running

Iceheart ran and ran. She must of ran across the island a million times. Her lungs were burning, and her sides heaved. She came to a wood, and ran among it. she tripped over a log, but caught herself. She heard water up a head, and came to a small creek. She crossed it many times, before emerging to a flat rock. Her fur was soaked, and hung there. She lay on the cold rock and sobbed and cried.

Kia ran as fast as her small legs would carry her accross the territory in search of the white wolf. "Iceheart?" she called again, her voice strained because she'd run so far. She could hear Zio, still in the distance, calling her name. Kia still had Iceheart's scent, and was surprised at how far she'd gone. "Iceheart?" she called again, getting desperate. She'd been out here for a while now, and the cold air was peircing her lungs like small needles as her chest heaved to catch a decent breath. But she pushed on, determined to find Iceheart.

A little while later Kia's hopes of finding the white wolf were deteriorating. Any luck, Zio? she asked, finally stopping and panting hard. No, he replied from wherever he was. Kia's head sagged in defeat. She'd have to head back. She sat for a while right there, trying to soothe her heaving chest, then finally got to her paws and turned to head back. When she looked up she saw Iceheart sitting on a large rock. Her jaw dropped open. How could she have missed her? Zio, I've found her, she called to him. Go ahead and start heading back, I'll meet you with the others. Zio stopped in his tracks, sending snow flying in front of him. Thank goodness, he sighed. I'll wait for you when you come back, I'm not going right now. Kia sighed. Whatever, as long as you don't get lost. She padded forward, her legs a little wobbly from the long run, and made her way up to Iceheart. She paused, looking up atop the rock where the white wolf was. "Iceheart?" she asked gently.

Iceheart turned her head away. Her fur was beginning to freeze in spikes, but she wasn't cold yet. She hated her life. She had a horrible life, watching Stormkit die,going blind, losing Nightwalker, and then SHE had to come find her. She jumped up, crossed the cold creek once more and sat with her back to Kia.


Kyota circled in the sky. The chances of finding a whit wolf in snow were virtually impossible. He was miffed at being ignored, but that didn't stop him. He searched, and saw a shape move. He swooped down, feeling no more pain. He swooped own and sat next to Iceheart, changing into a cat. He lashed his tail, sensing Iceheart's distress

Kia's shoulders sagged, but she was persistant. "Iceheart," she sighed, taking a step forward. She looked down at her paws. She knew that the white female didn't like her, but she was determined to bring her back safely. "Iceheart, I volunteered myself to come and find you. No one sent me." She looked up at the white wolf. "I don't know why you hate me, honestly I don't, but whatever the reason is it's not fair for you to have to freeze out here and be by yourself. I figured we could maybe make peace right now and then I could bring you back." She cast uneasy sidelong glances toward the bush nearest her. Zio was there, but she didn't want him to show himself. She wanted this to only be between her and Iceheart.

Iceheart turned her head slowly. Kyota changed into an ermine now. Iceheart slowly spoke. "You stole what could have been my mate!" Her eyes were still brimming with sorrow. "You took what was my last hope for a companion!" She stood and sobbed. "Why should we make peace? Why, tell me!"

Kia's eyes enlarged and she flinched at Iceheart's tone, but she stood her ground. "Nightwalker?" she asked. She thought about him for a moment. When they first met, how desperate she was to stay with him. She really only wanted a pack then, but now that she thought about it... She shook her head and looked back up. "We're pack members now. If we're fighting there's no way we could live together. We'd make the lives of everyone in the pack miserable because we can't find peace." Her eyes were warm, though she could feel Zio's unease. She might actually attack you, Zio warned. Zio! Kia exclaimed, shocked. She'd never do that! She would have sent a glare at him, but she was concentrating on Iceheart. She couldn't argue that she didn't feel something for Nightwalker, but all she wanted to make with this wolf was friends. She was currently at a loss of words, waiting for Icehearts next move.

Iceheart panted clouds of frost. And her eyes became soft once more. " Okay. I'm sorry for acting this way. I'm just... not used to living in a pack. I guess I just never got over Stormkit's death and me going blind and-" her voice became choked "I was jealous of you. I'm sorry." Se stepped across the stream, and stepped in front of Kia.

"Jealous of me?" Kia asked, her eyes held surprise. She didn't push the subject, but she did want to talk to this white wolf and find out more about her. Kia sat down and looked up at Iceheart. "Who is this Stormkit?" she asked. "And... if you don't mind me asking... how did you become blind?" she added hesitantly.

Zio's pelt prickled, seeing the white female relax a little. He grinned slightly, but it was short-lived. He couldn't stand watching from the bushes anymore, he stepped out into the open and sat beside Kia, his brown tabby fur puffed out against the cold. Each breath felt like tiny ice shards pierced his lungs. He hated the cold.

"Well, where I came from, We lived in Clans. We had a warrior code, and believed in the spirits of the dead to guide us. I was to become deputy, sort of like a beta wolf." Her voice cracked here, and she sat. " Stormkit was to be my apprentice. I was to teach him how to become a warrior. A storm went through our camp, and we just made it out. He died on a rock with me." She let out a cry, and Ky jumped up onto her head and murmered into her ear "It'll be alright." over and and over. She calmed down and gasped. I met Nightwalker, and became sick. When I woke up days later, I was blind." She lowered her voice "And that's what happened. I've been so sad, but tried to be happy. But it didn't work." She flung herself to the ground and sobbed.

Kia flattened her ears. Clearly she'd destroyed her chances of cheering up the female. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, looking down at her paws. "I haven't had a 'wonderful' past either. I constantly have nightmares over it." Her voice was pained, but she refused to cry. "My mother died when I was born. She was a loved member of the pack and since 'I killed her,' they all left me. Even my father abandoned me." She said the word "father" with so much venom that she surprised herself. But she continued with her story. "I was a newborn; there's no way I could have survived so much as a day by myself. But this lone female found me and adopted me as her own. I called her mom, because I actually thought she was. When I was older she told me what happened. It turnes out she saw the whole thing. On my first hunt my 'mother' was attacked and killed by a crazy wolf and it's anima. Because of my stupid power I turned invisible and fled when the anima turned on it's wolf." She shuddered from the memory. "The only wolf I knew of as a mother died before my eyes. There was nothing I could do." She paused, took a deep breath, then continued again. "I lived on my own at the river in the other pack's territory that lives here. They didn't know I was there. I survived off of small animals, I probably would have died if it wasn't for Zio. But then Nightwalker came and he brought me back to this pack." Her eyes were squinted; she hated her history. "I never had a real mother or father. I've never had a pack. Until now." She sighed and lowered her head to Iceheart. "That's why I'm so attached to Nightwalker right now; he brought me to a pack that accepted me like I had always belonged there. I owe him." She didn't add the fact that she actually did... like him.

Iceheart mentally kicked herself. A warrior would not be wallowing in self pity. She sat up "That's a sad life. I owe Nightwalker too. He taught me many things. We should go back." She stood up and began to walk home...

Kia stood up and followed Iceheart with Zio padding closely behind. Zio transformed into a mouse and made his way atop Kia's head so he wouldn't have to walk in the snow anymore. Kia was getting cold, and she hadn't slept in a while. She was looking forward to her den back with the others. She game a small yawn at the thought of it.