The day had come for Tana to move on, to head north to Acere's pack. She'd been told he would take her in and let her stay, whether he had been successful with speaking to shaye or Rhyme over her children had yet to be known. She had packed up what she could, doned her cloak and left the safety of her den. It was eerily quiet as her and her monkeys made for the north. The maw was a huge place that she had learned to navigate, often scavenging the kills of others for her own food. This would hopefully be the last time she returned here for safety.

She had no clue what stalked her here. That the summer was just as hard for the other predators here. She just hobbled on with the thought of Acere's pack in mind. It all happened so suddenly and fast. All she heard was a roar and the screeching of alarm from Alma as she leaped up a rock and into a crevice. Basil sprand from her back his chattering being cut short and silence from him after. A snarl came and suddenly there was pain. She yelped as she was swatted by the cat across the rock face. Pain surged up her shoulders where his claws had landed. And suddenly she was scrabbling as jaws clenched around her throat. She couldn't breathe, never even saw, but she could smell. The tang of blood,her own and basil's, was strong. Alma's fear as she hid and could do nothing. The scent of the cat as her life slipped away was drilled into her skull. A cougar, Male. She'd never seen it coming.

It released leaving her throat a bloody mess as she gasped trying to breathe through the blood. It hurt so bad. Her paws scrabbled feebly. And just like that the cat was gone, taking with it basil's corpse. It would likely return she knew. She tried to scream but only gurgles came forth. It was silent again. Nice silence. She let out a whine as she tried to breath and move. It was impossible. She didn't know the mangled mess she now was. Its claws having pierced her shoulder and held her by her face and stomach. She just knew the worst of the pain as her blood spilled. Alma was silent hiding away in the crevice. She'd been there the entire time, watching with horror and sounding alarms for help, but none had come to save her friends. She was silent now though aside from a few sobs in the rock, she found sanctuary in. Tana was fading they both knew it, she'd had no will to live anyway, only the hope of seeing her children once more kept her moving forward. But she was tired, so tired.

It took minutes and the gurgles finally died, leaving only Alma behind as the sole survivor of the trio. Tana could only hope someone kind would find her mouse lemur and let her cling onto life with them. She was a good healer at least.

-exit Tana via death-

"speech"

Rhyme was gathering herbs around the base of the Volcano with Solitude when the faint cries reached him. They sent a horrible chill up his spine and made the white raven take to the sky. The slate alpha took the time alone to gather herbs for his needy pack. The fire had destroyed a whole garden and used many of their supplies in aiding the wounded. He might never have heard the commotion had he not been taking the alone time.

Icy paws carried him swiftly towards the voice he knew was Alma’s. Solitude saw everything first, and the call he made caused Rhyme’s heart to drop. He slowed at the smell of blood overwhelmed him, but still trying to be hopeful he returned to his long stride before his blue and lavender gaze fell on the gore left behind. He went numb as Tana’s still body filled his vision.

She was gone, there was no doubt with the blood that pooled beneath her tiny body like the cape she had worn. Rhyme approached slowly, and gently nosed against Tana’s bloody cheek. There was no reaction, no heartbeat, no breath. Seeing neither of her companions, he could make out the difference between Tana’s and another small creature. There were paw pints of blood leading away, at least one of her companions had been dragged away by what he guessed was a cat.

He sighed heavily as his gaze settled back onto Tana’s form. Rhyme knew what he needed to do. With great care the dark wolf would wrap the mother of his children into the long folds of fabric that had been stained with her blood. He would bring her home to Abaven, to be placed next to their son. Shock settled over him as he worked at his gruesome task.

Winter fetched her, through she wasn’t certain what had alerted the bird. Shaye followed at the ravens command, she was accustomed to doing so, and asked no questions as she moved quickly from Abaven, to where she could see Solitude in the sky. Her pace picked up, until she was flying across the ground, the steady sound of her paw prints like drums pounding against the earth. She arrived to find Rhyme wrapping the body of Tana in the red cloak she had always worn, and dipped her head, struggling to catch her breath. The sight of the blood, the scent of death, was so obvious. “No.. no” the pups deserved more than this. Tana deserved more than this. She was seeing red as she fought to catch her breath, struggling with the scent of blood that came in every ragged breath. “We hunt tonight, this.. Cougar won't see another sunrise.” she snarled. They would have to include Tana’s kids, they deserved to be a part of the hunt, through she hated to put them in harms way. She would just have to ensure they brought enough warriors with them to keep them safe. "Talk" "You" Think