Days pass to a month and it seems that Love is getting more and more close to this friend of his, it should worry me but I've felt no such feeling. I've often wondered why, but each time I stopped to think I'm being sent out on missions. Who it is he won't tell me either or show me in fact, all I have to go on is their scent the scent that states that they are real. Although I've also lost interest in who it could be, I've also been brushing it off since I figured that he would tell me in his own time. But it seems that I've given it too much room to breathe or he stopped caring about what I would think. Since the scent is now in the house and it seems that the other person whoever they are is messing up the house on purpose. Love doesn't do much with it and lets it all sit, so much so that it's pilling up and starting to smell. Well I'm not there most of the time and I clean up what I can before I have to leave which seems like a lot of the time. It seems that the mess is getting even more disgusting the longer it is left alone.

The garbage bin is overfilling, rotting food, leftover mouldy food. At first it was just a few dishes, but since I've been gone it pilled up and knocking it off the chore list was daunting. I spoke about this to my Stick, they just told me to leave it. I don't live there and I'm working to hard on keeping the whole pack safe. Not cleaning up the garbage it's... it's irritating but they are right.

Because of this I've also stopped trying to nest there, the strange scent clung to everything. It's starting to sting my nose and I can hardly tell if it's that Friend's scent or the garbage that was irritating. They have a particular scent, soft, floral, at times watery. I spoke to Love about the mess before but lately he's been doing less of the work. I'm trying my best to not growl at him, I've also been getting less physical with him. Well initiating physical contact at least. It was starting to get tiring, and the Ceremony is coming up soon.

What should I do about this?

Do I let it go on and just do what I'm doing now?

I don't think I can handle anymore than this.

I also think that living together isn't the right choice.

After this mission I'm filing to get my own place, but maybe I should try talking to Love at least one more time before finalizing this decision.

"Love, the place is starting to rot. I'm cleaning up what I can here, but-"

"I'll get to it later, my friend just said that they were starting a new recipe and it looks sloppy. See," Love held his phone up to me, showing a picture of some questionable cutting skills, a bowl of some pink slop?

"Are they trying to make an omelette?" I asked trying to figure out what it is that they were making.

"Don't make fun!" Love growled taking his phone back and looking at it, his thumbs started tapping on the phone.

"You're the one that said it was sloppy, I just don't know what they were making. Tell them that the knife needs sharpening, and to watch their fingers when they cut. It seems that they nicked themselves," I stated and started picking up more garbage. Then my Alpha howled, I quickly tied up the garbage bag I had and grabbed my bag on my way out. "Good night."

I walked out, locked the door with the key that had a happy strawberry key-chain and jumped off the 5th story railing to the ground then made my way to the disposal by the corner of the Omega Apartments. Tossing the garbage out I slipped on the bag and jogged to the entrance of the Warehouse.

"Go Wolf," Alpha stated and I put the bag on properly and shifted with the rest of the Stick. The bag locked in place and rested on my right, it had some food rations, a small bowl, utility utensil, and a set of civilian clothes. My Delta Survival Knife was at my left hip, we waited for orders of our positions and what we must do.

"This will be an easy run," North stated. "We will be heading towards Majestic Woods and taking a left towards Badger Cliff, just on the other side is Crosas Town. We've been tasked with finding a missing person and snow is fast approaching in that area."

"Let's get moving, we also must avoid the Badger that lives at the Badger Cliff. It's territorial and will attack if necessary. Keep your guard up and noses and ears alert. Move out, Delta's."

The run was quick paced and enough to settle me down from earlier, sorting out these feelings on the run was a good thing. Especially at the start but as soon as we leave our boarders we have to be a bit more alert. I also need to sort these out when I get back, my feelings, state of mind, physical well being, I have to meet with my Doctor for a check up and talk of how my days are going.

I also need to sort out my living conditions with Love, or at least try to patch it up with him. Maybe Doctor first, I'll see what he says and if its anything what my Stick says then it will be decided.

Travelling to the second bridge above Saker Keep just before Cold Echo Creek, the old and worn over time bridge is no longer used aside from us that is. We crossed Wolf Grave River, and followed it up towards Old Willow Grove a small town in Willow Grove area that is famous for it's plentiful Willow Trees. We ran far and taking a few hours to rest, we had to be in top performance for this mission. If we continue to follow the river we'll reach Black Wolf Cliff, if we took the road we would be spotted since its well used for deliveries from larger towns West of Majestic Woods. It was an old pack territory before they travelled down to ours, they told stories of a Black Wolf who they called Shadow Wolf roaming the area and eating misbehaved pups.

"They say if you see a wolf that doesn't respond to howls or your presence then that is the Shadow Wolf gauging your behaviour. If they turn to you when you get close stay still, if it runs then run towards the sun." North said as we walked through the forest just before the cliff. To my understanding his pack was the Black Wolf Cliff pack and they passed that story to him. It was interesting hearing this story and it certainly passed the time as we rested.

From Black Wolf Cliff we climbed up Crystal Falls a waterfall that flowed from Wolfheller Rush, a fast moving river and we headed towards Majestic Woods. That is where Majestic Channel is located and in that area is Badger Cliff. It was an old river but Crosas Town blocked it off because it was getting dangerous for normal travel. Before crossing that bridge we shifted and walked to Crosas Town following the Old Falls road. We were sure to avoid Badger Cliff but we still spotted the Badger that resided there. It growled at us as we passed but didn't follow to attack.

My guess is that we're a large pack of dogs and it doesn't stand a chance against us. Not that we would attack anything that is remotely threatening, I certainly calmed down in this Stick. At least enough to think that Life is precious and that Badger looked old and far from threatening.

We reached the town and spoke to the head of the hunt, after that orders were given to us to search and that anyone who was still in the area must leave. They can not know that we are shifters. Unfortunately the missing person was deceased, from our investigation the time of death was when they were reported missing. We brought the body back and left them to deal with the cause of death.

I felt slightly dizzy as we were leaving and I mentioned this to Alpha during our rest. The pace was slowed for me and as we continued forward I started feeling more and more out of breath.

We reached Badger Cliff and I was not getting better it felt warm out and I was getting sluggish in my movements. Alpha looked to one of the Stick and nodded to South, it seems they had an emergency measure for cases like this. South sniffed me and started going along Majestic Channel giving the Badger a wide berth before running at a quicker pace. We rested there until nightfall when the Badger was a little worn out with its growling and stomping.

During this time Alpha asked how I was feeling and I responded honestly as I could, just the same symptoms and some of them I didn't know. It was difficult to explain, when the Alpha stood he instructed us that each of us is going one by one to scout for danger. The Badger not moving from its spot by the cliff, it looked like it was guarding something and I understood why we didn't attack it when it was so hostile.

They had mentioned that they didn't smell any kind of sickness on me which was odd in itself, I was well enough to go across on my own and waited a few more minutes before sprinting to my Stick who waited on the othr side of the Badger.

Something in the treeline flashed and caught my eye and just as I spotted it, it crashed out of the bushes, leaves scattering and flew towards either me or the Badger behind me I didn't know which. Growling and baring my fangs at the threat, I snatched the scruff of the large creatures neck and tossed it to the side.

The Badger growled and charged towards me, looking over to it quickly I seen that it was ready to fight and in that distraction the creature latched onto me with sharp claws and bit the back of my neck. The Badger biting my back leg and tail, it wasn't a strong as the creature that was on me. So I figured that it was only a warning bite but the weight of the creature was too heavy for me in my weakened state and the Stick was just getting there.

The Stick got it off me and I seen that it was a Mountain Lion, it roared then it charged at us again. The Badger long forgotten, I stood and lowered my head ready now, the Lion jumped over my Stick and landed on me. We rolled and my paws pushed the cat away giving me room to breathe and snap at the Lion and in this emergency I shocked the Lion from my paws.

Yowling it got off me, kicking me aside knocking me, and the Badger I just noticed, over the cliff. The Lion was shocked for a moment then ran when the Stick started going after them and then Alpha called down to me.

I was dazed and it seemed the Badger was to, standing slightly I looked up it seems we had fallen a long way down Badger Cliff. I howled up to let them know I was still alive but exhaustion overcame me and I laid down to rest.

I woke to my Stick trying to wake me, I stood and shook myself but stumbled. I was still feeling weak from earlier, looking up at the sound of growling I suddenly stood on guard. Forcing the sickness back for a few precious moments of survival, growling I took a few steps back until my back paw landed on something soft and fuzzy. Stealing the few moments to look, I realized that it was a baby blanket and the Badger was looking frantic.

Moving away quickly the Badger ran towards the blanket and unveiled a small white object. The scent from the blanket was that of death and sickness, Badger was growling and yipping nuzzling the object. Taking a step closer I seen that it was a small skull, backing away further I caught the same scent from a makeshift cave.

This must have been what Badger was protecting, they were wrapped up in another blanket. Padding over to the blanket in the small den I gently picked them up, walking back to Badger I laid the blanket bundle down beside her. Her back left paw was twisted, she whimpered. I know it wasn't from pain from her injury, this pain was long festering and re-openings as she looked up at me then back to the precious blankets.

She was mourning and heartbroken.

How she lasted this long was beyond me and my understanding.

Whining, I pushed the blanket closer to her, showing the two skulls in it. I placed a paw over hers and touched the noses of the Badger cubs and the Badger herself. I looked into her eyes and it seems she knew that her time was up now. "Rest Mother, rest."

Standing again, I howled.

I felt that my howl echoed off the walls towards the sky, then surrounded me in gentle rhythms. It was a real Lullaby.

It felt lifting.

The heaviness was no longer weighing me down.

I was light.

I was free.

I felt that my howl needed to be stronger.

Louder.

So I did.

The echo was no longer just that.

It was there.

It was like being surrounded by a pack.

Family.

Brothers.

Sisters.

Fathers.

Mothers.

I let go.

For the brief moment.

I wanted to feel it.

And just like rain.

It fell.

Washing over me in quick waves.

The heaviness I felt was crashing down on me like a heavy blanket and I fell feeling crushed.

The Badger was no longer breathing, her eyes were closed. She was no longer in pain and the air felt peaceful. Getting up on shaky legs I walked to her cave and took out the remaining blanket and laid it across her and walked away from her.

~ o ~ m ~ e ~ g ~ a ~

My babies!

Don't come near my babies you awful brutes!

Children don't worry.

Mommy is here.

Mommy won't let anything happen to you my precious pups.

Mommy will make it all go away!

Go AWAY!

They are gone now, my pups.

Are you- are you hungry?

You must be starving my pups.

Let me get you some berries.

I know it's not much but it's all I have to offer.

Because you know, you always know that Mommy tries her best.

Night is falling down.

Lion prowls at night.

Must keep you pups safe.

Do not worry.

Mommy is strong.

Mommy is here.

Your Mommy will not let you down.

Mommy will fight to keep you safe.

My pups, have some berries.

It's good isn't it?

Eat lots.

So you can be big and strong.

Here I'll have some too.

Mmm, it's so good.

It's not bad, eat some.

Please don't be picky, my pups.

Smell?

Brutes have come back!

Stay away!

GET BACK!

That's right, no come near!

Stay away!

Lion comes at night!

Stay Back!

No Come Closer!

What you doing?

Get back!

Back to own kind!

Back to safety!

Don't leave them!

Please don't leave them!

Must protect!

Stay together!

Please stay together!

Stronger as one!

Weaker alone!

Hurry!

Hurry!

Please hurry!

What is that?

Lion!

Lion!

Brutes!

Run!

RUN!

NO!

Small one in trouble!

Small Brute get away!

No Fight Lion!

Stop fighting!

Run!

Huh?

Oh, ouch.

Brute ok!?

Brute is ok.

Brute sleep?

Rest Small Brute.

Fight well.

Mommy has this now.

Brute woke up.

Be careful Brute.

Brute near pup!

Back off!

Don't step on pup!

Brute move.

It's ok.

Pup, Mommy is here now.

Pup, Mommy is feeling sleepy.

Mommy will rest now.

Small Brute strong.

They will find own way out.

Small Brute?

Oh.

Oh, Thank you for bringing the rest of my pups.

Rest my pups.

Rest knowing that Mommy took care of you.

Rest knowing that I tried my best.

Rest in now.

Rest.

Lovely Lullaby.

Oh so lovely.

Mm mmm Hmm.

Whoa oh ooh oh.

Sigh.

"...my! Mommy!"

"Mommy!"

"Mama!"

"Wake up, Mommy!"

"Mama, time to get up!"

"Let's go, Mommy!"

"Let's go play! Mama!"

"Oh, my Pups! My Pups. Yes, I'm coming my pups! Slow down. Small Brute, thank you."

~ o ~ m ~ e ~ g ~ a ~