Desmon, Hatch, & Scaria

The two yearling brothers were out to explore the Valley. Now that things had calmed down with the Lurkers, tensions had subsided and the adults no longer worried quite as much. Which was great news for Desmon and Hatch, who were able to leave the Den unsupervised at last.

"I think we should show her how to hunt." Desmon suggested, replying to the conversation on what to teach their little cousin Scaria about survival.

"We could. Or... we could teach her about humans. Everyone needs to know about them." Hatch added, leading the group of three along a narrow escarpment, "About traps and guns and hunting dogs... that's it! Let's pretend we're hunting dogs, and she has to run from us!"

Desmon looked skeptically at his brother, but Scaria was wagging her tail excitedly, "I like that idea! And then we can hunt afterwards?" She asked in a pleading tone.

Desmon smiled, relenting his idea for Hatch's, "Alright. We'll give you a few minutes to hide."

Yipping with excitement, the 6-month old pup bounded away from her two older cousins and began to search for a place to hide.

Aurinka

The Coywolf pup fled from the Ruins, still grieving her brother's death. And what might Tahti face for protecting the traitor? What will Iota think? She was about to cry, until she saw the group. She knew these times were dangerous. But she walked forward and looked at the trio. "H-Hello..." She said quietly.

Desmon, Hatch, & Scaria

Scaria skidded a hault, scrambling away from Aurinka with wide, fearful eyes, "G-guys! Hurry!" She yipped out, equally as frightened as the hybrid pup.

Instantly dropping their playful mood, the two brothers came racing over their ground, ready to defend their little cousin. Hatch was first on the scene, snarling and baring his fangs at the little canine. "Get away from her!"

Desmon, with bristled fur, was ready to back-up Hatch, But as he saw the little hybrid, he knew she was no threat, "Easy, Hatch. She's just a little one." He defended, nudging his brother aside, "Sorry if we frightened you; are you lost?"

Scaria slowly inched forward, tail down as she slid up between Hatch and Desmon. When she saw that Aurinka was hardly any bigger than herself, the little pup began to lighten up a bit.

Aurinka

Aurinka backed away when the canines got aggressive. "Don't hurt me!" She cried, her back up against a bush. Even after they calmed down, she was still fearful. "Don't kill me! Don't let Risen find me!" She looked up at the males with large eyes.

Desmon, Hatch, & Scaria

Des looked back at his brother, "Stop your snarling, you're scaring her! Look, she's harmless.... what did you say?" The hybrid flashed a startled look back to Aurinka when she mentioned Risen. The traitor of his pack, who stood so callously aside when he was nearly killed! And while his poor cousins... they were slaughtered! "Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you." Desmon assured, dropping his ears slightly and letting his tail wave a bit, "Tell me though, how do you know Risen?"

Hatch was still skeptic of Aurinka, and even moreso when she mentioned Risen. "Keep your guard up, brother... this could be a ploy..." He warned, but was ignored.

Scaria hadn't been born yet when Risen betrayed the pack, but she knew a lot about her already. Because of her, her two siblings were stolen. Panther and Destroying Angel.

Aurinka

Aurinka was in tears now, huddled up against the ground. "Risen led my pack, but she scared me so I left. I don't like her very much." She said, still in a fearful tone. "My mom's still there, and I think my sister is too. But my brother was murdered..." She looked down at the ground, trying not to think of Liekki's death and the beast that made it happen. "What if Risen kills my mom for protecting me? I'm a traitor!"

Desmon, Hatch, & Scaria

Sorting out what Aurinka said, Desmon came to a quick response, "We'll rescue your sister and mother. And our cousins." He said with an aire of finality and authority.

Hatch looked aghast at the declaration his brother made, but didn't voice any protest. While their previous ventures hadn't turned out that well, he was always up for something exciting. And a rescue mission... what was more exciting than that?

Desmon exchanged glances with Hatch before looking back to the coywolf, "Do you have any other friends or family that will be loyal to you?"

Aurinka

Aurinka finally calmed down, but only somewhat. "Thank you." She said softly, then stepped forward. "I don't have any other family there, and all the others made fun of me and my brother." While she was saying this, she did not know that she had four new maternal half-siblings.

Desmon, Hatch, & Scaria Will you lead us to where Risen lives? Will can save your mother and sister." It was quiet the longshot, but he couldn't just wait around for someone else to rescue his family.

"Shouldn't we tell Hydras and Lyckos? I mean, we're only..." Hatch began, but was stopped by Desmon's quick words.

"No! They won't let us. Sneak back and get Honthale, we'll need him. And get Mesa, she'll help us." He added, before turning back to Aurinka.

Aurinka

A look of fear was on Aurinka's face. "I can't do that. We'll have to wait until she comes out. All of the Haunters just came back. It's too dangerous." She replied. "I don't know how my sister will feel when she finds out that I'm a traitor." She looked up at them. "Where can I stay until then, where Risen won't find me?"

Desmon, Hatch, & Scaria

"Hatch, wait!" Desmon called out as his brother was just leaving for the Den. "Change of plans." Flashing Aurinka a smypathetic smile, Desmon and Hatch padded a few feet away and began to talk in quiet whispers.

Scaria, deciding that Aurinka was no threat after all, walked over to her as her cousins talked. "What does Risen look like?" The little pup had only heard stories of the wolf, but imagined her as something of a monster.

It wasn't long before the brothers returned to the youngsters. It was Desmon again who spoke, "You can come back with us, to the Alleys. Just stay close to us, and you'll be fine." He assured, the smile still written pleasantly over his lean muzzle. Nudging both Aurinka and Scaria, he began traveling for the Alleys, and ultimately the Aegis den.

Hatch traveled behind, making sure the two smaller canines could keep up with his brother, and that nothing ambushed them.

Aurinka

Aurinka sighed when Scaria spoke. "She looks like a huge monster with pitch-black fur and bright red eyes." Her own eyes grew wide, as this was not what Risen looked like, but how she thought of the beast. She trailed after the group.