Kihaku

Slinking low and attempting not to be noticed, Kihaku dodged her white body from shadow to shadow, her belly so low that it drug the ground, submissive to anybody and everybody she passed, letting some of the more blood-thirsty of the members take their anger out on her without protest. Her face was already marked up significantly: Akki hadn't been polite about anything, and when she hadn't been going to give him what he wanted, he'd taken it... and given her a handful of facial wounds as discipline for her disobedience.

And now she was sneaking back through the ruins, thinking that if she could just make it as far as the Basement... she was safe in the basement. Mother Ynear would protect her. Yes... yes, Mama would take care of her. Incalia was her mother, the creature who had given her life, and as such, a degree of respect and affection was conferred upon her. But it had been Ynear who had raised the young fae, and comforted her when she cried as a pup, and it was Ynear whom she wanted right now, wounded and shamed as she was. Incalia would be angry when she found out... but Ynear would accept, and would not let it effect the love for Kihaku. That was what she needed, and as she crept ever closer to the stairs, she prayed that no one would notice her headed that direction.

Vaermina

Ever since leaving her pups in the basement, Vaermina had taken to brooding about her loss outside the temple, away from the others. The more distance she put between herself and her pups, the easier it was for her to forget. She wondered how Incalia could so easily give up her children to the mothers, but she realised it must be because she had hardened herself to it, and after four batches of pups, it must seem like a sub-concious action.

Vaermina's mind was on her own children, when the sounds of another brought her out of her day-dreams. Her two-toned eyes met her sister, sneaking about, trying not to be noticed. Rising from her perch, on a fallen wall, Vaermina slowly approached her sister, a kind smile on her face. Kihaku's obiedient and submissive nature worried the fae, but she didn't wish to bring it up.

"Kihaku," she began, softly, gently, "what happened to your face?" The warrior moved in front of her sister, effectively cutting off her path to the Temple, as she inspected her sisters wounds. Akki sprung to mind immediately, as Vaermina was well aware of her brother's temper, and his disregard for Kihaku's feelings. Her tongue gently washed her sibling's face, in an effort to try and comfort her, but even Vaermina knew that she could do little for her sister.

"You look tired, sweetheart."

Kihaku

She hadn't even noticed Vaermina resting atop the ruined wall, but as her sister stepped so firmly, but so gently into her path, Kihaku was forced to stop. Any other female would have argued, or pushed by someone standing in their way, but the sweet white lady was far too timid to do so, and in any case, far too upset.

Still, she did try to save some face, even as her warm-hearted sister began to wash down the gashes on her pretty muzzle. "My face? Nothing, I... I just fell." It was a pitiful lie, and even she wouldn't have believed herself, but she told it anyway, trying to cover over a deep blood stain with a thin, translucent white veil.

But, though she refused to admit to anything, Kihaku could not force herself pull away from the comfort that Vaermina offered, and found herself leaning her weight against her sister, though gently, as she was the heavier of the two. "I... am tired, I suppose..." was the ventured reply to her sister's observation, as the warm honey-colored eyes wandered, trying not to meet Vaermina's.

Vaermina

The blatant lie that Kihaku uttered didn't seem to have an effect on Vaermina, as the new mother looked over her sisters gashes. It was becoming painfully obvious that these were inflicted wounds, and she didn't have to guess as to who the culprit was. This wasn't the time to bring up such things.

Bracing herself against her sister, taking comfort from the fact that Kihaku felt safe enough to relax around her, Vaermina gently nuzzled her sister as she thought of the best course of action to take. Maybe, if she was to take Kihaku to the basement, she might be able to get the real reason out of her when Kihaku relaxed and felt secure.

"You should get back to the basement; you need to rest. I could get Quil to take a look at your face, if you like?" she offered, kindly. A soft smile adorned her white face, trying to comfort her sibling. The thought of her being able to see her pups once more also drove Vaermina's need to get to the basement, even if she wasn't allowed there.

Venom .+. Melee .+. Havik

The two original snakes soon slithered back into their homelands. Behind them: 101 of their children and grandchildren; Ranging greatly in sizes and colors, moved into the land and quickly into the water where they dispersed to make their own living.

Another wolf came about, his mouth soon fell agape to all the string like reptiles that moved into the water and around the land. He was begining to wonder if he should worry about them turning on him before Gaivis moved up to him. "Hello there." Said the snake, Havik had never gotten the chance to learn the snakes names, just Venom and Melee. "H-Hey there, How are you." Gaivis smiled and looked at a bunch of the little worm like snakes. "Very proud."

Putting two and two together Havik smiled, "Congratulations! They are very beautiful, and powerful looking." He added as the snake gave a blank stare, then the reptile nodded "Thank you" He said before turning and moving back into the water.

The thick black male watched as the snake left and then turned his attention to the females in the distance. Suddenly, his smile dissapeared and he grew anxious about what was being said.

Moving up, feeling as if he had duty to know, Havik spoke "Hello there, Vaermina, Kihaku" He nodded to them, but before he could say further he stared at Kihaku's face. "W-What happened?" Suddenly his lip pulled back, ready to defend the female that stood before him. "Tell me who did this, I'll tear them apart." He hadn't noticed her belly, her face hid the fact well that she was carrying lives.

Kihaku

Kihaku was just about to shake her head at the offer of fetching Quilikahm when Havik moved toward them and spoke. Her ears laced reflexively back against her skull, not because he had been trying to frighten her, but because everything and everyone did, these days. Suddenly she looked small next to her shorter sister, and stuttered into the silence. "No, it's... it's a-alright. I j-just... f-fell."

Vaermina

Vaermina noticed the mass of snakes out of the corner of her eye, and was amazed by the sheer amount of them. They didn't distract her for long, however, as she was far too concerned with her sister than with the boom in the reptile population.

When Havik approached them, Vaermina smiled, but her eyes held concern for her wounded sibling. "Hello, Havik." Kihaku's immediate submissive reaction prompted a whine from her smaller sister, as Vaermina nuzzled Kihaku. "Something's wrong, and you know as well as I do that you didn't fall, Kihaku," she whispered soothingly, trying to calm her sister down, "It...It was Akki, wasn't it? Akki did this to your face."

She was taking a stab in the dark, but she knew that her brother had a wicked way with her sister. She had witnessed and sometimes (but rarely) been the brunt of her brothers aggression. She knew, as well as Malacath that Akki dominated Kihaku with force, and Vaermina reckoned that this was one of those times.

What she didn't know was that her brother had done far more than slash her sisters face...

Kihaku

Vaermina's supposition was, of course, absolutely correct, as Kihaku's quickly indrawn breath, added into her too-long silence, soon made clear. But she held the silence still, trying to come up with a valid excuse that let Akki out of the picture and still accounted for the marks.

But her brain refused to produce such an answer, and after a moment, she gave a nervous giggle. "Why... whatever c-could give you... th-that idea, Vaermina? I d-do say! What... an imagination... you have!" But the burnt honey eyes did not meet her sister's, casting around the room and focusing on anything else, including the snakes.

Havik

There was a whip of wild anger as she lied to him. "That is no fall Ki, Wha-" His words vanished under his breath as Vaermina began to speak. When the name Akki was presented Havik's lips flew up to reveal a wild cage of hungry daggers. "What?" He roared as and then his eyes widened in surprise as she tried to protect her attacker. "You'll lie to let that scum-bag go? He has to be punished for this! WHERE IS HE!?" Jaws parted in rage. His eyes shivering a moment as if trying to catch and hold her gaze, to force truth out of her being.

Kihaku

She was instantly submissive once more, cowering closer to the ground under the flail of his words, ears plastered against her head, the stutter becoming worse. "N-no. I... I to-old you... he... my b-brother is s-sometimes un... unkind, but he... he would never..." Her voice was a whisper so soft that it almost couldn't be heard, and she could not meet Havik's eyes.

A part of her was intensely grateful that Havik cared enough about her to defend her honor, and to seek out the one who had done her harm, but the greater part of her heart belonged to her cruel, twisted sibling, and would not let any word of her own betray him to anyone. She kept her eyes on the dusty ground between her own paws and Havik's, tail tucked delicately between her snowy legs, the very end of it twitching fearfully.

Vaermina

"DO NOT SHOUT AT MY SISTER, HAVIK."

Vaermina's words were strong and deadly as she countered Havik's shouting with a authorative, commanding voice.

"I am just as angry as you, but shouting at her won't get you anywhere," she warned, her eyes meeting his. In that gaze was a pleading look, asking him to calm down around her submissive sister. She won't betray him. She mouthed as Kihaku's gaze slid to the ground.

The slim wolf brushed against her sister, as she tried to bring Kihaku back out of her submissive shell. "Shhh, it's alright," she cooed, nuzzling her sister's neck while her eyes remained fixed on Havik, "I know, I know. Honey, I think you should head for Dima's Temple, the Mothers are going there with the pups in preparation for the fight. You need to get some rest. I'm sure Ynear will be glad to see you back."

As soon as Kihaku was safely in the Temple, Vaermina and Havik could confront that demon brother of theirs, and while Vaermina was related to him, she was far more attached to her sister, and the rage that was building inside her was going to mean that Akki got far more than a telling off.

Kihaku

The white lady did not catch her sister's mouthed words at all, with her gaze on the ground, which was probably a good thing, for to see such intense anger in her sister would have frightened her still further. As it was, she leaned into her smaller sister's caress, and slowly, slowly calmed. The tail came back from under her legs once more, and her ears perked tentatively forward, as if half-expecting someone to try to tear them from her head.

But, ever appeasing, Kihaku looked up at Vaermina's words, forcing a half smile up at Havik as she said, "It... it's okay, Vaermina... he didn't... mean it..." This was accompanied by a timid tail-wave, and she nodded to Vaermina's suggestion. "They have... moved the pups... to the battle-time den, then. I... I really should go..."

And, giving a last, half-hearted nuzzle to Vaermina, and a frightened smile to Havik, she darted her body around her sister and began to pad slowly down the stairs.

Vaermina

The smaller sister watched Kihaku go after returning the nuzzle, smiling as best she could with such a vicious temper burning inside her. With a reassuring bark to hurry her sister into Dima's Temple, Vaermina's smile slowly faded into a scowl of disgust.

"That foul excuse for a canine," she growled, after making sure Kihaku was safely in the temple and out of hearing range, "we must stop him, Havik, and teach him a lesson."

Her eyes, aflame with anger and pain at her sisters suffering, turned to the male. "I can't approach Akki alone like this, he's much bigger and stronger than me. Please, help me."

Havik

The dark male watched as Kihaku left, growling angrily under his trembling throat. His eyes aflame, almost as much as Vaermina's, as he thought of the female protecting the brute.

When Ki was gone, Vae's words struck his ears like the note of a hundred dieing soul. "Of course, I will tear him to pieces and let him die slowly. But first is first, we have to stay for this battle. when we are done, he will be our first target." He growled as he then heard the call of Cavan. Snorting under his already hot breath, he moved toward the other warriors in preparation for battle.