Sing Me to Sleep (DESTINY!)

[Ärï]

Atem nodded and his growl deepened. "I'm going home" he said softly, turning and gliding away as silent as a shadow. It was basic instinct, smell sickness- get away from it. Atem didn't know what was going to strike the loners but something in the scent told him it would hit hard.

Sunblaze whined worriedly, her worry growing but she didn't touch Akani. The little pup whine and wailed, searching for it's mother's warmth between coughs. The scent of sickness made Sunblaze's nose sting and she whined, gripping Yoru's scruff and pulling her other two daughters closer. Instinct told her what she should do. Sunblaze rose, leaving Yoru and Sierra in the nest that was warmed by her long time of laying there. Gingerly the mother picked up Akani and left the den, padding toward the river. She had to get rid of the sickness before it infected the other pups.

(ouchy! poor destiny, bad kitty!)

[Destiny]

Serra nodded. "I'm going up into the mountains." She turned and began to dash away. Pausing to shout over her shoulder. "If you ever want to talk, just howl!" Serra smirked slightly. TUrning she darted off towards the mountains.

Yoru whimpered quietly as her mother moved away.

THite coughed quietly.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze didn't even notice her mate. She focused on the little pup she now carried. Her heart was aching, telling her to stop but the coughing was getting worse. It was horrible sound, a sound no mother wanted to hear. Reaching the bank, Sunblaze stopped, water a mere inch from her paws. Gently, Sunblaze put the pup on the riverbank. Akani whined loudly, searching for her mother's comfort, growing weak because of the coughing and whining. Sunblaze stood on the riverbank, frozen. Should she do it? Instincts told her yes. Her heart told her no. Flecks of blood came from Akani's maw and Sunblaze felt her heart ripping open. "Help me" Sunblaze whispered, troubled topaz eyes staring down at her sick little one.

Kojo stood on the oppisate riverbank, watching with sad eyes, invisible to all. He knew what was coming but he stood, waiting to bring his grand-daughter peace even though she would remain a pup forever. He would care for her until her mother could come to her. It broke his unbeating heart that it had to happen. Dark times were coming and they started by taking the young and old.

In the den, Sierra curled up next to Yoru, whining softly and nuzzling her sister's fur for comfort. She knew family, Yoru was family. Family meant comfort.

[Destiny]

Yoru felt her sister snuggling into her. She snuggled back. Warmth radiating from her sister's pelt. It was comforting.

Thite flicked his eyes open. Watching Sunblaze by the riverbank. Akani was sick. He could tell. Thite winced as he watched his daughter coughing up blood. He felt for her.

Faith watched her daughter by the riverside. Sometimes a mother needed the advice of a mother. Materializing Faith spoke softly. "It must be done. FOr the safety of the others. To ease the pup's pain." Her words were sad. But final in a strange way. Faith disappeared again. Kojo was waiting across the river to take the pup to the Twilight Realm.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze heard her mother's words but still, it didn't quite ease the pain but it did help to know her own parents were waiting. "They're waiting Akani" Sunblaze murmured to the pup, nuzzling it's fur softly. "I love you..." Sunblaze bit down on Akani's neck. Her daughter was dead, limp at her mother's paws. Tears ran down Sunblaze's face as she waded into the Shanti River until she was near the middle and reluctantly let go of her beloved daughter that had died too young. Her head swung back and a desperate sad howl rang through the loner realms from the young mother. Turning, Sunblaze ran from the river, past Thite and to the den to her waiting daughters, still crying. Almost desperately Sunblaze curled around Sierra and Yoru, sobbing and trembling.

Kojo watched with sorrowful eyes as his daughter was forced to kill her young. He knew Faith had told her right but still, he could see the pain that remained. Kojo sighed and looked down at the pup sitting at his paws. The little pup was pure white and all innocence. Dipping his head, Kojo picked up Akani and vanished back to the Realm of Twilight with his grand-daughter held in his careful jaws.

[Destiny]

Thite watched solemly. He would never know the pain of having too kill one of his children. Or so he hoped. He could not comfort Sunblaze now. She was on her own. He didn't want the sickness to spread tp the remasining pups. TIredly he waded across the river to it's other side. Throwing himself down on some bushes near the forest's edge.

Yoru whimpered softly as her mother returned. Something seemed wrong. SHe only felt two bodies next to her. Sunblaze's and Sierra's. Where was her other sister?

[Ärï]

Sunblaze remained in the den, sobbing softening to sad whines and whimpers as if she was a pup again and still in shock from some horrid nightmare. That was what Sunblaze hoped this was. She had smelled the sickness on Thite. More tears welled up from her endless topaz eyes. She was loosing it all. Serra had run off somewhere, Thite was sick and she'd just killed her own daughter. Sickened with herself, Sunblaze clenched her jaw, trying not to cry anymore. Behind her eyes Sunblaze could feel an ocean of tears waiting to be poured out but she couldn't let them fall. She'd fought all her life. This was another battle. Thite was sick. The sickness was unknown. Thite would die. That fact ripped the already gaping hole in her heart that had formed when she'd killed Akani.

Sierra whined softly, nuzzling her mother's belly in hopes of milk. Her mother was sad. Somebody was missing...the warmth that had been on her other side was gone now, the place empty. What had happened? Something wet landed on her paw. Sierra licked it blindly. It was salty. What was it? Where did it come from?

[Destiny]

Thite grunted. His pools closed for a few moments. Finally the snapped open. The brute pulled himself to his paws. "No.I will not give up. I will not let this sickness claim me." THite said the words to convince himself more then anything.

Yoru whimpered. SHe could feel her mother;s body shifting and shuddering. Why?

[Ärï]

Sunblaze finally managed to become still once more. Her head laid on her paws, eyes staring at nothing in particular but her mind was racing like mad. There was another den, an abandoned one nearby. Thite was sick. Her pups were at risk though her own health didn't even cross her mind. The pups would be safer there. If Thite didn't find them, Sunblaze wouldn't have to tell Thite what had happened to Akani. He would hate her for killing one of their own young, heck, she hated herself. Her stomach churned at the memory but she tried to keep herself from thinkg of it. Sunblaze rose to her paws. She hadn't seen Thite at the river, she assumed he'd left, she hadn't even thought of him. She'd been too lost in the horrid task she had to do.

Picking up her remaining daughters, Sunblaze carried the two from the den. She would take them to the other den and if she had to, keep moving. Sunblaze couldn't face Thite. His scent lingered nearby and she smelled the taint of sickness. No. She couldn't keep her pups here. Slowly Sunblaze began walking toward the forest.

[Destiny]

Thite began to stalk up and down the river bank. Cursing himself and snarling at himself. He'd put his daughters in danger. His mate had had to kill Akani because the pup had become sick. Thite would get away from them. He would go to his den. It was nearby. Farther down the river. He wouldn't risk the safety of his daughters.No. He'd leave them, maybe forever.He shivered. Then, turned and began to race away from his reasons for living.

Yoru shivered as her mother picked her up. THen, the pup went limp.

[Ärï]

Sunblaze reached the old den by dawn and sniffed about. It was still abandoned, all scents good and stale. Padding into the den, Sunblaze laid down again, placing her remaining daughters against her belly so they could nurse and get warm. Sunblaze groomed each pup with loving care. Her heart was hollow now and Sunblaze knew she would never cry again. Nothing else would be painful enough to make her cry. She'd killed her own daughter and left her mate because he was sick. Sunblaze knew she was now damned to hellfire but she felt that was what she deserved. Sunblaze felt like her heart was missing even as she groomed her living pups but Sunblaze knew why she felt like that. Her heart had been left with Thite and with Akani, it was with Sierra and Yoru, with Kojo and Faith. There just wasn't enough. Her heart had been broken too many times. It had quit working. Once bright topaz eyes were dull when they had been vivid and lit with excitement only hours before when she'd looked down upon her three healthy daughters with her mate laying near.

Kojo appeared in front of Thite, visible to the male this time. At his paws, Akani played. Her white fur was untouched by impurities, eyes alight with eternal innocence. She would be a pup for eternity but she would be guarded and loved just as long. Kojo watched Thite, his eyes a mix of sorrow and pain, reflecting his daughter's pains.