Sleepless -FireStorm-

The sun set behind the smoky black clouds that adorned the sky as the land an it's temporarily inhabitants in a red light.

Storm Raven walked slowly between the many wolves who were all either injured, sleeping, grieving, or quietly rejoicing the return of their loved ones. The small rabbit that hung from her jaws had been younger than the ones she tried to find. The huntress usually hunted the older, larger animals so that the young ones would grow to fill that place. Unfortunately, food here was scarce, and many of the hunters had no choice in what to hunt.

Her calm blue eyes looked around in the approuching darkness, looking for her mate, Cold Mountain.

She'd seen him leading the pack along with Ebon Star, Sage Ghost, and Aspen. But he'd been lost in the crowd of wolves and now she missed him dearly.

The silver-grey wolfess was tired, she wanted to sleep.

But first, she wanted to find her mate...

With most of the packs' members now safely in camp, Cold Mountain felt he had a bit of time to relax... finally. He felt like he'd been on the go ever since becoming delta of the Black Mountain Pack.

He'd had time to talk things over with the new alphas, time to check up on his daughter and ensure she was doing okay... even time to bathe the scents of blood and smoke from his fur. Unfortunately, what he'd had little time to do was be close to his mate.

That was something he intended to rectify tonight. He moved easily through the packs, ignoring the soft whimpers of some of those who grieved, or the whines of those whose injuries were still fresh. They would all heal in time, just as he had, and he had learned there was nothing to be gained from holding onto the past... In fact... that had almost cost him the two most important things in his life.

Finally he spotted the huntress carrying a small bundle of fur in her mouth. He opened his mouth, emitting a short, soft woof of greeting before he moved toward her. He wore a rare smile on his face, for now that everything seemed peaceful at last, it meant he could finally focus on building his new life with his mate.

Storm Raven had to stifle a yawn, and barely did so as she kept looking. In fact, had one of her bottom fangs not pierced into the skin earlier, she would have dropped the young (but very dead) rabbit. The huntress closed her jaws gently around the rabbit again and shook her head a moment to clear it of her drowsiness.

Other than the fact that she did not want to sleep, Storm Raven (and the other hunters) were beginning to burn out from overwork. The number of injured that could not hunt for themselves greatly outnumbered their staff of hunters from all three escaping packs. And so unfortunately, the hunters were working "overtime" so to speak to feed as many as they could.

The wolfess had just stepped over a small bumbling bundle of fur heading towards it's mother when Cold Mountain's "woof" reached her white tipped ears. She smiled behind the small rabbit before she stepped over a few other wolves of various sizes and injury severity.

Her smile was not fake, she certainly wasn't forcing it. It was more of a weary smile, for she was tired in more ways than one.

Storm Raven dropped the rabbit before she nuzzled her mate. Unlike Cold Mountain, she smelled of blood now, not from enemies, but of the prey she'd been hunting for too many hours. The smoke smell had yet to have completely removed itself from her coat. After all, duty calls.

"Sorry dinner's not any bigger, but the larger ones are getting smart with us. That and there's too many of us here at the moment."

Cold Mountain shook his head. "Don't fret over the size," he answered, "If what I've heard from Ebon Star and the others is accurate, we won't be staying here long... more than likely we're just stopping off to let everyone rest and grieve. This journey will become much harder before the end."

He ignored the scent of blood that lingered on her fur. It was a scent he had detected on her many times, and it was of no bother. In fact, it was gratifying to know just how much the pack depended on his mate and those like her. There were times he felt that he had no real purpose... but just times.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, a bit softer, "After... Night Owl's loss, I mean."

"Don't fret over the size,""If what I've heard from Ebon Star and the others is accurate, we won't be staying here long... more than likely we're just stopping off to let everyone rest and grieve. This journey will become much harder before the end."

Storm Raven nodded before she yawned again, the stench of blood erupting from her open maw as her ears pinned backwards for a moment. Her voice was vaguely heard in mid-yawn.

"Dear First Wolf, we need more hunters, though."

She stopped yawning so she speak normally again.

"All of the hunters from all three packs are two tired now. There's too many injured for us to feed alone."

"How are you holding up?""After... Night Owl's loss, I mean."

The huntress sighed, her eyes gaining a faraway look.

"I know he died defending his pack, and that he will be honored for his sacrifice..."

Storm Raven paused a moment, before pulling a slightly shuddering breath.

"But that information still doesn't make the hurting and pain go away."

Cold Mountain listened to these things. Times were hard, to be sure. The injured would only make it all the harder, but thankfully, at least a few of them had come into their own again and would soon be able to assist. "I'll speak with some of the fliers about assisting in the hunt," he said, "It may not be what their best at doing, but they will certainly be able to assist you more than a battle-weary soldier like me."

He brushed his neck against her, trying to comfort her. "I know it hurts," he said softly, "But maybe Black Wolf will see fit to bring him back our way, someday soon."

"I'll speak with some of the fliers about assisting in the hunt,""It may not be what their best at doing, but they will certainly be able to assist you more than a battle-weary soldier like me."

The huntress nodded, her head lilting to the side a bit.

"I know it hurts,""But maybe Black Wolf will see fit to bring him back our way, someday soon."

Storm Raven snorted lightly, feeling anger boil inside her. Not for Cold Mountain, but for Black Wolf.

"He wouldn't have to be brought back if Black Wolf hadn't taken him in the first place."

Her voice was decidedly bitter in sound. Anger was usually the second emotion to follow in how Storm Raven dealt with death and loss. Sadness was the first, then Anger, then she would be numb for a bit before she really accepted the loss of Night Owl.

"I wonder if he finds this funny."

The faraway look on the huntress' face had turned into a stony, stern face. An expression that was usually foreign to Storm Raven's silver-grey face while her normally calm blue eyes seemed to ice over. This would not last long however. The ice would melt much quicker once her far more rational side kicked in and reminded her that there was nothing to be done for Night Owl, no matter how much they could've tried...

Cold Mountain held his neck against that of his mate, licking her shoulder blades affectionately, truly wanting to help her through her grief. "There was a time when I wondered the same thing, after Azalea," he admitted, trying his best to identify with Storm Raven's pain, "It left me very bitter for a long time."

He pulled back and stared into the huntress' eyes, not saying anything, just gazing deep, trying to see beyond the pain that marred his love's face. "I'm not a Spiritual," he told her when he finally did speak, "I don't know what Black Wolf has planned or why he lets certain things happen... but he's carried me this far. When I was without a home, he led me to our pack. When I was angry and bitter at the world around me and all who dwell within, he brought you to me. And even through our bloody conflict, he kept me safe... I've learned to trust him, Storm Raven... I pray you will too."