While the land recovered from the ravages of the volcano, Lurid took the time to study the northern climes while they were devoid of life. Caribou and other prey items had become scarce, though there was never a shortage of smaller animals and carrion. Lurid was not above scavenging when she had to, though it was far beneath her to openly down the rancid dish. It wasn't long before she came upon a gorge that seemed perpetually perturbed by swift breezes and the occasional tree-bender, despite this it had seemed a good place to weather out winter. Within a matter of days Lurid came upon a pair of wolves, the female was heavily pregnant by the end of winter. Watching them for a while, the demon queen made herself known a week after she had discovered them. They had started to struggle in the last weeks, her twisted mind deeming them inept and weak as a result. The pups the female carried would suffer as a result of their weakness, it was decided before she made herself known. A wicked smile grew on her maw as she watched the pair below, and she brought the carcass of a pregnant doe with her when she came to meet them.

The ethereal ghost had fun with the pair, her hidden message was well received - even if it hadn't been announced as such. The pregnant doe was devoured by the trio and even appreciated. It was only step-one in her plan, however. Her paw was in the door, and she would ensure she was there for the pair, quickly befriending them and endearing herself to them. They had something she wanted, after all. The young pair fell for her farce hook, line, and sinker, even inviting her to den with them until spring. Lurid had politely declined and instead told them where she could be found if they had need of her. The false benefactor was not disappointed by her efforts, soon they called her friend and asked if she would be the godmother to their pups. Lurid gave a smile at the offer and accepted with feigned excitement. Soon, her plan would bear fruit, and she could not wait to pluck it.

In the coming weeks, Lurid would be called upon for false labor several times, only to have it be gas or some other pain associated with late-stage pregnancy. When the night actually came, Lurid was half tempted to simply tell the male the remedy for gas pain - again - but a sinking feeling in her gut had her on her feet despite herself. After all, she had come to view this as her own, remote pregnancy, and was just as excited as the new parents. Which she let show in her haste to the location they had denned, practically sprinting in a ghostly fashion. Lurid gave the woman support and smiles during the labor, which after five hours, produced only a singular male pup. He was beautiful, and Lurid found herself entranced by the tiny being. Holographic eyes quickly meeting those of the mother and congratulating her on such a healthy, robust pup. She suggested the name Kichi - a name that literally meant lucky or fortunate - and the mother accepted it, using the name for the boy. Her smile then was one of hidden maternal pride, and she brought the woman who had birthed her baby for her two large white hares. Being spring in the north the symbolic gift had been hard to come by, and she found herself seeing more white doves than hares, wishing the boy had been a girl instead since it seemed that particular symbol was everywhere.

Soon after, Lurid found herself hunting for both parents, the male growing lazy as he found more time for the child than duty. Her patience with her game was wearing thin as they grew used to her doing the hunting and gathering for them, the pair doting on her son. They were already tainting him with softness and weakness, Lurid would not let a child she considered her own be raised in such conditions. She would need more time, she could not provide milk for the boy, and would have to wait. When the mother started the weaning process, the demonic witch knew her time had come. Kichi would have to adjust quickly. Relishing the thought of finally being rid of her more extreme burdens, Lurid rallied the pair for a hunt, something they had not done in some time. Setting off for their final hunt together, Lurid noticed the young boy trying to follow, and turned back to take him back to the den with a gentle warning. "Kichi, baby, you are too little to go on this one. I promise you one day I will take you with me when I go hunting, but this is not the day, little love. Stay here, and wait." She gave the babe a sweet lick on his forehead and ensured he stayed home before going to fulfill the last stage of her plan. Knowing the pup, he would listen to her, she had been a gentle but stern figure in his short life. But in that time, he had learned when to test her and when not to, and her dual-toned voice made her warning very clear.

OOC: Sorry if it's choppy, I fell asleep mid-post XDDD LOL! I also left it open so we could actually make a thread of it, instead of a monolouge...she wouldn't shut up...
"Talk." || 'Think.' || 'You.'

ART by BRIENA

Kichi was thrilled when he heard they were going on a hunt! It would be great! He was going to help hunt, uhm, hunt some sort of creature he had no name, scent, or image of but it would surely be great! As he heard Lurid suggesting it to his mom and dad his whole little body squirmed in excitement. It was only natural for a great future hunter such as himself to follow right? Mom and dad and Lurid would want him to come, wouldn't they? Seemed pretty obvious it would be a family thing.

So as the parents set off Kichi naturally followed after, hopping over long distances between rocks, at least in his mind. Fumbling hops from one stone practically touching the next is more what anyone but a pup would see. If he really wanted to he could fall off, but not forward. His little tail was up and flagging so high, but then Lurid caught sight of him. Busted.

He followed her back to the den with a great portrayal of that sad puppy face, tail down and head low. "I'd be good, honest. I can help, whatever it is." His mind tried to form up some image of what the great creature would look like. She wasn't buying it. With a soft pining sound Kichi flopped down in assent. Well, he could always find something else to hunt or chew on till they got back.

In the end what he worked on was gnawing at a leftover bone, that was more a left behind toy for a pup with no signs of remains for actual food by now. Plenty of mock snarls were given the bone adversary. Lurid and his parents would be back, he'd have the bone properly subdued by then.

He would be agile one day, made for hunting and war, she could already see the makings of such in his determination and will. Lurid smiled gently at the pup as he attempted to follow, genuine affection on full display. She did not hold back her love as her own dark parents had, instead she gave it freely to those she was fond of, and Kichi was soon to be her son.  It had been decided the moment she had seen him in that deep den in the gorge. She waved her glittering tail, the fur seeming to shimmer and sparkle as she gave the stormy boy a kiss once again. "We are going for big game. It is too dangerous. Have no fear, tiny hunter, one day we will teach you." She meant her promise, though she made it seem as though she included his parents. Nefarious plans saw her part ways with the small lad for the moment, leaving him with a smile and hope. Lurid caught up to the boy's bearers, giving them a reassuring grin and nod as they asked if he had been okay with staying behind.

Smiling, she urged the two on, explaining their quarry had just moved north, to enjoy the brief summer. Elk would be on the menu, she explained to them in detail her plan to get one. It seemed like a true hunting trip, until the moment of the takedown. The bull elk was thrashing wildly by this point, nearly on the ground with exhaustion. Lurid stood panting and waiting for the right moment to strike. It was when Kichi's father ran passed her to finish the elk, Lurid stuck out her hind paw to trip him as she watched the elk sling his thorny crown around. The top tine's points then ran themselves through the spot where his neck connected to the bottom of the male's jaw, curving back to come out of his mouth a bit. The wound was grave and gruesome, and a strangled cry came from both wolves and the elk. Having the female distracted so, and the bull elk held exhausted and weighed down by one body, Lurid was amazed. She ran behind the female as the elk turned to watch her, then rammed her shoulder into the female's rump.

In spectacular fashion, the elk swung his head at the wolf he thought was attacking him and slashed the female's throat with a well-placed, razor-sharp antler. As he swept his head, Lurid charged in and grasped his throat while he was distracted. With a whole-body thrash, she ripped the giant deer's throat enough to make him stop and stare at the one who got the better of him. Kichi's father stared at her as well, and his mother came crawling toward her, choking and crying for her son. The woman bled out, but she held on for Kichi. The father was gone, and the elk on its way, but it was the mother she had one last thing to say anything to. Leaning close to the grey woman's dark ear, she whispered in her cruel, dual-toned voice, "He's mine now..." At this point, the female's blue eyes grew large with pain, fear, and betrayal. She choked out a soft, 'Why?' After which she died, staring aghast at the pale demon. Lurid smiling darkly at her as her light faded, a wicked sounding laugh bubbling up from her. The rush she felt after such a success was akin to being drunk in paradise, but she could not openly gloat about this one. This was one that needed covering.

The demonic queen moved then to find soft earth, digging just enough to cover up the bodies and quickly making small grave markers as though she really cared. The deed had taken her the rest of the day to complete, but it had to be done, for authenticity's sake. Once she finished, she worked on stripping a hind leg from the elk and worked up the best tears she could on the way back to the den they housed Kichi in. By the time she got back, the fur of her cheeks was matted together with still wet tears. She had made sure to limp a bit as she came up to the entrance. It was night by now, and the little one should be in the den sleeping. This was the thought that made her tears genuine. Having to break her little one's heart. "Kichi?" She asked gently, dual vocals sounding thick with tears and sorrow. It was not for the parents that she cried, it was for him, his grief would be real. His heart would truly be broken and she would have to be the one to tell him about his pain. Dropping the elk leg, Lurid waited in her shimmering glory as the moon sat fat above. Her poor baby, hopefully, this would be the only time she would have to kill for him. Oh, how would she tell him? Another soft sob had her, but she cleared the lump in her throat and pulled herself together enough to do what she had to.

OOC: He is so cute, how can she do this to him D: <3
"Talk." || 'Think.' || 'You.'

ART by BRIENA

Kichi hadn’t realized just how long a hunt was going to take.  The small pup was clearly a better hunter.  After they left he had taken down several grasshoppers, chased a mouse, destroyed two pinecones and scared away a bird! He wasn’t counting the fact how only one bird flew away, or that it was questionable if the one whom left was due to him.  Kichi the brave and strong had played hard, slept hard and repeated the cycle another time.

Kichi was sleeping in that deep special sleep reserved for pups, the one untainted by fears of senses of dread.  His sleep was deep and peaceful with the assurance nothing could go wrong in his little world. Innocence was a fleeting thing.  Words floated through his dream world.  It took the pup’s drowsy mind a bit to realize the words were not part of the dream and it was his name that was said.  One word, and it was sad.

Kichi was awake, and he smelled meat and family! The little grey furball got up quickly but then slowed as he realized it was only Lurid but mom and dad’s scent were still on her.  That made sense, that was normal but what wasn’t normal were the tears and her expression.  Kichi was confused, “Lurid?” the small pup walked up slowly.  Each step seemed to go with thought, “It’s ok Lurid.  I can smell the meat,” a flicker of a tail wag as if to assure her it would be ok.  He wanted her to agree it was alright, “if you didn’t get the biggest I don’t mind.  I’ll help next time.  Mom and dad bringing back the food?” That had to be it since she was here first.  “We could go help?  Are you hurt Lurid?  You can eat my portion if you need it.”  

Kichi shoved his head into her front leg, rolling it to look up at her, “It’s ok, right?” There was a lot of weight in that one word ‘right.’  She wouldn’t let anything be not-right?  Something felt bad in his stomach and he couldn’t explain it.  A nameless fear but Lurid would make it go away.

Lurid had smiled seeing his sleeping form, and sighed softly before rousing him. Waiting outside for the tiny pup, the Amarix queen looked up with holographic white and lavender gaze holding more of the purple hue thanks to the darkness. It made her heartbroken look that much more convincing, and she knew it. Not that there was anything false about how she felt hurting him, but inside she was celebrating her victory and cheering a job-well-done. Seeing his excitement fade as he realized only she had returned, watching the confusion wash over his face damn near melted her. The monster took a deep breath as he said her name questioningly, preparing answers long ago to questions he would have. She had not expected the boy to misunderstand her expressive intent, what he saw was only sadness and he wished to soothe it. Comforting her when it would soon be him who fell apart. There was a sick joy in her work, watching the boy's confidence falter, a little of reality setting in as the silence thickened and she searched for words to say. He was her son, after all, and she did not wish to hurt him any more than was necessary.

What she hadn't expected was emotion to cloud her voice, or for a quiver to be in her dual vocals as she spoke softly and whispered simultaneously. "Kichi-love..." The murderess started gently, pulling him into the plush of her chest, holding him close and bracing him. "Sometimes...things...don't go the way we want them to." A blatant lie, things had gone exactly as she had wanted them to, and she was proud of it. She wouldn't show her little one that, however. He was far too precious to her for that blight to hang over him. Even if he eventually forgot this, or blocked it out somehow. Her execution had been flawless, and it had led her here. For a moment she considered how wrong it was to bask in the boy's grief, but it wouldn't last too long. She gave a gentle lick in matronly fashion to the boy before continuing, "Your mother and father, they," she huffed as she put real emotion into her act, while she may not have even had to, "they just wouldn't listen...I told them to wait, it wasn't safe yet. Oh, my little love, it was awful...I couldn't keep them safe..." Her words were thick with emotion as one would expect them to be when a friend had just died in front of them. Lurid swallowed hard, holding the boy to her.

It was drawing closer to finale time, and Lurid would rather break the news now than wait for his reaction to grow any worse than it already was. "Kichi...I am so sorry...I tried my best." She moved to hold him, to comfort him the best she could. How did one comfort when they were used to dealing pain? It ate at her that she had to hurt him this way, but they had to go. They were destroying the boy, making him soft. He may only be a few weeks old, but he should have been training to fight. His mother had refused her offers repetitively, well, no longer. Now she could raise him as she saw fit, without having to worry about the pair weakening him any further with their ineptitude.

OOC: I woke up from my 1:30am nap and posted this for you, sorry if it is sh**ty LOL <3!
"Talk." || 'Think.' || 'You.'

ART by BRIENA

When she pulled Kichi into her chest, Kichi rubbed his head in her chest fur as if it would help him get in their deeper.  He didn’t like her words, didn’t like the pitch in her voice, or the smell on her.  This all felt wrong and he wanted it to stop.  Lurid wasn’t supposed to scare him.  He didn’t want to listen anymore but his betraying ears were straining on every word.  Kichi wanted to go back to sleep, then mom and dad would be there when he woke up.

“Mom and da are smart.  They wouldn’t make a mistake.” Blind faith of a child in parents. “They probably knew something.” This idea caught his fancy and he pulled back just enough to look up at her, his tail wagging faster as he reassured himself. “It’s ok Lurid.  You probably thought a bad thing happened but it didn’t.  I bet if we go to where they are you’ll see its all ok after all.”  This was great logic.  There were a million flaws in that logic clearly but Kichi wasn’t looking at those.  Since his parents being gone was impossible his mind had found an alternate possibility in all this.

He bounded past Lurid, bright eyes looking hopefully at Lurid, “c’mon lets go! You’ll see, we can find them.  I bet they’re coming this way now anyway!” He was happy, relieved but there was a desperate need sort of joy.  If he was wrong it meant a bad thing had happened.  Kichi couldn’t be wrong.  The little grey pup would be right because wrong was bad.  Lurid had never hurt him before, so she shouldn’t now.  These terrible words were just a mistake and he’d be the hero to show her how ok things were.

Innocence oozed from the boy, sewing a spark of jealousy in the empress, enough that she had to stifle the snarl that threatened to bubble up her throat. His determination that his world hadn't been destroyed was admirable, if not misplaced, and Lurid would be content to teach him her first lesson. The harsh reality of devastating loss. It was her first gift, that he might remember just a glimmer of this pain in his later life. Before she could respond or stop him, he was peeling away from her grasp and eagerly moving toward the last place he saw his birth parents. With a heavy huff, the giantess moved with a near-deadly grace; a great feline stride that announced her patience wore thin. His stubborn belief that everything would be alright was glass waiting to be shattered, and Lurid would have to be the hammer that smashed it. "You will not like what we find, little love. But...I will explain when we get there." Cruelty at its finest, Lurid would sever the ties to this misplaced belief. It was better to break a bleak truth than to keep up a lie, in this case...a partial truth. Her secret would be forever kept with her. He would become hers once and for all today, ready to shatter this last tie to his past.

Lurid moved then, raising a silver brindled brow to the boy, and motioning him to follow with a solemn stare. She made it clear she hated this part, that she would rather he let her explain somewhere else, but this would obviously be the final nail in the coffin, so to speak. Once this matter was settled he would be free to grieve, but not dwell. At most, she would give him a week before his real-life began and she brought him up as her own. Motivation crackled in her holographic lavender eyes, their depths flashing with white illusion as they caught the light from the moon. Making sure the white and grey pup kept up with her lengthy stride, the trip was longer than she remembered, and she remained eerily quiet with her crown low and tail held at half-mast. Before they entered the clearing, Lurid paused to give warning to her new son. "Kichi, this will be hard to see for one so young, I am only showing you so that we might say goodbye to them together. The elk is down as well, not far from were your parents rest. Please understand I do not do any of this to hurt you, but so that we might both find some closure with this tragedy." She gave the boy a soft, reassuring kiss on his forehead if he let her. A follow-up statement would be required, "I know this is a hard thing to deal with, but try not to be loud. I am unsure if other predators have come to the area because of the dead elk, so, while I understand this pain and share it with you...if you feel you cannot control it, muffle the sound in my pelt." She smiled in both reassurance and sadness, then once more spoke, "I will do my best to console you, little love. Know I also walk this path of grief with you, but we cannot linger long. Do you understand my rules?" He was a smart boy, she knew he would understand and follow her direction.

Once more, the murderess ushered the boy forward with a soft clearing of her throat, coming upon the small meadow her crime had occurred in, a villain returning to the scene. A small ray of sunlight had broken through the trees, oddly highlighting the elk bull and the carefully decorated graves of the pair she had betrayed. It was hard to keep the pride from her face, but she managed with a choked sob - one that was only half fake. Knowing what the boy would see, remembering that she too had lost her own parents to fire, Lurid could share this grief with him in a genuine fashion. Channeling the memory of the loss of her own parents went a long way in creating tears in the woman's eyes. Stones had been carefully arranged around small headstones, not far from the carcass of the elk with red blazing in the sunlight like a beacon of evidence. Her cover-up was flawless in its authenticity, details most overlooked were clear and obvious, genuine. She was sure her farse would never be uncovered, and while it was a hard first lesson to learn, Lurid knew her son would rise above this. He was hers now, by right, and soon his real training would begin. Right now, the boy would need time to get over his first real lesson in life. The loss was a harsh reality, and Life was a cruel mistress.

OOC: POOR BABY!!!! LURID IS SOOOOO MEAN OMG!!!! I SO SORRY BABY KICHI!!
"Talk." || 'Think.' || 'You.'

ART by BRIENA

Kichi refused to believe her words as they left the den. He didn’t think she was lying, just that she was confused. Something bad appeared to happen but it hadn’t. This would be good for Lurid. Kichi watched her as she moved forward, tail wagging faster as she agreed to show him. It would get better soon. Taking action in itself was a means of relief, he was moving between a jog and a run to keep up with Lurid’s long strides. The movement was easing a pressure that had been trying to weigh on his heart. After the next stride they would see his parents. The ‘next stride’ thought was a rhythm of thought that seemed to come every few strides.

There were a lot of strides and the assuredness was slipping with the silence and continuous motion. The whispers of doubts stirred the suggestion of something was wrong. Lurid had warned him. Didn’t he trust Lurid? She was really serious about this. His tail that had been up high but, was starting to go lower as the nasty thoughts wouldn’t leave. There was a battleground going on in that small puppy-head between hope and despair. Faith in the strength of his parents or fear at the truth in Lurid’s words. Suddenly he just wanted to run home. Kichi would wake up tomorrow and it would be ok.

Kichi caught up to being beside Lurid once she stopped before the clearing. That had been a long workout for him! His body was tired even as his mind and soul determined he would not rest until this was settled. What if mom and dad were hurt and needed them? Kichi tensed his muscles as he forced his mind into a readiness to do something. He didn’t know what that something would be but the grey and white pup would do it!

His thoughts had been talking to him about as loudly as Lurid but his head jerked up to her more at one word, “Goodbye?” For all he had been fighting the horrible thing, he hadn’t been able to put a name on it. There was that second of short horror in his eyes as if to capture the fullness of such a word. His head jerked away so that his eyes were not meeting hers but at the ground. She had to be wrong, but the puzzle was just to hard for Kichi to understand. How could he? If Lurid believed this lie, then how could Kichi understand it? She was a lot smarter after all. Mom and dad would explain what happened!

He accepted the lick though his gaze was ahead now instead of on her, struggling to work up his belief in his parents not being gone. He listened to her reasoning and rules. Her words had that unwanted feeling welling up in his chest again, his body gave a shudder he never told it too. She was wrong. There was a bit of silence as he collected himself before he found his inner strength. “It’s ok Lurid. I know the rules, but you’ll see. It will be ok,” the words came out remarkably calm. Fear was constantly trying to get through his wall of faith, his eyes seemed to shift between determination and fear.

Kichi moved forward with her. The elk drew his attention first, and for a moment his fears were lost in awe at the size of the creature. The size of such a creature to a small pup was impressive in his eyes. He stopped at the animal’s head, looking into its eyes that had lost something they contained when alive. A spark, a vividness that was just gone. There was a secret in there, the secret of a bridge of life and death. He hadn’t looked at the graves yet, nor paid attention to the scents around him. For well over a minute he stared at elk’s eyes as if it could give him the answers he’d been searching for. Finally, his head raised to look at the large antlers, where blood and flesh clung to them. Kichi’s tail went limp, smells that he hadn’t paid attention to were strong in the air.

Blood, his parents blood. Kichi was shivering but he didn’t notice, his heart was pounding too fast. Too many realities were hitting him at once. His eyes darted to the graves. His mind was screaming at him to run but his body refused the command, it made the screaming inside worse but he moved closer to the graves. He could smell them in there. Smell his parents under the earth.
Lurid had said he could put his head in her coat to muffle a scream. Kichi couldn’t open his mouth to cry if he’d wanted too. If he cried out the reality glaring at him would become that much more real. The stones, the elk, Lurid, the world wanted to start spinning. “No,” the word was a whisper, certainly no predator would come running from that. “No,” the word repeated more firmly as an answer took shape in his head, “no!” still quiet but fierce and Kichi turned and fled. His body was tired, his muscles warning him of their strain and his lungs warning of a limit. Fortunately, all the adrenaline from panic told him he could ignore those things for now. Of course, he was small and what seemed fast to him would be nothing for a grown wolf.

Lurid Amarix

The boy seemed so eager to prove her wrong, his upbeat and positive manner almost unbearable in his naiivite. Lurid writhed beneath her skin as impatience with the boy's puppyhood innocence, inwardly seething as he continued in his defiance of her. Where this patience for her son came from, she would never know. Lurid was known to kill those who tested her the way Kichi was unknowingly doing right now, her temper not one to pick at. Still, the behemoth found a way to stay her fangs, understanding that loss was hard to come to terms with for adults, let alone barely weaned pups.  As hard as it would have been, Lurid regretted not killing the pair sooner. Better to take Kichi to a wet nurse than to have brought this dastardly lesson in finality so soon. For the first time, Lurid found herself conflicted, guilt at having hurt her little one this way, and pride over a job well done. Tamping the guilt away, Lurid raised her head as Kichi stated he knew her rules, her head lifting up as a heavy sigh left her lungs on a dual-toned hiss. She stood by him as they came across the elk she had slain, the one she used in her hunting accident. The demoness gave an appropriately sad smile as the little storm cloud stopped to look the beast over. Until his tail drooped down in the most depressing manner imaginable and Lurid's faint glimmer of pride in the boy was gone. Of course, she would always be proud of her son, but right now he tested her patience. She didn't want to linger here, she wanted to leave the area. There was no reason for Kichi to see this.

Lurid tried to warn him about what he would find here, she had wanted to protect him from this. There was no convincing him, and now unmitigated grief would consume him. He would get mopey and refuse to eat, he would want his real mother, his father. He would be angry, and she would have to be the one to get him through all of it. Yes, she should have killed the bitch and her weak mate sooner. Lurid could have spared the boy this pain if she hadn't been so stubborn. Not wanting to take the boy anywhere else had stopped her from seeking out a wet nurse when one was already there. A dozen different scenarios played out in ways that would have avoided his pain. She needed that cord cut, however. The Amarix queen would need him, a fresh mind to mold as she pleased. It would take time, but all of the best things were often products of time and pressure. No matter what came now, he would be stronger for it.

As the weight of it all finally came crashing down on him, the pup shook. The ghost had come up behind him, intending to wrap a paw around his tiny shoulders with a surprising delicacy. "Kichi..." The demon wanted to comfort her son, but she wasn't sure there was anything that could. Instead, she stood by him, in an attempt to ground him. A softly whispered denial passed his lips, so fine it might have been missed had she not been watching his reaction and waiting for him to shout so she could pull him to her chest. What she had not expected was for him to run, or well, what he thought was running. Even in his darkest moment, the boy was cute! Her heart swelled as she kept pace with him easily, walking only a few lengths away so that he would feel he was going really fast. The sooner she could get them out of here, the better, Lurid had no intention of coming back to the scene of her crime ever again. He would tire soon, and he would need her there with him, even now she could hear him breathing heavily as he toddled away. Her own heart was broken for him, but if she could have the patience to see it through, she knew she would be rewarded for her efforts.

Lurid took two hurried strides and caught up with the storm pelted boy, snatching him up gently but firmly in her jaws. Speaking through her teeth as she carried him, Lurid was remarkably tender and careful with her baby. "You can't just run off, little love. Let's go home, we can take a nap, if you want?" Ordinarily, he would have laughed at her, but she knew he wouldn't laugh this time. Carrying the boy home, Lurid held a parade for herself on the inside. She won, she got her son, and he would be wholly hers now. The boy would get time to grieve, but then they would move on. He would learn how to be strong, he would learn how to live in a world full of wolves like her. Perhaps, in time, he would have a kingdom to inherit. For now, all she could give him was love and guidance.

|| Word count: 846 words. ||
"Talk." || 'Think.' || 'You.'

Note: So..on to happy threads after next Kichi post? Or just go ahead on to happy threads?

ART by BRIENA

Kichi couldn’t think straight.  Half formed thoughts, overpowered emotions, and a body warning of exhaustion.  Kichi’s mouth was open wide to get in air, tongue lolling as his legs shoved himself onward and a moment later movement became a lot easier.  His feet paddled but touched nothing.  Lurid had him.  Kichi’s tense body went limp in her grasp. The little grey white wolf pup knew he wasn’t supposed to run off but it had hurt and still hurt.  Kichi listened to Lurid but for several seconds just remained silent, listening to his hammering heart and waiting until he had caught his breath.  

“I’m sorry,” came the mournful response eventually, “I shouldn’t have run.” Kichi felt the moist salty tears building up under his eyes and fading into the fur below it.  “I don’t feel like sleeping.” The last part was both truth and lie in a confusing sort of way to the young wolf pup.  His body was worn out and even his mind had all it could take but the emotions were still running strong and fast. “Lurid? I don’t wanna go home.  Can we go somewhere else?” Of course he had been running towards the den, but only because he didn’t know where else to go.

The not-sleepy lump in Lurid’s mouth felt his energy seeping out with breath puffed out.  His head twisted trying to look back in the direction his parents graves would be.  Kichi would remember this place, someday when he was bigger and stronger he would return.  He would visit mom and dad and he would; the thought faded away.  The thought fell away even as a whine creeped out of his throat, the tears started up again.

Lurid Amarix

While her annoyance with him faded the moment she had him in her teeth, Lurid felt something else creep up in the dark abyss she called a heart. Sympathy flooded her, and she gently swayed to rock the boy as they walked toward home. He apologized to her, and her anger was washed away, replaced by a warmth she hadn't known she was capable of. Her little boy denied his tiredness, causing Lurid to roll her eyes while he couldn't see, a soft smile playing at her lips. He would fall asleep soon, he always said such things before falling asleep. His last question struck her with a sharp pang of pride, already he was ready to move on. It was promising, but he would still get his time. "Of course, Little Love, we can go someplace else. Lurid gave the promise and changed course, moving instead to new lands. They would not be back here for a long while, perhaps as his greief waned he would want to come less. Now, they had a life to live and things to do. Lurid had her baby, and Kichi would come to call her his mother. She would find ways to ensure the storm cloud boy forgot her in time. He was young enough.

|| Word count: 213 words. ||
"Talk." || 'Think.' || 'You.'

Note: -exit Lurid with Kichi-

ART by BRIENA