Wake Me Up Inside..., Save me...

[Water]

Tawny paws beat upon the ground rapidly, fur brushed back into the wind, the distorted expression on her face you normally get when you've upset her. Anyone who knew the fea could tell she was about to do somthing drastic, yet again her life had been turned upside down in some twist of fate and now here she was, running from the world yet again.

What terrible twist of fate had cause the female to start to run away once again? Over the years, she had lost her special 'abilitys' and if that wasn't bad enough she just found out Brazier had gone missing for awhile. She was use to not seeing him for long periods of time, with him being out scouting all the time, and she missed him like she misses air when not permitted to breath, but now she had just learned he was missing. Her mate, her one true love was missing from her, all signs pointed to him being dead for he hadn't been seen in a good while. If it wasn't bad enough she had been trying to raise Arcane, their adopted son, while worrying bout Brazier being ok, and now, she found out he was most likely dead.

But then new thoughts came into her head, what if...what if he had ran off with another woman? SHe hadn't seen him in so long anything could be possible, he might have gotten tired of her. He could have kids with some other fea.

Tears streamed in the fea's eyes as she ran across the newly found territory, she had yet to explore it and wasn't in the mood for it now. Claws diggin deep into the ground with each powerful stride she seen the clearing ahead, but she didn't care, she would run right through it. But the closer she came, the closer she came to Broken Punishment, and didn't stop until it was almost to late.

Comming to a sudden stop she slide as her body turned side ways, dirt and rocks flew off the edge of the cliff as her body had almost done. Now she stood standing sideways, looking down at the jaggade rocks below. Ï deservwe to be punished,"she said aloud, her creamy smooth voice flowing smoothly through the air. "I never even noticed he was gone, I never even checked. he never checked with me, but it was my fault. It was all my fault I wasn't there to stop him from going wherever he went."

Yes, everyone knew it, she was about to jump. Water herself, was about to die at the sake of her own guilt, she needed conulting, or atleast someone there to stop her, or atleast post pone the suicide.

Arcane? her pup Arcane wasn't even in her mind, she was to consumed in self proclaimed guilt, and sorrow. She wasn't thinking about thier pup, only god knows where the little fella was right now, probably off with his friends but still.

Tears drained from her eyes as she stood, preparing herself mentally for the jump that would leave her in the heavens, where she thought her beloved mate was.

[Ceres]

Paws pressed into the ground as a creature moved, his ruggid frame seeming more powerful with every stride. Matted pelt hung all around him, weighing him down. But it looked otherwise to viewers, as if a godly glow radiated off his majestic body. Pure ivory, dappled with specks of mercury as he aged, rippled as he moved towards his destination- Broken Punishment.

He had wandered knowingly off Stolen Prophecy's lands, his lands, with one thought in mind. Selas. His son, his bloodied body as he lay sprawled upon the earth. The once gentle creature's life gone from his body. Hate raged in Ceres' veins, and he snapped viciously at the air, murderous glare piercing the trees before him. Charging through the foliage, the King let a roar of spite tear apart the air, and his pace quickened, stride lengthening.

Running, he burst through the shadows of the woodland to find a tawny she-wolf. Blinded by rage, Ceres didn't see Water. He saw Risque. Snarling, upper lip curled to reveal lethal fangs, the Alpha crouched, creeping forward. His tail lashed from side to side, ears pinned against his skull, fur standing on end all down his spine. She, that useless bitch, killed Selas!

Suddenly, she spoke. Not to Ceres, nay, but to herself. Pausing, his step faltered. What was she talking about, her voice desparately pleading for death? Realization sprang to his mind as Ceres was snapped out of his murderous trance, and he finally saw Water, his pack mate. Clearing his throat, as if his barbaric cry hadn't got her attention, the alabaster beast slipped nearer the edge, coming to her side.

"Water? Whats wrong? You can't do this, I won't let you." Emotion caught in his low voice, and a determined look flashed in his mahogany eyes, "I'm not letting you do this." He spoke with power, the kind only an Alpha dared herald. Jaws parting, the wolf gripped the scruff of Water's neck. He didn't do so very hard, not hard enough to puncture her skin, or really hurt her in any way, but hard enough to get a good grip.

Turning on his heel, Ceres marched back inland, away from the cliff, dragging the she-wolf along. Her body, when not moving along willingly, was hard on Ceres' jaw, especially hard on his aging body. Holding onto her fur so she wouldn't run back, he stood there, uncertain of what to do next.

[Water]

As her paws moved forward she prepared herself for the fate that was about to be hers, and then a voice. She had heard it before but the memory was vague, turning she saw nothing but her alpha's mouth as he gripped her neck and drug her away from the cliff. "What the hell?!" She yelled sudenly angered, "You let me go, damnit you let me go now!" She wanted to die, she had to die. If Brazier was dead, or off with another woman, she didn't want to live. She wanted to leave this god forsaken earth behind and go be with her mate, or get away from him.

Tears whelped in her eyes as the anger raged inside her, "It's not your life, it's mine. It's my damn, life." She wanted to go, she wanted to so badley it hurt. But soon she relized she couldn't free herself from the mighty alpha's grip, she didn't even remeber who he was. She had never really met Ceres, just had a brief introduction before being moved off to meet someone else. And so do to this fact she never really met the male, and had no clue who had her by the scruff of her neck.

Going omewhat limp she stood, wanting to turn and see who had ahold of her, and wanting to know why they wouldn't let her go. She knew it wasn't Brazier, she could smell his scent from a mile away..well maybe not that far, but she would know it was him in a crowd of wolves. And this was /not/ Brazier.

[Ceres]

Standing there, stiff and unsure of himself, Ceres simply blinked. Since he was not a cannibal, the taste of Water's fur in her mouth wasn't all that great. But fear of her running back to the edge is what persuaded him to hold on. As she squirmed and fought and yelled and got all angry, Ceres simply chuckled to himself, although the sound was distorted and awkward sounding.

Shifitng, he waited until she calmed down, allowing her to vent all her frustrations. However that didn't happen. She just went quiet, and limp. The weight was difficult to hold up, but the Alpha just clamped down a bit harder, as a warning. He tried to speak, but his words were difficult to understand with a mouth full of fur.

"I dun' kare whoose lef' 'dis is, I'm nut lettin' 'ou kill 'erself. Not un my pucklense, not un my waatch, Warrr. Besudes, wut 'bout Arcan?"

[Water]

Her ears became alert as he spoke, something about not letting her kill herself? And Arcane...Arcane, was old enough to take care of himself but..she was his mother. Standing once again she let a growl, "Well then I'll just leave your damn packlands. Arcane's old enough to take care of himself, he's three, he's already without a father why not just top it off without a mother?"

Her voice was no longer harsh and angry, but more saddened that she was leaving her only son, who wasn't even her son in the first place. Her eyes slowly teared up as she thought about what she was wanting to do. She really, really, didn't want to be here if Brazier was gone, whether it was with another woman or dead. But then again she didn't want to leave her son either.

She didn't say anything, but her body became relaxed as she was no longer fueld by anger. What was she going to do? She wanted nothing more in the world than to have Brazier there wioth her, even if it turned out he didn't love her anymore.

The tears slowly eased thier way out of her eyes and moved slowly down her maw, before dripping onto the sanding ground below. "I..I just miss him so much,"Her voice choked by the crying sensation, she found it hrd to breath, hard to speak.

[Ceres]

Eye ridges twitched, furrowing as they pointed downwards to create a 'V' on his forehead. As Water spoke, Ceres felt tears of both loss and anger well in his eyes, and he shook the mouthful of fur in his mouth. "Dun't tulk like dat! Dun't!!" His deep voice, still sounding odd, was full of hurt, and the Alpha's grip loosened as he felt her weight move.

Shifitng, he let go completely as she sobbed, and he looked down at her. Water form in his eyes as well, and he, too, experienced a choking sensation in his throat. Selas. His son. His beloved son, dead from the jaws of a ruthless she-wolf, his daughter. Swallowing hard, Ceres stepped forward, his shoulder pushing lightly against Water's collar bone, and his head descended to rest on her shoulder.

Mahogany eyelids slid down, closing his eyes as tears seeped down his cheek. Fur dampening, he breathed deeply, wanting to just cry away his pain on this wolf's shoulder. But, for one thing, he didn't know her, and didn't really want to show his weakness to a pack member he didn't know well. But he couldn't keep this pain inside, and so he allowed himself to cry for a brief while, before whispering,

"He's dead, Water. Selas, my son... He was killed by his half-sister. I cheated on Dhracia, and had a pup with another she-wolf the same season Selas was born. She came looking for me, I know it. Selas went to investigate the bushes, smelling her, I suppose. She killed him. Murdered my boy, right there. And I couldn't do anything to save him..."

[Water]

A sigh of relief would have been given that he had released her, but for now, relief was nothing that she felt. Somewhat suprised that the male had started to embrace her, but she didn't care, it was what she needed now. Returning the wolf embrace she gently laid her head on the male's shoulder, tears flowing steadily from her eyes, maybe someone finally understood her pain.

As the words spilled from the males mouth she was shocked, this was the alpha, Ceres. And he had cheated on Dhracia, had more pups, like she was assuming more and more by the second Brazier was doing. She trusted him with her life and soul, but in times when she went into depression, she wasn't herself. Her whole train of thought changed, her attitude, her point of view.

Shaking her head slowly as he was done speaking she slowly opened her maw, "I'm sorry for your loss, but don't tell her. You may end up with another loss." Tears more and more forming and falling from her brown eyes, "Don't tell Dhracia..you cheated on her. All I can think about is...is that he's cheating on me. He's off with someone else, and if I actually knew it was true, I would jump off that cliff right now. And I would pray that I felt every last painfull jab, and hope he watched me suffer."

She was both advising hinm not to tell her, and at the same time spilling her emotions. Pressing closer to the male her multi-colored fur intertwined with his, as she laid her head resting on his shoulder. Of course people might assume somthing if they seen the two, embraced and talking softly, but if they could see thier faces they would know different.

[Dhracia]

<sup>Large, heaving body moved slowly through the foliage. A slight limp could be noted with each second step, each time his left front paw hit the earth. But this never distorted the ruthless drumming 'pon the loam below, the beating of his paws. They carried him here for one reason, and for one reason only. To find Water.

"He's off with someone else, and if I actually knew it was true, I would jump off that cliff right now. And I would pray that I felt every last painfull jab, and hope he watched me suffer."

Brazier listened as the she-wolf spoke, unable to catch her first string of words. He froze, repeating them in his mind. Vacant expression unsettled by a small frown, yet his features fought with a minor smile as well, therefore leaving his actual face looking as if he couldn't decide whether he was at long last happy to see his mate, or sad at what she thought. Huffing gently, he moved on again, the limp could still be noticed. Scarlet liquid dribbled from a wide cut across his left fore appendage, the khaki fur around it, sticky from the dry blood. But no other wound lay upon his body, which was really quite strange. He didn't feel weak, nor looked it, and moved with a newfound power. And at the same time, one could tell he had fought a tragic battle.
But recieved hardly any injuries.

That was probably because he hadn't fought a physical battle, but one amidst emotion and mind. A year or so ago, the male had taken his leave from Stolen Prophecy. Even the most minor of arguments could set him off, and one between Dhracia and he had done the trick. That wasn't all. The second and fore-most reason he had left was with the death of his friend Siren. Immediately Brazier blamed Altair and his feathered beast, and stormed off. The male had been alone for a terribly long while, grown emaciated, nearly died. Until coming across a peculiar territory, where an Alpha female had kindly taken him in. There, he was able to recover fully, and soon became quite healthy. He was ready to leave again, but one thing kept him from doing so. The Alpha.
She had begun to worm her way into his heart, and slowly Brazier fell for her. But eventually he snapped out of it, suddenly remembering Water. The male missed her more than anything, and had not realized how he sacrificed their relationship when he left. Brazier informed the Alpha that he was leaving, with that, she lashed out at him, leaving a broad gash upon his leg. The open wound was now beginning to get infected, though that wasn't what he was focused on. It was returning to Water, and to their adopted son, Arcane.

Now that he had finally found his mate... with Ceres, outside of Stolen Prophecy packlands... wait, with Ceres?

Flaxen gaze narrowed as he looked closer. The she-wolf was nestled closely to Ceres, for reasons Brazier did not know. What was going on? ...Had Ceres left Dhracia for Water? If he did, Dhracia probably would have done something drastic. Like banish the both of them. Maybe thats why they're outside of the packlands? Oh god, did he steal Water? Anger suddenly flared up inside at the sight. Lips pulled back in a loud, threatening snarl as Brazier stepped closer. Seconds later, it died down, into a piteous whine as he remembered how dearly he missed Water. Even if Ceres had stolen her, that wouldn't stop him from seeing her again.

Quickening his half limp - half jog, Brazier released another whine, heading towards Water. He was completely oblivious to how she had been on the verge of comitting suicide. But from what he had heard just now, she spoke of pain, and hoping somebody else watched her suffer. Brazier was only assuming she meant him. Would she take him back? The male shoved his thoughts to the back of his mind again. As he came up to Water, the wolf slowed, finally standing frozen again. Features blank once more, he carefully surveyed her beautiful features. Longing to see the face of the she-wolf he loved- her flawless smile, her alluring, capturing gaze, just.. her. But what he saw was great sorrow and distraught. Hopefully shrugging it off, he leaned in, offering a meek lick to her muzzle.

"Water... I'm here."</sup>

[Water]

The smell of her long lost mate entered her nose, but she thought it merley a dream. He was gone, he was gone off with some other she-wolf, licking her maw the gentle way he did, nuzzling her, raising a new littler of whelps. Her heart raced, her throat gave her a choking sensation making her want to cry and scream, to just let it all out, just so she could breath normally again.

But soon the smell became closer and closer, and she heard a whine. Eyes slowly opened as she slowly moved her head away from the sobbing alapha's shoulder, only to be greeted by the warm assuring lick of her one and only. Brazier.

Turning her head to face the male her maw hung open in shock, as she slowly backed away from the alpha Ceres. She didn't know whether to be happy, or sad, or angered to the very core of her soul. Eyes once againbegenning to tear up she could stop herself from latching to the male, her collar bone against his, while her head lay gently on his shoulder as she quietly sobbed.

"You left me..." Her words muffled only slightly by her tears, "Why?...Why did you leave me Brazier? I love you so much." Her jaws hurt from the tightening of her tear glands, her throat hurt from the choking sensation of her tears, and then she took a deep breath of his scent.

Her lifted from his shoulder slowly, unbelievingly, as she took a step back and looked him in the eyes. Her abilitys where gone, she could no longer send him a secrete love note, or secretely know what he was saying before he said, and she couldn't find out the whole story behind the scent. Her whole body shook, the shiver you get when you can't believe it's true, when you can't understand why it's not under your control and you want it to be. "Y...you, did cheat on me. You don't love me anymore." Her jaw quivered as she tried to keep from running away, while she was pulled towards the scene at the same time.

She wanted to know what happened, and then she didn't all at the same time. Her tail stayed tucked beneath her underbelly as fear surged through her body. The fear that he didn't love her anymore, the fear he had went off with another she wolf. Why had he left her in the first place? Why had he ran away, and left her alone? "You never told me anything, you just left. I was so worried, thought you where dead, or you where somewhere dieing. Arcane asked me where you where..so many times. I had to lie, I always told him you where out scouting while asking myself the same question every day." her jaw shook uncontrolably now as she continued speaking in her choked off voice, "I had to be strong for him, and on the day when I couldn't handle it, I wished I could slit my throat and have it be done with. And then the days came when i believed you ran away with another wolf, and then you came home. And I can smell her on you, and I can't raise him alone. I can't live with knowing you cheated on me. I can't live with knowing that every day our son might find out that his dad ran off on him."

She was being drastic now, she couldn't express her emotioons in the way that she wanted to express them. She couldn't get the right words to describe how much she missed him, how much she wished he had been there on the days when she couldn't take it, the days she felt like there was nothing left to live for. The days she wanted to die.

[Dhracia]

<sup>What he wished naught to be, what he hoped never would become, was all too painstakingly real.
At first, his heart gave an excited leap as she moved in closer. But he had reacted too soon and she pulled away. Accusing him of doing something he didn't do. Cheating. On another wolf? Well... maybe, but he didn't really love that wolf. Not much anyways, and if he did, if he loved her more than Water, he wouldn't have come back. No, scratch that, he still would have. Guilt would have built up so much within him that he probably wouldn't have been able to stand it. Guilt and a following mess of emotions, most of which he couldn't describe. Brazier whimpered softly after she spoke for the first time, then fell silent again as she carried on. She looked as if she were going to break down. But he wouldn't let that happen, he'd catch her when she'd fall. He always would. And all of what she talked about, he wouldn't let that happen, let Water take her own life just because of what Brazier had done. The male meant hardly anything to any wolf other than Water or Arcane- he wasn't worth the stealing of a soul. No wolf was.

"Water, I acted before I thought. Siren's dead, and when she died, I couldn't get over it. She was one of my closest friends, and... I blamed it on Altair. Thats why I left, I was mad."

He began to explain, but was unsure whether or not his words would completely clarify things. Nor was he sure if Water even wanted to hear what had happened. Would she ever take him back? Or did Ceres actually steal his mate from him? Hell... if he had, no matter what anybody did or said, the male would tear that bastard limb from limb. He wouldn't live to see the light of tomorrow. Shooting an akward glance at the alabaster King at these thoughts, Brazier focused back upon the ashen she-wolf again.

"I haven't ever loved another wolf as much as I do you, and I haven't stopped loving you, even after I left. Nobody could ever replace you Water, ever, so why do you assume that I found somebody else? I'm plenty happy with the family I have now."

The male sighed, looking down at his paws. He didn't have much more to say. Until now, when something else popped up into his mind.

"And don't ever think of trying to kill yourself for my sake."</sup>

[Water]

The tears stopped falling, but they stayed whelled in her brown eyes, her ears became plastered upon her blackened head as she listened to him. "You left me, and your son, for god knows how long, because you where mad?" her voice had a slightly disgusted tone to it, he had left her, alone, for what seemed like eternity, because he was mad. It wasn't a good score against him, escpecially in her current state of mind.

Her ears stayed plastered agains her cranium as she continued to listen to the male, she was temtped to walk closer to him yet again, she even shifted her paws in an action prepareing for movement, but changed her mind in the end. Her gaze was now cast towards the ground, down towards, not her paws, but Braziers. She couldn't stand to look him in the face, but she had to make sure that this wasn't a dream, and that he wasn't leaving again.

"I could smell her on you, it was faint, and whether or not it was because you tried to hide it, I smelled it. I always thought you where happy to, but now I'm not so sure."

She couldn't bring herself to look up, for that might just make her forgive and forget, and she wasn't ready to do that. Not just yet.

"My only regrete, is that I only have one life to give for you."

[Dhracia]

<sup>The male sunk to his haunches, now hanging his head. She wouldn't understand, not like this atleast. Maybe he should just leave, let her continue on with whatever the hell she was doing in the first place. Anger again began to rise inside of him, but this time Brazier pushed it down. This was Water- not Altair, or Dhracia, or anybody else. He couldn't be mad at her. Even for what she was saying, when she didn't know the whole story. Closing his eyes, the wolf shook his head. "I'm sorry." He murmured bluntly, looking back up at her, all the while she had averted her gaze to look elsewhere. "I didn't mean for it to be like this. But thats the truth-"

He paused, glancing over his shoulder as if expecting somebody to be there. Like he was paranoid about being followed or something. "Yes, Water, I was happy, until I left. I was hoping that I could be happy again once I came back. And that... that bitch that had tied me down while I was away, she didn't mean anything to me. It was nothing. But you got the wrong impression, I... I still love you more than anything."

Brazier stated lowly. He felt as if he were practically begging for the female's heart back. Partly he felt as if he would never win, and be left in the cold dust, forgotten. The male huffed again, looking back at Water.</sup>

[Water]

As he spoke her heart slowly started to sink, maybe it was him calling her a bitch, but whatever it was, she was slowly starting to forgive the male. She really didn't want to stop being mad, but she couldn't help it, she loved him to much, and her mind was starting to slip back into a state of peace.

"If she tied you down, for this long. Then she must have ment somthing to you."

Lifting her head slowly she locked eyes with him, but didn't advert her gaze. And then her maw opened one last time as she spoke the words she hoped, and knew she would never be able to forget if lied to.

"Did you...did anything happen?"

She hoped to god he hadn't bred, but that wasn't like him. But it wasn't like him to just run off asnd leave without saying anything either. She wanted to know if /anything/ happened, the slightest nuzzle, lick, or even mere touch, she just had to know how far it had gone. But no matter what his answer, she was sure she would take him back, she knew, that as soon as the words left his maw, she would be there.

Though this whole expereince wouldn't effect her in the most part, she new she would never be able to let him out of her sight for more than a day, and maybe not even that. One of her greatest fears was being left by the wolf she loved more than anything, and it wasn't just another "I love you""But I don't Love you" like Zeo's, no, this was true love.

Her brown eyes locked with his as she gave an almost smile but kept her ears and tail lowered, she just wanted to know, what happened? And if he 'loved' that other she wolf enough to stay gone for that long, why had he even came back? If he really loved her the way he said he did, and the way he hoped he did. Then why did he stay gone for long? Why couldn't he remeber he had a mate and kids, and tell the other wolf that. Why did he forget long enough to fall in love with her? Why?

[Ceres]

The scent that had infiltrated Ceres' senses only moments before he arrived was very obviously Brazier. The King stepped away from Water as she did so as well, and he silently wondered if it looked like something was going on with the two. Smirking as Brazier cast him a strange look, Ceres growled softly, eyes showing nothing of weakness. Should this scout want to fight, Ceres would fight. Ceres was still an Alpha, and Brazier was next to nothing. Besides, he was small and scrawny, while Ceres was large and bulky.

The winner would more than likely be the powerful King. Snorting, he listened very half heartedly, and then decided to proceed with the reason why he was here, while he was in the area. Walking around behind Water, Ceres encouraging nudged her side with his nose, offering her a soft, understanding smile before he glanced at Brazier with a slight glare. Pfft. Cheating bastard. The words came so swiftly to Ceres' mind that he could only chuckle coyly, although the sound was obviously venomous and fake.

Moving the the edge of the cliff, Ceres peered down into the darkness, amber eyes searching for the jagged rocks at the bottom. But alas! they were too far away, and shadows swirled below, menacing and lethal as they called for their next victim. Ears twitching, and then perking up, Ceres stepped right to the edge, his toes curiously peeking over the rim. Snorting, he slid his paw back a bit, lowering his body in an attempt to see better. To Water and Brazier, however, it more than likely looked like he was getting ready to lunge forward, into the abyss.

[Dhracia]

<sup>Brazier continued to glance from one wolf to the other, discouraged by Ceres' glares. How could he automatically assume Brazier was the bad guy? Well... then again, he had assumed that the King had tried stealing Water. Wasn't it only fair to exchange accusations then? The khaki male shuffled backwards, repeating Water's words within his mind. She wanted to know what had happened...? Didn't Brazier already tell her? Nothing had gone on between he and the other she-wolf. But then... maybe, in some way or another, it was revenge for Water cheating on him with Diablo. No, its not revenge. I wouldn't do that. She doesn't, never did, deserve any sort of punishment like that.

"Nothing, I swear to everything you love Water, nothing happened between her and I. If anything had... I don't know how I'd be able to live with myself. I still can't get over the fact that I left in the first place. I didn't realize how much it would affect you, or anybody. I'm sorry."

He murmured, flattening his ears. Brazier still didn't much like the idea of practically begging for his mate to understand, but there was no other way.</sup>