her.

          Dash turned back to the wolf. “It seems hunting territory is the least of my concerns today.” He said.

          The wolf smiled. “You die here Talbourne dog.”

          Dash smiled back. “Oh I don’t think so.”

          The wolf laughed and Dash could see he had different colored eyes; one orange, one blue. It made his face look very disconcerting. “I’ve heard you’re quite the fighter Dash of the Talbourne, but surely you don’t think you can take us all… you’re outnumbered ten to one.”

           Dash continued smiling at his adversary. “…so it would seem.” He said.

          “…then why are you still smiling?” The wolf asked.

          Dash stepped back. “…because of them.” He said.

          Just then Aleu and first unit stood up behind the wolf. Second unit stood up to his right and third to his left.

          The wolf snarled. “We are betrayed!” He yelled.

          Dash growled and leapt at the wolf.

          The units from the Talbourne closed in on the eleven wolves and they all snarled, turning to face their enemy.

          Dash took the leader to the snow covered ground and found himself fighting for his life. The leader was quite a fighter as well and soon had Dash on the defensive.

          Aleu released half the first unit to go into the fray  to deal with the other enemies while she herself raced toward Dash.

          The leader knocked Dash to the ground. “I’m going to kill you and then I’m going to go kill that treacherous whelp and her entire family!” He yelled.

          Dash growled. “She’s my sister!” He yelled. He found a strength deep inside him and pushed the stronger and bigger wolf off of him. He hit the wolf once, twice in the face, sending him backpedaling through the snow.  Dash hit him again and the wolf fell to the ground. Dash was on him immediately and sank his jaws into the wolf’s throat.

          The wolf’s cry of rage turned into a wet gurgle as Dash held his head up off the ground, clenching his razor sharp teeth tighter. He held the wolf up in the air until it stopped moving. Then he dropped it to the ground.

          He had been so focused on his battle with the leader that he had not noticed the battle going on around him. It seemed the Talbourne had won though and all the enemy wolves lay dead or wounded.

          Dash stood up just as Aleu reached him. “Damn it Dash what did you think you were doing? That wasn’t part of the plan.”

          Dash shook his head to clear it of the ringing sound that the wolf had placed there with his well aimed strikes and almost fell down.

          Aleu sighed. “…well at least you’re alright. The Clan can’t afford to lose you.” She looked around. “What do you want done with the survivors?” She asked.

          “…there are to be none.” Dash said.

          “…what?” Aleu asked.

          “…they threatened Melody’s life and the life of her family were she to…”

          Dash paused for a long while. “…that’s an order.” He said finally.

          Aleu sighed and looked as if she wanted to say something but then she nodded, a disgusted look on her face. “Yes Sir.” She said. She turned to the other wolves. “…there are to be no survivors.” She said.

          Aleu turned away as the wolves began to carry out her order.

          Dash stumbled out of the clearing to the mixed sounds of wolves crying out in pain and sharp silence.

          He finally stopped and tried to catch his breath. His ribs hurt from where the wolf had struck him so many times.

          “Dash.” Aleu said.

          Dash turned to look at her and was surprised by the look of anger there. “…what is it?” He asked.

          “…you didn’t send Melody out as a spy, did you?”

          Dash sighed. “…of course I did how else…”

          Aleu cut him off. “No Dash, that wolf said they’d been betrayed, and just now you said that there was a threat against her life. How could that be unless she’d met them before?”

          Dash sighed.

          “…you lied to me?” Aleu snapped.

          Dash sighed and nodded. “I didn’t think you’d understand.” He said.

          “So what really happened Dash?” She snapped.

          Dash sighed. He saw no point in lying to Aleu any further. “She met up with them a few weeks ago and agreed to hand me over to them.” He said.

          “So she betrayed us.” Aleu said.

          Dash nodded. “…in exchange for her family’s guaranteed safety and Timbre’s freedom from his obligation with the Defense Force.”

          Aleu shook her head. “…and you kept this from me?” She asked.

          Dash nodded.

          “That was a stupid thing to do Dash.” Aleu said.

          Dash nodded. “I know. …but I had to protect Melody.”

          “…what if she’d’ve betrayed you again and still given you over to them hm? Then the Talbourne would be without a leader right now, wouldn’t it?”

          Dash nodded.

          “If I had known that I would have sent a wolf with you two and not left you alone.” Aleu said. “That was important information to our plan and you had no right keeping it from me.”

          She stepped closer to him. “Melody is my sister too Dash.” She said sternly. “I would have understood.”

          Then she turned and walked away leaving Dash alone outside the clearing.

          Back in the cave Dash stood in the Main Chamber. He’d been thinking something over ever since he’d left that clearing. He had an idea… but Aleu had to consent to it for it to work.

          Dash sighed.

          He knew he’d messed up pretty badly in lying to Aleu. He should’ve trusted her… but he’d been sure that she wouldn’t side with him on this, so he’d gone out on his own.

          He looked up at the ceiling of the chamber. “I ask your forgiveness for lying to my advisor Aniu.” He said. “I know now that it was a foolish thing to do. I listened to the voice of Shade whispering in my ear and it could’ve been my downfall and that of the entire Clan. I ask that you would help make me strong against his advances so that I may become the leader you wish me to be.”

          He looked down at the floor of the chamber and sighed.

          Just then he heard Aleu’s voice.

          Dash sighed again. “…may as well get this over with.” He thought. Dash turned and walked toward the other side of the chamber where Aleu was giving out orders to the wolves going out on guard duty.

          “…stay vigilant and remember that the safety of every wolf in this cave rests in your paws while you are out there.”