The Wolf

Chapter 27- Aquafur's last stand

 War. War everywhere. What happened? What is going on?

Starfrost stood, shocked as the alley unfolded below him. Tons of red, fresh blood, sparks of fire, crashing and howling noises. Whimpers, yelping, heard everywhere. He felt Puddleshine falter next to him, and Bone's breath on his neck. White glared mistily into the chaos. The sight was unnerving.

"I think my pack is there too,"Puddleshine whispered, his eyes trained on a group of wolves.

"What the hell is going on?"Starfrost said, trotting down the hill they were standing on. He found Coralnight admist the fight, who has long scars stretched over her delicate skin. She was fighting side by side with his sister, Snowberry. Upon seeing Starfrost, she immediately broke out of the fierce battle and dragged him and Snowberry out of the fights. A large brown gray wolf immediately took her spot for fighting, allowing them just enough time to run to the twin pines. As they squeezed into the tunnel, White, Bone and Puddleshine joined them. 

"Whats going on? Why is both Star pack and Moon pack here with you?"Puddleshine demanded, in an urgent tone.

"Calm down all of you,"Snowberry ushered,"Look, its a very long story, so will you please listen."

"Do it quick,"Bone barked, his eyes swiveling to the interwined canopy of the two trees.

Coralnight stared,"hang on...you are a dog."She looked at Starfrost and Puddleshine for an explanation, and looked at White's direction warily.

"That white wolf...is she not the Light wolf that betrayed us?"Snowberry who always listened to all the legends being told by the elders carefully, said thoughtfully.

"Indeed,"said Puddleshine.

"WHAT?!"Snowberry exclaimed,"she is, she really is?"

"Calm down, all of you,"Starfrost said,"If you don't remember, Puddleshine is the other Light wolf, and the light wolf we are suppose to find is White. Bone is just a friend-"

"Wait, but Starfrost-"Coralnight started, but was interrupted.

"Look, we will tell you our story only if you tell me yours first,"Starfrost ended.

Coralnight took a deep breath,"okay."

"So when you guys took your leave, the first few days was fine. We did our job well. However, one day a messenger came and told us a wolf named Silverdust had conquered Star pack, with a few allies of hers. Ofcourse, it was devastating. Silverdust came from our pack. So we did some discussion about her, thinking about recapturing her with Moon pack, when yet another messenger came telling us that Moon pack was also conquered by her and right after telling us it, she died. Thats when we knew we are next. The next few days we lived in fear. One week ago, they arrived. They savaged us, but we kept it up, both sides are getting weaker when yall came back. Thats what happened. Aquafur suspected that she wanted the whole clan for herself,"Snowberry explained in one breath. All of a sudden, a branch fell, and it almost hit Bone in his head. Bone yelped, and looked up, the whole canopy was on fire!

"Whoever that did this,"Said Puddleshine through gritted teeth,"has brain problems."

"Those who are not running, I think instead, have brain problems,"Starfrost said as all the others had already started making their way out of the twin pines through the tunnel. Puddleshine grunted and grabbed a piece of meat from the food pile, and squeezed himself into the tunnel after Starfrost. 

The group managed to make their way up to the bottom of Aquafur's cliff, and finished their conversations there. The looked up, but the sight horrified them. Two mere shadows, silhouetted against the bright red horizon, stood opposite each other, one weak and wounded, the other strong and shadowing the other. However, the wounded feared nothing, no tails tucked, no whimper, no cower. Instead, a single turquoise tear dripped from the wounded wolf, falling a few hundred metres landing right next to Starfrost. A beautiful crimson flower sprouted out from the ground, despite the strong blue colour of the tear-and the wolf. Starfrost felt his wits freeze. Now he know whats going on. Snowberry seemed to have understand too. 

The vision ages ago. Silverdust was killing...who again? Aqua wolf, aqua tear, crimson flower. Crimson eyes then? Oh no, it can't be, it must not be...

"FATHER!"Starfrost remembered the shrill voice, his own, scream. 

"Ah, its time, youngster..."Starfrost remembered the Silverdust in the vision say.

"Time for what?"He had asked. That time he had no clue what was going on. Now he does, and Silverdust spoke sense.

"A new werewolf is born..."Silverdust had answered. Starfrost can still vividly see Silverdust's joyous face, scarred with many battles' experience.

"So,"he had said, trying not to fear the worst,"what did you do?"

Silverdust, her eyes gleeming with malice had answered with evil sarcasm,"I killed him."

Right then on the spot, Starfrost felt his rage build up within him. He obviously had not hid it very well, as Coralnight started mummering "no starfrost no" and the others had already gotten ready to pull him back if needed. The only other wolf that stood side by side with him boiling with rage was Snowberry, who obviously wanted revenge too. Starfrost felt his light blue eyes turn a blazing, scorching white, swollen in their sockets, and all he could see was red. Rage blinded him completely. His legs stiffened, ready to strike.

"FATHER!"Starfrost yelled, but this time, his voice is not filled with fear and desperation like in the vision, but of anger and fustration. He sprinted up the cliff, the others failed to grab him, his sister close behind, and right into the scene. However, it was too late. Aquafur had dropped dead onto the ground, his blue green face drained of all the colours, his throat ripped to streads. And above him, was Silverdust.

Silverdust turned slyly around, half of her face hidden in the shadow, to face them, one of her eye glinting under the setting sun. She seem to wait for Starfrost to say something.

"What did you do?"Starfrost asked automatically. He realised it was happening just as it happened in the vision. 

"You fool,"Silverdust replied softly.

Starfrost opened his mouth to answer but closed it. He was going to shut his mouth. No point knowing what he knew. He pushed past her, and came to his father's side.

"Father,"Starfrost said sadly. No reply. Starfrost sighed. A tear tickled down from the side of his face, landing on his father's pelt. 

"I've grown alot, so have Snowberry. I'm sorry that you cannot see me before you leave,"Starfrost said. No response. Starfrost felt like he was going to collaspe. His bravest protector and best dad ever is gone. Forever. It hit him hard like a dozen of bricks.

"Father..."Starfrost whispered, engulfed in misery.

"I'm here son,"A hoarse whisper, thundered across the skies, cruising over the rain clouds that just formed, over the strong winds, slipped into Starfrost's ears.

"Father!"Starfrost's head snapped up, looking around, but his father was still on the ground, limp.

"I'm here..."the voice seem to fade but it carried its message to Starfrost.

"Where- where are you? I can't see you! Father?"Starfrost yelped desperately. All his anger had evaporated as soon as he heard his father's voice.

No reply again.

"FATHER!!!!"Starfrost yelled, tears streaming down his face. The battle below him stopped, alarmed at his yells.

"I'm in heaven..."the voice was faint, and drifted off into the winds.

"Ha,"came a cold, taunting voice,"don't ever hope of seeing your dear daddy again." The rage that had been supressed into a tiny cold seed in the pit of his stomach had flared up again.

Starfrost spun around.

"You,"he said, his teeth bared,"you killed him."

"Yes, I did,"Silverdust said, shrugging like it was nothing.

"You killed him,"Starfrost breathed,"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Without any other words or warning, Starfrost charged, head first, into Silverdust's defenceless body.