just saying his name.

Kiderelle looked at Hope and sighed. "We know about your past Hope. We know about Dusty."

Hope shot a surprised glance at him and bit her lip. "Yeah I finally found out about that yesterday. It was an accident I found out though." Hope sighed sadly.

Kiderelle gave Hope a sympathising glance and sighed. "We need you Hope. We need Aleu."

Hope closed her eyes tightly and stared down at the ground. "I hate Kodi. I'm never going back. So it doesn't matter if I die from this thing or not."

Kiderelle stared sadly at Hope. "Now that attitude is not neccesary. Your father was only trying to protect you."

Hope shot Kiderelle an angry glance. "Just forget it." Hope stuttered angrily.

Kiderelle rolled his eyes. "You've got to forgive him sometime. He's probably worried sick about you."

Hope bit her lip so far down it started to bleed. "He lied to me. How do you expect me to forgive that? It was a pretty big lie."

Kiderelle sighed and looked at the stars. "If we never forgave where would we be? He's your father for cripe sake."

"Don't remind me." Hope answered gruffly.

Kiderelle shook his head. "Hope. You'll learn in due course." he sighed. "But now we must go save Aleu."

Hope looked at him quizically. "Now?!"

Kiderelle chuckled slightly. "No. We'll wait till morning. We want to be fresh and ready. So you best get some rest little missy."

Hope growled slightly. "Don't EVER call me little."

Kiderelle looked taken aback and he sighed. "Well then Hope. It's late. You need rest. Bye." and with that he scurried off to his cave.

"Stupid oldie." Hope whispered angrily under her breath as she slumped off toward her cave. She walked up to where Zaq was peacefully sleeping. She sighed and curled up beside him and instantly fell asleep.

Chapter 10, Raven Warning

The morning bird chirped happily on the branches of the leafless trees outside the cave. Hope opened her eyes slowly and effortlessly. She raised her head and looked around. Zaq was gone. Hope gasped and jumped up and her eyes scowered the cave, all the other wolves were gone too. Hope's heart skipped a beat. "Zaq? Zaq?!" she shouted shakily as she ran out the cave entrance. She gasped as a black raven swooped over her head, it was Blackfill. By this time Hope was very confused and frightened. "Zaq?! Kiderelle?! Anyone?!" her voice echoed. A black raven circled Hope and squealed loudly. Hope frowned and looked up at the sky and tilted her head. It was Blackfill. Hope gasped and looked around her, shaking madly. Blackfill squealed again and swooped above her head afain, turning left. Hope knew he wanted her to follow him. She howled in a doggish way and followed him.

He led her into an unknown smelling forest. Blackfill squealed again and Hope looked around. There was no sound to be heard apart from a few birds chirping. Hope was now shaking until she felt dizzy. She looked around, terrified. Suddenly the birds stopped chirping, so there was now no sound. Blackfill squealed again, but this time very high pitched. Hope looked up but before she could a very heavy sudden force thrusted her off her feet. She split her head on a rock and small amount of blood dribbled down her forehead. She felt very numb and everything had gone black. But before she had lost consiousness she saw the large figure of a wolf towering over her. She gasped with a dry throat which made her sound like there was vile down her throat. Her eyelids drooped shut.

Chaper 11, Enemies and Betrayal

Hope rolled onto her side and slowly opened her eyes. As she put the weight on her side she squealed with pain. Her eyes opened up fully and she could make out the scene of pitch darkness and trees. She shot up but fell back for the pain in her side was overwhelming. She looked around worriedly, trying to ignore the pain in her side. She gasped as she made out a wolf figure standing on a rock nearby. She noticed the wolf was looking toward her but it was too dark to even make out what color it was. The wolf stepped down from the rock and neared toward Hope. Hope snarled, trying hard to fend it away since she couldn't stand up.

"Hello Hope." a male voice creaked. "Remember me?" it walked into the light. Her heart skipped a beat. It was Zaq.

Hope was too astounded to even say anthing, just stare at Zaq in disbelief.

Zaq laughed cruelly. "You didn't really think Steele's son was friendly did you? If you did, you're dumber than a cat running down an alley of dogs. You were wrong kid. You're 'papa' was right. You're just a little kid that obviously falls for anything. Now that you've falled, you must suffer." his lips curled up deviously.

Hope was shaking, her heart thumping like bongos. "You..." she said as tears rolled down her face. "You... You tricked me..." she stuttered, trying to fight back the tears stinging her eyes.

"Oh boo hoo." Zaq licked his lips and smirked. He walked up to her and kicked her in her side. "Oh and that old fart is dead. We killed him, bashed his head up real good."

"Kiderelle?!" Hope shouted in a gasp. Her heart raced and Zaq laughed. Hope ignored the agony from her side and shot up. She howled vicously and pounced on Zaq, surprising him so he fell to the ground. Hope ripped at his face with her claws and bit down on his ear. For the first time ever she felt the taste of living blood. She ignored the foul taste and bit down harder. Zaq squealed in pain and threw her off. Hope still had a grip on his torn ears when he threw her off so most of his ears came with her. Zaq roared in a pain. Hope winced, it was discusting. Zaq gave a daring look at Hope and lunged twards her. Hope jumped up. She couldn't even feel the pain no more, she was too numb. Hope was taken by surprise as Zaq pinned her to the ground, forcing himself inside her. Hope screamed in mercy. Zaq smirked and forced harder. Just as Hope was about to give up, a wol howl that rattled through the trees echoed around them. Hope heard Zaq gasp and he stood up, leaving large puddles of bood as he walked. Hope looked at where the sound was coming from, still on the floor. A big wolf swept down the hill, at lightning fast speed. It's white coat clashing with the darkness. Hope noticed it was female, immediantly she recognised who it was, it was Storm. Zaq snarled loudly as he also recognised the wolf.

Storm skidded to a halt in front of Zaq. "Back off!" she snarled loudly.

Zaq snarled back. "You and what army?!" he hissed.

"Me and this army!" Storm growled. Hope gasped as she saw several wolves skid down the hill at a fast pace, all of them howling. Zaq also gasped and attempted to run back, but Storm had her paw on his tail. Zaq tried to run forward but couldn't under Storm's strength. Soon all the wolves were down the hill, one grey female right beside Hope. Storm looked back at a black wolf that was right behind her. She nodded at all the wolves and howled. All the wolves followed this howl and lunged at Zaq. Storm let go of his tail as the wolves bundled on his, ripping his flesh right from his bones. Storm didn't even lay a scatch on him as she walked toward Hope. She smiled at her and Hope just stared at her, wide eyed. Soon Zaq's screeching ended and silence fell. The wolves were also silent as they walked away, covered in Zaq's blood. Hope squinted and winced as the corpse of Zaq's body was sprawled down on the snow, his flesh ripped apart so you could see his bones and insides. Hope was still crying, mostly from shock though. Storm nodded to the wolves and they howled and ran off, apart from the grey one which was standing by Hope earlier. The female wolf smiled and walked up to Hope. Hope then realised her coat had a brown tinge to it.

"Hello Hope. Darling niece." The female said in a sigh of relief.

Hope then realised, it was Aleu. Well by the description of her that Kodi gave and calling her her niece. "Aleu?" Hope stuttered out at last. The female wolf moved into the light and smiled.

"Good morning Hope." the female's smile etching up to her cheek. "It is I." she said slowly.

Hope gasped at seeing her Aunt for the very first time. As if by magic the darkness turned lighter until you could of mistaken it for being midday. Aleu looked at the beautiful surroundings and her fur blew beautifully in the wind. Hope's ears pricked up as she heard a pathetic wolf howl come from the trees up the hill, followed by excited yelps. Hope squinted her eyes and made out a burgundy and cream coloured dog running down the hill at a whopping great speed. It was Kodi. Hope jumped up and ignored the searing pain in her side and ran toward her father like they had been reunited after many years.

"Hope!!!" Kodi yelled breathlessly as he ran toward her.

"Papa!!!" Hope howled back as she also ran toward him. They both nearly collided into eachother when they were finally in front of eachother. Hope thrust her nuzzle at Kodi and nuzzled his neck as hard and as loving as she could. Kodi returned this.

"I've been so worried about you!" Kodi said after a while, but still nuzzling Hope. Hope felt a pang of guilt when she remembered Dusty and how Kodi must of flet. She bit on her lip and moved her head away guiltfully. She looked at Kodi in the eye. "Papa... I'm so sorry this ever happened. I got caught up and it all went really wrong..." Hope stuttered, not trying to recall the incident when she found her mother's grave.

Kodi sighed. "At least your safe, Hope. That's all that matters." he nuzzled Hope's muzzle and Hope returned it. Storm and Aleu watched and they both smiled