"Margret you can't do this!"

"Of course I can Miliko. You obviously cannot raise them yourself. This is whats best for them."

"No it's not! You can't--!"

"I'll hear no more Miliko! I'm taking them to live with me."

"Margret, please! Don't--!"

"Enough Miliko! Now, come along pups."

"No Margret, please! Toner, Junie, Crysa! Crysa!"

"CRYSA!"

The white female jerked upright imeditly. "What! Whats happinging? Whos on fire?" she sputterd. A familur laugh rang behind her.

"No one sleepyhead!" The brown female giggled. "You overslept again. Aunt Margret's lesson starts soon!"

"Oh is that all?" Crysa asked with a yawn. "Wake me in a half hour then." she said as she sank back into the blankets on the bed. "Oh no you don't! Your getting up now!" The brown female pushed her head agsint her sisters back. Crysa, who had been sleeping on the edge of the bed, fell to the floor with a yelp.

"Junie!" she almost shouted at her sister, who was laughing helplessly at the bewelderd look on Crysa's face.

"Sorry Crys, but you know how much Aunt Margret hat.es it when someones early or late." Junie giggled.

Crysa rolled her eyes as she got up. "Yeah I know, why do you think I'm always late?" she asked, a michevous glint in her eye that Junie knew to well.

She groaned."Aw come on Crys. Nothing today please! Aunt Margrets just about fed up with you and your 'shanagings'."

Crysa just grinned. "I know. And I'm just about fed up with her rules." She wrinkled her nose and spoke in a high mocking voice. "Never be late or early for anything, the only way to show up is to be on the dot of time. Never associate with mongrels, their nothing more then streetbred scoundrels. Never get dirty, always keep your coat spotless." Crysa sighed. "Never do this, never do that, always act like this, blah, blah, blah! Shes driving me nuts Junie! Esspecialy her rules about 'mongrels'. In case she hadn't noticed, we'er not exzactly purebreds."

Junie smiled a little. "She knows that, but she wants everyone to think we'er purebreds."

Crysa snorted. "Even so, all my friends are mixed breeds, and their perfectly harmless!"

Junie's eyes sparkled. " What about Mitch?" she teased.

Crysa rolled her eyes in disgust. "I don't care what Aunt Marget thinks of him, or what he thinks of me, I'll Never fall in love with him! He's such a glory-hound. "

Junie laughed. "Better not let Aunt Margret know that. She pretty much has her heart set on getting you two together. Mitch probley does to."

Crysa growled. "Yeah, well, they both better keep dreaming. Cause it ain't gonna happen."

Junie laughed. "Hey you two!" Both sisters turned to the door and saw a red male standing there. "Hey Toner, where've you been?" Crysa asked. She thought she saw him blush, but she couldn't be sure. "Out." He said simply. "Now why aren't you guys downstairs yet? Aunt Margret's lesson starts in 2 minutes." Junie yelped and jumped over Crysa, which only succeded with her crashing into Toner. Crysa laughed as her brother fell backwards from being tackled.

"Come on guys, we'er gonna be early!" Crysa called as she lept over both of them. "What! Crysa!" Toner called after her. Crysa paid no heed. If her siblings were going to be on time, then she'd simply be early. She slowed as she enterd the small sunlight room that was the study for Mr. and Mrs. Denstrum. It was never used in the morning, so Aunt Margret had their lessons here. In the afternoon they would be outside.

Crysa settled herself on the recliner by the window. The sun was streaming through and felt warm and pleasent on her white fur. She starred out the window, hoping to see some activity this early. She was in luck. Outside across the street were Wes and Teddy, her two best friends since puphood. They smiled and Crysa felt a urge to skip todays lesson completly. She'd much rather be with them, outside on such a nice day. She sighed and smiled back to them.

Just then the clock chimed 5:30 and Junie and Toner came darting in, followed by a tall black female. She surveyed the room, and saw Crysa curled up in the chair. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Well, well, early aren't we?" she asked.

Crysa just nodded. Margret walked to the front of the room as Junie and Toner sat on eaither side of the chair Crysa was in. "Good morning everyone." Aunt Margret said. "Good morning Aunt Margret." the three siblings chimed. "Now, today we'll be working on how to act in public. So we'll be going for a stroll." she told them. Crysa's ears pricked. A stroll? She could sneak off and be with her friends, then come back to the house!

"Come now." Margret instructed. The three siblings obedently followed her out the door. "Now remember, one must always carry themselves proudly, head high, and the picture of gracefullness."

Crysa rolled her eyes and continued walking like she was. She was not about to stick her nose in the air and look like she'd smelled something bad. Crysa noticed that Junie's head wasn't quiet held as high as Aunt Margret would have liked, and Toner was so tall he didn't need to raise his head to have it higher then Aunt Margrets. Crysa stiffled a laugh, then saw Wes and Teddy following them. Crysa flashed a smile at them. It was time to leave this little stroll. Checking to make sure Junie and Toner weren't looking, she stopped. Aunt Margret didn't seem to notice. Smiling, Crysa turned and dashed over to her friends.

"Hey guys!" she called happily and lept at them both. Teddy stepped nimbly to the side and Crysa crashed into Wes. The blue male yelped with suprise as the two went tumbling backwards. Wes blinked, bewelderd, as he looked up. Crysa looked down at him from where she was sprawled out on his back. Teddy joined them, laughing and nudged Crysa to her feet. "Morning Crys." the red male chuckled. Crysa shoved him playfully and helped Wes up. The blue male shook his fur and grinned at her.

"So, whats old Margret teaching today?" he asked teasingly. Crysa rolled her eyes. "Same as ussual whenever I'm allowed out. How to act like a proper lady in public." The two males laughed. "Well, you could learn where to put your feet better." Wes teased. Crysa butted his shoulder. "Come on! We'er wasteing time. I saw some dogs heading toward the beach. I think their starting a race!" Teddy brushed his paw over Crya's ear playfully. Crysa laughed and the trio darted off toward the beach where calls of other dogs were calling out excidetly.

Crysa quietly crawled into the house. No one was home, or so it seemed. Junie was probley out, and Toner, well she never knew what he did nowadays. Aunt Margret was probley at the boiler room. "Perfect." she whisperd as she crept into the study. As soon as she was in, the lights snapped on. Crysa wheeled around and saw Margret standing by the lamp. "Drat." she thought.

"There you are Crysa. I was wondering what had happened to you. We missed you on our stroll." she smiled. "We ran into Mitch and he wanted to chat with you."

Crysa snorted. Margret clicked her tounge. "Tsk, tsk, proper ladies don't do that Crysa. You should know better."

Crysa's sky blue eyes narrowed as Aunt Margret circled around her, then sat in front of her. "Mitch will never propose to you if keep acting like that." she said pointedly.

Crysa smirked. "Good. I'd say no anyway." Margret's eyes widened slightly. "Whatever do you mean? He's the perfect match for you."

Crysa growled. "Mabey in your book he is, but he's not in mine."

Margret abrubtly stood up. "He's a purebred and I won't have my niece running off with some streetbred half-breed."

Crysa glared at her. "I don't care what he is, I'm not going to be mates with him!"

"Proper ladies pair off with proper gentlemen." Margret said, her voice forced calm.

"Well then I guess I'm not a proper lady!"

"Well that can be changed. We'll just have extra lessons and--"

"I don't want extra lessons! I don't pay attention to the ones we have now! I'm not going to be your little puppet that you can strut around and show off to all your stuck up friends!" Crysa shouted.

Margret's eyes widend further, then narrowed. "Your no better then that little mutt of a dog your mother was." she growled.

It was Crysa's turn to be suprised. Aunt Margret had only ever once metioned the names of her parents. "What do you mean? Mom was your sister, so she had to be a purebred." she asked horsely.

Margret sniffed indgnietly. "She may have been a purebred border collie, but when she had you and your siblings with that Miliko, she disgraced herself. She had no right to carry his pups!"

Crysa starred wide eyed at her Aunt. A sudden thought hit her. "What was he?"

"Who? Your father? He was a no good--"

"No! What was he? What breed?" Crysa asked.

Margret growled. "If you think your going to find him, your wrong. I refuse to say anything more!" And with that, she turned and stalked out of the room, leaving Crysa stunned.

"Crysa will you stop pacing! Your making me dizzy."

Junie watched her sister walk back and forth in front of the bed. Toner was stretched out next to her on the bed. "Look Crys, Aunt Margret's mentioned thousands of times how much she hat.es Dad. The only way we'er gonna find out what, or who, he was is if we can find someone else who knew Mom." Toner told her.

Crysa slowed and stopped, a strange look crossed her face. "Why do you guys keep say 'was'?"

Junie and Toner exchanged looks. "What do you mean?" Junie asked.

Crysa turned to them. "You guys keep saying 'what he was' and 'who he was'. Like he's not around anymore."

"Well, he's not around anymore right?" Toner asked slowly.

"Says who?"

"What are you talking about Crys?" Junie asked, confused.

Crysa's sky blue eyes sparkled. "Who says he's not around anymore? What if--"

"Crysa, what are you getting at?" Toner asked as he sat up.

Crysa looked up at them. "What if Mom and Dad are still alive?" she asked softly. Junie and Toner looked at eachother. "Crysa, you don't really think that--" Toner started, then stopped when he saw her face.

"Who says that their not alive? Aunt Margret just told us that Mom was sold when we were a week old, and then Tom...." Crysa's voice die.d. Junie and Toner looked solemn. Tom had been the second youngest of the siblings, and had only lived a for a few days after their mother was sold.

Finnaly, Junie spoke. "Crysa, no ones saying their not alive, but, please, please don't get your hopes up to much. They could both be gone for all we know."

Crysa smiled. "All right. I'll try not to get my hopes up."

Toner smiled and jumped down from the bed. "Now then, where do we start?"

Crysa thought for a minute. "Aunt Margret said Dad was a champion showdog, right? Mabey we can start with someone who knows about that district."

The three siblings exchanged looks of slight disgust before saying together. "Dantella."

Dantella was the sister to Mitch and one of the biggest town flirts the siblings had ever met. She flirted with every male she thought worthy of her prescense, which was practily every male in town. Crysa found her in the boiler room, attempting to flirt with Jace, a red husky. "Hey Dantella." Crysa called. Dantella turned and Jace looked relived as he slipped out the door.

"Well well, if it isn't the little white mutt." Dantella said with a smirk. Crysa forced herself not to growl. "Whatever could you want?" the brown female asked. Crysa took a deep breathe and exsplained. When she was finnished, Dantella looked thoughtful, which made Crysa uneasy.  "Well, I guess I could help you out." Dantella said at last. "On one condition." Crysa cringed, she had been afraid of that. "What?"

Dantella smirked. "You spend one day with my brother."

"WHAT!" Crysa yelped. Dantella shrugged. "Take it or leave it."

Crysa thought wildly. There was no way on earth she would spend a entire day with Mitch. "How about I just kiss him?" she realized with horror that the words were hers and were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Dantella smiled widely. "Suit yourself." As soon as she walked out the door, Crysa fainted.

"Crys, Crysa, you okay?"

Crysa blinked a few times and saw Wes and Teddy looking down at her. She imeditly sat upright. "What happened?" she asked, looking around. "You tell us. We found you passed out on the floor." Teddy said. "Yeah, you okay?" Wes asked.

Crysa thought for a minute, then remeberd. "I made a deal with Danatella." she whisperd.

"Uh oh. What's the deal?" Wes asked. Crysa starred at both of them. "She'll try and find my Dad, if I--"

"If you what?" Teddy asked slowly. "If I kiss Mitch." Crysa said horsely.  The two males gasped. "You what!" Wes cried. "Your kidding!" Teddy yelped.

Crysa swalloed, then nodded. "If you guys feel bad, imagine how I feel." she choked. The two males exchanged looks. Then Teddy laid down beside Crysa and placed his paw over hers. "At least you won't mean it." he said softly. Crysa smiled at both of them. "Yeah, now come on, lets get you home before your Aunt sends the police after you." Wes joked. Crysa laughed.

Crysa walked down to the boiler room the next morning. Mitch was ussualy there in the morning, showing off for females. Crysa shudderd at what she had to do when she got there. "It's one little kiss on the cheek, it won't mean a thing and if he tries to make it more then that, I'll slash his face." she told herself.

She stopped outside the boiler room, then gatherd all her courage and walked in. Sevral dogs looked up and greeted her. Crysa noticed that Dantella and a few of her friends were in the corner, giggling and pointing. Crysa cringed when she saw Mitch strutting over to her, a grin on his face. "Hey baby." he said with a smirk. Crysa forced herself not to growl at him. "Hi Mitch." she said through clenched teeth. "Word is you got something to say to me." Mitch grinned. For a fleeting second Crysa considerd calling off the whole deal, then remided herself what Dantella was doing for her. Summoning all her courage, she stretched up and licked his cheek. There were gasps and shrieks all around, followed by whistles. Crysa didn't stay to listen, she turned and ran out of the room.

After she got a good distence away, she gasped and took a mouthful of snow, then spat it out. "That was disgusting!" she cried. "I don't care what anyone offers me, I'm never doing that again!" she swatted at a lump of snow. It flew aways away before falling to the ground and smashing into pieces. Crysa looked up and saw an old, run down buliding a short ways off. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She'd come to this barn many times when she wanted to be alone. It was so run down and old that no one ever came here.

Seeking refuge, she ran over and ducked inside. Breathing in the smell of old hay, she ran around to a small ramp that led up to the hayloft. Crysa sighed and sank into the straw. The only person who used this barn was Old Man Artchet, and he only used it to store his hay and straw. Crysa rolled over and looked out the small window that was in the loft. Outside the clouds drifted by peacfully. She sighed. It was a perfect day, but how would she be able to face everyone after what she had just done? Mitch would be boasting about how they were to be mates by now, then Aunt Margret would here and think it was true, then be furious when she'd say no when Mitch proposed.

"What a mess." Crysa groaned. "Dantella better find out something about my Dad after this, or I'm going to tear her to pieces." She sighed and rolled over again. She'd have to face the music sooner or later. "Then I choose later." she mutterd before drifting off to sleep.

When Crysa woke, the sun was high overhead. "Must be about noon." she said with a yawn. Strecthing herself out, she walked over to the ramp and ran down and out the door. "Time to see how bad the damege is." she mutterd. Sure enough, as she enterd town sevral dogs whistled and called out at her. Crysa ignored them. She wanted to find Dantella. It wasn't hard. She and a group of her giggling minons were outside the post office.

"Hey Crysa. Your boyfirends looking for ya." one of them giggled. Crysa rolled her eyes. "Dantella, can I speak with you?" she asked. "Probley wants to know when your brother will propse Tella!" anther minon called after them. "Okay Crysa, whats up?" Dantella asked once they were aways away. "Whens your next dog show?" she asked. " I leave for one this afternoon, then I'll be back in a day or two. Don't worry, I'll try and find out about your daddy." And with that the brown female turned and walked back to her group.

Crysa sighed and started home. Sevral more dogs hooted and called out at her, but she ignored them. What she was really dreading was what Aunt Margret was going to say.

Sure enough, it was as Crysa had thought. The minute she walked in the door, Aunt Margret was upon her.

"Crysa? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." she called.

Margret came from the study, a huge smile on her face. "I just heard what happened this morning! I knew you'd come to your senses about Mitch!" she exclamied happily.

"Then my senses must be broken" she told herself. Margret, still smiling, usherd Crysa into the study. "Now tell me, has he propsed yet?" she asked excidetly. Crysa shook her head. "Well then, not to worry, I'm sure he'll do it soon." Margret assured her. "In the meantime, we can get you all sprused up!" she anounced. Crysa winced. "Uhm, Aunt Margret, do you think Mena could help me instead?"

Her Aunts eyes narrowed slightly. "She does know more about Mitch then I do. It'd be easier to know what he likes, wouldn't it?" Crysa asked, hoping that it would work. True, Mena knew no more about Mitch then she did, but that didn't matter. Finnaly her Aunt sighed and agreed. Crysa was out the door in a instent and darting across the yard.

"Mena! Mena!" she called out. The door opened and a orange female stood there. "Crysa! What are you doing here?" Mena asked in suprise. "Please tell me you haven't heard what happened this morning?" Crysa begged. "You mean with you and Mitch? Yeah I heard, and I can't belive it! I thought you hat.ed him!" Mena exclaimed. Quickly, Crysa exsplained. Mena slwoly nodded through the whole thing, then when Crysa finneshed, her eyes sparkled. "You really think your parents are alive?" she asked. Crysa nodded. "And Aunt Margrets always saying how Dad was a showdog, so now I just have to wait for Dantella to come back."

Mena's sparkle faded for a second. "You really think she'll even try?" Crysa nodded firmly. "If she doesn't I'll rip her to shreads." she growled. Mena laughed. "Oh, I don't doubt that."

Two days later, Crysa sat in the boiler room. It was evening and the only other dog around was a black female in the corner. Crysa's tail twitched as she waited. Dantella had gotten back from the dog show that morning, and she had promised to meet Crysa in the boiler room and tell her if she had found anything. A small cough got Crysa's attention. She turned and saw the black female starring at her with bright blue eyes. Crysa looked over her shoulder, but she was the only other one in the room.

"You there."

Crysa snapped back to the black female. "Me?" she asked. The female nodded. "Are you waiting for news?" the female asked. Cysa nodded slowly. "You are waiting for news of a lost one, but you will not recive the anserw you want. Someone close will find it, then you shall find them, but your hopes shall be dashed to the ground. For what you found was not what you wanted." The female said, her voice held a mysterious tone to it. But before Cysa could say anything, the female got up and left.

Crysa sat, stunned. What in the world was that about? "Mabey she hit her head on the way in." she mutterd. Just then the door opened and Dantella walked in. Crysa jumped up. "Well?" she asked. Dantella smirked. "Did you really think I'd come back with nothing?" Crysa hesitated, then shrugged. Dantella laughed. "Well, it's not much, but I found out that a few months ago, a red akita named Miliko took the champion trophy home."

"Miliko? Thats my Dads name!" Crysa said excitedly. "Wheres he live?" Dantella shrugged. "I don't know. No one there would tell me." Then she turned and left. Crysa sighed. "At least I know he's still alive." Then she ran out the door to tell Junie and Toner.

"Your serious! He's still alive!" Junie shrieked when Crysa told Toner and her the news. Crysa nodded eagerly. "Yes, and he's a red akita! We have a living, breathing Dad!" Toner whooped for joy and Junie squealed with delight. "And Mom? Was there anything on her?" she asked. Crysa shook her head. "No, Mom wasn't a showdog, remeber?"

"Oh yeah." Junie said, a little crestfallen. Toner wasn't however. "Hey, who cares! We know Dad's alive, so if we find him, we find out what happened to Mom!" he exclaimed. Junie brightened and Crysa beamed. "Now, we know he was at the dog show a few months ago. So now we just have to find out where he lives!" Junie exclaimed happily.

Their spirits dampened a little at that. "So, how do we do that?" Crysa asked. Toner and Junie looked at each other and shrugged. Then Toner brightend again. "Oh well, we'll figure that out later. Lets be glad we have a Dad to find!" he shouted happily and began tearing around the room. Crysa and Junie laughed and tackled him together.

Crysa still had one problem to deal with. Mitch. He was still boasting about how he was going to be her mate. And Aunt Magret wasn't helping by telling all her friends about it. Everywhere Crysa went, someone whistled or called out to her about Mitch. It was driving her crazy. At least when Wes and Teddy were with her, they growled and snapped at the callers. Crysa was thankful for that, but Teddy and Wes seemed to be gone alot ever since she had told them about what she knew about her Dad. She found it rather strange, but was too busy to do think much of it. She had to put a stop to Mitch.

Crysa found him in the boiler room again, strutting around a bunch of females, who swooned and giggled. "Sorry ladies, but I'm taken." she heard him say. Crysa rolled her eyes. Time to put a end to this. She walked in and all eyes turned to her. "Hey Mitch, your gir.ls here!" a dog in the corner declared. The other males laughed and a few females burst into giggles.

Mitch grinned and walked over to Crysa. "Hows it going baby. Haven't seen you for awhile." he flashed a grin to the other females. Crysa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I've been trying to find my Dad." she said simply. Mitch arched his brow. "Oh really? I thought he was long gone." Crysa shook her head. "Nope. He's alive and well. He's a champion akita." Mitch looked confused. "How do you know that?" he asked. Crysa smiled sweetly. "Well, I asked your sister for help."

"Dantella?" Mitch asked. "Uh-huh. Me and her had a deal you see." she said causualy. Mitch's grin faded a little. "What kind of deal?" Crysa shrugged. "Oh nothing big. She'd find out what she could about my dad, and all I had to do was give you one little kiss."

Mitch's grin faded completly and then low whistles and snickering broke out. Teasing calls went out to Mitch admist laughter. "Hey Mitch, looks like you've just been used!" a voice called out. Crysa smiled before walking out the door.

"Crysa!" "Hey Crysa!"

Crysa turned and saw Wes and Teddy running toward her, skidding and sliding to stop. "Whats up guys?" she asked. Panting, they both started talking at once before Crysa held up her paws. "Whoa, one at a time." she laughed. "We found your Dad!" they both cried together.

Crysa was stunned. "You what?" she whisperd. "Well, we think we did." Wes told her.  "Yeah, we'er not sure, but theres a red akita called Miliko that lives outside of Nome! Near the pass that leads to White Mountain!" Teddy said excidetly.

Crysa stood frozen, then cried out with joy. "What are we waiting for? Lets go!" Teddy and Wes grinned and motioned her to follow them. Then the three took off at a run.

It was awhile before the three dogs slowed down. "Here we are." Teddy declared. Crysa looked around. "I don't see anything." Wes pointed toward a cluster of trees. "On the otherside of those trees theres a small cottage. Thats where he is."  "You go. We'll stay here." Teddy told her. Crysa smiled at both of them. "Thank you." she said softly, then turned and ran toward the trees.

When she rounded the corner, she saw a small cottage nestled between two trees. Crysa's legs felt like jell-o. She couldn't belive it. Her Dad was in that small wood house. After so long, she'd finnaly meet him. And then her mother! Crysa walked up and scratched on the door. "For the last time Zack, the anserw is no!" a voice called from the other side. A mintue later the door opened and a red male stood there.

The male blinked. "Who are you?" he asked. "Miliko?" Crysa asked tentivly. "Who wants to know?" the male asked. "Crysa." she said. Miliko's eyes widened. "Crysa?" he asked, his voice horse with disbaleif. "Is that really you?" Crysa nodded. "Your all grown up." he said quietly. Crysa laughed shakingly. "Yeah, so are Junie and Toner." Miliko's eyes looked misty.

"Your here, I mean, I haven't seen any of you since--" he stopped. "Is, is Mom here to?" Crysa asked. Miliko's smile faded. "Oh Crysa, she's--"

"Miliko? Whos there sweetheart?" a soft voice called from the house. Then a black female was there and stood next to Miliko. Crysa gasped. The females stomach was swollen, like she was exspecting pups. Miliko cleared his throat nervously. "May, this is Crysa. Crysa, this is May." May smiled warmly. "Hello." Crysa said nothing. May looked at Miliko. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "Dad, shes not, is she...?" Crysa tried to ask, but her voice failed her.

"I think I know what your asking. Yes, I'm exspecting pups." May told her. "Whos?" Crysa asked horsely. May laughed softly. "Why, ours." she said and stepped closer to Miliko. "Now, whats this about you calling him Dad?" she asked, looking confused.

Crysa felt like she'd been slapped in the face with ice. "What about Mom?" she choked. "Crysa, your mother--" Miliko started, but Crysa cut him off. "She was sold, I know! That doesn't mean you had to go get a new mate! Why didn't you try and find her? Why didn't you try and find us?" she cried. "Crysa, thats not what I--" he tried again, but failed. "Your nothing but a traitor!" she screamed. Furious and crushed, she turned and ran.

She ran past Wes and Teddy, ignoring their calls. She ran until her legs burned and her vision was blinded by the tears that flowed. She didn't slow until she ran into something hard. Shaking her head, Crysa looked up and saw the old barn. Glad she had come here, though not sure how when she was running blind, she ran to the hayloft and collapsed. Grief and anger consumed and exzausted her as she fell into a uneasy sleep.

The sun was setting by the time Crysa made her way into town. She felt dazed and tired as she enterd the house. "Please don't be home." she begged silently. "Crysa? Is that you?" a sharp voice called out. Crysa groaned. Aunt Margret was home. "Yes." she called back. The tall black female emerged from the study, her blue eyes flashing angrly. "Well?" she asked sharply. Crysa blinked. "Well what?" Margret sighed, obviously anoyed. "Did you find that mutt of a father of yours?" she snapped. "Yeah, I did." Crysa said flatly. "You did!" Junie came bounding from the study with Toner behind her. "You really found him?" Junie asked, her eyes sparkled with excitment.

Crysa nodded. "Well? Where is he?" Toner asked. "He lives in a small cottage near White Mountain pass. With May." Crysa choked on the last word. Junie and Toner exchanged looks, and even Aunt Margret looked confused. "Whos May?" Junie asked. Anger flashed through Crysa like lighting. "His mate." she spat. "His beloved mate thats exspecting pups any day now." Junie, Toner, and Aunt Margret even, all starred at her with stunned looks. "His mate?" Junie asked quietly, the look on her face begging Crysa to say what she had just said wasn't true. Crysa nodded curtly. "But, what about mom?" Toner asked horsely. Crysa shrugged. "I guess he doesn't care. About her or us." she said coldly. Without waiting for them to ask anything else, Crysa stalked past them and headed upstairs. She barely noticed that Aunt Margret, for once, said nothing.

Toner and Junie went to see Miliko the next day. They wanted to know why he'd taken another mate. They invited Crysa, but she flatly refused. She didn't care why her father had gotten a new mate, she just knew she'd have to find someway to locate her mother. Aunt Margret, however, went with them. The entire house seemed quiet. Crysa sat on the bed starring blankly out the window. Next door, Mena was sunning herself on the back porch as a young black dog darted around the yard, aparently chasing something. Crysa recinaized the young dog as Charley, the little female that had been found on Mena's owners doorstep. Crysa wonder briefly if Charley had ever known what happened to her parents. Did they dump her then go and have more pups with different dogs? Or did they lose her and have been trying to find her?

The sound of pawsteps brought Crysa back to the present. "Crysa?" It was Junie. She and Toner must be back. "Up here." Crysa called. Toner soon nudged the door open and walked over her. He nuzzled her gently. Crysa welcomed the confert. Her head was still buzzing with anger from yesterday. Junie enterd shortly after him. "Crysa," she said quietly. "We saw dad." Crysa blinked. "Of course you saw him. Where else would he be? Not looking for us." she said flatly. Junie looked at Toner, who nodded. "Crysa, moms gone." she said quietly. Crysa looked at her in confusion. "Of course shes gone. She was sold." Junie shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. "No, Crysa. Moms dea.d." Crysa starred at her, the words washing over her like cold water. "What?" she asked, her voice no more then a whisper. "She was sold to a guy who fought dogs. She helped a young one escape the fights and her owner beat her for it. Dad found mom starved and freezing in a alley. He tried to save her, but she..." Toner's voice was horse and his eyes were filled with sadness.

"Dad met May after mom died. He didn't betray her." Junie said softly. But Crysa wasn't convinced. "So what?" she snapped. "Just because shes dea.d doesn't mean he had to go start a new family!" Toner sighed deeply and tried to nuzzle her again, but Crysa jerked back. "Crys, he tried to find us. Even after Aunt Margret took us away, he tried to come see us. But Aunt Margret wouldn't let him." Toner's brown eyes starred into her blue ones. "Even after he moved, he still tried to come see us. It's not his fault." he said gently. Crysa glared at him. "Wheres Aunt Margret?" she finnaly asked. Toner looked at his paws and Junie shifted uneasily. "Shes with May and the pups." she murmerd. Crysa bolted upright. "Their here?" she gasped. Toner and Junie nodded. "Dad asked if we wanted to help look after them." Junie said quietly.

Crysa's blue eyes flashed. "Are you?" she demanded. Toner nodded awkwerdly, obviously confused at why she was acting so vicious, and Junie starred at her paws, not meeting Crysa's icy gaze. "Well I won't." Crysa said coldly. "You can watch the little scraps yourselfs." Toner looked hurt and Junie looked shocked. Crysa abruptly turned to the window, her back facing them. A moment later, she heard their pawsteps leaving. A raw feeling stabbed Crysa's heart as she gazed out the window. Mena had curled up in the sun, but Charley was still romping in the grass. Crysa felt tears brimming her eyes. How could this young dog who had never known her parents, be so happy and carefree?

Even though Crysa refused to go see the pups, Junie and Toner kept her updated. May had a litter of eight puppies, two boys and six gir.ls. Junie described the eldest, a black female, Makayi, as very outgoing and loved attention. She also talked alot about the second oldest, Mexico, as very adventures and sweet. Toner spoke fondly of one of the runts, Juniper, a little red female. Both said  how Breezie and Isabella were polar oposets, and how Kisha was as sweet as May. One pup they each described differently. Aaron Jason, A.J for short. Toner described him as a curious pup, while Junie desribed him as a little troublemaker. Crysa vaugly wonderd why they never spoke of the nineth pup, but she never asked.

Crysa didn't really listen. She sat on the bed all day, starring out the window. After a couple weeks, Wes and Teddy grew worried about Crysa's sudden isolation. They went to see her. "Crysa?" Teddy asked as he enterd, Wes close behind him. Crysa turned slowly to them and Teddy had to stifle a gasp. Crysa's lovely blue eyes that ussualy sparkled with laughter, were dull and looked as if they hadn't seen the back of her eyelids for many nights. Her snow white fur looked grey and matted. Teddy glanced at Wes, who's eyes were wide with suprise. "Teddy. Wes." Crysa's voice was hollow as she said their names. "Crysa, please just listen to us." Wes said. "We know your dad found a new mate, and it's hard for you, esspecialy since your mother die.d before you even met her." Teddy said quickly. "But you can't just lock yourself away." Wes said. "Please, at least meet the pups." Crysa's eyes flashed angrly, so Teddy hurried on. "Would it really hurt? You are their half-big sister." he asked gently. Crysa glared at them and for a minute, the two males thought she would tell them to leave. Instead, Crysa's gaze softend, and when she spoke, her voice was soft. "All right. I'll go see them." Then the anger gleamed in her eyes again. "But that doesn't mean I'll accept them." she added coldly.

Crysa set out for the cottage as soon as soon as Wes and Teddy left. She still felt anger churning in her belly. She didn't want to accept these pups as related to her. But, she thought with a sigh, she'd at least try. Mabey seeing them would sort out her troubled thoughts. Her ears pricked as she neared the clearing. She heard laughter and voices. Crysa stepped around the cluster of trees and paused. May was laying on the porch, a brown pup was pouncing on her tail. Miliko was on the ground, sevral pups playing and tumbling over him. Junie was nerby, a brown pup tugging playfully on her ear. A small red pup was snuggling agasint Toner's side. Crysa's eyes suddenly narrowed. Lying next to Toner was a grey female she didn't recinaize. A pink bow was tied around her head, and a black pup was batting at it with it's paws.

The pup suddenly looked at Crysa. It squealed excitedly and scrambled over the grey female. Crysa was startled when the pup ran over to her and rubbed up agsint her like a cat, it's tail a fast moving blur. All the others had heard the pup and were looking at Crysa with suprise. "Hello." she said somewhat flatly. "Mamma, whos that?" The black pup by May asked, starring at Crysa curiously. The pup rubbing agasint Crysa turned to face it. "It's Crysa you goof! Our other big sister." the pup added proudly and beamed at Crysa. Crysa was suprised. She had exspected Miliko to have told the pups about her, but this one seemed extremly fond of her. The black pup by May was glaring at his sister. "How was I suppose to know? I've never seen her." he demanded. "A.J, hush." May said quickly. Miliko stood and the pup on his back slid to the ground. "You came." Crysa couldn't help but notice his eyes shone with happiness, he had obviously been hoping she'd come. "Would you like to meet them?" he asked, nodding at the pups, who had grouped around their mother. "Well, I can't help if I don't know there names." Crysa joked weakly.

Miliko smiled and turned to May. "Come here pups." he called. The pups all scrambled over their mother and bounded over to their father. May, Junie, Toner, and the grey female followed. The pups lined up as Miliko herded them together. "This is Makyi, the eldest." he said, pointing to a black female. The pup defenitly resembled May out of the two parents. "Then theres Mexico and Aaron Jason, the two boys." Miliko pointed to a brown pup and the black one seated next to him. "Then Kisha, Isabella, and Breezie." he indicated to a brown female and the two next to her. "Then thats Juniper." he pointed to the  smallest pup, a female. "It's Splotch." the red female quipped. Toner smiled at her and Miliko's eyes sparkled with amussment. "Right, Splotch." Then his tail flicked toward the last pup. "And April." Miliko smiled at the black pup that had rubbed agasint Crysa. "Pups, this is Crysa. Your other sister." Miliko told the curious looking pups.

One of the males, A.J, stepped foreward and sniffed Crysa. His tail began wagging. "Hi!" he said brightly. Crysa smiled a little. "Hello." April shoved her brother as she stepped foreward. "Told ya." she said proudly. Crysa looked up and saw the grey female whispering something in Toner's ear. He was smiling. Crysa stepped over the pups and walked up to them. "Hey Crys." Toner grinned at her. "Who's she?" she asked abruptly. Before Toner could say anything, the grey female stepped foreward. "I'm Amarie. Toner's been visiting me for awhile." she said. Crysa eyed Toner curiously. So thats what he's been doing! she thought. He got himself a gir.lfriend! Amarie smiled warmly. "It's nice to finnaly meet you. Toner speaks highly of you and Junie." the grey female nuzzled Toner under the chin and Crysa had to smile as her brother's face turned redder then his fur.

"And all this time we thought you'd never get a gir.l." Junie teased as she joined them. Then she turned to Crysa. "Come on in and we can properly introduce you to May." she said. Crysa hesitated, then followed, not realizing one of the pups was watching her with a plan forming in his mind.

As soon as Miliko, May, Junie, Toner, Amarie, and Crysa had settled on the porch, A.J trotted over to where April, Kisha, and Breezie where wrestling. "Hey guys." he called as he aproched. The three imeditly stopped and looked up at him. "What do you want?" Kisha asked, eyeing him curiously. "Aunt Margrets not here, so theres no one to save your hide if you get us muddy." April threatend. A.J just shrugged it off. "I just thought of a great idea." his eyes sparkled as they did when he was up to mischief. "What?" Breezie asked, imeditly intrested. "I just thought of a way to welcome Crysa to the family." he said, his tail twitching eagerly. April was imeditly worried. "What do you mean 'welcome her to the family'? She's already a part of it!" she pointed out. A.J waved his paw at the white female on the porch. "It won't hurt her or anything. Just show her we like playing dirty."

Crysa listened closely as May told of how she met and lost her mate. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the black female. Her last mate, Jon, had been a member of a sled team and had drowned when his team where crossing a frozen lake. "I'm sorry." she told her. May smiled gently at her. "He's in a much better place now." she said softly. "What happened to your daughter?" Junie asked. "You never told us." Crysa guessed she ment her and Toner, and probaley Amarie. "I don't know. Dawn was sold and that was the last I heard of her." May said. Crysa thought she heard regret in her voice. She must miss her, she thought. Miliko placed his paw over May's and Crysa suddenly felt anoyed. "I'm going to go see the pups." she stood and walked off the porch. I know shes feeling sad about loosing her mate and daughter, she told herself. But why did she have to choose my dad to be her conferter?

"A.J, are you sure about this?" April asked. After hearing her brothers plan, she wasn't so sure she liked it. A.J grunted and shoved the plank of wood a little. "Relax, will ya?" he said, slightly out of breath. "It's just a little mud and all in good fun." He turned to Breezie, who was slapping a ball of mud together. "But what if it makes her mad? What if she leaves?" Kisha asked worridly. A.J rolled his eyes and sighed. "Honestly, you'd think we were going to actully hurt her the way you two are acting. Now, help me get this mud on there." he instructed. "Breezie, you keep watch and let us know when shes in position." Breezie nodded and scrambled under a bush. April carefully grabbed some mud with her paw and placed it on the wood. Kisha and A.J did the same, though she noticed that A.J's was a much larger wad of mud. After a bit, there was a small lump of brown slop on the edge of the plank. A.J scrambled up onto a rock and crouched, waiting for Breezie's signal. Kisha shifted uneasily and glanced at April, who felt something was going to go, horribly, horribly wrong. Suddenly, Breezie bolted out from under the bush, knocking April back. A loud crack sounded as her paw landed on a stick. "She's here!" Breezie barkerd at A.J.

Crysa wheeled around as she heard a crack behind her. "Who's there?" she called, exspecting one of the pups to come crawling out. She heard a bark. "Welcome to the family!" a voice called. Crysa took a step foreward, there was a flash of brown and then something struck her in the face. "Agh!" she yelled. It burned her eyes as her paw flew to her face and tried to rub it off. It was sticky, and Crysa felt all the blood in her body burn with rage. Mud! "You little rats!" she screamed. She couldn't see but she heard them clamering around the bushes. Every hair on her back was raised and she growled. Then she lunged. She heard a little scream of terror as her paws conected with something soft. It must have been a tail bacause it slipped right threw. She quickly picked up on the scent. Crysa snarled before giving chase. She didn't know which pups had done it, but their were four different scents in front of her.

"Crysa!" Toners cry of suprise sounded, but Crysa didn't stop. She could hear the short breaths of a worn out pup in front of her. She bunched her muscles and lunged foreward. Her teeth grabbed the scruff of a shaking pup. "Crysa! What are you doing!" Crysa turned around, the pup still clamped in her jaws. The mud had been blown out of her eyes a bit, and she could make out the blurs of Miliko, May, and Toner. Junie and Amarie were smaller blurs behind them, with three shaking blurs crouched by their legs. The pup in her jaws whimperd fearfully. It was shaking violently, but Crysa didn't drop it. "What are you doing with A.J." Miliko asked, his voice sounded shocked. A.J! So that was the pup that had done this! Crysa roughly dropped him. The pup looked up at her fearfully before darting between his fathers legs. "The little rat threw mud at me." Crysa growled. "So you attacked him?" Toner asked in disbelif. Crysa's eyes still burned from the mud that had gotten into them.

"I-I didn't mean to hit it her in the face!" A.J's voice trembled as he spoke. "It was just suppose to hit her in the back!" Crysa glared at him. He was nothing more then a shaking black blur between white ones. "You really threw mud at her?" Miliko asked sharply. A.J nodded, still starring fearfully at Crysa. "You should know better then that!" May told him sternly. Crysa's blood was boiling. "If thats how these little rats are going to act, then they can rot for all I care!" she snarled. Ignoring the gasps of shock from Junie and Amarie, Crysa turned and bolted away.

"Sit still." Crysa winced as the black female squeezed the water soaked moss onto her eyes. "Honestly, I can't belive your little siblings did this." Mena said in disbelif. Crysa glared at her. "Don't call them that." she hissed. Charley sighed. "Crysa, I can't heal your eyes unless you stay still!" Crysa turned back to her as she pressed the moss over her eyes. The cool water felt good, and with the spongy moss it felt even better agasint her sore eyes. "And your Aunt didn't belive you when you told her A.J did it?" Mena asked angerly. Crysa brifly shook her head. "She thinks he's a little angel, and that it was more likley just April, Kisha, and Breezie's doing." Crysa growled. "He's a absalut darling. Always clean while the rest of that bunch is always dirty." she said, quoting what Aunt Margret had said. Crysa snorted. "Yeah, I'll belive that. Probley because A.J's always flinging mud at them." she said crossly.

"Okay, now blink a couple times." Charley instructed. Crysa did as she said. "How do they feel?" Charley asked as she soaked the moss some more. "Better, but they still sting." Crysa said, still blinking. Mena stepped foreward and looked. "I'll say. The look as red as a cherry." Charley shoved her aside and placed the moss back over Crysa's eyes. Crysa sighed with relief as the cool water ran over her eyes. "That feels good. Where'd you learn this stuff?" she asked. "One of the females in town showed me it when I got dust in my eyes. I think her name was Trixie." Charley chuckled. "She thought it'd do me good to know something before I got in any more scraps." Mena shot a mocking look at her. "Which you have very well succeded in doing." she teased. Charley swatted a paw at her playfully. Crysa laughed. The two females were as different as day and night, but they got along by teasing each other good naturedly.

"Alright, blink some more." Charley said as she removed the moss again. Crysa obayed. "Well?" Mena asked. "Much better." Crysa said with relief. Charley smiled. "You wouldn't have gone blind or anything you know." Crysa nodded. "Okay, now just soak them before you go to sleep and again in the morning." Charley told her. "They should be fine in a few days." Crysa smiled gratefully at her. "Do you want us to walk you home?" Mena offerd. Crysa hesitated. If Aunt Margret was there, then Mena would no doubt unlease her rage upon her. On the other hand, she really wanted the company. Finnaly, she said yes and the three head across the yard.

"You happy now? I met them, they nearly blinded me, and now we all know eachother! Happy day!" Crysa snapped. Toner winced and Junie glanced at her paws. The two had come home and Crysa had unleashed a wave of pure rage on them. "But Crysa, they didn't mean it." Junie insisted. Crysa laughed mockingly. "Oh really? Sure sounded like it to me!" Now Junie was the one to cringe. "Are your eyes okay?" Toner asked quietly. "Charley said they'll be fine in a few days." Crysa said crossly. "Which is more then i can say for A.J, Kisha, April, and Breezie, after the scare you gave them." Toner commented lightly. Crysa's fur prickled along her spine. "If your saying I should apologize, then you can save your breath!" she snarled. Junie starred at her sister. She had never seen her like this. She was ussualy good temperd and looking for ways to annoy Aunt Margret. This wasn't Crysa, not this angry, growling dog.

"Crysa, please, A.J pulls pranks on everyone. He doesn't mean any harm." Toner said gently. "No harm huh?" Crysa growled. "Thats funny. Then I must have imagened my eyes burning!" Toner sighed and turned to leave. "I'll be at Amarie's." he said quietly before heading out the door. Once he was gone, Junie wheeled on Crysa, her brown eyes blazing. "Why are you acting like this?" she demanded. "This isn't like you at all." Crysa growled in her throat. "In case you haden't notcied, our fathers run off with some petite female and had a litter of mangy rats! Tossing us aside like trash!" she snapped. "You know thats not true!" Junie's voice rose defensivly. "He tried to be with us! It's all Aunt Margrets fault he wasn't!" Junie's gaze softened. "I know your shocked that moms gone, so are Toner and I, but just because dad found someone else doesn't mean he betrayed her, or us." she said softly. Crysa lept of the bed and landed in front of Junie, her eyes blazing. "You don't seem to think mom being gone matters! You and Toner seem perfectly happy with dad's new family!" she growled.

Junie's eyes widened in shock. "Of course we care! She was our mother!" she said defensivly. "Then how come your acting like it doesn't matter?" Junie was suprised to hear a crack in Crysa's voice. "How come you and Toner are acting like nothings wrong? How can you let May replace mom?" Junie stepped back, her ears lowerd. "May's not replacing mom." she said quietly, though her heart pounded in her ears. Was this why Crysa was so upset lately? Had the news of their mothers death been that hard on her? But how could it be? Junie asked herself. She didn't know her any longer then Toner or I did. Crysa was starring coldly at Junie. "You may let that prissy dog and her rats replace mom, but I won't!" Crysa shouted, then ran past Junie. She needed to get away, and there was only one place she knew that let her do that.

"A.J you idiot! Look at you've gotton us into!" April snapped. After Crysa had bolted away, their parents had pulled A.J, Kisha, Breezie, and her aside while Toner and Amarie rounded up the other pups. Breezie and Kisha had exsplained the whole story, since April had been to stunned and hurt by Crysa's departing words, and A.J had been too badly shaken. Miliko had promptly confiden the four to the room where they slept. Kisha and Breezie were laying on a blanket nerby. A.J was still shaking a little, curled up on a pillow. April loomed over him, her blue eyes blazing. "Your little 'welcoming gift' could have blinded Crysa!" she told him. "Now she hat.es us!"

A.J looked up at her, his brown eyes wide. "I-i-t wasn't suppose to go like that." he stamerd. "Well it did!" His sister said crossly. "You heard what Crysa called us!" she sighed and her eyes filled with sorrow. "Dad had been trying so hard to get his pups back from Aunt Margret." her eyes flashed and she glared at her brother. "Now, thanks to us, he'll probaley never get Crysa back! She'll avoide us forever!" Breezie whimperd and wrapped her tail around her. "We've ruined dad's family." Kisha cried. 

A.J suddenly stopped shaking and his eyes brightened. "Mabey we haven't." he said slowly. "Oh no. Your not leading us on another cat-brained scheam of yours." April said sharply. "Yeah, look where the last one got us." Breezie mutterd. "A miserable dad and a enraged sister." Kisha said quietly. "No, just listen." A.J lept to his feet, his eyes sparkling, but not with mischef. "I heard theres diamonds in the mountains." he said excidetly. April rolled her eyes, but Breezie looked curious.

"Diamonds?" she asked. "You know, shiny rocks that are worth alot." A.J exsplained. "Whats your point A.J?" Kisha asked. A.J hurried on. "We can go up and find a diamond, then bring it back here as a aopolgy gift for Crysa!" he told them. April looked doubtful. "Why would she want a diamond?" she asked. A.J sighed in exzasperation. "Her name is Crysa. Crysa. Crystal. A diamond is a crystal!" he exclaimed. Kisha and Breezie looked at eachother. April look thoughtful. "Are you sure this would work?" she asked. A.J nodded eagrly. Finnaly, April sighed. "All right. Lets go find a diamond and fix this mess."  

Crysa rolled onto her stomach, the straw crunched benethe her. Ussualy being here calmed her, but not today. Her eyes stilled felt a little sore and her head was spinning. She felt confused and lost. "Whats wrong with me?" she asked herself. Suddenly, she felt tired. Her eyelids drooped and her head felt heavy. I can't be tired, she thought. I just got here. But sleepiness consumed her.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by tall grass, the wind rippling it like water. "How-? Where am I?" she said aloud, confused. Then, a soft voice drifted over the wind. "Crysa." It called. Crysa's ears pricked. That voice. It sounded, strangley familur. As if she'd heard it long ago, but had forgotten who it belonged to. The voice called again, but not her name this time. "Tom." Crysa's tail twitched. Tom? The soft voice called again. "Crysa. Tom."

Crysa scrambled to her feet, mind realing. After a moments thought, she took off through the tall grass toward the voice. "Crysa, Tom." It called again. Crysa jumped, trying to see over the grass. She saw nothing but the greeness rippling with the wind. How she wished she were as tall as Toner! The voice called again, but it was louder. Crysa gatherd herself, then lept foreward. Her paw caught on something at the last minute and she stumbled, finding herself rolling downhill. Something whipped across her face, then she stopped. Shaking the grass out of her fur, Crysa stood and looked around. She blinked. She was standing in a small circular clearing. The grass in the clearing was soft and short, while the tall grass circled it like a fence. 

"Crysa." the soft voice said gently. Crysa turned and gasped. She couldn't belive her eyes, yet she hoped they weren't playing tricks on her. There, across the clearing, was her mother! The brown female stood, the picture of gracefullness that Margret had been trying to copy for years. Wind brushed her soft brown fur gently, as if it was afraid of disturbing it. "Crysa." she said softly. "Mom?" Crysa whisperd. June nodded. "Come to me, my child." Crysa, suddenly feeling like a pup again, bounded over to her. June wrapped herself around her, and Crysa breathed in her conferting scent, one that she hadn't smelled in so long. Crysa rubbed her face in the brown fur. "Oh mom." she felt tears brimming her eyes as June pulled back and looked her over with a smile. "My darling daughter." she said, her voice reminding Crysa of a singing bird. June looked over to the tall grass. "Your brothers late as ussual." her voice was amussed, not angry. Crysa tilted her head to the side. "Toner? Whys he here?" she asked. June laughed softly. "Oh no, not Toner. Your other brother, Tom."

Crysa starred wide eyed at her. A rustling in the grass behind her made her turn and she felt her breath catch in her throat. A tall black male was standing there, his red ears alert, and brown eyes sparkling. Crysa felt stiff. "Tom?" she breathed. The black male smiled warmly and nodded. Crysa didn't hesitate, she dashed over to him and burried her face in his sleek black fur. "Oh Tom! I've missed you so much!" The black male swept his tounge over her head gently. "I've missed you to." Crysa stepped back and gazed up at him. He'd grown so tall! He was probley taller then Toner by half a head, at least. A thought then struck her. "Wait. You two are de.ad. How did you grow? You were just a pup when you di.ed!" Crysa looked from her brother to her mother. June laughed softly. "Just because he di.ed, doesn't mean he can't grow. He's grown along with you, Toner, and Junie." Tom smiled down at her, his brown eyes shining with warmth.

"Now, whats troubling dear?" June trotted over, her paws barely touching the ground. Crysa sighed as her mother pressed agasint her. She haden't felt so safe and warm in such a long time. Tom was gazing at her, his brown eyes searching. "Your confused about dad, aren't you?" he asked quietly. Crysa stiffened. She felt June's blue gaze burning through her fur. "Yes." she sighed. "I mean, he had you! Sure, you di.ed, but why did he have to go find someone else? What about me, Toner, and Junie! We'er still alive!" her words tumbled out of her in a rush. June licked her forehead gently. Crysa felt herself relax at her touch. "Ah my sweet, sweet child." she said softly. "Your father and I were very happy together. It broke both our hearts when I was sold. I lived a misrable life after that." the female gazed down at Crysa, blue eyes reflected agasint hers. "I took the oprutunity to save the young pup they put agasint me. It cost me the last of my health and streangth, but I know she's safe. I've been watching her as well as you and your brother and sister."

"Your father found me shortly after I freed the young one." the female smiled, as if recalling the moment. "We were so glad to see eachother again. But I knew my time was ending. Miliko tried to get me to the vet, but I knew I wouldn't make it." June's eyes glazed over, and Crysa felt as if she was intruding on something very special. "He stayed with me and told me how my sister took you all way after Tom had passed." Her blue eyes flickerd to her son. "Margret had never aproved of me having your fathers pups. It still puzzles me as why she took you in instead of giving you away." she looked thoughtful before continuing. "After I passed, I kept watch over your father and you." June waved her tail at Tom. "Tom did to, of course." Tom grinned at Crysa. "It pained me so to see how depressed your father was." Crysa blinked. "Really?" she asked. June nodded. "He stopped eating and drinking, and rarely went outside anymore." the brown female turned her gaze on Crysa again.

"It wasn't until May came along that he started feeling like himself again. And over time, he began to fall in love with her, but he still felt loyal to me." June pointed out. "He didn't propose to May until I told him myself that I understood." June leaned closer and nuzzled Crysa. "Dad didn't betray mom by falling in love with someone else Crysy." Tom added. A smile flickerd across Crysa's face for a moment. No one had called her 'Crysy' except Tom. Then her face clouded. "But, what about us?" she asked. June knew she was referring to Toner and Junie as well. "Your Aunt Margret did everything in her power to keep you three from Miliko. There was nothing he could have done." she said quietly.

Crysa sighed and welcomed the conferting warmth as Tom and June leaned on eaither side of her. "Toner and Junie have accepted May and the pups. Now it's your turn." Crysa's eyes shot open as Tom and June pulled away. "Wait! Where are you going?" she asked. She didn't want them to leave, not yet! Tom smiled at her. "Hey, we'er not leaving you. We never did." he said. "But, but-!" Crysa stammerd. June padded foreward and gently licked her forehead, where her small diamond marking was. She smiled gently as she backed away. "My sweet Crysa. We'er never far. You just have to look." her voice echoed as she vannished in the tall grass. "Wait!" Crysa cried and lept after them.

Her head collided with something solid and she stumbled back. Shaking her head, she saw she was back in the barn. Crysa looked around. There was no sign that she had ever left. Was it really just a dream? she thought. A soft breeze blew in through the window, casting a faint, but familur scent. Crysa's heart leapt. June and Tom! A smile spread across her face. Her mind was no longer buzzing angrly. She knew what she had to do.

As soon as Crysa was near the cabin, she knew something was wrong. No laughing, no voices, nothing was echoing around like last time. She winced. Had she really done that much damege? Cautiously, she walked up the steps. Her front paw had barely touched the wooden porch when the door burst open and a brown blur shot out, knocking Crysa backwards. "Mexico!" A moment later, Junie was there, lifting the brown pup off Crysa's stomach. "Crysa! Your here!" Junie starred at her in suprise. Crysa nodded. "Wheres Mexico!?" an anxious cry came from inside and May was there in the door, sweeping Mexico toward her with her tail. "Mum!" the pup squirmed in his mothers grasp. "Back in the house with you. Now." Miliko order and nudged his son inside. The red akita looked up and blinked in suprise at Crysa. "Your back." he said quietly. Crysa nodded awkwordly. "Oh no! There not with you!" May cried, her eyes round with shock.

Crysa looked around. "Who's not with me?" she asked. Miliko nuzzled May confertenly before anserwing. "A.J, Breezie, April, and Kisha. Their not here. We thought they'd followed you." Crysa stiffened. What have I done! she cried silently. May was in hysterics. "Where could they be? They've never left the clearing before!" she cried despretly. "May, come inside please. You still have your other pups to look after." Crysa was mildly suprised to see Amarie in the doorway. The grey female ussherd the disstressed black female inside as Toner joined them on the porch. 

"Are you sure they didn't follow you Crysa? You didn't see them at all?" Miliko begged.  Crysa shook her head. "They didn't follow me. I would have smelled them." she told him. Junie glanced around warily and Toner's tail twitched as it always did when he was worried. "Didn't any of the other pups see, or hear, them leave?" Crysa asked. Junie shook her head. "No one saw them leave. May noticed them gone when she called them for dinner." Toner said. Crysa bit her lip. Where could four small pups be? "Dad?" Everyone turned and saw a brown pup in the doorway. "Issabella, you should be inside." Miliko said wearily. "But, I heard A.J and the others talking." Issabella said. Crysa's ears pricked, Toner's eyes snapped open, Junie spun to face the pup, and Miliko lept to his feet. "You did?" he asked. "Yeah. A.J was saying something about getting a shiny rock for Crysa. As a apology gift." Issabella told them. Guilt flashed through Crysa.

"Shiny rock? There aren't any shiny rocks around here." Toner said, puzzled. Crysa thought hard. Shiny rocks, a apology gift for her... "Diamonds!" she exclaimed. The others starred at her. "Diamonds? What do they have to do with anything. There aren't any around here." Junie said. Crysa lept to her paws. "Yes there are! Up in the mountains! Theres a rumor that theres diamonds up there!" Miliko brightened. "A.J probley heard about it! They can't have gotten far, lets go find them!" Toner rose to his feet. "Junie, you go toward town, check the passege there." Junie nodded and sprinted away. "Dad, you go toward the forest, and check there." Miliko nodded and dashed off. "I'll head toward the White Mountain pass." his gaze fell on Crysa. "I know where I'm going to look." she told him firmly. Toner nodded and the two ran off in speperate directions.

"A.J! Are you sure about this?" April's voice echoed around the four of them. A.J looked over his shoulder at her. "Of course I am! I heard it from Aunt Margret! Theres a shortcut up ahead!" he called. April looked back at Kisha and Breezie. The two were pressed agasint eachother, their eyes locked ahead on April's black tail. "Come on! It's only a little farther!" A.J shouted over the wind. April shiverd as it ripped through her fur. "A.J, this is crazy! Theres a storm comming! Can't you see the clouds?" she pointed up toward the sky, were dark clouds were looming overhead. A.J looked, then pressed foreward. April sighed. They never should have come.

Snow crunched benethe the steady rythym of Crysa's paws. Please, please let this be the way they took! she begged. Her paws slipped on the ice as she skidded to a hault. Quickly, she caught herself. Looking around, she tilted her head back and sniffed. Her heart lept as she breathed in four different scents. They had been here! Crysa didn't hesitate, she picked up the scent again and ran toward the clump of trees were they lead.

After some time, Crysa slowed to catch her breath. "This is crazy. They'll freeze in this weather if I don't find them soon." she growled. Casting a quick look at the dark clouds threating to snow above, Crysa picked up the scent and was off again.

"A.J! Do you even know were we are anymore?" April shouted over the wind. A.J's head was thrust foreward, so she couldn't tell if he anserwd her. "A.J! I want to go home!" Breezie wailed. Kisha was huddled next to her, her entire brown body shaking. April growled to herself and shoved A.J. "A.J you don't know where we are do you?" she demanded. A.J looked up, his eyes clouded and groggy looking. April gasped. "A.J! Your eyes!" A.J just shrugged. "They don't hurt." he insisted, though he kept blinking, like he was trying to get something out. April growled. "We need shelter, now!" Casting a quick look around, she saw a dark hole up ahead. "Come on." she shoved her brother toward the hole. He stumbled a bit, but went along. April hurried back to Breezie and Kisha. "Shelter up ahead. That dark hole there." she pointed to where A.J was heading and Breezie nudged Kisha foreward.

April trotted back to A.J and leaned agsint him. "Almost there." she assured him. Once she got him to the entrence of the hole, which she saw now was a cave, she looked back. Breezie and Kisha weren't far behind them. Hurrying her brother inside, April helped him lay down agsint a rock. A.J blinked sleepily, but nodded his thanks. A terrified shriek suddenly pirced the air. April spun and saw Breezie outside the cave, but Kisha was nowhere to be seen. Panic gripping her, April darted over to Breezie. "Where's Kisha?" she asked imeditly. Breezie pointed a shaking paw down, and April saw with horror that there was a gap in the ground. Not willing to belive it, April looked over the legde, her paws gripping the rock.

Crysa scrambled up as the rocks below her crumbled and fell. "Too close for confert, if you ask me." she panted. She'd been climbimg the mountainside for at least an hour, and already she was numb to the bone. "Those pups will be half frozen by the time I find them." she mutterd. The wind howled around her and whipped through her fur. Crysa shiverd, but kept going. It was her fault these pups were out here, and she'd find them no matter what. She'd lost their scent trail awhile ago, but there was only one path upward (she shudderd when she thought of four pups tumbling down the mountainside) so she'd just followed that.

No more then a moment had passed when Crysa heard an ear splitting cry. Her ears pricked. That wasn't the wind, she knew that much. "April!" she shouted, then strained her ears for a response. She heard nothing. "A.J! Breezie! Kisha!" she shouted, so loud that her throat felt sore. Her heart soared when she heard the faintest little call. "April!" she called again, this time heading toward the response. "A.J! Breezie!" she called again. The voices were louder now and she forced herself to go faster. Crysa felt everybone in her body crumble with relief when she saw April's small black body and Breezie's bright red patch.

"Crysa!" April cried and ran over, her paws slipping on the ice. Crysa thrust a paw foreward to stop her. "Are you all crazy?" she demanded, though her body felt weak with relief. "Comming up here to look  for diamonds?" April bowed her head. "We'er sorry. But, Crysa, Kisha fell!" Crysa felt her muscles, once slack with relief, stiffen with horror. "Show me." she orderd. April nodded and hurried back to Breezie. The creamy pup was shaking and looking down over the ledge. "Get back." Crysa told her. Breezie obayed, but her eyes never left the ledge. Crysa peered over, hoping she wouldn't see a endless roll down the mountain. She took a sharp breath when she saw, a few feet below, Kisha's small brown body huddled agsint the mountain, as far away from the edge of the small ledge she had landed on.

Crysa sighed with relief. "Kisha? Can you hear me?" she called down. Kisha's brown head looked up, and Crysa saw a pair of terrified blue eyes starring at her. "Y-y-e-e-s-s!" Kisha called back. "We'er gonna get you Kisha! Don't worry!" April called. Crysa swatted her with her tail to get back. "You two stay here unless I say otherwise." she snapped. Then her stomach clenched. "Where's A.J?" she asked, looking around. April flicked her tail toward a dark spot in the mountain. "He's in there. We were on our way to it when Kisha fell." she told her. Crysa relaxed a bit and concentrated on Kisha. "I-i'm c-co-ol-d!" the pup wailed. "It's alright, Kisha! I'll get you out of there!" Crysa promised. "Can you see allright?" she asked. She saw the brown head nod. "Good. Now, is there anyother ledges near you? Even a little one?"

"N-no-o. B-b-ut th-eres a b-bran-ch!" Crysa could hear the pups teeth chatter with cold. "Drat." Crysa mutterd under her breathe. "Is it thick?" she called. "S-sort o-of!" Kisha shouted. "Okay, fine." Crysa mutterd. "I'm comming down Kish! Don't move!" she called. Looking back at the two pups huddled behind her, Crysa flicked her tail toward the cave. "One of you go make sure A.J's getting warm. The other stays here to help me get Kisha up." Breezie nodded and trotted quickly over to the cave. Once she had dissapered inside, Crysa fixed April with a stern gaze. "You stay back unless I call, got it?" April nodded.

Taking a deepbreath, Crysa felt around until she found a small rock jutting out of the cliffside. Carefully and cautiously, Crysa repeted the step until she could see Kisha's white tail. "Kish, I'm hear. Where's the branch?" she asked. Kisha looked up and pointed a shaking paw to the left. Crysa's breath caught in her throat. The branch was sticking out of the cliffside, and it was no thicker then her tail! "Oh boy." she breathed. "All righ Kish, you might get a gravel shower, but don't move, okay?" she waited until she saw the brown head bob up and down in a nod. Then, as best she could, Crysa bunched her muscles. For the sake of the pups, let me make it! she begged. With a grunt, Crysa lept. For a fleeting moment, she thought she'd missed the branch, but then her forepaws grasped something. Her entire body swung with the branch as she landed.

Quickly, she steadied herself. Taking a moment to catch her breathe, Crysa looked over at Kisha. The trembling pup was no more then a foot away, if even. "Kish, very slowly, come to me." Crysa told her. Kisha trembled, but edged closer until Crysa was sure she could reach her. "All right. Heres whats going to happen. That ledge isn't big enough for me to stand on, so I'll grab you, then take you up, okay? All you have to do is close your eyes, and stay still." Kisha nodded and Crysa felt the branch sway under her weight. "On the count of three. One, Two, Three!" Crysa thrust her head foreward and grabbed Kisha's scruff in her teeth. Kisha gave a little cry, but stayed still. Crysa looked up. The nearest rock wasn't that far above her, but the branch was creaking under Kisha's added weight. Please, please, let this work! Crysa begged before leaping upward.

Her paws scrambled for the rock, and she heaved herself up. Kisha was shaking like a leaf in her jaw, but Crysa grasped her even more firmly. The rocks seemed slipperyer then when she had climbed down. With a muffled grunt, she heaved herself upward. Her paws found the rocks and she kept climing until she felt the edge. Tighting her hold on Kisha, Crysa gave a small leap and grasped the edge. Her hind legs raked agasint the cliffside, searching for gripege. Something grabbed her scruff and Crysa saw April's black body pulling her and Kisha up. With a final heave, Crysa was over the edge.

"Kisha! Your okay!" April licked her sister's ear, but Kisha was too cold to talk. With every muscle in her body screaming in protest, Crysa rose to her paws and headed toward the cave, April close behind. "I thought you were gonna fall a few times, but wow! You made it look easy!" April's voice was full of admeration and awe. Crysa merely shrugged. She enterd the cave and followed April to the back, where Breezie was curled around a black lump. Breezie looked up and squealed when she saw them. "Your okay!" she cried as she scrambled to her feet. A.J looked up sleepily, but his jaw dropped when he saw Crysa.

Crysa maneged a smile and A.J seemed to relax. Placing Kisha down beside him, Crysa laid down and wrapped her tail around the two. "April, Breezie, you two get under her too." she orderd. The two pups didn't need to be told twice. Breezie wriggled in next to Kisha near Crysa's stomach and April curled up by A.J near her chest.  Graduley, Crysa heard their breathes become steadier and Kisha began feeling warmer. Giving each pup a quick lick behind the ear, Crysa curled around them and dozed off.

Crysa's ears twitched. She and the pups had set out shortly after sunrise, with her caring Kisha by her scruff and A.J carefully riding on her back. The two had been exzausted from the night before, and Crysa couldn't blame them. April and Breezie trotted along on eaither side of her, just in case A.J started to slip. So far though, he'd been fine. "Crysa, how far away are we?" A.J asked, his eyes blinking sleppily. Crysa gently put Kisha down for a moment and sniffed the air. "Not much farther. We should be there soon." she assured him before picking Kisha up again. The brown female blinked and coverd her nose with her paws, attempting to warm it up. "Hey Crysa." Crysa looked down at April. "Mhm?" she mumbled out of the corner of her mouth. "Why'd you come get us? We thought-" she broke off and looked down at her paws. Crysa ached, and not just her mucsles, but with guilt. Stopping, she put Kisha down again and gazed up at the sky. She was aware of the four sets of eyes looking at her, wanting a anserw.

"I don't hate you." she said quietly. "I was just confused." April tilted her head to the side. "Bout what?" Breezie quipped. "Well, you know May's not my mom, but Dad's my dad, right?" The four pups nodded. "Well, Dad didn't have me, Toner, and Junie with May." her voice softened. "My mom was June." Then she told them about how June had been sold, how Tom had died shortly afterwords and Aunt Margret had raised her, Toner, and Junie, how Miliko had found June again, only for her to say goodbye for the final time, and how he had met May. The four pups listened in silence. When Crysa finneshed, A.J was the first to speak. "I'm sorry." he said quietly. Crysa just smiled at him. "I know. It's not your fault. It's mine." April rubbed agasint Crysa's leg. "Come on now. Lets get you lot home." Crysa scooped Kisha up again and the group started off again. It wasn't long before Kisha spoke up. "Hey Crysa, why is it that both of dad's mates were named after months?"

"A.J! Kisha! April! Breezie!" May came darting out of the cabin and began fussing over her pups. The four crowded around their mother, all talking at once. Crysa watched aways off as Miliko and the rest of the pups came running from the house, Toner, Junie, and Amarie behind them. A smile played across Crysa's face as she watched. Miliko looked up and his eyes shone. A.J's head poked above the other pups, and with a leap and a scramble he was dashing over to Crysa. With one leap he tackled her side, his paws batting agsint her stomach playfully. Crysa laughed and placed her paw on his head. He grinned up at her as Kisha, April, and Breezie ran over and soon Crysa found herself under a pileup. Miliko and May came over with the rest of the pups following. Once seeing that Crysa wasn't going to attack them, the rest of the pups lept ontop of her as well.

Toner, Junie, and Amarie joined them. Miliko's eyes shone and Crysa's heart soared as she looked around. Kisha, April, Breezie, and A.J were telling their siblings about how Crysa had saved them, May was leaning agsint Miliko, her eyes dancing with delight, Amarie was nuzzling Toner, who was blushing scarlet, and Junie was watching them with a knowing smile.

Crysa sighed and laid her head on her paws. Dad finnaly had his family. She suddenly blinked. Across the clearing, barely visable in the shadows, were the outlines of two dogs. One was tall and lean, the other small and stood with perfect grace. Crysa blinked again and they were gone, but a soft wind blew a familur scent around her and she smiled. Thanks Mom. You and Tom were right.

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COPYRIGHTS:

Makayi (c) luckyshamrock

Mexico (c) Anileu

Juniper/Splotch (c)Kaz

Breezie and Isabella (c) Shadow's_Angel

Aaron Jason/A.J, Wes, and Amarie (c) White Wolf's Moon

Teddy (c) Iditarod

All Others (c) Me