The fallen wolf-hybrid mother was buried next to the pack's other lost loved one. Achak's father, Cheveyo. The pack's past leader was buried where he had fallen, and Kiona was carried there by Achak. The others buried a whole deep enough to not be disturbed by scavenging animals, placed Kiona within, and covered her with the earth.

No words were spoken during this. But after a while, the wolves would leave back for home, one by one. Until finally Achak remained. Like he did when his father died, he just stared at Kiona's burial, thinking about her, and missing her, but no longer crying. He did his mourning already and would have to stay strong for his pack, and for his pups especially.

The sun set, and it then came time for Achak to leave her. He knew that Kiona would not want to stay behind and would follow him wherever he would go. So he brought happy memories of her with him on the journey
home.

Home came within Achak's sight and everyone but Olathe was asleep inside. She looked at her son and walked up to him, nuzzling him. She trusted her son to move on. He seemed a great deal better than he was
before.

Achak smiled at his mother and peered into the cave at his sleeping pups.

"How are they?" he asked.

Olathe looked in the direction he was looking and looked back. "I think they'll be alright. They were sad they couldn't go with us today."

He frowned. The pups had to stay with the omega while they buried Kiona. He didn't want them to see, even though they hopefully understood what happened.

The older wolf continued, "They want to visit her tomorrow."

Achak nodded. "Of course."

~~~

Achak couldn't take the pups to Kiona's grave as he promised them. His body was heavy and exhausted from all that had happened, and he was feeling physically miserable. His children were worried about him, but he assured them that he was alright and asked Kanook and the others to take them with them, and later take them wherever else they wanted to go.

When the pups were ready to go, Hokee sat near the edge of the cave.

"Aren't you coming, Hokee?" Hinto asked.

"Yeah, we're going to see mom!" Nayeli said.

Hokee shook his head no. "I don't....want to right now..."

The three of them frowned, sad that their friend didn't want to join them, but they left anyway, and Hokee watched them go. The rest of the pack was either relaxing outside the cave, scouting, or looking to make a snack out of a squirrel.

The hybrid didn't want to do anything, so he retreated to the cave, even if the intimidating alpha dwelt in there. Lucky for Hokee, Achak was asleep. The pup crept past him and lay himself down directly across from the wolf.

He stared at him. He wished he liked him... Kiona was so nice to him taking him in and feeding him... cleaned him. Treated him like his real mother never did. He never knew his father. But he wished that his father could have been Achak. Or at the very least if Achak treated him like he did Hinto or Tonrar..

Now he had no one to treat him like he was wanted. Sure the wolves treated him as an equal, but Kiona treated him like he was her own. And Kiona was gone, and she was never coming back..

All of this thinking forced Hokee to sob softly under his paws. Great, now he was crying, and he was probably going to wake Achak and make him hate him even more.

The alpha clenched his eyes shut and opened them, awaking to the sound of crying. He frowned, thinking that it was Tonrar or Hinto who decided to stay behind, but to his surprise it was the hybrid pup.

The crying was a sound the silver backed wolf had heard a lot recently, and done himself, though usually in the comfort of his own presence. He didn't want others to see him grieving so much. It would only dampen their own spirits and Achak had to take care of his family, not make things worse for them, especially now, and perhaps the next while. It may very well take a long time to fully move on from their loss, his loss.

No, that was selfish. While the blue-eyed male had loved the hybrid, she was his mate after all, once again, there was the rest of the pack. And the pups especially. And now the one that only he had a disliking to was laying there suffering alone. The alpha knew that Kiona had wanted nothing more than for him to accept the blonde pup as one of his own, as she had done... Loved him, like their own blood.

And he knew all too well what Hokee was feeling right now, had been feeling since the incident. The wolf's bright blue eyes couldn't help but soften into something that hadn't surfaced for the younger pup ever before as he gazed at the other. A feeling that came with understanding. Sympathy. Perhaps, for Kiona, to respect her wishes at least, the alpha would try.

Standing, Achak walked over to Hokee, looking down at him once he was standing beside him. At the sounds, and caught in the larger wolf's shadow, the pup opened his tearful eyes and looked up, stiffening in surprise, slinking back slightly. He had disturbed the other and now he was going to get it.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to annoy you..." But the blonde and brown patched hybrid was surprised when the other wasn't looking at him with anger for once. When the much larger wolf sat down next to him, he was confused even more.

"I miss her as well...." his bright blue eyes were surprisingly soft as they gazed at the younger lying there. Hokee looked up at the other wide-eyed, unsure of what to think of Achak's seemingly sudden change of heart towards him. Not that it was unwelcome, just...unexpected. But it wasn't long after hearing those words of understanding from the one wolf he had truly wanted acceptance from, that the pup felt the tears come forth again to his eyes, and with a little sob launched himself at the black and silver alpha's body.


The pup nuzzled into the wolf's belly, shaking with each breath he took. Achak sighed softly, looking down at Hokee, and eventually draped a comforting arm over him, as he would his own children. This is what he needed. No other words were said. Achak just let Hokee cry and mourn until he fell asleep beneath him.

Olathe noticed that the young blonde pup was no where to be found. She looked everywhere and asked the others, but they didn't even see him go with Kanook and the pups. She peered into the cave to ask Achak if he happened to know. And by the looks of it, he did. She smiled at the sight of her son accepting Hokee...and even comfort him. Instead of barging in on them, she turned back around and left them alone for the time being. Things were beginning to look up again.

A few days passed since the cave scene, and one late night, after the whole pack was asleep, the blonde hybrid pup was awoken from his slumber by gentle nudging. At first he just turned over and went on sleeping, his tail curling up over his nose. But as the touches continued, a soft voice then added to it, quiet in the large cave.

"Hokee? Hokee, wake up, please?"

"Hmm, wha...?" His sandy eyes blinked open as his head lifted to look over his shoulder at...Nayeli? Her big gentle eyes wide and, pleading, almost. But she smiled as she saw her friend waking. "Nayeli, what's wrong? What are you doing up? It's still dark out..." he yawned widely, licking his muzzle briefly, blinking a few more times. The black and silver female's ears drooped a bit and her eyes shifted away shyly.

"I... well. I... had a bad dream..." At that, the brown patched pup frowned, sitting up. It seemed the other was having a few bad dreams lately. Ever since...

"Oh. Well, are you okay? Can I help?" They were friends after all, right? Well, Hokee thought a bit more than that for the other, but was to shy to say so. At his question, Nayeli seemed to become calmer.

"Actually, I was thinking, I wanna go see mom, and... I'm too scared to go alone, and, Tonrar and Hinto wouldn't wake up, so... would you come with me?" Her black tail wagged a bit. She would actually prefer to have the hybrid with her over her two brothers, who were currently curled up next to Olathe.

Blood rushed to Hokee's cheeks at her request. Of course he'd love to go with her, but would it be okay with Achak? He looked to him. He was fast asleep and showed no signs of being awake or waking up any time soon. So Hokee stood and said, quieter than before, "Okay. Lets go."

And they walked out together, closely since the night air was colder. They were silent for half of the journey there, just basking in the other's company. Nayeli was smiling to herself, feeling alot better already and nearly forgot about her dream.

"So... w-what was your dream about, Nayeli?" Hokee asked, softly, not intending to bring back any bad memories. He just thought that she'd like to get it out.

"O-Oh... it's nothing now." Nayeli said, frowning slightly. "Just something silly."

"Huh?" Well now he felt rather dumb for asking. She obviously didn't want to talk about it, so he didn't say anything else.

Nayeli paused, looking at him and biting her lip. She supposed it'd be best to tell him what was wrong. There was no harm in him asking. In fact, it was nice that he cared enough to ask.

"I dreamed that... Mom went away... then you... then everyone else... Then I was left with just my shadow and I was scared of it.." After a moment she chuckled to herself. "I told you it was silly. Me being scared of my shadow..."

Hokee frowned as she was telling him about her dream. He knew was it was like being left alone and it was a terrible feeling. He didn't want her to feel that way at all.

"W-Well... I'm not gonna leave you, Nayeli. And no one else is either!" he assured her. "A-And Achak always said that Kiona never left us either. He-He says she's still here, remember?"

The usual happy smile re-appeared on the black and silver pup's face. "You're right!" She giggled and licked his cheek, causing him to freeze bashfully in his tracks. She watched him for a minute, finding his face funny at that moment before noticing that Kiona's grave was just up ahead.

"We're almost there!" she announced, pushing him slightly with her head. They raced to her

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