Moth walked slowly the rest of the way back to camp. Bevlon didn't bother waiting for her and trotted ahead. He was still within sight but several feet in front of her.

Her movements became more and more stiff as the wound between her shoulders smarted, and she could already feel the blood drying. althought she knew she should probably get back to camp, she didn't want too. Everyone was going to be angry because of the fight, and she didn't have the energy to deal with that.

Moth called out to Bevlon and told him that she was going to take a walk. He made sure to tell her that he would personally skin her alive if she caused any trouble. Multiple times. Finally she managed to escape him, strolling through the forest. She lost herself in her thoughts and before long she wasn't aware of where her paws were taking her.

After a few minutes, Hondo and Hymir were at the border. It wasn't long before they spotted the brown and black splashed wolf walking slowly along the border. Hymir ran to his side, and the brothers began to converse quietly among themselves, Hondo 's ears perking up when he heard his name. Hondo trotted up to their sides as Commodus busted out laughing. Hondo rolled his eyes. "What did you tell him?" He questioned, after a quick chuckle from Hymir, Commodus replied: "You lost to a girl?" Then busted out laughing again. Hondo gave an annoyed growl and said. "I didn't technically lose..." a laugh from Hymir, "It was a draw." Another laugh from Hymir. "Aw. Cut it out." He growled, but Hymir took this as a cue to laugh louder. Commodus eventually joined in, and this just made Hondo's mood worse. "Fine you keep going that right, and I'll go left on the border." He thought Hymir and Commodus had ignored him, but they veered right, and the two brothers just walked away, still laughing about Hondo.

...

A little while later, as Hondo still kept along the border, he heard a louder sized noise coming from the other packs territory. Hondo dropped to a crouch as a black female with a few white spots came into view, seemingly walking and thinking to herself. He focused his topaz eyes on her more, and realized that she was the Wolf who sparred him earlier. A curious look filled his gaze as he rose to his paws and walked along the border as he called out to the female. "I'd at least like to know the name of my conquerer." He called out, putting on a smirk as he said it, knowing this should at least get her attention. Because he knew, but wouldn't admit it to his friends, that she may have beat him in the battle earlier.

Moth jolted as she heard someone speak. Her hackles immeditatly rose in her shock as her brown-green eyes locked on the wolf from earlier.

She rolled her eyes as he spoke, a playful smirk playing on his lips. "Why? So you can report me to your alpha for trespassing?" She said, a snarky smile appearing as she picked up a paw, threatening to step over the border. One of her claws brushed the grass on the other side of the line. She wouldn't mind beating him for real this time.

(yikes this is short)

Hondo just laughed at her statement. "Tell my Alpha, tell my brother?" He gave out another chuckle. "I'd let you raid the camp and drive him out before telling him about you." He walked along the border some more. "He treats me horribly, even though I'm his beta." He emphasized the word Beta. He got a little closer. "I'm not going to fight you, if that's what you think I'm going to do, because by what you showed me, I'm am going to be a Wie bit careful next time I see you." He smiled again at the end of the sentence, taking another step. "But If you attack me I will have to fight you." He warned, his smile turning more serious.

Moth's ears perked as he mentioned the alpha being his brother. Interesting, she could definitely use that information. It was interesting to here who the knew alpha was after his...untimely end. She hadn't wanted to murder him, but she was the stealthiest wolf in her pack, and her alpha had ordered her too. So she did. She still hadn't completely gotten rid of the nightmares.

"You've got another thing coming if you think your rank means anything to me." Her tone was laced with playfulness, but she meant the words. His rank and family drama ment absolutely nothing to her. It didn't affect her, and frankly, she didn't care.

"Good, now not only can I say I beat a wolf from the Western Pack, I can say I beat their beta, that'll help my reputation quite a lot, thank you." She grinned at him, the sinking sun highlighting each of the sharp teeth.

"Be my guest," She said as a farewell, turning her back on him but was careful to listen for his approach. He would be an idiot to attack her now, especially since she did nothing to provoke it and she was in her own territory.

"Moth." She said quietly before she was out of earshot. If he could hear her from this distance and from the level of her voice, he deserved to know her name.

Hondo's ears pinned back in embarrassment. He could hear the playfulness in her voice, but that didn't help another. He gave a grin either way, his eyes glued on a thin looking stick. She bid him farewell, and just before he she was out of earshot, he muttered the name Moth. He gave a real grin this time, his tail wagging just the slightest. She continued on her way, and he yelled "Hondo!" But she seemed to be further away. As he too made his way back, the two shapes of the sneaky brothers Hymir and Commodus appeared. "Oooh." They called and trotted up to him giving him playful bumps on the side. "What was that?" Commodus asked, a huge smile on his face. "And you got her name.?" Hymir added. "I am so jealous." They both mocked in unison. Both of them already had mates. Hymir had Dodona, a higher ranking packmate. The two looked almost identical. And Commodus had Artemis, a stone gray female. Neither of them were fathers yet, but they made his bachelor status the thing to talk about. "A forbidden love?" Commodus cheered on. "Wait until Njord finds out about this." Hondo just rolled his eyes. "Either of you tell Njord about this, I'll personally rip your throat out." His mood now ruined in style, he padded ahead from the brothers, as they went about to finish their patrol.

Moth smirked as she heard the wolf yell something back at her. It sounded like Hondo, but she could be wrong. She didn't give it much more thought as she continued home, her shoulders starting to become even more stiff.

She arrived home as the moon was making it's appearance in the night sky. Most of her packmates were lying about, talking or grooming themselves. She spotted Bevlon talking to Malakai, another wolf in the pack. Bevlon was one of her closest friends in the pack, next to Kisima, a white and gray patched wolf who had been her best friend since birth.

Moth sat next to Bevlon as Malakai departed. She nodded in greeting which Bev repeated. He seemed to have gotten out of the battle mostly unharmed. There was a bite wound on his stomach and a few claw marks, but nothing major.

"How is everyone?" She asked as she itched her ear with a paw.

"Only minor injuries, everyone should be back to normal in a few days." He responded. "Your lucky I got you out of there, or you would have been their lunch." She detected some slight disapproval in his tone.

She pinned her ears in embarrassment "Yeah...I know." She admitted. "But it would have been really nice to tear someone's throat out." She said as a joke. The look Bev gave her made her immediately regret her choice of words.

"...and I'm going to take that look as a sign to go to sleep." She said as she stood, bidding Bevlon good night before heading to bed. She was asleep withing minutes.

Hondo, Hymir, and Commodus made it back to camp just as the moon rose to the top of the night sky. Njord was no where to be found, and camp was mostly empty besides the waiting Dodona and Artemis. Both waiting for their mates return. Hondo gave both of them a playful bump before they joined their mates. After that the pairs made their ways of to their dens. Hondo meanwhile, went to the prey pile and grabbed a rabbit. He sat down nearby and began to dig into his supper. "You know I can't protect you forever." A familiar voice said from behind him. He turned to see the face of his mother. Her muzzle even more grey than how it was last night. Her pelt raggedy from age. He turned away and stared towards the Alphas den. He sighed and replied: "I know." His mother came up on his side and layed down next to him. "I can only do so much. But I have faith in you. Your brother is too bloodthirsty and power seeking. You will be Alpha one day." She said the words with such hope that Hondo wished he could sulk away and hide. "Mother you said that the day father died. I'm sorry but it's not going to happen." He gave another sigh before rising to his paws. "I will never be father." Then he turned and headed towards his den. Leaving Leto alone with his half eaten rabbit. What he didn't know is that those were the last words he would ever tell his mother.

Moth woke early the next morning, the early morning sun nearly blinding her. She stood and stretched, the camp starting to come alive with activity.

She shook out her dark fur as she emerged from her den, spotting multiple wolves returning to camp or leaving. She didn't feel like dealing with other wolves today, so she took it upon herself to go on a solo hunting trip. She informed the Beta of where she was going before she left, trotting briskly through the cool forest. The grass was still dewy under her paws, the weather providing a refreshing breeze as she searched for prey.

"Hey, I'm sorry man." Hymir said as he eased Hondo awake. Hondo quickly blinking the sleep out of his eyes. "Ehat's wrong?" He said with a yawn, before rising to his paws. Wolves were peering into his den at him, solemn looks on their faces. He looked to Hymir for answers. "It's better you see for yourself." Hymir said as he led Hondo out of his den, the ither wolves whimpering as he walked out. Something must be horribly wrong. Hymir led him to the elders den where Commodus, Artemis, and Dodona sat waiting. Hymir sat down next to his mate as Commodus moved the vines to allow him entry. As he entered the den, and after his eyes adjusted. He saw Njord laying, his nose pressed into something lying at the back of the den. Oh no, it couldn't be. As he got closer, some of the elders gaemve him grieving glances, and as he stood over his brother, he saw the unmoving body of Leto, his mother. "No." He said, barely getting out the words. His future flashed before his eyes, his past memories of his mom replaying in his head at like 100 miles an hour. He gulped as he held back tears, before lowering himself next to his grieving brother. He gently pushed his nose into her neck fur, breathing in her scent for the lats time. "No, you can't leave." He said into her now cold fur. "No, no, no." He got up, looked to his brother again, before turning in sprinting out of the den, letting out a howl full of sadness. He flew out of camp, ignoring the voices of his friends behind him, he kept running and running, not knowing where his paws were taking him. After awhile, unaware of his surroundings, he gave another gut wrenching howl, his message of grief being sang in a beautiful song for nature and anyone to hear.