Running with wolves

Chapter 7

Sky! Lillyana! Where are you?" Flame howled as he scraped through the entrance. "Oh, Great Kingdom what if they're dead?" "I know they're not dead Ylva. If Sky's really dead then I'd have to kill her." "Really Flame? Now is not the time for your ever so wise comments." Growled Banan shooting Flame a venomous glare before sniffing the blackened earth. "Would you prefer if I panicked? Because I can certainly do that." "Will you two just shut up and look for my daughters." "Over here!" Huffed Banan waving his tail over his head. Below him, the two bodies of Sky and Lillyana were hunched over each other their fur burnt away leaving red cracked skin. Ylva and Flame skidded to a halt as they saw the two bodies, Flame collapsed to the ground his whole body trembling while next to him Ylva was crying as she cursed the Great Kingdom. Banan twitched an ear as he watched his mother grieve, she's lost so much he thought. Lowering his head he let the sadness flood over him "goodbye my dear sister, may we meet again someday my sweet sweet Lillyana." A long sigh disturbed his thoughts, opening one eye he saw Sky's flank rise and fall, anger quickly rose up inside him as he shoved Sky off Lillyana's body bending down to growl in her ear "Why couldn't you have died instead of my sister!"

Ylva shakily got up and stumbled towards the bodies. Grasping Sky's scruff she hauled her away as the rest of the pack started to file in curious at the mournful howls. Banan lashed his tail snarling as he looked down at Lillyana's gentle face. He looked up as Alexa gasped "The great Kingdom must be furious with us, we have harboured the embodiment of evil for too long and this is how we're repaid. It needs to leave!" She growled swinging her head towards Ylva as she groomed her pup oblivious to everything. Banan smiled yes! He thought. Puffing out his chest he raised his head high into the air and yowled "Alexa is sadly correct, I never wanted to admit this as I wanted to protect my baby sister but I cannot lie to my pack." He lingered half-smiling "Sky set the fire! I don't know why I found her talking about it and tried to convince her not to. I thought I had I really did but I guess not. It saddens me to think that my own kin killed our sister and that so many more could have died in such an incident. We have no choice but to exile her as soon as Alexa heals her. We will show kindness even though she does not deserve it because that is what good does, may she forever regret what she's lost this day. It is for the Great Kingdom to judge not us but she cannot remain for our own safety." Panting Banan stood proud as echos of agreement bounced around the hollow. Sneers and drawn teeth cursing Sky's name, only Flame stood looking mortified at Banan who stared back with unflinching eyes.

Sky's entire body screamed with pain, she forced her eyes to open but saw nothing but blurry figures. She felt her mother's gentle touch as she groomed her stained fur. Just as Sky was drifting into sleep she was flung sideways, letting out a screech she landed heavily on her side knocking the wind out of her. Shakily she sat up and looked around to see her mother's terror-stricken face. "How could you? To your own sister! To your own pack!?" Alexa stepped forward clearing her throat "It is time for you to leave demon, but first...." She suddenly started muttering in a strange language, her tan coloured pelt shimmering an orangey-pink. Sky felt her side began to prickle before the searing pain hit, panicking Sky turned and watched in disbelieve as her golden pelt began to sizzle, the grey ash smears grew and blackened infecting her pelt like a disease until all colour had been drained. "There now there is no mistaking the beast that you are! Let all hear and know that this wolf's now blackened pelt is a reminder to her that she has gone down the path that is black as night and that there will be no stars to guide her. Sky, the name given for the golden pelt of sunrise giving us all hope that the royals will lead us to greatness, now resembles that of the dark, her shinning yellow eyes to protect us from this creature that would lead us all into the dark where no light could ever touch us again. Sky as healer I sentence you to exile! I only hope one day you can be accepted by the Great Kingdom." Alexa and many others turned their backs in disgust while others bared their teeth, scrapping their claws across the ground. Sky shot through the entrance before anyone could nip at her and sprinted away into the trees.

"Hey, Sky wait up!" Looking back tensed ready to run Sky saw Flame racing towards her before skidding to halt inches from her muzzle. "Glad I caught you." He murmured brushing Sky's cheek with his muzzle "This is so wrong how can anyone think you did this?! What will you do? Where will you go?... Sorry" he added seeing how distressed she was "I love you! You know that right?" Sky smiled ever so slightly as Flame continued staring up at the Sky with a twinkle in his eyes "Oh I've dreamt of our future, running and hunting together as mates then one-day having pups of our own." Sky laughed "Sounds perfect. Come with me! We can have that future now start our own pack." Flame looked towards the hollow oak and then at Sky's desperate face before stepping back "I can't. I just can't, I owe to much to Ylva just to suddenly abandon her. As long as she is still queen I just can't leave her." Sighing Flame turned to head back home pausing only to add "When you're queen things will be different I promise." before sprinting away. "But I love you too much to wait." Sky whispered hollowly.