Mystical Wolves: Enchanted Wonders Series #1 Book #3 [EDITS COMING LATER]

Chapter 8

Blackfrost was foaming at the mouth, his tongue lolled pathetically. Katie's fur bristled, as Blackfrost was whispering Dark Lord's name. The black and white he-wolf's eyes rolled back. Katie stared, frozen, in horror. She didn't know what to do. Do I wake up the alphas?

She turned tail and ran to the alphas' den. Raven and Snowy were sleeping soundly, curled up next to each other. Katie watched as their flanks heaved up and down peacefully. They'd want to know about Blackfrost, he's their son!

"Raven, Snowy!" Katie touched them with her paw urgently. Both wolves stirred, confused as to why they were being waken up before dawn.

"Katie? What's the matter?!" Raven's eyes clouded with anxiety, seeing the way her sister was acting so urgent.

"It's Blackfrost-" Katie broke off, Snowy was on all four paws and rushing to the healer den. Raven dipped her head, while perking an ear to listen to Katie.

"There's foam bubbling at his mouth.. and something's just not right at all. He's acting the same way as Luke described Russetleap. He's murmuring Dark Lord's name.." Katie explained, panting with nerves spiking through her body.

Raven and Snowy crowded around the helpless Blackfrost. He wasn't even coherent at this point.

Frostcrow was behind them, his eyes filled with solemn. "What about Timber?..." he asked.

"Misty told me she's all clear... but we're focusing on Blackfrost right now." Katie acknowledged, waving her tail. "Timber is sleeping in the trainees den. We can't tell her or the other young ones about Blackfrost... just yet."

"I've been meaning to talk to you all about that..." the beta wolf started, his eyes reluctant. "Based on the time I've had with Timber as my trainee, she's just not cut out to be a legend wolf..."

"What? What do you mean Frostcrow? She's shown great progress!" Snowy denied the beta's statement.

"One of her legs is permanently damaged from the rollingpaw accident.. she's got a permanent lung problem.. HeavenPack has given her the fate of being trained as a healer wolf from this point onward." Frostcrow reasoned, his eyes clouded with even more solemn that he'd have to lose his trainee.

Raven and Snowy had no words, all of the wolves just looked to Katie for her opinion. Timber, I love you... but you're better off in the path of a healer wolf.

"Right, Frostcrow has a valid point." Katie barked slowly. "In the morning, I will start Timber with basic healer wolf training. When Goldenglow and the others get back from the journey... which I hope they do.. she'll resume her training with an official healer wolf." The white she-wolf looked up, Raven dipped her head.

"I trust my sister's words. If HeavenPack has spoken for the fate of our daughter, then it must be so. Timber will start healer wolf training." Raven murmured to her mate, Snowy's ears were flattened. He had wanted all of his daughters and sons to be legends.

"I just don't understand, Huntress became the alpha female of FrostPack when she's become blind from an injury!" Snowy shook his head.

"Snowy, be glad your daughter's even alive." Katie snapped, in defense for the tiny black she-wolf. "With the huge forest fires, and the rollingpaw accident, it's a blessing from HeavenPack."

"I have to agree," Frostcrow woofed. "Be proud of her for being a future healer wolf of SkullPack."

Raven stepped a paw in. "Snowy, my cousin and sister are right. I'm proud of Timber regardless of the path she takes... unless it's following DarkPack's paws."

Snowy sighed, flicking his tail back and forth. "All right then." The white he-wolf's chest heaved in a deep breath, as him and Raven walked back to the alphas' den. Frostcrow and Katie stared at each other silently.

"You best be looking after Blackfrost-" the beta wolf cut off. "Blackfrost?!"

Katie's pelt now ruffled with anxiety. She glanced around the healer den, Blackfrost went missing while the wolves had the meeting about Timber.

How could we mess up this badly? Katie bit back the urge from growling. She was pacing back and forth, Frostcrow let out a long howl.

Raven and Snowy appeared instantly, they hadn't even stepped a paw inside of the alphas den' when Frostcrow let out a call. Fenix, Lupo, Winston, and Luke had pounded out through the lichen of the legends' den. Featherbreeze and Twinkle were sitting at the entrance of the pups' den with their tails guarding the pups. The trainees bounded out of the trainees' den after, shaking their ruffled pelts.

"Frostcrow! This better be important... dawn is close but hasn't arrived yet.." Fenix snarled.

"It's Blackfrost! He's missing!" Katie yelped.

"What?!" Fenix's eyes turned to saucers. Her fur was now bristling, Blackfrost was her trainee.

"HeavenPack, help us!" Nightfall called, a pup almost ready to start his training.

"No, no.. not Blackfrost!" Timber wailed. "He barely even talked! But he was MY brother.."

Twinkle caught her brother's eye, Frostcrow swallowed and began to speak, "DarkPack possessed him. He was doing the exact same thing as Russetleap, that FirePack pup. All of the sudden... he went missing."

Lupo's nicked ears twitched in horror. "Great HeavenPack.. this is a punishment. Probably from Twinkle meeting up with that ant brain."

"Don't be stupid!" Frostcrow's fur bristled, now in defense for his sister. Twinkle's eyes were focused on the tussock grass across the clearing, ignoring Lupo's comment. "This is a curse from DarkPack. Twinkle only made a mistake falling for the wrong wolf, her heart spoke too loudly."

Twinkle glanced towards her brother, giving a small nod of appreciation. Lupo shrank back as the wolves narrowed their eyes at him.

"This isn't about Twinkle's past right now, it's about my son." Raven gave a stiff warning growl, her blue eyes glinting in pure silenced anger. "I won't let DarkPack get away with this."

"Raven, whatever you're doing.. I don't want you hurt." Snowy's voice was soft but straining itself from a whimper, his tail was brushing her back.

"Snowy!" the black she-wolf snapped, her fur ruffled and bristling. She turned eye to eye with her mate. "This is OUR son. I will die for any of my pups if I have to."

Frostcrow's mouth was gaped, he had never seen Raven turn on Snowy before. They were very close mates, and loved each other dearly. The wolves could smell Raven's anxiety and stress, and Snowy's worry however.

"Raven... everything will be okay." Lupo woofed, trying to comfort the alpha female.

"Lupo," Twinkle barked suddenly, her green eyes met the gray he-wolf's amber ones. "A mother wolf is always a mother, even when her pups are bouncing on their paws as trainees, and grown up, standing on their paws with loyalty towards their pack. You have to understand Raven's pain."

The gray he-wolf narrowed his eyes. "What do you know about being a mother and having loyalty? You found a mate from another pack.. and you have no pups."

Twinkle's green eyes reflected some sort of slightly hurt feeling. Katie could tell there was something the white she-wolf was hiding.

"Well, I've fostered these DarkPack born pups. I care for them." That was all Twinkle had responded, she looked away and lapped at her shoulder fur.

"Are you both done?" Frostcrow grunted. "This is about Blackfrost, as Raven mentioned."

A star shot past Katie's vision in the dawn breaking sky. No, no, no... she started breathing heavily.

"Katie! What's the matter?!" Snowy demanded.

"It was a message from HeavenPack!" Katie yelped. "Blackfrost is with them now..."

Silence filled the den arena, grief was overtaking every wolf.. especially Raven, Snowy, and Blackfrost's siblings. Fenix was biting back tears, she always hesitated at showing emotion. Katie padded over and brushed pelts with her.

"He was my trainee..." she croaked.

"I know... and you'll get to touch noses with him tonight when we sit in vigil at the Memorial Pool in honor and respect for him. I'm so sorry Fenix.. it was your first trainee." Katie sighed, as small tears pooled in her vision.