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Chapter 30

Aliona sat at her mother's bedside, holding her paw. Xela, an older replica of her daughter, was breathing shallowly and weakly. She lay with bearskins pulled up to her chin, staring at the ceiling with almost-blank eyes. Her gray mane was a stingy mess in her face, her mouth was pained. Aliona sniffed and pushed the limp tendrils of mane back from her mother's face.

Xela looked at Aliona and her trembling lips managed a smile. "I'm dying, my girl. There is no point bringing your sorcerer friend here."

Aliona's ears flattened and her long lashes fanned down miserably. Zaldon had looked at Xela years ago and had told Aliona gently that her mother's sickness was mere old age. Aliona knew better, though. Her mother hadn't been the same since her father died during the winter wolf wars . . . and before that, Xela had lost three pups in succession. She had always been a weak and sickly female who had in turn birthed weak and sickly pups. As Aliona was growing up, her mother would proudly tell her on a regular basis that she had survived infancy simply because she refused to die. Her strong little Aliona.

"Don't cry, girl," Xela wheezed sadly. She lifted her paw with difficulty and tried to wipe away the tear that trailed down Aliona's face. "I can go on to be with your father now. I will flow back into nature . . . become one with my Moswen."

Aliona sniffed and nodded. The sudden image of Moswen's death flashed across her mind. The winter wolf hit him hard on the head. Blood tossed. He fell to the snow with his head at an awkward angle. Aliona didn't understand at the time, but his neck was broken. She ran from the house, ignoring her mother's shouts, and fell to her knees before her father's body. Her mother fell with her and they wept for a time. Then more winter wolves came charging their way. Xela had to pry Aliona off her father - she would not let him go - and she dragged her daughter away through the burning streets. They hid in the forest all night - all night, as the summer village burned, as the winter wolves raped, kidnapped, murdered, and pillaged.

All night. And when they returned . . . Moswen's head was on a pike. Xela fainted when she saw it.

"You aren't dying, Mommy," Aliona whispered. "No . . ."

"Oh my girl," Xela said hoarsely. "We both knew this day would come. But I am not worried for you." She smiled. "I know you are strong and always have been. You will go on. You will help Zalia and Kilyan raise their children. You will live and laugh and love and be the fine female you are." She squeezed Aliona's paw weakly. "I am proud of you, my girl. I always have been. You know this?"

Aliona nodded and smiled, blinking out tears.

"And I am sorry I have always been a burden to you --"

"Mom, no --"

"I know I have," Xela said over her. "Your father had to care for me when I was ill . . . then you had to . . . I put so much burden on you, my girl. I am sorry."

"No, Mom - I'd care for you forever."

Xela smiled weakly. "Kilyan and Zalia - they know of their heritage? That I am from the mountain tribe? That they are too?"

"They will know," Aliona lied.

"Tell them, Aliona."

Aliona lowered her lashes. She didn't want to tell them.

"Please," Xela said miserably. "I know it's not the happiest story . . . but they need to know where they come from."

"You want them to know that Daddy won you in a tournament!" Aliona cried miserably.

Xela sighed when her daughter began to sob. "It is the truth, girl. They need to know where they come from --"

"Why!" Aliona shrilled, wiping away her tears.

Xela frowned. "The past is important, Aliona. How else will we avoid repeating our mistakes?"

Aliona sniffled and held her mother's paw tighter. She was willing herself not to cry, but the tears kept coming. Her mother was originally of the mountain tribe. Xela's parents died when she was young, and without a male to speak for her, she became the prize during a warrior tournament. A group of summer wolves had arrived to participate in the event. Moswen was among them and won. He took Xela home for wife. Both of them had been fifteen years old.

Aliona hated the story. That a female could be given away - like a prize! - disgusted her. She did not want her children to know that her mother had been claimed by the royal family, had worked in the royal hut like a servant, and had - Aliona was sure of it, even if her mother never said it - been the sex slave of the chief there. When the chief grew tired of Xela, he gave her away as a tournament prize. Aliona almost shivered angrily just thinking about it! Females who had no males to speak for them were often treated like objects. Nothing more. Kilyan and Zalia already knew how females were treated - what was the point in telling them such a degrading story?

"Where . . . is Kilyan?" Xela rasped. "Where is Zalia? Bring them to me . . ."

"Yes, Mom . . ."

---

Fifteen-year-old Enya looked up when her grandmother's voice rose from the back room. Everyone looked up.

"Kilyan! Zalia!"

Kilyan was sitting between Lea and Ohana on the couch when Aliona called for him. His wives were holding his paws as he sat looking miserable and grim. Lea had her arm around Roan and was smoothing his mane as she held Kilyan's paw. Roan sat beside his mother with his head on her shoulder. He was crying. Big Zane was sitting on the floor with his cheek on Kilyan's knee. Kilyan smoothed his son's mane, a silent indication that he should move. Zane sniffled and lifted his cheek. Kilyan got up and went to Zalia.

Enya looked over at her parents. Keeno and Zalia were sitting on the deerskins by the fire. Keeno had his arm around Zalia. Zalia's face was wet with tears. She looked up at Kilyan. Kilyan took her paw and helped her up. The brother and sister went down the hall at their mother's hoarse beckoning.

Enya saw Keeno press his paws together and stare grimly at the fire. Everyone was grim. Crying and silent, staring off in thought and holding each other. She saw Zane lumber up and sit beside his mother. Ohana put her arm around him as he began to sob.

"Shh . . ." Ohana whispered.

"She's dying, isn't she?" Zane said wretchedly.

Kel was pacing back and forth, looking tired and miserable. Hearing Zane's sobbing, he stopped and watched sadly as Ohana comforted her son. Enya had sat in Kel's arm a long time, but unable to take it any longer, her grandfather had gotten up and begun pacing. Enya sat in the chair Kel had vacated. Yuri was beside her, holding her paw.

Enya glanced at Yuri, suddenly very grateful she was there. Zaldon hadn't been able to stay: the chieftess of the sun tribe was sick yet again and needed his care. He set out at once, but Yuri begged him to let her stay behind. Seeing Enya's misery, Zaldon had let her.

"Kel!" Aliona called from down the hall.

Kel went immediately.

Enya heard Zane sobbing louder and wished he would stop. He had always been such a big crybaby. And now, his tears were becoming her tears! She hated herself when she realized she was looking at the room through a veil of tears. Suddenly angry, she leapt from her seat, and the others watched sadly as she rushed outside.

Enya halted in the cool night air and took a shuddering breath. She wanted to be away from it for one second. All the sickness and the dying . . . Xela's hut smelled like medicine and blood. Xela had begun coughing up blood in the last few hours.

Enya bit her lip and hugged herself. She thought she would be sad like everyone else, but she was just angry. Why was Xela dying? It didn't seem fair! She could name five assholes she knew around the village - really pissy old wolves - who deserved to be dying in her place. But Xela was dying. Sweet Xela, who had hugged Enya and rocked her. Stern Xela, who popped Enya on the tail when she talked back . . . Enya laughed sadly, thinking of all the times her great grandmother had caught her doing something mischievous.

Enya heard someone emerge through the curtain behind her. She thought at first that it was her father, but no strong musk hit the air. And she knew it was . . .

"Enya?" Yuri said, coming to Enya's side.

Enya hugged herself tighter and didn't look at Yuri. Yuri had grown into a beautiful young female, with ample breasts and hips, a small waist and a dimpled back. Her pink nipples were erect in the cold night air, and her long straight mane fell around a concerned face.

"I'm here," Yuri said, devotion in her calm voice. "And I'm listening."

Still hugging herself, Enya looked at the barren earth, the withered grass. Winter was ebbing away and Spring was rearing its head. She found it bitterly ironic that her great grandmother should die while life was growing anew all around them.

"I've never . . . faced this before," Enya said after a long pause. She hated the sob in her voice but went on, "I never realized until now what you went through when your mother . . . I mean . . ." Enya looked over at Yuri and grimaced. "You watched your mother die. They haven't let me back there yet . . . I haven't even seen Grandma Xela . . . Just knowing that she's dying is painful enough. Yuri . . ." She added in a tiny voice, "I'm scared."

"Death is scary," Yuri whispered sympathetically.

Enya broke down sobbing. Yuri came to her at once and held her. Enya dropped her face in the soft warmth of Yuri's bosom and wept hard, glad that none of her family could see. She couldn't bear the thought of them seeing her like this! But Yuri . . . she could always peel the mask off in front of Yuri.

Yuri stroked Enya's wild tan curls and shushed her. She kissed her head, then dropped her cheek on her mane and closed her eyes. "When my mother died," she whispered, "whenever I would cry . . . Zaldon would hold me. He was so big and strong, so gentle and kind. I . . . I'm going to do my best to be big and strong for you."

A thrill of happiness went through Enya to hear Yuri's words. She looked up at her . . . and suddenly kissed her. "I love you."

Yuri's ears pricked forward in shock.

Enya slammed her against the wall. "I love you!" she repeated breathlessly and kissed Yuri frantically, hungrily on the mouth.

Yuri kissed Enya back, hesitantly at first, then just as passionately. Her pale lashes fluttered when Enya's paw closed on her tit. She had touched Yuri's breasts before, but it always made her flustered: Yuri's breasts were very sensitive.

Melting with Enya's touch, Yuri put her arms around Enya's neck and kissed her eagerly. She curled her fingers in Enya's mane and shivered when Enya's paw went to her clit. Enya was startled when Yuri stopped her.

"Yuri --"

"No."

Enya blinked and wiped the tears from her face. "Why? I've touched you there before --"

"But why now?" Yuri demanded solemnly.

Enya blinked again. She couldn't comprehend it: no female had ever stopped her before. Aside from Yuri, she had been with at least six other girls now. Out in the grazing fields, while her mother chatted with Lea and Ohana, Enya would often seduce the daughters of other shepherdesses into the southern woods with her. As a result, she'd had plenty of practice and had easily become something of a name among the flustered young things of the summer village.

"Because I want to," Enya said at last. "Baby . . ." She took a step closer, her sapphire eyes bright with desire. "I want to eat your pussy."

Yuri blushed a little, but her face remained solemn. "Why? So you don't have to think about your dying great grandmother?"

Enya stared at her, stung.

"That is exactly why," Yuri said in a softer voice. She touched Enya's mane, and Enya was startled and pleased to see the desire in Yuri's pretty sable eyes.

"I want you to do that to me," Yuri said, stroking Enya's curls. "But at the right time . . . and for the right reasons." She smiled sadly. "Now," she said, glancing around, "it's freezing out here. And you're cold, I can tell," she added, glancing at Enya's rigid pink nipples. "Come back inside, Enya."

Tilting her head, Yuri smiled sweetly and turned away with a sweep of her flowing mane. Enya watched her swishing hips and tail as she switched through the curtain and thought,

I'm gonna marry her one day.