Kalaber

Kal soon returned his mind now set even more toward the haunters. Even if lyckos had nothing to do with it even one lurker doing what she just did oh no that pushed him too far. He came back and laid down growling a bit.

Windsong

The white brute had stopped by the Ruins to get Abyss, but then saw Kalaber. Walking up warily to the Avenger leader, Windsong dropped his head and bowed to the male. "Look Kalaber," Windsong announced boldly, "My rage blinded me earlier; and my moves seemed inconsolable. I wasn't myself, and I apologize for attack you. I apologize for raping your daughters, and for...blaming you for everything. I respect that if you hate me forever, but I just want you to know that I am returning neutral, and wish for your forgiveness." Windsong looked at Kalaber, stopping and breathing lightly, heart beating heavily inside of his bosom. Windsong's eyes were pleading for forgiveness, for the male hadn't slept properly after attacking Kalaber. Guilt, and Windsong was truely, one-hundred percent sorry for his wrong doings to Kalaber and his family in the past.

Kalaber

He lifted his head up and watched him.I accept your apology and for your information the lurkers help push me closer to the shadow haunters and I may break ties with them whether or not i chose to believe risen or notHe spoke quietly.You windsong are the least of my worriesHe also spoke. Windsong yes had a large pack but Kal had strength as well both in numbers and the type of animals living in his pack.My pack has returned home and I was hoping you could check on Kincesm for me she has a broken leg i believeHe spoke

Risen

The leader of the Haunters moved around the ruins. Her trusted bird Ino had told her the news of Kalabers Alliance. So, he was beginning to sway, huh?

Moving closer, her shoulder blades rocking with her strides, she approached Kalaber and laid down just feet from the other leader. Her eyes flashed a moment, she was growing older, White fur beginning to collect around her mouth and the tips of her feet. "They are an unpredictable bunch..." She said refering to the Lurkers. She kept her eyes strong, but she did not pry into the nephews life. She was, however, quite curious as to what happened.

Kalaber

Kalaber smelt risen and at first like a habit growled. But soon he made it go away.He watched her carefully and then listened.Well I never thought for them to do what they did, One of them i think they called her ebony stole Kinscesms windssongs and my dead mates daughters pups and wouldn't give them back till lyckos came along but i think lyckos is against me and just made her give them back because he doesn't want me to know

Risen

The female looked off, "The pack likes to hide things... Even when I was in their higher ranks, I was left out of a lot of things... Lyckos may just be sour about the death of Hydras. He was never in the pack while I was around, so I don't know him very well. The thing that I have to say is that they were the ones against stealing pups, and yet they do it anyway. I admit we are at fault, for you blame us everyday, but we haven't taken a pup from any mother's here recently. At least not with command, I think Windsong does it to his own accord but has stopped as far as I know." There was a slight silence before she continued. Her voice soft, but weathered by the years she had lived. "I cannot say why they did what they did... I think they may be loosing their footing. Or they may be coming up with new tactics... I don't know..." Her words trailed as she looked at the ground near her feet, thought of the old days in the Lurkers flooding her mind.

Kalaber

He didn't like talking about stealing pups. for he was still blaming her for starting this war and stealing his sister. That would never change. His sisters couldn't see the full truth and right now this was all he could do to see wither. Though he wanted ynear as well but it would all pull together sooner or later.That fem will get whats coming to her. she broke Kincesm leg as well.

Windsong

Windsong looked, blinking. "I'll check on her, Kalaber," Windsong replied, turning and dipping his head to Risen. "I may live in a neutral pack, but my loyalties still lay among the Shadow Haunters when the Shadow Lurkers attack my pack." Windsong listened to Risen speak, blinking. "They don't even trust one another..." Windsong then realized it was about time for him to get home, nodding to both Kalaber and Risen, Windsong hopped into the moat and clambered up onto the other side. He glanced over his shoulder once before rushing off. He didn't want to leave his daughters, whom where pregnant or mothers to young pups, alone.

Incalia, Vaermina, Dante, Assari, Dynas and Harrow

The younger generations of the Haunters were reaching adulthood, the newest set of pups growing quickly with each passing day.

But with each passing day, the older Haunters got weaker.

Incalia was past her prime, the last fight marking the final days of her fighting. Arthritis was setting into her joints, making her shoulders and hips painful to move. Her fur was losing it's shine, replaced by grey flecks here and there, and her powerful body was gradually shrinking in size as her muscles became frail. She had joined the Shadow Haunters when they had only just began under Risen's control, had been one of the first to breathe new life into the Haunters with the arrivals of Ghoul, Onslaught and Bandit, had been a division leader and a powerful force behind the name of the pack. Now, she feared she could no longer live up to her name.

Quietly, the female hybrid walked towards Risen and Kalaber, her head held high, and her face blank as she sat beside her alphess. She was trying her hardest to hide the pain she felt with her old age, but it would be clear to see from her eyes that she was not on full form. She sighed heavily, sinking down to lie beside Risen, wincing ever so slightly as she did so, her joints moaning in discomfort.

Vaermina stretched, after just waking from a long nap, her jaws parted in a sleepy yawn as she emerged from the main temple. Behind her, four young adolescents bounded along. One of the pups ran ahead of the rest, a smaller version of Incalia, and jumped on the female dog as she lay on the ground. Incalia grunted from the impact, but didn't make the effort to leap up and reprimand him. Instead she growled in warning, her eyes following Dante as he came round to her front. "Sorry Mom" he mumbled, then the growling ceased.

Vaermina smiled as she came over to her mother, followed by her three children. She had had a hard time coping with the disabilites of two of her children; Assari being mute and Dynas being deaf. She was quick to adjust, finding Assari could communicate by other means, and Dynas having a sharper sense of smell and sight. "Hello Risen, Kalaber," Vaermina said warmly, as she nuzzled her mother, "Risen, do you know where Havik is?"

Ever since he had shown concern for her sister, Vaermina had found Havik was on her mind a lot. She wanted to know if he was still keeping his promise on confronting Akki with her about his abuse to Kihaku, amongst other things.

Assari nuzzled her grandmother, laying beside her silently, but her eyes showing the warmth of the greeting. Dynas quietly sat beside his sister, his keen eyes fixed on Kalaber. Harrow, being the only pup to turn out 'normal' from Vaermina's first litter, sat on the other side of Risen to Incalia, smiling at his alphess.

Risen.+. Havik

Risen nodded to Kalaber's words, although she remembered when he grabbed and broke liekki's leg when he held him hostage. But she wouldn't say anything, not as Windsong spoke about what she had hoped would happen. The Lurkers were imploding on themselves... That is all she needed to know to begin a final fight on the dwindling pack.

Ino listened, and as if reading the alpha's mind, took off toward the Lurkers home to inform Temptation to start the inward attack.

As Incalia came to sit by her, Risen lowered her head in respect to the aging fighter. They were both growing older, but Risen continued to fight her age and lead the Haunters for as long as she could stand. Incalia was one of her strongest and most highly regarded fighters, and she could only thank her for sticking with the Haunters through thick and thin. There was a nod of greeting to the elder fighter. Welcoming her to their group discussion. In her mind, she was thinking of creating a last and final group. The Elders... or maybe The Wise... for those who were too old to serve the Haunters in battle, but could serve them in knowledge. Teaching the pups the History and beginnings of the pack. They would reside with the Mothers to teach, and move along the entire land when they feel they want to. To be careless... A retirement from duties if you will.

The alpha thought of this, and how the other's might feel of it.. but she would never let herself... not as the alpha of the pack. No, She would lead up until the very end, even if she were to lay broken just yapping out commands... That is where Risen's place was... to be in command until death did she part.

++++++

As if on cue, Havik was passing the group behind a few of the stone buildings when he heard his name, grumblings a few curse words under his breath when he looked up to Vae. About to speak in the new tongue until he spotted Kalaber. "Ay..." the word Ayg about to slip his mouth in responce, but he made sure to make it seem like normal language. "A-ay, did I hear my name" He surpressed a nervous laugh as he approached the group. "Yes, Vaermina, He's right here." Risen smirked as she tried to be slick, but it wasn't as much in her as she wanted it to be as she watched Havik. "Greetings Havik" The brute nodded, "Greetings Lady Risen, Fair weather we are having, Have you seen Prisoner or Detention?" Risen shook her head gravely. "Are they missing?"
"For some time now"
"If you can't find them by night fall, we will set out a search party"
"Right M'lady"

The Warrior looked up to Vaermina. "Did you need to speak to me?" He looked a little out of breath, the horses where missing for the past few days and he had been trying to help find them. But he had yet to extend his search beyond the terra.

Kalaber

He listened to the going on but did not speak.His ears twitched lightly at hearing new commers but spoke nothing.His tail flicked. Soon he would pass his judgement and thanks to the lurkers it would be better for the haunters.

Incalia & Co.

Vaermina's ears snapped forward when Havik appeared, the smile on her face fading momentarily. Dynas glanced up at his mother, sensing something was amiss, but he didn't make any other movement. Vaermina looked Havik in the eye, an uncomfortable half-smile flitting over her face, "Yes, Havik, I-I...Follow me, please."

She glided over the ground as she walked away from the alphess and others. When she felt she was out of hearing range, Vaermina turned round and slowly sat down. "It's about Kihaku...and Akki," she said quietly, the memories of her sister's lies fresh in her mind as Kihaku covered for their demon brother, "I just wanted to know if you would stick by your word: if you would help me confront him about Kihaku when the time was right?..."

Incalia watched her daughter go with little interest, instead she pulled Assari closer to her by rolling her grandaughter over with a big paw. Assari grinned, gently batting Incalia's muzzle with her own paw, which prompted a gentle chuckle from the aging warrior. "Risen, my friend, I fear my time of fighting is drawing to a close," Incalia stated, her voice deep, as if it was clogged, as she reluctantly said the words she hoped she would never say. Her eyes remained on her granddaughter, even though she adressed the alphess, for she hoped Risen would understand that this was difficult enough for her, without having to face the gaze of the alphess she would - in Incalia's opinion - become a burden to. "I am getting older, my joints are not what they used to be, and while I have sent many to the other world ahead of me, they know that time is slowly working his way at me."

She didn't feel like she needed to say anymore, for she knew the alphess would know exactly what she was talking about. Incalia would always be in the Haunters, and ready to defend their name with tooth and claw, but could not be a front-line soldier anymore. A call rang out, calling Risen to a new recruit, and Incalia smiled softly as she turned to look at the female she had grown to know well and respect as a friend, "It seems there is no rest for the wicked. Would you care for an escort?"

Risen

The older female stared in an opposing direction of Incalia as she spoke of old age. "I understand, and I know that, as invincible as we are, we are not immortal.. not as individuals... As a pack, we will live forever... but as souls, we will eventually pass.. Incalia, I want you to be the first, not to become a laugh, for you will never be laughed at by your tales... but a mentor to the young. Reside with the mothers... and tell the youth the history of the Haunters, as you remember it..... You need not fight with us any longer, You are too valuable a member to lose to the crippling darkness of old age "

It was then that she heard Fanta's cry, she nodded to Incalia at her offer. "Very much so." She stood up slowly, respecting her long time comrade and friend. Waiting for the female with the rickety old joints before she moved out toward this... male.