Chapter IX-
Asher
Crunch!
Asher wrinkled her nose in frustration as a small twig cracked under her bare foot.
"Asher." The six-year old huffed as she kicked dirt into the air, her father's large shadow covering her from the sun.
"Yeah Dad?" Roan smiled as he squatted and turned his youngest pup to look at him. His large hand ruffled Asher's moppy hair.
"It's alright, my pup. You just have to keep practicing, now come. Your mother must be getting worried." Roan picked up the small pup, placing her on his shoulders as he began to walk back to the Mansion.
Asher smiled when she saw her older brothers wrestling, with her mom watching from the balcony.
"Okasan! Burazāzu!" Roan placed Asher back on the ground, scaling the side of the mansion, as his youngest pup scampered to her big brothers.
"How are you, my love?" Roan asked as he sat on the railing of the balcony, watching worry flash over Nozomu's features.
"Your betas have been spotting humans near our territory." The Alpha stroked his mate's cheek in comfort.
"Nozo, you needn't worry. The spotted humans were probably los-"
"One of them bore the mark of the Serpent." Roan's eyes immediately moved over to his pups. His eldest, Katsuki, was on the ground as Asher climbed onto his stomach and let out a 'howl' of victory. It sounded more like a weak mewl.
"Damn."
"Roan, what are we going-"
"Nozo, lower your voice! We can't have the pups worrying. Come." Roan placed his hand onto the small of Nozomu's back and led them into the mansion.
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"Katsuki? What were mom and dad talking about?" Asher asked as she slid onto her eldest brother's lap when he lifted his upper body from the ground.
"It's nothing for you to worry about, Ash." Katsuki answered as he sent a look to his litter mates, warning them to not talk about what they heard from their parents.
"Yeah, Runt. You need to be worrying about how to take me down!" Levy spoke as he picked up his little sister and began ruffling her hair.
"Levy!!" Katsuki watched as Asher wiggled out of Levy's hold, only to get caught by Kaze. The eldest of the Stone siblings lifted himself up and began to walk towards his father's study.
'Levy, Kaze. Keep Asher occupied.'
'Sure thing.'
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"Mom, Dad." Roan looked up from the territory map and into the navy-blue orbs of his eldest son.
"Katsuki, You should be with your brothers and sister." Nozomu's dark eyes turning a soft teal.
"I am to be future Alpha. I should know if we are to be attacked by the Serpents." Katsuki responded, smirking inwardly when his father sighed in agreement.
"My betas have been spotting the hunters more often in the south, so I've warned the pack to stay on alert." Roan explained to his son.
"Father? How deadly are these Serpent hunters?" Katsuki asked, taking notice at how his mother sniffled softly.
"They wiped out the Blue Leaves, and the Broken Solstice Packs." Katsuki's eyes widened in shock. He read about them, they had been the largest packs in existence.
"My gods..." Katsuki swallowed down his fear, as he looked at his parents with determination shining in his eyes.
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■NightFall■
Asher sneezed softly as the smell of burnt flesh and wood entered her nose, waking her up. She slipped off her bed, the red-colored light under her door making the young pup tilt her head in confusion.
"Dad? M-" Asher froze in fear as she opened the door. The sight of fire, humans in masks, and her pack-mate's bleeding out of the floor making Asher collapse to the ground with a whimper.
Asher's whimper gained the attention of a hunter. The Hunter quickly pulled out his silver blade from a female wolf's back and began walking towards the child.
Asher's gaze stayed stuck at the gruesome scene below her. Her eyes taking notice of her brothers, Levy and Kaze on the ground with thick puddles of blood flowing out of their slit throats.
"No..Levy..Kaze.." Asher whispered as she tried to crawl to their prone forms. A large shadow coated Asher's small body as gripped boots entered her vision.
The Hunter smiled sadistically behind his mask as he raised his blade, ready to end the young pup.
A deafening roar made Asher wince as she looked up to see Katsuki twist the hunter's head with a sick snap.
"Come on! Get up!" Katsuki growled as he grabbed his little sister's hand, climbing over the hunter's prone body and began running out of the Burning house.
"Katsuki! What about Mom and Dad?! Levy and-"
"They're gone, Asher! Keep running!!" Asher stumbled over the roots as her mind acknowledged her brother's words. Another whimper escaped the pup's lips as tears began to blur her vision.
"Keep up!" Katsuki told Asher as he looked behind his shoulder, the glint of silver making his eyes widen as a bullet began heading towards them.
Using his strength, Katsuki propelled Asher foreward just as the silver bullet entered his shoulder. Asher ignored her cuts and scraps as she turned back around to see Katsuki stumble to the ground.
"Katsuki!"
"Run! Go, Asher!"
"Bu-"
"I said RUN!"
The pup followed her brother's command.
Running past the territories borders and far into another pack's territory. Collapsing into a shallow river when her legs couldn't hold her anymore.
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■ 3 Years Later ■
Asher growled lowly as she rummaged through a full garbage tin. The she-wolf threw the tin to the floor when she saw there were no scraps of food.
"Unbelievable. What kind of person doesn't throw away food?." Asher mumbled as she began to walk back to her little burrow.
"Deven! I like this shirt!" The nine-year old's ears perked up at the voice. Making Asher scale a tree, her body kept low on the branch.
Her navy-blue orbs took in the sight of two other kids by her river, one girl and one boy. The girl was sitting in the river with a pout, as the boy was laughing on the bank of the river.
Asher took a quiet sniff at the air, they were both wolves.
"You're mean." The girl spoke as she picked herself out of the water, kicking some at the boy.
"Come on, Alex. We're having fun!" The boy replied as he nudged Alex with his shoulder, when she sat next to him.
Asher tilted her head. The girl, Alex, had gray eyes. She's never seen gray eyes before.
"Pretty..." Asher quickly bit her tongue when she realized she spoke aloud, but the damage was done. Alex had heard her, and was now looking around.
"Hello?"
"What are you-"
"Be quiet. I heard someone." Alex stood up as her eyes darted around the area.
"Hello?"
"You're in my spot." Asher replied, her eyes connecting with Alex's.
"Sorry, we didn't know."
"I put my scent all around." Alex let out a chuckle as she scratched the back of her neck.
"Deven and I haven't gotten the hang of using our noses yet."
"Hm."
"Can you come down please?"
"Why?"
"Why not?" Asher grinned at Alex, She liked the gray-eyed wolf. The taller of the two slipped off the tree, and moved to stand in front of Alex and the still sitting boy.
"I'm Alex and that's Deven." Alex grinned up at the taller wolf as she stuck her hand out to shake.
Asher quickly looked to Deven, who sent a small wave, and then down at Alex's open palm.
"Asher." The taller she wolf placed her hand in Alex's.
Asher had been feeling lonely.
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"What's on your mind, Ash?" Navy-blue met soft gray.
"Just that I'm happy I met you."
"I'm happy I met you too." Alex gave Asher a soft smile.
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Just some insight on Asher's childhood and how her and Alex met.
Anywho,
Vote, Comment
-Lycan