pretty badly. “It’s all I could do,” he said to no one. Then he walked from the room to meet Eiko.

Dash had been sneaking around the cave tying to avoid the groups of wolves getting ready for their battle. He finally made it outside and started running for home. He had to warn Aleu. He was worried about his sister, but she could handle herself, besides his duty was to the pack. He dodged a tree and leapt over a log. He kept running.

“Hey wake up,” A wolf said. Melody groaned and rolled over. She saw the wolf from the forest there. She tried to jump to her feet and instead, fell on her face. “What do you want,” she said. Her vision was still blurry. “I know Timbre has made a mistake,” he said. “He loves you.” “Yeah,” she said, “he has great ways of showing it, leaving me with seven wolves that want to kill me, and watching the whole thing. Yeah, sure, he loves me alright.” She stood up slowly. “Are you going to kill me or what?” “No,” Iimos said, “I’m not going to kill you. You need to go find Timbre.” “He’s on his way to kill my sister,” Melody said, “That doesn’t exactly make for a good reconciliation setting.” “He’s not an evil guy,” Iimos said. Melody interrupted him, “he sure does a good job of faking it then.” She started to walk away. “I’ve realized that since he met you.” Iimos said. “He’s been… different. Don’t you still like him?” “No,” Melody said, “I wish he’d die, now thanks for letting me live, I’m incredibly indebted to you, but I’ve got to be going now, I have a sister to save.” She walked out of the room.

CHAPTER VIII

“Oh hi,’ Aleu said, “how’re you doing Timbre?” Timbre felt uneasy about the plan now. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Aleu had been nothing but kind to him since he’d shown up with Dash a few weeks ago. Could he really just attack her like this? He didn’t know. He did know he was dead if he didn’t, Eiko didn’t accept failure. “I’m so glad you’re on the guard now. I really feel safe with you.” They were outside waiting for a security patrol to come in. Timbre knew that it would start soon. Then he heard a scream just over the hill in front of him. He acted surprised as the patrol came shooting over the hill, followed by over a hundred of Eiko’s wolves. In minutes, the area in front of the cave became the scene of huge battle. Timbre played the part of the dedicated defender. Leading Aleu through the menagerie of violence that the courtyard had become. Suddenly he was face to face with Shadow. “Get her out of here,” he yelled, as he ducked a wolf that jumped at him. Timbre nodded. He ran at the cave entrance, Aleu following closely behind. He made it into the cave. The battle was already starting to spread into the first few chambers. As he entered the main chamber, Timbre saw Ale’s daughter, Lima, cornered by one of the wolves, a silver one named Janeous. Timbre debated what to do. I can’t let this happen, he thought, Melody had too much of an effect on me. Thinking of her made him sad, he wished… no now wasn’t the time for regrets, now was the time for action. “Stay here Aleu,” he said. Then he ran at Janeous, and jumped up onto the shelf. He slid in and snatched Lima off the ground just as Janeous swung his paw down, he narrowly missed getting hit himself. He swung around and threw Lima in the air. Aleu saw her and got her as she landed, somewhat hard, on the ground. “What are you doing?” Janeous asked quietly. Timbre’s response was a paw to the face. Janeous looked surprised, but seemed to understand as he crouched down and prepared to defend himself. “Traitor!” He screamed as he jumped at Timbre. Timbre deftly stepped aside and Janeous sailed right by him, then he jumped at him. He and Janeous rolled to the edge of the shelf it was a good sixty feet to the floor. Janeous and Timbre fought back and forth alongside the drop. Each of them was dodging the other’s strikes. Then finally Timbre hit Janeous and he teetered on the edge. Timbre hit him again and he went over the edge. Timbre looked down at his body; it was evident that Janeous wouldn’t be getting up again. “No turning back now,” he said aloud. Then he ran back to Aleu, who had found her son Sheik. “Let’s get you guys to safety,” he said. 

Dash shot over the hill in front of the cave, and to his dismay saw the battle already underway. The pack was losing ground fast. The fight had already moved into the entrance chamber. He ran through the entrance, dodging fighting wolves and bodies. He made it through and saw Shadow fight down his opponent. Dash ran over to Shadow. “Hey, you’re alive!” Shadow said excitedly. “Yeah,” Dash said, “where’s Aleu?” “I sent her with Timbre down into the lower chambers,” he said. “Oh no,” Dash said, “I hope I’m not too late.” Then he ran away. “What?” Shadow said. Then he ducked as another of Eiko’s wolves attacked him. He jumped back into the battle, wondering what Dash had meant.

Melody was running as fast as she could with the limp that she’d developed on her left front leg. Iimos was just behind her. She didn’t know what she was going to do when she saw Timbre. A part of her wanted to kill him, but still another part of her wanted to believe he still liked her. She still liked him, though she didn’t know if she could ever forgive him or not. First she had to get to the cave and stop him from killing her sister. If that happened not only would she cease to care for him at all, but Shadow would kill him. So she ran on, hoping she could get there before it was too late.

Timbre finished fighting down yet another wolf that had tried to attack Aleu. She’d entrusted her children to another wolf named Aniak, and was now helping to fight off those wolves that had made it this far into the cave. Timbre was glad he’d decided not to attack her. She may be young and look inexperienced, but she could fight. He didn’t know if he’d be able to take her or not. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Dash leapt at him. Timbre was surprised and did nothing as Dash barreled into him. The two of them rolled across the ground. “Dash, What are you doing?” Aleu said, “…You’re alive!” Timbre stood up. “This is a traitor,” Dash said. “He’s part of Eiko’s Pack.” “Timbre,” Aleu said, “is that true?” Timbre hung his head. “I was,” he said, “I was supposed to infiltrate your pack and, when this battle started I…I was supposed to take you out, but I couldn’t kill you today. You’ve been so kind to me.” “Ask him where Melody is,” Dash said. “She’s… I couldn’t do anything for her,” Timbre said slowly. “Timbre,” said Aleu, “I trusted you.” “I’m sorry Aleu,” he said, quietly. “Well we can’t do anything about it right now,” Aleu said, “right now we have a battle to win, but you can be sure I’ll bring this up to the council afterwards.” “I understand,” said Timbre. Aleu turned to Dash. “Dash don’t you let him out of your sight, we can’t trust him anymore…I’m glad you’re alright.” Dash nodded at her and sat down in front of Timbre. Aleu ran down the passageway towards the battle.

Melody reached the cave about ten minutes after the battle had started. Aleu’s pack was losing ground, they were already pushed back inside the cave. Bodies littered the area down below her. She decided to go around to the back entrance, hoping against hope that she wasn’t too late, Iimos followed her.

Melody walked into the camber that Aleu had left Dash and Timbre in. Dash was sitting, watching Timbre and Timbre was lying on the ground. Both of them perked up when she walked in the room. “Melody, you’re alright,” Dash said, “or are you? You look hurt.” “I’ll live,” she said. “Listen Dash, I need to speak with Timbre.” “Go ahead,” he said. It’s kind of private,” Melody said. “Aleu told me to watch him…” Dash started. “I’ll watch him,” She said. “Okay,” he said, walking from the room. “But I’m just in the next chamber. If you need me yell.” Melody nodded at him and watched as he left the room. Then she turned to Timbre. “You’re alive,” he said. She just stared at him for a moment. “No thanks to you,” she said. “Timbre, I… I don’t know what to do… what to feel. A part of me wants to forgive you and live happily ever after… and then another part of me wants to rip your head off. I haven’t decided who to listen to yet.” Timbre said nothing. “Timbre I don’t even know you anymore. The Timbre I know wouldn’t have been able to watch me get beat up, and do nothing about it. I saw you, just before I blacked out. Even when Eiko left, you stayed. Who are you Timbre?” Again Timbre said nothing. Tears started to come to Melody’s eyes as she began again. “I… I really loved you ya know? Loved. I thought that