Jaden Moon (Open/Mature)

Titan had lead Firechaser deep into the forest, as far from the others as he was comfortable with going. If Taos howled, he would be able to hear her, but just barely. Once they had gone the distance, he stopped. His sides were heaving from the running, and he could see that the red wolf wasn't much better off. That pleased him. Seeing Firechaser strung out had always pleased him. Since the other was still a few steps behind, he turned and padded closer. Nuzzling him, he nipped his cheek lightly and asked, "Did you miss me?"

Firechaser wished with all that was in him that he wasn't compelled to follow Titan, that he had never started following him in the first place. That gentle nuzzle, however, reminded him why he had. Turning his face away, his ears went back and he shook his head in denial. No, he hadn't miss Titan, because his memory had always kept him too near.

Titan chuckled at Firechaser and pawed at his shoulder. "You don't have to lie with me. I know all about you, Fire. We spent moons together, remember? It was a good time." Flicking his tail under the red wolf's muzzle, he added pointedly, "For both of us." There was almost a challenge in that, as if he wanted Firechaser to argue that he had hated it. He knew he wouldn't, but Titan did want to hear the other try and come up with an excuse.

Shivering, Firechaser let his face be drawn towards Titan's by his tail. The black wolf was exactly how he remembered: taller, stronger, darker, and more amazing than any other wolf. While Diablo certainly was huge, might have even been physically bigger, Titan loomed more in his mind. With a soft whine, he found himself lunging towards Titan and nuzzling him. "Why did you leave me?" he asked softly.

Taos felt sympathy for the other and his beginnings. Packs that discriminated, abandoned pups, and punished members because of love; she hated them. Titan's promise to them was that they would never have to worry about that. He had sworn that no matter their rank or the rank of their mate, they would be safe. Every day, she hoped that he was being honest, but every day a soft voice told her it wouldn't matter for her. Now, as she gazed at Slade, she couldn't help wondering if she had been wrong. Her ears flickered back nervously and she shifted self consciously at the stare. "You're amazingly strong for having survived from such a young age," she told him softly, her voice sweet.

Mina giggled, licking Ani's cheek again and whispering more. Her eyes flickered towards Diablo, and she whispered something else, making Ani giggle before nipping her. Smiling at Clyde, she answered slyly, "Many have tried to be mates with us."

"Just as many have failed," Ani put in, pushing against her sister so that she was standing closer to the brute. As Mina sprawled across Ani's shoulders, she barely managed to not stumble, but she smiled at the brute and asked, "What of you, pup? Do you have a mate?"

He didn't. That was all that Mina could think, but he did, and she couldn't stop laughing because of it. He was so earnest and sincere and sweet, and he said that, and she couldn't breath. Collapsing onto the ground, she tried to stop her laughter by covering her muzzle, but had no luck. Beside her, Ani was about as elegant, falling onto her and pressing her face into Mina's fur. The two sisters didn't mean to be cruel, at least not this level of cruel. Laughing in his face was too far, but it was just so funny.

Ani listened to Clyde's words with a serious face and was halfway nodding along when Mina burst out laughing. Just like that, her self control cracked and she was falling down on her sister. Pressing her face into Mina's fur, she apologized over and over through her laughter, but she just couldn't stop. It was too funny.

Taos shifted nervously away from Slade. While she was attracted to him, she wasn't used to such straightforward affection. Glancing towards the girls, she saw no help there so she offered him a faint smile, realizing she had missed everything he said because of how nervous he made her. Chuckling softly at her self, she smiled and answered, "I suppose."

Titan didn't know how to answer Firestarter, so he just nuzzled the smaller wolf. Licking the side of his face and ear, he said nothing, knowing that the empty words would bring no comfort. That was fine. Firestarter didn't want his words. Not anymore.

Taos shook her head, about to reassure him that she was just nervous when Clyde bolted past. She had heard the females laughing and knew it couldn't be a good thing, but seeing the pup so hurt, her heart ached for him. Spinning towards them, she snarled, "Ani! Mina!"

"Don't blame us. Don't blame us!" the red wolf begged, shaking with laughter. Her paws were still pressed to her muzzle, but now tears were trekking rapidly down her face.

Nodding, the blue wolf repeated her sister, crawling closer to her. "Taos, he asked us both out. L-like he is even old enough to have a mate!"

Taos side and snapped at both of them, but they weren't listening. With a sigh, she took after Slade and Clyde. The least she could do was explain that the girls meant no harm. They just didn't care much for the feelings of others.

Clyde wasn't paying attention to where he was going or the fact that he was running into a much larger mammal's home. As he ran into the cave, he finally stopped, no longer able to breathe. His panting and crying was waking up a very unhappy beast. He laid down, trying to calm his nerves, but it wasn't working. As he breathed heavily on the floor, he was finally joined by Slade.

Slade entered the cave and quietly. He could smell the scent of the bear or bears as it seemed like more than one had been here before. He crawled on the floor and whispered to Clyde, "hey buddy, let's go outside and talk about this, alright?" The pup nodded his head and was starting to follow Slade out the entrance, but it was too late.

A large mass at the end of the cave started moving. It let out a grunt and a grumble, mad from being woken up. As his nose started sniffing around, he realized it wasn't another bear, which instantly aggravated him. He stood up on all fours and gave a loud roar towards the two canines. Clyde was first to run out of the entrance and Slade as right behind him. The bear stood on his hind legs and swiped at them both. As the wolves exited, the bear followed them out. "Keep running!" he yelled to Clyde.