Disclaimer: I don't own the premise (Berserkeroo), the title (Love Robin), or the characters (Disney). Meh.
-Chapter 10: Culture Shock-
The familiar scent reached her first, tickling her nose until she inhaled deeply. She looked to the mouth of the den, her ears catching the soft, measured breathing of her mate as he entered, illuminated by the light of the waning moon. Jugo watched as the Alpha stalked to his customary resting place on the other side of the den, a grim scowl set on his features. "I take it things didn't go well?"
"Things went fine, I suppose," Presgo grumbled, settling down on the moss covered rocks. "Have the pups figured themselves out yet?"
"Hego's howls still aren't making sense," Jugo sighed, shaking her head. "It's like he can't make up his mind on what to say or think. It's just… noise."
"And Shego?" the Alpha leveled a serious frown on his mate. "Has she at least managed to make 'noise'?"
"She's making progress," Jugo said carefully, remembering the shewolf's words from earlier.
"I suppose I should be grateful then… if she screws this up-"
"You'll do what, exactly?" the gold shewolf narrowed her eyes, challenging the wolf across the den to complete his sentence.
"Senior seems keen on proceeding as planned," Presgo sounded nonplussed but chose his words carefully nonetheless, leaving the threat incomplete. "I'd rather not be the one to blame if something goes wrong."
The shewolf rolled her eyes but settled down. "What of the pack? Will we be able to trust them?"
"We won't need to worry about that, so long as we maintain our strength. The whole lot of them are cowards."
"The Senior pack has never been known for bravery," Jugo favored her mate with a smirk. "You knew that when you made the arrangements."
"Which is why I'm confident we'll maintain control," Presgo nodded for his own sake. "The omegas don't fear us Gos but the Alphas do. Maybe we'll make real wolves out of them, in time."
Jugo's smirk faltered. "We're all wolves, Presgo. Different, yes, but wolves nonetheless."
"You've been listening to that old lunatic again, haven't you?" the silver wolf scoffed, glaring at his gold counterpart. "All that Fenrir and Fhang nonsense, we are all one pack and the like. Regardless of Drago's ramblings, I'd bet my fangs that Senior is hiding a snake's scales under his fur." His gaze shifted to the mouth of the den. "I told him I was returning home the night I arrived."
Jugo cocked a brow. That was two nights ago, when Shego first told her mother of her deal with the Possible omega. "You took your time coming home."
"I decided to double back. Something didn't smell right when I was there. I went to the river, swam downstream far enough for the wolf he had following me to turn back, then doubled back to see what the Seniors did when they didn't have company to entertain," Presgo crossed his paws and laid his head on them, snorting forcefully as his lips curled to reveal his fangs. "Seems they are always entertaining guests."
"I'm guessing these 'guests' aren't of the voluntary type," the golden Alpha tilted her head, directing her ears forward. "Who have the Seniors taken prisoner?"
"James and Annabelle," Presgo growled out. "And some pup, probably the last survivor of the Yamanouchi if his coat is anything to judge by."
"What?" Jugo roared, jumping to her feet, fangs bared as she glared at her mate.
"James is injured from what I could see, Annabelle might be too… either way, neither is in any position for a fight," Presgo shifted on the rocks, ready to get some well-deserved sleep.
"A pack of cowards holds two Alphas- pack leaders- hostage and you did nothing?" Jugo snarled, her fur rising as the silver wolf looked at her and shrugged.
"Cowards they may be but even I couldn't take on the whole pack at once. We need Senior's cooperation; once the packs are merged, I'll have the prisoners released," he settled down once more, ignoring the heat of his mate's glare. "Besides, Jugo, they are pack leaders no more. The Possible pack will die with the first snow, if any have made it this far."
The gold shewolf wanted to bite her mate but refrained, stalking out of the den while she could still control her anger. It refused to be quelled though. Unable to stop herself, the shewolf lifted her muzzle to the sky and howled, the sound cutting through the forest and taking her frustration and disgust with it.
On the ridge the pups were the first to move, eager to test their skills against the big bad Alpha. Unlike when the shewolf had jumped around the rock, Jim, Tim and Joss were unafraid of Shego as they lunged at her leg, hoping to knock her off balance. From what they'd seen so far, Shego wasn't nearly as scary as the other wolves made her out to be, and definitely not as scary as Kim when she was angry.
The crimson shewolf herself was torn. She didn't want to lose the fight- more out of pride than anything else- but winning didn't seem like the best option. It wasn't that she thought Shego would cause any trouble intentionally; Kim just had the feeling that trouble would brew the moment her pack was formally introduced to the Alpha. Considering the shewolf was far friendlier now than she had been in the past, Kim really didn't see any benefit to possibly upsetting their somewhat hesitant friendship.
Shego side stepped the pups' attack, only to be greeted by Kim's open jaws. Again, the pale shewolf moved aside, dancing away from the omega as her fangs sharply closed on empty air.
Unlike Kim, there was no doubt in the Alpha's mind that she had to win and it had nothing to do with whether or not she wanted to meet the rest of the Possible pack. For her to lose to the younger shewolf and half a litter of pups- mostly omegas- would be downright embarrassing. She would be the only one of her pack to know- of that, she'd be certain- but the shame would still be there.
Somehow, as Shego moved to flank the crimson shewolf, Jim and Tim were able to dart under her paws, brown blurs as they raced along the moonlit ground. She didn't step on them, miraculously, but their presence made the Alpha recalculate her movements, which allowed for Joss to jump on her back from the rock she'd somehow found the time to climb. It was irksome at best, seeing as Shego was trying hard not to simply buck the little shewolf into the air but allow for a much gentler landing instead. Some part of her knew Kim would start seriously trying to kill her if the pups were injured during their mock battle. The prospect was not enticing in the least; there was a wide chasm between teasing the omega to irritation and sincerely injuring the other shewolf.
Besides, the pups were just distractions- and very effective ones at that. Kim was the one she had to watch for as the shewolf would knock Shego to the ground if given the chance. Denying the omega that opening was surprisingly more difficult than Shego thought it would be. Unlike their first encounter- and fight- Kim was well rested and fed, her body having recovered from the severe fatigue that had weakened her. She was much quicker than Shego remembered, far more certain of her footing than Shego could be on the unfamiliar rock and dirt, and was using the pups' efforts effectively. Just keeping the crimson shewolf in her line of vision was proving a difficult task for Shego.
Then, right when she'd lost sight of Kim and was preparing to whirl around without stepping on Jim or Tim or throwing Joss from her back, a howl pierced the night. And, unlike most of the previous times she heard howling, Shego could place the tone, understand the emotion, and recognize the wolf. She had enough time to register Jugo was the one howling in anger before Kim barreled into her, sending the Alpha to the ground and Joss skidding to a halt a few feet further.
The Alpha and omega were able to exchange a stunned look before Jim and Tim realized what happened.
"We did it!"
"We won!"
"We did?" Joss's tongue lolled out of her mouth as she got up and shook herself off, trotting over to her cousins. "We did, huh!"
"We did?" Kim offered weakly, a nervous smile gracing her muzzle.
"Yeah, guess so," Shego shook her head, rolling over and getting up, her eyes drifting over the forest. "That was my mother."
"She's pretty upset," Kim offered, unsure if her howling student was able to understand that. Apparently she had, which made Kim a little proud though she tried not to show it; given the shock on Shego's face, it could've been taken the wrong way.
"Presgo must've returned," the Alpha sighed, catching the curiosity flashing in Kim's eyes. "He's my father, the pack leader. If anyone else was bothering her, Jugo would just chew their ears off and send them away with their tails tucked between their legs. He's the only one she can't argue with."
Kim nodded, glancing at the still celebrating pups before dropping her voice to a whisper. "She sounds frustrated, as if something very wrong has happened and there's nothing she can do about it. Uh… not quite helpless but close enough." The omega winced, unsure how her companion would react to the implication of such a high ranking Alpha, of the Go pack no less, being anything close to 'helpless'.
"Then it definitely involves Presgo," Shego scowled and turned her back on the forest. Of course her father would cause trouble the moment he returned. He wasn't even supposed to be back for another three days, if her memory served. As emerald eyes landed on the excited pups, she forced a smile. "Guess I'm coming to the den for a visit."
"Yeah… sorry about that," Kim's ears laid back as she chuckled nervously. "I didn't expect you to get distracted."
"With those little monsters popping in and out of existence like raindrops?" the Alpha laughed, jerking her muzzle towards the advancing pups. "How could I not be distracted?"
"We have to be fast," Jim defended, as if the comment was somehow insulting.
"If we aren't, Yori would be able to catch us too quick," Tim continued.
Joss, with a sly grin, finished for the trio. "And then we'd never get to do anything fun!"
"Like sneak out of the den while everyone was asleep?" Kim deadpanned while raising a brow, instantly returning the excited pups to their previously apologetic demeanors. "We'll talk about your punishments when we get back to the den."
"Aw!" the trio chorused but promptly followed the crimson shewolf as she turned back towards the mountains.
They only made it a few strides when Kim looked back over her shoulder. The pale Alpha wasn't paying attention and the omega considered slipping away and leaving Shego to her thoughts. However, something about the frown painted on her muzzle changed Kim's mind. "Are you coming? You don't have to, if you'd rather not…"
The crimson shewolf pointedly ignored the mumbled protests from the pups.
Shego was looking at the forest again but her ears perked at Kim's voice, favoring her with a smirk. "Oh… No, I think it would be best if I stayed away for a night or two. Presgo is never happy with me and I'd rather not deal with either of them in a bad mood."
Without further delay, the five wolves set out for the Possible den, the three pups bounding ahead with their limitless energy while the shewolves trailed behind. Kim's eyes and ears were constantly in motion, looking for any sign of trouble. "You should relax, you know. Nothing is going to happen while we're right here. No creature would be foolish enough to challenge two full grown wolves."
"Some part of me knows that," Kim mumbled, still dutifully scanning the area. "But most of me would rather not take that chance."
"Ah, you take that whole 'over-protective sister' position very seriously, don't you?" Shego chuckled. "Have these three monsters made you reconsider having pups of your own?"
Kim had to smile at that. "Oddly enough, taking care of them has made me look forward to it. I might be stressed out every minute they're awake but when they sleep…" she sighed, pausing her surveillance to look at Shego with a grin. "It somehow makes every ache, pain, and worry worth it." They walked on in silence a few moments before the question was directed back at the Alpha.
"Me? Pups?" she scoffed, shaking her head. "I've thought about it… but the thing about having pups is you need a wolf for that and… honestly? I don't see myself putting up with any wolf in the territories for long. I'm more of a loner." It was the truth, as she saw it. Regardless of the mating ceremony and uniting the packs, she doubted the wolf she was to join with would survive more than a few seasons before she bit his head off.
"Well, you really haven't tried to kill me in, what, two nights?" the omega teased. "I'd say you're about as sociable as a hermit crab right now; considering our first meeting, the progress is just stunning."
"Oh, ha ha," Shego rolled her eyes before hip checking the crimson shewolf, causing her to stumble slightly as she laughed. Though she tried not to, the Alpha found herself cracking a smile at the joke. "I see you're making progress too; one more meal and you'll be as big as a bear."
"A fat joke, really?" Kim shook her head as she laughed. "You could do better."
"Yeah, but you're just not worth the effort," she feigned nonchalance with a shrug, earning a faked huff of indignation from her companion. It lasted about three seconds before they both started laughing.
The pups looked back at the Alpha and omega and exchanged curious looks before continuing on; being substantially smaller than the shewolves, the pups had to work a little harder to stay ahead despite the relaxed pace.
Once the laughing died down, Shego watched the pups while Kim continued looking for any threats. Finally, the question nagging at the back of Shego's mind made its way to her lips. "Why does she call herself an omega?"
"She doesn't understand what an Alpha is," Kim replied without hesitation. She'd been expecting the question since before the mock fight but decided it would be best to wait for Shego to bring it up. "Joss is the only Alpha and she's too young to remember my parents clearly. The term has no context. Even after she's grown into her paws, I doubt she'll consider herself an Alpha."
"Why not?" Shego stopped, allowing the pups to gain some distance while Kim sighed and followed suit. When she spoke again, the crimson shewolf was staring straight at the Alpha.
"Because we don't care," Kim lowered her head slightly. "Alpha or omega, we're one pack. The labels others give us? They just don't matter. We work together to stay alive; that's the only way we know to survive. Even if Joss decides to call herself an Alpha, she's not going to believe it makes her any different from Jim or Tim, or me for that matter. That's just not how the pack works."
"I don't get it," Shego shook her head, brows knitted from confusion. "Alphas have certain roles to take, certain talents. She'll become the next pack leader-"
"If that's what she wants," the crimson omega sighed again, unsure how else to explain herself. "We're wolves, Shego, all of us. Just because one is an Alpha doesn't mean that that wolf is any better or worse than an omega by default. It's just a label, something genetic and generic; it doesn't have any bearing on who we are as individuals." Rather than nod along as if she understood, Shego remained staring at the omega like she'd sprung a second head. Rolling her eyes, the crimson shewolf tried another tactic. "Look… you're a little bigger than me and a little stronger while I'm quicker. Aside from that and the color of our fur, what makes us different, Shego? What's the real difference between an Alpha and an omega?" Kim glanced at the pups, who either ignored the shewolves' abrupt stop or hadn't noticed yet, before settling her gaze on Shego once more, waiting for an answer.
It never came.
"Joss, Jim, Tim!" Rone called out from the bottom of the ridge's slope. "Thank Fenrir you three are okay!"
"They're about to be not okay!" Niqe growled from beside the golden wolf, her lip curling just enough to show gleaming white fangs. "What did you think you were doing?"
"I believe they have already been asked that," Yori chimed in, lifting her gaze to the two shewolves just coming down the path. "I trust we are not the only ones displeased with their actions."
"Displeased is putting it lightly," Shego grinned while Kim rolled her eyes. Save for the pups, the Possible wolves cocked their heads, unable to hide their slight surprise.
"They know they're in trouble," Kim threw a stern look at the pups to drive the point home before turning to her packmates. She could see them eying Shego with concern and a little worry. Might as well get the hard part over with, she told herself. "But, uh… there's something else."
"I don't like the sound of that," Wade mumbled, his tail tucking between his legs ever so slowly.
"Shego's coming with us. It's just until tomorrow night," Kim added the last part quickly, seeing the glimmer of fear in Wade's eyes. Rone, Yori and Niqe, on the other hand, appeared stunned.
"Hey, what'd I miss?" Felix called out, having fallen behind the others in their mad dash to follow the pups' fading scents. He noticed the tense expressions his packmates wore, as well as Wade's obvious fear and the pups' wide smiles. He only thought the smiles odd though; he was pretty sure they were supposed to be in trouble.
"In a strange turn of events, I'll be joining the pack for a day," the Go Alpha answered, barely beating Kim. Shego raised a brow and swept her gaze over the other Possible wolves. "I trust that won't be a problem."
"Kim?" The entire pack watched the pale shewolf carefully though only Rone spoke. "Are you sure about this?"
With a grin, Kim nodded. "She won't hurt us. I-"
"I promise," Shego suddenly spoke up, the smirk fading from her lips as she spoke. "On my honor as an Alpha, I will do nothing to harm the Possible pack."
Rone, Niqe, Yori, Wade, and Felix blinked at the Alpha's words, exchanging stunned glances before silently agreeing to the sudden addition to their pack. From the very beginning, Kim had spoken of Shego's pride as an Alpha and they doubted the promise was insincere if she was invoking the status. Wade's ears perked a little as Rone and Yori turned to head back to the den, ushering the pups in front of them. With a final glance at the Alpha, the chocolate wolf followed his packmates.
"That was, um… very, uh, kind of you," Kim stumbled over her words, looking between her packmates and the shewolf beside her.
"Neither one of us wants trouble. I needed to say something to get them to at least accept me temporarily," Shego shrugged, dipping her head slightly. "I thought about swearing by Fhang… but I didn't know if that would be disrespectful."
Kim smiled. "I think you said the right thing."
Shego couldn't help but smile as the two shewolves padded after the rest of the pack. With the pups found and the other wolves no longer in a hurry, they were taking a kinder pace to allow for Felix to keep up. Kim was slightly surprised he had managed to run as far as he had; she guessed he would pay for it in the morning, considering his limp was already more pronounced than usual.
"By the way," the pale shewolf drawled, a sly grin gracing her muzzle. "You owe me a rematch."
"Rematch?"
"You don't think I'm going to let this stand, do you? A Go Alpha being defeated by a bunch of omega pups?"
Kim chuckled and rolled her eyes. "You weren't defeated; you were distracted. There's a difference."
"Trying to back out of another fight?" Shego replied, pretending to be smug about the crimson shewolf's implied fear.
"Of course not. When I beat you, it'll be fair and square," Kim hip checked the surprised Alpha, causing Shego to stumble sideways. With a laugh, Kim launched forward, taking off in a dead sprint and rushing past her packmates. She didn't have to look behind her to know Shego was chasing her down and probably gaining, given her slightly longer legs. Still, she'd give the big bad Alpha a race to remember, especially once they got closer to the mountains.
The moment Shego darted past the group of wolves in pursuit of their leader, the Rone and Yori exchanged wide grins.
"Seems they get along better than Kim let on," Rone whispered, allowing Niqe to take point and usher the pups along. The three needed no encouragement, since they were chasing after Kim and Shego's fading figures as fast as their little legs could carry them. "I haven't seen Kim this happy in seasons."
"Appearances can be deceiving," Yori giggled. "But I think they are pretty accurate in this case."
"I dunno guys," Felix shook his head while limping with the others. With Niqe watching the pups, the others allowed themselves to fall behind. "Couldn't this end up bringing more bad luck for us? It goes against the laws of nature…"
"Wait, what?" Wade's ears perked up, one slightly off to the side. "Having an Alpha from another pack stay at the den violates the laws of nature?"
"Uh, no, Wade," Felix gave a nervous chuckle and looked to the black shewolf and gold wolf for help. "It's just that, uh…"
"Felix is overreacting," Rone assured, a lopsided grin on his muzzle. "We'll be fine, Wade; Shego's not going to hurt Kim or us."
"You hope," Felix mumbled under his breath, peering into the night. The moonlight was still bright enough for her to make out the distant forms of the two shewolves as they raced towards the river, roughly midway between the starting of their race and the Possible den.
Rone heard the comment but chose to let it slide. "Besides, the moon is smiling down on us. I doubt Fhang takes any issue."
Yori decided that redirecting the conversation would be a good idea given the curiosity written on Wade's face. "Maybe we can convince Shego to hunt for us. The meat is almost gone."
"It is gone," Felix raised a brow at Rone, who picked up his pace slightly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Rone," Yori sighed, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Did you get hungry again?"
"It's not my fault bear tastes so good!" the golden wolf whined, his ears drooping slightly.
While the Possible wolves made their way back to the den, Kim was beginning to feel herself slow down. Long distance running wasn't one of her strong points and she had put on a few pounds since meeting the pale Alpha. Luckily for her, they were almost to the river, where she would claim the distinct advantage.
"You'll have to do better than that, Kimmie!" Shego yelled, unable to keep the smile from her muzzle as she chased the crimson shewolf. She wasn't running as fast as she could; giving Kim the idea that she was winning would make the pale shewolf's eventual victory that much more entertaining.
Then they hit the river.
Without thinking, Kim's paws found the sweet spots – certain rocks that gave the best traction for crossing the wide river. In a matter of seconds, she was across the river without even breaking stride, having made the crossing countless times before and in the darkest night. The river itself wasn't so deep or swift that falling in would be fatal but, with the wind becoming colder with every passing day, going into the den with wet fur was extremely unpleasant. She'd found that out as a pup.
Shego, on quite the other paw, had no idea that most of the moss covered rocks were ill suited for running on, unless her pads could catch the specific ones that would allow for a smooth transition. By the time she realized her paws were slipping on the treacherous terrain, the pale Alpha was falling head first into the cool waters while the omega watched from the other side.
"What were you saying?" Kim cocked an ear towards the sputtering Alpha as she flailed in the shallow waters, a devious smirk on her muzzle.
"You sneaky-" the Alpha growled, paddling through the water. The river wasn't so deep she couldn't just walk across… a wicked grin flashed across her muzzle before her head dipped below the surface. Making a show of flailing more, Shego allowed her body to be carried a bit downstream before surfacing again. "Possible!"
"Oh, come on," the crimson omega rolled her eyes. The water wasn't that deep… at least, she didn't remember it being that deep, but the Alpha was having trouble keeping her head above water… and seemed to be drifting downstream. "Shego?" Kim edged closer to the water, following the shewolf's slow progress as her worry grew by the second. Maybe it was deeper than she remembered or the river was still swollen from the last rain; maybe the shock of hitting the cold water did something to hinder the Alpha's movements or she injured herself earlier in their impromptu race. When Shego's head again fell beneath the water's surface, and stayed there longer than it should have, Kim jumped into the river. "Shego!"
"Yeah?" she answered, dropping her pretense and standing in the shallow water. Kim's initial judgment was accurate; the water barely covered Shego's back.
"What was that for?" Rearing up on her hind legs, Kim kicked out with her forepaws, splashing water at her companion while giving her fiercest glare. It was a futile gesture but all that occurred to the crimson shewolf. "You had me worried! I thought you were drowning!"
Chuckling, Shego shook the excess water from her head and sent a wave back at her aquatic attacker. "You thought I couldn't swim?"
"I didn't know one way or the other! I'd rather worry and you be alright than not and you get hurt," Kim instantly countered, surprising both shewolves. It was the truth of course; she didn't wish any ill will on the sometimes cantankerous Alpha. Even when she was being her usual, arrogant, snippy self.
"Gee, Kimmie, didn't know you cared," Shego playfully nipped Kim's ear as she hauled herself onto the shore, shaking the water from her coat.
For a moment, Kim just glowered at the other shewolf before following her out of the cool waters with a small grin. Upon exiting the river, the crimson shewolf tackled the Alpha, sending them both to the ground. They rolled in the dirt and grass, both playfully snapping at the other and swatting the other's muzzle away while trying to pin the other to the ground in the process. The race all but forgotten, the two became engrossed in their wrestling match, though neither was taking the competition seriously. Eventually, Shego used her heavier form to immobilize the omega.
Shego was moments away from taunting the crimson shewolf when she- somehow- wound up looking at the omega perched on top of her. "How did you-"
"Possible Pack Secret," Kim grinned, putting her forepaws on the pale shewolf's chest to keep her dominant position. "Maybe I'll teach you one day."
"Obviously, I'm being too good a student," Shego countered, pretending like the weight on her chest wasn't affecting her breathing. It wasn't painful but it did make things difficult. "I should try howling to distract you."
"At this range, it might make my ears bleed," the omega shot back just before being dislodged from her dominant position. Scrambling a bit, Kim managed to stand before Shego set on her again, both laughing as they danced beside the river.
"That looks like fun!" Joss called over her shoulder as she hopped from rock to rock. Her stride wasn't so long yet that she could walk across like the grown wolves. Behind her, Jim and Tim chorused their approval, already planning to attack their cousin the moment they were on the opposite shore.
"It looks messy," Niqe commented despite the smile on her muzzle. "Hey!"
Suddenly aware of their audience, Kim and Shego looked up from their playful battle.
"Make sure you two wash up before leaving," Niqe calmly suggested, suppressing her laugh when both shewolves looked at each other in shock.
The dirt they'd been rolling in had turned to mud in their coats, painting both shewolves a light brown.
"Aw, don't make 'em wash!" Jim whined, turning wide eyes on Niqe.
"Yeah! They look like us now!" Tim continued, wagging his tail excitedly.
"Jim, Tim," their sister softly growled, prompting groans from the three pups.
"We know, we know," the brothers sighed while their cousin spoke.
"The color of our fur doesn't matter, it's what's on the inside that counts."
"Exactly," the two Possible shewolves exchanged proud smiles.
"But it's still cool," Jim whispered, earning small smiles from Joss and Tim.
Niqe began urging the pups on their way- again- with Kim throwing in a promise to hurry after them. As soon as they were safely on their way, Kim jumped back into the river to clean herself off. It was going to be a chilly journey back to the den but, all in all, it was worth it. She hadn't had that much fun in a while. The whole night had been a refreshing change, really.
"Does it really never bother you?" Shego suddenly spoke, startling the omega out of her brief reverie. Favoring the pale shewolf with a curious expression, the Alpha clarified. "That you don't look like them. Gos almost never look like each other, except for our markings, so it's not a problem for me being the only light green wolf. But in a pack of brown wolves, you're the only one with red fur. You're the only omega ever to challenge the natural order of things and survive" She jumped in the water, careful to not make too large a splash. "It doesn't bother you being different?"
"I… well, I can't say I never thought about it," Kim admitted, scratching behind her ear where a particularly troublesome clot of mud clung to her fur. "I guess… I'm different in a lot of ways. My mother and father… they are always supportive. They said they'd love me no matter what." She paused to collect her thoughts, then looked the Alpha in the eyes. "I don't care if I'm different. My pack accepts me, quirks and all. We're all a little different anyway. So what I'm an omega pack leader with red fur? So what I want to teach my whole pack to hunt so we can work as a team? No big. I've got the love and support of family and friends who might as well be family. What else do I need?"
Silence hung heavily between them.
Shego's ears perked. "Food?"
"You know just how to ruin a moment," Kim sighed, climbing out of the water and shaking herself off.
"It's a defense mechanism," the pale shewolf quipped as she followed suit. The wind blew and sent shivers down both their spines. "We should head to the den; it's getting cold."
"You're right," the omega started to pad down the path, the Alpha falling into step beside her. "Oh, and Shego?"
"Yeah?"
"I do… care, I mean," Kim clarified at the strange look she received. "You might be cantankerous-"
"Excuse me?"
"-snarky-"
"Kimmie."
"-arrogant-"
Shego snorted.
"-and stand-offish at times," the crimson shewolf recited while ignoring her companion's protests. "But… you can be really sweet too."
"Now those are fighting words," Shego tried to make her warning growl sound convincing. Something about the grin on the omega's muzzle told her she failed- miserably.
They continued toward the den in silence.
"So… you care, huh?"
"Yup."
Shego nodded, acknowledging Kim's response. She felt like she had to say something… she just didn't know what. Typically she was quick with retorts, but not this time. Finally, as they reached the foot of the mountain, she decided to say whatever would come out. "I care too. Being different sometimes means you're treated… different. It's nice knowing that there's somewhere that different isn't… bad."
Before continuing up the path to the den, Kim flashed the Alpha a bright smile. "If you can get through tomorrow in one piece and want to brave the danger again, the Possible den will always welcome you, Shego."
"Oh, come on," the Alpha chuckled, padding after the crimson shewolf. "You sound like the world might end. What could possibly go wrong?"
"Don't tempt the fates," Kim muttered despite the smile on her muzzle. As they entered the den, they found Niqe and the pups already settled in their usual spot. A quick glance over her shoulder and she could spot the others making their way up the path. They'd spent more time wrestling at the river than they thought. "Let's get some sleep."
"Sounds good," Shego yawned, ignoring the pups' whispering about how wide her jaw stretched. As the crimson omega padded to what had to be her usual spot within the den, the other Possible wolves entered, heading to their usual spots as well. The visiting Alpha waited until all the wolves were settled before moving to the spot beside Kim and settling down herself, trying to ignore the chill creeping into her skin. Her winter coat hadn't come in yet and from the crimson shewolf's shivering, she wasn't alone in her suffering.
After Kim shivered for the third time, Shego shuffled closer. When those curious olive orbs turned to her, she shrugged. "Might as well share body heat… beats freezing."
"Good point," Kim replied with a smile and shuffled closer to the pale shewolf.
It helped a little. Shego nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt something crawl between her and Kim, followed by two more somethings. When she looked, she found the pups curling up between them, obviously trying to share their body heat with the larger shewolves. While she appreciated the thought, it probably wasn't the best idea. Niqe stopped her from saying so.
"Trust me, arguing with them just gets them started again," she snorted, laying herself down on Shego's other side. "For one night, they'll be fine."
"Blocking the wind will help," Rone whispered, settling down long ways in front of Shego while Yori did the same in front of Kim. The wolf was right; it did help, a little.
Without a word, Wade shuffled closer until he was beside Niqe, less afraid then before but still wary of the pale Alpha. Glancing behind her, Shego saw that the final wolf of the pack- Felix- was behind them, long ways just as Rone and Yori were.
In the den of another pack, surrounded by wolves she didn't know, Shego felt no concern. Just a little warmth in her chest as she laid her head down on her crossed paws.
It was nice being somewhere different, a place where different wasn't bad. She fell asleep surprisingly quickly.
[To Be Continued: A Change of Pace]
Author's Note: Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Been moving (more than once) the past few months and just got settled into what should be my new home for the next little while. This chapter was starting to run long, so I broke it up; had some wiggle room in my planning. Sorry for the crazy delay and thanks to everyone who has stuck with this. :)