He's never felt so helpless, even in the middle of the Jackal's mines there was always a way out but, now seeing the fire quickly consuming the grass lands around him the Omega can only stare in horror. His legs are frozen in place until his daughter's terror filled screams brings the Omega's thoughts into focus. Alfred's feet barely touch the earth below as he races towards his children, even though he knows the group is racing back towards them it won't stop his maternal instincts.
Smoke, blinding him and filling his lungs as the screams of his mates fill his ears yet he won't stop until she and his son are in his arms again. "Stop and think." The voice in his head yells out once he reaches for his daughter who Irene quickly hands over. "If you die dumbass than they all do." His father's voice growls out as Clara clings tightly to his neck.
He feels Abel take his hand as his eyes dart around the growing heat. As the girl starts to gasp he covers her in his jacket, thankful to see Abel to the same. It's not much against the choking smoke but it's better than nothing. "Go upwind and fucking run." Abel screams out as he shoves his mate back towards the others. "God damn it I was coming."
In an instant the Omega whips his head around with murder in his eyes. "I don't care if you were ten feet away. You have my kids." It's not the time to pick a fight so Alfred shoots him one more glare along with a low growl as he makes sure his daughter remains safe under his jacket. Every few minutes he looks back until Allistor takes Leon into his arms even then his heart continues to pound out of his chest.
The flames lick at their heels, the screams of the town long forgotten as they reach the safety of a narrow river. Without a second thought the clan dives into the river with only the children crying out from the sudden cold. For what feels like hours they watch as the fire rages on around them until in the early twilight there's nothing left but ashes and soot.
Even though Abel wants nothing more than to jump out and dry himself off he doesn't move until the last person walks out into the river bank. "I wasn't going to let anything happen to them." Abel starts to say looking to the others for support. What he wants to ask is why he was the only one to be yelled at.
"You did fine." Allistor answers as Clara sleeps soundly on his shoulder. "It's his motherly instincts, hell he'd snap at anyone in that situation." He kicks the blacked soil below his feet before smelling the scent of death still lingering in the air. "Now let's try this again."
With a chuckle Jason cracks his neck. "So guess that's my cue. So who's coming to see if there's anything left?"
As Natalia steps forward Arthur sits their son down. "Just be careful."
"Always babe." His eyes turn to the Albino. "Oh old man you're coming too?"
With a smirk Gilbert hands his son to the Neko once again. "I'm still as awesome as ever."
"Right that's why I had to carry you so you didn't burn to death."
Instantly Gilbert morphs. "Just try and keep up." With that he's off towards where the town once stood. It could be easy to walk away but if whoever started the fire is still around they still could run into the same fate.
Once he's a few yards away he stops to smell the air. "Oh you did actually keep up." He chuckles seeing the Jackal beside him. "I didn't know a half breed could still transform."
"I'm just full of surprises." Jason smirks, morphing back with a knife in his hand. "This wasn't Jackals through, we're fucked in the head but we're not this stupid."
With a flick of her wrist, Natalia's hair flies up into his face as she walks past. "Strange, you could have fooled me." She takes a few steps forward into the burnt wreckage before daring to enter it completely. "If they're still here they're probably those bodies over there." She stops to pull her hair back knowing there's no chance of survivors. "Well once again this was pointless."
Gilbert ignores her remark as he bends down to get a better look. "Looked like a cat breed."
"Could have been breed," Jason says touching one of the corpses. "Fuck could have been Avians for all we know."
"They're wings wouldn't have burned away." Natalia gives a sigh before swiftly kicking a post sending what was left of a building crashing down. "And I won't go handling their heads; ghosts can be very vengeful when they want to be." Jason looks down at the skull in his hands before he shrugs and drops it nearly breaking it in the process. "Dumbass, don't fucking..." She gives a sigh knowing there's no point to explain anything to the Jackal. "Gilbert."
"Yeah I'm done," he says standing up giving one last scan of the area spotting something still shinning in the rubble. "Hmm," he hums taking out a piece of cloth to pull out the remains of a long ax. "Well this looks familiar."
"So someone was a Neko." Natalia starts kneeling down to get a better look. "What does that symbol mean?" She points to a long mark etched deep into the metal.
This time Jason speaks up. "Lion, probably one of the lower ranks since well they fucked this up." He laughs at his own inside joke. "This is why they need Jackals to do their dirty work."
The wolf isn't as sure. "Let's just get moving. The quicker we get out of this place the better." Again he smells the air feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. While it's possible it was started by mistake or grew out of control on accident there's more to this fire that meets the eye.
Only when he's alone with Allistor though does he let his worries be known. "They started it and knew we were out here."
"I figured as much. They didn't want any witnesses," Allistor answers in a hushed whisper bringing the cigar to his lips as their fire dances softly in the night. "Bastards are gettin' bolder and we'll have ta keep an eye on them."
"Antonio, tell you that?" His ears perk up as his son whimpers before returning to sleep. "Poor kid..."
"They'll be fine, if anything it will only be a few days of nightmares." He takes a long inhale of his cigar before answering. "But yeah Toni told me quite a bit...and it ain't all pretty."
Lowering his voice again Gilbert says, "The bitch knows he's still alive doesn't she?"
"She's no oracle but, since there was no body then he still could be alive in her eyes."
The wolf lets out a snort. "She only wants him because he was promised. He's nothing but a toy in her eyes." He crosses his arms thinking hard. "If need being I'll fucking go home with my tail between my legs if that means help."
"That I don't see."
"That they'll help?"
Allistor shakes his head. "No that you'd go anywhere with your tail between your legs." When it gets a smile Allistor continues. "I don't want to tell him yet though."
"Why am I not surprised?"
Finishing his cigar, Allistor tosses it into the fire. "Because it's a fox thing apparently but still stay vigilant."
Looking up at the stars Gilbert nods. "Yeah they're not taking prisoners anymore..."
"Funny that the Jackals show mercy." Allistor turns his gaze to the tall man curled up asleep with his brother. "Then again..."
"Yeah...it's a canine thing."
