T h e B e y o n d

𝙸𝙸

"The leader."

Alpine's eyes widened. The leader? Of what?

Kodiak took a small step forward, seeming calm, unlike Alpine. "I'll handle him." He looked back to Alpine. "Stay here."

Alpine nodded anxiously, watching as Kodiak left with the wolf. She took the time to look around, staring at engravements and claw marks before seeing a chest. She walked toward it, observing it. It was a red-brown wood color, with some small silver touches here and there. She put her paw under the opening latch, something that wolves use to open chests and crates. She lifted it thinking that it was locked, but it opened. It's open...

Alpine looked inside to see a familiar necklace. There was a small, brown leather string that held a small topaz that was a rhombus shape, the edges smooth and round, just like the one she was wearing, though hers was an amethyst. If that wasn't familiar enough, she had seen it before, in a dream that always came back to her so many times that the events were engraved into her mind.

She closed the chest, peeking out of the cave. She could see the so-called leader glaring at Kodiak with blazing amber eyes. She peeked her head back in, going back to stare at the claw marks.

Kodiak eventually returned with a tired sigh, "He just doesn't give up, huh?"

Alpine looked back at Kodiak, walking over. "Welcome back, I guess."

"I guess I am," He responded, his tone seeming happy, "Well, I'm tired now, so imma sleep..."

As Kodiak lied down, Alpine interrupted, "Wait-!"

Kodiak turned his head. "Hrm?"

"Where did you get that necklace...in the chest you have?"

"Huh? Oh, that thing?" He stood up, walking over and opening the chest, grabbing the topaz-jeweled necklace. He handed it to Alpine. "It looks like the one you have."

"Uh huh..." She looked at it. She felt something...odd now that she was holding it. A sense of protectiveness washed over her, making her freeze. She shook her head, overwhelmed.

I know this feeling.

I feel it in that dream.

I'm not just going to stand still anymore.

I'm going to talk to her this time.

"I guess I'm tired too..." Alpine groaned, laying down with the necklace next to hers. She drifted off to sleep, relaxing her muscles and having her wings lay at her sides.

She was sitting in a large cave, the cave she always saw in the dream. She looked down at her legs, which were shorter that they were like now. She was a puppy in the dream, the dream she always had.

A beautiful, light grey female wolf appeared from another room in the cave. Her eyes sparkled with a blue color, as well as her necklace, which held a sapphire just like the ones she had. She held an amethyst necklace, Alpine's necklace.

Alpine was already aware of what would happen. The wolf, which she guessed was her mother, would give her the necklace, and leave.

The wolf smiled and walked over, placing the amethyst necklace around Alpine's neck. She looked down, observing it like she always did.

The female wolf spoke with a smile, "You like it? It's special. It's magical, you see," She began to turn around and grab another necklace. It was the same yellow topaz one that Alpine had seen in the chest. "I have to get one for your sister, now." A small, pitch-black pup poked her head out from another cave room.

That never happened all the last times.

The mother began to exit the room, stopping at the exit and looking back at Alpine.

"We're waiting for you."

Alpine fought back against the force that kept her still. She struggled to stand and go to her mother, who was walking away, not looking at her with her ears drooped sadly. "Wait-Mom!" She exclaimed. The light gray wolf paused, slightly looking up with a quiet gasp.

"You...finally talked."

The light-filled cave turned dark, and the mother turned partially transparent, like a ghost. The black pup was grown up, staring with surprise at Alpine. Alpine looked down. She was an adult too. Her mother was looking at her with a smile on her face.

"It took you so long to talk, Alpine. I was worried you would never break free, but here we are now, huh?"

Alpine tilted her head, confused, "Break free?"

"When it comes to talking to alive wolves through dreams," She started, "The amount of curiosity and determination from the wolf they are talking to has to be high enough to where they aren't frozen in place. Your level of curiosity was through the roof, but your determination was not high enough."

Alpine nodded, and the wolf dipped her head. "My name is Estray, and I am you and Accalia's mother." She quickly turned around to the black wolf behind her, who was Accalia. "Where is your necklace?"

Accalia spoke with a sharp yet sweet voice, "It got stolen by an enemy pack. My leader has visited many times to give it back, but their bird-brained leader wouldn't give it back. We're planning to raid the den like that cougar once did."

Alpine felt frozen again, but it was from fear this time. Is my own sister in the other pack?

"You okay, Alpine?" Accalia had approached her, worried. "Don't tell me..."

Alpine flinched, "No! No...I've just heard of the troubles from nearby since I live so close!"

"You live nearby? We could meet! Scarwood Forest at Middlemoon, okay?"

Alpine nodded. She laid down to close her eyes before waking up in the real world.

(Info:

Cave rooms: Some luxurious caves had many rooms, some made by erosion or stonechippers, which are pretty much wolves who carve stone.

Opening latch: Like the description above, it is made so wolves can open chests and crates. The wolves will put their paw under the opening latch, paw pads facing up, and they'll lift the chest open. It can be locked with chain or magic.

Middlemoon: Midnight. My mom claims to have created this ✨magical✨ word.