SPECIAL THANKS TO DREWTHEWOLF FOR HELPING ME!

ALL CHARACTERS ARE COPYRIGHTED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS!

            Time slowed its pace down to a crawl after the sound. Ears rang in the area. But all the hybrid could pay attention to was the sight of her alpha...Achak, fall to the ground as his own blood splashed through the air and scattered onto the snow. Kiona felt the bullet hit the ground at her own feet and only then did she move from her frightened, wide-eyed stance. She called his name as if, if she didn't address him loud enough, the world would end. Her call echoed throughout the entire territory, loud enough for the rest of the pack to hear and run to them.

            Kiona put her head on her savior's. His shaking, hurting form pained her so much, tears actually began to fall from her tightly closed eyes, to her face, onto Achak's. "Why did you do this!" she thought to herself. "Why did you let yourself get hurt by those you hate, just to protect me!" A soft sob managed to escape through Kiona's breathing. "Don't leave me!" she continued pleading inside her thoughts. "Please, don't leave me!"

            The rest of the pack abandoned whoever was left of Nayati's pack to see what had happened. And worse than what they had ever hoped, they witnessed their alpha on the ground, bleeding, and their fellow pack mate crying over him. All of their eyes were wide with shock, but then their expressions slipped into sorrow. Olathe's fur stood on end as she saw her son in the same position his father was in, dreading the worst. She and the others prayed, hoping for the best, no matter how bad the outlook appeared.

            "No..." Kanook thought to himself, holding back a sob. He could not bare the thought of losing Achak, especially so soon after Faolan's death. He was the one who wanted his life taken before either of their's. This could not be happening again! Ayashi and Takoda were battling the exact same thoughts as their mother and uncle.

            Pain was all the black and silver wolf felt in his entire body as the bullet pierced clean through him and lingered until he felt a smaller body on his. It clung to him with all its might. Achak's eyes flashed open when he felt dampness on his cheeks. Judging by the sound of the soft...melancholy sobs...it was Kiona. For an instant, he didn't feel pain in his body. It may have been due to losing blood, but even so...he felt terrible that he was making her cry. Just the same, he would not regret ever dying for her, or any family member for that matter. His vision was blurring, and his bloods ceased redding more snow. He closed his eyes.

            "Please, don't leave me."

            Achak's ears twitched at the voice. It begged of him. Kiona was begging for him not to leave.  He took a breath and dared to move. First his front legs, then his upper body. That was all he could manage by himself. He moved rather slowly and shakily, straining under his own weight. He raised his head. He would not die like his father. He would not leave Kiona. He would not leave his pack. He would not leave his family. Not like this.

            Kiona stared up at her alpha once he finished propping himself up. She could not believe it. He was still alive! The fact was so amazing, her mouth stayed agape as she watched him stare at Thomas with those icy blue beautiful eyes of his. Achak's black fur stood out in the sun-reflecting snow, almost as if he himself was making the forest light up.

            This entire time, Thomas was still shaken by the size of this wolf. It was bigger than he had ever seen and it took a bullet and was still alive. At first the wolf was on the ground for a few good minutes, but when he saw Kiona over him...she appeared to be mourning him, like this wolf meant something to her. Could he have taken the bullet to save her? Was Kiona happier out here? He asked himself until he realized that an entire pack of wolves was surrounding him, his "dog", and the wolf.

            Little attention was placed on him instead of red and black canines. Once the black and silver beast's bright blue glare pierced fear through his heart, he could not look away. If he was able to escape the scrutiny altogether, his eyes were only caught by more, until finally his gaze rested upon his once-beloved sled dog. Her large brown eyes were still moist and were as deep as ever, however, now it was almost as if they were saying, "I'm sorry...but this life is for me. Not even you can change that." He nodded, not fully understanding, but trying to nonetheless. He deactivated his weapon and hurried away through and out of the forest, giving Kiona one last look of apology before he was out of sight.

~~~

            The injured alpha had to be carried back by Dartanion. Kanook pretty much stayed silent the entire wander to home. It was partly due to being tired from the warring day, but mostly due that he was afraid to speak and cry in the process. He was so relieved. Everyone was, especially Kiona, who didn't dare look away from Achak. From the scene of the incident, to the return to the cave, she watched over him. Normally, Ayashi would playfully tease her about that, but she knew better than to do such a thing.

            Once the entire pack returned to the cave, Achak was placed inside to rest. Even though he had survived the gunshot, he was still not out of danger. The gun powder could still cripple him and he would still need to take it very easy. Almost as soon as he hit the cool ground within the cave, the alpha was asleep. Olathe told a few of the pack members to carefully go back to the "war zone" and check for any survivors of Nayati's pack, just in case, and to scout to make sure they were no longer within the territory. The rest stayed behind to guard their leader. The silver wolf widow licked her sleeping son on his head and heaved a sigh of great relief. She told Kiona to take care of him, since she knew more about how guns worked than anyone.

            The hybrid did. Thomas would hardly ever hunt, but he did keep a gun, and she had witnessed how it worked. It was a terrible and cowardly way to kill, even she knew this. So, she cleaned the wound, which was located just inches above his heart. She lapped up and ridded Achak of any potentially-tainted blood with her warm, moist tongue. As she did that, she listened to the calm beat of his heart, which rate would speed up slightly once in a while. She fell asleep by him, since the sound to her was very much like a lullaby.

~~~

            About a week passed. Everyone would take turns taking care of Achak, no matter how much Kiona objected. She felt rather responsible for his condition, even if his gun wound appeared to be getting better.. She sat inside the cave with Ayashi, even though it was her turn to take care of him. The hybrid said nothing, just sat in the cave, pretending to have an odd interest in the scenery outside the den. Just the fact that she was by Achak gave her a sense of comfort.

            The young silver wolf looked at the hybrid questionably. Why would she have such an interest in her brother? She noticed how she would follow him, not as much as stalking, but she did prefer his company over anyone's. She was curious and wanted to ask her, but first she checked to make sure Achak was sleeping. She couldn't tell, but his eyes were closed. Aya smirked and looked at Kiona.

            "Kiona, I'm thirsty. Could you keep an eye on Achak for me?" she asked as she exited the cave, not bothering to wait for Kiona's response. She knew either way, the hybrid would stay. Kiona didn't ask why, but it still didn't keep from being peculiar.

            Awkward silence. Awkward warmth. Kiona looked at Achak and jumped a little. He was awake with his head up, looking at her for a moment, but then looking away. Kiona jerked her head to the left, a soft inward sigh--thank god he was okay. This was the first time he was able to raise his head without much effort. The sudden turn of Achak's head threw tiny whiffs of his scent in her direction, she took in a slow breathe, he scent was so calming, protective, provocative. She got goose bumps. For the first time Kiona admitted to herself that she loved his scent. Unknown to the hybrid, the wolf felt the same way, however, he was an expert at showing little or no reaction (which Kiona found kind of disappointing, deep down).

            She loved his scent? Kiona thought to herself. That couldn't possibly be why she felt this silly pup-like feeling invade her. But... it explained a lot. She felt the need to protect him and be near him always. This entire time being in the pack, she'd follow him. And during the battle a while ago, she had saved him from Nayati as well. She just thought it was because he was her alpha. She never felt this way before...but then again she never had an alpha before either. Then why did Achak jump in front of the bullet in the first place? Was that because he liked her the way she did him? Or...was that merely because he's her leader?

            No, no, something was different about him. Those feelings were so overwhelming, so powerful. To take a bullet for someone, this was no random act. Something inside Achak had provoked him enough to take a bullet for her—a hybrid. No one had ever accepted her, but him. She was always fighting for a place, each night not knowing if this was the last, if she would go further, but he had given her that chance! Kiona’s heart fluttered, her tail began to twitch, the begging reflex of a wag—her dog side. She swallowed, biting back the urge to show emotion, afraid of what he would think. Would he feel the same? Did she really love him?

            The silence was driving the hybrid insane, so to speak. She waited a few more moments to collect herself, before she dared to speak. "Um...thank you for saving my life...again."

            Achak looked at her, but she didn't look at him to see the perplexed expression on his face. He remembered hearing her thank him before while he was recuperating, but she didn't know he was away. Actually, he wasn't really sure if he was awake then... He wondered if he thanked her for saving his life. "It was nothing, Kiona." he said, smiling. "I would've done the same for any member of my pack."

            The hybrid, still not facing the wolf, lost her breath for an instant. She quickly recollected that he would have truly done anything to protect them. It did not surprise her because he was just so noble; however, his innocent response still hurt her. Kiona spoke, without thinking about disguising the sadness in her voice. "Yes...any member."

            Icy blue eyes changed from kind to concern. It was very slight, but Achak could sense the unhappiness in Kiona's voice, and how she wouldn't look at him. What was wrong? Did he say something to hurt her feelings? He didn't want her to be sad again. Seeing and hearing her cry over him nearly broke his heart. Though, she had saved his life before too... It appeared that he owed her as well, he thought, smiling to himself. "Though..." he started, only continuing when he noticed Kiona's ears twitching in acknowledgment.”I should be thanking you." The red wolf-dog faced him, surprise making itself known on her face. "You've saved me many times--"

            "I hardly think I did anything, really," Kiona said. Anyone would've done it for him. She just happened to be there, she thought to herself, modestly.

            "Well...you saved me from Nayati and his pack. And you took care of me while I was injured by that gun." Achak continued to smile at her, which made her delightfully nervous. "Surely, that's something worth thanking you for." Kiona's expression softened as she stared at him, then nodded. There was a comfortable silence between them as they stared at each other for what seemed like a long time (at least until Ayashi decided to come back).

~~~

            A storm was approaching, Achak cold smell it in the air. The air was damp and ice cold as it blew against his face. The snow that had been falling softly earlier in the day had hardened and flew through the air by the lashing winds that were still picking up. Frowning, the black and silver wolf stood at his lookout post near the caves where his packed resigned. And with winter fast approaching, it would only get worse.

            "It's getting hard to see, hunting in this weather would be dangerous..." Achak thought as he stood on the cliff, the quickly harshening wings blowing at his long coat. But luckily, to his pack at least, with the dark coat, he was easier to find. We can't hunt in this...

            Meanwhile, Kiona looked outside of the cave where she and the rest of the pack (with the exception of their alpha) dwelled. The weather was getting pretty bad and she was hoping that Achak was okay. She shivered, making her fur stand on end. She wasn't cold, she was just nervous. The weather didn't bother her, she was just concerned--

            "You worried about my brother?"

            Kiona turned her head back. It was Ayashi, but if Kiona didn't know any better she'd say it was Olathe. She was a very nice person, and they talked to each other, but not that often. "Um..." Kiona was a tad embarrassed to answer, but Aya knew she was. The silver wolf shook her head and smiled.

            "He'll be alright." Ayashi assured. Kiona looked ahead and saw the black and silver wolf coming towards the cave, his fur blowing harshly in the wind. Kiona's heart lifted.

            Stepping into the cave, Achak's fur was half damp with the snow that had clung to and melted with his body heat. The specks of frozen water that hadn't melted yet, dotted his dark fur with white. Once inside, the wolf shook himself off briefly, trying not to send too much moisture everywhere onto his pack mates. Glancing around, they were all waiting for him to speak. Achak sighed, the look of discouragement.

            "The weather conditions are too harsh, and are just getting worse. It's going to be a bad storm, and go on all day by the looks of it. We won't be able to hunt in this until it dies down." he saw the looks of disappointment and worry spread across the other wolves' faces. Judging by the severity of the snow storm blowing just outside, they might not eat at all today.

            Kiona sighed, a bit frustrated. This would be the second day she wouldn't get food. They couldn't get a kill yesterday and today the weather was bad. She hoped she could hold out until tomorrow at least. She barely made it without eating after 3 days. Achak gave some words of encouragement to the entire pack to try an raise the spirits again. After his pep talk, the entire pack crowded into the back of the cave to keep warm. It was later in the day, so hardly anyone slept. Kiona tried sleeping, but she couldn't, so she walked to the edge of the pile of wolves and laid down, staring out at the snow storm outside, cursing it secretly.

            Her thoughts were interrupted when her stomach growled very loudly, louder than all of the conversation going on within the cave. A few stopped to look at Kiona; the rest tried carrying on with what they were already doing. Kiona snorted embarrassingly and put her head down, still noticeably awake.

            Having been talking with Kanook, Achak's sharp hearing picked up the hungry growl coming from the entrance and turned his head along with a few others'. Seeing it to be coming from the red female, the silver and black wolf frowned, remembering how she wasn't as accustomed to not eating for over a day or two. No doubt now that Kiona felt embarrassed over it. Excusing himself from Kanook a moment, the alpha padded over to the hybrid, his claws making only the slightest noise on the hard rocky ground of the cave.

            "Kiona?" seeing her head turn to him at that, the wolf continued. "I know you're hungry, and the storm should pass by tomorrow..." He couldn't help but worry over her, especially since her first deprivation of food over an extended period of time. Achak didn't want that happening again. Perhaps, while the storm was still not at its worst, he could go out and catch her something quick to hold her over. Glancing into the brewing storm outside, the large wolf nodded to himself. "I'll be right back..."

            Not really thinking, Kiona stood up and grabbed the furred tip of his tail and kept her ground. No you won't! She thought to herself. He looked back at her in surprise. Kiona let go of his tail and bowed her head, as a way to apologize for doing such a stupid thing to the highest-ranked wolf. Then she looked up at him.

            "Don't go." She said. "Don't treat me special. I'll be fine." Kiona knew that she needed to adapt to this lifestyle, she couldn't have Achak fetching her food all of the time, it wasn't fair to the others. And it wouldn't be fair to her if something bad happened to him in the storm.

            Her move had taken him by surprise. No wolf had ever done that to him before, save for when he and his family played when he and his siblings were pups. At Kiona's statement he stared at her, his bright blue eyes penetrating into her. Then his face softened. "I can't say when the next time we'll get to eat is. I am not going to let any of my pack members go hungry if I can help it. I'd rather go hungry first..." noting her embarrassed expression, he continued. "Winters are hard, with little food. Trying to learn how to go without food now would be foolish. During this time you should try and eat whenever you can to save your strength. You don't know when you're next meal will be..." With that, the alpha turned back to the entrance. "I know this territory well, I won't be long..." With a quick glance over his shoulder that warned her not to try and stop him, the silver and black wolf padded out, his dark form soon disappearing in the white flurry.

            Kiona ran after him. She knew that she should've stayed in the cave with the others, but she had a feeling in the back of her head that something bad was going to happen. She wasn't sure if it was the right thing to listen to that instinct, but she did.

            It was ungodly frigid outside with the snow and the wind blowing unmercifully. She concentrated on staying next to Achak's side and she didn't feel as cold. She didn't know if he noticed her by his side, but she kept running.

            At first, the alpha didn't notice the female next to him, having been concentrating on his current new task. But as a flash of red caught his eye, he glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. So she had followed him after all, even when the wolf had told the female to stay. It made the silver and black wolf frown, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Sending her back would just end in her getting lost, and in this weather, she wouldn't last the rest of the day. Certainly not happy about the new arrangement, but putting it aside for now, he decided to speak to her. "There's a field nearby where there might be some rabbits. But we won't find any thing much bigger out in this storm..." They'd be lucky if there were even rabbits at all. With the cold white snow spotting, and dampening their coats, they continued on.

            Kiona trotted alongside Achak for a while, both stopping to sniff the ground every once in a while. But then the snow fell harder and it wasn't long until both wolves lost sight of each other. They tried keeping a close eye on the other to not get separated, but they ended up losing each other in the winter storm. The weather impaired all of the senses. The wind was blowing harshly and howling cruelly through Kiona's ears, whipping them around, making it hard to hear. The snow was falling hard into her eyes like daggers. And the temperature dropped immensely, practically numbing Kiona, especially her paws and her nose. She tried sniffing around to find Achak's unforgettable scent, but she lost all traces of it. She had to keep moving through the snow to find him and to keep warm. Although she had a thick coat, it was not thick enough for this kind of weather. She wasn't even sure if Achak's fur was thick enough. She called out to him in the wind, but there was no answer. She trudged on, moving slower and slower with each step.

            Periodically, Achak had glanced to his side to make sure Kiona was still next to him. The harsh winds and blinding snow that blocked the senses beat at the two mercilessly. Both their coats were getting wet. If they didn't find food soon they would have to head back or risk freezing to death. Once more glancing to his side to check for his female companion, the black and silver wolf was surprised to see her gone. He stopped immediately; looking around though that was pointless. It was impossible to see a foot in front of him. Trying to catch her scent was also impossible.

            Perhaps going back to find her tracks--no, they'd be covered by now. Standing there for a few moments, the alpha tried to figure out the best course of action. He needed to find Kiona. That was his top priority right now. Calling out into the storm, it was hard to even hear his own voice over the roar of the winds. Growling under his breath, the large wolf shook himself briefly of the snow coating his fur. This wasn't good. Just then, a thought came to him. Taking a deep breath, and lifting his head, he let out a loud, long howl, hoping it carried through the storm so Kiona could find him.

            Kiona picked herself up, for she had collapsed in the snow from exhaustion. She called Achak's name as loud as she could, but it was coming out no louder than a whisper. Thoughts were overcoming her, when her master had abandoned her and she was left in the forest by herself, how she almost froze that night. But when she remembered Achak had saved her, she felt the urge to continue, even as weak as she was at the moment.

            Just then she heard a familiar howl on the wind. It was faint, and could barely be heard through the wind. Achak... Kiona thought. She pushed her way through the snow, almost completely buried in it. She clumsily shook the snow off her fur and continued... but in the wrong direction. She had been out in the cold unprotected for so long, it had reached the inside of her body and she couldn't think properly. She kept calling Achak's name out loud, but it seemed like he would never find her.

            Her body knew it was struggling to survive...so the wolf within Kiona took over; the wolf that lashed out by the touch. When Kiona opened her eyes again, her pupils took over almost her eye, and her vision grew dark. She then ran through the woods frantically in search of safety, not knowing what she herself was doing. When a tree branch would brush against her fur the slightest, she whipped back to bite it, but didn't in case it was Achak. It wasn't. So she carried on in no particular direction, frantic, scared, and wild, praying that someone would find her.

            After his howl, Achak had paused to wait and see if he got a response, straining to hear over the roar of the winds and storm. Hearing nothing made him worry more. Hopefully the female was alright...Shaking the snow and wetness off his coat again, then looking around. Which way...? There was no telling where Kiona was in this weather! But standing there wasn't doing any good either. The wolf had to find her before she, or both of them froze. With a quick glance, Achak took off again, hoping he was headed in the right direction. Even the alpha was feeling the effects of the storm. As he ran, occasionally, the silver and black wolf would lift his head and let out a howl, hoping to get either a reply, or rewarded in guiding Kiona to him.

            Another, louder howl reached Kiona’s ears. She whipped her head in the direction opposite the one she was heading. She ran as fast as she could towards the howl, closing her eyes, but careful not to run into anything. The snow and wind continued to assault her face and body, but she paid it no mind. There were times where she nearly collided with a tree at full speed, which would've surely been the end of her, but the wolf within her refused to die this way.

            The howl sounded again, making Kiona run faster; her fangs were bared and her eyes were still clenched tight. The snow being came clearer for an instant. The silver and black wolf in front of her heard the quick-paced footsteps, and raised his head in hopes that it was Kiona. Surely enough it was. Kiona clenched her teeth together, unaware of the wolf, and head-butted him hard enough to knock both of them to the ground. They landed hard in the snow. Kiona struggled to remove herself, unconsciously knowing she found Achak, but she was just so relieved, she collapsed on top of him and curled into a shivering red ball, but trying her hardest not to fall asleep, or else she would never wake up.

            Just as he was lifting his head at hearing the fast paw falls, a blur of red slammed into him, send them both sprawling across the snowy ground. Instinctively, Achak moved to jump up, until the body collapsed on top of him. Having seen the female just before she had slammed into him, the wolf knew it was Kiona, and was instantly worried.

            "Kiona...?" She looked in bad shape, curled up tightly and shivering uncontrollably. Frowning, Achak knew he now had a real problem. Easing out from under the red female, the silver and black wolf stood above her trying to block the strong, cold winds from hitting her while he looked around. There had to be some kind of shelter around here, a cave or something. The alpha wished he knew where he was, he had lost track when he went off course to look for Kiona. And by now the weather was really affecting him as well, the occasional shiver running through him. His two-colored coat nearly soaked, even coated in ice in some places, and his paws and nose were numb as well. Bending down to Kiona he nudged her face a bit, trying to get her attention.

            "Kiona...We need to keep moving, there might be some small caves nearby we can stay in for a while. If you can't walk, I can carry you, but you'll still need to help me..." Achak hoped she was conscious enough to understand him, other wise he would have to maneuver her himself.

            Kiona's eyes snapped open and she pushed herself to stand up. Achak pushed against her body as a crutch, to make sure she could balance on her own four feet. Once Achak knew she could stand, he walked forward, still looking at her to make sure she can walk. She could, so he continued. Kiona wasn't sure if she'd be able to travel in a straight line, so she held Achak's tail in her mouth for guidance. She still felt very woozy from the cold, but as long as Achak was there, she felt safe.

            She followed him wherever he took her. When he finally stopped, she opened her eyes. They weren't in the cave with the rest of the pack. They were at the foot of a snow dune. Kiona stared at it for a moment, but then noticed Achak digging in the side of the dune. He was trying to dig a cave for them to stay in until the storm died. Watching him work his hardest for the two of them made her think. She still found it unbelievable how he wanted to help her, even after what a nuisance she'd been to him. She felt herself choke up, and she took a deep breath. When Achak took a break from digging, panting from exhaustion, Kiona stood up again and began to dig herself, continuing from where he left off.

            Achak watched, as Kiona took over his task without question, somewhat amazed she still had the strength. Kiona... But as long as the female was able to take over for him for a moment, the silver and black wolf took the opportunity to try and catch his breath. Neither of them was in good shape at all now. Though the alpha was more adapted to winter, unlike Kiona, he was near his limit, as he was sure Kiona was as well, if she hadn't already met it.

            The moment Achak caught his breath, and the burning, exhausted feeling in his legs decreased some, the wolf was back at his task, now digging once more along the hybrid. With the two of them, no doubt they would get done more quickly. And they would need the shelter desperately if the two of them planned to survive. Finally, the little cave-like shelter was dug out, and Achak quickly started ushering Kiona to the back, since her shivering had increased and she looked ready to collapse again.

            Kiona flopped onto the ground in the back of the small den, shivering with every move she made, but relieved beyond all knowledge to get out of the wind. She curled into a ball, and put her tail over her nose, not that it assisted in keeping it warm at the moment. She closed her eyes, so tempted to fall asleep because she was just so tired. She would feel herself lose and regain consciousness, again and again.

            Achak knew he had to warm her up now...Even though they were out of the storm, they weren't out of danger. Going to her where she lay huddled in a shivering ball, he laid himself over her completely, hoping his wet coat wouldn't just make it worse. But it was better than doing nothing, which wasn't an option for the wolf. He would do his best to keep Kiona warm, despite being all but completely numb himself. Laying his head down next to hers he closed his own eyes, letting himself drift off into a light doze.

            Kiona was a bit startled feeling another body above her own, but she didn't stir. She knew that it was Achak and didn't want to move, but it did make her feel a tad flushed. She buried her face into Achak's arm and smiled to herself. As comfortable as she was, Kiona just now noticed how badly she needed to sleep. Her eyes were so heavy and the small cave was just starting to feel warmer. She said drowsily, "Achak...is it okay to fall asleep?"

            Stirring at the question, and running it through his mind another time, Achak cracked open his eyes and glanced to her. Though they were both still very cold and wet, it should be all right for them to rest now that they were warming up, and out of the storm.

            "Go ahead and rest, I'll keep watch." He nudged her with his muzzle, making sure her face was at least covered and warm. The alpha wasn't thinking much on what he was doing. Wolves did these things for each other, so the wolf didn't think of what Kiona would think of the attention she was receiving.

            Feeling Achak's face against her own face gave Kiona pleasant shivers. When she was younger, she and her siblings were never like this, and she definitely was never like this with her teammates. Only her old master would pet her head once in a while. But this... It was a nice feeling, being touched (in a good way). She fell asleep.

~~~

Kiona woke up the next morning. It was still a bit dark out and oddly enough Achak was still asleep. She must've woken up pretty early to get up before him. She watched him sleep for a mere moment, and then shook her head to get herself to stop doing that. She was finding herself weird. She didn't want to disturb Achak, since he was probably going to get up soon anyway, so she just lay her head back down and closed her eyes, but did not fall asleep again.

            It wasn't long after Kiona lay her head back down that Achak stirred at the movement, though it took longer than normal to fully wake, since he still felt a little tired. His ice blue eyes opening, and blinking a few times, the wolf then slowly raised his head, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light of their shelter. There still seemed to be a roar or winds outside, but there was a definite change. It wasn't quite as harsh. Noting it, the alpha then glanced down to Kiona. If the storm had quieted, even a bit, this was their chance to get back.

            Gently getting up from his place on the female, Achak noticed their coats had dried some, and his own body heat had warmed him once more. Hopefully the same would be true about Kiona. If at least she was warmer, the silver and black wolf would carry her if she didn't have the strength. "Kiona, how do you feel now...?"

            Kiona looked up at Achak, her heart jumping into her throat. "Huh? Oh...! I'm okay." Her stomach growled and they both looked at it perplexedly. After a moment of awkward silence, they both chuckled. Kiona guessed she was still hungry. After all, they never got a kill yesterday. Achak assured Kiona he would kill a rabbit for her heading back to the cave. They would have to go back to the cave as soon as possible to let the others know they were still alright.

The two of them walked side-by-side through the calmer storm. It felt like spring compared to yesterday, but it was still snowing pretty hard. At least this time they could see where they were going for the most part. Both Achak and Kiona would take the time to sniff around for a kill, but so far they were having no luck. Then suddenly there was the sound of an animal stirring through the snow. Kiona and Achak looked in the direction of the sound, and to the right of them there was a lone rabbit digging. The two canines stood very quietly, getting into a position easiest to break into a run from.

The instant Achak was about to charge for the rabbit was when Kiona bolted towards it herself. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, so he just stared for a moment. Kiona stayed on the rabbit's trail excellently. She cut corners and zigzagged just as well as the animal. And when Kiona was close enough to bring her jaws down on her prey, she did, and then tore it apart. It let out an insanely gruesome shriek, but Kiona broke its neck to silence it. She devoured it without a second thought.

            The female shot off after the small animal before he could blink. But the alpha let her, being sure to follow her and not lose her again in the snow that still fell pretty hard. With her red coat it wasn't too hard to keep her in sight. Though if they got lost again, all the silver and black wolf would have to do is howl. When he caught up to her, following, now, the trail of blood on the snow, Achak knew she had caught her prey. Not approaching her right away, he sat a few feet away from her as Kiona finished devouring her meal.

            At least they had accomplished what they had set out to do originally. Luckily, the smell of the kill barely reached the alpha's nose, or else he might have started to hunger. That wasn't something they needed. Besides, the large wolf had gone longer without eating, this should be nothing.

When Kiona seemed to finish, Achak spoke up, standing again and approaching her. "If you're finished, we should head back." No doubt the rest of the pack was worried, especially his mother and siblings. He didn't want to keep them waiting any longer.

          Kiona looked at Achak, sighing from having a comfortably full stomach. She licked her lips, revealing the creamy-white fur around her muzzle from under a coat of fresh blood. She then picked up a piece of the rabbit she had not eaten and carried it over to him. She was going to offer it to him, because she knew he must've been famished, but as if he knew what she was thinking, he shook his head and insisted she eat it. Kiona reluctantly finished her kill, wanting to share with Achak still. It was very rare that she wanted to share her food, so she pouted as she lapped up the last bits of meat. The hybrid was full of energy now, trotting every which-way, smelling her way back to the pack (she was also careful not to wear herself out because she and the others would have to hunt soon). Achak stayed close to her, but wasn't nearly as brisk as Kiona. He smiled to himself anyway. He was glad that she was in good health again.

            Indeed, Achak would not take the female's food. It was her kill for one; he didn't want to deprive her of her prize that she deserved. And for another, the hybrid needed all the strength she could get for the coming winter months. Kiona couldn't risk sharing her meals no matter how well intentioned. The alpha could go for longer without food as well. Though for a brief moment, he felt bad for rejecting her kindness. She meant well, but Achak needed to do what was best for his pack members. When Kiona finished, she came and joined him, still looking a bit put down, but ready to follow him. With a nod, the large alpha started off. While the hybrid was eating, he had looked around, and found that he recognized the area. That information was good. Now they would be able to find their way back to the pack at the caves.

By the time Kiona and Achak returned, the storm had lightened up a bit more. As soon as Achak passed through the mouth of the cave, he was bombarded with cries of joy and relief. His mother and siblings were nuzzling him, and the others were thanking heaven for his safe return. Kiona just stared in awe, and possibly longing, but shrugged it off. After a minute of Achak being smothered with attention, they mentioned being glad that Kiona returned safely as well.

            Achak let them surround him, assuring them all he and Kiona were just fine, if not just a bit cold from being in the storm. That seemed to help him escape lectures from his family, mainly Kanook and Olathe, his mother. Ayashi, coming from the group surrounding her brother and alpha, ran over to Kiona, tail wagging in happiness and excitement. Being one that was friendly to everyone in the pack, she didn't really think much that the other female wasn't quite used to affections of a close-knit wolf pack. Upon reaching her fellow pack mate, she nudged the hybrid under the muzzle once, and then stepped back. "We're all glad to see you're both back, we were worried! What happened out there?" The silver wolf's blue eyes swirled with curiosity.

            Kiona smiled at Aya for the nuzzle, but when Aya asked what happened, immediately, Kiona's mind flashed back to how she and Achak slept. "Nothing much." she spoke; obviously hinting she was a tad embarrassed. "Just got a little lost is all." She cleared her throat and brushed past her. Aya smirked at the departed Kiona and then smirked at her brother, as if she expected him to say they did something the previous night.

            After a bit, the pack settled down again, glad their alpha and pack mate were safely back with them. Achak took this time to go and find the red hybrid again, it not taking long. She had a distinct scent, he had noticed, and followed it to the female. Sitting down near her, the alpha gazed out into the storm.

"You look better now that you've eaten something. Who knows when our next good meal will be, with winter coming?" Too bad Kiona hadn't joined the pack earlier, and then maybe the large wolf could have taught her how to build up her endurance for the cold months coming. She would have to learn quicker now, and it wouldn't be easy. But she wouldn't be alone either. The whole pack would help their pack mate.

            Kiona nodded, and then comprehending what Achak actually said about her looking better, she asked.

"Do I?" She wasn't one to complain, but she hated being cooped up like this, it only made her feel worse. She wanted to get her blood pumping in order to stay warm like how she used to. She knew, however, that she needed to stay until it was safe. There was no way she was going to make the same mistake twice; no matter how much she loved being active.  

She decided to shift her brain gears into something more positive. It hasn't even been half a year yet, since she joined the pack. As much as she enjoyed (overall) being with the pack in the seasons of fall and winter (which were the hard times for all animals everywhere) she wondered what it'd be like spending the spring and summer with them. They wouldn't have to worry about food as much, nor worry about keeping warm. Although, every female knew there was a more irritable side to spring. She was just glad that she wouldn't have to deal with such hassles this time. She already endured almost three springs with five male dogs.

But the better part of that season was she had more excuses to bite them. She also liked spring because it had some of the best weather. She'd run for hours in the slush until it was time to go back home. Reminiscing made her crack a smile. "I just wish spring would get here." she sighed, kind of disappointed that it wasn't reaching them fast enough.

            Achak nodded, agreeing with her statement. "Spring does not return fast enough. It gets worse before it gets better. Much worse at times." It was too bad this was Kiona's first winter in the wild; it would be the hardest on her. During these first few weeks of winter, before the real bad weather came in, the pack would try to hunt and kill as much as they could to get ready for the upcoming months.

Glancing outside, the alpha noted with relief that the storm seemed to be dying down even more. Perhaps soon they would be able to leave the caves and give another attempt at a hunt. At least before the storm got worse again, if it would at all.

Kiona decided to break the silence again. "So when are we all going to hunt? It looks like this is as calm as the storm is gonna get." she stated. She was anxious to get out, mostly, knowing deep down she and the others were probably going to be snowbound for a while. Her stomach was full and she was feeling well, other than a tad chilled, but she still wanted to help.

The silver streaked wolf glanced back at the rest of the pack a moment. "Perhaps. This may be our only chance today for another chance at a hunt." Standing, Achak made his way back to where his pack was, most of them noticing his approach and turning to face him. "If you all are ready we're about to move out. This may be our only other chance today to get a kill and eat. Lets form our groups and move out..."

            A little later, Achak and most of the pack stalked the area for food. Some of the others had to stay behind because they weren't fit enough to hunt without injuring themselves in this weather. With luck, they managed to find a young buck, stranded by himself in the trees. It looked like it was barely old enough to be on its own away from its mother, but Achak could tell it had no spots, so to him it was perfectly fine to kill. What a bad time to leave mother.

The pack split into two groups and ran on either side of the fleeing buck. Kiona, being a faster one ran ahead, as ordered, but still close to the pack, her eyes on the prey. Once she and Ayashi, who was on the opposite side of the deer, were ahead of it, they ambushed it, making it turn around to realize the rest of the pack had surrounded it. The pack then took turns in pairs attacking, until it was easy enough to take down by the neck. It was a very fun tactic, once they realized they could outrun their kill. Kanook was the one who killed it this time. He, Dartanion and Zephyr carried the kill back to the cave where they all could eat together. Achak congratulated everyone who took part in the hunt, and everyone who didn't he let know that it was time to eat and to eat as much as they could (without hogging it all). Unfortunately, the young buck wasn't the greatest meal they ever had, but it would have to do for a few more days at least.

Kiona didn't eat much because she wasn't that hungry. Achak insisted she still eat just in case, so she forced some meat down. Then she and a few of the others were tired, so they snoozed in the back of the cave. Kiona snuggled in close to Ayashi and Takoda for warmth, for she didn't want Zephyr touching her. Achak joined the group for warmth soon after he had his fill of the deer and made sure everyone else got their fair share until the entire thing was gone.

            They had been lucky. Even with the storm, the pack had managed to kill and eat very well. It would not always be like this, they all knew. Thankfully the meal would sustain them for few days, or until they killed again. As the winter months came, there would be less and less food, but they had gotten through tough winters before. They would all take it day by day, it being the only thing they could do.

            As they all made their way into the cave to sleep, settling close to each other, Achak sighed contently, gazing over his companions once more before laying his head down. Here in the cave, it offered protection and warmth from the outside winds and cold. Safety. With that thought, the silver streaked wolf's blue eyes closed; body relaxing. The last two days had been tough indeed.

But tomorrow was a new day.

            Achak woke up bright and early the next morning, but he still felt very refreshed. The weather hadn't changed much since yesterday, but he suspected that it would get better as the day progressed. The wolf took a deep breath, a certain scent giving him a light-headed, dazed feeling. He knew who the scent belonged to, but to his surprise, she was a lot closer to him than he realized. Her back was pressed ever-so-gently against his belly. She was curled in a ball, while Achak was more stretched out. He watched her; surprised that she was sleeping like this next to him, and so close. Oddly enough, it made strange new warmth spread throughout his body that he couldn't explain. The alpha looked around, to see if anyone was staring, and to his relief, everyone was still asleep.

            His attention was drawn back to the napping hybrid, whose body rose with her steady breathing, up and down, close to completely silent. He thought about her these past few days. She had grown to want to take care of everyone but herself; him especially, he had noticed. Why was she so fond of him? And why did she make him smile for no reason? He’d ask himself. Not fussing to answer these questions right away, the wolf laid his head next to hers, quietly wrapping the rest of his body around her. Unconsciously or consciously, the hybrid's head also pressed against his in a snuggling fashion. They stayed like that until sunrise, whether they were asleep or not.

~~~

            A harsh winter passed, making a more beautiful spring emerge from the cold. Some snow remained on the ground, as always, but the weather all around was warmer. Trees were beginning to grow beautiful muddy-pink buds on their branches. A few trees were blooming earlier than the others, but the pine trees will bared the weight of their wintry charm, with pockets of snow still resting on their branches, facing the sun against their will. The rivers were no longer frozen and were running and full of life. A few rivers still had thin sheets of ice over the top of them, but the open waters had fish leaping about, which Achak's pack found as a tasty treat every once in a while. They weren't easy to catch, but it sure passed the time. Some of the wolves would go down to the river to just to have fun fishing.

            The only time their fun would stop would be to chase a coyote out of the vicinity. Those pesky coyotes would invade the wolves' territory to bully a fox out of its hole to bear its own offspring. The wolves didn't care for either of the smaller animals, but at least fox's wouldn't try to scavenge the wolves' kill while they were trying to eat it. Coyotes would often risk their lives to get a piece of the fresh kill, and sometimes would be killed by one of Achak's family members. They would kill a coyote with no guilt; however, they wouldn't dare touch the fawns of the herds they stalked. Fawns were too easy to catch and hardly worth eating at all. Though, they were tempting, just because the bucks were extremely temper mental and protective of their does, and the same thing went to the bull moose and caribou and musk ox. The wolves wouldn't even think about going near bears. They avoided them at all costs.

            But it was this season that made Achak pretty uneasy. As easy-living as life was at this time of year, this particular year never set his mind at ease. It wasn't until he saw young foxes and fawns did he realize his situation. Would he find a mate? And would he find one that could keep the pack strong? If such planning didn't already wrack at the alpha's mind, it was only a matter of time before his uncle would come along and start poking innocent fun at him.

            As if on cue, Kanook approached Achak, who had isolated himself from the rest of the pack to be alone with his thoughts by the river, where he often went. At first the beta did nothing but sit next to his thinking nephew, but it was driving Achak to the brink of wanting to speak loud enough for the two of them. Kanook spoke.

            "I know what you're thinking about," Kanook said innocently.

            "What's that?" Achak asked, well-knowing that they both knew what the other was thinking about.

            There was a moment of silence for Kanook to smile to his sweet old self. "Tis the season," the brown and crème colored wolf chimed. "And you aren't getting any younger." Achak was about four human years old now, and what Kanook said was true. He was actually glad he waited this long to think about a mate because if he were to have a different mate to choose from, it would have had to have been Kita, because she was the only other female around at the time. It was a great relief.

            Achak looked at Kanook, waiting for him to make his point, but all the older wolf said was, "Got any secret ladies waiting?"

            "I certainly don't," the black and silver wolf replied, trying to turn this into a serious matter. His irritation towards the continuation of the semi-subtle subject only provoked the older wolf to bring up certain candidates.

            More silence for Kanook to ponder what he wanted to say. "Well, don't forget about Kiona." he sang, taking his leave towards the pack, which had made it's way closer to their alpha's location. Achak watched his uncle leave, and it was at that moment when he got distracted by glowing red fur in the short distance. He kept watching her, even thought she wasn't paying him any attention. The unknown, pleasant warmth suddenly spread throughout his body again like what happened every so often in the cave, during the extra-cold days of this past winter, when he and Kiona "accidentally" found themselves caressing each other. Maybe it was just the spring making him feel this way, but just the same he found that he was drawn to her, attracted to her. Their gazes met, and he looked away falsely casual and stared down at his own reflection in the water. No...He felt this way towards her before spring started, but the atmosphere was only intensifying the feelings.

            He thought back to this past winter, when they got lost, and he had his own body over hers. At the time, he thought nothing of it, but now he wished... Though he knew the past was the past, he thought about all of the other times he was near her, and wished he had done a little more. But those memories were making his heart beat fast. At this point, he wasn't even thinking about her being only part wolf. It didn't matter to him. The real question was...would she accept him?

            The brain-numbed alpha sighed, stood up, and turned around only to meet noses with the one he was just thinking about. Both of them hurriedly removed each other’s snouts from one another. Achak did his best to not show his embarrassment, but he noticed how embarrassed Kiona was and he smiled at her. When she saw him smiling at her, she blushed and looked as if she was pouting when she looked away. It made him chuckle, but he decided to change the subject of thought.

            "Were you looking for me?" Achak asked.

            Kiona paused for a moment, appearing to be holding her breath, and then shook her head 'no'. She took a step closer to him, and looked up at him. He looked down at her. Their gazes were locked for a moment, and Achak noticed again how she smelled so good to him. He leaned his face a mere centimeter closer to Kiona's, only to have her turn around and trot back to the pack's location. The black and silver wolf watched her leave and gave her a peculiar look. He didn't even notice his own actions, so it was still a mystery to him as to why she ran away from him, embarrassed.

            Later that day, Achak saw Kiona resting under a tree by herself while everyone else, minus the ones investigating the province, did the same thing in scattered spots. The alpha looked around for no reason, but to appear busy, and then approached the red wolf-dog. She raised her head to look at him curiously. When he didn't speak at first, Kiona said, "What is it, Achak? Is there something you want," not paying any attention to how that question led Achak's mind elsewhere to what she actually meant.

            Achak swallowed. "I need you to... scout the area by the river. I'll send someone to accompany you in a few minutes." Kiona nodded without saying anything else, but sent him one last curious glance before she was out of sight. He wasn't sure why he let her go by herself when he could've just went with her anyway, because meeting up with her in private was his original plan. So instead of waiting, Achak let Kanook know that he was going to scout the area and followed Kiona.

            This was the quieter part of the stream. It was mostly rocks blocking a subtle flow of the river, which then opened back up and ran a lot smoother. There weren't any fish in the river at this time, most of them probably made it to the lake, if they weren't already caught and eaten by another animal.

When Kiona made it to this part of the river, she stopped and took a long drink before she began her scouting. For some reason she was very thirsty lately. Through the sound of her drinking water, and the sound of the river itself, the hybrid heard someone draw near her. It must have been the scout that Achak sent after her. She was thinking it was probably Takoda or someone, but to her surprise it was Achak himself. She stared at him with her mouth agape, water dripping from her moist canine lips. She noticed herself "drooling" and quickly licked the water away.

            The wolf was already smiling, for whatever reason it was, and approached the hybrid closely, which she did not protest to. He said, "You missed some," and licked the nonexistent excess water from her lips. After enjoying the sight of Kiona’s face, Achak suggested they begin to scout the territory.

            The two of them walked slowly down the river, kind of forgetting about surveying the area at all (which Achak wasn’t worried about doing because some scouts were still out doing their job). Their scents were making each other excited, and the ambiance of the sound and sight of the water flowing, the birds chirping, and the sun peeking through the trees only added to their enthusiasm. They made small talk along the way, talking about why they loved spring, and how much they missed it that past winter.

            “Another reason I like spring is…” Kiona began saying, until her attention was drawn elsewhere. Achak looked in the direction she was and saw a new family of foxes playing together. They were a safe distance away from them, so to not startle them, and the wolf and the hybrid stood and stared for a few moments. The kits had just stopped playing with her father to give their mother some attention, and she lay there play biting her offspring while her mate watched blissfully.

            It wasn’t what Kiona was initially going to say about spring, but it reminded her on how much she loved babies. When she lived in Nome, she always liked them (when they were quiet and not annoying). Babies, puppies, and cubs were the few who ever were treated with care by the hybrid.

            She sighed in slight jealousy, but more with cheerfulness, which caused Achak to face her. He had been enjoying the display as much as she was, but they both choose to continue walking.

            Achak wanted to tell her how he felt. This entire day had made him realize his own feelings towards her were not just based on what season it was. Neither of them spoke, but it was only because for the first time in his life, Achak was at a loss for words. He wasn’t afraid, was he? He took a deep breath and decided that if he was going to be rejected, he would want to be rejected by Kiona first.

            “Kiona,” he said, coming to a halt. She stopped and faced Achak, looking up at him, seeming hopeful. “I want to tell you something.” She stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. He was going to be brave about this. He didn’t want to stutter over his words or whisper them cowardly. Kiona needed to know this. “I love you. And I would love for you to be my mate.” He finally said as mortification suddenly grabbed him by the throat.

            She could feel her breath escape her. Kiona was expecting something grand to happen today, but she never expected him to ask this of her. It was the first time the hybrid heard those three words said to her in so long… And once she caught her breath again, she beamed; her mouth still open in astonishment, which was a good sign for the wolf, who felt his breath return to him as well when the wolf-dog returned his love in simple words.

            Neither of them hesitated to nuzzle each other forcefully, yet amorously. When they took in each other’s scent, they felt excited yet again, and Achak couldn’t help but rest his fangs gingerly over Kiona’s scruff. As pleasant as that felt, Kiona felt the urge to run, and she did, only after running her tail under his nose. She grinned at him, luring him into the chase, which he couldn’t help, but oblige her.

            It was dark at this point, but Achak could still find her easily. Both of their adrenaline was rushing, blood pumped everywhere throughout their bodies as they ran through the trees, moonlight showing which way to go. Kiona never felt like this before when she was running. It was remarkable to them both. Achak felt like a cub again, playing a game of tag. Only this time the prize was worth so much more than winning. As much fun as chasing Kiona was, he wanted to find her as soon as possible.

            The hybrid slowed down on purpose, wanting the wolf to catch her at this time. This feeling was already so strong, it was unbearable. Once the two saw each other, Kiona kept up one last dash before Achak teasingly tackled her to the ground. Again they engaged in vigorous snuggling and licking, and added merry-making to the sweet event taking place under the starred sky.

~~~

            Black and silver awoke tightly wrapped around bright red and white. She was sleeping sounder than ever now. Achak figured she must've been really tired to be sleeping this quietly. He simpered at her sleeping form and licked her head, in turn he slowly stood up and decided to get them breakfast while his mate was still asleep. The thought of her being his mate made him ecstatic on the inside. And soon they would have a healthy, beautiful litter and that thought made him even happier, if it was even possible. His thoughts were inturrupted by the sight of a large buck rabbit, who was soon going to be a part of the wolves' early meal. The wolf pursued the rabbit, but he wasn't as enthusiastic about it as he was chasing Kiona the night before.

            Kiona woke up almost as soon as Achak left. She could almost always tell when he wasn't around. She wasn't too worried about why he wasn't near her right now because it gave her time to reminise on their night together. She stretched out her tiny body and took the time to study her surroundings. Somehow they made it on the borderline of their territory. Was it their territory now? Or was it still just Achak's? Was she the alpha female now?

            All of these questions kind of overwhelmed the poor wolf-dog and she changed her mind to something else. Like how thankful she was that she and Achak didn't return to the pack after they collapsed in exhaustion on the ground after their "time together." What a time, she thought... And she was going to have his pups! How excited Kiona was that she of all people was going to be a mother!

            Being so giddy about this made Kiona embarrass herself. She took a deep breath and tried being less bird-witted, though it was pretty much impossible because she could hardly contain herself. She even caught herself pacing the area as she was waiting for her mate to return, which she found to be a pretty dumb thing to do, so she decided to do something productive and clean her dirty fur.

            Achak returned to his previous location with two rabbits hanging by their feet from his jaws that were to be presented to Kiona, who he witnessed cleaning her front leg; he thought it was kind of...adorable. She noticed she was being watched and collected her posture. Then she walked over to him, stiffling a mischievious smile as he dropped their breakfast to the ground. Kiona licked his muzzle and they cuddle each other again. If they weren't so hungry for food that moment, they probably would've engaged in other familiar activities, but if they were to do that, then the pack back home would really wonder where they wandered off to.

            Upon finishing their breakfast, the two new mates hurried back to their pack's cave. Once they returned, the entire pack bombarded Achak with playful nuzzles and of the like, which Kiona wasn't so envious of anymore. She was more concerned about them smelling her scent on their alpha; she was skeptical of what they would say, even though they had accepted her as part of their family.

            Kanook was one of the first to know what the two were doing the previous evening. He was actually expecting them to return before nightfall yesterday, but it turned out not being the case, which also did not surprise him in the least. But it made him chuckle when he noticed their scents entwined with each others'. After greeting his family, and even though he was anxious to be near Kiona again, Achak gave orders for the pack to hunt that day. Once everyone moved out and headed in the direction their alpha said to go, Achak followed them, keeping his cool blue eyes on Kiona, not in an overly-protective way, but in a yearning way. He was so out of touch with reality, he didn't even notice his uncle slowing down to walk next to him.

            "So...how many cubs am I gonna be a great-uncle to?" Kanook chuckled. Achak's eyes widened, even though in reality it wasn't anything to be embarrassed about.

            The nephew cleared his throat, but couldn't get rid of the happy curve to his mouth. "I don't know...ten?" he said, jokingly.

            "Hahaha, for her sake, I hope not," the uncle laughed, causing the hybrid to look back at the two, but then she looked ahead again. "Though I don't think last night is much of a secret anymore."

            "Why's that?"

            "Her scent is all over you," the beta chortled, giving the alpha a reason to feel akward. Achak didn't let it bother him much longer, he knew his uncle was only playing around. Besides, he loved Kiona, and no one and nothing could not and would not change his mind. He stole one last glance at her before it was time to hunt for food.

~~~

            A few times, Achak and Kiona, and even the rest of the pack were worried that Kiona wasn't going to have pups, because she was so skinny, she was showing little signs of pregnancy. Olathe said there was still hope since Kiona was over twice as thirsty as the norm, so as an experienced mother, she assured everyone that pups could still be on the way. Ayashi was extremely happy for her brother and Kiona when she heard the news; she was happy enough for both herself and Takoda. Everyone showed their congratulations over time, except for Shiro the omega, who wasn't too thrilled about the new additions because that would mean he had to babysit them while the rest of the pack hunted. No one really paid attention to what Shiro was whining about because all of them knew that if Shiro let harm come to the cubs, they'd bring harm to him.

            It was about three weeks into summer, but it was the beginning of a new unenjoyable event for the hybrid. Her belly was starting to enlarge and Achak would simply not allow her to hunt anymore. He didn't want her or the pups to get hurt by whatever they'd be hunting, so every time it was time to leave, Achak wouldn't argue with Kiona (no matter how much she did), gave her a lick on the muzzle and left with the others. Often, Shiro or Olathe or even Ayashi would stay behind to keep her company (just because if Kiona was left alone, not only was she in possible danger of any invaders, but she would more than likely follow the pack.) Even though Kiona would put up an argument and want to leave to hunt with her mate, deep down she knew better. She would do anything to keep her and Achak's cubs safe.

            Kiona sat outside of the cave, taking a glance at her own belly once in a while. The cubs were moving around and it actually made the hybrid excited, but a bit nervous. But leave it to Shiro to change her mood from excited to irritated.

            "Can I touch your tummy?" Shiro asked suggestively, winking at Kiona.

            "No! Go away!" Kiona barked, glaring down at the black and white wolf. He was shorter than Kiona was and still cowered as low to the ground as possible. He usually never messed with her more than that, but as irritating as it was, it was pretty entertaining too.

            The pack was appearing through the trees carrying a small caribbou, Kiona noticed, and she met them half way. Naturally she approached Achak first and nuzzled his face with her own. He winced at her affection due to a cut under his eye. He said the caribbou almost hit him in the face with it's antlers, but thankfully he barely missed it. The hybrid began to lick the wound gently, but the two of them were summoned to eat because everyone was hungry and waiting on Kiona to eat first. Once she ripped off a hunk of flesh to consume, the others began to eat too, Shiro again as always having to eat last.

            Whenever Achak wasn't busy hunting or scouting (which he rarely had to do right now because someone else would often scout for him) he took the time to rest with Kiona. She would always lay on her side inside the cave, exposing her belly for Achak to tendly rest his head on. He could almost fall asleep like that, and sometimes he would, just because he was so relaxed. And Kiona would always lick his head, maximizing his relaxation.

            But one day, when the two of them were all alone together in the cave relaxing, Kiona felt a sudden feeling of anxiety about becoming a mother. At this time her belly was bigger and she could feel the cubs move more, knowing that their time would be coming soon. The hybrid looked down on her mate, who had his head resting on her with his eyes closed, but he was still awake.

            "Achak..?" she whispered. He opened his bright blue eyes and looked at her. "Do you think...I'll be a good mother?"

            The wolf stared at her for an instant, wondering why she would ask that. Why wouldn't she be? It could not have been due to her mental state...that was so long ago and she hadn't lost herself since the war with Nayati. He didn't want her to feel worried about having the pups. This was supposed to be a happy time for them, so he smiled at her. "Every female has a motherly instinct. And you've taken such good care of yourself, you have nothing to worry about." He said, putting his face on hers.

            "Yes, but...what if they grow up fearing me...? Like how I feared my father?" What she said made Achak's eyes widen in surprise. Even if that was possible, he couldn't think of it. Kiona's voice began to break. "There was something...wrong with him...I knew...And there's something wrong with me too...what if...they... What if I hurt them?" She began to cry, and tried shying away from her mate, but he wouldn't let her. He cradled her in a canine fashion and comforted her. She was so worried that her viciousness was going to cause harm to their offspring. Even though she hadn't gone insane for a very long time, it was still who she was, and it was still something she couldn't help.

            "They're not going to fear you," he whispered over her sobbing. "You already know how you don't want them to be treated, and that's good." She nodded and he licked her fallen tears away. "We're going to raise them together." She nodded again and pushed her face into his neck fur and they remained like that until Kiona fell asleep. Poor Kiona... the stress of her puppyhood was trying to get the better of her. But as long as Achak was alive, he was not going to let it. Which reminded him...

            "Kiona..." he whispered to her sleeping form, hoping that somehow she could still hear him. "If anything happens to me...I want you to continue living, alright? I don't want you to hold back. I want you to press forward and take care of our pups... That is my wish." He laid his head down, but didn't sleep. He felt he had to watch her. The wolf-dog then softly moaned and whispered drowsily, "Nothing is going to happen to you..." Achak then felt his eyes well with tears, and nuzzled her again.

~~~

            Only three were inside of the cave one night. No one was hunting, but they were scattered about the vicinity, waiting. Everything was quiet except for the nervous pacing and panting of the wolves. It wasn't hot that night; it was very temperate, yet there was still an anxious heat throughout the land. Their alpha female was having her pups, and they were arriving earlier than expected.

            Kiona did not want to be inside the cave doing this. She was hot and in agonizing pain, even though Olathe, who was beside her, comforting her, insisted that it was cooler inside the cave than outside. It was true because the ground inside was always cooled by the shading and the only thing that made it warm was when many bodies dwelled inside (but luckily it wasn't too cold for the pups whenever they'd come out.) The soon-to-be mother whimpered loudly and the young silver wolf caregiver licked her head, trying to ease the pain, although there was little she could do. Kiona was in so much pain, Olathe often questioned if it was best that she had sought the help of her human to assist her with this birth, but it was too late for that now. The only help she had was her own.

            When the hybrid cried out loud, Olathe knew it was time for the first cub to be born. She looked under Kiona's tail and saw a tiny body trying to emerge. Olathe talked Kiona through this, giving her words of encouragement to keep going, because the hybrid was getting headaches from the stress aside from her entire body was experiencing. She pushed again, and finally, out came the tiny lump that would be cleaned into the form of a newborn pup. Olathe sighed in relief when she saw Kiona reach her head back abruptly to clean her first born. She had made it through the first pup, and there were surely more to come.

            Kiona gasped in horror in the middle of licking the sticky substance from the red-colored pup. Ayashi went to her side again and asked what was wrong as she realized what it was. Kiona was crying, close to hysterics, licking the pup more and more vigorously, trying to coax it to move, whimper, something, anything, but to no avail. Olathe breathed as she watched Kiona painfully cry out again, both mentally and physically, as the second pup was being born, and she sadly had Aya take the first born pup away, to try her best to get a reaction from the firstborn. It was no use. The first pup was dead.