9

Sarak

Sarak wandered along the edges of Valhalla, gazing in at the flooded territory that was his home. He worried for Azalea, and the rest of the wolves of Valhalla. He?d just barely escaped before his den was flooded and no longer a den. The water was dying down now, soon it would have gone back to the River, but his den was in shambles, not fit to live in. He shook his head. Oh well. It was better than being dead, wasn?t it. He dropped his muzzle to the ground, sniffing lightly to see if he could catch any scents of members, and his ears jerked forward. Azalea! His pace picked up to a trot, nose to the ground, until he had a firm lock on her trail, then he bounded forward, unconsciously falling into the silent glide an assassin took that brought them in for an attack. Only. He slid into her location, tail wagging more than it had in his life. Twenty wags, vigorous and quick. ?Azalea!? Moss green eyes swept her form, checking for injuries.

Tragedy had struck Valhalla. Water washing away all that was familiar, drowning shrubs and uprooting what was not planted deeply enough. The river was going down though, the water finally washing out to other lands. Everything still seemed soaked though and Azalea had grown a swift dislike of anything water related. Puddles were to be avoided like the plague. She sat just inside the border, lost in thought. Her rump was held delicately off the ground to avoid the muck. It was a lost cause, her legs and underside speckled with mud that she had traveled through. She looked beat, and she was. Her eyes were heavy with her lack of sleep. With everything that had happened, she hadn't gotten to sleep. The red head hadn't even thought of sleep, really. ?Azalea!? The name snagged her attention, facing lifting and eyes becoming more attentive and focused. She found Sarak's face, his wiggly body following suit. The two-year-old male made toward her, clearly overjoyed to see her. She smiled, standing up to face him. Her paws moved her instinctively toward him, body buzzing in anticipation. "Sarak, I'm so glad you are okay!" Her happiness faded in an instant, eyes flicking to the ground to sidestep a puddle waiting to catch her off guard. She glowered at the murky water before her eyes went back to the dark male. As they reached each other she embraced him in a wolfish hug. Pulling away she surveyed the land, her eyes flicking toward the puddle as if it might suddenly spill over and send water toward her paws. "I don't think I'll be going swimming any time in the near future. She said, her tone a little dry. Speech,

9

Sarak

She looked up when he called her name, sharing his relief and delight at seeing him safe. She had no injuries that he could see, and standing to face him, she began to approach. He nodded in agreement t her words. ?Quite the washout, wasn?t it. You?re the first wolf I have seen since the flood. Is every--? She suddenly looked unhappy. Moss green eyes sobered as he studied her. She wasn?t looking at him anymore. Instead, she was giving a puddle the dirtiest look he?s ever seen a wolf give to a puddle. She sidestepped, it, and he was engulfed in a hug in the next moment. The move startled him slightly, and his tail tucked ever so slightly, haunches dropping slightly. As he figured out her intent, however, the tail started? wiggling back and forth between his hocks, sweeping the wet ground. She pulled away, looking around at the land, and he caught the glance toward the puddle. He felt a tickle at the back of his throat. Swallowed. It felt like nothing he?d ever had in his throat before. Wasn?t a growl. And then she spoke in a dry tone. The strangest noise came from his throat, something between a wheeze, and a cough. What was that tickle? And that sound? He had never chuckled in his life. Not in pleasure. ?I think I share that thought. My den is underwater, however.? He?d liked that den.

Sarak spoke to her as she approached, his words a response to her own. ?Quite the washout, wasn?t it. You?re the first wolf I have seen since the flood. Is every--? He cut off short of completing his sentence but her mind completed it to the way that she thought it would come out. He was checking to make sure everyone was alright. She didn't see the look he was giving her as she eyeballed the puddle with a look to kill. As she embraced him, she felt his body shrink a bit but she was paying enough attention to see the markers of his sudden submission. All she recognized was the fact that she took him off guard and that no longer surprised her. Azalea seemed to be the queen of startling Sarak. The dark shaded male chuckled. It was an action that quickly grabbed Azalea's attention. She had never heard Sarak make such a noise before and he seemed just as surprised as she was. ?I think I share that thought. My den is underwater, however.? So easily she was distracted, her face lighting up at his words. She wagged her tail and rolled her shoulders, her eyes catching his with a devious gleam. "If you were a Merwolf you would have no problem!" She nodded resolutely. In her head she pictured that, Sarak with a fish tail and gills. Her jaws clenched, lips pressing tightly together. Her eyes gave the look that she had heard something unbelievable. And then she started laughing, the image in her mind too hilarious to help herself. "You would probably bite me if you could see the picture that came to my mind. Merwolf Sarak." She shook the thought away, fighting the light smile. "No worries. Everything will dry out... eventually." She knew how attached the male was to his den. Azalea on the other hand did not have one. She preferred not to be underground, instead sleeping under the stars or under rock overhangs. If she were a mother then she might feel better about being enclosed by earth but she didn't know if after the events that just unfolded that she would be able to den like that. Helpless puppies were easily drowned, especially when wolves had more pups than they had mouths for. This made her worry for her mother. Would she feel safe having her puppies in Valhalla? How could they be so sure that the lands would not flood again in the near future? Speech,

9

Sarak

Sarak wasn?t oblivious to that new gleam in Azalea?s eyes, and he wondered what kind of ?secret mission? she would be hauling him out on next. Her next words brought a look of complete puzzlement to his face, brow points scrunching together, and one ear pulling back as he wondered what a merwolf was. He couldn?t figure it out, so he asked. ?A? Merwolf?? The query was clear in the tone of the words. Apparently, whatever a merwolf was, it was amusing, because she looked like something was tickling her nose, and then she started laughing. Her next words had him tilting his head, the other ear drooping slightly. ?I would never bite you. You would beat me up too easily.? He wasn?t joking there, he highly suspected she could rub his ass all of the ground in a spar or fight. That did bring his mind around to the fact that he needed to learn how to fight. A runner or messenger was no use if he got killed in the journey. It seemed she had turned to sober thoughts as well. With her next words she seemed to come to worry. He could understand that. He knew her family meant everything to her, and losing them this way would devastate her. How did one comfort a female if she lost someone? In his birth pack, death was a regular occurrence. You either died or you lived. And you fought to live. If you wanted a high rank, you proved yourself by clawing and killing your way to the top. And then you had to defend that hard won rank. And in a pack full of ambitious murderers, the fighting was constant. A lot of the members in that pack had more scars from their own comrades than from enemy wolves. At least here, if he wanted a rank worth mentioning, he could earn it through hard work and could be respected if he reached that rank. But he wanted no rank. Not yet at least. He jerked his mind back to he present. ?I?m sure they are fine.?

?A? Merwolf?? Sarak was skeptical at her words, truly confused about what she was saying. Azalea sighed dramatically, the rolling of her eyes emphasized by the dried mud that streaked her face. "A water wolf. You know, like half fish, half wolf." When she suggested that he might bite her, his demeanor changed. Head tilted and an ear pulled back. ?I would never bite you. You would beat me up too easily.? She looked him over, a bit unsure for a minute. Of course, her uncertainty only lasted a minute before she leaned back, tipped her chin up a bit, sniffing before speaking, "Yeah." She said coolly. Too easily he had let her slip into her high and mighty state of mind. Honestly, it was questionable if she could beat him in a spar. Sarak was larger than her and older. She was only a year old. As her mind skipped to the disaster they faced, she grew still and silent for a while. ?I?m sure they are fine," the words penetrated her silence and drew a light, somber smile from her. She glanced to him for a brief moment, "Me too." Azalea loved her family but she wasn't a touchy feely wolf. It was a rare thing that she outwardly showed her affection to them and she never referred to Soleil as anything more personal than "mother." She shook off her thoughts, looking back to Sarak with a mischievous grin. "I'll whoop yah any day of the week, Sarak, just ask." She gave him a look over, her stance cocky. Speech,

9

Sarak

The puzzlement cleared from Sarak?s earthen face as Azalea explained what a merwolf was. He had a hard time imagining a fish being part wolf. What end would be which? Her sudden change in demeanor in regards to his remark about her ease of beating him up surprised him slightly, and he eyed her with a brow point raised, one ear pulled back. Then the other brow point raised, ears perking forward. ?Of course? I could always outrun you.? His long legs and agile paws were built for running, and running fast. And stamina. Moss green gaze turned to gaze out to look at Valhalla as she agreed with him about her family. What was it like to have a real family? Brothers and sisters that actually loved you, and didn?t try to kill you? Azalea spoke, and he blinked at her, watching her look him over. One ear cocked backward, brow points furrowing. He supposed she was just playing, but? ?I... Oh?? It was tempting to see if she could keep up with him. But she might think him a coward if he turned tail and ran. He wondered how she would take him telling his story? And shut the idea away for a moment.

Azalea watched Sarak's demeanor change at her words. First he looked a bit put off by her confidence, then he surprised her with his own. ?Of course? I could always outrun you.? Her head tipped to the side, eyes thoughtful for a moment. She considered what he said, amber gaze looking over his legs. Her toes flexed, feeling the earth under her paws. "Valid point," She admitted, her body loosening and her tail dropping a bit. She settled in, rump lowering to the ground and her front end following. She laid angled toward him, her paws nearly meeting his. With a sigh she laid her head on one leg, eyes looking upward to Sarak. He looked like a tower from this perspective. Tall and solid. She rolled over onto her back, her neck fur brushing his paws now. She held her forelimbs close to her, her back legs hanging in the air. Her tail brushed the ground in a gentle wag. "So where do you figure everyone has gone? Do you think they would go someone else? Like Seracia?" She honestly hasn't lingered in the heart of the territory for long, her instincts leading her away from the ocean, going northeast with a purpose. Speech,

9

Sarak

He was glad to see some of that highheadedness leave, returning her to her usual personality, as her eyes ran over his legs. Her next words received an actual smile. He did get a puzzled look for a moment as she laid down at his paws, and he looked down, mossy greens studying her for a moment, before his haunches sank to the damp earth, his tail flicking lightly at her nose as it curled about his paws. When she rolled over, his head tilted. The only time he?d ever seen a wolf bare their belly like this, was when they were submitting, though her tail only swept the ground, instead of curling up to hide her belly. Her question took his thoughts away from studying her stomach, and he frowned slightly. ?I suppose to higher ground. I heard Erani?s den is pretty safe from flooding, but all of Valhalla wouldn?t fit there. Maybe to the edges of the territory.? He shrugged, shoulders rolling. Moss green gaze turned back to her, tail thumping slightly. ?I am glad I found you. I was worried?? He trailed off, ears flicking back slightly. I was worried that you were hurt. Or worse.

He smiled at her answer, happy to see her give him some credit it seemed. Azalea did not mind. She did know that she was not good at everything, though she wasn't about to let anyone else know that. He gave her a funny look when she rolled onto her back but shook it off soon enough. Sarak was surely about used to her random nature by now. Unpredictable. Who ever knew what Azalea would do next? Of what she thought about. For all that she was, and all that she wasn't, she was a thinker. Her head full of ideas. How else would she get into all the trouble that she did? Sarak seated himself, tail sweeping around to brush her nose. Her eyes squinted, lips drawing up and nose wrinkling. Azalea sneezed, loud, the action jarring her body. Once. Twice. She seemed fine after the second, sniffing indignantly as she glared distrustfully at the male's tail, as if it had done it all on its own. As her eyes found his, she realized that he was not looking at her but further down the length of body. It made her self conscious, causing her tail to draw in. ?I suppose to higher ground. I heard Erani?s den is pretty safe from flooding, but all of Valhalla wouldn?t fit there. Maybe to the edges of the territory.? He rolled his shoulders and Azalea considered this. "We are on the border, and clearly they not here." She stated. It was a statement, enough to evoke an argument though she intended none. Green eyes found hers again and his tail slapped against the ground. He was happy and this made her smile. ?I am glad I found you. I was worried?? As his words tapered off and his ears folded back, Azalea's smile disappeared. Her own ears went back. She was really self conscious now. Eyes averted. "You think I would let anything happen to me?" She reverted to her "olfactory" settings. High and mighty, though her tone was noticeably weak now. She was protecting herself from the unknown feelings that fluttered in her stomach and fogged up her mind. "It's you I was worried about. Living underground." She scoffed lightly. Flooding: Reason number one not to live in the ground. She avoided his eyes still, her fur hot. Speech,

9

Sarak

Sarak jumped as Azalea sneezed twice, and looked at her. ?Are you well?? Genuine concern rode his words. She could have caught a chill from the flood. Why hadn?t he thought of that? Why was she glaring at his tail? He glanced at his tail. Nothing seemed amiss? It was slightly damp, but nothing crawled on it. One ear flicked back, then jumped forward as she spoke in response to his suggestion of the pack?s location. She? Had a point. His eyes ran over her again, still wanting to be sure he hadn?t missed anything, like an injury that had hidden under her fur, or been unseen while she was standing. Again, he felt the sense of relief as his eyes found no injury? except. Was that a scratch on her belly, toward the thigh? Emerald eyes locked onto it with a look of horror. She was hurt! She was hurt! What should he do? What-- He remembered watching Erani tending to injuries like this on her pups. She hadn?t ever seemed grim or serious with those injuries, but she was fully trained. Focus! Erani licked the injuries. Why did she lick them? Oh! To clean them. He blinked as her tail dropped across his field of view, blocking the mere scratch from view. Her words followed shortly, and the high and mighty way she said it almost set him at ease? Until he realized how weakly she said it. Panic rippled the fur on his shoulders maybe she was sick! What if she was sick! A tiny whimper whined through his mind, or maybe it was coming from his throat. She spoke again, and he noted her avoidance of his eyes. WhatdoIdowhatdoido?! Terror at the thought that he might lose her made that damnable whine grow louder.

"Are you well?" For a moment his words confused her but not a second longer as she realized A) he meant about her sneezing and B) he was serious. She nodded quietly, her eyes watching him carefully. Doe-eyed, like her mother just with more fire. She let it pass, giggling at him a bit. But he remained dead serious, eyes pinned on her with worry. She felt herself slowly shriveling up under that intense gaze. Nerves wrecking her. "What the heck is wrong with me?" Azalea was becoming quickly frustrated, fed up with the way she felt. Maybe she wasn't well? Maybe she was coming down with something? She rolled back over and pushed to her feet. One fluid movement. She kept her eyes averted, stepping away from Sarak to seat herself. "I don't know what's come over me. Perhaps I am ill." She concluded, eyes finally meeting Sarak's. "I should go see Erani... or perhaps another healer. Well, whoever I can find first with the lands floating." She glanced around tentatively. "Think I should see a healer?" The Heir really did look uncertain. Was it right to call upon a healer in this time of need just because she thought she might be getting ill? Speech,

Sarak

Azalea seemed to try to brush his worry away, and she watched him a moment, before giggling. Maybe she really was okay, and he was just worrying over noth-- Then she looked as though she were shrinking, then frustrated, then she got to her paws in one smooth movement. She still wouldn?t look at him, stepping away and settling her haunches on the ground. His heart missed a beat at her next words. Eegads, what was he going to do. Her next words were a question, and he agreed fully. ?Yes!? The word came out as a soft whisper, he couldn?t seem to get any more volume than that. ?You- your belly. A scratch. Have you cleaned it?? Please say yes, please let it not even be a scratch! Don?t let her be chilled. Or sick. His tail tucked. The last time he?d felt panic like this, Erani had had him cornered on a cliff. Erani was a wolf you didn?t want to try and kill, or even just make angry. The way her eyes turned to icy lakes of deep blue. One would have expected the surrounding area around her to freeze over. His panic frozen brain thawed. Erani. She could help. He trusted her most of all. She was the best, and Azalea deserved the best. But? Where was she? He looked around, hoping that she?d come out of the bushes. Mossy green eyes returned to Azalea?s amber eyes. Please be alright.

Sarak watched her, all his attention locked on her in in a way she wasn't sure he had done before. He was worried for her, she could tell. Did he even notice how tense he had gone? The way the nerves made his fur seem to look in spots as though he had been electrocuted? ?Yes!? He jumped at her words, agreeing 200% that she would see someone more medically inclined. Azalea had learned only a few herbs when she was young, nothing major, and of those she remembered even less. She was not a healer so she saw little reason to need to remember them. The male was shrinking before her, his tail curling up under him and his eyes zipping around wildly. ?You- your belly. A scratch. Have you cleaned it?? His eyes had locked on her body, where he had been looking before though now she was not belly up at his paws. Honestly, she hadn't even taken note of the scratch that was there. She dipped her head, tucking it between her front legs, her back arching up as she tried to see what he was talking about. She couldn't see it but she acted like she had, "Oh, that. That's nothing, it's not infected or anything." Sarak seemed to have snapped out of it, glancing around as if looking for something specific. She didn't know what though, but her mind was on the same wave, "We should find Erani." Speech,

Sarak

At his words regarding her belly, she seemed surprised, before she tried to look, arching her back and trying to look for it. Her next words only heightened his anxiety. ?But, did you clean it? A tiny nothing scratch can become a big problem scratch.? His ears flattened, tail tightening to his belly ever more firmly. He did relax when she spoke next, agreeing with his mental decision. Find Erani. That was the goal. Erani would make things better. He nodded sharply, moss greens snapping about the area again, before he tossed his head back and gave a short howl. It held Erani?s name on it, and an urgency, begging swift reply. Ears flicked and swiveled, listening for a reply. For approach. His paws didn?t want to stay in one place, and he patrolled the edge of the clearing, tail flicking agitatedly. He would never forgive himself if Azalea was sick, though how he could have ever been at fault for any illness. He forced himself to stop pacing, to sit down. It was hard. He just couldn?t seem to retrieve the assassin?s ability to be still and silent at the thought of Azalea in danger. She touched him in ways he didn?t understand at all. Moss greens flicked to glance at her. Then his head jerked up as a rustle of paws on earth caught his ears. Erani was here! When the Lead Healer stepped through the brush, looking curious and serious, he fairly charged her. ?Erani! I?m glad you?re here, I think Azalea might be sick. Can you help her?? the words poured from his jaws in a hushed, agonized croak. Then he stilled as she turned those deep blues on him, commanding calm. And he stepped back and let the Healer do her duty. It was taking all of his willpower not to hover.

Erani

Erani had been taking stock of the flood damage when she heard Sarak?s short, urgent how sent her way. She had spun on her hocks, taking off at a splashing lope through the waning water and puddles, and as she arrived, wondering if the ex- Blackmoon assassin was alright, she?d fairly been tackled by the frantic male. His croaky explanation sharpened her interest, but she needed to settle him down. So she gave him one look, Healer to patient companion. It worked, and Sarak silenced himself, stepping away as she padded to Azalea. ?Well now, I?m glad to see you made it through the flood, Azalea. You and Sarak both. Now, what seems to be wrong with you? What are your symptoms?? As she asked the routine questions, she ran her muzzle lightly over the yearling?s form, sniffing lightly at her scent, looking for any foul smells in her breath, any scent of infection. She also listened closely, finding the heart beat and monitoring it, seeking any abnormalities, The lungs were listened to as well, as she listened for any wetness that might mean pneumonia setting in, or at least a cold. The heartbeat seemed slightly elevated, as well as some heat around Azalea?s face.

?But, did you clean it? A tiny nothing scratch can become a big problem scratch.? His over bearing worry drew her ears tight to her skull, eyes peering up at him as she nodded. A harmless white lie. Nothing was wrong with whatever scratch she may or may not even have. The male buzzed about like a bee and Azalea's belly felt like it was loaded with river stones as she watched him fuss about. The odd feelings were gone for now, too worried to notice. Erani had been called and now all they could do was wait. Finally the antsy wolf before her sat down, his back to her. Her eyes wandered up and down him, taking in the details. The fluttery feeling returned, her pace picking up. Ears pulling back the female silently slunk to the ground, chin on one leg. Then suddenly the healer was there. Azalea sometimes wondered if she were not magical, appearing on command. ?Erani! I?m glad you?re here, I think Azalea might be sick. Can you help her?? Sarak was right on top of the experienced healer who, without a word, had Sarak stepped back and shutting up. ?Well now, I?m glad to see you made it through the flood, Azalea. You and Sarak both. Now, what seems to be wrong with you? What are your symptoms?? Erani had set about her, nosing along her body. At her touch Azalea went limp, laying over on her side. She smiled slightly at Erani's... interesting greeting. The cocky portion of her mind indignantly jumping all over the woman's first words. "What does she mean she's glad to see I made it through the flood. Of course I did! I'm no two day old pup, I know how to swim!" She blocked those thoughts away, having a response to give the silver white wolf. "Well, it comes and goes... Sarak thinks its a scartch on my belly but I don't even know if there is a scratch there. Uhm... I get really hot, my heart starts pounding... and I just feel... jumbled up inside... and my stomach goes all weird, like there are birds in it." Speech,

Sarak

Erani was so sure of herself, so calm, that the fur gradually began to lay flat where it had puffed up, and he stared as she asked Azalea what her symptoms were. His tail tucked in anxiety, hoping that she?d be alright. Please, please, please let her be alright! Moss greens gazed at the two from his station at the other end of the clearing, ears straining to hear what Azalea was experiencing. His pupils shrank as he caught the words. She? But she? He felt puzzlement tugging at his mind. But she?d said. What-- But? All this confusion in his brain announced itself as an upward whine, sounding rather like a ?Wwhhaaaaaa?? What she listed as her symptoms alarmed him. Birds in her belly! Hot, heart pounding, confused! This was bad, this was very, very bad! The upward whine cut to a little whimper. The panic, was returning, and that look on Erani?s face was not helping! She looked? Why did she look like she was hiding something!

Erani

As Azalea listed her symptoms, Erani felt a little smile threatening to pull at the corners of her maw, and tamped it down. Oh now this was interesting. ?Mhmmm. Now when do these? spells? happen?? Her eyes flicked to Sarak, who looked as though he was having a mental breakdown. She could guess when these spells happened, and that they tied in with Sarak. She had experienced these symptoms when she?s first clapped eyes on Nova, and the very next Summer, five pups had entered the world. What would come of these symptoms. From the look of him, Sarak was honestly clueless. She decided to give this a nudge. How about you, young Sarak. Have you been feeling? strange lately?? Her answer was a blank look, a pause, and then a look of terror. Thus far, she had a feeling he thought Azalea might be sick, and now with her question, he was experiencing the symptoms too, now that he thought of it, and was bonafide dead scared that he?d given the ?illness? to Azalea. Oh this was getting to be fun. By scent, sight and sound, Azalea was healthy beyond compare. She decided to play this out. ?Let?s have a look at this scratch.? She gestured with her muzzle.

Azalea's words called from Sarak a throaty whine, enough to make Azalea's eyes find his. The look of terror in his eyes was unfamiliar to her and it didn't provoke feeling she liked. The negativity was wearing on her quickly, she was not a negative animal. ?Mhmmm. Now when do these? spells? happen?? Azalea looked confused for a moment, totally amiss to the look on Erani's face. "I don-I don't know," She paused to consider, "It just started today... and well... only since I've been around Sarak. Do you think he made me sick?" She glanced suspiciously at Sarak. "Great! I bet he gave me a cold or something." She got a rotten look on her face for a moment. So Erani did as Azalea expected, asked the mottled male how he was feeling. He was completely at a loss for words, his gaze transforming as she watched him. "Why that rotten! He made me sick!" His face said it all. She glared at him. When Erani asked to see her scratch, her face went slack and her eyes found the kindly healer's face to nod lightly before rolling over. Azalea could feel the dark male watching, his eyes finding her belly again. She knew he was watching, he had to be watching. She quickly grew hot, heart rate steadily increasing. "I'm getting hot again... how does it look? It's not infected... surely I would feel it if it were. Is there even really a scratch?" Her voice was a be whiny now, like a child's. Speech,