Rind.

The new wolfe, Roure, lagged behind as Adotre trotted happily along through the snow.
"Alpha's going to be really nice, you'll see. And the others! There's a Mellozsian, too, but he's nice. One Eye is my favorite. He cooks the best. And there's a healer, and she's a human, but she doesn't live with us because she likes to be kept a secret. She lives up in the mountains somewhere. I've only seen her once. And there's an old wolfe, and he's mean, but you'll like him too. And there's - "
Mid-sentence, Adotre stopped talking and scented the air, and it took the new wolfe only a half a moment to realize that he was scenting someone he knew.
Then, like a beast out of hell, a silvery gray wolfe came barreling out of the forest, teeth bared and muscles raging, and landed square on Roure's chest, knocking him into the ground. Three others appeared with him, specks of black arriving to block out the sky above, and Adotre yelped and shouted and jumped into the fray.

Iorir was angry; he was furious, and he only wanted blood. But with Adotre in the fracas, he couldn't risk harming his mate; he called the pack off. Each of them panted and grunted with irritation at being taken off a good fight, but they settled and backed down. Adotre helped Roure to his feet; upon seeing them touch, Iorir growled himself and shifted human again; the group followed suit.
"Mate. Here. Now."
Adotre hesitated.
"OK. But you can't hurt him, Alpha!"
"Adotre, come." Iorir snapped. "I'll decide who gets hurt here."
Roure took a step back, his chest heaving as he sucked in air to try to recover from the brief scuffle.
Adotre stood his ground and shook his head.
"Roure didn't hurt me."
Iorir glanced suspiciously at the new wolfe, then back to his mate.
"Come. Here."
Adotre decided he'd better rush this along.
"Roure fed me and he didn't hurt me and he was really nice to me even though he caught me in the forest, spying, and I KNOW I shouldn't have gone, Alpha, I disobeyed your orders, but it's just that since the egg took I've been so bored and I don't want you to think I can't help, that I can't pull my weight in the pack, or that I'm useless. And I KNOW I shouldn't have run, and I should have talked to you, but I'm OK and nobody got hurt and that's less because I did something smart and more because Roure was kind to me, see? And he was so nice he even fed me and he made me a fire and he brought me back home because he doesn't want any trouble, he lives here all by himself with no friends or anything and all he wants is some nice neighbors and maybe a pack."
Iorir stared at his mate, unimpressed. Adotre sensed this, and turned the Layer charm on full-blast. He dipped his head a little, tilting it to the side, and blinked bright, sad eyes up at Iorir.
"So, please, Airu? Don't hurt Roure? He didn't hurt me."
Iorir stared at the pair of them for a long, long time, and Adotre worried because he'd never seen his alpha do this before and had no idea what was going to happen. Finally, Iorir spoke.
"Adotre. Come here, now."
The Layer shifted, and scampered over to stand by his mate's side immediately. Iorir indicated the rest of the pack, still looking at Roure.
"Wolfe. You follow behind with them. My mate and I lead the way home."
Roure relaxed visibly, and Adotre smiled and opened his mouth to thank his alpha.
"Don't speak." Iorir cut him off, raising one hand. The wolfe sighed, and leaned down to kiss the Layer. "I am thankful to the moon for bringing you back to me. And I am thankful to Roure for the same. But believe me," he said, his voice growing firm, "your punishment still awaits you back home."
Adotre whined and pawed at the ground.
"ButAlphaI - "
Iorir simply stared at him, and Adotre shut up.
"SorryAlpha.I'mwon'tdoitagainpromise."
Iorir shook his head, and with a cursory nod to the rest of the newly-expanded pack, he shifted and led the way back across the snowy hills to their home.

+++++

"He's sleeping now. He should be fine."
Ideste washed his hands over the pot of warm, soapy water that Kellan had brought into the tent. "But be sure to feed him. Don't let him sleep too much. Give him this pill, and this chew; pill in the morning, chew at night, once a day for ten days. Don't stop before ten days."
Kellan nodded, then hesitated.
"The cub...?"
Ideste packed things back into the bag he'd carried them in.
"The cub is fine. Good energy. Good blood in the womb. But be careful until the end."
Kellan nodded.
"I will."
Ideste looked around.
"It's warmer in this part of the Irion. Better place to live."
Kellan considered this.
"We'll see."
Ideste stood, looked around the small sleeping area for a minute, then locked eyes with Kellan. In the bed, Gustin woke slowly. Ideste looked over at him.
"So he's your mate?"
Kuskellanar turned to look over his shoulder, then turned back to Ideste.
"Yes. Gustin is my mate."
Ideste swallowed. In the cool grey light, he looked so fragile. The wind had whipped at his hair, and now it stood out of place. Ideste looked down, his pretty grey lashes dusting his cheeks.
"I guess you love him, don't you?"
Kellan nodded.
"I do."
"I'm sorry, Kellan. I am. About...everything."
Suddenly the space between them felt impassable. They spoke to each other across a chasm.
In the distance, a howl uttered. Ideste snapped his head up.
"You have to go." Kellan filled in for him. Ideste's cheeks pinkened, and he nodded.
"He doesn't like me away for too long."
Kellan tilted his head in understanding.
"I, too, prefer to keep my mate close to me."
Ideste bit his lip.
"If you need - "
"Nothing."
Ideste searched Kellan's eyes, his face; well aware that this might be the last time he saw his first lover, he tried to memorize every line. Then he looked away. The howl came again, closer this time.
"Travel safe, Kuskellanar."
Kellan nodded and, on sudden impulse, stepped forward and kissed Ideste's head.
"Live well, Ideste."
They parted then; each of them (as if performers in a single, choreographed final dance) turned tail and ran, back through the years of memories, back through the loneliness, the isolation, the cold, back through the silver, back through the achy snow that stuck between your paws, back through the agony of loss and the thrill of love, back across fallen trees and frozen ponds to their mates, their atonements, their other lives.

+++++