FLASHBACK EXTRAS

Foof's POV

I had to warn the Council. I had to get help. Those were my priorities. Nothing would stand between me and my priorities. Well, maybe Bec could. She could stand in pretty much anyone's way.

I couldn't be caught by them. As big as I was, they were bigger, and I was armed with only a knife, and a flower pot. Those were not the weapons you wanted to have when you were face to face with a pack of wolves.

They would laugh at my efforts. And there was nothing I hated more than being laughed AT.

I was running out of energy. I had sprinted down this path for miles, and I still didn't seem to be getting closer. The pack was gaining on me.

I really hated wolves. They had no sense of humor. I hate people with no sense of humor. They never laugh at my jokes, and they're always so sullen. All the time. My motto in life is "no worries for the rest of your days." It's my problem free philosophy. Those who don't follow it should get attacked by hyenas, because they bum the entire world down.

I then had to wonder how exactly to warn the Council. After all, I was being chased by a pack of bloodthirsty wolves. I hadn't given much thought to word choice.

At least all I had to do was make it to the barrier around the grotto. The Fae had put it up for us. It would stop any and all wolves without permission from reaching the Council. I could stop to think when I got there. If I got there.

My thoughts then turned to the Fae. I don't know why. My brain just does that at random. I had only seen them on the field of battle, and had only really met a few. One had been called Dove. She was a sweet one. Well, I think she was sweet, because I was halfway unconscious from blood loss, and she was the one fixing me up. Anyone would be sweet from that perspective.

Another one was Hawk. Now he was a funny one. It also helped that he was one of the Three. We had talked a bit before the battle, after Dove had somehow fixed me. The other two of the Three had hung back a bit more while we had talked. They were discussing strategy. The gold, Ren, was upset. I guess the silver wasn't going to let her in the fight.

Word of the last time Ren wasn't allowed in battle had spread throughout Asterie. It wasn't very good. I got to witness this time firsthand.

Hawk had gone over to try and calm her down, but instead, he just made her more agitated. There was one unspoken rule involving Ren that had found its way to all ears. When she gets mad, back up. The only exceptions to this rule were her family and the Task Force. And even then, they didn't escape unscathed.

She had managed to twist Hawk's wing quite severly, rendering him immobile. There was no one else in the tent who could possibly overpower her except Jey, who was too busy laughing at the spectacle, myself, who didn't particularly want to die, and a boy faerie in all black.

The latter had stepped up and gripped her wrist, squeezing until she let go. They had then gotten into a rough-and-tumble play fight, which was quite interesting to watch.

It was then that the wolves had come. The howling came from right outside. Then they barged in. There had to be at least 50 of them. And all of their gazes were set on the gold. The biggest wolf shrank down to human size. He growled at all of us. "Last chance."

I knew what I had to do. I was the only one not battle ready. I had watched as the faeries, who before, had seemed so innocent and non-threatening, stepped before their future queen and unsheathed their weapons.

I saw a beautiful girl with red hair and an emerald green dress pull wicked sharp daggers from the folds of her skirt.

A boy wearing a wetsuit pulled out a sword and stood next to her, wrapping his wing protectivly around her.

Dove, the healer, grabbed a bow from a girl who looked like her twin and already had an arrow notched by the time I had pulled my dagger.

Even the stable boy who had been talking to a girl about a year older than him, had managed to find a crossbow.

Hawk glared at the wolves. "No."

It was then I had started running. Five wolves chased after me. We ran for what felt like days. Then I saw the barrier. I was so close! I called on my reserves of enery from Fakia, and made a mad dash for the seemingly solid wall of brambles. I was too late though. The pack was bearing down on me now. They had caught me.