Note - read prologue of Shifter Chronicles for background... *G* -- The Middle of Nowhere

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Date Posted: 12:32:23 12/29/02 Sun
Author: Shifters
Subject: Note - read prologue of Shifter Chronicles for background... *G*

Sachi laughed in her chest, silently, as she staggered out to a clear spot in her home territory. The brilliant, almost luminous emerald of the grasses looked oh-so-very welcoming as she half-turned and fell on her side, cushioning the impact automatically before going limp. Her wild auburn hair slewed about her head in a tangled mass of curls, and she breathed deeply only once before opening golden eyes again. With some effort, she rolled onto her back, letting her sharply-filed nails unclench from her palm. A plumed tail snaked between her legs and its fluffy tip rested on one knee, the silky white fur a contrast to her red-brown hair and tanned skin. Despite her physical health, her tunic and leggings were in rags, her undershift barely provided decency, and her leggings were shredded to a level well above her knees.

She had fought well, the Wolf reflected as she gazed up at the darkening sky. It had taken two days, two days of relentless, highly skilled battle. A new pair of Wolves, mates despite their just-adult ages, had wanted to join Silverwood. They challenged for Gamma, though the rank was only in abstracts, for the two 'Gammas' were in fact the two main Guards, Sachi and her bloodbrother Jay. As there were no Betas to such a small, undernourished pack, there could not be Gammas... but Sachi and Jay held rank slightly higher than their fellow auxiliary Guards, Fire and her cousin Desheh. Seyiri had challenged Sachi, and Mahku, her mate, had challenged Jay. Sachi had laid out the terms of the fight, being the challenged Wolf - not to the death, in human form with two double-headed spears, and the first to Shift five times to heal grevious wounds loses. Jay had been less lenient - one sword, human form, and first to Shift two times loses. It had taken Sachi two full days of hard battle to win, and only by a slim margin. Jay had won in a day and a half, which considering his prowess with his sword is a compliment to Mahku, then had watched his bloodsister's fight until it was over. The blood-linked pair had retained their positions, but only barely.

And Sachi was exhausted beyond belief.

Quiet footsteps alerted her, and she raised her head just enough to spy her brother's tall, broad-shouldered form emerging from the dusk shadows. Jay grinned wolfishly and dropped a roughly-woven but warm blanket on his sister's prone form, before sprawling out beside her and tucking his own blanket around his muscular frame. "That was close. Too close," he muttered, shutting his green eyes in mock-horror. Sachi snorted half-heartedly, a grin tugging at her lips nonetheless. "T'was a good fight though," Jay continued, shifting his weight to find a comfortable spot on the still-warm earth. Sachi shot him a look and he chuckled. "Goodnight Sach'."

"G'night, Jay." The white Wolf rolled over, pulling the blanket around her tightly, yawning broadly before letting her eyes wander back the way her brother had come. A swift inhalation told her of two approaching Wolves, and she groan-growled under her breath. A bright laugh startled her, and Jay half-twitched.

"Oh, go to sleep you luggards. We just wanted away from the partying." Fire's familiar voice, without the usual friendly acid, was enough to relax the blood-siblings into settling back down. A dark hulk padded at her heels - Desheh, also in human form, dwarfed even Jay's well-built body. The petite female curled up on the ground on Sachi's other side, and Desheh laid down near Jay, both cousins Shifting to their Wolf forms to sleep. They were not the only ones who had gone without rest to watch the skilled battles being played out near the center of the territory - most of the 25-strong pack was snoozing, even though it wasn't quite nighttime yet. But the rest were celebrating such an excellent battle, and the acquisition of a female able to breed - there were only four females in the entire pack. One had lost her mate in the last battle, two (Fire and Sachi) were adolescents still, and the other was Tepura, who in no case would rush things with her special friend, Ashikena. Seyiri's presence, along with her mate, was a true boon to a pack who otherwise could not increase its slowly dwindling numbers.

Sachi's eyelids fluttered shut during this train of thought and her fingers uncurled, relaxing as she slipped into the soothing, pride-balming restorative called sleep.

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