Chapter 9: Tournament

    Dark.

    Midnight scanned around, bars of grey blocking her escape. She looked at her hind leg, covered in ribbon, slightly stained red- blood. Boxes were around, and before her was a free sleeping hound. It was free.

    She heard two voices arguing, and recalling the two men, she was sure the voices belong to Martin and Smith. "Y-you can't!" a voice yelled.

    "She's my hunt, I can do whatever I want," snarled a voice.

    The sleeping hound instantly woke up. "What do they want?" Midnight asked immediately.

    "Master Martin usually have... creative ideas," replied the dog, eyes sparkling darkly.

    "'Creative ideas'?" gulped Midnight. She doesn't like the sound of it.

    The door creaked open, and light poured into the room. "Here, Dusty!" called a voice.

    The dog gave a yelp of excitement, saying, Master Martin!

    You're such an underling, growled Midnight.

    Dusty whimpered. He just gave me steak.

    Steak, meat, stew, doesn't matter unless I survive, replied Midnight.

    Before Dusty could reply, Martin snapped, "Be quiet, wolf!"

    Another figure appeared. A plump man- Smith. He kneeled down beside Midnight's cage and touch the wound. Midnight, by reflects, gave a sudden yelp of pain. "It still hurts, Martin. I told you so," said Smith.

    "Whatever! She's going to be the main attraction later!" Martin scowled.

    Smith patted Midnight, who trusted Smith. "Hope you make it 'till the end of today, girl," whispered Smith before picking himself up and left.

    "Dusty, guard her well," said Martin before leaving. The echoing sound of the door rang in her ears, and Dusty retorted, "You're dead meat."

    "Ladies and gentlemen!" cried Martin's voice. Midnight was still in a cage, she wasn't fed at all. "Today's tournament will start very soon!"

    As Martin talked some more, Midnight asked, "Tournament?"

    A rather elderly dog who stood guard beside Midnight said, "You're fighting."

    "Fighting? Bah! Easy!" cried Midnight.

    "You have no experience," said the dog. "You have injuries."

    She's darn right, thought Midnight.

    "Today, we have a she-wolf!" Martin cried, and the crowd goes wild.

    Suddenly, the word she-wolf struck her. The 'Pack Quest'! Oh fang! This is the third morning!

    Midnight thought a tear slid down her cheeks, but then snapped back to attention when Martin cried, "Here, she will battle our legendary Jack until near death!"

    The crowd cheered again. Suddenly, Midnight felt her cage lifted up and then her cage door sprung open. She didn't know what to do. Her cage tipped over, forcing Midnight to slide out.

    "She's injured! Unfair!" cried one of the humans.

    "Be quiet!" roared Martin as the crowd began to protest. "She's a wolf! She had training sessions in the wild!"

    Midnight stood, wincing at the pain on her hind leg. Then, she saw her opponent. A doberman. Fierce looking, his black eyes glittered at the sight of Midnight's bandages. His name is Jack, ha! Funny, thought Midnight.

    Jack growled, You're going down.

    His brown and black fur seemed to stand, and Midnight growled.

    A bell sounded, and Jack pounced on her, but Midnight quickly stepped aside. Jack hesitated for a moment and Midnight quickly pounced. She let her fangs sink into the doberman, and a howl of pain filled the air, and Midnight tighten her grasp, letting her claws clip onto the doberman, not letting him escape.

    Jack tried to roll on the ground to lessen the grip. As soon as Midnight's injured hind leg touched the surface of the hard ground, she didn't feel as much pain as expected, but Jack manage to shake her off. Jack growled and leaped. Midnight moved backwards, but Jack quickly caught this. Jack landed and gave another agile leap, and caught Midnight in his grasp.

    "Jack! Jack!" part of the crowd chanted.

    Midnight needed to survive. For the quest, for Wisp, all her friends. She felt Jack's grip being weak, and she quickly ran around the stage. Seeing the borders that refrained her from escaping, she knew it was an advantage. She rammed Jack on the see-through walls, and Jack yelped, his grasp loosened. Midnight heaved the doberman in her jaws. "I... I can't believe it! Jack has been beaten!" stuttered Martin. The crowd went wild, and two men entered the arena. One loosened Midnight's grip, and the other rescued Jack. Together they brought him out. Smith came to the arena and coaxed Midnight over.

    Then, after the crowd was dismissed, Martin stormed over to Smith and Midnight and grabbed her. He threw her in the cage once more, angry, yelling, "You beaten Jack! The star!"

    Midnight whimpered. A fight, isn't it?

    Smith glanced pitifully at Midnight before closing the door.

    The old dog came over to her. "I don't like the way you beat my son," growled the dog.

    Jack was at a corner, being bandaged by the two men. "Mom..." he croaked.

    "Hush, son!" she barked.

     Midnight sighed. "This Martin being told me to fight."

    "Brash wolves," muttered the old doberman.

    Midnight retreated to a side far from the two dogs. When the two men finally left, Martin entered with another human to check on Jack. "Useless wolf," muttered Martin.

    "The padlock isn't secure," warned the man.

    Padlock?

    "It's not like she's going to open the door and free herself," said Martin. The old doberman yelped out loud, laughing. "Be quiet, Lisa."

    The doberman stopped laughing, and sighed. So strict, but he's generous, Lisa, the old doberman mother spoke softly.

    Placing a platter of steak for both Lisa and Jack, Martin left.

    Hours passed. Midnight could feel it. Another day flown away. She only have three more days until she's exiled. Fourth day.

    The door creaked open. The two doberman asleep, Smith's face appeared. "I'm freeing you," he said, determined. Midnight's ears perked up in excitement. "It's not right to treat you as such."

    He looked at the latch and pumped it open. The cage opened, and Midnight cautiously stepped out, aware for any sudden tricks. Smith help out a chunk of meat, and Midnight sniffed it. It smells a little icy.

    "It's from the freezer. It's chicken," said Smith. Midnight remembered chickens, but not freezers, but she trusted Smith and ate the meat. Next, Smith gave her a bowl of water to lap up, which she did. Feeling satisfied, she let her ears drop, and gave out a soft purr.

    Smith revealed a piece of cloth and placed it over Midnight. Midnight growled, but Smith just said, "I'm getting you out of here. Into the wild. You'd like that, won't you?"

    Midnight growled in agreement. Then, darkness covered her eyes. Slowly, Midnight felt herself being lifted, and then she squirmed. Smith held her still.

    After minutes, Midnight felt the gift of vision slowly returning to her. Smith heaved her down, and Midnight couldn't resist purring a growl. "I'll miss you, girl," said Smith, then left after saying, "Be careful."

    A tug on her heart. Humans can be so unpredictable, thought Midnight. She looked ahead. A cliff, an eagle soaring above it. She just have to pass it, then go to this "unseen road" and return.

    Everything else will work out. Everything else will be a breeze.

Author's Note: My favourite chapter so far. Spoken words in italics by humans means that Midnight didn't understand the words. Enjoy...
Oh, I added a new page.

Chapter 8: Humans in the Woods

    A human.

    Towering her, the human eyed her greedily. She knew that expression. She saw it during the Hunting War. The feeling that made her shrink. In a strange language, the human spoke and the dogs left Midnight alone, and ran off to the forest.

    Midnight heard this language for about a season long and was able to listen to it slightly by understanding. The human said, "Ah, injured, how fortunate."

    What does 'ah', 'injured' and 'fortunate' mean, anyway? Midnight thought.

    The human slowly reached his hand out to Midnight's forehead, but Midnight bared her fangs, and snapped the hand when it got to close. The man wailed in agony and hit Midnight with a club. Dazed, Midnight let go. She was never hit like that.

    "Martin, you-"

    Is Martin a name? wondered a dizzy Midnight.

    A rather plump human emerged from the bushes, carrying what Midnight learned was a 'raffle' when she heard of Ironide, a wolf general, report. "Oh my! Goodness gracious! What happened to your hand?"

    The only word Midnight didn't understand was gracious. The plump human continued ranting, "What did you touch?"

    "This wolf bit me!" roared the first man, who held his hand in pain. The plump man pulled a box from behind and opened it. He first press the hand and the first man roared in agony, scaring birds from their nests. Midnight wanted to run, but her leg seemed pretty bad. Next, he took out a tiny box and applied it's contents to the pain, and pulled a long white ribbon and began wrapping it around Martin's hand. "There, Martin. Pretend it never happened," soothed the plump man.

    "Doctor Smith, I doubt you feel the pain," winced Martin.

    The plump man, Smith, knotted the ribbon together. "It's bandaged, just remember that it could have been worse," he said.

    "I swear that wolf's a monster," Martin growled. Midnight growled, and Smith turned his attention to Midnight.

    "Oh, you poor little creature," cooed Smith. He pulled more ribbon strips from the bag and approached Midnight. Again, the she-wolf growled, and Smith took a step back.

    Martin's rough voice shot out, "This would do."

    Midnight looked at his direction. Martin held a weird looking rifle, pointing at her. "Martin, no!" Smith yelled as something flew towards her. It pinched her skin and she instantly felt as she was in a hazy dream. Before she could even whimper, unconsciousness took over.

Author's note: It's a little short, but I think it's OK. What do you guys think? Thanks for the support, A01315.

Chapter 7: A Territory

   As the orange sun touched the horizon, Midnight found a rocky cliff in the distance. Past the cliff where eagles flees, Midnight recalled. She began to jog forwards, eager to pass the cliff. She entered a forest once more, and she smelt a weird stench. Then, it hit her.

    She was trespassing into another wolf pack's territory.

    This must be a new territory, Midnight thought. Dusk didn't say anything about this.

    Midnight swallowed a lump in her throat and entered. She looked around. It looks empty. Either they moved or they're out for a hunt, Midnight thought, trying to calm herself down. She needed to use this path. There's only one path. One.

    The grass pricked her with every step she took, and sometimes she heard a wolf's growl. Suddenly, from behind, she was tackled. She stumbled and was pinned down to the ground. "Daddy, is this wolf part of our pack?" a squeaky voice asked.

    Midnight got up, barely looking at who tackled her- a young pup with brown fur. Midnight ran, but one path doesn't seem to apply to the forest. In the Silver Woods, there was a path. Here, no. "Intruders are not to be tolerated!" a voice cried.

    "Yes sir!" voices chorused behind her. Midnight weaved among the trees, unsure what path to take. Midnight dared herself to look back and at least six wolves were after her, their fur brown tinged with black.

    Midnight ran even harder, and she thought the ground shook. A wolf caught up and threw itself at Midnight. The she-wolf yelped and attempted to throw the wolf off her back. The wolf held on and bit Midnight's neck. Another tried to nip her paws. Midnight howled in pain, and purposely crashed her body to a tree, allowing her to be rid of her attacker.

    "Weaklings!" a growl rang through the sound of padded paw-steps and the wind rushing in Midnight's ears. Midnight advanced steps forwards again as some of the once chasing wolves helped their friends.

    Midnight hurried away, hoping to catch a glimpse of of light in the distance. Come on, come on! Where's the exit? Midnight fumed, her heart racing. She dashed side-wards just in time to avoid the sharp claws of a wolf, who had a surprised look on it's face when it missed Midnight and crashed onto the grass.

    A howl erupted, and Midnight dared look back. There was a larger wolf with white, black and brown mix of fur. At once, Midnight knew the wolf was in charge of capturing the intruder- her. Midnight tore her concentration away from the wolf and veered right. Come on... how big is this territory for fang's sake? Midnight growled. a wolf tackled her from the side, and she, in shock, tumbled towards a tree.

    There was a sharp pain from her hind leg. She forced her head to look at it. The wolf, that wolf with bitter glowing eyes, was scratching at her legs, nipping at anyone who dare to interfere from finishing his job. A he, and he looks pretty fierce too.

    Suddenly, Midnight realised what he's trying to do. He wanted to make sure she could never use her legs again. Quickly with her other good hind leg, she kicked him in the face when he was about to lunge for another attack. The wolf looked intimidated, and bared his fangs at Midnight. "Who do you think you are, low-life? Nothing but a shame to wolves be to be an intruder," the wolf snapped.

    "Oh, shut up," chided Midnight.

    Claws extended, his paw began to accelerate to her face, his mouth twitching, and his tone was hollow. "This will teach you manners not to intrude."

    "I won't learn anything if I'm dead," Midnight scoffed, raising her chin. As the paw reached for what seemed to be between her neck and heart, Midnight lunged forwards to bite the paw. The wolf forced himself not to show pain, only fury.

    "You fool! You will soon learn the feeling of death!" he cried in absolute hate. Midnight didn't let go of the paw, but began to sink her fangs even deeper into the paw. This time, the wolf was forced to let a yowl of pain, and the once-confident watching wolves suddenly looked concerned.

    Timber wolves, Midnight suddenly realised.

    Midnight didn't show any signs of hesitation as the leader wolf tried to pull his paw away, but Midnight pulled it back. With her two fore paws, she pushed the wolf away into a bush of what seems to be covered with thorns.

    Midnight was happy to be rid off her attacker once more, and no one else rushed to finish the job. Instead, they rushed towards their fallen leader. "Woods! Are you okay?" the crowd of timber wolves asked, panicking.

    "Tell... Darite..." a soft voice muttered. "She... harmed... not able... walk..."

    The leader, who seems to be Woods, was not able to speak in more than a few words, and Midnight seemed to be able to hear his breath. It was heavy.

    Midnight reached for her hind leg and licked it. Her blood tasted salty, but it wasn't the usual salty blood, but it has a rusty feel to it.

    Wolves eyed her warily, then to the small trickle of blood running down her left hind leg. "She wouldn't escape," nodded a timber wolf.

    A wolf prodded forwards. "I'll keep guard. You all find Darite."

    All the other wolves raced off into the woods and disappeared from sight.  Midnight was left with a wolf with chalky brown fur and hints of mouse brown. His eyes were sunken and deep. He reminds me of Shadow...

    Midnight reached over to lick her wound. The wolf's deep eyes eyed her, but suddenly jumped in full alert. The wolf gave a low, long howl, this easily translate to Beware! Humans! Run! Search for safety!

    At once, the wolf scrambled away as a loud growl was heard. Midnight tried to drag herself away, but she couldn't. Out from the bushes, about four brown hounds emerged and bounded towards them. They made noises that sounded like excitement, murmuring, Loot! Master shall be happy!

    Midnight gave a low growl, "Stay away!"

    "Ha!" laughed a hound. "You're pathetic."

    A brown hound with black paws tackled her, and Midnight tried to push him off. Before an official fight could start, a weird creature Midnight once saw appeared before her eyes. A human.

Author's note: This chapter is in advanced to replace the chapter for Friday the 13th. I have Music Camp to attend. Also, I have added a page of characters.

Chapter 6: The Silver Woods

    When Midnight opened her eyes, Comet was already feasting on a hare. "Since when are you awake?" she grumbled. It was the second day of her quest.

    "I didn't really sleep," said Comet. He pushed another hare towards Midnight. "I thought you sleepy-head might boost of energy."

    "Oh, shut it," said Midnight before joining Comet in eating.

    When the two were done, Comet bounded ahead, and Midnight followed. If Midnight didn't calculate wrong, it took another hour to reach the woods. A sparkling river snaked round it as a border, and Midnight took a sip to quench her thirst, which Comet did shortly afterwards. "Here... the silver trees," said Comet.

    "Thank you," said Midnight, and she prodded off. Then, she realised Comet was behind her. "What are you doing?"

    Comet raised an eyebrow. "Remember? This is my favourite hiding spot," he chided before disappearing by blending with the silver trees.

    Midnight sighed and trudged forwards. "Just leave me alone."

    Comet's muffled reply said, "Will do."

    "Good," said Midnight.

    As she walked, she couldn't help by looking around and not at her path. The leaves on the trees glinted under the sunlight, and some had fruits, glittering in a golden-sort of light. She could hear some birds, singing songs like chiming bells, and the wind rustled by and ruffled her fur. Maybe I can move here if I'm exiled, Midnight thought.

    Then, she thought about Comet. Then, there's this Comet-wolf. Still, he helped me...

    "Shut those thoughts out," chided Midnight. She didn't need to pity anyone but herself. If she fails, she'll be exiled in four days. She didn't want to leave Wisp on his own.

    She ran through the forest of hazy silver, some glittering hints on the fruits made her wonder if they were edible.

    "Darn," she muttered, "I'm starved."

    Just an hour's walk and she's starved. "Wonderful," sighed Midnight.

    As Midnight positioned herself to spring on plump, grey rabbit when a series of chirps stopped her. Midnight, agitated, looked up and saw a bird of grey feathers. "What?" snapped Midnight. She couldn't understand the bird, but it looks tasty.

    For a moment, she was tempted to bite the bird out of the sky, but a wolf with pale grey fur emerged from the silver forest. "These animals of the Silver Woods are sacred," her voice spoke as a whisper, a soft lullaby. "They are not to be harmed."

    "W-what if I'm hungry?" asked Midnight, though her voice shook. It was like the wolf radiated a power of a high position. "Are you not too?"

    The wolf, in fact looked puzzled, "You are hungry?"

    "Yes," Midnight said, puzzling why it was a weird question to the wolf.

    The wolf sighed. "You... I am sorry, but I must tell you something," she said, her voice cracked once. "You were lied to. Your life is a lie."

    "You're a lie, then!" Midnight snapped.

    The wolf shook her head. "When someone enters this place, they are given infinite feeling of satisfaction, and will never starve. They will never go thirsty. Anyone who eats one of us will be cursed eternally as they live."

    "Geez, thanks for telling me," mumbled Midnight.

    "They will receive their blessing, unless their life is a lie," said the wolf.

    Midnight took an unsteady step backwards. "Impossible!" she stuttered.

    "I do not know where the life of your lies start," said the wolf.

    Suddenly two dark silhouettes appeared behind the wolf.

    "Who's the newbie here, Zeta?" asked a wolf, his face revealed in the light of gold and silver.

    Before Midnight were two equally large and alike white wolves with dark black touches to the tips of their tails, paws, muzzle and ears. "Uh," muttered Zeta.

    "A black wolf," said the wolf with mismatched eyes, one being blue and the other one being yellow-gold.

    "Ah, with her life as a lie," said the wolf with mismatched eyes.

    "Who are you guys?" Midnight asked.

    "We're the immortal wolves who guard the Silver Woods," said the wolf with mismatched eyes, his chest puffing out in pride.

    "Is it a punishment?" asked Midnight as Zeta urged her to walk alongside the two.

    "Punishment, no!" the wolf with mismatched eyes laughed. "Right, Omega?"

    The wolf with two mint green eyes nodded. "I'm Omega, my twin, Alpha, and my sister, Zeta."

    Midnight looked at them. They didn't look aged, they look about Midnight's age. "What if you're bored with your job?" asked Midnight.

    "Oh, bored?" laughed Omega. "We're never bored here!"

    Zeta laughed. "This is our haven."

    Midnight felt a pang of guilt in her heart. What about my haven? she thought. She kept her thoughts silent and continued walking.

    "Funny thing about this place," said Alpha, "is that no humans are allowed to enter."

    "No humans," echoed Omega.

    Alpha smiled at Midnight. "Come on, I think I know you'll be on your way, yes, Miss...?"

    "Midnight," she replied.

    "Miss Midnight," said Alpha, continuing is sentence.

    Zeta spoke up, "I'm not sure what will happen, but I have a feeling that your quest will be much more enjoyable than this."

    Omega laughed. "I know, we're boring."

    How does he know...! Midnight suddenly thought, taken aback, but she wasn't given much time to ponder. Zeta began chatting away.

    After a few minutes of talking, knowledge seem to fill her mind and her stomach. She slowly felt less hungry the more she talked, the less suspicious of the wolves.

    "Y'know," said Alpha. "Usually, ten wolves pass this forest every year, and most of them are tempted to reach out for some of our sacred animals too."

    "I remember a few who ran away with the prey, and I remembered one wolf who was punished to only speak the truth when she returned the next day," said Omega.

    "Another one with brown eyes and dark brown fur attacked a deer, and was cursed with loosing her agility," said Zeta.

    Ouch, Midnight thought coldly.

    "Funny thing," said Alpha. "They're always female."

    They have no idea about the Pack Quest, thought Midnight. Then, she almost freaked out. It was her Lone Quest, and she's stalling! "Um, Alpha, Omega, Zeta," said Midnight. "I just remembered what I had to do, and it's a big hurry, so... can you point me the directions?"

    Omega kindly offer a smile and directions before Midnight quickly made her way out, hastily shouting goodbye behind her.

    I can't believe I got distracted, Midnight scolded herself. Really, really distracted! 

    According to the position of the sun, about two hours had flown away, and Midnight didn't want to lose her haven.

    Zeta's face keep coming back to her, her words sweetly spoken. She said again and again, haunting her thoughts: This is our haven.

Author's note: I really like how I ended this, but I think I don't have a constant schedule of posting. Let's say, I'll post every weekend. Try to, at least. This weekend, I think I can't, I have a practice coming up for a concert. Well, Midnight pst the Silver Woods. Good for her. 

No sign-ups yet? No sign-ups? I might as well close the page if there no sign-up of a character until 2 March 2015. Random date! Okay, bye.