Chapter 16: Shadow's Plan

DUSK

    Nyxtryx didn't stop talking when they were walking back to the pack. "Weird, a wooden thing, dogs... Slaving creatures? What is up?"

    "Humans, no doubt," Dusk said, wrinkling her nose. "Good-for-nothing humans who hunt us creatures for their likes."

    Nyxtryx growled. "I wished I harmed more during the Hunting War."

    "Huh, be careful what you wish for," Dusk said. "I don't want the war all over again."

    "I'm sorry... I don't want it either..."

    Dusk nudged Nyxtryx for assurance. The two reached the pack. Darke was giving a speech. "We need to find a new place where we can dwell, but where can it be safe?" Darke said, and Dusk's ears drooped, realising she has missed out most of it.

    "Shadow had scouted the lands further ahead, and he has a hypothesis to move on southwards. After all, nothing's wrong, right? If we stay, we won't get anywhere, this is a dangerous area," Darke said. "Also, if anyone sees Midnight, please contact me."

    At the word Shadow, Dusk wrinkled her nose. 

    The wolves began to talk as Darke turned his back on them. Dusk heard many wails of mothers whose pups were still weak. Dusk shook her head. How did this happen?

    Dusk sauntered over to Darke. "Chief, they can't do this," Dusk whispered forcefully.

    "We're in a dangerous area, Dusk, please understand," Darke breathed shallower than usual.

    "C-chief, are you alright?" Dusk asked, hearing his breathing heave.

    "I don't remember, but I think... I think..." Darke coughed.

    Dusk nodded. "Don't force yourself, come, let's head for the river."

    "I'd rather not," a voice hissed. Dusk looked back, Shadow stood there, his blue-yellow eyes seem to glow.

    Dusk growled. "For what reason now?" she asked.

    "Darke just had a fight," Shadow implied. "He got pushed down on the chest- hard. I stopped his assailant before he got clawed and gnawed at."

    Dusk eyed Shadow, the grey marking around his eyes seem to have deepen, to blend with the black. Shadow turned around, the scratch mark becoming visible to Dusk, it was grotesque.

    "Let him rest," Shadow coaxed.

    "Then we won't leave tomorrow," Dusk stated. "He's not in a stable physical condition, and worse and he'll be dead."

    Dusk looked into Shadow's eyes. "Isn't that what we want?" he suddenly said.

    Dusk expected Darke to growl, snap and even attack, but the wolf was frozen into place.

    "What did you do to him?" shrieked Dusk.

    Shadow, with elegance, turned around Dusk, brushing the tips of her fur with his tail. "We all know this old fool's reign is over. You can take over, Wisp can, you can change the traditions, all over from the start..." Shadow whispered.

    So this is what he means... He once said... If Midnight completed the Pack Quest, it would be all over... He would have obliterate all traditions and customs if she did...

    "Join me, let's build an army to save this fool from more trouble, we'll start a new belief amongst these lost wolves..." Shadow hissed, and Darke still frozen.

    Dusk felt a strong urge, to accept. Dusk, Dusk! Keep a hold of yourself! You are NOT joining... this mad wolf!

    "Come, come to me," Shadow whispered, a little more harshly now. "We'll dance amongst the wolves as King and Queen."

    "No," Dusk coldly said, making sure she left an icy glaze on her pale grey eyes.

    Shadow whispered, more silky this time. "You can't deny me, by my Queen."

    "I said no," Dusk firmly stated, and, with a swipe of her paw, landed it on Shadow's chest, and pushed him backwards. Dusk quickly rushed to the Chief. His body was stiff, yet warm.

    "Dusk, you'll never know when to stop, do you?" Shadow asked.

    "Shut it!" Dusk growled.

    Darke stayed silent. Dusk tried to tip the body, but it was like a hundred-years-old tree rooted onto the ground.

    "He's becoming as the earth," Shadow said. "Hurry, accept, and he might be saved."

    "Might?" screeched Dusk.

    "Can't rush a bargain," Shadow snorted.

    "Why do you even need a Queen?" Dusk asked.

    Shadow smiled, revealing his teeth. A broken fang displayed itself. "I need a black sheep."

    Dusk lunged for the menacing wolf. Then all was dark, and Dusk felt like she was forgetting where she was.

Author's Note: I might not kill characters yet, I still need them. Cullen, by the way, is permanent unless the creator wants to kill him because he's been here since the first part. Blaze needs to be careful, but he wasn't appearing any time yet, so what about every 5 posts of the character's appearance? If the character appears five times and the creator has not commented, permanent or not, be prepared to see your beloved character disappear... even though I won't like that.

Re-count starts from today.

Chapter 15: Epsilon

MIDNIGHT

    The wolf kept running. What is this thing Cullen doesn't want to see?

    She stopped abruptly. She saw her father, Chief Darke. Impossible! It's not possible you're here! she wailed in her thoughts.

    The chief flicked his tail, and looked at her.

    "See what I don't want to see now?" Cullen sulked. "It's him..."

    "How do you know him?" Midnight growled.

    Cullen muttered, "Father..."

    "Hah, nonsense, he's my father," Midnight hissed, staring at Darke's hollow eyes. She looked around, in hopes of finding Wisp.

    Around them there was a ring of blue wispy flowers, with soft leaves underneath her toe pads. "Wisp?"

    "It's my dad! Can't you see? His fur... so messy, that pattern of mahogany and caramel..." Cullen listed. "Deep blue eyes, that broken claw, half-grown by now..."

    Midnight stopped. "No! That wolf is a solid black wolf!" she growled.

    "Not!" Cullen growled.

    "Neither," said a voice.

    Before them, someone came charging and appeared into the clearing. It was a deer, his coat was milky white, and his horns are coffee coloured with caramel tips. His hooves were like the colour of soil, but fresh and sturdy like a tree's mighty bark. His eyes are jade, and his voice was clear.

    "Who are you?" asked Cullen.

    "Me? I'm part of the Forest Guardians," the deer replied. "I'm Epsilon."

    "What do you mean earlier by 'neither'?" demanded Midnight.

    Epsilon laughed. "There's no wolf, this is just an illusion," he said, and the stomped the ground, the wolf who Midnight saw as her father disappeared, and all she saw was a tree...

    "My father's a tree?" asked Cullen.

    Midnight slapped him with his tail. "Oh fang, Cullen, you're so dim!" she growled.

    "Where are we, anyway?" asked Cullen.

    Epsilon raised his head. "North-East borders," he replied. Midnight was silent. Now she's confused. "This is the end of the line."

    "You see that river?" asked Epsilon when they were silent. "That's the border that separates the forest from all other 'reality', no magic can pass through  the river when it's rushing."

    "Why not?" asked Midnight.

    "It's dangerous," Epsilon said, "once magic is released to what you guys call 'reality', all is lost, magic itself has it's own thoughts. If not harnessed correctly, they'll bring chaos to the world, and open a new realm. Everything and everyone will be gone, extinct, if it does so. Including us..."

    "What if it's harnessed by some others correctly?" asked Cullen.

    Epsilon said, "Well, that's a rare situation."

    "Did this happen?" asked Midnight.

    "Once," Epsilon said, lowering his voice. "Beta released about a ton of them, and they were for his craft to create the Rune Tower. After we stopped him, though, the half-done tower crashed down and into the soil the magic went."

    "Where this did happen?" asked Midnight.

    "Can't remember, it's been about a... year?" Epsilon said.

    Cullen licked his lips. "Also, besides being forgetful, are you indeed a delicious talking deer?" he asked.

    Epsilon was silent. "No, and it seems like magic has corrupted your thoughts."

    "Food is good," muttered Cullen.

    "Oh dear," Epsilon said, "hungry, I suppose?"

    Cullen nodded, and Epsilon shimmered, a glow of white engulfed him, and he became a petite-looking wolf, grey and white in colours. Midnight looked awed, after all, the deer just shape-shifted.

    "Maybe it's time in a year that I feel hunger again," Epsilon said, laughing. "Come on."

    "Don't you say magic can't exit and you'll be a wolf again?" Midnight asked.

    Epsilon grinned, his sharp fangs gleamed. Midnight wondered if he shifted that especially too. "Hey, I don't know the rules, just, I know 'em."

    Midnight gulped as Epsilon ran towards the river. The water rose, opening a path for Epsilon to pass. "Heh, as easy as that, sis."

    Sis? Who does he think he is?

    "C'mon, bro, sis, let's eat, I'm starved."

Author's Note: Well, it's time for a new chapter already? Too quick. It's a bit blunt here, but this chapter will be the start of most explanation of magic.

Don't forget to comment!

Chapter 14: A Dog's World

DUSK

    The conversation she had was unpleasant. She thought about what Shadow meant. She didn't like it, it sounded ominous...

    Nevertheless, her gloomy thoughts were dispersed when Mist nudged her. "Sis! Wisp's back! I saw him!" she cried.

    "You sure it's Wisp and not someone else?" asked Dusk, confused.

    "I'm sure!" cried Mist. "C'mon!"

    Dusk reluctantly followed Mist. Surely, eating with the pack, there was a dark grey wolf, with a black muzzle. Thank the stars, sighed Dusk.

    She looked at the wolf, and decided to give him some time to feel welcome first.

    "How he there?" asked Dusk.

    "Well, he just... appeared. I don't know how, but, sis... Ironide told me, he ran away, but should I believe him? Since he's back?" Mist inquired, and Dusk looked troubled herself.

    Why, in the name of stars, would Wisp return? Dusk thought to herself.

    He looked at a fellow wolf, whom Dusk didn't recognised. She looked around. The situation was clear. It was all good. Nothing troubling seem to be happening.

    "Dusk," called a voice, and there was a wolf beside her aside from Mist. It was Nyxtryx. The wolf's amber eyes gleamed. "You have to see this. It's just... weird!"

    "What is?" questioned Dusk.

    Nyxtryx winked. "Just you and me, Dusk, come on!" cried the black wolf. She dashed away. Dusk stared at her.

    "Sorry, you'll have to sit this one out, Mist," said Dusk. Then she ran after Nyxtryx.

    Dusk recognised the path. Tree after tree, path after path. She then saw a watering hole. "Where re you bringing me?" asked Dusk.

    Nyxtryx let a soft giggle slip. "You'll see."

    The trees become less dense, and a tower of wood appeared. There was a wooden... thing, big, and it had white on it's side, and the place has a little stench in the air. There were noises from inside, and Nyxtryx slipped towards the thing by crawling under a wooden barrier, lined sidewards. 

    "It's weird, isn't it?" Nyxtryx cried.

    Dusk slipped in after her. On her left, here was a circular stone wall, and it was a little too high for the wolves to reach. The stone wall had a triangular wood roof to it, and a wooden bowl-like object over the wall's opening. A few birds perched on the wall and roof. On her right, a small wooden box was constructed.

    There was a sign on the wooden tower. Dusk fixed her eyes on it, but Nyxtryx had other things in sight. "Look, there's another wooden barrier again, and looks what's in there..." said Nyxtryx, pointing to one at the very edge, only seen by a small spot.

    "... Water buffaloes..." muttered Dusk. "They attacked us, but they're so tame here..."

    "It's because, as I said, they're being taken care of here," said a voice. Dusk turned back and saw Ada, the German Shepherd. There was brown and black on her white skin as well, and Dusk just noticed... somehow...

    "Err, hello," greeted Nyxtryx.

    "Hello," Ada said.

    Dusk growled. "These buffaloes attacked our pack, you know?"

    "My deepest condolences, but they need the water, the river," said Ada. "That's why the Grand Cropalace was built here."

    Nyxtryx snorted. "So, is this what they call a farm?" Despite being older by a few weeks than Dusk and being a wolf general about a year earlier, she isn't very concerning about the outside world.

    "Yes," Ada said. "I'm supposed to keep and watch for intruders and such, but I'll keep quiet for you two."

    "Thanks," Dusk said.

    Ada looked at the wooden fort. "The barn this year is as good as the last," she said, "and if we manage to make a nice supply of veggies, we can sell them out!"

    Dusk and Nyxtryx couldn't process about what Ada just said. "Whoops, sorry," Ada said, "forgot you guys aren't from humans."

    "You've been a lot with the humans," Nyxtryx said, "can you tell us about them?"

    Ada looked around. "Well, my masters are really kind," she said. "My caretaker is a little girl, they call her Dolly."

    "What name is 'Dolly'?" asked Dusk.

    "Her birth name is Donita," said Ada. "Anyway, some visitors who are interested in what they call 'money', an item used to get more things, are less kind. Some try to take the ranch away, the land, and such. Usually, the farm only sells our products of meat and veggies, and that's it."

    "I've been in war against a human in the past," said Dusk. "They wanted to kill us wolves."

    Ada eyed Dusk's beautiful grey and white fur. "It's called 'hunting', like what we wolves and dogs and other predators to, but humans don't do it for food, it's for their luxury!"

    "Can you elaborate?" asked Nyxtryx.

    Ada started to pace around. "Fur from tigers, to make skins and carpets, crocodile skin for handbags, elephant's tusks for ivory decorations, bears as hunter's trophy..."

    Dusk was silent. "Humans... they're not to be trusted," she whispered. "Except I do not understand what a cat-pet is nor do I understand what a hand back is."

    "It doesn't matter what they are... They're anima products from hunting..."

    "I still won't trust them," Dusk hissed, with the support of Nyxtryx hissing in nison.

    "If they trust you, only then can you trust them," Ada said.

    "Good point," muttered Nyxtryx.

    Ada's ears perked. "Another dog's coming, it's not Kimi or Thala, quick, go!"

    "Good-bye, Ada, it's been a pleasure meeting you," Dusk said.

    Ada smiled, "Farewell."

    The wolves quickly slipped away.

Author's Note: I deeply apologise for not posting much. I've been busy and my internet connections has been cut off randomly... Will be posting next week.