*The cycle is forever, so long as life persists…*

*When a new life is born, there is great Joy in the world…*

*And when one is extinguished, the universe will weep…*

= Chapter 33 – The Circle of Life =

(David's PoV)

"David… did Elder Isis tell you anything about our Pup's future?" Lucy asked him quietly.

"No Lucy, for the last time she didn't…" He said tiredly, trying to fall asleep after a long day and now even longer night.

"But David… the egg should have come by now!" She whispered nervously. "What's taking it… what if something bad happened, and the egg isn't going to hatch?"

"Lucy… the egg will come… when it comes…" He muttered.

It had been almost two weeks since Elder Isis had left the pack and den, and began her journey to Pack Flare's territory on Route 10, with only her nephew for protection. In that time, the pack had gained a new member, and he and the others in their 'pact' with Xerneas, had gained a new member in it as well in the form of Serene.

After talking with his mate, and then talking with him, David had gone to Xerneas and managed to convince the Life Giver to accept the Lapras into their pact. It took him many hours of discussing, debating, and arguing to convince the otherwise stubborn and solitary legendary, but after hearing about how distressed Terrance would be if he had to tell his mate goodbye 'again' while letting her know that he would outlive her, she finally caved in to his request.

With that done, Terrance finally was happy, and the memory of his lapras friend's happiness had given him happiness as well.

(Flashback)

"David!" Terrance yelled as he and Xerneas approached the lake.

"Yes Terrance?" He asked politely as Serene watched him beside Terrance.

"Has… Xerneas decided?" He asked nervously, glancing between him and the legendary.

He looked at Serene who was watching hopefully as well, and he could feel Terrance's fear through their pact. He was terrified at what Xerneas had decided, because out of all the members inside their small pact of immortals, she was the one who nobody could tell 'what' she was feeling or thinking. So, the fact that he had argued with the Life Giver, and nobody else knew what she was feeling, meant that none of them could figure out if she responded positively or negatively to what Terrance wanted, and what David has asked of her.

'Heck, she kept giving Lucy permission to get pregnant a secret right up until it became obvious she was having a baby' he thought to himself.

"Yes Terrance, she's made her decision, and it is final." He said calmly as they came to a stop.

He watched as Xerneas stepped forward to talk to the Lapras, and with a calm and gentle glance toward Serene, she closed her eyes and activated her horns, entering her 'active' state.

(I have decided, to grant you your request… your Trainer has argued your case well… and I give you my blessings… both of you.) She said as both the Lapras were bathed in a cascade of rainbow light. (I grant you eternal life, and eternal youth, water wife of David's team member… but I will not grant you young unless I decide it… but you may now share life with us… until the end of time, or death claim us all!)

David watched as Terrance swam back just enough so that he could watch Serene, the only other Lapras in the lake chamber as she became enveloped within the rainbow light. For a full minute she was stationary, looking between David and Terrance, before the light ended in a brilliant flash that blinded them all for a second.

When he could see again Serene was shaking her head in confusion, before she opened her eyes and revealed, an X mark just like theirs, in exactly the same eye as all of them.

"Serene!" Terrance whispered in shock.

"W… what does… what does this mean?" She asked nervously, looking at her fins and even her shell for some kind of change to herself. "I don't feel any different, what happened to me?"

"Serene…" He said warmly, getting the female Lapras' attention. "Look at your reflection in the water."

Glancing at Terrance her mate, who nodded in agreement, she did as David said and looked down at her reflection. She stared open mouthed and wide eyed as she beheld the simple change, yet its meaning ran so much deeper. Because she had that simple 'X' on her eye, she was now just like Terrance and David, and the rest of those bound to Xerneas within her pact.

"So… now I'm… like you?" She asked, looking up with hope. "I will never die, I can live with my mate forever?"

"Yes, my love, you don't have to worry about leaving me alone in this world anymore…" Terrance said happily, floating over and nuzzling his mate lovingly. "We can be together now, forever!"

"But, what of our young, what will become of them?"

(As I told him, so I shall tell you, any offspring you produced before joining together in the bond that now ties us all, have been given a small piece of my life-giving power. They will live long and healthy lives, what lives they live though… is up to them. But no ill will befall them, they shall never suffer maladies of the flesh, and shall live to the ripest of old age…)

(Flashback ends)

He sighed again and turned to his Absol lover and looked into her scared eyes with his tired and exhausted eyes. Her crimson eyes shone in their chamber with worry as she looked at him.

"Please, go to sleep Lucy, everything will be fine." He said again. "I promise, everything will be fine…"

"How can you be sure?" Lucy whispered nervously. "We've never had an egg before… in fact I don't know of 'any' female Pokemon bearing the offspring of a human. What if something bad happens… or if our son is… mix breed? What if we give birth to a mutant?!"

"Lucy…" He said with a deep sigh. "No matter what we give birth to… whether it's an Absol, a Human, or a 'mixture' of the two… I'll love it regardless."

"As much as I love the conversation sincère, some of us are trying to 'sleep'!" Sophia grunted in annoyance.

"Sleep, sleep? Is that all you care about Sophia?" Lucy growled back. "I am carrying our lover's egg, in 'my' belly! This is the 'heir' to our pack we're talking about, the one who will lead our pack should David ever leave for any extended period! I have every right to be worried for something bad happening to our pup!"

"Well excuuuuuse me!" Sophia growled, looking up from her bed. "Xerneas didn't let 'me' get pregnant, and I'm tired… unlike 'you' who is a night owl!"

"Why I oughta…" Lucy growled threateningly.

"Girls…" He said loudly, getting both of their attention. "It is late… tomorrow we'll talk to a female who has given birth and see what is up. Alright?"

Both of them were quiet for a moment before they agreed to sleep, much to his happiness.

As they both relaxed into bed again, he rolled onto his side and closed his aching eyes, burning with tiredness.

This was 'not' the first time Lucy has kept him awake at night with her worrying. While a part of him was also somewhat worried with how long his first 'son' was taking to come, nothing he said could help Lucy calm down. Even Xerneas, who told her that nothing would hurt her pup while 'she' was around, couldn't calm down the worried Absol.

In the morning, they woke up with Lucy badgering him to hurry up so they could find a mother who recently gave birth. They found to their surprise a 'Seviper' who had recently given birth, one of the original two whom David had allowed into the pack back before winter began.

"For my species… the time it takes an egg to be delivered, varies from mother to mother." She said politely while her mate waited for them to finish, so they could head to the den entrance and begin their duty. "When I had my first batch, before I joined your pack, my young's eggs were within my body for six months before they came out. This next batch, they were only within me for five months before I gave birth to them. Right now, my eggs are incubating within the nursery, they will need time before they hatch."

"So my Prime Mate simply has to keep waiting until the egg comes out to deliver?" He asked politely.

"Yes my Pack Leader, that is what I would guess…" The Seviper said warmly. "Is that all you need of us?"

"Yes, you may go."

The Seviper nodded and joined her mate before slithering off toward the den entrance with him.

"I guess we need to keep waiting Lucy." He said.

"I guess…" She muttered as they walked off down the tunnel toward the lake chamber.

"You need to relax la femme de mon amant, perhaps if you ate something you might feel better." Sophia barked.

"I could use a good meal." Lucy muttered.

"Same here." He said, though moments later he heard Karen calling out to him from behind.

"Daaaaaavid!" Karen yelled as she ran toward him, stick in tail and looking rushed.

(Karen's PoV)

Karen panted as she reached David and his two wives. She had spent the last hour in her chamber and only just noticed David had left his. Her early morning duty that Lucy had 'forced' upon her had ended, giving her barely time to relax.

'I hate guarding foragers, we have more Pokemon who can do that. Why do 'I' a competitive bred and trained Braixen have to protect a couple of Eevees and Shinx against 'Wingulls' and 'Spearows'?' She thought bitterly. 'I am probably the strongest Pokemon in this den! Next to Xerneas… and maaaaybe Lancelot.'

Despite how powerful she was compared to 'all' of the pack's members, because she was assigned to guard so many foragers she had been hopping from group to group. Unlike the previous harvesting season 'before' winter, when she had only been assigned to guard a young Vulpix and an aging Ariados, now she's got twelve foragers to look after.

"Karen, are you alright?" David asked as she caught her breath.

"I just wanted… to talk to you about something important." She said, looking up at him.

"Alright what is it?" He asked, crossing his arms expectantly.

"Uh, I'd rather talk about it in 'private'…" She said, glancing at Lucy who was looking irritable.

"If it's not important you can say it here Karen, as first Prime Mate whatever my mate needs to hear can be heard by me as well." Lucy said.

"Is it too much to ask for a starter to want to talk to her 'master' about something privately occasionally?" Karen growled back. "I've been on guard duty for four weeks straight without 'any' alone time with David! I only want to talk to him in private for a few minutes. Is that too much to ask?"

Lucy growled at her as well as showing her fangs, and she looked ready to fight, but just then David walked over and picked her up into his arms. "It's alright Lucy, it's not like I'll be gone for long." He said calmly. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

With her in his arms they walked down the tunnel toward the empty meting chamber the Elders always used. Once inside he sat down at his usual spot and began scratching her behind her ears, causing her to coo slightly in delight.

"Alright, what is so important Karen?" David asked her.

She sighed and began playing with the Pokeball around his neck, her home that he always kept on him at her request.

"David… I want to have my own kits someday…" She muttered. "I've decided… I really want a baby of my own with you."

"Where did this come from?" He asked, causing her to look into his eyes.

"Well… with Lucy getting knocked up…" She said, trying to sound uncaring as she looked away and pretended to brush the idea off with a flick of her paw. "I figured, 'if that 'disaster' Pokemon can get an egg, why can't your 'starter' get an egg with you?' I mean…" She crossed her arms and huffed, causing some flames to shoot from her nostrils. "I'm the starter, I should have first dibs on 'everything' when it comes to you, but I lose taking your first kiss, your virginity and your first kid to Lucy. How come you plow her regularly but don't even give me a peck on the cheek once in a…"

Her words were silenced as she felt her head turned toward his face and felt his lips press against her own. She was only caught off guard for the tiniest of milliseconds, before she pushed into him, and submitted to his 'maleness' without further issues.

This is what she liked best about her master, when she put on that act, he listened to her demands and gave her what she wanted.

Still, feeling his soft lips against hers, feeling him scratching the back of her neck with one hand while the other held and rubbed one of her paws was a feeling she had really been missing.

After a few moments of this blissful exchange they separated and she was smiling at him with a faint blush. "Better…"

"Karen, what's the real reason you want an egg with me?" He asked her warmly.

She sighed and leaned into his chest, before placing a paw on her belly and rubbing it.

"You see Master… I remembered something that… before now I didn't really care much about." She said sadly. "I don't know who my mother is… or my father. Yet I'm a competitively bred and trained Pokemon… I should know my lineage yet… I don't."

She sighed and looked up at him.

"Sure, you and Sophia know your parents, same with Lucy, Terrance and maybe Lancelot… but 'me'? Not one thing about my parents, not even their names. Before I didn't mind, because I was used to it but… Lucy being a mother now makes me wish… I knew my mother. And seeing Lucy with a baby… makes me want to be a mother myself… so that my kit will know who 'it's' mother is." She sighed and snuggled closer to her master, hearing his heartbeat with her ears. "I just want to be a mother now… and I want 'you' to be my baby's father. I want to proudly declare to all Pokemon that my baby's father is a human, and that I love him with my whole heart."

"I want the world to know, that I love my master… that I'm not his slave… that I want his egg, and that he loves me, and sees me as his equal, and he wants me to have 'his' egg… and not as some 'one time' flick in bed." She whispered at last. "Sure… sex is great with you… but… I want… more from you master. I want to one day… walk into your chamber, feel you lie down with me… and know that after we make love, an egg will be created… an egg we 'wanted' to create."

"Do you really want to have 'my' kit Karen?" He asked her softly, holding her close and scratching her fur. "I mean… Xerneas only let Lucy have this one without us asking, I doubt she'll let us have another. But are you really sure you want to have an egg with 'me'?"

She nodded into his chest.

"Don't 'you' want to have an egg with me?" She asked honestly. "I'm your starter… you can tell me… I want one with you because I love you… but… if you really… really don't want to… with me I mean."

"Karen…" He said softly, lifting her chin to look into his eyes.

"Yes?" She whispered even more softly.

He leaned forward and kiss her warmly on the mouth again. It wasn't a kiss of passion, just romance. It was only to show affection, show how much he loved her, but its small meaning to her ran deep.

Once they separated again, she blushed as she waited his words, knowing he didn't whisper her name just to kiss her.

He only had to raise her to his level at any time to make out.

"Karen… I want you to have my kit…" He said warmly. "I want you to have my kit, Sophia my pup, and Lucy my child. I want all three of you to have my young… And I'll convince Xerneas to let me do that with you all."

His words warmed her heart, he did want to have babies with them all… with 'her'.

"My baby maker's ready whenever your seed shooter is 'chief'…" She said with a chuckle.

He chuckled as well as he scratched her head. "Well… before we start pumping eggs, let me first learn how to…"

She was about to ask why he stopped talking, when suddenly her lower nether region started burning and aching in pain.

Moments later, David was screaming and clutching his groin in agony. "Ugh…" He yelled as he suddenly curled up and held himself.

"What is this pain!" She yelled as she did the same, only crossing her legs and writhing in agony next to him.

(Lancelot's PoV)

He stood watch over the small pile of berries that made up the Winter Reserves, watching it alongside his beloved mate Lunara, who held him next to her body with her arms and leaning against his shoulder.

"It is a small batch… but it will eventually grow bigger." She whispered warmly. "This is how it is every winter, our food is drained, and from a tiny pile… comes a mountain."

He nodded in agreement as they stared at the tiny pile in the hole in the room. She had arranged the guard rotation so that they had two hours of personal freedom to themselves in that chamber. Nobody would be joining them for at least another hour.

They could be alone and do whatever they wished…

"Have there been any disturbances in the tunnels?" He asked.

She shook her head and snuggled closer. "Nothing, all is quiet… the lower catacombs are secured, and no breaches have been found in the upper tunnels. I've told the others to check every hour and report anything different."

He nodded and held her closer, enjoying the feeling of her cold, cool and slim body next to his.

For so long he's had to silently endure, ignore and pretend to be busy whenever David was like this with Lucy and Sophia, and now recently with Terrance and his mate Serene. Now, he could just sit there and enjoy that bubbling feeling he gets from being with his mate…

At least he 'should' be feeling that feeling.

Instead he began feeling a sudden pain between his legs, a pain that grew rapidly and began attacking him in huge bursts.

"UUUgh!" He yelled, collapsing to the ground and curling up into a ball of pain and agony.

"Lancelot… what is wrong?" Lunara asked, trying to lift him up but he shoved her away.

"I… can't… TELL!" He roared in pain, clutching his groin and trying desperately to fight the pain.

It was as if something was shoving its way through his body toward a spot between his legs, but the pain he was feeling made no sense.

All he knew was that it was hurting him far more than 'ANYTHING' he had ever felt before. Even being melted alive by a flamethrower didn't feel this bad.

(Terrance's PoV)

"And so he goes and walks off with Karen to be alone!" Lucy yelled bitterly as she dug into her food, ravenously attacking it with Sophia nearby watching her.

Beside him Serene his beloved mate and fellow Lapras of the underground lake chamber floated, watching the prime mate with a mixture of respect and caution. He had told her of the pack's rules, the hierarchy, and her station in regard to how high up the chain she was in the pack in relation to everyone else.

After the explanation, she had regarded everyone as if they were her better, a habit she never lost since he left her with their old pod. She was always the first to be submissive and let others take the lead, preferring not to voice her opinions and remaining quiet. Even now when she was considered 'high' in the pack because she was a Water Guardian alongside him, she acted as if she were the lowest on the pole.

"Lucy, Karen 'is' his starter in our previous life. I think she does deserve some alone time with him." He said with a chuckle, knowing Lucy was just grumpy because of her egg.

"Yea I know… but I'M his Prime Mate, I should be with him at all times!" She growled, chowing down. "He's probably fucking that Braixen right now… probably filling up her pussy with his dick… making her moan… and releasing inside of her…"

"I think that's a little too much information for us even by 'your' standards darling…" Sophia barked nervously.

"Yes… maybe… keep it to yourself?" Serene asked nervously.

"I don't care, I want him to…" She began saying before she stopped.

They all just stared as she opened her eyes wide for the briefest of moments, then she screamed in pain as she rolled onto her side.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGH!" She yelled, curling and screaming, breathing heavily as her chest rose and fell rapidly.

He was about to ask what was wrong when simultaneously, three collected screams of pain and agony sounded in the lake chamber. One from both Sophia and Serene, and the third from himself.

He felt his stomach and lower body screaming in pain, as if something were being 'pushed' through his stomach to leave him. His insides were screaming in agony as instinct told him that something was seriously wrong.

As if he shouldn't be feeling this feeling.

"What is happening!?" Sophia screamed through the pain to them.

"UUUUUUUUUGH!" Lucy yelled.

He managed to open his eyes and look at Lucy, before he saw what was happening.

He saw that she had spread her legs slightly, while she was lying sideways. And though she was panting heavily, gasping for breath, he saw that a small space between her legs, her nether region… was expanding.

And he watched… as something pure white, smooth, and rounded began pushing past the lips of her pussy to leave her.

Comprehension dawned as he watched.

'She's giving birth…' He thought painfully. 'It's time… her and David's pup… it's finally arriving!'

(David's PoV, fifteen minutes later)

He walked through the crowd of Pokemon with Karen right behind him. Word had spread rapidly throughout the pack, so fast that everyone within the pack had been told. Even the Onix who lived far below the pack's chambers had been told, and not a single member remained anywhere within Pack David's territory that hadn't rushed to the Lake Chamber to witness the miracle.

The birth of the Pack Leader's offspring.

As he walked pack members parted and watched quietly as he made his way toward his wife, who was lying on her side near the water's edge, where two Lapras, a Furfrou, and a Lucario were standing watch over her.

He had only just come back from sending Serena the good news, and had just welcomed her to the pack entrance two minutes ago.

Apparently, she had been shopping nearby and rushed over as fast as she could, and now his old Rival stood nearby watching the beautiful scene before her, her own Pokemon outside and watching.

"Lucy?" He asked as he neared his Absol lover.

Lucy wearily looked up and smiled at him, nodding at him and beckoning him toward her with another nod.

As he walked around her he saw the egg lying next to her belly, a round oval egg with white and black markings on it.

"Hi my beloved…" She whispered gently, her voice soft and tired.

He sat down next to her and scratched Lucy's head, before nervously touching and feeling the egg she was holding close to her.

"We did it…" He whispered sweetly to her, unable to believe that there was really an egg before him.

"We did it my love…" She said happily as he took the egg and held it in his lap. "It took me… two life times… but at last… my dream came true. I've become a mother… with 'your' child…"

He nodded as he smiled and held the egg closer, feeling his heart race as he thought about how he was holding his child. It was a strange feeling, he was so happy, so proud, and he realized that he was holding a miracle.

Then he felt the egg shake a little, and heard a squeak inside.

In surprise, he put the egg down and watched with everyone else, as the egg shook a few times, then cracked, and heard the squeaks within.

"So soon?" He asked Lucy as he watched the cracks grow.

"I incubated the egg within my belly this entire time…" She whispered tiredly. "I guess our baby… wanted to meet its daddy… before hatching!"

He watched as the cracks widened, and then a piece of the egg broke off, revealing the smallest of horns… an Absol's horn.

Only it was orange.

"No way… a 'shiny'?" Karen whispered incredulously. "But the odds of breeding a shiny are 1 in 8192… and on the 'first try'?"

Meanwhile he and the others were busy watching as the baby Absol slowly broke out of the egg, and crawled out to land in front of David's knees. It looked up at him with its orange face, and looked at him with eyes that could only be described as having all the colors of the rainbow in them. It was like looking into a color wheel with every color represented in each eye.

Yet the moment it saw him, it began pining and squeaking.

"Aaaaabsol?" It squeaked.

"Huh?" He asked as he gently, and carefully, picked up the baby Absol, holding it lovingly in his arms.

"Aaaaaaaab…" It squealed again, smiling and rubbing his cheek.

Moments later Serena walked over with her team and stared at the little baby. "I guess because it's so young, and doesn't know how to talk, that the translator can't actually 'translate' anything it saying."

"Wow…" Her male Absol lover whispered in wonder.

"Beautiful…" Her Meowstic said.

"Incredible…" Her Flareon whispered.

"Astounding…" Her Greninja croaked.

"It's a miracle…" Her Altaria chirped.

While they all crowded around him and the newborn, Karen his Braixen pushed through and looked up at him. "Chief, can I have a quick look?" She asked warmly, holding her paws out to carry the pup.

He looked to Lucy who nodded in approval, and he carefully handed off his first child to her.

Karen gently held the pup in her paws before first feeling its fur, then lifted it up and look at its nether region. She then lowered it and felt its horn, then its claws, and finally began moving its legs ever so slightly so they bent. The baby Absol squealed and barked in discomfort, but Karen ignored as she checked the tail and felt its fur again.

"Alright… I can safely say you have a male Absol chief." She said proudly. "A perfect 5 iv son… how it got 5 I don't know, but it's got outstanding potential 'Big D'."

She was about to hand off his son to him when the baby Absol began crying and squealing.

"A perfect 5 iv, 'hungry', son mind you…" She whispered.

Lucy chuckled as Karen put his son on the ground next to Lucy, who watched as he stumbled toward her.

'It's alright baby… mommy's right here…" She whispered sweetly, watching as he found her chest. "That's right… drink up… mama's milk right here for you…"

Everyone chuckled softly as they watched the baby feed, and David sat down and scratched Lucy's ear. "We did it Lucy…" He whispered, hearing their baby suckling on his mother's tit for milk. "We actually did it…"

"Yes, we did… we really did…" She whispered lovingly, before looking up with a soft and tired smile. "What shall we call him?"

He thought for a moment while he watched his son, before a name came to mind.

"Sycamore." He said. "He started me on my journey with Karen… without him… I'd never have met any of you… and none of us… would be here. Especially 'him'."

"Sycamore… I like it…" Lucy said lovingly, looking down at the baby Absol. "Welcome to the world… our little… 'Sycamore'."

(Isis' PoV)

"Auntie Isis… are you sure this is the right way?" Her younger cousin 'Alvin' asked tiredly.

"You complain too much my cousin…" She whispered with a chuckle. "We are nearing our destination… be patient."

"But we've been walking for weeks… weeks!" He complained again. "We should have seen a sentry by now."

They had indeed been walking for weeks, the journey to Pack Flare's territory had been a very long and arduous journey for her. It was a journey she knew she had to take, lest the fate of so many be altered and the destiny of all life be destroyed.

Throughout their journey, she had much difficulty walking, at times barely able to endure ten minutes of walking before needing to rest. But, despite how little progress they made some days, her cousin remained patient and loyal to his duty, keeping her safe and letting her rest.

"What are you in such a rush my cousin?" She said with a smile. "We will reach our destination… be patient… it will not go away."

"Yes, but I worry something 'bad' might happen the longer we take." He countered. "You know Scar might attack us, what if he pretends we're an invasion?"

Isis chuckled at that thought, even though it might very well come true. Still, she had to alleviate her cousin's fears.

"Oh yes… an elderly Espeon… barely able to walk for ten minutes before needing to rest… and a young Espeon, barely capable of using a confusion attack… against the whole of Pack Flare… what a terrifying force we must appear to be."

This was true, her cousin, though charming, clever, and quick to fight, could barely concentrate enough psychic energy to use his powers properly. Still, he knew how to fight, she could give him that.

"Auntie! You said you wouldn't bring that up!" He said in embarrassment.

She looked at her cousin and smiled, seeing him as this purple glowing light next to her.

"Like 'you' said you wouldn't bring up my age?" She shot back. "What do I always tell you cousin, it's a cardinal rule, even among 'us' female Pokemon. Like a human once told 'his' friend…"

"Yea, yea… I know… never talk about a female's age…" He muttered.

They continued to walk for a few minutes in silence, before she heard the sound of a river flowing, and smelled the scent of water and trees in the air. She would have liked to keep going, but her legs were starting to shake and she needed to rest.

"Let us rest here…" She whispered tiredly.

"I'll find us some food…" Alvin whispered. "I hate this task… of all the pack members she could have picked…"

She chuckled as he complained, walking away from their chosen spot while she sat down and rested her legs.

She knew he despised sitting so often, but she also knew that he knew that she was 'old' and needed to rest.

He was a caring Espeon, who loved his auntie, loved his pack, and cared for his family. 'Especially' his family… in particular his sister who became Flareon, whom he loved so much that they were secretly mating.

While she herself tried to council them from such a relationship, she could not object to it since she herself was the product of her mother mating with her very own father. Plus she had known the two of them had been in love with one another, it was obvious since a young age the two Eevees cared for one another deeply, but she could not have forseen that brother and sister would end up choosing to mate with each other.

It reminded her of a certain brother and sister pair that were also familiar with the practice. The bodyguards and advisors to Pack Leader David, Yara and Nera. The Meowstic pair had mated each other over the years during Scar's reign, as a way to protect Nera from mating him during her heat.

While she would council them, they did not seek it, so she left them to their own devices, but she could see it in the eyes of Nera. Each time the female Nera laid eyes on her brother, they were softer, gentler, more caring than when they saw another male.

Thinking of her pack, she sighed quietly, wishing she could see them now. What was happening, how was Pack Leader David's pup, had it been born yet, was it a son or a daughter? She believed and foresaw that it would indeed be a son, yet that doubt remained, she didn't know for sure it would indeed be a son.

Thinking of Prime Mate Lucy giving birth, made her wish she too had found a compatible mate. But alas, her duty to the pack, her desire to serve the pack, and her impairment fighting 'for' the pack, had resulted in her having a life of no mating. True she had been in heat a few times, but because she was blind, few males found her 'desiring'… and as such, no male wanted her. Not even her Pack Leaders…

Thinking about her life, she wished now more than ever, that she had wooed Elder Yin when he was in his prime… but alas she was 'older' than he… and she figured he might prefer a younger female. And so, she restrained, and restrained… and kept restraining until it was too late, and she was too old to bare pups, and thus her sexual charm was lost to all the males in the pack.

Thus, she was the oldest 'virgin' in the Pack.

"Such a strange thing… one who mates… and one who 'doesn't' mate… what a strange life the two live. How so very different the two are…" She whispered to herself as she heard grunting and something dragging.

(What is Auntie Isis?) Her cousin's voice asked in her mind.

(That you have yet to make an egg with your sister.) She chided mentally. (Honestly my young cousin, at your age my 'mother' had given birth to three eggs with her father! But you and your sister are in the prime of your youth, and not one egg?)

"Auntie!" He yelled. "Stop it… we're just… waiting… is all."

"For permission from the pack leader?" She chuckled. "He has given you all permission, breed as you wish, you've already claimed her enough that no other males bother with her. Just hurry up and hatch an egg so I can have a look at another generation of my bloodline before I pass away!"

She heard him mumble, electing another chuckle while she heard something dragging across the grass. "Here's lunch… I can't find much food to forage… I think Pack Flare forages this place extensively."

"Naturally…" She whispered wisely.

They ate in silence while she used her powers to sense around, just making sure they were safe. Her powers were far stronger than Alvin's, but she didn't want to let him know that she was protecting 'him'. His pride as a male would be hurt if he knew 'she' was protecting 'him' and not the reverse.

"So… when 'will' you two have an egg?" She asked politely.

There was silence while she continued to eat, content to wait and let her cousin answer at his time. After a few minutes of silent eating she heard him sigh.

"We are going to try this spring… so… maybe in a few weeks when it's her heat cycle. I'll mate with her again and… hopefully…"

She nodded in understanding, happy to know that her cousin was going to try and produce an offspring of his own.

It made her feel warm inside.

"I hope I'll see your pup Alvin…" She whispered sadly.

"Of course you will Auntie!" He said knowingly. "Once we get back, you can rest all you want, and then in a few months' time, you'll hear me jumping with joy to mom that I have an egg of my own!"

She wished she could be so ignorant, but she chuckled and smiled at her cousin, she couldn't reveal the future.

The inevitable future that was 'hers' to face.

"You're right, and then I can complain to you when you visit my chamber before I need to speak to the Pack Leader!"

They both chuckled at that and finished eating lunch.

All the while, she watched her surroundings, and saw the shapes moving closer. She knew they were being watched, and knew that they were surrounded.

She knew… they weren't here to escort them, they were here to kill them.

After a few minutes they prepared to leave, and then heard a twig snap, instantly alerting her cousin.

"Who's there?" He yelled, going into a defensive posture next to her. "Show yourself!"

She heard rustling of leaves and bushes, and watched as several red and yellow shapes moved into range, as they grew closer she deduced they looked like Mightyena and Houndooms. Yet one color she saw was so recognizable that she spotted it almost instantly, before the others even registered on her vision.

"If you are Pack Flare, we come here on diplomatic terms to speak to Pack Leader Flare from Pack David!" Alvin said.

"Any intruders are to be killed on sight!" One of them barked. "Take them…"

"Stay back, I'm warning you!" Alvin yelled fiercely.

"Alvin… close your eyes… now… do as I say!" She whispered calmly.

She didn't wait to hear him respond, instead she began channeling her power and focused it into the jewel on her forehead. From there she focused and moments later, released her attack.

A powerful Dazzling Gleam.

(DAZZLING GLEAM!) She mentally shouted, as her power vanished, spreading out into the world.

She gasped in pain as she panted heavily, the strain of channeling her power was a lot for her, so much that even though it was just one attack, her heart was racing and beating three times its normal rate.

Yet it did the job by the sounds around her.

"My eyes!" One voice yelled.

"I can't see… where am I?!"

"Where… where are you!?"

From around her the sounds of Mightyena and Houndooms barking and yipping in pain, as they stumbled around and tried to find their footing, each one wandering away as they couldn't figure out where they were.

"Hah… hah… hah…" She panted heavily, unable to speak properly.

"Auntie… can I look now?" Alvin asked nervously.

"Yes… you… can…" She panted.

"Whoa… what happened?" Alvin asked in shock.

"I'll tell you what happened!" A voice roared, a voice that belonged to none other than Scar.

She watched his aura, the color of 'him' approach from the front, and panted as she saw the path her future was taking. A road that could not be changed, a meeting destined to happen, one she knew… would end in death.

"Scar… how dare you reveal yourself!" Alvin yelled, jumping in front of her.

"How dare 'I'?" Scar growled. "How dare 'you'… kill my son… how dare you allow 'my' pack… to keep a HUMAN in charge of it… how dare YOU…OVERTHROW ME!"

She panted as she watched and waited, knowing at any moment Scar's short temper would snap, and he'd lose control.

"Alvin… 'run'… run and don't look back… until you know it is safe!" She whispered.

"But Auntie!" Alvin shouted. "I have to protect you, we need to get to Flare!"

"That path has ended… there is no way we will make it with Scar here… now 'run'… do as I say!" She panted, stepping forward with shaky steps. "You are no match for Scar… and in my state… I do not know… how long I can last against him… in battle! So please… run… you must carry on our line… you must light our pack's path… our pack 'must' have a light my cousin… whether it is mine… or yours… now go… GO!"

She watched her cousin hesitate, and slowly start to run away, leaving her to face Scar… the shadow of flame from her vision alone.

"Isis… Elder Isis… the 'Light of the Pack'…" Scar growled tauntingly. "It was said… that your Dazzling Gleam… was so powerful… that it could blind a Pokemon miles away who saw the gleam of your light. Your power was so bright, that it could light the entire underground den, when there was not a light to be found… and the fact you blinded the sentries is proof of that."

She panted as she watched and waited. It was true, her power could do that, but only in her prime. As she was now, just casting it once was enormously taxing. She barely managed to properly prepare her Dazzling Gleam, and it was her only weapon she had to defend herself, and it was one she had only as a last resort.

"Scar… you have refused my council… you ignored my warnings… you have no right to 'our' pack." She declared. "You are not my pack leader, nor will you ever reclaim the position… so long as you are blinded in rage."

"I will take it back you 'infertile'." He growled. "When I bring proof to Flare of your 'invasion'… he'll send his pack into a war against you… I'll take back my position… and when I do… I'll take over Flare… and then Delica… and ALL of the packs!"

She panted heavily as she steadied her legs as best she could. The journey had worn her out, her legs were shaking, her breath taxing, her body aching. Yet still… she knew she had to stop him, his rage, his blind hatred, his need for power was burning with a flame that could not be matched.

She saw through her eyes Scar was wrapped in a sea of flames, a flaming aura that threatened to swallow all it touched.

He had to be stopped… and she was the only one who could at that exact moment.

"For your crimes… for the crimes against my pack… against all life you would commit… you must be stopped…" She panted, gathering her powers once more. "It may cost me my life… but for your sins… the lives you've ended, the mothers you've broken… the males you've slaughtered… for all you have done to Pack 'David'… I will BLIND your ambition… if it is the last thing I do!"

Scar chuckled heartily as she readied her attack. "You know… your lucky you're an Elder… Isis…" He muttered as he took one step forward. "Because you're so old… you're not even worth RAPING!" He leapt at her, his mouth wrapped in flames and claws extended. "DIE!"

She gathered her power one final time, and released it at once.

"DAZZLING GLEEEEEEEEEAM!"

(Xerneas' PoV)

Meanwhile… at Pack David, in the den… while all the pack celebrated, none of them noticed Xerneas… eyeing a small aging flower in her chamber. The flower had only bloomed a month ago, yet it alone seemed to have grown old the fastest. While outside her cave the sounds of laughter, congratulations, cheering and celebrations took place at the birth of the Pack Leader's first born son, heir to the Pack's leadership… she alone watched the flower, bend over at the stem, and its petals fell off… one by one.

At that exact moment.

(The Cycle of life… when new is born… there comes great joy… when old life ends… all the universe… weeps…) She declared sadly, nuzzling the flower with her muzzle, watching as a seed began to grow next to it, to take the old flower's place in her chamber.