Firestorm closed her eyes, fighting back tears. "I don't like it little one. Not at all. I just don't have any choice in the matter. How could I risk the greater good of the people for just a few..."

Swift forced herself to take a step forward, then 2. She headbutted Firestorm, sliding her body under her chin with a light chirr. "Why not let another Alpha take the risk?"

Firestorm shook her head, "Shadow... I-" She took a deep breath, "I wouldn't want to risk someone else's people with my cast offs. Besides, we are stretched thin. Far too thin. Aside from you, and my son from just over a year ago, there are no other alpha line Dukari. At least not on planet."

"Bladen, how're you doing over there?"

"Quiet."

"What do you mean, there are alpha Dukari not on planet?" She pulls herself away, her tail brushing over the floor. "Why not just call them back?"

"Shadow, do you know what slave means?" Firestorm paced, examining the memories around her.

"No, not really. I know it's not good though."

"Those wars... They were." Firestorm glanced to the door. "Essentially they were harvests. All those aliens, they came to put us in chains." She shifted to a biped, catching a rope in her hands. She took two deft steps back towards the little cat, hooking the rope around her neck with a sharp tug. "Chains to keep us in place. Just like this."

Swift pulled herself back, choking as the rope only tightened. "Alpha!"

Firestorm released, setting the rope back where it lived. She shifted back with a quick shake. "They still come here Shadow, though it's been quite a few years since their last raid. They... Last raid they caught someone who was family. He was a good man. An alpha and he had met his fated mate. The one who mirrored his soul, no matter how it was. He was like a brother, though he had never actually chosen a name. Well, he had, but we still just called him Pup."

Swift sat, her head tilting to the side, "What happened? How'd they catch him." She paused, "If you don't mind me asking."

Firestorm gave a half smile, "I don't mind. He stayed away, with outlanders. He had little interest in pack dynamics, and especially not when the elders started being, less then ideal." She snorted, "They have their own ideas for preserving the packs, and we have enough of them that they can be far too influential. He was originally an outlander himself, left with the wrong pack. He grew up training with Frost, learning to be an alpha over there. But he had a very strong sense of morals, and duty, but also loyalty. He didn't want to find any lovers but the one who mirrored him."

"Wait, were the elders trying to force you two to-" She gagged. "Sorry Alpha, no offense but that is horrible. It's wrong."

"That was his opinion too. That's why he avoided it here as much as he could. He didn't have much in the way in terms of support. I became Alpha the same year he joined me, at the delightful age of 16. He was 10." She frowned, "I do have a point with this, I know it's roundabout. There are old portals still, portals that can teleport you to different worlds. I think he was playing between those, and lead someone back here. He wasn't in mental range. We just felt the moment he was cut off."

"What happened to him?"

Firestorm stood up abruptly, "I think it's time to come meet some of the others in the pack."

"Did you never-" Swift froze at the raw pain glaring back at her.

"We were delivered his pelt, a pelt badly scarred. Do you know what that means?" Firestorm bared her teeth, "It means he was tortured badly enough that his headmates started dying Shadow. They stood in his place, taking the torture, until they died. Permanently." She shivered. "The pelt reeked of death. There is little we could even do to try to track him or find him. I tried for months. Until that pelt came to us."

"I'm sorry." Swift whispered, "I should've let it lie. I didn't mean to push. I uh... Actually ended up through one of those portal things for a bit. It's how I lost..." She raised her foot, "The bipeds there tried to help and I had no idea what I was doing. I had no alpha training, no mental links, just one really good friend who worked hard to find and bring me home."

Firestorm leaned against the door, holding it still for her. "Some of the portals are more then amazing. They give us ways to safely access knowledge we were losing. Perhaps I'll have time to take you through some safe portals these days. Show you how to be safe through them."

She regarded her carefully, "Why? It would put you at risk, wouldn't it?"

Firestorm chuckled, "Risk would be lovely compared to the daily grind." She leapt down, heading to the center of her field, "Risk is the spice of life. We have ships and ways off planet still," She tilted her head, fixing Swift with a slightly feral smirk. "But we have no properly terraformed planets for our kind. Else I would've gotten my pack off this God forsaken land in a heartbeat."

She slowed, nodding to a familiar pair of faces. "You already met Zoran and Ren. Zoran is typically who you need to speak to when it comes to heading out on the field."

Zoran yawned. "Not unless she can pass the tests."

Swift forced herself to look curious. "Tests? Like what? I haven't had any official training, but I've stayed alive mostly on my own for years now."

Zoran flicked his tail, "Zyla will see about it." He stretched, "I'll see you later Alpha. Have fun Shadow." He rose, padding away towards another.

"Where's he going?" Swift questioned, "Wait, is that rude to ask? I don't mean to be rude, in fact I much prefer not to be rude."

Ren snickered, "Bit nervous? But yes, technically. That's his daughter over there, Sasha." His eyes lingered for a long moment across the pretty little chocolate shewolf. "It's just him and her left in their line. Her brother had red eyes."

Swift sighed. "Sorry. I don't like intruding." Her tail flicked, curling across her back. "But tests? What kinds of tests are we thinking?"

Firestorm grinned, flicking her tail. An older canine padded her way to them. Her snow white fur blended into a pale silver, the lights casting an almost ethereal blue across her coat. "Zyla, Zoran said you'd be able to handle seeing how Shadow here ranks to go on patrol?"

She nodded, her head dipping low, "Of course. Ren, would you like to assist us?"

"Perhaps not immediately, let's see how she fairs against Kol first." He winked at her, running his muzzle across her back. He froze, stepping back.

"Alpha." Snowlily called out across the main mindlink. "We need you."

Firestorm's head snapped up, ears flicking forward. "Something's wrong." She turned back on the kit, her mind shoving hard. "There is an attack, fire based rogue. Anyone you know?"

Swift bared her teeth, "No?! Why would I know any rogues?"

"Is it really just coincidence?" Firestorm's tail flicked.

She flinched back, "You have the pack bond with me, you tell me! I am right here!"

She bared her teeth in a low growl. "Ren, Zyla, keep an eye on her. I need to go check on this." She bowed her head in turn to each of them.

Kiri slid back into her mind with a joyous laugh. "Got it! The wolf wanted to talk but Bladen was so so cool! He stepped out of the shadows, just like Loki, but the smoke poured off him. The flames crept up, dripping off his shoulders with every step. He stood nose to nose and he told her we were leaving with the kit! And she just let him!"

"Amazing! You should probably run though, Firestorm is coming."

"We're already off the mainland. Don't worry."

"Good." She eyed Zyla nervously. "Uh. So.... Who's Kol?"

Zyla dropped her front feet down, her tail waving well above her head. "Come on little cat, let's play while we go find him." She waited half a heartbeat before tearing across the compound, earth flying.

Swift shot after her, letting herself stretch out on each stride. Power shot through her, fuelling each step, her body twisting effortlessly as she kept herself hot on Zyla's heels. She chirred, reaching out to include Kiri. "Behold. The sensation of what we will be Kir."

He stepped in, sharing the helm. "Who's to say we aren't already, just let yourself feel it."

She shot him a quick smile, her head tilted back just slightly. "I think I am. I think I am."

He leaned over, relaxing against her, his head tucked up under her chin. "I'll miss not sleeping beside you."

"So will I.... Maybe I can sneak home?" She laughed. The body skidded as she dropped, a furry spotted missile streaking up to tackle her from the side. She came to her feet with a snarl, body alert.

The kit dropped into a play bow, his spotted tail swishing, "I'm Kol!" He grinned, "And you're far too sweet."

Kiri chucked, fading away. "Have fun!"

Swift grinned, "I'm not the one who missed, child."

Zyla hopped back her head tilted. "Shadow, how'd you know to dodge?"

Her grin grew, "Instinct. I've had to dodge more the one rogue."

Kol crept closer, his tail twitching. He lunged high, shock crossing his face when Swift ducked underneath him. "He's psychic ability, mostly surface thoughts. He probably is excelling against most at his level, right?"

Kol froze, bug eyed. "How'd you know?!"

Swift scoffed. "Good guess until you confirmed it. You reacted on what I verbalized internally, which when you first start training is constant until moves start becoming habit. Since you thought you knew what what I was about to do, you telegraphed it in how you reacted. How you got ready to thwart me."

Zyla nodded. "Spot on! You do know what you're doing." She winked, "But let's step it up a notch."

Swift flattened against the ground, wind ruffling her fur. She spun, paw meeting nothing but air.

Fangs caught her scruff, flipping her fast. Soft breath brushed her ear, the whisper too low for anyone else to hear. "So, how exactly did you meet my brother?"

Swift twisted, kicking out in an effort to dislodge him. Her heart pounded, fear sinking into her bones. "Bladen."

"Shh. Pretend it's Kiri. Wht would you do then." He soothed.

She hissed, dissolving into smoke beneath Ren's teeth. She dropped her head, ears pricked. Kiri. Just think of Kiri.

She tensed, throwing herself back. Her tail met her nose as she flipped, neatly dropping herself out of his path.

He scraped earth. The sound faint, but enough.

She spun, her fangs clicking shut on soft toes.

He yipped, his shield dropping. He held his paw high, "She got me!"

Zyla laughed. "She did indeed! Nice shot Shadow. I didn't expect you to actually hit him. He's rather squirrelly."

Shadow panted, eyeing Ren carefully. "I didn't expect it either. He made noise."

Ren frowned at his feet, "If I did it wasn't much...."

Swift dragged her foot across the ground, listening for that tiny rasp. Her head tilted this way and that as she listened intently. "Weird... I'm sure I heard it. That's how I knew where to aim."

Zyla shrugged, "Call it instinct if you want, but you definitely passed for me. I've let Alpha and Zoran know, so if anyone bugs you, come find me." She ran her head against Swift's chest, her tail wrapping close. "Come, let's get a home sorted for you."