Wolf Saga: The Secret

Chapter 10

"You're no leader," Shadowstar replied coolly. "You're a self-appointed, weak fool. I was never really wanting to die there- I wanted to see what you would do. The cut you made? Shallow. The wolves you appointed? Loyal to me. Your army? Mind-controlled by the Night Onyx. But it doesn't really work, does it?" She gestured to the battlefield, where smoky wolves grappled with real wolves, who sliced the shadows into two, only for them to re-form. "They're not supposed to do that- which proves that you can't lead." Shadowstar suddenly lunged forward, quicker than a snake, and grasped Swanstar's paw. Swanstar struggled, biting at Shadowstar, but the black wolf cuffed her sharply with one paw.

"Let me go," Swanstar shrieked, anger and desperation mixing in her eyes. "Let me go, you worthless old thing!" Shadowstar purred, and raised one claw. Swanstar shrieked louder, real fear tinging her voice. Frostfeather scrambled away from Swanstar's lashing paws, gazing wide-eyed at the spectacle, black fur and white fur sprinkling in clumps around them as they fought.

"This is your punishment," Shadowstar snarled, and stabbed her claw into the black tattoo mark etched onto Swanstar's pad. She gouged it in reverse, and the scar left the paw pad and clung to Shadowstar's claw. "Demoted." Swanpelt screamed in pain, writhing and trying to shake her off. Shadowstar kicked her away, a mixture of disgust and satisfaction on her face.

"Enough," came a resounding voice behind Shadowstar. "You have already kept your wolves in torment for too long." Shadowstar turned, her eyes widening at who it was.

"You, an old wolf?" she asked in disbelief. "Lauris, I'm surprised at you." Frostfeather gawked at the old wolf, his pelt hanging loosely from his body and hanging in clumps. It was Addertail, and Lichenflower stood beside him, looking stronger "And Narista! Why show up here?"

"This battled was caused by your wolves, Shadowheart," Narista replied, her voice steely. "And yes, I know you by your old sharp-fang name. It suited you very well."

"I was lying alone in a cave, slowly healing myself with the true Night Onyx," Shadowstar replied calmly. "The scar you see is from the wolf that is wailing like a little pup over there." She jerked her muzzle toward Swanpelt, contempt evident in her voice. Lauris tipped his head.

"If you wish to have all your wolves who are actually in the Dark Pack remain alive, then turn them back," Lauris warned, tail swishing threateningly. "I can unleash a power so great

that your shadow-wolves cannot withstand it, and some are loyal, brainwashed sharp-fangs that you have held under your control for far too long."

"I did not brainwash them," Shadowstar growled, pawing a black amulet off of Swanpelt's neck. "Nor did I steal Blizzardstar's Soul. Those deeds were Swanpelt's. I ordered her to capture Blizzardstar in some way, but she did so in a way that I did not expect. You may do whatever you like with the traitor, and I'll lead my wolves home."

"Not so fast," snapped Narista, leaping in front of Shadowstar. "We need a few questions answered- like where our daughter is, and why you collapsed the Summer Palace." Shadowstar curled her lip.

"Oh, yes," she hissed, tail flicking with pleasure. "I have waited for you to ask that." Narista glared at Shadowstar until the black she-wolf finally let out a deep sigh, rolling her eyes. "It was us, yes, but you should have taken the warnings we gave you."

"A vague 'leave or you'll be destroyed?'" Narista growled. "That barely sounded like a proper warning we could heed." Shadowstar rolled her eyes, and sighed again.

"There were other signs, too," she explained, swishing her tail in exasperation. "How wolves cowered in the throne room, how everything seemed so silent around the palace... It took you so long to find out that there was a curse on it!" Narista leapt up, baring her fangs, but Shadowstar batted her away, laughing. "Oh, Narista, you wouldn't have known.... It doesn't affect you and your precious family, only intruders that weren't meant to be there. So that means every pathetic little wolf you dragged in was unworthy, were they?"

"Who set the curse?" Narista snarled, her voice lowered to a deadly calm tone. "I. Want. To. Know. Now!" Lauris intervened suddenly, stepping in between the two she-wolves.

"Shadowstar, we must know, for the safety of every wolf," Lauris snapped. "If you want to remain alive, then you will tell us. The pack leaders were appointed to protect Arcandia, not destroy it, as you are doing now."

"Stop it!" shouted Frostfeather, leaping forward at the same time as Narista, who had bared her fangs and was prepared to pounce on Shadowstar. "Blizzardstar and I investigated the Forgotten Palace, and found that the curse had a power greater than the Jewels, and the sorcerer Mirgo."

"It wasn't more powerful than Mirgo," Shadowstar intervened, smiling slightly. "It was cast by Mirgo, who is in my service as I speak. He's been trapped in my dungeon for seasons. I've allowed him to extend his life period indefinitely, but only if he casts spells in the Dark Pack's favor." Narista growled again, but remained silent.

"Why do you believe Mirgo is as powerful as you think?" Frostfeather replied calmly, her mind racing. "The royal family is more powerful than you think, such as reversing the Taint, as King Lauris suggested." Lauris blinked, surprise at being called king gleaming in his eyes.

"Mirgo is more powerful than you think," Shadowstar snapped. "Little wolf, you know not of the ancient ways. I was there when he cast the spell, Turned many Souls, and changed pack life as we know it. Do not assume that I do not know the ways of old."

"You do," Frostfeather acknowledged, "but you don't know the location of the royal heir." Shadowstar rolled her eyes.

"She was killed in the Summer Palace collapse," she sighed. "I have completed a location spell with Mirgo, and the location feather zigzags across the map. If you try to plot the location of a dead wolf, it spins around the map, an indication that its Soul resides everywhere and nowhere." Frostfeather smiled.

"Perhaps it's a sign that the princess had been everywhere," she countered, hoping for once that her logic was right. "Maybe she's been traveling all over the continent, looking for her parents."

"She's dead, little wolf," Shadowstar growled. "If you weren't so terribly important to Pack life, I'd kill you myself right now."

"You don't have that kind of power," Frostfeather said quietly. "If anyone were to raise a paw against the princess, they would be thrown back in an arc of white light." Shadowstar began to say something, but Frostfeather raised one paw. "I also know the location of the princess."

"Yes, in the ruins of the Summer Palace," Shadowstar howled, finally losing her temper. She sprang at Frostfeather, but was pushed back by a white shield that exploded in her face. "You," she breathed, eyes gleaming with surprise. "Pathetic little wolf. I don't believe it. Where is the real princess?"