Howling for the Loners

[Sivoncé™]

Liviana stood tall on a gray rock that jutted out from a tall hill. From here, she could see far. The white mountains to the north loomed over everything.She thought about all that she had recently heard.

Liv had snuck away the previous night. She had heard the pack wolves were gathering for another meeting. What sh had heard confirmed her earlier thoughts; the pack called Blood Mist had returned, with a leader a hundred times as terrible as the last. This leader would bring the forest to its knees, and cause the extinction of the pack wolf if the packs stayed. They needed the traveling skills of loners. Liv wanted to go, with all her heart. She had no current desire to join a pack, but traveling with them seemed something to think over. Liv didn't know any loners who had traveled the mountains before, and it would be better, with the threat of Verlust also to take into considerations, to travel in a bigger group. She tilted her head back and let out a long, steady howl. A meeting howl. She was calling upon her fellow loners to speak with them about what she had heard.

[Ärï]

Star's slender ivory form slid out of the undergrowht, curious about the howl. She had left Kuroshin, Shiro and Kasa. They were old enough to be on their own for a short time and if need be she could easily turn and go back to them.

Kojo padded toward the howler, his eyes narrowed. It took an aweful lot of bad news to bring together the loners. He hoped it was worth bothering him about. He felt impatient tonight.

Snowstorm limped toward the gathering, ivory coat catching the moonlight. Following her was Mirage, keeping a careful distance. They sat near the edge of the gathering so no wolf would accidentally brush against Mirage and hurt her. Mirage could taste worry, impatience and curiousity radiating from the wolves around her.

[Destiny]

Faith padded in behind Kojo.Her pelt brushing his.Her stomach was somewhat larger than usual, and steadily growing.

Fate and Hope padded in together.The large brute known only as Ronin padded protectively in front of him.they were two of his three sisters.The third was Faith.But she had a mate so he need not worry about her.

Nagoltas form snuck into the meeting from the shadows.Blood dripped from the faes maw.She was malicious.

The vicious two-some Gnaw and Bite had been hunting in their terra and heard the howl.They had decided it must be important to call the rouges together.

Dreamers slender form padded up to the meeting.the fae had been collecting herbs in her terra.She was a healer.

Thite's massive white form shouldered its way through the wolves to the front.The brute was young but extremally massive for his age.Perhaps one of the largest there.He boticed Ronin.A brute even larger than he and decided it best to keep his distance.His orbs scoured the wolves for Mosca and Fell.

Nezero padded right up to Liviana.he turned his orbs to watch for Moon,his young neophyte.He intended to join Black Mist with her when she had completed her training.Neezero had travelled far and wide.

[Ärï]

Moon hung back, not daring to leave the undergrowth. She felt the steady thud of paws on the ground, vibrating through her own sensative paw pads. So many loners in one place could mean trouble. Cautiously Moon padded forward, picking up the fine scent of her mentor, Nezero in the confusing mass of scents that swirled aorund in her head. Focusing on Nero's scent she padded forward, weaving through the wolves with suprising grace for a blind wolf. She was nearing her seventh moon and was growing fairly well though she was still a bit on the small side. Moon brushed her muzzle lightly against the wolf's fur. "Nero?"

Kojo brushed his muzzle lightly against Faith's neck and muzzle, breathing in her scent and smiling at his mate. She looked lovely in the moonlight. His tail wagged in a silent welcome as his eyes lingered slightly on her swollen belly. Pups would be coming within the next few moons. Kojo's heart fluttered.

[Sivoncé™]

Liviana gulped as she saw the many loners gathering around her. She was neophyte-sized,and felt rather tiny with all these wolves staring at her.

Sweet Tangerine's beautiful figure strided up the hill and sat close to the rock. She smiled encouragingly to Liv.

Lucinda's eyes widened in suprise as she saw her daughter howling for all the loners to gather. She made a mental note to keep a better watch on Liviana in the future.

Liv began, "First off, I was curious what they were like, so I spied on the pack wolves having their gathering last night. I am utterly shocked by what I heard. The torment known as Blood Mist is back, and they have a leader a hundred times worse than last time! Many here were once of Blood Mist, or had realatives in Blood Mist, we know it was hell on earth last time. If this leader is so much worse...I don't think it means any good for us, only bad." She paused, wanting to see their reactions so far.

[Ärï]

Kojo snorted. "Why should we be concerned with pack business? Let those foolish packwolves deal with this. We're loners, our lives do not concern them." The red brute moved a bit closer to Faith.

Snowstorm narrowed her eyes and Mirage gulped, remembering Liv's earlier warning. She was surprised her friend had done all of this.

Star bristled slightly in alarm. She had known the worry of BloodMist returning had stirred up the packs but as a loner, Star felt safe raising Merci and Fell's pups away from the chaos of the packs.

[Sivoncé™]

Lucinda growled lowly, raising her voice to speak, "I was once an herb healer of Blood Mist! If you think you're all safe here, think again! Last time, they targeted many loners. It was either join them, or die. Do you want that for your pups?!" Lucinda howled. She shivered at the thought of how Death had almost killed her for helping a Silver Mist wolf. It was only because of Diablo that she was here now...

[Destiny]

Nezero pulled Moon closer to him."Im here."He glanced at the fae.This could cause trouble.

Faith pushed her own pelt closer to Kojo and returned the greeting.Then her eyes turned upon the fae.

Thite snarled.

[Sivoncé™]

"Well?!" Lucinda challenged her fellow loners. This couldn't be happening...AGAIN!

[Destiny]

Faith howled in reply to lucinds."No!I want my pups to be birthed into a safe world.One where I know they wont have to live in fear."

Nezero glanced at Faith."The fae is righ!t"

Dreamer barked."Lucinda is right!Do you want your pups to leave in fear.TO think each moment could be there last?"

[Sivoncé™]

Sweet Tangerine felt light-headed and teary-eyed. "My mother died escaping from that damned pack! She died so soon and I was only a young loner, but she told me they were the worst. If they were bad then...they could only be fiends from Hellfire now!"

Blue Moon, who had snuck away from Grey Mist to see Liv, gasped at the news. He hadn't been told what had happened at the gathering, and was so shocked and repulsed...he knew that white wolf had been bad...all of the wolves there, except the mere fourteen of them, had been DEVILS! And now that white wolf was going to hurt them all!

[Destiny]

Thite glanced at Sweet Tangerine for a moment.

Fate let out a call of agreement as did Hope.Ronin snapped at them and they quieted down.

[Ärï]

Kojo curled his lip and rose to his paws. "I don't know about the rest of you but packlife has never worried me and it never will. You can worry about these wolves all you want but that's all they are, wolves, no more then you nor I. I'm not taking the word of a foolish half-grown pup nor am I going to cower in fear of wolves that I have no need to fear." Being a seasoned fighting dog, fighting didn't frighten Kojo. Wolves didn't make him scared either. As far as he was concerned, BloodMist was nothing more then another group of wolves looking to stir up trouble. Nothing new.

[Sivoncé™]

Lucinda closed her eyes and shrugged. "Do you DARE call me a liar? Stay if you wish, foolish mutt, by don't say I didn't warn you!" She snarled, eyes glinting a fiery crimson.

[Destiny]

Faith barked."I agree with Kojo.Blood Mist are just wolves,nothing more."

Nezero snarled."They may be wolves but they are just as dangerous.They can wipe us out one by one like they tried to do last time."