"Yes, most of them anyway."
Nick nodded. "...cool."
"So how long have you been their Alpha?" Nick asked.
Achak didn't answer.
"...Achak?" Nick asked, continuing to walk.
...still nothing.
Nick turned around and saw Achak standing a few feet back.
"...Achak, what's wrong?" Nick asked.
Achak sniffed the air.
Nick's expression turned to one of concern. "...is it the enemy?" He asked.
Achak didn't answer, he just closed his eyes.
Nick trotted back to him.
"Achak..." He began, but Achak cut him off.
"...shhh." Achak said.
"...but..." Nick started, but Achak cut him off again.
"...be quiet." He said.
Nick sighed.
Achak opened his eyes. "I feel a presence I've not felt since..." His voice drifted off and he looked at Nick. "Nick, continue walking in the direction we were." Achak said. "...and continue talking. "Someone is following us. I'm going to go up on that hill and watch to see who it is."
Nick nodded and Achak took off up the hill.
Nick turned and sighed. "...first you tell me to shut up, then you tell me to talk." He mumbled. "...can't you make up your mind?" Then he started walking.
Achak crouched down in the bushes and waited. He could hear Nick talking as he resumed walking, and he waited.
Shortly, just as Achak expected, a small form entered the clearing.
Achak sighed. "...what are you doing here?" He said quietly. Then he stood and started making his way down to their pursuer.
Kiona stepped lightly over a fallen log and continued walking. She'd picked up Achak's scent fairly easily and had made very good time catching up to him. Even if her sense of smell wasn't enough she could hear Nick talking.
"...lucky he hasn't gotten Achak killed." Kiona thought. "I'm surprised Achak hasn't told him to shut up yet."
Kiona stopped for a moment and looked around, trying to get her bearings. She something brush her tail and turned quickly, teeth bared, expecting a fight. When she saw who was behind her she gasped. "...Achak." She said.
Achak glared at her.
Kiona took a step forward and moved to nuzzle him, but Achak pushed her back.
A look of shock crossed Kiona's muzzle and her mouth opened slightly, but it was only for a moment. Then the smile returned to her face. "Achak, I missed..." Achak cut her off.
"Kiona, what are you doing here?" He asked. "I told you to stay at the cave, did I not?"
Kiona sighed. "Yes, but Achak..." Achak cut her off.
"No buts Kiona, I'm not in the mood for excuses." He said. "Didn't I order you to stay at the cave."
Kiona sighed. "...yes." She said.
"Then why are you here?" Achak replied.
"...because I missed you Achak... I love you." Kiona said.
Achak shook his head. "...go back Kiona, now." This last word he added with an emphasis that almost made Kiona jump, but she managed to keep her composure.
"...no." She said.
Achak narrowed his eyes. If looks could kill Kiona would've been in serious danger. "...what did you say?" He asked, his tone clipped, but calm, never betraying the roaring anger swirling through him.
"I said no." Kiona said. "I won't go back, not without you."
Achak glared at her. "...and what of the children?" He asked. "...don't tell me you brought them on this foolish endeavor."
Kiona shook her head. "Ayashi is taking care of them."
She smiled and stepped forward to nuzzle him again, but Achak pushed her away again, this time a little harder.
Kiona looked at him. "...what gives Achak?" She asked.
"I don't want to talk to you right now." Achak said. "...fall in and keep quiet."
"...but..." Kiona started, but Achak cut her off.
"I said be quiet Kiona." Achak said. "...don't make me tell you twice, now fall in."
Kiona sighed and turned away from him, walking forward to Nick, who'd heard the two talking and turned around.
Achak sighed and turned as well, walking toward Nick. Kiona fell into place behind him. As Achak reached Nick, the young wolf sighed.
"...family problems huh?" He asked.
"I don't really want to talk about it Nick." Achak said. "...lead on."
Nick nodded and the three of them headed off through the woods once more.
Aleu slowly opened her eyes.
"...what just happened?" She thought.
The last thing she remembered was getting mauled by...
"...by whatever that thing was." Aleu thought. "...but that makes no sense. I should be dead." Aleu looked down and checked herself out, but she had no wounds. "...that's odd." Aleu thought. "...because that was definitely real..."
She stood up and looked around. There was no sign of the creature. "...whatever the reason it didn't kill me I need to get away from here before it comes back." Aleu thought.
She took off running down the hall again, reached the T, and this time took a left... she still wound up in yet another rock hallway. Aleu ran forward again, and took a right this time... still a rock hallway. "...what is this, a maze?" Aleu thought.
She heard a shriek behind and turned.
"...damn." She said under her breath.
Standing behind her was another of the creatures.
Aleu turned slowly and started to walk away from it, hoping that the creature wouldn't see her.
...no such luck.
The creature shrieked again and Aleu bolted down the hall. She turned left at this T and found herself in yet another identical hallway. As she ran she looked back to see the creature stick it's leg's into the rock walls, beginning to run on the wall, and then the ceiling.
Aleu reached another T and this time she took another left. Then she heard the creature take a deep breath...
Aleu jumped to the side to avoid the claw as it shot forward, but she didn't quite get over far enough, and the claw hit her in the side of the head as it shot past, clipping off part of her right ear and knocking her to the ground.
Aleu felt the breath leave her lungs and balled up on the floor, trying to get up, but unable to breathe.
She heard a crash and looked back to see the creature had dropped to the floor and was walking toward her.
Just then Aleu heard someone yell and saw a blur of color slam into the creature, knocking it over on it's side.
Three dogs ran up and started tearing at the creature's throat.
The creature managed to fire one of it's claws through the bottom of one of its attackers muzzle. The claw slammed up through the dog's head and exploded outward between it's ears in a spray of blood.
The dog fell to the side, lifeless.
The creature managed to retract the claw and fired it again, striking one of the attaker's in the side, pinning it to the wall.
The dog howled in pain.
Then the dog that had knocked the creature over in the first place ripped into it's throat. There was a spray of greenish blood and an ear peircing screech... then silence. The creature fell limp and then, just as the bullet in Aleu's chambers, the creature began to dissolve, the millions of pieces shooting down the hall and out of sight until there was nothing left.
Aleu was still addled from the blow she'd recieved and couldn't really see. She saw a black and white blur walk over to her.
"You really have to be careful of the Hunters." The dog said. "They won't attack you if you stay in a chamber."
Aleu shivered. "...there's something familiar about that voice." She thought.
It was a voice Aleu heard in her worst nightmares.
She gasped and all the words escaped her save one.
"Steele…"
To Be Continued
I know that cliffhanger was a doozey wasn't it! XD ...part of the fun of being the writer. I already know the story. lmao! However I am sure you'll want to finish this story, so watch for part III of the Trilogy of Aniu, Balto: The Grace of our Father, coming soon from RTW!
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comebacks some how I've got my fingers crossed