The Birth of a Future Soul Breaker

[Cwen]

((Anyone can join in here I guess...but Draeg I think is the most important as it's his cub, heheh...or is it?! *cackles* Only joking ))

There was still at least half a moon left of Cwen’s pregnancy to go, but lately the stress of constant observation on the pack’s borders and the fear that there was no longer enough game for the pack’s growing population, she had dreaded the worst that her litter would be born early – just as her previous litter had. This time though, those same daemons and spirits that had haunted her two previous labours were no longer following her paw prints. And with this knowledge in the back of her mind also, she knew something was up. Never had she had a peaceful pregnancy…but this one, despite there being no spirits to tear into her womb, had been less than peaceful. Far from it.
With Serg desperate for the Alpha’s blood to spill and their lives to be over, Cwen had been fretting that next time it would not be their lead Emissary that he would hold hostage and torture. No, she feared that it may be another closer to her heart. Draeg? No…he would kill her mate without a second thought. Her pups? Yes…the pups that she had become pregnant with without his permission and she’d still been within Sarnes’ ranks. He would surely steal them from her and ruin their young lives just to get her back.

Padding swiftly through her lands, her aching back from a past injury, her bulging belly and now the bitter cold was giving her nothing but grief. Coming to a distant clearing that was surrounded by thick, entangling brambles and bracken, she slowed to a halt and peered back and forth with cautious silvery orbs, a malicious flash flickering within their depths. With a light growl she got to her belly and began to slowly crawl under the entanglement of vegetation, making her way deep into the dense undergrowth as silently as she could muster.
Some time passed by and it took her less time than the previous times before to finally come across the small thicket, or birthing den, that she’d made purposely for the upcoming birth of her new litter. Of course no pack member, that she was aware of, knew where her hiding place was for she would give birth in private and away from the pack. Not even Draeg knew of its existence, and she intended to keep it that way until the birth had occurred. She wanted no cock-ups like what had happened before, even if she were in safer lands than Sarnes.

Creeping into her den, first pawing at the dead leaves and fur that she’d pulled out to make a soft bedding for herself and the cubs, Cwen made sure that it was arranged nicely before she began to make herself comfortable and finally allow her heavy lids to droop, falling into a silent slumber.
The same nightmare that she’d been experiencing for suns now came once again to her restless mind, where a large demeaning monster of a varg with fiery red eyes and fangs that dripped with a sickly concoction of blood and saliva. His pelt was of a midnight black and she knew at once, with his magnificent size, that it was the feared Demon God Wolfbane. Below him, between his forelegs were her pack and family, howling out their cries for help and pleads for mercy. She tried running, but a great wall of fire surrounded them and she couldn’t get closer to them…nothing would allow her.

Suddenly a jolt of pain struck her awake and the silvery Drappa snarled maliciously as her pupils dilated to mere needlepoints. Kicking out her forelegs at the bracken that made up her den, Cwen lay on her side and began to breathe heavily, bulging sides heaving up and down with unsteadily deep breathes. Panic arose in her mind and she began to look back and forth desperately, knowing that she would need help. But it sunk in swiftly that she was alone…that she’d made it her decision that she would be alone. Where no one would get hurt if her actions had turned out to be foolish.
A whine escaped her pearly white muzzle and she parted it to let out a long howl into the starlit night, letting her pack know that their Drappa had gone into an early labour but that she was to remain alone…for their own benefit. Though her song was cut short as another contraction struck her belly and she snarled angrily at herself, gritting her teeth together whilst attempting to breathe steadily and focus all her power in getting these pups out alive.

[Draeg]

The pack den, a place in which all the members of Ge-Rad gathered to socialize or exchange news of the recent events that had taken place both in and out of the packlands. Of course the term den was more of an expression than an actual den as pack would often migrated to random area’s within the pack on a regular basis, usually staying close to the mountain base during the summer but more often than not following the path of the herds that roamed their lands and choosing area’s in which the herla still dwelled. However despite the arrival of winter the pack had yet to relocate itself from its summer home, Ge-Rad having been blessed with two litters in the past two moons the alpha’s had thought it best to remain in their summer home a while longer for fear that the pups would not survive the trek.

The day found Draeg pacing anxiously about the densite, his mind lost in thought as he padded from once side of the clearing to the other. He hadn’t seen much of Cwen since they had last mated, only a few times and they had all been rather brief causing the amber Dragga to think that his mate was avoiding him. She hadn’t taken well to the news that Ge-Rad was going to join Deor and Koran in raging war against Sarnes and the Balkar and Draeg knew that it had troubled Cwen greatly, causing her to become even more evasive as she went on border patrol more and more often. However Draeg knew that it was not the war that was troubling the silver Drappa, at least not entirely, it was the fear of what might happen to her pups if they ever came across Serg, the fear that they might be tortured like Cal had, that they would be killed or crippled, all the things that a mother feared for her children. Draeg knew that she might even fear for him as well but that it was their children, whom they have created through love, pain, and anguish that she feared for the most.

In truth the amber Dragga shared the same fears as his mate though he had done his best to hide them, not wanting to show fear in front of his packmates and be strong for his mate whom he loved more than life itself. Regardless of how his pups may have felt about him at the moment he still loved them just as much as the first day he laid eyes upon them, they were his greatest achievement in life and Draeg didn’t know what he’d do if anything ever happened to them. Like Cwen he had wanted offspring more than anything in the world and now that he had them he was determined to protect them with his life if necessary, he had striven to raise them and given them everything he had never had during his childhood and loved them all despite their faults or how they felt towards him for having another mate. No matter what happened Draeg promised that he would not allow anything to happen to his family so long as he was alive, he would kill anyone that so much as attempted to harm them.

However at the moment all thoughts pertaining to the war were far from the amber Dragga’s mind as he pondered as to the whereabouts of his drappa, he had a good idea why she had been avoiding him for the past few moons but wasn’t entirely sure. Several moons back Draeg had discussed siring another litter with Cwen and much to the amber Dragga’s pleasure she had agreed and the pair had mated beneath the shimmering light of their ancestors for a second time, Draeg suspected that their attempt at consummating another litter had been successful after Cwen had accidentally voiced her fears while berating Koan for mating with Lydair without getting permission from either Draeg or herself but without a confirmation from his mate Draeg couldn’t be sure.

Of course the amber varg had tried pressing the matter but each time he tried to learn more about his mates conditions Cwen would always simply avoid the question and move to another topic, this always depressed the amber varg for he didn’t know why his mate would keep something like this a secret from him. Was she afraid that his presence would cause harm to their unborn pups, did she not trust him, was he not the father of her pups? More than anything Draeg wanted to be with his mate during the course of her pregnancy the way he hadn’t been able to the first time, he wanted to stand by Cwen’s side and comfort her, to protect and pamper her, to spoil her and fulfill her every need until the time came for her to give birth and he would be forced to patiently wait at the entrance to the den until her labor was over. However so long as Cwen remained elusive he could do no such thing. With a heavy sigh he stopped and plopped himself down onto the snow covered ground, staring out into the vast rolling meadows of Ge-Rad and wondering where his silver Tora could be.

Draeg’s ears perked as a long drawn out howl rang out across the starlit sky causing the amber Dragga to jump to his feet as he brought his ears forward to take in the familiar sound. It was Cwen. Alerted of his mate’s condition the amber Dragga of Ge-Rad bounded down from his perch and tore off towards the direction of the agonized call, snow crunching beneath his enormous paws as he ran across the vast snowdrift that spread out across the whole of Ge-Rad. Despite the feeling of apprehension that hung around him Draeg couldn’t help but smile, the fact that he had been right about his mate’s condition sending a thrill throughout his spine and causing him to move with a little more bounce in his step than usual. Following the sounds of his mate’s pure sounding song the amber varg quickly pinpointed the silver Drappa’s location, wincing as she was suddenly cut off, knowing that it was most likely had been by a contraction. He had forgotten about those. Despite Cwen’s wish to remain alone Draeg quickly made his way over in the direction of his beloved mate, eager to reach her side and be the first she allowed to see their new litter.

In only a short matter of time he had transversed into the snow covered forest, moving through the dead and dying trees Draeg searched frantically for Cwen’s whereabouts, scenting his surroundings until he caught whiff of her scent and began following it. His search soon led him to a rather reclusive spot, a clearing in the trees where the vegetation was still thick with life. The amber varg quickly made his way through with little regard of the stinging thorns and thicket, ignoring the sharp sting of branches whipping across his face as he padded through the web-like brambles and bracken. Draeg emerged to find Cwen scent filling his nose alongside the scent of blood, it was thick and musty signaling to the amber varg that she was close and he resumed his search. He followed her scent all the way to a small thicket where he could hear the sounds of some beast snarling angrily inside, carefully poking his head into the bracken Draeg found himself looking into the birthing den his mate had constructed in secret. Amber eyes flickering an ice blue in the faint light he scanned the small chamber until he spotted Cwen laying down on her side, her sides heaving as she breathed heavily in unsteady breaths. With a slight smile the amber Dragga entered the thicket and placed himself directly at the entrance, effectively blocking it off as he turned to face the thicket and standd guard over the entrance. He didn’t know if Cwen had seen him or not but with any luck she would allow him to remain where he was, so long as he didn’t enter the chamber he was upholding the will of his Drappa and mate.

[Cwen]

During her state of immobility, Cwen’s senses were greatly heightened and her auds were alert to any sounds that dared come her way. Even the sharp twitter of a robin fluttering away due to fright from her savage snarls made her bark out in warning. So the sound of vegetation, that of the bracken and brambles which surrounded her thicket, being disturbed by something far larger than a bird, Cwen began to growl dangerously in warning, her head lifting and trembling hues staring out into the entanglement of branches and thorns. The amber flash of a varg as it made its way towards her entrance caught her sight and she snarled furiously as Draeg made his way towards her. He was not meant to see this; no male was to witness her birth!
With a flash of teeth she lunged at the thicket’s entrance as he say himself there and snapped a warning on his side – not enough to draw blood or to hurt him, but to show the male that he was not wanted and he was to leave. She needed not a reason – if he wanted to keep guard, then he could do so else where…not near enough for him to peak in.
A contraction hit and her head slammed back onto the soft bedding as her teeth gritted together and her hind legs kicked the air viciously in attempts to concentrate on anything else apart from the pain within her womb.

Some time passed and her breathing began to ease as something emerged into her sight. Sluggishly she pulled her head up and curled her body round to meet the youth who lay within it’s sac still, thought making no movements to try and break free. Her auds perked and her eyes widened in fright as the silvery Drappa began to desperately break her youngster free from the liquid filled membrane, using her delicate teeth to slice through it and then used her wamr tongue to gently caress the young body in frantic hope to awake it’s limp form. But nothing. The young cub was dead. A stillborn like her first litter.
Fear began to make her heart race and she remained how she sat, staring down at the light grey pelted pup who she would never help grow up into a strong adult. Fear made her body limp and she fell back into her lying position, legs now flopped to the sight as she let a long sigh pass through her nasal as a misty plume of air. But without the ability to rest and grieve, another contraction followed the birth of her first and she let a sharp whine and snarl pass her lips, breathing once more accelerating like her furiously thumping heart. The premature litter was still on it’s way into the world, whether one was dead or not.

More time passed, and soon the mother had given birth to all five cubs; only one had made it out alive. Cwen lay curled round her single live cub, its soft fur still moist but standing out a proud dark grey all over, though as Tor would manage to break through between the branches, the odd hairs along his pelt would shimmer a dark ember red. Cwen wasn't sure where this strange colouration had come from - perhaps her own dark grey had taken it on with a mixture of Draeg's fiery pelt? She didn't know. Though she was aware of how beautifully it shone.
Cwen was proud to see that he was yet another young Dragga. The one ironic feature of this litter Cwen found, was that unlike her previous litter which was all male and one female, the four that had been stillborn she found were all female…and only this male had survived.
It grieved her to think that once again, her litter had not made it. But joy flowed through her with this soul survivor – she would watch him grow old and one day lead a pack of his own. If he was strong enough to live through his premature birth unlike the rest of his siblings, and strong enough to still be suckling greedily at her side – then Cwen knew he would go far and make her proud.

For a while, the silver Drappa lay round her child, securely nestling him with her thick pelt and warm body, her lids closing as sleep began to take hold of her. But then awareness returned and she blinked before raising her head and peering out of the thicket’s entrance, watching through the darkness for some sort of panicked movements that would signal Draeg pacing relentlessly outside. A small grin perked the edges of her muzzle and she let a low growl of acceptance pass her lips, awaiting for him to enter and see their new son.

[Zeth]

cold. it was so cold. and wet. although the newborn had no words for such things, he just was aware of so many new sensations. all at once. he had a slight feeling he didnt like the fact that the hairs that covered him were plastered to his tiny body, didnt like the fact that he was covered in liquid, whatever that was. he also didnt like the temperature, the feeling that sent a shiver through him, made him want to be back wherever he had been before. back at that nice temperature. it had been nice. it didnt make him feel all shivery. and wherever he had been before hadnt been so harsh. now he was uncomfortable, something was digging into him. the hard ground beneath him was not a nice place to lie, especially in this position. instinct made him move, muscles contracting and relaxing frantically. and slowly but surely, something drove him towards a source of something that eminated two things he wanted right now.

part of him prodded something, the sudden contact making him stop. if he had his eyes open, he would have seen his nose had collided with his mother's belly. but part of him knew what it was doing. this thing was soft, and warm. ever so warm. and he wanted to be warm.
he wanted something else too. moving along his belly, moving his nose about, he searched until he found it. ah, there it was. food. clamping on with a ferocity that the newborn didnt know he possessed he instantly began to suckle like this was his only chance. whatever this thing was, it was good. and whatever he was eating, it was warm. his previous experience of being in gross discomfort were all forgotten. things may be different out here. but as long as he had this thing called milk he was just fine.

[Draeg]

As expected Cwen objected to Draeg’s presence within the den, regardless of how well meaning the gesture was, and she made it a point to tell him this, driving the amber male out with a quick flash of her teeth as she brought her powerful jaw around his exposed side. Draeg left the den with surprised yelp, clearly caught off guard by his mate’s actions as he scrambled to vacate the area and avoid anymore of his mate’s loving care. Once outside the amber varg turned to look at his side and examine the area that Cwen’s teeth had come into contact with, that out of the way he adopted an annoyed expression and cast a quick glance over his shoulder towards the dense brush that made up the entrance to the den. He was a little put off that Cwen had driven him out of the den he supposed that he had been pushing his luck by remaining so close to her at such a crucial time, seating himself at the edge of the copse the amber Dragga allowed his senses to become alert to everything around him as he began his silent vigil which would last until his mate’s labor had come to an end and she called him into the den.

As always an air of apprehension hung about Draeg despite his seemingly calm demeanor, though this was the third time he was present for the birth of his own litter the amber varg couldn’t help but feel as anxious as he had the night his first litter was sired though he was a great deal calmer than he had been then. However past experience had reassured him that there was nothing to worry about and Draeg soon found himself allowing himself to settle into his instincts and after a moment his features hardened and he fell into the roll of silent guardian once again, prowling the area surrounding the den and making sure that nothing would come to disturb his mate or intrude on her during her labor. The hours passed by like molasses until they all seemed to blend together yet still the night found Draeg shuffling about uneasily as he silently stood guard over den just as he had for the past two litters.

Suddenly a low growl sounded from within the recesses of the den and Draeg calmly made his way into the hollow though despite his calm demeanor it was obvious that the amber varg was excited, his eyes adjusting to the gloom of the tiny chamber he quickly spotted Cwen where he had last seen her. She lay curled around a single tiny form which lay suckling at her side, its fur still moist though it was quickly drying within the layers of Cwen’s thick winter pelt. Draeg gasped as he spied the tiny figure, taking a moment to admire his newborn son before coming forward and laying himself alongside his mate. A low whine escaped his muzzle as he saw noticed the still forms of four of his brood lying a not too far away from Cwen’s side however he said nothing, instead choosing to remain silent and comfort his mate though secretly it pained him to see that so many of his children had been taken from him. However he couldn’t help but smile as he turned his attention back down to his sole surviving pup, gently running his tongue along the length of the pup’s back before turning to nuzzle his mate affectionately. “Krael.” He said suddenly, turning his gaze back down towards his newborn son. “I think he should be called Krael, after my father. The name means strong and I know he will be a fine dragga one day, what do you think Tora?”

[Cwen]

Cwen grinned sleepily as Draeg entered the thicket, nuzzling him sluggishly before peering down at her precious new born, a proud grin spread broadly across her silvery white muzzle. He was strong indeed, a fighter who was now feeding hungrily at her belly. Letting a long sight pass her lips, the silver Drappa laid her head drowsily onto her forepaws and listened to Draeg’s quiet talk. Krael? That sounded good. Just right in fact. For he was strong, and he would continue to live true to his name.
Nodding gently to his decision, Cwen’s lids began to droop over her silver blue eyes, sleep slowly taking a hold of her. With time her body grew limp as she fell into a deep slumber, misting visions taking over her mind’s eye and once again – dreams took hold. The usual dream however did not take place, that nightmare had ended with the birth of her litter. Now a new nightmare began to unfold. That of a young varg. His body powerful and strong with a wise muzzle who seemed to know all. However…there was a flash of something unknown within this light grey orbs – something that showed he didn’t know all like his features perceived. He was a young dragga, still young enough to be considered a young adult. His pelt was thick as it rippled in the gentle breeze and it shimmered, atop the deep grey, an ember red. Something so familiar…but so far away that Cwen could not recognise it as her son immediately. She simply watched him as he stood, watching over the great boulder he stood aloft. But then…a dark shadow appeared. One she knew all too well. Serg. His beast like form emerged from behind the youth and stood maliciously above him, a broad grin of satisfaction plastered across his ebony muzzle. A cackle began to rise from the depths of his very soul and with a start of unknown realisation, Cwen awoke from her dream with a start- her breathing rapid and uneven.

Gasping for breath she swiftly turned her muzzle towards the blurred figure of Draeg by her side. Panting heavily she peered down at the bundle of fur now lying peacefully inside her furry coils. Leaning towards him she licked the young cub’s pelt gently before peering up at Draeg, sadness in her eyes. “Please Draeg…forgive me. I know it was my fault that the rest of the litter didn’t make it,” she whined pitifully, emotions now taking hold of her weak form. The only reason that Cwen was now acting in this pathetic fashion was because it was a symptom after birth. Emotions grasped her by the throat and she let them pour out in pitiful whine and apologetic licks to her mate’s chin.

[Serg]

a whisper had rippled through the lands, howls echoed, heard, messengers sent. and recipiant quick to reply. not in words or anything of the like, but in his very own presense. now was the time for his plan that had been conjured over time, every last detail picked over, and the consequences dreamt about. and now, finally. ripened and the fruits ready for harvest. long had his prize been growing in the belly of the Drappa of GeRad. and now, Serg was ready to take his revenge. not for glory, or provoke the impeding war into final decision and immediate action. no, for pure, unadultered revenge. Cwen had betrayed him. he had leant her his respect, hard won by all counts, allowed her into his pack, and she had betrayed him. and Serg would not forget it, he would never forget it, and today, finally, he was going to make her pay. cut her more deeply than any physical wound ever could.

large black claws dug into the frozen earth that he stood upon. aware that his Nietan of Sarnes and his Lead Lacan of the Balkar were closer behind. Serg's muscular bulk paused as he bent his head to sniff at a boundary mark. yes, they were definately here now.
GeRad.
his fiery amber eyes blazed at the thought and, with his tail raised in a proud arch and head raised high he padded into GeRad lands. all knew he cared not for boundaries. he wasnt intending on going the whole way in, no, jsut far enough to irritate and make sure the new Alphas felt threatened, not quite far enough that he'd be driven out immediately. his Lead Nihtgenge was watching somewhere. from a vantage point. when both Alphas were present, then he would swoop in. steal the pup, making it look like a predator like a lynx. in the meantime. Serg was free to torment, worried parents were like putty in his claws. smiling grimly Serg raised his muzzle to the sky, parted his charred lips, and howled a summoning howl he'd been waiting so long to howl.

the First of the Balkar was here.




OOC: Note for any varg of GeRad that posts here - basically, dont notice Lheaht stealing the pup. no one is to notice, and when we leave, no one saying they can smell Balkar around the place or anything.

[Carcharoth]

Gently loping through the Kerl lands, passing through territories if he came across them with little resenment on leaving his mark on their boundaries, Carcharoth followed in swift persuit of his First. His massive body mass shifted grotesquelly with each movement he made, loose skin shifting up and down his body whilst that which hung beneath his underbelly quivered with each stride he took. Thick, sturdy limbs cycled relentlessly beneath his bulk whilst his thick brushy tail was held rigid for better balance.
At the end of his muscular neck a broad head was held proudly, silvery flecked muzzle clamped shut as his breathing remained easy and level through his dilating nasal, streams of mist pourding from it as his heart beat steadily in his iron chest. A single aud stood alert on his cranium, the other missing with only tufts of hair to signal it ever excisting. Running down from this mere tuft of fur was a long scar that ran straight through his left eye. The glistening orb had taken on the same form of Tor, the moon who now shone above in the clear winter night skies. It shimmered with a milky glow and stared blindly ahead whilst the other, one of a deep poisonous emerald, observed everything that passed it. Taking in the beauty of the forest and allowing him to remember the path towards a pack he hoped only to ever visit in the hope of blood shed.

But tonight he was not after the taste of enemy blood - though it wouldn't have been turned away if an oppertune moment came past his lips. No. He was after bigger prey. The Lead Lacan of the Balkar had been strictly instructed to help his First and a faemme from his Dragga's other pack Sarnes in distracting the varg and Alphas of Ge-Rad so that the pack's Lead Nihtgenge Lheaht could delve into the pack's heart and steal the newborn heir of Cwen adn Draeg. And he would do his duties well.

On gaining ground of Ge-Rad, his single good eye shone with an alert maddness as his Dragga's call rang out in the night. Pulse quickening with his increase of speed, Carcharoth tore across the snow covered land scape and leapt through the thickly perfumed border of Ge-Rad, his tail raising high as his black lips curled back into a devious grin. Throwing back his own head he let out his own cry to follow on that of Serg's. He was not of the same region as Serg was, but not too far from it. And this call was not jsut to wake up Ge-Rad's inhabitants, it was to let his First know of his position.

[Draeg]

Draeg felt a deep surge of pride rush through him as he peered down, but not at the tiny form of his newborn son but rather his mate. Watching her through golden eyes as she wearily laid her head down on her paws and curled around Krael’s tiny form, she had sired him another litter and given him a son despite her fears of being barren and losing the ability to create life altogether and there were no words to describe the love Cwen invoked within Draeg or how proud he was of her. Curling himself around his mate Draeg rolled his tongue lovingly along the Drappa’s head one last time before allowing her to drift off to sleep, smiling softly as he watched her sleeping form for a moment longer before turning his amber gaze over to the pup suckling greedily at her side. Though it had saddened him to see that of five pups Cwen had given birth to only one had survived Draeg knew that it probably was for the best in the long run, with so many varg in Ge-Rad and so little prey to support them there had been no guarantee that Ge-Rad would’ve been able to support so many varg. If times had become hard than the pups would’ve been the first to suffer, it was better for them to not have known life than to have lived only to have lingered and died of starvation at such a young age. At least with a single pup Cwen would be sure have enough milk and attention to support the cub until he was old enough to start eating solid foods, something she probably wouldn’t have been able to do if the rest of the litter had survived. But still, Draeg wished that at least he could have had at least one sibling his own age to play with. He would have dearly loved for Shayla to could’ve known what it was like to have a little sister.

Rising to his feet the amber Dragga set about the task of gathering the pups that hadn’t survived the birthing process and carrying them outside of the den one by one at which point he found a spot away from then den and buried them, the entire process took him little more than a few minutes at which point he immediately returned to the den once his task was done and once again began watching over his son from his spot beside Cwen. Krael. The name had belonged to his father, he had been a proud and strong Dragga just like his name had implied and had led his pack through many a peril and hardships throughout the years. And though Draeg had never truly forgiven him for betraying his trust the amber Dragga hoped that by naming his son after the father he had hated for so many moons that he would eventually be able to forgive him and in doing so earn the forgiveness of his own children. Besides the pup even looked a bit like grandfather so the name seemed fitting. Examining his son further Draeg noted the odd coloration in Krael’s pelt which seemed to take after Cwen’s for the most part, being primarily dark gray with odd streaks of amber which he had inherited from his father.

A light smile formed on Draeg’s features and he rolled his soft tongue along the length of the pups’ back affectionately, it was an interesting color, one that would develop further as he grew. Draeg slept for a time but awoke a short while later, amusing himself by playing a few odd games with the pup in which he would drape his exceedingly large bushy tail over Krael’s silky form for short periods of time and allow him to use it as a toy, this continued for a time until the game was finally disrupted by Cwen awaking from her fitful slumber. “Calm down Tora, it was only a dream.” He whispered softly, licking the folds of her ears as he did so. Their eyes met and Draeg began comforting her upon noticing just how distressed the silver Drappa truly was, caressing her muzzle with his soft, loving licks and slipping his muzzle over her head in attempt to comfort her. “Hush. Don’t apologize to me, especially when there’s nothing to forgive. What happened wasn’t your fault, I know that you would never do anything to endanger our pups let alone harm them. It’s simply natures way, there’s nothing we can do about it but accept it and move on.” He growled soothingly, rubbing the side of his head against hers lovingly. “You are the strongest varg I have ever met and I don’t think I could even imagine the pain you went through to give me just one pup let alone five, you don’t know how proud I am of you for having the strength to do this.” He held her for a time before a familiar howl cut through the air and reached his ears, sending a shiver down Draeg’s spine and causing him to pull away from his mate as moved to mouth of the den. Serg.

A savage snarl erupted out from within his muzzle and Draeg found himself wondering how the First had managed to sneak into his packlands without anyone noticing, and for that matter what was he doing in Ge-Rad anyway? Another howl sounded out a moment later, this time from a different varg and a different position but nonetheless one that the amber Dragga was familiar with. Carcharoth. “Do they have a death wish?” he growled calmingly to himself, then glancing back at Cwen. “I’ll be back, try to stay put.” He ended his last comment with a slight smile, as though knowing that his mate would follow him to extract her own revenge on her former Dragga. Exiting the den he broke out into a hard run as he headed in the direction of the first howl, intending to meet Serg head on. Parting his lips the amber Dragga let out a roaring howl as he ran, alerting his pack of the invasion and calling them out to battle.

[Cwen]

The gentle licks and words that came from Draeg’s muzzle calmed Cwen slightly, and she looked down at her paws in a dumb fashion, muzzle slightly agape and her tongue just protruding through her teeth. A chilling sensation ran up her spine for a second and she shook her body with one quick flick, all the hairs along her spine standing on end for apparently no reason.
Looking up at Draeg, a light and sleepy grin grew sheepishly across her muzzle. Though within that instant, a deep rumbling howl caught the alpha’s attention and both Draeg and Cwen’s heads turned in the direction from where it had come from. Serg? How on Tor’s earth had he managed to penetrate the borders without being caught already? She was sure that Ge-Rad were doing their duties throughout the night with the upcoming war. Or had it only been her? A snarl quickly took it’s place on her ivory muzzle and she began to get shakily to her limbs, throwing a glance at Draeg as he bounded out of the thicket and began to tear through the vegetation to meet the First and his comrades.
The shrieking squeals of her pup as she disturbed caught her off guard and Cwen looked down at it and then back up to the den’s entrance, confusion rippling through her mind. She had to make the choice – abandon her youth to fight off a varg who was haunting her dreams and the reason Ge-Rad was going to war, or leave Draeg and the rest of the pack to fight the monster without her help all to take care of her newborn cub who was safe within the confinements of the warm whelping thicket.

A minute or so passed by before Cwen finally threw down her muzzle towards the newborn and gave him a tender lick and nuzzle goodbye before turning on her heels and bounding out of the thicket after Draeg, her tired limbs forcing her to stumble in the thick snow at points, but the adrenaline and fear that was pumping through her re-stitched heart was enough to keep her going.
Catching up with Draeg quite easily due to her speedy run, Cwen gave his aud a nip whilst on the run as she tore ahead of him, tail skywards and her muzzle opening to let out a savage bark of warning, pushing through shrubbery and bracken to reach the First as quickly as she could so that she could get back to her precious little Krael.

[Draeg]

Snow crunched beneath enormous paws as Draeg tore through the forest, sending a flurry of snow flying in every which way with each step. Draeg was just itching to finish his fight with the First of the Balkar and avenge Huts’ death, having been forced to flee during their last encounter in order to find shelter for Cwen who had gone into labor early. The fight had seemed like it could’ve gone either way though in reality Serg had held the advantage on more than one account and it was likely that he still did though Draeg intended to find out, this time they would be fighting in the meadows of Ge-Rad rather than the swampy marshlands of Sarnes meaning that both varg would be fighting on even terms. They would finally be able to finish what they had started all those moons ago. Of course that was provided that Carcharoth didn’t interfere, in either case Draeg knew that he would have to deal with him too before this night was through.

Draeg intended to make things quick as the faster he concluded his business with Serg and his underlings the faster he would be able to return to the den and continue playing with Krael. He spotted someone running alongside him from the corner of his eye, his muzzle breaking into a crooked smile as he turned to see Cwen suddenly appear beside him. Somehow Draeg had known that his mate would follow him, even though he had been hoping that Cwen would have remained with Krael in the den the amber Dragga was glad that she had come and was by his side. She was as graceful as ever despite the weariness of giving birth to five pups, easily keeping pace with Draeg before giving his ear an affectionate nip and passing him altogether. Increasing his speed Draeg matched her pace so that he was once again running alongside her, not wanting her to face the dangers that lay ahead alone. They had started this together, Draeg intended for them to end it together.

[Lheaht]

[glow=maroon,2,300]a silent presense followed a way back from the trio before it. barely noticeable as a shadow. for Lheaht had been trained well in the skills of Nihtgenge, he knew how to move silently, and remain as unseen as physically possible. his scent was masked by an expanse of muck and grit. and for all this he had been named the Lead Nihtgenge, Head of that profession. he had not got the muscular framework of the Lacans of the Balkar, and his dark grey maw, rarely opened in speech, could still pack a deadly bite. Lheaht was a silent varg, and few knew him well. or at all.

this Nihtgenge possessed a pelt of dark grey fur, and his eyes were the darkest of brown, holding in themselves an unusual red tint if his temper raised above normal. more so in his right eye. capilliries would burst in times of stress and anger. a strange genetic fault that left him often with one red eye. it was a fault he had learnt to live with. when the world turned red. he barely noticed it anymore.

dark brown eyes silently observed his First bend his head to sniff at what could possibly be the GeRad boundary. the proud swish of his tail and his change in posture told Lheaht that it obviously was. with a slight nod, Lheaht turned away from the black Dragga and made his way to a place where he could see better. prowling through the brush without a sound and making as little disturbance as possible. there was a hillock nearby, he was sure of it. it was part of his job to know as much of the terrain as possible. even enemy terrain.

crawling under the shadows of lonely shrub, dark eyes watched the lone figures, just about recogniseable in the moonlight with his keen eyes. Lheaht closed his right eye, seeing clearly over distance became easier without his right eye. the figure he was watching now was his First, Serg. he watched the black Dragga howl, and his eye flickered to another farway figure howl out to the enemy pack. Carcharoth. now all he needed was to wait for the two Alphas to arrive. eye scanned constantly, Lheaht's muscles tensed and stiffened as he saw what could be two figures running side by side in the distance. could they possibly be Cwen and Draeg? his left eye now intent upon these running figures, Lheaht had to wait for them to come closer before he could recognise the dark grey and white pelt and the amber one. then he would have to pick up their trail far enough behind to remain unnoticed, and follow it back.
his Dragga's plan was simple enough. he had to find the den, and take a cub. just one would do. althgouh Lheaht had got the idea that a slight implication had been made, he had not been directly ordered to kill the rest of the litter, but he presumed, he was to take a male, and that he was not forbidden to kill the rest. but he had to make it look like a lynx or another predator had stumbled across the densite. that way the Alphas would not search for their missing youngster, and blame would not directly be laid upon the Balkar. Serg would need to form a bond with the pup over time for his plan to be successful. and his First's plot of revenge depended hugely upon Lheaht's ability to remain unseen. [/glow]

[Shunké]

Tor shone bright upon all, illuminating the grounds of Ge-Rad. It’s grounds were no longer multi colored as Shunké had remembered it, but a soft coat of white. It was easy enough, for her light, black form to easily tread though out the snow, for her black paws hardly sunk into the snow at her steady pace.
Shunké’s paws slowed, as she remembered her last encounter upon these lands. The humiliation, the furry, the Attack. The look on her beloved brother’s face. With a snort of disgust, the fae shook her black head. She wasn’t to remember that, not on this mission. But she stopped, her ears alert. She heard nothing. Black lips curled into a smirk, silence was a wonderful thing. It seemed as though Tarquin had taken a little vacation. After all, she hadn’t heard from the Varg since her last visit. Ever since then, Shunké was in a Time of Peace; a time when she was able to replenish herself, to build up her strength again. Tor new she needed it, for she was a Nietan of Sarnes. With a low snicker, Shunké knew nothing could get in her way now.

The dull black fae’s auds stood erect once more, to the call of her Dragga, Serg. It was a howl he had waited to let lose for a very long time now, she could tell. Picking up her speed, the black fae headed toward the sound, she knew that Serg and Carcharoth were far ahead of her. Now the fae broke out into a run, yet able to keep her stealth as her mismatched crimson and gold eyes cut through the night. The sound of snarling and harsh words was the only thing that slowed her to a stop, for the two had obviously caught up with Draeg and Cwen. Padding along the snow softly only confirmed her prediction, as the amber Dragga was indeed furious.

Shunke saw the amber Dragga rush toward Serg, but the silver fae Shunké reconized as Cwen tore ahead of him. Growling audibly, the Nietan rushed towards the oncoming pair. But not behind Serg, Shunké knew better than that. No, instead, she rushed at an angle, an easier approach. Snow fling wildly under shunke’s black paws, her target was the silver Drappa, not the amber male. Draeg had spared her life on her last trip to these lands, and she was grateful. But that was for pleasure, this was business.
Closing in, the trained Nietan snapped her jaws wildly, her black hackles completely on end. It was to let other knew she meant business, and to let Serg new her approach. Crimson hued fangs bore as black lips raised. A high snarl rose into the air, loud enough to catch any Varg’s auds.

[Serg]

inhaling slowly, as if to calm himself for the emotions that bubbled through him. finally, he would get his revenge. he had been patient for so long, counting on the loved-up-couple to bear another litter, bear him a prize worth claiming, take away what they professed to love. Serg cared nothing for pups, he depised them in fact, but he was willing enough to put himself through irritance and being in the company of such a vile creature, if it involved vengeance. all in the name for hurting his enemies more deeply than any physical wound he could bestow upon them. for he knew what a soft touch they were for their children. it wasa shame he hadnt set his sights on any of their first litter. a pink tongue emerged from his coal-stained maw and licked his lips almost greedily. maybe today he would also get to meet one of those little loves. if they were brave enough to come out to play.

Carcharoth's howl echoed out from someplace else. Serg's amber eyes flickered to that direction for a second, before he went on to watch out for his two most hated vargs. Cwen and Draeg.
then, as if by mere thought had conjured them at that second, he noticed two running figures speeding towards him. black tail flicked with delight and he chuckled darkly. now he would have some fun.

Carcharoth and Shunké would look like representatives from both of his packs. he would distract them for as logn as possible. mascarading on their presumptions that he was here for the war. and not for their newborn.

as the two paniced parents came closer, Serg noticed a flash of black shooting in from an angle. growling angrily, trying to maintain a composed air. 'not yet Shunké. not yet.' he growled under his breath. they couldnt get driven out of the pack too quickly. they needed to give Lheaht as much time as possible.

'Draeg! Cwen!' he called. 'my my my, it has been a long time has it not?' he growled.

[Shayla]

a piercing howl rang out through the star studded night. rousing a youngster from her sleep. she started up, her ears perked and grey eyes suddenly wide open. grey, like her mothers, but with a fleck of amber in from her father. her keen ears heard the crunch of snow, soem varg was setting a fast rhythm in a frantic speedy run. she guessed it was Draeg. it had to be, for he had been pacing the densite all day. Shay rose to her feet, she was young, perhaps foolish, but she was not stupid. she had not directly been told, she didnt even think that Draeg had been told, but she suspected that her mother was pregnant. Shayla hadnt liked to say anything though, for fear of snapping jaws. but, lately she had been wondering what it would be like to have younger siblings. perhaps she would even have a sister this time? now at least it was confirmed, she was going to have younger siblings.

a small smile played across her lips and she rose to her feet. long bushy tail, akin to Draeg's, arched over her back, yet in truth the fleck in her right iris and her tail were the only two noticeable traits she had inherited from her father. she looked more like Cwen. grey pelt, darkening to a dark grey along her back. and she knew her parents well enough to know that this was their time right now. she shouldnt intrude just yet. maybe she could find at least one of her brothers to make sure they had heard the news too. however, after an extensive search of the area surrounding her, Shayla found herself without luck, and too impatient to search anymore.

setting herself into a ran, she ran in the direction she had heard the call coming from. at least she guessed so. but, when she guessed that she might be nearing the place, another howl rang out. one that made the youth skid to a halt. ears wide, ears taken back by shock and tail curlign towards the ground. she didnt recognise the owner of the howl. but she had heard a similar one to it. Balkar.
the pack she had been told to avoid at all costs.
the pack that thirsted for her blood and wouldnt turn down any chance to kill her.
the pack they were going to war against.
the pack that Shayla had always been slightly intrigued by.

Shayla gulped, she knew she shouldnt go anywhere near, her parents would want her to stay hidden deep in the depths of GeRad's lands. but Shayla was not about to do that, as curious as she was, and as sure-headed as her brother Kop, Shay changed course and began to run in the new direction, towards the howls. Cwen would have given biurth by now, she had newborn brothers and/or sisters to protect. young and inexperienced as she may be, and however angry as her parents might be. she wasnt about to let them down now.

shay's grey eyes locked onto two figures she knew well, amber and grey, her mother and father. of course they were already here. but a stab of panic rent through the youth. who would be protecting their new litter? a reasurring voice in her head reasoned that another GeRad varg was probably there. maybe one of her brothers. smiling at the thought, and if not slightly jealous of it, that one of her brothers had seen the new litter before her, Shay continued on with her relentless pace. out of breath already, but she didnt care.

now she could see the intruders more clearly. a large bulky black varg stood there, with all the posture of a king. a dark menace with eyes of flame. he fitted the description perfectly. without a doubt, this had to be Serg. this was the first time that Shayla had ever set eyes on her parent's enemy. and althogh fear thrilled through her. there was two Balkar in GeRad. and if it was three against two that gave them a better advantage.

alarm bells rang harshly in the grey youth's mind as she saw a black varg rush towards her mother. barking out a warning Shay increased her pace. now it was three against three seemingly. Shay only wished that she had any experience with fighting that wasnt play-fighting with Kop, Trile or Lycaon.