Silver Light (ONC 2024) LONGLIST

Chapter 10 -- EPILOGUE

The sun was finally rising over the treetops of the forest, the blizzarding winds that whipped around were finally ceasing their relentless assault. The snow that had covered the ground along with the ice and its crystals, it would be some time before all of that managed to melt away into the summer heat that the pack wanted to welcome with open paws. The skies were no longer grey and black, screaming and terrified crying had turned into silent 'oohs' and 'aahs'. The world was once more returning back to what it was, the terror of the prior night no longer a threat to anyone that lived within the forest. 

Nevanthi remained standing at the entrance of the den where she had seen Ataraxia off, watching him walk into the torrent of snow slamming down onto the world around them. She had stood there and watched him disappear from her sight, the promise that the storm was almost over hovering in the breeze around them until it had begun to die down. However, the secrets she had learned from him that evening before he left had her still in some state of shock. They were secrets that she could never speak to anyone, not even to Satix, whom she had come to trust far more than she thought she ever could. 

The sound of pups yapping pulled her golden orbs over her shoulder, her gaze quickly landing upon that black wolf she had been thinking of and his two pups. A small smile graced her lips, watching the pups jump around and play in the white powder that remained from the storm. It was quite the sight, one she never thought she would see for Satix, but she had come to find she had been completely wrong about him. 

What she thought was a wolf hardened and cruel due to his job, it was nothing more than for show. Satix was a softy, a gentle soul who cared for his pack and his family, even if his family had been nothing but outsiders to their own pack. Her father was another story, one she would have to face eventually for running out into the brunt of the storm like she did instead of coming to him with her concerns. She could have gotten herself killed out there, but she had two great wolves watching her back and she had theirs no matter how angry her father got. No matter how much he yelled, she knew that she had Satix's respect and a deep friendship with him. 

Though, with their friendship also came jealousy. 

Upon their earlier return, Nevanthi had gotten quite the lecture from Sentaiya. She yelled and screamed at her before running off. Astix, Satix's twin brother, had completely ignored her upon her return. She didn't know if he was jealous because of her friendship with his brother, angered by her connection with Ataraxia or if there was something more. Whatever it was, she had angered two friends that had once been close to her, now they were as far as they could be. 

Shaking her head at the thought, Nevanthi turned her attention skyward once more. In the now growing blue skies, the moon remained hanging despite it seeming as if it were a far off haze to her. A smile graced her lips, tail swaying slowly behind her as she stared up with both sadness and a gentle tenderness that had rarely been seen upon the young and wild she-wolf. There seemed to be far more in those affectionate eyes, her heart a pitter patter deep within her chest as she spoke her morning words to a moon that should have been asleep; 

"Don't stick around all day, I'd feel like you're stalking me. My silver light, a stalker. . . who knew. Get some sleep Ataraxia, we've got plans for tonight." 

Nevanthi turned from the entrance once more and trotted into the den, fully taking in that everyone was truly okay. She had new friends, a new respect from the pack, she also may have lost and made enemies out of her old friends. That, she couldn't dwell on, for now new doors opened for her and she had no plans to ignore them.