Worried mother

[Uskiya]

Uskiya paced softly by the entrance of her whelping den, her expresson worried and yet almost calm, her mate hadn't been around for a while and she had taken refuge elswhere by herself. Now though she hoped someone would come to check to see if she was back. It had been a little while since she had seen any of her pack. Tilting her head skyward she let a call ring out, beckoning anyone in Ge-rad's boundaries. Perhaps Draeg could come and help, or Lydair. Or anyone, so long as one of her packmates came to answer her call. Her furred belly was now huge with pups and her due day would be soon. He rpacing stopped and she then turned to circling, he ears slightly back and her tail hanging anxiously. She searched the trees with er eys, golden hued and skittish. Perhaps she should ask Firefly or Cwen if they had felt this way. Or perhaps Lydair could help her with herbs. There was no telling, she stopped her circling and sat down, unable to stay all on four leg sfor a while now. It would probably be wise to eat something, but she was incapble of catching anything besides grasshoppers or small rodents. She let out a sigh, looking into the sky and searching it. But there was nothing there, nothing at all.

A scurrying noise reached her auds and she looked up, ten feet from where she sat stirred a small mouse lke creature. Nibling on seeds that t found, she licked her maw and stood up, despte her handicap she didn't disturb the feeding rodent. Stalking quietly over she searched for the rodent, her lip curled up and she sprinted forward, the rodent hearing her took off and dived into the ground. Dissapearing before Uskiya could catch it and feed. She let out a growl and turned back. Waddling over to her whelping den entrance and laid down quietly.

[Draeg]

Draeg bent down into a low crouch amidst the tall grass of the meadow, his belly nearly touching the ground as he silently stalked a roe and her fawn. He had been stalking the pair for over an hour now and was eager to start the chase, he longed to feel the exhilaration that came with the thrill of the hunt and experience the immense feeling of joy that came with the freedom of being varg. It was the spirit of the wild wolf that stirred these feelings within him, coursing through his veins and driving him to feel the wind run through his fur and savor the feeling of the hunt. Draeg loved it. Loved to run. Love to hunt. Loved being a wolf. Everyday he gave thanks to the gods for allowing him to come into the world as a free wolf. He watched as his prey unknowingly moved closer to his position amongst, his amber fur allowing him to blend in perfectly with his surroundings thus making him nearly invisible to the hind and her young offspring.

His jaws began to salver in anticipation as he eyed the yearling eagerly, mentally willing it to stray away from its mother and wander closer to him so that his kill would be guaranteed. The gentle winds blew the mighty Dragga’s upwind and away from the hapless fawn so that it seemed that nature itself yearned for its death so that the hunt might be successful. The amber varg tensed up as the herla obeyed his wishes and placed itself a few meters away from the hungry wolf, swiveling his ears forward and raising his tail ever so slight Draeg prepared to pounce. However he was startled by a sudden howl cutting through the air, causing him to raise his head in surprise and reveal his location to the two unwitting lera who upon seeing him darted out into the meadow and away from Draeg before he could stop them. Giving out a sharp curse Draeg chided himself for allowing himself to get distracted and loose focus on the hunt, knowing that the roe and her fawn would not be so careless next time now that they knew of the amber wolf’s presence. Upset at having lost his prey Draeg let out a slight snarl before perking his ears and craning his head to the side so that he might have a better time identifying whoever had disturbed his hunt, the whole time wondering who had given out the call and why. His eyes widened somewhat as he identified the varg to be Cal’s mate Uskiya who was, at the moment, heavy with pups, wondering if perhaps the gray wolf’s time had come Draeg heave out a slight sigh before throwing his head back and responding to her call.

Breaking out into a steady trot the Dragga of Ge-Rad began steadily making his way in the direction in which Uskiya’s call had originated, knowing that she would probably be hovering around her den less she suddenly enter into labor. Draeg wondered whether or not Cal would be there when he arrived, he hadn’t seen much of his emissary since Cal had informed him of Uskiya’s condition. He had relieved the brown varg of his duties for the time being so that he might tend to his mate but it seemed that he hadn’t been around as of late, Draeg made it a point to have talk with him about his new responsibilities as a parent the next time he saw him. At the thought of Uskiya going through labor without Cal to guard the den Draeg quickened his pace, instinct taking over as the need to protect his packmate caused him to rush to Uskiya’s side. The spirit of the wild wolf, the same feeling that compelled him to care for his packmates and tied him to them through love and camaraderie, the same feeling that now compelled him to check on Uskiya and make sure that she was alright. When he finally arrived the pregnant fae was lying on her side near the entrance to her den, she appeared to be fine much to Draeg’s immediate relief though now he felt a stab of annoyance at realizing that his hunt had been disturbed for no real reason. However the moment past and the amber male made his way over toward the pack nurse, holding himself dominantly as he stopped a few feet away from the pregnant femme and dipped his head in greeting. “Uskiya, I hope you are well.” He growled, glancing at her swollen stomach before looking back at her. “Is there a problem?”

[Lydair]

White paws skittered over the bracken; the pliable layer of drying pine needles crumbled beneath the Healer’s paws. Hunger grasped Lydair’s gut and her eyes flashed; winter was fast upon them and the lera had become scarce- even in the bountiful forests of Ge-Rad. Round, white-trimmed ears perked as curled as the cobalt fae gave a gentle sigh, her voice teasing the wind as her cyan gaze, keen and cunning, waited patiently for the gentle movement of prey. The warning hammer of a rabbit’s thumping leg jerked her hybrid form around, her paws crossing oddly as four lithe limbs caressed the earth. A pearly maw lifted; nostrils flared and a black-lipped jaw opened, letting the scent wash over and flood her acute senses.
Lydair could see the lera in her mind’s eye; sitting up, its pink nose twitching rapidly as instinct lowered its body into a crouch; the healer could hear its heart yammering loudly as its amber orbs grew wide, terrified. The Varg settled into a crouch, her agile legs folding, ready to uncoil into a fierce leap to collide with the lera. Claws nibbled at the soil and a long tongue glided over hungry lips.

With a jagged snarl the healer launched herself at the animal; landing nearly atop the rabbit it gave a terrified screech and gurgled, unable to wail again as the wolf and the buck tumbled, Lydair unsheathed her claws and raked them across the rabbit’s side before piercing its throat with her razors. Grunting with triumph, the femme held up a paw to wash her claws of dripping crimson that now stained not only her pearly maw, but also formed a pool on the barren ground and tinged the brown pelt of the rabbit a ginger-red. Running her tongue around her maw, the healer did her best to clean her features.
A howl broke through the air and the hybrid’s fangs were suddenly visible as she curled around her prey; however as she realized it was simply a needy call from her closet friend her gaze brightened and she gave out one of her own, her voice bold on the wind. Amused at the luck she had in catching the prey moments before the searing howl, Lydair grinned as she thought of her pregnant friend.

But it quickly soured into a small frown; Lydair hadn’t seen Cal and it was beginning to worry the she-Varg; Uskiya was due any day now and the he-Varg had yet to make even a feeble attempt to show himself to his mate. Lydair huffed but as she came upon the gray Uskiya she offered her a warm smile and her tail wagged furiously; an amber flash caught her eye and she turned to see Draeg. Grinning to her father-in-law Lydair’s tail began wagging again, her bright azure gaze sparkling as she glanced from Varg to Varg. Bowing her head respectfully to the mother-to-be, Lydair dropped the plump buck-rabbit a few paces from the burdened fae and nosed it closer, leaning back on lean hindquarters. Lydair could easily see the swollen belly of the femme; the half-Varg knew the minute the cubs arrived she would love them, act as their aunt and make sure none fell ill. ”How are you, Uskiya? Are you in any pain; can I help you with anything?” Turning again to Draeg, Lydair cocked her head. "Wasn't Cal relatively released from his position until Uskiya birthed her cubs? I haven't seen him in ages."

[Uskiya]

Uskiya smiled as Draeg appeared and she dpped her muzzle in greeting, though it looked rather strange since she relaxed on the ground. "Hello Draeg." Lydair appeared and Uskiya's tail brushed the ground amd she whined to her friend. "Hello Lydair, I am some what fine, but Cal hasn't been around and soon I will gve birth. I am worried something happened to him." She knew that her mate had been relieved of his duties while she was heavy with pups, but he had dissapeared and it worried Uskiya. "I am just worried that he won't be here, but I am okay. But I haven't been able to hunt and without Cal to do it for me I'm afraid that my pups won't have enough nurishment." She gave a weak smile, grasshoppers weren't enough to sustain a pup, none the less a she varg heavy with pups. "I don't want to burden anyone." She said, habits from her past coming back every so often. "Have either of you seen Cal?" she missed her mate, but nature would not wait for the brown varg to return, and f he wasn't around to protect the pups, anything could happen. It had been dangerous enough for Uskiya to be by herself for a while but now even within her pack boundaries who knew what would threaten the unborn pups. The gray fae whined again as a pang of pain surged her belly. When the pups would be born and when the could walk Uskiya would begin back her nurse duties and get to know the other Ge-rad pups, though she knew she couldn't do it now it still was on her mind. Winter would be coming soon and that would test the pups, if Cal didn't return soon he couldn't help to keep the pups warm once they were born. "Draeg, what should I do?" the fae asked her Dragga, knowing he had gone through two pregnant faes before, surely he could offer advice. She looked to the rabbit and then to Lydair, eyes asking if her friend was giving up her meal to offer t to the pregnant fae.

[Lydair]

"If Cal misses your birthing, I'll have a few things to say to him." Lydair barked through gritted teeth, her tail twitching. At her friend's questioning gaze Lydair grinned to her with a quiet chuckle."You didn't think I'd leave you to nurse with nothing but mice lining your belly, did you? I'm just sorry I haven't seen you sooner. I need to get you some herbs; to help with the birth and strengthen the puppies. We can only hope on Sita that this winter will favor them..Ge-Rad will be overflowing with cubs soon." Her last words had been spoken with meaning and her voice had lowered with a grin to Draeg. Again Uskiya spoke of Cal, and Lydair raised her pearly muzzle proudly, her tail beaming over her slender back in a curled arc. "If Cal is not hear the day of your whelping, I know several Varg from Ge-Rad will stay by your side. We'll hunt for you; help keep the cubs warm and safe. As for a problem with your mate.." The Healer cocked her head thoughtfully. "Perhaps Firefly and Yelae could tell us if they have caught any scent of our emmissary?" She quirked a brow and glanced at Draeg. "Has Firefly began her work yet? Seeing as Ge-rad is healthy, i could watch cubs for a while, until Uskiya has had her own."

The cobalt fae stifled a slight yawn; her eyes drooped and she traced her paws through the dusty soil absentmindedly as she thought about the cubs to come. Sita, keep them strong. Lydair thought nervously. It was her first few moons as a true Healer; mistakes were hard to come by but far from impossiblevand the very thought that a cub might die while under her care brought a grimacing whimper.

(((Woot! I can't WAIT for the cubs!!)))

[Draeg]

Draeg allowed his tail to wag as Lydair emerged from the brush and entered into the clearing along with him and Uskiya, she had apparently heard the pregnant fae’s call as well and come to check on her friend. Pleased with the fact that she was doing her job he returned her smile with one of his own, dipping his head to acknowledge her presence before letting himself eye the hare clasped firmly in her jaws. The amber varg was still hungry, his hunt having been disturbed by Uskiya’s call, his jaws began to salver as he continued to stare at the fresh kill, thinking how easy it would be to simply take the hare from smaller wolf and claim it for himself. However he quickly shook these thoughts away, Lydair was more than just another wolf she was also a loyal member of the pack as well the mate of his eldest son, Koan, making her both a treasured friend and family member. It was clear to Draeg that he was beginning to think more like the Kerl he used to be rather than the respectable Dragga that he was. He watched as Lydair greeted Uskiya accordingly before padding over to her friend and dropping her kill a few paces away from the prone pack nurse, nodding his head in approval the amber Dragga padded over to the pair and seated himself beside his daughter-in-law. Being pregnant Uskiya was given the privilege of eating first even before her alpha’s, this behavior would last all the way until the first few weeks after she gave birth and her pups were weaned, until then she would be allowed to eat alongside the pack’s current litter until she taken her fill at which point the pack’s hierarchy would return to the way it had been for generations. As such Draeg made no complaint when Lydair nudged the dead lera over to Uskiya, motioning for her to eat so that she might keep her strength up for when she finally went into labor.

At Lydair’s question the amber varg adopted a sour expression and gave out an annoyed growl as if to show that he didn’t feel like discussing the matter at the moment. “I thought so too but then again what would I know, I’m only the Dragga. It’s not like I make the rules around here.” He muttered darkly, clearly annoyed with Cal’s disappearance. Uskiya voiced her fears and Draeg gave out a sympathic whine, padding over to the pregnant fae and giving her a reassuring nuzzle. He frowned when she asked him if he knew the whereabouts of her mate and shook his head sadly, his features visibly softening as he looked at her through shimmering amber orbs. “Uskiya listen, I’m sure Cal is fine. I don’t know where he is now but after seeing how excited he was at learning he was going to be a father I can tell you that nothing on earth could keep him from being here when you give birth. And don’t worry about being a burden to anyone, we’re wolves and more importantly we’re a pack. I don’t know anywhere else but Ge-Rad takes care of their own.” He growled proudly, lifting himself up slightly. He couldn’t help but feel slightly taken aback as she asked him what to do, not really knowing what to say he just stood there and blinked dumbly at her. While it was true he had gone through two pregnant fae in a way the amber varg had been ignorant of much of the situation, having missed nearly all of Cwen’s term due to his time in the mountains only to come back and have her forced into labor early, he had spent a great deal more time with Firefly during her term but even then Draeg was only a male and rather useless unless it was to hunt for his mate or give her words of encouragement. Casting Lydair a quick glance and lifting his thoughtfully he spoke, his words coming out uneven and somewhat reluctant as though he were uncomfortable with the subject. “Well…for starters, you might want to ask Cwen and Firefly about this sort of thing…I wasn’t really there during most of Cwen’s term and in Firefly’s…I was pretty much useless.” He paused as he tried to think of what to say next. “I suppose we could give you some herbs to ease the birthing process but that might not be the best thing for the pups. There’s really not much I can tell you, I wasn’t exactly allowed in the den to see…is this something we really have to talk about? What’s important is that we’ll be here to help you watch over the pups, so don’t worry yourself too much.”

His entire body went ridged upon hearing Lydair’s statement and the amber varg shot a quick glance over his shoulder towards the pack healer, he knew that she was implying her own cubs that would soon be arriving but the amber wolf wasn’t sure whether he should feel thrilled or worried at the thought of so many pups running around Ge-Rad at once. The thought that Koan might have already mated with the cobalt femme without so much as asking his permission didn’t set well with the amber varg and he wasn’t sure if he should scold his son for deciding to have pups without consulting him or simply let him be, while it was true that Koan was indeed Draeg’s son that did not mean that he could simply do as he pleased. Koan was not immune to his father’s wrath, as far as Draeg was concerned he was still a subordinate would have to follow the rules of the pack like everyone else or face the consequences. In Other packs unauthorized breeding could be catastrophic for the pack as there would not be enough food support their numbers which often resulted in the pups death, in other cases the alpha pair usually took the subordinate pups and claimed them as their own with the pups never knowing who their real parents where despite their close proximity, wolves had even been driven out of the pack and killed for such offenses. The only reason Draeg had even permitted Cal and Uskiya’s litter was because Ge-Rad had been in dire need of more wolves to increase it’s dwindling population and the fact that both wolves had mated outside the pack, they hadn’t violated any of the packs unwritten laws by copulating as Kerls. The amber Dragga didn’t want to make an example out of his son or his mate but he couldn’t let their actions go unpunished without loosing face in front of the pack. Eventually Draeg reached a happy median, if Koan and Lydair had mated and the femme was indeed pregnant he would allow them to keep their litter as well as have a serious chat with them both about acting without permission.

Draeg had to admit Lydair’s suggestion was a good one, he had already been debating on who to send to find Cal when she suggested that he send his scouts. Turning his amber gaze over to the blue-eyed femme he flashed his daughter-in-law an approving look, pleased with her analogy of the situation and ability to think of a solution with minimal effort. However a moment later he frowned and shook his head. “No good, I haven’t seen either of them in a while either. I’m pretty sure Firefly has been busy watching over Zen and Rai but Yelae I’m not sure.” He growled. “But I’ll make sure to tell them next time I see them. In the mean time we’ll stay here with Uskiya and keep her company for the time being.”

[Firefly]

A tanned image quickly appeared then disappeared from sight.In between the rows of birch and oak a tanned canine dwelled. Her fur short and thinner most vargs and her tail curled in a delicate arc as her cyan eyes glittered fiercely. She perked up, her ears twitched as she took in her surroundings. Blinking she stepped back, the image of the sun reflecting in her orbs as she turned abruptly. The tan colored wolf dog then disappeared once more behind the brambles, though they masked her view they could to mask her sound as her paws danced lightly on the forest floor, sending the crisp leaves to crunch underneath her weight.

Then there was silence before a growl and the rustling of leaves and then silence once more. The tanned hybrid then lifted and stepped out from the vegetation, a light brown rabbit fastened in its jaws as she lifted her head proudly. She was getting better at this hunting business.

She then began to walk back towards her den and stopped to place the rabbit down by her feet as she dipped her muzzle and padded in. Her cyan eyes blinked as she marveled at the innocence. She watched her two pups, both snuggled in the den as they slept. their chests rising and falling. Firefly gave a content whine and padded out from the den. it was once again time for her duties. With one swift dip and push Firefly picked up her kill and on fast fleeted feet tore from the den and deeper into the Ge rad forests, her eyes sharp and keen scanned the landscape as she began to pad towards the boundaries.

The wolves in Gerad had been silent so far, but the talk of pups and birth soon raised awareness and excitement. Firefly found herself excited as well and had great enthusiasm for the festivities. Btu as she padded, her nose twitched and she looked around to find a landmark she knew. It was a jagged tree trunk, with light brown mushrooms and other mossy vegetation growing from the foot of the trunk. This was the way to Uskiya's whelping den. Firefly flickered an ear before deciding to pad towards her den, the rabbit still firmly clutched in her jaws. She was hungry but not hungry enough to wolf it down. Perhaps she'd bury it for later use.

Firefly then trotted past a boulder or two when she finally come to a large clearing. Not far off she recognized Uskiya's den site. Tail swished as Fly began t pad towards it and emerged from the background to see a gathering of wolves. Draeg, Lydair and Uskiya herself. Firefly let out a muffled bark of a greeting and trotted over to them. She dipped her head toward her mate ad dropped the hare at her feet before nuzzling the amber male affectionately and added a couple of kisses to his muzzle before turning to the expecting mother and Healer.

"Good day you three" she said and shook out her fur. Firefly looked up, "how have you been doing uskiya?" Firefly asked before reaching down and grabbing her kill. She lifted it and threw it over to Uskiya's feet. "Eat it, that's for you and you're growing pups." she said before sitting down on her haunches.

[Uskiya]

Uskiya smiled as Lydair confirmed the feast of food other than mice. She nodded her thanks and dug into it, it's sweet blood tasted wonderful on her tongue. She paused halfway through it to lick her maw and look at the two vargs. It would be terrible for Cal to miss the birthing of his pups, but who knew where he was. She continued to gorge on the feast. When she finished she cleaned her maw and smiled. Though she looked questionally at Lydair when she made her comment on many pups in Ge-rad. She nuzzled Draeg back and felt more reassured, her dragga seemed to be giving her strength and calming her nerves. She gave a slight chuckle as Draeg looked dumbfoundly at her question. "Thanks, herbs might be nice but I don't know what will happen. I just wish Cal was here, I can't think what could've happened to him." her face returned to a worried look, but she was grateful for her pack. "Yes, my mother told me that my father wasn't around, she said she would've snapped at him." She gave a small laugh, though it seemed slightly forced, a muffled bark caught the gray fae's atention and her tail wagged as Firefly emerged. "Greetings Firefly. I am all right. But I'm afraid that the pups will be birthed soon and Cal isn't around. Have you seen him?" She knew that Firefly and Cal knew eachother, she only hoped that she had seen him. She gave a shocked expression as Firefly dropped the hare at her feet. "Thank you." Uskiya smelled the sweet smell of the meal and she licked her maw, though she was hungry she figured she should save some of it. But the warmth of the fresh kill was irresitable. She tore into the kill and ate, though it felt odd for her to eat and the other's to not be, especially her dragga. She ate about half of the hare and then she stopped looking back to the three vargs. She wondered when she would go into labor and only wished that her mate would be around. She nosed the half eaten kill to the side and sat up. Her large belly making almost everything hard and pain ful. She dug a shallow hole and nudged the kill into it and covered it with dirt. She would come back to it later, seeing as now she was rather comfortable and her belly felt warm. "Lydair, do you think the den wll be warm enough for the pups in winter? It will come shortly after they are born." Uskiya knew that they were taking chances with having pups so late, but now they would just have to hope that the gods would favor them. The soon to be mother worried of her pups, she knew that it was sometimes natural for a pup or two to die. But suppose one of her's did, she couldn't bear it. She knew that she should try to relax but with the pain of carring pups and her mate missing it was hard for her to. She looked to Firefly, "What did you do to busy yoursef and take your mind off the pain and worry that comes with pups?" She asked, hoping the she could give her advice. Her haunches began to become restless and she stood up and waddled a few paces before returning to her original place and again lied down on her side, cocking her head slightly to the other vargs. She had been wrong about pack life, they were much more caring than she had thought, but she had lived in a family that tried to kill her. Here each varg was tightly knit with one another, with a few exeptions but she felt grateful to been in Ge-rad. Especially now that she was heavy with pups, she knew that once born her pups would find Ge-rad to be there family. She came back to reality and gave a sigh. She was greatful for her pack and Draeg's uncomfortableness about pregnant fae's made her smile.

(((I rambled)))

[Draeg]

Uskiya tore hungrily into the lifeless form of the hare Lydair had so graciously provided, only pausing to lick her chops and clean the blood from her dripping muzzle. Draeg watched her in silence, a look of amusement plain on his features. “The way you eat you'd think we don’t ever feed you.” He chuckled. A low whine escaped from the depths of his golden maw as once again Uskiya voiced her concerns over her mate’s disappearance and once again the amber varg gave his friend a reassuring nuzzle, trying his best to convince her that there was nothing to worry about and hoping that Cal would turn up soon before Draeg was forced to send out a search party for the brown wolf.

A slight rustling in the brush accompanied by a somewhat muffled bark alerted the Dragga of Ge-Rad that another member of the pack had arrived on the scene, he gave out a delighted whine upon seeing Firefly making her way out into the clearing and quickly went to greet her. His expression was beaming when he noticed the sign of a successful hunt clasped firmly in her jowls, knowing that she was still growing accustomed to position as Ge-Rad’s newest scout and that her skills always seemed to be improving with each hunt. No sooner had the tan femme released he her kill than Draeg was on top of her, nuzzling her affectionately and licking her muzzle lovingly. “Ketama, I was beginning to think I would have to send a search party out for you. Where are the kids, have they been behaving?” He growled, tenderly cleaning the blood from her beautiful muzzle. “You picked a good time to show up, we were just talking about you. Would you mind terribly leaving Zenith and Raikan with Uskiya and Lydair? I need you to help me look for Cal after we’re done here, no one’s really seen him since we got news of Uskiya’s upcoming litter.”

Turning his attention back over to the pregnant femme Draeg watched as the pack nurse once again tore into her meal, this time only devouring half of the kill before getting up to bury the rest for future consumption. Keeping an ear directed in Uskiya’s direction Draeg took a brief moment to nibble at some fleas that were pestering his flank before pressing himself firmly against Firefly, slipping his chin over her muzzle fondly and savoring the feeling of her soft fur against his. A frown formed on his features as word of the approaching winter reached his ears, understanding the she wolf’s concern for her unborn pups. Pulling away from his mate’s side the golden furred male made his way over toward the entrance of the whelping den and began vigorously rubbing his side against the opening to the den, after a moment he stopped and carefully licking the ground until he had gathered all the fur that had collected on the ground and was holding a large lump of soft, downy fur in his mouth. Padding over to the expecting mother he dropped the clump of fur near her feet before returning over to his mate’s side, knowing that he was not permitted within the den despite his status as Dragga. “Problem solved.” He yawned. “Enjoy.”

[Trile]

Fall had settled into Ge-Rad, claiming the small pack land for its own. The leaves of the trees had been painted yellow, red, and orange, coloring the land beyond the forest. A crisp wind blew them along with their dying stem to be born upon its breadth than left to rot on the foliaged ground. The season had affected the Lera too, and many birds, especially geese, flew over the dying lands, honking while their wings made whirring sounds in the skies as they cut through the air. Few saw the small pond hidden by a thick canopy of birches, a few willow trees, and one great oak, but enough stopped at night when no other water was to be found to rest in or by the water. The birds not of the water were also beginning to cry out more and more frequently as they stopped in the Ge-Rad forest to rest, fleeing from the coming winter to find refuge in the warm south. For the wolves, food was abundant that fall as other animals fattened up and traveled away to survive until spring warmed their hides. The sparse deer herds had grown as rut came upon them, and suddenly many bucks began to clash antlers to claim there does. Others fed more freely than ever before in the meadow, while still others feasted upon juicy roots and rich acorns of the forest. Smaller Lera fed too on the sun kissed berries of the earth, taking joy in the liberating briskness all around them.

In one spot of the forest, a young deer, not even out of adolescence, was munching away on a gorse bush, its belly fat beneath a gleaming, healthy brown hide. It had been born later than every other deer in the herd, and his horn was just beginning to show at the top of his head. His proud red tail was held horizontally, and he ate with confidence, unusually bolder than most, who shied from the shadows and the crack of a sudden sound. The fresh air seemed to have done the young one good, and his hide was tough. Encouraged by the livening air, he had lunged and bucked and played with his friends until he was strong. He had gotten much nourishment from the long ago milk of his mother, and though food had been slightly dry in the summer, there had been plenty for his growing body to be sustained and helped, both at once.

Only a little ways away crouched a young Ge-Radian still in cubhood. His pelt was almost pure white, and large, dark amber eyes gaze out of a slender face. Like the Herla so close, he had been nourished and grown strong and fast. He had started out as almost weak in his mother’s stomach, but when he was born she had grown stronger and stronger to provide him with enough food so that even his siblings could not deny him healthy meals. Than the meat had come, and like the vegetation it had been rather low, but plenty enough. Summer warmth had driven him into the shadows, desperate to be away from the merciless heat, but at night and in early morning he had romped and explored all he needed. Quickly he had grown into Beta wolf of the small cub pack that was he and his siblings. Kop was Dragga, but he challenged his large brother often while bullying his Sikla brother. Shayla was more submissive than Kop and Trile, but she was Drappa anyway, even though she had been turned on by her two obstinate litter mates. The cub had not been denied the joy of his sister’s sharp little canines as she chased him away, but he got even, or tried. The youngest of the oldest of the cubs, he had quickly curbed his hunting instinct until it was far sharper than an eagle’s eye. Stealth and speed were his companions, and always he was on the alert for some Lera to bring down.

As the autumn wind ruffled his thick pelt, chance peaked his horizon. He had stumbled more than looked for the trail of the Herla, and now his blood was pumping, his heart beating, and his desire barely controlled. Trile wanted to leap through the trees fast as he could, faster than the breeze that touched his spirit. He wanted to bellow out and charge, to run and feel the emotions of the hunt, to bite and taste blood… His heart kept beating faster, and as he stalked carefully forward, slow step followed by slow step, his breath coming fast, he kept letting out an involuntary twitch, longing to see his quarry. But he hung on to his will and his instinct; he was determined to kill the Herla.

He was young and inexperienced, and not a heavy wolf. He was lean and rather small, so this would most likely not be his first catch. That didn’t stop him, he didn’t even ponder about that. Trile was going to do this, and he would travel after it as long as he had to until he wore it down. Whole body rigid and horizontal, neck and head low on his shoulders, he barely made a sound as he weaved around the trees, two pairs of amber eyes glinting with wild febrile. The distance began to shorten, and other animals silence as the wolves passed until only the rattling leaves filled the air, born upon the frisky wind.

The deer traveled delicately from the bush, grazing on small sprouts still growing in the hardening ground. The wind whipped its face covered in course brown fur, and large ears swiveled this way and that. He was making his way towards a bush full of green leaves that had not yet withered away when something went wrong. His ears froze in place, and soft brown eyes widened in alert and instinct. Stiffly he raised his large head and than stood completely still, seeming not even to breath. The forest had gone deathly quiet, and no matter how hard the ears strained no trill of a bird could be heard. Something was growing on the deer’s mind, something black and menacing. It was held by doubt and fear, and it wasn’t until it caught sight of the wolf that it turned and fled.

Trile let himself go as black heals kicked deeper into the forest in front of him. Springing forward, eyes alight, he sped faster than he ever had before. He seemed sped upon by the tail just flitting in the shadows before him, and he dodged and ducked and swerved around trees, barely registering there existence. His heart beat in his ears along with the roar of the wind, melding together as his blood pumped through his body. The faster he went the faster the buck went, its energy fed by fear, the Putnar behind fed by lust. Faster and faster they went, and there stamina matched each other. It was than that Trile knew he could go on and on for as long as he needed, and that it could just be him and this deer for the rest of his life. He couldn’t spare the time nor the breath to let out a ringing bellow, but his eyes, now grinning wickedly, spoke of his liberation. So the forest sped past the two, locked in the episode of life and death.

The deer, the whites of his eyes showing, didn’t care where he was going. Fear was all he felt, so light it floated in his gut as it ate at him. His long legs reached and reached for the ground before him, trying to carry him away from the white ghost racing behind in fatal pursuit. It did not know of the wolves in the clearing before it, and it burst into the middle of them, sharp front hooves rising in the air before it sprung away. Shortly after Trile flew through his scattered pack mates, eyes filled with blood lust, slaver coming from a red tongue.

[Lydair]

At Draeg’s annoyed growl Lydair huffed and nodded in agreement, her steady gaze staring towards the horizon. Listening to her father-in-law and her best friend talk, the one reassuring and the other strained and worried, a small smile crept up her maw and the cobalt healer turned back to Uskiya, her pearly maw opening slightly as her light, wispy voice caressed the wind. ”I’ll be sure to bring you some herbs once I leave,” Lydair barked, padding forward to touch noses affectionately with her friend. But at Uskiya’s question to Draeg, followed by an awkward silence and the admittance of his absence during Cwen’s litter, Lydair chuckled, her azure orbs dancing with glee, inwardly teasing her Dragga. Suddenly the amber male stiffened and under his narrowing gaze the healer lowered her head respectfully, her azure eyes on her paws until she realized with a start what had caused the disruption and her head snapped up. Grinning, the hybrid shook her head with a laugh. ”Don’t worry Draeg. I wasn’t talking about my own cubs, at least not yet. But others have paired; I doubted you’d notice; you only knew of my relationship with Koan because I out-and-out told you. Shako and Yelae- though I don’t know if they are planning on having cubs. But depending on Uskiya’s litter, Ge-Rad will have more bundles of fur than we may have bargained for. But..” Her voice lowered as she gazed at Draeg. ”Does this mean that I’m not allowed to whelp my own, or Yelae?”
Shaking her head, Lydair returned to the subject of Uskiya.

At her Dragga’s approving glance Lydair raised her muzzle proudly, but looked crestfallen at the mentioning that he hadn’t seen them either. However, Firefly burst through the bracken and Lydair’s tail wagged as she looked at her hybrid friend, her own azure orbs staring at Firefly’s. ”Are you doing well; are Zen and Rai? I promise you can trust us- I may not be a mother, and Uskiya isn’t yet either, but she’s the pack nurse and I know what I’m doing..usually.” she admitted with a grin. ”As for the winter,” Her voice quieted. ”We’ll need to keep them extra warm; it will be far too easy for them to catch a cold and when that happens the entire pack is in danger, as we’re all more susceptible during the colder moons than ever.” Looking to Draeg for a suggestion, she watched as he rubbed a side against the rough rock face and produced a large bundle of his amber fur; it may not have been Cal’s, but anything would work. The alpha may have been alpha, but Lydair doubted he would be let into the den, even after the cubs were born, until both Uskiya and Cal agreed on his presence, as well as that of anything else. Looking around, Lydair stood and shook. ”Uskiya, I’ll be back in a little while- herbs will be important right now.” Dipping her head to each Varg in turn, the Healer trotted from the clearing, heading for Ge-Rad’s meadow.


Heading, but not yet able to get there. A bawl, more of a wailing bellow, pounded in her ears and she stopped, eyes growing wide with astonishment and nearly fear as the large fawn barreled towards her, its long, hooved legs outstretching with amazing speed. It gave another bawl and didn't bother wheel around the hybrid as it came dangerously to her head; she had time to only suck in one quick breath before collapsing to the ground, snarling and curling into a half-moon shape, paws over her head. and then she heard the paw-falls of one she knew well: Trile!
"Whoa!! Lydair screamed, scrambling to dart from his path. The adolescent's eyes were sharp and keen as he viciously trailed his prey, lydair felt a surge of pride for the white cub, although her grin succumbed to the dirt that he nose was pressed sharply against. Picking herself up, she splayed her legs and sneezed before grinning again and barking encouragent to Trile.



(((Oh, THAT'S what you were doing?! Okay. Well, I modified my post to suit it.)))

[Draeg]

Heaving out a sigh of relief upon hearing Lyair disavow all claims to the assumption that she was carrying pups as well Draeg allowed himself to relax and listen to what the pack’s healer had to say, apparently there was more going on in Ge-Rad than he had originally thought. Though Draeg knew a good majority of his pack there were still a few members that the Dragga of Ge-Rad was still relatively unfamiliar with, he had met both Shako and Yelae during the pack’s first gathering but Draeg had never really taken the time to get to know either varg. Perhaps it was because of the feeling of resentment Draeg picked up whenever he was around the white dragga or his elder sister Kairi, both wolves were the children of Ge-Rad’s previous alpha’s and neither one had taken very well to the fact that their father had been usurp from his position by a lowly kerl causing them to resent Draeg and challenge both him and Cwen at every turn. Though admittedly the amber Dragga hadn’t gotten any trouble out of Shako since he arrived so perhaps the white wolfs feelings of resentment were all in his head, in either case Kairi concerned him far more than her brother. “Shako and Yelae eh? Hmm, have to make a point to congratulate them the next time I see them.” He growled thoughtfully.

Lydair suddenly lowered her voice submissively as she brought forth another problem for her Dragga to reflect on, smiling warmly at the wolf hybrid Draeg padded over to his daughter-in-law and gently ran his tongue along the top of her forehead affectionately. “Of course you both will be allowed to have pups of your own, I just want to make sure that Ge-Rad is going to be able to support them all before I give the okay…that and I’m not looking forward to being called grandpa when my first two litters haven’t even reach their adolescence yet.” He chuckled, giving her an affectionate nudge. “Tell you what, once Uskiya’s given birth and everything’s settled down you come get me and we’ll talk about it, okay?”

The pair returned their attention back over to the pregnant fae and after a moment of conversing with each other Lydair rose to her feet, giving herself a quick shake before dismissing herself to go find some herbs that would ease her patient’s transition into labor when her time finally arrived. Draeg was in the process of returning to Firefly’s side when he became distinctly aware of something rapidly approaching the small gathering, confused he craned his head forward and perked his ears to see if he could determine exactly what was coming towards them and how far it was from his present location. “Strange.” He growled lowly, more to himself than anyone else. “Sounds like…Herla?” No sooner had the words left his mouth than a large fawn came crashing through the brush and charging through the small gathering of wolves, yipping in surprise Draeg threw himself to the side and out of the frightened lera’s path as it came darting past him, nearly trampling the amber Dragga in the process, before disappearing into the thicket once again. Picking himself off the ground and giving himself a good shake Draeg stared out in the direction he had seen the terrified fawn run off, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he tried to determine exactly what had just happened. “What was that all about?” he asked, not expecting anyone to answer. As if to answer his question another, slightly smaller form came swiftly bounding out from within the brush and into the scattered rabble, streaking across the path in a blur of white fur as it followed the same path as the young fawn before disappearing into the undergrowth.

It had all happened so fast that Draeg barely had any time to register what had just happen, however after a moment he realized what he had just seen. An angry snarl erupted from deep within the amber Dragga as he realized that someone, a member of his own pack at that, who had become too engrossed in their task and had become oblivious to the others around them had carelessly driven the hunt right into the middle of the small social gathering, nearly trampling several of his packmates in the process. At first Draeg thought it to be Shako, him being one of the few wolves within Ge-Rad that bore a strictly white pelt, however he quickly cast the notion aside when he realized that the varg that had just past was nowhere near as large as Shako, the chances that it had been Yelae were just as unlikely as the former choice but that only left… Draeg’s eyes widened in fear as the realization of what he had just seen dawned on him and with a startled yelp he scrambled to his feet and was off, disappearing into the bracken as he frantically tore after snow white hunter yelling at the top of his lungs. “TRILE!!!” he shouted as he scrambled to his feet and darted after his son.

As he ran the amber Dragga couldn’t help but wonder what his son was thinking trying to hunt, he was still too young to do so without supervision let alone try to take on a herla by himself, even if it was a fawn. Draeg had always known his son was eager to become a great hunter but he had never anticipated on Trile trying to hunt before his training was fully complete, perhaps the amber varg had been mistaken and it was not Trile that he was chasing after all but rather Shako like he had originally thought. He hoped so but something in the back of his mind told him otherwise, the feeling that a parent gets when they know that their children are doing something potentially dangerous against their will. It didn’t take long for Draeg to catch up to the frenzied white wolf and sure enough his fears were confirmed, spotting the familiar white furred form of his second eldest son running slightly ahead of him the amber Dragga gave out a slight groan and quickened his pace until he was running alongside his son. Under different circumstances Draeg would have felt a deep feeling of pride and satisfaction running alongside Trile in the course of a hunt like they had so often talked about, however at the moment he was furious with his son for foolishly jeopardizing the lives of his packmates and father and deciding that he was old enough to hunt on his own with permission from either of his parents leaving no room for any other emotion save anger. “PULL OVER!” he yelled, flicking his tail across the pup’s muzzle as to get his attention. “NOW!”

[Uskiya]

Uskiya smiled as Draeg and Firefly greeted eachother, her problems of a worrying mother were quickly solved as Draeg produced a rather large puff of fur. The gray fae smiled and picked up the fur and dropped it just outside the den entrance. She wasn't use to all the things that were happening and she tried to remember some of the things that her mother did, at least the things that were good. "Thank you Draeg." Her attention turned back to Lydair as she mentioned herbs, Uskiya nodded and knew it would probably be wise, especially if Cal was not around. Uskiya smiled as her nose touched that of her friends. It was reasurring to have Lydair around. But her eyes turned questioning as Lydair spoke of more litters and Draeg grew irritated for a moment. Could there be more pups coming? But Lydair reassured that none such was happening, though there were a few mate pairs within Ge-rads boundaries. Suddenly Uskiya's auds shot forward and a smile stretched across her maw, so Lydair was thinking of pups. The gray fae smiled and thought of all the pups that might call Ge-rad their home. "Firefly if you ever need us to we can look over your pups." Uskiya said, knowing that that was her job and she wanted Firefly to know that she was there if the pups needed looking after.

A look of sadness faded quickly from the fae's face as Lydair mentioned leaving to go find herbs, she knew it was a good idea but she was her best friend and though she liked all of Ge-rad she still was shy. "All right." Uskiya said as Lydair turned to leave. Uskiya turned back to the other vargs keeping her aud tuned into Lydair as she still hung around, she was about to speak when rumblng caught her auds. She backed closer to the den and her hackles raised slightly. She turned to look at Draeg as he mentioned Herla. Cocking her head just in time for a fawn to come crashing through the clearing. Its terrified look kept it sspeeding forward ignoring the other wolves, it sped past as Lydair jumped out of the way and Uskiya worried about her friend, but as the fae appeared unhurt Uskiya let out a breath of air.. As it left Uskiya was about to relax when a white blur passed through chasing swiftly after the fawn. Uskiya was now backed against the entrance of her den, startled and edgy she waited for another explosion. Suddenly Draeg let out a growl and charged after the whtte blur. Uskiya calmed down and let out a sigh, relaxing to the floor, but suddenly she let out a slight muffled yelp and carefully stood again. She turned to look at her furred belly, another pain and she lied down on her side. Suddnely it dawned on the fae that she had had her first two contractions. Though it didn't necissarily mean the pups were coming right away it was still something. She wished that Cal was here, now that everything was happening so swiftly. Her tail flickered and there was a moment of relaxation. Uskiya didn't know how long it would last but she placed her head down and let out a sigh, her eyes flickereing before turning to look at Firefly.

((( woot first contractions)))

[Lydair]

(((Alright, alright, dorks- I KNOW i modified it AFTER trile's post, but Lydair hasn't left yet. XP If you read, she just managed dodging the fawn. Stupid thing. o.O)))

[Trile]

Trile flew past Lydair without even looking at her, than darting out of the clearing. He sped himself onward, leaping over rocks and fallen trees, dodging rising ashes and birches. He was going faster than he ever had before, and it filled him with delighted terror as he tested his utmost speed. The young wolf was faster than all of his siblings when he wanted to be, maybe because he was so slim and small. His endurance was of a true wolf’s though, and he felt as if he was just warming up. His breath was hard to get, and his heart thudded in his ears, but as he leapt a babbling stream and veered quickly away from a stray aspen, he realized how powerful his body was. Under Trile’s white coat each muscle flexed and clenched, working harder than they ever had before. They were straining to do more, too, and he could feel them, strong from all of his tussles with Kop, from all the times he had tracked pack members on his own in the silent forest of Ge-Rad. Trile felt as if he were going to fall, his legs didn’t feel as if they were his. They went so fast, they blurred beneath him.

Above the Herla galloped harder than he had ever dreamed of, his hooves pounding on the leaf strewn forest, the whites of his eyes showing. Fear spurred him on, and his long legs gave him advantage over his lone pursuer. The wolves he had jumped through were probably after him too, and if he did not escape, he was done. His life was on thin ice, and only speed could save him now.

Trile bent low, his deep amber eyes flashing with wild hunger. He could not see the deer running before him, but he could just hear it above his pounding blood, and he could see where the branches and bushes were trampled, while a deep, lusty scent hung in his nose. His tongue lolled out, saliva beginning to drip, and if possible he went on faster, longing to kill his quarry and feast on warm blood. Suddenly a tail flicked at his muzzle, and in surprise he veered off, nearly running into a large tree. With a snarl he turned his head to see what that had been, the whites of his teeth showing. Blood lust had taken him, and as he saw his father anger that had never existed awoke in his eyes. Draeg wanted him to turn away from the Herla, to let it go. He had found it, he was going to take it down and share it with Lydair and everyone else, his brothers, his sister, and the others. He saw them all in his mind praising him after sucking the marrow clean off from the deer, and he saw his large brother Kop glowing with jealousy. That decided it. He wanted to beat Kop at this, he was going to if it was the last thing he did. Snarling again, he darted away from his father, forward and away. No longer was he just the Putnar, he was now the prey. But it filled him with more excitement, and danger seemed to spice up the hunt, and it awoke in him determination. He now had a purpose.