Meadowlark Prairie Surprise!

@Nemesis :D Iris and I talked and decided we'd have a thread before this one (Since this has to be set to the 18th) so Im gonna be vague about their leaving. Hope you don't mind the slight pp @Althaia

Their time in Moonspear had been numbered, he knew, but he knew it was his fault. He'd told Amekaze, maybe rushed the process. Nonetheless, jaws snapping at their heels, they'd escaped. They were lucky to have not lost any limbs or, worse, their lives. 
Harley didn't dare take them the same place as last night in fear of Charon coming in the night, but he made the pair run all the way to thick inside the Bramblepoint as he could go before digging them a temporary den and sealing the entrance with his back. 
The morning came, and with a sigh Harley squeezed himself out of the den in search of food. There was a rabbit just a minutes walk from where he'd been, and with swift paws and presice jaws, he snapped its neck. 
His belly rumbled at the flavor of prey in his jaws, but it was dropped into the den for his mate. The wolfdog didn't follow, but turned and made his way to the lake again. 
After she'd eaten and come to find him, they were off again. Few to no words had been said between them since the escape, but it didn't seem like a bad thing. It was a comfortable, tired silence, one they were used to in a lot of their relationship. Harley would do anything in his power to protect her and keep her happy. So, when they came into a meadow, he shot her a devillish grin before smacking gently at her shoulder and bounding away.

She knew this had been coming, but it had not made the escape any less scary. Her ankle throbbed, burned, and her pelt bore a few new scars. But she could not keep a tired smile of her face, for they had done it. They had escaped, without any huge damage, and they could finally have a life together. The past few days ad been a frantic rush of events, but now, alone, time slowed a little. 

So deep was she in thought that Harley's bump caught her by surprise, she stumbled a moment before regaining her balance, she was exhausted, very much so, but his devilish grin was enough to push some of the exhaustion away. The musky scent of heat still radiated from her, she knew it would for another few days until it dissipated. 

So she bound after him, carrying a limp as her ankle acted up again, but stretching out her neck as she tried to catch up. But her new wounds and exhaustion took a toll, and with a little yelp of surprise she went tumbling head over heels in a ball of flailing limbs, headed straight toward Harley. She skidded to a stop a short distance from him, a little sore, but otherwise unharmed. She smiled to show him she was alright, saying after a moment. "You think maybe we could rest a little more?"

Against her mate's wishes, she ventured away from the den, roaming towards the boundaries that led to un-claimed ground. Yet, she insisted she was only pregnant, not incapable. If she was correct, the litter would not arrive for some time, giving her was seemed limited time to finish up her freedom travels. Her experiance with Qilaq had taught her she knew nothing of pups, and a whole litter was bound to be the death of her. As she walked her part of the borders, closest to where Qil was currently sleeping, for she did not depart her daughter for long and long distance was something she was too petrified to think of. Qilaq was a wanderer, after all. 

It was then her attention focused to the borders, something else drawing her conscious to reality as she walked along the blood stained ground. It did not come to her as soon as it should have, her senses dulled with it's lack of use over the few days.

And then the scent came.

Her nostrils flared, her entire body stiffened as she recalled the similar scent coming from the dark pelted female she had spied on only a few weeks prior. The occurrence had tortured her for the next few day, that was, until Qilaq came and her attention was drawn elsewhere. But now, the resurface of the scent and for the second time could only mean one thing, one thing that she had willed herself to avoid for so long. Althalia was alive. It was true, the younger girl had been the runt of her Mother's second litter, born a year after she was. Nobody expected the child to live, but it had prevailed, and all the same; cast out. After her departure from her parent's lands, she had believed the girl had perished, as they all told her she would. But her scent was strong, and without a doubt, Althalia.

She did not make a sound as she followed the ghost of a trail, leading her outside the territory and beyond. It was then her nose latched onto another scent, a stranger bearing a similar scent to the black coated female. In fact, both of them did. This explained much more, for it seemed to her that Althalia had made a home for herself. But it did not explain while they were all the way out by Blackfeather Woods, for their home scent was not one she had ever smelt on the breeze. She could only think of trouble as she rushed to meet the scent, a lack of caution and a boost in hormones. 

As she slowed to a walk just meters away from her sister, she could not come up with the right words to say. How did anyone? Her once believed dead sister was now here, near her home.. with a male. That stopped her dead. Who the fuck was touching her sister? Oh, hell no. Her stride turned bold, waltzing up to the duo with as much arrogance as a bull. Anyone could tell her stomach was swollen, obviously harboring young of her own inside. Yet, she was completely unaware of her physical state at that moment.

 "Althalia, you're alive," She marveled at the sight of the girl, but she felt that something was wrong. She did not look malnourished but slightly underweight, and not of the best physical appearance. That's when Nemesis took note of her ankle. Her sister carried it up, obviously injured or once broken. That was it. She turned to the male accompanying her, her eyes narrowed as she took in his features. She instantly disproved. "You hurt my sister?" She seethed through gritted teeth, her lip curling up in a dangerous accusation that she was more than willing to dish out an appropriate punishment. Nobody hurt her sister and got away with it. "I will end him for you," She glanced at her sister, but it was not for permission, she had already advanced further, a second away from summoning the Brotherhood to rip apart the male that had dared lay a hand on her little sister.

Harley slowed as she fell with a whine of worry and lowered his head to her. With a lick of her cheek, he nodded, but before he even sat down the scent of a female made him pause. 
She approached in the next moment, and he stepped in front of his mate with a cautious look. She seemed to know Althaia, but turned on Harley with viscious words. Hackles raising, the wolfdog defended himself.
               "I SAVED my mate, actually. On more than one occasion."
His tail was in a neutral position, but his head and ears were high and forward. Not exactly dominant, but proud. Maybe a dash of offended. Who was this female to come in and threaten HIM over the woman he'd nursed back to health and took from Moonspear.

He appeared worried, and Althaia was about to tell him off when another appeared. Her ears pricked, ignoring Harley's touch for one, eyes fixed on the approaching dark blob. For a brief moment, she had panicked, thinking it Amekaze, but it was not so. This woman walked with a bold demeanor, self-confident and prideful. A breeze pushed by Althaia's fur, exposing scars that lay beneath her thick coat, and also obscuring the scent of the newcomer. She became wary, not knowing this one's intent, and having no wisp of her scent led her no advantage. 

The other slowed a few meters from them, Althaia on her feet and holding her ankle slightly elevated. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed this woman was carrying pups, for her stomach was swollen and distended. She was significantly further along than Amekaze had been, and yet the similarities between them invoked worry in the pale girl. Her ear flicked nervously, but she did not look back at her mate as she kept her gaze fixed completely on the other. 

Before she could speak, the other did, and the voice in which the simple words were spoken struck a chord. She remembered that voice, long before Teekon, before her home by the sea, back when she had still been a part of the pack she had been born in. Disbelief echoed across her features, and she said simply, unbelievingly, "Nemesis?"

So this is what had become of her older sister? She too had found her way to Teekon, supposedly found a mate, settled down, expecting pups? Nemesis was alive. She was here. Her face twisted into awe, memories surging to the surface of her mind- Nemesis playing with her, Nemesis talking to her, Nemesis protecting her. And now she would be an aunt, judging by the pups within her sister, her sister who she dumbly realized emitted pack-scent. 

I will end him.

That jolted her out of her awed reverie, the words spoken while her sister, her sister, stared at Harley. While it was certainly good to know she had a sister willing to end people for her, this was not who she intended to be ended. Harley, being the forward wolf he was, spoke out immediately, his words abrasive and bold. She shot him a glance, a single one that spoke volumes. She wanted to reassure him that she would handle this, his words would probably earn him a new scar. 

She turned to Nemesis, closing the distance between the two with a few steps. She stood a mere meter from her sister, green eyes travelling all over her, noting the new scars, the new confidence in her step, the red pawprint on her side. A thousand questions rose in her mind, but all were ignored for now. Now was not the time to spew forth queries. The scent that clung to Nemesis was changed, she thought, but it was still her. Still Nemesis. Her gaze fell upon her sister's face, and though she tried to speak calmly she could not keep the excitement from her voice. 

"Nemesis...sister. I've missed you, all these years." Those words alone were not enough to encompass what she was feeling, but really, what could? Gesturing at Harley, she continued in a soft voice, awe twisting her features into a smile. "This is Harley. He helped me escape." There was so much to tell her, but Althaia spoke only the basics as she hurriedly retold her story. "During the famine, I chased a fox into their territory. They caught me, tore up my leg and made me a thrall. Harley, he...helped me heal, we grew close." Her face fell, gaze falling to her sister's paws. "When my heat came...things happened, and we had to run." She did not elaborate on what "things" had happened, but it was pretty obvious to what may have happened. But what had her sister gone through all these years? Life had not been pretty at her birth pack, and she must have endured much.

Althalia was her sister, once thought dead but standing before her. No force on the green earth would separate her from the younger girl, and while Nemesis was around, no harm would come to her. Her cold eyes did not waver from the loathly man as he spoke, claiming things she did not believe. But it was truly the thought of her baby sister with another man that made her sick to her stomach. This.. boy had no right to be touching her sister, displaying some moral claim over Althalia while Nemesis had only just reunited with her. Who did he think he was? "Mate? I don't think so," This was more reason to end him, taking advantage over her sister while she had no wits about her. But it was the talk of another pack breaking her sister, using her as a slave that made her furious. It was no less than the Dark Brotherhood had done, but this was her sister, a part of her past that was once gone but found again. 

"Heat? You impregnated my sister?!" Her voice thundered in rage towards the boy. Her gaze had wavered to Althalia as she spoke, but instantly snapped back to the male before her. That was it. Now, she was out for blood. She threw her head back, summoning her mate @Kove to her side. She was no fool to risk her children, but this Harley would not touch her sister again, so long as she lived. And this pack that had dare insult her family would not get away with it either. Yet, she knew she could not risk starting a war in her current state. That pack would get what was coming for them, one way or another. 

"Althalia, look at me. You will never have to run again," She looked to her sister's broken form, pity within her eyes. The Brotherhood would take her in, that was, if Damien could see that this would greatly benefit their ranks. In exchange for a place for Althalia, her children would be pledged to the Brotherhood. Yes, it was a fine deal indeed. "Come with me to my pack, I will make sure this never happens to you again," It was a promise, as she met the eyes of her sister. "You know I will take care of you," Nemesis was the only one who ever would. This Harley would not treat her right, she was sure of it for if he was such an amazing protector as he claimed, Althalia would not be harmed in the first place.

"You will tell me all about this pack, and my family will make sure you are avenged," It was a guarantee. Even if it came in time, Althalia's captors would not get away with their injustice and mistreatment so easily. And once Nemesis got the whole story, there would be no stopping it.

Against his wishes, Nemesis had gone away, wandering what he had assumed to be the territory. He had stayed back, watching over Qilaq and ensuring that she did not get into too much trouble, trusting that his lover would be fine on her own. Still, he'd worried for her, and so he'd set out to find her once the child had settled down for a nap. Of course, he'd followed the most recent trail of her scent, leading him to the borders and causing a frown to take hold of his features. His pace was increased immediately, wishing to find her before there came any chance of something bad happening. He'd learned long ago that they were not a favoured pack, as well as that the borders of any pack could be a dangerous location. Fearing for her safety, as well as the well-being of their unborn children, he knew that he needed to find her as quickly as possible and escort her home. No longer would he leave her to wander by her lonesome, for surely her doings if left alone would be the death of him.

To both his shock and worry, the trail lead out beyond the safety of the woods, over the borders and towards the west. She'd left on her own, neared the borders, and had then crossed them—it was certain, now, that he would never allow for her to stray too far out of his sight. She had more than just herself to think about now, but he'd felt almost as if she'd either yet to realize that, or simply wasn't convinced of how traumatic her actions could be to the children within. No matter, he'd gone forward, moving at a steady jog so as not to lose her scent. Eventually, though, the smell that he knew so well was no longer needed, for a howl had broken the silence around him. It was Nemesis, he knew, and she'd called for him. In an instant, he'd taken off running, adrenaline fueling his movements and making his muscles work harder than usual as he'd feared the worse might have happen.

Once he'd arrived on the scene, he'd moved to Nemesis' side right away, running his nose through the fur along her shoulder until her neck was reached, unashamed to show her affections whilst also inspecting her. When no wounds were found, he'd regarded the strangers there with her, the female of the pair being someone that his mate seemed familiar with. The male, however, was quickly cut off from viewing the darkest of the sisters in any way, for she was the Inuit's priority. The expression that he wore was unreadable, appearing calm, for he'd grown accustomed to handling the display of emotions long ago. "Why did you come all the way out here?" he'd questioned, words directed at his lover, though his gaze did not stray from the unknown male. "Has he done anything to offend you? Hurt you?" Even if she were to lie, to spin a tale of how the strange boy had attacked her despite there being no wounds upon her body, he'd act based on her word. Kove was not against tearing into the flesh of another if it meant protecting his family or defending their honour, and so he'd waited to hear back from Nem, desiring whatever story she felt like sharing with him.

It was if a switch had been flipped, and Nemesis fell into the role of overprotective sister that Althaia remembered from many occasions. She took a step back as Nemesis turned the full force of her words on Harley, wincing at the brash tone. She then turned back her head and let a howl rent the air, and Althaia cringed. No, no, nope. She could tell that this was going to go downhill, fast, if she did not do something. 

At her sister's urging, Althaia met her gaze. She would let her speak first, before she spoke her own mind. Nemesis spoke of many things that Althaia wanted, needed, and a small smile came to the girl's muzzle. She did know far too well the care, the protection that her sister offered and gave. She was overjoyed, so overjoyed to finally see her sister again...but that did not mean that she would cast aside Harley, mate and father to her unborn children, aside like old prey. Then Nemesis spoke of vengeance, and Althaia looked at her sister in shock. She would do that...take on Moonspear...for her? But, was vengeance really what she desired?

With the arrival of another wolf, a pale man, Althaia steeled herself. Her eyes watched the man curiously, her thoughts on another matter. Nemesis's mate? His affections most certainly suggested it. Was this the father of her sister's unborn pups?Her sister spoke with all the authority that a commanding wolf ought to have, and Althaia wondered at her position in this pack. Were she, perhaps, a beta. Or even an alpha? But she did not dwell on such thoughts, turning her full attention back to the subject of Harley. 

Looking up at her sister, Althaia spoke, softly at first but gaining volume, choosing to ignore the pale man and her questions for now. "Sister, I will come with you, gladly. But I can not, will not, leave my mate. He has helped me more than you know, for without him my leg would be shattered and I still thrall of the mountain." She watched the pale man a moment, wary. "Will you accept my word that Harley is, and has been, good to me? I have learned much in my time alone, and you must know I would not tie myself to one that has hurt me." She looked at up her sister, earnest, and then back at Harley. Though they were different in many ways, they both possessed a strength of will and a fierce protectiveness. Althaia understood that she would always be a little sister in Nemesis's eyes, but that did not mean that she was still the pup she had been all those moons ago.

The dark woman bitched him out and even said he wasn't her mate and calling for her own. She even dared to turn to Althaia and act like HE had broken her leg and held her captive. Never once did his stance lessen, and if anything he stepped closer to his wife in defiance. After all he'd done for her, all he'd been through, he damn well right wouldn't be leaving her. 
A white man showed, fixing Harley with a steely gaze, and questioned Nemesis. Before the wolfdog could say a word, though, Althaia cut in and took charge. A grateful smile upon his maw, he leaned his head against her shoulder and rumbled happily. She wouldn't be turned from him, the pale woman knew he wouldn't ever hurt her. That was good.
The milky male glanced back up, head still pressed against Althaia, and added in his own few words even if he was sure nobody would listen.
                    "I assure you, I'm the only reason she's well and away from that mountain. I wouldn't dare hurt the woman I love, and I'd protect her with my very life."
And if staying with her and his puppies meant being subordinate to a rash woman like this, well, he'd endure it for her. Those pups needed him, and Althaia needed him.

She listened, though Althalia was wrong. Nemesis did not know. She did not know if she could trust her sister's judgement, from the past to the present, there had been nothing in between to base her judgement upon. The last time she had laid eyes on the younger, she had been but a child. That was clearly not the case any longer, and she did not know where she stood entirely. 

However, with each word, she come to understood that the other male meant a great deal to Althalia, and killing it now would ensure a genuine resentment from her sister who she had just acquired once more. It was a risk she could not take, sadly. Her eyes did not move from Harley as she spoke to her mate, for they could not even if she wanted to. There was something about her gaze on him that assured his demise, that despite her love for her sister, her hate for her companion who had tethered himself to their family far exceeded that. They could not be whole with a tag along, she was sure of that. If it was not for the fact it would destroy her sister, she would end Harley where he stood.

"He.." She hesitated, for her next words would seal the deal, at least, for now. "No, he has not hurt me.." her voice did not come as defiante as she would have liked to pretend, though she knew Kove would understand. "... yet," it was under her breath the last part came, for even she was not entirely certain this strange man could be trusted, and she had no plans to anytime soon. She put her family first, no matter her own desires. None could blame her for being overly cautious, and in her state, it was completely warranted. If one thing was for certain, she had no wish to be alone with Harley, for it was not only her life that would be put at risk if something where to happen. 

"You will speak with my co-leader, Damien. He will judge your stay," The dark woods was not hers alone, and she would not pretend it to be. Whatever Damien decreed, she would keep in mind for they were to be a partnership, rather than a one-sided ruling. However, he did not have much sway on her actions, for he was not her boss. He never would be; no matter his blood entitlement to the throne and how high he envisioned himself sitting on it. After Burke, Nemesis followed no-one, for all rulers were bound to become corrupt, and she would have no part in it.