Fixing a Mistake (18.07.2012)

[Seema Tara]

Seema reached her treehouse with the pups in tow. Tears ran down her face as she led the pups up the stairs and into the spare room. "Right, kids" she said quickly, "Aunt Seema has some things to sort out. I'll send your mum to look after you, but until she arrives I need you to stay here and be super good. I want you to lock the door to this room and not open it until I come back with your mum."

With that she turned and ran back down the stairs. Ebony nodded and locked the bedroom door.

"I don't know what's going on, but I think mum and dad are in trouble," Arty whispered.

[Tersias Tara-Hisakata]

Tersias was walking through the forest, muttering to herself. Seirei had still not explained why Hiruko had decided patrols were necessary, and it was driving her insane. He was taking off at a moment's notice again when Seema had burst in. In a way she was grateful - but she wasn't sure Seirei would even wait for her to get back. If he had taken off when she got back she would be furious.

[Seema Tara]

Seema burst out of her front door at a run and began hunting for her sister. She couldn't shout, for fear Kurai would hear and realise what was going on, but she needed to find Tersias, and quickly.

The few minutes it took Seema to find her in the forest felt like an age - Seema was out of breath and adrenaline was racing through her veins. "Tersias" she gasped, catching a hold of her sister's arm. "Tersias, Seirei's in trouble. That wolf I was looking after, the injured one, he's Seirei's brother and he's in your den. I can get some help together and we can help him, but I need you to come to my house and watch the pups, so we know he won't try anything." She knew it was a lot for her baby sister to process, but time was of the essence.

[Tersias Tara-Hisakata]

Tersias' face fell. "Kurai is here? But how could he - why would he - how do you..." she shook her head quickly, there were too many questions to deal with quickly and time was clearly very important.

So she took a deep breath and looked at her sister. "Okay, let's get this dealt with. First stop, your house."

[Seema Tara]

Seema nodded, and took her sister's paw, leading her to the treehouse and up the stairs. She knocked on the door to the bedroom. "Kids, I'm back with your mother" she said quickly, her tone brisk and firm. "Open up and your mum can come in and stay with you."

Ebony opened the door tentatively and peeked through. Satisfied that all was safe, she opened it and allowed her mother and aunt in.

"Mummy!" squeaked Artemis, wrapping himself around Tersias' leg. "We thought you were in danger."

[Tersias Tara-Hisakata]

Tersias laughed a little. "Well I'm fine. Your daddy has a visitor in the house and Seema and some friends are going to go and help him get rid of them, so we're going to stay here just now, ok?" she said softly, gathering her children around her.

"Seema, please fix this" she said urgently to her sister. She knew seema had had army training, and trusted her to do the right thing, but fear was a funny thing.

[Seema Tara]

Seema nodded "I promise" she said softly, with a little smile. It was a promise she was still unsure how to keep, but she would do all she could to make sure it's done.

"Keep this door closed. If you hear anyone come up the stairs, lock the door and keep absolutely silent. They have no reason to suspect you are here." she said softly, then turned and dashed down the stairs.

After taking a few deep breaths, she headed towards the lake. She had to find Kiryu.

[Mira-Neiva Fadiele-Koudo]

Mira was relaxing in the lake, talking with the dingo, Nat. It had been a while since they had spoken, and it was good to catch up with each other. Nat had told her about the disaster of a reunion with her brother, and now had no idea where he was. "It's okay, Nat," Mira soothed. "We'll find him, I promise." She gave the canine a comforting smile.

[Nat Dynha]

"As long as you're sure," Nat said, holding back a sniffle. She refused to cry.

"Hang on," she said, turning her head. "I hear something, or someone." She looked into the forest to see a fox-shaped shadow come closer.

[Kiryu]

Over the past few days, Kiryu had built a hammock across some of the sturdier trees by the lake. It had turned out to be a funny morning, he rolled out of his hammock awaking himself with the thud of mud meeting face. Breakfast consisted of a combination of local berries, 1 variety of which was poisonous and some fish that he had caught the evening before, left smoking on a fire.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky, the days heat bearing down upon him. Diving into the crystal clear waters, being here reminded him of the night he spent with Seema. He had promised to be there for her and until Kai was gone he would remain here. Surfacing from the water, he looked towards the shore, a white blur streaked across the lakefront, it was Seema. "Seema!" he called, propelling himself forward with his wing. A wide smiled arced across his muzzle at the sight of her, yet the closer he got the more distressed she seemed. He rushed over "Whats the matter?"

[Seema Tara]

Seema sighed, "It's a long story and I only have time to tell it once, so we should get Mira and Nat over here. We need as many sets of paws as possible." there were tears running down her face, and a determination in her eyes - she wasn't going to let this beat her.

"Mira, Nat, can you come over here? We need your help" she called over urgently to the two a small distance away.

[Nat Dynha]

"Seema?" Nat repeated the word of the fox who had kept to himself on the otherside of the lake.

"Who's Seema? Is that the speedy one?" she asked Mira, who was floating still. Nat sat on the bank, watching.

[Mira-Neiva Fadiele-Koudo]

Mira smiled. "Yes, that's Seema, but she looks a little worried." Mira stood and left the lake, draining the water from her fur as she did. "I wonder what's wrong." She glanced to the forest before looking back. "Let's go find out," she said, and led the dingo over to the foxes.

[Seema Tara]

"There's something I've been keeping from you all. And it was stupid and dangerous of me, but I was scared and right now I'm going to have to ask you all to just trust me and save the kicking my ass for later, please" she said urgently, tears now freely rolling down her face.

"The wolf who arrived here a while ago calling himself Kai is actually Kurai, Seirei's brother. He approached me offering to help make sure the pups got a decent education if I would give him access to Seirei. I didn't realise how dangerous he was until it was too late, until he was in my house, and then there was nothing I could do. If I backed out he said that once he was done with Seirei he'd go after the pups, and then my sister, and then me." Seema's tone was frank, and matter of fact. Though she could easily pity herself, there was nothing to be gained from doing it, so she tried not to.

"He's in Seirei's den. Seirei is alone and this guy is really dangerous and REALLY angry. Tersias is in my house with the pups. I need your help. Seirei isn't gonna be able to fight this guy alone, and I know Tersias must be terrified. So please... Help me save my family" she implored them, looking from Kiryu to Mira to Nat. "I can't fix this on my own, and I can't lose them."

Tears streamed down Seema's face. She felt such a failure, and all her military instincts were abandoning her as the fear set in. Her legs crumpled beneath her, leaving her kneeling in the mud sobbing.

[Mira-Neiva Fadiele-Koudo]

Mira stood, listening to Seema's explanation with a blank expression. This is a very serious situation, she thought, but looking at her face... I can tell she didn't mean for this to happen. She just wanted the best for the cubs. She thought back to her own children, who Hiruko was looking after right now. I can forgive her for that, she resolved, but right now isn't the time.

Then she realised, she had greeted Kai - Kurai - to Tialka herself, and had helped him. She was disappointed in herself for not seeing through him. "You know I do not fight, Seema," Mira said after a pause. "But I shall help in any way I can. Take me to your treehouse and I shall look after your sister and her cubs."

[Nat Dynha]

Nat listened to the vixen with curiosity. She was obviously military trained by her stance, but her emotions were clouding over that, until she fell to the floor, weeping.

She felt sympathy for the vixen, and her usually hard heart began to soften. 'Tialka has changed me,' she realised, as Mira spoke. 'And it might just be for the better.'

"If I can help, I will," said Nat. "My services may just be what you need," she added with a small smirk, bringing up her front paw and igniting fire around it.

[Kiryu]

"Get on your feet you lilly livered maggot!" Kiryu burst out to Seema, mimicking his old squad leader. Imitating him left a foul taste in his mouth, but he needed her at her best. "This ain't no time to wallow in the mud, we got a war to win!" He hoped she would forgive his impertinence as he stuck out his paw, lifting her out of the mud and onto her feed. He sent her a reassuring smile whilst rubbing behind her ears tentatively.

"Allow me to go on ahead, sounds like Seirei will need all the help he can get. I can get there the fastest, I wouldn't mind a little back up of course" he smiled at Nat, who he had fought with before. He moved over gently nuzzling Seema briefly. He crouched close to the ground, leaping into the skies, his tattered wing leaving feathers in its wake.

[Seema Tara]

Seema sniffed and wiped her eyes. Kiryu was right, she realised, her resolve stiffening.

"Nat, your help will be more than appreciated. But first, to the treehouse." she said, shouldering her satchel and nodding to Mira and Nat. "This way" she said softly.

It was only a matter of minutes until they reached the treehouse. "Mira, Tersias and the cubs are in the spare room. I have warned them to lock the door if they hear anyone on the stairs, so you'll need to announce yourself to get in to see them." She said softly, "Thank you.

She turned to Nat, "ready to go?"