thank you enough!” Rallan said, beaming at his new friend, “Just promise me you aren’t some kind of murderer or anything like that…” Kalgorn chuckled softly and shook his head.

“No, no, I’m not a murderer… I despise killing entirely!” he replied, smiling at Rallan, “My den isn’t too far from here. Come on, we can reach it before nightfall!”

Kalgorn nudged him playfully and ran off ahead of Rallan. Rallan laughed and gave chase to his friend. Kalgorn was right; his den was only a few minutes’ run until they arrived at a decent-sized burrow dug into the side of a hill. Rallan followed in behind Kalgorn, looking around at the cozy home.

“You have a nice home, Kalgorn…” Rallan complimented as he looked around, Kalgorn proceeding to set up a second bed for him, “I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality…”

“Don’t mention it Rallan… It’s kinda nice to have some company after a long time of being alone…” Kalgorn replied warmly, chuckling slightly, “Ah, but you probably don’t know what that’s like, hmm?”

“Actually, believe it or not Kalgorn, I do know what that feeling is like… And I know what it’s like to be so hurt and betrayed after that great feeling of company…” Rallan remarked, smiling weakly, “I know that feeling all too well for comfort…”

“Oh, I’m sorry for bringing that up then…” Kalgorn apologized quickly, but stopped when Rallan held up a paw and shook his head, “Well, I’ve set up a bed for you… If you ever need anything, feel free to ask me at anytime.”

“Thank you very much, Kalgorn…” Rallan said with a smile, “I won’t be staying very long… Just about a month or so until I can finish digging myself a den…”

“That’s alright. Stay as long as you’d like to!” Kalgorn replied cheerfully, “Well, goodnight Rallan…”

“Goodnight, Kalgorn. Pleasant dreams…” Rallan said back, lying down on his bed and soon falling asleep.

Chapter 5

            Ever true to his word, the very next day, just after finishing breakfast with Kalgorn, Rallan set off to begin scoping out the land for a suitable place to position his future den. After a couple of days of searching the lands, Rallan settled on a position near the stream. It wasn’t too far from Kalgorn’s den; a mere ten minutes’ run from there. As soon as he plotted out the area, Rallan set to digging.

A month passed by in what seemed like a week, the summer dawning on the lands and forests. The temperature increased and Rallan was forced to reduce his work-load from all day excursions to a few hours. The rest of the day was spent frolicking in the stream with Kalgorn or playing other games or just talking and learning more about one another. Rallan shared stories about where he’d gotten his various scars and Kalgorn told Rallan about his battles and the white Z he had on his back.

“I was just, sorta, born with it… I never knew what it meant or if it meant anything significant at all…” Kalgorn said when he explained it to Rallan.

Rallan, who seemed quite satisfied with that answer, simply nodded and changed the topic. By the time July rolled about, Rallan’s den was finished and he was to move in the next day. Rallan now lay near Kalgorn outside on the soft grass, gazing up at the dark night sky dotted with bright stars and a crescent moon.

“Kalgorn, I can’t begin to even try to thank you enough for all you’ve done for me…” Rallan replied happily, a smile spreading across his face, “I’m glad we’re such good friends…”

“I am too, Rallan… I’m glad I met you down at the stream that day back in June…” Kalgorn responded, smiling over at his friend, “I hope you’ll enjoy your new home… You worked pretty hard and diligently on it.”

“I know… Thanks for that Kalgorn…” Rallan said. The two continued to lie out underneath the stars, a calm, serene silence surrounding them. And before Rallan knew it, he was fast asleep out on that hill with Kalgorn.

All Rallan could see was blackness. The darkness of his mind. Then, just as suddenly as the darkness had came, a forest sprouted from nowhere in an instant. Rallan knew this forest very well: it was his home; it was the Lylrin Forest. Before him, Rallan saw himself standing before the council, their chastising shouts filling his ears once again. His body was transparent and he couldn’t do anything but watch his horrible past replay before his eyes.

“The votes are cast! Rallan, by the authority vested in me by your father, Typhoon, I hereby exile you from the Lylrite Pack and their lands. Should you return, you shall be executed.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me… My life was ruined by him and now you want to exile me? What’s next, executing someone for punished crimes?”

“I think you’ve said enough, Rallan. You are now stripped of your title as ‘Prince’ and must now leave forever. I’ll have some guards escort you to the border.”

“Don’t bother… I’ll be fine going on my own…”

Rallan watched as the younger form of himself turned and began to walk away, the insults flying at him doing nothing. It was only when Drake had scored a hit on him that he actually began to run. Rallan glared at his former pack and howled with anger, warping to the clearing where he’d killed his father. Just as he called, Typhoon stepped out into view.

“Hello son… You look well…” Typhoon said to him, giving him a slight grin.

“Save it… I know you’re only a manifestation on my guilt and fears… I’m going to do what I should have done a long time ago, ‘father’… I’m going to confront you and defeat you… I didn’t murder you and I never will believe I did anymore…” Rallan said fiercely, getting into a fighting stance. Typhoon chuckled and assumed his stance.

“Come on son! Show me what this world has taught you!” he shouted, lunging for Rallan and barely missing his throat.

Rallan winced and recoiled, taking several steps backward to get some distance between him and his father. Without wasting another second, Rallan lunged for Typhoon, grabbing his father by the leg and dragging him down to the ground. Typhoon growled and slashed Rallan across the face, then kicked him backward into a tree. Rallan grunted as he hit the plant and fell to the ground, both adversaries getting up again and beginning to circle one another.

“Brings back memories, doesn’t it Rallan?” Typhoon asked, glancing quickly around the clearing, “On this night, in this very spot, more than a year ago, I ended your life…”

“You didn’t kill me…”

“You don’t have to kill someone to end their life…” Typhoon remarked, grinning cruelly, “Have you ever been truly happy since this night? Have you ever found a new home to call ‘your home’ or ever felt love or a permanent welcome? Your life is over, Rallan, whether you know it or not…”

“Blasphemy!” Rallan shouted and lunged at Typhoon again, missing his bite, but scoring a slash on his father’s chest, “I don’t believe you!”

“Oh please Rallan, do you really think anyone will welcome a murderer?”

“I never meant to kill you! You pulled away at the wrong time!” Rallan desperately protested, “I’m not a murderer!”

Typhoon, however, wasn’t about to sit by and watch Rallan babble on about not being a murderer. He took his son’s momentary distraction to his advantage and leapt at him, tackling and pinning him down to the ground. Now that Rallan was restrained, he bit through the gray wolf’s throat and ripped it apart, watching as Rallan bled out with an evil grin.

“I’m… not… a… murderer…” Rallan whispered, his words getting fainter by the second until he lay completely still.

“No!” Rallan shouted as he shot up from his nightmare, panting heavily and looking around desperately. Beside him, Kalgorn immediately woke up and looked about for any sign of danger, sighing when he didn’t see any and looked to Rallan.

“Hey, Rallan… Is everything alright, buddy?” he asked the startled wolf calmly, “Nightmare or something?” Rallan simply stared at Kalgorn for a moment before slowly nodding his head.

“Yeah… Yeah, it was just a nightmare… All a nightmare…” Rallan muttered, looking around him before rising to his feet, “I need to go take a walk… I’ll be back soon Kalgorn…”

Kalgorn could only nod and lie back down as Rallan stood up and walked down the hill and into the forest. As he vanished beyond the tree-line, Rallan’s mind ran with thoughts. Is he right? Is my father right? He thought dejectedly to himself, Is my life really over? Is it even worth living anymore if I’ll only find enemies?

But before Rallan could think anything else, he heard a twig snap somewhere nearby him. His ears perked up and his head bolted to his right side, scanning for the source of the sound. Almost as if by will, a gray and white wolf stepped out from behind a tree and looked over him, slowly grinning to herself.

“Um, hello… I don’t mean any harm… I’m just out on a walk…” Rallan said, staring the wolf over. By the slender body and more elegant face, he judged that the wolf was a female. Yet, oddly enough, she had a similar, if not identical, coat to his and her icy-blue eyes seemed to familiar, yet he couldn’t place his paw on it.

“Hello there... Excuse me, but would you mind coming with me for a few moments?” she asked, motioning her head into the forest and walking off.

“Um… Sure, I suppose…” Rallan replied, following her every step of the way. So much about her seemed