She had vanished from Seracia, her home, Segar had not claimed her that night, seemingly content to be chosen over Octavian. This had greatly confused her, was she not good enough? Had she been a consolation prize and nothing more? A trophy to mount upon the wall like some misbegotten trinket? She knew not. Segar had taken her back to his den but then...had vanished, to where or to what she knew not. She had waited, faithfully for a few days, patiently sitting aside the ocean, breathing in the scent of salt but left to her own devices her voices grew in number and in strength and pretty soon she was gone, gliding through trees like a runaway freight train, until she had come back to her senses, lost amongst the desert.

She traced the cracks of a deep trench, the bottom of which lay several hundred feet below. She glided along its edges, almost daring it to swallow her whole. Silver hued eye gazed about this dismal place, she knew she needed to return to Seracia, she had been gone... well she wasn't sure how long she had been gone, but the pack was still too small in numbers, they needed even a broken spirit like her. Her lithe bodice collapsed, sending a cloud of dust up into the air. What was this empty, hollow feeling? She never felt this way, not with the voices. Her mouth was dry and she was a touch thinner. She needed nutrition, she needed water. She needed to get back home.

Her eyes fluttered close and her chest fell into a smooth, steady rhythm of gentle inhales, an easy sleep.

He had searched relentlessly for her,following her scent for days until he reached the desert. He was losing hope quickly of ever seeing his beloved again, or at least of seeing her alive. He couldn't say why Ghost had left their perfect home or her perfect life with him. Why she would turn her back on either disturbed him greatly. Could it have been from the day he had left to find Gerhardt and have them approved as mates? It was only one day but he hadn't told her why he left or where he had gone, it was possible she had waited for him and he had never shown up. His ghost was fragile, broken easily by seemingly minor disturbances. He knew that, and accepted it. It was highly possible she had left him, simply bored with him, simply tired of his selfish behavior. A flicker of white stood out in the blistering heat of the desert. Could it be? He ran for the bleach white stain on the earth head on, tail wagging as the scent of another wolf assaulted his nostrils. It was her, it had to be, the scent of her heat still faint in the acrid air around him. "Ghost!" he cried desperately, propelling himself closer and closer to the body, begging his gods that she'd be alright. The blazing soil burned his paws and made them blister. He didn't care, the harsh winds blinded his green orbs but he continued to push on relentlessly until he reached the lifeless body. "Ghost." he cried feebly. Speech,

The ivory dame lifted her head, silver hued oculars blinking rapidly at the sound of her name. She stretched, feeling the pops in her joints. A thousand voices murmuring in her head, made her eyes mist over and a temporary blurriness drift down over her eyes. Reds, whites, and blacks swept across her vision and she shook her head to chase the angry voices away to know avail. She slowly rose to stand, fur just as flawless as always. She swayed uneasily, the voices did not usually hit her this hard and so many of them were overwhelming. "What's wrong? I have to get home, Seracia, Segar..." Her speech was slurred, her tongue thick, she did not posess the fluidity she usually had.

You will die out here in the blistery heat! No more fishies with tenderized meats! One bellowed, its voice echoing as another overode it. Foolish idiot! You never should have meft in the first place! The screech shattered her cranium, and a half hearted grown ripped herself free from her larynx. Segar, Octavian how much destruction will you be responsible for? They never ended, shattering her, breaking her and she allowed her legs to collapse beneath her a second time, ears careening back against her skull, a soft whine emitting from her maw. "Stop... please stop."

He kissed her head gently, resting his head against her neck. " My love. Relax. Remember the waves of the ocean." "Remember how they soothe you and calm your mind." He said quietly. His first priority would always be Ghost's health, by now he could tell what she needed and when just from her expression. "Just relax my love, I will get you home." he swore. Slowly he laid in the sand with her, holding her against his chest like he had done so many times before. "Talk to me my love, tell me of your troubles." He muttered, his tongue weaving through her soft fur as he attempted to quell her wild thoughts. Speech,

Ghost's vision faltered, trembling as she fought for them to simply shut up. Something warm and gentle was coiled around her bodice and she clung to that sensation. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, fighting with her own mind for control of her body, but she forced them away, slowly, surely.

She blinked slowly quieting them enough to handle. She lifted her maw, disoriented and slightly frightened, light eyes locking onto the form curled around her bodice. She coughed once, her tongue feeling thick and dehydrated as she willed her vocals to speak. "Segar? What are you doing here?" She brushed the tip of her snout beneath his eye, tenderly bathing his cheek in a gentle kiss. She had been going home hadn't she? What was he doing so far away from Seracia?

He grinned up at her, tail drumming against her side as she regained rational thought. "I came to find you my love." He chirped, bathing her in kisses and affection. "I thought I'd lost you." He whined, pressing his head against her cheek. She was weak, she might not have been able to make the trip back. Was he prepared to let her die in his arms? He knew he couldn't stand the thought of losing her. Of being without her, of never waking up to seeing her. His heart clenched as the desperation of the situation descended upon him. "Can you make it to Seracia?" he asked frantically, his heart racing as thoughts of her dead body raced through his mind mercilessly. Speech,

His tail drummed her side at a fast rhythm and she smiled, silver hued eyes glittering with happiness as he spoke his words of love to her.He kissed her repeatedly, nuzzled her flesh until she could no longer do anything but attempt to return the affection with gentle touches of her tongue in return. She brushed her face against his cheek, affection coloring her actions. She had not meant to trail so far from home, hell she hadn't meant to leave at all... but alas she could do nothing about it now. The voices did as they would, she was not their master, she was only in control part of the time.

"I am glad you are here Segar, I have missed you more than you know." She murmured into the shell of his ear, trailing back to lay a kiss upon the tip of his snout a soft chuckle drifting up through her maw, tail twining around his own. "Why would I wish to run back to Seracia when you are right here?"

His heart skipped a beat momentarily, his eyes wide with surprise. Who was this vision and what had she done with his Ghost? He stumbled over his words clumsily, ears folded back nervously. She was delusional, she had to be. "W-we should go back, you're dehydrated. You need to rest." He said, shivers running up his spine. The scent of her heat wafted toward him, stronger now than ever, stirring his inner demons, Begging him to reach out and caress her sinfully. No. Her safety was his first priority, he needed to protect her, he needed to keep her safe. That's what mattered. Sins of the flesh could wait...Couldn't they? He shivered again, he couldn't help but trail his tongue over her crown daintily. He needed to touch her, feel her against him, feel her touch against his skin. Damn it! What the hell was he supposed to do!? Speech,

She was weakened, but nothing she could not handle. She was always underfed, such was commonplace, a little dehydration would surely not do her in... besides her heart lay beside her, basking in the spring heat, he had returned to her both her mind and her heart and the tension released in her muscles, her silky coat of ivory gliding along his own as she leaned into him, audits pinned back against her cranium as she nuzzled the underside of his chin. "As long as you are with me, I care little where we go." She murmured softly. If he asked her to leave Alacritis, she would.

"I can easily make it back to Seracia if that is what you desire." Voice murmuring against his flesh like a fine wine she purred to him, tempting him. Just a touch below seduction she begged him to take her.

A lump caught in his throat, he couldn't hide from it any more, he could only deny himself for do long, he had reached the end of his rope. "I-it can wait. " He muttered. rising to his feet. He was going to take her here and now, and there was no one around to intrude or stop him. He had failed to reach Gerhardt about making her his mate, and would certainly be reprimanded for it later, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it. No. Now was the moment when they would seal their fate together, when they would finalize their relationship and finally, finally become Mates. Fade to black Speech,

She watched him, haunted gray eyes narrowing on his every move as he shifted beside her. he stuttered when he spoke, the thick, exotic accent dripping from his lips and making her body quiver in anticipation. He would claim her now and she prayed he would replace horrible memories with delectable new ones. Ones she could remember and smile instead of loosing half of her mind too. She rose from the sands as he did, head craned to peer at him over her shoulder. As he slowly moved behind her, rising up on his hind legs to position himself upon her spine. She growled lightly, a warning and found... bliss.

-Fade to black-

He pulled away from her, tail wagging feverishly, he could hardly believe what they had just done, the memory still fresh in his mind as he thought back to the beautiful moment they had just shared. The sun was slowly setting, dying the desert in all manner of oranges and dark blues. And centered around it all was her, Ghost, his love and his life, glowing in the dim light. Stunning as ever. She never could be anything but. He whined and nuzzled her cheek lightly, he wanted to say something, anything, to know how she felt. "I love you." He said almost shyly. It would have to do. He looked into the distance, toward Seracia. They needed to go home now. Their momentary bliss would have to end, for the sake of each other's safety. "Come. Let us go home." He said -Exit Segar- Speech,

When it was over, Segar slid from her back and despite what they had just done, Ghost already missed the warmth of him against her so intimately. She almost whimpered at the loss, but instead buried her maw in the gentle curve of his beck, breathing his scent while his essence formed new life, unbeknownst to either wolf, within her belly. Her tongue laved his neck in kisses, gentle and soft. "I love you too." She muttered into the shell of his ear, unable to accurately explain just how much she adored the male beside her... perhaps he would mate with her again once they reached Seracia... she already missed the feel of him within her. She nodded her head, following him as he led the way home.

-exit Ghost-