Korra

By Aljan Darkmoon

Prologue

It was a cold winter, possibly the worst ever experienced in the north.  The snow fell in massive amounts, nearly blinding the grey wolf as he walked through the forest.  No wolf should be in this kind of storm, yet here he was. 

Roman Tash Tanner sighed.  His pack had gone ahead of him, nearing the Orca wolf pack territory, he was their rearguard.  Constant aggression between rivals kept all the packs firmly in a military state of war, but the Orca pack were old friends and allies of the Eagles and his pack were on their way to reinforce that bond.

Suddenly a shape jumped out at him.  Caught offguard and unable to evade in time, Tanner was tackled, grabbed by the neck, and thrown into a tree.  Wheezing he quickly got to his feet only to be knocked off his feet again, this time he couldn't get up.

"Who are you?" came a strong female voice.

I know that voice thought Tanner.  "Jaina is that you?"

"Tanner?"

Tanner raised his head as high as he could before pain gripped him.  "Have you heard how to ask questions then strike?"

"No, Alue taught me to strike first and ask question later."

Ah, the alpha taught her personally thought Tanner.

Out of the wall of snow before his eyes came a beautiful snow covered muzzle, followed by a pair of striking yellow eyes.  "You know what Kodi would say if he heard of this: a beta being tamped by an omega.  You'll hear no end of it" she teased.

Tanner growled. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh I would!  And you know it,"  Even with his eyes blinded by snow, Tanner knew her tail wagged.

"You have your mother's daring," said Tanner. "Dusty always faced danger with unblinking eyes."

"Ooh, that is all I share?" coaxed the female wolf, her yellow eyes daring him  "Come now, you know my mother and my father.  Is that all?"

Tanner sighed.  Okay you share Kodi's want for acknowledgment.

He wondered how Kodi and Dusty were doing along with the other Nome dogs and hybrids.  Ever since the Human declaration of wolf hunting and bounty, all wolves and wolf-dogs, like Balto and Kodi, fled Nome into the wilderness.  Through cunning and experience, they avoided the Human's planes and guns.  However they could not return to Nome, out of fear they would be shot on sight.  Tanner heard Jenna was almost shot at her Human's home. 

The neighboring wolf packs took the refugees in and their numbers grew.  However, with more numbers meant more territory.  And free territory was something none of the packs had.  So the Pack Wars began. Within two years of fighting, another pack joined the war.  They called themselves the Imperial Republic. 

Formed by a alliance of two wolf packs, they conquered and gathered other wolf packs as they fought each other.  An united pack of wolves easily defeated single packs already devastated from the Pack Wars.  The Pack War disappeared as wolf pack after wolf pack was defeated and their territory taken and added to the Imperial Republic.

Tanner growled at the thought of the thought of the Republic.  They now had armies of wolves called Legions, each one two hundred strong under the command of a single Legatus or general, who answered only to a group of wolves known as the Senate.

Did they not see what they were becoming?

They were becoming like humans!

"Tanner, are you alright?" 

The grey wolf came out of his thoughts as Jaina nudged his muzzle affectionately.  "Sorry, I'm just caught up in recent events."

"The Imperial Republic?"

Tanner nodded.

Jaina's expression turned grave.  "You going to the west coast?"

"Yes, to visit the Orca pack, an old ally of my pack, the Eagles.  We were also supposed to meet the new daughter and future alpha of the pack, Korra.  My pack went ahead but I could not find them."

"Tanner, I need you to be strong."  Her words caught his attention.

"Why?"

"The Orca pack were attacked by the Imperial Republic.  Your pack were captured by the 96th Legion of the Imperial Republic as they tried to help the Orcas.  I'm sorry."

Tanner was stunned.  No shocked.  He had been only a few hundred feet behind his pack.

"Impossible.  I was right behind my pack!"

Jaina shook her head.  "You lost yourself in the storm.  You are in the Aniu pack territory, south of the Orca pack.  My alpha's father caught your scent on the wind and sent me to investigate."

"Balto."

"Yes."

Tanner shook his head.  "It's not too late!"  He leapt up as if to go but Jaina blocked his way.  "Let me pass!"

"No Tanner, " she said.  "You'll lose yourself in this storm and die. Come to the Aniu pack.  Rest.  Eat.  And together we can see what we can do to rescue your pack."  She began to walk off.

"It's not my pack I'm afraid of or fear for," said Tanner as he followed her reluctantly.

"What?!"  exclaimed Jaina.  To a wolf, the pack was all he or she lived for.  To feel nothing at all for your pack was no different than having no soul.  "In the name of the goddess Larka, I pray you don't mean it." she said, her voice becoming as cold as the icy wind.

"It's in the name of Larka I pray I am not too late," said Tanner, meeting her eyes.  "Korra, the daughter to the alpha of the Orcas, was meant to come with the Eagle pack.  We were supposed to train her."

"Train her for what?" asked Jaina, stopping in her tracks.  

 "To become a Guardian."

Chapter One

In the darkness of the cave she lay, the young she-wolf named Korra could hear the screams and the cheering of the wolves who watched at the Stone Field.  The Stone Field lived up to its name—isolated and desolate, filled with only sharp rocks and ground which favored no one and hungrily drank its fill of the blood that was spilled there.  This was one of the only places known by any who could call themselves a free wolf amongst the Clans, where hundreds of wolves could watch for their pleasure. The contest of life and death between two or more gladiwolves ended with the price of either blood or, if the packs called for it, the sparing of a life.

The young she-wolf curled into a tighter ball, hoping that containing the last of her warmth could ease her trembling limbs.  Who wouldn’t fear her position? She was sentenced to die, like her brethren, in the Stone Field.

Unknown to her, one of her brethren, a middle-aged grey wolf named Usti, fought in the field.  He already bled from many wounds, inflicted by tooth and claw. The most severe ran across his belly.  His opponent, a red wolf, announced as Islandar, circled him—his eyes filled with the confidence of victory.  He was a true gladiwolf; trained no doubt by a former gladiwolf who gained freedom and took Islandar as an apprentice or a slave and trained him.

Usti gagged, coughing up blood.  He would not survive this fight.  Though he had fought bravely in the defense of his pack’s lands through many campaigns, he never touched Islandar; he never got within a foot of the younger wolf.  And apparently his comrades of the Orca Pack had met similar ends at the claws and teeth of the red wolf—Usti had seen their bodies before he was brought onto the sands.  The grey wolf growled as he saw the red wolf smile.  He hated the youngster’s impudence, despite being in the face of defeat.  He will make Islandar dance before the red wolf tore his throat.

The young she-wolf heard the running of paws and the familiar growl of Usti rising to a challenge.  Her heart fluttered faintly with the thought that one of her brethren was still alive, but it died just as fast.  Korra did not hear anyone else but her own breathing, she was the last of her pack.   Her blue eyes blinked back tears in the darkness, her thoughts flying back before the events which had led her here to the dreaded Stone Field as a slave.

***

“The Imperial Republic of United Packs are not here to discuss joining of our great nation,” said the Imperial.  “We are here to speak of other matters of greater importance!”

Korra watched the exchange between the Imperial, who stood in the center of the Council room, and the surrounding wolves sat or stood in a half a ring around the center. The Council room was a mammoth hallow cavern, the biggest cave on Orca territory and possibly in the entire region.  As was custom, the wolves sat in the ranks of monarchy; alphas sat in the inner most ring, closest to the center, betas second most, and the omegas on the outermost ring. 

Korra stood on outer ring of the Council room, despite her birthright as an alpha; she had arrived late and all other spots were taken.  Korra could care less, her ears were sharp, taking in every word with great clarity, she did not need to see the Imperial wolf to know his gestures and emotions; his words did all of that.

 “Speak Imperial,” said one of the elders of the Council, his old voice barely audible.  “What else would an Imperial want with the Orca pack other than joining your Republic, which