Soul Taker & Others

Hours passed, and night eventually gave way to the dawning of a new day. A dense, almost blinding blanket of freezing fog hung low over the prairie, making it impossible to see more than a few yards in any one direction. Nearby trees appeared as ghostly silhouettes, and the pale gaze of the rising sun hadn't climbed high enough to pierce and scatter these dense, ground-hugging clouds.

Droplets of water had collected on the bodies of the horses gathered together in their little patch of the prairie, glistening like a coat of little diamonds on each of their ebony backs. With a brisk shake, Soul Taker cleared his coat of the wetness; for a few minutes, at least. He raised his head and gazed into the void of gray that surrounded him, but could see little. The thickness of the air and the lack of wind on this early morning kept any scents from traveling their way, and scarcely a bird chirped to break the deafening silence around them. Soul huffed softly and shifted his weight from three limbs to four. "Is everyone awake? We will start traveling soon."

Shaded Grace gave his form a hearty shake and slapped his dewy tail from one side of his flank to the other. The oppressive mist made him nervous, and it showed in his flared nostrils and the way his eyes would roll quickly from one thing to the next. "Mmmhhh. Yeah, we ought to get moving. Think the fog will lift soon?"

Osmia took a deep breath of the dense air and snorted harshly. "Soon as the sun rises a little higher, the fog should lift. It might be a better idea to wait for it to clear some."

Sarada

Sarada had thought of running while they all slept but then decided she hadnt wanted to go home anyways. Home she felt was broken because of her twins arrogance. She had laid down to sleep tired from yesterdays ordeals. She knew today would be no better. But she would stand by what she said. She would not go near the human structures alone. Even if tehy beat the shit out of her she wouldn't go. She stood up not saying a word. Hears flicked. The fog made her wary not of them but of what lie on the other side of it. Her tail was swishing side to side.

Soul Taker & Others

"Osmia, lead the way. We will depart now." Soul declared, shrugging aside the suggestion to wait for the fog to lift as he made the brisk decision. He wanted to be out of these fallen clouds sooner than later, and banked on the mist being thinner outside of the Prairie. He stepped past Shaded Moon and approached Sarada, stretching his neck forward to nip at her flank, "It is your day to prove yourself, young mare. Stay close to Osmia."

Shaded dropped his head and shook his coat again, disliking the moisture that clung to him. He shuffled his hooves beneath his dark frame and looked to the elder mare, eager to follow her and be rid of this fog.

Osmia wasn't too sure about the decision, but she didn't question it. "We'll have to move slow." Was all she said before she gave a look around her surroundings, trying to figure out exactly which way was which. After a moment, the mare picked a direction and began to move, traveling at a slow, leisurely pace that ensured she wasn't leading the herd down some steep embankment or some other similar danger.

Sarada

When he nipped her flank she send her hooves back for his chest. I've got nothing to proof it's you that has stuff to proof. I'll remind you I'm not entering the human structure alone she said.

Stormrunner, Starscream, & Darling

The fog acted as a perfect camouflage for Stormrunner's gray coat, erasing the young wolf from view unless one were within a dozen or so feet of the hunter. Behind him, Starscream also benefited from the dense clouds, while Darling's dull brow coat was neatly masked amongst that and the earth tones of the dead grasses they now waded through.

The downside was that their prey was equally well concealed. Even the larger frames of the horses were made near invisible, and it was only by chance that Stormrunner hit upon their scent trail from the day prior. He'd signaled his find to the rest of the pack and pressed onward, moving cautiously and quietly until he heard the heated voice of Sarada follow the quiet melody of Soul's cold commands. Storm continued on, stealthing through the prairie until the silhouette of the four equines emerged through the gray.

Stormrunner immediately stopped, hoping to avoid being seen. The alpha retreated back several yards and waited for his pack to converge on his location, "There are at least four horses up ahead. In this fog, we should be able to surround and harry them, and single out the weakest."

"If we're lucky we can drive one off a steep bank or over an obstacle." Starscream offered with a rare bit of optimism.

Darling was nodding along with this, "There are plenty of divets."

Blackout, Megatron & Tayzeka

Blackout Megatron and Tay also followed . TAy spoke two of them are stallions, two are mares, one mare is young but if we want to preserve our prey in a way we should try to avoid the young one. I think we should go for a stallion. They don't need two males to produce the next generationShe said licking her lips eager to begin this hunt.

Soul Taker & Others

The last twenty-four hours had given Soul Taker a better understanding on Sarada's behavior, and he was ready for her kicks this time. He'd approached her at an angle and reared back just in time to dodge her flailing flints, and then tossed a forehoof at her flank on his way back down for added measure. "It would be a shame to loose you so soon, young mare."

"Hold up." Osmia had stopped short with flared nostrils and perked ears. A note of alarm carried her words, and it was enough to get both stallions looking around with wide eyes. "I thought I heard a voice."

As the three peered into the impenetrable veil of mist that surrounded them, there was at first silence. But only a few dozen yards away, Stormrunner was nodding to his mom's idea, agreeing that their target should be a sustainable one, and one of the old stallions would fit that bill. With a rough plan in motion, Storm signaled his pack to move, and rushed suddenly for the four equines, snarling and yipping as he attempted to scare them into flight.

Starscream was hot on his son's heals, running for the small group of horses with hungry eyes and bared fangs. Shaded Grace was the first one his saw, and he rushed up along the side of the stallion and snapped at his belly.

Darling came in a little slower, but with no less determination. A chorus of yips and barks came from the elder female as she sought to harry the herd and separate out which stallion to go after.

Sarada

Her nostrils flared as she pivoted to avoid his hoof and that when she too grew wary. Her nostrils flared and thats when the yipping and barking .WolvesShe said. HEr nostrils flare as the wolves come in and she runs. Her nstinct told her to run.

Tayzerka, Black and Mega rush in targeting the same stallion.

Soul Taker & Others

Soul now had something far more pressing than a disobedient mare to contend with. A wave of fangs and musty fur surged suddenly around the small herd as the Aspen Grove pack set off their hunt. "RUN!" And for once, the stallion's wispy voice rose into a croaking bellow, beckoning his family into flight. He kicked blindly behind him before diving forward to run behind Osmia and Sarada.

Osmia squealed in fear and galloped blindly forward, running headlong into the fog with little time to comprehend the terrain or what obstacles might lay ahead. She tried keeping Sarada in her peripheral, but the mist was so dense and her panic so great that it took only a few dozen strides before the mare found herself swallowed up in the heavy clouds and unable to see her herdmates. She could hear the terrible snarling of the wolves and the heavy thud of hooves, but in the chaos, she didn't know who was where. Terrified of the wolves, Osmia continued to run.

Shaded felt teeth at his side and spun abruptly with hooves flying out in Starscream's direction. He was soon bolting forward with his half brother, moving in the direction of the mares even though the fog was quick to obscure their location. Three more wolves were soon at him, but he continued to run, striking with his flints when he could in hopes of wounding or scaring off the pack.

Starscream fell back shortly after tasting the blood of his prey, leaving Shaded Moon's hooves to strike empty air.

Where he dropped back, Stormrunner rushed into the open space, leaping at the stallion's shoulder and sinking his fangs into dark flesh. He held on for a moment or two before the horse managed to buck him off. Storm didn't mind though, for his goal wasn't an immediate kill - not with a creature so large as a horse. No, they would harass and exhaust the stallion until he was too tired to flail his deadly hooves at them, and only then would Storm give the command to rush in for the kill.

Doing her part, Darling chased loosely along with the others. She watched her father dart in, followed by her younger brother. And when they fell back, she put on a burst of speed and charged in front of Shaded Moon. She made a mock lunge for his nose, hoping to force the stallion in a new direction, and further away from the safety of his herd...

Sarada

Something in sarada screened at her and slight anger that none made to help shaded. She spun around and with ears back she charged the wolves. Her head low. She managed to take tay by surprise her teeth close on the wolves scruff and she uses her front hooves to smack her before tossing the older she wolf from shaded. Her nostrils flaring

Tay hadn't been prepared for the young mare to return and she yelped when she was thrown she just laid there alive but hurt

Mega and black watched this unsure if they should continue

Soul Taker & Others

"Sarada!" Soul bellowed as the young mare doubled back and bolted for Shaded Moon. He froze, torn between going for Osmia, and plunging into the blanket of fog behind them to assist the newest herd member. Beyond the hazy wall, he heard Osmia squeal in fear, and his decision was made.

While Soul Taker charged blindly ahead, Shaded was beset with wolves. He'd thrown his hooves for Darling, but the old wolfess had been smart enough to shy just out of their range. Pain then seared at his opposite flank where Crow used the distraction to score a wound across his dark hide. When he turned to deal with the silver wolf, Storm was nipping at his opposite shoulder. The pack had him singled out and surrounded, and their cacophony of yips and snarls was maddening!

Suddenly a collared she-wolf was lunging for him, and he braced for the impact he had no time to stop. But before Tayzeka could sink her fangs into his tattered hide, the striped face of Sarada came barreling through the clouds and the fiery young mare didn't stop until she had Tayzeka stomped to the ground. "Sarada..?" Shaded stumbled over her name in surprise, but didn't have time to stop and consider the other's actions. She'd helped him, and now it was his duty to return the favor. The stallion backed up against her and turned to face the pack, ears flattened and one hoof pawing fiercely into the cold earth, "Come at us again, and you'll wind up like your friend there!"

Tayzeka's yelp had Starscream abandoning his assault to rush to his mate's side. "Tay! Tay, are you okay?" He began to nose about at the wolfess, looking for injuries while completely ignoring the horses.

Sarada

She had faught her flight instinct to save him her nostrils flared as she reared up lashing her hooves at the air in warning

Tay stumbled up wincing. ** Broken ribs** she wanted now staring at the horses.

Soul Taker & Others

Stormrunner's excited growling turned to a frustrated snarl when he realized his mother had been hurt. He bristled his fur further and made a rush for Sarada and Shaded Moon, striving to spook the pair and get them running. But Shaded held strong despite his fear and offered a solid front kick for the wolf.

The young alpha wisely gave up the charge, and sprinted a few paces off, knowing he couldn't afford an injury like Tayzeka's. Still, he wasn't ready to declare defeat quite yet, and with a single to his pack mates, he motioned for them to continue harrying the pair.

Darling joined her younger half brother by circling Sarada and Shaded Grace, making quick little charges at them if she saw an opening, but mostly trying to snarl and snap, and spook them into fleeing once more.

Starscream hesitated beside his mate, concern heavy in his gaze. "Damned mare." He wanted to rush forth and tear her throat out, but knew he'd end up just like Tayzaka - or worse - he he charged a horse head on. Instead, Star chose to stand should to shoulder with his partner, watching and waiting to see whether the horses could be spooked a second time, or whether they'd have to call off this hunt.

Sarada

Her nostrils flared as the younger canines continued her ears are flat back and without warning she rush's who she believes is their alpha and attempts to repeditly use her front hooves against him. She had a few bites from black and mega but she did the same with them.

Tayzeka watched ** call it off before someone else is hurt**

Stormrunner & Others The second he ran away from Sarada, Darling was dancing in and leaping at the side of the mare's lower half, trying to score a hit on her upper knee or thigh before breaking off to avoid a hind strike. Whether she landed the hit or not, the elder shewolf was force to back off next when Shaded Moon came careening her direction. His head was low and mouth open, and if Darling hadn't scrambled back the second she did, her head would have been flattened beneath his hooves.

Stormrunner kept this up for several long minutes. But when neither of the horses showed signs of backing down, he had to agree with his mother - the gamble was too risky. Too many of his packmembers, including his older half siblings, were far past their prime and more likely to be injured than he and Blackout.

"Fallback!" His sides were heaving and his tongue lulling from his mouth as he gave the order. There would be no horse for breakfast today, but with any luck, they'd find easier prey somewhere else in the prairie.

Sarada

She felt the wolves teeth land purchase on her hip but she sent a cow kick for her with a snort. Her nostrils flaring. HEr ears back.

Black out and MEgatron moved bac to their mother.

Stormrunners & Others "Lets move on." Storm eventually declared, breaking eye contact with the stallion and the mare. He moved first to his mom, giving her a concerned nudge, before filing away into the mist. His pace was slower now, wanting to accomdate for Tayzeka's wounded side.

Darling fell in line behind the pack, while Starscream traveled protectively on his mate's injured side.

Many minutes after the wolves disappeared into the fog, Shaded exhaled a nervous sigh. The many bites he'd received would leave him sore and slow in the coming days, but he was alive. All thanks to Sarada. Wincing a little from a wound on his lower neck, the stallion swung his ebony head around to face Sarada, "You.. could have run. Away from the wolves, away from us."

She watched the wolves. I could of yes, but two things My instinct was to help and two even if I ran from you guys I.. Honestly have absolutely no clue how to get back to my herd. So there fore I would of been alone and vulnurable and pregnant. My herd very rarely left our territory so I dont know the lands surrounding it. When you found me I had run from my herd because of ...she frowned now remembering why she'd run from her home. Because of family issues I ran without watching where I was going muchSHe said.

"You wanted to help, even though we treated you so... poorly?" He asked quietly, even though 'poorly' didn't quite cover their foul treatment of the young mare. A strange, uncomfortable feeling of guilt settled inside of the stallion, and he suddenly wished Soul or Osmia were at his side. But they were somewhere beyond the fog, and Shaded was leery of venturing anywhere, lest they stumble across the wolves again.

Shaded watched Sarada frown as she trailed off for a moment. One shadowed aud turned from the surroundings and focused on her words, and he found himself compelled to speak, "What happened with your family?" He wasn't sure why he asked, or why he suddenly found himself caring for this young mare, when only a short time ago she was little more than a foal bearer to him.

She frowned he was right she should of let them die and ran. ** Where would I go? Pregnant, young and lost? Whose to say something else wouldn't find me? ** my twin brother being stupid and thinking he can protect two pregnant mares on his own** she said

Again he was quiet for a long spell, half paying attention to the eerily quiet atmosphere around them, and half contemplating all that Sarada said. He could see her point in returning to his aid for her own sake, but she could have also gone with Soul and abandoned him to his fate. Finally, he spoke again, "For what it's worth, I'm.. glad you came to my aid." It was probably the closest she'd get to a 'thank you' from Shaded Moon, but it was still a lot coming from the old stallion.

To the talk of her family, Shaded nodded slowly, then looked to her with curiosity suddenly lightening in his eyes. "Wait, you're a twin?" He huffed under his breath, thinking of his own brother, "Soul and myself are not twins, but we are close. Our mother abandoned him to have me, and I came early from what I was told." He wasn't sure why he was sharing this, and knew the soft-voiced Soul would be furious if he found out.

Sarada cocked her left hind leg as her hip was sore from a wound on it. I don't believe in abandoning others, I couldn't just let you dieShe said calmly. She nodded I am yesShe said. Not a very good mother no offenseShe said uietly. to abandon one foal for another.

Somewhere in the distance, muffled by hills and dense air, Shaded heard vague noises. He couldn't quite pick out what it was, but it didn't sound terribly close to them. Either way, he shuffled a little closer to Sarada, as if to confer protection to the young mare and make up for the harsh way he'd treated her until now. He saw the way she shifted weight from one hind limb, and new worry began to blossom for the foal that she carried.

"I don't remember much of her." Shaded admitted, "It's in the past anyway. The same will be true for your brother, you needn't worry about him or the others anymore. You have us for a family now, and that foal will not be abandoned by any of us."

She missed her twin and she hated how niave he was but she couldn't sit here worrying about him now. She had her own life to live and soon to be foal to raise. She listened to his words. Her ears flicked at the sounds unsure of where the other two were. Did they just up and abandon them? I believe you won'tShe said as for the other two no she didn't trust them . They wante to use her to free this other family memeber an they didn't care if the humans got her in the end.

Shaded Moon strained to hear more, but whatever those noises were, they had faded again and the pair were left in silence. It was broken by Sarada's words, and he was pulled back to the uncomfortable situation of interacting with the mare without Soul and Osmia to help. Without his brother and adopted sister, Shaded wasn't sure what to say or do, or how to handle this nagging feeling of concern he was developing for their hostage. He shifted uncomfortably on his hooves and finally fumbled a few words out, "Soul's been unable to produce a foal in all his life. This would be my first, if it all goes well." The stallion pawed the ground a few times, his attention beginning to fade from the mist around them, "As long as you don't abandon the foal, I won't abandon you either."

She listened** I have no intentions of leaving the foal**

He was glad to hear that, at least. Silence again fell on the pair, as Shaded wasn't exactly a great driver of conversation. Minutes stretched by where his attention eventually filtered back to his surroundings, and his thoughts meandered back to his other two herdmates. Where had they gone, and why hadn't they returned yet?

The fog, naturally. He couldn't make heads or tails of where they were, or which direction Osmia and Soul had taken off in. Hell, he wasn't sure anymore which way the wolves had melted into the mist. His friends were likely just as lost, and eventually Shaded had to take control of the situation. "We should start searching for them. Come on." This time, there was no nip or flattened ears to corral the mare, the stallion simply looked back at her, then started moving forward.

Sarada nodded and followed him slightly favoring her hind leg where the wolf had sunk its teeths into. Her ears flicking as sshe followed him an staye close to him.