and vice versa. However, things were all about to fall apart with the arrival of a newcomer…

Frost was sitting in his bedding chamber, looking over a map of his lands that he’d had etched into the wall. His ice-blue eyes darted over every feature and key carved into the map. A moment later, one of his soldiers approached him and bowed his head respectfully.

“Milord, we have found someone out near our western border… She claims to have valuable information for you and requested to see you… She didn’t seem to be a threat so we escorted her here…” the wolf reported.

“Alright soldier… I’ll come to see her…” Frost replied, following the guard out to the Royal Chamber where two Arctic soldiers stood either side of a gray-brown female.

Her coat almost matched Rallan’s in every way, but she wasn’t as built as he was, more slender and lean than him. Her eyes, unlike Rallan’s brown and gold ones, were icy-blue and gold. Yet her overall appearance definitely matched that of Rallan. Frost approached her and sat down, scanning her swiftly and deeming her no threat.

“Who are you and why have you come into Icicle Pack territory?” Frost asked in a stern, kingly voice. The wolf gave him a quick look-over then took a deep breath.

“I’m looking for someone… Someone very close to me… You see, I have a vendetta to settle with him…” she explained, her voice smooth, yet cold. Frost gave her a look of suspicion.

“Who might this wolf be that you’re looking for?” he asked calmly, not breaking their eye-contact for a second.

“He’s about a few inches taller than me, same pelt, brown and gold eyes… His name is Rallan…” she explained, “He’s wanted by the Lylrite Pack for murder of the Alpha and of the prince…” Frost was utterly shocked by this accusation towards his guest and friend.

“Murder?! Rallan?! Are you insane? Rallan would never hurt anybody!” Frost exclaimed quickly. The female scoffed and chuckled darkly.

“So he is here, is he?” she asked coolly, “And believe me, Rallan is no angel… He’s a devil; a murderer… And I should know…”

“Show me some sort of verification that you’re in the Lylrite Pack, now!” Frost demanded.

“How about the fact that I’m their Alphess?” she snapped back, “I’m leading the Lylrite Pack now and I never let a murderer get away, especially not after he killed my father and my brother!” Frost gave her a dark look, then sighed softly. He knew that Rallan had refused to talk about his past and maybe what she was saying was true after all.

“Who are you?” he asked softly. The female grinned and chuckled again.

“My name’s Rayne…” she stated, “Rallan’s my brother…”

Chapter 4

            Rallan had been out of the Icicle Pack’s city-like caves with Fantasy when his sister had arrived. The two tossed about in the snow, laughing and playing like they were pups. They then accidentally began sliding down a patch of ice on a hill and crashed into a snow-covered bush, Fantasy lying on top of Rallan. The two panted slightly, grinning playfully and sheepishly from their collision.

“Race ya to the hot springs!” Fantasy said and climbed off of Rallan, dashing off northward.

“Hey! That’s not fair Fantasy! Get back here!” Rallan called after her, scrambling to his paws and giving chase to Fantasy.

The two ran after one another, laughing as they each gained control of the lead. After a moment, Fantasy tackled Rallan, tumbling about in the soft snow once again with him. This time around, Rallan ended up on top of Fantasy. The two chuckled weakly again, but as Rallan went to get off of Fantasy, she gave his muzzle a quick lick. Rallan stopped, stupefied by her move and stared down into her icy-blue eyes.

“Rallan… I have something to tell you…” Fantasy started slowly, her voice soft and calm, “For a while now, I wanted to say this to you… Rallan, I-”

“Master Rallan!” came the voice of Ocean, who then came running down a hill to the two, giving them a funny look, “Um, I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but Lord Frost has requested your presence immediately…”

“Can it wait?” Rallan asked, “Fantasy and I were discussing something…”

“Honestly, it didn’t look like you were talking very much…” Ocean stated, giving Rallan a cool look, “And allow me to rephrase that… Lord Frost had demanded your presence immediately…” Rallan and Fantasy exchanged a look, then the two got up.

“Alright Ocean… Let’s get back to the city…” Rallan said.

After several minutes, the three wolves arrived back at the Icicle Pack. They walked through the city and up the spire. Rallan gave a quick nod to Fantasy, who sat down outside the Royal Chamber, waiting for him to return. Rallan and Ocean then walked into the chamber, approaching Frost and a pitch-black wolf with blue eyes, much like Frost and Ocean.

“Rallan, I’m glad you’re here at last…” Frost greeted coolly, his usual cheerful tone replaced by a cold, unemotional one, “I needed you here immediately… You see, there’s been a rather large issue and I wanted you here to resolve it…”

“Alright Frost, I’ll see what I can do about it…” Rallan began calmly, still unsure about this situation, but not seeing it as any threat, “What seems to be the issue that’s going on?”

“First off, allow me to introduce you to my brothers, Ocean and Darkice…” Frost said, motioning to the wolf beside him and the Beta behind Rallan, “Now, onto business… You see, we’ve found out we have a murderer within our pack and he’s been lying about it for a long time, and seeing as how I hold virtues highly, I needed you here for when we bring him in…”

“Yeah, sure thing Frost… After all, you’ve been so generous to me, helping you with a murderer is the least I can do…” Rallan replied, “So, when’s he being brought in?”

“He already has…” Frost answered, staring right into Rallan’s eyes, “He was brought in a minute or two ago by Ocean…” Rallan’s eyes suddenly darkened and his heart-rate picked up in pace.

“Wait, me?! You think I’m a murderer?! What would ever give you that idea, Frost?” Rallan asked quickly, still desperately trying to hide the truth, “What proof would veer give you the idea that I killed someone?”

“We got a tip from a new arrival who said to remain anonymous to you…” Frost replied, “But it turns out you were convicted for the murder of your father and your own brother! Rallan, I hereby place you under arrest…”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Rallan snapped back angrily, “I haven’t done anything like that! Besides, you have no authority to arrest me! I’m not a member of your pack!”

“Seize him, Ocean!” Frost ordered.

Ocean nodded and moved closer to Rallan. Just as he was about to pounce, Rallan spun around and smacked Ocean in his muzzle, sending him crashing into the wall of ice. Darkice ran forward and leapt at Rallan, only to miss and crash into Ocean as the gray wolf ducked and ran out of the chamber.

“Capture him! Do not let him leave these lands alive!!!” Frost shouted out, he, Ocean, and Darkice running out after Rallan.

Rallan sprinted out of the Royal Chamber and across the bridge, almost running into Fantasy. With a worried look, Fantasy stopped him and stared into his eyes.

“Rallan, what is it? What’s wrong?” she asked softly, knowing something was amiss here.

“Fantasy, I have to tell you something, but I can’t tell you here or else I’ll be killed…” Rallan explained quickly, ignoring her look of confusion, “Just act along with me… Please, I need your help Fantasy…” Fantasy nodded and noticed her two uncles coming out of the Royal Chamber along with her father.

“Rallan! Get away from my daughter and give yourself up!” Frost shouted, “It’s over, Rallan; you’ve been found out!”

“Not if I have any say in this!” Rallan snapped back and moved behind Fantasy, placing a paw on her throat and his claws to her windpipe and jugular vein, “Back down unless you want to see your daughter die right in front of you!” Frost gasped, then growled angrily.

“You wouldn’t dare hurt her… I’d kill you on the spot!”

“Isn’t that what you’re going to do to me anyway?” Rallan asked back fiercely, “Go ahead Frost, gamble with your daughter’s life if you want…”

“You wouldn’t…”

“Try me…” Rallan muttered back, glaring viciously at Frost. Frost hesitated- then the Alpha gave the command to stand down. “Good choice, Frost… Now Fantasy and I’ll be getting out of here… Anyone tries to follow us and she dies…”

Rallan slowly walked down the spire, Fantasy still being used as his shield the whole way. Within a matter of minutes, Rallan was outside again and he and his ‘hostage’ were running southward and out of sight. Frost growled angrily, then turned to Ocean.

“Hunt him down… Don’t bother to bring him back alive…” Frost ordered, looking back over the white lands, “Kill him…” Ocean nodded to his brother and Alpha before dashing off, following the scent of the male he was hunting.

Rallan and Fantasy panted heavily as the two dashed frantically across the snow-covered forest. Nothing could stop them as they kept on their mad sprint, desperate to get away from the Icicle Pack. After a dozen minutes, Rallan pulled them both over behind a rocky outcropping, looking around for any pursuers.

“Rallan, what the Hell is going on?” Fantasy asked in a frustrated tone, “Why did you take me prisoner and why are we