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Roki felt slightly better inside Nika's embrace, although tears stilll flowed. Atleast someone else knew what it felt like to lose someone.

Nika carefully slipped her body over her back "I'm not going o let varmits eat her dead body, she deserves to be buried." She looked at Roki "Mind giving me a paw?" She asked, she couldn't carry the limp body on her own.

Nisha limped over, she muttered something quietly under her breath and looked at Nika and Roki. "...Im so sorry for your loss....she was a great canine..."

Talon stood and watched, pain pulling at this metal control. He slowly walked over and just stood there, saying nothing.

Nika sighed heavily as she walked into the forest, digging furiously, letting out all of her anger and pain on the dirt and grass.After a few more chunks of dirt the holw was big enough and she put Amaya's body in it.She threw back her head and let out a howl, the sadest howl she had ever made, or even heard.Her voice was filled with sorrow as it echoed off the trees and the bodies of her packmates."Good bye Amaya, mother is waiting." She whispered, waiting for Roki to come and saw his last farwell.

Roki felt he couldn't speak past the lump in his throat, but tried anyways. "I forgive you for not telling me. And I'll miss you...mom," he managed to choke out.

Nika began to bury Amaya carefully, she felt horribale for covering her body in dirt and leaving it behind, but she figured it was a sign, that this was their home."Amaya was the first to die in our new home, of course there will be many others...But she will be remembered forever more.We all will." She said loudly so the whole pack could hear her.She placed a dark red flower in Amaya's paws before finishing burying her body.She stepped back and walked forward trying to rid hersef of the pain and grief for the sake of her pack.

Skull felt the pain cease now, his legs feeling normal once again."Choker!" He barked as he nuzzled his mate happily, glad she was alive but still upset Amaya wasn't."it was a shame that Amaya has been lost." He whispered.

Nika howled loudly, telling her pack to gather closley for sleep."Everyone get really close to everyone else for protection, the weakest in the middle please." She said, her voice running over the now small crowd.They lost seven dogs while leaving alone, they were stubborn elders or adults who didn't want to leave their home, then ten on the way to alley by humans and hunger and fear, then fourteen just then at the shooting, so only ten were left."We have lost many on our way to our new home, but only the strongest survive, and thats what we are." The remaining pack barked and howled in unison like they did back at the city when they were a pack of almost fifty.

Nisha limped over, laying down on the outside of the group. Even though she wasnt going to be able to use her hind leg anymore she wasnt going to let anyone know that her older age and now disability was going to hold her back. She tilted her head back and howled,a song for Nika's, Roki's, and the whole pack's loss of all the dogs that had died, and now Amaya. She whimpered to herself, and a single thought raced through her mind. The orignal pack is dropping like flies...how long will it be before there are no more left?...When will i end up....leaving...?

Talon watched as everyone huddled together, he turned and padded off, finding a tree with roots that came up above the ground, he curled up and layed down, he couldnt stand the pain that kept befalling his pack. He was tired of it.....and the secret in his heart, and mind was slowly driving him insane. He just had to tell her....but how?

Roki listened to Nika speak, then the howl that the pack made, sounding as one. He didn't join in, feeling to hollow and empty to say anything.

Nika watched Talon leave so she followed him as quickley as she could "The whole pack is radiating fear, even in their sleep." She whispered to herself before looking up to see Talon."Mind if I bunk with you tonight?" She asked her ears back and her muzzle red from blushing.

Roki forced himself to move, and ended up curling inside a small hollow near the base of a tree. His body heat filled the msall space, making it warm and cozy. He didn't care though. He only cared about the deep pain inside of him that wouldn-t go away. Trying not to let his tears through, he closed his burning eyes.

Talon looked up, his heart leaping. He nodded. "Of course." he made room, the tree he was lying in wasnt all that big, so she would have to sleep pressed against his side and stomach. He yawned slighty.

Nika nuzzled closley into Talon's side, snuggling her head under his."Good night Talon." She said sweetly before letting her heavy eye lids droop close.

Roki lay awake for a while, images of Amaya still burning in the darkness of his eyelids. UNable to bear it, he stood up and padded to her grave, sadness still filling him.