Stray stared off into the distance she had no real idea what pack life was like or what having a mate was like and didn't know if she wanted to her adopted parents had been happy and good to her but she ran away to avoid having a mate the idea was taboo to her she had always been alone "I wouldn't know either I never had a pack" she reminded him her tail swished and she stood and shook off her coat trying to shake off the discomfort she felt at Raja'so intensity "Don't worry Raja the word mate means something different to everyone it is finding what it means to you that's important not what it means to others" she said with a smile trying to ease his tension

Shadows fur shimmered as she stood over Rain/Rago her ears flat she growled and nipped him "Enough of your blubbering and help me or have you forgo where chained together" her growl deepened with irritation why did he have to be such a cry baby she thought before Shadora burst into her thoughts *he has seen horrible things you should be kinder to him and give him a break he isn't as strong as we are* I sighed the old one was right but I had seen horrible things to and I didn't blubber and whine like a new born pup. I walked to the dead female dragging Rain/Rago along ignoring the pain it caused my shoulder I grabbed the females scruff and dragged her to the edge of the cave and deposited her body in a crevice.

My ears twitched as growling reached my ears and I rounded on Rain/Rogo but it wasn't there growl I heard it followed my ears to another crevice where the growling was coming from and in the darkness something moved. I grabbed it and pulled it out dropping it to the cave floor with a thud only to find a small wolf pup. "Rogo/Rain look at this" I said intrigued by the pup the dead she Wolf must be it's mother i thought as two more pups emerged from the crevices

Raja took a deep breath, easily able to see Stray trying to ease his discomfort. Forcing a small smile he nodded his head before looking up at the sky. "I suppose your right which mean we both have things to learn."...
Raja stretched his muscles, loosening the tenses of his limbs. " I...I don't know what to do. Ever since my father's pack was murdered I've just been trying to survive and do whats best for Rikki, she needs a real pack and place to heal." Rago's death had left ragged wounds in her soul and it deeply hurt Raja everyday to see her put on a fake smile for his benefit. " Life is...Hard." Lowering his head Raja closed his eyes, he felt so lost. Without thinking he had took on the alpha role as was his right at birth but he had never been taught what to do when he took it, and he couldn't fail for Rikki.

( If its okay id ike one of the pups to be white so that he remembers Rikki and feels protective.)

Rain's shaking body instantly stilled. Eyes widening at the sight of the small bodies wiggling around, the pups so small compared to him and Shadow. " Pups...They will parish without protection." Rain noted the gruffness of his voice before he stood fully. Memories of his mother killing young pups without a mother drove a small notch of fear into his chest.The three small things were no bigger than a ball the humans were so fond of. Gazing closer at them they were severely under weight. One of them wobbled slight on her feet as if it was too much energy to even walk. Her short white fur causing him to think of his sister that was forever lost to him. He whined shortly before he flattened his ears he looked at Shadow " What are you going to do..." He knew that she had to make the first move, but if she was going to act like his mother he would have to stop her.

Stray smiled Raja's inner turmoil was making her uncomfortable and she felt as if she should leave but hid it from him she knew her need for solidarity would make it near impossible for her to fit into a pack but she was willing to try for Raja.

She shook herself off riding herself of the feelings of impending hardship and trotted over to him nudging his nose with hers and nipping his ear playfully before taking off into the brush

Raja jumped to attention when Stray nipped at him, forgetting at least for the moment all of his inner turmoil. Barking playfully he chased after her wondering when the last time was that he chased another just for the fun of it. Smiling widely he leaned in closer to the ground and rocketed forward becoming nothing more than a black blur. "Stray...!" The laugh in his voice was clear as he cleared his head completely and focused and the sound of stray's footsteps as she raced across the plains that he now called home.

Shadow's body stilled and tensed as she looked at the two pups in front of her she could smell another as well in one of the crevices. She zoned in on the swaying white pup watching with cold eyes as it fell to the ground it smelled of death. The merciful thing would be to kill them all because
because they looked barely old enough to eat meat and if they couldn't she couldn't feed them and they would die anyway. But there was always her human. As she looked at the pups her anger built for her human could give her everything she could ask for but not the one thing she wanted pups.

A deep growl came from her throat as she lunged at the small white pup. But before she could bite it a small of Red and grey fur came flying from one of the crevices and latched onto her nose. She smiled at the pup for she knew at least this one might survive. She swated the pup off with ease for it was weak from starvation and dehydration in all ways it should be dead ito looked like a walking skeleton far worse than the white pup and also much smaller and she knew immediately that this pup was the runt.

She lunged at the pup grabbing it by the scruff and tossing it against the cave wall like a rag doll. It hit the wall with a cracked and thud the pup screamed with pain as it hit the ground but still some how managed to stand up and growl at her before passing out.

The large yellow pup jumped in front of its much smaller brother trying to defend him. The Yellow pup came after her as well then a white and black pup that she couldn't smell appeared but from where she couldn't tell the thing was covered in mudifferent and had no scent. The pups attacked biting and clawing.

"Enough" she barked as she picked up the red and grey pup who was still passed outhe "
Rogo get rid of the white one it won't make it" she turned to the pups you can come live with me for now but as soon as you can hunt your on your own" she told the pups and motioned for them to follow.

Stray ignored the pain in her legrowl as she sped across the terrain of Raja's home her long legs and lean frame made it easy for her to out pace Raja one of her strides easily equal to two of his but with her hurt leg she was just barely faster than he was. She bark-roared with joy it was a sound that could be heard for miles around and for the briefist moment she felt as if she were truly home. for the first time she felt as if she had a home a place she belonged because Raja excepted her and her strange ways

Rain blinked, Rago rising within them with a howl of rage. They couldn't just kill a pup, if it was still alive then she still faught...That all he ever did, and he had yet to die.
They small white pup whimpered slightly before giving a half growl. Standing she locked her legs in place and Rain could clearly see she didn't want to die like this, alone. Taking a step closer another weak growl passed her lips "Please, don't kill me." The voice was gentle and laced with fatigue. Rago ranted on in their mind demanding he help. She still fights brother, then you should fight too. Is she not just like Rikki, just like us? Rain sighed and looked over to Shadow, he was grateful for her human's help and even her to the extint she had yet to kill her. However, his heart harden at the creulty she displayed and his mind instantly went to memories of his mother killing her very own pup just because it had been smaller and weaker than the rest.
Huffing Rain tensed and picked up the pup by the scruff of its neck and moved her behind him before looking back at the she wolf. "No, if she still fights and breathes i will fight for her too... I've nearly died many times in my life but i continued to fight and live so if this little one wishes the same i wont take that away." Rago smiled as his brother spoke up against a wolf that frankly scared him to death. So he decided to give him a break and surged to the front of their mind. As Rain was forced into the back seat he whimpered a thank you as Rago flattened his ears, showing he was serious and not about to back down. They were both hurt, she a fresh wound and his extensive so any thing could happen. Rago just couldn't sit by and watch this she wolf decide who lived and who died.

Letting his tongue hang out of his mouth Raja pumped his legs faster. Smiling widely he playfully nipped and yipped at her. His gaze scanned their surroundings, but they always landed back on her. She was an extraordinary creature that he found to truly be bringing him out of the dark place he had been for such a long time.
Seeing where they were headed he turned slightly to the west and barked to get her attention. He knew of a great spot that she would like, Rikki and he always loved going.