a while. Finally, Rallan got the advantage and landed on top of Drake, biting into the wolf’s right shoulder. Drake shouted out in pain before managing to force Rallan off of him. Drake returned the attack, bringing his claws down across Rallan’s muzzle and leaving four deep cuts from his cheek down to his nose. Rallan yelped sharply, but quickly turned and leapt onto Drake’s back. Rallan bit into Drake’s back over and over again, leaving six deep bite wounds when Drake eventually managed to slam Rallan back into a wall of ice.

Rallan was feeling rather weak and tired after having fought off three wolves now, but Drake was feeling even weaker. After all that taunting to get Rallan’s guard down, all he’d seemed to be able to do was antagonize him and get him to fight harder and stronger than before! As Drake turned to face Rallan, he saw the gray wolf collapsed on his side, panting heavily after being thrown into a sheet of solid ice. Drake knew this might be his only chance for victory and advanced on Rallan, getting closer and closer until he was within striking range.

But Drake’s glorious moments were all used up. As he went to sink a fatal blow into Rallan’s neck, the wolf glanced up and saw him, reacting quickly and grabbing his neck in his jaws instead. A fresh wave of adrenaline coursed through his bloodstream as he now held the horrified Drake within his jaws. His lust for revenge flamed up again and he roared with fury as he twisted his body sideways, smashing Drake’s skull into the walls of ice. Drake made no sounds and his body went limp in Rallan’s maw. Rallan released Drake and glanced down at his enemy. Drake was still awake and alive, but his breathing was heavy and his eyes looked hazy, as if he were about to pass out. Blood trickled down his head from where he’d impacted with the ice. There was no doubt about it. The fight was finished.

“This is for Krystal…” Rallan declared victoriously as he bent down towards Drake. The brown wolf didn’t even offer any resistance whatsoever as Rallan took his throat in his jaws and bit down hard, ending his life. Rallan held him there for a few moments, waiting to make sure he’d finished the job before letting him go and gazing down at the beaten, blood-stained body of his former friend. Though he felt no remorse in killing him for what he’d done, a lone tear fell down his cheek. Although they’d been his enemies, two years ago, those three wolves had been his best friends.

“I’m sorry…” Rallan whispered before turning and walking back out, navigating his way through the cave out into the forest. He slowly looked around the white-covered woods, sighing heavily. He slowly turned back to where his den was located and began to walk off. None would have guessed that this forest, as peaceful as it was now, had just played host to one of the most ferocious and gruesome battles between four former friends…

            Rallan slowly stepped out into the clearing where his den was located. Everything still remained the same as it was before, although now the light snowfall that had begun a while ago had covered Krystal’s body in a thin layer of powdery white. Rallan slowly walked toward the still corpse of the wolf he loved so much and once he reached her, he gingerly brushed the snow off of her before holding her in his arms once again.

“It’s over now, Krystal… They’re gone… You don’t have to worry about me anymore… I’m safe…” Rallan said softly, tears forming in his eyes as he spoke to Krystal, “I know you wanted to protect me… You did for so long, Krystal… I savored every moment we spent together… It was so great to see you again… I just…” Rallan shut his eyes, keeping them closed for several moments. When he reopened them, his tears ran down his muzzle.

“I just wished that I could have protected you… the way you protected me… I just wish I could have saved you so we could have been happy, so we could have that family we wanted…” he continued, his voice beginning to shake with sorrow, “I… I’m sorry, Krystal… You were… always there for me, when I needed you… But I wasn’t here for you… when you needed me… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

With those words, Rallan broke down. He buried his face into Krystal’s soft chest, sobbing uncontrollably. He had felt alone in life before, but now he felt as if his life had been torn apart and left in little shreds, a great abyss now where everything else had been before. With every tear that he cried, Rallan desperately wished that Krystal would come back. That this would all be some sick kind of nightmare and it would all go back to normal, like it was… But this was no dream. Krystal wasn’t coming back.

“I loved you Krystal, and I always will… Till the day I die and everyday beyond that… I’ll be with you soon, my love… I swear to you… I won’t leave you alone… I promise…” he whispered, his weeping finally beginning to subside enough for him to speak coherently. He then dragged Krystal back into her den, lying her body out on their grass bedding. Rallan leaned over and kissed Krystal for one last time before turning and stepping outside.

“I’ll be with you soon, my love… I promise…” Rallan repeated one more time, “I just have to take care of one last thing…”

With those final few words he’d ever speak to Krystal, Rallan turned toward the east. That was where Drake, Hunter, and Valley had come from. That was where Rayne had to be. With a defiant, determined glare to that direction, Rallan began his final march against his greatest antagonist.

“Rayne…..” Rallan said to himself, his words being carried off by the wind which grew stronger every minute as the snowfall got heavier, “Here I come…”

Chapter 5

            The form of the damaged, degenerate wolf walked slowly through the forest. The snow had begun to fall heavier by the minute and the wind seemed to gain strength from his rage and his sorrow. A snowstorm was coming, and fast, there was no doubt about that. But his mind wasn’t set on finding shelter or cover from the imminent blizzard. All he cared about was finding his mortal enemy and ending this blood feud, once and for all. His eyes were as cold as the wind whipping around him, his gaze like steel as he progressed eastward through the forest. Every so often he’d stop and howl out to her, leading her along.

All around him, all he could hear was the wind’s sharp cries as it blew gales of snow throughout the forest. His instincts told him to get out of the storm, but his mind had already been made up. He’d either live to see tomorrow or he’d die today. As he stepped through the thickening snow, howling to lead his enemy to their battle location, voices filled his mind, vocal memories finding their way back to him.

“Krystal, I want you to promise me one thing…”

It was his own voice. He had been sitting beside Krystal, watching the sunset over the western ocean.

“If Rayne comes, I don’t want you to stay around… I want you to run… Run and don’t look back…”

He continued to push onward, the wind now offering quite a bit of resistance to his movements. But he wouldn’t be hindered. He wouldn’t be delayed. He wouldn’t be stopped. For he had nothing to stop for…

“No Rallan, I won’t do that…”

That look she had given him, it was one of devotion, of loyalty. Of love.

“Why not?”

He stepped through another barrier of snow, the wind beginning to die down a little bit. He’d reached the eye of the storm- as well as his destination. He looked around. This was definitely it. He was standing at a cliff at the edge of the forest, snow covering everything and every inch of ground. A huge drop led off the edge of the cliff. As he peered down the edge, he could see nothing but pure white. This was it… This was where he’d either be made or broken…

“Because I love you too much…”

The words brought tears to his eyes once more. Everything had seemed perfect… Why did this have to happen? He closed his eyes, not wanting to cry again. He’d shed enough tears for his lifetime. It was time for the final confrontation with all he hated, feared, and loved. Raising his muzzle to the heavens, he let forth one final howl to his enemy, letting her know where he was… It was time to end this…

Minutes passed as slow as physically possible, it seemed. He waited, waited, waited… Waiting for the enemy he’d hated for a long year now. She’d been the cause of all his trouble when he’d been happy. She’d been the instigator for his reviling and his