Yellow Light (Dragonfly #5)

Snake

I stared in shock at my fallen friend. The monstrous midnight menace laughed again. a laugh that seemed hauntingly familiar.

"Silly, silly, boy, I'm back," he bared his teeth with grim satisfaction.

Then the puzzle pieces snapped with a click into place and I dropped my hold on my friends scruff. Tenebris, she, or was he now, had possessed another victim. He raised his shaggy head to the sky and howled. It was a arrogant and fearful sound. I felt the slightest need to bow in respect, drowned out by the intense fear that made my limbs shake and head pound. Tenebris laughed and ran off, as if some great victory had been won. Feurige began to stirr, I heard a small sound escape him. I crept closer to investigate. Sarah pushed me aside, and Jay followed her.

I saw the smaller wolf shakily get to his feet, the acrid and pungent scent of blood wafted through the air. I pinpointed a gash on his neck, and Feurige wobbled on his feet.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Feurige, this may be a bit of a shock, but you are the reincarnation of a very powerful wolf that lived a long time ago. He was called Ignis, and had control over the element of fire-" Skylark was cut off by a sudden whimper from Feurige.

"No!" He said suddenly.

We all stared at him. He glanced wildly about, before suddenly taking off into the forest. I made a move to follow him but Sierra held me back.

"No Zach, let him go, he'll follow our scent, we'll head off a bit and plan our next move, this isn't a time for rushing things."

I nodded, though I was frustrated. I came here to find my sister, not get involved in some prophecy. No, no, that was Jay's job. Speaking of the young prophet, I watched him as he stumbled through the lumpy ground. Thank goodness the other three had woken up when I dropped Ocaso. They would be interrogated later.

I walked calmly over to Jay, he knew I was there, he could smell me. Nobody was really up for flying, and walking in a new place was difficult for the young blue tabby.

"What do you want?" He sighed.

"Nothing, just thought you'd like help," I answered.

"I don't need help," He retorted, the walked into a tree.

He started spitting out bark and moss. All the while I smirked, he gave me a sharp look.

"Wipe that grin off your face!" His spine fur prickled as we continued on our way.

"Jay, I was meaning to tell you earlier, but I been having dreams with Suka, she keeps calling me her patron," I said, trying to draw his attention away from the misery of not knowing where he was going.

"Patron? I suppose she's vouching to protect you, that's usually what that means," he said.

"Well, what about Excelsior? Is he your patron?"

He chuckled, "not everyone has a patron Zach, Excelsior's more of a teacher. An amazing one at that, he knows things that have been lost over the years, I'm bringing back proper Meðal-claw tradition. Sarah's also my teacher, but it's different with Meðal-claws, instead of an apprenticeship, it more of a friendship. Besides..." He trailed off.

"What?" I asked, feeling like this conversation was supposed to be private.

He pricked his ears, they swilled around till they seemed to focus on Sarah, to far away to hear us.

"Well, just before you showed up without your memories, Sarah's teacher, Wynola, passed away, Sarah had just turned fifteen. I guess your father thought if there were two of us again, we might be able to figure out together what Wynola wasn't there for. If Excelsior hadn't come when he did, well, there's a reason the Ghostcough a while back spread so quickly."

"Oh," I kept on walking, realizing how little I knew of the creatures I would be chief of one day.

"Jay?"

"Yeah?

"What else happened while I was gone?"

___________________
Feurige
_________

I sprinted though the forest in half of a blind panic. Branches and leaves thwacked against my face and pulled out tufts of fur. I don't know why I ran, only I had to be away from them. It didn't seem fair, I didn't want this destiny.

My foot suddenly stuck in a protruding root. I fell flat on my face and tumbled to the ground. Rolling a couple feet before stoping, I didn't bother to get up, maybe if I was lucky the world would open and swallow me up. My face felt wet, and a tear fell to the ground. I lay there for a long time, crying quietly.

A twig snapped, I froze, and took in a deep breath, opening my mouth slightly to properly identify the scent. Nothing, I could feel the creatures eyes on me, but I couldn't smell anything.

"Are you okay?" Asked a voice.

I scrambled to my feet and swung around to see what I was up against. I growled as a small animal stepped out from the bush. The paused, it was a small doe.

We stared at each other for a few minutes. She was small, young, and white spots that shared a strong resemblance to a dandelion seed were scattered about her flank. I sniffed again, still no scent, she was nearly three feet away, why couldn't I smell her?

"Well?" She asked again.

"What?" I, said, dumbfounded.

"You were lying on the ground, and I was walking by-"

"I'm fine, what are you? Where are your parents?" I cut her off, demanding to know why I shouldn't eat her.

"Well, my name is Ipa, I used to live with my family in our sacred feeding grounds, there are lots of Cervus there."

"Cervus? You're a Cervus!" I gasped.

"Well yeah, wasn't that obvious?"

I dipped my nose to the ground, I was considered an omega in the Aquas pack. And it had been drilled into me that in the presence of one as great as a Cervus, I must perform the proper obedience rituals. Cervus, were an intellectually heightened race that preferred to take the form of a deer. They were even supposed to be telepathic, or telekinetic.

"Oh please, don't do those silly rituals around me, I think they're frivolous anyway." Said Ipa.

I stood up, confused by her rebellious behavior. Before I could say anything she turned and started walking away.

"Wait!" I exclaimed, not quite wanting her to leave yet.

She turned. "Just as I thought, and yes, we can be friends, I'll help you back to your other comrades, who are waiting most anxiously for you."