The Wolves of the Gems

Chapter 12

15 miles from territory border: Southern Forest Pack Territory: Moss Covered Tree: Early Summer

  Day once again turned to night in the Southern Forest. The stars twinkled above the five companions and the injured Rogue wolf. Their resting place for the night was a fallen, rotten, moss covered tree. Chinook and Faita stuck close to Stormcloud, wary of the Rogue even though she was just a scout, while Darkness sat in front of Ghost as she laid down with Silver tending to her wound.

  "So why did you come to us, Ghost?" Darkness inquired, his yellow eyes looking down at the gun-metal grey wolf. He didn't tilt his head, nor did his voice show any emotion.

  "You are some of only a small amount of wolves which have had one-on-one experience with these gems," Ghost replied, her tone even as she looked up at the larger wolf, "and considering you seem to be headed completely in the wrong direction, you could use my help more than I need yours." A small smirked wormed its way onto to femora's muzzle as the words left her mouth.

  "What do you mean?" Faita asked, walking over to the Rogue and sat down beside Darkness, her blue eyes glowing with wonder and curiosity.

  "What I mean is, you are walking around chasing your tails. Do you even have a destination in mind?" Ghost tilted her head, her ears flattened, and when the group only looked at each other, but didn't say anything, her ears almost disappeared in her fur. "How did we not defeat you before?" Ghost muttered under her breath, shaking her head, before raising her voice and looking at the group, "Where you really should be looking is deep in the canyons to the North West."

  "Why, what's in the North West canyons?" Faita looked directly at Darkness, hoping he had an answer. And like usual, her hopes in the older wolf were benefitted.

  "The wolf-dog Nightsong," Darkness looked to the teen beside him, before turning his attention back to Ghost, "but what exactly would she know?"

  "Nightsong knows more about the gems than any wolf, her knowledge is the reason the Rogues have been going after her for over a year now, but her...," Ghost chose her next words carefully, as if the wolf-dog they were all speaking about, was standing before them, "actions towards wolves are not very friendly, in fact teams sent out to find her and bring her to Victoria have either returned wounded, or didn't come back at all."

  "She sounds as savage as Victoria herself," Chinook shook his fur a little, getting rid of a shiver, "so what's our next move?"

  Ghost looked towards the young wolf, then turned to Darkness. "So, since you seem to be the alpha of this merry band, its your decision," Ghost smiled, slowly getting back to her paws.

  Darkness looked around the group, letting his mind decide on the next course of action, before his mind landed on one idea. The grey male raised his head high in confidence in a way only an alpha would. "We follow the quickest path and travel north," he said and the others nodded their head once, but it was only Ghost who raised a question.

  "You do realise to travel north by the quickest path takes you direct through the ruined, metal trees?" She asks, tilting her head to the right a little. As a response, Darkness nodded his dark grey head. "Okay, just checking," a small smirk dawned on her muzzle.

  The five companions and former Rogue wolf settled down for the night and when morning would come, they all would leave for the journey ahead.

30 miles from territory border: Mountain Pack Territory: Densite: Early Summer

  "WHAT?!" Victoria snapped, the fur on her shoulders rose, her teeth were bared and her tail was held high. Pinned in front of her was Scars, his ears flat against his head, and his tail tucked between his legs. "You let her escape?!"

  "She gave us the slip, Alpha," Scars only just managed to keep his voice from whimpering. The wolves who were with him when Ghost had escaped had run to a safe place, all except for Danger, who was standing slightly behind the blind wolf Iowa.

  "Your failures have cost me more than what I would like," she snarled, lowering her face closer to his, "and if you weren't my brother, I would've already torn you apart, instead I will send someone more capable." Victoria rose her head and stepped off the scarred wolf, turning to a black and dark grey wolf, larger than Darkness with bite mark scars on his neck. "Eon," Victoria called to the wolf. He looked up revealing redish brown eyes, but if not seen properly, they looked red.

  Eon stepped forward and bowed his head, his muzzle slowly turning grey with age, to the grey alpha with red hints. "Yes, my Alphess?" His tone was deep and dark.

  "I am sending you and your team to hunt and take down the traitor and whoever she is with," Victoria ordered, her eyes seemed to narrow when she though of the scout.

  Eon nodded his head and walked down the path to the rest of the already large wolf pack. Victoria watched as six wolves, all of different ages, approached Eon and then ran down the main mountain path. The alphess couldn't help the smirk that placed itself on her muzzle, she had complete confidence in the team. Behind her, Scars was now back on his paws, staring at his sister as Danger approached. The two males glanced at each other before disappearing down one of the paths down to the rest of the pack.