The sun rays peeking through highlights a new day where many families of our tribe have changed. Worse, changes in winter are almost never welcome.

Instead of the females hurriedly going back to their dens for warmth, we instead, stand covered in our mountain of furs along with some of our males to either wail or wait... wait for what? Well, some with hope that the chest belonging to now stiff frozen bodies will move, some with hope that this is just a nightmare and that the freezing cold whispering on our skin and tearing our hearts is just a life-like dream, not a reality. Others are waiting to know for sure about who our enemy is. For what? Revenge? To pour in all our hate and grief at?

My quiet angry mama surrounded by my hard faced papas and the feathery solemn brothers (one of them is heavily sleeping in papa Jack's arms) are safe. Though, mama's shining blue eyes are set on a figure placed close to one of the other females' sides.

My friends... they're safe.

The cinnamon hair Natasha is being held strongly by her mother Jazz who are both silently crying at the males Natasha lost...

Elena, while holding onto one of her cubs, softly leans her head into Bronco's injured chest as they and some of her males glance around at the tribesmen lost during this winter attack. The worst kind of attack that can be made on any tribe since in winter none are completely alert and none can lose their food.

Thankfully though, the enemy weren't interested in our food but they were interested in...

Sheila, at this moment a familiar wolf beast is curled around her for she's on her knees wailing at the news that her male Hayes died the same way Wyatt did for me. The same way my brother Bruce died for Natasha. The same way many others died or got injured, all for protecting their females, protecting our tribe.

As for me, like other females bundled in fur, I'm kneeling by his body, trying to hold onto any warmth left in him. My blurry eyes keep trying to travel up to his face, to see if there's any movement, but there's a piece of cloth placed on his head. Why? Well, it's obvious what ended up killing my Wyatt.

Trying not to think about that, my mind races back to when I began to notice this big cuddly bear beastmen, which was at my first Fire Mating Ceremony. That day, with my flower wreath placed firmly on my head, I looked in awe at the males fighting to become part of my family. My family who now lost one.. Feeling a tear going down my cheek, my head lowers and stares at his stiff hand. Blinking, I try to think back on good memories. Wyatt. My clumsy sincere Wyatt who always tried to keep the peace between my males. My gullible Wyatt who followed Radu's recommendation thoroughly in order to keep me pleased. My happy knowledgeable Wyatt who knew that despite the head position being temporary, he proudly and brightly smiled at being given that privilege.  A privilege that ended up giving him the heavy responsibility of sacrificing himself for my safety. For the head male is the one who decides at the end which plans can be made for the head female's safety...

As for my other males, Radu and Adan are by my side. One of them in their beasts forms to shelter me from the cold as I stay kneeling.

Leo? He's alive but injured. After greeting me with our cheeks, he tiredly walked to where many other injured males could be seen. So, currently he's sitting down with a broken arm at a tent, along with many other of our warriors, waiting for their turn to be healed.

Speaking of our warriors, Vick, though bleeding from his injuries, was the one who carried Wyatt's body to me. After we silently shared a greeting, one of my males passed him a jar of grampa Liam's herb to which he slowly nodded his head in thanks and walked off to find our Leaders.

Feeling a shiver, I blink my eyes back to the present. Knowing that my males were freezing along with me, I slowly leaned my face to Wyatt's hand and gave him a final goodbye kiss. Letting go of his hand, I then tried to stand up. But probably since I was sitting down for so long, my legs felt weak. Bearing my trembling hands on Adan's snout I tried again, this time, however, Radu helped me up while Adan softly pushed me up with his snout.

Clearing my throat, I then looked at two males standing nearby. Like Wyatt, their eyes held the familiar jade green color. They must be his blood related family. Slowly blinking my eyes back from another incoming tear, I again cleared my throat. "Thank you for waiting, I'm ready for our tribe to say goodbye to him."

Nodding their head slowly, they walked toward his body and began to pick him up to take him to where the rest of our dead tribesmen laid dead.. Which was placed in front of the Bear Tribe Leader's place. As they took him away, a piece of cloth fell down. Not wanting others to see him with that injury, I loudly gasped and stumbled to try to grab the cloth in this snowy bloodied ground. Hearing me, they suddenly stopped and turned their necks to see what happened. Watching my hand reaching for the cloth, Radu, who didn't want to let me fall, and Adan, who wanted to protect me from the cold, stood frozen for a few seconds. Enough time for a certain black cherry furred pup to quickly run toward the cloth, glance at me mournfully, and bring the cloth to one of the males holding Wyatt. He then ran back to me, rubbed his head on my limp hand, and ran back to his mother. Thank you Elena's pup.

Later that day, when all of our dead tribesmen were laid at that place, our Leaders came out to say our traditional goodbyes. A goodbye that hasn't happened in a while for many tribes know not to attack us. Something of which the local and far away tribes will know once more not to. For after our mourning, the leaders have decided to obliterate the tribes in which the cougars came from. Surprisingly the mane wolves are spared from our hatred? Why? I'm sure we'll know when Spring comes around.

Chapter originally written and published on December 09, 2021 in W at tp ad. Time: 13:33