The Ashes Wake

Chapter 3: Romulus

ROMULUS

"There are, as of what we know now, four different dimensions: the matter dimension, where we currently exist; the shadow dimension, which, of course, the shadow wolves utilize; the space dimension, which has only been accessed by the so-called Sage Witches; and the void dimension, where our consciouses go to live when our bodies die."

Interview with Jacob Dowry, author of Discovering the Dimensions
Published 5840 Year, Majira Season
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"Eat the flesh," the Beta commanded.

Rom looked at the steaming flank in front of him. "I'm not hungry."

The Beta snarled, its fangs snapping close to Rom's front paws. "You will eat, or I'll seek the Alpha from her hunt. She won't be pleased."

Rom didn't want to disturb the Alpha, especially with all the other trouble he'd caused lately. He'd been demoted from Scout to Omega-the lowest rank, equal to the pups-just a fortnight ago for walking on his hind legs.

The Beta saw the defeat in Rom's eyes. "A shadow wolf must follow the pack rules."

Rom bent down and tore at the bloody meat. It was stringy and tough, but tasted fine. The only problem was that he wasn't hungry. The pack ate generously as it was now novus season. The forest was alive again and breeding; the boars and Skorn plentiful and plump; the trees and grasses thawed through. His pack hunted all day and their prey was too slow.

After eating his meal, Rom scurried away from the others and their menacing gazes to a secluded grove. It was his favorite kind-the type that smelled faintly of nectar, midday light peeking through the foliage. Matted leaves covered the ground, sure signs of an animal's past presence.

After a few moments of silence the sounds of his retching filled the void. His meal disappeared from his stomach in a matter of seconds. Lately, he fell behind on the pack runs from his ragged joints and weak body-the shadow wolf life had never affected him so badly since when he'd first been taken into the pack.

Suddenly the branches behind him parted, allowing in more light for a moment. Rom's' mouth parted in a growl.

"Wasting the pack's hard earned fetch...you'd be challenged by the Alpha herself if she saw this," Elder Patch rasped as he walked through the foliage. The whiskers on his long graying snout twitched. "And it smells like Bucky when he caught mange last majira."

Rom heaved a sigh of relief-only an Elder. Better one of them than a youthful wolf who'd beat him for his actions. And though he didn't want to get into a row with Patch, he felt an unstoppable urge to explain himself.

"We have more fresh kill than we can eat this novus. I can't help it if I'm not hungry."

A look of sympathy passed through the old shadow wolf's eyes. "You mustn't let the other clan members catch you."

"I know," Rom replied. His ears twitched in gratitude as he added, "Thanks, Patch. No one else understands."

"That's Elder Patch, half-pup. And don't believe that I understand-I don't. I've seen many moons and suns pass yet no other shadow wolves quite like you." He padded out of the grove, leaving Rom surrounded by the silence.

He didn't want to go back by the Pack, but it was nearing sunsset which meant there'd be another search party.

Rom doubted there was much left to find. Three moons turns ago, two of their Pack's Sentinels went missing. Sentinel Ash and Sentinel Bojin had gone out on patrol duty, checking the limits of their territory, but they never returned.

When the Alpha herself went out looking for them and turned up with no sign or hint of their whereabouts, the pack went hysterical. A vigil had been held, and when the rays of the two suns finally met the Realm's horizon, every shadow wolf in their clan had scratchy throats from howling all night.

It was considered great treachery to desert one's clan, and the thought of the two most loyal members suddenly disappearing didn't add up in Rom's mind. He was quite sure something had happened to them. But what could harm two skilled, full-grown, shadow wolves? They were creatures that could walk in darkness even in daylight; they could dematerialize until they were nonexistent, just bordering on the line of disappearing. Being able to walk with shadows made killing them very challenging.

Rom laid down and crossed his front paws on the soft leaves, watching a small gnome peek from its hole in the corner of the grove. It must've been old; its beard and hair were long and white. It's rosy cheeks stood out like cherries against its skin, and the nose was bumpy and rather large.

The creature's small fingers groped for berries on a branch just out of reach. Rom sighed and padded over towards it, bit the branch off, and placed it at its feet.

It looked at him with apprehension and appreciation, mumbling something in gnome's tongue. Then it pulled a minuscule knapsack from its back and stuffed the berries in until the leaf burlap was bulging. After taking one last look at him through its white hair, it disappeared back down into the hole.

Rom returned to his spot and laid down. He thought of what Elder Patch had said-how different he was from the Pack. The fact that he was a fraud hardly ever left his mind. He'd been older than most to join, though still considered a pup when the Alpha insisted on taking him in.

That Alpha was long gone now, beaten in combat by the current leader, Armina, who despised him. Rom knew he was weak and a deadweight to the Pack. He was the worst hunter, the worst tracker, and the worst shadow-switcher. He had his occasional uses though.

"When we fought the Blood Pack, who was the planner of their demise?" He mumbled to the surrounding trees and sunlight. "Who advised that we ambush them instead of meet them head-on?"

Only a few moons turns ago Blood Pack had crossed into their limits and made kills in Shadow Pack territory. Being the prideful species they were, Shadow Pack retaliated, giving them reason enough to never cross the borders again.

It'd been under his own advice that they had wait to ambush them, staying in the shadow dimension until halfnight. The attack was successful and quick, leaving a few Blood wolves dead and many injured.

"Don't think you're one of us," Alpha Armina had snapped at Rom after they returned back to camp to lick their own wounds.

It hadn't bothered him much then, standing in the glory of his packmates congratulating him and sharing their catches, but it stung later. He already had trouble with most of the shadow wolf skills and being reminded by the Alpha didn't make it any better.

From afar he heard her distinct howl cut through the air, calling them back to base for the search party. Rom sighed and stood up on his back legs, stretching. He looked longingly at the grove, wishing he could hide away all day, then padded through the branches and into the surrounding forest.

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Poor Romulus. I've certainly felt as left out as him before. Keep reading to see what's in store for him. Feel free to share your thoughts or, if you enjoyed, a vote would be super appreciated !