Krishna weaved and danced through the underbrush, lanky and laughing Grimmjow at her heals. She sniffed and searched for the white twins, following their path to freedom from the lands that held them captive.

She snickered, remembering the look Thanatos had given her that day she had found him on his hunt. Shinsa, the other beta, had been with him, as well as his brother Hypnos. The crone had sung her pretty words of ill-portent and lo and behold! Chaos ensued!

Cackling now, she suddenly moved sideways, running into Grimmjow and sending him stumbling. "I am a genius, pup. Genius!"

"Fine line, hag. The genius/insanity bit? All you," he snapped back as he got to his feet again.

"Silence, mutt. No one asked you." Glowering, she narrowed her silver eyes and went back to sniffing the trail, the scent of her targets getting stronger and stronger.

Krishna knew that Shinsa had convinced the little omega, Bital, to join them in the uprising. Her game had gone even better then she had hoped. Too bad she had lost the little spotted pup to the river. What was his name? Ares? Bah, no matter now.

A snarl punctuated the air and Krishna froze, Grimmjow barely avoiding collision.

"Crone!" Thanatos appeared from the undergrowth, his bi-colored eyes narrowed in suspicion. Hypnos, of course, appeared at his side, the two females slowly following. They circled her and her charge, and Grimmjow backed into Krishna, watching her back.

"Why do we find you on our trail, old crone? Do you have more tales to tell?" Thanatos sneered, lip curling. But behind his annoyed appearance, he was calculating, plotting. She had a gift. That was apparent. Not only that, but it could be used to his advantage. And if he were to be the alpha she had claimed he could be, Thanatos needed every wild card he could get his paws and jaws on.

"My King, my King. Soothe. Tales, yes, always. But that is not why I follow. I have been a wanderer all my life, but a wanderer's life does not suite me, my King. No no. I wish to serve you, and follow you wherever you go, always your faithful servant." With that, she lowered her front, almost a bow of sorts, dipping her head to one side to bare her throat.

Thanatos growled and took a solid position before her, standing tall over her groveling form. The sight of it sent a rush through him, because here, this. This was what he could look forward to. Wolves bowing to his power and strength, looking to him for protection and guidance. A snarl bubbled from his maw and Grimmjow bowed too, but Thanatos, so suddenly power hungery, missed the look of annoyance and disgust on the half-masked wolf.

"You wish to follow me? Fine. But tell me this, crone. Where is the pup you claimed to be my undoing?"

Krishna's ears flattened and her eyes shifted nervously from wolf to wolf, avoiding Thanatos' gaze. "M-my lord, he is lost. The river swelled, caught me unawares. Swallowed him up. There is no doubt in my mind that he lies dead at the bottom with lungs full of dirty water."

The white male, absent the black markings of his twin, growled and looked ready to snap at her, but then his fur flattened a bit and he snorted. "But a pup. You're right, no chance he survived the river. Come, crone. Bring your charge and follow us to a new life."

Krishna bowed again, keeping as low as the omega Bital used to be. Grimmjow kept low, but his lip curled in a silent snarl when Thanatos turned his back.

"Yes, my King . . . "