A Shifting Land

Chapter 17

Swift flicks her tail up, halting Kiri in his path. "Something is here. Far side. Come on, let's go." She jumps, claws pulling her effortlessly into the branches. She darts, flitting along branches with nary a leaf disturbed by her passage.

Kiri lopes by her side, darting over trees, easily clearing great distances, far beyond the earth's mortal bounds. He catches her with his mind, shifting her aside as her feet hit a bad branch. He shoots her a grin.

"Thanks. You're getting good at that." She shoots back at him.

Kiri nods. "Yep. I've been practicing while hunting."

"Oh is that why I have been pulling the weight for us?"

Bladen takes over for Swift, ignoring her indignant squeak. He barely dodges a tree, feet slipping slightly under him.

Swift shoves him back aside with a crash. She launches upwards, nearly falling short as she regains herself. "What was that for?!"

Bladen resettled himself in her mind before retreating to the corner.

"Seriously? You are going to sulk now?" Swift grumbles. "Bladen is a moron Kiri."

Kiri slows, examining the beach. "What is the disturbance here?" He laughs, "What? Are you trying to blame your klutz like nature on him again?"

Swift draws his eyes to where she looks, her tail pulling his chin in the correct direction. "There. Something washed up. I felt it a good way out. It's Dukari." She gives him a mental huff. "It is his fault! He took over while I was running."

"D'vala says that's a skill you need to learn." Kiri points out. He nods. "Are we approaching with utmost caution?"

"Yep, and make sure you look older then you are. We don't want her realizing just how young we are. We-" She shuts up, a different voice bouncing into her skull.

"Attention packs," Alpha Frost's voice hums across the line, dead and emotionless. "A pack member of the immediate alpha line has vanished. She is only 4 months. Please bring her to base if you locate her."

A thinner line of communication sprang up, only meant to be between the established Alphas. "Firestorm, warn your people. The young female pup from your most recent litter vanished on us today. If you find her, kill her. She's useless to me."

Firestorm snorts. "I'll keep her here if I find her. Not kill her."

"Same difference. You killed the last one you had, and you actually needed her." Frost replies before shutting down the pack link.

Swift creeps along closer to the creature lying on the sand. "Kiri, I think that may be my sister." She whispers.

Kiri stops her with a thought, "Then we approach with more caution, not less. You are dead to them. Don't make yourself dead to me too."

She grumbles and rolls her eyes. "You are so dramatic. What's the worst that happens?"

"Your father kidnaps you and keeps you as a pet?" Kiri suggests. "I mean, he's looking for her."

"Not very hard. If he finds her he will kill her. Just because he can." Swift mutters. She moves close enough to hover above her. "She looks so young. No scars, no adult fur. Purely baby."

"I guess we just had to get older faster." Kiri leans against her with a sigh.

Swift shoots him a guilty look. "Sorry."

"Dont be. I rather have you here then not. My father would've turned on me anyways, just like he turned on you. I'm just sorry they punished you for it." Kiri nods to the pup below them. "We should go see if she's breathing."