"But why can’t I come?" Brielle asked, her lip jutting in a slight pout.

"Because I said no," Zya said gruffly, not used to being questioned once she had made a decision. "What the fighters and I practice this day is very dangerous, and I will not see you hurt," Zya explained for the third time. The Lupus stretched outlengthened her steps stride not wanting to be late to the middle morning exercises, pulling her shorter-legged mate along by the hand.

The half-Ulf hurried to catch up with her longer-legged mate confused. "I don’t understand," the blonde thought to herself, righting herself before she stumbled.

Zya’s sensitive physic bond with her mate heard those heartfelt feelings, and she stopped abruptly. Turning, she lowered herself to her knee and looked straight into her young mate’s green eyes. "I am sorry for my harshness, little she-wolf. I spoke with words of fire instead of speaking softlygently, helping you to try to understand my reasoning." The Lupus reached out to curl around a much smaller hand then lifted the smaller hand to her lips. "I love you, little she-wolf,." Zya projected from her heart.

"Love you too," Brielle whispered, smiling shyly at her mate. "I just want to be with you. Yesterday you worked so long and hard with your mother and uncle on that agreement to be signed with the other cousins of Ulf, I scarcely got to see you. "

"I know, little she-wolf," Zya admitted, tilting a chin to meet hers. "How about if we go to the falls for a swimming lesson later on, ok?"

The half-Ulf nodded, allowing herself to be guided to her heart mMother’s lair and onto the side porch.

"Hi,, daughter, Good morning, little one," Reina greeted them, looking up from the parchment and scrolls scattered ‘round her outdoor desk. "You just missed your uncle. He will be here in a minute if you want to see what we have drawn up so far as far asfor the unity contract we will sign in two moon rises."

"Umm, not now, I’ve got to get to the field. I am going to work against the fighters with me in wolf form to help them focus on the fighting skills our enemy will try to use," Zya explained, coming to peer over her mother’s shoulder at the parchment on the desk.

Brielle sighed, looking at the activities going around camp. She could see Sierra outside the barn pounding on hot metal. The practice field was filled with male and female Ulf stretching their bodies against the pines. Brielle saw her new companion, Layne, over there. Over to one side, she saw those preparing the high sun meal, and behind the stables she saw her aunt tending the gardens. Brielle smiled as she spotted her faithful companion scampering towards her. She walked a few paces behind her mate and heartmotherheart mother and and heart mother and bent down to pick up the white ferret. "Hi, Aura," the girl chimed. "You been raiding the vegetables again?" the blonde asked, stroking the ferret’s coarse white fur. She turned her attention back to her mate just in time to hear, "Can you keep an eye on her for a while. I mean I know you and Teldar are busy, but…"

"It’s fine, daughter. I am a little engaged but..."

Brielle turned her eyes again, curious at what Sierra was pounding on, then turned to look into her mate’s eyes. "Can I go see what Sierra is doing, Zya?"

"Sure, little she-wolf," Zya spoke, putting her arm around her shorter mate her eyes looking over at the growing number of fighters waiting for her on the field. She gently ruffled the blonde hair and nodded to her Mom. "Stay out of trouble; Layne and Myya both have things to do this morning and aren’t here to keep you company." The dark-haired warrior kissed her mate’s cheek and turned, walking hurriedly to start the morning’s training exercises.

Brielle watched her heart mother wink at her and then bend to pick up some scrolls strewn at the older woman’s her feet. Behind her she could hear the older man called Teldar approaching.

"Can I help?" the blonde asked innocently, looking intently at the scribbles on the paper that she had learned were called letters, and they were talking--only on parchment. Brielle picked up the feathered quill, only to have it gently taken from her grasp. A long, warm arm wrapped around her waist and rubbed her back caringly.

"Not today, little one. But one day soon you can write talking down on paper with me. Would you like that?" Reina looked lovingly down at her daughter’s mate. The girl reminded her more of Nali every day. The half-Ulf’s expressions were mirrors into the past. The older Blue wholeheartedly wished she did not have to complete this draft of the written agreement and could teach her heart daughter a skill that Nadireans did not allow their women.

" Then can I go, please. I want to watch?" Brielle asked, trying not to appear disappointed once more. She placed the ferret on her shoulder. Brielle pointed to the stables and Sierra who swung an instrument in the air and pounded hard on a glowing object.

"Ok, little one. Sierra is making a sword today. You may go watch." Reina agreed, knowing that her mate would watch out for the blonde. "Now you listen to what she says and do it, ok?"

"Thank you," Brielle replied gratefully, turning towards the stables and crossing passing the dens to where the horses where kept. She had wanted to come go see the colts anyway. "Hi, Sierra, what are you doing?" Brielle asked curiously, stretching craning her neck out to get a better look at the glowing substance. Inquisitively she stretched a finger towards the colorful liquid, only to have her hand jerked back .

Reacting instinctively in alarm, Sierra grasped the young woman’s hand hard and thrust her whole bodily behind her. The compact older woman’s heart beat wildly at what had almost happened. "Don’t ever do that again, Brielle. Not ever!" The short woman spoke crossly, her brown eyes anguished. Sierra wrapped her arms around the stunned half-Ulf and hugged her close. "That could burn your skin and hurt you. It’s dangerous, hon. Promise me!"

Brielle bit her lip, rubbing her aching wrist. She felt very sad. "I just wanted to see, to help," Brielle admitted shyly, kicking a pebble with her bare feet.

"This is not something you can help me with, hon," Sierra explained, taking a deep breath and taking rubbing Brielle’s wrist and rubbing it. She gently soothed the ache of the joint she had just a moment ago caused. "Why don’t you go visit the horses. Nyka is in the pasture, and Orion has her colts out there also."

Brielle heard Nyka’s distinct whinny and felt took comfort from it. She hid her still sore hand behind her back and tried not to show the feelings that seemed to be building one upon the other this morning. With a short but forgiving smile, Sierra began to hammer once more.

Brielle took slow steps as she made her way to the pasture. Just beyond the fenced corral she could see the activity Zya had told her to stay away from. A group of men were surrounding her mate and lunging at the black beast. So much she did not understand; and she did not like the angry noises and pushing and shoving..

Quietly she crawled through the open boarded fencing and walked to the dark horse whom she felt so close to. "Hi, Nyka," she whispered, rubbing the horse’s crescent star. "Sorry, no apples this time." She leaned into the horse and watched the activity around these strangers called family once more. Brielle frowned because she just could not remember. The fighting going on nearby made her very afraid. She focused her eyes once more on her mate’s mother who was talking intently to Zya’s uncle. Zya looked so much like her mother. Mother. The word seemed so foreign to her. She had no memories of her mother. To her amazement, no picture image of the woman who gave her life came into her mind. That realization stung as much as, maybe more, than, the morning’s events. Her wrist still ached from Sierra’s grasp. She sat down amidst the tall grasses, reflecting on Reina’s taking the quill out of her hand. Brielle gently lifted the white ferret from her shoulder to her lap and softly stroked her. The sounds from the practice field made her strangely uneasy. And these sounds made her rise to her feet and beckoned her to look at the very thing that made her insides shiver.

Before her eyes, two men were wrestling her mate--who was in wolf form--to the ground. Threatening the only one who she felt she felt a part of, the only one who had told Brielle that she needed her and she was important to her. Brielle gritted her teeth, her green eyes flashing and her blood growing hot. Standing up abruptly, she unseated her small friend, who chattered uneasily. Then she was running full speed. She crawled from beneath the fence awkwardly and grabbed the staff that someone had conveniently laidn there. Her cry catching in her throat, Brielle lifted the staff and charged into the crowd.

Zya felt her mate’s heartbeat in her psyche. Her pointed ears could hear her mate’s approach, and her nostrils could detect the blonde’s distinctive scent. Using the agreed upon signal to the fighters to release and step back, the Lupus snapped at the three pairs of hands on her fur and dug her teeth in lightly. The pressure on her frame was instantly released. "Defensive posture," the Lupus projected, rolling onto her stomach, blinking her eyes once and shapeshifting to human form.

"Nooooooooo," Brielle screamed her eyes centering on a male still leaned over her bonded’s prone form. She raised the staff above her head and prepared to deliver a blow to the man’s back.

Zya swiped her second cousin to her side with one hand and reached for the whirling stick with the other. It landed heavily upon her palm, but she ignored it. She discarded the weapon, seizing her adversary’s eyes with her blue ones. "Stand Down," the Lupus projected with authority, her hands already moving to encircle the small waist of the blonde half-Ulf.

"Let me go, Let me go. Let me go….Won’t let them hurt you," Brielle rasped, her body squirming. She tried to break free to reach her mate’s attacker,. hHer green eyes clawing like talons, Brielle skeptically eyed the man who had stopped ceased his aggression. A tiny growl rose in the back of her throat.

Zya’s head dodged thrashing limbs easily. Leaving one arm firmly wrapped around her mate’s waist, she raised the other to capture both flailing hands. "Stop it," Zya projected with cool authority. "Stop it now."

"Noooo, they hurt you." Brielle rebelled against the mental message. "I won’t lose you, I won’t!" her tear smothered voice whispered. Her emotional adrenaline waning, the blonde half-Ulf finally surrendered to her mate’s request.

The blue-eyed she-wolf bent forward and lowered her voice. "I am fine, little she-wolf." The Lupus released her strong grasp onf her mate’s wrists, but did not lower them ‘til she had kissed each palm. Ignoring those around her, she rubbed her chin against her mate’s soft blonde hair and purred.

"You are not hurt?" Brielle asked in a weak, tremulous whisper.

The half-Ulf found herself swung around and lowered onto her mate’s lap. Her mate’s large hand gently lifted her chin and wiped away lingering teardrops.

"Noooooooo," Zya answered, emotion evident in her silky low voice. "I’m fine. We were play fighting, sweetheart. It was just pretend," Zya tried to explain, raising up a hand to massage Brielle’s tense neck muscles.

With a relieved sigh, Brielle nestled her face on Zya's shoulder blade. She was glad her mane of hair hid the flush in her cheeks. The blonde felt as if the whole family of Ulf was scrutinizing her, and she suddenly wished she had never risen from her furs that morning. She thought of the dandelion seed that the wind knocks from place to place. She felt like that seed this morning, passed from one place to the next, and being more of a bother than a help.

Zya finely tuned her mind with Brielle’s specifically to decipher the half-Ulf's mixed emotions. She carefully kept her face expressionless, despite the guilt and hurt she saw on her mate’s. Privately she chastised herself. Zya acknowledged that she had been preoccupied all morning. She admitted that with the escalating preparations for the battles ahead, Brielle had not received as much attention from those she felt at ease with here. Guiltily, the Lupus admitted that her mate’s aggressive attack had been a huge turn on to all her senses. She was content to let those urges simmer for the moment, focusing herself instead on the object of her heart and soul. Knowingly, Zya gently massaged her mate’s neck muscles.

The younger Blue lifted her serious blue eyes to the gathering crowd of fighters, guards and scouts. "If we all hold onto such spirit as when we meet our foe in battle, we will secure our lands then drive back our enemies."

The younger Blue tenderly brushed Brielle's blonde hair off her face and looked into her mate's forest green eyes. Zya lowered her lips to the top of the blonde head and projected to all around her. "How fortunate am I to have such a brave mate to watch out for me." Zya felt her mate’s cheek slide downwards from her shoulder, and her own mouth curved in tenderness.

The blonde felt part of the weight of the morning lift at her mate’s compliment. Still, her wrist still hurt, and the awkwardness of the morning still remained. For a few moments, she ignored the movements and voices around her. Zya’s breast was warm and heavy against her check. Brielle nuzzled the tip with her nose and felt her spirit quieten.

Zya wrapped her mental connection around her mate, dulling Brielle’s concern for those gathered around them. Though her mate could hear those comments around her, Zya made certain that Brielle felt only the younger Blue’s attention on her.

"For one so tiny, she protects you like a mother with her cubs," one of the warrior Ulf commented, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"She definitely has a strong bite for such small jaws," another quipped.

A third remarked, "She would be a natural with a staff."

Zya snickered at the comment, continuing to play with her mate’s long blonde hair. While she listened to the conversation around her, her eyes clung only to her mate.

"So much are you like your mMother was, little one," Freya’s mate, Xeo, whispered, reflecting back on the past.

Zya’s eyebrow raised in surprise at the unexpected comment. Though she had decided it was wrong to keep Brielle’s past a total secret, actually openly discussing the person whose name had not been spoken for most of her life made her feel awkward. Though she had warned her people to guard against such talk, Brielle’s uncle’s comments had slipped out naturally in a moment of emotion. She could not fault him, and a part of her was glad that the pack was making small steps to end the silence of the past.

"She’s got her mother’s fiery spirit."

Murmurs rose from the crowd, and some nods. Most here did not remember Nali except from the stories from their elders. Brielle’s addition to the pack had opened up an opportunity to learn of this woman who had lived by her convictions and died for them. To Zya, it was amazing how Nali’s daughter had changed her perspective of her people’s most well-known traitor. Nali had been a pioneer for peace and harmony. Her vision, though seen through rose-colored glasses, was the same goal that Zya now had today for the Forest of Eyulf.

"It is good to hear Nali spoken of in the way she should be remembered," a voice spoke over Zya’s shoulder. Reina placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder and handed her a skin of the Kildyr’s healing waters.

Zya drank thirstily, quenching herself from her vigorous workout with her brother and sister Blacks. She looked into the sea of faces around her. She read no condemnation or disapproval of Zya or her mate. She saw some were cautious, but all were accepting and respectful. She keenly studied her second, Kern. Her second stood as tall and serene as the sacred pine. Kern moved quietly and gracefully to lower himself on his knee before the Bblue she-wolves and the green-eyed signed one.

"Bri," he said fondly, "i It has been one of my tasks for years to aid and look after your mate here. I am so glad I have such a brave determined woman such as yourself to help me do so." Kern bowed respectfully and turned to stand facing the sun.

"Ok, get yourself patched up by the healers and get some rest." tThe man addressed the fighters. "Tonight, we reverse this, and we will face the Moon Warrior in combat, all of us in our other forms."

***********

Sunlight had diminished to faint shadows through the pines that encircled the Falls of Ria. The day’s temperature had waned from stifling to what was now a comfortable, soft breeze. Some fair distance away, the Blacks were returning with game for tonight’s night feeding. Others were finalizing arrangements for a visitor scout from across the mountain, from the territory of the Silvers. All of the pack of the Blacks were curious about the message their mountain cousin would bring.

Her stiff arms laced around Zya’s neck, Brielle kicked her feet in the fall’s cool water. The half-Ulf grunted in with exertion as the two mates wove through the shallow side of the waters. As she paddled across the water, Brielle thought about Zya’s mind picture of beating hummingbird wings. But in Brielle’s mind, she thought that her movements were not nearly as graceful and or beautiful as those of the hummingbird. Moving a little deeper in the water, the blonde’s grip slipped, and her head dipped into the water.

"Blow bubbles with your nose," the black she-wolf reminded her mate, sliding her arms under each of her mate’s armpits. Zya lifted Brielle’s upper body gently up almost instantaneously as the blonde’s mouth and nose sank into the depths,. bBut not quickly enough to prevent a series of deep coughs. Zya smiled comfortably to herself, slid her arms around Brielle’s waist and gathered the strangled woman to her.

"Cough it up," Zya projected to her mate, patting her bare back gently until the spasms subsided.

"I forgot," Brielle rasped, wrapping her legs around Zya’s firm waist.

"S’alright. I bet you will remember next time, won’t you?" Zya whispered in Brielle’s ear, moving towards shore. "We’ve got to get you used to putting your head under so I can show you all those pretty fish down there." The younger Blue spoke in a velvet-edged tone. Knowing of her mate’s curiosity and interest in animals, she had no doubt that Brielle would master putting her head under water very quickly.

A beautiful tapestry was beginning to blanket the evening sky as the two mates exited the waters to sit in a lingering sunny spot on the shore. Reaching for a nearby linen, Zya patted her mate’s nude body dry, then her own, before wrapping a warm bearskin pelt around them. Tonight promised to be a busy one with more training exercises with her in human form against her fighters. And a message from the Silvers would be brought by a runner tonight or tomorrow morning. Zya’s thoughts were interrupted by a voice whose volume barely rose above a whisper.

"She’s dead, isn’t she?" Brielle spoke, letting her eyes cling to her lover’s pale blue ones. A crease developed across Zya’s forehead causing a knot to form in her stomach. Her mate’s solemn expression all but confirmed her suspicions. Agonizing moments without an answer confirmed whatever doubt might have lingered.

"Yes," the Lupus answered matter-of-factly. I won’t hide what she has a right to know, Zya told herself. Still, the younger Blue was uncomfortable with her answer. Zya had never been one to give in to fear and doubt, but still the Blue felt uncertain of the repercussions of her mate’s parentage. She knew full well the she herself was walking a fine line of what was in her own best interests and what was best for her mate. The Lupus gently lifted her mate’s now downcast face and caressed her chin. "She died giving birth to you, little she-wolf," Zya revealed.

Brielle swallowed a sob and looked away. She had already guessed the probability that her mother was gone. After all, she had met only an aunt. Reina had only talked about Nali in past tense.

"Why didn’t you tell me," Brielle asked in a raw choked voice. Her mind worked itself overtime trying to understand.

"So much you have had to deal with, little one. No memory of your past, your injury and your new role as my mate." Zya spoke truthfully, placing her hand on Brielle’s thigh. "There is so much for you to learn, to know. I struggle with what to share and when. I am sorry, sorry for ..."

"It’s ok, no more now, please," Brielle interrupted her lover who, she noticed, was trembling. She pressed her finger to her mate’s lips, halting Zya’s honest words. Without another word, she buried her face in Zya’s chest. "You’re my home."

The smell of blood wafted through the night air. Without the night breeze, it clung to the plains as thickly as heavy morning dew. By the evidence in the pasture, the kill had been an easy one. The only sound that now broke the night’s eerie stillness was the agony of the mortally injured prey and gnashing of the predator’s teeth. The red beasts’ attentions were fully on their victims. Saliva dripped from their jaws as they savored their fresh kill. The numbers of easily downed prey grew larger as they migrated from the forest further into the plains. The humans had surrendered their cattle and sheep without much of a challenge to the aggressive wolves that claimed the territory as their own.

Crouched in the grass, a battle armored individual waited. A hunter who had been a hunter from his boyhood. He had been encroaching from an early age into the haunted forest’s edge from an early age. Assured of his skills, he beckoned his men closer as he waited for his opportunity. He’d claim a head as a trophy to mount in his castle before the morning dawned. Drawing his left hand behind his back, he gestured to his soldiers to move to his side. With a flick of his wrist, the man commanded his archers to ready themselves to fire at his signal. The eyes of the newly proclaimed dictator of Nadirea were hooded like a hawk’s. The largest beasts, all males, had already begun to feed. The man clutched clenched and released his fists in anticipation as he watched females and cubs cautiously moving closer to take their share of the kill. It was time.

Archers focused onto pairs of yellow glowing eyes and released their arrows. Booted feet raced forward at the zing of a dozen flying shafts. The triumphant cries of those who had been the attackers were quickly drowned out with by whimpers, growls, howls and snarls as the hunters became the hunted. A slash of a well-placed sword proved to be as deadly as the razor sharp teeth. The young and smaller beasts proved to be easy targets for the volley of arrows. Instinctively the weaker drew back, some instinct for preservation exerting a stronger pull than the desire to spill crimson blood.

Surprise and full stomachs affected the red wolves’ skills. The larger and stronger fought with the same courage and skill, but reflexes were duller and their movements more sluggish. Though some jaws still ripped Nadirean limbs from Nadirean bodies, cockiness and recklessness took a heavy toll in the number of downed beasts. The largest and most striking of the red wolves now attacked, then pulled backwards. Over and over this pattern repeated itself as the red wolves were pushed backwards from their evening kill.

No human gave chase when the wolves slunk back into the forest depths just below the mountain range. The time now was to bury their dead, care for their wounded,. and choose the prized wolf heads to mount upon their walls. None of the dead wolves would be left to mix with the carcasses of cattle and sheep. The stiff bodies were tossed carelessly onto wooden carts to be taken back to the cities for display, and for the new leader and his men’s consumption.

On a solitary hilltop, the blue-eyed she-wolf scanned the forest below. She ignored the fine mist that clung to her ebony coat, keeping her eyes sharply focused. Only when the water collected around her indigo eyes did she pause to shake out her coat. She shifted the weight on her front paws so as to lift her neck higher in the air. The wolf inhaled deeply, her nostrils flaring. Instinctively, the fur on her back bristled and her shoulder muscles tightened.

Eyes the color of opals glowed through the rainy mist. Still the black she-wolf remained totally still. She lifted her tail and ears in a dominant position as she saw an Ulf the color of smoke meet her eyes. Each animal paused to observe the other, as if to size out up the other’s strengths and weaknesses. The black wolf growled softly, asserting her dominance and warning the other to respect it. The mist changed to a soft rain, and still neither animal moved. When the black she-wolf sprang at her silver counterpart, the non-pack member fell onto his back in submission.

"I submit to your dominance, Zya, Lupus of the Blacks," the silver male projected, rolling over to his side then standing slowly.

"Cousin," the blue-eyed she wolf projected to the male Ulf, "I accept your submission and invite you to my territory and to my lair. Come and feed. Refresh yourself from your long run, then we will talk."

The two wolves wove through the pines, one respectfully a shoulder length behind the other. The black she-wolf stood in front of her visitor with a partially eaten deer carcass in frontbefore of her. She took up a position far enough away to allow the silver male space to feed, while close enough for him to know she waited for the message. Usually this time of darkness, most of the pack would be bedded down until late morning. Tonight the majority of the fighters were on alert, and only the young were abed. Most of the number clustered a few paces away around the feeding silver, waiting for word from their reclusive mountain cousins.

All waited hopefully for an alliance of the two packs. Some of the number who had never seen an Ulf with this color fur could potentially offend the Silver with their curiosity for a closer look. With her piercing eyes, the Lupus held her people to a specific distance from their visitor.

As if sensing the yellow eyes around him waiting word, the messenger snaked his tongue across his muzzle. Still none moved, when the Silver made his way to the trough of the Kildyr’s water and quenched his thirst. Zya turned abruptly when the male dipped his head to the water. With a prowess found only in the Blue, she jumped effortlessly to the sacred rock without speech or projection, thus signaling she would wait no longer for word from her counterpart in the Silver pack.

"Sandaer of the Silvers and his sister Sandreenine send you greetings from the mountains of the Silvers," the messenger spoke, moving from the trough to just below the black wolf. "They consider your concerns valid and are in agreement to a meeting with the Blue."

Zya nodded her head in acceptance. Though this was the response that she had hoped for, she sensed there was more to this message.

The Silver male drew closer, his gray eyes narrowing in seriousness. "Talk has reached us of your recent taking of a mate, and all Silvers send our congratulations. We have also heard that your mate has been touched by the gods. We ask to be able to view this female who is special to all Ulf. Allow this humble messenger to pay his respects and then allow him to return to us. We will then send an envoy to meet within three moon rises."

Zya’s blue eyes blazed, turning indigo. Clamping down hard with her jaws, she barely restrained the urge to bare her sharp teeth. The black wolf refused to be manipulated by any beast. For a moment she stood there, tall and angry. Her tail whipped back and forth angrily. The male had no time to react as the black she-wolf leapt from the rock to touch the tip of her wet nose to his. Intimidated, the male backed away a few paces. Only one as observant as Zya noted the slight flinch of the Silver Ulf’s shoulder when she took another step towards her bargaining cousin. Reina and Teldar moved to her side in a sign of support and to be a buffer before Zya's temper lashed out. Zya longed to clamp her jaws into his neck and force him down to the ground in submission. She felt her blood boil hot and her hair bristle upwards.

"Zya," a soft sleepy voice mumbled some distance behind her.

Her cousin's request was pushed asidedisregarded as the Lupus looked upwards at the moon, closed her eyes, and changed form. Turning on her heel, she reached her mate's side before the young half-Ulf could call out for her again. Heedless of the rain, Brielle stumbled out of the lair of the Blue rubbing her eyes. Her furs forgotten in her haste to find her mate, chill-bumps rose quickly on her nude body.

"What is it, my little she-wolf?" Zya spoke softly in Brielle's ear." You’re cold," the leader of the Blacks commented with a frown. The equally nude woman picked the smaller woman up and drew her close, sharing her body heat. Blue eyes scanned for the closest covered shelter and walked towards it.

Opal eyes riveted upwards at the blue-eyed shape-shifter walking past him in her human form. He shook his head in disbelief. He had heard stories of the special power of the Blue to shape-shift at will, but never had witnessed such an occurrence. The female leader had a unique persona of aristocracy, raw power and beauty. In the Blue's arms was a female with beautiful blonde hair. It was a color he had never seen on any Ulf or Nadirean. Surprise siphoned through his blood when he beheld the sacred mark affixed right above the young female's breast. "It’s true," he murmured. He had volunteered to take his leaders’ message because he was skeptical of about the discovering of the signed one. Knowing no one would question the authenticity of his leaders’ message; he himself had added the last part about seeing the bearer of the sign. He decided not to spend a lot of time wondering what answer would have been given him if the Blue's mate had not stepped out of the lair. Instead he watched, fascinated at the bonded mates

.

Zya walked under the covered shelter which served her in the sun hours. It was a place she made decisions, a place she passed judgments and a place she held informal meetings. Its back wall was solid rock. Carefully chiseled steps led to a level platform where a pine, high backed chair sat. Deerskin mats served as floor coverings, and in the center of the structure a fire blazed in a stone pit. In the corner was a stack of fur pelts and pillows.

"Here, let’s get you warm," Zya projected, moving to the fire pit and setting her mate in front of the blaze. Green eyes followed Zya's steps as she picked a rabbit skin quilt out of a woven basket then returned. Lowering herself, to her knees, blue eyes met green ones with concern. Zya caressed her mate with her mind while wrapping the pelt around her body. Her back assaulted by Ulf stares, Zya connected with her mate's psyche and held it protectively.

Brielle grasped her mate’s hand as a familiar sense of security and well being brushed across her psyche. She gave the fingers a squeeze, whispering, "Thank you."

"You needed me, yes?" Zya whispered softly into Brielle's ear. The younger Blue caressed the ear lobe with her lips before latching onto it gently with her teeth. With a tiny love bite, the Lupus sat down on the furs by the fire. Placing her hands around her mate's waist, Zya pulled the blonde to her lap.

" Yes," Brielle murmured, pausing, turning her body sideways. "I saw something in my mind." The half-Ulf mumbled so softly that Zya had to strain her keen ears to hear it.

"You have such a beautiful voice, little she-wolf," Zya projected with her mind, "please don't make me strain to hear it." With a thumb Zya stroked the half-Ulf's throat in an unspoken encouragement

.

"Tell me what you saw." Zya spoke in a voice low and smooth

.

"I didn't like it," Brielle whined squirming on her mate's lap. The half-Ulf 's pulse raced, sickened by the images of the vision she was being asked to reconjure.

"It’s ok, little she-wolf," Zya purred, massaging Brielle's temples as well as her mind. She rocked Brielle gently back and forth in her arms, kissing her hair. Zya felt a familiar presence beside her and looked up to see a pair of bBlue eyes and an understanding smile. Holding a small clay jar in her hand, Reina moved to sit beside her daughter and her daughter's mate. Reina swirled a finger in the pinesap, quietly watching Zya nudge Brielle's body and mind into a calm relaxed state.

"Open your mind, little one," Zya purred throatily to her mate, "Look into my eyes, little one and open your mind to me." The Blue looked into green glassy eyes and a partially opened mouth that was breathing slowly and deeply. "No pain, no fear. Give your thoughts to me," Zya purred again, reaching up a hand to close Brielle's eyelids. "Focus only on me, my smell, my touch, I feel your thoughts, little one, I come to you now." With a nod to her mMother, Zya lowered her back to the soft ground coverings. She turned herself and Brielle's body so they now faced each other, lying side to side. "It's all right, close your eyes," Zya urged her mate softly while she closed them with a fingertip. Taking deep meditative breaths she focused on her mate, watching her mother apply pinesap to Brielle’s temples. The younger Blue placed two fingers back against the now sticky temples, then closed her own eyes.

Zya groaned at the pictures she saw before her. The Lupus could not stifle a gasp as she watched and felt through Brielle's eyes and emotions. Bodies of Reds lay scattered dead across the plains among dead livestock. She also saw Nadirean dead, but their number were far fewer than those of her kind. Continuing to watch, she viewed men with swords chasing wolf silhouettes into the woods. She strongly felt Brielle's horror and revulsion.

Zya closed her own eyes and spread pinesap on her nipples. She let her psyche flow through her veins to her milk glands. Her breasts grew warm as she generated special milk. Satisfied after a time, she opened her eyes, first checking on her mate's breathing then projecting to her mother and Kern.

"I want confirmation of this," Zya projected with authority, expecting immediate obedience." Now!' she projected forcefully to her soldiers. "Mother, could you compose a message to our cousin Silvers please?" Zya asked politely, scooping her mate up in her arms and walking to the privacy of their lair.

Just as she had done what seemed to have been a lifetime ago, Zya coaxed her unconscious mate to nurse--to feed upon that which would strengthen and heal her. But this time, the milk would do something extra, it would help Brielle forget.

From her spot in the underbrush, the parti-colored black watched. Only golden eyes flickered with emotion; her body was completely still. She opened her mind projecting to the Blue one, her leader. Zya’s eyes would see what she saw in case she the scout perished by a Nadirean spear.

It had begun on the outskirts of the plains at twilight. Like a giant sword,

Nadirea had swiped through the feeding red Ulf. Like the sharp fangs of a viper, the men of Nadirea bit down upon the clan of Reds, The horsemen targeted the feeding males first. With their giant spears they downed their prey. With their deadly sharpened swords, wolves were decapitated and gutted. Females quickly picked up the young by the scruff of their necks and followed the rapidly retreating Lupus. The fighting and the injured were left to the fate of the gods.

The victors descended upon the Reds like locusts. Sickened, she turned her eyes away from the spectacle and retched.

*********************

With a bound, Zya of the Blacks leapt to the rock of the Blue. Standing tall and erect, the nude female’s black hair blew in the breeze. She stretched her arms behind her back, arched her head to the sky and focused her eyes in the direction of the Adean.

Those below the rock shifted restlessly as they waited. Their eyes stayed glued to the Moon Warrior as she lowered her chin to meet their eyes. The Moon Warrior gave away no emotion as she jumped from the rock to enter her lair. All stood completely still as Zya exited her tent with her mate cradled in her arms.

Coming to stand before the crowd, Zya pushed her hair to her back to reveal her sign and then her mate’s. Golden eyes darted from blue eyes to the pair of now bloody marks emblazoned on naked skin.

"It’s true."

********************

The naked bronze-skinned woman fell to her knees and lay prostrate in front of the sacred tree. Her long fingers shifted into paws as the blue-eyed Ulf changed forms. A growl evolved into a mournful song. The song of the dead drifted through the forest. The blue-eyed Ulf stretched up her neck tilting her muzzle ‘til her blue eyes focused on the pine’s treetop. The gods themselves seemed to sing the refrain as the wind whistled through the leafy green limbs.

The black wolf rubbed her muscular shoulder into the trunk of the tree making its holy scent her own. In a blink of a cobalt eye, a tall erect nude female turned from the tree, surface scratches caused the blood to run freely down her shoulders and face. She carefully dipped a fingertip in the blood, then traced a streak of it down her arms, her stomach, her forehead, then her cheeks.

"Injured and wounded, the body bleeds; our cousin’s blood lifeblood seeps from the tree," the younger Blue spoke, symbolically soft and clear. "We carry the injuries now as our own." Stretching her tall body and extending her arm high into the tree, the black-haired female snapped off a branch of the tree.

"A branch has been snapped from the nation of Ulf," a deep rich voice spoke, spacing her words out evenly. The regal nude woman raised her head to the sky and began to sing the pitches tones her daughter had howled mournfully only moments ago.

In Head bowed in respect, the younger woman walked to her mother, extended her arms and opened her palms to extend the branch.

The older Blue nodded at the younger and took the branch in her hands. Both women of Blue then walked towards a blazing pyre.

"Those of our number perished under the swords of Nadirea," both women spoke in unison, " we send your spirits upwards into the lush forests of the afterlife."

In a solemn procession from behind the sacred tree, young and old emerged

as the tree limb was committed to the flames.

Cries and wails rang through the night, while in the lair of Zya, the bearer deliverer of f

the news slept peacefully.

Perched upon her mistress’s shoulder, Aura eyed all of the creatures milling around in the open corral corral curiously. Why her mistress would un-pen all

these noisy things was beyond Aura’s understanding. And then there were

those standing around the fencing staring, just staring. Not that any one of

them looked madangry, mind you, but still Aura got the impression that what her

blonde-haired mistress had just done was not the norm of things around

here.

Brielle scooped a fuzzy chick into her hands and rubbed it against her cheek. Aura twitched her pink nose at the noisy thing but decided to ignore it. The chick’s tiny peeping must have signaled it’s brothers brothers and sisters, because a moment later a group of seven trailed behind the half-Ulf. As her mistress’s protector, the ferret’s ears raised in alert at the growing number of those standing at the fencing. The white creature was not at all happy at all with the

number of them.

The ferret turned, twitching its wet nose into Brielle’s neck. The white creature nudged its shoulder into her mistress’s shoulder. In the ferret’s

opinion, it was time to find Zya.

*************

Zya reached across the table pushing her long dark hair back over her shoulder. She studied the laid out parchment and the markings Kern had placed there for her perusal. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, the Lupus looked up to the five faces around the table. "You mentioned a blood trail," Zya's commented to her the second in command of the her pack of fighters.

"It was Ulf blood, my Lupus. The spies reassured us that no Nadireans gave chase,." Kern answered with an undertone of anger in his voice " Bodi and two trackers had no trouble locating the scent," Kern replied, nodding at his subordinate to provide the Lupus, the mother Lupus, and two of the elders with the most recent report

"We followed the trail until daybreak, my Lupus," Bodi explained. "They are skirting the Black and Red territorial border and moving westward. "

"They are heading for the territory of the Silvers," Zya spoke coldly and precisely. Her blue eyes remained on the map spread in front of her, and she traced an imaginary line up to her soon-to-be-official allies with her index finger.

"Perhaps," Teldar spoke rubbing his bearded chin. "They do not know of the alliance. They go there to lick their wounds."

"Or to gather support from their cousins to beat us and to conquer the Nadireans," Kern speculated, relieved that Zya had pursued this alliance with their Silver cousins.

Reina's eyebrow rose, deducing the implications from the conversation going on around her. The first thing to consider was the trail left behind from by the fleeing Reds. Blood meant wounded, and more dead.

"Have you located any wounded along the trail?" Looking over at her daughter, she left the rest of her question unspoken. Zya nodded, both of them realizing that an Ulf was more dangerous when wounded. Looking into her daughter's blazing blue eyes, Reina knew that Zya had picked up on her concern that blood, wounded and dead would make a very easy trail for Nadireans to follow.

"Not as of yet, Mother Lupus," Kern answered. His voice becoming a whisper, he added, "The way of the forest has taken care of the dead."

"Excuse me, please." Renus, oldest of the elders, walked towards the shrubs feeling sick to his stomach. The last sun and moon cycle and the half-Ulf's verified vision had left him feeling unsettled. He remembered the harsh violence of his youth. He knew full well the atrocities that might lie in

front ofahead for the nations of Ulf.

Zya watched the retreating man then nodded at her uncle in such a way as to request him to follow his fleeing fellow elder. The younger Blue straightened her back, letting it pop as she stretched." I want a team of trackers at the border as soon as possible," Zya commanded, "I want those tracks covered as quickly as possible. I want our enemies to wander through the forest as aimlessly as a bee seeking honey," Zya's voice raised an entire octave.

The Lupus’s neck jutted out slightly in dominance; in her hand, the infamous Mmoon Wwarrior fingered her jeweled dagger.

"What in blazes is that noise going on over there? " Zya demanded in a shrill voice, her senses aware of the unusual amount of activity towards the direction of the stables and barnyard.

The fiery temperament reared its head, ending the period of dormancy

during which it had been tempered somewhat since taking a mate. "You!!" the Lupus growled low in her throat, pointing in the direction of a young adult around Nerri’s age. "Go find out what is going on over there." The fiery temperament reared its head, ending the period of dormancy

during which it had been tempered somewhat since taking a mate.

Zya ran her finger’s through her slightly disheveled hair and paced back

and forth. "Kern, send those pack members to the border. Bodi, have the trackers follow the Red’s trail on horseback, then dispose of the dead or dying if you have to," Zya called over her shoulder.

"Dispose of?" Bodi questioned.

Coming to a halt, the Lupus spun around on her heel, her hands resting on her hips. "Are you questioning my authority, sergeant?" Zya challenged.

"No, No, my Lupus," Bodi stammered, her face blushing. A reassuring hand from behind her fell to on her shoulder, and Bodi exhaled a breath she had not realized she was holding. "It will be done, my Lupus," Bodi insisted, feeling relieved as Zya nodded curtly.

"Bodi, I know you meant no disrespect. Zya will be under a lot of pressure, all of us will," Reina explained to the female who had never seen combat at the level that she, along with the older pack members, remembered. "There will be no time to question in a fight. The same rules apply here, young one," the older Blue scolded with soft gentleness.

Zya searched the faces in front of her. Brown and Black eyes met suspiciously around the table. It was like her group had abruptly lost all

their concentration to on the task at hand. Expressions ranged from downright

grins to the rolling of one of the meeting participant’s eyes. Her mother

was having a private projection with her captain.

The Lupus inhaled the approaching scent and listened to the

distinct tread of her mate’s footsteps. Her left eyebrow raised

inquiringly as she looked over Brielle’s shoulder. The cause

of the snickers behind her followed in a row behind the half-Ulf.

She took a deep breath looking into green eyes that reminded

her of a mischievous child. And the scampering of animals

in the fenced in stable-yard gave testament to that fact.

A more pressing matter now demanded her attention than the

meeting she which had been interrupted from. Though she was immensely

happy that Brielle was relaxing enough to be herself, the blonde

needed guidance to direct the free spirit radiating in those forest green eyes.

And a very important lesson, she needed to get across to the young half-Ulf was that all actions had consequences.

Zya reached out a hand and took the smaller one in her own. Pulling the smaller body in to hers, blue eyes stared down thoughtfully. Though used to

making judgments and meting out discipline as Lupus, this was a different

role for her, but one she accepted as equally important.

"Has my mate become a mother hen?" Zya’s thoughts projected to her

mate. Brielle cast a quick glance over her shoulder, and the blonde lashes

that shaded her green eyes flew up. Turning her face to meet the Blue once more, the smile the half-Ulf gave was more tentative.

Putting a hand on each of the blonde’s shoulders, Zya turned her mate

to face forward towards the barnyard. "Lots of activity going on in there,

isn’t it?" Zya continued her projection pointing towards the commotion. The Lupus lifted the ferret off of Brielle’s shoulder to the ground, telling the little animal with her mind to go to her mother, Reina.

"Sierra has had to leave her work in the forge, and all those women had

to stop making the high sun meal to chase animals. And look, there is my brother and nephew; they were supposed to be hunting. Those animals did not mysteriously get out of their pens did they, BRIELLEBrielle?" Her words were as cool and clear as the Kildyr.

Brielle shook her head woodenly, lowering it so that her long hair hid her face.

"Didn’t I specifically tell you and Aura that you could pet and feed the animals, but you were not to let any of them out without permission," Zya asked aloud in a cold, exact tone. "But you did, didn’t you? And is this why chicks follow you, why all the animals run loose around the stable yard and why all of those people have had their day interrupted?"

Despite her cool words, Zya let her touches soothe her mate. She petted the blonde hair, tucked loose hair behind a tiny ear, and rubbed the young one’s tight shoulders.

"Yes," a fragile, shaking voice answered.

"I am proud of you for telling me so, little she-wolf. It takes a brave, honorable Ulf to admit their misdeeds. All actions have consequences,

little she-wolf. And it takes an equally courageous Ulf to answer for their

actions," Zya spoke, wrapping an arm around the blonde’s waist. The younger Blue could tell Brielle did not fully understand her words.

Zya decided she would not discipline this innocent mind as she would another of her season cycles.

"Let’s take these chicks home to their mother," Zya projected to her mate,

walking with her until they got to the barnyard. "Here, let the little one go with his brothers and sisters," Zya said, gently taking the chick from her mate’s cupped hand and lowering him to the ground.

"Wait," Zya spoke with authority as Terrence and Sierra started to latch all

the pens back up. "That is Brielle’s job to do. Thank you for your assistance;

you all are dismissed."

The half-Ulf quietly walked to first one pen, then another, relocking the cages. She could feel the blue eyes boring into her back, and feelings of remorse squeezed through her heart. "Cages have locks for a reason, little she-wolf. They protect and keep the smaller creatures safe. These animals cannot defend and provide for themselves like we Ulf can," Brielle heard in

her mind as she closed the last pen.

For the first time, Zya detected a sniff. Her heart wanted to take her mate into her arms, to forgive her and forget this ever had occurred. But her

sense of honor and duty, and her vow to her mate at their mating ceremony kept her focused on the consequences she must enforce.

"Come with me, Brielle." Zya spoke in a firm but gentle tone. The pair

walked over to a far corner of the barn wall and sat down on some fresh straw. The two mates sat cross-legged on the ground so they sat with their r

knees were touching. Zya rubbed the back of her hand across her mate’s cheek

and began to speak. "You did wrong and disobeyed what I told you,. "

Zya spoke evenly. The blonde’s face had an expression of sadness and regret. "I know by your face that you are sorry. That is good, because I know you love all the animals and now will see they are safe and well cared for. But that does not erase your misconduct," Zya continued, still stroking her mate’s cheek in a loving manner. Zya stilled her hand and moved it down to gently cup her mate’s chin. "I am going to have to punish you for your disobeying me, both as your mate and as your Lupus. Do you understand this?"

"I dunno," Brielle answered in a broken whisper. "I am sorry. I won’t do it again," the half- –Ulf promised.

"Good, that pleases me, and I forgive you. Still, now you must answer for your wrong. And the way you will do this is by me turning you across my knees and spanking you. And through this I know that you will remember to listen to your mate and Lupus and not do this again."

Out of the corner of her eye, Zya’s blue eyes fastened upon her mother. The young Blue gained resolve and strength from that older pair of bBlue eyes.

With a nod, the older Blue walked in the direction of Zya’s lair.

Brielle felt ice spread through her stomach. A dull ache of foreboding swelled in her mind. She bit her lip ‘til it throbbed like a pulse as a flash of loneliness stabbed her.

"No, she-wolf," Zya whispered, pulling Brielle to her and kissing the top of her head. "You are not alone. I love you very, very much," Zya spoke in a tender calm voice. The blonde nuzzled her face against Zya’s breasts. The younger Blue gave her mate a few moments to compose herself. In her hand,

Zya grasped the pendant of Blue. Only when her hand grew hot did she let go.

"Ok," Zya spoke gently, pulling Brielle away from her chest. Quickly, she stripped Brielle of her deerskin halter and skirt. Flexing her warm glowing

hand, Zya commanded gently, "Llieay on your stomach across my legs, Brielle." Zya stole a glance across the stables and barnyard while waiting for Brielle to get into position.

A small crowd had gathered behind the fences all staring in her direction with looks of curiosity and interest. "Be gone!" Zya hissed in her mind. Those gathered jumped instinctively at the strong reverberation in their minds and quickly dispersed. This is not a public viewing, Zya thought to herself.

Thanked be the gods Brielle did not notice her audience.

Brielle’s skin began to flush blue after the second blow. An intoxicating bead of perspiration had begun to collect on the victim’s back. "Hold still,"

Zya whispered after landing three more strokes, "It will hurt more otherwise." With every strike of her hand now, Zya felt fire shoot to her loins. The way Brielle tensed her moon cheeks before the blow landed and the way the globes quivered turned her eyes a blue-violet.

The half-Ulf gulped hard, willing her body to hold still. The heat radiating from her buttocks burned like fire itself. Trying to keep from crying out, Brielle bit her lip, drawing blood. Then, mercifully, it was over. Though warmth radiated from her buttocks and sweat covered her body, the blonde felt cold. She whimpered and shivered uncomfortably.

Zya lifted her hand as she fought for self-control. Determinedly, she fought that which was a part of her Ulf nature. Sex was not always gentle with her people. When they were asserting their dominance and authority, their blood grew hot, and sexual urges could overpower the less mature. Highly aroused by visuals, the Lupus’s eyes had raked over the naked, throbbing blue-tinged buttocks. While she could not ignore her swelling flower and budding need, Brielle’s stifled sobs cooled her ardor. "It is over now, little one." Zya spoke with a gentle softness in her voice. Reaching to grasp her pendant once more, Zya’s hand turned first warm, then cool.

"Please lie still, little one," Zya admonished, reading her mate’s desire to move from her lap and withdraw from her presence. She cradled her mate’s buttocks in her palm, letting the coolness relieve some of the heat. "Shhhh,

little she-wolf," Zya crooned, moving her hand to the other buttock. Zya willed her touch to lessen the pain to a dull ache. It was just enough to make Brielle slightly uncomfortable. The blue blush however would heal on its own.

From a foggy pain-induced haze, the half-Ulf felt a chilly touch. Too weak to arch into it, she lay passively soaking up the coolness. She felt water being sprinkled upon her back and legs. Larger drops landed on her buttocks, then a hand slicked it into her body from neck to ankle. "We make you clean, sweet one," her mate’s voice rumbled into her mind. Brielle kept her eyes closed and allowed her body to be turned so she lay upon her back across her mate’s thighs. Again the same actions were repeated as her body was administered to from neck to ankles.

"Clean, forgiven and purified," Zya spoke in a loud voice that resonated throughout the lair. Though she knew that Brielle did not understand this ritual in atonement and forgiveness, she did it anyway as a testament to

her the ways of her people. What she did know from touching reaching into Brielle’s mind, was that Brielle felt better emotionally from her gentle touch. Zya frowned when she saw the dried blood on Brielle’s chin and the puffy lip. Dipping her finger into the pitcher of the healing waters that her mother had set beside her, the younger Blue cleaned off the dried blood and dabbed the tender skin.

Brielle kept her eyes closed in an attempt to hide the hurt and regret she felt.

She kept perfectly still when a soft thick linen was loosely wrapped around her. She was cold. Her throat hurt from swallowing her tears. She could not open her eyes because she was unsure of who she might see. Would as this person that she was joined with? . SStill in shock, Brielle wrapped both of her arms around her body to hug herself.

‘Where are you?’ Zya inquired of Brielle with gentle concern. "Where is my little she-wolf?" Zya asked, tilting her head to better look into Brielle’s face.

Zya walked carefully along Brielle’s dream path scanning both sides of the passageway as she searched. Her Brielle was lost in here somewhere, and she was here to take her home. She tracked her mate’s spirit by its confusion. It seemed unable to resolve Zya the familiar with Zya the punisher. Her mate’s scent was growing stronger with each step. "My familiar, where is my familiar?" Zya heard a sobbing voice just ahead of her ask.

"Right here, little one, right here." Zya’s voice broke with emotion as Brielle’s forest green eyes opened.

"But I opened the pens and you spanked me and it hurt," Brielle choked

out, looking not into the Lupus’s eyes but at her hands.

"Do you think that would change who I am? Do you think it would change?

what you are to me?" Zya asked, surprised. "Never!"

Brielle felt the pull of her lover’s blue eyes and the conviction of her words.

"I am sorry. I love you," the half-Ulf said with quiet emphasis. Shyly she looked at Zya’s chest in an unspoken request

"I love you too, my little she-wolf," Zya answered in a low, tender voice.

Never losing contact with her mate, Zya pulled her leather half shirt over her head and opened her arms in invitation. A deep sigh rose from her being as Brielle’s cheek nuzzled her nipples. But an even more profound contentment washed over her when Brielle opened her linen blanket and wrapped it around them both.

************

The waning sunlight had brought a flurry of activity as Ulf finished their individual tasks, which required their human forms.

Underneath the shelter of her open tent, the Lupus sat undisturbed at her large pine table. Zya re-rolled the scroll in her hand before pushing it aside amidst a mass of other ones. With deliberately soft movements, Zya reached down and pulled another scroll out of an emptying basket. She unrolled the yellowed parchment carefully. Zya recognized the scrawl instantly. It was that of her great grandmother, Nera. Her nephew Nerri had been named after her. Her great grandmother’s battle skills were revered by all Ulf as legendary. All of the scrolls in the basket at her feet and on the table were penned by her ancestors--accounts of their reigns and battles against Nadirea carefully preserved for the next generation of Lupus. Zya continued to make notations as she read her Lupus Nera’s words. Since her younger brother’s death, she had used her anger to give her the strength to hold back her enemy. Since her green-eyed, blonde-haired mate had come into her life, anger had been pushed from the forefront of her focus.

If the Nadireans were anything, they were predictable. Thate race relied on numbers and used a swift, powerful first strike to bring down their enemy.

Her people in their individual packs lacked the members to bring down their enemy.

"But when indivuals become joined as one, they become more powerful and a force to be reckoned with," Zya whispered aloud to the half asleep blonde who rested upon her lap. Feeling a chin bob up and down slowly on her shoulder, Zya put down her quill and smiled. "I will take that as a yes, little one," Zya projected

Looking back at the parchment on the table, Zya looked at her notes once more. Nadireans lacked creativity. They always fought in the same manner.

‘Obviously not fighting in harmony with their surroundings or using it to their advantage. Obviously, relying on their own supposed superiority,’

the younger Blue mused.

"But the one who is motivated by the heart has the advantage. Does she not?" "

Zya whispered in her mate’s ear. A small hand slid down her bare skin to rest over her beating chest. "Mhmmmmm," Zya’s voice slid into a purr.

The Moon Warrior’s heart leapt in response to Brielle’s soft touches.

She was aware of the blonde’s warm moist breath against her neck.

"Hhhmmmm," she purred again as a kiss was laid in the throbbing hollow of her throat. Instinctively craving more of her mate’s kisses, Zya lifted her chin upwards opening her neck fully in invitation. The tiny hand slid upwards from its place on Zya’s heart, leaving goose bumps in its wake. A single finger moved to stroke down Zya’s chin then trail downwards to her heart, then upwards again.

Before all reason was consumed by passion, Zya slid a mental shield around Brielle. The Blue had no intention of stopping the mating both females were engaged in until their bodies sang out in ecstasy. Sensitive to her new mate’s inhibitions and general shyness, Zya wrapped a hand around the back of her mate’s head and lifted it to meet her violet eyes. Zya reached her mind into the forest green depths to reach into her mate’s mind. "Open your body, mind and soul to me, my she-wolf. Open to me fully. Focus only on me." The Blue mental message reached into Brielle’s very soul.

Green eyes captured by blue ones, the half-Ulf’s thighs opened and the linen still draped around her from earlier, fell suggestively around her hips. The scent of Brielle’s dew wafted upwards to Zya’s nose. A soft growl rising in her throat, she pulled off the cloth that kept her eyes from having a full view of what was hers. A quick sweep of her hand, and the table was cleared.

"Lift your body to my lips and kiss me," Zya commanded with huskiness in her voice.

A small hand grabbed onto a full breast and used it to turn her body to straddle her mate’s larger one. Two hands lacing behind Zya’s neck, the half-Ulf’s breasts brushed against her body until they settled just upon her muscular shoulders. Zya thought back to her mate’s arched moons draped over her thighs earlier. How they shook with each slap. The heat they radiated and the blue flush she had brought to them. She licked her lips; releasing the clamp she had placed on her desires earlier, she reached around her mate’s body and cupped them fully in each of her hands.

Soft lips brushed against hers and chanted, "I need to; I need to, need to…"

"What is it, my little she-wolf?" Zya projected, pulling back to meet emotional green eyes. She reached out a hand to stroke a slightly furrowed brow. "What is it you need?" Zya asked, already guessing what had caused Brielle to instigate their mating but needing to hear the blonde say it.

"After…" Brielle started licking her lips.

"After what happened earlier today, when I punished you," Zya prodded, stroking a soft cheek.

Brielle nodded her fair head. "I felt alone. Separated."

"And?" Zya asked gently marking Brielle’s brow, cheeks, chin then neck with tiny half kisses. "What is your need, sweet Brielle?"

"You!" Brielle groaned aloud, whimpering when a hand began to caress her left breast.

"You wish me to join with you. Make you one with my body?" she purred seductively, raising Brielle upward lowering her body onto the pine table.

"Yes, little she-wolf, I will come into your fragrant moon flower. Partake of its dewy essence. I will claim you as mine and keep myself there ‘til the morning dawn," she promised, lowering her breeches and stepping out of them.

Zya flexed her muscles, her body now a dark shadow against the colorful sunset. She fondled the pendant in her hand until a fine sweat covered Brielle’s body. When she licked the side of the pendant, Brielle’s right knee drew up and widened. Another lick to the other side of the pendant caused the left knee to mimic the action of the right.

"Open, oOpen little flower," she crooned, "Open to the one that will soon fill you fully." Standing at the table’s edge, Zya picked up the Brielle’s right leg, stretched it out and positioned it at an angle on the table’s right corner.

Not letting her body touch her mate, she stretched her tongue to circle the ankle before sucking gentlye on the bone there. When the bare foot flopped to the side, Zya drew her tongue between each toe before rubbing her breast on the foot’s arch. The leg now firmly placed and rigid, Zya moved to the left foot, sucking on each toe before she placed it in the left hand corner of the table. The foot flopped to the side when she tongued the arch. The Blue planted the ankle into her desired position, then let her fingernail rake across the foot’s bottom until she heard a soft groan.

Reaching over the table, Zya pressed only her nose into the soft blonde nest of curls and inhaled. She rubbed her nose in a soft circle, her eyes now capturing green ones. "You smell more beautiful than the pine itself," Zya projected, sliding her nose upwards, up her mate’s flat stomach up further to the underside of a left breast.

"Hmm, your breast stands up for me like a pine seedling reaching for the sun," Zya crooned with her mind. She flicked the nipple’s top with her nose pleased as it rose even higher in the air. With characteristically fast quick Ulf speed, she surrounded the nipple fully with her mouth.

Brielle gasped, rising upwards off the table only to be pushed gently back down by a gentle pull of her blonde hair. "Croon for me, she-wolf," she Zya projected, massaging the right breast while she sucked on the left. Brielle whimpered in loss as Zya let go of the nipple.

A large hand fell to her own flower, bathing her hand with her essence.

"Your whole body calls to me. I will bathe it with my attention."

Zya seduced her mate with her words. "Mine," she spoke under her breath, slicking both of Brielle’s feet with her wetness. Zya teased her own flower once more with one hand then the other, creating a delicious friction that she mentally projected to her mate

Brielle felt a sex blush rise to her skin as hands wrapped around first one leg then the other, covering her with the sticky wet juice that was Zya.

"Mine," she heard spoken to her in a whisper, causing her heartbeat to pound in her ear. Brielle watched in an erotic haze when her mate once more reached into her dark nest, her green eyes never leaving the large wet large hands. The blonde arched her body as Zya oiled all her curves. "Mine," Zya spoke in a louder tone as she trailed her love juice across Brielle’s forehead, cheeks, chin and neck.

Brielle’s body slick and shiny, heady with her smell, Zya’s desire spiraled higher. Hungrily, she lowered her lips for a kiss. Her tongue pushed through the lips that tasted of her and plunged inside. Aroused, the violet- eyed wolf did a lust exploring examination of the body she had now climbed upon.

She bit softly down on one nipple, then the next. She kissed the now scarlet sign of Ulf.

"I’m here, I’m here, my little she-wolf," Zya projected, kissing the sign as she released it. The pine table held firm when Zya raised herself to all fours.

Purposely slowing their mating dance, Zya climbed up around her mate’s body giving Brielle a tender smile.

"I love you, little she-wolf," the Lupus declared, leaning down to kiss a perky nose. "Nothing can change that. Never, never ever!" she declared in a loud, purposeful voice.

"Be one with me?" Brielle asked shyly, looking at the glowing blue pendant that her mate wore around her neck.

"Ohhh, yes, little she-wolf," Zya purred into the delicate ear, sucking on its lobe. "I will fill you with my jewel and keep you filled all of this night."

Zya lowered her lips to her mate’s ear, caressing it more than kissing it.

Keeping her eyes firmly focused on Brielle’s expression, Zya seduced her mate’s body with her expert touches. Brielle’s lips parted in surprise when Zya’s finger slid through the nipple ring, tugging. Zya smiled seductively, watching Brielle’s body seem to shiver as she sought first one pleasure point, then another. Starting with small circles around her mate’s belly button, Zya slowly let her circles widen until her finger dipped into her mate’s dewy flower.

"Hmmmmmm," Brielle sighed, bending her knees together once more and opening herself wide.

"What a beautiful flower you have, sweet one" Zya crooned, massaging Brielle’s blonde nest hair as she moved to stand at the table’s edge. "Such dewy red petals" Zya continued, raising the glowing pendant from her neck. "Resting on such soft ground over blonde curls," Zya spoke, kissing the jewel and lowering it into her black nest. "I feel your eyes upon me, little one," Zya groaned in exertion. "See how my love grows for you?" Zya projected, willing her body into its god-blessed change. A blue bulge emerged from the nest, growing to a blue tipped rod.

"Open, open little flower," Zya crooned, running her hand up and down the ribbed organ causing it to grow much larger than she had ever manipulated it before.

Zya blew on Brielle curls, reaching out her tongue to taste the dripping dew. "Keep your eyes open, little one," Zya projected, sliding Brielle’s bottom to the table’s very edge. Thrusting her jewel forward, she aroused her mate by caressing the inner folds of petals.

"Noooooo, little one." Zya pulled back her organ when Brielle moved to thrust upon it. Before Brielle could cry out, Zya replaced the organ with her

mouth. Drinking deeply of its dew, Zya reached a hand down to stroke the inside of the half-Ulf’s thighs. "Climb with me, climb," the Blue projected, dipping deeper and deeper into Brielle’s love tunnel.

"So wet, so close, sweet Brielle, hold on just a bit longer," Zya entreated, stepping back away from the table. "Turn now, little one, Turn on your stomach and raise yourself to me," she spoke again in a voice thick with excitement.

Zya caressed the blue tinged buttocks. She once more cupped her own flower and collected its dew. Wanting her mate totally covered with her scent and essence, she massaged the fluid into Brielle’s back and buttocks. "So beautiful," Zya commented as she let her eyes rake over her mate’s vulnerable position. The blonde’s whole body glistened, and the blue colored buttocks arched upwards to reveal its dewy, needy flower.

"AAAAAooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu," the Lupus’s howled, plunging deep into her mate’s flower. "Aoouuuuu, Aoouuuu," she sang out as she thrust over and over, deeper and deeper.

"We are one, little she-wolf, joined together," the Lupus projected pulling her mate’s buttocks firmly into her. "Deep is our bond," she continued, pushing in so deeply that she touched her mate’s womb. "And our bond swells and grows with each moon rise and set," Zya continued to project, feeling her jewel swell and plant itself firmly in her mate’s love tunnel.

Zya felt the passion radiating from her mate’s flesh and moved a hand around Brielle’s waist, masterfully moving to the half-Ulf’s pleasure center, moving in such a way as to ensnare her further in the Lupus’s passion.

Together, simultaneously, they began to move, the half-Ulf eagerly responding to each thrust by pushing back on the jewel. Brielle’s breathing changed to long surrendering moans as Zya thrust faster and harder. Brielle moaned erotically as the heat of the Lupus’s body pulsed through hers. Overwhelmed with need, Brielle started to fall, only to feel strong arms wrap across her stomach to support her. Feeling the stiff organ beginning to throb, Brielle’s body burst into convulsions. A warm liquid heat flowed through her body, satiating it and causing it to relax.

Her legs feeling like rubber from standing so long in an intense coupling, Zya lifted Brielle off the table and carried them both to lie upon a pallet of furs. The Lupus projected emotions of security and well being, letting her fluid of fertility bathe Brielle’s womb in preparation for the time when Zya decided to produce an heir. Curling her body around Brielle’s hips, she caressed her mate’s cheek and played with the blonde tresses.

"One," Brielle said, feeling security in the solid firmness firmly resting inside her flower.

"One," Zya murmured in agreement, looking down at her drifting mate then out at the rising moon. "

His fur dusted with fine snowflakes, the silver coated male stood atop the rock outcropping. Below him, his pack members stood ‘round the opening of a mountainous cave. From his vantage point above them, Sandar of the Silvers waited for verification of what he already suspected: refugees from the Reds were hiding in the mountainside.

A woeful howl broke him from his reverie. Shaking the flakes from his coat, Sandar loped through the snowdrift down to the mountain's base. ‘Round the mountain opening, Silver trackers and scouts milled restlessly. They cleared the opening to let the alpha male enter. He had to fight to keep his body language from betraying his thoughts and emotions as he took in the scene before him.

"Send for the healers," he projected to the young adolescent female Silver that was fighting the urge to vomit. The look the growing Ulf gave her leader was that of gratitude. Even with all of his life experiences, Sandar had to fight the urge

to give in to the pity and revulsion that threatened to overwhelm him. "And send for my sister," he projected to the group, stalking into the cave's entranceway.

Only one of the cave's inhabitants would not require his healer's art, and he sat in a daze in the cave's furthest corner. Cubs, so many cubs were bunched together. Are they orphans? Sandar asked himself. He counted the cave's inhabitants. Besides the one he recognized as Drad, there only appeared to be three males in the pack. He observed that the females formed the majority or the refugees.

"What happened?" he projected to the golden-eyed Lupus who sat in the far corner. He lowered his neck to stare into bloodshot yellow eyes, snuffing to catch the dazed Ulf's attention. Drad’s eyes lost their glazed appearance.

"Cousin, they swarmed us like locusts. Butchered our bravest and strongest,"

the red-coated beast panted as he projected. He stood on his four legs gathering

strength as his blood anger re-surged. "The Nadireans have done this to us!

"Drad, where are the others?" Sandar asked, now detecting his twin sister's scent

just inside the cave's entranceway. The movement behind him told him his sister Sandreen was now directing the healers in assessing the injured.

"Their blood lies spilt on the earth," the red Lupus responded, his eyes taking on a faraway expression. "Don't you hear their cries, cousin?"

Outside the cave, the snow had brought with it a blanket of white silence.

"I hear only the cries of your frightened young. I hear the groans of your wounded," Sandreen asserted, stepping beside her brother. " We offer you help for your injured, and warmer shelter to wait out the mountain storm. I am sure that with the combined help of our cousins, the Blacks, we can attempt a search and rescue of the rest of your Ulf," Sandreen offered the Red Lupus, genuinely willing to overlook her personal dislike for Drad's leadership of his Ulf.

Twins, Sandar and his sister Sandreen ruled the Silvers together as one. As was the way of the Silvers, one day the brother and sister would mate and bring yet another pair of twins to rule in their place.

"You, a FEMALE, dare to communicate with me with such disrespect!' Drad bared his teeth his lips turning into a snarl. "You over-glorified BITCH!" he projected, arching his back to attack.

The silver hair on Sandreen's back bristled, and she mentally reached into the bond with her brother. Her body desperately wanted to subdue this male, but they Ulf nation needed to pull together not fight amongst the different packs. Her brother's cold eyes melted for a moment before once again becoming as cold as the weather outside the cave.

"Drad of the Reds, you and our people are our guests, and we seek to aid and offer to share our fire with you," Sandar 's projection thundered as he growled

and postured. "But you will not speak to anyone in my pack this way.

of invitation to us to meet at the sacred tree. Come with us," Sandar finished his thoughts looking seriously at golden eyes glittering with hatred.

"You mean the blue-eyed bitch and her Nadirean!" Drad spat, his body tense and rigid. "Your judgement is clouded, cousin, to consider joining with her.

She has blatantly forsaken what is Ulf and calls herself the champion of peace and justice." Drad barreled between the Silver Lupus and Lupi and raced from the cave. Smelling the Silver male tracking him, he slowed his pace, stopping when he reached a high hill. Despite the snow blowing through his fur and the bitter wind assaulting his senses, he was hot.

"Join with me cousin, and cease this useless exchange. Aggression and hate will be our weapons as we forcefully retake what is ours. First the Adean and then beyond, ‘til Nadirea is no more," Drad projected through the chilly wind as he looked across to his Silver cousin standing nearby on another prominent snow cap. "This talk of a sign is but a foolish myth. For any Ulf to consider being led by a female who beds our enemy is foolhardy. Join with me. Together we can subdue the Blacks, beat them into submission and have a force that will destroy Nadir once and for all."

Sandar stared at his cousin dispassionately. Nadirea had never encroached

on his pack. Living high in the mountains, he had distanced himself and his people from prejudice, anger and hatred. Before his eyes was an Ulf that had walked a path other than his own. A path that resulted in the deaths of countless of his fellow Ulf excepting only the few, weary wounded Reds huddled in the cave below.

"The Silvers offer you and your pack food and shelter. We offer you the services of our healers and invite you to sit by our fires. You are part of our family. But so are the Blacks. The Silvers will meet with the Blacks under the sacred tree. Join us or you, and potentially the whole clan of the Reds, will die."

Enraged, the Red male curled his lips into a snarl. "You impugn my honor and my people Sandar." His eyes never leaving his Silver counterpart, he trotted down the snowy hill to the flat ground below. "Hear me now, Reds and Silver's alike, I challenge the Lupus for leadership of our combined people."

Sandar slowly made his way to where his cousin stood, purposely keeping his pace slow so he would guarantee an audience of witnesses. "I have envisioned this confrontation for many, many seasons," Sandar projected, growling and yipping in a high-pitched cry. "Your pack needs you Drad of the Reds. Cease this non-productive hostility and let’s go down the mountain together to unify with the Blacks."

The Red male answered with a swift charge. Jaws open wide, the Red snapped wildly at the Silver's muscular neck. The Silver male anticipated move after move and dodged the large, sharp teeth. When the jaws did finally descend on the flesh

at the top of the Silver's neck, the Silver male twisted and flung his attacker off, throwing him several paces away.

"Is that your blood that now drips in the sand?" Drad questioned his rival sarcastically.

"The better to set my blood into a boil," Sandar countered, making his first charge and causing both beasts to roll around in the snow. Front legs and hind seemed to meld together in what appeared to be a single creature. White, wet snow covered both beasts’ coats. Since both coats now sported red stains, the watching Ulf questioned each other as to which Lupus was their own.

But Sandreen of the Silvers could distinguish the pair. She knew her brother's fighting moves almost as well as her own. A long-winded growl rose from deep in her chest when Drad was flipped onto his back. A wound on his belly was bleeding steadily, and the large Red male was weakening. As far as appearances went, with a scattering of scratches and slowly seeping wounds, her brother did not look much better. But he still stood on his four legs.

"Kill, Kill, Kill," a multitude of howls echoed through the mountain range.

Sandreen looked into the expressions of cubs and female Reds. Is that relief or horror? she asked herself. Empathy running through her, she picked up a whimpering cub--two moon cycles, or so she imagined--by the scruff of it's neck.

"It's going to be ok, little one," Sandreen crooned as she walked back to the shelter of the cave. Hearing the cry of death followed by a victorious howl from her brother, Sandreen felt her stomach tighten.

Before the night turned to dawn, she must go to her cousin Zya.

**********

"Spread out men, fifty paces betwingst yourselves," Franklin of Lord John's elite

called. "We do not turn round till we have located those beast's trail."

The small group of four broke from their single file formation spacing themselves out into a long row. Just in front of them, a single hound searched aggressively for

a scent. The beagle kept his nose to the ground as it weaved on the pine-covered ground. "Find," a man of a bay colored horse commanded. It had been a fruitless morning that had turned into an equally fruitless afternoon. It would seem that all traces of the red wolves had vanished. There were no tracks, no blood trail and no carcasses.

Franklin pulled on the reigns of his brown mare before dismounting. He bent down on one knee to examine a set of prints; tracing them with his finger. "Bahhhhh!" he enunciated loudly kicking a nearby pine cone angrily. Sighing deeply, he studied his men's expressions. Each of them exuded varied degrees of tension. Franklin assumed it because of the obvious. It remained a mystery why no sign or scent of the red beasts had been found. He agreed the fact astonished him too.

But he considered his biggest concern is not failing to carry out his Lordship's orders.

At least timothy has made a decent map, he murmured to himself.

"My Lord, the sun has begun its way to the west"

"And we are continuing east" Franklin glared into the baby faced Nadirean's hazel eyes. "Wanting to go home to your Mother BOY!" Franklin spoke with a voice heavy with sarcasm. "Take point." Franklin ordered the young man.

Somberly, the group of Nadireans continued deeper into the forest depths. The only sounds heard were the clomping of the horses on the earth as well as the scribbling of the one named Timothy as he documented the geography around him.

The trees were thicker now requiring each man to lead his mount by foot.

"My Lord Franklin, may I suggest we head for the river," one of his parties spoke leaning his body so only his superiors could hear. "The time of day is conducive to when the beasts of the forest come to drink. And the horses need to drink."

Franklin nodded then bellowed to the group. "Head towards the river. And keep your eyes sharp for tracks along the bank’s edge. "Timothy, the boy and the hound head upriver" he spoke with an air of authority. "Simon and I will go to the right downriver, circle back and meet you there." Franklin pointed to the other side of the river at its widest point.

Smelling the Nadirean scent, the pack of six Ulf sat in wait in the pine trees above.

They had received projections all day from those that followed the group of four horsemen that even their dog had been unable to latch onto a distinct scent. Another group of four trailed even now followed a little further behind removing the Nadireans tracks.

The hair on Terrance’s neck, chest and arms rose as he observed the four Nadirean’s approach. Though not accustom to engaging their enemies in their human form, this group of six had been chosen specifically to eliminate this early scouting party.

The six Ulf had talents of skilled hunters, known for stealth, speed and consistency.

Terrance, son of Reina, watched with eyes hooded as a hawk as the group of four passed under his tree. A few odd paces from the Kildyr, the men broke from one unit into two. Unbidden, the group of Ulf broke into groups of three, Terrance’s group following the two with the dog.

"Quietly, Swiftly and no mess," Kern projected a reminder in each of his six Ulf team’s ears. Rely on your wolf instincts. Take advantage of your size and training as men."

Terrance drew up the memory of his younger brother Lai. Those that had butchered him had come on horseback too with their double-edged swords and their bloody knives. He had been to young to intervene then. But today, he planned to give his life if necessary to do whatever necessary to remove Nadirea from his home.

He jumped from tree to tree-moving parallel to his brothers in trees beside them.

Only the dog and seemed aware of their presence. The animal sniffed the air above not once but twice only to be chastised by the one called Timothy.

"Keep your nose to the ground hound. We hunt not fowl today but wolves." Timothy rebuked the small animal boxing the animal’s ears.

When the two Nadireans dropped there horse’s reigns to allow them to drink, Torrence and one his brother Ulf shimmied quietly from their trees.

When the one left above drew back his arrow and hit the dog square in the chest both Ulf men leapt to attack the stunned soldiers. Torrance engaged the older one with his sword and met the other’s attacks move for move. He felt is Ulf blood boil at the look of surprise on the other man’s face. A creature of honor, he waited for the Nadirean to draw his sword before lifting his own. Torrance engaged the older man move for move in a furious motion. He detected the sound of the snapping of a neck. It’s momentary distraction allowed his opponent to slash at his upper arm.

The dripping of his crimson blood rejuvenated his senses.

"What are you that you bleed black?" the Nadirean stopped startled gasping in surprise.

Seeing his opening, Terrance lifted his leg kicking the stunned man squarely in the chest.

"Be you a demon?" the man named Timothy asked as a sword was placed to his neck. "That sword," Timothy rasped, "You carry the sword of John?"

"I pulled it out of my dying brother’s body." Terrance answered coldly. Then with a plunge he pushed his sword through the man’s heart.

Feeling a sharp pain in her soul, Reina excused herself from the meeting of the elders. Giving her concerned daughter a reassuring caress, she walked briskly away from the lairs and entered the forest. Stripping out of her garments, the elder Blue changed forms and took off in a westward direction. Her heart giving her directions, she followed the Kildyr tracking the scent of her kind. Hearing numerous footsteps moving forward to intercept her path, Reina changed form once more and waited patiently beside a medium sized pine. She waited here for her sons whom she sensed need her.

She recognized the look on her son’s face as one from long ago. Its haunting expression took her back many seasons when her eldest child pulled a large sword from his little brother’s skinned corpse. At that time, the sword almost toppled his youthful body with its weight. Her handsome ruddy complexioned son stood holding the exact sword with nearly the same expression.

"My son," she projected with the tenderest of mental caresses, which latched onto her eldest’s psyche and solidified a connection. Remote brown eyes shifted and recognized.

"Mother," he mumbled under his breath leaving the party of tired somber warriors to walk into his mother’s waiting arms. He nuzzled his mother’s neck as he had done as a cub taking comfort in her soft firm physique.

"Tell me, my son," Reina whispered in her son’s ear pushing unruly brown locks from his face then licking his cheek.

"I know now whose blade this is that I have carried so long," Terrance projected pulling back enough to meet his parent in the eye. He dropt it from his hands suddenly revolted. "Tis John who marches against us that killed Lai."

Reina drew her child to her breast and held him there gently. There beside the Kildyr both mother and son cried.

**

Brielle watched the birds flit from pine to pine while her body swayed gently back and forth on Nyka’s back. The late afternoon had brought a chorus of songbirds floating back and forth for their evening feed. She sniffed the air taking comfort the fragrance of pine mixed with her mate’s earthy smell that was behind. Feeling a chin nuzzle her hair, the blonde arched her back giving into the caress fully. She turned her from the trees and turning it upwards to stare into the bronze face.

"Love you," Brielle spoke softly giving her mate a sunny smile.

"Love you," the voice answered back causing a tickling vibration up and down her back. Muscular arms wrapped around her and gave her a gentle squeeze.

The sun seemed to settle on her bare shoulders making her feel warm and relaxed. Growing accustomed to the sun now, a light tan spread across her body.

Feeling Zya’s body stiffen slightly, Brielle scooted her buttocks little further into her mate’s large frame. Green eyes watched a dot approach in the distance. As it neared closer, a silver headed woman sitting upon an equally silver steed, came into focus. Nyka began to move forward about the time when Brielle looked into gray eyes that reminded her of lightening. Without a thought, the blonde lifted her head upwards to read her mate's expression. Blue eyes caught hers with the utmost of tenderness. Returning the gesture with a sunny smile, She relaxed into the feel of her mate’s steady breaths against her cheek.

"Is that her?" Brielle asked her mate pointing straight ahead.

"Yes, that is my cousin Sandreen," Zya of the Blacks replied urging Nyka with her knees to go to the approaching steed. "And it's impolite to point." Zya projected a correction followed by a mental caress.

The muscular woman pulled on the reigns of her tired horse patting his side affectionately. "Thanks boy," she leaned over and whispered in his ear doting on the sweat-covered animal. "

Nyka bumped the silver horses noses earning a whinny back as a greeting.

"Always a sucker for a pretty face," Sandreen joked dryly smiling at the Lupus of the Blacks with tired gray eyes. "Zya it is good to see you," Sandreen spoke pulling on Circe's reigns maneuvering him to Nyka's right side. Both warriors clasped hands in warrior greeting with heartfelt emotion.

Thoughtfully, the statuesque warrior woman studied the petite female sitting in front of her cousin. The soft breeze blew gently through strands the color of the rising sun. Her face was perfectly oval and had a pair of the richest green eyes she had ever seen. Bare to the waist, she sat against the taller woman in a simple wrap around deerskin skirt with a blue beaded belt. Well proportioned, the kiss of the gods was imprinted in scarlet against her fair skin.

"She is a beautiful girl Zya. Congratulations on your recent taking of a mate." Sandreen projected turning her head to look into the pair of shy green eyes. Giving the girl an easy smile she projected to her cousin,"Can she converse with her mind?"

"She understands only me but answers verbally "Zya answered back with a mental projection. Wanting to pull her mate into the conversation, Zya looked down at her mate and spoke, "Brielle this is my cousin from the mountains over the horizon. This is Sandreen."

Brielle nodded and absently stroked Aura who sat against her knee.

Brielle timidly she reached out her arm to the tall woman attempting to mimic the gesture she hand just seen her mate exchange with her cousin.

Sandreen’s eyes flashed in amusement and her already pleasant smile turned up a notch. Any reservation she had about this half Nadirean was quickly waning. "Hi little one. My name is Sandreen but you can call me Sandi," the Silver Ulf spoke warmly taking the small hand into her own and giving it a squeeze. Sandreen hid a smile as she watched emerald eyes soften slightly before pulling her hand back and placing into the open one of her mate.

"We had not expected you till nightfall at least. Mother would have liked to been here to meet you but has gone to meet our pack members who intercepted the Nadirean trackers today." Zya projected. "We have had a good hunt today and have both fresh boar and a buck," Zya spoke aloud for Brielle’s benefit.

The greeting over, the silver and black horses began a gentle trot deeper into the land of the Blacks. Brielle watched both faces and sensed they were sharing a conversation of sorts. But before feelings of awkward discomfort could brush cross her mind, Zya’s hand reached down and began to thread through her hair in a gentling fashion.

"Your mate’s prophecy my emissaries heard has rung true. We found what was left of the nation of Reds hovered in a large cave."

Brielle watched the expression of the two warrior women as they made their way towards the river of crystal clear water. The gray haired woman’s eyes now looked like the dark river stone. Zya’s blue eyes reminded her of the sky on a stormy afternoon.

His fur dusted with fine snowflakes, the silver coated male stood atop the rock outcropping. Below him, his pack members stood ‘round the opening of a mountainous cave. From his vantage point above them, Sandar of the Silvers waited for verification of what he already suspected: refugees from the Reds were hiding in the mountainside.

A woeful howl broke him from his reverie. Shaking the flakes from his coat, Sandar loped through the snowdrift down to the mountain's base. ‘Round the mountain opening, Silver trackers and scouts milled restlessly. They cleared the opening to let the alpha male enter. He had to fight to keep his body language from betraying his thoughts and emotions as he took in the scene before him.

"Send for the healers," he projected to the young adolescent female Silver that was fighting the urge to vomit. The look the growing Ulf gave her leader was that of gratitude. Even with all of his life experiences, Sandar had to fight the urge

to give in to the pity and revulsion that threatened to overwhelm him. "And send for my sister," he projected to the group, stalking into the cave's entranceway.

Only one of the cave's inhabitants would not require his healer's art, and he sat in a daze in the cave's furthest corner. Cubs, so many cubs were bunched together. Are they orphans? Sandar asked himself. He counted the cave's inhabitants. Besides the one he recognized as Drad, there only appeared to be three males in the pack. He observed that the females formed the majority of the refugees.

"What happened?" he projected to the golden-eyed Lupus who sat in the far corner. He lowered his neck to stare into bloodshot yellow eyes, snuffing to catch the dazed Ulf's attention. Drad’s eyes lost their glazed appearance.

"Cousin, they swarmed us like locusts. Butchered our bravest and strongest,"

the red-coated beast panted as he projected. He stood on his four legs gathering

strength as his blood anger re-surged. "The Nadireans have done this to us!

"Drad, where are the others?" Sandar asked, now detecting his twin sister's scent

just inside the cave's entranceway. The movement behind him told him his sister Sandreen was now directing the healers in assessing the injured.

"Their blood lies spilt on the earth," the red Lupus responded, his eyes taking on a faraway expression. "Don't you hear their cries, cousin?"

Outside the cave, the snow had brought with it a blanket of white silence.

"I hear only the cries of your frightened young. I hear the groans of your wounded," Sandreen asserted, stepping beside her brother. " We offer you help for your injured, and warmer shelter to wait out the mountain storm. I am sure that with the combined help of our cousins, the Blacks, we can attempt a search and rescue of the rest of your Ulf," Sandreen offered the Red Lupus, genuinely willing to overlook her personal dislike for Drad's leadership of his Ulf.

Twins, Sandar and his sister Sandreen ruled the Silvers together as one. As was the way of the Silvers, one day the brother and sister would mate and bring yet another pair of twins to rule in their place.

"You, a FEMALE, dare to communicate with me with such disrespect!" Drad bared his teeth his lips turning into a snarl. "You over-glorified BITCH!" he projected, arching his back to attack.

The silver hair on Sandreen's back bristled, and she mentally reached into the bond with her brother. Her body desperately wanted to subdue this male, but they Ulf nation needed to pull together not fight amongst the different packs. Her brother's cold eyes melted for a moment before once again becoming as cold as the weather outside the cave.

"Drad of the Reds, you and our people are our guests, and we seek to aid and offer to share our fire with you," Sandar 's projection thundered as he growled

and postured. "But you will not speak to anyone in my pack this way.

of invitation to us to meet at the sacred tree. Come with us," Sandar finished his thoughts looking seriously at golden eyes glittering with hatred.

"You mean the blue-eyed bitch and her Nadirean!" Drad spat, his body tense and rigid" You mean the blue-eyed bitch and her Nadirean!" Drad spat, his body tense and rigid. "Your judgement is clouded, cousin, to consider joining with her.

She has blatantly forsaken what is Ulf and calls herself the champion of peace and justice." Drad barreled between the Silver Lupus and Lupi and raced from the cave. Smelling the Silver male tracking him, he slowed his pace, stopping when he reached a high hill. Despite the snow blowing through his fur and the bitter wind assaulting his senses, he was hot.

"Join with me cousin, and cease this useless exchange. Aggression useless exchange. Aggression and hate will be our weapons as we forcefully retake what is ours. First the Adean and then beyond, ‘til Nadirea is no more," Drad projected through the chilly wind as he looked across to his Silver cousin standing nearby on another prominent snow cap. "This talk of a sign is but a foolish myth. For any Ulf to consider being led by a female who beds our enemy is foolhardy. Join with me. Together we can subdue the Blacks, beat them into submission and have a force that will destroy Nadir once and for all."

Sandar stared at his cousin dispassionately. Nadirea had never encroached

on his pack. Living high in the mountains, he had distanced himself and his people from prejudice, anger and hatred. Before his eyes was an Ulf that had walked a path other than his own. A path that resulted in the deaths of countless of his fellow Ulf, excepting only the few, weary wounded Reds huddled in the cave below.

"The Silvers offer you and your pack food and shelter. We offer you the services of our healers and invite you to sit by our fires. You are part of our family. But so are the Blacks. The Silvers will meet with the Blacks under the sacred tree. Join us or you, and potentially the whole clan of the Reds, will die."

Enraged, the Red male curled his lips into a snarl. "You impugn my honor and my people Sandar." His eyes never leaving his Silver counterpart, he trotted down the snowy hill to the flat ground below. "Hear me now, Reds and Silvers alike, I challenge the Lupus for leadership of our combined people."

Sandar slowly made his way to where his cousin stood, purposely keeping his pace slow so he would guarantee an audience of witnesses. "I have envisioned this confrontation for many, many seasons," Sandar projected, growling and yipping in a high-pitched cry. "Your pack needs you, Drad of the Reds. Cease this non-productive hostility and let’s go down the mountain together to unify with the Blacks."

The Red male answered with a swift charge. Jaws open wide, the Red snapped wildly at the Silver's muscular neck. The Silver male anticipated move after move and dodged the large, sharp teeth. When the jaws did finally descend on the flesh h

at the top of the Silver's neck, the Silver male twisted and flung his attacker off, throwing him several paces away.

"Is that your blood that now drips in the sand?" Drad questioned his rival sarcastically.

"The better to set my blood into a boil," Sandar countered, making his first charge and causing both beasts to roll around in the snow. Front legs and hind seemed to meld together in what appeared to be a single creature. White, wet snow covered both beasts’ coats. Since both coats now sported red stains, the watching Ulf questioned each other as to which Lupus was their own.

But Sandreen of the Silvers could distinguish between the pair. She knew her brother's fighting moves almost as well as her own. A long-winded growl rose from deep in her chest when Drad was flipped onto his back. A wound on his belly was bleeding steadily, and the large Red male was weakening. As far as appearances went, with a scattering of scratches and slowly seeping wounds, her brother did not look much better. But he still stood on his four legs.

"Kill, Kill, Kill," a multitude of howls echoed through the mountain range.

Sandreen looked into the expressions of cubs and female Reds. Is that relief or horror? she asked herself. Empathy running through her, she picked up a whimpering cub--two moon cycles, or so, she imagined--by the scruff of its neck.

"It's going to be ok, little one," Sandreen crooned as she walked back to the shelter of the cave. Hearing the cry of death followed by a victorious howl from her brother, Sandreen felt her stomach tighten.

Before the night turned to dawn, she must go to her cousin Zya.

**********

"Spread out men, fifty paces betwixt yourselves," Franklin of Lord John's elite

called. "We do not turn ‘round ‘til we have located those beasts’ trail."

The small group of four broke from their single file formation, spacing themselves out into a long row. Just in front of them, a single hound searched aggressively for

a scent. The beagle kept his nose to the ground as it weaved on the pine-covered ground. "Find," a man on a bay colored horse commanded. It had been a fruitless morning that had turned into an equally fruitless afternoon. It would seem that all traces of the red wolves had vanished. There were no tracks, no blood trail and no carcasses.

Franklin pulled on the reins of his brown mare before dismounting. He bent down on one knee to examine a set of prints, tracing them with his finger. "Bahhhhh!" he enunciated loudly kicking a nearby pine cone angrily. Sighing deeply, he studied his men's expressions. Each of them exuded varied degrees of tension. Franklin assumed it was because of the obvious: it remained a mystery as to why no sign or scent of the red beasts had been found. He agreed; the fact astonished him too. But, as the one held responsible for a successful mission, he considered that his biggest concern had to be that he not failing to carry out his Lordship's orders:: locate the beasts’ trail, document the terrain, find a suitable launching site for his lord's campaign.

"At least Timothy has made a decent map," he murmured to himself.

"My Lord, the sun has begun its way to the west."

"And we are continuing east!" Franklin glared into the baby faced Nadirean's hazel eyes. "Wanting to go home to your mother, BOY?" Franklin spoke with a voice heavy with sarcasm. "Take point," Franklin ordered the young man.

Somberly, the group of Nadireans continued further into the forest depths. The only sounds heard were the clomping of the horses’ hooves on the earth and the scribbling of the one named Timothy as he documented the geography around him. The trees were thicker now requiring each man to lead his mount by foot.

"My Lord Franklin, may I suggest we head for the river?" one of his parties ventured, leaning his body so only his superiors could hear. "The time of day is the same as when the beasts of the forest usually come to drink. And the horses need to drink."

Franklin nodded then bellowed to the group, "Head towards the river. And keep your eyes sharp for tracks along the bank’s edge. Timothy, the boy and the hound head upriver," he ordered with an air of authority. "Simon and I will go to the right downriver, circle back and meet you there." Franklin pointed to the other side of the river at its widest point.

Smelling the Nadirean scent, the pack of six Ulf sat in wait in the pine trees above.

They had received projections all day from those that followed the group of four horsemen so expertly that even their dog had been unable to latch onto a distinct scent. Another group of four Ulf trailed even now, following a little further behind, removing the Nadireans’ tracks.

The hair on Terrance’s neck, chest and arms rose as he observed the four Nadireans approach. Though not accustomed to engaging their enemies in their human form, this group of six had been chosen specifically to eliminate this early scouting party.

The six Ulf had the talents of skilled hunters, known for stealth, speed and consistency.

Terrance, son of Reina, watched with eyes hooded like a hawk’s as the group of four passed under his tree. A few odd paces from the Kildyr, the Nadireans broke from one unit into two. Unbidden, the group of Ulf split into groups of three, Terrance’s group following the two with the dog.

"Quietly, swiftly and cleanly." Kern projected a reminder into each of his six Ulf’s minds. "Rely on your wolf instincts, but take advantage of your size and training as men."

Terrance drew up the memory of his younger brother Lai. Those that had butchered him had come on horseback too, with their double-edged swords and their bloody knives. He had been too young to intervene then, but today, he planned to give his life, if necessary, to do whatever needed to remove Nadirea from his home.

He jumped from tree to tree--moving parallel to his brothers in trees beside him.

Only the dog seemed aware of their presence. The animal sniffed the air above not once, but twice, only to be chastised by the one called Timothy.

"Keep your nose to the ground, hound. We hunt not fowl today but wolves," Timothy rebuked the small animal, boxing its ears.

When the two Nadireans dropped their horses’ reins to allow them to drink, Terrence and one of his brother Ulf shimmied quietly from their trees. .

When the one left above drew back his arrow and hit the dog squarely in the chest, both Ulf men leapt to attack the stunned soldiers. He felt his Ulf blood boil at the look of surprise on the other man’s face. A creature of honor, he waited for the Nadirean to draw his sword before lifting his own. Teorrance engaged the older man blow for blow in furious action. He detected the sound of the snapping of a neck. Its momentary distraction allowed his opponent to slash at his upper arm. The dripping of his crimson blood his crimson blood re-engaged his attention.

The Nadirean stopped, startled, gasping in surprise. "What are you that you bleed black?"

Seeing his opening, Terrance lifted his leg, kicking the stunned man squarely in the chest.

"Be you a demon?" the man named Timothy asked as a sword was placed to his neck. "That sword," Timothy rasped, "You carry the sword of John?"

"I pulled it out of my dying brother’s body," Terrance answered coldly. Then with a plunge, he pushed his sword through the man’s heart.

Feeling a sharp pain in her soul, Reina excused herself from the meeting of the elders. Giving her concerned daughter a reassuring caress, she walked briskly away from the lairs and entered the forest. Stripping out of her garments, the elder Blue changed forms and took off in a westward direction. Her heart giving her directions, she followed the Kildyr, tracking the scent of her kind. Hearing numerous footsteps moving forward to intercept her path, Reina changed form once more and waited patiently beside a medium sized pine. She waited here for her son, who, she sensed, needed her.

She recognized the look on her son’s face as one from long ago. Its haunting expression took her back many seasons to when her eldest child pulled a large sword from his little brother’s skinned corpse. At that time, the sword almost toppled his youthful body with its weight. Her handsome ruddy complexioned son stood holding the exact same sword with nearly the same expression.

"My son," she projected with the tenderest of mental caresses, which latched onto her eldest’s psyche and solidified a connection. Remote brown eyes shifted and recognized.

"Mother," he mumbled under his breath, leaving the party of tired somber warriors behind as he walk into his mother’s waiting arms. He nuzzled his mother’s neck like he had done as a cub, taking comfort in her soft firm physique.

"Tell me, my son," Reina whispered in her son’s ear, pushing unruly brown locks from his face then licking his cheek.

"I know now whose blade this is that I have carried so long," Terrance projected, pulling back enough to look his parent in the eye. He dropped it from his hands, suddenly revolted. "’Tis John-who marches against us-that killed Lai."

Reina drew her child to her breast and held him there gently. There beside the Kildyr, both mother and son cried.

**

Brielle watched the birds flit from pine to pine while her body swayed gently back and forth on Nyka’s back. The late afternoon had brought a chorus of songbirds floating back and forth for their evening feed. She sniffed the air, taking comfort from the fragrance of pine mixed with earthy smell of her mate who rode behind her. Feeling a chin nuzzle her hair, the blonde arched her back, giving in to the caress fully. She turned her gaze from the trees, then directed her eyes upwards to stare into the bronzed face.

"Love you," Brielle spoke softly, giving her mate a sunny smile.

"Love you," the voice answered back causing a tickling vibration up and down her back. Muscular arms wrapped around her and gave her a gentle squeeze.

The sun seemed to settle on her bare shoulders making her feel warm and relaxed. Growing accustomed to the sun now, a light tan graced her body.

Feeling Zya’s body stiffen slightly, Brielle scooted her buttocks a little tighter against her mate’s large frame. Green eyes watched a dot approach in the distance. As it neared, a silver-haired woman, sitting upon an equally silver steed, came into focus. Nyka began to move forward about the time Brielle looked into gray eyes that reminded her of lightning. Without a thought, the blonde lifted her head upwards to read her mate's expression. Blue eyes caught hers with the utmost tenderness. Returning the gesture with a sunny smile, she relaxed into the feel of her mate’s steady breaths against her cheek.

"Is that her?" Brielle asked her mate, pointing straight ahead.

"Yes, that is my cousin Sandreen," Zya of the Blacks replied, urging Nyka with her knees to go to the approaching steed. "And it's impolite to point." Zya projected a correction followed by a mental caress.

The muscular woman pulled on the reins of her tired horse, patting his side affectionately. "Thanks, boy," she leaned over and whispered in his ear, doting on the sweat-covered animal. "

Nyka bumped the silver horse’s nose, earning a whinny back as a greeting.

"Always a sucker for a pretty face," Sandreen joked dryly, smiling at the Lupus of the Blacks with tired gray eyes. "Zya, it is good to see you," Sandreen spoke, pulling on Circe's reins, maneuvering him to Nyka's right side. BothThe warriors clasped hands in warrior greeting with heartfelt emotion.

Thoughtfully, the statuesque warrior woman studied the petite female sitting in front of her cousin. The soft breeze blew gently through strands of hair the color of the rising sun. Her face was perfectly oval and held a pair of the richest green eyes she had ever seen. Bare to the waist, she sat against the taller woman in a simple wrap around deerskin skirt with a blue beaded belt. Well proportioned, the kiss of the gods was imprinted in scarlet against her fair skin.

"She is a beautiful girl, Zya. Congratulations on your recent taking of a mate," Sandreen projected, turning her head to look into the pair of shy green eyes. Giving the girl an easy smile she projected to her cousin, "Can she converse with her mind?"

"She understands only me, but answers verbally," Zya answered back with a mental projection. Wanting to pull her mate into the conversation, Zya looked down at her mate and spoke aloud. "Brielle, this is my cousin from the mountains over the horizon. This is Sandreen."

Brielle nodded and absently stroked Aura who rested against her knee. .

She timidly reached out her arm to the tall woman, attempting to imitate the gesture she had just seen her mate exchange with her cousin.

Sandreen’s eyes flashed in amusement, and her already pleasant smile turned up a notch. Any reservations she had about this half Nadirean were quickly waning. "Hi, little one. My name is Sandreen, but you can call me Sandi." The Silver Ulf spoke warmly, taking the small hand into her own and giving it a squeeze. Sandreen hid a smile as she watched emerald eyes soften slightly before pulling her hand back and placing it into the open one of her mate.

"We had not expected you ‘til nightfall at the earliest. Mother would have liked to have been here to meet you, but has gone to meet our pack members who intercepted the Nadirean trackers today," Zya projected. "We have had a good hunt today and have both fresh boar and a buck," Zya spoke aloud for Brielle’s benefit.

The greeting over, the silver and black horses began a gentle trot deeper into the land of the Blacks. Brielle watched both faces and sensed they were sharing a conversation of sorts. But before feelings of awkward discomfort could brush across her mind, Zya’s hand reached down and began to thread through her hair in a gentling fashion.

"Your mate’s prophecy--which my emissaries heard--has rung true. We found what was was left t of the nation of Reds huddled in a large cave."

Brielle watched the expression of the two warrior women as they made their way towards the river of crystal clear water. The gray haired woman’s eyes now looked like the dark

river stone. Zya’s blue eyes reminded her of the sky on a stormy afternoon.

Pulling Circe to a stop so as to give the signed one her full attention, Sandreen asked, "Brielle, how can my pack help the Blacks?" The co-leader of the Silvers had found throughout her reign that sometimes one learned the most not by barking out orders, but by asking questions. Also, knowing now that her cousin carefully monitored what her mate was exposed to, asking a question seemed the best approach.

"You want to know what I think?" Brielle asked quizzically, pointing to her own chest a little surprised. The half Ulf straightened her posture and turned her thoughts inward. But not before sneaking a peek into the Blue eyes she loved.

"You know, customarily that question should be directed to me," Zya projected to her cousin, amused rather than insulted.

"Custom?" Sandi projected, a grin plastered on her face causing Zya of the Blacks to roll her eyes. "Custom?" she teased her cousin once more, verbally this time.

"Cease now, Sandi. I am your elder by a half a season," Zya teased back, enjoying

having her cousin's company. Because of their like titles, status and age, the two could relax and engage each other in ways they could not with other Ulf. Both women ceased their picking when they heard a quiet voice question them.

"Do you hear it?" Brielle asked, leaning slowly back into her mate's large body while her eyes remained closed.

The blue-eyed she-wolf scanned the landscape, sniffed the air and cocked her head, using all of her senses to detect whatever Brielle was referring to. Unsuccessful, Zya questioned her cousin by raising her eyebrow, only to receive a shake of the head. "What is it, little she-wolf?" Zya spoke tenderly, concern lacing her velvet voice. "Tell me what you hear."

"The pines cry when the wind whistles through them. It shouldn’t be that way.

The gods raised them high so they could sing." Brielle spoke in a heavy voice.

The half-Ulf looked directly at Sandreen and spoke, "Help make the forest sing."

**

A blazing fire cast shadows upon the stony rock surface that housed the lair of the Blue. Both of the Blue, one Silver and an even mix of brown/black colorations gathered themselves a few odd paces outside the lair’s entranceway. Located nearest to the fire and in her human form, Reina of the Blacks served as recorder of all that had been communicated and decided upon here, and had written of the proceedings on parchment since the setting sun. The moon now sat pillowed high in the sky on a single cloud. A feast of wild boar and three bucks was yet to be consumed in the night feeding. Though hungry and tired from sitting so long, none moved. Each waited to hear the account read by the elder Blue’s lips. Tomorrow it would be record and placed in the chronicles of the Ulf.

Clearing her throat, fully aware that the eyes of a whole nation were upon her, Reina read. "Time now moves as swiftly as the Kildyr, and the Ulf have decided to ride its rushing instead of merely keeping pace with it." Before speaking once more, Reina paused and pushed up from her seated position on the ground to stand so all present could hear.

"The assembly began with a prayer to the gods for guidance and their blessing.

Whether it be a judgement of the gods or merely the way of the forest, Drad of the Reds died in challenge with Sandar of the Silvers. Though the Red pack will live on, it is decided that the group of emotionally abused females, young cubs and injured left behind is best left in sanctuary with the Silvers until the conflict is resolved.

The warriors of the Silvers will begin their trek from the mountains at the sunrise. It is decided that tactically it would be wisest for them to NOT join the Blacks as one big pack, BUT position themselves in behind the Nadireans.

In accordance with the ways of our people, those entering our forest are deemed a threat. All assembled here agree that no trespassers who enter the forest will pass out of this forest.

Those assembled discussed the wisdom of engaging the army of Nadireans in the light of day. A consensus was reached that the secret of our ability to shapeshift is best used to our advantage by concealing it.

It is decided to do all in our power to persuade our enemy in the direction of our choosing. A false trail will be placedlaid leading into the territory of the Reds that borders the mountains and the Kildyr. The purpose of this being to keep the fighting away from our people’s now occupied lairs. Another purpose being to use the god given geography to the Ulf advantage to conquer the enemy.

The recorder read the minutes to all of those assembled, and then the assembly adjourned," Reina finished, noting the nods of the muzzled beasts gathered.

"Are we all agreed?" Zya projected " The Ulf now stand as a united nation, and all must agree." The younger Ulf ‘s blue eyes pierced the crowd.

The cries of the Ulf nation roused the sleeping half-Ulf who lay tucked in Zya’s bedding with the white ferret, Aura. Her response to the whines and howls, which bonded and unified the Ulf, was to draw her legs to her chest in fetal position. And in that place between sleep and wakefulness, Brielle’s emotions were jagged and disquietening.

Politely excusing herself after consuming a good-sized buck with her cousin, Zya retired to her lair. The elegant she- wolf had felt her half-Ulf’s slumber grow more restless as the evening progressed. Though unclear whether the blonde picked up on the emotions of the camp or if her sleep was disturbed by some internal personal conflict, Zya knew her mate’s spirit called to her even as she slept.

The blue-eyed she-wolf dismissed the wolf that stood guard outside her lair with an arcing swish of her black tail. Her pointed ears could hear her mate’s uneven breathing as well as the barely audible mumbles of Brielle’s troubled sleep.

Silently she trotted in her cave and let her eyes roam over the curled figure. Brielle shifted on the furs so she now lay on her back, a tiny foot and ankle peeking out at Zya from beneath the furs. The blue-eyed she-wolf put a cold nose to the arch, lovingly watching at the toes wriggled then stilled. She warmed it with her warm breath while shape shifting out of her wolf form.

Kneeling on all fours, Zya lowered her head to kiss the dainty ankle. Lovingly she ran her cheek against the pronounced arch while she reached up to grasp the pendant of Blue around her neck. With all her being she channeled all her feelings of love into the stone before lacing it with a sense of security and peace. "With all I am," Zya spoke in her low silky voice as she removed the pendant from her neck, carefully placing it in her dark nest of curls. As the phallus took form and grew, Zya compared it to how much her love grew and intensified for her mate with each rising moon.

Turning her attention back to the right leg, Zya licked her way up the soft skin of Brielle’s shin. She nipped at the kneecap, causing her mate’s leg to to turn on its side, then repeated the movements onf the other limb with the same results. Ever so slowly she slid up through her mate’s parted legs biting and licking along the way. Zya explored the softness of her mate’s inner thighs, moaning with pleasure when the scent of arousal sent her nostrils flaring.

Zya teased her mate along the edge of consciousness, running the lightest of touches through the soft blonde curls. At the long, soft groan she heard coming from her mate’s lips, she smiled into the curls. Rising to her knees she crawled up Brielle’s torso like a predator stalking her prey. Erotically she let her nipples slide through the nest, up the flat stomach, before rising to touch the tips of small rounded nipples.

"Open your eyes, little she-wolf," Zya crooned in her lover’s ear as she nuzzled it.

She sucked at her mate’s pulse point, marking it, then repeated the words once more. "Wake up and open yourself to me, sweet Brielle," Zya repeated, her gem probing against her lover’s stomach.

Brielle’s eyes opened slowly to be captured by violet ones. She reached her arms out to grasp her mate’s shoulders only to have her hands captured and placed above her head. "Feel me, little she-wolf; feel my love for you, my need for you," Zya purred, rubbing her erect nipples along her mate’s lips, encouraging her to suckle. Brielle did so willingly, trying to free her hands from her lover’s firm grasp.

"Tonight I give to you. Surrender to me and feel my love," Zya groaned kissing her mate’s temple, nose and then lips with slow, drugging kisses. "Do you surrender?" Zya purred, reaching down to gently tug on the nipple ring, twisting it ever so slightly, delighting in how the breast swelled. "Answer," Zya prodded reaching a finger down to dip into the dewy petals. "I long to spill my love into your flower. My

body surges tighter and tighter, wishing to bathe you in all that I am and express my devotion to you," Zya continued, seducing her lover with her words. As she rose up on all fours, hovering above her mate’s prone body, she delighted in the sex flush that had arisen on the blonde’s chest.

"Feel my love for you?" she questioned Brielle, tracing a path up the girl’s chest with her gem. Instinctively, she searched out her mate’s sign and let the gem massage it ‘til it glistened. Behind her she heard lightning crack through the sky at the contact, then heard only her mate’s words, "Love me."

Outside, the wind swirled, as she plunged deeply into her mate’s flower. Crackle after crackle streaked the horizon as the blue-eyed she-wolf plunged over and over between the blonde’s open legs. With the strength and agility that only a Blue could have, andZya maneuvered Brielle to kneel on all fours. The earth itself seemed to rumble as the pair mated.

"Climb with me., Climb with me, my little she-wolf," Zya projected with her mind, reaching around to caress the dewy flower.

"I love, I love," Brielle murmured over and over as she moved her hips and let her muscles clench tighter and tighter around the blue phallus. She screamed in ecstasy when her lover whispered the single word ‘come’ into her ear. Brielle felt her lover’s fluid bathe her, making her whole body feel warm and comforted. The thrusts of Zya’s hips were slow and deep now--mixed now with reminders to trust her, promises to always love her, and vows to keep her safe.

The thrusts of Zya’s hips were slow and deep now--mixed now with reminders to trust her, promises to always love her, and vows to keep her safe.

Zya lowered Brielle and herself to the sleeping furs and pulled the furs around their waists. Still tightly fused with her mate’s body, she wrapped a leg around Brielle’s body then wrapped herself around it. The Blue glanced out at the weather with a curious fascination. Though still present, the thunder had quieted. Zya’s sharp night vision noticed that the storm was moving, not to the mountains, but towards the plains. A gentle rain now splashed on the pine needles littering the ground, bringing soothing sounds to replace the powerful intensity of only a few moments before.

Tired green eyes watched the swiftly passing storm also, her breathing and heartbeat beginning to normalize.

Hearing Brielle mumble something but not quite sure what it was, she cocked her head and asked her to repeat it. Her gem had loosened enough now that Brielle had turned in her arms, blonde head resting on her chest.

"We are the storm," she mumbled into the valley of the dark haired she wolf’s chest.

Outside the lair against the lightning streaked sky as the gods unleashed their fury.

"We are the storm," she mumbled into the valley of the dark-haired she-wolf’s chest.

Outside the lair against the lightning streaked sky as the gods unleashed their fury.

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