CHAPTER FIVE---PART ONE

Venin squinted his eyes open slightly to see the end of Zaine and Seti's battle. Zaine lay motionless, except for his breathing, and Seti stood over him. With what little energy he had, Venin snarled toward Seti and stood. The deep throat growl certainly caught the red wolf's attention as Venin limped over to him slowly and carefully, still dripping with blood and in immense pain. He knew he should have been running after Aykit to protect her, but he wouldn't just leave Zaine there on the cold ground. With any luck Aykit would snap out of that curse before she got to the shadow wolves, Venin thought. He approached Seti with caution, knowing he had near to none when it came to an advantage. Not only was he weak and seriously injured, but also lacking in size comparatively. Seti was much bigger and more muscular compared to Venin's scruffy, mangy, thin appearance. That meant nothing anymore, only that he needed to protect Zaine. With fear on his mind and in his eyes, he growled fiercely at Seti, who sneered at him. With a quick move, Venin bit into one of Seti's wounds as hard as he could. Which, apparently, wasn't hard enough. Seti threw him off and bit him back, digging sharp teeth into his back. Teeth, he thought, that were just cutting Zaine. Venin yelped as Seti pulled on his coat and flesh but latched on to his front right shoulder and pulled on his flesh. Seti yanked on him again and Venin felt more blood trailing down his shoulders, traveling into Seti's mouth and falling to the snow covered ground. Venin slashed Seti's face with his sharp claws and let go of his shoulder, only to tear into his neck. But he was weak and could barely hold on as Seti threw him off. Even before Venin felt the icy snow soothing his wounds, he was out cold.

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Aykit continued to limp through the snow, licking her wounds and still limping. She was hurt, but she could go on. She had to, her mind was forcing her. The necklace was still flickering, making everything seem much brighter than it really was. It was beginning to get dark, Aykit subconsciously noticed. Her mind did too, as it forced her to hurry her search for the Shadow Wolves and Nyghtmare. Traveling up a hill, she caught sent of other wolves. A whole lot of them, too. She glanced through branches to see many packs of them, all varying. Not the wolves I'm looking for, she thought. Yet, through the many wolves, she saw several familiar ones. One of which, she noticed, was Ember. Traveling around the packs subtly, she managed to get herself next to Ember and the others. Her necklace had stopped flickering. Ember was surprised to see her, and he was looking at her eyes closely. She thought they must've changed back. At least, she hoped so. She felt the control she had over both her body and mind coursing through her veins. She felt strong again, despite her pain. But then it all hit her. What she'd done to Venin, her best friend and the only wolf who's ever tried to get close to her and understand her. Tears fell as she looked to Ember. "I'll be back to help you, that I promise. Right now, I need to fix a mistake I've made- And hopefully it's not too late." She spoke quiet, in fear of her own words. Ember nodded to her as she turned and ran at full speed toward the direction she had came. The trail of blood from herself was helpful, although morbid. Finally, she was back to the site of the cave they had stayed in. She could see Venin's limp body laying on the ground. It stopped her dead in her tracks, seeing both he and Zaine motionless. Tears flowed more freely as she closely walked toward Venin. She started to howl for help as loud as she could, silently praying in her mind that it would be heard by someone, anyone. Once she stopped, she saw a movement out of the corner of her ice blue eyes. She turned her head to see a rather wounded red wolf approaching her. He grinned evilly, showing teeth and jaws covered with blood. Blood, as she could smell, that came from both Zaine and Venin.

Cylo watched helplessly after her pack. She hauled herself to her feet, debating what to do. She snapped herself into combat mode and darted to Aykit's side. "Stay away from her!" she growled low and menacingly. Someone was watching from the trees outside, she could feel it. But the gray and blue wolf dare not take her eyes off the other wolves.
~~~
Dernor watched intensly from his hiding place, wondering what was going on.

Krie heard the howl and was going to find Venin when Kaike stopped her. Kaike's eyes were empty and rather hollow but she just shook her head and said "We have to stay here Krie, we have to follow the others" They continued on sadly hopping things werent as worse as they seemed. with their numbers dwindling Kaike couldnt help but feel torn two ways. She stopped short fangs bared when she saw Ember's old pack.

Seti stopped momentarilly as he stared dangerously into the eyes of his new opponate, he was weak but he wasnt about to surrender, He knew Fallen, she wouldnt let him go freely only to return again, and if she was as smart as he knew she was she would kill him where he stood. "Kill me mutt, cause that is the only way you will stop me from killing your alpha after i kill you and anyone else who stands before me and my goal" He dared standing firm as he licked the taste of Venin and Zaine's blood from his still bared fangs. The massive red wolf took yet another daring step forward "I have traveled quite a ways to taste your alpha's blood-in hopes to save myself from our new lords fangs of justice, you will do wise to step aside or join me" He was startled to see Zaine stagger only to collapse again into the muck. It was at that point that madness and obsession burst through him and he struck his fangs striking hard as he tore and ripped Zaines left ear to near shreds. he then turned on Cylo who had arrived in hopes to aid Aykit. "Fools you will die following her" with that he lunged to pounce on Cylo.

Fallen noticed Seti as he attacked and in midstep lept from the slopside and ramed the red wolf with a force unmatched. Never giving Seti a moment to recover she snatched the wolf by his left hind leg and slammed him hard into the earth, tossing him upwards she then slammed him once more before tossing him violently into a nearby boulder. She then stuck once more tearing flesh and fur from his left shoulder. The red wolf was out cold in a heartbeat. If it hadnt been for Zaine stopping her she would have tore the red wolf to shreds where he lied. "Ash and Shadow help Aykit guide Venin carefully up the slope," she then turned to Zaine "Can you walk" Zaine nodded and the small group hurried up the mountain. Fallen stopped halfway, a notion in her heart telling her to kill the red wolf, but Zaine nudged her forward, even he knew there was a limit and too much blood had been shed already. The wolves dissappeared above the mountainside leaving the red wolf lost in the darkness of his misdeeds the snow quickly masking their scent with the new falling blizzard...

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PART TWO
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ember was wating fo the attack, but stars voice sounded first. 'he is not from your pack anymore,' se said egingly, 'so your rules no longer apply.' 'that is the rule he broke,' onyx snaped back quickly, 'he abandoned his pack, his family,' growls rippled through the gathering of wolves. Ember's anger was growing 'leave!' onyx commanded to star, 'or you and your friends will pay the price.'
'stop it!' Embers eyes shot open, but it was not him the voice had come from. 'onyx, this is enough. he chose to leave us, infact i dont think he did choose, he was chosen, they all were, cant you feal the air, that are poweful, thay have something amazing that they will do, they will save us all.'
'that is insignifacant,' onyx snaped back at the wolf oposing him. 'he broke the most important rule of our pack.'
'he is not in our pack. rember, i gave everything to you, just to make shure YOU wernt killed for the very worst rule, the one that states that you cant take another alpha or an alphas kin to be your mate if you are not an alpha your self.' unsettled murmers were rumbling in the throughts of the army of Embers old pack. his father stood, hackles rased, tail brisseling opposing his brother. onyx growled, but out of fear. Ember gasped. 'onyx is not the true alpha?' he said, comming next to his father.
'no' thuder said, 'i am.'
'since when?' ember yelped in suprise,
'since my idiot of a YOUNGER brother fell inlove with an Alpha from a small pack that was passing through the vally. they would sneak off together for a long time. and when it turned out that the she wolf was expecting pups,he would have been killed, if i hadnt of lyed about our ages, i made him a year older. so when the next alpha was needed, it was him.'
shcked snarles came up from the assembled wolves. 'but, as the true alpha, i abbolish that rule, but i reclame my position, ember, you are free to leave.'
'no!' onyx snarrled and lept on his brother, who pushed him off easily,
'dont foget little brother,' thunder said, 'that i AM older and the TRUE alpha,' then it stopped. the wolves retreated on thunders command, onyx following, his eares and tail drooping, paws draggind in the thick snow.
as the last of the wolves dissapeared, ember saw fallen coming up the hill towards them, he lept down the pass to greet her, he couldnt weight to tell her. tough he miss-juged his last boung in exitment and the two wolves ended um tumbling palyfully in the snow.

Zaine stopped short when Fallen had been slammed into and tumbled backwards with a rather excited Ember. He chuckled to himself and turned to where Aykit and the others were as they made their way up the slope. Zaine then decided he would follow them to the others. He needed a long rest.

Cylo falled a little way behind the pack, feeling tired. She hoped Sea was ok for the moment. It wasn't long until he became lost once again in the snow. Sighing heavily, she continued on, always aware of the set of eyes following her. cylo already knew who they were anyways.

Venin was still out cold as they traveled up the hill. Aykit managed to get him onto her back and, even though she was weak from their fight, carried him along with the other wolves. After seeing Fallen being jumped by Ember, she knew they'd stop here for a little while. With that thought, she set Venin down easily and thudded herself onto the snow. She sighed deeply in relief that Fallen was able to come and stop Seti before he attacked both Cylo and herself. As Aykit lay thinking, Venin carefully and slowly opened his eyes up. He felt dazed and was in a lot of pain as he changed his position so he was laying on his stomach. With some determination he was able to keep his head upright as he looked around. He saw Fallen and Ember playing in the snow, and Zaine with the other wolves. Looking to his right, Venin saw Aykit at the same time she noticed him. Tears immediately started flowing through both of their eyes as she rushed and pushes her head against his, gently nuzzling him. "I'm so sorry, Venin." Her words were stifled into Venin's shaggy fur. She pulled away after a while and curled up on the ground, facing him. He had wounds all over himself and blood stained his fur. Aykit licked his wounds gently as he licked the few she had on herself. After they finished with each other, Aykit sat upright and sighed again, looking at her necklace. "This thing has brought me more bad than good." She commented bleakly. Venin sat up next to her and nudged her head with his paw so she'd turn away from the glistening orange gem. "It's a part of you, Aykit. It makes you who you are. If you get rid of it, you get rid of who you are. I would never have that, ever." Venin looked at her with soft eyes and nuzzled her once again. Aykit rubbed against him as well as they lay on the ground, closely curled up together. Both their tales were twisted around one another and entwined together.

Tia felt happy to see Ember and fallen playing happly, getting coverd in snow. though she was still shaken by the now dissapearing wolves and that Seti had appeared to be so ice and had turned bad so suddenly. she grew worried, they had joind at the same time,what if the pack feared that she would turn on them too. what if they kiked her out, and she had to be on her own again.

Kaike was relieved that Zaine and the others were alright. it was a long day and it would be longer if they didnt hurry. the new fallen snow was refreshing and she found herself laughing at Ember and Fallen's playfullness.

Seti rose from the murk and the mud, he felt torn two ways as he gazed up painfully at the hillside where the wolves he had grown fond of resided. Part of him resented what he had done and the other half took pity on himself for trusting them. Limping with the excruciating pain of the slashes he had recieved from the three wolves he slowly began to walk away only to stop. He was drawn to the pack and though he did wrong and betrayed them, something in his heart refused to let them leave him. Perhaps-he thought Perhaps he could get the alpha to reconsider. it was well worth a try, and if he had to beg for mercy then so be it. he finally knew his place.

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PART THREE
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star blinked as shadow came to stand with her. it had all happend so fast it was confusing even for her. so much had happend since she and shimmer had met fallen when shimmer ewas very young, her and easle had made fast friends, as had star and fallen, the the others had started to join and every thing was so close. nothing like what seti had done had ever happend befor. he was still standing at the foot of the hill. star started to worry if nyghtmare had got other wolves like him, bribed to attack their small, family like pack. she laughed as fallen and ember shock the fur off theri coats, covering all who was close, easle got alot on him. she sighed, and followed fallen up the pass.

Zaine turned to Kaike who stood slightly worried but on her face a faint smile. Zaine snorted contently to himself as he then turned to Fallen and the others. He felt bad for not mentioning his feelings towards Seti but he decided it wasnt the time, he would worry about that later. Cautiously he followed them up the hill the rest of the way as they continued to travel onwards.

Aykit and Venin nodded toward Fallen and stood to follow her. Venin was dreadfully slow at walking and limped a lot from the fights he'd gotten into earlier. His wounds were stinging tremendously , especially in the cold air. Aykit stood close to him as he moved and supported his small weight against her. They fell behind the rest of the pack slowly and tried their best to catch up as much as they could, but to no avail. Venin couldn't go on anymore as he lay himself in the snow again, breathing heavy and wimpering in pain. Aykit nuzzled his forehead and whined while licking the side of his face. He gave her a crooked grin and licked her back as he tried to stand. His wounded legs would not allow him to. He slipped back to the ground once again. Aykit frowned and lay with him, nuzzling him and resting her head on his side. In the back of his mind, Venin wished he had the strength to carry on and stay close to the pack. But at the same time, he was grateful that he could be with Aykit. Although she didn't know it, he desperately wished he was more than just her closest friend. Although he wasn't going to tell her that on her own and ruin this moment. Or those yet to come, for that matter, he though. Finally, Venin let his mind rest as both he and Aykit dozed off together.

Cylo got up and, with one last growl over her shoulder at Seti, continued on after her retreating pack. She heard a twig snap but didn't even perk up. She already knew it was the other blue wolf following. What was with him, anyway?

As BloodShot stoud at the end of the forset,blood dreping down from all of her legs and some from her tail,she thinks"what am I going to do...I don't know how I got here...."She was 2 when shes was token away from her pack and she was a gray wolf with red legs,alittle red at the end of her tail...and red at the end of her snout and ears.She keeps to herself ever sence she lost her mother and grew up with her farther.(she hates him!)She starts to walk forward...then stops."I can't go back in there...no ones in there"she said.She howls to see if any one heres her.She lies down,thering to suoth the cut on her back with the snow."I knew I shouldn't have battle that red woulf..."Looks in the sky..."it was a day like this...when that happened...."She gets up...looks around.

She gets to a top of a hill...and howls...thinking someone will hear her...trying not to fall asleep....she keeps moneing tourd the forest...think...if someone...is there....only if...someone was looking for her....

Kaike made a face as well unsure if Zaine had seen or not. she then hurried beside Krie who was bouncing happily about Venin and Aykit continually asking them if she would one day be as strong as them. Kaike snorted once more with a sigh as she nudged the pup to be quiet

Seti was a coward, attacking your own pack was something only dogs would do. true they were related somehow to the mangy mutts, but Wolves held a higher more noble honor....at least some. the massive red wolf found himself sitting upon a rather large boulder his head bowed in shame till suddenly the distant howl of a sad wolf caught his ears. He listened then darted in that direction it rang from.

It seemed like some time before the wandering pack made it to a safe spot deep within the heart of the mountains forest. It was rather cool with a winter breeze blowing, just the thing to mask their scent. Fallen watched as her tired pack collapsed aimlessly amongst the moist ground. She then turned as Zaine and Ash set a rather tired Venin carefully onto the floor. Under Fallen's orders they had carried the massive scruffy wolf upon their backs with Aykit close at their side. Fallen then turned to the canopy of the treetops above and leaping gracefully to one rather large boulder beside the large Pine tree got a better view of the slowly departing clouds that were beginning to release some sunlight into the world. She then looked back down at her pack from above and sat upon her haunches. She preferred being higher up then the others in case a danger came from afar-she could see it approaching. She then turned to Easle who was desperately attempting to join Fallen on top of the rock with no luck as he slid back down the smooth side of the boulder. Fallen chuckled as Easle gave up and bounded happily after Skye and Sea. Her smile quickly fading Fallen gazed back up at the sky.

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PART FOUR
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Star sighed contently, leaning against shadow, watching the pups play.they had all grown alot since they first met. Easle especially, Skye too(use to be called shimmer) had grown alot and their play was more planned out then befor. their games of tag now involved taticks such as hiding and ambushing, rather than aimless romp around, crashing into trees and the older wolves trying to catch the other. She sighed again and nessled closer to shadow, who, pressing gently back, licked the top of her head effecitonlately. all the wolves had grown, each in their own way. even those who had only been in the pack a short time had come a long way, thinking of them, her eyes fell on ember who was looking up at fallen with the same eyes that shadow sometimes looked at her with.
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Ember looked up at fallen, not wanting to disturb her silent thought. he wasnt shure, but he senced that something was wrong for her, and it subconchensly made him feal wary and sad. he lay down by her purch, keeping a protective eye on ant danger thet may, even though unlikely, slicp under her inpenitrable gase.

Zaine noticed Ember and made a face. He slowly rose to his massive feet and made his way over to him only to seat himself beside the massive orange and brown wolf. for a moment he was silent then he said "So your the Alpha male now, i wondered if Fallen was ever going to find someone" he then got up his ears pirked to the faint sound of a howl-just one. it was saddened and lonely. He turned to see that Fallen had heard the same noise.

Aykit and Venin both chuckled slightly at Krie's comments. Neither of them thought of themselves as strong, but believed the other were. Venin respected Aykit for her perseverence and drive to do what is right, while Aykit was amazed at how Venin was so daring for a wolf of his size and strength. Regardless of their strengths and weaknesses, they made a powerful team together.
Venin nodded a thanks to Zaine and Ash as he lay in the snow. He almost immediately drifted to sleep after laying his head on the cold blanket beneath him. In his dreams were images of an old forest he had been in over a year ago, with Aykit next to him. Another wolf was in front of them, a vacant look on his gray and black face as he glanced around the woodlands that surrounded the scene. He eyed Aykit for a moment until Venin shot him a look, which caught his attention. He snickered slightly and smirked. Behind his midnight blue, pupil-less eyes lay a flicker that Venin had always tried to understand. Now, in the midst of this very memory he was dreaming, he had a revelation in his sub-conscious. Behind those blue eyes not only lay the determination that Venin had learned from, but also an extremely irreplaceable trust. The wof's eerie voice trickled through Venin's mind as he heard words he'd never expect from this well-known face. "I'm searching for you, pup."
Venin's eyes shot open immediately. He lifted his head in shock and turned to Aykit, who was laying next to him. She lifted her head as well, slightly scared and Venin's sudden awakening. "Benjamin," Venin mumbled distraughtly. "He's not gone, he's still out there. And he's looking for us."

Sea collapsed onto the ground, whimpering softly. Her eyes were fixed on something distant, or rather, the past. Images and light flashed before her eyes. A young pup drowning in a river. At first the sight was blurry, but things gradually became clearer. It looked like Cylo. Sea howled out to the pup, but was not heard. Cylo flitted to Sea's side in the real world. "Sea?" she asked worriedly.

As BloodShot keep moveing,she heres something moveing and stop.As her cut keeps bleeding,it does not stop her."Who's there?"She said.Looking aroud.Thinks"no ones there"She keeps moveing fourwered.Thinking if someone did here her howl.

Krie was instantly allerted to Sea's distress and close beside the pup and a concerend Easle let out a sad whimper "Sea" she asked sadly. Kaike noticed it too and made a face as she got up from her haunches "Is she alright" she asked concerned. she hadnt heard the distant howl.

Seti was fast at tracking, it was the one thing he knew how to do. Peering silently from the bushes he noticed the lone wolf sniffing about lost in her own thoughts. "Shadow wolf" he wondered as he took another step forward cautious not to get caught.

The moment the sound of the howl reached Fallen's ears she was alert and standing. Her pack was too weak and exhausted to fight any more dangers, another assult and they might not be able to survive. "Ember, take Kaike and Shadow, Scout the area howl if you find any danger" she then turned to the worried faces of her pack "Don't worry stay together we'll be fine" she encouraged knowing even her hopes were fading. "Be careful" she told Ember worriedly her ears flat in sadness. She would protect her pack AT ALL COST. she then took back to her gazing her face transfixed with a serious emotion. However inside she was sad. if anything happened to Ember...Shaking the thought she turned once more to the worried faces unsure herself what to say to them anymore. Even she could only say everything would be okay, for so long before even she began to doubt it. glancing at the gash on her shoulder she was suprised to see it there, it was the first time since she had stopped long enough to examine it and the various other cuts along her creme colored fur. they hadn't bothered her till now. However she ignored them and sank to the coolness of the boulder still very much alert to the surroundings around them.

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PART FIVE
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Ember got up quickly and nodded. with Shadow and Kaike and Shadow by his side, they set off into the surrounding trees. it was not long untill they game across a sent that was horribly familliar to them. Shadow growled deeply from his chest. it was Seti. Kakie too seemed angry at the sent her ears were back and her eyes glaring in the direction of the sent trail. he wondered if it had anything to do with Zaine, but from what the pack had told him, the two wernt the best of friends.but the pack had trusted him, and he had dragged thet trust through the mud.litteraly.
as the three cautiously followed the trail, they saw the red wolf, but there was another wolf too. Ember grew wary.it looked like the stranger had been in a battle recently. he retreated slightly, and then, when he was shure that the two wolves were far enough away, to still be seen, but to not suspect anything suspicous from a howl too close,he rased his head back and howled to fallen.

The howl alerted not only Fallen but Zaine. "Seti" he snarled fiercly as he got to his feet from the cool earth below. "I'll tear him to pieces" he snarled dangerously as he turned to follow the howl only to be stopped "No your not well my friend, i can't risk losing any more wolves, as pack leader it is my duty and my honor to protect my pack, and as long as i am still breathing i WILL fight nomatter the odds" her words were serine and caused Zaine to stand helpless at her courage. But Fallen too was weak. Ears laid sideways in sorrow he stood watching as Fallen slowly and swiftly made her way into the shadows. "Star and Tia please follow her she can't go alone" Zaine begged. he knew if anything he was too weak to fight and Seti had marked him good.

It took Aykit a few moments to process Venin's words. She had no idea Benjamin had managed to last on his own after he had left their small group. Which, now that she though of it, didn't seem to have a motive. Benny up and left one day without so much as a nod in salutations. From all that she knew, that young wolf had no chance on his own. Apparently he had proven her wrong, if what Venin said was true.
Aykit and Venin both stood, sniffing the air heavily for any small scent of Benjamin. Venin knew they should have been more concerned on what was happening in their pack, but he couldn't let Benny go unnoticed by them. They finally caught a small bit of Benjamin in the breeze floating by, and they were locked in on it. "Zaine," Aykit's voice was stern and determined. "Let the others know that Venin and I are going to be gone for awhile." Venin nodded, then added, "If there's any trouble, call for us. We'll be sure to hurry back." With that, Aykit's necklace glowed and her coat changed. After her eyes had returned to their normal colour, both of the wolves took off in search of the long lost wolf by the name of Benjamin.

BloodShot stops,to see a red dot."Whos over there?"She yelled.Going to a the dot,she see's a red wolf."Who are you?"She said.Cut still sepping blood.She stops,still looking at the red wolf.

Kaike hurried beside Ember as she watched the new wolf curiously. it didnt pose a big threat but still. Kaike remained silent.

Seti couldnt hide anymore so he emerged from the shadows. "i just might be your only hope for survival" he sneered. "besides i mean no real harm and pose no threat, but i guarentee your not the only wolf in these forests" he commented as he sat upon his hindquarters licking the wound on his shoulder.

Fallen emerged fom the shadows of the forest.
~~~
Easle stood beside cylo whimpering sadly "mommy" he shuddered. "i want my mommy" he told the wolf sadly as he looked at sea. every inch of his being wanting the pup to wake and play with him to distract him from missing his mother.