Alpha's Blood (Book One)

Tragedy Strikes

   For Artemis, the sun rose too soon and now it's deadly glare surrounded her with a reminder of what was coming. It was still early, and only few wolves had woken for the day, and to her relief, her pups were still deep asleep. The cave was still dark, but the sun threatens to poke through the waterfall. Closing her eyes, Artemis thought of a green field to ease her grief and fear before speaking but it didn't work. It only worried her more and now she had to warn the pack. Leaping a top alphas peak, she says down gently and placed her tail over the rocks edge. Her stance was tall as she sat there looking at the warriors who were eating and getting ready to go on patrol, it seemed the only ones sleeping was the younger wolves and elders. Sighing gratefully, she gave a shrill bark, calling attention to the wolves moving around the cave. Immediately, they all stopped and looked to her with respectful eyes and listening ears.
   "I am sad to say I have received a message from our oracle. Today will be bloody for our pack, for today battle begins fully. I will send Sage out for her first hunt as usual but I will have three warriors assigned to watch her from afar. If she is attacked come get me, and we will fight. The main mission is to get my pups out of here.." Artemis's face showed fury and determination now as she snarled her last words. "We will fight. Or we will die."

The late afternoon sun warmed Sage's back as she slipped through the trees, her eyes watching a group of deer nearby. If she could find a small one and bring it down, that would be the perfect first catch. Shifting her weight so that her claws didn't brush against the leaves on the ground, she started heading behind them, searching for a smaller weak deer. The scent of sickness found her nose and she noticed one deer limping away from the others. Her blue hues watched the deer move carefully, her claws digging into the ground to keep herself steady. It stopped feet from her, lowering its head to eat grass and that's when Sage noticed the wound on its leg. Infected. She smiled at herself before moving forward a bit and leaping out of the tall grass, her teeth fastening around the young bucks neck. A snap vibrates in her maw as her teeth meet his neck bone and broke it. The herd looked up at the sound and bolted away, that was fine. She had her prey down and ready to drag back. Keeping the deers neck in her maw for a moment to ensure it's life was drained, she sat beside it. Her tail curled over her paws as she waited for its breathing to stop, but when his body stopped with the sounds of breathing she still heard it. Sighing, she thought her mother was near and turned her head to look at her, but instead of the green eyes of her mother, she met the lifeless white eyes of Krater.
"Hello my dear!" His voice was shrill and echoed amongst the trees, and behind him growls followed. One male in particular stood out to her, his scent familiar. His dark fur glistened in the sun and when he stepped forward, she gasped. Daren..moms playmate growing up. A growl erupted from Sage when she saw him.
   "Traitor!" Her words were cut off by his laughter and a male that came up behind her.
   "He's not the only one, Granddaughter." His voice was deep and when she turned to look at him, his features matched her own fathers. Brock.
   Sage didn't want to stay and ask questions, so she did what she could only do best for now. She ran. Her back legs tensed as she pushed herself to leap over Daren and bolt for her cave but she was stopped by more wolves. Swiveling around, she headed deeper into the forest her paws thundering on the ground and her breathing raspy from fear. She could hear the snarls and growls coming from all sides of her, their own paws matching hers at they created a pattern of beats on the hard ground. Lumps formed in her throat as her blue eyes tried to search for a hiding spot, and the only answer she saw to her situation was a hollow tree that she could fit inside. Heading into the hole under the tree she crawled into the tunnels that seemed abandoned by its former rabbit inhabitants. The scents of the wolves surrounded her in a omen of death, her throat felt dry and she could hear her own heart in her ears. Then, silence. No sounds came from outside the hole and when she emerged the scent was gone too. Was it over? Had she got away from them? She got out of the tunnel fully and started towards the cave, her eyes watching carefully in case it was a trick, but nothing happened for a few steps. Feeling victorious, she let out a soft sigh and bark before starting to pick up the pace, her tail swaying behind her.
    "That was close, moms goi-" her words failed her as a heavy body slammed her from the side, the deathly scent of Krater filling her now burning nose. Frantic, she tossed her head around to try and free herself but instead she found she couldn't move and his teeth were inches from her eyes. She closed them, waiting for death to greet her like a mother does its pups but it never came. She felt no pain, and soon more snarls filled her ears. Opening them she noticed his pack had surrounded her once again and she knew what was coming. Like clockwork, Krater had used his teeth to force her to her legs and he paced around her in a circle. He soon stopped behind her, his nose pushing against her flank as he smelled her. She couldn't let him take her..she had to fight. She was not going to let a pathetic mutt force her into mating. Like a flash, she turned and sunk her teeth into his face, her teeth making a wounds all the way down his eye, muzzle and ending at his lips. Releasing his face, she used her shoulder to push him to the ground before making her way back towards the forest and away from her pack. Once again, she was caught in a game of chase while trying to survive. Her paws sunk into the ground, her tail tucked as fear controlled her movements now. She couldn't stop running, but it seemed the forest had other plans. Up ahead, there lay a fallen tree to large to leap over and behind her and to her sides was this vicious pack of rogues. She had to do something, but what? Turning and placing her back to the tree, she snarled and readied herself for what fight she had left In her. Krater was in front of the wolves, his body covered in blood and his face shredded from Sage's teeth. Lifting her lips in a snarl, Sage showed of her pearly canines, showing she was ready to leave him even more scarred.
   "Stop running little wolf, YOU'RE MINE!" As he leapt forward to attack the ginger colored wolf, a large shape knocked him off path and pinning him to the ground. Her pack was here and leading them was her father. Hades swiveled towards Sage while still pinning down the large murderous wolf and barked the simplest order. Run. More of her pack leapt from behind her, finding ways over the log and starting to fight the rogues. Her mother showed herself beside Sage, Arrow next to her, and gave the ginger shewolf a light nudge of affection.
   "Arrow, take Sage to safety. Don't come back for us, go now." Her words were soft as she spoke and filled with sorrow. "Sage, be strong and brave..I love you and your siblings so much."
   "Mom, please don't do this. Come with us." Arrow was on the brink of tears, his once strong stance looked broken.
   "I can't, please go and be safe. My beautiful pups, please survive for me. My dear Kenna, my strong Stone..protect each other and find Nova..stay together."
  Before Sage could speak further, she felt Arrow's teeth grab her by the scruff and drag her away from the battle. When they had only gotten a few feet, Artemis was tackled by a group of rogues, Artemis trying to put up the best fight she could. Soon, she was over taken and Sage tried to fight her brother to get to her, tears blurring her vision.
  "Mom!" But it was like her words triggered the last of her mothers magic. As an ice wall rose before them to keep them from the battle, the last sight she saw of her mother was of her fur ripped away from her flesh and her fur stained red with her own blood, no longer white.
   "MOTHER!"