Raithe gave a wolfish grin, "Then I too will become a respected leader of my own pack. Perhaps then we can merge the two...and be together for the rest of our lives." She nuzzled his cheek once more, "I will name our eldest pup Hai or Hairu, in honour of our love or bond," she whispered gently, a large tear falling from her violet eye.

Raithe smiled, "In a few days. I have already made the pretense of liking one of our eligible males, Taku, a few moons ago. THey will believe they are his." She brushed her muzzle against his flank one last time before walking back into the shady forest. She looked over her shoulder and called to Haru, "Do not forget our promise," were her last words to him before she disappeared into her own territory.

--

Violet yawned and awoke, stretching out her wiry body in her small den that she shared with Raithe. She nudged her sister before standing up, wincing a little as her muscles pulled. "Are you getting up or not? I don't care if you're with pups, you still need to eat and move about," she said harshly, nudging Raithe again.

--

Raithe moaned and rolled over, her distended stomach spasming slightly, "I...t...think they're coming sister," she hissed, doubling over in pain as she cramped up. The labour pangs grew slightly as Raithe tried to get into a more comfortable position.

--

"Oh by the Mother," Violet growled as she went to get the healer, though she was secretly worried for Raithe.

{The pups are born *ominous music*}

Raithe nuzzled each newborn pup as they squirmed by her belly, searching for milk. A slight distance away lay a still form, one of her stillborn pups. She sighed and her eyes clouded with pain as she saw the prone pup lying on the dirt. Soon the healer would come and bury it. She looked at the other pups and saw that one was a black as midnight with her white and russet wings. "You are Hai," she said to the small she-wolf. The other one was a light gray, like her mother had been. "And you Cloud."

--

Violet smiled at Raithe's choice. "I'm sure Taku would be proud of such pups. Too bad that Cloud wasn't born with yours or Taku's wings...I wonder why,"

((yes))

Haru smiled.He was now the leader of his pack."Now to keep my promise to my love"He said."Everyone follow me!"He barked,running towards the other packs' territory."Raithe?"He called out.

Raithe padded through the forest with Taku and her pups Hai and Cloud. They were teens now and almost ready to become full-fledged members of the pack. Raithe smiled at her pups kindly as the followed her, just behind Taku. "Do you scent anything?" she asked Taku.

He shook his head then stopped, anger coming over his muzzle. "I smell Powered Pack wolves." he snarled, narrowing his eyes and swinging his head around to catch sight of the intruders. 

Raithe stood there motionless for a moment before nudging Taku to tell him to stop. "I want to talk to them, so don't attack them." she ordered him sternly.

Hai padded over to her mother with Cloud close behind. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Raithe nuzzled him back, to the evident shock of Taku and her pups. "What is the meaning of this?" he snarled at her, his hackles raising. Raithe turned and looked him directly in the eye, "Taku? You want to know what is going on? Me and Haru are mates and Hai and Cloud are his pups, not yours. Our dream was to live together in peace and now that we are the leaders, we can finally achieve this dream."

Hai looked from her supposed-father to what her mother said was her real father, eyes widening in shock.