Delivered from Exile

Chapter 11

A flash of silver blew across my vision and plowed suddenly into Lance, towing him into the ground with force. Trey dropped from his grasp and I ran to him, holding his limp body against me. "Trey!" My voice didn't sound right, and suddenly I realized I was crying. I lowered my head down onto his chest and felt the slow but steady beat of his heart. "Oh thank God you're OK." 

It was as if a giant weight was lifted from my chest and I let myself draw a heaving sob. All I could feel was relief. Thick, suffocating relief. My best friend is OK. I couldn't protect him, but he's OK. I buried my face in his neck and let myself inhale his comforting scent. 

Suddenly, I become aware of the deep growling that sounded behind me and almost immediately I tuned back into the world.  I turned to see Lance laying on the grass with a massive snow leopard standing above him. He fought desperately against the beast and as it reached down to clasp his throat in it's jaws his foot found purchase against it's stomach. The leopard tumbled off of him and rolled gracefully to stand once more, this time placing itself between myself and Lance.

 It's bright yellow eyes bored solidly into my own. 

I clutched Trey against me, wondering how I could ever protect him from this giant beast. I had no time to shift, and I was vulnerable in this form. Lance struggled to rise, holding himself up from the ground with his arms. The leopard took a step towards me and I lifted one hand towards it, the other still beneath Trey's unconscious form.

"Easy there..." I tried to make my voice sound confident, but it shook with terror. The beast blinked curious, yellow eyes at me before closing the distance between us and pushing it's over sized head against my quaking palm. 

I felt myself relax, and all my fear washed away unnaturally. Soft purrs were coming from the large cat as it nuzzled my hand happily. I scratched carefully at it's fur, and almost instantly the beast's body began to convulse. I watched as it's form seemed to melt, and seconds later standing before her was Ayana, my little fennec fox.

"Fascinating!" The voice behind me was mystified. I turned to see the Alpha stride forward, the pack doctor trailing obediently at his heels. "What a gift.." he murmured. The Alpha lowered himself to his knees, the pack doctor grasping at his arm to support him. Once at Ayana's level, the alpha reached out to her. "Is she yours?" I knew he was speaking to me, though he never took his eyes off the little fox. "What empathy is she?"

"Uhhm... she's mine." I answered, furrowing my brow with confusion. "I-I'm sorry, I don't understand." 

The Alpha finally met my gaze, wonder shining in his deep blue eyes. "Engraved..." He whispered softly. "You must come with me child." 

Reyes heard Lance groan, and looked over to see him struggling to rise from the ground. "That thing is unnatural. It attacked me, your Alpha!" He winced, grasping his rib with his hand. "I will have it put down. NOW." Lance addressed the pack, his voice booming and twisted with a snarl. He waited, eyes locked upon Ayana and myself as he waited for his pack to obey. 

Ayana and I growled at once, her body fluffing up as she turned towards him. "You will not touch her, you bastard!" I vowed, my heart beginning to thrum quickly in my chest. I could feel myself becoming quickly overwhelmed with rage once more. 

"I am not dead yet, son." The Alpha's voice took on a chill, and I swore his eyes darkened. His body began to quiver, and I could see him fighting the instinct to change and put his son in his place. "And until then, you will do well to remember who you are." 

The two faced each other, bristling with hatred. 

"Beta, take her inside at once." The Alpha had risen, and though he addressed Dante he remained facing Lance. 

"I can't leave Trey... Lance will try to kill him again." I whispered, clutching Trey's unconscious body against my chest. I could still feel the steady pounding of his heart and it comforted me. 

"Henceforth." Though the sharp word was not in a raised voice, his voice projected across the clearing with ease. "This man, Trey, is our ally. Anyone who seeks to harm him without reason will be labeled a traitor and dealt with accordingly. Through each other we find our fire, for we are of the warmth." 

"Together we ignite, together we will be doused." The pack echoed, each of them falling to their knees once more before their Alpha. I looked to Lance, and remarkably he, too, bowed his head. Though not so deep as the others. The Northlands and the Southlands each had a saying like this- unique to them - that they call their Words. They represent true loyalty and obedience, and a wolf who shuns the Words is always exiled. 

The Alpha looked to me and I nodded, releasing Trey and letting him rest on the ground. I knew he'd come to soon and I wanted to be there when he woke up. I stroked his hair. 

The pack doctor kneeled beside Trey and grasped his wrist gently, checking his pulse. "He'll be OK, I'll take care of him." He promised. I nodded stiffly and stood, turning to Dante.

"Lets go," Dante murmured, placing his hand on my upper back and leading me gently towards the house.