Elements-Book 4-False Pretenses

[Lovyoshi]

Chapter 1
"Maybe they’re all inside their dens?" Fa-kon suggusted. Ballia lifted her head from Olf’s shoulder and shook it.
"Even if they were, there would be at least one wolf out, and the prey-pit would be stocked. But I can see nothing down there."
"Let’s go and look," Seiko suggusted, placing a white feathered wing on Ballia’s back. Ballia just grunted her agreement and the wolves started down the hill.
Fa-kon had never been to another Pack’s camp before, except FirePack, but they’d deserved that.
Ballia looked aroudn the deserted camp sadly.
"They’re gone. They’re not coming back. The scent is stale, from a moon-fill ago at least."
Olf touched Ballia’s flank with his. "I’ll take you back to our camp. I’m sure Onamon will be able to explain where they’ve gone."
Ballia nodded, her throat too choked with grief to speak. Fa-kon turned towards the others and dipped his head.
"This is where we will part ways. We may meet again. Let’s speak our names for the last time, to remind us all of how our journey began."
The others nodded and instictively formed a circle before speaking.
"I am Imalla of FirePack."
"I am Ballia of....ElectricityPack."
"I am Seiko the Winged Wolf."
"I am Duthan of ShadowPack."
There was an awkward and painful pause where Potho should have been. Wathin quickly spoke.
"I am Wathin of IcePack."
"I am Fa-kon of EarthPack."
"I am Olf of WaterPack."
The seven wolves sat quietly for a moment before they collectively stood up, nodded, and trotted in the direction of their own Packs, Ballia and Olf’s flanks touching gently.
Fa-kon found his way back to the EarthPack camp, but at the entrance he hesitated. He’d been gone for so long, would EarthPack remember him?
Taking a deep breath, Fa-kon stepped into the camp.
The camp was empty. Strange, it was Tallight, there should be at least one wolf out and about. Awkwardly, Fa-kon cleared his throat.
"Ummm. I’m home!"
There was silence for a few seconds, then the sound of shuffling paws from the mediwolf den, and Fl-mik poked his head out. His eyes lit up when he saw his brother.
"Fa-kon!"
Raising his voice, he called again.
"Fa-kon is back!"
The others began to emerge from their dens, and they clustered around him. Fa-kon nervously began counting his siblings. Then he stopped.
"Where’s Fy-giw?"
The EarthPack wolves stopped moving and looked at eachother. Fa-dih stepped forward awkwardly.
"Um. Fy-giw left us to become a pamplobo." Then he lowered his head, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"And Fo-mon is dead."
Fa-kon nodded sadly. "Yes. I know."
"You know? How?"
Fi-nae stepped between Fa-kon and the others. "I’m sure Fa-kon has a very interesting story to tell us, but first I’ll need to look at him."
Shooing the wolves away, Fi-nae led Fa-kon to the mediwolf den. Fl-mik slid in after her.
Settling down on a bed of moss, Fa-kon’s eyes followed Fi-nae as she moved around the den. He watched as she examined his flank and his paws.
"Fl-mik, we need some chervil."
Fl-mik started. "Infected wounds? Are you sure?"
Fi-nae nodded, holding Fa-kon’s left forepaw close to her muzzle. Fl-mik nervously dropped a mouthful of leaves beside her. Then he sat down and began chewing the leaves. After a moment, he spat them out again. Without looking, Fi-nae picked them up and smeared the goop on Fa-kon’s pad.
"And some alpotche seeds, please." Fl-mik dropped them by his mentor and shifted uneasily.
Fa-kon swallowed the seeds and found himself slowly drifting to sleep.
Fa-kon found he wasn’t in the realm of the stars he usually visited in his dreams. He was a ghostly figure inside the WaterPack camp. Onamon was sitting atop a pile of rocks. He must have just called a meeting, wolves were streaming towards him.
Two wolves trotted straight through him. Ballia and Olf. Fa-kon decided to attend the meeting too.
"We must decide what to do with the wolf of ElectricityPack," Onamon was saying. "She is believed to be the last of her kind."
Ballia drew in a breath, stood up, and stepped forward. "Where has my Pack gone?"
"They have gone to the land beyond EarthPack and IcePack territory."
Ballia lifted her chin. "I will speak at the next Assemblage. I will search for them."
Then she turned to Olf. "Will you join me?"
Olf shifted his feet uncomfortably. His Packmates whispered among themselves. Then Olf stood.
"No, Ballia. I am sorry. I will not be traveling with you."
Ballia’s eyes flashed a mix of alarm, hurt and fury. Then she nodded.
"Very well. I will travel alone."

Chapter 2

"Fa-kon! Wake up, please wake up!"
Fa-kon opened his eyes. Fl-mik was standing over him. Fa-kon sat up, blinking.
"How long have I been sleeping?"
"Half a moon-fill. Many sunrises."
Fa-kon leaped to his feet in alarm. "That long? What’s happened?"
Fl-mik brushed his tail along Fa-kon’s back reasurringly. "Take it easy, you’ll be alright."
Trembling, Fa-kon sat down. His stomach began to rumble. Fl-mik pushed a rabbit towards his brother.
"I thought you’d be hungry after all that time."
Murmuring thanks, Fa-kon reached to take a bite of the rabbit. Then he paused and looked up.
"Where’s Fi-nae?"
Fl-mik blinked as if the thought hadn’t occured to him. His fur began to bristle, then flattened.
"I don’t know. I’ll tell you if I find out."
Fa-dih and Fu-lah pushed her way into the den. "Is Fa-kon awake? Can he tell us the story now?"
Fl-mik pushed them back. "He can if he wants to."
Fa-kon hesitated, then nodded. He stepped outside. Fe-zan nodded his head towards Largerock.
Positioning himself comfortably, Fa-kon began to tell his story.

—

Seiko reached her nest and looked around. A scent made her perk up. Fe-zan and Fu-shon, old but definatly them.
Checking to make sure everything was how she left it, she circled carefully. One more thing caught her eye. A single black feather, almost concealed in the branches. She recognized it immediatly. One of Naphiro’s feathers.
Cautiously, she sniffed the feather, then let out a little squeak of alarm. The feather smelled of fear, of confusion. Spreading her wings and gripping the feather in her teeth, Seiko leaped from her tree.

—

Imalla had nearly reached the volcano when she stumbled upon another FirePack wolf. "Ive, what are you doing? Why aren’t you in the nursery?"
Ive flinched, flattening her ears. "I’m an apprentice now. Who are you?"
Imalla put her head to one side. "Don’t you recognize me? I’m Imalla."
"You’re not Imalla. Imalla ran away. Illiban said she was never coming back."
Imalla tightened her jaw. "Well, I’m here now, aren’t I?"
Ive sniffed her cautiously. "I don’t think so. You smell like many Packs. And you’ve been gone for so long. What have you been up to?"

—

Wathin was not eager to return to his Pack. Sure, it was his Pack and all, but Whimalu was not the best Pack leader he’d ever had. Not that he’d had a different leader.
Shuddering, Wathin stepped over the border. After trotting halfway across the territory, something landed on him with a whump.
"I told you to stay-" began a familiar voice. Then it stopped and sniffed him cautiously.
"Wathin? Is that you?"
Wathin sat up and looked at the beautiful she-wolf before him. His sister. "Whiff!"
"You smell like a mix of Packs. Who have you been around, why have you been gone so long?"

—

Duthan was feeling more confident than he had before he’d gone on the journey. Two ShadowPack wolves leaped down from perches on the mountain face, their black-brown fur kept them hidden even in the brightness of the day.
"Halt. Who are you?"
"Duthan,"
"An imposter, no doubt. A wolf cloaked in mud, perhaps."
The wolf to Duthan’s right touched the other’s shoulder with his tail.
"This is indeed my brother," she murmured.

—

Fi-nae lay on the ground, groaning softly. Wamon lay beside her, licking her ear comfortingly.
"It’s alright, Fi-nae. Everything is fine."
Fi-nae stared at Wamon through eyes as large as the moon. "What if I’m wrong?"
Wamon nudged the smaller of the two wolf pups towards the crook of Fi-nae’s belly.
"You won’t be. I believe in you."
Fi-nae placed a paw on the male pup beside her. "What will we do?"
Wamon put his head to one side. "They are more green than white. You should take them home and convince one of the withomere to take them on."
Fi-nae looked at Wamon in horror. "Oh, but we only have one withomere. Everyone will wonder where these pups came from!"
Wamon took a pawful of snow from IcePack territory and smeared it on each of the two pups. Their fur seemed to shimmer, and then turn white.
"Say that you found these IcePack wolves a little ways into the border, their mother dead."
"But Wamon, I can’t do that! IcePack will find out!"
Wamon turned away. "But it is true. I discovered Woona dead this morning, near the edge of our territory. So were her pups, a male and a female."
"Oh, Wamon. I’m so sorry."
"Yes. But we can pretend you found them alive."

Chapter 3

"So there are forty seven of us now."
"Yes."
"Will they be alright?"
"I think so, Folamo."
Fa-noor paused, glanced at Potho, and shook his head. "Calling me ‘Respected’ is not nessasary, Astaran."
"Perhaps not, but it is true. Calling me ‘young one’ is not needed either."
"And I honor you, Astaran. How did you face the fox with such bravery?"
Potho was quiet for a moment, then swirled a starry paw in the green pool before him. The spirit fountain.
"It is like you said. Follow your destiny. Make decisions with your head, not your heart. When I was alive, and you walked in my dreams. I must face my destiny."
The two wolves looked up at the souund of the gate rumbling open. Oakpine was there, beckoning.
"The Forty-four others are waiting. Come along, we haven’t much time."
Rising to their paws, Fa-noor and Potho followed Oakpine through the gate. What he saw beyond it made Potho give a small gasp of alarm.
"What are they?"

—

Fa-kon finished his tale with him arriving back at camp. There was silence in the air, and tension. Suddenly, the back of his neck prickled in alarm. He whipped towards the bramble tunnel, and a cry he’d hoped he’d never hear again echoed from it.
"FirePack attack!"

—

Imalla trotted between her father and her Pack leader. "But Illiban, I chose to go. EarthPack are friends."
Illiban didn’t glance at her. "How can anywolf be friends with those lying, cheating-"
"I can!"
Imalla but on a burst of speed and zipped through the bramble tunnel, barking a warning to rouse the EarthPack wolves.
"FirePack attack!"
They were more ready than she’d thought. A weight landed on her with a whump, knocking the air out of her.
"Imalla?"
The weight rapidly moved away, and she felt a nose nudging her. She looked up into the concerned eyes of Fa-kon. Now she could truly see what Seiko saw in him.
"FirePack is coming, prepare for a battle!"
They just looked at her. Imalla’s fur grew hotter than usual. They didn’t believe her! A sudden sound from above caused her to look up, a lightning bolt shrieked across the sky. Rain began to pour. Imalla darted to the nearest sanctuary, the den to her left.
Inside, she smelt herbs. This must be the mediwolf den. Then she frowned, puzzled. A very faint scent, the smell of a withomir was in the air. Her fur began to prickle, and she jumped at a sound behind her.
"Hello, Imalla." Fr-thu said, slipping in behind her. "Can you keep a secret?"

—

Fi-nae stood up and shook her fur. "Good-bye, Wamon."
Wamon touched Fi-nae’s nose. "Be strong."
Fi-nae found she was able to lift both pups in her mouth by gripping their scruffs. They squealed in protest. Fi-nae stared into Wamon’s eyes.
A shriek from somewhere startled her. "FirePack attack!"
The sound of running paws echoed behind Wamon. Wamon crossed over the IcePack border.
"Be strong!" Then he disappeared.

—

Ballia was leading a group of wolves along the border of the territory. A terrified shout echoed across the silent landscape.
"FirePack attack!"
Ballia pricked up her ears. She had heard that call many times when she lived in the Yellow Valley as a pup.
"We must help them," she said fiercely, and took off running. Not knowing what else to do, the WaterPacks followed, pausing before crossing the border.
As she ran, Ballia concentrated her thoughts, thinking of a storm to rain and douse the FirePack wolves.
On cue, a heavy cloud materialized. In a few seconds, rain began pelting from the sky. Where is hit Ballia, her fur sparked. It made her feel strong.
She stopped on the hill near EarthPack territory that led towards Tenrocks, but she faced away from it. Below, she could hear FirePack wolves crying out as their fire sizzled out.
Then she heard the clashing of claws.

—

Fi-nae had discovered the back entrance long ago. She had to circle the bramble tunnel and come up on the side near the Yellow Valley, but she could get through unnoticed.
The pups were silent in her grip. Pushing through a frond of bracken and moss, she found herself in the crevice just beyond the mediwolf den. There were wolves inside, a FirePack sheltering from the rain, and Fl-mik. He stood and stared into her eyes.
"Where do your loyalties lie, with us or IcePack?"

Chapter 4

Fa-kon prepared to attack the opposing FirePack warriors, but the rain made them slow and they had been chased off in a few minutes. Only then did he recognize another unfamiliar scent, and he whipped around.
Sitting peacefully in the middle of the clearing was a small black pamplobo-what had Muffin called them again, dogs?
The dog blinked at then a breeze blew through the camp, scattering the dog like mist. Fa-kon blinked, wasn’t sure if he’d seen it after all.
Fa-dih was licking her flank. Fa-kon grimaced when she looked up. A gash, red and raw, ran along her forehead. Her side was scraped pretty badly, and one of her ears was wet.
"I was standing too close to the tunnel," she muttered. "Two or three of them leaped on me."
Ballia and a group of WaterPack wolves a entered the clearing. Not a word was said, but they sat guard at the tunnels, ears pricked in silent watch. The rain began to fade, and Imalla scurried from the mediwolf den, through the tunnel, and off EarthPack territory.
Fi-nae pushed out of the mediwolf den next. She was holding two white pups by their scruffs in her mouth. She placed them gently on the ground next to Fa-dih and examined her wounds.
"Fl-mik, bring out some more chervil!"
A moment later, the young mediwolf apprentice trotted out, the herbs gripped tightly in his teeth.
After watching Fl-mik painstakingly apply the chewed herb onto Fa-dih’s scratches, Fi-nae picked the two white wolf pups up again and trotted in the direction of the withomere den, where Fa-ling still was.
The wolf raised her head slowly, blinking the sleep out of her eyes while the three small pups at her belly whimpered softly.
Fi-nae placed the two pups she was holding gingerly on the ground beside her sister. The smaller gave a mew like a cat and fell silent.
"Fa-ling, I found these pups near the IcePack border. The mother was dead. I need you to raise them for me."
Fa-ling used one paw to bring the pups closer and sniffed them. She looked up suspiciously. "They were born today, why was their mother in the snow?"
Even though she said it as if refering to the IcePack mother, the remark cut Fi-nae to the heart. But Fa-ling nosed the pups to the crook of her belly and placed her head back on her moss.
"I would do anything for my sister, Fi-nae, and that’s you."
Fi-nae stared down at the white pups, hers and Wamon’s. She swung her head back to the entrance of the den and left. Then she looked one last time at her pups. She blinked fondly at them and stepped out into the camp.
Fe-zan was on Flatstone, but he leaped down and came to Fi-nae’s side.
"Is everything alright?"
Fi-nae dipped her head at him. "Yes, I have something I want you to say, though."
Fe-zan’s eyes were curious as he listened to his sister. Then he nodded and bounded onto Flatstone.
"Wolves of Earth, gather beneath Flatstone."
One by one, almost sheepishly, the EarthPack wolves assembled in the clearing.
"While at the IcePack border," Somewolf coughed. Probably Fl-mik. "Fi-nae discovered two pups, their mother dead. She has brought them to be raised by EarthPack."
Fi-nae was inside her den, but she was listening to Fe-zan. A single star formed in the center of te den, then many stars until Rmnix stood before her.
"Precious Fi-nae," he whispered, his silver fur littered with twinkling stars. "What is wrong?"
Fi-nae hadn’t felt the tears on her mossy cheeks, but a single tear like a crystal dropped to the ground.
"My pups will grow up believing Fa-ling is their mother, unntil we tell them it is not so."
"Perhaps you should be honest,"
"I can never admit I love Wamon. He is a wolf from another Pack."
"Yet, it has happened," Rmnix took a step towards the entrance and glanced back. "Coming?"
A hush fell over the camp as Rmnix approached the withomere den. He picked up the two white wolf pups and placed them in the center of camp, beside the prey pit. A twinkling of stars beside him signalled Henom’s approach.
They licked the pups and more stars appeared, and like when Fy-giw had become a pamplobo, the stars turned the white fur a shade of mossy green.
Henom brought the pups back to the withomere den while Rmnix retreated back to Fi-nae’s side.
"We can not solve all your problems, but every once in awhile we can give you a push. We become very weak when coming to Earth, but we can assist you sometimes."
Fa-kon padded in front of Rmnix and looked him in the eye. Glancing at Fi-nae, he motioned for Rmnix.
The two wolves used the back bramble tunnel and headed towards the river. Only then did Fa-kon sit down on a slippery stone and speak.
"I have some questions and I need you to answer truthfully. Skynote is gone. With her is my brother Fr-thu. Where have they gone?"
"That is for you alone to discover."

[labsrock]

Nice, i do have to admit it IS quite a lot like the warriors books.

[Lovyoshi]

Mmmm. A little.

[springerspaniel]

Cool!Yes!!! Amazing!!!