Desmon

The hybrid had returned the rest of the pups and adolescents back to the Den, and returned to the Dump to search for Aurinka. To his dispair, the coyote hybrid was no where to be found. With a bit of tracking, his heart sank even more as he realized just where the trail was leading... to the Haunters.

His heart was pounding madly in his chest by the time he reached the forbidden lands of his enemies. Fear enveloped the hybrid, and he almost turned away at first. But somehow, despite the overwhelming scents of strange and horrible creatures, he continued onward until he reached the moat. It was just as unatural as the old structures that were clustered in this area, though it looked recently constructed.

Though his mind screamed of danger and caution, he stepped into the water. "Aurinka!" The hybrid howled out, hoping to get a response from her. He knew that would surely warrant a response from the Haunters, but he was banking on most of them being gone. He had heard their calls further to the northeast.

Akahi

The white alligator had left the temple through the moat when she heard the howl. She crawled onto the land and stood in front of the hybrid. "The coywolf is once again a Haunter. She has been reunited with her family. Leave before I swallow you." She growled, trying to make herself look bigger. Although Akahi had strong jaws and big teeth, she was slow on land. It would be easy for Desmon to slip past her, if he could get through the water.

Desmon

He felt his ruff bristle out as his voice took on a threatening quality, "She isn't a Haunter, she's a Lurker!" Desmon watched the alligator carefully, trying to decide how to act around her. Living in the Alleys, he really didn't know how to fight such a creature; and seeing all those teeth, Des wasn't sure he wanted to fight her!

His eyes fell to her legs, and he saw just how short and squat they were. The hybrid quickly came to the assumption that she was a slow creature, and so he took a risk. With a huff of a growl, he sprung away from her and took a wild leap towards the water. As soon as he hit the moat, his legs went to work, paddling as fast as he could to get across the twenty-foot span and reach land on the other side.

Akahi

Akahi was more defensive than ever with a clutch to protect. This sometimes made her do stupid things. She was on land, next to her nest, several feet from the water. She turned around to follow Desmon, but ran much slower than the wolf. Desmon would have been half-way across before she hit the water. She began trailing him quickly, trying to chomp down on his leg before he could fully get onto land. Since Akahi got a slow start, Desmon had the upper hand.

Desmon

His paws dashed maddly against the water, propelling him along as fast as he possibly could. He heard the splash behind him as the alligator entered the water, and his heart felt like it's burst out of his chest.

Just a few more feet... SMACK! Those deadly jaws closed down, but Des was lucky. Teeth scored across his hind leg, but he managed to kick out of her reach before she fully clamped on the limb. The water churned red as he kicked again, covering the last bit of length before his paws hit earth. Despite the pain in his leg, he scrambled madly to shore and bolted towards the Temple, where he could scent Aurinka.

Akahi/Aurinka

Aurinka fled out the door, toward the moat. As soon as she reached the water, Akahi launched up and grabbed the coywolf in her powerful jaws. She didn't hold the canine tight enough the hurt her, but tight enough so she couldn't get away. "I'm a daughter of Tahti and Vicious and I demand that you let me down!" She cried. Akahi grinned. "No, dear. You are a traitor. Daughters of Tahti and Vicious do not betray their pack. At least, not honorable ones." She retorted. Tears ran down Aurinka's cheeks. "Desmon! Help!" She called out.

Desmon

"Aurinka, no!" Desmon howled out in alarm, scrambling across the ground as swiftly as his hind leg would allow him. Seeing a loved one in peril, fear whisked away as he dove for the alligator. Bared fangs were set for her face and eyes, in a desperate attempt to make her let go of Aurinka.

Frodo

he came barreling after him and ran straight for him as he went for the croc and ths time the bear made to use his fangs instead of his claws and paw.

Akahi/Aurinka

Due to being albino, Akahi had bad sight. She could barely see Des coming for her so did not have time to dodge. His fangs raked across her face, making her let go to snap at Desmon. Aurnika stumbled away, only to collapse a few feet from the gator.

Desmon

Once again, his bravado was short lived. He couldn't back away from Akahli fast enough, and she clamped her jaws down on his front leg and shoulder. With a sharp yelp, he began to bite at her muzzle once more. The only lucky thing for him was that Akahi's attack had brought him out of Frodo's immediate range, just narrowly missing the bear's second assault. He couldn't hope to be that lucky a third time.

"Aurinka, run! RUN!" He said, yelping sharply again at the searing pain of teeth and crushing force against his limb.

Frodo

Instead of going at him again he turned back.Get back in the templeHe said growling.He moved toward her though he wasn't stupid he wouldn't hurt her only make her go

Akahi/Aurinka

Akahi didn't tighten her grip. She only wanted to keep the hybrid in one place.

Aurinka looked up at the bear and growled. "When my mother hears what the Haunters have done to me, she'll have them all slaughtered." She snarled, taking off and running back to the Alleys as fast as she could.

Desmon

Desmon struggled against alligator's grip, but it only hurt him further. Through haze of agony, he saw that Aurinka had successfully escaped, and that brought a source of relief for him, if only for a little bit. "If you k-kill me..." The hybrid began, failing again to hide his fear and cowardice, "The Lurkers w-will attack..." Des tried to repress a whimper, but the pain was horrible against his leg and shoulder.

Frodo

He watched her and growled but then turned to the alligator and the other.Kill him he is trespassing.Threats are nothing

Akahi

Akahi looked at Desmon. She was one of the more caring guards. She wouldn't just slaughter anybody. "We'll see what Risen wants to do with him. For now, bring him into the Temple." She said, looking up at the bear with her red eyes.

Bloodlust

Bloodlust, weak and too sick to be fighting, saw Desmon and snorted. "So that prisoner of Windsong got loose?" Bloodlust laughed. "Well, we got one of those hellions." Bloodlust snarled.

Windsong

"Let him go." Windsong commanded as he crossed the moat. "Aurinka, there is he is. Both of you will be together as prisoners. I don't care what the Shadow Lurkers will do." He blocked any path for Desmon to run off. Either way, four Haunters could stop two Lurkers.

Aurinka/Akahi

Akahi released Desmon, but kept close so if he ran, she could catch him. Aurinka ran to her friend, licking him. "Des? Are you alright?" She asked frantically.

Desmon

His eyes opened wide when he saw Aurinka, and he felt his heart just drop. "Aurinka!" Now he feared that death would be the only way out of this wretched place. "...I'm sorry, I failed you." Des whispered miserably, staggering towards the coyodog. "I should have been able to protect you..."

Aurinka

Aurinka shook her head. "No, it's not your fault. The Shadow Haunters are strong and will step over anybody to get their way." She replied, eyes filling with tears. "We're hostages now. If my mother was here, she could get us protection. But for now we just have to stick together." Aurinka had a way of getting what she wanted. Mostly, she got it through her mother. But Tahti wasn't here right now. They were on their own.

Windsong

"Inside. Don't get high hopes for your pack, either." Windsong snarled at Desmon.

Aurinka

Aurinka snarled at Windsong. "Don't talk to him that way, you ugly rat!" She snapped, raising her hackles in hopes to intimidate the wolf. "We might be smaller than you, and we might be members of a smaller pack, but we certainly do not take orders from a diseased roach!" She raised her head and tail up high to show that she was not afraid of Windsong.

Desmon

He wanted to try and make a run for it, and escape with Aurinka. But now two of his limbs were badly wounded, and he couldn't hope to outswim the gator across twenty feet of open water. Ears back and tail cricked, he limped slowly towards the Temple.