Upon Winter's End

Chapter Three

Cross padded upon the cold leaf strewn floor as he followed Nightmare.
"Sorry, where are we going again?" Cross asked, shivering from the cold seeping through his thin coat. Nightmare huffed, his breath forming a cloud in front of him as he turned his head to Cross.
"We need to go to LakeSide Clan to get some of their herbs for Geno," Nightmare explained.
"Why can't he get them himself?" Cross cocked his head to the side as they kept walking. Nightmare sighed.
"Geno has gotten sick and only a rare herb in LakeSide territory can cure him," Nightmare said.
"I-it's just a sickness, it can't be that bad, r-right? I really like Geno! I don't want him to die!" Cross cried.
"It is very serious, yet not contagious, if we can get it he'll be alright, we just have to get it in time," Nightmare said as he increased their speed a bit, Cross' weak limbs struggling slightly to keep up. Nightmare soon broke into a run, Cross yelped as his paw was caught in a root and his snout ended up in the ground. Nightmare didn't slow down at this.
"Nightmare!" Cross called, causing the other to come to a skidding halt.
"What?!" He growled. Cross whimpered under his strong gaze as he tried to free his paw. "Sorry, I just want to get there quickly," Nightmare apologized. "Pff how'd you get your paw stuck in a root?" Nightmare tried not to laugh at the other.
"I don't know! These things aren't supposed to stick out of the ground like that!" Cross tried to counter but failed, as he still kinda looked like an idiot.
"Just pull your paw out," Nightmare said.
"I can't, it's stuck!" Cross yipped. Nightmare rolled his eyes.
"Here let me help you," Nightmare snagged the thin yet strong root on his claws and pulled it up so that Cross could take his paw out. Cross pulled back quickly and stood up to his full height which was still small compared to Nightmare. "Alright, let's keep going," Nightmare said as they started off again, going a bit slower than a run. Eventually the scent of the territory changed and Nightmare switched their direction.
"Hey!" A male wolf barked. "What are you doing on our territory?" He growled as he approached them.
"I am Nightmare and this is Cross, our healer wolf has come down with... the disease," Nightmare lowered his head as he spoke. The other gasped.
"Oh goodness! Come with me, quickly," He said as he ushered the others to follow him. They followed the male wolf into his camp and into the healer wolf's den.
"Oh! Hello Nightmare, who is that?" The wolf asked as they looked up.
"I'm C-Cross," Cross stuttered.
"Now, what are you here for?" He asked, Nightmare sighed.
"Our healer has the disease, and we need help," Nightmare told him.
"Oh! I have the herbs for that in the back here, one second!" He rushed off quickly into a side cave off of their own main cave.
"Are you okay?" Nightmare asked the other, who was shaking as he tried to curl around himself.
"N-not really, i-it's kinda cold," Cross said, burring his muzzle in his paws.
"What are you talking about? It's just chilly, didn't you live in the mountains before?" Nightmare raised an eye ridge as he spoke.
"I-I never ate enough to have a full coat l-like yours..." He mumbled.
"Oh..." Nightmare laid down near Cross and pulled him to his chest, curling around him to try and keep him warm. Cross made a small happy noise as he nuzzled further into Nightmare fluffy thick warm coat.
"Aww how cute," The healer fawned as he returned. Cross squeaked as he tried to hide himself and Nightmare chuckled.
"He said he was cold, nothing more," He explained.
"Sure~ Whatever you say, anyways here's this," He said as he set down a bundle of herbs near them.
"Thank you," Nightmare said as he bowed his head before standing up and picking up the bundle in his jaws. Cross whimpered as his warmth disappeared, but thanked the healer and turned to follow Nightmare out of the camp.
"Hey, you've performed a great feat Cross, you've won his heart," The healer whispered to Cross.
"What?" He seemed confused.
"You see-" The other was cut off by Nightmare's urgent bark.
"Cross! Hurry up!" He said from the entrance of the camp.
"Coming!" Cross said as he dashed up to the other and they quickly departed.

"Where is Geno?" Nightmare asked, his words muffled by the herbs in his jaws.
"He's in his den... it's gotten worse," One wolf told him.
"Okay, Cross come with me, I'll need help," Nightmare said as the two walked towards Geno's den. Inside Geno was splayed on the ground a large puddle of blood coming from his mouth. "Geno?" Nightmare tried to ask, Geno lifted his head but it fell back down with a plop, his breathing was shallow as he coughed again. "Okay we have to get him to eat this, you open his jaws and I'll well do this," Nightmare instructed.

Geno breathed in a deep breath as the herbs had finally started to take effect.
"O-oh thank you so much," He sighed happily. "I-I thought I would die," Geno said.
"You're welcome," Nightmare said. "I'm glad we got them in time," Cross nodded in agreement. Suddenly Geno froze up.
"What's wrong?" Cross asked.
"Something is wrong, I must go," He said as he stood up, shaking a bit and ran out of camp.
"What was that about?" Cross looked as confused as Nightmare.
"I have no idea," Nightmare shrugged.

Geno was no longer alone as he hid in a hollow of a tree. The healer wolf smiled softly as he looked down at the tiny, still goopy, pup. The small life gave a tiny yip as he was pulled towards Geno's belly. The pup didn't seem to care and just started nursing as Geno licked off the goop that made their pelt slick. The tiny wolf was grey with black paws, their eyes were firmly shut.
"Hello little one," Geno smiled as his pup yipped at him. "Your name shall be Goth," He said as he nuzzled the top of the pup's head. "You're so perfect," He cooed. "Oh, but what do I do with you?!" Geno panicked a bit. "I can't have a pup! I can't take care of you, oh goodness," Geno felt tears prick at the edges of his eyes. "And it's the middle of Winter, I'll have so many wolves to take care of, I can't take care of a pup too! Oh and Ink's pups are due so soon, I can't do this," Geno groaned as he curled around himself and his pup. Geno soon fell asleep, his pup pulled close to him.

So here's this part, I kinda wanted to add Goth in here (yes, Poth shall eventually happen if I keep this going) so I did that, tell me if I made any mistakes or anything, bye for now!