Quaidah & Others

Leading his pack and allies through the torrential downpour, Quaidah slowly navigated out of town, altering his course as need be when the falcons alerted them of trouble. For the most part, the exodus went without trouble, though a few in his party were leery about Carver's Bridge, which they had been forced to cross over to avoid swimming through the raging river below. Even without the snakes and uninjured members, the waters were swift enough to be deadly to even healthy members at this point.

At long last, the hybrid led the travelers up through the base of the moutains and into the cavernous temple. "There are plenty of rooms here, but this main chamber is plenty large enough to house everyone." Quaidah announced, standing to the side and watching the parade of creatures enter.

Aurinka

Aurinka entered the temple, feeling flashbacks overcome her. She walked to the place where Rajsa killed Liekki. She could still see her brother's blood on the ground. A few stray tears hit the ground before she burst out sobbing.

Quaidah & Others

"Auri, what's wrong?" With trouble-laden eyes, Desmon gave the coyodog a lick on the muzzle, trying to do his best to clear away the tears and comfort her. He knew vaguely of how one of her brothers had died here, but he knew not the details, and it didn't cross his mind that revisiting the scene of Liekki's murder was causing her this pain.

They knew full well that they carried the blood of Tahti with them, but the group of canines that toted in the coyote's last litter didn't have second guesses about their decision. Whelps were clean slates, and innocent creatures in their eyes. So it was without malice or predjudice that the pups were brought in and clustered in the center of the room. A group of canines and a few felines, including Skeil, Bullet, and Snowy Owl, formed a protective circle around the youngsters.

Aurinka

Aurinka looked up at her mate, sobbing uncontrollably. "Th-is i-is where L-Liekki d-ied." The coywolf stuttered through her tears, nodding to the patch of blood on the floor. "R-ight there th-e tiger ki-lled my br-other m-mercilessly. He w-as j-ust a pup." She buried her face in his fur, crying her heart out.

The pups didn't have their eyes opened, but they could sense the unrest in the whole group. They didn't know that it was because of the war, because of the flood, and a variety of other reasons, that the group was restless, but they knew something was up. The nine pups began squeaking in the puppy way.

Lyckos & Others

Shortly after Quaidah, Lyckos entered the temple, moving to the side to stand beside the Guardian Alpha while all the creatures moved in. "Thank you, Quaidah."

Kalion, careful not to make any sudden movements, walked into one of the side rooms. There, he lay down, and Camden began to gently nose Argolis onto the floor so he wouldn't hurt him. He was worried about his brother, worried that one more of his close family would die tonight. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, but he bit them back, trying to maintain a straight face.

Karitania and her small pack settled themselves around the main chamber to rest.

It was a scent, mingled into those of the various groups of animals that made up the Lurkers and their allies, that didn't quite fit. Lyckos couldn't pick it out, until the squeaking started up in the centre of the temple. Confused, Lyckos approached Bullet, Skeil, Snowy Owl, and the other protectors of the pups, spotting the baby coyote-mixes encased by the adults. "Where did you find them, and who's are they?" It would be obvious what he was talking about, for his hazel eyes were not looking at the adults, but at the whelps that they stood guard over.

Quaidah & Others

Pacing nearby his brother, Honthale kept a close eye on him and Aurinka, still far from trusting of the coyowolf, and not about to let his last brother come to harm. But Desmon felt not the slightest bit of unease around Aurinka. He loved her unquestioningly, and was thanking the stars and the heavens that everything had worked out to have her with him at this time. "I know, I know." He whispered softly, resting his muzzle next to hers now, "Things like that shouldn't have to happen..." A brief spark of memory lashed through his own mind, bringing up the scene of Panic's death, and his own near demise when Torture and Torment had stormed the den and sought to kill him and his litter mates. Two of his sisters had fallen, and he had barely survived a punctured lung and a nasty concussion; but he at least knew how to related to his mate's pain, and did his best to use that knowledge for her, "You have to be brave for Liekki."

"It is the least I can do for family." Quaidah replied, casting a knowing look to the alpha that towered so much over his own height. "Pheral is assessing the wounded, but I am sure I can spare several of my own members for hunting. With the floodwaters rising, I imagine the prey will be concentrated in higher lands, and easier to come by." The last part was spoken quietly, for while most members of his pack were carnivorous, there were the ungulates like Legend and Mortar that he didn't wish to offend.

A hiss of a groan left the brother's clenched jaws as he was lain on the ground. He mumbled something in a hoarse voice, but when Lerna leaned down to listen, she only frowned sorrowfully and shook her head. His words were disillusioned nonesense. "He is strong like dad. He will live." Steeling her own fears of loss and panic behind a mask of solemn strength, Lerna moved closer to Camden when she saw the pain that wrought his features.

It was Snowy Owl that took the opportunity to respond to Lyckos, briefly dipping her head to the other alpha, "We found them just before we left the Alleys. With the floodwaters rising, they would have surely perished." The mother explained carefully, holding back what wanted to be a bite of maternal protectiveness in her voice that was borne out of the loss of her own offspring in past times, "They carry the scent of Tahti."

Aurinka; Sasha

Aurinka closed her eyes to keep from seeing the mark of Liekki's death on the floor. She took a few deep breaths to ease the crying. "I'll be strong. For you and for Liekki." She didn't want to mention her mother, as she knew that the Lurkers weren't too fond of her. But Tahti was always in her thoughts.

Sasha led her herd up to the temple. The mule deer walked up to Quaidah and bowed before him. "May I and my herd seek refuge in your home?" She asked politely, yet exhaustedly.

Patch

Patch walked into the temple, Stormchaser and Ebony following closely. He looked down at the bundle of unknown pups, cocking his head and sighing. "They look fimiliar..." Patch murmured, but it could be any canine's pups. So many canine's looked a like now. It was confusing to trace by the pedigrees just by looks.