Of Daughters and Fathers (DESTINY!)

[Destiny]

Dusky brown paws skidded across the earth as Yoru halted. Auds perked at her mother's howl. As femme turned to gaze at her mother across the lake she caught sight of something. Topaz pools fixed on a ghostly white figure that seemed to be flying over the lake. Femme's jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened in obvious surprise. There was an honest to goodness spirit right in front of her eyes! Or that's what it looked like to the startled pup.

Brute lost concentration as a howl erupted from her maw. It was a howl of greeting. Instinctively he twisted in mid-air so that he could see her. Big mistake. As the brute's snowy figure hit the water he crashed painfully against it, icy and calm. It was like hitting a rock wall and he had hit it side on. "Sun-" Rough velvet voice was cut off as icy water made it's way into his mouth and down his throat. Suddenly he was sinking, massive columns of water piling on top of him, pushing him downward. Massive paws thrashed against the water, in an attempt to swim.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze's eyes snapped open in surprise as she heard a splash that sounded like thunder in her ears. As any respecable mother would do, Sunblaze looked across the lake. Yoru and Sierra was safe. That meant there was only one other wolf that could be sinking. Springing forward, Sunblaze raced down the bank without thinking. She took a running leap into the ice cold water like a dog leaping to retreive a duck. Thite was sinking. Kicking out at the water, Sunblaze lunged forward. Her jaws snapped closed on Thite's scruff. Hurling all her weight backward, Sunblaze began dragging Thite out of the water, paws slipping on the cold smooth stones. A jagged stone sliced her paw pad deep but Sunblaze ignored it.

"Momma!" Sierra barked, whirling around when she heard a splash, yelp and another splash. Without thinking Sierra bounded toward where she saw her mother. "Yoru! Come on!" Sierra barked.

[Destiny]

For several moments Yoru remained where she had frozen. Pools slit as she watched her mother race into the water after the wolf that had seemed to be a spirit. Of course, the thunderous crash of a body against water told Yoru that the ghost like wolf was indeed alive. And, by her mother's reactions, Yoru knew it could only be one wolf. Her father. At Sierra's words Yoru lept to her paws and dashed after her sibling. Topaz pools glancing over the surface of the lake.

The brute could not breathe. Icy water continued filling his mouth and his lungs. What had he been thinking? Without someone to aid him, he was going to drown. Brute's body was numb and he just ceased his fighting. As he sank he realized that at least before his death he had gotten to see his daughters, two of them anyway. Icy pools seemed to snap open, though they hadn't really been closed, as fangs sank into hus scruff. The familier sight of sunset fur told him who it was. As if coming back to reality his paws began to work again. With her help his muzzle finally broke through the surface of the water. He gasped for breath.

[Ärï]

As stated before, Sunblaze was a small wolf, which meant she wasn't quite as strong as Thite or even her sister. Sunblaze dragged Thite to the bank and let go of him, laying his head gently on the shore. Her body felt numb from nose to tail tip, paw to ear. Shakily, Sunblaze laid down next to Thite, shivering. Without thinking she brushed her muzzle against his ivory shoulder.

Sierra skidded to a halt several yards from his mother and the new wolf. Her mind was working fast. It could only be one wolf. Sunblaze was a strong wolf, not a femme that rolled over and let just any wolf, especially male, near her. Sierra could only stand and stare.

[Destiny]

Yoru slowed as well, but the femme ventured closer then her sister had. Topaz pools glared at the massive snowy brute who lay somewhat in the lake, somewhat on the shore. This was the wolf who had left her mother to take care of two pups single handedly. This was the wolf who hadn't cared. This was the wolf who had be-trayed them. This was her father. Dusky auds pinned back against her skull. Tail lashed behind her. Claws scraped the earth.

Brute gasped as air began to fill his lungs. As she dragged him towards the shore he began to cough. Crown lying on solid earth mouthfuls of water eruoted from his maw as he gasped for breath. Snowy sides heaved with the obvious effort. Brute's hind legs and tail remained in the shallows of the lake. Shoulder shivered at her touch. Something he had almost forgotten. A warmth seemed to come from her. Finally he managed to raise his crown enough to look at her.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze almost didn't notice her daughters approach. Thite raised his head to look at her but she didn't move. Her head rested neatly on her paws, gazing back at him, unreadable. She didn't know what to say to him or how to react even though she knew how she wanted to. Silent tears could be seen making their paths from her topaz eyes. "I'm sorry" Sunblaze whispered, voice almost lost as she met his icy blue gaze.

Sierra ventured after Yoru, staring at her father. That was the only wolf he could be. Their father. The one that abandoned them, abandoned Sunblaze. Her only memories were of Yoru and Sunblaze. Now this...leaver was coming back and if she heard right, Sunblaze was apologizing! The idea of her mother having to ask forgiveness for anything was sickening, making Sierra frown deeply.

[Destiny]

Yoru's top lip drew back in anger. A nearly livid quiet snarl escaped her maw. Auds pinned to her skull. Topaz pools glaring at her parents in sickened disgust and rage. Sunblaze was apologizing? Apologizing! It sickened her right to the very core. Auburn, orange and brown fur stood on end.

A frown appeared on his face. A sorrowful look crossing his pools. "What could you possibly be sorry for." It wasn't really a question, more of a statment, for he did not know of what she had done. He had yet to realize it. One snowy aud flicked backwards as he heard a low and vicious snarl erupt from one of his daughters. "No, Sunblaze. I am sorry." Voice was a rough yet soft velvet melody. Tainted with sorrow.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze shook her head, eyes closed and ears back. "Look at them Thite. How many are there?" she barked in a whisper. She couldn't look at him. Not now. Sunblaze laid her head on her paws, trembling slightly.

Sierra pricked her ears at her mother's words. There were two, there had always been two! Sierra glanced at Yoru, looking curious and confused. Her memory flashed back to when she was very small, it felt like a dream. A brute with gold red fur to rival Sunblaze's stood at the entrance to their den, gleaming in the moonlight with a young white pup playing at his paws and giggling an unearthly giggle that rang like silver bells in the night.

Sierra yelped and her eyes snapped open, taking a step back, shaking her head to try and chase away the dream.

[Destiny]

Yoru stiffened at her mother's words. How many are there? Memories of her pup hood flashed in her mind. A small white fae snuggling up against here in the warmth of there den. A large snowy brute, an exact copy of the small pup, sitting in the entrance gazing warmly at them.

For several moments the brute gazed at her. How many are there... Suddenly the brute jerked his head around to stare at his daughters. He didn't need to. Thite already knew the answer. "Two...." There was a hollow sound to his voice. Slowly he turned his crown back towards her. Icy pools gazed down at her. "Where is she... where is Akani." His voice was strained. The brute already knew the answer. Yet, he wanted to be sure. Never would he have thought... Yet, there was the proof right in front of him. And it was all his fault.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze couldn't raise her eyes. She simply trembled, silent tears running down her face. "She's dead Thite. I...the sickness...I..I had to protect them...I didn't know what else to do" Sunblaze stammered, voice broken and frightened. She slunk back a little bit, as if frightened she'd contaminate them somehow. Sunblaze couldn't look at her daughters. She couldn't look at her mate. She was the scum of the earth trying to repent. So far it wasn't happening.

Sierra's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Wha...What had her mother done? Had...Had their mother, their beloved mother, killed a pup? Their sister no less?

[Destiny]

Thite stared at her for a very long time. "This is all my fault. I should have left while you were in the den. Before they were born. I... I should have gotten away. I should have known that the sickness would spread. But... I.... I thought...." The brute began to stammer then. A pained look in his eyes. Sunblaze has killed Akani. He had poisoned Akani with the disease.

Yoru stared at her mother in utter shock and disbeleif.

[Ärï]

"No" Sunblaze murmured. "It...it wasn't you." Sunblaze shook her head sadly. Her stomach was coiling and uncoiling like a snake. "I...I should have known better. I should have been more careful. If..you want to see her grave you'll...have to go to the Shanti River." Slowly, Sunblaze rose to her paws. "I can't go back there." Sunblaze turned and looked farther along the shore of the lake, her eyes tortured.

Sierra could do no more then stare at her mother in shock. Had her mother done what she thought she'd done? The shore of the Shanti River was rocky. Sierra knew that, she remembered it. It was almost impossible to bury someone there but...sometimes..when wolves died...they were set to the rivers.

[Destiny]

The brute closed his eyes. For several moments he lay there. Pools closed, jaw clenched, tears fighting to escape his lids. Then, finally, he was able to control his emotions. Shuddering slightly he too rose to his paws. Brute was probably two times the size of Sunblaze. No, probably three times her size. Silken snowy canvas contrasted with her own gorgeous sunset one. "No. I'm not going back there. The Shanti River holds many memories for the both of us. Some are good, the rest are horrible." Brute's voice was a soft, careful velvet melody. He did not blame her for Akani's death. Sunblaze had done what she had to do to save Yoru and Sierra from the disease.

For several moments the young wolf pup only stared at the two wolven. Then she stalked forward, a ferocious glint in her eyes. The pup glared blackly up at Thite. "Deserter." She snarled. "Go away and leave us alone!" With that she hit him in the leg with her tail then stalked back towards Sierra. Seating herself behind her sibling. Auds remained pinned to her skull.

[Ärï]

"Yoru!" Sunblaze barked sharply. "Enough!" She sounded like an experianced mother. Sunblaze loved her pups fiercely and she could understand to an extent why they would be mad at Thite, but they were mad at the wrong wolf. "I took you two away from him, I deserted him. I'll have no more of you two growling at an innocent wolf." The golden femmora sent a warning glare at her two young ones. They would have to learn sooner or later to accept that Thite was their father, like it or not.

Sierra's coppery fur bristled. "You're the only parent we need" Sierra barked angrily. "We don't need him!" She glared at Thite, her honey-colored eyes looking just like Sunblaze when she was furious. Their resemblance was frightening.

[Destiny]

The snowy brute's fur stood on end. The resembelance between Sierra and Sunblaze was starteling. Large, snowy auds pinned back against his skull for a moment, then perked up. Brute parted velvet lips to speak. No words existed for him to use. His mate was protecting him from his own daughters. This was all mixed up and backwards. They should be a happy family. A real family. Nothing worked out for him. Nothing.

Yoru glared at the brute. Ignoring her mother's words she let out a final sharp comment. "Were just fine without you." Her snarl was vicious and her eyes livid. This wolf had just up and left and now- now her mother was protecting him! This was not the way things were supposed to be.

Thite shifted un-easily. For once in his life there was nothing he could say. He had left her when he should have stayed. Left his daughters. Not even a good bye had he given because it had been too painful to even think of saying. Brute opened his maw to speak. Instead of words a growling sound escaped him. Snowy pelt on end he stalked off in the direction of the forest. There was a protective stance to him as he halted halfway there. Standing his full height a loud howl of challenge erupted from his maw. The flash of fur and the scents of wolves told him that they were there. The scent told him they were ill.