to both of them!” Odin spat, puffing up his chest.

“Come on, let’s just go” Everest said miserably.

Chapter VI

            Everest couldn’t think of a time he’d been unhappier. Ironically, any other wolf would have been perfectly fine. Not only were Everest and Odin considered leaders of the pack, but they also got to sleep in the warm den. Whenever there was a hunt, they never had to work for it and always ate first. But Fly still held a grudge against Everest and would never give Everest a chance to talk. None of that really bothered Everest though. It was just being the leader that did. Every time that Everest ate, he hated to look at the others who barely got anything after the leaders had eaten. But that wasn’t even close to the worst part. Hiatus wanted to make sure that Everest was definitely on his side, so he kept putting Everest through tests… most were simple like deciding where to hunt or what territories should be taken over first or which packs should be accepted or killed off once they started to attack. But the worst was when Everest had to punish anyone who disobeyed Hiatus. So far, no one had tried to do anything really bad, so the worst that Everest had to do was keep a wolf from eating for one day. But it was still bad to Everest and his patience was growing thin.

“Odin, I don’t know how much more I can take!” Everest said frantically, pacing back and forth.

Odin shrugged, helpless.

“I don’t even know how to stop him! We need to get out of here!”

            “You can’t! If you weren’t here, they’d be off even worse then they already are!”

Everest sighed and shook his head.

“I don’t know…” Everest said weakly.

                        “Everest?”

Everest and Odin looked up to see Hiatus, with Arrow, Echo, Ice and Wave not a step behind, walking calmly up.

                        “We’ve decided on a final test. Once you’ve proved yourself one last time, there will be no more tests”

Odin and Everest exchanged glances and without a word, both got up and followed Hiatus. What wolf am I going to have to torture now!? Everest thought angrily.

            “Everest!”

“Will?! What are you doing here?!”

                        “He was brought here for punishment”

Everest cocked his head.

“What has he done?”

                        “Attacked a wolf from our pack”

Everest narrowed his eyes at Hiatus and turned to Will.

“Is that true?”

Will nodded and furrowed his brow.

            “They tried to take Chestnut!” he said, motioning to the lighter of his two friends. “All she did was try to catch a rabbit and they said that she stole it! They tried to drag her away… and they were hurting her, so I bit one of them. You know me Everest! I wouldn’t do anything unless I had a good reason to!”

Everest nodded understandingly.

“Can we just punish Chestnut and let the other two go?!”

Hiatus shook his head and tsked.

                        “That wouldn’t be fair” Hiatus said with false pity. “He attacked and should be punished”

“Sorry Will” Everest shrugged. “So should I just put him in the den without food for a few days?”

                        “No”

Everest raised a brow. Maybe Hiatus was in a good mood today…

                        “Just overnight”

Everest smiled and Will gave a small smile.

                        “In the morning, they’ll be killed”

“What?!”

                        “And you’ll do it”

“WHAT?!”

Will and his siblings exchanged terrified glances before Arrow and his friends forced them to the den.

            “Everest! Everest, help!” Will cried.

Everest kept his eyes on the ground, forcing himself to stay where he was. He didn’t need to look up to feel the confused, angry glares he was getting from Will, Chestnut and their brother. Odin’s ears were folded back as he watched his friend hauled away.

            “What are we going to do Everest?” Odin asked faintly.

                        “Yeah Everest, what are we going to do?” Fly, who had been watching from a distance, sneered.

Everest grimaced and closed his eyes.

“Let’s go” he said softly.

As he walked away, Fly scoffed. This wasn’t going the way he wanted to at all.

            Later on that night, Everest sat curled in a ball, searching his mind for something he could do to save his friend. Arrow and his friends were guarding the cave and even if Everest and Odin could fight them off, they’d still tell Hiatus. There was simply no way out. He had to stay undercover to undo whatever Hiatus was planning… but Will was his friend! And Everest couldn’t kill! He hated killing: there wasn’t a single worse thing that anyone could do and he would have to do it! It was either Will and his siblings or entire wolf packs…

Everest didn’t get a wink of sleep. It seemed like no time at all before Hiatus waltzed into the den and smiled.

                        “Time to prove yourself Everest”

Everest sighed and got to his feet. Odin, who hadn’t gotten any more sleep then Everest had, rose to his feet and followed Hiatus out of the cave as well.

Will, his brother and sister were all waiting, shivering. Everest’s insides twisted. He couldn’t do this! But he had to…

Hiatus stopped a few feet away and Arrow snickered.

                        “Go ahead”

Everest glanced at the three Aklark. His legs felt like lead.

            “Everest, please!” Will whispered desperately.

Everest couldn’t force himself to look at Will. He looked back at Odin, who had his eyes closed and Fly, who was glaring, angry expression on her face. Hiatus snorted.

                        “I knew you didn’t have it in you” Hiatus growled. “I’ll show you how it’s done!”

Hiatus shoved past Everest and stormed right for Will…

Everest’s heart raced. His breathing picked up. This was wrong!

Hiatus dove for Will. As fast as Hiatus lunged, Everest was faster. He dove under Hiatus and kicked his stomach, flipping him over. Then slashing him across the eye, he shoved the larger wolf down the hill.

                        “Kill him you idiots!”

Arrow dove for Everest but the Illiivat was ready. Arrow wasn’t balanced and Everest tripped him easily and didn’t have to touch him: he rolled right down the hill and crashed into Hiatus.

“Will, remember how I taught you to fight?!”

Will nodded.

“You’re going to need to fight like that now if you want to get out of here alive!”

Odin dashed over to Everest’s side.

            “What’s the plan!?” Odin barked.

Everest glanced around and his eyes found the trail that went through Fly’s old territory.

“There!”

Everest lunged forward and led the group of five through the chaos. Most of Hiatus’s once organized pack was running around in every direction, making it easy for them to slip away. Ice dived for Everest and Will lunged into his side, plowing him over. Over the noise, Everest could hear Hiatus screaming out orders. A smile spread across his face. He’d never heard Hiatus yell before and as scary as it was, it made Everest happy that he had messed something that bad for Hiatus. Now it was time to rub it in!

Everest skit to a stop. Odin and Will hesitated for