Risen

The warriors began to flood their way back into their lands as smoke began to cover the sky. The moon had been blocked and now the valley, or at least the ruins, were falling into utter darkness.

"Risen, I can't see!" Sacrifice screamed as she went forward, It was near oil black around them and she couldn't feel where she was until the feeling of icy liquid consumed her. She had jumped into the moat. H-home... She thought as she swam to the other side, Thin outlines of the ruins were seen and the haunters began to navigate themselves to the main temple.

Risen followed somewhere in the middle of her group. Her eyes straining to see in front of her as the dark spirits of the trees clouded the sky. Along the horizon was a glow where the fire was taking place. She winced at it, now in safety, she wanted to find her son. But she could not.

Incalia & her bunch

Coughing, a bloodied Vaermina stumbled towards the Ruins, her brilliantly white coat now covered in blood and soot from the fire's smoke. She couldn't see, and had little energy left in her small body. Staggering forwards, she cried out for help in reaching the safety of the temple.

Ardeth and Malacath had banded together to find the Ruins, but had somehoe managed to get lost. Ardeth barked out for help, which he found in the way of his mother. Incalia brushed between her sons, her scent telling them who she was. "Come on," she said quietly as she lead them towards the moat, straining all her senses to try and guide them towards the Ruins and the safety of the moat. They found it, and crossed quickly, the water cleansing some of their wounds. Ardeth and Malacath headed for the temple, the outline just visible to them. Incalia managed to pin point the small figure that stood like a sentry staring out to the horizon. She approached Risen slowly, barking gently to let her know she was there. "At least we killed Hydras," Incalia growled, her eyes fixed on the fire in the distance. "It won't be long until the Lurkers fall." Then the gamma female fell silent, watching the stumbling figures of the warriors file past into the temple.

Onslaught pushed on through the smog, his yellow eyes searching desperately for the outlines of the temple. Behind him, Bandit trotted up alongside, but didn't speak. The two brothers walked along in silence, finding the temple relatively easily.

Cavan & Others

With his most acute sense swamped by the thick smoke, Cavan had to rely on a life's worth of knowledge to guide him across the ground, stumbling along in almost complete darkness as he followed a mental map of where he was going, and being aided by the sound and feel of those swarming around him.

"Easy, Sacrifice." Monarda whispered as she came up beside the frantic wolf as she was making her way out of the mote. "We're home safe now." The red-tinged canine stopped and shook her fur briefly before trying to blink the smog and sting from her own mustard-hued eyes.

Zanfire and Wolf Eye were helping a struggling Dandelion across the mote. The fallow deer had a shattered scapula, and cried out in agony with ever jarring step he took. Several times, he had collapsed on the way home, and had to be coaxed up by the other two stags and supported heavily as they made it back home. As soon as he reached the temple, Dandelion sank down and leaned against a cool stone wall, his large eyes closed tight as he tried to fight off the pain of his greatly swollen shoulder.

If not for Callholm's quick actions, Little Tuft would have been nothing but cindered bones come morning. As it was, the young lion was torturously wounded and burned, and clinging to life by a thread. Ignoring the agony of fire-blistered paws, the black leopard hauled the fading Tuft into the Temple where he could receive treatment.

Leopeson led his brigade inside, head low and weary. They had lost Vensaii in the fight, and his other brother was not looking well.

Kihaku

Despite the fire and the fact that she was terrified, it was Kihaku, who had been wandering about, trying to relax and ease herself, who felt her way blindly forward out of the temple to the sound of her sister's cries. When finally she reached her sweet-natured, brave sister after much stumbling and coughing from the smoke, her tail was tucked between her legs, but she moved her weight up beside the smaller snowy fae to be leaned on. "Come on, Vae-vae. Come on," she encouraged her, using the nickname she hadn't spoken since they were both pups as a comfort gesture. It probably didn't help that she herself was trembling in fear of the fire, but she was trying, for one brief shining moment in her life, to be brave, for her sister's sake.

Vaermina

Trembling, Vaermina staggered forwards, trying desperately to make out the outlines of the Ruins, but failing to see through the thick smoke. She regressed, becoming almost pup like as she cried out for help. Her muscles strained with the effort of standing, her lungs gulping down air and smoke as her body tried to get oxygen to it's organs. Her first fight had taken all the energy from the lithe hybrid. She wasn't built for heavy combat, but more for agility and speed.

Sanctuary arrived in the form of her sister, and Vaermina gladly leant on Kihaku as her muscles screamed for rest. A strong bout of coughing racked her smaller frame, but her sister's encouraging voice, and the childhood nickname drew on Vaermina's last reserves of strength.

"I-I can't see," she wailed, reassured by the soft feel of Kihaku's warm body, but tortured by the pain she felt, "I ache so much..."

Samara, Joey

Samara limped in. She didn't get to kill her sister but she did die. So oh well.She licked at her paw which bled profusly. She had also lost an eye and an ear which were bleeding.

Joey was fine. He hoped someone would take the poison off of his tusks soon.

Mikia and cain came bruised and cut but nothing serious.

Risen

The alpha looked out at the fire, and then to the shadow warriors who where being highlighed by the flames in the background. Only as if they were walking zombies from the dead, oh and how much pain they seemed to be in. If the world were to see an apocolypse, this is how it would look. Darkness all around, with only darker shadows moving through the pool of death they called air.

But when Incalia spoke of Hydras, the little female could only smile. "Yes, the Lurkers will be much easier to distroy now without their little leader... And with her being dead, they will be even more emotionally weak. Meaning our little time bomb that resides with them will be able to pick at them and work her magic with less trouble." She smiled,

"The future of Shadow Valley is growing ever closer for our reach. Maybe I will be able to witness it.... just maybe." She stared off into the distance, continueing to look for her son, but there was nothing.

Sacrifice felt Monarda and gave a comforted smile. "Thank you." With the help of another, she made her way to the temple. Calming down even though her lungs and muscles were screaming for her to be able to just die and lay in peace... but she knew that wouldn't happen... not so long as the valley had doubters in the Haunters.

Criminial

The she-wolf followed the Shadow Haunters, limping. Immediately, she went forward to Risen. "Suenga of the Shadow Haunters reports that Tainted has given birth to pups. That is all, my leige," Criminal reported, what the silver wolf had told her as he rushed off to see his newborns.

Enter the White Death

It'd hadn't taken Skah long to catch up to the trail of those he fallowed. After all many were bleeding and walking slowly.

It became much harder to fallow after they had advanced into the darkness of the forest. His acute nose was plastered on the ground sniffing the tail before him. He was moving slowly as to not loose the scent of blood but the smoke was making his job very difficult. He was begining to worry that he would lose his way.

Skah considered sending a call to the pack announcing his presence. He decided against it, worrying they might take it as an attack...

Kihaku

"It's okay, Vae-Vae. I know where we're going. Come on... slow and easy. Can you swim?" These words flowed reassuringly from the taller white fae, without a hint of her usual nervous stutter, as if the intensity of the emotion made the impediment unnecessary as she began to make her way slowly through the smoke and noise, now coughing heartily herself, though she'd only been in the haze of the fire for a few moments. This, as she began to lead Vaermina toward the moat.

Incalia

The Gamma grinned to herself, knowing any facial communication with Risen would be useless in the thick smoke. However, the flow of warriors slowly trickled and stopped, but not all of them were back. Confused, Incalia excused herself with "I shall scout for lost warriors," before plunging back into the smoke. Coughing but otherwise fine, Incalia tried her best to locate bodies using her senses. This was how she found Skah. She didn't know who this was, only that if they were coming to the Ruins then they must be part of the pack, right?

"Come on, the Temple's this way," came an authoritative voice in the darkness, as Incalia brushed alongside Skah. She walked slowly, but kept on using her voice as reassurance. "Not far to go, you can make it."

Skah

At first he was startled by the female. But as she spoke he settled down and fallowed her with a simple: "Thank you."

He would get his chance to speak with the leader of this pack. The wolves of this pack seemed to kind, at least what he had seen of them. How, he thought, could they have been so vicious in battle.

Then he had to think inwardly; he was kind, was he not? He considered himself to be kind to those that deserved it. And yet it was undeniable that he was ruthless in battle. So, It wasn't that odd after all.

Again he thanked Incalia, his voice both greatful and respecting. He could feel her touch beside him and her voice kept him calm. "I am Skah."

Incalia

Fortunately for Skah, Incalia had guided him through the moat before he said his name. She suddenly stopped, her muscles tensed and stepped away from him. The smoke was less dense here, and when the Gamma turned to see who she had guided this far into the Ruins, she was immediately on guard.

"Skah?" she repeated, her voice losing that reassuring undertone and being filled with authority and power, "I thought you were a Haunter Warrior! What are you doing here? Spying for our enemies?"

Skah

He stopped looking at the female, his gentle topaz eyes on her. He had partially expected some one to greet him as such, but not so soon. Pushing the thought to the back of his head, he spoke:

"I am no enemy of yours. I saw your battle from across the lake. You leader, Risen, Intrigues me. I was invited here by one of your feathered allies, Oraiyus. She seemed to think I may be welcomed into the ranks."

His voice was masculines but soft and gentle, with out fear. His silky white fur was well groomed and thick. His golden iris' piercing from his black eye sockets.

Skah

"Would you be so kind as to take me to Risen." He asks politely. Her face was serious and a little stern. "Although, I want you to know, If you decline I will find her own my own. I was invited here, and I expect that invitation to still stand."

He realized his words were a bit harsh. Not matter how calm his voice. He hadn't meant them as such. Simply stating that if she did not show him her leader, he saw himself with an invitation and would still go find her.