Raising The Pups (ColdChaos x I)

Kara, woke. If you can call what she did waking. Her eyes felt like they had been replaced with something that you can barely call eyes. What she gazed through where little better than gazing through the mucous of a lizard that had a cold for three moons. The shapes kept shifting violently and what light did get through pierced through her head and made it hurt ravenously.

Her head hurt because what was going on inside felt like the percussion band of a million mountain gypsies playing with the fury of youth of pixies. Her mouth felt as dry as an arid desert devoid of any moisture and the most profound taste of blood lingering on her tongue. She tried to swallow but her throat ached as if something or someone had choked her. Trying to remember only maid the gypsies play louder and harder in her head. She tried to listen but the little noises she heard were muffled and muted.

Turning her head was a no go as that angered the gypsies and the rocks that seemed to want to get out of her head. Her neck hurt too along with her shoulders, but her legs and arms had been restrained. Several conclusions hit her all at once.

1. She had either been drugged or hit into unconsciousness, either of which she was not a happy camper.

2. She was not at home, the hard earth beneath her was enough truth to tell her that to which she was in big trouble.

3. She was not aware of her senses to which she was in even bigger trouble.

4. She did not like her odds which made her even angrier which made whoever put her in this situation in bigger trouble.

Kara was a forest witch of her village. She lived on the outskirts. She had long red hair and was a healer of forest and things of the forest meaning people. So leaning in close to to the earth, she shut her eyes and began to whisper a soft prayer to mother earth. Feeling the soft earth reach up, she felt the spirit envelope her and felt the gypsies hush and settle, felt her spirit sooth and felt calm again.

Yes she was tied, but now she could concentrate. Her guiding stone which appeared to be a simple river rock with a hole through it was still around her neck, her blue eyes looked around, she was at a community fire. She shifted at the ties and noticed immediately she was at a werewolf camp. They would have smelt the forest magic on her immediately, it made no matter that she incanted in front of them anyway.

Two werewolves stood by the fire, in front of the captive witch. They chatted just close enough for someone to eavesdrop. Both creatures were giant, bigger then any normal human. Brimming with muscle, it was obvious that these two were high ranking members of the tribe. One had black fur, while the other had grey. The black one motioned around, showing signs that he was mildly upset. The flames around swayed side to side, almost like they were listening in on the conversation themselves.

"It's bad enough for you to kidnap a human, but to steal the village healer?! The humans will hunt us down for this." The black wolf shouted in a hushed volume. "Calm down, Striker. She isn't one of them, they won't search too hard." The grey wolf responded in a deep, soothing, voice. "Alpha, this.won't.work!! She's still a human, the pups will be half breeds." Striker was still frustrated over the situation. "I'd rather have half humans, then no tribe. Our race is dying, and our woman can't reproduce fast enough. Her alone should be good enough to at least help...whether she likes it or not." Alpha looks toward the girl, who was now awake at this point.

The wolf knelled down to face the witch, looking right into her eyes. "I'm sorry for having to take you like this, but we need your help. I know you won't care about my proposition, but we are out of options. My people are dying out, due to the war between our races. The woman can only breed so many children at a time. We...enlisted you to aid us. Your decision is invalid, you will give birth to our children. If you cooperate now, you will be rewarded. I promise to not hurt you, even if you refuse to help." The wolf told her, with a calm demeanor. The black wolf, Striker, simply threw his hands in the hair and walked off.

She watched Striker and the alpha fight. She twisted her arms trying to break free. She winced. She knew the laws of the wolves. She knew by their laws that she was their riteful captive. She rolled her eyes and watched as the alpha kneeled at her told her of her situation as if she had been too stupid after recognizing her position in her village to explain what was to be expected of her going forward.

Being learned of the earth and its magicks, and also having a pact with its mother nature, she could carry any brood of hers that was a cousin. And that included werewolves. But being in a pact, if they enlisted her in their survival as they were technically doing now, she could not use her magic to escape or thrwart them. So she had no choice in the matter. The wolves were either really smart in their choice or just had dumb luck. She shifted, her arms were sore, her mouth tasted of blood, and she was not happy.

Usually she had a strong pact with the werewolves, but true they had not come knocking on her door in about 20 years, and they had left her alone ever since. She shook herself of that. She shut her eyes curling up as a strong chill came over her. She rolled away from the fire and wanted to be left alone. She would not speak to them, she would take nothing from them, only what they forced on her. They could have beseached her like fellow cousins of earth but instead they kidnapped her and took her by force like something below them when she had runes made by the ancient wolf clan themselves. Hell she practiced their magic. She winced as an old wound began to hurt that she had tried to heal a long time ago.

Alpha let out a deep sigh. He wasn't too happy with this plan, but his people couldn't accept a no. The wolf reached behind him, grabbing a wool blanket by the fire. He draped the sheet behind his prisoner. "I only want to care for my people. Please understand, I don't want to harm you, and am not doing this for gratification." He tried again to extend a olive branch of peace, even though he knew it wouldn't work.

Her shuffling from the pain was a sign that she was in pain. The two didn't have medicine on them, but knew the tribe's shaman would. "We can heal you in the morning, just rest for now. Say anything, and I'll get you some water. You don't have to start until you're fully healed." The alpha tried to console the girl, as he laid by her. A loud yawn escaped his lips, as he prepared to sleep for the night.

She didn't say anything nor move. THe pain was not something that could be healed from medicine. It was something of her heart. She curled up wondering how they had managed to sneak past her defenses. The earth mother must have sensed their great need. Their need must be very great. The heat of the wolves must not have been great this years or many years. She laid awake watching the moon make its trek and watched the wolves slowly sleep and sat up as the sun began to rise. She would not eat but she was preparing to walk.

She asked the earth mother for strength of spirit and felt the sun on her face as a blessing and then looked in the direction of home and her things and frowned. She thought of the old gifts and things that these two would never understand. Her arms and legs still bound together, she sat up and frowned her legs were asleep and her shoulders hurt, but she would be forced to walk. She wondered how far their camp was this time of year. Werewolves traveled quickly, but her being human would slow them down which would anger the younger wolf considerably. She frowned, she could still heal herself because it didn't go against what they wanted, but if he thought she was doing a spell against them and he distracted her that would be a problem. She frowned and shifted a bit. These wolves were anxious, and anxious werewolves were a problem.

A big problem. And she didn't have her magic to protect her. Devils be damned.

The wolves awoke with the down, shaking some of the dirt in their fur. The black wolf watched, as the brother brandished a knife to remove the bindings. "If you need help walking, I can help you. Our village isn't far, and the Shaman can help heal you. We can give you some time to meet my people, and adjust." The wolf tried again to calm the girl, freeing her legs in the process. He tied another rope to her hand bindings, that was tied to his own paw. It was like she was being leashed to him. Alpha stepped away, preparing to leave. Striker was quick to lunge at the girl, placing his claws onto her neck. His grip was weak enough to not choke her, but his claws stood just out of piercing range. It would only take one motion to rip the girl's jugular out.

"Try anything funny, and I will BREAK every bone in your body!" Striker shouted, not giving her the chance to stand up. Alpha hurried to try and stop him. "Striker, don't do this. We can convince her, if we just take it easy." Striker moved to face his brother, staring at the leader with his sharp gaze. "No, Alpha, we can't play nice. Human's don't care about our problems. We already kidnapped her, so stop pretending we're better then them." The black wolf laid his problems with the plan. "We always have the opportunity to reason with them. Think about what Charlie would have-" A loud roar from the black wolf cut his brother off. It echoed through the forest, causing the trees to shake. Fangs bare, and claws unsheathed, the younger brother darts towards his better.

"HOW DARE YOU!! You have no right to say what he would have done!" After the outburst, the two locked eyes for an awkward amount of time. Each let out deep breathes, in an attempt to calm themselves. "Let's go, I'm done with this conversation. Just tie her down, fuck her, then we can have her kids." The black wolf replied, walking off of the camp. Alpha lifted his hand to try and stop his brother. It would have only angered the man at this point. With a heavy sigh, Alpha looked at the girl. "3 months...I've been Alpha for 3 months, and I already have animosity in my tribe." He realized at that point, the girl wasn't responding to him ever. "He's right...humans don't care about our problems. Come on, we're leaving." Alpha tugged at the rope around her hands, to pull her towards the village.

She was shaking her legs out and rolled her eyes getting feeling. When she was about to stand, she gasped and felt a claw at her hand. Her eyes glowed a pure green of the forest. Unbeknownst to Striker, vines were snaking around his legs in a defensive way. If he made a move, the vines would fling him away from her. The vines retracked and she looked up blinking. She stood up and then cleared her throat and stood up and began to walk. She frowned and then her ears perked at the name of Charlie. Charlie was the one she blamed for the death of Blake. She swallowed and then looked at him.

"I have helped werewolves in my time. I have a pact with the earth mother." She said as she was pulled along. "Isn't it funny I haven't cast a spell to escape or injure the two of you yet?" She raised an eyebrow. "Or make either of you infertile?" She walked. She wasn't one to remain quiet for long. And besides this wolf had just saved her. She looked up as birds chirped. She looked and saw Striker marching ahead and was unhappy.

"If he wasn't for this task, why did he come along? As beta he didn't have to come, he could have always designated another warrior." She continued to follow, not that she had a choice but she pulled some slack so she walked beside the alpha and frowned at Striker.

Alpha looked at the girl, surprised to see her talking for the first time. It was a little reassuring, but she was still hostile towards the two. "Our people don't have a firm understanding of magic. The art is still a mystery to us. If you made any of us infertile, I would have no choice but to kill you." Alpha answered her question, enjoying the conversation in a strange way. Striker looked back towards the two, spitting at the ground she walked on.

"My brother has been with me through thick and thin. Even during the war, he helped fight off the humans. I trust no other man with my life. It wasn't until I brought you to camp that he began having problems." Striker remained silent during the walk, keeping his senses glued to the surroundings. Alpha felt like he was getting close to the girl, he just needed something to turn her to his side. "As I said, you will be rewarded for helping us. You can even earn your freedom. We are more then willing to negotiate this endeavor, but we can not simply let you leave."

"How can you not have a firm understanding when your people were born from the very womb of earth itself!" She chuckled. "Earth magic is in your claws." She then shook her head and her hands raised to her river rock and she shook her head and sighed. "Forgive me. I have lost myself." She ran her thumb along it. Whenever she wore it, she always felt him near. She looked away and then bit her lip and swallowed. Wanting him near, if he was, he would know and tell these two werewolves she was no enemy to the werewolves. She looked down and continued to walk.

"You have just strayed from her mothering voice, probably. And maybe I can help with that as well." She added as she walked. "But again, like I can't use my magic against you, I doubt you could kill me for any long amount of time." She said. "The earth mother would bring me back in a more powerful form probably." She said and looked at him. "She brought us together for a purpose I believe."

Alpha listened to her preaching, he was not familiar with mother earth. His people had lost it's way, and needed more help then just repopulating. The wolf leader had a feeling she was important, the moment he decided to use her for this operation. "You'll help rebuild our clan?" He muttered, as his ears perked up with joy. This was a good sign, that the two could work together to aid the tribe.

Striker was getting more frustrated. He hated this woman since the start. Her words were like the lies of a serpent in his ears. "She's just playing you, brother." He remarked to the conversation, glaring at the captive girl. "The second you let your guard down, she'll bolt away from us. Remember, we're trying to get her pregnant. Why would anyone want that from us?"

"Why would I want to run from the destiny of my goddess. Besides there is a secret in your tribe that has been plaguing my soul and I want to learn what happened to a clan member who was killed about 20 years ago." She walked with them and frowned. She winced it hurt to talk about him and she hated herself for letting it slip in front of these wolves.

"Besides i honor the law of capture of werewolves at the very least. So until the alpha releases me to go home or one of you kill me and the goddess releases me, then this is where I will stay." She looked at Strider. "Or did you change law in the 20 years since werewolves and I have been incommunicado?"

The wolf had no answer for her, he was very wary of all humans. Standing before the girl, his body towered over hers. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to slap this disrespectful cur. Clenching his fist, the wolf's arm shakes with rage. His large pectorals heave with his heavy breath, giving definition to his muscular form. Bending down, to see eye to eye, the wolf snorts at the captive girl. Warm air brushes her hair away, with small amounts of snot splashing onto her chest. "You're not going to find any answers. You're going to smile, and bare children."

Striker darted away from her, steaming with rage. Alpha was quick to brush any mess of the girl, seeing her as a guest more and more. "Striker has had some...history with humans. Just stay away from him, and you'll get along with the rest of the tribe." The grey wolf continued his conversation. "I can help you find then information you seek. Just know that finding death, only brings despair." His words begin to grow silent, as the trio enter the Werewolf village.

The town was very small, only a few huts remained. Children ran around the central fire, where most of the people held meetings. The adults were all huddled around a tent past the fire. Wolves of varied size and color, men and woman all watched something inside. A combination of female screams, and horrid roars burst from the home. After a long shout from the owner, the crowd grew silent. No one moved, they all just looked to one another. A white wolf stepped through the crowd, parting them like a mighty wave. Everyone watched, as he held up the wet body of a sleeping baby. The crowd gave a cheer, hugging and chatting about the new born pup. A single male thanked the white wolf, before grabbing the child. The white wolf bowed in appreciation, looking toward the trio entering the village.

She locked eyes with the wolf before her. She frowned showing no disrespect. She frowned and watched him. "I am sorry for the hurt whatever my kind brought you. But it was not me who did it." She said simply.

"Mystery about death only brings more despair and ghosts." SHe looked at him. "And I am stubborn, you will come to find that I will not be stopped, scared, or submissive." She looked around the werewolf village. She swallowed. She was afraid. Very afraid. She didn't let it show though. As much as she pretended to know about werewolves, all she knew about them was through magic and ancient stuff, that was like claiming to know mankind through Egyptian myth. She walked through keeping her head down and not making eye contact.

She became angry. She was not sure why but she became angry all over again. She lagged behind, all symbolism of friendship was gone and she felt lonely. She felt forsaken by her goddess, her mouth felt dry, her body felt weak, and she felt like an angry animal caged in her body. She frowned and just wanted to be shown to her cage and sit and stew. She would remain true to her word but she would not be happy. She gripped her hands together not aware that her nails had broken skin and blood dripped the ground. The rage in her head silencing the voices of the earth and the eople and the cheering around her.

Alpha and the white wolf extended an arm to one another. The two grabbed at the others arm, gripping it firmly. "Shaman, I'm glad to see we are slowly raising more children." Alpha smiled towards the mystic wolf. "Yes, slowly but surely, we are reclaiming our old numbers." Striker darted past the Shaman, without exchanging a single word. He headed straight towards the river that the village rested on. "His spirit grows weaker, your brother still has problems he needs to consult." The hermit spoke to the elder brother. "I will try to speak to him again, once he's calmed down. More important matters are at hand." Alpha pointed his hand towards the new girl. "She will help us raise new pups. We can discuss an agreement if you wish." He continued speaking to the Shaman. "We can speak in my home. I have breakfast waiting inside. I'm sure the poor girl must be famished."

The Shaman looked at the young girl, spotting the blood dripping off of her. "She has been most friendly on the way here. I trust her enough to remove her bindings." Alpha nodded towards the Shaman, as he confirmed the girl's character. With his claws alone, the Shaman removed the rope tying her arms together. "I greet you with much respect, my child. I am the Shaman of this tribe. I will guide you around the village and take care of you in my own home. When the time comes, I will be the one to lead your pups out of the womb." The white wolf nods to show his admiration for the young witch.

She looked at the Shaman and nodded her head with enough respect showing no ill will. "My name is Kara, I am a forest witch of the village not far from here. I greet you with no ill will in my heart Shaman. I will do my best to help your tribe best I can." She said and then looked down and then looked down again and saw what she had done to her own hands and then looked at her medallion and shifted and put it away and looked around seeing she was being eyed up and down and pulled her hood up.

"I do not wish to be put on such display just yet. Back home I lived a quiet simple life. And being taken captive as such, I would like to be alone and meditate as much as my position and my captors will allow if that is too much to ask for I understand." She sighed as the wolves continued to whisper and some even began to growl territorially and step back some even grabbing their young that strayed too close. She then looked away and swallowed her teeth clenching together and she pressed her feet against the earth feeling out of place even more.

The two wolves understood her reasoning, humans were still seen as enemies in the village. Even if they knew she would help them, it wouldn't make much difference. "You can stay alone in my house for as long as you need, Kara. Come, let's not stay too long in this public setting." The white wolf guided the two to his home, a ways away from the center of town. Inside was a collection of nick knacks. Horns from many animals, ground up samples of plants, tattered books, and feathered jewelry hung on make shift shelves. Two, comfy, sleeping bags were placed right next to a small campfire. The fire had died out, but an iron skillet rested on top. Inside the skillet was a large helping of scrambled eggs, with sides of bacon. Using a wooden spoon, the Shaman scooped up plates for Alpha, Kara, and himself. The two sat on the floor, eating at the food with wooden spoons.

"I want to get to the point of this matter." Alpha stated to Kara, in between bites. "I want you to bare three pups for us. Whether they are from one mate, or more, is perfectly up to you. After the third pup has been birthed, you are free to leave for human society. You can choose to stay, and care for the children, or we can look after them ourselves, it makes no difference." The Shaman looks to see how Kara deals with this information. "I understand you think you have no say in the matter. I just want to make this easier for the both of us. You are free to throw in conditions, but we will decide if they are agreeable or not. Do you have any demands for this favor?"

She refused the plate as she saw him grabbing for a third plate and sat down with a groan. Peeling off her shoes she winced as they were rubbing a blister she had not been wearing her shoes for hiking and the shoes she had been wearing had easily rubbed sores and she hid them under her robes and looked at the shaman moving her hood back. She reached under her robe and pulled out bandages and began to wrap her palms and then watched them. She looked at the ground showing no emotion but she was appalled thinking that the wolves didn't care for the mothers involvement in raising of the pups.

"I am just here to help." She said simply wrapping her wounds that she self inflicted. She shrugged. "My goddess will provide for me what she demands. I care not. But I will have no children present when you have whoever deems necessary to mate with me. Or whoever you say is a child. I will adhere to your laws and ways." She said as she looked into the fire and remained stoic and cleared her throat. "I would like time to clean before I am to accept a mate though, and if I have have a chaperone so be it."

The two agreed to her terms, it was appropriate considering the moment should be more intimate. "You may bathe in the river, the waters run from a fresh spring." The Shaman instructed the girl, pointing to the running water behind his home. "The spot is alone, no one will see you. We'll allow you to wash in peace, if you promise to not run away. Alpha and I will discuss potential suitors, who will mate with you. You are free to decide on one or more mate, and you can go on "dates" to see which one you like best. You have to pick at least one, no matter what." Alpha rises, to move aside the cloth door. He directs the girl out, so she can be left alone. "I understand mating should be a private matter. You will not need a chaperone in this instance."

She frowned and then nodded. "Thank you for your help. I didn't catch your name and I trust you have been both the tribe's healer and shaman for some time. So deaths as well as births are not unknown to you. I would like to ask you about a very very personal matter very close to me in private when you have time later. I would also like to know all about the ceremonies and ways of the werewolves as I would not like to create a fool of myself and make myself a pariah. I would also like to smell and dress as much like your people as much as possible if that is possible." She asked quietly. "I ask for no special treatment, I just ask not to stick out like a dead tree in the middle of a growing lush field."

Alpha sees that Kara wishes to speak to the Shaman in private. Trusting her, he prepares to leave. "I thank you for agreeing to our terms. I apologize for taking you away, but I think it will be better for you. I await to see you carry a child in the future." Bowing his head, the village leader leaves the home. The Shaman remains seated, finishing his breakfast. He ponders on the matters Kara wishes to discuss. "I will teach you our ways, to the best of my ability. My name is Dragma, but the people just call me Shaman. It is a symbol of honor, that my work is deemed most important to the tribe. As you can see, my people wear no clothing. Our fur has aided us during the winters, though I do not think being clothed will offend anyone." He begins his lecture by mentioning the dress of the werewolves.

"When a female has decided on a male, who will be her mate, the two will mark each other. One will urinate on the other, taking in the scent. The other members of the tribe will smell the mate's scent, and know they have been spoken for. Think of it like the wedding ring for you humans. Should you choose to stay with one mate, he will wish to mark and be marked. Multiple mates will not require this sort of treatment, it is up to you." The Shaman inched closer to his guest, already preparing for the answer to her next question. "Now, what was this matter you wish to discuss?"

She listened to this and frowned shifting. "How many wolves usually does one Wolof take as a mate." She then thought and blushed and then licked her lips and swallowed taking a cleansing breathe. She looked at the Shaman and tried to prepare herself for the worst.

"I am inquiring after a wolf long gone. His name was Blake." She said quietly. She watched him raising an eyebrow and looked at him and canted her head.

"Most females will only take in one mate. Should he pass on, or become infertile, she will take on another mate. If she is desirable enough, multiple males can mate with the same female. In this case, many males will be asked to mate with you, to increase chances of bearing children." The Shaman continued his lecture on the girl's situation. He already had a few ideas for males that should attempt to mate with Kara...though they might have a few grievances.

The name Blake struck a cord with the mystic. He hadn't thought about that man in many years. Blake was his older brother, but an outcast to Werewolf society. He pondered on what questions the girl might have, and whether she deserves the answers. She'd have to be close to him, in order to be asking these questions. "What do you wish to know?" He asked, with a stern look on his face.

"He was my first love." She looked down. For the first time in many years, tears welled up in her eyes in front of another person but she did not shed them. She took off her necklace that he had given her and held it out as if it had offered some proof.

"Please, all I know is he is dead because he didn't return to me, I just want to know how and why. My soul has never gotten peace and mourns for him still." She said softly letting the only person see this side she had kept so well hidden. This scar she pushed down and away. Tears ran unnoticed down her face. Her wall crumbling in front of this werewolf.

The shaman took the necklace, seeing the sadness swell in the poor girl's eyes. Sure enough, this was his brother's. She wasn't just an outsider trying to peek into Werewolf affairs. The story of Blake's death was a sad tale, probably too much for the grieving girl. Still, she had the right to know what happened to her love. It might also serve as an insight to why they need her help, more then she knows. "Alright, Kara. I will tell you of his fate. Just don't be afraid to let your walls down."

Looking to the floor, the Shaman prepares to tell the tale of his brother. "Blake was a noble member of the tribe. He cared for all creatures mother earth had to offer. He was the first to wish to bolster peace between our races. Now I see why he cared for your kind. One day, he was out at the forest, most likely to see you again. Blake had stumbled across a group of boys, who were holding onto a farm girl. They were disrobing her, planning to rape her. Blake stepped in to stop the boys, but they held her hostage. Snarling at them, the boys slit the girl's throat, then tossed her carcass at him. Covered in innocent blood, Blake returned home, explaining what had happened to me. The boys claimed the wolf killed the farm girl. That's when war broke out between the village people, and my kind. Blake took responsibility for a crime he didn't commit. To try and bring back peace, he became a martyr for our kind. Unsatisfied, the fighting continued. We lost many of our people in the blood shed, and struggle to keep up. Blake was a hero, who died to protect our people."

Kara swallowed and wiped her eyes after she listened but that only brought the torrent of tears fresh. Blake was a hero and she had blamed the werewolves. She felt like a fool. She bowed her head in shame and soon pulled herself together and then looked up clearing her throat best she could.

"Forgive me. I am sorry." Tears still ran down her face. "I am sorry for your losses. But thanks for telling me." She returned the necklace around her neck and moved it under her robes so she could feel the warmth there. She sighed feeling as a weight had been lifted off her heart. At least he died a hero and not betrayed by his kind. She sighed and looked at shaman and swallowed and realized she was still extremely parched.

"May I have something to drink?" She asked sheepishly.