The Wolves of the Gems

Chapter 11

20 miles from territory border: Southern Forest Pack Territory: Clear Lake: Early Summer

Smoke flew into the sky, but it wasn't the dark, threatening looking smoke like before, this smoke was a light grey, with some parts of it being white. Half of the Southern Forest had been burnt, only the trunks of charred trees defied the flames orders and stood proud even though they have be beaten and tortured.

The other half of the forest, the less thick part of the whole forest, stood proud, green leaves rose high from the treetops. Bush swayed in the sun with the gentle, but warm breeze.

A clear, beautiful and a seemingly untouched lake reflected the trees and and bright blue sky. But it also showed the five faces of the travelling companions. They all lapped the water up greedily, attempting to rejuvinate their exhuasted bodies and in hope to clear their smoke filled lungs.

Stormcloud kept his usual distance from the others, almost to act like a guard. Silver and Darkness stood side-by-side like always. Faita and Chinook stood next to each other, lapping up the refreshing, cool water of the lake.

Faita looked to the older teen's smoke covered left side. Her electric blue eyes watched his side expand and and contract. And with each breath, his fur, little by little, showed a small, circular scar. Faita stopped lapping up the water as her eyes widened at what she realised the scar was. The midnight teen had only seen it as a wound on other animals, not as a scar. Faita wanted to ask about it, but considering how Darkness acte towards the other male, she decided it be best for Chinook to reveal it himself, on his terms.

Chinook raised his grey head from the lake, small droplets dripping down from his muzzle as he noticed Faita looking at him.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, tilting his head to the right slightly.

Faita shook her head. "No, nothing's the matter," she said, quickly turning her head to the lake, lapping up the cool water.

"You just want to ask about... about my past?" Chinook turned his head away from the younger teen. Faita looked up at the grey wolf. She could piece together some of what had happened, but she wasn't sure if her assumptions were true or false.

Faita nodded once, before speaking. "But it's not my place to ask, I know I wouldn't reveal my past to a wolf I only met a few weeks ago."

Chinook smiled at the younger and darker wolf. His ears suddenly flicked to the trees behind them, but his head snapped to a figure between the trees. Faita followed his gaze, pulling her lips into a snarl.

The three older wolves noticed what was happening, and pulled away from the lake, and - all but Stormcloud - bared their fangs at the figure.

"Ghost," Darkness growled lowly, as a gun-metal grey wolf with rusty brown and black markings calmly and silently walked from the trees, showing herself completely, and her blood stained left shoulder. Darkness raised his tail high as he stepped closer to the Rogue scout. "What do you want Ghost?" He growled loud enough for the scout to hear.

Ghost stepped forward to the dark grey brickstone wolf, and even though her movements showed a potiental threat, her yellow eyes showed something else. A plea?

"Darkness, I need your help," her voice has shaky, even against all her attempts. Four of the five wolves widened their eyes and looked at each other. Even The Storm Wolf widened his yellow eyes a little.

Darkness didn't want to trust the injured Rogue scout, she was known for her abilities of deception which lured wolves to their deaths. But when Silver stepped forward, not in a threatening way, but in a reassuring way, he knew he had no choice. He may have the ability to smell, but Silver's sight seemed to outmatch even the best sense of smell, the eyes have and always will be the windows to the soul.

"Tell us what happened Ghost," Silver said to the femora, her voice gentle.

Ghost nodded hesitantly, not staring at the slightly older female. "I found something, something both you and the Rogue Pack want," she said, her voice slowly getting back its confidence. Ghost shook the fur around her neck, revealing a smooth, black gem. She waited for their reactions of shock to die down before she continued, "When I realised what it was, I returned to the pack, in hopes of giving it to Victoria and getting a higher rank, what I didn't expect, that when I revealed it to her, her demands for me to hand it over were out of something I never expected. Fear. Every moment I took, the more dread of what it could do to her in someone else's paws rose. And when I backed away, that's when I was attacked. I managed to escape, but I don't know how long ago I lost them."

Darkness looked to the larger, black wolf, his yellow eyes asking what to do next. Stormcloud looked to Darkness, then to Ghost and nodded silently, walking north, away from the lake.

"You can travel with us and we will heal your wounds, unless you decide to become our enemy again," Darkness said, following the pure black wolf. Silver followed in after her brother and Faita and Chinook after her. Ghost walked at the back of pack, but this time, she followed without reluctance.

Location: Unknown: Pack Territory: Unknown: Early Summer

Deep in the burnt and grey land, a mountain unlike any other rose from the Earth, a plume of smoke rising from its summit. The sky was a continous dark grey. At the bottom of the mountain was an entance to a cave long blocked by dirt and stone. But inside rested a magnificent temple, its roof rose high. The centre of the building was circular, and at the top resting on platforms were seven, stone, winged creatures.

One was reared on its hind legs, wings spread wide. Two stood, with their heads bowed and their wings close by their sides, and the remaining four were seated with their wings behind them and their tails curled around them. But none looked the same in any way.

One of the winged creatures that was seated was a wolf, its front, left paw held out in front of it. The grey stone began to crack around the face and wings. The stone eyes that were once closed, shattered, revealing all too real electric blue ones. Seconds after that, the wings flapped, and broke free from the stone. A roar-like growl erupted from its throat as it's head moved for the first time in thousands of years. The left paw was slammed down to the platform the winged wolf was on, and by then it was free from the stone. It was snow white with its markings an electric blue. Under the furry bat wings, were symbols, symbols only it and its kin could read.

The winged wolf looked to its kin. "I will return, and with our gems," the voice seemed to belong to a young male. He flared his wings open and dove down, flying through the temple.

He raised his head high and howled. It echoed throughout the temple, throwing the rocks and debris away from the entrance. Once out, he rose high into the sky, the blue markings on his face, body and wings glowed as he flew across the land, continuing his thousand years search for his gem.