She moved quickly in her pain riddled state, but she had to tell them..... Before it was to late. She sent up a howl, calling everyone to the center of the packlands.

Aaka was dead.

Moon Spirit was the first to arrive, along with her granddaughter, Condemned, and Elena. What is it? Keko just shook her head, waiting for the others to arrive. She would only say this once.

Overjoyed to hear the sound of Kekechoi, as he had finally put Tri-Tundra off his mind for the most part, Jais was quick to join in the gathering. He was alarmed to see that she didn't look alright, and his eyes furrowed in concern, "Are you alright, Kekechoi?" Blood. He could smell it. And Aaka.. her scent lingered faintly from Kek. What had happened?

The rain had begun to lessen, and she let a relieved sigh escape at the sight of Jais. She looked around for Karai, but figured her mother would fill in the other. No. Mama, Aaka's dead. I found her at the canyon. Enola.... Enola thinks I did it. Mama.... Mama she took the body back to Legosa. Shes going to tell him I did it. She was shaking. What was she going to do? The wrath of her uncle was not something she wanted, especially when she had done nothing wrong.

Moon Spirit kept a cool face, but thought frantically. Damn! Storm had left Aaka's body after killing her. What were they going to do? We'll think of something, darling. Shush now. We'll think of something. The aging alphess looked to Jais. You sticking this out? Many pack members would run at the first sign of Legosa anger. It was not something anyone wanted to go up against.

His heart picked up pace, having gotten his ribs broken once by the brute, and all because Legosa was looking to fight someone just for the fun of it. Jais would have been killed had not another dog - Target - come along to occupy the heartless brute.

"I will not let him touch a single hair on her body." Jais vowed solemnely, knowing that the chances of him beating Legosa in a fight were slim to none. But he had learned long ago to fight for what you believed in. To back up his words, Jais took a stance next to Kekechoi before speaking again, "Should we tell her allies?" Hydras would not be pleased either.

Kekechoi gave a faint smile to Jais and said softly They probably sent a message to the Lurkers already. We need to think this through. Make new alliances. We're allied with packs that they are allied with. Theres one thing for sure, the Silver Glades pack works quickly and mercilessly. No. We must.... We must work quickly.

Jais let his ears fall for a moment as desperation hit him. It didn't help that his brother was the beta of the Shadow Haunters, and his sister was their loyal pup-converter. If they really did loose the Lurkers as their allies... oh, he didn't want to think about that!

"We need to be sure we are strongly allianced with the Aspen Grove. I have no doubt that Hydras will turn against them the minute they are of no use to her." He suggested.

The sound of voices brought Karai to the scene, pulling up beside Moon Spirit in her accustomed place, not even flinching to see the foreign face where her white friend's should have been. There was too much else going on to be worried. Never fear Aspen Grove. The beta there is a childhood friend of mine, and her influence is highly valued by the alpha male. They will not turn against us. She spoke with complete confidence, for Liseli was an old, old friend. Not as close to her heart as Moon Spirit, but older.

Kianga's face was frantic as she pulled up beside Keko, placing her body there for her friend to lean on as she licked at her wounds. God, Keko... Her eyes got hard, and cold as ice. No one will hurt you, I promise. I promise, Keko. They will die at my fangs before they hurt you.

Five massive shapes crossed over the heavens, casting their lofty shadows on the wolves gathered below them. Five raptors circled in the thermals before the darkest of the group began to descend. And with him, the other four followed.

Returning from his long absence, Zhener alighted from the skies, crashing in his usual grace-less landing a few feet from the others. The four other eagles landed around him, some better in their form, while some were just as haphazard about connecting with the ground.

"'ello, friends!" Zhener's voice piped up as he gave a quick shake to his feathers, "Vhat you all talk about? Vhy look so serious?" And as usually, the wedgie didn't always cue in on things very quickly. He generally had a hard time reading emotions on other creatures, though it was apparent that the others didn't look all too happy.

Of the other four birds, there was a female Steller's Eagle - IceWing. Standing around her were three eagles that looked a curious mixtured between a wedge-tail and a staller eagle.

Karai trotted slowly over to greet her avian friend, tail waving but moving slowly so as not to frighten the other birds. The pack has just received grave news, dear Zhener. Aaka is dead, and Kekochoi stands falsely accused. It was a statement that was completely true, and that would not do any harm for her rather glib friend to spread throughout the valley. Karai loved the bird dearly, but he did not always use his best judgement when repeating things to others. We are forming a plan now to protect the pack and Keko from any harm.

The eagle's dark eyes widened and his sleek head shot up, "Dead?!? Zhe humans do zhis?" He blurted out without really thinking it over; like how Kekechoi could possibly be blamed for Aaka's death if humans had been the ones to kill her. "Oh, vhat grave news!" Zhener repeated, picking up on the word that his friend had used. "I vill tell Jawslin 'en zhe pack." Zipping from one emotion to the next, the eagle made it a mission of his to alert the Ochotona Pack, with the idea of helping protect Kekechoi.

IceWing watched as her fast-talking mate leaped back into the sky without even waiting for further explanation over Aaka's demise. She turned questioningly to Karai, looking as though she too were about to take off. But the large eagle remained grounded, with the three offspring stationed around her. It had been Zhener's idea to bring them to meet his 'wolf family' in the Valley. Ice wasn't use to interacting with canines, but for the sake of Zhener, she would do her best.

Despite the circumstances, Karai gave a fondly exasperated smile as Zhener took flight again, and without introducing their guests. Such was her flightly friend's nature. So she turned her eyes to IceWing, voice soft and gentle so as not to scare her. He's always doing that. I am Karai, and it's a pleasure to have you.

IceWing recalled all of what Zhener had told her about Karai, and despite the fact that the wolf liked to 'sleep in the horrible underground caves', IceWing felt safe around her. "Thank you, Karai. Zhener has told me a lot about you." The eagle replied in as steady a voice as she could handle. It was still rather unnerving to be on the ground around so many predators, but she trusted her mate that these wolves would not harm her. "I am IceWing, and these are our childeren, Ikenal, Spirit of the Sea, and Zhenvind." Her large beak was pointed to each eagle as she gave their names, "I'm sorry that we seem to have intruded during such a bad time." The eagle quickly appologzied, being more keen on such things than her mate was.

Her eyes grew wide and surprised as it became clear that IceWing was Zhener's mate. Oh! Your children? Your's and Zhener's? Well, goodness, he didn't mention that! A smile lit her face, and her tail waved more boldly. Well met, mate of my dear friend, and little ones too. Ikenal, Spirit of the Sea, Zhenvind, welcome. You father is an old, very dear friend of mine.

Mama....Mama, who would do that to Aaka? She had enemies but.... Who would kill her in cold blood like that? Leave her like that? A look of grief passed over Moons face, but Kekechoi thought it was of her sisters passing, and not that her mother had done it. Or had a hand in doing it. I don't know, baby. She murmered softly.

Kianga held close to Kekochoi, licking at her wounds and worrying herself into a tizzy. Kekochoi wasn't exactly emotionally stable, and now her heart's sister was in a panic, which was so completely unlike her that Kianga was alarmed.

Into this chaos came trotting Joscelin and Ziarre, all grown up and warriors in their own rights, responding to Zhener's summons. Both came and bowed to Moon Spirit out of old habit before moving forward to nuzzle their mother and sit silently next to her.

Karai, after greeting her children, also moved close to Kekochoi, voice soft. My dear child... you are tired, and over-panicked, I think. What you need is a meal and rest. I'll see to it that...

At this point, Aderyn came streaming into the gathering, Saxton and Zhener on their heels. And so Keko's been accused of it, and you know that it's not going to take much for Legosa to think of looking here... The smallest of Karai's children skidded to a halt, bowed low to Moon Spirit, and spoke quickly. We came as soon as Zhener told us what had happened. What do you need us to do?

The silver fae pressed her weight against Moon Spirit, reading the grief on her sister's face and understanding it for what it was. She was surprised to find a tear running down her own cheek, but not a hint of her feelings showed in her voice as she spoke. Joscelin, Saxton. Gather what allies you may and go find something that will feed our number for a few days. Take care that it not be too big, for we'll have to take it with us wherever we go to make a stand. Ziarre, go find something to heal Kekochoi's wounds. When you all return, sing to me of your father, and I will come fetch you to our place of hiding. The three nodded and dashed to do their mother's bidding as Karai turned to Moon Spirit. Is there a place we can take her, hide her from Legosa's vengeance?