Webkinz Insider

Lovyoshi · 10-28-2009, 06:56 AM

Approved by Miss Gnomie

Elements
The First War
By Lovyoshi

Link to book 2-Starwolf:
http://www.webkinzinsider.com/forum/...0#post17378490

Prologue

Fa-noor trotted through the forest, his mouth slightly open to catch the scent of prey. He crouched in the undergrowth, ears twitching at every sound. He was watching a long eared rabbit as it rustled through the leaves. Before it saw him, he pounced. He bit its neck, taking its life instantly. He picked up the body and trotted back the way he had come.
Fa-noor was a wolf, one of the few of his kind. For he was no ordinary wolf.
Fa-noor was a Plant wolf, or Earth. He had a green coat (mossy) and a branch-like tail. His legs were brown, like tree trunks. Which was why he was the most skilled hunter in the forest; his camouflage.
Fa-noor stopped on his way to his den. A yellow wolf was sitting in front of him. Fa-noor dropped the rabbit onto the ground by his feet.
"Is it time?" he asked in a low voice. The yellow wolf dipped its head and stood up.
"Follow me." The wolf trotted out of the clearing. Fa-noor hesitated, picked up the rabbit in his mouth, and bounded after the wolf.
They ran in silence for a moment. Then,
"Bishon?" The electric wolf glanced over, leaping a fallen log. "Yes?" Fa-noor leaped the log too.
"Why are we doing this?"
Bishon didn’t look at him, just said,
"Almost there."
A moment later, Fa-noor and Bishon bounded into a large clearing. On eight rocks sat eight wolves. There were two rocks left. Bishon and Fa-noor each took one. In the center were two powerful wolves. Fa-noor dipped his head respectively.
"Henom. Rmnix." The sun and moon wolves nodded back. The rest of the wolves repeated the names Fa-noor had spoken. "Henom. Rmnix."
Henom, the Sun wolf, stood tall upon his rock.
"Brothers of Wolfhood," he said in his majestic, booming voice.
"We are gathered here this day to bring more kin to the wolves."
Darnar, the dark brown Shadow wolf, swiped his tail angrily across his flat rock. "How do you expect to do that?" he snarled.
Henom looked coldly at Darnar.
"I do not particularly enjoy being interrupted." he said. Darnar dipped his head and lowered his tail.
"Centuries of solitude will do that to a Wolf." Henom nodded and turned back to face the others.
"Each Elemental Wolf will be granted five pups by Rmnix. Three males, two females. As most of you know-" he glared pointedly at Darnar- "The Moon Wolves have the power of Growth. Train your pups well, so one day, they can lead your pack."
At that moment, five pups appeared in front of all eight wolves gathered, not including Henom and Rmnix.
The elemental wolves instinctively pulled the pups off the ground by the scruff of their necks and dropped them on the large flat rocks, wrapping their tails protectively around them.
Rmnix shook his fur, specks of morning dew flying off in all directions.
"Bit more work than I imagined." he murmured.
"There are some rules." Henom said, raising his voice above the whimpering of the forty pups.
"Each elemental wolf has to have a name beginning with your letter."
Of course, Darnar called out.
"Why, that is nonsense!"
Henom frowned.
"We have granted you five pups. Surely you can obey our few rules."
He glared at Darnar, who once again looked at the ground, ashamed of calling out.
Henom continued, dipping his head at each wolf in turn, going around the circle.
"Illiban, Your pups are to begin with I." The Fire wolf’s amber eyes grew bright with pleasure.
"Bishon, B. Newana, N." A nod from Electricity and Wind. "Darnar, D." "I knew that." Darnar mumbled, nuzzling a small pup. "Pendola, P." The wolf of Time nodded happily to herself.
"Whimalu, W." The female ice wolf nodded.
Fa-noor suddenly realized there were only three females out of all adult wolves gathered, Newana of Wind, Whimalu of Ice, and Pendola of Time.
"Fa-noor, F." Fa-noor dipped his head, licking each of the five Earth pups in turn.
"And Onamon, O." The last wolf, the one of water, blinked respectfully at Henom.
Henom stopped talking, and Rmnix began.
"Now we must take an Oath upon our Packs, promising to protect our own lands and to begin all names with the Letters."
Rmnix bent his head and tugged a thorn from a bush. All wolves did the same, including Henom. Rmnix and Henom pushed the thorns into the pads of their front paws, holding the thorns in their mouths. The others repeated the action.
"If the sacred Oaths are broken," Rmnix called.
"May they and their Pack be banished from these lands forever!" He withdrew the thorn. A few drops of blood came away from Wolf paws.
Henom and Rmnix howled, throwing back their heads. The howl was cried across the clearing.
Fa-noor shifted uneasily, wishing for the long meaning to end. The howl stopped abruptly and Henom spoke again.
"Illiban shall have the Bright Volcano! Bishon, The Yellow Valley! Newana, the Windy Plateau! Darnar, the Mountain Pass! Pendola, the Hourglass!"
The Hourglass was an amazing structure of glass that stood nine hundred feet in the air. It had pathways and bridges. There was sand at the bottom. It was the perfect place for a Time wolf.
"Whimalu, the Northern Ice burg! Fa-noor, the Northern Forest! And Onamon, the Ocean and a third of the Great River!"
Most of the wolves were satisfied with their territories. For Fa-noor, the forest was his home. The Water wolf, Onamon, however, was not.
"One THIRD of the river?"
Henom looked down at him. A third for Wind and for Time. There are streams in the forest, mountains, and valley, and the ice melts partly in the Sun-time."
Rmnix continued as Henom gazed at Onamon.
"Every Moon-fill, each Pack will bring several members to gather peacefully at Tenrocks. The gate to Tenrocks is only open during the three days of Moon-fill. At Tenrocks, all Packs may gather together peacefully to discuss important things. You know that this is Tenrocks."
"And last, every Pack is able to travel peacefully to Speakrock, at the far corner of the Wind and Water territories." All wolves nodded in agreement.
"Then go," Henom said. "and may Skynote be with you." The wolves trotted away, glancing back as the pups followed. Henom and Rmnix disappeared in a flash of light.

Chapter 1

Fi-nae darted through the undergrowth, following Fa-noor. Fa-noor glanced back every now and again, to make sure the female wolf was following.
Fi-nae was the oldest female of the five wolves he had been granted by Rmnix a long time ago. She and her older brother Fe-zan were large enough to began training to protect their Pack.
Fa-noor skidded to a halt outside the wall of thickets and bramble that marked the Earth camp. He turned to check on Fi-nae, and ducked through a tunnel of bramble.
The Earth camp was pretty large, but a small bit compared to their territory.
The five wolves trotted out of caves and below a large rock as Fa-noor called them together.
"Wolves of Earth, gather beneath Flatstone."
The young wolves stared expectantly up at him from their place on the ground.
"We need organization," Fa-noor began. "our Pack needs a Healer, a Mediwolf, besides me.
Fi-nae, I will train you to be our Mediwolf." Fi-nae dipped her head, wiggling in excitement. And we need Soldiers, Soliwolves. Fu-shon and Fo-mon will be are Soliwolves. And I will train someone to be Delegate. They will stay near me almost all the time. Our Delegate will be Fe-zan!" Fe-zan looked up in surprise at his leader standing on the rock. "What about me?" a voice whimpered. Fa-noor looked down at the last pup, a female, who had not been called for anything. She was the third oldest pup.
Fa-noor looked down at her.
"You are expecting pups soon, are you not?"
Fa-ling looked down in embarrassment. Her belly had swollen, but even without it, she was the largest pup. "Yes, Fa-noor." she whispered.
"Very well," Fa-noor said. "You will be a Withomir.* I have heard tale from gatherings at Tenrocks that is what other Packs call their wolves expecting pups." Fa-ling nodded.
"And the journey to Tenrocks is tomorrow night,"
Fa-noor continued. "I will need Fe-zan, Fi-nae, and Fo-mon to come with me. Fu-shon, you stay here with Fa-ling." The wolves below him nodded.
"Meeting adjourned." Fa-noor said, leaping delicately off the Flatstone. He shook his dewy fur, sending little drops everywhere. Then he padded to his den, a little cave in the base of the Flatstone. He pushed his way through the moss that had slipped off the Flatstone into the back of the cave.
The wolves outside stood up and padded to
their own caves near the edge of the camp. Only
Fa-ling and Fi-nae went to a different one, the Withomere and Mediwolf caves.

*The plural form of Withomir is Withomere, not Withomirs. Although sounding almost exactly alike, the word is spelled differently.

Fa-ling sat on the moss, stretching on her side. When she did, she felt tired. The gathering at Tenrocks was tomorrow, and since she wasn’t going, she might as well rest.
She felt around the moss, pillowing it beneath her head. She stared out of the mouth of her cave, seeing the other wolves in their own den. All except one. Fa-ling squinted at her brothers. Of course. Fi-nae was a Mediwolf now, so she would sleep one of the last three dens, the one for the Mediwolf.
Fi-nae put a paw to her stomach. She suddenly felt hungry. She stood up sleepily and trotted out of her den and to a pit circled by stones. She gripped a dead rabbit from the small pile and carried it back to her den. How strange she felt without the warmth of her siblings around her coat.
She shivered and slipped into her den. She curled on her moss, chewing thoughtfully on the rabbit. She took one last look outside her den, lowered her head, and fell asleep.
In her dream, she raced in the forest as a little pup.
But the dream strayed from the ususal. Fi-nae was separated from her family, being hunted down by a wolf that was a burning flame, and a wolf seemingly made of air.
The little Fi-nae ran, but was easily caught by the flame and air wolves. They struck her with sharp claws, and she was in such pain she could not stand.
Fi-nae woke with a start. Daylight was streaming in. She squinted at the light. A figure appeared at her side, Fa-noor.
"Fi-nae, you were moaning in your sleep. Are you all right?"
The Mediwolf groaned and stretched her limbs.
"I’m fine, Fa-noor. I just...had a....weird dream."
Fa-noor plopped down beside her, obviously not going anywhere, and betraying no emotions.
"Tell me about it." And so Fi-nae told him the second part of her odd dream.
"I was a little wolf pup, running through the forest. I think...you barked at me to come on. There was worry in your voice. I whined and tried to move faster, but something was wrong with my leg. A Fire wolf and a Wind wolf were chasing us, they had picked up our scent. They would have gotten me, but you jumped to my side, picked me up in your teeth by the scruff of my neck, and tossed me into the forest.
"The Fire and Wind wolves pounced on you instead of me. I scrambled to my feet and ran, but my leg was slowing me down. I glanced back and..."
Fi-nae gulped, tears streaming down her face.
"They had hurt you, Fa-noor. You were lying on the ground, hurt, and they were chasing me."
Fi-nae lowered her head, sniffling.
Fa-noor looked at her.
"I think I know what it means." he whispered.
Fi-nae looked up at him.
"What?"
"Your vision." Fa-noor said simply. "From Oakpine." "Who?" Fa-noor sighed.
"The Earth wolf leader. With Skyhigh."
Fi-nae knew Skyhigh was a wolf constellation, created of stars. Skyhigh had a daughter named Skynote, also of stars.
Skynote created the Elemental wolves in Starcoat, the name for the stars. The Elemental wolves in Starcoat began shaping the solar system, Timeglass created the Moon. Zaplon created Day. Oakpine created Earth, with a little help from Lakelon. Iguness created the Sun, Breezela the Sky, Shahlon the darkness of Night, and Frostshin the Seasons. Then, the Sun and Moon created Henom and Rmnix, who made Fa-noor, and the others.
"Your vision," continued Fa-noor, a slight tremble in his voice, "means Fire and Wind will side against us, and we will have a pup with a broken leg.
Fa-noor placed his head on his paws.
"Why did I get a vision?" Fi-nae inquired.
"You’re a Mediwolf." Fa-noor said without looking up. "Or, you will be soon. Tonight, we go to Tenrocks. Tomorrow, you and I will journey to Speakrock, so you can begin your Mediwolf training with me." Fi-nae stared out of her little cave. Fa-noor stood up and shook himself. Then he trotted out of Fi-nae’s Mediwolf den, leaving Fi-nae pondering over his words.

Chapter 2
The hours passed slowly. Fo-mon and Fu-shon went hunting, and brought back a deer and two rabbits.
Fa-noor paced restlessly on the Flatstone, glancing up every few seconds to check on the sun as it rose higher into the sky, changing its mind at midday and sinking slowly back behind the trees.
Finally, it was time. Fa-noor gathered the wolves he was planning to take and trotted through the short bramble tunnel.
The four wolves raced through the forest, and Fi-nae was painfully reminded of her dream, and glanced at Fa-noor every once in awhile, keeping her ears perked.
The traveled along the border between the Fire and Electricity territories, leaving the forest behind.
At last, the Earth wolves arrived at Tenrocks. The other Wolf packs were waiting outside the mountain passage, dipping their heads in greeting.
A low moaning sound broke the quiet silence. Errrrr A mountain that had been blocking the path suddenly split apart at the bottom, creating a tunnel two wolves high, and three wolves across.
The wolves followed the path slowly until they reached the rocks. Each wolf leader took a rock, leaving two empty in the middle, as always. The Sun and Moon rocks. Henom and Rmnix’s rocks. Those two wolves had not been seen since the Granting of the Pups, but the Wolves left them open as a sign of respect and honor.
The non-leader wolves scattered about the clearing, taking shade under the few trees or lying in the open. Fi-nae trotted over to join the other Mediwolves to whisper in low voices.
Fa-noor glanced around the rocks, making sure nowolf was missing. There was no sign of Darnar.
Fa-noor cocked his head curiously. Darnar had never been late. But a moment later, Darnar came trotting through the tunnel, a few wolves at his heals.
Once Darnar was seated, Illiban, the Fire wolf stood up to began his part of the traditional call.
"Brothers of Wolfhood!" The murmurings about the clearing stopped abruptly. Illiban sat down and Bishon, the electric leader stood.
"We gather this day to speak of our lives." He sat down. Newana stood.
"To give well-wishes and to share thoughts!"
Darnar rose to his paws from his rock.
"To tell tales and share traditions!" Pendola next.
"Only Time will tell of our deeds, unless we share them with eachother!"
"Just like the ice that can be melted and frozen, life is unpredictable, and for the sake of our kin we must enjoy it!" Whimalu cried. Then it was Fa-noor.
"We must praise Skyhigh and Skynote for all gathered here tonight!"
"So gather tonight with other Wolves. Join in a conversation. Be free!" That was Onamon.
Onamon nodded to the other wolf leaders. If any needed to speak of an important event in their Pack, now was the time. But, like many other things, they had to go in a circle. The same circle Henom had called them all those years ago.
Illiban stood up again.
"Fire now has a Delegate and a Mediwolf. Ilzan and Ivan!" Ilzan and Ivan stood up uneasily.
"And Fire also has a Withomir. Imo! Lastly, Fire has two Soliwolves, Ian and Isaac!" Howls of approval came from all around the clearing as the Delegate, Mediwolf, and Ian stood proudly.
Illiban nodded to Bishon and sat down.
"Electricity has named a Delegate and a Mediwolf as well. Bivu and Bix!" The electric wolves stood as Fire ones sat down. So it went around the circle, each wolf Leader announcing who was who.
When the leaders were finished, Illiban stood up.
"Fa-noor, why have you been hunting near the Bright Volcano?"
Fa-noor looked up, startled. He replied in a low voice.
"I assure you Illiban, EarthPack has not been hunting in your territory." He turned to Fi-nae, who nodded. Illiban barred his teeth in a snarl.
"Then why has Ilzan scented Earthscent at the base of the volcano?" He whipped around to face Ilzan, who nodded with a scared look on his face.
Fa-noor looked at Fe-zan and Fo-mon, who looked as confused as he was. "Earth has not hunted in your land, nor will we ever." Fa-noor repeated.
Illiban growled, unsheathing his claws.
"You challenge my tracking skills, Fa-noor?" he whispered quietly. Fa-noor shook his head. Bishon stood up.
"I believe Fa-noor is telling the truth." he said calmly. Fa-noor cast a grateful look at his best friend.
"Fa-noor is an honest wolf," Bishon continued. "and besides, he is camouflaged in his forest. Why would he leave it and chase your prey in a barren land?"
Illiban gave Fa-noor and Bishon a look of pure hatred as Bishon settled on his rock again. Newana, the female Wind leader, stood up suddenly.
"I, for one, am backing Illiban." she said. "It may not have been Fa-noor, but it must have been an Earth wolf, for Ilzan is a good tracker, and would not have mistaken the smell of Earth."
Ilzan stood up on shaky legs from his place outside the circle, and all eyes turned to him curiously.
"And there was mossy fur found near our few trees. We have all reason to believe it was an Earth wolf."
"My Earth wolves stay in the forest." Fa-noor spat through gritted fangs. "I would know if one left."
Illiban stepped off his rock and padded to Fa-noor.
"Then," he breathed in the Earth leader’s ear. "we have no choice but to declare war on you. Unless you can explain where this came from.
Fa-noor watched in horror as Ivan dragged Fu-shon into the circle by his branch-like tail, as Fu-shon scrabbled against him. His coat was covered in blood.

Chapter 3
"Fu-shon!" Fa-noor growled. "I told you to stay with Fa-ling!" Fa-noor rushed to Fu-shon’s side, batting Ivan away and licking Fu-shon’s coat. Fu-shon whimpered and pressed his muzzle against Fa-noor’s shoulder.
"They invaded our camp. They dragged me out. I tried to fight, but," he held up singed claws. "fire burns alot."
Fa-noor smiled sadly at Fu-shon, then turned to face Illiban, baring his fangs.
"So, you invaded my camp, kidnaped a Soliwolf, dragged him to Tenrocks, and you have nothing to say for yourself?"
Illiban met Fa-noor’s stare with dark, cold eyes. He held the gaze as he retreated to his rock.
"The Assemblage is meant to be peaceful," Fa-noor continued. "Fu-shon was fine when I left an hour ago!"
Fa-noor stood on his rock.
"You have withdrawn from Rmnix’s promise!" he hissed. Around him, wolves of many packs growled.
"Traitor. Oath Breaker. Traitor."
Bishon stood up, quieting the wolves.
"Who sides with Fa-noor, against this traitor?" he called. To Fa-noor’s surprise, Pendola and Darnar stood, fur bristling in anger as the glared at Illiban.
"And who sides with Illiban?" The wolves who had been standing quickly sat down, and Whimalu, Illiban, Newana, and Onamon stood.
"Fire wolves are good trackers," Onamon growled.
"They would not mistake the scent of Earth." Newana and Whimalu murmured their agreement.
Suddenly, the sky went blank, as if it was night, but there were no stars.
"Meeting adjourned by decision of Skynote!" Illiban cried, and Fa-noor heard him leap off the rock.
"EarthPack, to me!" Fa-noor called, and he felt the bodies of his four companions press against him. He turned away from Tenrocks, and raced through the mountain passage, along the border of Fire and Electricity, and back into his home territory.
There, he stumbled through the trees ad soon into the Earth camp. The sky was already beginning to brighten, and he hurried to find Fa-ling.
Fa-ling was crouched in the Withomere den, staring into nothingness.
"Fa-ling?" Fa-noor asked, peering through the den. She didn’t answer. He prodded her gently. Fa-ling did not move. But she was alive, and breathing.
She’s probably scared. Fa-noor reflected. If Illiban really did raid the camp, she would have been terrified.
Sighing, he strode to the Flatstone, leaping on top of it. He stared into Starcoat above. He tried to shrug off his worries. It was the beginning of Sun-time, so more there would be plenty of prey.
He leaped neatly off Flatstone and ducked into his cave, curling into the moss. He closed his eyes, and was given a vision from Skynote.
Fa-noor padded through the forest, glancing around and pricking his ears nervously. Suddenly, he stopped. Sitting at the end of the clearing was a wolf, one he had never seen.
The wolf stood and padded towards him, and Fa-noor knew this was Skynote. He gasped and dipped his head respectfully, even more than he had once done for Henom and Rmnix. Skynote circled him, studying him with unblinking eyes made of stars.
She was a dark navy blue, flecks of white light penetrating the color.
Skynote signaled him with a flick of her starry tail and bounded away. Fa-noor followed obediently. Skynote lead him on a familiar path, why, she was leading him to Tenrocks!
Skynote passed through the mountain tunnel, which was open in the dream, and bounded onto the place where Rmnix once sat. Beside her was a larger and more distinct wolf. Skyhigh!
Fa-noor dipped his head in greeting and climbed onto his rock. He was faintly aware of the other wolf leaders around him, Illiban glowering at him. Then Skyhigh began to speak. His voice was deep and rumbling.
"Leaders of the Elements! I call you here to speak of a prophecy." Skyhigh nodded to his daughter, who stood proudly on Rmnix’s rock. She glanced around and opened her mouth, revealing starry fangs. Her voice was not deep like Skyhigh’s, but melodic and sounded like a bird.

"When eight become two.
When water quenches not fire.
When earth touches the sky.
When shadows form from nothing.
When time seems to stand still.

Seven shall answer the call of the wind,
The fate of the eight resting within.
Brandishing courage no darkness can quench,
Racing furiously through the Trench.

Shackles snapped, and hackles raised,
A wolf alone shall end his days.
Through water deep, and fire too,
Rises a warrior from the gloom.

No mountain too tall, nor valley too deep,
Nor seeing his leader in endless sleep,
Falters his cause or questions his lead,
Helping his allies with every need.

Packs shall turn against eachother,
Amber flowing forth to smother.
Suppressing fear nowolf can see,
Respected forever and eternity."

Chapter 4
Fa-noor awoke with a start, the memories of his dream sharp in his mind. Quickly, he raced for Fi-nae’s cave. She was sleeping in the middle of her den.
Feeling bad about waking her, Fa-noor prodded her awake.
"Fi-nae?" Fi-nae stirred and sat up, blinking sleep from her eyes. "What’s wrong, Fa-noor?"
"We have to leave now to get to Speakrock by Silverlight." he pointed out. "It’s across the territories."
"Fi-nae stretched and leaped to her paws. "Ready." Fa-noor nodded and trotted outside to wake Fe-zan.
"I’m taking Fi-nae to Speakrock." he said.
"Watch the camp for me." Fe-zan nodded sleepily.
Fa-noor glanced over the camp one last time and signaled Fi-nae with his tail. She trotted obediently to his side, and they dashed through the bramble tunnel.
They raced to Tenrocks, stopping to meet with the Fire, Ice, Shadow, and Electricity leaders and Mediwolves. Illiban and Ivan were growling quietly at Fa-noor.
Darnar led the way to Speakrock, so the Mediwolves could be accepted by Skyhigh. When they reached Speakrock, it was night, and nearly Silverlight. Pendola, Onamon, and Newana were waiting.
The eight wolves slipped into the cave, trotting through the tunnel. It was dark, but Fi-nae was not afraid. She padded through the cavern, feeling Fa-noor’s pelt pressed against hers. He licked the top of her head comfortingly, and Fi-nae shook herself.
Finally, she beheld Speakrock.
It was a large purple stone, with a little blue mixed in. It sparkled, light hitting it from tiny holes in the roof of the cavern.
The wolves stopped a few paces away from it. Then Illiban and Ivan approached.
"Lick it." Illiban offered. Ivan stared at the stone.
Finally, he did as he was told. He flinched visibly, and closed his eyes. A moment later he opened them, sat up, and dipped his head to Illiban.
"I was accepted as a Mediwolf by Skyhigh." Illiban nodded appreciatively. "Good."
The Fire wolves backed away, casting glances at
Fa-noor.
And so it went around the circle, each Mediwolf flinching at the taste of Speakrock.
And soon Fi-nae knew why.
She crouched by Speakrock, marveling at its beauty. Finally, she bent down. And licked it.
She flinched as well, but not from the taste of the salty stone, so much as the icy coldness. Remembering even Wamon the Ice Mediwolf had flinched from it gave her a better idea of its temperature.
Fi-nae closed her eyes and breathed deeply.
In her vision, she saw the starry figures of Skyhigh and Skynote, sitting at Tenrocks. They padded up to her, and licked her pelt. Then she heard what must have been Skynote’s melodic voice.
"I accept you as Earth’s Mediwolf. Work hard, Fi-nae, and strive to protect your Pack from sickness and all kinds of dangers." Skynote licked her on the head one last time and then disappeared.
Fi-nae opened her eyes and nodded at Fa-noor.
"I was accepted as a Mediwolf by Skyhigh." she heard a low growl from Ivan, and Illiban swished his tail angrily. Wamon, however, looked pleased. He nodded at Fi-nae as Otta, the water Mediwolf, licked the stone.
When Otta claimed she had been accepted by Skyhigh, Illiban stood up.
Without a glance at Fa-noor, he and Ivan trotted back along through the passage, leaving the rest of the wolves to follow.
Wamon fell into step alongside Fi-nae.
"Hey." he said. He reached to lick her head, but
Fa-noor swished his branch-like tail protectively around Fi-nae and growled quietly. Wamon retreated to Whimalu, casting a final glance at Fi-nae.
Eventually, they reached the outside world again. Blinking at the light of the rising sun, the wolves nodded goodbye to Onamon and Otta, who trotted a short distance and leaped into the sea, swimming gracefully away like fish.
The wolves trotted awhile longer, leaving Newana and Nilena to return to the Windy Plateau.
They raced along the barren land, passing into a small forest and swimming across the river into Tenrocks territory, Pendola and Pagona going to the Hourglass.
At the base of Tenrocks, the wolf leaders nodded goodbye before separating to their own territories.
Fa-noor and Fa-ling arrived at the Earth camp just in time to see Fe-zan racing towards them.
"Fa-noor! Fa-ling has had her pups!" Fa-noor was instantly alert, speeding to the Withomere den, Fi-nae and Fe-zan on his heels.
But all was well when Fa-noor skidded to a halt outside the den. Fa-ling was licking her six pups. She looked exhausted lying on the moss, and much smaller since the Pack had gotten used to her swollen belly.
Fa-noor crouched over the pups, studying them with interest. There were three females and three males.
Fa-ling looked up from her position on the moss and into Fa-noor’s deep amber eyes.
"What will they be named?" she asked quietly.
Fa-noor shrugged, a motion that started at his head and ended in a flick of the tail.
"We will have a ceremony in a couple of weeks. Until then, I will think about it."
Fa-ling nodded and watched her pups as they struggled on the moss.
Fi-nae trotted out of Fa-ling’s den and stared into the rising sun, it had been a long journey to and from Speakrock.
"Skynote, speak to me," she whispered. "Tell me what I can do to help Fa-ling’s pups, and to help the Pack." Then she slipped into the Mediwolf den and fell into exhausted sleep.

Chapter 5
Fa-ling’s nameless pups wrestled eachother beneath Flatstone. It was several weeks after Fa-ling had had her pups. There would be a ceremony tonight for their names.
Fa-noor leaped onto Flatstone and howled the call.
"Wolves of Earth, gather beneath Flatstone!"
The wolves trotted out of their dens, and the wrestling pups sat at attention beside Fa-ling.
"We gather to give six pups names of true Wolves." he signaled at the first wolf in line, a mischievous male.
"This pup shall be known as Fa-kon, after the Earth word for Courage." Fa-kon stood up and beamed at the wolves around him.
Fa-noor pointed at the second pup, a female.
"This pup shall be known as Fa-dih, after the Earth word for Speed.
"This pup shall be known as Fl-mik, after the Earth word for Strength.
"And this pup shall be known as Fu-lah, after the Earth word for Trust.
"This pup shall be known as Fy-giw, after the Earth word for Love.
"And this pup shall be known as Fr-thu, after the Earth word for Hunt."
The wolves of EarthPack cheered loudly as the six pups stood in the clearing, beaming at the attention. When the cheers had died down, Fa-noor leaped off Flatstone and licked each pup on the head in turn.
"You have the makings of good fighters." he murmured to them. "I would not wish to meet you in battle, and am proud to have you in my Pack."
Fa-noor stood back so the wolves could congratulate the pups, chanting their names loudly.
"Fa-kon! Fa-dih! Fu-lah! Fl-mik! Fy-giw! Fr-thu!"
Fa-noor leaped back onto Flatstone and waved his tail for silence.
"In the tradition I had to endure from Henom and Rmnix, the pups shall gather twenty pounds of meat before Silverlight." He paused for a moment, squinting down at the pups.
"Twenty pounds each."
Fa-ling licked her pups’ heads comfortingly.
"Fa-noor had us all go through the same trial when we were pups." she murmured.
The pups shifted uncomfortably on their paws.
"Starting now." Fa-noor added.
Startled, the six pups darted into the woods, prepared to stalk without training.
Fa-noor watched them sprint away and nodded to his Delegate.
"Fe-zan, follow them, but do not show yourself."
Fe-zan nodded and darted away.
Fa-noor leaped neatly off Flatstone as Fi-nae called out a question.
"What do we do now?" Fa-noor narrowed his eyes.
"Now, we wait."
Fi-nae nodded and settled down to do just that.
Slowly, ever slowly, minutes ticked into hours, until suddenly,
"Fa-noor! We’re back!"
Fa-noor stood to watch the pups struggling to pull the carcass of a moose along the ground. He nodded to
Fu-shon, who darted to their side and helped lift the moose off the ground.
The moose was draped over the side of the prey pit, and the pups stood proudly by it, accepting the murmurs of surprise that had come from the assembled wolves.
Fa-noor climbed back onto Flatstone and waited for silence before speaking.
"Congratulations pups, on your successful kill. We shall have a feast in your honor shortly, but first, tell how you made such a kill."
Fa-kon cast a startled glance at his brother Fr-thu and cleared his throat nervously.
"This moose was wandering near the edge of the forest," he began. "We traced its scent and hid in the undergrowth." he shook his green pelt to demonstrate.
"With six pups on him, he had no chance to defend himself." Fa-noor nodded at the moose.
"Two mistakes here. One. This is a she-moose. Second of all, the moose was blind and lame, judging by that split hoof, no wonder you caught it so easily."
Fa-noor cast another glance at the moose.
"But it looks like you easily caught your 120 pounds, and it is not quite Silverlight yet," he added quickly, glancing at the sky, where the moon had almost reached the mid-way point.
"So everyone, let us respect this moose and eat it." Fa-noor trotted towards the moose, and in the wolf tradition, licked its head, caressing the thick and matted wool. He nodded to the other wolves, and they came forward to eat their fill of the delicious feast.
Fa-kon sat back and licked his muzzle, catching bits of moose on them. His secret had not been truly revealed, and that was just fine with him, for he had not caught the moose.
Bishon, the electric leader had, and had offered it to Fa-kon when he had seen the pup and remembered his own Kli-Na-O-Va, the ordeal all the wolves had to go through before they were truly accepted into the Pack.
Fa-noor announced that the pups were now apprentices, and Fe-zan would mentor the males while he trained the females.
The wolves cheered again, chanting the pups’ names.
"Fa-kon! Fa-dih! Fu-lah! Fl-mik! Fy-giw! Fr-thu!"
Suddenly, another voice brought the wolves’ attention to the surrounding trees, a voice that did not belong to any EarthPack wolf.
"I don’t think so, Fa-noor." the voice’s owner said casually when Fa-noor crouched to spring from Flatstone. "I have heard the Prophecy given by Skynote, and do you think I am such a fool to let it be fulfilled by a lowly EarthPack wolf?"
The voice belonged to Illiban.

Chapter 6
Fa-noor growled quietly at Illiban, narrowing his amber eyes to give himself a more threatening look.
"Really, Fa-noor!" Illiban scoffed.
"That’s the best you can do, after all I’ve taught you? That is all you remember?"
Whimalu, Newana, and Onamon appeared from behind Illiban, and Soliwolves from each Pack followed behind them.
Fa-noor flexed his claws, sheathing and unsheathing them nervously.
"An Earth wolf?" he asked, stalling for time. Illiban rolled his eyes and flicked his tail towards the six pups peering out of the Withomere den with their mother.
"You know who I’m talking about." he growled.
"I don’t." Fa-noor admitted. "I did not know the prophecy was about an Earth wolf. How did you figure that out?"
Illiban flicked his flaming tail again, and recited a line of Skynote’s prophecy.
"Nor seeing his leader in endless sleep." he grinned and flexed his claws.
"I’ll give you one guess at who that leader will be."
Suddenly, a chorus of howls filled the air behind Illiban. "AROOOOOOOOO!"
The four enemy wolf leaders turned around in surprise, and Fa-noor took advantage of the situation by pouncing on Illiban.
The two wolves wrestled, scratching and spitting.
Fe-zan emerged beyond the trees, leading Pendola, Darnar, and Bishon, along with all their Soliwolves. Illiban squirmed free of Fa-noor and leaped up to Flatstone. He spat at Fa-noor from his vantage point.
Fa-kon raced across the camp from the direction of the Withomere den and sprinted towards the ramp that led to Flatstone.
"Fa-kon! No!" Fa-noor cried, just as Illiban leaped down from Flatstone and towards the apprentice.
Illiban’s claws were unsheathed, and he landed on
Fa-kon and knocked him over.
Using all his strength, Fa-noor sprang from several feet away and shielded Fa-kon from the FirePack leader. "Run!" Fa-noor barked.
Fa-kon struggled to his feet, whimpering. Fa-noor saw Fa-kon’s hind leg had been broken, and the pup limped painfully towards his mother.
Fa-noor grasped Fa-kon by the scruff of his neck and raced across the clearing, being chased by Illiban and Newana, who had fought off her ShadowPack attacker.
Fi-nae gasped. She covered her eyes, knowing what was going to happen.
Fa-noor tossed Fa-kon gently into the trees, and
Fu-shon nimbly caught the apprentice’s scruff of a neck before he hit the ground.
Fa-noor turned to face his attacker’s bravely, the Fire and Wind wolves sprinting towards him.
Fa-noor cast a last glance at his wolves, his wolves who had stood by him for so long.
"Run!" he ordered. But the wolves did not move.
Only Fa-kon tried to scramble away, having been placed gently on the ground by Fu-shon.
Fe-zan ran up to them, bleeding from a cut on his forehead.
"Fa-noor wants us to leave, let’s go!"
The order form their Delegate broke the spell, and the wolves sprinted away.
Fa-kon took one last look at Fa-noor. His leader, who had been so kind to him. His leader, who had given him his name, Courage.
Fa-noor was lying on the forest floor, Illiban and Newana standing over him triumphantly.
Then Illiban turned his head and locked eyes with
Fa-kon. Fa-kon new that whatever happened, Illiban would never be his ally.
Fa-kon glanced at Fa-noor one last time, and sprinted into the forest, hobbling alongside Fr-thu.
Illiban and Newana retreated from them, sprinting to finish the fight with Darnar, Pendola, and Bishon.

Fe-zan crouched on Flatstone. It was several days after the attack. He was the new leader, and Fo-mon was the new Delegate.
Fa-kon lay outside Fi-nae’s den, watching his siblings wrestle playfully on the forest floor.
Fa-noor’s body had been buried, and now lay in a small hole at the edge of the clearing, dirt and vines around him, as if protecting him.
Fe-zan shook himself to clear his thoughts and began the traditional call, his voice cracking.
"Wolves of Earth, gather beneath Flatstone."
Obediently, the EarthPack wolves assembled under the rock, peering up at their new leader.
Suddenly, a rustle sounded in the bushes, and Bishon appeared with Darnar.
They leaped onto Flatstone and murmured to Fe-zan
They retreated a moment later to the back of Flatstone so they would not be in the way.
"We need to figure out the Prophecy." Fe-zan called.
"Bishon and Darnar are going to help, they know the Prophecy better than me, for I have not yet heard it. Bishon, please recite the Prophecy."
Bishon did, and Fe-zan dipped his head in thanks. The clearing was quiet, and Bishon quickly added,
"The Trench could mean the Yellow Valley."
"Who is the wolf in the prophecy?" Darnar asked.
"Illiban seems to think it’s an Earth wolf." Fe-zan murmured. "He seems to think it’s one of our pups."
All eyes shifted to the six pups, who glanced down at their paws.
"Who saw Fa-noor in endless sleep?" Fe-zan asked.
Fa-kon raised his eyes to meet Fe-zan’s and gulped.
"I think it was me."
Fe-zan paused and peered curiously down at the apprentice, who was studying his paws intently.
Fa-kon would make a good prophecy wolf, he was strong. And he was the wolf in the Prophecy.

Chapter 7
Darnar suggested that the first line, When eight become two, could mean that the eight Packs of wolves became two Packs, Earth, Electricity, Time, and Shadow on one side, and Fire, Ice, Water, and Wind on the other.
Fe-zan agreed, because that would make sense with the line, Packs shall turn against eachother.
"What is the call of the wind?" Darnar murmured. He heaved a deep sigh.
"If only Newana was on our side."
"Who says I’m not?" came a sharp voice.
Darnar whipped around to face his life-long friend. However, Newana was anything but friendly.
She had returned with Illiban.
Illiban glowered at Fa-kon, who yelped and retreated into Fi-nae’s den, hobbling on his wounded leg.
Fa-ling bared her fangs and wrapped her tail around her remaining pups.
"Illiban," Darnar snarled. "What do you want?"
Illiban merely glanced at him, and turned his attention back to Fe-zan.
"So. You’re the new leader, Shortstuff."
Fe-zan flattened his ears against his skull, Illiban had called him Shortstuff when he was a tiny pup, and the name had stuck ever since.
He growled quietly, deep in his throat, and flexed his claws. Illiban flicked his tail and Newana walked in front of him and sat down.
Darnar glanced helplessly from Fe-zan, his ally, and Newana, his puphood friend.
Newana glared at him, all traces of friendship gone. Darnar looked a little hurt, but partly relieved.
Illiban walked up to Flatstone, not a care in the world.
Fe-zan flattened his ears again.
"Why can’t your announcement wait until the Assemblage this evening?"
Illiban looked startled, than thoughtful, then deeply amused. He glanced briefly at Bishon, sitting quietly in the shadows, turned, and fled into the forest.
Fe-zan exchanged baffled looks with the other leaders and shrugged with a flex of his muscles.
Bishon and Darnar leaped off Flatstone, flicking their tails in farewell, and disappeared into the trees.
"I need Fi-nae, Fo-mon, and all the apprentices for the Assemblage tonight." he decided. Once again, Fu-shon was left with Fa-ling. He was happy though, because they were mates.
The wolves Fe-zan had chosen stood obediently and prepared to head off. Fa-kon bounced impatiently, eagerly awaiting his first Assemblage.
Fe-zan leaped off Flatstone and shook his pelt, looking into Starcoat above, staring at the little lights, each representing a dead wolf. He wondered if a new one had appeared several nights ago. For Fa-noor.
Gathering his wolves near him, he nodded at Fu-shon and disappeared into the undergrowth, his chosen wolves keeping pace with him.
They soon arrived at Tenrocks. Fe-zan stopped and raised his tail for his wolves to do the same.
He stared down at Tenrocks from his little hill and the last bit of woods before charging down to meet at the entrance.
He caught his breath and waited for the other wolves to arrive, accepting nods from Whimalu, Newana, and Pendola.
Illiban hadn’t arrived, which seemed strange to Fe-zan, but he did not think much of it as Bishon and Darnar poured over the hill.
With at least six of the eight Packs present, the mountain groaned and ripped apart.
Pendola led the way inside, followed by the rest of the wolves. Wamon sidled innocently towards Fi-nae, who flattened her ears and growled quietly.
Wamon looked offended, but miraculously didn’t say anything and padded beside Fa-kon instead.
Fe-zan leaped onto Fa-noor’s rock. Although not very high, the rock was still higher than Flatstone, which was pretty tall, at least eight wolves high. He was given a good view of all the wolves below, and the sense he could see them all made him dizzy, and he quickly sat down as Illiban and Onamon appeared.
As soon as Illiban’s tail touched his rock as he sat, there was a blinding flash of light from the two rocks in the center.
Fe-zan gasped and dipped his head respectfully.
"Henom. Rmnix."
A murmur of voices told him the names were being repeated respectfully by the other wolves.
Henom and Rmnix dipped their heads back at the leaders and tucked their tails around their paws, waiting for the noise to die down. When it did, Henom stood up.
"Wolves of the Elements!" his voice was majestic and powerful.
"We have come to announce a Wolf leader arrived safely with Skyhigh, and now hunts forever in Starcoat. Although we are displeased-" he glared pointedly at Illiban, who shrugged indifferently and yawned. "we wanted to come to respect this leader."
Henom and Rmnix bent their heads, all the wolves, even Illiban doing the same.
"For Fa-noor." Henom murmured.
"For Fa-noor!" The wolves echoed.
"He was a brave warrior," said Rmnix. "And his name will not soon be forgotten. EarthPack, we grieve for your pain. Fa-noor hunts with StarPack now, though he is the only one in it."
There was a brief pause, and then Henom looked up.
"We have created a code, the Way of the Pack that you must follow."
Rmnix glanced at Illiban, silver fur bristling in the moonlight, as Henom stood tall to recite the Way of the Pack, being witnessed by all 47 assembled wolves as they gazed up at him, preparing to live their lives by this Warrior Code.

Chapter 8

"A Pack leader cannot directly kill another Pack leader." A murmur of agreement came from the wolves, and Rmnix swished his tail to silence them.
"A Delegate cannot directly kill another Delegate.
Pups should be fed before the rest of the Pack, and if a pup is a danger, nowolf is to leave it, even if it’s another Pack’s pup."
Henom glanced at Rmnix, apparently checking to make sure he hadn’t missed anything.
"Remember to give thanks for your food, for Skyhigh created it to provide for you." Rmnix said.
Henom turned back to the wolves, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"Courage, show Courage,
In large and in small,
Doses of power sear
From all creatures’ fall.

Bonfire’s hunt shall
Frighten and kill,
But Seiko shall guide
The lost and the willed."

With that, the two wolves disappeared, leaving the rest of the wolves wondering if this was part of the prophecy, or just a message.
They quickly went around the circle, announcing things in their packs. There had been two litters of pups born in both Shadow and Time, but unable to make the journey to Tenrocks just yet.
Fe-zan announced that Fa-noor had been killed by Illiban and Newana, although just about every wolf knew that by now.
Soon though, the Assemblage was over, and Fe-zan gathered his wolves, a tear in his eye. How often he had seen Fa-noor gathering him and his siblings together, he could still not believe Fa-noor was gone.
They returned at the EarthPack Camp soon, and
Fe-zan ducked into his den to sleep.
At Tallight, he slunk back out, shaking his pelt free of moss. He heard Fi-nae muttering to herself in the Mediwolf den.
"Moss for upset stomachs, bramble powder to stop bleeding, red chokeberry for...well...I don’t know what that’s for..."
Fe-zan stepped into the den.
"Fi-nae?" Fi-nae turned around, but relaxed when she saw her brother and leader.
"Oh. Fe-zan. It’s you."
Fe-zan glanced around the Mediwolf’s den. Moss lined the hole in the floor where she stepped, and in the cracks of boulders were red chokeberries, bramble powder, and all sorts of other things.
"I wanted to speak with you." Fe-zan said, tucking his tail around his paws.
"I don’t know how to be a leader. You seemed closest to Fa-noor, tell me what you think."
Fi-nae rested her head on his shoulder.
"Oh, Fe-zan." she murmured to her older brother.
"I don’t know what to do without Fa-noor, it just doesn’t seem real."
She stared at her herbs as if she expected an answer.
"What is the point of life, only to die soon after? Fa-noor gave his life to protect us, and we must honor that."
She was quiet for another moment.
"I’m going to sleep." She announced, and so saying curled on her moss, blinking farewell at Fe-zan.

Fi-nae dreamed she was in Starcoat, tiny flecks of light blinking around her. She steadied herself and stood, then walked across the sky as easily as she walked upon the land.
In front of her was a familiar figure, beckoning her closer. She broke into a run and skidded to a halt in front of the starry Fa-noor.
Fi-nae buried her muzzle into Fa-noor’s shoulder fur. "Oh, Fa-noor! I’ve missed you." she whispered. "Why can’t you come back to us?"
Fa-noor bent and licked her head.
"Fi-nae." he murmured. "My Mediwolf."
He licked her again, caressing the fur on her ears.
Another wolf appeared beside him, this one also familiar.
"Skynote?" Fi-nae asked.
The starry she-wolf nodded and flicked her tail at Fa-noor. Fa-noor obediently stood up and trotted away. Fi-nae tried to follow, but Skynote motioned for her to stay back.
"Remember the berries, Fi-nae."
"Berries? The only berries I know of are Baneberries and Red Chokeberries!"
Skynote flicked her tail again.
"Beware the Bonfire, Fi-nae." That was Fa-noor’s voice, Fi-nae looked but could not see him.
"Beware!"
Skynote trotted away.
"Wait," Fi-nae cried. "I want to come with you!" Fa-noor appeared beside her suddenly, stern.
"You will be with me one day, Fi-nae. But for now your duty is with EarthPack."
"Fa-noor, don’t go!"
Fa-noor disappeared, and Fi-nae was alone in the dark space, her only company the stars.
"Fa-noor?"
She could only remember their warnings. Remember the berries, and Beware the Bonfire. They had to be connected somehow.
Fi-nae awoke, scrabbling on her moss. She raced outside her den and leaped onto Flatstone. It was already Silverlight, she had slept for a long time, but she had to share her pain with the moon.
Maybe he could hear her, and maybe he couldn’t, but Fi-nae threw her head back and howled.
"Fa-noooooooooor!"

Chapter 9

Fe-zan and Fi-nae were herding the apprentices up a hill in the forest. It was several days after the Assemblage. Fi-nae stopped to help Fy-giw over a large rock when Fa-kon ran toward a bush covered in juicy red berries.
Fa-kon eyed them hungrily. "Do you think it’s safe to eat them?" he asked. Fe-zan didn’t know. "They look good." Fl-mik murmured, and reached for a berry hanging on a drooping stem.
"Fl-mik! No!" That was Fi-nae. Instantly, Fe-zan jumped to Fl-mik’s side and batted the little pup away. Fl-mik looked terrified.
"Did you swallow one?" Fi-nae asked, rushing to his side. Fl-mik gave a nod and collapsed, breathing heavily.
Fi-nae rushed off and returned quickly carrying watermint in her mouth.
She dropped the plants into Fl-mik’s mouth, he chewed them, and his breathing steadied.
"Will he live?" Fr-thu asked nervously.
Fi-nae shook her head. "I don’t know."
Fa-kon padded up to Fl-mik and his head drooped. "It’s my fault. I wanted to know if the berries were edible."
Fi-nae nodded and motioned him back over to the berry bush. She pointed at the berries with her tail.
"This is a Baneberry bush. The berries are extremely poisonous, so never eat them." The pups nodded, and Fa-kon glanced back at Fl-mik, still lying on the ground.
Fi-nae nodded at Fl-mik. "Fe-zan, will you help get him to my den?" Fe-zan nodded, and together the wolves carried the apprentice back to camp.
Fa-ling rushed out of her den.
"Fl-mik!" Fa-ling licked his head repeatedly.
"He ate a Baneberry." Fa-kon informed her.
Fa-ling fell away, back to the Soliwolf den. She would be a Soliwolf now, because her pups were apprentices now, and slept in the apprentice den.
Fi-nae and Fe-zan set Fl-mik inside Fi-nae’s den.
Fl-mik stirred and blinked awake.
"Baneberry," he moaned. "Never eat Baneberry."
"That’s right," Fi-nae murmured. She picked up some golden flowers and dropped them near Fl-mik.
"Coltsfoot. Eat." she said. She picked up a Coltsfoot, and Fl-mik chewed it.
A moment later, Fl-mik rested his head on his paws.
"He’ll be fine," Fi-nae informed Fe-zan. "He just needs rest now. And then it’s up to Skynote."
Fe-zan nodded and withdrew from the den, bounding onto the top of Flatstone, where he was nearest the sky.
"Skynote," he whispered. "Help Fi-nae with Fl-mik. Don’t let him die too." He wrapped his tail around himself for warmth. It was almost night, and a chill was seeping over the forest.
Fe-zan blinked sleepily at the growing dark, the sun setting. He shivered at the cold, and wished he could be in the Soliwolf den with his siblings.
If only Fa-noor was here. He thought. He hopped off the Flatstone and vanished into his den at its base. He only stayed in for a moment though, before returning outside to share a deer with Fa-kon.
Fa-kon stared at the bramble tunnel, the only way into the camp for any creature but a bird. Then, before his leader said anything, he jumped up and raced for the tunnel.
Fe-zan rose to his paws. "Fa-kon!" Fa-kon returned a moment later, eyes concerned.
"I thought I smelled FirePack, but it was nothing."
Fe-zan nodded. "The hardest to scent are WindPack wolves. They smell almost like the air, or clouds."
Fa-kon nodded distractedly. "Yes, yes. Only, I thought I picked up the stench of brimstone, or flame."
At that moment, the scent of FirePack wolves wafted from the direction of the bramble tunnel.
Fe-zan leapt to his feet.
"FirePack Attack!" came Illiban’s voice, but that only roused the EarthPack wolves.
Fe-zan guarded the entrance to the tunnel, Fa-kon and Fi-nae beside him, while the other wolves scrambled outside their dens.
Illiban was not the first to emerge from the tunnel.
He knows we’ll be waiting for them. He thought suddenly. He flexed his claws. You’re mine, Illiban. He thought. You killed my leader, and drove us from our camp for a whole night. You will not escape unscathed. Prepare to meet your doom, and his name is Fa-kon! Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings startled both Packs of warriors, and they looked up in alarm to see a brown long-haired wolf pup swooping down on large angel wings. It would have been beautiful of it hadn’t been so terrifying.
Immediatly, the FirePack warriors scattered, retreating back through the bramble tunnel as the winged wolf pup swooped down on them, beating her wings at the last moment to swerve back into the sky.
Fa-kon watched in awe as the pretty brown wolf arced over the treetops.
The spell was broken, and Fa-kon glanced back at the bramble tunnel, but all was silent. FirePack had returned to the Great Volcano, and surely they would not attack again?
Fa-kon padded back to the apprentice den and curled up, while Fe-zan slipped into his own den at the base of Flatstone.
Who had the winged wolf been? Why had she come? Would she return again? Was she signaling she would be allying with EarthPack? These questions raced through Fe-zan’s mind as he lay there, pondering.
A cold breeze blew through the camp, slipping through the moss overhanging the entrance to Fe-zan’s den and around him, until it formed the shape of Fl-mik.
The form of Fl-mik mouthed two words before it vanished entirely, returning to wherever it had come from, and leaving Fe-zan staring at where it had been.
"Help me."

Chapter 10
Fe-zan didn’t remember dozing off, but he recalled the dream.
Fl-mik under the Baneberry bush again, exactly what had happened earlier. But there was no Fi-nae to help. Fl-mik was reaching for the berry, about to swallow it. Though Fe-zan now knew how harmful the berries were, he could not move to help Fl-mik.
Fl-mik tasted the berries, and immediatly began writhing on the ground, obviously in pain. Fa-kon stared at his brother, at his side in an instant, trying to scoop the remains of the berry out of his brother’s mouth. But it was too late to help him.
Fl-mik died in the dream, died with his siblings standing over him, died too young.
Fe-zan saw starry Fa-noor coming down from the sky to lead Fl-mik’s spirit to Starcoat. Fa-noor looked so sad grieving for his grandson.
Skynote appeared next to Fe-zan.
"This is what will happen if you do not appoint an apprentice for your Mediwolf immediatly. She will die in the paws of enemies if you do not protect her."
Skynote paused and watched Fa-noor lead a starry
Fl-mik away into the sky.
"Beware the Bonfire, Fe-zan. It will be your Pack’s doom! It will cause All Creature’s Fall!"
Fe-zan was instantly reminded of Henom’s strange warning. Then he understood, at least a little.
I must tell Fi-nae, he thought.
Courage, show Courage meant Fa-kon be brave.
In large and in small, Well, he didn’t know that yet.
Doses of power sear would mean Power will wither
From all creatures’ fall. When all creatures died.
Bonfire’s hunt might mean Illiban’s hunt.
Shall frighten and kill, He would frighten or kill wolves.
But Seiko shall guide the lost and the willed.
If they could find Seiko, they would be safe.
Skynote licked his head.
"Farewell Fe-zan. Lead your pack to greatness, I know you can if you try. Care for your Mediwolf, and for your Delegate. They are your strengths, and without them you shall fail."
"That’s a happy thought."
Skynote smiled and licked his head again.
"I am watching you. EarthPack is destined."
A deep voice rippled through the still air.
"Skynote!"
Skynote twitched her ears.
"I must go, Fe-zan. My father is calling me. Remember what I said about your Pack. You are right, Fa-kon is the prophecy wolf. You must help him."
Skyhigh called again, louder this time.
"Skynote!"
Skynote swished her tail.
"Return to your own Pack now, Fe-zan. I will call upon you soon." Raising her voice, she called,
"Coming, Father!" Then she disappeared.
Fe-zan woke with a jump, something was wrong.
"Fe-zan!" It was Fa-ling. "Fe-zan, come quick!"
Fe-zan skittered outside his cave and into the open, bright sunlight streaming from above the trees.
Fa-ling was outside his den, and they almost collided.
Tilting her head slightly, Fa-ling shook one ear, pointing in the direction of the trees.
Fe-zan looked at them. Then he looked more closely.
Perched in one of them was the winged silky-brown wolf pup he’d seen yesterday.
The pup blinked at him, then spread her angel-like wings and leaped off the branch.
She landed at a trot and stopped next to Fe-zan.
Fe-zan wrapped his tail around his paws, and the little wolf did the same. Now that he got a good look at her, Fe-zan saw she also resembled a long-haired cat.
There was a long quiet moment. Then two.
Unable to stand the silence any longer, he blurted out,
"Why did you save us?"
The wolf pup shrugged. "I knew someone innocent was in danger. That’s what I do."
She squinted at the bright light above her.
"Have you always had your wings?" A nod.
"I was born with them. But I couldn’t use them until I was a few years old."
"Are you allying with EarthPack?" Fe-zan asked hopefully. A wolf with wings would be a valuable addition to any Pack.
The pup lay on her side and stretched.
"I don’t know, but I do like it here. Unless my nest is invaded, I’ll stay in the forest."
"You have a nest?"
The silky pup looked at him strangely.
"A nest? A home? You don’t live in the trees?"
Fe-zan let out a loud laugh, a sharp barking call.
"Wolves? In trees? Not everyone has wings. No. We live in dens or caves on the ground, but never in trees."
Fe-zan stood up and led the pup near the river. He leaped over some rocks, while the wolf hesitated, then splashed after him, using her wings for balance.
That brought another question to Fe-zan’s mind.
"Can you swim?" The pup shook her head and flapped her wings.
"I am a creature of the air. Nowolf can live in two worlds. Nowolf can serve two Packs."
"What’s your name?"
The pup stopped and blinked at him, her head cocked.
"What’s a name?"
Fe-zan paused, searching for the right words to describe something he’d always known, no. Something Fa-noor had taught him. Then he remembered Fa-noor’s definition.
"A name...is what someone calls you...so they can get your attention. So they can talk to you or tell you to do something. Something...specifically to you."
The pup nodded slowly.
"Living alone, I never needed a...name, but I think a long time ago...my mother called me Seiko."

Chapter 11
Fe-zan froze. "Did you say Seiko?"
Seiko nodded, oblivious to her guide’s hesitation.
"Yes, I remember better now. Seiko."
Fe-zan paused, then sat down abruptly and told Seiko Henom’s snippet of a prophecy, the one that included her.
When he finished, Seiko looked stunned.
"I’m supposed to guide the lost and willed? Where? How?" Fe-zan just shrugged.
"I don’t know."
Seiko stared into the distance, rustling her wings into folded position. Then she nodded.
"I’ll do it."
Fe-zan looked at her in surprise.
"Do what?"
"Guide Fa-kon. He’s...special, isn’t he?"
Fe-zan nodded slowly. "I believe he is."
They were quiet for a moment. Then Seiko twitched her ears as if picking up a faint sound.
"I must go Fe-zan, but I will return for Fa-kon in two Moon-fills." she paused, spreading her beautiful wings.
"Unless, of course, he needs more time."
Fe-zan watched as Seiko circled above him before heading back towards the trees she had disappeared to the first time they’d met. Then he stood back and trotted back to Earth camp, slipping through the tunnel quietly.
Then a familiar cry echoed across the clearing.
"FirePack attack!"
Fa-kon stretched outside the apprentice den and loped to Fe-zan’s side.
"Honestly, do they never give up?"
Fe-zan stood at the bramble tunnel again, his battle scar throbbing gently on his flank, a good-bye present from Illiban, given to him the last time they met; yesterday, Fe-zan thought with a start.
The rest of his warriors appeared around him, every wolf present except Fl-mik, who was still recovering.
Fire wolves stormed through the tunnel, somehow not burning it.
"FirePack, to me!"
The ten EarthPack wolves at the passage turned, startled. The voice had come from Flatstone.
Illiban stood proudly on the large rock. How had he gotten past EarthPack’s forces?
Fe-zan’s tail quivered at the thought of how he had gotten in.
"Fo-mon! Fu-shon! Take four apprentices and guard the tunnel. The other tunnel!"
Fo-mon and Fu-shon immediatly understood and rounded up all the apprentices except Fa-kon and sprinted across camp to the back tunnel.
Illiban’s eyes glinted evilly in the growing light.
"Seiko!" Fe-zan called, but if the winged wolf had heard him, she made no appearance.
Fe-zan glanced desperately around the camp. His warriors were fighting off FirePack intruders. Fa-kon was streaking towards him.
Fe-zan stepped back in surprise as the EarthPack apprentice barreled passed him and up to Flatstone. Illiban also stepped back, but unfortunately for him, there was nothing to step back on.
Illiban tumbled off Flatstone with a yelp and landed in a crumpled heap at the base. Fe-zan would have loved to finish him off then and there, but Henom’s warning forbade him.
Illiban whimpered as he cast his eyes up towards the large rock, where Fa-kon was standing, daring Illiban to challenge him.
Illiban croaked out, "FirePack, retreat!" He limped away towards the original tunnel, gaining speed as he began to worry about being chased.
Fa-kon curled his lip as he watched the leader vanish, growling threateningly.
"We should patrol our borders more often." Fe-zan murmured. "Then they cannot surprise us as easily."
Fa-kon nodded at him without taking his eyes off the spot Illiban had left for another moment.
"Let’s attack them for a change."
Fe-zan considered it and shrugged.
"Sure. It might get them out of our fur for awhile."
Fa-kon bounced on his toes. "I’ll get the others." He sprinted off and began rounding up the wolves before trotting back to Fe-zan.
Fe-zan nodded at Fu-shon. "Stay here with Fi-nae and Fl-mik. It would be foolish to leave the camp totally unguarded." Fu-shon nodded and sat down.
Fe-zan led his wolves through the tunnel, Fa-kon loping happily beside him.
Soon, the Great Volcano loomed above them. The wolves charged up the ramp and leaped over the side and landed on a stony path. In fact, stony paths
criss-crossed the entire volcano.
Somewhere, a pup squeaked. "EarthPack wolves!" Soliwolves immediatly appeared from across the volcano. "Illiban! EarthPack wolves attacking!"
Illiban leaped from his cave and onto a rocky overhang, the highest point in the volcano. He was calm, and the Soliwolves didn’t seem too aggressive. Fe-zan noticed for the first time how scraggly their coats were, as if they couldn’t find any food. That was another thing. What did FirePack wolves eat?
"Fe-zan," Illiban called. "Would you really attack my wolves? Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you?" His voice was deeper than it had sounded when he was attacking.
"You attack my wolves almost everyday, Illiban! That’s what you do! You almost killed some pups!"
"I’m not a pup anymore." Fa-kon hissed. Illiban looked taken aback.
"I have hardly left my volcano since Assemblages!" He looked at his wolves for support.
Suddenly, more FirePack wolves poured over the side of the volcano, another Illiban! Then Fe-zan knew the horrible truth. Illiban had not attacked them at all. Some kind of clone had. And now they were surrounded.

Chapter 12
The new Illiban stared at Fe-zan, as if he couldn’t believe EarthPack wolves had just trespassed on its territory. Then it turned to a startled Illiban, hissed, and dove into the lava below, followed by other fake wolves.
Two Soliwolves immediatly dove after them, unharmed by the fire. Fe-zan turned to Illiban.
"I am so sorry to blame you for attacking us."
Illiban shook his head, a panicked look in his eyes.
"It is my fault. I was the one who blamed you at the Assemblage for stealing our prey. And I believed signs from moss over your word. Anywolf can see now it was torn off trees and rocks." He lay his head on his paws.
"My ignorance and pride have formed these creatures. Beware Fe-zan, for one day you might accidently create some horrid beasts like these."
Fe-zan nodded at his wolves. I will leave your territory then, Illiban. Unless you wish us to stay and help fight off these creatures?"
Illiban shook his head, and looked up at Fe-zan with tears in his fiery red eyes. "I am so sorry about Fa-noor. But I hope you know it wasn’t me...I’m sorry."
He turned his head away and stared down into the lava far below him.
"Fa-noor was like a brother to me at first. But then...he started liking Bishon. That’s when I became greedy and jealous. That’s when I went to far. I was angry at Fa-noor. And at Bishon, for stealing his attention. That’s when I tried to become friends with Whimalu. But Fire and Ice just don’t go together, and Onamon might put out my fire, and then I’d be damp..." Illiban trailed off.
Fe-zan nodded at his wolves again, and they crept quietly up the slope and down the side of the volcano, where soon they entered their own territory.
Fa-kon trotted up to his leader. "Thank goodness that’s over. Why were you so nice to him?"
Fe-zan spoke without turning his head. "It was not his fault. It wouldn’t be right to attack him. It was his territory."
"Yes, but why?" Fa-kon persisted. Fe-zan brushed his tail gently along Fa-kon’s spine, quieting him.
"Shhh. Find Fi-nae, I want to talk to her." They entered the camp. Fl-mik padded towards them, his leg fully healed now.
"Hey," he said sleepily, looking around. "Did you see Fu-shon? Is he napping?"
Fe-zan glanced at the Soliwolf den. Trotting towards it, he peeked in. The rise and fall of breathing gave him his answer. "Yep," he reported. "Fu-shon’s in here."
Fo-mon, the Delegate, motioned to Fe-zan. "Seiko is here." Fe-zan had told them about the wolf on their way to attack FirePack, but now he looked around, puzzled. Seiko landed next to him.
"Am I interrupting?" she asked anxiously. Fe-zan shook his head. "My nest is being invaded."
Fe-zan leapt to his feet. "Show us. Who?" Seiko fluttered her wings. "Hawks. Big hawks."
"Show us." Seiko raced through the forest, slightly unsteadily, and the wolves followed.
She stopped abruptly at the base of a large tree. Sure enough, two large hawks were staring down with beady eyes, squawking.
Fa-kon cocked his head. "I can understand them." he murmured. Fe-zan turned to him in surprise. "You can?" Fa-kon nodded. "They say it is there nest. They are willing to fight for it."
Seiko looked nervous. "I’m not really a fighting type. I’m more peaceful." Fe-zan was still talking to Fa-kon. "Can they understand you?" Fa-kon thought.
"I’ll tell them we will fight for our friend’s home." The young wolf opened his mouth and let out a screech. The hawks looked startled for a second, and screeched back at him. Fa-kon looked concerned.
"They say they like it here. I’ll tell them this is our territory." Once more he shrieked. The hawks let out a shrill call, and the larger one dipped his head.
"They say they understand our territory, and that we have the best trees." he turned to Fe-zan. "Should I tell them they can stay as long as they leave Seiko her nest and leave us in peace?" Fe-zan nodded.
"Ackkkkk! Arkkkkk! Ackkkkk! Ack! Ack! Ack!" The larger hawk shrieked one last time and took to the air. The smaller hawk glared at Fa-kon and let out one last "Ack!" before following.
Seiko looked gratefully at Fa-kon and nuzzled his fur. "Thank you all for helping me. Those hawks looked vicious."
Fe-zan dipped his head. "You’re welcome. If you ever need anything, let us know."
Fo-mon led the few wolves back home, where Fi-nae and Fu-shon were whispering near the prey-pit.
Fu-shon looked up crossly. "Next time you go attack something, let me know. I’m tired of sitting in the camp while you go around fighting FirePack wolves and rescuing Seikos."
"Fa-kon can speak to birds." Fe-zan said when he finished. Fu-shon just grunted, still upset.
Seiko nudged Fe-zan’s side. "Look up." She spread her wings and leaped upward as the shadow of wings passed along the ground.
Looking up, Fa-kon saw what Seiko sensed and staggered back. A young black wolf, winged like Seiko, was circling in the sky.
"Seiko, Seiko!" it called. "Naphiro!" Seiko cried. "You’ve returned!" Another shadow passed. The EarthPack wolves hid in their dens as the winged wolves landed. Fa-kon counted and shuddered. There were seven, counting Seiko. He slipped through the winged throng until he was near her.
"You know these wolves?" he whispered tentatively. Seiko looked around and nodded slowly to herself. "They’re my family."
"Yes," Naphiro whispered, pressing his muzzle into his sister’s fur. "Family."

Chapter 13
Fe-zan had another dream. But this time, Skyhigh was with him, showing him around a small section of Starcoat, with Skynote and Fa-noor following closely.
"These are the great gates." he murmured as they passed through. "Only very loyal wolves can use them.
"This is the Spirit Fountain. We pulled your spirit out of your world and into ours.
"This is the Earth. We can watch you all from here." There were many places to see. At one point, Fe-zan almost fell into a lake filled with thousands of fish. Another time, he glimpsed a wolf slipping through the trees.
Suddenly, his guides vanished, and he was left alone with the wolf in the forest. Nervously, he padded foreword. He opened his mouth and closed his eyes.
He smelled Earthscent, but it was not one he recognized. He opened his eyes and was startled to see the large EarthPack wolf sitting a pace or two in front if him.
"Hello Fe-zan." The voice was deep, not as deep as Skyhigh’s but not as high as Skynote’s. A little like his own voice.
"Are you...are you...Oakpine?" Oakpine nodded.
"The very same." "The wolf who created the land and the forest." Fe-zan said, surprising himself with his own knowledge of the wolf in front of him.
Oakpine stood and breathed deeply into Fe-zan’s ear.
"Beware the Notails." Then he was gone.
When Fe-zan awoke, the seven winged wolves were gone. But they weren’t the only ones. EarthPack wolves were searching the camp and the forest.
"Where’s Fl-mik?" he asked Fo-mon. The Delegate shook his head. "Nowolf’s seen him since dawn."
Fe-zan looked around. "I see."
At that moment, Fl-mik trotted into camp from the main bramble tunnel. Fa-ling, his mother, rushed towards him. Confused, he dropped the two rabbits he was carrying and looked around.
"Where have you been?" Fe-zan asked.
"Hunting. Why?"
"We were looking all over for you. You really ought to tell us when you’re leaving." Fl-mik dipped his head. "I’m sorry Fe-zan. I was just out for an early hunt. I thought I’d be back before you all woke up."
Fe-zan started. He had once said something very much like that to Fa-noor when he was a pup.
Fi-nae rounded Fl-mik off to her den, calling over her shoulder to Fe-zan. "He can help me organize my herbs." Fe-zan nodded and followed.
Fi-nae gestured to a pile of herbs on the ground, telling Fl-mik what they were and how they were used. When Fl-mik got the hang of it, Fe-zan motioned the Mediwolf to his side.
"I’m going to give you an apprentice to train to be a Mediwolf. Is there one you would prefer?" Fi-nae’s eyes wandered to Fl-mik, who was learning how to tell marigold and coltsfoot apart. "Yes."
"Wolves of Earth, gather beneath Flatstone." Fe-zan’s call rang through the still clearing. Wolves began bustling from their dens and into the clearing.
"Fi-nae and I have decided one of our apprentices is going to learn how to become a Mediwolf, instead of training to be a Soliwolf."
A few murmurs of surprise swept through the clearing. Most of the apprentices shifted uncomfortably. One did not.
"The Mediwolf apprentice will be Fl-mik!" Fl-mik jumped to his feet, delighted. He touched noses with
Fi-nae, and she licked his head.
"Surprisingly, there will be an Assemblage in a few days. I will announce Fl-mik then." Looking around, he heard satisfied grunts and muffled cheers.
"Meeting adjourned." he added, and leapt delicately off Flatstone, shaking dew from his fur. It was wet in the early morning. He slipped inside his warm den and listened to Fl-mik’s congratulations. Fa-kon’s voice was the loudest of all.
"I knew it would be you Fl-mik, what with all that time you’ve spent with her. Remember when you slipped off Flatstone and sprained your foot? Fr-thu kept calling you Fa-kon for three days, because we both had broken our legs. Remember-"
Fa-kon’s voice became muffled, and Fi-nae’s voice whispered, "Hush. You’re very talkative tonight."
Fa-kon tried to speak, but Fi-nae must have blocked his mouth with her branchy tail.
Fe-zan listened for a moment longer, but the sounds died away and he fell into an exhausted sleep. He dreamed of Skynote’s voice, but she did not come to him. "Beware the Notails." And a strange scent.
When he awoke, it was Tallight. Fa-kon was in the clearing with Fr-thu and his three sisters. Fl-mik was probably in the Mediwolf den.
"Fo-mon and Fa-ling just returned from hunting,"
Fa-kon said when he was Fe-zan. "Fu-shon’s not back yet." A low wail sounded from the direction of the stream. Fe-zan rushed towards it.
Fu-shon was lying in the dirt, trying to sit up. Fe-zan sat next to him. "What happened?"
"A rabbit kicked a large rock into my eye." Fu-shon murmured. "I’ll be ok." Fe-zan wasn’t so sure. His eye was red and slightly swollen. "I’ll get you to Fi-nae." he decided. Fu-shon nodded his thanks.
When they returned to camp, Fl-mik was sunning himself just outside Fi-nae’s den. He rushed towards the staggering Fu-shon and helped him across the clearing.
"Fi-nae," he called. "Fu-shon’s hurt!" Fi-nae appeared from her den and Fl-mik led Fu-shon inside. "Marigold for eyes," Fi-nae said to Fl-mik. He scampered away and returned with some in his jaws. He dropped the marigold by Fu-shon, who had settled comfortably in a dip in the floor.
Fi-nae sank to Fu-shon’s level and chewed the marigold leaves. Fe-zan watched as she spat out the chewed bits and rubbed them in Fu-shon’s eyes.

Chapter 14

Fi-nae stayed by Fu-shon’s side for a long time. Then Fl-mik pointed out Fu-shon was falling asleep. When he woke, he told Fi-nae he had dreamed of running through the forest.
Fl-mik went hunting for more herbs. He found some watermint, but Fi-nae didn’t need that. He wanted to visit his brother. Fr-thu was hunting, and Fa-kon was practicing battle moves with Fe-zan.
Fa-kon looked up and said something to Fe-zan. The Alpha leader turned to Fl-mik.
"Even Mediwolves need to learn a battle move or two. Come join us!"
Fl-mik did, and was able to pin Fa-kon to the ground. Then Fr-thu returned from hunting with a deer, and the Mediwolf apprentice went to share some.
Later, Fi-nae and Fe-zan were trotting together through the forest. Fu-shon was being watched by
Fl-mik, who was enjoying his Mediwolf duties. Tomorrow would be the Assemblage.
Fi-nae snuffled through the weeds and picked up a mouthful of chervil. Through the leaves she said,
"Infected wounds and helps bellyache," She motioned to another plant. "and the dock leaves are soothing."
Fe-zan obediently picked up a mouthful.
Fi-nae was right. He thought. The dock leaves are soothing. He could feel his tired muscles and small pains melt away. He wanted to lie down and sleep.
"Be strong," Fi-nae warned. "Dock leaves are to soothe wolves before I give them lavender. Used right, lavender aids in healing bones." Fe-zan nodded, still dizzy with the aroma of the leaves.
The three female apprentices trotted up to them from the direction of the camp.
"Fl-mik wants to know what juniper berries are for." Fi-nae dropped her chervil.
"Juniper berries are for soothing an anxious wolf." She nodded at the chervil and then at Fe-zan’s dock leaves. "Fu-lah and Fy-giw, take those back to Fl-mik. He’ll know what to do with them." The two wolves nodded, each picked up some leaves, and left.
"Fa-dih, I need you to stay with me and Fe-zan. We have one more plant to gather." Fa-dih nodded and bounced eagerly on her toes.
They moved into the forest. They didn’t find the other plant Fi-nae was looking for, though she wouldn’t tell them what it was. Fa-kon visited them long enough to speak to his sister and to carry more chervil back.
At one point, the three of them froze, and Fi-nae and Fe-zan watched Fa-dih sneak up on a rabbit. She pounced, and brought the rabbit proudly back to them. Fi-nae bent over the rabbit and did something, then passed the rabbit back to Fa-dih.
"Rabbit whiskers for tying herbs together." Fa-dih picked up the rabbit and sprinted back to camp, returning quickly.
Suddenly, Fa-dih raised her nose to the air and sniffed nervously. "What is it?" Fi-nae asked.
"I don’t know," Fa-dih replied uneasily. "It smells terrible."
Fe-zan lifted his own nose and inhaled deeply, the bitter scent wafting towards him. It was strangely familiar, but he didn’t know why. "Let’s keep going." he suggested. Fa-dih looked frightened.
"That scent smells like danger." she backed slowly away from them. "I’m sorry, but the scent is too strong for me. It makes me nervous."
Fi-nae licked her head gently. "We all need to face our fears sometime. Fe-zan and I will protect you." They crept towards a field. Fi-nae pricked her ears.
"Celandine! I need that for Fu-shon’s eyes!" She sprinted away from the trees and across the ground.
"Fi-nae!" Fe-zan barked. "No!" Fi-nae skidded to a halt and saw what her leader had already seen; a gaping trench in the ground. Now why would there be a gaping trench in the ground?
Fi-nae lashed her tail. "But I need the celandine for his eyes! He won’t get better without it!"
Suddenly, a twinkle of lights formed next to Fe-zan. He turned to look. "Rmnix." he breathed.
The Moon wolf raced passed him and leaped the hole, seeming to fly across it. No ordinary wolf could have made that jump.
Rmnix landed softly on the other side and shook his fur. He nipped at the stems of the flowers and picked some up in his mouth. The silvery wolf turned back to face the EarthPack wolves. Taking a running start, he leaped the ditch again and landed next to Fi-nae. He gently dropped the plant by her feet. Then he licked her head.
"I will always be with you, even if I can hardly visit you." He nudged the plant. "Take it to Fu-shon soon. You will find his eyes will heal." He turned to Fe-zan and stared deep into his eyes. Then he vanished.
Fi-nae shook her pelt, frost had gathered from the moon wolf’s presence. Gingerly, she picked up the celandine and carried it back to Fe-zan and Fa-dih.
"Rmnix was beautiful." Fa-dih whispered. Fe-zan was still trying to figure out what he had seen in Rmnix’s eyes. He saw something like a burning fire. Then he’d seen an ugly beast that walked on its hind legs. Then there was the smell again.
He shook his coat as Fi-nae joined them. There was no use worrying about what he couldn’t understand. He heard howling in the distance, howling that couldn’t come from any wolf.
Startled, Fa-dih jumped back into the shadow of the trees. Fe-zan cocked his head and sniffed the air. The stench was stronger here. In the distance, he saw an animal that look alot like him. But what he saw mostly were the ugly beasts that roamed on hind legs. They could never be mistaken for wolves.
"What are they?" Fa-dih whimpered. Fi-nae wrapped her tail protectively around the young wolf. Fe-zan sniffed the air again, shuddering. Now he understood.
"The Notails have come."

I love

Lovyoshi · 10-29-2009, 04:14 PM

Please comment if you like, and especially if I made spelling errors or left out a word.
I drew the map myself. so I hope its readable.
Map: Red=Borders, Green=Important Places
Topleft to Bottom Right:

Earth Camp, Ice Camp, Water Camp, Elect Camp, Fire Camp,
Tenrocks, Shadow Camp, Time Camp, Wind Camp, Speakrock.