Dawnmist: Cliff of Shadows

Chapter 15

A nose prodded her awake. Or was it a paw? Or was it howling? Luna's mind hurt so bad that she couldn't tell. No, it's the sound of voices, she tried to look around, but nothing looked familiar. Even a slight hope that she would be at DawnPack would be nice. But no, here I am in another strange area, with more strange wolves.

She put a paw in front of her, but pain shot through it like a thornbush, and her weight pushed her back down. Conflicting smells hurt her senses, giving anything but an answer. Her eyes grew less blurry, and the area became crisp. I'm in a den. Outside, she saw the tips of other wolves' ears. One, two, three, four... five? This can't be a pack, no pack would be strong with that few wolves.

Luna raised herself a little more before falling. Then a bit more. Soon her forepaws could stand, then her hind legs. Her head had a wisp of numbness, but she shook it away. A set of paws echoed outside, and a head poked inside.

"Ah, you're awake. Good. Shadow will be glad to meet you," Luna felt a flare inside her just looking at Cobalt.

"Where am I?" Luna demanded, her voice a fierce bark as her strength returned. All Cobalt did was laugh.

"Hurry up or Shadow will use you as food. I'm sure wolf is tastier than mouse."

Reluctantly she followed Cobalt. He knows how to convince a wolf, I'll say that much. Luna's mind raced as the rest of the pack came into view. The wolves around her stared with curiosity, and maybe hunger. She strayed her gaze to the wolf perched on a fallen, decomposing log. It was black she-wolf, certainly fitting her name. The wolf sitting beside her was a purple she-wolf.

As much as Luna wanted to ask, 'why is most of the pack strangely colored?', she kept her snout shut in the Alpha and Beta's presence. At least she assumed it was the Alpha and Beta. No one looked to have any authority. Luna was stopped in front of them, with Cobalt smacking her head down into a bow.

"This is the wolf you brought to me?" barked Shadow. Her voice was riddled with anger. "I would say kill her."

If Luna could feel her heart, it would've skipped two beats.

"This isn't any wolf," Cobalt insisted. "She's the one receiving messages! Haven't you heard our spies? DawnPack has a working prophet! We haven't seen one of them since MistPack's dysfunction."

"Wow, a functional prophet?" The Alpha spoke with fake surprise. "That would have been helpful five moons ago, except now there's no flood. She's useless."

"Wait!" Luna added her word with haste. Eyes tethered her words, but they broke free a moment later, and she shakily continued. "I can have messages about the future, like now."

Shadow huffed. "I don't care. Cobalt, where's Jade? She seems good at knocking wolves out."

A flicker of pain brought flames to Luna's face. The mention of knocking out brought memories of yesterday, and the pain she couldn't feel in her sleep. Something else swirled in her mind, at first a foggy thought, but it turned into a clear horror.

"Nova and Willow," she mumbled. Her paws found themselves on her mouth, but everyone glared at her.

"Shadow," the purple wolf nudged the Alpha. "She knows something."

"It's nothing important," said Luna. But Shadow eyed her curiously, coming so close that the black-furred wolf felt her breath.

"'Nothing important'? Do you know how poor those words are?"

"Sorry, but I'm telling the truth. Nova and Willow were traveling with me, and I got separated from them. So if you and your Beta could let me go..."

Sharp, sudden laughter cut her off. Shadow struggled to contain herself as Luna looked around, watching as the wolves came closer.

"Do you know how stupid you sound?" said Shadow between laughs.

"What do you mean?" Her voice trembled.

"Amethyst, tell her."

The purple wolf jumped down from the rock. Her words were more stiff than the ground she stood on. "We don't have Alphas and Betas. We live a rankless life."

Shadow calmed a bit more as she spoke. "So, wolf, how about you say those words to my face again?"

Her voice turned high-pitched near the end. Luna nodded, but her mind couldn't collect itself to repeat. All she thought about was running. Perhaps I could run right now. Everyone will be focused on me speaking, right? If only her paws could agree. They stuck to the ground as the silence continued, and Luna heard her breathing increase. The eyes seemed to squeeze her.

She twisted and ran, refusing a look back. It took a moment before an enraged shout echoed. "GET HER!"

Pawsteps followed, but Luna ran to a cluster of trees, making turn after turn until everything looked the same. Although the pawsteps vanished, she continued ahead, searching for water or a scent or anything to identify the forest. A crow flapped its wings as it perched on a dead tree. Its coarse caw brought Luna to a halt. Hunger and thirst gnawed at her energy.

Tired and defeated, Luna trudged to a burrow under the dead tree. Her head had to stick outside, but with the tree's warmth, she didn't care. Tomorrow, she thought firmly. Tomorrow I'll look for the river. I just wish Willow and Nova made it... She fell asleep with worry and dread twisting her dreams.

~~

The morning dripped with dew, and Luna shook a fallen leaf cluster from her head. Rain? I don't remember it raining. She dug her claws into the muddy soil and pulled forward, yet her lower body wouldn't budge.

"How can I be stuck?" Luna growled as she tried again, and again... sunlight hit the tree at a peculiar angle, and rocks glowed in the light. Rocks that she didn't see or feel before.

"Surprise!" Cobalt walked from behind a tree. Luna wished she could claw his smug face off. "I put a bunch of rocks on you. It's a miracle you slept through it.

"Leave me alone! I want to go to my pack."

"Sorry, but Shadow's orders. Just be happy Jade wasn't assigned to you."

He clawed the rocks free, and the moment pressure eased, Luna scampered out and bolted. Paws swiped at her legs, knocking her down a moment later. She stood up, only for Cobalt to push her down.

"I'm not stupid. Cinder might say that, but I truly am not."

An idea crossed Luna's mind. "Cinder? But why would he call you stupid?"

"Oh, because he's smarter than me, and better than me, and..." Luna jerked with all her force, flipping Cobalt on his side. She returned to running, going past the trees, and... grass... and... Wait, where am I going?

Luna ran ahead, but in the rush she went in a random direction. Where was she? A sniff gave way to a wolf scent. She approached it with caution, and after brushing some trees to the side, familiar rocky ground came into view. And Jade stood there like she'd expected Luna to circle around.

"Jade, stand your ground," Shadow called when Jade lifted her paw. Hesitantly Jade lowered it, a scowl crossing her face.

"You got past our defenses. Maybe we can make use of you after all."

*No! That's a terrible choice,* Luna wanted to howl, but with the wolves circling her, there was no choice to be made. Instead, she nodded.

Shadow suddenly howled, making Luna cringe down out of instinct. "Tonight, ShadowPack will communicate with the spirit wolves! And while we wait for the moon to come, this wolf can introduce herself."