The Juafera- Poppies Rise 1

Alpha Zahad opened his eyes to the blurry world. He yawned and stretched his arms. He looked out to the clear quartz window in his home. He wiped the window with the thick, purple sleeve of his nightgown. It was snowing outside and yet the sun could be seen. He smiled softly.

He slowly got up from the bed and stretched his body. Bones popped in and out of place. He huffed, annoyed with how his body was at his age. He was only 125 and yet his body felt like he was 480 years old. He removed the long silk fabric wrapped around his thick curls. He tossed it onto the bed, where it landed gently on his partner’s face.

He walked down the sandstone floor, his nightgown trailing behind him. Zahad entered the bathhouse. He clapped his hands. Small stalactites began to glow a soft, warm, yellow light. He drew his finger on the rim of their stone basin bath. He sighed. He unscrewed the rock allowing hot, gushing stream water to flow in. He sat on the floor as he waited for the bath to fill up.

Today he was supposed to leave for the Sol Festival. No wolf in their right mind would’ve left for the Sol Festival. While the rest of the Atijan world enjoyed and was empowered by the double Solar Eclipse the Oluri Mbwa... were not. Rather they lost their powers and entered a sleep-like death, traveling their ancestral plane.

He sighed once more. Zahad knew there wasn’t a chance in Oblivion Makai would let him leave, at least alone. But Zahad wouldn’t be alone. Two other alphas were forced to suffer the same fate as him and attend the damned Festival. In all his time of being an Alpha he was lucky enough never to be chosen. Now he needed to explain to his

mate, who was terrified of him leaving their pack's land, that he was supposed to leave their continent and go to the Deep of Potea.

Zahad felt arms wrap around him, drawing him out of thoughts and worries. The scent of amber and pine trailed into his nose. Long, tangled springs of hair dropped onto his shoulders. Zahad chuckled. He loved when his cycle mate wrapped his arms around him. He would love them for as long as they were partners in this cycle of his life and the moon.

“You’re anxious,” Alpha Makai murmured sleepily.

“Really? What made you draw that conclusion?” Zahad said with a chuckle, placing his arms on top of Makai’s.

“The bath has already filled. Yet, you are sitting on the floor, staring at the stone basin. I don’t think you would work on your powers with our furniture.” Makai said softly. Their soft, husky voice in the early morning sent a shiver down Zahad’s spine.

“Well you know, I could always try, you never know.”

Makai chuckled and placed his head on top of Zahad’s. “You’re mad Zahad but you’re not that mad. Something’s bothering you. Come, let’s bathe together, you can tell me what’s wrong and yell at me for letting my hair become knotted again.”

Zahad chuckled, letting his previous troubles slip for now. He threw off his nightgown onto the floor and climbed into the bath. He scooted as much as he could, letting Makai slip in. Though their bath was large by Oluri Mbwa’s standards it was still

just a smidge too small for Makai. Though that is to be expected if you’re seven feet and on average most wolves were six feet tall.

Zahad sliced a bar of soap and began to rub it into Makai’s hair. “Why do you let your hair get so tangled? And you don’t wear your night wrap.”

Makai softly growled. “I don’t like the feeling of the night cap. Besides, I plan on cutting it.” Makai growled as Zahad pulled at a particular knot. He apologized and kissed the top of his head.

“Lu’Nah above, don’t tell me it’s because you look like your father.”

“Then I won’t say it’s because I look like my father.”

Zahad groaned. He lengthened his claws to make it easier to work through the bush his mate let their hair become.

“Call yourself a white wolf but do not say you look like your father. Zali, herself wouldn’t even create such an odious creature.”

Makai softly laughed. “Fine, then I look like a white wolf.”

Zahad giggled. “Better but still you’re not ugly. You just look mad half the time because you don’t braid your hair or properly take care of it.”

Makai huffed. “I take care of my hair... when it’s ceremonial.”

“Ugh, see! You only do it if you have to!” As Zahad began to go into his rant about Makai’s hair, Makai rose sat up in the bath forcing themselves to bunch their knees a little. They kissed Zahad, shutting him up for a moment. He pulled back and spun his fingers in a circle.

“Shut up and let me wash your hair. You’re the prettier one in the relationship anyway.

Zahad's mouth hanged open. He huffed but turned around and layed in the bath as he began to feel Makai’s claws run through his hair. A soft purr escaped his lips. Makai chuckled and kissed Zahad’s forehead.

“Besides, you only rant on my hair when you’re anxious and you don’t want to talk about what’s bothering you.”

Zahad sighed. “Am I that obvious these days?”

“I’ve lived with you for seventy years Zahad, I’ve learned to read you. What’s wrong, pretty wolf?”

“So you know about the Sol Festival?”

Makai’s face fell. “Yes. We have to prepare actually, thank you for reminding me, love. We’ll have to get more wood from the Ezim. I’m sure you and Abeni can talk that out. You were always better with people than I was,” Makai said softly. Makai’s claws glided through Zahad’s hair, finding very little tangles in his long curls.

“Yes, well that is a good point, I’ll make sure to bring it to her. Um, well I’m going to the Sol Festival.”

Makai paused. “Are they holding it in the Juafera? Or has one of the alphas finally gone mad and let them into our mountains,” Makai chuckled.

Zahad huffed. “Makai, there is nothing wrong if the other Juaferans or even Atijans decide to enter the wolves den. You’re the one always complaining about how all of them are too pussy to come up here anyway.”

Makai grunted. “That’s not the point. What do you mean you’re going?”

“I’m going. To the Deep of Potea. And I’m going with Addae and Abeni.”

Makai ran his top canines over his lip. “You are going with the pups... who aren’t even one hundred years old yet.”

“Makai they aren’t pups anymore! Just very young adult wolves.”

Makai raised an eyebrow. “Pups. Anyway, you’re not going.”

Zahad crossed his arms and blinked at his cycle mate. He adored him but Lu’Nah above could he be a paranoid pup himself.

“Are you trying to tell me what to do?” Zahad asked with a smirk.

His lavender irises began to glow a deeper purple. The lily tattoos that wrapped around his body began to unravel from his body and wrap themselves around Makai. Zahad lightly chuckled at Makai’s surprised face.

“Remember the last time you told me what to do?” Zahad said. He moved closer until he pressed himself onto Makai’s body in the bath. Makai gulped and avoided Zahad’s eyes. His mesmerizing eyes that often made Makai melt.

“Y-yes, and oh,” Makai said as more lily vines wrapped around them. More vines began to tease at him. Makai let out a harsh breath.

“Yes, and remember the last time you left anywhere for the Sol Festival. You were almost killed.” Makai climbed out of the bath and marched out of the bathhouse.

Zahad rolled his eyes, cursing under his breath. His eyes returned to their lavender color and the lily vines curled back around his own body. He spoke out a small incantation and the lily vines sunk into his skin, disappearing from view.

“Makai,” Zahad called after their mate.

As the two dressed, their argument continued. Their argument continued when they left their den. Their argument continued even as they wandered through their pack land. It was only when they had gotten to the edge did both stop. Their chests, both heaving, hot air coming out in puffs in the cold air.

Makai’s eyes looked past Zahad. Zahad followed Makai’s gaze as they could view the next pack over with their sight. Makai’s eyes began to twitch. His body shook as he continued to look out. He shuddered and soft whines overtook him. His once yellow irises paled over until his eyes were fully white.

“Makai,” Zahad called out to them.

Makai did not see him. Could not see him. All Makai could see was the white expanse. Memories flashed over their eyes. Air could not reach their lungs just as their mate could not reach them. Makai began to cough as white foam formed in their mouth.

Zahad wrapped his arms around Makai. Makai hyperventilated and whined louder.

“Shhh, shhh, he can’t get you.” Zahad whispered into Makai’s ears. Makai snarled at Zahad. Makai twitched his neck as if possessed. Their body convulsed as if they began to forcefully shift into their wolf form.

“Fuck,” Zahad murmured.

He took a deep breath. Lily vines rose back to the surface of the skin. Zahad’s light purple eyes dipped into a deep purple color. Zahad’s vines wrapped around Makai’s body, gently restraining them. Makai snarled and tried biting at the vines as the white foam spewed from their mouth.

“Zali you better let this work,” Zahad stilled his body.

The lily vines pressed into Makai, seeping into their skin. They stilled, as if their body was no longer sure what to do. Visions of Makai and Zahad’s time together flashed before them mentally. Those mental images shortly were projected in front of them. Makai tilted their head as they watched their first encounter with Zahad.

Their irises regained their color, a blazing yellow, like the two suns. He began to violently cough up the foam at his mouth. The white foam blending in with the snow-covered ground. They spat and gagged until they couldn’t anymore.

Zahad pulled back his vines. He fell against Makai’s body. His eyes burned and slowly blood dripped down from his eyes. Makai looked at Zahad for a moment and pulled them into their arms.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” They repeated desperately.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay. It’s okay,” Zahad said softly. He rubbed his forehead against Makai. The nudge of affection pulled them out of their series of apologies.

“When did you start going rogue again?” Zahad asked softly. He took the bottom of his velvet robe and wiped at his mouth.

Makai looked down in shame. “Last Sol Festival,” they murmured. “You had been called back home. I-I thought I could handle it myself,” tears pricked their eyes.

“You silly wolf, and you call Addae and Abeni pups.” Zahad chuckled. He kissed Makai’s forehead. “You should’ve called me. I would’ve crawled back to you if I had to. You’re my cycle mate. And until the moon dies, or Zali finally kills me, I will continue to choose you for every cycle of our lives.”

“Are you sure you wanted to be mated to a half-rogue wolf for the rest of your cycles? Perhaps you’re the mad one here,” Makai chuckled as tears cascaded down their face.

“I guess I am,” Zahad said with a smile. “You can come with me.”

Makai shook their head violently. “I can barely leave our pack without going rogue. I don’t think I should make a fool out of us by showing my face... down there,” Makai said with a bit of disgust.

Zahad sighed. He stroked Makai’s face. He had never known a wolf so fearful of leaving the mountain. But years of isolation and brainwashing from the former alpha, their father, had left Makai scarred.

“Your eyes are bleeding,” Makai said softly. They let out a dissatisfied grumble. They began to rub at the crust of blood around Zahad’s eyelids. Zahad chuckled and sighed.

“Here you are, an alpha who almost went rogue and is deathly afraid of leaving the pack and you’re worried over a little blood.” Zahad chuckled and shook his head.

“A little bit of blood can turn into a lot. The last time you used your powers like that your eyes bled for a week.”

“Okay well that was because I pushed myself too hard.”

“Zahad...” Makai said.

“Yes?”

Makai’s shoulders drooped. “I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to ever leave. If I could, if Lu’Naha and Zali willed it so I would have our souls tied. But I know that’s the fear talking. Rarely have I been alone from you, and—”

“Out with-it Makai of the Infarada Jabel. You ramble when you’re anxious,” Zahad said with a soft chuckle.

Makai’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Right. I don’t want you to leave, but you should. You need to. You’ll be a good representative for us wolves. At least you’re not half crazy.”

“You’re not half crazy, you’re just unhealed. Come here, I’m going to braid your hair, we’re going to get my things, and then we’re going to Addae’s pack, okay?”

“Okay,” Makai murmured.

Zahad helped Makai rise to their feet. Though Zahad was much shorter than Makai, standing around only 5’10, Makai leaned on them for support as they walked back to their pack.

“I love you,” Makai murmured.

“I love you too,” Zahad said as they walked back.

***

The cool mountain air gave way to hot desert winds. There were no cool breezes that came from the snow caps or the mountain springs. Instead, the heat just radiated from the ground and from the sky as if they were baking clay in an oven. The sun was unforgiving as they tracked their way down the mountain into the Shet’Anu. Praying for relief by Lun’ah's Grace they weren't sure how they were going to make it.

Zahad looked longingly at the mountains. He thought maybe he could make it back, escape the heat that sucked the moisture from his scalp. He missed his cycle mate, he missed the frosty fresh air of the mountains. He missed seeing the fluffy clouds from which gentle snowflakes fell, they all did.

They now realized why they prefer to stay in the mountains; this desert with the winds blowing sand and needing their mouths to be covered so that way they did not ingest the grains of sand and stone that the desert seemed to whip around. The heat was immense, and the dryness filled their lungs. They could not catch their breath, water only seemed to slow the drying of their lungs. The caravan slowly tracked through the desert hardly saying a word, glimpsing at each other, ev

“You think if I pray to Zali she’ll mercifully kill us,” Zahad joked grimly through their mental link.

Addae smacked his arm. “You are 125 years old, and you still joke like this? Zahad have more decorum.”

Abeni piped in, desperately trying to create a cloud in the air to at least provide them some cool air. But there was none to be found. The air had been sucked of all moisture and was doing the same to the wolves. Abeni let out a strangled growl.

“Let him pray Addae, maybe she’ll be merciful and do it,” Abni said.

Addae shook his head at the two as they continued their trek. Though he honestly couldn’t blame them.

As the wolf caravan made their way through the Shet’Anu lands; they were able to meet up with the jackal’s merchant caravan that were also heading to the Misadime. The three factions would be a whole tribe instead of the trinity tribe split: mountain, desert, and ocean would be whole once more. They just needed to get past the treacherous heat of desert days.

Finally in the caravan, the wolves removed their sandy garments. They began to braid each other’s hair, the only way they knew how to calm each other during times of high stress. Zahad looked out the caravan windows. If they could barely survive this atrocious weather, how were they to handle the Deep of Potea during the Solar Eclipse? The humidity might truly drive them mad. For the first time in years, Zahad prayed to both Lu’Nah and Zali for mercy through this trip.