Talarine: Ally to the Angels

Chapter 17

Tal sighed as she sat on the back porch facing the open field. She had been working non-stop since she had gotten home from the caves and only now did she have any alone time. Xypherius was called back to the heavens and made sure to take Anaurael's present with him and Treian, having seen how tired Tal was, had taken over command for the day with Alpha's aid. The birds chirped as she sat staring out over the field and for reasons unknown she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She wanted to cry and cry but refused to. Why do I want to cry? I never cry unless... Then the realization hit her hard today was the twenty-something year mark since Alexander had passed. She closed her eyes and understood, she always cried or forced herself to stand strong when faced with the anniversery of his death. Tal looked down to her cup and saw that there was a rose petal of some sort just resting on her drink and she smiled. Even if he wasn't there physically he was there in her heart and would always find a way to remind her of that. He used to take a single rose petal and drop it on my tea when I wasn't looking. Even if he wasn't near me he would rush over, place a petal on my drink and rush away. He loved me even when we children. But his love was that of a brother. Tal missed him dearly and still blamed herself for his death.

But even she knew that it would not being him back, nor would grieving bring her parents, Brother or sister-in-law back. It would only hurt her more and she knew this. Tal closed her eyes and let her mind wander, when she opened them it was because the wind picked up and an unwanted scent was in the air. Her eyes narrowed, she stood and leaping over the railing shifted to investigate. She heard her pack begin to ask but they stopped when it caught up to them. Pine, Oak and many more trees had their scent floating in the air along with the smell of smoke. Tal walked to her cliff and checked over every area only to turn around and see the blaze rushing her way. Granted she was used to seeing flames, thanks to both the forge and the swarms of demons that brought their own flames with them, but a forest fire lime this was beyond hers or anyone's control. Tal quickly lifted her head and howled out a warning. Then inhaling a breath, leapt from the cliff and managed, however barely, to land on her feet and take off. Her pack and Alpha's pack all howled in response as the warning spread. Treian, see to it the people are evacuated immidiatly! Dorn, Find anyone who can use magic to aid in either slowing down this Wildfire or stopping it completely! Both Males relayed the messages.

Tal ran from the flames and thanks to the color of her fur, looked like a demon from the fires of the Hells. The fire cast shadows both light and dark in color upon her and her eyes only added to the effect. The Wildfire burned bright as it chased her through the forest, she stopped upon a boulder sticking out of the ground and howled as loud as she could and prayed that Xypherius would hear it as she took off again. The hungry flames missed her by a foot as she leapt away but managed to singe her fur. She attempted to outrun the fire only to find that it came from the left side and from infront of her; she slid to a stopping and turning to her right took off again. She knew it was dangerous to remain in the forest with a fire raging but a whimper stopped her. She looked to her right to see a wolf pup cowering next to its dead mother and Tal walked up to it. The pup looked to her as the flames started coming closer and even though Tal knew she would never hear the end of it from anyone, to include Anaurael, Auriel and whoever else felt the need to rail on her about what she was doing, she took the pup by the scruff of its neck and took off with him/her firmly locked in her jaws. As she ran she came to the stream and placed the pup down and howled to alarm any nearby wolf packs to run. She grabbed the pup up again and jumped into the water and ran downstream towards the main area that it would come out at. She stopped upon seeing someone that looked like Malthael in his spirit form and after seeing that it was, she jumped from the water and followed him to safety. He disappeared from her sight as she set the pup down and saw that she was miles away from either of the towns or even Kingsport. In wolf form she could see the unseen and hear what they had to say. She saw that the blaze was in an unqenchable hunger and knew she would have to wait it out. Treian's voice cut through her thoughts and she huffed a sigh. Everyone was safe. Xypherius and the Angels who readily followed him were quickly working to keep the fire at bay from any of the towns. Tal picked the pup up and found a place to lay down to keep warm. Tal laid down and pulled the pup close to her fur and the pup slept. Tal looked the pup over and smiled. His fur was white with a small patch of grey on his left ear. She knew she had no right to name him but did so anyway.