Swiftcurrent Creek we want war · pack meeting

Time had slowed to a crawl since Scimitar had taken Kieran and Falwasi in search of Star, whose whereabouts were unknown. Saber and Raziel had tried, once, but had not found her. Though in reality she would have left Star to her own devices, she was glad that Scimitar cared enough for the fluffy creature to look for her. Kaskara was not so warm-hearted, but that wasn't entirely her fault, nor was it Scimitar's weakness. He cared, and therefore he acted.

When Kieran's call sounded from the eastern border, Kaskara dropped what she was doing - digging for a den - and ran toward the sound. Panic rose in her chest at the thought of what might have happened. Why had Scim not called for them? Did they find Star? Was everyone okay? Thoughts whirled through her mind as she raced toward Kieran, hoping she would not find her world shattered when she arrived.

She was definitely not the snowy figure that her brother longed for, but she was family, and cut across the bullshit to find herself running toward the quartet at full speed. Thank heavens! she screamed, glad to see her brother there, and the others as well. She slowed as she approached, blind panic and worry written clear across her features, as her gaze sought out each wolf in turn.

Star was bloody, but dried. Her scars seemed older and deeper than the others', which meant she had been tortured. Hatred and anger flared in her at the thought, but she pushed it aside for now to inspect the others. Kas bumped her nose against Star's forehead very gently before turning to Falwasi. A gasp escaped her at the sight of her friend, head buried in the snow. "Fal..." she whispered, crouching low to lick the blood from the wounds. It would hurt, but there was no helping it. "Please tell me you're not blind."

Then after a moment she saw Scimitar, slouched, defeated, in the snow beside her. What? He was missing part of his ear, and there were shallow cuts across his muzzle. "Who did this to you?" she asked, stepping toward him and gently inspecting the torn ear and the scratches across his face and shoulders. She whined, feeing each blow on her own body, as she looked toward Kieran.

The old scars that peppered his body were now accompanied by fresh ones, one across his face that mirrored the one he already had. She growled, not at him but at whoever had done this, and gently placed her tongue across his cheek. Kaskara nuzzled him, forgetting herself for a moment, and fought a whimper that bubbled in her throat.

Who had done this to them? She stepped back from all four of her packmates, her family, and silently vowed to avenge them. To hell with whatever Scimitar would say, because he would forbid her from doing this, but she wanted to kill each wolf who had maimed hers, each sorry sack of bones who had dared lay a hand on Scimitar or Kieran or Falwasi or Star. They would die, and it would not be a quick death.