Ice's Story (ON HOLD)

Chapter Five

Trails of Blood

Ice awoke with a groan. Dusk had fallen upon the forest, casting everything in shadow. His head ached faintly, but it all pain was forgotten at the sight of the two limp bodies before him.

Tobin. Mirabella. The two dogs who had cared for him after what Midnight Pack had done had been destroyed by Midnight Pack.

Thoughts of revenge and killing the dogs responsible for this travesty flashed through Ice's mind as he heaved himself up. But they were gone just as quickly. Revenge wouldn't do anything. There would be no way he, a single dog, could take on a whole ferocious pack. And even if he could, it still wouldn't bring his friends back.

He slowly walked over to them, ignoring the sting of his wounds. He pressed his nose against Mirabella's cold cheek, tears welling in his eyes. I'm sorry.

Ice gently separated their bodies and dragged them back to the den. Carefully, he groomed them so their wounds were covered and used some of the herbs Mirabella had said were used for burials. He then dug a grave and laid the mates side-by-side in it. He stared at them, so peaceful but so unnervingly still, and then slowly pushed the dirt back in.

Ice sat motionless, staring at the mound of earth. One might have mistaken him for a dog made of stone if not for the tears that rolled down his face.

He had thought he had found a place where he could be happy. He had thought he could forget all the grief of losing his family. He had thought he would spend the rest of his life living with two dogs he loved and cared about.

And instead, he had lost everything.

~

Ice blinked open his eyes to early morning light. He had slumped into a half-sitting, half-lying position and had fallen asleep somewhere in the night. He stood up slowly, feeling stiff.

As he stretched the stiffness out of his limbs, Ice's thoughts flew back to the ravine where he had been trying to make a decision when he'd heard Tobin's howl. He smiled bitterly. There was no indecision now. There was nowhere else to go.

But what exactly was he going to do? How would he even find Blood? Midnight Pack was the only place he could think of him going, but it had been months. Would Blood still be a member? And if he wasn't, then what was he going to do?

Don't think about that now, Ice scolded himself. You won't get anywhere that way. Focus on the present, like Father would.

He glanced at the grave and the lump returned to his throat. Blinking back tears, he turned away and inhaled a shaky breath. First, he would hunt; get his mind off things and silence his rumbling stomach. Then he would decide what to do.

~

Ice chewed on a bone of the rabbit he had caught, thinking about his options. He had already resolved that he would not go back to the clearing or the den. He wasn't sure if he could handle it. And besides, he thought, taking on Thorn's practical mindset, I need to get out of the territory anyway. Midnight Pack will be patrolling it soon enough.

He rose and stared ahead at the forest. Looking for Blood in Midnight Pack was his only option aside from wandering aimlessly. And he had made a promise.

Ice gritted his teeth and strode forward, his eyes hard with resolve. Maybe, just maybe, he would pick up a trace of his brother's scent and he would be able to find him without getting his fur ripped off by a group of hostile dogs.

It wasn't long before he had reached the ravine. Pushing away any emotional memory triggers, Ice put his nose to the ground and began to sniff. This was the last place he had seen Blood, so it was the only place he could look.