"I'm glad they were able to repurpose the areas the Black River Wolf Tribe used last cold season as an emergency shelter." Frost Cloud told Huanhuan. His eyes slid over to the sleeping Chiaki. "Her family is too big for our cave home."

"I know, but let her rest until her mates come to collect her." Huanhuan said.

Chiaki had cried herself out a few hours prior, falling asleep hugging her large cub. The tiny snake was still hidden away, probably warm in his brothers fur. Huanhuan had came to the conclusion that bringing attention to Copper would cause trouble for Chiaki, who was now pregnant. Few knew or remembered the female had a chance of being pregnant with snake young before the Winter, so her pregnancy now was not seen as out of the ordinary.

"It seems like we both had difficult events. I'm just glad it looks like the people from Highcliff City will help bring our village back to it's former size... after Black River's betrayal."

Huanhuan put a hand on her mate's arm, the one that proudly displayed his Totem Beast of the Ice Wolf. "Let me make you some food."

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

After Chiaki and her family left later that evening, Huanhuan didn't see the other female for several days. Her mates, like all the males that had fled the City of Beasts, joined in on constructing basic homes for everyone. Hollowing out the Rock Mountain a little more made them realize that if the village grew too much, the whole inside of the mountain would become riddled with tunnels and rooms. It might grow unstable as it already resembled a giant termite hill.

"What will we do?" Frost Cloud worried.

"I don't think this mountain is volcanic, it's been dug into so much you would have broken into a pocket by now. How about we dig away the dirt covering the stone rooms and tunnels and then work on making the village in a way it will stay stable?" She looked thoughtful. "And we can make fortifications so groups like the Black River Wolves can't just invade!" Huanhuan was suddenly scribbling notes and pictures on scrap hide. In her mind she reminded herself to get into contact with her Beast Gods Voice and learn how to make paper.

Frost Cloud nodded along as she showed him her plan, "This will take a couple of days to put into motion. Perhaps I should let everyone rest today. Would you like to go out?"

At the foot of the mountain Huanhuan found the best places to begin growing her stored up seeds. In under an hour Frost Cloud had cleared the area and even tilled the soil with his claws, much to Huanhuans surprise. Soon several large plots of land had been turned into irrigated farmland.

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

Bart woke slowly to the world. Pain coursed through his eyes, and his back... his whole body felt like it was still on fire. "FIRE!" He shouted and bolted into a sitting position, only for the pain to multiply a thousand times over, forcing him back into unconsciousness.

"Bart!" Rosa cried at her mates sudden awakening, but he was out of it again in a split second. "NO! Don't die!"

Harvey quickly grabbed the female, holding her back from pouncing on her mate. "Calm, he is fine! The pain simply knocked him back out. This is a good sign!" Slowly he was able to calm the female. With Rosa now no longer straining in his grasp Harvey let her go.

"It is?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yes, it is." He said, softening his voice. "Why don\t you get some fresh air and sunshine outside? I will rebandage your mates wounds."

"Okay." She said, picking up her two young pups and slowly leaving the room.

Harvey sighed. Bart would need a stronger pain medication if he was to be awake while healing, but it might be better to give him medication that would mostly let him sleep during it. It might be better for his mate too if Bart didn't scream in pain and pass out in front of her again.

Harvey glanced at the other in his care, the female was awake. She refused to leave the room though, even to have her son carry her out into the sunshine and fresh air. To save her life Harvey had to remove one of her legs. Now she believed she'd never find a new mate, as it had become obvious by her lack of markings that they had all perished in the devastation of the Beast City.

"Tam, are you hungry?" He asked. "Or is there any pain?"

"No." Was her hollow reply.

Harvey sighed and started to gather up the herbs to make a different pain medication to feed Bart with his afternoon broth.

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

Jiu Ruan held out a cup of water for Chiaki to drink from, she'd been lethargic from the time they'd left the home of the female Huanhuan. It worried them all. Skye had also been less himself and even Winston was somehow quieter than usual. They'd cleaned out the old rooms that had been home to the visiting Black River Wolf Tribe the previous cold season, and in doing so found on big enough for their family group to stay in. Frost Cloud had told them what had happened with the other wolf tribe and that they were now enemies of the Rock Mountain Wolf Tribe. It was upsetting, he had family ties with the other wolf village, as many of them had. There was nothing to be done though.

"The village leader has called for a rest day." Qianhuang said as he entered the room.

"The reason?" Bai Di asked.

"It was left unsaid, but I feel we could all use a day with our families." He said as he sat down beside of Chiaki. He ran his hand through her bangs in a feather-light touch. "Would you like all of us to stay here today?"

"Yeah, I could use you all to myself for a day." She gave him a small smile.