Chiaki met Curtis and Bai Di at the edge of the Rock Mountain Wolf Tribe Village. To her surprise, the wolf male who had joined them for dinner the night before was also waiting there, a small sack tossed over one shoulder.

"He says he's coming with us." Curtis said in annoyance.

"I am." Jiu Ruan confirmed.

"He's allowed to go where ever he likes." Chiaki said, looking at the wolf male. None of the leopard tribe males had been willing to follow her to the City of Beasts when she'd left their village. Was he that serious in his decision to court her? Or were the chances of getting a mate in the wolf tribe that low? She had seen far fewer females here than in the other two villages she'd stayed in. Either way, she didn't have any right to tell him he couldn't follow along with them.

"Well, if they can keep up." Curtis said as he transformed into his full snake form and quickly slid Chiaki up onto his back with a fluid movement. In a flash he was off, back towards their home in the City of Beasts. He ignored the shouts of surprise as he left the other two males standing in place.

Bai Di and Jiu Ruan grinned at each other, transforming and rushing after the snake.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Much to Curtis' dismay, they did keep up. Several days of fast paced travel passed in a whirl of yellow-green and blue and brown. The hottest part of the season was drawing to a close and it wouldn't be long until the next season was upon them. Now was the time to prepare for the cold season. Ahead, on the horizon was the City of Beasts.

Curtis slowed only enough to be recognized by the city guards as he slithered into the territory. He made his way towards their home, memory and their lingering scents leading him unerringly. As he neared their home a shadow passed over head.

Chiaki glanced to the sky, but there was nothing above them. She looked towards the trees, had something jumped from one to another instead? She didn't think long on it though before her home came into view. The two story house was just the same as when they left it a few day ago, but it felt like she'd been gone for much longer. So much had happened! She glanced behind them to see Bai Di and Jiu Ruan following behind them, looking a little uneasy. This was probably the first time either of them had been to this city.

"That's home up ahead." She called back, pointing to the stone and wood structure.

The one difference she noted, was that the group of young males that tended to stay on the pathway outside the house were uncommonly missing. As Curtis came to the gate to their home, she found the numerous courting gifts were also absent. Ah, so she disappears for a few days and they all go elsewhere. Curtis butted his large head against the gate, pushing it open.

A gust of wind hit them. "Chiaki!" Qianhuang nearly shouted as his huge form appeared overhead. "What's wrong?! Are you here?!" He dropped from the sky like a rock, landing heavily on his paws in the yard. The weight of the landing left four indentations in the soil. He turned this way and that, searching for her. "Chiaki!"

"Shit, he's as bad as you." Chiaki hissed at Curtis. "Let me down!"

Curtis came up short, stopping his forward movement quickly and lowered himself to the ground. Chiaki jumped off his back and rushed towards Qianhuang. "Key! Key!"

"Chiaki!" He took only a few steps before he was right on top of her, knocking her to the ground in his haste. His large white maned head snuffled at her and he began to check her over. "What happened?! I felt you use the power in one of the mate marks!"

"A lot." She got out.

"Were you attacked?! There's the smell of many new males all over you." His tongue licked her face.

"No. I-"

"I shouldn't have left your side! I will never leave like that again!" He slumped down on top of her. His nose roamed all over her and his tongue followed as he tried to cover all the unknown scents with his own.

"Key, calm down!"

"I-" He huffed, a large cat sound of distress and rested his head on her. His mane was so long that it covered her like an oversized blanket. His mouth was open and he panted, stressed. When Curtis moved only just a little, Qianhuang hissed. A rumbling growl warned the snake not to move again.

"Key! Breath!" She lifted her hands to the underside of his jaw, scratching the only place she could reach from her held down position. He huffed again. "It's okay. I'm okay." She murmured. He was in a full on panic. "I'm here."

He whimpered. His ears pinned back. Curtis moved again, shifting into a neutral stance. Qianhuang's eyes locked onto the movement, but he didn't protest.

It took many long minutes of soft words to calm him enough to scoot back off of Chiaki. He moved only enough for her to get up and kneel in-front of his large head. She hugged his face, fingers scratching into his cheeks softly.

Then he seemed to give out. He slumped forward, his chin resting on her lap. Eyes half-lidded. "What happened?" He asked his voice rough with worry.

Chiaki told him about the flash flood. About the events in the wolf village and Curtis' own blind panic upon arrival. And how she'd drew on Curtis' own power to snap him out of it.

"Then- you are... safe?" The need to be reassured, even with her right in-front of him was too great.

"Yes." She replied softly. Carefully she mentioned feeling faint right after she let Curtis' power slip away from her. She didn't actually remember passing out though she knew she had. So she told him, and of staying with the healer from the wolf tribe so she could rest. Then of Bai Di and his claim on courting her. A half open eye drifted to the gate of the house, beyond the snake male to the two still transformed males waiting beyond the boundary.

"Tiger? Wolf?"

"He's the white tiger." Chiaki clarified. She continued, letting him know that she had accepted him as her third mate. His eyes opened for this and his took the time to lift his head and study the other male.

"I smell him on you, not as much as the snake, but a lot more than the wolf and any other scents."

"We did mate." She said softly.

Qianhuang huffed. Damn, so much had happened without him here! Would any of it have happened the same if he'd stayed? Slowly he gathered his remaining energy. He'd hardly rested from the moment he'd left the leopard village.

He stood, about to make a show of his strength to the new males... then he tipped on his nose into the grass, fast asleep as the last of his endorphins ran out.