Uralian Legends Secrets # 1- Loyal- On Hold

Heart of Fire

  Wingbeat awoke at the base, his fur clotted with snow and his limbs colder than ice. It was the middle of the night and as soon as he woke up the cold that racked his body vanished. Blinking he stretched his forelegs and yawned widely.

  "Oh your up Wingbeat," A voice murmured. Turning in surprise Wingbeat saw a dark shape in the shadows. Warm silver eyes gazed back at him. "Snowfly?" He wondered. The snowy wolf nodded silently and stepped closer to him. "You nearly froze out there," She rumbled. Wingbeat ducked his head.

  "Why don't I feel the cold now?" He asked her. She nuzzled his ears gently. "Because this is a dream," She answered. Wingbeat felt his ears, wings, and tail droop. "So you're not really here?" He rumbled, disappointed. Snowfly gave him a comforting lick. "I've been trying to communicate with you in my dreams but we're never asleep at the same time," She responded. 

  "Do you wish to tell me anything?" Snowfly murmured giving him another lick. There was so much Wingbeat wanted to tell her- but it would take until the end of noleaf to finish telling her all of it. "Well you know this but I've really missed you and I wish you were here with me," He rumbled nudging her neck fur with his muzzle. "I've missed you too Wingbeat," Snowfly murmured, pawing his shoulder playfully.

  "If that is all we have to say to one another then I must leave," Snowfly rumbled, trying to sound determined. "I can send you into a peaceful sleep until you wish to wake up if you want," Snowfly offered. Wingbeat ducked his head and lay back down his ears perked. He felt Snowfly lay down next to him and turned to give her head a soft lick. She rested her muzzle on his shoulder and Wingbeat felt the warmth of her touch spread throughout his body. He wished it could stay this way forever- Snowfly curled against his side. 

  Maybe one day it would be like this...

  Sunlight shimmered in through the brambles overhead and Wingbeat heard voices murmuring above his head. "What..." One of the snowy wolves growled but Wingbeat felt sleep drag him back and he didn't hear all of what the snowy wolf said. "It is not absurd it is the truth!" Another snowy wolf replied. The first snowy wolf fell silent for a moment. "But why? Why would he leave when he knows he's not strong enough?" He growled eventually.

  Wingbeat twitched his ears back grumpily. He was a snowy wolf- he could do anything! He could sure do more than these half baked creatures! He felt a snout nudge his neck fur and retreat again. "Wingbeat?" The snowy wolf murmured. "I hope he didn't hear any of that," The other snowy wolf growled. 

  "I... heard it... all," Wingbeat snarled fiercely without opening his eyes. "Hey, look... I'm sorry but its true- you can't do anything at the moment," He growled, "So stop pulling idiotic stunts that might get you killed... OK," The snowy wolf snapped. Wingbeat opened his eyes and bared his teeth fiercely. "Don't tell me what to do," He hissed struggling to his paws and trying to hold his head high. He knew there was a challenge in his eyes but he didn't care if he died in a fight. 

  "Sit down right now," Blackfire growled pacing toward him. Wingbeat flared his wings menacingly and took a half step toward Blackfire. "I said DON'T tell me what to do," He snarled. He sensed more than saw the other snowy wolf shift uneasily. Blackfire moved until he was right in front of Wingbeat. Digging in his claws Wingbeat resisted the snowy wolf's hard shove and snapped at his muzzle with a low snarl of defiance. 

  Blackfire edged back out of his biting range and gazed at him as though waiting for him to make the first move. The two glared at each other for a moment before Blackfire lunged. Wingbeat clamped his teeth over Blackfire's right paw and shoved him with his shoulder. Though the other snowy wolf was considerably larger than he was Blackfire stumbled and nearly lost his balance. This gave him a chance to end the fight easily. But someone cannoned into him sending him flying off course. Crashing onto his side he felt a firm paw land on his shoulder but the snowy wolf didn't attack him- instead he turned to defend him from Blackfire. 

  Struggling he snapped at the snowy wolf- he had been driven into a blind rage and no longer cared who he bite or clawed. "Wingbeat stop I'm trying to help you!" The snowy wolf yelped as he sank his teeth into the snowy wolf's leg. He yelped again as Blackfire let out a bellow of fury and knocked him off Wingbeat. Scrambling to his paws Wingbeat lashed out at Blackfire who roared again and charged him. Wingbeat dodged him and whirled around sinking his teeth into Blackfire's tail. The snowy wolf howled and turned on him- pain crazed rage in his eyes. 

  Before Blackfire could retaliate Wingbeat felt teeth sink into his neck fur and pull him away from his enemy. The snowy wolf let him go and stood in front of him, rigid with shock but hiding it well. "What is happening here?" She snarled turning a hostile look on Blackfire. She didn't give him the chance to answer. "I told you to make sure he was alive not to try and fight him to the death!" Fiercetalon spat at him. Blackfire bared his teeth fury still glinting in his eyes. Blue shouldered him toward the entrance with a scowl fixed firmly on his muzzle. "I told you not to..." He muttered but Wingbeat didn't hear all that he said. Once they were gone Fiercetalon began to run her muzzle through his pelt and check for wounds. 

  "He didn't..." She asked. "Oh no, I'm fine," Wingbeat replied giving her a reassuring nudge. They were quiet for a moment. "There's not a scratch on you!" Fiercetalon exclaimed suddenly. Wingbeat ducked his head, slightly embarrassed. "Um... yeah... I'm a pack warrior so... um... yeah..." He trailed off awkwardly. Fiercetalon nudged him once and lightly trotted away but stopped and turned back to give him one more announcement. 

  "If your strong enough to fight Blackfire than I think your strong enough to rejoin us in warrior training," She rumbled. "And I'm going to tell Starpaws as much," She muttered leaving the base. Wingbeat felt his spirits rise- so Fiercetalon though he was strong enough... 

  Go ahead and throw your fires at me- I'm ready...