Soledad padded into territory sporting his minor wounds from his brawl with the big black brute of a wolf. He had a nice sized gash running down his muzzle, and his chest and legs sported many cuts and bruises. But on the whole he was in better condition than most of wolves in the battle. Many had been killed or severly wounded. He was glad that he had escaped with his life.

Lunar rushed up to her mate, licking him with complete abandon as sheer joy flooded her heart. He was safe, and home. That was all the fea was thinking at at the moment. She hadn't noticed that her pups had scurried off to explore; besides, they were getting old enough to do that. As long as they were in the territory, she though they would be fine. Oh how sadly mistaken she was...

A black shadow had followed in Soledad's wake, and he kept out of sight and sound of the wolves. The wind was in his favor as he crossed the land. He was silent and undetectable as he followed a scent belonging to something related to the male he had fought in the battle...

"Oh, I'm so glad you're home! And in one peace! Oh thank the Heavens above that you weren't killed!" Lunar yipped happily.

The two pups came crashing in on the scene several minutes later, both of them completely out of breath. "M-Mum!" Dogo managed to wheeze out. "S-someone s-stole-" She had to stop as she coughed a little. "-Lihas." Naiya finished for his siter. If wolves could be drained of coloring, Lunar would have turning the color of a piece of paper.

"What?" She asked. Her tone was none believing, she was in shock. Not her pup, oh please, not her pup. Not Lihas, not her precious Lihas. "Where?" Was all she could think to ask after that.

"At the dens!" Dogo had recovered from her run. "He was a big wolf! Bigger than Daddy! And he-"

"Was black!" Naiya finished. Soledad's eyes narrowed.

"Did he have wounds on his neck?" He asked, his tone was deathly calm. The two pups nodded in unison. "Damn him! Fuck! Goddammit it was that same wolf that gave me these damned wounds!" The male had flown into a rage. "I'll kill him! I swear I'll tear his bloody throat out!" Lunar had never seen Soledad so angered, and it kind of frightened her. But then again, she was pissed off too. She raised her head and howled, calling to her alpha. They needed conference with him, and they needed it quickly.

The alpha wasn't as badly injured as most had been. With only minor wounds, Vestige was quick to respond to the call. He came to a stop, his eyes narrowed as he spotted Soledad's rage. "What's the problem?"

"Lihas is gone." He said coldly. "Someone took her, but I don't know who the bastard was. I'm positive it was the same wolf I fought in that bloody battle!" His breathing was rough, but he seemed to be getting over the initial wave of rage that had engulfed him so. He paced back and forth, snorting and growling every once in the while as he tried to reign himself in.

Lunar turned pleading eyes to Vestige. "Is there anything you can do? We didn't see him... Naiya and Dogo did. They were at the den, I was so caught up with Soledad returning safely I-" Her voice cracked as tears flooded her eyes. She should have been more watchful, it was all her fault. She looked away with a kind of attempt to hide the shame she felt. She couldn't help but feel this way, it washed over her like a horrible wave, threatening to drown her.

"I'm afraid that I can't do anything. Not right now. And neither should you. If it is the same wolf you fought, and if my hunch is correct, The Haunters could be behind this. Both sides are injured and tired. I promise you we will get Lihas back. Now, listen, Once we are rested, I shall call upon allies and we shall storm the temple once more to get Lihas back. You have my word." Vestige nodded, feeling the pain and anger Lunar and Soledad were feeling. One of his own had been taken by the Haunters. "Now, please, Calm down and rest. I'm sure they won't kill him, they will merely use him to become one of them. But we will get him back before that. Your son is strong. He will not fall to their evil ways."

Kimama came trotting back to greet the warriors, tail waving to see that everyone was, at least relatively, uninjured. She was silent as she watched the trouble, trying to stay out of the way. It was an instinct from her puphood, though she was now nearly grown, but sorrow of other wolves always seemed to make her wish she could disappear. So it was that she watched wordlessly for several minutes.

Then, after a few moments, her dial began to dart around, eyes frantically searching for... Finally, she spoke, voice softer than wind. Where's... where's Ma?