ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛꜱ: ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ (1)

Chapter Four

Snowflake was running as fast as she had ever ran. Snow that she kicked up flew in her face. But no matter how much the ran, she couldn't get out of Wintershade

"Snowflake! Help!" She heard a familiar voice call.

"I'm coming Owl! Just hang on!" Snowflake yelled back.

A shriek pierced through the air. Lightning crashed in front of Snowflake. "Hurry!" Owl screamed. "I can't hang on!"

Snowflake tried to make herself run fast, but it was no use. Owl was in danger, and Snowflake was trapped.

Snowflake woke up abruptly. It was still dark outside, so it was probably early morning. She was panting hard, part of her still in the dream. She poked her nose out of the cave. No snow. Only bright green trees and blue and pink flowers.

Phew, we're still in Springshade. The wolves had decided to camp out in Springshade, instead of head back to Wintershade. Snowflake thought it was a very risky move; as a Springwolf could prance up any second and find them.

When she turned around back in the cave, Snowflake saw Ice Spike sitting up, looking at her. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"No, I'm not. I had a dream- where I was trying to find my missing sister. I- I couldn't save her," Snowflake replied.

"Was it a message?" Ice Spike looked concerned. "Was there a sign of a Spirit in your dream? Like... icicles falling from the sky, or undead wolves?"

Snowflake thought back. "There... there was lighting."

"Inpulsa, Spirit of electricity probably," Ice Spike concluded. "But the odd thing is, Inpulsa is a Summerwolf. Why would she try to contact you?"

"I don't know why a Summerwolf Spirit would help a Winterwolf, but it isn't impossible," She said. Snowflake considered this. It was rare for a sign of a Spirit to be in a wolf's dream. "Like you said, I think the Spirits are trying to tell me something. About Owl? About the war?"

"You just have to calm down," Ice Spike reassured. "Describe the dream to me."

Snowflake retold the dream. She made sure to tell Ice Spike every little detail she could remember.

They were both silent for a moment. Finally, Ice Spike said something. "I think Inpulsa was trying to tell you your sister isn't in Wintershade. You have to look someplace else"

"That makes sense," Snowflake agreed. "I'm going to the lake for a few minutes"

"Okay," Ice Spike called as Snowflake crept out of the cave. The sun was starting to rise, spreading faint light over Springshade. Snowflake ran as quietly as she could to the lake, pausing as the shore.

Moon Lake sparkled in the sunrise. Snowflake looked down at her reflection. The lake made her fur look silver, that was odd. She took another look and saw that her eyes were green instead of blue. Some weird water, Snowflake thought.

Her reflection blinked. But Snowflake didn't blink. She turned her head sideways, but the reflection didn't. Instead, an entirely different wolf surfaced.

"This is fun! What are we playing?" The stranger said.

Snowflake was shocked. A wolf that lived underwater? Where did she come from? "Um... we're not playing anything. Who are you?"

"Oh, sorry, my name is Aequor. What's yours?" The sea-wolf asked.

"Snowflake," She replied cautiously. "Wait a minute... Aequor... as in the sea Spirit?"

The thing that shocked Snowflake the most, however was when Aequor got out of the water. Where her hind legs should be, instead she had a long fish tail that glimmered silver and pale green.

"I prefer Aequor: Keeper of The Ocean. Sounds more cool!" The sea Spirit replied.

"You're actually a Spirit? You're actually THE Aequor?" Snowflake asked.

"Yep," Aequor replied. "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

"Do you know why Inpulsa would appear in someone's dream?" Snowflake inquired.

Aequor didn't speak for a moment. "Inpulsa. Spirit of electricity... hmm. Yeah, she's mean."

"And that helps me how?"

"I don't know. But she is kinda rude, so be prepared." Aequor layed down on the shore, her fish scales glimmering.

"I should get you back to our camp. You need to help us, please, Aequor," Snowflake pleaded.

"You need me to help you get to Inpulsa."

"Maybe. But also, Snow Flurry needs to know about you," Snowflake said. "Let's go." Aequor nodded, and with a flash, her fin turned into two regular hind legs. Snowflake started pawing her way to the cave, and Aequor followed.

When Snowflake and Aequor got to the Winterwolves' hiding place, Snow Flurry and Holly Berry were sitting outside, covered in dirt, watching for Springwolves. Snowflake walked up to Snow Flurry and said "I'm back, and look who I found."

Holly Berry got sight of Aequor and completely freaked out. "OH MY GOODNESS! IT'S A SPRINGWOLF! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!" She yelled.

"Shut up!" Snow Flurry screamed. "Her fur is white, she can't be a Springwolf. But I haven't seen you around Wintershade. What is your name?"

Snowflake saw Aequor glance at her and she nodded. "My name is Aequor. Winter Spirit of the sea."

No one spoke for a long time. Holly Berry stared at her, jaw dropped. "You-" She broke the silence. "A spirit? Really?"

Aequor nodded. "Prove it," Snow Flurry said. "Prove that you are Aequor."

With a blinding flash that lasted a few seconds, Aequor's back legs turned back into a fin. "Enough proof?" She asked Snow Flurry. "Or do I need to create a tsunami?"

"Uh- uh... I- you- I don't... uh-" Snow Flurry stammered. Without saying anything more, she bowed.

"Aw, you don't have to do that," Aequor said. "But I do need you to listen." Snowflake's ears pricked up. Was she going to tell them about her dream?

Before Aequor could speak again, however, Ice Spike ran out of the cave. "Oh, hello," he said when he saw Aequor. "Who are you?"

"Um, I'm Aequor. Winter Spirit of the sea, guardian of the ocean, blah, blah, yada yada, okay I'm tired of introductions. Can we just move on with our lives?"

"Wha- you're the Aequor?" Ice Spike asked, shocked.

"No, not the Aequor. Just Aequor."

"Cause that would be really cool. I mean, you could totally save us. You're a Winterwolf Spirit, right? That means you're on our side? So you can help us win the war?" Ice Spike asked.

Snow Flurry, however, stepped in front of Ice Spike. "Hold up, Wintershade isn't even in the war. Polar Bear said so. I think we should be, but we have to listen to Polar Bear."

"You're acting like this because you want me to get the Spirit's on your side, don't you?" Aequor asked.

"PLEASE!" Snow Flurry whined.

"Alright fine!

Holly Berry and Snow Flurry looked at each other. Holly Berry nodded, then Snow Flurry said "Alright. Let's pack up. We set out for Summershade at nightfall"

Word count: 1147

Question: What are your thoughts about Aequor?

-Ap-x