Quiet. It was too quiet as she laid there, her own breathing shallow as the mumuring sounds of whimpers and whines were heard beside her, as two precious six month old pups rested. Each dreaming of their lives to come. Aurora lay still, barely moving as she watched her mate sleep peacefully across from her. Slowly, she nudged her pups awake and aay from her belly and towards the exit. The white female was still in her movement, stealthy as she stood up in her den and dodged out the exit, shaking her pelt free, waiting on the two pups to exit sleepily. Inhaling sharply, his scent were still on her, and it would always be a painful memory for her, knowing what she was about to do. It didn't come easy for her, it had been running through her mind since the last month of her pregnancy. The freshly named Elite was about to step down for good. No goodbyes. She would soon leave this pack as she had left her own. This time, leaving more behind. The pain in her heart would not ease right away as she swallowed her pride and kept dragging her feet. Eye donning strait ahead as the Helidos land grew further and further away. Crossing over the border she too had once come too. This was not going to be easy and so Aurora picked up one pup and the other began to run.

Miles she traveled chasing what, there was nothing, she had no idea where to go. Who to turn to? Another pack. No, it was time for her to leave and wait to die. To go home. As she ran, so did her mind. To all those along the way that she had had the pleasure of loving and those that she wished she had a chance to get to know better, those she longed to make things right with. There was no time for that anymore. The white female had forever longed to see her lights once more, her Aurora Borealis. Aurora pressed on, this time catching the scent of someone so familiar to her, Alphess Esmeralda. Still her mind thought back upon her life and what lead her to this striking decision. As much as Aurora tried she had always felt like someone or something was missing, never missing a step on her duties as Delta or Elite, but always questioning the choices in life. After the loss of Kenai's pups, Aurora felt obligated to love someone, anyone and as much as she cared for him he would never complete her. Even after birthing him two precious pups, Channing and Oliver, she wouldn't leave them behind to the same fate as the others. This was all because, the female she loved was long gone, and call it crazy she would either find one to complete her or find the one she lost.

As her mind settled down her stomach churned and she crossed paths with the Alphess, a bit further ahead than her, so Aurora stopped briefly to bow to the Alphess before speaking, "It seems we head in the same direction Esme, care if I join you." Aurora couldn't figure out what was drawing her in towards the devil's trap, but the company of the Alphess only made her journey easier. Aurora didn't say a word, her heart was broken, and when she looked at Esme she saw Gen and it only made her heart break even more. With a sigh, Aurora looked up at the scenery. There is was, a new hope, freedom. Aurora looked down at Channing who had been running along now fell silent and Oliver nuzzled her waiting on what came next.

The early morning sun did little to awaken the sleeping fae, but the sound of paws awoke her easily. Cracking open and eye the black fae barely made out the figure of her Alphess slipping away from the pack. Normally Chiara would have let her be and gone back to sleep, but something about Esmerelda made her stiffen and open both eyes. A part of her told her to rise and follow her leader, though she didn't know why. Pulling herself up to her feet, her injured shoulder long healed Chiara quietly walked from her den and trotted after the ashen fae, keeping her distance. It had been many months since she first followed Esmerelda into Erenyx and pledged herself before her while bathed in blood. Since then Chiara had grown both mentally and physically and gained rank. She trained daily, hunted and now greeted loners into the pack, many of whom showed promise. Though lately her Alphess seemed distant, though she would never ask her about it outright, it made her curious as to why.

Following her for what seemed like an hour she soon learned she was heading towards the isle, a place she only visited once. Curious Chiara lost focus and tripped on a rock, making a echo that she knew Esmerelda would hear. Catching her breath Chiara neared her Alphess and dipped her head and eyes to he ground. Still panting she tried to catch her breath. "Forgive me Alphess for I was following you. I feared for your safety, hence I followed you here. I shall leave if you wish it." She said, hoping not to be punished. Sitting in front of her Chiara would accept any punishment given without a fight. She was a respectful subordinate of the pack and knew her place. She shouldn't have followed her here, though she didn't regret her choice. Only after a moment did Chiara learn she wasn't alone with her Alphess. A new and yet familiar scent hit her as a white fae came into sight. Bristling and going on the defense Chiara stood her ground, remembering her as a Helidos wolf who she met as she left that pack. The fae hadn't let her leave quietly and she didn't forget that. Standing now she placed herself semi between the white fae and Esmerelda, her eyes glaring at her. "You, I remember you. I was covered in blood the last time we met, it shall happen again if you threaten my Alphess." She threatened.

Morning had always, and probably always would, disagree quite vehemently with Achilles. It was too cold, especially now. It had taken him far too long to actually fall asleep last night. He was uncomfortable in the cold, but there was something else, too. He didn’t know what, nor could he smell anything particularly amiss. It was just a feeling. Probably because he was cold, he imagined. However, after a long, fairly miserable time, he did manage to fall asleep.

A shiver woke him up and he started to just grunt and turn over, but he saw the flash of a silver white tail leaving the den in the dim morning light. It took his sleepy brain a moment to comprehend that, but once he did he climbed to his feet and padded over to the entrance. Giving a quick shake to rid his coat of the night’s detritus, he carefully followed his mother out of the den and towards the ends of the pack’s lands. Achilles grew slightly nervous, but he decided he was safer with Mother than heading back on his own, so onwards he pressed. Her pace grew quicker, so Achilles fell back farther and farther. Eventually, he was reduced to simply following her scent and tracking her. Since he was paying such careful attention to the smells swirling through the brisk winter air, he caught the unmistakable signature of Ammolite, as well as the head Warrior, Chiara, and what smelled like Helidos. What was Mother doing with a Helidos, he wondered, carefully slinking closer and closer.

He watched for a moment, then determined that there wasn’t any danger from the Helidos, so he stepped out of hiding and over to his Mother’s side, dipping a nod to his sister and Chiara. He didn’t say anything, just watched. His body language, though, clearly said that he had no intentions of leaving Mother’s side. He could tell that she was distant, distracted, even. He cocked his ears, searching all around for what would so preoccupy her. His eyes widened slightly at a realization. This must be what she had told him about. The voices, the feelings, the inexplicable urge. Turning his gaze back towards Erenyx, he realized that he held no remorse. He had no friends there, and he doubted that anyone would even miss his presence. Well, maybe Samael. He would probably notice, but just see it as less competition for Alpha, even though Achilles had never had aspirations to be Alpha. Oh well, now he and Mother could start something new. And Ammolite, if she was coming along. The only questions that remained were Chiara and the Helidos one. He slid his narrowed gaze over to regard the Helidos wolf, watching and studying.

Why aren't you ever happy, Nicolaus? Why don't you smile?

Stop it.

All there was was darkness, and truth. A husk of what once could have been mighty prowled now, raw no longer, tortured no longer, body torn and rotten slumped in acceptance, for there was nothing else. Marching with the steps of an electronic monster he swayed with frozen bones, damning the spring and the sun and the aches of age. In his anxiousness his tongue was bitten and there was iron in is throat, and where once strength and sinew framed and glowed and was beautiful there was weakness and fractures, but he continued. For her, perhaps. Or perhaps for himself. Perhaps for peace, or for silence. Sunlight he could feel again. Or perhaps for an existence that wasn't as boring as this one. He was parched, he suddenly realized, and there was the gurgle of a fresh spring stream in the distance and yet he could not force himself to drink because he did not deserve it. He did not deserve the satisfaction of living, nor did he deserve the emptiness of death, and what an odd admission that was. A swallow, a grating process, and he could taste grit in the back of his throat and a cough worked its way to the surface and he felt truly sick. But he was tortured no longer.

Come and fly with me, Nicolaus.

"An Alphess may tread wherever she wishes to tread without one's breath down her neck, Lead Warrior. The night is calm. Do not soil it with your empty threats."

His eyes had found her as his tongue whipped at the lesser one, the invisible one, and he veered from the scent of Helidos and enemy and bad and quilted himself in her aura, her being, her acceptance, standing as her sentinel tree never touching. He looked at her without looking at her, flooding himself with flashes of sadness and helplessness and rage and something he'd never felt before, frame unwavering to those whom did not know him, could not see him, for he was unfeeling, an Erenyx Guardian, and he could not show what melting inside him. He had released what had consumed him so, set loose the binds that kept his qualms, his vengeance. He had burned his bridges, forgotten all that could not be forgotten. He had nothing, except this moment now. Except for Esmeralda. He looked then to her children, mirrors, fresh flowers, noticing them for what they were, then, as their mother stood as she stood. Noticing what he was. "I am here," he said, hoping, praying, that all he could hear in his head could somehow fit into those few, tiny words, and that she could hear them, and that she could know. You know, she won't fly with you as well as I can.

Stop it.

Stop what?

Everything.


(Yay for unexpected muse <3)

The white Elite bowed her head respectfully to each and everyone of them that had come forth, from what she understood there was a lover and pups that seemed to be in pursuit of Esme and her adventure. As well as Chiara whom Aurora had met on an excursion with a few of those she loved the most in Helidos. Looking down briefly at Channing, Aurora nuzzled her daughter's head and soothed the whimpering. Knowing know that it would be Oliver's turn to walk and Channing's turn to rest in the comfort of Aurora's muzzle. Still they nuzzled up against one another while Aurora spoke, "The company will be pleasant I hope, to all of us during this time. These are my pups, they are still nursing so I will ride towards the back as to not drag you down or to bother you with their whimpering and such. I do not wish to be a burden or cause ill on you and your family Alphess." Aurora closed her eyes and smiled.

Facing the direction of where the Alphess spoke of, Aurora feared that the journey would be too dangerous for her pups, but it would be a chance she would have to take. Looking at Esme, she tried to convey her thoughts, but only stood dumbfounded in her expression. Aurora would take the journey slow, stopping when needing too, and doing her best to keep them alive until she got over to the other side. From here it looked like a five day pass, maybe more, for she didn't know where she was going. For a long time, Aurora called Helidos home, yet it was never the home she was born into or the home she envisioned that night when she first left her pack. Finding habit of not staying in once place for long, she nearly regretted taking Channing and Oliver with her. Aurora knew that they had to go, they all needed to go, and where ever she ended whether they die on the way or they die of old age, either way Aurora knew that from here on out there would only be death. There was nothing left to fight for.

More soon joined the convent including the guardian from her own pack. It confused her as to what all of these wolves were doing here until Esmerelda spook up. The riddles in which she spoke told of her journey far from here, a journey away from Erenyx. Upon her arrival Chiara had pledged her life to the ashen fae and would follow her anywhere. Her life in Erenyx was simple, but nothing to rave about. Having loyalty to Esmerelda the choice should have been easy to follow her, but it wasn't. For some reason in the last few months her loyalties had been split to Steele and her few friends in the pack. Her greatest reason for not leaving was a lone hunter in the pack, Magnus. No she couldn't leave, not the pack or him. The small group looked ready to leave and the warrior spoke up. "Forgive me Alphess, but I have made a mistake. I have ties in the pack that I can't leave. I have a chance there to make something of myself, something you'd be proud of. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me, but I must return. I wish you safe travels my Alphess and friend." She spoke before walking to the fae and nuzzling her shoulder briefly. Then Chiara backed up and bowed to Esmerelda, her maw dipped to hide the pain in her eyes. Rising the black fae turned and started home.

Home, what a strange word on the tongue.

Not daring to look back Chiara walked at a slow pace, her ears perked for annoyance or taunts from the group for not going, but she didn't care. Erenyx needed her. Magnus needed her and she needed him. Something clicked in her mind, Damon's words now clear in her mind. "Be strong for me and find love again. Find happiness and you will never regret anything." She needed Magnus, the feelings were there and only when she was truly happy would she be strong.