Part 1

The sun rose high up in to the sky, its blinding glare and searing heat kept ever animal out of the sun. Konnor and Azure were laying down lazily in the shade looking out to the distance with Konnor asleep and Azure smirking to herself.

Saffron was near a few rocks with Sage nearby watching Saffron trying to teach him how to fight but being as shy as he was Sage found it hard to think of the idea of attacking another wolf where as Saffron found it very exciting.

Keaton frowned harshly as the small Shangkai pup named Night played with his tail oblivious to the heat that seemed to be affecting everyone around him. Night had the same markings as any other Shangkai wolf with two distinctive black arrow shaped strips on his forehead and on his tail. No one was quite new why Shangkai wolves all seemed to have these markings but then again not much was known about the Shangkai pack let alone their history and heritage.

Standing beside the river Blaez looked down at his reflection the scar left by Torren left a menacing reminder on his face and it was a constant reminder of what he had done to Jate and made him wonder what became of him.

Nearby Akela watched him for a moment before slowly padding forward and stopping beside Blaez who didn’t look up at her. ‘You still mopping around here?’ She asked smiling to herself.

‘I’m not mopping I’m just thinking.’ Blaez said as he watched Akela’s reflection in the cool water before following the small river and looking out towards the distance. The land which only weeks ago had been destroyed by the mountain of water was ever so slowly starting grows back but the hot summer was scorching the ground making it hard for any plants to try and regrow. ‘We should try and do some more training.’ Blaez said looking up at Akela who sighed.

‘It’s to hot at the moment.’ Akela argued not liking the idea of more training.

‘The weather isn’t going to get any cooler and it’s nearly autumn which mean I don’t have long to take back our land so my pack can come home again.’ Blaez sighed. ‘We’ll wait till dark it’s much cooler then…’

Akela frowned ‘We’ve been training for weeks we are more then ready…’

‘Of course we’re not ready, Night and the others thought they were ready and now thanks to me the entire culture of the Night Pack has disappeared forever.’ Looking at Blaez Akela slowly walked forward and nuzzled him softly before saying.

‘It wasn’t your fault Blaez…’

‘Then who’s was it?’ Blaez turning to look at Akela’s blue eyes with his grey ones which seemed distant and vague as the memory of Night still haunted him.

Before either of them could say anything Sage walked out from some overgrowth quickly causing them both to step back away from each other and look away.

‘Can I talk to you Blaez?’ Sage said looking up at Blaez who nodded as Akela sighed before saying out aloud.

‘I better go…’ With that she quickly padded away as Sage walked up and sat down beside Blaez who looked down at his son.

‘I-I need advice…’ Sage said biting his lip.

‘Sure, but I’m not the best wolf for advice, lately I’ve been lacking making any right decisions.’

‘Would you think of me as coward if I was afraid to fight Blaez…?’ Sage said looking up at Blaez who looked shocked and quickly shook his head.

‘Of course not, why would you think that?’

‘Saffron and everyone else is so much better then me and I’m scared that if I’m not as good as them I’ll let everyone down.’ Sage looked back down at his reflection in the water.

‘Don’t listen to Saffron she just thinks she’s really good…’ Blaez joked and looked down at sage who obviously didn’t find in funny. ‘Would you like me to teach you how to fight?’ Blaez said looking at Sage who looked up at him with a gleam of excitement in his eyes as he nodded and quickly jumped to his feet.

‘When can we start Blaez?’ He asked looking very excited as Blaez laughed out aloud.

‘Wait till tonight when it’s cooler and I’ll teach you some thingS that even Saffron doesn’t now…’ Blaez winked at Sage who smiled up at him as he quickly started to pad away until Blaez called out after him, ‘Can I ask you something Sage?’

Turning around Sage nodded and quickly walked back towards Blaez who felt a large lump in his throat as he tried to find the right words to say. ‘Did you ever have any siblings?’ Blaez said looking unsure down at his son who seemed to be taken aback for a moment.

‘Yes, I had one sister…but why does it matter?’ Sage said looking a little confused.

Blaez quickly tried to think of something before saying ‘I just wondered because we need every wolf we can get, that’s all.’ Blaez knew it was a really bad explanation but he just had to know about the daughter he’d never met, What did she look like? What was her name? Was she as beautiful as her mother? Was she like him at all?

‘Oh…’ Sage sat down on the ground. ‘My sister was called Cimron by our adoptive mother but we never spent much time together because when the Shangkai pack attacked we were separated and that was the last I ever saw of her.’ Sage looked sad for a moment before standing up, ‘I guess she’s just another casualty…’ With that Sage quickly walked away as though not wanting Blaez to ask any more questions.

Blaez refused to believe that his only daughter was dead but before he had time to think about anything Konnor quickly bounded up to him out of breath. Looking down at Konnor Blaez raised an eyebrow.

‘Quick Blaez Night’s talking…’ Konnor managed to say as Blaze smiled down at his friend and they both quickly went to find the small Shangkai pup.

Part 2
The small Shangkai pup stood quietly beside Azure just as Blaez and Konnor quickly arrived at the front of the cave where the small pup instantly looked up at them.

‘What did he say?’ Blaez asked turning to Konnor who simply shrugged as they both look at Azure. Every since Blaez and Night had saved the small pup he hadn’t spoken a word and kept silent. The small pup was scared to be on its own and when ever it was it would whimper till someone came and comforted it.

‘Don’t take me back…’ The small pup spluttered looking down at the ground as though scared to look any of the other wolves in his eye.

‘Take you back where Night?’ Blaez asked softly as he sat down in front of the pup who still refused to look up at him.

‘Back home I want to stay here.’

All the wolves looked shocked for a moment as they looked at each other. Every since the small pup had stayed with them it seemed to be scared to go any where near the Shangkai pack lands and would cower when ever he heard them howling during the night.

‘Why what’s wrong with your old pack lands?’ Konnor said looking down at the pup and both Blaez and Azure looked up at him and frowned causing him to frown and step back.

‘My uncle he said he’d kill me and-and I can’t find my brothers and sisters…’ The small pup whimpered as small tear began to slide down his face as he cuddled up beside Azure’s leg.

‘It’s ok Night’ Azure said gently as she looked down at Night who still didn’t look to comfortable.

‘We’ll never let anyone hurt you; if you tell us who your uncle is we’ll protect you from him…’ Blaez said as the small pup finally turned around and looked up at Blaez.

‘Torren…’ As the name slurred of the little pups mouth Blaez restrained himself from growling as a deep anger inside seemed to try to and get out as he turned and started to walk away. Once he was further enough away form the small pup he sat back down as Konnor and Azure walked up and sat beside him.

‘I left Night with Keaton.’ Azure said looking at Blaez who nodded.

‘I’m sure he’ll enjoy that.’ Konnor said laughing and smiling to himself but stopped when Azure frowned up at him.

‘We haven’t spent much time together lately have we?’ Blaez sighed looking at his friends who looked a little confused.

‘We haven’t had any time, our pack comes first.’ Azure said nodding as Konnor agreed with her.

‘Once this is all over we are going to have to spend more time together.’ Blaez said nodding trying to reassure himself that everything would turn out right in the end.

‘Let’s get there first shall we?’ Konnor laughed out aloud as all three friends looked out towards the distance at a land that was once their home but was now over run by the powerful Shangkai wolves nearly twice their size and a vengeance for their blood, Blaez knew that Torren would never stop until he and his friends were dead. Although during the Winter Blaez had to give Torren some credit because he respected Torren for the fact that he won’t put his families lives in danger and that although he’ll do anything to kill Blaez that he won’t let any harm come to his family. Smiling to himself Blaez stood back up and turned around to face his friends.

‘I think I know how to defeat the Shangkai wolves.’ Blaez said smiling at Azure and Konnor who looked at each other and shared the same smile.

Meanwhile Akela was out hunting near some trees which had escaped much of the damage from the flood when she heard footsteps, she instantly stopped and hid behind some bushes and as she peeped through them she could make out two Shangkai wolves lurking nearby. As the wolves edged closer towards her it didn’t take long for her to able to understand what they were