“What are you doing?” he asked with a soft chuckle. Krystal looked up at Rallan and blinked several times, embarrassed that she’d been caught following him perfectly.

“Oh, um…” Krystal said, mind racing for an excuse, “Just playing around with you.” Rallan stared at her for a few moments, then smiled and laughed good-heartedly.

“You know Krystal, you and I may be older, but together we’re the same young wolves that were frolicking about in the snow two years ago…” Rallan said, smiling widely and flashing his white fangs in a playful way. Krystal smiled back and continued to walk onward back to her den. She then broke into a run in her usual ‘catch-me-if-you-can’ game. Rallan shook his head, grinning. Even though she lost every time, she still loved to run from Rallan.

“You asked for it Krystal…” Rallan said to himself, crouching to tense his muscles and gather his energy. In one fluid motion, he launched forward and shot off at incredible speeds, following the scent trail that Krystal had left behind.

Krystal continued running forward, darting in between trees and through bushes to lead Rallan as long as she could. Panting lightly, she shot off into a grove and skidded to a halt, looking for a good place to hide and try and surprise him again. She spotted a small cave off to the side and silently snuck into it. She lay low in a crouch right by the entrance, amber eyes sweeping the grove to spot the gray wolf pursuing her in fun sport. Everything was dead silent for a while until a voice broke the silence.

“Hiding from someone?” came a low, almost sinister voice. Krystal practically jumped out of her fur and spun around. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting, but even with the sunlight streaming in she could see the form of a jet-black wolf slowly advancing on her. From the tone of the voice, she could tell it was another male, but she’d never run into him before.

“W-who are you?” Krystal asked, trying desperately to hide the fear in her voice as she took a slow step backwards. The wolf laughed and continued advancing on her.

“My name’s Saren, my dear… What would your name be, beautiful?” Saren asked, getting closer and closer to Krystal with each passing second. As he stepped forward, Krystal stepped back until she was back out in the sunlit grove. Soon Saren was in light too. She could see he was easily stronger than her and knew whatever this wolf wanted from her, he most likely would get.

“Krystal…” she answered, amber eyes fixed on his dark green eyes, “I… I don’t want any trouble, Saren… I’ll just be on my way now…” Saren laughed once again, his voice cold, as if his heart were ice and his words were chilled by its stinging freeze.

“Be on your way? My dear, what’s the rush? We’re two young wolves, single and in a private recluse…” Saren said, a malicious gleam in his gold and green eyes, “Stay a while… Enjoy what fate gave you…” Krystal whimpered softly and backed up until her back was pressed against a tree, Saren moving in until he had her trapped.

“No thank you… Please, just leave me alone…” Krystal said, still scared out of her mind that this wolf would harm her in some way and then she’d never tell Rallan what she had to say. Rallan! That was her only way out of this one! But unless he’d arrive soon, then it may be too late for him…

“Are you kidding? Who would ever leave you alone, my beautiful companion?” asked Saren, placing his paws on either side of her torso and bringing his muzzle close to hers, “Just relax… I know of a perfect spot… Romantic, and more importantly, secluded… Now, let’s be off…”

“I believe the lady said to leave her alone…” came a stern voice that made Krystal’s heart lift. Both wolves turned to see Rallan glaring at Saren, growling lowly as he approached him. Saren growled back and bared his fangs, dropping away from Krystal and going toward Rallan as well.

“This doesn’t concern you, wolf!” Saren snapped back, finishing his advancing on Rallan, “Get out of here before I tear you apart!” Rallan just glared at Saren and walked past him, right up to Krystal.

“Come on Krystal… Let’s go home…” Rallan said softly, beginning to walk off with her. Saren, not willing to give up his temporary partner, snarled loudly and rammed Rallan, knocking him sideways into the tree.

“I told you, this doesn’t concern you! She is mine, so beat it!” Saren said threateningly. Rallan shook his head and sighed softly like nothing had happened.

“Last chance, wolf… Leave us be and let us go or you may not live to see another day…” Rallan said coolly, an icy glare shot straight at Saren. Not knowing the true extent of truth in Rallan’s words, Saren didn’t see him as much of a threat and stood his ground. He grabbed Rallan by the scruff of his neck and tossed him to the side. Rallan stood up and gave the black wolf a narrow-eyed stare.

“So be it…” Rallan muttered, leaping forward and ramming his head hard into Saren’s chest. The wolf choked as the breath was forced out of him and he collapsed to the ground. Rallan looked up at Krystal.

“Krystal, get back to the den… I’ll see you shortly…” Rallan said.

Krystal didn’t need to be told twice and quickly turned and ran off. Rallan watched until she was out of sight before turning his attention back to Saren. As he glanced down, he saw a black paw fly up and slice right across the right side of his muzzle, down the side of his face.

Rallan cried out in pain and stumbled backward, reeling from his opponent’s surprise attack. He could feel the sharp stinging of the sharp, precise cuts down his muzzle, feeling the warm liquid he knew was his blood flow down his face. He glared at Saren, thanking God his eye hadn’t been hit or else he’d be in some trouble. Saren was already up again, panting lowly from Rallan’s first attack. The gray wolf leapt forward and tackled his black-furred adversary, the two wolves tumbling about on the grass for a moment, struggling for an advantage over the other.

After several moments of thrashing about, Saren got the upper hand by landing a powerful blow to Rallan’s stomach. He groaned and curled up slightly from the assault while Saren placed his paws either side of Rallan, all intent on finishing this fight and finding that female again. But he never got that chance, because as he tried to crush Rallan’s throat, the wolf kicked him backward, hurling Saren into a tree. As he collapsed once more, Rallan was up and upon him, a paw placed on his throat and his fangs sinking into his shoulder before ripping out painfully. Saren yelped loudly and looked up pleadingly into the merciless gaze of Rallan.

“P-please… Don’t kill me… I’m just like every other wolf… I saw a beautiful female, so naturally I went for her!” he pleaded, trying to appeal to the wolf’s instincts, “I was just trying to get what I wanted!”

“Unfortunately for you… that ‘thing you wanted’…” Rallan started, his voice sounding as deadly as a thousand knives, “Was my best friend…”

Before Saren could begin to plead any further, Rallan slammed his paw down on Saren’s head. The black wolf’s eyes rolled around for a moment before they closed and he slipped out of consciousness. Rallan sighed heavily and contemplated killing him, but decided he didn’t deserve that… He really was just trying to hit on Krystal, but Rallan couldn’t stand for that, especially when she’d told him to back off… No, he didn’t deserve death, but at least Rallan had made his point clear…

Turning and walking off, Rallan was destined for the den he knew Krystal would be waiting anxiously in for his arrival…

            Time seemed to utterly freeze to Krystal as she paced back and forth inside her den. Her stomach twisted and turned; she felt like she was going to be violently ill at any moment. For all she knew, Rallan could be badly hurt, or worse- dead! She shivered terribly at that thought. It wasn’t just her fearful imagination that was making her sick, but also the fact that Rallan’s fate was unknown to her.

Did he win?

Did he lose?

Is he alive, or-

No, don’t you dare think of that Krystal! Rallan’s alive and he’s coming back, you know that! You know him! Krystal thought sternly, shaking her head as if to rid something foul in the air. She collapsed onto her bedding, continuously glancing toward the mouth of the den. Half of her expected Rallan to be there, the other half expecting her eyes to fall upon Saren. Yet every time she looked, the entrance was thankfully and frightfully barren. Then she heard someone approaching and whimpered