"..Neko!!!" Kari cryed. She dropped to the floor still wounded and whimpered softly.

That whimper quickly turned into a growl

"Neko..." she whispered "Sota!!! How could you?!"

Sota stood up with blood all over his face and chest.

"How could i what?" Sota said and looked back down at neko lying lifelessly on the floor.

"How could you kill him!" Kari yelled annoyed

"What do you mean?! He almost killed you! If i had come any later-"

"Nevertheless He was my brother!" Kari said cutting him off

"You would be dead!" Sota yelled back continuing.

"Besides he reeked of the smell of a varg. Dosen't matter...Whats done is done. Were ending this conversation" Sota started to drag the body outside for the ravens to dispose when Kari jumped infront of him.

She had a serious expression on her face and stared at sota.

Sota sighed and calmly started walking towards the body again. Kari growled in protest as he came closer. Sota stopped and looked into her eyes. Kari stopped growling and continued to stare at him.

"What are you doing? I have to dispose of the body." Sota said annoyed

"I'm his sister, ill do it." Kari said turning to the body and Sota growled softly. He walked up to her and nudged her muzzle away from the body.

Kari snapped at him and Sota quickly jumped on her pinning her down to the ground softly Snarling back at her.

"Sot-"

"Look" Sota said cutting her off and speaking with a stern tone " your way to weak to do this and you know it. Stop resisting me and let me do this. I don't want to hurt you Kari but snap at me again and i might have to go against my will."

"What gives you the right to! I'm just as good as you are so back off!!!"

Sota snapped his jaws, barking loudly at her to show he wasn't playing.

Kari stared at him and sota stared back at her baring his teeth and snarling softly.

Kari was tempted to snap back but knowing that Sota would just get even more upset so she let it go. Kari turned her head and looked down. She put her tail between her legs so show she was sorry. Sota got off of her and He went over to the body and dragged it outside the den.

Sota came back in to see Kari limping to the pups which were squealing. She sat by them and licked each of them clean. Sota sighed and sat next to Kari. He started licking her face where the blood had dried. There were a few scratches on her face and a few on her back as-well. Kari was tempted to nudge him away.

She didn't want to be bothered with him. Kari turned her head away from sota. Sota got up and sat in front of her. He knelt down on his forepaws to try to get her to perk up but she refused. He stood back up and layed down next to her resting his head on her back and set his tail next to hers. He licked some of the wounds on her back.

She was annoyed with him But she didn't have enough energy to fight about it so she let him continue. Sota knew she was angry with him but he didn't care. He was glad she wasn't hurt to bad, and that the pups were fine.


Nights had passed since this incident and the pups had grown a bit. Still learning how to hunt and learning new things everyday, and now they could see and hear everything.


It was the middle of the night and Kari was curled around the pups while sota was sitting beside her. He layed down and rested his head on Kari's back, closing his eyes and rested. He didn't want to fall asleep though and leave her and the pups open for an attack, So he figured that he would stay up for the night.

The following morning came and Kari woke up to hear small yipping. She looked down but didn't see the pups under her. She looked back up, squinting as the bright morning light filled the cave. She got up and stretched.

Kari then trotted outside to see Sota sitting down playing with the pups. It was a bright fall morning and the wind was blowing leaves everywhere. Luna was sitting in the grass pawing at the ants that were along the ground and Koda was trying to walk stumbling and falling with every few steps.

Kari walked over to them and and sat down besides Sota.

Sota looked up at Kari and smiled

"Oh hey there...You slept for quite a while so i thought i would take the pups out for some air." Sota looked back down at neko who seemed fustrated that he couldn't get the hang of pouncing yet. He chuckled.

"I see...I'm going to go to the lake to wash off..Coming?" Kari said still a bit tired

"Sure, It'll give us a chance to show them the lake." Sota said and got up. He stretched and lowered his head to pick up neko by the scruff on his neck. Neko fell limp and looked around confused.

Kari turned around and walked over to Luna who was now laying down picking at the grass. She seemed fascinated how it moved in the wind. Kari picked her up by her neck as-well and Luna squealed not wanting to be lifted.

She then settled back down knowing she could fight her mothers grip. Sota and Kari started trotting down to the lake with the pups in their jaws.

Luna looked up at the trees as the fall wind rustled through her fur. The sun was peeking out every few moments from between the canopy of the trees. She spotted a bird on a branch looking down at her. It was a small black bird with tattered feathers and black eyes that seemed to taunt her. She stared at it for a while.

Her mother stopped walking. She noticed Koda in the leaves fumbling around and Sota was sniffing the ground. Kari set her down and went over to Sota. While Luna's parents were talking she looked back up to find the bird. Suddenly it flew to the next branch and the next. It looked back at her and went on flying to each branch.

Luna seemed curious about it so she trotted after it wagging her tail stopping every few steps to look back up at it. Koda looked up from the ground and saw his sister about 20 paces away. He tilted his head confused but followed her.

10 minutes after walking Luna had lost sight of the bird. Panting she turned to head back when she realized she couldn't see the path back to her parents. Scared she started running back the way she came...or what she though was the way, when she tripped on a branch sticking out of the ground.

Luna yelped and started whining as She skidded down the slope going through pile's of leaves scattered along the ground and knocked into a tree. Hitting her head hard against the trunk of the tree she was Knocked out as she layed under a small pile of leaves.


Koda was not too far away as he smelled the ground for his sisters scent. Worried that she could have gotten into trouble again as she has done countless times he whined and shook his head.

He walked along a slope kicking leaves behind him. Bending down to smell the ground again He caught Luna's scent and trotted quickly down the slope. He touched the earth with his nose once more searching her her. At a tree in front of him the leaves rustled. He timidly walked over to the tree and sniffed the leaves.

Koda pushed some away with his muzzle and looked down to see his sister knocked out cold. Panic swept over him. He turned his head around.

'How can I get her back to mom and dad when I don't even know the way' He thought.

He turned back to his sister. 'And even if I did how will I carry her back??'

Koda paced around. He went over to Luna again and licked her face hoping she would get up. He wimpered and kept licking her. Luna stirred and opened her eyes.

"Thank goodness..." He whispered to himself.

"Whoa-..What happened?" She said silently. She looked up and was surprised but happy to see her brother.

Excited she got up and winced. Her head was throbbing and she had a scrape on her arm.

Happy to see she wasn't hurt too bad Koda pressed his side against her to help her balance as she started walking.

"Why did you follow me? You know mom and dad must be worried sick. Did you tell them at least? How long was I out for? Luna asked.

Koda wasn't really paying attention. He pricked up his ears and looked around. He heard someone running towards him from behind. He sharply turned growling but stopped quickly as he found out it was his father.

He put his tail under him, flicked back his ears and knelt down low to the ground knowing well that he was in serious trouble for leaving his fathers sight. Luna also turned around to see her mother standing over her looking down at her.

"uh oh..." Luna whispered.