Vhaerau & Kennik

A half hour's worth of slow travel, wherein Vhaerau paved the way ahead and Kennik carefully guided their two companions, eventually led the group to open grate beneath the road. By this point, all four had to trudge through water that ran a few inches deep, but at least the tunnel and the ravine it fed into were not entirely flooded, allowing Kennik to lead War and Cael to the exit, and up the steep, trash-littered bank. He shook his plush fur upon reaching the top of the steep incline, and peered out at the world around him. Buildings of various sizes and states of repair surrounded them. A car roared across the road they'd just crawled out from under. A human walked along an adjacent sidewalk while music played loudly from headphones.

Kennik shrank back a little, just as Vhaerau appeared at his side. "Easy, brother." She told him, knowing the brightness of daylight and the lack of protective shadows left him feeling vulnerable. She felt it too. "This is the place, I think. I can smell these Lurkers well enough, but War Dance-" She turned to look at the one she deemed more dominant of the pair, "-do you know how to get home from here? We'll follow to make sure you make it back safely."

Cael & War Dance

The scent of sulfur had both their noses curled by the time they'd broken loose of the shadows and stepped once more into daylight. War Dance sucked in a deep breath of fresh air, and was greeted with familiar scents that wafted through her nose like a welcoming friend. A hamburger joint a block down, that skittish little street dog they kept casing whenever they caught him on their turf, and the sweet aroma of blossomed crabapples that lined a nearby parking lot. All of these smelled of home.

A grunt of pain followed her effort to ascend the steep ravine, and she slipped once on a plastic bag that lay in her path. The brindle wolfdog eventually made it to the top though, and again took in a deep, refreshing lungful of air. "We're only a few blocks from home." She answered Vhaerau without looking to the darker pelted female. Her eyes were roving over the landscape, drinking in the sights of her territory and feeling relief wash over her. "This way."

War Dance picked a decisive route and began to trot. Cael came up behind the trio with his head and eyes lowered. Guilt came paired with the relief, and he was almost afraid to meet with his mother and father again, and explain to them that Houndrik would not be coming home. Swallowing his anxieties, the hybrid shadowed after War and the two siblings, following the path that would lead them down through a maze of alleys and a scattering of empty lots, before eventually reaching the Den.

Honz & Zeus

Honz was remarking some of the bounderies. Zozen following behind him laerning.

Toph had remained home sleeping. Mo< Zeus was relaxing.

Sephiroth and cloud were wrestling

Cael & War Dance

War Dance was the first to pick up on her father's scent, and hastily followed after it. "Father!" She barked, her voice carrying a note of anxiety. Cael picked up his pace and scrambled after, moving quickly to keep up with his friend and reach their alpha.

Two blocks down, she finally caught up with the black and white dog, and spotted her brother Zozan along side him. Her ears went back and she rushed forward to nuzzle her dad, relieved to finally be back after their harrowing day. "Dad... I'm so glad to see you." She drew her head back and looked to her sire, pain written clearly in her dark eyes. "Skylit is gone, dad. Equiss and Houndrik too.. we got ambushed."

Cael lingered a few feet back, unable to make eye contact with Honz or Zozan. Unlike War Dance, he bore no injuries.

Vhaerau & Kennik

Vhaerau had halted a few feet behind Cael, with Kennik standing quietly beside his sister. The siblings had lowered their heads and dropped their stance into something more neutral when it became clear they had entered the territory of the Shadow Lurkers. And judging by the way this husky-mix carried himself, they guessed he must be the alpha.

After War Dance had spoken to Honz, Vhaerau raised her voice, "They were attacked by a group of large cats, near our territory. There was little my brother or I could do other than offer your friends shelter."

Honz

He stopped moving and nuzzled them back. He grew stiff. "Where are these big cats located do you know?" He said. "Zozen alert the pack we need a meeting now" he said.

Zozen took off running barking as he entered. "Father is calling for a meeting"

Zeus looked up as zozen came in

Gwen & Pack

War Dance lowered her dial, pressing her forehead against her father's chest as she sought comfort from him. "I don't know, we... had to run, and hide." She answered back sullenly.

Back at the den, Gwen was jolted awake her son, and was on her paws an instant later. "Zozan, what's the matter?" She shook the sleep her from head and padded quickly towards him, while a nearby Argolis also stirred and began to sit up. "Pirqua! Find Coyota and the rest - I know she went towards the dump this morning to scavenge."

Desmon and Windcaller were soon rising from their napping spots, each giving the other a worried look as they awaited whatever news was to come.

High above them, a sleek shadow cut through the light of the windows, as Pirqua dove from her rafter perch and sailed from the building.

Vhaerau & Kennik

"We don't know." Vhaerau offered her response to Honz next, while her brother shied back a little. Undaunted by the shift in energy around her, the ebony wolfdog added on, "We don't travel far beyond our own domain, and have never seen big cats this close to the city before. I don't know where they came from, but their prints show that they headed north after the attack." 'North' covered a lot of ground unfortunately, as Atroe City was nestled near the southern end of the Valley.

Honz

Honze stood there "thank you for bringing them home" he nudged the two youngsters now and soon came through the door leaping up on a table. His fur was bristled. He told them all what he had been told."we cant just sit here knowing there are big cats out there killing and not killing for food"

Gwen & Pack

All eyes went to husky mix as he sprung upon the table, standing bristled and intense before them. Gwen rushed across the floor, skirting past Zozan and the groggy Windcaller to stand before her mate, looking up at his defiant pose. What he said next nearly knocked the wind out of the alpha, with the anxiety she felt melting instantly into grief. Their Skylit was no more.

Cael and War Dance had crept in through the rusted doors behind Honz. And that's where Cael stayed, standing at the threshold while War filed into the Den and approached her mother. Gwen was quick to lavish her daughter with affection and fuss over her wounds, but even this action was to be a brief one. As co-alpha, she had a job to do, and three remaining children to protect. The alphess, pain etching her voice, spoke up after her mate, "Darkwing, we need you to patrol the outskirts of the town, and see if you can't locate these foul beasts. We need to know who they are and why they attacked."

A low whine came from Argolis upon hearing the loss of a grandchild, cousin, and dear packmate. Three in one fell swoop was a heavy toll for the Lurkers, after so many years of peace. The ex-alpha approached the table, head and dark ears held high, but tail appropriately lowered. "This is likely the work of the Shadow Haunters. I know of no other group brazen enough to attack so close to the humans. Cael, War - can you tell us what they looked like?"

War Dance raised her dial, taking initiative to speak when it was clear that Cael would not. "There were five of them, I think. They were all huge, and shades of golden and tan - one had ringed spots, and darker fur around his neck. He was the biggest. One of the smaller ones was darker tan with a mantle of dark fur on his neck and shoulders. The female was brightly colored, and then there was a smaller one, a lynx."

Desmon rumbled, "Lions. One at least sounds like a hybrid, and if they have a lynx with them, that's Haunters. But why rehash this war with us? And what can we do against lions?" Eyes turned to Honz and Gwen.

Honz

He wanted blood. No one kills his child freely. "We must find allies that is what we must do" he said

Vhaerau & Kennik

The sibling pair lingered awkwardly outside the door, neither daring to go in to the heart of the Lurker's domain without an open invitation. Vhaerau grunted beneath her breath and turned her eyes back down the alley they'd just traveled through, looking towards home. "We should leave now, Kenni. Let them deal with their issues."

The alabaster brother frowned and shook his head, "C'mon, you know we're suppose to put a good paw forward here with them. They need us - and we might need them, if these big cats decide to be a problem. Sooner or later, they could find a way into our home."

Faced away from her brother, Vhae's face turned sour. But she knew her brother was right, and further knew that their mother would not be happy if she didn't put forth the effort to build a bridge with this pack. With a deep sigh to convey her irritation, the ebony wolfdog swung back around and approached the rust-locked doors, peeking her inky muzzle through the opening. "I don't mean to eavesdrop, or intrude, but the Delvers would be willing to establish an alliance."

Gwen & Pack

Gwen was on the same page as her mate, and quick to speak on his suggestion, "We should travel to the Silver Glades again, and reaffirm our alliance with them. I know things went well last time, with-" The alphess paused, wishing suddenly to retract her words as Patch and Equiss came to mind, the elder pair that had been part of the emissary to the Silver Glades. Thinking quickly, she adjusted her phrasing, "-with a positive interaction. I'm sure now, with their pups older and grown, they'd be more willing to hash out a solid alliance with us."

"We have the Ranch Lurkers." Argolis offered, with a slim note of skepticism wrinkling his tones. "It's been a long while since we've spoken to them, but we could at least send a member or two to see if they'd be willing to help."

At this point, Vhaerau had stuck her head through the doorway, catching several pairs of eyes, and a bristling of fur from Argolis, Desmon, and Windcaller. It was War Dance who spoke on her behalf, "That's Vhaerau - she's part of the Delvers, the ones that saved us."

Honz

Honz listened to each.then we send atleast two of us each to each of them He said then looked up. HE barked once at Argolis, Desmon and Wincaller. Come in then and we shall talk about this alliance. These two escorted the surviving young home no matter alliance or not they are welcomed hereHe said calmly yet firmly.

Zeus just listened.

Gwen & Pack

Windcaller and Desmon were quick to back down under Honz' simple order, and after a moment or two longer, Argolis allowed his fur to settle back down and his steely gaze to soften. "My apologies, friend. You have my gratitude."

Gwen offered Vhae a welcoming smile, or at least as much of one as she could muster with the weight of Skylit's death hanging over her. "Please, come in. We were just discussing alliances." As she waited for the ebony wolfdog to enter, the alphess addressed the pack again in tandem with her mate, "I can travel to the Silver Glades with a second member, and Honz-" She turned to her mate, "Would you seek out the Ranch Lurkers? Desmon could go with you there."

Vhaerau & Kennik

Vhaerau had frozen initially, stalled by the fierce reactions from some of the Shadow Lurkers. A quick bark and explanation from Honz had things sorted though, and with permission granted, the midnight-pelted hybrid slid past the doors and entered the spacious complex. Almost immediately, she felt better. It was brighter than what she was use to, but it was enclosed, just like the tunnels she and her pack lived in.

Kennik slipped in behind her, also marveling at the multi-level structure that towered before them. The pair of them remained silent, and seated near the exit, waiting for the pack to finish their discussions.

Honz

Honz watched the two carefully and then nodded to gwen.that we can doHe said.

Gwen & Pack

"Zozan-" Gwen looked to her son, "Why don't you come with me to the Silver Glades? The rest of the pack can stay here in the meantime, until we get word back from Darkwing on where these cats are, and if they are truly Haunter or not."

With the diplomacy parties settled, the alphess directed her dark eyes towards Vhaerau and Kennik again. "As long as my mate agrees, the Shadow Lurkers would be grateful for an alliance with your group. Can you tell us about yourselves?"

Desmon padded towards the table where Honz and Gwen stood, and took a seat next to it, ready to follow Honz out.

Honz

Honz nodded.we can do with as many allies as we can get right nowHe said before nodding to Desmon.we will be backHe said turning to head out.

Zozen looked up at his mother.alrightHe said.

Gwen & Pack

Desmon heaved himself up and trotted dutifully after his alpha.

That left Gwen to deal with the two Delvers, and her dark eyes were fixated on the pair as she awaited a response from either. Before either Vhaerau or Kennik could respond though, a piercing cry interrupted the gathering and had many in the pack looking upward to see Darkwing sweeping back into the Den. The falcon circled once before coasting down to alight on the table, facing her alphess. "We have more visitors, and one at least is a Haunter."

Argolis bristled at the news, and Windcaller rumbled. Gwen's eyes went cold, "Where?"

"A few blocks from here." Darkwing reported, "There's only two, though one looks younger and I've not seen her before. They seem to be heading this way."

This time the alphess growled, "I apologize Delvers, but we have to go. You are welcome to join if you'd like." With a nod to the rest of the pack, inviting them to join her, Gwen rushed from the Den as Darkwing darted out ahead of the pack to lead them to Blackmist and Quinn.