The Pack Lands

"We can leave in a few hours, Queen. Rest." she said, flicking her ears. She winced as she heard the faint sound of rushing water once more. She laid down next to Queen silently.

Queen Winced. "I don't want to wait;" she sighed "I want to go home" she mummbled sadly droping to the ground and sighe "No.. I don't want to go back for a long time" she sighed sadly

Dakota's reaction was almost instant, her legs springing to life as she heard Mahina's cry for help. A clouded fear swept over her golden eyes as she ran. Her paws hit the ground with paniced intensity, making her approach to the river loud and clear. Locking on to a tan blur in the water, the female was ready to lunge when her mind painfully grasped a subdued memory in the back of her mind. The shear strength of this memory was enough to rip her paws away from the water. There was no way Dakota could enter the water, not after what happened during the movement to this very den area. The river was a curse, death-bringer, and in every way, her weakness. "I can't...." she breathed helplessly as she realized Silver was nearby. Mahina's form continued to drag along the river, her body blurred by ripples of the current. "I'm not as strong as I used to be," her ears flattened, voice low and weak. The female bolted into the woods, unable to bare the shame of her failing.

Kira perked her ears and tilted her head, confused by the females words. She stood up quickly, deciding she was unable to rest any longer. "Queen, if you must go back right now, I suppose we can..." she said in a hushed voice.

i pined my ears back "sure." she said getting up and slowly stummbling back to the group

Mahina opened her eyes again, she was on shore, grass beneath her paws again, instead of what seemed like an endless trail of water and pebbles. A fit of coughing shook her drenched frame violently, her legs shaking. "I'm fine," she knew Silver would know she was lying, but she didn't care to much of anything at the moment. "Who's le-" She cut herself off, looking to the river, the slight jingle on her collar making her ears twitch. "Are Soran and Maiara out?"

Kira followed her hesitantly, standing between Queen and the river the entire time. She eventually came across Silver, Cross, and Mahina. Once Queen and herself made it back to the group she continued padding down the river, looking for Soran and Maiara.

Queen Stumbbled By Rune and Derek she frowned and went stummbling down to the den she layed down and sighed

Mahina let her ears drop, looking over her shoulder to Silver. "Really? I don't even feel my back legs though." Mahina twisted herself slightly to lick the blood off of her shoulder, which was still bleeding from her collision with the rock further upstream. It stung as her tongue rasped over her, and she winced, her teeth gritting together.

Queen frowned and sighed 'i guess i am never gonna understand' she moaned getting up and stummbling away from everyone she sat at the border and Closed her eyes and Howling a sad howl; She looked up "As if Demon were only here.." she mummbled 'Move on.. You know what he told you at his last gasp' she though growing a frown 'and you have.. just gonna have to wait now' she though and mummbled "I will wait forever" she sighed laying down "i just miss you Lilah" she whispered

So you found the water eh?" she managed to croak softly, a weak smile on her mouth until another bout of coughing came along.

Soran could only manage a weak smile through the sandy tuft of fur in his jaws. Every inch of his body screamed with pain as he kicked harder and faster, trying to reach the shore; any solid land. His eyes widened in fear as they drew closer and closer to the bend in the creek, its shore laden with thick rocks and gravel. Without warning, the male swung his body around so that his back took the impact of the bend, once more knocking the last of his breath from his lungs. The collision sent the two wolves rolling over and over onto the shore before sliding to a stop where sand met grass. The hunters jaw was still firmly locked around Maiara’s scruff, and with great effort he managed to release his grip and collapse back on the rocks, gasping for breath.

As they approached the rocky bend, Maiara could feel the adrenalline pumping through her veins. Legs working powerfully against the wild current, she made a last attempt to assist Soran in making it to the shore. But it was no use, the bend was coming up faster than they could swim away from it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced herself for the impact that was sure to come. But instead, she felt herself flip and tumble as her friend swung his body around, taking the blow of the rocky bend himself. She gritted her teeth as they rolled over and over, feeling a sharp, piercing pain each time her injured side made contact with the ground. But soon, the rolling ceased, and the female could feel the soft summer grass against her soaked pelt. She lay there for a moment, breathing slow rasping breaths and coughing up the remainder of the water in her lungs when she heard paw steps. An unfamiliar scent stung her nose.
"You alright?"
Eyes opening swiftly, despite her exhaustion, she lept to her feet with a snarl,
"Who are you? And why should you be concerned for our safety?" she inquired, eyes blazing. She was determined not to allow this foreigner to know of her weakened state, unware that blood mingled with the water that drenched her coat, a red hue painted on her side. The alphess released a defensive snarl, her side protesting with stabs of pain, causing her to stagger and fall. As she did, her eyes flicked to the side. There lay Soran who couldn't have looked worse. His brown fur was plastered to his frame, and one of his front paws lay out before him at an unnatural angle. Maiara, tried to get back up, but only succeeded in swirling her mind with vertigo from loss of blood. Returning swiftly to the ground, she growled at the foreign male in warning not to approach any closer.

Kira tilted her head as she heard faint voices around the bend. She quickly perked her ears and began bounding around the bend, at last she saw them. A smile spread across he muzzle, regardless of their condition at least they hadn't drowned. She slowed to a walk as she neared them. She looked at Maiara and Soran, both had bad injuries...she winced as she saw Soran's paw distorted in the way it was. She couldn't manage to say anything...to ask if they were ok would be ignorant, as obviously they were not. She stood next to Maiara and waited to hear her response to the male's comment.

Soran didn’t dare move from the grassy surface that he and Maiara had tumbled onto. His eyes were shut tight as his face took on a distorted grimace. Now that the excitement form the creek had faded, pain and suffering had moved in to take its place. Every inch of him seemed to throb from the beating that they had taken. His back was numb with pain, the multiple cuts from various twigs and rocks seemed to be stinging from their collapse onto the shore, and his paw; his disfigured and twisted paw was the worst of his injuries. He didn’t dare look at it, afraid that the site of it would make him queasier then he already was.

"We just fished another female out of the river, one she calls Mahina. She is tending to her right now, and I was on the watch for two more, which I assume were you two. Now that I found you, would you like me to help you to her?"

The male considered replying with a warning growl but the only thing that came out was a round of heavy coughing. “I don’t need help from you.” The hunter replied stubbornly. Even though few words had been spoken, he found himself drained of energy again

As the male asked the question she glared at him. Why should she trust this stranger? Its not like just because he is related to Silver he can waltz in and everything be all perfect. She flattened her ears once more, if Maiara or Soran wanted help they would ask her.

Mahina grunted as she was hoisted onto Silver's back, her right forepaw brushing a twig off her collar before it could scratch her friend. Her breathing was still heavy, and every so often she would cough, but try her best to hold it back, for it hurt her throat. Her eyes closed oncemore, only to snap open again as she heard a male's voice, seeing the other figure dash off into the forest. "Who's that?"

"I don't mind being bothered." Mahina gave a sheepish grin, her eyes flicking open when one of the night going bugs took a liking to her. Rolling her eyes at the insect, she moved her paw to scratch her neck, but stopped once she realized her collar was jingling, her ears flicking to be pinned to her skull when she thoughts the pups had heard it.

Malik came to a halt at the side of the westward creek, he looked both up and down the river, it seemed to never end. Lifting his nose, Malik could smell a pack over the other side, he huffed and stepped into the cool water, it saturating his coat almost instantly. As the water reached his underbelly and chest, his body twitched uncontrollably, the water was quite cold. He shook his head and continued through the water, it only seemed to come half way up his sides, the top of his back and head staying dry. Malik's paws shifted among the pebbled bottom of the creek as he walked to the other side. Once reaching the other side Malik helped himself up the bank and shook his coat, only just damp now; the top half of his body a charcoal glimmering coat, and the bottom half dark and sooty looking, he rose over the bank and looked over the grassy plains, he yawned tired from the travels and laid down under a lone tree, keeping cool by the shade. He put his head between his giant paws and fell asleep.