Chapter 26 – Mistakes

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                Jiro stared across the way at the horizon, watching the first ray of light hit the sky, painting it a gentle mellow yellow.  The cup of coffee in his hand had long since gone cold and he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care.  He turned his head slightly at the soft rustling of someone saddling up next to him, trying to make as little noise as possible so as not to wake the rest of the sleeping wolves behind them.

                “Still quiet?” Benji asked, trading the cold mug for the hot one he had brought for Jiro.  They had all been taking turns to keep watch at night.

                “Still quiet,” Jiro answered softly, sniffing the still slightly cool night air.  The gentle breeze didn’t carry anything unusual in the air.  The morning sun would bring another brutal day of humid weather but it was better than the freezing downpour two nights ago while they had been on the run through the densely packed mountains away from the pack of browns that had followed them north.  It was only when they were far enough into the wilderness that they chanced a confrontation and deadly chase through unfamiliar lands. 

                After a long silent moment, Benji turned concerned eyes on him.  “You alright?  The last two nights…” he didn’t say it but they all saw it.  Jiro was progressively more aggressive the further away he ran from his mate for her protection. 

                “I just want to know that she’s safe,” Jiro replied firmly and quietly.  The longer he’s away from her, the more uneasy he became; the more anxious he was, the angrier he became.  And the Browns were getting a taste of what a mated Gray can and will do. 

                “She’s fine,” Benji assured him in his calm manner, still completely unaffected by the bloods he’s had to shed to stay alive.  “You’d know it if she wasn’t; that’s how the moon works.”

                “The knowledge no longer gives me comfort,” Jiro whispered into the still damp air of the morning.  “And the longer we’re out here on our own,” he glanced back the sleeping lumps behind him, “the more dangerous it is for us.”  Of the three resting bodies, only one was labored in breathing as wounded lungs struggled to take in air. 

                “He’s healing,” Benji said without looking.  “The New Moon didn’t help but he’s healing.”

                “He could have died,” Jiro replied harshly.

                “He still can,” Benji retorted without remorse or pity.  “We all can.” 

                “You’re a real ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” Jiro commented rather bitterly.

                “I have to be realistic here so no one else needs to be,” Benji answered honestly.  “This is war and we’re running for our lives.  We’ve taken lives to survive so we have to be prepare to deal with the consequences of that – one mistake is all it would take.  We’re not even at the half way point right now and I can’t see the end of this dark tunnel we’ve started out on.  So yes, I’m being real about the possibility that not all of us are going to survive.”  The silence that followed was terrible.  It wasn’t that Benji was angry; it was that he was resigned.  But he was determined.  “We have to be prepared for the worse, but I’ll be damned if I allow our pack to go down without one hell of a fight.  We’ll protect the others – the girls, our pack,” Benji said quietly, “And I’m going to make sure you get back to your mate.  Even if it means giving my life.”

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                Pets struggled to wake up as the morning sun threatened to disappear behind the rolling clouds of the incoming storm.  The sliver of sun that fought its way through the thickening clouds shot a shaft of light through the open window and across the rumpled bed, hitting her right in the eyes just long enough to pull her from slumber.  Blinking back the spots in her eyes, she had a full minute to realized two very critical things: 1) she was alone in bed and 2) the cute cuddly little black kitten she had climbed into the bed with the night before was: a) no longer a kitten and b) sitting in the chair at the foot of the bed… watching her. 

                Startled, she sat up fast and backed herself into the headboard for no apparent reason.

                Xiu didn’t so much as blink.  His eyes were a glowing shade of blue-green that were too intense to stare at too long. 

                Willing her racing heart down, Pets allowed herself a moment before asking, “Good morning.  Are you okay?”

                A sculptured brow rose a second before he glanced down at his pristinely white tee-shirt and nodded somewhat reluctantly.  “Are you?” he asked when he turned those supernatural eyes on her again. 

                She gave him an ironic smile that told him how ridiculous she thought his question was.  But when he didn’t respond in kind, she wondered about his sense of humor – or lack of one.  “Of course I’m fine.”  She wasn’t the one bleeding all over him last night.

                “I don’t know that,” he answered soberly before blinking his eyes back to a warm chocolate brown again. 

                It was at the tip of her tongue to say something snarky except he had an uncomfortably anxious look suddenly as his eyes swept over her.  Self consciousness was never a feeling that sat well with her and she squirmed under his scrutiny.  “What do you mean?”

                There was a long tense silence as Xiu tried to find the right words to convey his concerns.  “Last night… was I in control… were we… did I…”  His brows furrowed in frustration as he tried to piece his thoughts together.  his dry lips, “Did I do anything untoward last night?  To you, I mean.”

                “What?” her brain couldn’t even process it.

                He frowned at her, as if she was purposely being obtuse.  “Did you and I…”

                “NO!” horrified that he would even suggest it. 

                Raising that brow at her again, he stared at her for a long moment before sighing with resignation, seemingly finally convinced that nothing had happened the night before that he wouldn’t be able to live with.  “Didn’t you brother ever tell you it’s dangerous to be alone with a wounded shifter?”

                “No, why?”

                Xiu again wondered at her shifter education and whether or not North Thumberland wolves keep their girls ignorant for some reason.  “When shifters are wounded, they sometimes lose control of themselves, letting the moon bring out their primal instincts – they let go of their human selves.  It’s especially true for those that shift to predators.  You could have been seriously hurt last night.”

                She looked at him with a surprisingly doubtful glance.  “I doubt you’ve ever lost control of anything in your life.  You even fell asleep in your kitten form.” 

                “I didn’t wake up as a freakin’ cat!” he snapped back, frustrated with her lack of self preservation.  It was a stupidly naïve and dangerous thing around here.  “And you didn’t know what could have happened when you got into bed with me,” then winced at how that may have sounded.  “I meant…”

                “I know what you meant,” she replied with a sharp retort.  “And I’m not sure why you feel the need to lecture me.  I’m not one of your sisters!”

                “My sisters sure the hell wouldn’t behave so recklessly,” he barked back. 

                “Reckless?!?  I was in absolutely no danger,” she informed him with a glare.  “Wounded or not, you were soooo…. perfectly in control that a nuclear bomb wouldn’t have phased you.  Plus that stick is so far up your you wouldn’t know what to do with me even if you had half the brain to do so!” 

                Turquoise eyes flared to life and Xiu’s whole continence showed cracks as he held himself perfectly still in his seat as he very carefully and very calmly told her, “You don’t want to test that theory.”

                Forcing back the shiver of fear, Pets swallowed the sudden pool of saliva in and slowly nodded her head.  Warning received… and temptation tested. 

                “Get up,” Xiu advised, backing off stiffly and grabbing clothes from a side chair and tossed it lightly onto the foot of the bed.  “Showers over there.  We leave in 10 minutes.”  He headed for the door.  “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

                Despite letting out the sigh of relief, Pets would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little disappointed. 

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                Bass smelled it the minute Kai crossed his path.  It wasn’t even subtle; it was like Kai had bathed in the scent.  “Son of a !” and was across the lawn before anyone else could react.

                “BASS, STOP!” Nick warned from across the courtyard but not in time.

                Surprisingly, Kai let Bass push him all the way across the porch with one half claw around his neck and one caught in Kai’s long reaching arm to keep it from the soft spot between his sternum.  They only stopped because of the wall and Kai’s sheer strength, unwilling to damage his father’s house and therefore have to explain the commotion.  For someone grappling with a slightly out of control shifter, Kai was remarkably composed as he asked, “Will you calm down?”

                “You swore!” Bass barked into his face.  The fury in his tone was hot enough to scorched the earth.  “Give me one damn good reason not to rip out your throat!”

                Kai gave him a dry look as if asking him to try.  “I’ll do you one better; I’ll give you two.”  And his eyes slated to the right of them.

                Following his gaze, Bass’ molten gold eyes met the wrong ends of two shiny pistols currently pointed at his head.  And holding the two pistols was his very pissed off sister; his baby sister with glowing halos around the irises of her still human brown eyes – eyes that would eventually fill in with the unnatural color as they inch closer to the next full moon.  Bass felt every drop of his blood sink to his feet. 

                Jing’s stance was unyielding, her hands perfectly steady.  “Don’t test my loyalties.  Even I don’t know what I’d do.” 

                Easing Bass’ hands from himself, Kai made a face but didn’t offer any explanations or excuses to the small crowd that had witnessed the altercation, some looking at him for instructions – he waved them off.  He waited until Nick had joined his brother on the porch and Jing had lowered her weapons before addressing Bass.  “Let me make this clear: since we’re going to be family, I’m going to let this go.  But that’s your one and only free pass at me.  Next time, I’ll tear your head off.”

                “There won’t be a next time,” Nick assured him with a glare for his brother before grabbing Bass’ arm to drag him off the porch for a much needed talking to.

                “NICK!” Emma called out suddenly, stopping everyone in their tracks.  She stared intently at him for a moment before rushing down the stairs toward him.  She stopped within an inch of his feet; her eyes intently searching his face.

                “What’s wrong?” Kai asked seriously.

                With her eyes going in and out of focus, she studied Nick for another long silent moment before, “Are you kidding me?” she asked in utter disbelief.  “You didn’t…  You…”  She didn’t even know what to say. 

                “What?” Nick asked, his body suddenly tense with concern.  One does not ignore words from a seer no matter how trivial it might be. 

                Shaking her head, Emma turned around in disgust and walked back to the house, muttering the whole way.  “Stupid idiotic boys and their stupid daft sense of misguided chivalry and their stupid foolish…”

                There was a longer confused silence, one that was filled with tense questioning discomfort before Nick finally understand what had set Emma off.  And once he did, he couldn’t help but turn an extremely unattractive shade of red, bouncing between total humiliation and trying not to make a complete of himself. 

                “What is she talking about?” Bass asked, lost in the loaded silence.

                “Nothing,” Nick was quick to answer.  He did not want to discuss this in full view of half the pack.

                “Emma…” Kai tried to ask.

                “Blah!” Emma simply exploded with and threw her hands helplessly into the air, completely and utterly rejecting everything.  “I give up!  You are on your own!  I don’t care anymore.”  She looked ready to throw a swing at him.  “I can’t believe we hand you the perfect setup and you just… just… let it slip by without at least…” she wanted to scream. 

                “I was wounded,” Nick muttered defensively but not so loudly that too many people could hear.  “It’s not like I didn’t want to…”

                Jing looked at Emma then at her brother; confusion warring with caution with a side of curiosity plus a slow sneaking suspicion.  “Do I even want to…”

                “What’s wrong?” Ella asked as she stepped through the door showing all sorts of exhaustion.  She had coffee in one hand, bagel in the other, and her tangled hair bobby pinned back behind her ears.  Heavily armed, already sweating from the humidity, and dressed in a wrinkled oversize coveralls for the trek back to sanctuary, she didn’t look remotely happy to see the small anxious crowd gathered.  “When are we taking off?” asking Kai before she spotted Jing and gave her a quick smile of greeting, “And how are we this morning?”

                “You were suppose to stay out of it,” Jing said in reply, making an annoyed face at the slightly smug seer. 

                “Idiot didn’t complete the ritual,” Emma interrupted before her sister could rise to the bait, throwing her hands out again to express her exasperation and utter frustration at the world in general. 

                Ella stopped in her tracks.  “What?!?” then stared at her brother in total disbelief.  Of all people, she was certain that he would…

                Kai held up both hands.  “I have no idea what any of you are talking about.”  At this point, he’s pretty much given up.

                “Not that idiot,” Emma clarified, “That idiot,” jerking a thumb at Nick. 

                Brows raised, Ella stared at Nick with a questioning look.

                “I was wounded,” Nick again gave the embarrassingly weak excuse.

                Unsympathetic, “I told you to watch your back,” Ella reminded him. 

                Nick’s face twisted into a grimace touching the still healing wound at his side as he acknowledged it with a dry, “Thanks a lot.” 

                “We can only do so much, you know,” Emma sassed back and crossed her arms angrily.  She looking around as if searching for answers.  “Now what do we do?” she asked her sister.

                “That’s not really our call now,” Ella pointed out with smirk.  “Though that was hardly a smart move on your part,” she said to Nick.

                Exasperated, “It’s not like I didn’t want to.  Just didn’t feel like bleeding out for it.  That’s not exactly the impression I would like to leave on my potential mate.”

                Bass smirked as brothers are wont to do, getting a better picture now. 

                Jing made a disgusted face, finally connecting all the dots, then blew out a breath of frustration.  “That’s way too much information about my brother’s life than I ever wanted to know.”

                “Hey, given you pretty much smelled like you just rolled out of bed with him,” throwing Kai an unapologetic look, which was answered with a quick uncaring shrug, “I wouldn’t talk.”

                “At least you didn’t have to see it,” Emma muttered disagreeably.  “Ew…”

                “Excuse me?” Kai asked, startled by the horrifying realization.  “Please tell me that you guys aren’t actually seeing… everything.”  And thought of what his sisters might have seen was making his stomach curdle. 

                Emma made a face at him, “I certainly didn’t want to.”

                “Let’s move on from this traumatizing topic shall we?” Ella interjected, turning the subject away from the particularly revolting tangent – she had better things to be worried about.   She gave Nick a stern look, all business again.  “It’s not safe.”

                “What do you mean?” Nick asked, searching his memories for anything they might have learned about the mating ritual in their extra Shifter Sunday classes as teens.

                 “Nicie left it too long and cracks are starting to show,” Ella frowned thoughtfully, carefully calculating her decisions with unease before turning to her brother.  “Order him back to bed.”

                Kai opened his mouth to respond to that ridiculous demand then stopped himself with a quick sigh of resign.  He looked at his best friend and soon to be brother-in-law with a causal shrug, “You heard her.”

                Nick frowned.  “How long?”  He had a disquieting feeling about this.

                “Too long,” Emma interjected sharply.  “Why do you think we decided to just force the issue to head?”

                Molars grinding, Nick debated silently with himself, trying to figure out the best way to deal with all his obligations at once; to his pack… to his family… to his mate…

                “Don’t be stupid,” Kai admonished quietly.  He was, if nothing else, still a Lead Beta and Nick’s best friend.  He would make the harder decisions when others couldn’t.  “She comes first.”

                Grateful, Nick took a moment before he nodded and offered his sister a quick look of consideration before turning to Kai again.  “Take care of her.” 

                “That does without saying,” offering up a frown of displeasure for that unnecessary request. 

                “She’s my sister,” Nick replied calmly, “that’s never going to change.”

                Eyes watching his own silent sisters, Kai nodded slowly with understanding.  “Get going,” then smirked with amusement, “Can’t keep a lady waiting.”

                Nick grinned suddenly and took off running, making it almost across the courtyard before he was on all fours and wearing fur again. 

                “Well, at least he’s eager,” Emma commented, making a face.  “Hey Bass, can you go over to Nicie’s parent’s?  Emily’s about to have a panic attack when she realizes that her sister isn’t in her room and hasn’t been all night.  Just let her know that she’s fine but don’t tell her why; let’s give your brother a little alone time with his new mate.  And tell her I said so if she ask for an explanation.”

                Surprised and maybe a little relieved not to have to deal with Kai and his sister for the time being, Bass nodded and took off before anyone can stop him. 

                “I wasn’t going to do anything to him,” Kai muttered as he stepped up to the house. 

                “He didn’t know that,” Emma replied with a shrug, “Besides, Emily needed to know before she totally freaks out and starts shooting at Nick.”

                “Seriously?” Jing and Kai asked at the same time.

                “Didn’t say she’d hit him,” she clarified with an amused grin.

                “She’s still going to freak out regardless,” Ella said with a careless shrug.  Looking around the courtyard again, “Anyone see Xiu?”

                “Not since yesterday,” someone answered from the courtyard.

                “He’s still at the dorms,” another person added. 

                “Anyone checked in on him?” Emma asked, concerned now.

                There was a loaded silence all around before Kai sighed and answered with a cryptic, “Thought it’d be better not to.”

                “’Cause of Pets?” Ella mused.

                “Isn’t that why you sent her back to his room with him?” Kai glanced briefly at Jing, who was checking her weapon.

                “Actually, she volunteered to care for him which means she’s at least semi aware of what’s going on.”  She shrugged her shoulders.  “At least that’s one less set for us to…”

                Kai shook his head.  “Your forgetting one very important difference between Nick’s situation and Xiu’s.  Nick wants it but couldn’t – though now he definitely can and will.  Xiu doesn’t even want it.”

                “WHAT?!?” Jing and Emma asked at the same time.

                “I meant a mate.  Not that he didn’t want…” he made a frustrated gesture and then ushered his sisters back into the house with a reluctant Jing being dragged in as well.  Kai glared at the trio with displeasure.  “Can we not have our brother’s life be the talk of the pack gossip?  I doubt he’d thank you for it.”

                “You were the one that said…”

                “He’s all about the pack,” Kai continued, heading to the coffee in the dining room sideboard, “All about being the good son.  All about being the protective big brother.  It’s never about him.  He hasn’t ever allowed himself to think about his own future.  He probably couldn’t see it even if she literally dragged him into bed and stripped him.”  He would know; they were very much alike in that manner – only he lucked out. 

                “Considering his condition last night, she probably did drag him into bed with her,” Emma commented as she poured more coffee.  Her sleep had been disrupted by random dreams of disjointed events – too fragmented to be helpful.  “I’m just surprised that they aren’t already here now.  It’s not like anything really happened over there… at least nothing I saw,” she looked at Ella questioningly.  “You?”

                Ella shook her head.  “She’s not taking the initiative and he’s too cautious even if he isn’t completely unaware – a part of him already knows or at least suspects but he’s good about playing denial.”  She watched as Kai poured his coffee and added a splash of cream.  “I thought you drank it black…” then watched him pass the cup to Jing - he knew exactly how she took her coffee, as if he’s done it a hundred times before –  then poured his own.  “Never mind…”

                “What?” Kai asked curiously.

                “Nothing,” Ella said smiling rather sweetly.  She was genuinely happy for them.  “You know,” addressing Jing, “Mom and Dad are going to want to talk to you about a formal intro before the pack so that you guys can…”

                “And on that note…” Jing put her mug down in a hurry and made a beeline for the door, avoiding Kai’s grabbing hand by a mere hair, only to be stopped short by Lily Chen in the doorway. 

                Brow raised, Lily regarded the girl with a careful assessing eye.  “And where are you going?”

                Jing actually stumbled a little.  “Oh… um… I was just going to go talk to my brother about… about something.”  It sounded even lamer than she could have imagined it. 

                “It can wait,” Lily said with a shrug before turning to Kai.  “Is it done?”

                Kai looked confused.  “Is what done?”

                Lily raised another brow and gave her son a dubious look.  “I assume you didn’t disgrace us by failing to complete a simple mating ritual.”

                “Does everyone know?” Jing asked exasperated.

                “It’s hard to keep a secret in this family,” Lily replied calmly. 

                “Apparently,” Jing muttered before accepting her coffee mug back from a smirking Kai. 

                “You get use to it,” he offered unhelpfully.  If his mother wasn’t in the room, she’d probably have punched him. 

                “We’ll want to arrange a formal dinner with your mother and the rest of the family,” Lily commented casually as she peruse the breakfast table.  “The rest of the Alphas will want to know as well.  Kai’s status as Lead Beta cannot be ignored and it would be rude to exclude the other heads.  I’ll call on your mother sometime to discuss a formal introduction.” 

                Jing was starting to turn an unhealthy shade of green at the thought.  “I’m really not into that whole…”

                Kai stopped her with a shake of his head.  “This isn’t about us.”

                “It’s pack formalities,” Emma made a face, “It’s what happens when your dad is Alpha.”

                “And you’ve got a pair of seers for sisters,” Kai added, throwing his sister a dry look, “Makes you important by association.”

                “Says he that dictates the Tribunal decisions,” Ella muttered into her coffee. 

                Jing laughed silently into her mug and gave up the protest ; she’ll just let her mother deal with it – just as soon as she gets a chance to tell her.  God, let her be the one to be able to tell her mother.  She had no idea how her mother was going to react but Jing could only imagine the would happen if she heard it through the grapevines. 

                “You should probably go see your mother before we go back to Sanctuary,” Kai suggested quietly, filling her mug again.  “It wouldn’t be right if news gets around before you’ve had a chance to talk to her.”

                “I can come with you if you wish,” Lily offered graciously. 

                “Mother!” Kai, Ella and Emma warned at the same time.

                Lily help up her hands in surrender for a moment before taking Jing’s hand a moment.  There was a short silence as Lily briefly wondered what she should say before simply stripping the diamond and sapphire ring on her right hand off and gently placing it in Jing’s palm.  “Welcome to the family,” then kissed Jing on the temple and left her children to their own devices. 

                Standing stock still, Jing didn’t really know what to do for a full minute .

                Taking the ring out of her hand, Kai carefully slide it onto that all-important fourth finger of Jing’s left hand.  “Wear it until the next full moon.”  It was a simple ring: three square cut sapphires the color of Kai’s Pure Shifter eyes surrounded by chips of sparking diamonds situated on a thin band of white gold.  It looks surprisingly good on the androgynous style that usually marked Jing’s attire.  “It’s a family heirloom; don’t lose it in your first shift,” he told her before kissing her on the temple, much like his mother had just done.

                “What the hell…” Xiu stood in the doorway, eyes wide with shock.

                “Oh Xiu!” Emma perked up and skipped over to her brother, “You’re finally up.  How are you feeling?” she pours him coffee and offers it with a gloriously hopeful smile that does a great deal to disarm Xiu. 

                “Confused,” was his only answer as he took the offered mug and turned to hand it to Pets, who had followed him into the room wearing the same confused look he had greeted the room in general.  “Anyone want to explain…” he gestured to Jing and Kai before catching a whiff of Jing’s scent.  Taken aback, Xiu crossed the room and stuck his nose in her hair.

                “Hey,” Kai shoved at his brother’s shoulder, mildly irritated but understanding; he’d probably have the same reaction if it was him.  “Brother or not, you try that again and…” then took a step back when Xiu tried to stick his nose on him.  “Okay, okay…”

                “You’re mated,” Xiu concluded, stunned by the thought. 

                Though she had no reason to be, Jing felt suddenly guilty of… of something.  Not that she had anything to be guilty of; just that she felt guilt over his reaction. 

                Xiu was having a difficult time processing the news and took a moment before his polite self finally kicked in.  “Congratulations; this… this is… I’m just a little surprised.”  He offered Jing his usual, friendly gentle smile, one that she recognized was only reserved for friends, and a quick hug of affection.

                “You’re not the only,” Jing replied dryly, taking the assurance from her friend as she was meant to.  But a quick glance at Kai and the sudden shield that dropped across his face, told she needed to be careful around this sensitive issue for awhile.  It was still too new and too confusing right now for her to figure out all at once.  “Anyways…”

                “Does Mother and Father know?” Xiu asked Kai, genuinely happy for his brother. 

                Kai picked up Jing’s hand to show him the ring.  “She didn’t say much though other than a formal intro was needed for everyone.”

                Wincing, Xiu offered his friend a sympathetic look and shrugged his shoulders.

                “That really doesn’t make me feel any better,” Jing said quietly. 

                “It is what it is,” Kai said with a sigh.  “There’s a certain amount of fess to be expected when a set of Shifters mate.  It’s only worse when it’s a Pure.” 

                “And wedding into this family, a bigger to-do is expected,” Xiu added with a humorless look before looking at his sisters.  “I’d expect it nothing less when you two get mated.”

                “You first,” Emma replied with a smile that made Xiu feel uneasy. 

                Pets cleared gently and looked at Jing.  “Congratulations.”

                Jing smiled and nodded, “Thanks,” and felt a vague disappointment in this whole affair. 

                Kai rolled his eyes and ate his breakfast. 

                Ella watched the four as the sudden silence descended upon them.   The strange awkwardness was only fully understood by two and only her brother felt the sting of it.  “We need to get back to the inn.  Emma and I can’t stay here much longer.”

                “We had a breach and no confirmation that it didn’t leak,” Xiu replied firmly, suddenly glad to be talking business.  He couldn’t name the strange tension in the room and wasn’t sure he wanted to.  “We can’t guarantee that you will be…”           

                “No,” Emma interrupted just as resolutely, “We have to go back.”

                The brothers exchanged silent looks of question/answer/discussion.  Neither of them voiced anything. 

                “What?” Ella asked, not really wanting to know.  She was kind of sick of being cuddled and protected.  Maybe if they let a little danger near, they might have a better idea of what they’re facing.  “The more we know, the more we can piece things together faster.  We’re going to find out eventually so you might as well spill it.”

                “Have you spoke to dad this morning?” Xiu asked quietly, glancing at the window.  The betas were beat and taking the morning lull to rest more. 

                Emma got it a second later.  “How many?”

                “Have you spoken to…”

                “How many?” Emma asked again, louder this time.

                Pets looked around the room in confusion.  “How many what?”

                Xiu started to speak but Kai stopped him with a quick hand.  The girls were use to more rasher realities from him; it would allow Xiu to continue playing the gentle big brother, someone they can run to with their problems.  They all had a role to play and Kai knew when he needed to be stronger for their sakes.  “Nine dead, twenty-eight still on the injured list – it’ll be a few days before they’re back on their feet.  Cougars are reporting twelve on their side.  Jaguars took six and Eastwall Reds reported 15 injuries but not casualties.  The cleaners buried forty-three hyenas last night but they’re still searching the area; we expect that number to go up.” 

                Face drain of color and throat closing with pain, Emma took a step back, as if to escape from the facts, and ran into the breakfast table, rattling the china.  She was blinded a moment with grief, unable to process anything but the knowledge that seventy  people had died… seventy people. 

                All  for what?

                “Don’t take onto yourself,” Xiu said quietly, rushing to Emma’s side. “It had nothing to do with you.”

                “That’s not going to work,” Ella said quietly, pouring herself another cup of coffee.  Cuddling Emma wasn’t what she needed right now; it doesn’t help their situation and only makes it more difficult for what else might come.  “We need to…”

                “Did we make a mistake?” Emma asked, looking at her sister with eyes that asked all the wrong questions.  How could the numbers have been that high?  How could it have gotten so bad?  “Could we have…”

                “No,” Ella answered firmly, allowing for no room to argue.  “We did what we could.”  Her sister hadn’t been old enough in the last conflict to fully understand the consequences of war – but it was time she knew.  There was only so much she could do to protect her; and the more she did, the harder it would be in the long run.  “Don’t question yourself; it is what it is.  We couldn’t have done any more.”

                Emma held her breath, forced her fear back in the face of her sister absolute resolve, and nodded.  She could cry about it into her pillow later.  Right now, her tears would do nothing but hurt the ones that’s always shielded her.  If she wanted to be taken seriously, she was going to have to start acting the part.  “What’s next?”

                “We go back to Holy Ground,” Ella pronounced to everyone in general.  “Staying here isn’t helping at all.  The visions are coming too fast, lapping themselves and make it hard to understand anything.  We need to slow them down, get a better picture of what’s coming; and Holy Ground is our best bet.”

                “Have you informed Father?” Kai said, putting down his cup.  Time to get to work.  No mistake could be tolerated now – there was too much at stake.

                “I’ve told him.  He’s not happy but he agreed.”  Ella didn’t need to tell them that their father had been eerily somber when he spoke to her that morning; as if he’s already resigned himself to the bloodshed that must come.  “The Alphas are meeting at noon; we should stick around for that before we head back.”

                Nodding in acknowledgment, Emma wanted to add that she wanted to check on Nicie before they go but thought better of it.  “Before sunset then?”

                “Before sunset,” Ella agreed with a quick affirmation, then looked at Kai rather mildly.  “You guys want to nap before we have to leave?  Can’t imagine you got much sleep last night.”

                Jing choked on her coffee.

                Pet’s looked scandalized and fascinated at the same time; like she wanted to ask questions and do girl talk but was too embarrassed and afraid to ask.

                And both Kai and Xiu looked like they wanted to strangle their sister.

                Emma laughed.

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                «The pain hit her first, causing her to gasped as she struggled to her feet.  The gash along her side, just under where her ribs might have protected her, made her move awkwardly causing a gush of blood.  Grabbing her gun with slick fingers of one hand and trying to stem the flood of blood with the other, she stumbled again trying to get across  the room to see what’s happened outside. 

                “How bad is it?” Jing asked as she rushed through the door, looping her free arm around her waist and getting he back on her feet again.  “Can you walk?”

                “Yes,” she lied between clinched teeth and put some weight towards her wounded side and trying not to wince.

                “Can you run?” Jing asked again, more urgently this time, trying to drag her toward the  the relative safety of the backdoor. 

                “Definitely not,” she answered, gasping for air at the excruciating pain on her side.  “Damn it, adrenaline wore off.”  She pressed her hand into the wound, try to control the bleeding – it wasn’t going to get any better without help.  Her movements were tearing the jagged wounds wider and making it worse. 

                “Here,” Jing shoved her bow into her hand and grabbed something out of her boot, uncapping it with her teeth in one sure move.  “This is going to hurt,” just before she jabbed the needle into her chest right at her heart.

                She gasped soundlessly, caught between shock and blood curling pain.  It took her several tries to speak, air unable to make its way pass the scream that never left .  “What the… what the hell was that?”

                “Adrenaline,” Jing replied and tossed the syringe away and grabbed her bow again, moving them forward carefully. 

                “Where did you even get that?”

                “Nick gave it to me, for just in case I need it.”

                She panted for breath, her whole body kicking into high gear as the pain receded and her heart pumped frantically in her chest.  It’ll have to do for now.  “You should have saved that for…”

                “I’ve got three of them,” she glanced at the window, the splintered glass unable to hide the rapid movements outside.  “… they’re coming again.”  She glanced down at her quiver with a grim look and hoped she had enough.  “How much ammo do you have left?”

                She glanced down at her weapon almost detachedly, “Full back up clip and probably half of this one.”  She hadn’t gotten more than a few rounds off before she had been overwhelmed.  “I’ve got another clip in my bug-out bag.”

                “Grab that and go through the back,” Jing answered, forcing another syringe into her hand before shoving her toward the backdoor, keeping an eye on the front room windows out of instincts.  “This should get you through the woods and back to the village.  I’ll try to buy you time.”

                “What?  No,” she resisted the push and was in fact pushing back.  “I’m not leaving unless you are.”

                “No time to argue this,” Jing said, putting her weight behind the push.  “You have to get out of here.”

                “I’m not leaving without you,” she hissed and grabbed a discarded shirt someone had left behind and started to create a makeshift bandage.  The adrenaline may be keeping her upright right now but of she didn’t stop the bleeding, she’s not going to be standing for much longer.  “We leave together or not at all.”

                “You have to…” Jing warned.

                “I’m not leaving you,” she snapped, “You’ll die.”

                Jing’s face never changed; if anything, it grew more determined.  “I’ve accepted that.”

                “Well, I haven’t,” she replied firmly, tying off the already blood soaked shirt.  It’ll have to do.  “And I wouldn’t.”

                “I have a duty to see to your safety.”

                “And I have to protect this family.  And that means keeping you safe.”

                “I don’t even know what that…”

                “If you die, so does my brother.  Followed immediately by my mother so you don’t get to die because I can’t have that kind of domino effect,” she screamed at her firmly.  “They’re not going to kill either of us if they don’t know which one of us is the seer,” she told her as she double checked her gun.  “So that’s what we’re going to bet on.”

                Staring in disbelief, “Are you craz….” But the front door busting open stopped the rest of her thought as she turned and fired in one movement.»

                Jerking herself awake, it took a minute for her to realize that A) it wasn’t just another fear dream and B) it wasn’t the first time she’s had it. 

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

                «She slipped on wet moss, the rain pouring down on her back as she scrambled on all fours to get up and keep moving forward.  With the full moon hidden behind the thick rainclouds and the wind and rain throwing water, mud and hair in her face, she could only vaguely make out the shadows and trees she was trying to navigate.  She had long lost her sense of direction, only knowing to keep moving and not stop; stopping was not an option.

            Stopping meant she was dead.

            Lightening flashed overhead followed immediately by thunder so loud, it left her ears ringing for a moment, slowing her momentum.  The storm was directly over them now and was given proof by the suddenly downpour.  The torrent water was almost painful as it pounded her from all sides, chilling even her adrenaline heated body.  It was like dragging her feet through molasses.  . 

            But that also means that her pursuers were in the same predicament.. 

            Arms and legs scream in pain, scratched from head to foot, she refused to give into self pity and quit.  She needed to keep…

            The thunderstorm and heavy rain had obscure the sound of the roaring waterfall; she almost ran right over the cliff in her blind hurry to keep running.  Arms windmilling, she stopped in time by throwing her weight back and landing on jagged rocks.  Heart racing, she crawled to the edge and stared down at the frothing bottom of the falls, so deceptively gentle even as the roar drowned out the sound of her own labored breath.  

            Forcing herself back up, she turned to figure out her next steps when the low growl of her pursuers reached her ears.  She stopped.  Between the rain and darkness, pairs of glowing yellow eyes watched her from just beyond the ring of trees.  Had they been pack, they would have stepped forward and shifted to call out.  But they weren’t… and she was in serious trouble.

            Taking a step back, she realized that there was nothing but air behind her.  She was trapped between sharp teeth and cliff’s edge. 

            One of the pair of eyes moved forward, slow but steady, knowing she had nowhere to run, no place to hide.. 

            She couldn’t be taken alive.  She’d rather die than let herself to be taken alive; not when she knew what it meant.  And that only meant one thing…

            It was in the back of her mind that she hoped her brothers will forgive her before she turned fast, not giving anyone – including herself – time to react, and threw herself over the edge, welcoming the mist of water that hit her face. 

            Somewhere behind… too far to do any good, “No… Wait!”» 

                Heart pounding a little harder than normal, she woke much milder than she would have thought given what she had seen.  It was almost as if she had come to be at peace with it, strange as it was.  There’s not much to learn from the visions other than a storm was coming, the enemy was a lot closer than they knew, and it would be a full moon when she died. 

To be continued….

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Author’s Note:  The end of 2015 did not end well for me and I experienced some tough times that I’m still working my way through now.  That being said, I apologize for the long delayed update and to inform everyone in general that I have not given up on this story and even have an ending to work toward now.  Yay!    

For the limited number of people that might still be following the story, I hope you’re still enjoying it and I promise to finish it before the end of the year.  (Let’s see how I do.)