Word Count → 327 :: Around 10:00 at night on Jan 2nd.
It was far later than Kiara had anticipated her return to be. Earlier that day Kiara had to fulfill her duties as the packs Ikusei by watching of Jace's puppy, Dalgina. She had been a puppy who was full of energy, although she wasn't nearly as bad as Sarian had been at her age. Sarian was a little older and easier to handle, although the chew toy Kiara had gotten her was a big help. After watching Dalgina for most of the day Kiara had decided to take a nap in the woods. The forest was one place Kiara really felt at home, even Amy's attack hadn't taken that away from her.
When the snow wolf finally woke up the sun had already set and the hour had drawn late. Kiara had walked back to the Trenton apartments as fast as her injured body would go. The scars stretched and complained the whole way, but at least none of the broke open. Wearily the alabaster female pushed open the main door and headed up the flight of stairs. She didn't care if the wood creaked noisily under her paws, she only wanted to get back to the apartment.
Unfortunately, when Kiara reached the door to Shiloh's apartment the wooden barrier was completely closed. Kiara must have closed it when she left earlier that day, making it impossible for her to return. The snow wolf sat down, perplexed at the situation. If she howled or tried to call for help then she would wake everyone up, including Sarain and the neighbors. That was something Kiara refused to do. So instead began to scratch at the door, her long claws gently scraping the wooden surface. She bent her head low and began to whine softly, trying to coax someone in the apartment to open the door for her without waking the whole complex. She would repeat these two patterns until someone opened the door or until she fell asleep...again.
Jar? smells good. Ma ma told me not to get into jars. But I am hungry. Food? Where is the food? Where is Daddy? Why isn't he taking care of Mama. Ma sick. Mama big now. Sissies and Bubbies for Sarian to play with. Another jar. OOOOO powder. Imma make a big mess for Rara to clean. Ops I knocked it over. Roll roll roll roll. It feels good. AHHHH ITS IN MY NOSE!!!!!! Rara needs to come home and play with me. I want to heal her bo bo's. Sarian wants to beat up the mean lady Rara yells about in her sleep Sarian sneezed and rolled in the powder as she heard scratching. Her little ears perked up and her silver blue eyes glowed with love for the woman behind the door.
Sarian shook herself and left a cloud of white powder in her wake as she ran to her mama's room, white paw prints littering the floor as she ran and slid over the hard wood floors. She slid into a wall and kept going till she crashed into her mothers bedroom door. "Mama!!!! Rara needs in! Mama!!!! WAKE UP!!!!" yelled Sarian as Shiloh swatted at her. "Sarian Mama doesn't feel well. Go open the door yourself," Shiloh said pushing Sarian off her. Sarian bit her ear and Shiloh got up, whining as she opened the door for the woman. Sarian watched her mama go back to bed and ran at the white woman. "RARA!!! HOME!!!! CUDDLE WITH ME!!! Sarian said as she went up to the woman for some lovins and kisses. Sarian nipped at the alabaster womans paws and went over to her bed in the corner. Shiloh had changed the bedding again and Sarian squished it down for her and Kiara to lay on.
[i] Rara was bleeding. I dont like the red stuff on her fur. Why would someone hurt my Rara. She is so nice to me and Mama and Daddy. Rara is my big sister. And I will hurt the lady who hurt my sissie. Whats that smell on her? Who has she been with? I don't like to share my Rara thought Sarian as she waited for Kiara to join her.
Kiara couldn't help but flinch when she heard a crash emanate from the apartment. From the sound of it, Sarain had gotten into her mothers jars again. When that happened she always left a large mess in her wake, and to top things of Shiloh was sick and would be unable to clean up the mess. Kiara always had difficulty cleaning the apartment because of her inability to shift. The snow wolf let out a heavy sigh as she half-heartedly scratched at the door. She was no longer sure she even wanted to get into the apartment.
Finally the door opened and there was Shiloh, her belly bursting with puppies and her eyes heavy with exhaustion and illness. Kiara stepped into the room quickly, her jaw hanging down as she took in the destruction Sarian as caused. Sarain immediately showered Kiara with kisses, but the alabaster woman's attention was trained on her sick friend. Worried eyes followed Shiloh back to bed, and Kara was left wondering if there was anything she could do to help. Meanwhile Sarian had run over to Kiara's makeshift and was spreading the strange powder everywhere. Kiara shook her head a little and walked over to Sarian. "I'm sure you will whirlwind, now hold still."
Kiara bent her head over the pup and snatched it in her jaws. The silver puppy was a lot bigger now so lifting her out of bed was a difficult task. Eventually though, Kiara managed to drag the puppy off the rags and on the floor. Immediately Kiara started cleaning Sarain, turning her white fur back to it's natural silver. Kiara worked slowly, but she was thorough and scolded the small puppy the entire way through. When the bath was done Kiara answered Sarian's questions. "I was at Jace's house today looking after your pack sister. You are much older than her, so she needed me to be there and teach her just as I am teaching you. Now then, be good while I go check up on Shiloh. If you are good, we will sleep together. And Sarian, stay out of your mother's jars."
Carefully, the snow wolf stepped around the white powder and made her way to Shiloh's bedroom. The door slid open with a gentle nudge and Kiara padded inside. Shiloh was laying on her bed, her complexion terrible and her eyes sunken. The snow wolf trotted up to Shiloh and began to gently lick her face. "Shiloh, are you okay? Can I do anything for you?"
Sarian whined as Rara cleaned her. Lucky for Kiara Sarian had gotten into some powdered vanalla and sugar. Sarian pawed at Kiara's face as she was cleaned, laughing and nipping as she was pinned and licked. She growled at being scolded. "who is Jace? Is she mean to you? Is she mean to Mama? I will bite her if she is mean to my family," Sarian growled. She perked at the thought of another friend. " can I play with her?" she asked as Kiara told her to stay and left to check up on her mama. Sarian was worried about her mama. She had come home one day so sad and depressed Sarian wanted to fix her. She had gone after her mama and lay with her. Shiloh had pulled her close and cried hot, fat tears into her fur, asking her if she loved her. Sarian had licked her and whispered her love for her mother while feeling her siblings kick and push against her mothers stomach. Shiloh had cried herself to sleep that night and Sarian was confused with what was wrong with her mommy.
Shiloh had stayed in her room since then and only came out to eat. Were was her Daddy? Why wasn't he making mama better. Sarian watched as Kiara went to check on her mama and she hoped nothing was wrong.
Shiloh lay awake in her bed, Aleo's scent all over. Where was he? Did he not love her? After her encounter with Jace she stayed away from the stables. Shiloh was not strong like Jace. She was cowardly and weak and she hated herself for it. Maybe she would be better off dead to the world. X'yrin would raise Sarian better then her. If she wasn't with pups she would have left the world a long time ago. Aleo left her. He didn't love her. He had knocked her up and left. Shiloh was pulled from her thoughts by Kiara's worried voice.
Was she OK? No. Was there anything she could do? Take the pups in her belly and raise them as her own while Shiloh killed herself. "Why didn't Saxif kill me when she left me? Why did Aleo say he loved me then leave. I carry his children. Kiara why am I so weak?" Asked Shiloh with pain in her emerald eyes. She reached for Kiara, needing the closeness of someone.
The powder on Sarian very sweet and actually tasted wonderful. Kiara wondered if she should clean it up, her stomach might be very happy to receive such a treat. Sarian wiggled and giggled during her bath, which brought a smile to face. Kiara laughed a little when Sarian automatically assumed that Jace was mean, but given how she treated Shiloh it wasn't surprising that Sarian thought that way. "No Jace is not mean, Jace is a leader and you should not bite the leaders. But one day you may be able to play with the puppy I watched after today."
Kiara watched helplessly as Shiloh despaired, her immense sorrow filling the room. Kiara whined a little, worried that Shiloh was so depressed and upset. Her beautiful green eyes were filled with pain that was mirrored in Kiara's own sapphire eyes. Kiara licked Shiloh's scarred fingers, trying to show her love for the grey woman. When she was done with that, the alabaster woman prepared herself to jump on the bed.
The effort it took for Kiara to climb into bed next to Shiloh was more than she had anticipated. But somehow, the snow wolf managed to pull herself up and next to Shiloh. "You aren't weak. You are strong. You helped me. I am here Shiloh, so please cheer up." Kiara wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with Shiloh. She knew that Shiloh was sick and that Aleo was missing. But the exact details as to what had happened were unknown to the arctic wolf. However, if Kiara ever say Aleo again she would rip his tail off for hurting Shiloh. Kiara began to lick Shiloh's muzzle and snuggled closer to her friend.
Shiloh hugged the woman close, scared to lose such a good friend. "I love you Kiara. Your the best friend a woman like me could have. I... why hello baby girl," Shiloh laughed as Sarian came bounding into the room. "Rara is ignoring me! Mama is hogging Rara! Sarian wants some love too mama," said Sarian jumping up on to the bed and wiggling in between the two woman and playfully nipping at her mothers fingers. She jumped when her siblings kicked and Shiloh watched with a smile as Sarian pawed as her growing stomach. "What siblings do you wish for baby girl? Sisters or brothers? asked Shiloh as Sarian pawed at the little rises in her stomach.
Sarian started to bark as there were too many rises in her stomach to keep up with. Shiloh laughed and picked up a growing Sarian. Shiloh licked her and frowned. "you have been in my jars again haven't you. Now I have to clean up the mess you made. At least you taste good. I could just eat you all up!" said Shiloh as she playfully nibbled and licked at her daughter delighted in the giggles and growls of play. "Come on Kiara. Help me eat Sarian," she laughed as she put a squealing Sarian between them and nibbled at her ear. "MMMMM that's some good eaten right there," Shiloh laughed as Sarian batted at her muzzle
The snow wolf held still as Shiloh pulled her closer. She was afraid to hurt Shiloh and the puppies. Even in her weakened state, Kiara was not a weak wolf. She was not fighter, but she was a deadly hunter. Like most arctic wolves, she had strength and speed that far surpassed her size and the stamina to run for miles on end without stopping or slowing down. Kiara was well aware of her strength and always took care when she was around Shiloh. As the grey woman embraced her, Kiara licked her muzzle again. She wanted to cheer Shiloh up, but she didn't know how.
Sure enough, Shiloh's daughter Sarian knew the answer. It was always amazing how things seemed so complex to adults, yet seemed so easy to children. Kiara laughed along with Shiloh at Sarian's protests and her innocent desires to monopolize Kiara. The snow wolf could only laugh harder at Sarian's antics as she tried to bat at her siblings paws. In only a few short weeks they would be playing together outside of Shiloh and Kiara's puppy sitting duties would only grow. Soon Ichika would be overflowing with puppies, and the Ikusei could only wonder how she could keep up with them all. Jace had puppies, Naryu and Shiloh would soon have puppies. The only thing that could make her job harder at this point would be if Kiara also had puppies.
Despite her laughter the snow wolf wasn't really happy. Her thoughts had turned to the luperci and how scared she felt when she believed she would join their ranks. She never wanted to feel like that again, which meant she would never be willing to become a luperci. Kiara watched as the mother and daughter played, the realization hitting her that she may never have puppies of her own. Most of the wolves in Ichika, and indeed Nova scotia, were luperci. Kiara could not mate with any of them because they would transfer their virus to her. The idea made Kiara's heart sink a little, but not by much. At least as the Ikusei, she could still experience the joy of raising puppies, even if they weren't her own.
After spending a few moments deep in thought, Kiara turned her attention to the game at hand. She playfully grabbed onto Sarain, and gently chewed on the puppy's side. "Yummy!" Sarian laughed out loud as she turned to retaliate. Her own small jaw, wrapping around Kiara's ear and pulling vehemently. "Oh no, I'm caught! Help me Shiloh!" The snow wolf's mock distress and fake protests only made Sarian giggle harder. Sarain had grown a lot since she was picked up at the boarder and soon she would be able to go out hunting with the adults.
