Fleet and Fen stood before heavy banded doors. No one really ever came to the Healers Guild building when it was built. Most avoided it like the plague for some reason. After recent events, maybe it was just foresight.

"Pretty heavy reinforcement for a Healers Guild. Looked like it was more for war than tending injuries." Fleet remarked dryly.

"Mmm. You know, I never recall anyone ever going to the Healers for help or injury. They either came to you, or suffered." Fen comment was dry and humorless as well.

Fleet just nodded to Fen. "Let's crack her open. If the building is decent, we will move the Clinic into it. If not, tear it down and rebuild it."

Fleet approached the door and touched the wood. It felt malicious. He stepped back, unsheathed his black katana that appeared from no where, and spoke.

"To the ill spirits and energies of this building, know now that you have a new master." With that he sliced through the doors cleanly. A howl went through the air and died. Sheathing his sword, Fleet stepped in and waved Fen to follow. "Damage control time."

The Marduk medical drone looked like someone made a hybrid between a squid and an octopus, cast the creature out of metal and plastic, then brought it to life. A large central 'head' festooned with eyes and tiny manipulators, followed by twelve long tentacles, and at the end of each were various instruments and manipulators.

The machine listened to Ammy's questions before a couple of the eyes flashed in sequence, a visual indication to show it was processing her request. #Yes Ma'am. There is sufficient data on Lupinosse physiology to synthesize blood for transfusions. Blood plasma, as well as whole blood in each antibody type can be manufactured in biogen tanks as required. These tanks can be manufactured using the Den's available nano-forge facilities left behind by HX-909-A. Construction of suitable biogen tanks will require the following raw materials and eighteen hours time.#

After printing our a list of the resources needed on a sheet of flexi, the Marduk floated there, waiting for any further questions.

Fleet looked at the hulk formerly known as the Healers Guild. The building was finally deemed clear and safe for any to enter into. He made notes in his head and on record of what he wanted changed and improved. A few young Lupes followed him into the building.

With the plague over and many without parents, mates, or siblings, the project of moving Whisper Paws Clinic into the building was a universal rally point for hopes to put the past behind and move on with life. The inside of the building was sparse, the walls not well tended to. Sparse windows were seen on the ground floor. According to the mapping Fen and the clean up crew did, there were two subfloors, and 4 floors above the ground level.

He stood and looked at the ground level. He had a full 6 floors to do with as he saw fit. He felt a bit intimidated but he pushed on. He had been on a tour at Riverview Clinic when he signed on a day or two ago for residency, and loved the layout. But he wanted the Whisper Paws Clinic to be unique and comfortable. He turned to one of the male Lupes and asked for a can of spray paint. Fleet then walked the rooms and marked on walls where he wanted windows, new doors, wider doors, electrical, and what flooring needed.

The group following him made a racket of scribbles, questions, and suggestions. This was the norm for each floor. After a whole day of marking and discussing, they had the rough form of Whisper Paws Clinic laid out. The following was written, and later drawn by Fleet to hang in the clinic when it opens.

5th Floor:
Wings of Canis Orphenage
Access to Roof Top Garden and Playground

4th Floor:
Out Patient Rooms
Out Patient Nursing Station

3rd Floor:
Staff Offices and Lounge
General Nursing Station

2nd Floor:
ICU
ICU Nursing Station
On Call Sleeping quarters

1st Floor:
Surgical Suites 1
Surgical Suites 2
Surgical Suites 3

Ground Floor:
Reception
Exam Rooms 1-4 Humanoid
Exam Rooms 5-8 Feral (Veterinary Cases)
Gift Shop
Apothecary
Lobby
Emergency Room 1 & 2

Basement 1:
Diagnostics
Xray
Scanning (Hopefully)
Chemical and Drug Vault

Basement 2:
Research Labs
Data Storage
Body Care

Basement 3:
Clinic Generator

Sweat dripped off Fleet's nose as he helped seat a large bay window on the Fifth floor of the clinics building. A few more set nails in the sills and one of the lupes gave a thumbs up that the window was steady. Fleet let go and stretched his back. He was getting quite a workout with interning at Riverview clinic, helping with the renovations of Whisper Paws Clinic, and treating his own patients at his house, the current location of Whisper Paws Clinic.

He chuckled and sipped some water. The fifth floor was looking good. They decided to focus on the Fifth floor first. They had a good 25 orphaned Lupinossi pups, that needed a home to call their own. The small families looking after them were at their limits. New flooring was down now with a layer or two of something Ammy called synthesized rubber. She told him it was to help keep injuries from falling during play to a minimum.

The main play room itself was huge that he was standing in. 100 foot square of a room with 4 large bay windows for lots of light and daydreaming. The single door to the room, still waiting to be hung lead into a main hall that was punctured with more doors opening into several sleeping dorm rooms with lots of bunk beds, and at least two main sleeping rooms for those caring for the children.

He looked across the room to watch two other Lupes painting the walls a bright cheery sky blue. A Lupe called for Fleet to come up to the roof top. He padded out of the room, down the main hall and up the stairs to the roof. Here was another lovely project they started right away as well.

The Lupe calling to him was a bit shorter than him. She was a squat Aire with he swore a mingling of Soultre or Woodre. Here eyes were amethyst, and her mane glowed in the sun a light bronze. Earthy brown was her fur color, and she wore simplistic robes or tunics that had all sorts of gardening tools in them. Maybe Earthre was her mixing. She smiled at him.

*Grand afternoon Fleetian. I wanted you to look at the progress we made.* Her accent was a bit heavy, and her Lupesh a little muddled than what he was used to hearing.

"Certainly Ema. It looks like the roof top will flourish in a few weeks. Do you have enough water, soil, and shade?" he asked Ema.

She looked back at him with a wry grin on her muzzle. She poked him in the ribs.

*Never knew our most honored elder had Earthre blood in him. Done some farming yourself?* she laughed and led him along rows of raised beds just tilled and planted with young starts.

*Strong growth will happen in a week or two, but it'll be a good cycle before anything useable will be seen. We have the Sky Dome nearing completion.*

They both walked past the gardens on lovely path made of laid gravel and pavers. On one side of the roof a large dome, 100 feet in diameter and 50 feet high stood in the sun. It was skinned in hardened plexiglass, another new item Ammy had made for the clinic. It light the light in, but not harshly. Each pane was tinted a subtle gray.

They stopped at the only door into the dome. Fleet pushed the clear, single sheet of plexiglass open. Ema followed him and grinned as she watched him inspect everything.

*Does it meet with your approval Fleetian?*

Fleet didn't answer yet. He stood in the center, closed his eyes, and his metallic blue wings appeared, his Aire and deity heritage. He didn't use magic to aid him in flying. He flapped his wings a few times to stretch and warm them, then leaped into the air. Catching rising air currents from discreet venting in the bottom of the dome he circled a few times, flapped and rose higher, dove lower and summersaulted in the air.

Ema watched in awe. She felt she was watching the spirit of the wind dance before her. His movements were graceful even with the metal limbs. After a few minutes he landed by her and his wings vanished. He looked into her amethyst eyes and smiled.

"It is perfect Ema."

Gray eyes tried to see the Lupes who's ragged breathing she was hearing in the dark. Her left wing was on fire, so was her right arm. She tried to remember why she was in the dark, hurt, and worried about the tones in those heavy pantings she heard.

All she could remember was helping mom by using alchemy to make the hole bigger. The the lights went out and screams were heard. Mom. Mom...Mom? She called out. Her voice weak and strained.

"Mom! Mom?"

A moan was heard near her. She couldn't move, and she felt the Force was doing something. She heard shouts somewhere and the groaning of heavy things. She could here Ema the gardener shouting and barking orders. Shovels were heard, claws too as earth, and debris could be heard to be ripped away.

In what seemed an eternity in darkness, a shaft of light punched through the darkness. She looked up through squinted eyes and saw a familiar face. Dad was there and he was helping remove debris. She could see the others trapped with her. She closed her eyes at it. So much blood. More debris was scraped away, and then she heard nothing as she passed out.

Green eyes snapped open and Ammy screamed. It came out muffled. She was staring at clear tubes coming from her nose and something was pressed hard against her muzzle. Pain was lancing through her legs and left arm. Her muddled mind somehow knew it wasn't possible. Those limber were metal. What had happened? Why is she in pain?

Ammy tried to sit up and found herself restrained by gentle paws. Whatever was on her muzzle was pressed harder and something with a hint of chemicals flowed into her nose. Someone told her to breath in and count to 3 again. Again? That answer was left unanswered as she blacked out.

Her ears twitched as she heard something beeping next to her. It beeped in time with her heart. Her eyes remained closed and she took a breath. A small fire greeted her breathing. She knew that pain. Broken ribs. She opened her green eyes again and found the tubes still there, but her muzzle was free. Sunlight was shining on her from a window that was still held in it frame by wood shimmies. She was in one of the recovery room of Whisper Paws Clinic.

Ammy tried to sit up, but the small fire from breathing blossomed into a bonfire of pain. She stopped trying and could feel the bed under her. She moved her head and found that that was working. The clear tubes in her nose were linked to oxygen, and the beeping was one of the heart monitors Ember Pallin had promised them. She looked down at her right arm. An IV was in it and a few more sensors. She could raise her arm some.

Then she looked at her left arm and couldn't see it. That scared her. It was her cybernetic right arm, and it was missing at the shoulder. She tried lifting her legs and felt nothing. She looked to the rooms door as Fen walked in with his med kit slung over his shoulder. He looked worn and haggard. He checked her monitors then noticed she was awake.

"Afternoon Ammy. You've had us worried. You've been out for 4 days."

"Out?" her muddled voice came out.

"Yes. You went through 4 hours of surgery. We had to repair several broken ribs. The right side of your chest was reconstructed with nano metal ribs. Fleet stitched up quite a few lacerations in your chest."

It was a bit much to take in without panicking, so she asked another question. "Why can't I feel my legs, and where is my left arm?"

Fen visibly paused before he spoke to her.

"You, Myrlene, and several other Lupes were pulled out of rubble. The 3 basement floor that was being dug collapsed. Your cybernetic limbs were mangled beyond repair. We spent an hour trying to remove enough of the cyber components to get to your nerve relays. Fleet's getting the cybernetic/prosthetics suite rigged up as we speak. The other injured Lupes will need new limbs or assisted bracing to heal."

"Myrlene was down there?" she asked confused. "How is she?"

Fen squatted next to her bed and stroked her hair.

"You've suffered a concussion as well. Your memories will be affected a bit. Myrlene was helping you dig the floor out with alchemy. Neither of you could of known that the support beams of the 2nd basement floor were damaged. Myrlene will be okay. She has several lacerations all stitched up, and her left wing is in a splint. Just be thankful we have several Aire that have medical knowledge of splinting wings. Her right arm is also broken. She's a brave girl and used her Force power to shield you all from being crushed. Now just rest and Fleet will be in to check on you in an hour or so."

Fen smoothed her hair back again and left the room, walking down the unfinished halls to the other injured patients. The clinic was no where near ready for use, but it was desperately needed now.

Ammy closed her eyes again and slept.

Myrlene whimpered more as she sat on the exam table at Whisper Paws Clinic. Her right leg was very swollen now and bleeding heavily. Fleet had just removed the last of the temporary cast he place on her leg at the Twilight Islands.

"Tell me again Lene, why were you at the Islands? And why were you using your magic?" Fleet's voice was calm and patient, that of a seasoned father.

Myrlene sniffled more and hugged Tinn for all the stuffing he was worth.

"I was just sitting at the Inn reading the big tome on Alchemy that mom let me borrow. Anya, Siv, and Mira were there. I was talkin with them then they all headed for the Market Place to help Neo fight some monster. Mira helped me walk to the market place cause I was curious about the monster. Neo already had it capture, and Siv sent it to the Islands when we got their. Siv looked really bad when she used her magic so I offered to recharge her..."

Fleet's blue eyes looked into her gray eyes. He knew there was more to the story. "And?"

More sniffles, this time from the water and disinfectant dad was using on her open cuts.

"There were so many people that wanted to help but needed to get to the Islands quick. I opened a rift using alchemy to the Islands. I followed Anya. No one else went through the rift. When I got there, the thing was struggling against Gilly and Neo with nasty spikes. I asked Neo if he wanted me to toss the monster into the lagoon with my Force powers. He even gave me some of his Ki powers, but the monster broke loose before we could toss him into the water..."

She began crying. Fleet was being tender as possible, but allot of sand had gotten in, and there was no easy pain free way to get out. She was too young for a lot of the pain meds he would use on a patient in her situation. He stayed quiet and let his daughter tell him more.

"Next thing I know, we're being attacked. I ran over and helped Anya with a shield and used what I learned from mom's book to control the sand to make Tru a weapon when he went big and to poke at the monster when it disappeared under the water. No one could find it, then it grabbed me from under the sand and tried to bite me. I touched it's hand and deconstructed it's arm, then mom's pendant glowed and it bit the shield and backed away. I collapsed the tunnel and Neo pulled me out. The monster broke my leg."

She sniffled some more recounting the scary moments. Fleet just smiled at her a little wearily. It was 3 am and he wanted to get taken care of before his shift at Riverview Clinic. The debridement was done now, but he had a bit of an issue now. All of the lacerations were torn open and stitching wouldn't work anymore with this amount of damage. She also had both her tibia and fibula broken. He pondered for a moment what to do, in the mean time.

"Sounds like you had one wild first fight. I think you did just find, but your still too young and undertrained to fight. I am proud at how you helped your friends, but now you have two limbs broken and that left wing is going take longer to heal if you keep jostling it. You need to be a little more cautious and just run when a fight comes, at least for now." Fleet smiled at her kissed her forehead.

He got an idea for her leg. He would just craft a cast that he could put on and take off with ease. He pulled a few rods of titanium/aluminum out. He had very little of the material but Myrlene wasn't that big. He marked out an alchemy array on the floor.

Myrlene's gray eyes went wide. Dad could do alchemy too?

"Yes Lene, I can do it too. Your mom taught me how, and my knowledge as a deity lets me use it easily. Now then, we are going to make a sturdy cast that you can walk in, but I can take off and put on to check on your leg wounds." He clapped his paws and touched the array.

The metals pooled the reshaped into a shell that was jointed at knee and hock and fit the contours of Myrlene's leg easily. Clasps with adjuster cables to tighten both sides together dotted the sides of the splint/cast. He made sure all broken threads and sand were out of Myrlene's wounds then spread a light coating of antibacterial cream on them. They were deep, but not life threatening. More no-stick gauze was placed over each laceration, then some antibacterial powder was dusted over her leg to keep it dry. Fleet wrapped cotton cast padding around her leg. He then looked into her gray eyes.

"I need you to be brave Myrlene. This next part is going to hurt. I need to attach the splint/cast over you leg and its a bit swollen."

"Just add a thermal layer dad to cool when heat and swelling are noted and to warm when cold and low blood circulation is noted."

Fleet looked at her with surprise, then grinned. "That's my girl."

He grabbed several gel packs, an electronic warming pad, and a small cooling unit. He placed those in another ray with the cast and used alchemy to meld the items into a thermal regulating liner that fit like a glove inside the splint/cast. There were even setting controls on the outer thigh guard. His best use of alchemy yet. Fleet began instructing Myrlene on how, what, and why the cast/splint will work while he began fastening it to her right leg.

"Okay then. I think a smart girl like you can understand how this will work. These metal strings here on the open seams will contract as the swelling and temperature go down to help keep your bones in place. They will loosen if they start to swell too much or you legs gets really hot. Now it wont loosen a whole lot that'll you'll notice, but it will keep your leg in alignment. The controls on the thigh here are only for you to touch when the cast/splint isn't working right. You'll know when. Now then, I am going to give you a shot for the pain and I want you to sleep for a while. The cast/splint will begin to work as you rest and the swelling goes down. He kissed her forehead again.

"Okay dad." she said tiredly.

She didn't even yip when the needle poked her. She was too tired from all the magic use that she fell right to sleep. Fleet just smiled, smoothed her forelocks back and raised the sleep railing on either side of the exam table up. She would sleep soundly for a few hours. He snagged Ema as she passed by.

"Keep an eye on her though out your shift. She'll be a sleep for about 8 hours. When she wakes, get her some good food and let her go when she can walk with out help. She's a good girl and I want her to know that she is not locked down to the clinic for getting hurt."

Ema just smiled at him and nodded that she understood.

A deep white lupe burst through the door and in an instant was charging the desk with something Steel Blue and Red within her arms. She was panting for breath as she cried out," Somebody help me! I found her... She's hurt! Bad! Very bad!"

Screamed at the top of her lungs as she hoisted up the figure within her arms. Sari was barely hanging on. For having been missing for quite some time, Sari's appearance in the clinic was something to bring shock.

The white lupe panted out again and whimpered," She's covered in blood. She looks like she's been beaten... I don't know what to do. I brought her as soon as I found her..." She looked down at Sari and whined. So happens the lupe she had approached was Fleet himself.

"She's got lacerations all over her chest and arms... I tied off the ones on her legs so she wouldn't loose blood, even the ones at her arms. I applied pressure to her wounds on her chest and the one on her neck, but she's bad... She's bad... I even think there's some bones broken." The lupe was frantic as she stood there, begging the best she could for help. She knew from the second she had gotten into the clinic, Fleet was doing his best to help.

Sari was staring forwards, glazed eyes upon the lighting. Since her kidnapping, she had seen things she had not wanted to see. Experienced things she was not willing to have happen to her. Her voice came out hoarse and weak," Street... Street... I want Street." Her main purpose since she had been kidnapped was getting back to street. Where ever that lupe was, she wanted her mate to be... She wanted it so bad, she didn't care how much she bled.

Shifting in the savior's arms, she tried to fight her way out of the white lupe's grip. She was even then trying to get away. A scream left the lupe's muzzle as she fought hard. As far as she knew she was still in Tagirian embrace. She cried out again and again, frantic as could be," LET ME GO! STREET! STREET!!!!" She begged for her lupe, for her mate the best she could.

Wriggling and writhing she did her best to get away from those who held her captive. Though her captives in this situation were more of her friends than anything else. Sari was going through the horrors and shocks of her captivity over and over again. All she saw were the Tagirians even then," STREET!!!!" Was screamed so loud, she was sure that Street could hear if he was within the designated reach. Her cries were panicked and frantic before there was nothing. Sari simply went limp and passed out within the struggling white's arms.

This was a night noted in all Den records of tension. The Lupes were watching from windows as bright lights flashed in the starry sky as the Bi-Duran pressed her attacks against some enemy the Den never knew. By now everyone heard that one of their own had been kidnapped, and brought in tortured. This was not new to the Den, being formerly owned slaves by one Lord Brutin.

What made every Lupe tense was the seething rage they felt from their beloved healer Fleetian of Den Wolf. No one ever dared worshipped him in plain site as a deity or god. He would be very unhappy about public signs of it, and would tell people to live for themselves and others. Tonight though, the true powers of Fleetian swept into the Den as he left the Clinic and through the main gates. Every place his paws touched ice appeared.

The Lupes knew, that soon, they may be going to war, their first in Rhydin. They began praying to Fleetian, their deity, to hold off violence, and to let it go. Their answers, were oddly enough answered not by divine power but by a small group of people who knew Fleet not for his powers, but for who he was. Caring, healing, and a good father. That small group turned the blood lust coursing through Fleet.

The Clinic was dark, quiet, when Fleet returned. He could feel eyes watching him from every Den window. He ignored the eyes, and walked in. He stopped by ICU. Sari was not getting any better. Street had better come back alive, he thought. He couldn't do anything more for her, so he moved on to Ammy's room. He passed the other patients recovering form the cave in earlier in the month. He felt their energy how each one was thriving on the care, but also how fragile they were. If he wished he could cut the cord of life and the would be just souls.

He closed his eyes. Tears came and he kept walking to the end of the hall. He had let himself lose control, and now it was a battle regaining it. Fleet stopped outside of Ammy's room. He willed his energy and soul to forget about his role as Reaper of Lupinoss. He had passed that scythe to another, one Vanguard of Blood. He was a healer, not a soldier, not a fighter. He was a father, a husband, a friend.

Fleet couldn't move. He couldn't walk into Ammy's room with such erratic energy. She would be too open to it. Her nature and past no better than his. A voice whispered to him mockingly.

*My, my, little one. You've cut yourself off from your loved one in fear of bringing chaos back into her life. Everyone suffers pain and loss. You've been good at causing it lately. Go on in. Go on, and wreak more havoc, son of Fleer, farmers boy elevated to enlightenment.*

Fleet stepped back and put his back to the wall, and slid to the floor and curled up. "Leave me alone Takhisis. You have no connection to this realm. Chaos and misery is your ploy not mine." he whispered.

Dry laughter. *My boy, I don't have to have a personal connection when I have you. You're little treasury links this realm to ours or did the dead Paladin not remember to tell you that as he died? You're great grand father would know, but alas, he seems to have caught a dreadful disease. He became mortal after his mate was captured by our wonderful Chimosh. Vanguard became quite a pawn for us, and Lupis fell right into our hands.*

Ears flattened at this. "What do you want snake?"

*That which binds me to the plane of the dead. You know what I seek. That and the books of two of my dearly parted wizards.*

"And if I refuse?"

*That would be foolish on your part. Someone dear to you hears my voice as well.*

Fleet shivered and a different fire burned in him. One of fear and worry. "You can't have her."

The voice never responded. Fleet was by himself again. "Takhisis? Takhisis!"

His head sunk. He remembered a faint conversation with Sivanna, an elvin cleric of Krynn. She asked him if he ever met Takhisis. Yes, yes he did. Several times with Lupis, and twice alone when he was asked to speak with the dying Paladin. She could never get near him with Paladin alive, but when an orb, 2 whole collections of very black tomes, and a few other relics of Krynns warring past were given to him to hold, Paladin passed on. Takhisis was set on him quickly. He had used the orb once, and she recoiled as he fled back to Lupinoss.

He cursed himself. He was not home anymore, and with a physical link to the orb, she had access to any Realm he had gone to. He was a very, very naive deity then, now he was paying for it.

Frost found him on the floor asleep. She laid a blanket over him and set a thermos of coffee by him. She thought he was just exhausted from work. She went back to the nursing station without a clue that something sinister was now at play.

The Clinic was settling down after the uproars of the last 3 weeks. Work had resumed in full on the clinic. Several areas had even been doubled for workers to complete the tasks at paw. The orphanage floor was now completed, and furnishing were being moved in. Irrigation was up and running in the gardens on the roof top with Esta getting more plants and herbs planted.

The Clinic levels were nearing completion. Soon equipment could be moved in. The only thing left was power. The little generator Ammy built had finally gave out. Luckily there were no patients residing in the recovery rooms anymore. The patients from the cave in were discharged and with family as they went through rehabilitation. Sari and Street were up and around as well.

Down in the belly of the Clinic, 2 floors underground, Ammy stood looking at the caved in mess that was supposed to be her lab floor. With a deep breath she looked around. After getting some pointers from Fleet, she saw other areas threatening to collapse. She had a plan. Several Lupes where with her, but not for digging, mostly for help in case of another cave in.

Ammy had them pile several large stacks of steel on the rocky floor. She began tracing an array around the stacks. She had learned that not all of her powers were gone. She could still manipulate metal, and she could live with that. With the array done, she clapped her paws and touched the lines. The metal melted and flowed out like water. Where ever it touched rubble, it melted the debris and leveled out the floor. The metal climbed up the walls and the ceiling. Soon the second floor, and from excited call from the stair well, the first floor of the basement were now solid, reinforced steel.

She had given the clinic a firm foundation now. She was done yet. Instead of digging 3 subfloor, she pushed out the second floor and expanded the metal making a large cavernous room for the main generator to come. Ammy stood and grinned. She knew this could be done. Soon Aire were scurrying everywhere following her instructions and bringing in the parts that her home lab made while she was out.

In one week, they would have a plasma generator and 2 backup Ion generators as well. It may sound a bit extreme to the others, but Ammy wanted the clinic to have more than needed so expansions could happen in the future, and fuel would not be an issue.

Fleet stood in the middle of the newly finished Lobby floor. Glacier blue eyes swept over everything. Lights were on, computers humming, and main lobby was all set. Whisper Paws Clinic was now, officially, complete. They had just move the last of the equipment into the Lab, and all of the monitors in each room functioned well.

Another grin as he walked to the reception area. One wall was only a quarter full of data discs, their version of records. It will soon fill when the clinic opens fully. Sari would be happy that things were neatly organized. He wondered how she and Street were getting on. His restaurant should be just about ready to open as well. Another smile.

So many things were starting to go right finally in the Den's history. He turned and walked out the Clinics glass door and headed for town. He had a few fliers to post.

11:30pm July 13th the following entry is made with great joy in the Whisper Paws Clinic medical database.

Fen Stridar: "Arca! Wheelchair! Pups on the way!"

Mokksha: ::::Mokkie ran ahead to the birthing sweet, getting the bed ready, flipping the switches that turned on the monitors and powerd up life support if needed:::

Fen Stridar: Fen helped Sari into the wheel chair and pushed her to the sweet. "When did the pains start?"

Street Wolf: Clinic door slams open. "Where is she?"

Arca pointed to the first floor and was grabbing kits.


Sari Wolf: She whimpered out weakly. Her eyes slitted as her paws gripped to Mokkie. She gave a light pained scream as she answered Fen," About... twenty minutes ago.." Hearing her mate she screamed," Street!"

Street Wolf: Street thundered up. "I'm here Sari. What's wrong wit her?"

Mokksha: :::::she held Sari's paws tightly murmuring::: just breathe, keep breathing.....millions of females over thousands of years have succeeded at this and you are far stronger than any of them...you will be fine.

Fen Stridar: "She's giving birth Street. You're a dad now. Enjoy." he focused on getting Sari onto the bed and in position.

Sari Wolf: She squeezed at Street's paw for a moment or two while her ears pinned back. She gave a nod to Mokkie's words as she gripped the wheel chair. Another contraction was starting and she was screaming.

Street Wolf: He helped lift Sari onto the bed.

Fen Stridar: "Now Sari, when the squeezing hits again, don't fight it. Push with it. Well Mokki, you're going to be an aunt again."

Mokksha: ::::she attached the monitor hookups, readied the life support equipment and worked with Arca to cleanse the blood and fluids from Sari's legs:::

Street Wolf: "Ye can do it lassy. Just push. I'm right here!" he was squeezing her paw."

Mokksha: ::::she smiled:::: we love you Sari....breathe!

Sari Wolf: She squeezed at her mate's paw and whimpered out. Her eyes squeezed tight while she gritted her teeth. A few pants came from her and as the contractions stopped she flopped back with a whimper.

Fen Stridar: "Doing good Sari. Now I wish I had my baseball mitt. Dialations are good." Fen put on a glove a felt inside Sari. "First pup is coming out normal. Push!"

Mokksha: ::::she and Arca prepared newborn stabilizing kits, two each, four total, and also got incubators and blankets ready:::

Street Wolf: "You can do it. Looks like we have a family finally."

Sari Wolf: A scream left her as she pushed. She squeezed at Street while the first pup's head appeared. Rough pants and her whimpers coming and going.

Fen Stridar: "There we go, easy does it." the first pup slid free. Quick clamp and cut of the umbilical chord. He handed the pup to Arca. "We have one girl."

Mokksha: ::::murmuring to Arca:::: it is her first birrth right....she won't have more than four will she?

Fen Stridar: "Shouldn't"

Mokksha: :::she nodded relievedly. mokk used the warming blanket and aspirator to stablize the pup while arca held her, letting arca check for pulse and heart rhythim while she listened to the lungs, a quick swat on the rump got teh pup squalling::::: well, hello little love.....:::::to street::: here Streetda....meet your daughter

Street Wolf: "A girl hon, we have a daughter." He nuzzled it.

Sari Wolf: Another scream came as another contraction came, this time another pup was coming, quicker than before," Kinda.... Busy.... Love...."

Mokksha: ::::a soft smile at the nuzzle and the pup was wrapped up snugly and placed in the incubator:::

Fen Stridar: He felt for the next one. The pup slipped right out easily. Snipping the chord. "Another girl!" hands the pup to Mokkie.

Mokksha: ::::she and arca repeated the stabilization and evaluation as before, she then offered teh pup to Street again:::

Sari Wolf: Her ears pin back and she's allowed a respite. She flops back and whimpers softly," How many does that make?"

Fen Stridar: "Two." He looked to Arca. "Hand me the wand." Arca gave him the ultrasound wand and he scanned her belly. He watched the monitor. "Two more inside."

Mokksha: ::::pup number two having been introduced to daddy, was also placed in an incubator beside her sister, it was the closest to the womb you could get and the safest for them until they first suckled mother's milk and the critical antibodies they would need:::

Street Wolf: Is grinning like a cheshire cat at his pups being born.

Sari Wolf: Another scream signaled another contraction. She jerked forwards in the push and the third pup made its way into the light of the living.

Fen Stridar: He felt the pup coming and frowned. He pushed the pup back in as it was coming out breach, feet first. He was able to turn the pup around and let it whelp normally. "Another girl" as he snipped the chord.

Mokksha: :::very quick grab for the pup by the nurses and worried glances, breech was never good, evaluation and stablization done double quick:::

Street Wolf: "Fleet would be proud of you laddy. True doc ye be!"

Sari Wolf: She lulled back and panted. Her eyes were closed while she swallowed. She was sweating like crazy. Her paw loosened around Street's. She was getting tired.

Fen Stridar: "Don't give up Sari. One more to come. You're almost done."

Mokksha: :::pup presented to both father and mother while she rested::: Sari, she is just beautiful....like you.

Sari Wolf: Sari was panting as she smiled over to her daughter. Her other paw was gripping the bed she was on. Ears were still pinned back as she murmured," I don't... I don't know if I have any more energy.."

Street Wolf: Street was sniffling. Was he crying? "So grand. Nae thought to see me havin kids again."

Mokksha: :::she wrapped the pup and smooched Streetda on the cheek before placing her newest adopted kinspup in the incubator too. She leaned over then and placed her hand on Sari's forehead:::: heartmother, if you will permit...i will share some of my healing force with you?

Fen Stridar: "You can do it Sari. You're strong and brave." he looked to arca. "Get a 20 ml dose of Oxytocin prepped. We may need to induce contraction if she can't" Arca nodded and prepped a syringe. He heard Mokkis. Good plan Mokkie girl. That's my wife. Wouldn't trade her for anyone, even Ammy. He shook the thought out of his head and hoped Fleet was safe out there somewhere.

Sari Wolf: Ears pinned back while she panted weakly. She whimpered lightly and closed her eyes a bit tighter," I... I'm so tired." She was trying to have the energy, but honestly, it wasn't coming. The contraction was not coming at all and Sari was almost to the point of passing out.

Street Wolf: "I'm right here love. Be strong."

Mokksha: ::::she took her adopted stepmother's silence for consent, and gently fed healing force into her, trying to aid her, strengthen her, help her have the baby:::

Fen Stridar: "Arca, Oxytocin please." he waited for the syringe. Once Arca placed it in his paw he put on a calming voice. "Now Sari. I am going to induce labor. You have one pup left. Hang in there. Mokkie, be ready to hit life support."

Mokksha: ::::she nodded and removed her hand from Sari's forehead::: yes, Fen

Sari Wolf: She nodded softly, her paw's grip slacking on Street's just a bit as she lay there," One more... Please let it be okay." She whimpered a bit.

Fen Stridar: Fen found a leg vein and injected the Oxytocin gently and began watching the wall clock waiting for the hormone to kick in.

Sari Wolf: A few moments passed and Sari whimpered out. Her muzzle parted in a scream, she pushed again with what might she had. Her grip was possibly painful to her mate as she shook her head.

Street Wolf: He took the crushing grip in stride. "Push." he whispered.

Sari Wolf: She was panting roughly and pushing as hard as she could.

Fen Stridar: He felt the pup starting breach and turned it around, then felt the chord wrapping around the neck. he was working quickly trying get the pup untangled from being strangled.

Sari Wolf: Another scream came as she shook her head," It hurts!!!" Her grip tightened.

Fen Stridar: "This ones a fighter!" more manipulation.

Sari Wolf: The contraction got worse and she shook her head," I can't push any moorreee.."

Fen Stridar: "I've got the pup. I am trying to untangle the chord. Hang on."

Mokksha: :::both she and arca rushed to turn on the life support quipment when they heard that":::

Street Wolf: He held her paws now and looked very worried.

Sari Wolf: She was fighting not to colapse as she lay there. Another whine left her muzzle and she gripped at her mate.

Fen Stridar: "C'mon. It's more fun on the outside." gloved fingers deflty untangled and unwrapped slick umbilical chords from the pups neck and began pulling the pup out gently. "Got the pup and pulling it out!" And out slid the last pup. He didn't clamp or cut but grabbed a kit and began cleaning and clearing airways. He wacked the hind end. "C'mon, breathe."

Street Wolf: Stroked Sari's head. "You did it, you did it."

Sari Wolf: When she heard 'breathe' she sobbed out. Her eyes snapping open," Oh gods..." Another whimper and she started to sob. She fell back against the bed and sobbed out to her mate," Please tell me it's okay..."

Fen Stridar: Fen thumped again and was cursing. Suddenly a high pitched squeel hit the room and the pup was breathing. Fen sighed in relief and cut the chord. "We have a boy!"

Street Wolf: "Three daughters and a boy. Lupis!" thump. Street went over in a faint.

Fen Stridar: "Arca. Help street to the bed next to Sari." he handed the last pup to Mokkie and began cleaning up Sari and checking for any bleeders.

Mokksha: :::she finished stablizing the pup, evaluated him and attached life suppport lines, just in case, before she wrapped him and put him in another incubator:::

Sari Wolf: Sari was panting weakly. She lulled back on the bed while she quaked. She was intirely worn out. Her breath all but lost as she spoke," Is he okay?" Asking about the pup, knowing all to well some water and her mate would be just fine.

Fen Stridar: Sari checked out fine, Fen leaned back in relief. "Congratulations Sari. You're husband knows how make to em." he laughed.

Fen Stridar: "The boy is fine." he said reassuringly.

Sari Wolf: She nodded softly and panted. A light laugh/ sob left her," Three girls and a boy... How are we ever going to name them, let alone sleep?!"

Fen Stridar: Fen stood and stripped off the gloves and grabbed a digital camera. He took pictures of the pups. Another litter successfully brought into the world. He rubbed his forehead and grinned at Sari giving her a pat on the shoulders. "Well done. Arca, you have my number. Page me right away if something happens. And be sure Street wakes soon." he laughed. He looked to Mokkie. "How about a drink at the island?"

Arca nodded to Fen. "Will do." she had Street on a bed pushed next to Sari. "You did well Sari. You'll be a wonderfull mother."

Mokksha: :::she leaned down and smooched her adopted family on the cheeks and murmured:::: if they are anything llike lene was, you wont sleep much at first....but we are alwwys good for babysitting. :::then to Fen:::: darling that sounds like a wonderful idea

Fen Stridar: He grinned. "Rest for now. They will want to nurse soon. Arca will help you out. Arca, I owe you some coffee and donuts when I get back." he grinned and walked Mokkie to the elevator.

Arca just smiled and went about getting sari more comfy and noting vitals on all the pups in their very own records.

Sari Wolf: She leaned back and yawned lightly. Her paws rubbed at her eyes, her head turning to look at the four incubators," Four.."

Mokkie sat downstairs, supposedly looking over some pediatric nursing charts, but really just running the latest events to hit the den over and over in her mind. "What could I have done differently, what could I have said, done, anything....dammit, this is the third adopted father figure I've failed. I couldn't help Guntherda, couldn't help Streetda when he needed me, and now Unclebrother Fleet.... poor Fen is exhausted and I can barely keep up with him and he's my mate.....i'm of no use to anyone right now....i can't even help poor lene.....all i do is work or cry or hide my drinking at the inn.....oh Ammy, where are you, you really are the glue that holds us together, you know that don't you....where ever you are." Mokkie had a slightly different view of the afterlife than most, she believed in reincarnation, that only Ammy's body had gone and her soul was still in effect alive, even if it was in a gem and not going to show up in a new body any time soon, but she could still talk to her adopted kinswoman, even if she couldn't hear the answers except in her heart. She got up and stared out the window, the clock chimed the hour and she realized her shift had been over nearly an hour ago.

She walked upstairs to look in on Fleet and Fen, stopping to kiss them both. "Here are two of my best loves, all snuggled up like pups together....you two sleep, i'll not disturb you." She left a note for Fen -- Gone to the inn, no scratch that, gone to the glen for a walk and a think. Love, Mokkie.

The glen was where some of her happiest memories were created and she hoped maybe the peace she had once felt there could return her soul to a semblance of balance. She sat by the lake and prayed and wept, still talking aloud to Ammy and crying too, when Mason Travis her adopted brother appeared from nowhere. "Mason we thought you were gone, or dead, after Sai....." She couldn't say the rest, that all had feared the worst when his fiancee, traumatized by the attack on her previously that he had been unable to protect her from, had left him at the altar and he had disappeared from view. He told her of his return to consciousness and life after months of near madness, his encounter with Sai earlier and his continued pain. She offered what little comfort she could to Mason, right up until a strange and frightening new mage appeared from thin air and nearly scared the pee from her, prompting Mason to whisk her away to the forest to hide her while others dealt with the mage. While there she offered him the opportunity to feed from her, he was weak and had expended himself dangerously in this state, but he refused. She sighed sorrowfully, wondering why she couldn't seem to help any of the men who mattered to her. Then Mason suddenly keyed onto a lovely young human woman who had wandered into the glen and Mokkie knew she couldn't fight his demons for him, he had to face them on his own and she had to face hers too. She used Ammy's much treasured gift to portal home to the den and she walked back into the clinic, ready to try again.

Her head snapped up as she felt a surge along her spine and the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood up. "Ammy, is that you, are you trying to reach me? I can feel something, but I can't see you or hear you, but Streetda said he could hear and see his wife and daughter when they came to him......maybe I need to be lupinossi to be able to see you or hear you now....i don't know.....i don't know...if you are there....if you are trying to reach me....try mind speech, try using the connection between all things that flows through the force....try touching me.....i don't know...maybe something will work, or maybe i am just imagining things..." Trailing off unsurely, she paused a moment and waited to see if she was hallucinating or if maybe her voice had carried to Ammy in the afterlife and if Ammy was answering her back.

Lene stepped into room 405. She held a pack with fresh clothes, and a pack with tools and raw materials. She looked to the bed were Fleet lay on suicide watch. Fen was asleep by him holding his paw. She stole over to the two quietly, kissing dad on his forehead and a kiss for Fen as well.

She laid out the clean clothes for dad, checked his bandaged wrist carefully. Seeing the bandages clean, she checked his breathing. He was heavily sedated. Lene sighed heavily and stroked his graying hair. She saw his right arm and right leg missing. There were around somewhere. If Fen had them removed, she had a good idea where they may be.

She picked up the tool pack and headed out of the room. There was not much she could do while dad was asleep from sedation until he woke. She took the elevator to the 2nd basement. The door opened and she shivered. She could feel mom's energy down here and it reminded her of the empty void in their small family. She forced herself to walk the short hallway. An electronic lock was on the door.

*Voice Authorization Please* it warbled out.

"Myrlene Wolf-Spiritor."

*Access Granted. Welcome back Myrlene.*

Lene shouldered the door open and flicked on the lights. Sure enough, Fleet's mechanical arm and leg were piled on a research table, horribly mangled from the battle. Walking over to them, she let the pack thunk to the metal floor and braced herself against the table with her paws. Gray eyes surveyed the damage. Everything blended together in her gray vision. She had no choice.

Grasping an acorn attached to a silver chain, she thought of being human and her body shifted from fur and wings to skin and color. Looking on the limbs again, she began sorting out the wires and carnage. The design was good, one of the best done by a friend of Dad's, but some upgrades and stream lining were in order. She began working away, finding that repairing things were calming, and controllable amidst the sea of chaos she was wading in constantly.

4 hours later, Lene walked out of the lab. Her face had grease and dirt smudges all over her cheeks and nose. She had made some progress but it was going to take a few days to repair and upgrade the limbs fully. She didn't realize that Ammy was watching from her head band quite proudly and a little shocked at Lene's shifting. She had heard Lene was taught to, but this was the first time she saw it.

Lene sneaked back into Room 405 and noted Fen was gone and Fleet was stirring restlessly, sedation was wearing off. Fen obviously had noted her presence and left a not by the fresh clothes.

*Glad you could make it. Your father should be safe now. He'll wake in another hour fully. I am guessing you went to the lab. I have a set of clean scrubs waiting for you in the shower. Freshen up. I am going to round up some of your fathers friends to visit him. Do what you can to ease his mind.* ~Fen~

A small, sad smile was on her human face. She slipped into the rooms bathroom, stripped and showered, learning that a few things were different looking when one had skin and no fur. Shower finished, she slipped into the clean scrubs, folded the smudged and dirty clothes she had and put them in the pack to take them home. She sat by Fleet's side and stroked his arm.

Fleet stirred from stroking of his arm. He opened his blue eyes and looked around in foggy befuddlement. A glance to Lene and he look concerned. "Do I know you? Why are you touching me?"

Lene's eyes widened in concern, then remembered she was in human form. Clenching her jaws, she reverted which always hurt. Fleet's brows went up.

"Who are you?" Fleet asked.

"I am Myrlene, dad." Lene answered in concern.

"I am your father? Can't be. My family is dead. Lost in the war. You must be an orphan." Fleet said with firm certainty.

That struck Lene like a cold dunking of ice water. "You had a family, yes, then you remarried. I am your daughter Myrlene. Your wife was..." she hesitated, voice catching in her throat, "Ammy Spiritor. She passed away in a recent attack on the Den. You were badly hurt."

Fleet listened and flicked his ears. Something told him she spoke the truth. He tried to remember the events. The events were like shiny balls in his mind, hanging from vines. All he had to do was touch one to remember. His paw went for a fresh vine and very ripe memories. Thorns sprang from the vines and pierced his paw. He pulled back with a mental howl.

Fleet looked back to Lene. "I don't remember a battle, or having another family. Are you sure I am your father?"

Lene looked a bit more concerned. She lifted up his ragged scrub top and pointed to a particular mark in his fur. A deity mark. She lifted her scrub top and pointed to the same pattern above her left furred breast. "I am your daughter."

Fleet looked from his mark to hers. A memory fell from the vine into his paws. He bit into it like an apple and he remembered Lene's birth, and someone else, but the other person was in shadows. He looked at the other ripe memories and those thorns hovering around longing for more to fall. For now, he was glad this was not a complete stranger. He hugged Lene. "Yes you are my daughter."

Lene smiled softly and began to strip the clothing off of him. "You'll have some company soon. Let's get you looking nice. I'll help you to the shower. Your metal limbs are still be repaired by me. Come on, let's get you washed off." another smile and she helped Fleet into the shower and helped him wash.

Washed, in clean clothes, and resting again, Lene pulled out a brush and began grooming Fleet's wet mane. "Soon friends will be here. Maybe they can help you remember things." She started humming a song she used with the orphans and waited for visitors.

Fen moved about the halls of the clinic. Things were a bit quiet for the moment. All patients tended to, no one in need of dire help. They had several healers in training now, and each was finally covered completely. He closed his eyes for a moment and let his paws walk the route he took every day. He was having thoughts of Mokksha and how beautiful she looked. He was having a hard time recalling when they were in bed together.

During the musings, he ran into Fleet, making his own rounds. Fen opened his eyes and regarded his friend, mentor, and patient. Fleet looked better these days than he had. No more clouding of the eyes with shattered memories, yet, Fen shared Mokksha's concerns. Fleet's fur was graying and turning platinum white as the days went by. His aging, which all hoped would have stopped and did for a brief period, started up again.

"Ah Alphrans Mentroa Fleetian, how fair you tonight?"

Fleet looked at Fen for a moment. Ammy's soul gem and a small bottle hung on a silver necklace about Fleet's neck.

"I fair well, Fen. I am in debt to you for helping Lene keep watch over me while I was ill. Though now I grow concerned for her and her illness from using magic. And I am getting worried about you Fen. You have done a marvelous job tending the clinic and even training the new healers while I have been.... indisposed. You need to take a break. I am sound in mind again and am looking forward to being back in the work swing. Starting tonight, I want you and Mokksha to have a week off. Leave your pagers at the front desk okay? I want you two to rest. You're newly weds and have rarely been left alone, and I know you have been turning the shiny idea of have a child of your own in that head of yours. Now go. Children aren't born without some bedroom magic." Fleet winked and clapped Fen on the shoulder.

Fen felt Fleet's metal paw go to his waist and his pager was taken. Fleet then just nodded and continued on, clipboard in paw as he spoke with himself over certain cases. Fen just shook his head in friendly disbelief and walked for the stairs, taking them to the ground floor. He waved to Arca at the front desk and told her to post on the board that he and Mokksha were now on vacation for one week. Arca nodded happily and told him get out now before Fleet changed his mind.

Fleet woke groggily from the anesthesia. He was confused and in a daze. A white furred head with a nursing cap hovered into view. A voice warbled into his ears.

"You're awake finally. Good. Just rest Dr. Fleetian. You're in Whisper Paws ICU. We just put a pacemaker into your heart. Rest now. I'll be monitoring your vitals for the night." Arca spoke softly and stepped away to the ICU station with the myriad of monitors.

Fleet felt a little pain in his chest but it eased as a morphine pump kicked in. He remembered dueling Kalinda with a sword, then pain, lots of pain and the bottom of the Arena's steps, and that was it. Fleet closed his eyes and drifted back to a drug induced sleep.

Lene and Ammy paused at the entry way of ICU room 1. They both peeked in waiting to see the attending nurse for permission to enter. The attending nurse waved them in with her paw.

Entering they saw Fleet resting comfortably. He had a few files spread on a roll over table. Glasses on he was looking at one of the files.

"Shouldn't you be resting and not worrying over patients dad?" Lene asked softly. She was wearing a one piece, green outfit that gave her ample room for her wings, legs, and arms.

"No harm in looking over some cases that I left to Fens capable paws. He's improved quite a bit in the few months this hospital has been open. And I am resting Lene. Laying on my backside is as restful as I will get." faded blue eyes twinkled.

Lene simply and took a seat next to his bed on the left side. Ammy took the seat on the right. Ammy stroked the fur on Fleet's cheek.

"Had I known asking for you to give up your magic would have done this to you, I would never have asked you. I am sorry my selfishness has brought you to this." Ammy's voice trembled.

Fleet laid the record in his paws on top of the others on the table. "Ammy, my loving mate, this is not your fault. I willingly gave up my powers. You did not force me to. I am old yes, older than any Lupe should be, but I live one. You told me that night that my love is my magic. It is. I love you and I love Lene. Without either of you, I may not be here. I..we will get through this. Fen has put in a pacemaker. That will keep me stable till Anya can do a heart transplant. I will live."

Ammy held back any other worries and just held his right mechanical paw and tried not to cry. Lene looked over at mom and sighed slightly. "We know dad. You've been through worse. You're a Wolf. And Wolf's don't die without a catastrophe." she quoted the Lupinossi Tome of Den History.

"Show off." Fleet smiled and motioned weakly for a hug.

Lene leaned over and hugged him gently. "I know. I take after you the most dad when it comes to showing off. When will they let you go? We miss you at home already."

"Tomorrow. I can go home tomorrow. Gotta make sure the mechanical ticker keeps the organic ticker in line. I'll be using a cane for a while till I can my strength back." Fleet explained to Lene and Ammy.

Ammy leaned in close and hugged Fleet as well. "We'll make sure you have your favorite meal at home then tomorrow. Okay?"

Fleet just nodded Ammy and smiled. "I would love it Ammy. I would love that."

They stayed for an hour discussing home, Mog and Lene, how things are going. Then the nurse gently shooed them away so Fleet could rest.