asked.

Timbre nodded. "Yeah, but Ami isn't feeling well."

A touch of alarm crossed Nick's face. "...what, when?"

Timbre smiled. "It's okay Nick, she's fine." He said. "I just told her to rest is all. I'm going to take her duty tonight."

"Where is she?" Nick asked.

"In her chambers." Timbre said. "...but if she's sleeping, let her sleep Nick."

Nick nodded. "..of course Sir." He said.

Timbre laughed. "...for now, see Achak and Kiona to a chamber so they can sleep." He said. "They'll have a busy day tomorrow."

Nick nodded.

"..and you should probably get some sleep too Nick." Timbre added.

Nick nodded again. "Yes sir." He said.

"Take care of yourself Nick." Timbre said.

Nick smiled. "You too." He said.

Timbre turned and ran out into the woods.

Nick watched him for a moment and then turned to the pair behind him. "Come with me." He said. Then he turned back and led the two wolves through the Main Entrance. He nodded at the two guards on duty as he passed and lead Achak and Kiona into the Main chamber and then to the empty chamber Timbre had spoken of.

Nick walked about half-way into the chamber and turned around. "Well Achak, this is it." He said. "You can stay here for the night." He walked forward and stopped in front of the large gray wolf. "I'll come get you in the morning and we'll go talk to our Alpha, Dash. Until then, feel free to make yourself at home. You don't have to stay here. You can explore if you like. I'll find the roving guard in the cave and tell him who you are and what you're doing here. There shouldn't be any problems."

Achak nodded. "Thank you." He said. "I think I'll probably just stay inside tonight. We've been traveling for a while now and I could do with the rest."

Nick nodded. "All the same I'll tell the guard anyway so you're not disturbed." He said. "...step out here for just a moment Achak?"

Achak nodded and turned to the red wolf-dog beside him. . "Kiona..." He tossed his head toward the center of the chamber. "I'll be right back."

Kiona nodded and walked into the chamber. Achak followed Nick as he stepped back out into the Main Chamber. "See that chamber up there?" Nick asked. He lifted his paw and pointed at an opening on the second shelf of rock at the far end of the chamber.

Achak nodded.

"..that's my chamber." Nick said. "I'll be there or at the one next door. If you need anything during the night, please don't hesitate to let me know."

Achak nodded. "Thank you Nick." He said. "I will."

Nick smiled. "Well then, I'm off to see a friend, then I'll see about getting some rest too."

Achak nodded. "Take care of yourself Nick." He said.

Nick smiled. "...as always." He said. "...you too Achak."

Achak nodded and turned. He walked back into the chamber and saw Kiona lying in the center, her head on her paws, eyes closed.

Achak sighed.

It wasn't like him to be unsure of himself. The feeling filled him with a sense of unease... he didn't like it.

"Kiona, we need to talk." He said.

Kiona sighed and kept her eyes closed. "What is it Achak?" She asked.

Achak walked over to her. "How about paying attention to me first Kiona." He said. "...sit up at least, come on."

Kiona sighed and opened her eyes. She sat up and yawned. "What is it Achak?" She asked again.

Achak shook his head. "Kiona, you're smarter than this." He said. "I know you are. Why won't you listen to me?"

Kiona sighed and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "I do listen to you Achak." She said.

"Then why are you here?" He asked.

"...because I didn't want you to do this on your own." Kiona said. "If this Lytion is as dangerous as everyone says he is... I didn't want you to face him alone."

"You disobeyed a direct order." Achak said.

Kiona's gaze narrowed. "Well who are you to order me around?" She asked. She started to say more, but Achak cut her off. "I'm your Alpha, that's who I am." He said sharply.

Kiona shook her head and stood, walking quickly to stand in front of him. "We're mates Achak, doesn't that count for something? We should make our decisions together." She said. Her tone rose with each word she spoke.

"It counts for a lot Kiona." Achak said.

"...but in certain situations I can and will give you an order, and I expect you to obey it."

Kiona said nothing, but her gaze said it all. She narrowed her eyes and sighed.

"What you fail to understand," Achak said. "...is that yes I'm your mate, and I love you, but I am your Alpha first. You are a member of my pack and you will do as you are told or you will be dealt with."

If the red wolf-dog's gaze could've killed Achak knew for certain he would be dead. "Oh yeah?" She fumed. "...and how exactly do you plan to deal with me?"

Achak sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to that." He said.

"Well maybe it needs to." Kiona spat back. "You never consult me Achak.

"...sometimes I don't need to." Achak said. "Did you ever stop and think why I wouldn't want you here? ...why I would want you there?"

Kiona remained silent.

"I wanted to ensure our children's safety." He said. "You were to be there for them. You are right in saying that this Lytion sounds dangerous. What if something happened to me? I wanted one of us to be there for them, no matter what."

"I wanted to be here." Kiona said coolly.

"See now that's the problem." Achak said. "You always do what you want Kiona and everyone else be *****. What if something happens to both of us? Did you stop and think about that?"

Kiona stopped and hung her head. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "...no... no I didn't." She said.

"See?" Achak said. His voice was remarkably still calm and firmly in control. "Maybe I'm not so stupid after all."

Kiona opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Achak, I never said you were..." Achak cut her off. "No you didn't say it verbally, but your actions speak louder than words Kiona. You decided on your own to disobey my order and follow me out here without even thinking of the consequences. That's not satisfactory, not from a pup, much less you. Of all the wolves in our pack you, my mate, should be an example to all the others. They should look up to you. I should be able to depend on you to do the right thing, no matter what... but I can't." Achak shook his head. "Kiona, I've held off confronting you about this for a long time, and maybe that made it worse. Maybe I should have collared you the first time, but I... I didn't want to hurt you, to upset you... but Kiona... you're not the one I can depend on to do the right thing. You're the one I can depend on only if it fits your design. I always have to wonder if you're going to follow the order I give or go off on some ridiculous rampage throughout the countryside on your own."

He stopped and Kiona's ears drooped a bit as she hung her head. "I... I just wanted to be with you Achak." She said. "...that's all."

Achak sighed. "I know Kiona. Believe me, I wanted you to be with me too, but sometimes things happen that are more important than what we want. The safety of our family is one of them. I told you to stay with the pack and you just up and decided to completely disobey me..." Achak paused. "Kiona, no one can depend on you when you're insubordinate like that. You're... you're a liability to the pack... to our family."

Kiona's head jerked up and flames ignited behind her brown eyes. "So I'm a liability am I?" She asked.

Achak sighed. "Kiona, my mission isn't to hurt you, but the truth is the truth."

Kiona glared at him and started walking briskly from the chamber.

Achak turned and Kiona stopped at the entrance to the Main Chamber. She turned and looked at him. "..congratulations." She said. "...you failed your mission Achak." Then she turned and started walking from the chamber again.

Achak sighed. "Kiona, where are you going now?"

Kiona whirled around to face him. "It doesn't really matter does it?" She snapped. "You'll be better off not having to worry about me being a liability won't you?" She sighed and shook her head. "I'm going to get some air." Then she turned and walked around the corner.

Achak watched her, trying to decide whether he should follow her or not. Finally he laid down in the chamber and put his head on his paws. "I'll give her some time." He thought. "She's in no mood to be receptive right now. Hopefully she'll come to realize what I said on her own." He yawned and closed his eyes. "...hopefully." He thought.

The trip had been harder on Achak than he'd let on and he was very tired. Soon he drifted off to the comforting blackness of sleep.

 

Nick was careful to be extremely quiet as he stepped lightly in the the shadowy chamber. He was conscious of slight sound his footfalls made against the hard stone as he made his way farther into the small room. He peered around the tall stalagmite growing out of the floor of the chamber and smiled.

Ami's smallish form was curled up against the far wall of the chamber. Her head was nestled against her back paws. Her long flowing tail rested across the gentle arch of her back. Her green eyes were closed lightly and her breathing was deep and easy.

Nick wished she were awake so that he could talk to her, could tell her that he was there if she needed anything. "...that I'll always be there." He thought. Nick sighed and watched the slow steady movement of her head as it rose and fell in time with her breathing. "...but Timbre is right." He thought. "I'm not going to wake her. She needs her sleep."

Nick turned and had started to walk from the chamber when Ami's sweet voice stopped him. "Timbre, is that you?" She asked.

Nick turned and walked back into the chamber. "No, it's me Ma'am." He said.

Ami sat up and yawned. "...Nick?" She asked.

Nick nodded. "Yes Ma'am." He said.

Ami smiled. "When did you get

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