*_~_*Burning Rain*_~_*

[Thistlestar]

The sky rumbled fiercely as it let go of all the anger it had held back for so long. Millions of tiny droplets of water fell to the ground within a few seconds. The once blue sky turned gray in minutes. The dark forest welcomed the rain eagerly, for it had not rained in moons.

Eyes burning, a single black form raced across the forest floor. She made her way for the edge of her territory and the plains. The twilight distorted her vision, causing her to become as disoriented as a moth introduced to the light of fire. The black fae felt her pace slow as she tired and her stomach growled, but she couldn’t stop. He was trailing her, she was sure of it. He wouldn’t stop until all of her family, all of her pack, was dead. She was the last she knew of.

She struggled to keep up her pace. She saw the dim shape of a log come into view as she ran. The black femme leaped over it, or at least tried to. Her front leg caught the top of the log. She stopped in mid-air. It seemed for a moment she was floating, then reality hit her, and the cool, hard ground came swiftly to meet her.

Slowly the black wolven pulled herself up, shaking the dirt from her muzzle. Her aching limbs refused to cooperate. She sat there for a few seconds, her brow on the ground as her eyes watered from exhaustion, fear, pain, and sorrow.

Klaue...Chaotic...BlackRains...

She couldn’t go on...but she must. The shadow-painted wolven forced herself to go on. She slowed her pace to a trot as she neared the edge of the forest. She was there! The wolf sighed with joy. She walked slowly out into the barren hills as the rain fell onto the black wolf’s coat. She closed her green eyes. Silently she thanked Tor. She collapsed, unable to go any further. She curled her tail around to cover her nose, and listened to the rain and thunder. The rain lifted her spirits slightly. Slowly, Hören Regen drifted into a light slumber.


((Heh heh, I needed to bring back Regen. She was getting sad......and lonley...))

[Daystar]

Rain poured from the heavens with almost cruel intent, washing away her memory but not her sorrow. The trees looked stark and all too faraway, but when hope seemed lost, the scent returned. The scent kept her alive. The scent made her move when all else begged her to lie down and fade like a rose in the frost. So she kept it up.

Moving slowly, barely moving at all, the she-wolf dragged herself forward. Her black-and-white pelt was clumped with mud, and her many scars shone silvery in the shimmering precipitation. The bangles and beads she once wore with pride now hung limp before her icy, bitter blue eyes and weighed down on her straggling mane of once-ivory fur, reminding her of a dying age. A stumbling noise caught the warrior’s attention, and with a low growl of concern she turned, spotting her accidental charge a few paces back.

Borrel lay on his face in the muck, shivering with cold and grief. His azure orbs were hazy with memories of the fallen and thoughts of those whose fates were unknown to him. The whelp had changed, these past few weeks with Black Rains. He was no longer as bouncy as before, and he had not smiled for days. Only her nudges and the rough comfort of her tongue on his cheek gave him the courage to keep breathing. He whined softly as she lifted him bodily from the grip of the mud and half-dragged him toward the forest that was their salvation.

How far? He begged, his ears drooping.

Black Rains took another step, breathing in the scent of her old friend with hope hidden in her deepest heart. Could it be that Regen yet walked? Or were her desperate musings condemning them both to a lonely death among the evergreens? The huntress was past caring. All she wanted was to stop. And to find the scent’s origin…

Not far, she promised. And Borrel promptly slept, despite the driving rain and sucking mud. Relief flooded her features, but more than once the frightened foster-mother stopped her trek toward the trees to check her charge’s breathing. There was always the chance that he too would leave her, like everyone else in this wide, pitiless world….

Then she reached the copse, and all thoughts fled her mind. Black Rains collapsed, curling the whelp’s form alongside her and shielding him as best she could before unconsciousness claimed her. But suddenly, just before the overwhelming darkness took her, the scent wafted again into her nostrils clear than ever. Clear as if the sister of Chaos was standing right next to her…

[Thistlestar]

Unaware that there were other wolven forms near, the black warrior continued to sleep. Her mind slowly drifted into a state of dream.

The she-wolf looked around, feeling light-headed and in a daze. She stood up, and realized that it was summer. The flowers in the everlasting field were brilliantly colored. She inhaled deeply, soaking up the warm sunlight and scent of the beautiful flowers. The she-wolf wandered aimlessly for what seemed like forever, then, a familiar scent filled her nostrils. She saw the shape of an old friend on the peak of a hill before her. She called out to her, but the warrior fae didn’t hear her. The other turned and ran, disappearing out of sight behind the hill. Regen ran after her. Why does she run from me? She didn't know. Regen ran on, trying to catch up with Black Rains, but she always stayed just beyond her reach.

The she-wolf’s pads twitched as she dreamt. Occasionally, a soft whimper or a light snarl of frustration sounded as she furrowed her brow. She was so deep in the dream, that she did not notice her friend which she pursued lay right next to her.

[Daystar]

It was Borealis who brought them together. Lifting one muddy ear, he opened his pale blue eyes and slid quietly and with much effort out from under the heavy, protective frame of Black Rains. He spotted the gray form lying so close to them both and that sight goaded him on, as did the enticingly familiar scent wafting from its haggard pelt. Could it be…? Yes, the whelp decided. Black Rains had promised him. So, first gently and then with more effort, he prodded the shoulder of the lady he knew to be Chaos’s sister. Regi? he begged, wagging his tail with the faintest of hopes. Wakee up, Regi. S’Borrel.

[Thistlestar]

Hören Regen slowly opened her silver eyes, her head whirling as she looked up at the whelp. Her eyes flicked over to the black and white she-wolf. It took her a few moments to realize who was standing in front of her. Then it dawned on her.

"Borrel?!"

She jumped up, her tail wagging as she covered the mud-caked whelp with kisses. She paused, nosing the pup under his maw to look him in the eye.

"Borrel, do you...have you seen...who made it out?"

She looked into his eyes, her expression becoming grave. She needed to know if Chaos and Klaue were ok or if...she didn't want to think about it...she had feared the worst for the pase few suns. She didn't know what she would do without Chaos, Klaue, BlackRains, and of corse Borrel by her side.

[Daystar]

Borrel sighed with relief as his old friend’s eyes opened. He went willingly down under her barrage of licks, managing the first chuckle in days. That familiar, sweet sound roused Black Rains, who lifted her great ruffed head and turned upon the gray female with amazement in her gaze. Regen… she whispered, her voice hoarse and husky with disbelief. I ne’er expected…t’ see y’ ‘gain, friend… She tried to get to her massive paws, but the warrior’s strength failed her and she lay down again, breathing carefully to get her stamina back. As she lay comforted in the presence of her leader’s sister, Black Rains allowed Borrel to answer her questions.

Borealis looked into the eyes of the wolf he once thought fancied him. He didn’t know how she felt anymore – his imagination was too exhausted to pour meaning into her kisses. So, honestly and with as much maturity as he could muster, the little pup answered, nodding his head a little as he spoke. Regi, I dunno…Black Rains went lookin’ f’ Kyoto, and didn’ eva’ find ‘im. An’ Mista’ Kayoos…I dunno…Klaue…tha’ big wolfie? I dunno… He sniffled, feeling as though he had failed the gray lady. We traveled f’ so long…I’m ‘fraid I dunno noffin’ anymore, Regi…I’m sorry. He buried his nose in her ruff, and Black Rains pulled herself forward to shelter the pup with her paw. Were they truly the only ones left of Chaos’ great pack?

[Thistlestar]

Regen nodded slowly, her silver eyes watering. She lowered her head for a moment, then nosed Borrel.

"So...you don't know what happened to the rest of the pack...?"

She looked at BlackRains and smiled. She had her friends, but her brother? How will I survive without Chaos? With out my brother? She shrugged, dismissing the thoughts, and smiled at Borrel and BlackRains.

"Well, I'm glad we found each other."

[Daystar]

Aye, came the great she-wolf’s rumbling reply, her ice-blue eyes moistened but still heartened by Regen’s sudden appearance in her midst. Together they could search for the others, and become a pack again. A sigh escaped her windpipe, and with a heavy shake of her black-and-white pelt, the she-wolf brought herself heavily to her paws. Have y' the strength t' hunt, m' friend? She asked, noting the exhausted pup’s expression of hunger. They had not eaten in several days – what little Black Rains caught, she’d given up to the whelp in the hopes of saving him from the fate she’d given herself up for. Now, however, with hope anew in her chest, the warrior shook the beads that hung over her eyes and lifted a paw. If'n no', I could scrounge f' the three o' us. Surely, y' wouldn’t mind a bite t' hold off the night’s coming chills? Here she was, playing a being the good Beta again, providing for her pack.

[Thistlestar]

Regen shook her head.

"Nay, I can 'elp you."

She lifted herself up onto her paws. She scanned the plain for a glimpse or a scent of prey, but she caught nothing. She was about to lope deeper into the plains when she remembered something.

"Borrel...you can't keep up with us, can you?"

She glanced at him then to Black Rains. They would need to run at a faster pace in order to find something. She glanced back towards the forest. For a moment she was back in the meeting place with Chaos at her side and Klaue, along with the others, listening and waiting. She sighed. That seemed like it was just yesterday. They had survived the harsh winter, but not the battle.

She was snapped back into reality by the grumbling in her stomach. She looked at Black Rains.

"It might be better if we leave him here and you and I travel back to the old pack grounds. We would be faster and quieter if he wasn't with us. Besides, Borrel, you need to rest."

[Daystar]

Black Rains nodded her agreement. Inside, behind the fierce mask of warrior brutality she often wore, there sprouted worry in her heart for the whelp, who looked up to them both with what might have been understanding in his pale orbs. It was hard to tell through the haze of fatigue that cloaked Borrel’s gaze. The hybrid, however, knew this had to be done, so she lifted the pup by his muddy scruff, remembering the scent of the pack-lands and of his laughter as she did so. They’d made it through together, and Black Rains tried to tell him that as she gently lowered the youth onto a mossy boulder hidden by loam-flecked tree trunks. He would be safe here, she prayed.

Borrel did not curl up at once. Before all of this he might have, to sleep carelessly wherever his head found solid earth to rest upon. Now, however, he could not help wondering, in the very back of his mind, if the two femmes might leave him. It was an understandable thought – he was a burden to them, though he knew they still loved him. Loved him, so they would come back… Heartened, the gray-and-white whelp finally managed to shut his eyes and fall into a fitful slumber. Black Rains watched, turning back to Regen when she felt they could leave.

Let’s go, her growling voice escaped an opened maw. Determination hung in her tones – they would not be gone long. Borrel could not afford that.

[Thistlestar]

Before turning her attention back to Black Rains and the journey back into her old pack lands, Regen walked over to Borrel and nuzzled him. She closed her eyes and took in his scent before swiftly turning around and nodding before loping away.

At the end of the forest, Regen paused, cautiously scenting the air. His scum could be just around the tree trunk...waiting...for us. She glanced at Black Rains before stepping quietly into the forest.

She truned to Black Rains and scanned her face before quietly speaking to her.

"Where shall we head off to first?"

[Daystar]

Standing warily behind her leader's sister, one massive paw lifted as if in readiness to leap forward and defend her friend from whatever the dark trees might hide. Nostrils dilated, inhaling the wind that swirled through her rain-soaked fur, her hackles lowered as Regen stepped forward, relaxing as her companion did. As the gray female turned to Black Rains, she looked thoughtful for a moment, then scanned the treeline with eyes of icy blue.

The rain will 'ave washed most track an' scent from the ground, so we'll 'ave t' do this by sight...Deer will be grazing 'neath the trees, more'n likely, close t' bracken - they like tha' sort o' thing, dunno 'ow - an' once we spot 'em, we can go from there.

Satisfied with her plan of attack, the black-and-white hybrid moved forward, her muzzle level with Regen's shoulder, thrusting forward through the bush as her gaze sought the familar outline of feeding herbivores.