sighed.

“Sometimes I think that they’re better off, at least… well at least they aren’t… hurting anymore.”

He nodded.

“I’m a prisoner too.”

“Really?” The female asked sarcastically, but then, her tone changed.

“What did you do?”

“I was fighting against them.” Talkeet said.

“Oh, I knew it!” She said, “You’re going to get us out of here huh?!”

Talkeet sighed.

“Well, I’m hurt right now.”

The female didn’t even notice.

“You must be some fighter, they had eight guards out there when they brought me back, and there’s usually only one!”

“Eight?” Talkeet asked.

The female nodded.

“That’s a nice addition since I talked to you last, who is she?”

“Snow?” Talkeet thought.

“Yep.”

“I didn’t think you were still here, where have you been, besides in my head?”

“Yeah, sorry about that, I don’t know what happened, something… something was blocking me, and I don’t know what it was, something was keeping me from talking to you.”

“Huh…’ Talkeet thought, “that’s strange, but can we do this later, ‘m kind of talking to someone right now.”

“Okay.”

The female stared at him.

“What?” Talkeet asked.

“You just… just looked like you were really thinking about something.” The female said, “are you okay?”

“You’re gonna think I’m crazy if I tell you this.” Talkeet said.

The female smiled.

“Try me.”

“Well, when I was joining the fighters of my pack, this girl, someone whom I really liked, she… she died.

“Oh.” The female said, “I’m sorry.”

“Well, she’s… she’s in my head now, I don’t know how, but she is.”

“Oh….” She said.

It was silent for a moment.

“So, you were saying about the chances of our escape?”

“Slim,” Talkeet said, “like I said, I’m hurt.”

“So how is the war going?”

“It’s about even actually.” Talkeet answered. “Neither of us are really getting anywhere, though the Uniea did have a decent drive going. That’s…”

He sighed.

“That’s when I was captured.”

“Oh….” The female said.

“I don’t know if we stopped him or not.” Talkeet finished.

He sighed.

“I hope so.”

“Me too,” the female said.

All was quiet for a while.

“What’s your name?” The female asked.

“Talkeet.” Talkeet answered.

“Nice to meet you Talkeet.” The female said. “My name is Rayne.”

“A beautiful name.” Talkeet said.

Rayne smiled.

“Would… would you be my friend.? I haven’t had anyone to talk to for about a week, and it’d be nice to have someone.”

“Sure.” Talkeet said.

The two laid down beside one another, and soon, both were sound asleep

Timbre was in the midst of war.

He ducked another strike aimed his way and sent the attacker down.

Timbre was tired.

Tired of this war, tired of being away from Melody, tired of seeing good wolves, friends, killed by these monsters.

He hoped the war would end soon, and yet, as much as he hated it, he would keep fighting, as would his unit, until victory was theirs, or they ceased to exist, whichever came first.

Timbre’s thoughts were interrupted then by a hit that he took in the side of the head.

He turned, and took out all of his fear, all of his anger out on the wolf.

The wolf fell to the ground.

He didn’t move.

Timbre looked around him to see that the unit was slowly pushing the Uniea back.

Since this was an offensive action, that meant that they were actually pushing into enemy territory.

He noticed Dash and his unit had quit the fight, and pulled back from the fight, moving to take a flanking action against the losing Uniea.

Timbre smiled.

He watched the attack unfold, and saw the results, as Dash led a charge up the hill, and right into the midst of the un-expectant enemy.

The Uniea took some heavy losses, then the enemy maneuvered into a position where they could cover both sides.

Timbre watched, as a lone enemy broke through the lines of his unit, and came barreling right at him!

Timbre let the charging wolf get within striking distance, then knocked the idiot flat on his back with one blow.

Timbre tore at the downed wolf’s throat, until he ceased moving.

Was it a cheap shot to attack a downed enemy?

Timbre didn’t care.

If attacking a helpless enemy helped his chances of returning alive to Melody and the kids…

He’d do it.

There were no rules in war, not to Timbre.

Timbre watched with some satisfaction as the Uniea turned, and began to run, not fall back, just flat out retreat.

He actually laughed a little as Lightning’s unit closed off their escape, and the three units encircled them.

In a few moments of harsh fighting it was over.

Many, many Uniea lay, dead, strewn across the now quiet clearing.

There were quite a number of Talbourne there too, but they had died for a mission, and that mission had been accomplished.

The Talbourne were standing on what used to be Uniea territory, and they had the pack’s strongest unit on the run.

Lightning gave chase, and Timbre and Dash walked towards each other.

Dash was bleeding, he’d gotten clipped pretty good on the shoulder during the fighting.

“You alright Timbre?” Dash asked.

Timbre smiled.

“Never felt better.”

“Really?” Dash asked.

“Yeah,” Timbre said. “Why do you ask?”

“You’re bleeding pretty bad.” Dash said, “I mean whoever he was really got you good, you don’t feel that?”

Timbre smiled.

“Feel…”

His voice trailed off.

Timbre became aware of a sharp pain, that was growing in intensity, in the back of his neck.

Timbre groaned, and felt dizzy.

He took a step forward, and fell.

“Timbre!” Dash said, as he ran the short distance over to his friend.

Dash knelt beside him.

He breathed a sigh if relief.

“He’s okay.” Dash said, standing up. “But he’s done fighting for a while.”

He looked around.

“One of you help me get him on my back, I’l take him back to the cave.”

The wolves surged forward, eager to help their injured brother.

A couple of them drug Timbre up onto Dash’s back.

Dash winced.

The pressure really hurt his shoulder, but Timbre was his friend, he’d give his life for the wolf, and not just because he was Dash’s sister’s mate either.

He delegated control of the two units to one of the wolves on his unit, instructed them to find a cave or some type of shelter nearby, and wait for his return.

Then, Dash set out for the cave.

Chapter Five

Back in the Uniea’s cave, Talkeet was shaking.

He’d been so close today.

He really didn’t know how long he could do this.

He sighed.

Talkeet hurt, but he’d gotten used to that by now.

Rayne had been called out just a little while ago.

It bothered him to think of what they were doing to her, what she was going through.

He kind of liked her.

Rayne and Talkeet had talked almost all night last night.

He wanted to storm the guards, walk into the chamber she was in, and rescue her, then the two of them could escape together.

That thought died just about as fast as he would, if he tried it.

Talkeet sighed again.

He was outnumbered a hundred to one.

Their chances of escape were hopeless.

Talkeet realized he would die here.

“What are you thinking of that for?”

“Snow?” Talkeet asked.

“Yeah, it’s me, and didn’t your dad ever teach you that the kind of attitude you have is working against you? Wait, be patient, bide your time, and your chance will come.”

“That’s what I though at first.” Talkeet thought, “but the situation is hopeless, I mean, it’s their whole pack against me…”

Talkeet hung his head.

“…what chance do I have against that?”

“Hey!” Snow snapped. “Get a hold of yourself! I’d smack you if I could, pick your head up!”

Talkeet didn’t know why, but he did.

“You’re a Talbourne, never EVER forget that! Take pride in it. You belong to the best run pack in the area, and you’ll be going back to them sometime… but not if you don’t quit thinking like this! Is all this self pity helping you. NO! Stop it!”

Talkeet smiled.

“Thank you Snow, I’d almost forgotten, forgotten what was important to me.”

“That’s exactly what they want you to do, don’t, don’t give in!”

“I won’t,” Talkeet said. “I won’t……”

Dash struggled through the snow, moving toward the cave.

He was nearing it now, and he was glad.

His shoulder was really starting to hurt now.

He turned his thoughts to other things, trying to take his mind off of the pain.

He thought it strangely ironic, how it was he who would save Timbre’s life.

Dash would have killed him a few years ago.

Dash thought back to the events that surrounded their friendship.

Timbre had been found by the pack not too long after Dash had joined Aleu’s pack, and taken Shasta as his mate.

That thought, Shasta, filled is heart with fear, and