hope it’s not about Talkeet.” Dash thought.

He was on his way to the chamber, but he had to talk to someone first.

He stepped through the entrance.

Rayne stood up from where she’d been laying in the corner.

She stretched, and yawned.

“Hey Dash, what brings you here?”

Dash sighed.

“Talkeet’s back.”

Rayne laughed.

“Well, why are you so down, aren’t you glad your son is home?”

Dash nodded.

“Of course, but… well, he’s not himself.”

Rayne looked concerned.

“What do you mean?”

“He spoke to Daie while he was with them, and Daie seems to somehow have turned him against us. He doesn’t want Aleu to be the leader anymore.”

“What?!” Rayne asked.

Dash nodded.

“I know…”

“But that’s… but that’s stupid, where…”

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Rayne.

“Where is he?”

Dash shrugged.

“I don’t know, but I do know that Shadow will be gunning for him.”

Dash sighed again.

“What he said came dangerously close to treachery, and Shadow just won’t stand for that. I’d probably be suspect too, if Shadow knew that I was trying to help him. Do me a favor, will you? If you see him, tell Talkeet to steer clear of Shadow… Talkeet may be wrong, but he’s still my son.”

Rayne nodded.

“Thank you for telling me Dash. I’ll be sure to pass it on to Talkeet if I see him.”

Dash smiled.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to be going. Shadow’s holding a team meeting.”

Rayne smiled.

“Alright, and thanks again.” Rayne said.

Dash turned, and walked out of the chamber.

Talkeet walked slowly to the meeting chamber.

He’d heard that Shadow was calling the team together to make an announcement.

“I wonder what it’s about.” Talkeet thought.

He’d been thinking a lot lately, and had come to some conclusions.

He’d helped Shadow to plan Aleu’s routines, and in the mornings… Aleu was alone, standing on the ledge outside her chambers, a narrow chamber she called ‘the view’. He guessed the name was because the view truly was magnificent from that chamber, especially in the morning…

“It’d be so easy…” Talkeet thought to himself.

He knew how to do it, the ledge overlooked a drop that was at least two hundred feet to the snow below.

“All it would take is one good shove…” Talkeet thought, “…but, could I do that?”

It would be best for the pack, for then, he would be in control, and could, and would accept the Uniea’s offer of surrender, thus ending the fighting… and dying…

But he really liked Aleu.

His aunt had been nothing but kind to him ever since he could remember, and even now, probably guessing that her life was in jeopardy, had said she wouldn’t tell Shadow, even now she protected him.

Could he really kill her?

Then there was Shadow.

Talkeet would of course keep the pack on his side, by saying he challenged her and she lost. Death was acceptable in that situation.

Shadow on the other hand would pursue Talkeet to the ends of the earth, if Talkeet killed Aleu.

“I’ll have to deal with him too.” Talkeet thought.

Shadow was a very good fighter… but Talkeet had been using the fire discipline more and more here lately, and had found in it, a strength he never could have achieved otherwise. He was faster, and more powerful than he had ever been.

He could take Shadow.

There were also Aleu’s three children.

They were old enough now, that they would understand what had happened as well, and might decide to take revenge for their mother’s death.

He’d have to take care of them as well.

Talkeet sighed.

That was it then.

For true peace to come to the Talbourne… Aleu and her family had to die.

Talkeet wished there was a way around it, but there was not, the facts stared him in the face.

He sighed again.

Talkeet was nearing the meeting chamber now, so he shrugged off his thoughts, but one thing was clear…

Talkeet would never be the same.

He stepped into the chamber.

Dash was sitting alongside Shadow and Lightning, Timbre was on the other side of Lightning.

Dash sighed.

He looked down at all of the units, which had gathered here at Shadow’s request.

Dash knew what Shadow planned to do.

He turned to his friend.

“Shadow, are you sure this is the right thing to do?”

Shadow sighed.

“I’m sorry Dash, but Talkeet is now a danger to Aleu, indeed to the very safety of this entire clan. I can’t allow that.”

“I know,” Dash said, “but do you have to do it in front of everyone, do you have to humiliate him?”

Shadow nodded.

“We are a team, a fighting unit, what one does the others will know.”

Dash sighed again, and waited.

Talkeet stepped into the chamber.

The first thing he noticed was that all of the wolves, from all the units, including his own, had gathered here.

Usually it was just the five of them, Shadow, Lightning, Timbre, Dash, and himself, but today…

“Something’s up.” Talkeet thought. “Does he suspect?”

Talkeet felt his pulse quicken, and his senses sharpen.

It was odd, for the wolves gathered there were all his friends, would give their lives for his, and at one time, Talkeet would have as well, but now he felt as if he was facing an enemy.

“I suppose I am.” Talkeet thought.

Shadow howled, and the voices that were floating through the chamber fell silent.

Talkeet felt as if he was on trial, as everyone turned and looked at him.

“Maybe I am.” He thought.

“Talkeet,” Shadow started, “due to recent comments made by you, I no longer believe I can trust you with, not only my mate’s, but more importantly, the Alpha of this clan’s life, therefore: as the commander of this group, I hereby remove you from the position of unit four’s Lieutenant, until such time as I no longer deem you to be a threat to Aleu, and the Talbourne clan.”

Shadow paused.

“You are relieved of all responsibilities and privileges which that position may have afforded you, and are classified as a non-combatant, until such time as it seems safe to revoke said classification.”

Shadow stopped, and silence settled over the room.

This had never been done within the

teams before.

“What?” Talkeet said slowly.

“I’m sorry,” Shadow said, “but you have demonstrated that you are not trustable with Aleu’s life.”

Talkeet looked down the row of his former friends, and came to rest on… his father.

“Dad?”

Dash sighed.

“I too am sorry son, but it’s for the best.”

“Yeah right.” Talkeet scoffed.

“Talkeet please…”

“You know what?” Talkeet said, his voice betraying the anger, and hatred, that he was trying to conceal.

“If you don’t need me, then I don’t need you.”

He turned to everyone gathered below him.

“That goes for all of you.”

He turned and started walking away.

“I’m out.”

Dash watched him go.

He sighed again.

“Shadow, are you sure that was necessary?”

Shadow nodded his head.

“I think it will help in the long run.”

Dash stared at the exit that Talkeet had walked out of.

“I hope you’re right…”

Chapter 7

Talkeet walked into his and Rayne’s chambers.

Rayne could tell right away, that something wasn’t right.

“Talkeet, what’s wrong?” She asked.

“I’m out of here.” Talkeet said, walking over to her.

“What?” Rayne asked.

“I’m done. We’re leaving, tonight.”

“Why the sudden change of heart?” Rayne asked.

“Because…”

Talkeet sighed.

“… because they kicked me off of the team, that’s why.”

“What?” Rayne asked again, “why?”

“They’re suppressing my freedom to express my thoughts.” Talkeet said.

“Well… where will we go?” Rayne asked.

The fact that she was going to have pups soon, was fairly apparent.

“I don’t….”

Talkeet stopped.

“Wait, I do know, I’m going to Daie.”

“What?!” Rayne said.

“He told me the truth.” Talkeet said, “perhaps the other things he talked of were true as well.”

“You… you can’t be serious.” Rayne said.

“I am.” Talkeet said, turning to her. “No one here cares about me anymore, and I get the feeling Shadow wants to kill me.”

“Well,” Rayne said, “you have to admit that the things you said were a little provoking to him.”

Talkeet’s eyes narrowed and he did something he’d never done before.

He hit her.

Rayne fell to the ground, unable to believe what had just happened.

Talkeet started yelling at her.

“I’m fighting for our freedom, you’re all under their spell, all the good followers, well screw that! I’ve just realized what’s been going on here, and when I try to act on it, everyone, even you, turns against me!”

Rayne’s paw went to her face.

She still couldn’t rationalize what he’d done.

She climbed to her feet.

“Talkeet, I won’t go back. How could you even ask me to, don’t you