and had every right to drop everything to be with his mate at the moment their offspring was about to enter the world. However, Hiro was in for a big surprise when he entered the den.

The first thing he noticed was, there was no agonized yelps or screams from Mist. Did I miss it? He asked himself, padding ever closer to his den. Once he looked in, he saw that Mist wasn't giving birth or in labor at all. She was sitting down, her head bowed and silently pawing at the ground of their den. This came as something of a shock for him, not to mention a disappointment. "Mist?" He asked, stepping into their den and padding over to her. His voice holding the tone of confusion.

At his voice, Mist looked up at him and he was surprised to see that she was crying. Her gold eyes moist and her cheeks damp from the tears. Not knowing what was wrong, Hiro sat down next to her and put his arms around her. As soon as he had embraced her, she broke into tears. Burying her face in his neck and sobbing uncontrollably. While he held her, whispering comforting nothings into her ear, he wondered what had happened to upset her like this. He didn't bother asking her anything just yet. He waited for her to calm down enough to speak. Which, despite how much she was crying now, didn't take long. It was like she just had to get it out of her system. Once she had calmed down a bit and just lay there against him, breathing and whimpering, he cleared his throat and asked her the question. "What's wrong Mist?"

For a second, it seemed like she was about to start all over again, but she breathed a few times to relax herself before trying to make words. "Hiro. . ." Her soft voice started, sadness in every syllable. "You know I love you. It's hard for me to say this to you, me carrying your sons and daughters and all, but I've got to tell you something."

A sense of foreboding overtook Hiro just then. He was afraid of what she was about to say. As soon as she spoke these next words, his life would never be the same again. He tilted his head and tried to keep his expression of sympathy. "What is it?"

Mist pulled away from the embrace. Slipping out of his arms and sitting on her own haunches as she got ready to speak. "Hiro, I've got to leave you."

Time seemed to freeze for Hiro. He tried not to react too much over it, but he knew he couldn't just not react to it at all. It would send the wrong message. Instead of jumping to conclusions like other might have, thinking she was leaving him for some other male, he gave her the time to explain her reasons. Sitting up straight and frowning at her, he scratched his head. His confusion at the situation was preventing him from feeling the need to grieve. "Could you explain to me why Mist?"

She frowned back at him, a few more tears trickling down her cheeks and her lip quivering. "It's nothing you've done, believe me. But, there's a war about to break out. The famine continues and there's no sign of it ending in sight. You know if our pups are raised in this they won't survive long. You've got to stay and lead the pack. To be honest I think they'd be lost without you. Me on the other paw, I just hang around the place dreading what could happen at any moment and walk by countless wolves that think i'm going to go into labor at any minute. It would just be better off for our pups if I get away from this while I still can."
She honestly sounded like she didn't want to go. It was this tone that made Hiro feel the worst. He knew he had to let her go, but he also felt compelled to go with her. But he couldn't just abandon his pack when they needed him the most. Their efforts to prevent the war looked to be in vein and there wasn't a doubt in his mind that Mist had the right idea. He supposed what he was feeling was just how much he was going to miss her. "Mist. . . I don't blame you. Given a few more days and I probably would be suggesting you do this too. But I guess it's better if you're gone before it's too late." He breathed out. Admitting to what he wished there was another solution to. "But. . . what are you going to do when you finally do go into labor?" He asked, a realization coming to him.

Mist sighed and bowed her head again. "I tried waiting as long as possible. I wanted to have the pups with you by my side but. . . I don't think it's meant to be." She whimpered, causing Hiro to pull her into another embrace. There was very little he could do or say to sway her. She was a stubborn one and, once she had decided on something, it wasn't easy to change her mind. But even if he could changer her mind, he knew it'd be better if he didn't. For the sake of his pups, he had to let her go and take shelter away from here where she could raise the pups in a more 'friendly' environment. Maybe, whenever this was all over, he could go find her and finally see his sons and daughters. Even if it was for the best, it still wasn't easy to do it. It was one thing to say something, but quite another acctually doing it.

"Mist. . ." He sighed, putting a paw to her head and pressing it to his chest. "When. . . do you plan on leaving?"
Even though he had known the answer all along, he still had to ask.
"Tonight. . ." She whimpered. Hiro sighed and nuzzled her. It was hard to comfort someone upset about something when you, too, were upset about the same thing. He was going to miss her dearly, and he knew she would too. If she wasn't, he doubted she'd be crying her eyes out like this.

Everything needed to be said had already been spoken. Now the two just sat there, enjoying their last minutes with each other. Nearly an hour had passed before the movement of someone outside disturbed them. Hiro's ears shot up as did Mist's but it was Hiro who went to go see who it was. It turned out to be a group of wolves that had come to see how Mist was getting along with her birth giving. He then remembered that it was that that had gotten him to rush to her so quickly. With the unexpected news, it had been wiped away from his mind.

"I'm sorry, but it was. . . a false alarm." He explained shortly before turning around and walking into his den to find Mist standing up. Her arm raised and head leaned down, wiping the tears from her moist eyes. "Mist, I cannot tell you how much i'm going to miss you" he frowned at her. Every bit of him showing how much he wished she didn't have to go. He would relish every memory he had of her until they were finally reunited. Whether it be in a few months or a year or two.

Mist was just the same. She had stopped crying, but she just frowned at him and nodded her head. Making for the exit of the den. Hiro instinctively followed her out. Mist looked to have expected this and only walked closer to him as they made their way to the borders of their territory. "Where will you go?" Hiro questioned after some time of thought.

"Away from here." she breathed out. Voice shaky like she was only just managing to keep from crying. "Im going to head east. I know The Anglo Pack territory is to the north and The Redblood Pack territory is to the south so, obviously I can't allow our pups to be born in an enemy's terra. They'd be worse off there than here." Mist reasoned. Looking up to him, trying to put on a smile, she continued. "Perhaps i could find refuge in The Lylrite Pack. They aren't too far off and I'm positive I could make it there within a few days before our pups are born."

Hiro sighed. The Lylrite Pack. . . that was probably one of the best options Mist had as far as where she was going to give birth was concerned. Though they weren't exactly an allie pack of theirs, they weren't an enemy pack either. He was sure they would be more than willing to take in Mist, with her being so close to giving birth, and help her out. He just prayed she could make it there safely.

They had reached the border. Where the forest ended, that was as far east as their eastern border stretched. Both Hiro and Mist stood there for a minute or two, savoring their last moments together. They nuzzled each other, silently saying their goodbyes. Hiro wiped away a few of her tears with a paw before lifting her head up by placing a paw under her chin. "Chin up, Mist. We'll see each other again. Till then, you make sure you reach the Lylrite Pack and raise those pups." His voice was clear. The dominant voice he had always had had returned to him, enabling him to see her off with a little less crying or whimpering.
"Hiro. ." She sighed before licking his nose. Signs of tears were forming at the corners of her eyes. Instantly, Hiro reacted.
"Mist, please don't start crying again. Otherwise you'll never get going. Where's that brave wolfie I fell in love with?" He put his paws on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "I know she's still in there." But this was enough for Mist. As soon as these words left his lips, her face became more serious and less upset. She nodded her head at him, and smiled back at him. "Thank you Hiro. Goodbye."

With that, she turned around, and walked away. Crossing the border and continuing on. He remained where he sat, watching her until she was nothing more than a speck in the distance. She was gone. "Godspeed Mist" he said silently to himself before heading back. It was only at this time, that he allowed a few tears to fall down his cheeks. Knowing now that he would be sleeping alone at night made him feel less grateful for the day to end.

 *  *  *

Every one of the days following her departure from her home, Mist was on her guard at all times. It'd been a long time since she had left the safety of The Inca Pack territory. In the back of her mind, she knew it was for the best. She knew that if she stayed, their pups would be dead before they even got the chance to open their eyes. But still, everything about her was screaming at her to turn around and return to Hiro. The first day was the hardest. She was on edge the whole day and found sleep almost impossible to find. She