Dead Come To life!

The toskal was silent as he had the pups huddled in a small pile behind him. His heart hammering and chest heaving as he stared at the entrance. Loud howls and growls of the Lupos and other toskals screaming and fighting in the background all around him from the outside, the stench of blood thick in the air. He didn't understand what was happening. One moment everything had been fine, he had been teaching the pups like he did every other day. All had been well. He had even been laughing and playing with several of them as they had climbed all over the sweet hearted alpha who had so very much adored pups. The attack had been confusing, a surprise and a shock. 

There had been slowly moving, slowly advancing forms from a distance. One that most of the clan had paid little attention to at least. They could have been traders, could have been from a nearby clan. And they were moving slow enough so as to not raise any suspicions or thoughts of attack. There were guards, and most strangers were wise enough, and wary enough to not go attacking a tribe that tamed and clearly showed many of the great beastly Lupos so often feared in the ever cold wild. What was there to fear of this group, really? 

They had been been fools. One and all.  

THREE DAYS EARLIER 

As the group had come closer, it had become clear that there was something... very, very wrong with them. Whatever it was that was wrong with them they couldn't tell. But something was off, and they could all sense it. The way they lumbered towards them. The way they didn't respond after being hailed or called too... this wasn't right, something wasn't right. It wasn't the same indication of not understanding the language, but something more. Something more dangerous then that. Even one who couldn't understand the language gave indications or signals. Body language was universal... and they have none. The closer they came towards the clan, the more uneasiness wound through the group, shifting nervously. 

The warriors then placed themselves at the front, showing their strength, their Lupos at their side, growling lowly and ready for the attack should the command be given. Lysander, for the time being was not at this group, and had gone to check on the other settlements of the clan, and to no doubt to go charming someone before coming back. His many, many seductions not a very big secret among the clan. Even Asthore had been privy to his charm, for a time, at least. Aladars head turning as he watched the pink female come out of her home. Her two pups, now nearly adolescents close behind her. Valinor's horns had been growing nicely. Something that had cause a bit of strife between him and his normal sister, Aesir. Though even still the two were often still found together more often then with others. 

Asthore's gaze falling upon Aladar she gave a nod towards them. Oftentimes Aladar was teased for his soft nature and kind heart. But Asthore knew better. His nature had been found its use in taking care of protecting the pups. He was no warrior by any means, but she had seen first hand that Aladar would give his life protecting the pups if he needed to. Weather they were his by blood or not never mattered. He was their teacher, their protector, and carer until the parents themselves took those pups out of his care, and he took his duty very, very seriously. The pink female had seen that when Aladar had been injured protecting her own pups... and it seemed it might be time for him to do so again. 

Asthore looked to the pups behind her. "Valinor, Aesir, go and join Aladar and the other pups." she instructed. The twins both puffing up at that. "What? NO!" Aesir ground out. "I can stand and help!" she insisted, Valinor, only slightly more quiet, but no less brave gave a nod of agreement as he stood next to his sister. "We can help." he agreed lowly. Asthore shaking her head. "Not right now. You would be better helping Aladar protect the younger pups if something goes wrong. Nothing should, but if it does, I want the young ones well guarded." She told the both of them, cupping both their cheeks and then pressing foreheads with each of them. "And I want the both of you as safe as possible." she told them, finally ushering them towards Aladar, who smiled openly and gave a nod. "I appreciate the help." he told the both of them, Aesir rolling her eyes. "Please, we were only sent over here so that we were safe and stay out of trouble." she muttered, Valinor busy greeting some of the smaller pups who were now already climbing upon him to look at and poke gently at his horns, a couple of the younger pups even showing off newly sprouted horns of their own. Aesir glowering some and turning her back on the pups, Aladar feeling a little bad for her and putting a gentle hand to her arm. "Do not be discouraged." he whispered lowly. "Horns does not grantee better, or stronger... Just look at me.. I am no warrior, not like you are becoming.. And I don't doubt you can pummel any other female around, horns or no horns." he assured her. The female looking at him before giving a slight huff and looking away, as much of an appreciation as she would likely ever give. But it was enough. 

The young male letting his hand drop and looking back to watch as Asthore spoke with some of the other warriors, all of them eyeing the group that was now coming closer. The oddness of them clear. Were some of them injured? Perhaps they were all half mad and delirious... it wouldn't be the first time they had come across such a thing... though a group of such could be dangerous. Often they didn't understand danger, weather it was to themselves, or others.  

Finally, Caladrius gave a small sigh and gave a careless wave of his hand. "Well no ones going to figure anything out like this now are they?!" he demanded, rolling his eyes some. The grump was known for having little patience for much of anything, and was not the best when it came to having to be still and patient. He wanted things done, and done now, quickly. "I will go and meet them, and if something happens I can run back here and we'll know that their a danger." he informed. Asthore frowning. "That's too dangerous and reckless." she chided, Caladrius sighing. "And if they are dangerous? You'll have more time to prepare and Aladar can get further off with the pups." he noted, looking to the listening pup sitter, not phased at all as one of the pups was teething on his tail, his tail tip flicking one way and then the other to provide a distraction for the pup and something to plat with as he chewed. 

"It's my choice, and I'm going." he told her flatly, Aladar sighing. Everyone in this tribe could be so very stubborn when they really wanted to be. It was endearing and admirable sometimes, other times, not so much, and he was feeling quite sure that this wasn't one of those times. It was reckless, and foolhardy, but everyone already knew it was also pointless. Whenever the male ended up with his mind made up, there was no taking it back in the end. "Stay safe!" he called to the male, who gave a halfhearted wave at the concerned pup sitter before taking up a spear and heading towards the group with no more ceremony then that, the fresh snow crunching easily under his steps, the sound slowly fading away. 

"Caladrius! You must remain safe!" Asthore called after him, the male rolling his eyes. "Well then shut up and let me concentrate and maybe I'll live!" he had called back, continuing on his way. The warriors, and by now, much of the clan itself having stopped to watch what was going on. Curious about this new group and what was going on. Some of them murmuring amongst each other as to what could be going on and what the group might want. What was wrong with them? All of them watching in silence as Caladrius walked towards them, approaching. 

They continued to watch. The group approached slowly, but from what they could tell, there was nothing threatening about them. None of them had seen and weapons raised against their kin. Aladar as turned to look over all the pups, taking a head count, bolting off and collecting up one of the pups who had tried to make a getaway, the pup laughing at the game and wiggling within Aladars arms as he brought him back to the rest of group, a few of the pups running over to the escapist and tackling him. 

The play stopped as quickly as it had started when Asthore's order of "GO!" sounded, screams and gasps pf startlement sounding from the onlookers. Aladar turning and eyes going saucer wide as he saw the group seem to attack and surround Caladrius, the warriors and their Lupos bolting to fight against the attacks, turning and watching in wide eyed horror along with the others as warriors and lupos both attacked the forms. Reaching out and holding tight to the pups who clung to him in fear. Even the twins seeming to move a little bit closer to Aladar for comfort. Valinor holding one of the pups against him as it hid its face in his thick fur, whimpering fearfully, Aladar rubbing their backs calmly. "Shh, there here. All is well. Your safe." he promised them in comfort, assuring them that they were safe and protected and nothing bad would happen to them. "We are well protected... no one would ever touch you." he promised them, his gaze finally turning back to the fight. 

He was shocked at what he saw. Watching as the group of strangers seemed to not care about the warriors or Lupo's. They attacked and bit at them regardless of who or what it was. Several of them gripping and climbing over a lupo, biting and tearing into it. Another couple converging and biting a warrior. One toskal, who had been been stabbed, only got back up and bit into the one who had stabbed them. These weren't normal, and he couldn't help the fear that slid down his spine as they continued to fight. Though he couldn't help but feel a wash of relief as he saw Asthore pull Caladrius free from the fight. The toskal looked like he was alive at least, though the distance was too great to determine just how bad it was. 

"Somethings wrong." An older toskal whispered, startled to see the pink pelted female with a spear in her hand. Camellia was well known to have been a warrior. But she had changed to become the trainer of the young Lupo's. No one ever asked what had happened to have her change her career. But the tales and rumors had always run rampant. She had once been one of their greatest fighters. The long clawed female having a deep sense of honour and a sharp, dangerous gaze that seemed as though it didn't miss a thing. It was rare that she ever picked up a spear anymore... if she now held one and was worried enough, then he knew something had to be wrong.. He didn't seem to be the only one to think so as more toskals shifted and murmured to themselves in uncertainty as they watched Camellia walk towards the battle, three Lupos behind her, following diligent and faithful as ever. 

"Cam! Cam! Wait!" Katyusha called, the lighter pelted female called running after her. Camellia pausing and looking to her. "No! You aren't going out there!" she snapped warningly. "You are not a fighter, or a warrior." she insisted, the other female glowering. "Neither are you anymore. You haven't picked up a spear in years!" She shot back, Camellia glowering. "It hasn't been that long... and I still know how to fight." she told her. "YOU don't." she shot back. "Well of course I don't!" Katyusha snapped back, rolling her eyes at her. "But they are getting hurt... They can fight, but I need help bringing the injured back so that I can heal them." she informed. 

Aladar watched in silent curiosity as the two spoke. The pink female seeming to struggle, at war with herself. There was no doubt her fighting skills would be a great help in the fight... but that fighting spirit wasn't what it once had been, and she was hesitant to join the fray... still, she was not the kind to sit there and do nothing when something could be done... Here, Katyusha proposed a way to help without having to fight... Aladars gaze softened gently, feeling bad for the struggling large clawed female and the war that was clearly fighting itself within her. Her gaze looking to Aladars soft gaze and then looking back to Katyusha. The female letting out a quiet breath and giving a small nod. "Very well, lets go." she told her, and the two took off to help the hurt and the injured. 

Aladar looking back to Aesir and Valinor. "Help me get the pups inside... they have seen enough fighting for one day." he told them scooping up some of the pups as others clambered onto him. He and Val pausing when they realized that Aesir wasn't following. Val moving and putting a hand to her shoulder, looking out to see their mother fighting with he other warriors, defending the prone form of Caladrius, Aladar silently hoping he had not died from his injuries. "Mother will be okay." Valinor assured, Aesir scoffing and shrugging his hand off. "Of course she is! She is not so easy to beat." she snapped, moving and helping to usher the rest of the pups away.  

FIVE HOURS EARLIER

Aladar was quiet as he sat with several of the pups. Their usually happy and playful demeanor was diminished... no, not diminished, it was gone altogether and nonexistent. Even they could tell this was not a happy, or playful time right now. The events from three days ago had been confusing and difficult to understand. Many of the warriors had died or been injured. Meaning many of the pups that were in his care at present were now unable to go home, or didn't even have a home to go back to any longer and were now orphaned. The male having spent much of his time trying to comfort them and give them whatever support they needed of him... it was indeed, a sad and devastating time. 

Still, even with being so busy and hectic he couldn't help but hear of all the strange things that had happened after he had ushered the pups away from seeing the carnage. None of it at all had made any sense. They were saying the toskals one and all had already been hurt... that they should have been dead. Several times over after the lupos and warriors had run through them. They had been stabbed and sliced. Many even claimed they had been stabbed in the heart, and still they hadn't died. Had kept fighting, had kept biting. None of them refusing to go down unless they had been stabbed in the head. It was utter madness. Not one of them had ever heard of such a thing. This was no sickness or moon addlement that they had ever heard of. 

Then, during the fight, out of nowhere, one of the strangers of the group of undead toskals. A fat one, had EXPLODED. Covering everyone in an odd sort of acidic slick, bogging down and living alike. He wasn't so sure that that was true. At least, he wouldn't have been if Asthore hadn't returned, angry burns from the bile itself on her shoulder. She had been lucky, and quick. She had known to use and roll into the fresh snow to stop the burning from moving any faster... others were not so lucky. Still, Aladar couldn't help but doubt the truth of it. Surely the toskal had had something that had made him burst. After all, he had never seen a toskal explode ever in his life, and surely it was not something that was even possible to have happen... nor could the toskals have been already dead. No doubt that they had just been sick and diseased. Something that perhaps made them stop feeling pain, and so it made them keep fighting... something that made them want the flesh of toskals. The notion made him shudder in horror. 

Which only posed more of a problem for them. Many of the toskals who had survived the fight were now dead and dying. The pile of bodies piling up higher and higher as time went on. It had seemed that whatever was wrong with them, it was too much for the bodies to handle or fight off or shrug away. Fevers setting in with every one of the survivors who had been hurt, either by a bite, or a scratch. No matter how big, or small the bite, all of them seemed to be in trouble and on borrowed time, until their time had all run out one by one. Caladrius was one of the only toskals still alive, and everyone knew that he was on another plane... he was ready to walk with his ancestors, if he wasn't already. Soon, he would just be another body to add to the pile. His fight had been admirable. But his fever was hot and raging. All the time people could hear his senseless fever rantings, and all were already mourning the loss of their warrior who was so often hot headed, and yet so brave. 

Katyousha and Camellia both worked hard to try and keep the dying toskals alive. The pink female following the direction of the healer. But whatever disease the strange toskals had had, i was too strong for them to help, or for them to save anyone. Every time they lost someone, Camellia's eyes seemed to dull with sadness more and more. And poor Katyusha could only try so hard to keep them from losing heart, when she herself was failing the toskals in her care. At this point, she wasn't healing anyone, and was only doing what she could to make their passage easier. 

It left everyone now uneasily side eyeing Asthore and the burns upon her shoulder. Many fearing her own sickness. She tried not to show it, looking as confident, stubborn and orderly as she always did, snapping that others stop staring at them and focus on their work! A storm had passed over them that same night, and many of the toskals who had died had had little choice but to leave them outside on the fierce storm... little had they know, it had slowed the spread of whatever it was that reanimated the bodies with such severe cold. But now it was starting to warm up. But in the end she was no less afraid. No less fearful of what would become of her. Every day she was commanding and organizing the tribe, preparing for when she couldn't. For when her own fever would set in and she would have to give in and go see Katyousha herself... but until then, she would do her best to keep the clan together until Lysander returned with the rest of the clan and hunting parties. 

It was clear that Caladrius' death was coming quickly. And with the storm over, the other toskals had been working on pulling out the preserved and dry wood, and pulling out the bodies that were going to be burned. Leaving them out in the sun to warm and dry them, the toskals having no idea what it was they were really doing. What warfare they were awaking within the cells of the dead toskals. It wouldn't be long until they all found out. 

Aladar sighing, and gently lifted the pups in his care, encouraging them all to follow. Even Valinor and Aesir looked much reduced. Their stubborn refusal gone as they both stood up to Aladars encouragement. The alpha giving a small, apologetic smile to both of the toskals before him, but he had no words of comfort to offer. They all knew that Asthore was likely on borrowed time. None of the others had survived... and now it was only a waiting game for when their mother too would succumb to the fever and be one of the toskals that was burning on he pier... and no one was ready to hope, or to be told to have hope. It felt too much like a lie at the moment. Hoping for something that seemed impossible. But at the very least the pups could get some fresh air and sun while hey still could. 

The pupsitter sat with them at a little firepit. Giving them bits of dried meat and fish. They had all had an appetite lacking as of late. But still, he made all of them eat. Including the reluctant twins. "I didn't ask you if you wanted to. You have to. You have to keep your strength up. You two especially. You are right around the corner from your Rites. You have to stay in top shape." he insisted. The both of them not seeming pleased, but Valinor at least ate it quietly, while Aesir muttered under her breath about how 'she didn't have to listen to some stupid pup sitter. They WEREN'T pups anymore.' Though she too finally nibbled on some of the fish. Neither twin seeming to want to look towards their mother, though unable to help doing so anyways. Looking for some degree of hope... or maybe a sign that her own fever was soon coming. 

It was while he was grooming one of the orphaned pups that a startled call had raised up, Aladars head raising as he heard one of the warriors inform that one of the bodies was missing! A murmur of shock and confusion soo going through the clan from one side to the other, like a wave washing over it as they looked for and tried to figure out what had happened... where could the body possibly have gone? Had someone taken it? What had happened? Everyone in the clan moving around and looking around for wherever the body could have been, no one having and clue. The blue and pink hinted male feeling uneasy and encouraging the pups closer to him protectively. What was happening? How had someone misplaced an entire body? It none of it made sense! 

As that happened, so too did Caladrius' passing. Katyoushas shoulders sagging and her head hanging as the male finally stopped breathing and passed into the realm of the dead. She had failed. She had failed all of them. Camellia coming over in silence and putting a careful hand on her shoulder. The Lupo trainer giving a gentle squeeze. "You had done all you could for him." she told her. "You stay... I will go and tell Asthore." she murrmured. Leaving and walking to he female. The two close enough Aladar could hear. The male bowing his head and sending up a silent prayer to the moon in hopes that it was take care of Caladrius. The loss a harsh twist. He had never been the easiest creature to get along with by any means. A ho tempered grunt. But in a way the pups had found hilarious to encourage and bring to the forefront. He would miss the days when Caladrius came storming to him with pups clinging to his legs and tail giggling manically as he raved at him that he should pay closer attention to the pup count, unaware that he had allowed the pups to go and terrorize the male. 

And then it happened. Out of the banks of snow, something long and fleshy flew from the snow, wrapping around one of the throats of the pups and dragging it towards itself. "Help! HELP!" Aladar yelled, taking up a knife as he ran after the pup and the fleshy thing that was dragging the struggling and screaming pup towards the snowbank. Aladar reaching out and gripping the pup and then gagging in horrified disgust as he realized the thing seemed to be some kind of... of tongue! "Hush! Hush, be calm, I have you!" He promised the pup taking hold of the knife and about to cut the tongue before what must have once been a toskal burst from the bank, lunging for him, long tongue lolling as it bowled Aladar over with a cry and took up the pup and bit into it even as it screamed. "NOOO!!" The pup sitter screamed, half raising, knife brandishing, but then there was another hand on his shoulder forcing him back away. "Aladar, NO!" Asthore told him, firmly. "It's too late! Its too late for that one you can't save it!" she told him. "Go get the others others! I'll take care of this one!" She promised. But the blue alpha could barely hear her. The horror of what he was seeing. Staring in horror as the long tongued creature fed on the now limp body of the pup, its blood slicking its hands as it fed. The squeals and sounds of fear from it still echoing in his mind. 

Something hard strike him on the side of the head. Stumbling and shaking his head, looking to see Asthore lowering her hand. realizing the female had struck him upside the head. "Its too late! It's too late for that one Aladar! Protect the ones that are still breathing and alive!" she yelled, pointing. His gaze following and his chest swelling. Yes, yes. "Okay... okay." he insisted, stumbling half dazed to the pups. Pulling them to his fur as others clambered onto his fur, all of them wailing and panicking. Pulling against Aesir once more, but this time it was useless. The female shaking Aladar off. "No! I can help!" she told then flatly, shoving one of the pups into her twins arms. "Go!" she told them, Valinor shaking his head. "No! Not without you! I can help to!" he insisted, the female rolling her eyes. "But someone needs to stay and help." she snapped. "Then we both stay!" he countered, Aladar moving and gripping both of them. "You are both coming! NOW!" he demanded. Both twins staring at Aladar in shock. The pup sitter was normally so soft and kind. It was rare they ever heard him raise his voice, let alone grip them as he was and shoving them forward, making both of them trip and stumble, Valinor catching his sister before she truly fell as the debate was ended and they were forced to come with the determined alpha. 

As they moved, more and more of the snow shifted. MORE sick toskals? Where were they all coming from? What disease was this? He couldn't know or understand. More shock settling in as the missing body suddenly burst from around the corner and gripped Aesir, who cried out in shock and fear. The toskal about to bite down onto vulnerable neck, but no. Aladar reached out with his free hand and gripping the dead alphas horns and wrenching its face away from her, gagging as rotting horn and flesh left the skull, leaving white bone. But it had been enough, Aesir sending a shock through her back and then kicking the dead creature away and off of them. "Come, COME!" he demanded, pushing Aesir forward again. They had to get safe. He had to protect them. To keep them safe. Whatever it cost him. He wouldn't lose another one. 

He ducked them all into the healers hut with Katyousha, turning and about to speak to her, to encourage her to come with them only to tense and go still. Swallowing the sting at the back of his throat and the pickle at the corners of his eyes. Looking into the blank, dead stare of the female. His gaze shifting to see the dead Caladrius digging claws and hands into the soft stomach of the female. The male giving a sob and shaking his head, covering Aesirs gaze and pushing Valinor forward, sobbing an apology to Katyusha. He had to look after the pups, and she was already gone. He couldn't afford to risk it. 

Finally, they saw the great hall. The most fortified structure at the center that could withstand even the greatest of storms... hopefully it could weather whatever fresh horror this was. The toskal shaking his head and focusing on getting to the fortified structure and pushing the pups inside and securing the door behind them. Not realizing until later that the horn was still in his hand, tossing it away in fear and dry heaving in horror and disgust, bile rising and splashing onto the polished stone of the ground. 

NOW

The toskal was quiet as he kept the pups safely behind him. Fear... no, terror flowing through his veins, but his determination didn't sway, even as he heard the screams and calls of Lupos, dead, and living alike. Even as the cent of blood seemed to create a miasma in the air, Aladar closing his eyes and uttering a silent prayer to the moon. Please, please protect them. Don't let him fail in his duty. Please, PLEASE let him be enough to protect and keep the pups safe. Many of them clinging against him, tiny hands pinching his fur and skin in their fear, but he didn't flinch away. He would give his life if he had to, he always would... and it was seeming more and more likely as time passed by. 

More and more the sound of scratching and clawing sounded against the door. Claws scraping against thick wood. Growls of anger and hunger sounding as dead tried to reach the living. Once in a while, the sounds of living clearing the door came, but as the day dragged, it happened less and less. More and more dead increasing as they consumed and took the life if the living. The dead attracting more and more to the things that were starting to be the only living things. 

The door was soon creaking and shaking as more and more dead gathered around it, as more weight was put on it. Aladar breathing lowly, going to where the firepit was and taking the iron rods Lysander had brought back one day, and handing one to each of the twins. "We aren't going to go without a fight... remember what they had been saying... the... the heart won't work... you need to strike them in the head." he told him. "Be smooth." he whispered. "The skill will resist when trying to pull it free, use your strength." he whispered, the twins looking between themselves and Aladar, but giving a nod of understanding. Bracing themselves in preparation. 

Then there was a lupo call. One must have still survived the attack. The doors shaking heavy and violent as the dead attacked the creature. Then all of them one and all jumped as the doors gave a sound like a thundercrack. The lupo having fallen in against the doors, weakening and cracking them. One one fell swoop they had been saved and damned all at once. The Lupo fighting, until no more sound came. More pressure was put on the now weakened door, and now, now, it was enough. Part of the large doors breaking and finally giving way, a pile of bodies spilling in. The twins raising their weapons and Aladar brandished his own knife. Fear and terror made his hands shake, but his grip was strong, refusing to drop the knife. These pups needed him. Depended on him, and he would not allow these... these THINGS to have them so long as he was still breathing. 

Behind the bodies, he could see dozens of others circled around and consuming the lupo, and there, a flash of pink. Camellia, in the distance, fighting and re-killing the things, but it wasn't enough. They were swarming her, and soon she would just be another body. For a split second, their gazes met, and the apology in both their eyes was near palpable. Neither one of them could save the other. And then their gazed broke as a body invaded his vision. A pale green creature with rotted frozen maggots for eyes and sickly green flesh. Colton was back and hungry and craving the flesh of them all. 

He had lost an arm altogether since the time three days ago that Caladrius had faced him. More of his skin had been peeled away as well. His Jawbone protruding and almost smooth from the snow he had been buried in dragging away the dead flesh from it. His other arm showing bone as well, the deep gash now nearly peeled away altogether. His pelt was like some torn carpet rather then an actual pelt. All bone and dead flesh and dead insects. Had Aladar known that that had been the toskal that had bitten him, he likely would have thought it some cruel joke as the second body o raise itself and place itself next to Colton had been Caladrius' form. What had once been a friend now turned to a deadly foe, joining the one who had bitten him. "He isn't Caladrius anymore... he is dead... whatever holds his body now... it isn't good... don't hesitate." he whispered. The twins nodding their understanding, though he wasn't sure they could follow through. 

Then there was no more time to think, to consider, to contemplate. The toskals were upon them, and Aladar and the twins both lunged. The tattered form of Colton easier to deal with, only bowling the form over, letting it struggle as they focused on the newer bodies. Aesir faltering and not thrusting hard enough to get her weapon into Caladrius' head. Making Aladar jump forward and burry his knife into the toskals skull, more and more dead toskals, friend and stranger alike began to crawl through the door as the body of the Lupo grew cold. The door giving more and more. Aladar shuddering as they paid no mind as splinters and cracks of the door tore away patches of fur and flesh. These things cared for nothing but the taste of living flesh. Nothing but adding to the growing army of the dead. Aladar and the twins working. This time Aesir doing it right, Valinor striking and beating in a skull that had refused to give. Stabbing through the eye socket of the next one as Aladar slipped a knife in once more, the pups squealing and crying in fear behind them. "Stay! Stay there! We have this!" he promised the pups. But he didn't know how true it was as more began to flood inside. All they were doing now was holding off the inevitable... but he was going to hold it off as much as he could. 

More and more bodies began to pile up as they worked against the dead. But as time went on, it became clear that their strength was waning. They were getting tired, muscles aching and screaming. And the doors finally wore down and broke altogether, bringing in the hoard all at once. Valinor trying to back away, tripping over the hand of one dead, but neither he nor Aesir had time to help him back up as they faced down the hoard, the two of them snarling and baring their teeth as blood filled their eyes not for the first time and lunged. 

And then all of the sudden they all stopped, topping over and bumping into one another. The sound of something pierceing flesh resounding. Aesir and Aladar jumping back in shock as suddenly an icicle thick as a spear stuck out of the skulls of every dead creature. Staring in shock as they dropped. And as they fell, there stood Lysander, panting heavily as he looked to the pup sitter and his shocked children. "I can't leave any of you alone for ten minuets without you lot getting into trouble." he chided, the twins beaming. "Oh yes, because we just decided to make these things while you were gone, that was all on us." Aesir complained, Lysander smiling widely, looking to Aladar as he gave a nod of his head in respect. "Once again you've gone beyond your duty... thank you for protecting my children." he told him. "Our children." a voice corrected. Strained and in pain, but still in pain. "Mama!" Valinor called, glad to see his mother alive. Unaware and paying no attention as he began tp push himself up. A hand moving and grasping the arm as the body of Colton, which had been burred by the other dead now resurfaced. 

Valninors scream filled the air as Colton bit down hard on the thick flesh of the forearm, the alpha struggling and pulling away, the head separating some from the body as he tried to wrench his arm away, but the creature couldn't let go. Aladar staring in shock before he was moving, pulling an axe free from a pile of wood in the corner and he ran forward and sliced through bone and sinew all at once even as the head was torn away from the body completely as Asthore pulled her son away from the body and Laysander sent a shard of ice from his fingertips and through the skill of the head. Everyone staring a moment before Valinor screamed again in pain as Camellia, limping but also looking mostly whole ran in, stopping and staring in confusion at seeing Valinors bleeding arm on the ground and the stump of what was left of it, Aladar still holding onto the axe that held them both. 

Finally, he let go and stepped away in shock. "I... I'm sorry... H-He was bit... the.. the fever they cause, I thought." Lysander, who's ice and frost had begun to spread over the ground and a spear that had been intended to Aladar paused, understanding, his gaze looking to Valinor. The pup sitter had likely just saved his sons life again, if only they could stop bleeding. The male nodding as he helped Asthore and his daughter pull Valinor up. "You did as you ought... thank you,  hadn't thought.. Take the rest of the pups and bring them to your home, its cleared out and we're safe for the moment." he told him, watching as the females helped carry their screaming son away. "If we can get him to stop bleeding, he just might survive this after all." he told him. "Even if he does not... I will not begrudge your actions... it was quick thinking." he told the pup sitter. 

He bowed his head in respect before his clan leader, even as his chest heaved and burned. He had pushed and strained himself too far, and now his muscles were screaming and begging for rest. "Take the pups, and get some rest, Aladar... you did well. We will burn the dead tomorrow... for now, you are safe, and you can rest." he promised. Aladar nodding and looking to the terrified pups and beginning to scoop them up into the safety of his arms. Looking to the bloody stump and to the head of the toskal that had bitten Valinor. The name Colton something he would never know. He would never know that that was the toskal that had started it all, and they had been the one to kill it... perhaps in the end it didn't matter. Colton had started it, but he didn't stop it. More dead were still spreading through the world. Still, Aladar reached ou and put a hand on the still pelted part of Coltons head. "I'm sorry for what had happened to you... I hope you find peace now." he told it quietly, finally rising and takin the pups home. They were safe. They had made it...

They Had Survived...