They arrived at the small den a half-hour later. Ryker was exhausted, he had chased after his brother and had to drag Arias a few miles once he had found Leonis.<br/><br/>He took her into the den, which was a fairly large hole in the side of a small cliff. He laid her on the bed of nettles and leaves and licked her face gently.<br/><br/><br/>His mind flashed back to when they had met, he was a mere pup and she, a kit. She had gotten separated from her mother and was wandering through the forest, scared and alone.<br/><br/>He and his brother were hunting when they found her, huddled in a nettle bush, shivering. It was raining and she was soaked. She puffed up at the sight of the wolves. "D-don't kill me..!" She wimpered, looking up at them helplessly.<br/><br/>Leonis, as he recalled, loomed over her, ready to finish her off. "Leonis!" Ryker barked, seeing his intentions as easily as he could see the cat, who shank back at his shout.<br/><br/>"Oh come on, brother! She's going to die anyways!"<br/><br/>"Knock it off, you oaf!" the silver wolf hissed back, and turned his attention to the kit, who sneezed from the cold.<br/><br/><br/>This was just like then, he thought distantly, giving the cat another lick on the forehead.<br/>"Hey fox, uh Ayl wasn't it? I need to stay with Arias. Go with my brother, he knows where the berries are."<br/><br/>"No way!" Leonis barked. "I'm not going anywhere with her!"<br/><br/>"You will and you'll like it!" the wolf snapped back, "unless you want Father to know what you've been doing out here at this time?" Leonis winced, then muttered "Fine" under his breath.