"Mama, come play with me!" Akira barked joyfully. Shena rose to her feet and walked over to Akira with a smile. She grabbed the other end of the deer leg and Akira tugged on the other. Shena went to tug back and her left leg gave way, sending her to the ground with a yelp.

All the wolves looked at her as she struggled to her feet again.

"I don't think you should do that." the red wolf ran to aid her up.

"Are you alright?" asked the brown wolf.

"You guys are talking to me like I'm part of your pack or something. Why?"

The two wolves stood confused.

"Well, no one should be alone." the red wolf said.

"Thank you… What's your name?"

"I'm Toboe, that's Hige." he stated pointing to the brown wolf with his muzzle.

"I'm Kiba." the white wolf introduced himself.

"Why are you traveling alone?" Toboe questioned.

"My pack was annihilated." she growled as she said this.

"Mama was hurt very badly, she saved me then tried to save everyone else."

"I'm guessing you failed at that." Tsume scoffed, "Typical of a she-wolf."

"Is it typical for a she-wolf to pin you to the ground in a matter of seconds?" she commented cockily.

He glared at her with a death look. She gave one right back to him.

"That's what I thought." she scoffed, "If you need somewhere to stay there's a cave not to far from here. You'll have to put up with me though."

"Thank you for your kindness." Kiba bowed.

"You were kind to me, what goes around comes around. It's just plain karma." she explained, "Well, follow me." she started off.

"Are you okay to be walking on that leg?" Toboe asked.

"I'm fine, I've endured worse from him." she continued walking.

Toboe stopped a minute at the emphasis she had used for him, then walked on following Shena.

"Here we are, home sweet home till we move out again." she pranced into the cave feeling proud of herself.

"Couldn't find anything bigger, how pathetic." Tsume laughed.

"You love to make comments, don't you? Maybe you're just jealous because I can find something more decent than you can."

"Why you little…"

"Mama, it's starting to rain." Akira whimpered.

"Stay in the cave and you'll be fine." Shena nuzzled her daughter.

"I'm starving." Hige complained.

"You just ate!!" Tsume yelled.

"I know I'm still hungry."

"I'll go get something." Shena volunteered, "Akira, stay here, okay?"

"Okay Mama. See you soon." Akira suddenly pounced on Tsume.

"What the… Get off me!"

"Do you not like Mama?"

"I don't like any she-wolves, or anybody in that fact!"

"Sexist jerk." she rolled off him and trotted to Toboe.

"What did you just call me you little twerp?" Tsume growled.

"I thought you heard me. I said you're a sex…"

"Akira, leave him be!" Shena warned.

Akira turned to her mother to discover a rabbit at her feet.

"Mama, you rule." Akira pranced to her mother and nuzzled her muzzle.

"Thank you." she nuzzled her daughter back.

"You like rabbit Hige?"

"He'll eat anything." Toboe laughed.

"Shut it Runt!"

Tsume snarled at Hige for the nasty comment (bad Hige). Tsume knew he called Toboe runt, but that was because he could.

Shena was surprised then smiled, "I get it. You act all tough, even though you're pretty tough, but you also protect your pack." she giggled, "That's so sweet."

"No one asked you she-wolf." he growled.

"First off, my name is Shena. Second, you should be grateful else you would be hungry and still walking, maybe coming past a tree or two to lie under." She had the devilish look in her eyes again.

He stared at Shena in disbelief along with the rest of the pack. No one EVER talks to Tsume like that and gets away with it.

"What did you just say to me she-wolf?"

"Do you want a repeat of when you picked on my daughter?"

"You just got lucky, stupid she-wolf."

Shena whipped him onto the cave floor exposing his neck and putting her teeth around it again. Tsume was shocked at how fast she pinned him.

"Mama, don't kill him. He's just trying to protect everyone, remember?"

She reluctantly removed her body from on top of Tsume's and walked to the front of the cave. She lied herself down and rested her head while Akira ran to play in the rain. Kiba, Hige, and Toboe followed her out of the cave.

"Damn she-wolf." Tsume said walking past Shena. She paid him no mind and kept staring at her daughter playing with Toboe and Hige and Kiba. The rain poured down slightly, then a little harder.

"Hey Shena, come play in the rain with us!" Toboe called.

"Coming!" she rose onto her feet and trotted out into the rain, beginning playing with everyone (even Tsume?!). Akira jumped on Hige and Kiba while Toboe and Shena jumped on Tsume (who was enjoying this).

A loud boom of thunder roared from the sky. Shena's hackles rose as she disappeared to the back of the cave. Everyone stared as another boom sent her into a panic attack.

"Mama, it's okay." Akira nuzzled her mother's shaking body.

"Is she okay?" Toboe asked with a concerned voice.

"Mama, calm down." she nuzzled her again, trying to break through to her mother.

"Move." Tsume pushed his way through, "Get up!" he demanded Shena.

She continued to shake.

"Shena, get up!" he shouted again.

She stood up, legs wobbling. Thunder echoed in the cave and she collapsed shaking again.

"Tsume, don't yell at her anymore." Toboe begged.

He curled up by her side to try and comfort her.

"Turn into your human form." Shena's voice shook.

Toboe listened and changed. She changed as well and clung to him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his chest.

"Are you crying?" Tsume asked.

"So what if… what if I am?!" she shouted in Toboe's shirt.

"Just ignore Tsu…" thunder interrupted him. Shena's grip tightened and her nails pierced Toboe's skin. Blood filled her hands as she let go of him. Her eyes widened as she saw her hands.

"I'm…I'm…I'm…" she took off into the rain.

"Mama, wait, come back!" Akira yelled after her. She went to run after Shena, but she was pulled back.

"Stay here, I'll go get her." Kiba ran after Shena.

"Toboe, are you okay?" asked Akira.

"My back stings a little."

"Mama didn't mean it." Akira looked at the cave floor.

"Why the hell did she run off?" Tsume questioned.

"She had blood on her hands, right?" Hige questioned.

"I don't know. Mama never liked blood on her, that's all I know."

Shena ran through the forest tripping over rocks and twigs. Dirt and mud began covering her body. Thunder sounded again and she fell to the ground. She looked at her hands. The blood wouldn't come off, even when covered in dirt.