Diva watched as Gemini walked the area familiarly. It was obvious she'd spent a lot of time here and that her stories of her fallen kin where true. The air was soaked with stale blood though none could be seen, there was an unsettling feeling in the place for her. She swallowed hard and walked closer to her brother.

Balto stood on guard he was worried that they where being watched by other wolves. he looked back " muk luk stay close dont run off" he called to the back of him where the bears where playing

The brother bears nodded in agreement but neither so much as muttered. They weren't comfortable in these sorts of situations as they weren't much of fighters. A cold wind blew threw the hills and ruffled their white fur and it startled Much.

"HMMM HMMM!" He murmered loudly, his whimpy exclaimation of surprise echoed off the mountains and back to the groups ears. If something was in the area, they would of surely heard them by now.

"quite boys" balto said as he listened to the woods around them

Diva's ears twitch nervously as her heart race. What would happen next? She swallowed hard and tried to breath as quiet as she possibly could.

Gemini stopped suddenly, ears perked, nose in the air.her fur rose and a growl swelled up from deep in her chest."Swollen River pack members, close by..." she said quietly.she motioned with her tail for everyone to follow."stay quiet..." she whispered, making her way towards the heart of the territory swiftly and silently.

Balto pushed his sisters and the bears forward trying to get them out of harms way, this wasnt going to be pritty

((Ulric means wolf power. http://www.20000-names.com/wolf_names.htm ))
Within ten minutes, the group had come across a small cave where the scent of wolves was fresh.Gemini growled softly."stay back.the challenge must be issued." She said, then turned to the cave and howled."whomever has entered the territory of the Eternal Forest pack without the permission of the pack leader,you are hereby challenged! I, Gemini, protector of this territory, hereby call you forth to battle!" She issued the challenge.from the cave that was her den, a single wolf appeared.he was large, even for a male, and pure black with brown paws.his tail was white and his teeth were bared."I am Ulric, last remaining member of the Stone Falls pack, and I accept your challenge, for control of both our territories. the wolf replied.his voice was a deep, commanding growl.the two wolves faced off, circling, sizing eachother up.suddenly, Gemini lunged.Ulric dodged, surprisingly nimble for one so large.Gemini was at a disadvantage with her hurt leg, but she went for her opponent again.landing on all fours, she turned on the spot and used her reversed momentum to propel herself forward, tackling the large wolf.the two locked together, shoulder to shoulder, tearing at eachother with teeth and claws.they broke apart, jumped backwards, and charged forward again.it was graceful and terrible at once, like a dance that could end with only one living dancer.Gemini swiped at Ulric, caught him in the jaw.Ulric reared back and brought his upper body down on Gemini, who rolled onto her back, tore at his belly with her hind legs, and shot out between his back legs, swiping his paws out from under him on the way.once on her feet again, she lunged at his prone form.Ulric pushed himself upright, just as Gemini landed squarely on his back.he reared up and threw her off, then twisted in midair and brought his huge paws down on her chest.she savagely bit into his leg, causing him to draw back.the two circled again for a moment, then jumped back in.there was a flash of movement, a yelp, and Ulric used his massive head to fling Gemini into the air.she flew behind him and landed with a thud against the rock wall where the cave was.her body crumpled to the ground, and she struggled to rise.Ulric advanced on her, ready to finish the battle.when he was only a few feet away, Gemini gained her feet, sprang up, used the rock as a launching base, and launched herself at him.her jaws clamped around his throat.Ulric struggled, flailed, tried to dislodge her, but Gemini held fast.her body swung from his neck as he swiped at her, scoring deep wounds in her sides, but still she did not let go.finally, after what seemed like ages, the giant male collapsed to the ground, gave a shuddering heave, and the life fled from his body.Gemini disentangled herself from him and stepped back.she bowed her head in respect, and then howled to the sky, the customary gesture to honor a fallen enemy and lift their spirit to the sky.when her long, plaintive cry finally dwindled, she lowered her head and promptly collapsed,bleeding, onto the snowy ground.

"GEMINI NO" balto yelled as she went into battle with the large black wolf. As they fought Balto moved around trying to find a way into the fight but nothing ever opened up for him, all he could do was watch as his friend fought for her life and everyone else . Then it happened. Gemini was thrown into the rock. "Gemini, " balto cried out but was sent back when Gemini bit down and killed her opponent then fell under her own feet. "Gemini....." balto said as he slowly walked uptowards her

The bear brother's had turned tail and ran back into the woods at the sight of the fiece battle. They'd seen face offs like this before, so even worse (Balto vs Grizzly) but there was a aura given off by the fighting female that drove them away. Plus they feared what might happen should the Gemini wolf fall. They rathered not to stick around and see what happened next.

Flustered, Diva watched in horror as the large black wolf bleed out into the white snow. The smell of coppery blood blew up in the wind and turned the young, unexperianced, wolf's nose. A hard swallow echoed from her throat and she approached Gemini, a few paces behind her big brother. She never had land to fight for, and when she and her mate were ever challanged they just moved on, neither one wanting to loose their lives over land. For a wild wolf, Diva was actually rather tame.

Gemini lay on the ground, breath coming in ragged gasps."I'm...sorry...did I...did I scare...the bears...?" She asked between gasps.

"They've run off for the moment, but something tells me it won't be long before they return." Diva laid down next to the injured she wolf and licked her wounds clean untra gently. She tried not to cause Gemini any further discomfort but she didn't want the warm blood to freeze and give her hypothermia. Carefully she got as close as she could so that her warmth would trancefer to her until she could stand and keep herself warm.

Gemini sighed."thank...you...I'll...I'll be...better soon..."

"Gemini you should have never had done that, your leg hasnt had time to heal and you could have been killed" he stated slowly. The air was quite, the smell of gemini's blood was going to bring more of the unwanted kind. " lets move you gemini" balto said as he moved gemini from the ground and onto his back. He walked to the cave

Gemini held in a gasp as Balto moved her.the familiar smells of her den both soothed and distressed her."I h-had...to...protect...the territory..." she whimpered.

Diva stood on the other side of Diva to help support weight. Her ears were low as she felt bad for the she-wolf's pain. The den wasn't much warmer then the outside air, but having the wind now blowing threw their fur was deffinately a relief.

"You did well Gemini. You did what you felt you had to." Diva looked at Balto with a gentle smile. "Just rest now, we'll make sure you're taken care of and comfortable."

Balto smiled and slowly putting gemini down. it was getting cold

Gemini gave a shuddering sigh as she was set down.the scent of her mate and pup came to her strongly, and her heart gave a lurch.on days like this, she and her mate were never cold.they kept eachother warm by curling up together, their little pup in between them to protect him from the cold.

"Get the bears in here, im going to go get some food and look around. try to be quite and warm. get the bears to lay in front of you too. No wolf that doesnt know the boy wills come into the den" balto said as he walked off into the night

Diva nodded and stood from where she had been sitting next to Gemini.

"I won't be long. I'm an excelent tracker." She smiled softly at the Balto and the she wolf and hurried into the cruel wind. The wind was begining to mix with snow and water from the shore, Diva would have to find the boy quickly. "Muck, Luck, where did you two go!?" She called out into the gusty howls that blew threw the trees. "HEEEERE POLAR BEEAAARS!" She barked loudly.

"MMMHMMMMM!" An accomplished mumble rang out above Diva's head before an earth shaking thud came from behind her. Diva turned aroung and looked at Luck, who was holding Muck in his arms. The two had been up a large anchient oak tree.

"So you figured it out then?" Diva chided with a smile as she looked up the tree, covered in scratch marks. They had certainly got up there, even if it wasn't in the most conventional of ways.

"Oh Miss Diva, it was so scary, wasn't it scary Luck? So scary we ran right up the tree,!" Much rambled for a moment and then looked at Diva who seemed unsettled by the energy of the small bear.

"Come on, we've got to go back." Diva said without other comment on their climbing adventure. She began to take stride in the direction of the cave again. "It's getting cold, and Gemini is hurt."

Blane had walked a long time. He didn't know where he was but he did know his heart was telling him he was close. He walk all the was threw Canada and was looking fo Diva. He wanted to see her again. He standing on a cliff by where Balto was and started barking. He did this ever our or so. He hoped Diva would hear him soon.

Gemini shivered with cold and sadness."I never should have brought them here...I should have just stayed, never gone and bothered them like that...my pup is dead, I know that...but...I must find his body...to bury him..." she mumbled.she knew if she kept talking she wouldn't fall asleep.sleeping would be bad right now.

The bears and Diva had just gotten into the cave when the faint sound of a dog barking in the distance blew in to Diva's ears. They perked in the direction of the barks and she looked out the maw of the cave in wonder. Could it really be? Her eyes drifted from the opening of the cave to Gemini and the bears, who were gingerly wrapping themselves around her.

"Y...you guys stay here, keep her warm and safe. Brother will be back soon. Th...There's something I have to check out." Without another word she dashed out of the cave back into the blizzard that was forming. She had to know for sure that it was really Blane she heard. Her mind had played tricks like this on her before, and it had gotten her hurt in more ways then just emotionally.

Balto returned with a few rabbits in his mouth. The bears had fallen asleep raped around Gemini, who was talking to her self trying to keep her self awake. Balto looked around for Diva " where is she?" balto worried. He went to the mouth of the cave and yelled for his babe sister. "Diva!! Diva!!" he cried out

Blane could smell Diva in the air. He knew she was close and he barked again. "I'm here, Diva, I'm here!" He barked frantically. He started to talk to the cave, but he couldn't see any one or any thin just yet. He got closer and could see a wolf in the distance. He knew it was her.