Hope at last

[Jayie]

Two wolves wandered through the forest, their steps tired and their gait slow. The first was a dark gray she-wolf with unusual blue markings that looked like lightning streaks. Her pelt was ragged, and she was skinny, although she didn't look that bad off. That was a deception; the she-wolf was carrying pups, and was in desperate need of a good meal. Her bright blue eyes were filled with pain and hunger, and she walked with a slight limp. There was an air of defeat around her, as if she were on the brink of giving up on life.
Walking beside her was a gray-and-white pup with similar markings, only his were yellow, like his eyes. He also wore a big gold ring that looped around his neck and leg. It was so akwardly worn that it looked comical. His fur was also very ragged, and he was skinny, although he was obviously better off then his companion. Unlike the she-wolf, however, beneath his tired demeanor was a certain air of hopefullness and childlike innocence. It wasn't much, but it was still there.
The pup asked, "Auntie Streak, when can we eat?"
The she-wolf, Streak, sighed. "Probably not for a while, little one." She answered in a tired voice. The pregnant she-wolf was on the brink of despair. Zeusia was barely getting enough to eat, and while normally she would be happy to give him all of her food, there were lives growing inside her who needed food just as much as her nephew. And she was failing all of them. She was catching about a tenth of what an entire pack could normally catch, and it wasn't nearly enough for her nephew and her own pups. Sooner or later, exhaustion would keep her from hunting at all.
Suddenly, the wind shifted directions, and Streak noticed a new scent. She lifted her nose to sniff the air, growing excited as she realized what it was. "Zeusia, do you smell that?" She asked her nephew.
The pup, Zeusia, gave the air a tentative sniff. His ears pricked with interest and his tail began to wag. "Wolves!" He yipped excitedly.
Streak nodded. The scent was that of a pack's border. They hadn't caught scent of any pack since they had lost their home. Streak realized with growing excitement that this might just be the lucky break they needed. If this pack let them join, or even just let them stay until they were stronger, it would save their lives. Zeusia would be able to get the food a growing pup needs, and Streak's pups would be born into a world of full bellies and loyal packmates, rather then a lonely world of hunger and pain.
That settled it for Streak. She leaned down and gave Zeusia a lick on the head, then set off at a brisk pace. "C'mon, Zeusia. Let's see if we can find those wolves." She added silently, because if we don't, I don't see how we're going to make it.

[danarisky]

Tenshi flew above the forests, still lost deep within the Shinkou pack-lands. She was hunting a herd of deer from above, using fire to scare them into the open, making it easier for her to catch them. As she flew, her four tails swished behind her in the breeze. She was tired and hungry, but was also fit and healthy. She spotted two wolves from above, walking along in the woods. One of them was a cub. She realized that the more wolves on a hunt, the more chance of success.
Tenshi swooped down and landed in front of them.
"Hello," she said, "would you like to help me on a hunt? You look hungry enough."
Without waiting for answer she started to plan the hunt.
"I've got a herd of deer on the run. If you wait here, I'll go chase them into you. When they get here, start trying to catch them and I'll be here soon to help. if you see flames, it means that i am very close and you have to get ready. Okay? Oh, and by the way, yes I look strange, yes I am half hell-hound but no, I am not bad, or at least I don't think I'm bad."
Tenshi waited for a response by laying down. She knew there was not much point in chasing deer into an area with wolves that didn't want to hunt.

[Jayie]

Streak's eyes widened as the strange creature landed in front of them. It wasn't so much that she had been flying as it was how she looked. Streak had never seen anything like her before, but she tried not to let it show. She listened to the creature's plan, excitement growing. They would get a good meal, and then maybe this creature could help them find the pack that lived here.
At that last part, the she-wolf tipped her head slightly in confusion. What's a hell hound? she wondered. Aloud, she answered the hell hound hybrid, "I will help you. But after the hunt, could you..." She hesitated, loathe to put so must trust in a stranger, but then Zeusia's shoulder brushed against her leg, and she remembered why she was doing this. She continued a bit more firmly, "Could you lead us to the pack who's territory this is? We want to join, if they'll let us." She waited warily for the hell hound's response.

[danarisky]

"I am so very sorry. I am not sure of the whereabouts of the pack but I shall help you find them and help feed you along the way. Just a warning, My sister, a very nasty hell-hound/wolf hybrid may be following me. if she finds me, just leave me. She is a very good fighter and I don't want to see you get hurt." Tenshi tried to smile "I think we're safe though. I'm pretty sure she's trying to join the Giaku pack."

She took off into the air and slowly rose into the air.
"I'll go get the deer then."
She flew off and hovered above the deer. She threw fire balls at them, gradually getting them closer to the other wolves. She sent a flame above the wolves hiding spot, hoping that they'd be ready.

She then dived down, the deers just 20 meters from the other wolves. Just in case they didn't catch one she swooped down, wrapped a old deer in flames and caught it. The flames weren't used to kill the deer, they were used to keep the deer still.

After finishing the deer off she walked over to the other wolves to see if they had caught anything.

[Jayie]

Streak's hope withered a little at this, but rose again at hearing that the hell hound would accompany them until they found the pack. She answered, "Thank you for that." As she watched the hell hound fly away, she realized that she didn't even know her name. Her suspicions flared up again, but she pushed them down. They had to trust this hell hound.
Zeusia spoke, drawing Streak away from her troubled thoughts. "She's nice." The pup said brightly.
Streak smiled despite her concerns. "Yes she is. Now Zeus, I need you to do me a favor?" She motioned to a large oak tree. "See that thick branch up there?" When the pup nodded, she continued. "I want to see if you can get up there. Stay up there until I say so; there's something I want you to see." Zeusia wasn't old enough to hunt yet, and images of him getting trampled by the herd kept playing before her eyes.
The pup nodded. "Sure thing, Auntie streak!" He starting trotting towards the tree. Suddenly, he started walking up toward the tree, walking on nothing but the air itself. He looked a little tired by the time he reached the branch, but he'd made it.
Satisfied that he was safe, Streak turned her attention back to the hunt. In a minute or so, the flames flared up, and she knew that the herd was coming. She tensed into a hunting crouch, awaiting their arrival.
The herd came running st full speed, so Streak knew she had to act fast. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one limping forward, it's hind leg dragging behind it. Streak lunged at it, grabbing the injured leg in her jaws, biting down hard on it. The doe let out a bellow of pain, falling to the ground as the rest of her legs gave out beneath her. Streak rushed forward quickly and grabbed the doe's throat in her jaws, biting down until she doe stopped struggling. When she was sure it was dead, she turned to see the he'll hound standing over another deer. "Thank you for helping us." She said. She hesitated, then asked, "If you don't mind my asking, what is your name?"

[danarisky]

"I am Tenshi. may I ask your name?" she replied. "I see you have also caught a deer. Well, it's time to feast. but first I shall roast them." And with that she used the flames to roast the two deers. She then put the flames out except for a single small flame she stored behind her ear. She laid down munching on the deer. "So," she said, trying to be polite, "Why are you here? If you like I'll tell my story first."

[Jayie]

Streak was puzzled when Tenshi used her power to burn the deer. Why would you want to burn your food? She wondered idly. Aloud, she answered, "My name is Streak, and that's my nephew, Zeusia." She gestured towards the pups with her muzzle. She called out to the pup, "You come down now Zeusia." The pup bounded off the branch and through the air, coming to a halt at Streak's side.
Streak told the hell hound gratefully, "Yes, I would like to hear your story first."

[danarisky]

Tenshi relaxed and lay down, continuing to eat the deer.
"I was abandoned as a pup, as my mother wasn't sure how to care for me. I was lucky to have my older sister, Akuma to help raise me. After several years of being raised by my sister and meeting a lone wolf, I soon realized I disagreed with my sister's violent beliefs. I challenged Akuma to a fight and lost. It separated us and I fled for my life. I have had several close encounters with Akuma and has learned of her schemes to kill me and join the Giaku pack. I am now trying to make up for my past." she said. "My sister was a horrible wolf. She would fight anyone to the death. She didn't know when to stop." Tenshi sighed. "I have been on the run for a while now. A recent snowstorm got me lost in here. I am still trying to find a way out. Now I am not so sure I want to leave but i love Myoujou island. I am safer there from my sister than anywhere else because she cannot fly well enough to get up there."

She looked up at the other wolves, trying to cheer up.
"So what's your story, Streak and Zeusia?" she asked, trying to be polite.

[Jayie]

Streak grabbed a hunk of deer meet and dropped it in front of Zeusia, who started wolfing it down. She grabbed and swallowed a piece of meat before answering, "I was born a loner. My parents gave birth to me and my brother in a forest a long ways away from here. They died when me and my brother were still pretty young. My brothter, Chiron, and I lived together for a while before we got seperated in a big storm. I lived alone for a while after that, until I found the territory of a pack called the Arnak Falls Pack." There was a reminiscent smile on her face as she spoke of the pack. "They were very welcoming, and I soon felt like I would never want to live anywhere else. I fell in love with a wolf named Storm, and we soon became mates. When my brother stumbled across the pack with this little rascal in tow," She brushed her tail against Zeusia, who was still devouring the deer meat, "I thought life had never been better. Then I found out I was carrying Storm's pups, and I was told to stay home and not hunt for a while. The others fed me, and I got to babysit Zeus here, which is better then it sounds."
Her smile faded, and sadness gleamed in her eyes. "The Arnak Falls pack had only one real enemy. The neighboring pack, the Demon Claws Pack, was always causing trouble, and their leader was bloodthirsty and cruel. One day about two moons ago, the whole pack went for one massive hunt. Zeusia and I were the only ones who stayed behind to guard the camp. Around sunset, I started to get worried. They should have been back by then. I was just about to go after them and see what happened when my brother came limping out the forest towards me. He was badly wounded, and his leg must have been broken, because he wasn't using it. He called out to me, telling me to take Zeusia and run, to save ourselves. Then he... he just collapsed. I tried to wake him up, but he was dead. I scented the Demon Claw wolves coming, their scent mixed with the scent of blood, and I knew what must have happened. So I took Zeus and ran for it." Her voice shook a little bit, and Zeusia stopped eating long enough to nuzzle her leg, letting out a whimper of concern.
"Are you okay, Auntie Streak?" He asked in a small voice.
Streak gave a sad smile. "Yes, I'm fine." She gave the pup a quick lick between the ears, then continued, "We've been living on our own for the last two months, looking for somewhere we could live. My pups will be born in a moon or so, and I don't want to have them be born in a world of hunger. I want them to be born surrounded by their packmates. That's why I have to find this pack. Because I don't want my nephew or my pups to grow up like I did." Streak could hardly believe that she had revealed so much to a wolf/hell hound she barely knew. But Tenshi had been kind enough to tell her tale first, and she had provided them with food. Streak felt her suspicion of the hell hound begin to fade away.

[danarisky]

"That's terrible" Tenshi replied, shocked at what had happened to Streak. And I had thought my life was bad, Tenshi thought. She wandered cover to the other two dragging the deer she had caught behind her.
"Here," she said simply, "take this."
she sat down again.
"I have an old friend of mine, somewhere around. She may know where a pack is. She is a bit too careless, but is very loyal. Would you like to search for her as well as a pack?"

Tenshi's ears pricked. She jumped up and ran over to the other wolves.
"Did you hear that?" she asked, "A sort of growling noise, over to the left, about, hmmm, 600 meters away."

[Jayie]

Streak hesitated. As a former loner, her pride protested at the idea of accepting such charity. But the larger, more practical part of her mind realized how insulting and foolish it would be to refuse. "Thank you." She said gratefully. Zeusia started in on the meat, and Streak kept eating the rest of the one she had caught. She was surprised and excited by the offer to find Tenshi's friend. Maybe they would find the pack in this area after all! "That would be great, thank you." She said gratefully.
She pricked her ears as well. "I heard it, but just faintly." She wondered if it was a member of the pack in this area. "Do you want to go see who it is?" She asked. She herself wanted to investigate, but she would not leave Tenshi's company before she had to. She found that she liked the kind he'll hound, and thought that maybe they could be friends.

[danarisky]

"Sure, but as long as Zeusia is safe. And if the stranger is hostile, leave me. Remember you are not being selfish, you are looking after your unborn pups." Tenshi replied, nervous about the growl. A friendly stranger wouldn't have growled, she thought, they would've howled or barked or something else.

She padded silently through the trees, hiding in the shadows. Before she got too close she flew stealthily into a tree, hiding in the branches.

[Jayie]

Streak followed the hell-hound quietly, hiding in the shadows of the trees. When Tenshi flew into the trees, Streak to Zeusia and whispered, "Zeus, I need you to hide up in that oak tree over there. Can you do that for me?" The pup nodded silently, turning and walking up into a hollow hole in the tree. She let out a sigh of relief, then continued to follow Tenshi.

[danarisky]

Tenshi hovered over where the growl had come from, yet she could not see the creature. She was going to risk getting lower, but then she saw a glint of light reflected in the creature's eyes. It had seen her!

Tenshi dived away, not knowing what to think. She landed near Streak.

"Streak, they saw me! I don't know what to think!" she said, clearly distressed. her dark made her hard to see, yet that didn't stop the stranger! She relaxed for a moment, breathing returning to normal again. She realized she shouldn't have panicked that much.

She decided to wait for Streak's advice.

(Occ: if you like, the 'creature' could be one of my other characters, but its up to you)

[Jayie]

OCC: I don't have any other characters who live in Shinkou territory, so that's fine.