The Peace of the Wanderer

Chapter Thirteen: The Flame

Shadow held her ground on the rocky ledge, glaring up at the other side of the valley through blazing green eyes. Midnight might've been gone, but she still had a job to do.

She scanned the hill where the howl had come from, crouching to make herself less visible in general.

That's when she saw it.

As thunder rumbled from the west, dozens of wolves appeared on the horizon, the leader stepping forward and looking around the valley with dark eyes the color of blood.

Shadow felt a surge of fear course through her as she realized that this wasn't just one pack. It couldn't be.

These were many packs.

Shadow chanced a glance over her shoulder, hoping to see the housecats who had decided to fight back, but no such prevail.

The alpha wolf's eyes locked onto the small, quivering cat and began to laugh. The laugh was malevolent and rugged, sending shivers up Shadow's spine.

"This is all? And I thought we'd actually have to fight!" The wolf barked in mirth, his allies joining in mocking happiness.

Shadow narrowed her eyes as she looked at them, her heart racing more than usual when she caught sight of a certain fox.

Her claws immediately unsheathed as she glared at her family's murderer, noting the fact a smaller, lithe figure seemed to be standing beside him.

The area seemed to darken and it smelled as if blood was going to be shed. Shadow's fur began to fluff up, making her seem larger than she actually was. She hoped that made her at least a little more intimidating.

Then, in her most powerful voice she could muster, she yelled, "You will have to fight! I won't let you kill them!"

The alpha laughed again, this time seeming to nearly die of mirth. "Very brave of you," he chimed, "but you and what army? You have no one. And when you die at the paws of your opponents, we will be roaring."

Shadow shuddered as she thought about a wolf's teeth sinking into her neck, the blood leaving her body and filling up a its mouth, killing her on the spot. She sank deeper into the ground fearfully.

"She does have someone!" A voice suddenly rang out from behind the small she-cat.

The voice seemed unfamiliar, but yet she almost seemed to recognize it. Shadow turned around and looked up, seeing...

Dozens upon dozens of cats stood proudly, glaring at their opponents. All of them had a certain fire in their eyes Shadow was very familiar with- she had seen that look in her father many times before when he was determined. She had never seen any group of cats be so... united.

Out of the crowd appeared a large yellow tabby cat that had claws that could tear out someone's throat.

"She has us."

Shadow didn't think she knew this tom, but yet... His eyes, the amber shade that her brother had.

"Tiger?" she whispered, scanning the ranks. Beside the large cat, who seemed to be the leader, stood a black tom with copper eyes that somewhat resembled Mowgli, except this one was way smaller. On the leader's right was a snow-white she-cat that looked startlingly like Shadow's mother.

The leader acknowledged her, a small smile on his face. Shadow had never forgotten that smile.

How her siblings had become the commanders of a huge army, Shadow didn't really know, but she fully intended to question them after winning the battle.

That is, if we win, a small, doubtful, nagging voice told her.

Shadow shook off the thought. They would win. Though the wolves probably were stronger, sure, but the cats had more members in their ranks.

Shadow chanced a look at the alpha of the pack, who seemed to be getting annoyed. There was no laughter left anymore. Good. If he had finally shut up, he must've been at least a little bit nervous, right?

Shadow continued to watch the ranks of the cats, noticing some familiar faces that she recognized on sight. She noted the she-cat Esther standing next to...

Frost?

Why was she here? Maybe it was because of her siblings? Maybe it was to avenge Thunder, like Shadow was planning on doing?

Shadow wouldn't let her die in the bloody battle that was quickly approaching judging by the tension in the air.

The wolf glared at Shadow's brother, his lips drawing back in an enraged snarl.

"You dare think you can defeat us, the strongest creatures in the forest?" the alpha barked. "You dare think you can defeat me, Drako, the greatest alpha male to ever grace this forest? Ha! To think you could even fathom protecting your little humans from us!" The wolf reared his head, his eyes looking wild.

Most of the cats seemed confused at the word 'human.' Shadow was puzzled as well, but she was good at hiding it. Whatever 'humans' were, they probably weren't anything important to the task at paw.

Drako quickly picked up on the cats' uncertainty, beginning to laugh again. "Of course you don't know what a human is!" he roared. "They are what you petty cats call a Hind-Walker, I believe. They sit with their slaves, the house cats and dogs, while us wolves are killed everyday by them! Those poor dogs just need freedom, you see!"

Tiger stood his ground, silent as a stone. He cast his gaze on Drako, tail lashing slightly. He raised it slightly, his tail tip straight as a board.

He was going to do it.

He was going to start the attack.

Shadow felt her heart beginning to pump adrenaline throughout her body, making her want to pounce on something. Her muscles tensed up as she crouched down, glaring up at the wolves with a certain fury in her eyes. For the first time since getting herself lost, Shadow didn't feel afraid of the bloodshed ahead. To her horror and surprise, she actually craved it; she felt so... alive, even though the war hadn't even begun.

She vaguely wondered if this was what Reagan felt like when he was about to kill his next victim. The thought made her feel sick to her stomach, so she brushed it off, but she couldn't help but hear her inner monologue telling her how much she'd love to destroy.

She felt a flame in her heart that she would not smother.

She wondered what Midnight was up to.

Before Tiger could signal the attack, Drako raised his mighty head and released a long, clear, deep howl.

All at once, the wolves charged, barking and growling in rage as they raced down the valley hill. Their powerful legs propelled them forward, some leaping to get ahead, all of them trying desperately to get the first kill.

Tiger didn't even have to make the command to move- the cats seemed to move in unison, perfectly in sync with each other.

The two sides rushed at each other through the valley, and thus the Battle of The Great Oak began.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Woo, what a rush writing this was!

SONG LISTENED TO WHILE WRITING:

The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy

SONG THAT FITS THE CHAPTER:

Imperial March from Star Wars (composed by John Williams)

Not much of anything else to talk about, so...

Have a great day and Happy Reading!