The Rares

Chapter 34

~~~~Russet~~~~

In the three weeks it had been since Gray's death, Red and Zerrec became quite reclusive, I spent as much time with Zephyr, Zimri, and Cosan as I could, and life with everyone else went on with a haze of grief over everything.

A loud, high-pitched buzz came through the speakers. My head snapped up. Who would be coming to the stronghold at this time?"

Cosan and I ran to the doors, neither of us telling Zephyr or Zimri back to our room.

I skidded to a surprised halt when I saw who was here.

"S-Shiloh?"

Shiloh gave me a tired grin. "Hi, Aunt Russet."

"Zephyr, Zimri, get Red, Silver, Aeriana, Snow, Sam-"

"We know who to get," Zephyr cut Cosan off, then the two kits bounded away.

"They've grown up," Shiloh murmured.

"So have you," I countered gently. "Where were you?"

"Shiloh!" Sam cried before she could reply. He raced over and nuzzled his sister. "Where have you been? I was so worried, how could leave that that, do you know-"

He stopped suddenly, then took a defensive position. "Who is this?"

I noticed a dark shadow next to Shiloh. It was vaguely canine-shaped, but with the swirling snow, I couldn't tell.

"Can we come in and warn up? I'm really tired, and I've been walking all day in this weather." Shiloh evaded.

Sam's gaze filled with concern. "Of course. I'm sorry."

We led Shiloh to our typical meeting room, the stranger following.

When we got there, Shiloh closed her eyes and sighed. She swayed from exhaustion, and the stranger caught her.

"I told to we should have rested," He scolded. "Sit down, please, Shi."

He guided her to a beanbag chair, which she laid against, gratefully.

"How's Inca holding up?" She asked.

"He's fine," The stranger replied. "Here he is now."

The doors opened with Zephyr and Zimri leading Shiloh's relatives. Zerrec and Rhea had come, as well as my first litter.

"Shiloh!" Snow grinned. He seemed so happy and relieved that I thought he would cry. He ran over to his daughter and pressed his head to hers.

"Who is this?" Aeriana asked as she limped over to greet her daughter.

Shiloh looked up at the stranger. "This is Nickolas, my..." She trailed off, glancing worriedly at Snow. "My mate."

Snow jerked back, his eyes wide, filling with fury. "Mate?" He demanded. "What do you mean, mate!?"

Shiloh flinched. "Keep it down," She pleaded, then nosed something near her belly. "Don't wake them."

"What?" Snow repeated.

"What's happening?" A small voice squeaked. A tiny pup that looked exactly like the stranger-Nickolas- pressed himself against Shiloh's leg. "What's wrong?"

Shiloh touched her nose to the pup's head. "Shush, Nico. Go to your father."

The pup obeyed, padding over to Nickolas, who whispered something to him.

"Father?" Snow narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Is this why you left...?"

Shiloh met Snow's gaze defiantly. "Yes," She replied. "I left to have my pups where they could meet their father." She sighed. "There were five. One died."

"I don't know if I'm hallucinating, but I see seven pups," Sam spoke up.

"We adopted three that we found freezing in the snow."

"What are their names?" Aeriana asked.

"The original four are named Nico, Nomis, Selena, and Malira. The adopted three are Azteci, Maya, and Inca."

Silver smiled gently down at the sleeping and drowsy pups. Some were brown, some black-and-white spotted, some a deep red.

"We should get you to your room, so you can sleep in a real bed," Cosan spoke up.

"Is nobody seeing the problem here?" Simon cut in. "That she went off and had pups when she's barely a year and a half? I mean, honestly, were you even thinking?"

Shiloh flinched, and turned her head away as Nickolas, and Sam turned to glare at Simon.

"Why can't you just be happy that our sister is home?" Sam retorted. "She's safe, she's found someone that makes her happy, and I've felt her joy, multiple times! If Nickolas caused that, then I thank him! She's never been so happy!"

"You've felt it?" Shiloh asked unnecessarily. She paused. "Why did I feel so sad a couple of weeks ago? What happened?"

Sam's eyes went wide. "You don't know..." He mumbled.

"I don't know what?"

"Nickolas, why don't I take you and your pups to Shiloh's room?" I cut in. "I'm sure they would love to get a place to sleep tonight."

I'm sure they don't want to hear this, I thought.

"I'll help," Cosan volunteered.

"Um... Not to be rude, but who are you?" Nickolas asked, a doubtful look on his face.

"Nicks, these are Russet and Cosan. I told you about them." Shiloh replied.

"Oh! Okay then, let's go. Nico, follow us."

Nickolas picked up two pups. Cosan and I followed suit, a total of six tiny balls of fluff being carried to Shiloh's room.

We had left the door unlatched, so we could just push the door open. I put the two pups I was carrying down, turned human, then put them on one of Shiloh's pillows. I took the two from Cosan, then reached for the two Nickolas was holding. He hesitated, then allowed me to take them. He picked Nico up, and jumped on the bed himself.

"I'm not a Half, so you can expect at least one of our for to not be either." Nickolas told us, cuddling the sleepy seven. By now, one other, a young brown-and-red-furred pup has woken. He opened his eyes and looked weakly at Nickolas.

"Where's mama?" He asked in a hoarse whisper.

"She'll be here soon, just go back to sleep, Inca."

Nickolas flattened his ears and gazed at us with wide eyes as a grief-stricken wail sounded.

"She just got some bad news," Cosan explained, not elaborating.

Thirty minutes later, we left as Shiloh came in, led by Sam. Nickolas was all-but asleep, and Nico had fallen asleep a while ago.

She jumped up on the bed, and laid down next to her pups and mate.

"I'm glad I'm home," She murmured as her eyes slipped shut.