Christian hit a river soon after. He let a howl of frustration. "They went in the water. I'm going to see if I can pick up their scent on the other side."
Morte watched him as he sprang across the river, never touching the water. Morte waded through, careful not to let the pup touch the icy water. Duqe giggled when Morte put him down. "Again!" He smiled at her.

"Later? I promise." Morte said, "Ever go swimming before?"
"No." He said.
"C'mon then." He stepped into the water, it was just at her chest, the pup would be able to touch, but he could swim in her wanted to.
He dipped a paw in the water and scrunched his muzzle. "It's so cold!"
Morte flicked a little water at him, "Don't be a scaredy cat!"
"I'm not scared." He retorted defiantly.
"Then come in." She taunted raising a brow.
He giggled and sploshed into the water, then he laughed even more. "This is fun! And it's only could for a second."
Morte nodded. "Yupe, and look, you're a natural swimmer."
He laughed and frolicked around.

"Morte." Christian said. "Come here."
She smiled at the pup. "Come on, lets find your sister." Duqe nodded, then trotted from the water. Morte followed him, the shook, spraying him with droplets of water.
"Mom!" He yowled, shaking the water right back at her. Morte was shocked. Mom?
"Morte!" Christian snapped, in hunting mode.
She rolled her eyes, the pup copying her.

Morte moved swiftly and silently to where Christian was, the pup trampling and cracking twigs behind her. "Here." He said, peering through the trees.
Morte could hear a girlish giggle up ahead. It was Yune. She snagged Duqe in the jaws and sprinted ahead. "Weeee!!" He sang.
Christian easily matched her stride. "Yune!" Morte cried in joy, her voice muffled by Duqe's fur.
"Morte! Come play!" She said to her.
Suddenly Christian sprang over Morte and the pups, splashing in the water. "No!" Yune yelled. He dragged a black wolf from the water.
"Mori!" Morte yelled. "What the fuck!" She dropped Duqe and glared.
"Mori?" Christian asked.
"My sister."

Mori hissed, squirming away and grabbing the pup. She whipped around, pup in her jaws, and darted away again, following the river for a few minutes, then breaking away and running in a zig-zag pattern so her trail would be hard to follow. The wolf ran through bushes, up small streams, through puddles, wherever she could go so as not to be followed. A couple hours later, she came upon a large lake. She grinned, putting the pup, who was snoring gently, down
'Artua? Wake u-' She stopped. Artua? One of her littermates... Mori concentrated, trying to bring memories back. All she could remember about the sister was that she was killed with their parents...
Suddenly, the pup interrupted her thoughts. 'Who's Artua?' she asked.
Mori smiled sadly as she thought of her sibling.
'You are' she whispered, nuzzling the pup.
'No' she replied in confusion. 'I'm Yune'
'Not any more' Mori stood, nudging the young wolf toward the water. 'Drink' she said. 'We will be travelling for a while'
The newly named Artua did as told before Mori picked her back up and waded into the water. It was colder than the stream, but she got used to it quickly. She was a fast swimmer, and it took her around 45 minutes to get to the other side. But she did not go in a straight line - she came out a little to the side, so her tracks would be impossible to find.
As she swam, she spoke to Artua.
'You mustn't let them take you' she said, talking of Morte and the older wolf.
'Why?' Artua asked.
'Because they want to take you to a bad place'
'Where?'
Mori wasnt sure how to explain it.
'Hell' she said simply.
Artua was silent for a while, thinking about this. 'Who are they?'
'... Evil wolves'
'But I know Christian'
Christian? Oh, the older wolf
'He's evil. You cant trust him'
'Why?'
'Enough questions. Just stay close and keep away from them, okay?'
Mori looked down and saw trust in Artua's eyes. 'Okay'
They dried off on the shore before heading off again, weaving around trees. Finally, after almost another hour of travel, Mori spotted a tiny cave. It was barely three feet across, and not much higher, but it went deep and curved, so you couldnt see into it. She and Artua lay down in the very back.
'I will find us food in the morning' Mori told the young wolf, who she was taking quite a liking to.
Artua was already nearly asleep. 'Okay' she mumbled, and both wolves slept.

It seemed before Morte could blink Mori had scrambled from under Christian and snagged Yune, sprinting away. Morte was in shock, then realization kicked in. "Mori!" She cried, more a shout of despair than the anger she was feeling.
Morte didn't give chase, she knew Mori wouldn't hurt the pup. She simply sat down and cuddled the little wolf, who eyes were coated in confusion.
"What's going on, Mom? Where's she taking Yuney?" Duqe asked, a quiver in his voice.
"I don't know, hun. I don't know if I want to go back though. Mori wouldn't do something this extreme." Mori was an insensitive jerk, but she wouldn't take pulling a prank so seriously is something wasn't wrong.

Christian walked up beside her, then trotted forward again, sniffing the air, pressing his muzzle to the ground. "There's no way we'll find her again, we can only assume she followed the river. Let's go."
"No." Morte said. "Just leave her for now. It's getting late, we need a shelter and some food."
Christian just looked at her. Then nodded once, slowly. He strided back to them, taking the pup gently in his jaw. He nudged Morte a little, meaning for her to follow him. She did, but lagging behind. Her mind was set in confusion. Was did Mori take Yune? Morte may have understood at first, as a joke, but now here she was running off with her again.

Morte couldn't help but be a little pissed off. Who in their right mind steals a fucking pup? Especially one that she told her to get? The more she thought about it the angrier and more confused she got.

By the time Christian had found suitable shelter, a little over hang with a cozy cave set deep in the rock, Morte could crack ice with her raged glare.
Christian noticed. "You okay?" He asked tentatively, as if fearing her reaction, as he should.
"No." Morte said, her voice hard.
"Mom?" Duqe said.
"Hunting. I'm going hunting." She said, then softened her voice. "Stay with Christian, alright? I'll be back soon."
"Morte-"
"No. I'll be back soon."

Without another word she sprang into the brush, hoping, just hoping, that maybe she would find a Russian Water Buffalo.

Ooc// Winter Russian Water Buffalo, too... Tastyy, or should I say, LEGGY ;)

Mori awoke the next morning, Artua curled into her side. She smiled, nuzzling her awake.
'Hmm?' she murmured sleepily.
'I'm going hunting, alright? I'll be back soon. Don't make any noise, and get away from any wolves that come by' Mori instructed.
Artua nodded, then lay her head down again. Mori trotted outside, stretched, and smelled the air. There were many squirrels nearby, but they were a bitch to catch. Rabbits were easier.
She snuffled around in the snow, trying to catch one's scent, and after a while succeeded. The tracks were fresh, from only a few minutes ago, and she ran along them, muzzle to the ground. She spotted the rabbit moments later, and was soon upon it, claws digging into the icy ground as she gave chase. It took only a moment for her to catch the creature, snapping its neck and carrying it back to the cave.

Deciding one rabbit was not enough for two wolves, she set out to find more prey. She was out nearly two hours before she was satisfied, and called Artua out from her sleep to eat. The little wolf hadnt eaten in two days, and devoured nearly two rabbits. Mori was amazed at how much that little stomach could hold, as Artua herself wasnt much bigger than a rabbit.
Mori ate the rest of Artua's second rabbit plus a sickly baby deer she had caught. It was really out of kindness she killed it, the thing wouldnt have lasted another month. She saved most of the deer, storing it inside the cave. Worried it might attract other wolves, she took Artua with her as she set out to find water.

(OOC: Baha, nice :P)

She had returned before night fell and brought back not a large kill, but enough squirrels and rabbits for everyone to have one of each. Morte was starving and devored hers, and did the pup, but Christian only ate the rabbit, claiming he was to full. Morte gave him a confused look, she had calmed down from her previous anger and now worried about him. She slid the squirrel towards Duqe and he happily munched on it.

Christian's face was a mask of sadness, nothing else to disguise the pain he seemed to be in. He stood, his chocolate fur shimmering the what was left of the suns light, and walked to the mouth of the cave, sitting a little in front, so he wasn't quite in the cave himself.

Morte followed him after a moment and sat down next to him, saying softly to him. "Christian, what's wrong?"

He looked at her, or more looked down at her and sighed. "Morte, my life is over. Three months. That's all I have left. I return and Hiyun kills me. It's not exactly me being a 'traitor'. I showed that I cared for your well being, Hiyun saw this and killing me will be a punishment to myself, the pups, and he's hoping you as well. It's a trade with him, 'There is no free lunch'. You take something from him, and he must take something from you. You took his pups, and he's taking me. Which is ridiculous because the only person that's going to be hurt by this is me, and perhaps Lesp, my brother."

"I'm sorry, but it would effect me, I would be sad if you died." Morte wasn't sure what to say, "Why did you come with me, then? You could have stayed, lived with your family, started a family."

"Then you would have died."

"I had nothing to live for."

"What about your sister?"

"In all honesty, she's better off without me. I spent almost a year of my life looking for her. Searching and hoping I would find her. Our parents were killed when we were young, and the murderer intended to kill me as well. He dragged me off, and I watched Mori flee, running for her life like she should. I escaped though, and tried to find her. I couldn't. I supposed she thought I had abandoned her, as I felt I had, so I looked. When I found her, not even two weeks ago, she greeted me with hostility, as to be expected, how would she know who I was? All she has ever shown me since then was anger and annoyance, though. Not a touch of love. I was attacked at our 'new' pack, and she sided with my attacker on my injuries. With my attacker. Then to get rid of me she told me to get these pups, and here she is taking one of them. She treats me like I am an insufferable twit, like I don't know what's going on, what I do. She saved me once, that was the only act of kindness I ever got from her. The rest is rolling eyes, cold, glares, and talking to me like I don't understand. I do understand, Christian, I do. I understand that she doesn't like me, she doesn't want me around. I understand that she never missed me, she only felt abandoned because it affected her life. She was upset then, and she's upset now. Mori....Mori wouldn't care if I were gone. She would be happy, I bet. Then she could steal the both of these pups. Care for them like our mother never did us, like I never did her." Morte whispered the last part.

She stood and walked back in the cave. "Morte..." Christian said to her retreating back. She didn't listen though, she just continued walking away, as she did everything in her life. Morte lay down beside the pup, cuddling into his back, he made a little happy moan sound, and was asleep within seconds. She rest her head on the floor and closed her eyes, listening to the small wolf's breath. A little tear slid down her face, wishing that she could reverse the years, and have this be Mori, raised right instead of the bitchy character she turned out to be.

Morte then felt a warm presence behind her, which then wrapped around her and the pup. Christian.
"You have to live for Duqe. For me. That's what you have to live for."

As Mori traveled with Artua, she realized how much she wanted pups of her own, and a mate.
'SnowScar' she whispered.
'What?' Artua asked. Mori started; she had almost forgotten about the pup, she was so deep in thought. 'Honey' Mori began. 'How was your old pack? Did they treat you well?'
'I guess' Artua replied. 'I mean, they fed me and gave me a place to sleep, but my real mama didnt really love me I dont think. Hiyun told her one day to have a litter because the pack wasnt big enough, and so... so.. ' Artua's lip quivered, and Mori reached down and nuzzled her. 'What happened?'
'She... she had m-me, and... and Duqe, and my s-sister Tinder, and m-my brother, Macajo, b-but... b-b-but... ' the little wolf sobbed, trying to speak through her tears. She regained herself slightly before continuing. 'But she had a litter with the wr-wrong daddy, Hiyun said. She h-had a litter with Tharil instead of Lesp, like she was supposed t-to. L-Lesp is big and strong and has had lots of l-l-litters, and he makes good puppies who grow u-up to be big and s-strong too. B-but Tharil only had a litter once a-and those pups turned out to be just n-normal, weak even. So H-Hiyun was so angry with m-mama that he beat her u-up and she c-can barely walk. A-and... a-and... a-a-and they killed Macajo!'
She broke down, shrieking as she sobbed. Mori lay down beside her, pulling the pup in near her stomach, cuddling her. She nuzzled her, and they lay like that for a few minutes until Artua stopped crying and stood. 'I'm okay' she said, voice only slightly faltering.

Mori licked her head gently before picking her up and placing the pup in front of her. 'Now Artua' she said. 'Do you think you could go back and live with them again?' Artua's eyes widened. 'I-I don't know' she stuttered. 'Will you come with me?'
'Yes'
'Then yes'

The two wolves took deep breaths and set off back towards SnowScar. They had traveled long and hard to get away, and it would take them almost two days to get back.