This used to be her kingdom. It was a brief time, surely, but a time none of the less. She padded through the thick trees of the Red Forest as quickly as she could the awful limp that the demon Canttina had given her. With Io's care her wound had begun to heal, scarring horribly, but healing. It would take much longer for it to completely heal and to work up the muscles to their former glory, but for now she was happy to be able to walk among the trees of her home. Soon after the challenge, Alena realized that Canttina had moved Amenti away from its former resting place. It confused her greatly and infuriated her really. Why cause her all this pain and anguish when she was merely going to move somewhere else? But that was not what she wanted to dwell on today. No, she wanted to see her pups. That was her goal. She hurried on toward the den that she had once called home and would call home again, at least for now. She hoped that her pups were okay. She hadn't really seen them since the day of the challenge and worry had driven her mad. She had been weakened more than she realized when she had begun to take the trek back to her den right after the fight and never made it that far. Now, with some of her regained strength, she was on her way home. She spotted the den in the distance and gave a short howl, calling for her family as she approached her den. Her gait was uneven and slower than normal, but she hoped her pups wouldn't be too worried over her. Or worse, she hoped her pups still wanted her there. Speech Thought Others

Jian had waited patiently by the mouth of the den every day, watching and waiting for her mother's return. She would hardly play with her siblings any more and her body was thin and lanky from barely eating. Sometimes one of her family members would be able to drag her away from her post to eat at the very least, but it wasn't enough to keep her ribs from beginning to show on her sides. Her ice blue gaze looked out at the empty, lifeless forest, her hope slowly draining away. What if their mom never came back? What would they do? Just as she had turned to go back into the den for the night, her black ears shot up at the sound of a howl. It was the voice she had been waiting to hear for weeks now. Her head snapped around to look over her shoulder, seeing the white form of her mother in the distance. "Mom!" she called out, scrambling in the snow as she turned to race toward the limping fea, her multi-hued paws carrying her as fast as they could toward her. Jian ran into Alena's forelegs with a soft thud, her tail going a mile a minute, and endlessly nuzzling her mom. Speech Thought Others

Bane toyed with the antler in his mouth as he paced from alongside the border of Seracia with that faint howl still echoing in his ears. Alena... she'd let out a call in the distance. He'd been meaning to do this for a while now, to make a pup like him. He'd readied the scarring antler and had planned to give his feathers to the one pup he had named. Nako... something had been sensed in him, but as for what, Bane didn't know. Tahlia could wait for a few hours. This was personal.

His mind was made at that point of thought, the time to make a pup one of Talutah, to pass on the knowledge he'd only kept to himself so the no others would follow their twisted customs. Alena would hopefully understand, and if she did cause a problem he'd be forced to deal with her. The howl was still ringing in his ears even if it had been several moments since it crossed over the land. And so Bane began the journey to Amenti lands to seek out his half-mate and too take the one he'd chosen away with him after giving the mark and feathers. A bastard child Nako might be, but Bane had plans for him. It was all just a matter of convincing the white female that was coming into view.

Dempsey was dutifully trying to keep the pups' spirits up and had begun playing a game with them while they anxiously waited for Alena's return. Well, in all honestly it was less of a game and more of just a fun activity. He was letting them see if all of them could all band together to take the older wolf down. Of course, he was going easy on them. The brute wouldn't hurt these pups in any way, rather he hoped this would build their confidence not only with him but in general. Then his ears pricked up at the sound of a lovely howl from a voice he knew all too well. Alena. As much as he wanted to run to her, his first obligation was her pups. Jian had already raced out the entrance to the den by the time he turned around. He was not surprised by that to be honest. The poor pup hadn't left the entrance other than to eat when one of her siblings or he would force her. He smiled at the reunion of mother and pup."Go on, go see your mother." Dempsey nudged the other pups out of the entrance. He would give them their moment. there was no reason for him to interfere. Though he wanted to, so much. Just as he was about to go and join the love of a family, something he had never experienced as a pup, a new sent was caught by his nose. It was male. A male he did not recognize and that did not smell of Alena's Amenti. A rumble started in his throat and threatened to burst from his lips. Just before the snarl could rip from him, Dempsey snuffed it. He did not know what this brute was here for, but he would make sure his family was safe. Dempsey moved closer to the pups and their mother, but his back was to them and he was scanning the woods. There, movement. "Why have you come? What is your purpose here?" Instinctively, Dempsey lowered his voice. His eyes shown hard and glittered with passion. This was his element, and he would not fail her in such a time. The difference from this confrontation and every other in his life was his need to fight for another and not just himself. Speech,

Nako, Nako was busy with a lazy game of doing nothing except sleeping and dreaming of things he didn't quite understand, nor could he remember when he woke up in a fee moments. His siblings were left to do whatever, Dempsey offering earlier in the day to play a game with his brothers and sisters. Whatever, he'd rather rest. Then his mothers howl rang through his drooping ears. The juvenile bastard pup picked himself up off his side with white paws that carried him outside towards the she-wolf named mother. Jian had already taken off up past Dempsey when hearing Alena's call, the grey pup smartly tracing his sisters pawprints left in the snow.

Nako thought his mother, Alena, wasn't all that bad really, just the fact that she was always trying to corral him around the den site he wanted to be off exploring the lands and live life. It came with being a pup he supposed, the white female that bore him walking with a noticeable sort of limp as if lame as she came closer. There were good things about her, Nako liking the way she would go off and leave them with Dempsey... Dempsey, the male had ulterior motives, the juvenile was sure of it. Other than that she would bring food, sometimes lemmings for him. Nako liked lemmings. The snow slowed him down a bit, Nako having just branched off of Jian's pawprints to circle around and go for his mother tail.

The chilly way the snow embraced his fur was a sensation the pup embraced.?Jian had reached mother and that was when Nako noticed something out of the corner of his mismatched eyes. A strangely familiar grey wolf was coming around through a gap in the bushes that surrounded the den site. Nako got down low in the snow and his breathing quickened as adrenaline began to pump into his bloodstream even as the pup saw the one he now recognized as his true father come closer, and closer and closer. The smell of family was untouchable in his mind, even if this older wolf hadn't been apart of it for long. Nako had a very good memory.

The snow didn't really cover him as well as he wanted it to right now, Nako remaining motionless as he slowly looked up at the two hazel eyes right above him.?Dempsey had said something behind Nako but he didn't hear him as the response given by the one called father rumbled in low warning. "You interrupt me, I'll kill him. You follow me, I'll kill him."

The true father, the one his mother called Bane, looked down at Nako now, the pup giving a nervous smile as Bane stared at him and tilted his head. Who was he talking about? The antler in the older wolfs maw adjusting slightly at the pups thought. A blur of a paw and Bane coldclocked Nako right underneath the chin, the pup's vision exploding in spots and his legs gave out as he fell onto his right side. Bane caught him by the nap of his neck however and lowered the stunned juvenile onto his right side before growling at mother and Dempsey to keep them away.

Nako didn't really notice what happened next as his right shoulder began to ache in a way that he'd never felt before. And in a few quick motions it was done, snow being nosed over and packed onto the Talutah mark as Bane's maw clamped around the pups scruff as the Seracian backed up with both antler and a pain drunk Nako into the treeline.

A trail of blood was the only thing that marked the pups departure from Amenti.

OOC NOTE: Post ok'd by Wolfeyez.

The white, scarred fea breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the black, white, and gray form of her daughter dart out of the den toward her. Alena padded forward a few more steps before sitting back on her haunches and laughing as the pup ran into her forelegs. She showered Jian with affectionate kisses and looked up to see Dempsey and the rest of the pups emerging from the den. So they were all here after all! She looked to Dempsey, a deep appreciation for the male warming her and bringing a smile to her muzzle. He really had no reason to stay once she disappeared, but he had stayed and now her pups were alive and well. Jian's weight worried her a little, but that could be remedied easily. As long as they were all here and well, that's all she cared about. She noticed Dempsey tense in the corner of her eye and that's when she caught the scent of the brute she had honestly never expected to see again. She turned her violet gaze to Bane, watching him with confusion as he exchanged words with Dempsey, both of them looking hostile. She couldn't hear what they said from where she was so she was unaware of the threats that Bane made. She rose to her paws and said, "Bane, what are you doing?" Alena watched Bane approach Nako, the only pup of the litter that Bane had named, and stunned Alena by knocking the gray pup out. Her hackles raised and a snarl distorted her lips as furry rose in her, limping as quickly as she could toward Bane. She only got a couple steps toward him, however, before he growled threateningly at her, halting her in her tracks. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Bane?!" she yelled at him as he picked up the antler he had brought with him. She watched in stunned horror as the father of her pups carved into Nako's skin with the antler, drawing blood, before picking up him and the antler and running into the forest. She lunged forward to follow him and the blood trail that he left behind, but she only got a few steps before a wave of pain jerked her to a halt. The sudden, forced movement tore open the tender, healing skin on her shoulder, causing blood to trickle into her coat yet again. She watched Bane escape with her injured child, her heart shattering and tears forming in her eyes. She threw her head toward the sky, the howl that passed her lips filled with the loss, pain, and sheer rage that filled her. Speech Thought Others

The older wolf came up to one of the pups, Nako. A growl ran through Dempsey's frame and his muscles tensed. "Don't touch him." It was a command not a suggestion. He wanted to run to the pup and just snatch him back, but he knew that running would cause a stir. Rolling his shoulders forward and his hackles raised he started to walk slowly toward the unknown male and Nako. "You interrupt me, I'll kill him. You follow me, I'll kill him." Dempsey stopped dead in his tracks. Every muscle in his body pushed to burst forward and snatch Alena's pup away from this monster who would kill children, but he had to hold them still. The brute shook with anger and restraint. His eyes burned holes in the other man, but he would not, could not, look away. The older wolf knocked young Nako out, earning a slight growl from Dempsey that he could not keep inside. His feet, however, stayed where they were. Then the male started to carve a design into Nako's shoulder. Dempsey seethed with anger. What was this idiocracy? "You've got what you wanted, now let the pup live with his family, with his brothers and sisters." The plea came out in a more condoning tone than Dempsey would have liked, but he just felt such disgust at the man who would wreck this pup's life. However, the wolf did not head his command and dragged the pup away. Powerless, Dempsey beat the ground with his paws and gnashed his teeth. Growl after growl slipped from his throat until the pup was gone. He had not been paying much attention to Alena, but now he heard her howl of sorrow. When he looked to her she was bleeding and on the ground. "Pups, get in the den," He turned his gaze to them first. He would not lose another one. "Your mother and I will follow shortly." His eyes brook no argument and he hoped that they would just go willingly. Dempsey was not one to normally give orders to the pups or force them to do anything. Rather he liked to give them free will to do as they pleased and to find their own way, as long as they were safe and respectful, so this was a new to them for Dempsey to be so harsh. Turning from the pups, Dempsey walked to Alena. "Oh Alena, I'm so sorry...I...I couldn't do anything...He said if I interrupted or followed...he would have killed Nako...I'm so sorry." Dropping to his knees, the big grey wolf started to lick at Alena's newly opened wound. It would help it to heal just a little until he could find an appropriate healer. Then he just wrapped his neck around her in a tight embrace. His body shook in silent heaves, as he held back tears. Now was not the time to cry of sadness, frustration, or anger. Alena needed a rock, and he would be one for her, but may no one say that he was unaffected by the scene or his inability to do anything. It rocked him. "Alena, we must get you back to the den. It will be safer there...and your other pups...they need you right now." Still he held onto her, just waiting until she decided to stand and walk to the den. Speech,

Bane had said nothing to the male that had verbally assaulted him while he slashed into Nako's pelt. No words to either of them. And as he padded across the snow Bane's pace slowed as he heard Alena... her howl... Such sadness and loss... He looked back from where he came from and let out a low scruff filled howl of his own, and apology waving through the air towards Alena. When he passed by an herb that would cause numbing, Bane snatched it up after a pause in his stride to rearrange everything he was carrying in his maw. He pressed on to expand the short distance he'd traveled even as Nako stirred from his induced slumber at the older wolf's howl and from being set down and picked up again.

The little pup wiggled in protest as Bane carried him farther away from his family, Nako dangling uselessly from his real fathers jaws. A frost covered glade was passed into and Bane finally decided he'd traveled a fair distance to rest without fear of being pursued. Nako was deposited on the ground and a paw was placed on his back as the aging Seracian began to remove and jab his feathers into the pups ear and neck fur. Bane rubbed the herb that induced numbing on the freshly scarred Talutah mark, his ordeal not over. All that remained in his path was to get Nako across the pack borders and he was home free.

Bane looked down at his son opened his maw to carry his pup, Nako shaking his father off when he was attempted to be picked up again, the little wolf darting between the older wolf's hind legs and making a break for the forest back where his family was. His recently scarred shoulder leaving a thin splattering of blood with each bound.

Nako was almost to the tree line, Bane gaining on him, but it was too late. The little wolf darted into a gap in between a tree and a boulder, however the only way to get out was to come in. Bane's head blocked the exit and his real father let out a whine and lay down in front of the opening. "Why did you take me?" The little pup wailed and rubbed his bleeding shoulder against the rock to get off the sticky plant juices that had been rubbed on him. His father let out a low chuckle as he pushed his muzzle into the opening and growled. The bastard pup scrunched up his muzzle in a pathetic growl and bit his fathers nose.

Bane retreated his head out of the opening and answered between licks of his darting tongue cleaning the blood. "Because I need you Nako, just like you need me to make it in this world. I will teach you things I have told no others, things that are worth passing on to you. You are the one I've chosen..."

Nako poked his head out and stared at his father warily, the little pup starting to make his way out towards the direction he was being taken. It was around the center of the glade that a lazily stalking Bane caught up with his moping son. His offspring denied being carried just yet with a shake of his body and a bound forward. "I can walk fine... where we going?" The aging wolf watched his son trail off in a huff ahead of him through the snow, a feeling of remorse passing through him. Perhaps he should've asked Nako what he wanted. "I'm taking you to live with me and my mate in Seracia." The pup continued his lead and yelled behind him. "You could have asked, I would've said yes." Bane gave pause and let out a whine upon contemplating his actions. He could have just asked the pup...

The juvenile wolf came up to his father and leaned against him, the silence of the glade and the whispering of the wind in the frost coated forest the only noises being heard. After a time Bane gently pawed Nako's rump to get a move on as he then spoke.

"Between where we stand and when I reach the treeline you have time to say no. But once you and I enter the woods your committing yourself to a new family." Bane said with a lowered head as he looked down upon his son. "Let's go." Bane picked up his antler and attempted to grab Nako, the pup darting out of the way.

"I said I can walk fine father, there was nothing at Amenti for me with my old family, just boring days and a few times I've played with my littermates." Nako stressed the word old, and finally let himself be picked up.

Jian could only watch the frightening flurry of activity that happened all at once around her. One moment it was a happy reunion with her mother, the next her brother was being beaten up and carried away. She let Dempsey lead her away obediently, too stunned to do otherwise, but she couldn't take her eyes off the spot in the trees where the older brute had disappeared with Nako. Momma had called the brute Bane. Their father? Why would he hurt and steal Nako? Jian was so confused by everything and her mom's howl broke her heart, making her want to run back to Alena's side. As she padded into the den with her siblings, she glanced back at her mom and Dempsey, seeing that the male that had been taking care of them all this time licking her mom's wound and taking care of her. Jian didn't care if Bane was their father or not, Dempsey was her father as far as she was concerned. She turned and went to sit in the corner of their den to wait on their mom to come in. Speech Thought Others

Alena stared numbly at the spot where Nako had been standing moments before. Nothing made sense. Why would Bane do such a thing? Injure and steal one of his own pups? Her pup? Didn't he have his own mate now? Why couldn't he leave her be? All she wanted was to raise her pups in peace and it seemed like everyone wanted to prevent her from doing that. Alena barely registered the words that Dempsey spoke to her, only catching that Bane had said that he would have killed Nako if they had intervened. Her violet eyes gleamed with tears and they rolled down into the fur on her cheeks, unable to take her eyes off the blood trail that speckled the snow off into the forest. That was Nako's blood. Her pup's blood. She felt like a failure. She had failed to protect her pack and now her family. What was she good for now? Stinging pain jerked her attention back to the present and she turned to see Dempsey licking at the re-opened wound, the pain slowly giving way to the soothing rasps of his tongue. Then he surprised her again by wrapping his neck around her and holding her tight, the simple actions making the defeated assassin feel not quite so alone. She pressed her face into the fur on his shoulder and let herself feel some sort of comfort from his presence. Dempsey was right. Her pups needed her... The four of them that she had left. She took a deep breath, steadying herself the best she could. Alena lifted her head from his shoulder so her violet eyes could find his platinum one as she spoke, her voice much more soft and weak that she wished it could be. She wanted to be strong, but it was so hard. "Thank you, for watching after the pups while I was gone, Dempsey... and for watching after me. It... it means a lot." She gave him a sad smile and gently licked his cheek before looking over his shoulder at the den where her pups sat waiting for her. "When I'm finally healed and they're old enough to watch after themselves, I'm going to go looking for Nako and Bane... I hope Bane has a good excuse for himself. This is unforgivable. He should have known better than to mess with an..." She stopped herself, her eyes flicking back to Dempsey. She had kept her past a secret thus far, but after all he had done for her surely he deserved to know the truth. I haven't been completely honest with you... I'm an assassin. Or, well, I was. I haven't been a part of that life for quite a while, but it's kind of one of those things where you can take the girl out of the job but you can never take the job out of the girl. Ever since my pups came into my life... I don't know I just feel changed. Everything is different now. I still catch myself looking around every corner and walking silently everywhere I go for no reason... Little things like that." She watched him for his reaction, hoping that his opinion of her wouldn't change too much. She would never apologize for her past, would never feel guilt, but she did feel bad for lying to the one wolf that had been loyal to her through all of this. Speech Thought Others

ooc: So umm this order thing...idk how it's working so please tell me if I'm wrong :P When Alena finally stood up, Dempsey sighed with relief. He was worried that her wound had opened further than he thought, or that she would be too overcome with grief to move. The heartfelt thank you he received from her was quite unexpected, but the lick to the cheek was more than welcome. A grin spread across his face."Oh Alena, any time. Just tell me what you need." She looked back at her pups, and Dempsey followed her gaze. He was really growing found of the kids. Perhaps he should keep them. It wouldn't be so bad to stay with Alena would it? Now that they were rogues, it's not like he was even stationed in one place. Plus she was a pretty thing and willing to satisfy his needs. Too soon her voice ripped him from his thoughts, ""When I'm finally healed and they're old enough to watch after themselves, I'm going to go looking for Nako and Bane... I hope Bane has a good excuse for himself. This is unforgivable. He should have known better than to mess with an..." A pause filtered into her speech, and Dempsey just cocked his head and waited patiently for her to continue. He knew she would get to whatever she had to say if he just stayed silent for a minute. "I haven't been completely honest with you... I'm an assassin." Well that's a new development... A smirk flew to his lips. This was a surprise that he liked very much. "Or, well, I was. I haven't been a part of that life for quite a while, but it's kind of one of those things where you can take the girl out of the job but you can never take the job out of the girl. Ever since my pups came into my life... I don't know I just feel changed. Everything is different now. I still catch myself looking around every corner and walking silently everywhere I go for no reason... Little things like that." A deep chuckle slipped from his lips and his eyes sparkled even more. Oh no, it wouldn't be too terrible to stay with her at all. The brute walked around her boddess and pressed his pelt up against her."Oh love," He threw his neck over her back then,"I wouldn't be too worried. I happen to know that us assassins are exceptionally flexible, which always makes for a good time." Dempsey let his nose trail down her spine before nipping at her dock."Bane is screwed dear. Because the man who loves you and your pups," Did he really just say that? Oh well, no turning back now. "is an assassin as well. We'll get our boy back." Walking to her front, he winked at her before walking back to the den. His walk was a forced calm though. Had he really just told this woman he loved her? Yes, and he did. He could feel it. It was new love though, and so he wasn't quite used to it. Slipping into the den and curling up in the back, he waited for her. It was an odd relationship for him. His heart was leading the way instead of other regions of his body. In fact he hadn't even tasted her body yet. A shudder ran down his spine. Dempsey couldn't wait to feel her beneath him and make love for once instead of just having sex. Perhaps he should make her his forever. The brute had never considered having a mate before, but it felt right now. He would have to think on that one more. Speech,

This day was full of surprises. Dempsey not only took her news incredibly well, but actually grinned after she told him. He draped his neck over her in an embrace and mentioned the perks of being flexible like assassins. "Wait... Us assassins?" She blinked at him in surprise as she realized that he was an assassin as well. Despite everything that had happened today when he ran his nose down her back he still managed to make her grin. It was his last sentence that truly grabbed her attention however. Not only did he confirm his being an assassin, but he said, "the man who loves you and your pups." He loved her? Her mouth fell open as she watched him walk away, gaping at him in disbelief. This was supposed to be a purely physical relationship. They had some fun, he acted as her babysitter from time to time, gave her pups a proper father figure... But it was never really just that was it? From the day she met him she hadn't wanted to be with anyone else. He had become more than just a babysitter, Dempsey was family. He had treated her pups better than their own father had. She realized deep down that she loved him too. She had never been one for feelings so the realization was shocking. Alena wondered if all of this was just as shocking for Dempsey and wondered if all assassins had this much trouble with emotions. She blinked as she pulled herself out of her thoughts. Shaking her head, she pushed herself forward, limping back to the den and slipping in several moments after Dempsey had. She glanced to him first, her gaze a confused swirling of emotions, before she turned to her pups. She gave each of them a reassuring smile and gently licked the top of their heads. "Get some rest, okay? It's been a long day for all of us. Nako will be okay." She wanted so hard to believe her own words. It was hard to stay strong and keep herself together around them, but they needed her and she needed them. After all the pups had settled down once again and were curled up among each other Alena padded across the den to where Dempsey was laying, her violet eyes searching his platinum ones. Was he serious? Did he really love her? A smile slowly crossed her muzzle as she realized that he had never lied to her before, why would he stop now? She laid down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling into his fur. After she took several moments to gather her courage, Alena finally whispered, "I love you too, Dempsey." Speech Thought Others