Chapter 13: Twisted

MIDNIGHT

    "Gamma?" called Theta.

    Blaze looked confused as well as Cullen and Midnight. "Who's this Gum dude?" Cullen asked, looking around.

    Theta stammered, "Gamma. He's a wolf... not really, but, um, well, we, um."

    "It's personal, isn't it?" asked Midnight.

    Theta nodded. "V-very."

    "Save it for yourself, sis," said Blaze, and Midnight nodded.

    "Where can he be?" sing-songed Cullen. Mimicking Theta's voice, he sang, "Oh where, oh where, did little Gamma go? Oh where, oh where can he be?"

    Cullen snickered as Theta shot him a murderous look. "Look, about Gamma, I'll look for him alone, stay here," Theta said. "Don't go anywhere."

    Theta quickly disappeared into the bushes, and Cullen snickered once more. "Us? Staying here? Hah!" he cried. "I'm moving away."

    "There are dangers, Mr. Wolf!" cried Blaze.

    Midnight looked at Cullen. "Are you seriously going to go?" she asked.

    "Well, I might as well go to another wolf and see if he's a bunny!" Cullen cried.

    "That's not how it goes..." Midnight sighed.

    Cullen snorted and ran off.

    "I-I should follow him, Blaze. He gets into many nasty troubles, you should come too," said Midnight, "so I can watch you."

    "I can do things on my own," Blaze whimpered. With that, Midnight went to tail Cullen, but as soon as she left, Blaze quickly followed. "Wait!"

    Midnight and Blaze crashed through the bushes to follow Cullen. When Midnight saw him, she was too slow to stop. She crashed into the maned wolf. "Hey, watch it," Cullen growled quietly.

    "What's ever the-"

    Midnight closed her mouth and saw what Cullen was watching over the bushes. A hawk has landed, and it was walking on the ground. It hunched over, sitting down on it's behind, and stretched it's wings up high. The hawk lost colour and it's wings became slender. The tips of it fingers and and claws became fat. Claws and wings, they turned into paws.

    "That's Beta!" cried Midnight quietly into Cullen's ear. The wolf winced, but nodded.

    The slender white wolf shook it's fur and opened her huge eyes, glimmering in red and purple. She looked around and ran off.

    "I got to follow her," said Cullen. "She's the hawk spy Blaze said."

    Midnight looked at Cullen, then Blaze, "You sure?" she asked.

    "It's only now," said Cullen, smirking.

    "Alright," said Midnight. "Be safe."

    Cullen slipped away, and Midnight looked at Blaze, his eyes twinkling. "Blaze... I'm not sure I've introduced myself to you," said Midnight.

    "Midnight," said Blaze, before slipping away to where they were last left by Theta.

    Midnight was confused. Where should she go? Cullen was after the spy, and Blaze somehow knew her name. She turned and race after Cullen, or attempted to.

    She crashed through the bushes. "Looking for someone?" asked a voice.

    It was Beta, perched on top of the tree, relaxing. "Uh, did you see a maned wolf pass by?" asked Midnight.

    "Sure," she said. "He's a bit by your east."

    "T-thank you," said Midnight.

    The white wolf nodded. Midnight ran to her east. Cullen, where are you?

    Midnight ran ahead, and crashed into someone. Cullen.

    "Cullen, you missed Beta," said Midnight.

    "It seems like I did," growled Cullen.

    Midnight looked at him. "Why did you turn back?" she asked.

    "Huh?"

    "You were running east," Midnight explained, "and if you are trying to catch someone, you don't turn back."

    Cullen was silent. "It's just that... I sensed something... something to meet over there... something... I don't want to see."

    Midnight grinned. "I want to see this... thing," she said.

       "G-go ahead," stammered Cullen. "I'm behind you."

     Midnight bounded ahead.

Author's Note: Everything's a mess! All's a confusion! Yes! Confuse people more with my ridiculously impossible plot!

Oh, yes, I've been procrastinating... I'm sorry if my writing dropped... School's third week is coming up. Not feeling great.

Chapter 12: Discussions

DUSK

    Dusk approached towards the rock where the chief was often seen resting. True enough, the black wolf was there, looking at the sun, almost  setting. "Greetings, Chief," said Dusk, her voice quivering with fear. Did he know Wisp is gone? That I made him run away?

    "Dusk," said the chief, "I need to talk to you."

    Dusk looked at him. "Me?"

    The chief nodded. "You see, lately, there has been a line of weird incidents," said Darke, "like the fact I don't remember much about this pack quest, nor do I remember much about what happened after Snow died..."

    Snow, his mate, thought Dusk. "Shadow said you were attacked yesterday," she said.

    Darke shook his head. "I was talking with Ironide earlier yesterday after I woke up- he was worried about the buffalo attack."

    "Ah, that's why he wasn't there," said Dusk.

    Darke looked at the horizon. "No matter what actually happened, I know that you've been long with the pack, do you know what's happening?"

    "I'm sorry," said Dusk, "I don't."

    Darke nodded.

    "I do know that there's a far near here, the Grand Cropalace. They herd water buffaloes."

    "That explains."

    "Also, chief, if I may suggest my idea..."

    Chief Darke looked at her, indicating a yes, I'm listening command.

    "That Shadow is behind all this," Dusk said.

    "Shadow? Our little advisor?" asked Darke.

    Dusk nodded. "It may sound ridiculous, but, listen. He was the one who told her you had a severe injury, and was the one to remove me off your sight yesterday."

     "I remember that."

    "Except that it seems normal, he was backing you up, right?" prompted Dusk.

    Darke nodded.

    "He told me once, when Midnight was going to be sent for this Pack Quest," continued Dusk. "'I'll try to put everything in my power to stop this pathetic quest, but if only Midnight succeeds...'"

    "Pathetic? It was him who decided," said Darke. "Urgh..."

    "Chief!" cried Dusk.

    "My head's dizzy..." he muttered, "from overthinking all that..."

    "Chief... Darke, calm down," advised Dusk. "If... if you can manage, tell me... what happened after Snow's death..."

    "Snow, she died a few weeks after the Pack Quest, and... I was devastated. Shadow said... she'll be in a better place."

    Shadow... Why is he so weird...? Does he really think... he can get rid of the chief easily, replace him with Midnight... and stop the Pack Quest... once and for all?

    Shadow was in charge of overseeing the wolves later that night. Dusk walked over to him. "Shadow," Dusk said. "I want to talk to you. I need to talk to you."

    The advisor raised his eyebrow. "Personally," growled Dusk.

    Shadow placed Ironide in charge and moved away with Dusk. "What is it?" he snapped.

    "I know you told me many things, you told the chief many things as well," said Dusk, "but something's bothering me..."

    "That is?" asked Shadow.

    Dusk looked at him. His yellow-blue eyes were deep, harsh-looking. "You told me along the lines that if Midnight succeeded the Pack Quest... you'd stop the entire thing... How?"

    It was silent, but Shadow broke the silence by providing a laughing fit. "Funny you asked, but if she did, it would be all over."

    All... over?

    "What do you mean 'all over'?" asked Dusk.

    Shadow smiled. "You see, I would have obliterate all traditions and customs if she did," he explained. "For the better of all."

    "How are you sure?" asked Dusk.

    "If I think so," said Shadow, "it must be so."

     Dusk growled, "That... That isn't even proper logic!"

    "Look, logically or not, I'm smart," said Shadow, "and, one day, you'll see what I mean."

Author's Note: I forgot to post again yesterday, darn. Anyway, not that we know Shadow's the antagonist... what do you think he's planning to do?

Chapter 11: New News

MIDNIGHT

    Theta growled, "I still don't believe Pi would be a traitor, she has been with Lambda as the first magic apprentices of Comet."

    "Funny, how his students overthrow their master by banning magic," said Midnight.

    "Uh-huh," grumbled Cullen.

    Blaze was silently walking beside Theta. "What magic do you have, Theta?" asked Midnight.

    "Me, magic?" asked Theta. "Well... I do have slight magic, but when I was younger, I didn't have a lot to do. I am and will always be a wolf, but I have the magic of the sight."

    "What does that do?" asked Cullen.

    Theta smiled at Cullen's tail. "For example, I can hide the true fact your tail is orange and, with magic, make it show as it as red."

    Cullen looked at her. Midnight knew he was amazed, but instead, Cullen said, "Bah, drama queen. You can't even do anything, but make lame jokes."

    Theta felt challenged. "Y-you think so, eh, Cullie?" she growled.

    "Sure, can't trust everyone, right?" Cullen said, refusing to back away.

    "I'll show you, you stubborn hard-headed wolf!" Theta cried out. With that, her green eyes glowed, making them tinted with yellow, and she touched Cullen's tail. Before Midnight's eyes, Cullen's tail reversed back with the same red hue as is fur. Even to Cullen.

    "Thank the-" Cullen started, then eyed Theta. Clearing his throat, he continued, "heavens she isn't some nasty liar!"

    Theta frowned. "Shut up and be stinking grateful already, you chatterbox!"

    Cullen grinned. "Or I'll remove your spell," Theta threatened.

    Cullen just laughed. "Relax, no-one likes to see a wolf with an orange tail, right?" he said.

    "Yeah, in that case, I'll reverse the spell, ask Delta to freeze you and put your body by the border so everyone can see that hideous tail and run away from the woods, and, hurrah!, we're safe from those unknown evil!" Theta scowled, glaring at Cullen.

    Cullen shrugged. "Can't blame someone for bein' scary, can you?"

    Blaze and Midnight exchanged looks and shrugged. Theta sighed and turned to Blaze. "Blazie, we're almost there," she said.

    Blaze just nodded.

    "Blah-zie deah, we're almost theare-h," mimicked Cullen in Theta's cheerful voice.

    Midnight slapped his tail with hers. "M-Midnight-h! Shaph doinh thath," said Cullen, exaggerating Theta's voice.

    Blaze turned and sent him a growl, and nudged Theta with affection.

    "I'll return your tail," Theta threatened.

    "Ya already did, lady," Cullen replied.

    "It might be best," said a voice, "if you four settle this issue."

    Lambda's voice made Midnight look back. "I'm above you," he said when Midnight failed to find him. Looking up, she saw Lambda, facing them, his eyes glowing warmly in the colour of gold, but his friendly face and advice was broken for her was smiling.

    "Oh, Mr. Wolf, hello!" Blaze greeted.

    Theta faced Lambda. "Lambda, I was just... looking for you, and why are you guarding the borders?" she said, but before Lambda could reply, she added. "No matter! So, I'd like you to meet Blaze, he's a good friend of mine, and, well... he used to be by the northern borders, but y'know, it isn't safe."

    Lambda's eyes returned to grey. "Ah, yes, Blaze, hello," he said.

    To Theta, Lambda said, "You need to find on Gamma, now, it's his shift now, but none of the guardians can find him."

    "Wha-? Gamma, he-!" Theta protested.

    Lambda frowned. "I know you have a grudge on him, but I know that you know almost all his secrets, I know that you know of where he might be," he said. "So, please, Theta, consider this for your Guardian friends and woodland friends."

    Theta looked around them. "For Blaze."

    Blaze gulped and repeated shakily. "For... Blaze...?"

    Midnight eyed the three- Theta, Blaze and Lambda. What the fang...?

Author's Note:  For Blaze? Well, your overly protective sister to the rescue. Anyway, Cullen got cursed, heh, and new character to be revealed- Gamma! Also, knowing all this magic stuff, and to know Theta is a wolf, that's good, right? Well... Early post today...