Of Daughters and Fathers (DESTINY!)

[Destiny]

With the third pup now in his jaws snowy brute headed back towards the lake. Sighing he walked out to the end of the shallows and dropped the little pup into the water. As she sank he turned and got the second, then the third. For a moment he watched as the last of the dead pups disappeared into the lake's icy depths. Finally he dragged the body of the ragged looking femme out into the lake and through her down to her grave. "Rest here in peace." He murmured quietly. Crimson colored the water around where he stood and where the dead had sank.

The little pup nosed along Sunblaze's leg and side. She was hungry. Very, very hungry.

Yoru watched the little pup's antics. Another sister.... The femme glanced at Sierra as her sister mentioned Akani.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze heard the soft whimpers from the pup and forced herself to wake up. Yoru and Sierra hadn't been off milk very long and she was still able to provide it. It happened often when femmes adopted pups, they could provide milk as long as it was needed. Sunblaze forced her heavy eye lids to part and rolled onto her side, careful of her daughters and nosed the pup sleepily to her side where it could nurse, grooming its dark fur. She smiled at Yoru and Sierra, eyes still half closed. Her gaze drifted to Thite and turned sad, watching him. Would he leave her again?

[Destiny]

The little pup poked the femme's belly several times before beginning to nurse. The milk was sweet. There was no doubt in her mind that this was her mother, the fae was feesing her and the scent of other wolves, young pups was there too. She was too young to realize that the other pups were older then her.

Yoru watched as the little pup nursed from her mother. Rising she padded over and sat down beside Sierra.

For several moments Thite stood there. Then he rose his head and howled.

Yoru lifted her pools and gazed at her father. He stood knee deep in the freezing water of the Twilight Lake. His snowy fur dripping ice water. Streaks of crimson contrasted with his snowy pelt. The wolf was massive. Muscles rippling beneath his pelt. Long, snowy tail held high in authority. His maw was raised to the sky and parted to let out a wolf song. It was sorrowful and sweet, loving and deadly. This wolf was her father.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze rested her head on her paws, eyes turned toward the brute. Her tail was curled half over her hind legs, body curved a little to keep the little pup out of the wind. She felt like she had when she'd first had her pups, sleepy from lack of blood and feeling the little pup nurse against her belly.

Sierra turned to look at her father, her fur brushing against Yoru's. Her mind was questioning and curious. Sierra wasn't going to just sit and watch. Rising to her paws, Sierra padded toward Thite, wading in until she was up to her belly in water yet still about a yard from Thite. Her ears were angled forward, an unspoken question in her eyes as she looked at the white brute.

[Destiny]

For several long moments Thite continued to howl. It seemed as if he would never run out of breath. Eventually his call became quiet, until it was such a low, barely audibly melody that you would swear he was not still howling. Finally, sensing his daughter's eyes on him, the brute lowered his maw from the sky. Turning his crown so that he could see her out of his right eye he took in her expression. "When the sun ceases to set. When the stars cease to shine. When the moon does no longer glow.That is when I will go." The words were a low and rough, a velvet melody from his parted lips. In other words, he would leave at the end of forever.

Yoru watched as her sister ventured towards there father. She herself did not approach the brute. As Thite spoke her auds perked up. What will mom say to that? She wondered silently. Pools glanced at her mother and the pup.

The reddish pup continued to nurse happily. As her auds picked up a howl, she broke away from Sunblaze. Raising her muzzle she let out her own pup like attempt at a howl. It was like a bell chiming.

Thite gazed at the little pup. "Her name is Belle." He murmured quietly.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze watched as her daughter ventured toward Thite, head still resting on a paw. His words didn't surprise her. Not really. She knew he loved her, even if he did leave. That was enough. All through her life Sunblaze had had to fight for those she loved, her father, her mother, her sister, her pups, even her mate. She had fought for it all and fought the hardest for Thite. Even if he did move on someday, Sunblaze would accept it. She had been raised to roll with the punches for so many had been thrown her way.

Sunblaze nodded, whether to agree with Thite's words or to the pup's name, nobody could be sure. She simply continued to watch through neutral eyes.

Sierra looked up at her father, gaging whether she could trust him or not. She glanced at her mother, simply watching. Without speaking, Sierra waded back out of the water and padded back to her mother and laid down next to Yoru.

[Destiny]

Yoru shuffled over to her mother and nuzzled Sunblaze's shoulder. It might be a broken and twisted family, but it was a family.It was her family.

Belle nuzzled Sunblaze. The little pup wandered over to her mother's forleg and wedged herself in under it. Little head resting on Yoru's paw.

For several long moments Thite remained in the lake. For a moment, he could have sworn that he saw the spirits of wolven hovering over the water. His mother and father. Sunblaze's mother, Faith. Many, many other wolves as well. Turning, Thite padded out of the icy cold water. The brute stood there , at the water's edge, for several long moments. He had two choices. Leave, go back into the forest and never show his face again. Or, he could go back to his family. To the wolf he loved dearly and too the pups that she had raised, as well as his new adopted daughter Belle. A smile curling along the edge of his maw, Thite drifted across the space between him and his future. His beautiful, gorgeous, love.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze raised her head as Thite approached, meeting his gaze with her own honey-colored eyes. A soft whine managed to worm its way out of Sunblaze. It was a sound not many ever heard from the fighter mother. The sound was soft, almost a longing sound. She couldn't rise to meet him, Belle tucked cozily under her forepaw and Yoru resting her head on her paw. Sunblaze reached forward, her nose brushing against Thite's muzzle, lighter then butterfly wings.

Sierra curled up against her mother's soft belly fur, near Belle and Yoru, watching lazily.

[Destiny]

Thite brushed against her muzzle and neck as he stepped carefully over her and the pups. The whine like sound that she had just emitted was unusual for her, he had only heard it once or so before. Laying down behing his beautiful sunset mate the brute brushed his velvet muzzle against her neck and shoulder. "I love you more then anything Sunblaze, and I promise you, I won't ever hurt you again." There was a finality to his tone. He meant every word.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze turned her head so she could meet Thite's gaze with her warm flickering eyes. "You never left" she said softly, brushing her muzzle lovingly against his. She ran her muzzle along his muzzle, brushing his cheek and breathing in. It had been a long time since she'd been able to catch Thite's scent. Suddenly, everything seemed more complete. Her eyes were drawn back to the lakeshore however and her eyes widened, jaw dropping.

Sierra turned her head suddenly, ears swerved forward.

A brute with red-gold fur was standing on the lake shore. His lanky form looked whole and healthy, honey-colored eyes watching the family with a peaceful smile on his maw. Around his paws, played a little white pup, eternally young and seeming to be the definition of innocence. She was pearly white, almost glowing, bright blue eyes and a smile. Akani turned and looked at her family, sitting between Kojo's front paws. She let out a ghostly giggle that sounded like distant bells. Akani looked up at Kojo and giggled again. Kojo looked down at the young pup with a loving smile then looked back at the family.

[Destiny]

Thite brushed against her muzzle. Breathing in her delicious scent. As she turned and gazed out at the lakeshore he too turned his gaze upon it. The reddish gold brute he knew immediately. It was Kojo, his beloved's father. Thite's gaze drifted down to the small pearly pup between his paws. It was his daughter. Akani. Thite turned his head slightly, gazing farther along the shore. The ghostly white fur of Faith glimmered with stars. Hope's silverish grey pelt glimmered at her left and Fate's dark ebony pelt at her right. Turning his head to the right he saw more wolves. His own family. Gnaw and Bite's ebony and snow pelts,both perfect opposite's of each other. At there paws stood two pups. Mila and Claw. His brother and sister. Turning his gaze back to Kojo and Akani he smiled. Good to see you.

[Ärï]

"Go say hello to your family Akani" Kojo said softly, nudging Akani.

The ghostly little pup smiled a heavenly smile and bounded toward them, paws leaving no mark. She stopped about a yard from them and wagged her tail happily. Her eyes drifted to Sunblaze. "Hi momma" Akani barked, voice like liquid light.

Sunblaze made a choking sound, trying not to cry but she couldn't help it. Tears escaped her eyes as she gazed longingly at her dead daughter. "Hi sweetie" Sunblaze managed weakly. Sunblaze swallowed several times, trying to get rid of the hard lump swelling at the back of her throat.

Akani frowned. Even when she frowned she looked cute. "Don't cry momma. My grandparents are taking care of me." She wagged her tail again. "I miss you momma..."

Sunblaze smiled sadly. "I know...I miss you too..."

Akani looked at Yoru and Sierra, Belle and Thite, smiling, bright-eyed innocence and light.

(omg i'm crying...)

[Destiny]

Thite smiled at his daughter. She was his daughter. A single crystal tear dropped from his icy pool. For a moment he raised his gaze to Kojo. Take good care of her.

Faith danced across the grass, leaving no pawprints. The snowy ghost like femme stood beside Kojo. Gazing at her family. The silver form of Hope stood not far behind her and Fate's ebony form stood a little farther off to the left.

From the brush at the forest's edge an extremally large ebony fae appeared. A smaller, round bellied silver femme at her side. Serra gazed at all the wolven. Her family. The femme stopped several feet from Sunblaze while Svel's silver form drifted over towards Thite.

Yoru gazed at all the wolves. Her pools came back to Akani every time. Back to her sister.

Belle let out a yip that was like the distant chime of a bell. Though she could not see she could sense the many wolves. But there was nothing dangerous about them. She felt calm and relaxed.

Mila ventured towards the other wolves. Living and dead. Claw was on her heels. Gnaw and Bite not far behind

[Ärï]

Kojo turned his head, smiled lovingly at Faith and turned his head skyward and let out a low unearthly howl. Akani turned her head back as well, her note liquid silver. The sounds of the dead unheard by all those that weren't intended to hear or see them.

Sunblaze's heart ached as she gazed at her and Thite's family. Living and dead. Her eyes drifted to Serra. A smile appeared on her maw. Eyes shifted to watch Akani bound back to Kojo and Faith.

Puting two front paws on Faith's leg, Akani stood on her hind paws and nuzzled Faith's fur, then Kojo's and looked back at her family.

Sierra was speechless, watching all the wolves appear. There were so many...so many different wolves. Kojo's howl was ringing in her ears, eyes alight with wonder. She knew they could never possibly be alone, not with so many of their family.

Sunblaze looked over at Serra. "Long time no see" she murmured

.

[Destiny]

Serra smiled. "You seem to have forgotten that i'm always lurking in the shadows Sun." There was a mysterious smile on her maw. The fae glanced at Thite. As if he should know what she meant.

Thite felt his face flush underneath his snowy fur. He glared at Serra for a moment, but then he smiled his crooked smile and laughed a low laugh.

Svel watched as Mila, Claw, Gnaw and Bite settled themselves next to Kojo, Faith and Akani. A smile spread across her maw.

Gnaw, Bite, Mila, Claw and Svel all turned and gazed at Thite. "Forgive us." There voices were heard as one. Though Svel's was more of a haunted melody then the other's.

Yoru gazed at all the wolves. There were so many and they were all her family. "I guess i'll never be alone." She murmured quietly.

Faith smiled down at Akani as the pup nuzzled her. Soft icy pools gazed at the living wolves.