: Zalen is noticing the lack of members in Ichika at this time.
It took a moment, but soon, the female appeared, her visage that of a wolf full in bloom of motherhood. As soon as she spotted the pair though, her stance hitched, and Zalen could tell she was uncomfortable at the sight of him. Tharin spoke soothing words to her, and Zalen lessened his dominant stance, instead pressing his ears back and wagging his tail in a friendly way, Hello, Kiara… He said softly, somewhat in awe of her maternal glow.
Zalen followed suit with Tharin, sitting down in a relaxed position. But then, something in the wind caught Zalen’s attention, or at least, the lack of something. He raised his nose to the sky, sniffing; the scents were faint, old, faded… the only scent that was strong was that of Kiara and her pups, most likely hidden in a birthing den far off. What was this? Should not the scents of the Ichika members be strong here at the borders?
Suddenly, Zalen became very nervous, but instead of showing it, he looked at Kiara and gave out an affectionate whine, focusing instead on the task at hand, Kiara, Tharin has requesting we come here to speak with you. He worries for you and your pups. And Zalen then turned to Tharin, to allow him to speak his peace.
The Alpha's strong presence was something Kiara had never expected to find in a luperci. In her experience, the luperci Alphas were more relaxed in their dominance and the arctic wolf had almost gotten used to the easy submission that they so rarely commanded. Seeing the black male standing proud and strong was a complete shock to Kiara, and confusion wrought her simple mind. Instincts screamed at her to submit while at the same time told her to defend the pack lands. He wasn't her Alpha, but his presence commanded her to bow down. Kiara's body became rigid as the two instincts fought, and she half submitted to the black male.
Sapphire eyes sought out an explanation from Tharin, and he did not disappoint. The silver giant's words soothed Kiara a little, his calm air was infections and Kiara sat down to ease the tension on her wounded shoulder. The snowy female tried to put as little weight on the wound as possible, making her sitting position a little awkward. Confusion turned to curiosity as New Dawn's alpha relaxed as well. His ears pushed back and his tail wagged, a gesture that was soon mimicked by the young mother. Her head lowered and a small smile crossed her face. Namaste. An affectionate whine came from the black male, which sent Kiara's tale wagging in full force. She didn't mind meeting New Dawn's Alpha under such friendly conditions. Nice to see you again Tharin.
A white ear flick forward as the young mother's head cocked to the side. Tharin wanted to speak with her because he was worried? Why did such matters concern New Dawn's Alpha? The news made Kiara extraordinarily confused and she turned to Tharin for an explanation.
As soon as the two instincts in Kiara leaped to battle Tharin's did as well. He wanted to force her to submit to his alpha and pay him respect, the other part acknowledging that this was not New Dawn and to assure her they wouldn't harm the pack. A battle between them would be fruitless. The partial submission did earn a wag of Tharin's tail, happy to see that she was accepting of Zalen. He was a good alpha, even if Tharin didn't always understand his actions. The three of them were seated now, in a fairly relaxed manner. Kiara's greeting was a little strange, different and more formal from the ones they usually shared, with licks and assurances of where each one stood with the other.
His tail wagged brightly at Kiara's words, happy to see her in good health still. It was a worry. Zalen's words stilled the silver wolf, immediately made nervous. He did well hiding it, his body as dominant as always with only a slight twitch of his tail to show his thoughts. Tharin wasn't good with speaking. He didn't feel that he could really explain it well. His words were blunt, with nothing covering it. He just hoped that Kiara would be able to accept them. Ichika's weak. The borders aren't as strong as they should be, and you have no mate. You need better protection. The alpha told me that we could offer you that protection.
Zalen noted the change in demeanor of Tharin once Kiara relaxed and the Alpha was glad for it. But the words that his subordinate spoke rang true to him, for they were exactly what he had been thinking. Ichika was week, hardly a pack anymore from what Zalen had heard; how could they truly care for a mother and her pups? Zalen knew it was possible for a lone wolf mother to be alright on her own, he himself was the product of a lone wolf. But it was difficult, and Zalen knew Kiara had more than one cub to care for.
Zalen let out another low whine as Tharin finished speaking, New Dawn is close by, and we are strong. We will gladly accept you and your pups into our fold if you feel unsafe. He had not been planning on offering to bring her to New Dawn, but now it felt appropriate, I know X’yrin would not let anything happen to you, but even she can’t look out for everyone. His ears flicked down at he said this, sad that it had to be mentioned at all.
But then, suddenly, Zalen noticed something. Whether it was a slight shift in her position or a flash of something in her eyes, Zalen noticed that Kiara was in pain. You’re injured… He said quietly, his attention then drawn to her leg, which she favored. How had he not seen it before?
More than anything, Kiara wanted to run up and shower her friend with licks and gentle nudges. It was their usual greeting and it felt more natural to Kiara than her words. But with another pack's Alpha present she felt that it was necessary to act as an Ichikan, and that meant using the strange greeting. The word was foreign, but it was an Ichikan tradition and separated the Ichikans from the rest of the wolves. Although, Kiara never did find out what the word meant.
The young mother listened carefully as Tharin spoke, her mouth opened quickly to protest but no words came out. He was right, the pack had become weak and she had no one to truly assist her in raising the puppies. Granted, some of that was her fault. Kiara had refused to allow any adult canines into her den, aside from herself of course. Even so, there weren't enough members in Ichika to help her keep the puppies safe and well fed. Although she had somehow managed to keep most of the puppies alive, there were times when the young mother went hungry after she sacrificed her meals to her children.
What came next was unexpected and complete surprise to Kiara. She sat and looked at the two giant males. They were offering her protection, no a chance to move to their pack. Her white ears flicked back and her tail stopped moving. That's... I don't know what to say. Sapphire eyes flicked to the ground as she stared at her own large paws. Kiara couldn't leave Ichika, it was her home. However, Ichika wasn't safe, and her puppies needed the full support of a strong pack. Yet, they were still too young to move. The alabaster mother squeezed her eyes shut and then looked up at Tharin and his Alpha. I really appreciate your offer, and the fact that you have come so far just to help me is... just wonderful. But I can't go to New Dawn... not now. My puppies, they aren't even a moon old. But, if their second moon comes and I wish to take them to your pack... will you accept us? Her pleading eyes looked bravely towards the wolves. Kiara hated to even think about leaving Ichika, but she would walk a thousand miles if it meant her puppies would be safe and happy.
The black male's eyes went directly to her injured leg and his statement made the young mother flinch. Its nothing. Kiara wasn't exactly lying. Compared to her first encounter with Amy, the single scar on her shoulder really was nothing. The problem with her injury wasn't the wound itself, but the virus that Amy had shared. Her eyes drifted towards the alpha, perhaps he knew why she hadn't shifted yet. Kiara went to ask, but the question caught in her throat and she looked away, unable to voice her worry or distress. I'm fine.
Tharin looked over at Zalen, surprised. He hadn't been expecting that. Tharin did want Kiara in his pack, but he didn't want her to abandon a pack she was attached to. He knew how painful that was. Zalen's eyes showed nothing more than respect for Ichika. He didn't know what the alpha was thinking. The shock quickly disappeared from his expression. He had to show his support, turning and looking back at Kiara. How would she respond to that?
Shock, battling again. It seemed their words and presence had sent confusion through Kiara. He hadn't wanted that, simply wanting to protect her. Even if she didn't come to New Dawn, Tharin would continue to do just that, knowing that Zalen would approve. Tharin nodded his head at her answer, wishing that he could go and comfort her, assure her that it was going to be alright. He would protect the pups for as long as they were there, do what he had to for Kiara. Tharin let out a low growl at the denial of the injury, stepping forwards to nuzzle at her this time, slightly over the borders before he retreated back again.
Word Count → +1 :: Leaving this now so you guys don't have to keep waiting on me.
Zalen harrumphed at the female’s brushing off of the injury, No, it’s not nothing. What happened? Did someone hurt you? Zalen suddenly found himself becoming very protective of this girl; who would harm a new mother? And her being injured just solidified the fact that she was in danger here. Tharin had been correct in his worrying about her.
Zalen trotted forward to sniff at the wound; Kiara was obviously taking good care of it and it was very clean. Still, the Alpha’s tongue darted out to lick gingerly. He knew Deuce could fix that right up, and even make a salve that would take away her pain, but Zalen would not ask her to come to New Dawn now. The dark male sighed, Please, Kiara, if you ever need anything, we are only a quick jaunt away. His eyes softened and he gave the girl a smile, his tail wagging.
Zalen turned and returned to Tharin’s side, giving the large male a friendly bump with his head, I will head back to New Dawn… he looked at the man, You may stay awhile, if you’d like, I’m sure you two have things you’d like to discuss in private. His eyes twinkled; he hoped that indeed there was some romance sprouted here. Zalen was at heart a hopeless romantic.
The sable Alpha turned to look at Kiara again and gave her a quick bow, It was an honor meeting you, Kiara. Perhaps you could tell Tharin about how it was you came about being injured, so that we may assure it doesn’t happen again. And then with a quick glance of confirmation at Tharin, Zalen turned tail and trotted off back in the direction of New Dawn.
She was scarred, more scarred than she had ever been before. Yet, she was unable to voice her worry or concern. Kiara felt damaged, dirty, like a monstrosity. Surly, if Tharin or Nat found out what Amy did they would turn away from her. The protection that they were offering her puppies would be withdrawn. Kiara tried her best to appear strong and confident, to act like everything was fine. However, Nat was not fooled by her lousy charade and he bombarded her with questions. Kiara stared at the grass beneath her paws and mumbled something about a stray dog and a fight, but her words were nearly unintelligible. The snow wolf looked up slowly when Tharin nuzzled her, her pleading eyes begging him not to hate her.
The black Alpha cross Ichikan boarders to get a closer look at Kiara's shoulder. The young mother didn't move or protest. There was nothing wrong with crossing the boarder so long as she was there. The arctic female had taken good care of her wound, thus allowing it to heal at a quick and steady pace. Even so, the wound was still young and Kiara flinched a little as he licked the wound, its tender skin still sensitive to pressure. Her spirits were lifted as the Alpha assured her his help, if only she would ask. Thank you! Thank you! It put hope in her heart; hope for the future of her puppies. When they became old enough, Kiara would consider a move. But at that point in time, Ichika was their home and it's falling ranks would have to do.
Kiara watched as Zalen turned to go, her smile returned slowly and her tail began to wag. He was offering her so much. It was no wonder that such a wise and caring wolf was New Dawn's leader. The honor is all mine. Thank you for all you have offered. Sapphire eyes stared at Tharin, hoping that he would not ask her what had happened.
Tharin licked briefly at his alpha's chin in response to the bump, tail wagging softly. He nodded his head, stepping over to Kiara's side to nuzzle at her. How could she get injured in this pack? Clearly they were far too weak. Why she looked so desperate over the injury, attempting to hide what had happened, was a mystery. He listened clearly to the mumbled words. A dog? Why would the dog attack someone like Kiara? Someone who needed all the help she could get to care for her puppies and was such a cheerful person.
He nodded his head, knowing that even if the protection was revoked he would still care for her. Tail wagging he bumped gently against Kiara. As soon as Zalen had gone out of earshot Tharin began to groom Kiara, gently cleaning the dirt away and licking tenderly at the wound. I don't feel very good leaving you here. I'll make sure to come back. It won't happen again. His words almost came out in a biting growl, determined to stand against those that would threaten her.
