side. He ran past many wolves lying on their sides.

...the wolves were screaming, some were kicking as if running, some swung their paws violently in the air, trying to fight off demons that didn't exist.

"...they haven't woken up yet." Aleu thought. "...I was one of them."

Then Steele crawled into a small crack at the base of the far wall and Aleu followed. The two emerged into a small chamber with high ceilings. They were quickly followed by the others in the group.

Steele sat down. "...good. We can talk now... we're safe... for the moment."

Aleu nodded. "...now what do you want Steele?"

Steele smiled. "It's not a question of what I want... it's a question of what she wants..."

Aleu looked confused and irritated. "First off Steele, I don't like you, secondly in the last few days I've been hit by a car and thrown into hell, torn apart and god knows what is in store for me... stop playing these stupid games and talk, or I'm leaving... what do you mean she?"

Steele smiled and stepped back. "My, my, touchy aren't we?" He said.

Aleu growled and stood up, walking back toward the crack in the wall.

Steele leapt up and ran over to her, blocking her exit. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry Aleu." He said. "Please stay."

Aleu glared at him. "...who is she?" She asked again.

Steele sighed. "The she I speak of is Aniu."

Aleu tried hard, but could not conceal the shock on her face. "Aniu... what do you want with her?"

Steele smiled. "Well... she could be my only ticket out of here." Steele said.

Aleu scoffed. "..and why would she do that Steele?" She asked.

Steele smiled again. "That's the beauty of it, I have no idea." He said. "She told me so, she told me to do something, to help her."

Aleu shook her head. "Why would she do that?" She asked.

"I don't know." Steele said. "I really don't, but she did, and this place has a way of finding religion for you pretty fast."

Aleu sighed.

"Will you please stay?" Steele asked.

Aleu sighed. "Alright, but if I get run around one more time..."

Steele nodded. "...I'll be straight with you Aleu... I promise."

Aleu nodded and sat down. "Have you seen her?" She asked. "If you know where she is, I must talk to her."

Steele sighed. "I have no idea where she is, but the way Shade used to talk about her I'd think it'd be somewhere special."

Aleu nodded. "...most likely." She sighed, and then looked back up at him. "If you don't know where she is and haven't seen her... how did she speak to you?"

Steele shrugged his shoulders.

"How do we know it wasn't Shade just playing with us?" She asked. "...trying to foster false hope?"

Steele smiled. "I can't explain how I know it was her Aleu." He said. "I just do... it's... it's the feeling I had when I heard her voice."

Aleu smiled back. "That sounds about like Aniu." She said.

"...so will you stay?" Steele asked. "the two of us could really use your help."

"I'll stay." Aleu said. "...but only for Aniu."

Steele shook his head. "...doesn't Aniu teach her followers forgiveness."

Aleu glared at him. "...don't push it Steele." She said.

Steele nodded. "..fair enough." He said. "Our first step has to be to find her."

Aleu nodded. "...but where could she be..."

 

Chapter 2

 

Achak silently followed Nick through the darkened woods. They'd been traveling all day an most of the night. By his best guess, they should be nearing the Talbourne's cave by now. He glanced back and saw Kiona behind him. He sighed. "What am I to do with her?" He thought.

This was a problem that had been facing him for a while now, but one he had been hesitant to correct. This was unusual for Achak. Usually he was quick to confront a problem in his pack, but he this particular one had left him somewhat confounded. He did not understand the young wolfdog's penchant for disobeying him whenever she felt like it. "Does she understand that I am her Alpha, as well as her mate?" He asked himself. "Yes, she must," He said. "I've only been too clear with her in the past." He sighed. "No, the time has come to confront this problem... but how..."

He was pleased that at least she had followed his direction to remain quiet. At first she had balked at even that, angering Achak even more, but finally she had lasped into a silience that told Achak she was sulking, not repentant, not sorry, but at least quiet.

Suddenly he looked over and saw a slight movement in the bushes. He stopped and looked at it for a moment.

Nick sensed that Achak had stopped and followed suit, turning to look back at him.

"...something wrong Achak?"

Achak's gaze remained locked on the bush. "Nick, how far are we from your clan's home?"

Nick smiled. "Only about ten minutes or so, why, are you getting tired Achak?"

Achak looked at Nick. "No, I am only wondering why your sentries are not stopping

us." He said. "That is your sentry in that bush over there is it not?"

Nick looked. "...I actually don't see anyone Achak. ...might you be mistaken?"

Achak shook his head. "It really is a wonder to me how you are still alive Nick." He said. "How do you manage to survive out here?"

Achak walked a short distance away and stepped into the bushes. Nick watched with interest, wincing a bit as he heard a struggle in the bushes. Shortly Achak stepped back out of the bushes, dragging a young wolf by the scruff of his neck. He drug the wolf over to Nick and dropped her in the snow. "...there's your sentry." Achak said. "She didn't put up much of a fight... wonder any of you are alive if this is the way you do things."

Nick smiled, a somewhat embarrassed look on his face.

Achak looked down at the wolf he'd drug out of the bushes. "Why did you not challenge us young one?" He asked.

The wolf gulped and looked at Nick.

Achak growled at the terrified young wolf. "Don't look at him." He said. "I asked you a question, answer me."

The young wolf's ears drooped low. "I... I saw Nick walking with you and... and I just assumed..."

"You assumed?" Achak asked. "You assumed it was safe... did it ever occur to you that perhaps I had threatened Nick into taking me to the cave and that he had led me so close to one of his sentries so that he could get an alert to the cave before we reached it?"

The young wolf considered this for a moment, and looked at Nick.

"Why do you keep looking at him?" Achak asked the young sentry. "Do you expect him to answer for you?"

The wolf looked back at Achak and shook his head. "No sir..." He said. "No Sir I didn't think of that."

Achak frowned. "Well you should." He said. "You're a sentry, the first I've seen, that means that you're the first means of alert for your clan. You must take your job seriously young one."

The young wolf nodded.

Nick smiled. "Jane, may I introduce Achak of the..." Nick paused and turned to Achak. "...what exactly do you call your pack?"

Achak looked at him. "...nothing really, just my pack."

Nick nodded. "Very well, anyway, Jane, this is Achak. Achak, this is Jane."

Achak looked on the young one with a gaze of disdain. "She's a bit young to be fighting isn't she?"

Nick sighed. "The casualties from our earlier confrontation with Lytion and his wolves have made it necessary." He said.

Achak simply nodded.

"Have you come to help us then?" Jane asked.

Achak nodded again. "...keep a careful eye Jane." He said. "You're still young yet. You have a lot to learn. Just watch carefully."

Jane nodded. "...yes sir." She said.

"Go on then," Achak said. "Get back to your post, and pay attention."

Jane nodded. "Yes Sir."

The young female almost fell over herself in her effort to obey the order. Soon, she was back in the bushes.

Achak turned to Nick. "How many more young ones do you have in your forces."

Nick sighed again. "...a few." He said.

Achak frowned. "...and do these few have as little training as little Jane?" He asked.

Nick sighed again and began to walk forward again. "We're working on their training in their spare time. They are far from untrained, just... inexperienced."

"They are too young." Achak said. "They should not be out here unsupervised."

"I couldn't agree more Achak." Nick said. "...but we have little choice."

Achak nodded. "...that's a shame."

Nick nodded but remained silent.

The silence reigned until they had reached the main entrance of the cave.

"Halt, who is that there?" An unidentified voice called.

Achak leaned over to Nick. "...nice to know someone knows their job."

Nick smiled. "It's me, Nick, Timber."

A brown wolf stepped out of the shadows. "Ah, it is you." He said. "...back already?"

Nick nodded.    "I couldn't find anyone

else." He said. "Several packs were destroyed completely, others crippled and unable to send help."

Timbre sighed. "I feared as much." He turned to the two wolves following Nick. "...and who are these two?"

Nick smiled. "Timbre, this is Achak and his mate Kiona." He turned to the two wolves. "Guys, this is Timbre. He's one of our Lieutenants."

Timbre nodded. "Nice to meet you both." He said. Then he turned back to Nick. "What do you plan to do with them for the night?" He asked.

"Well I was planning to take them to see Dash and see if he couldn't tell me an empty chamber they could sleep in."

Timbre shook his head. "Can't do that." He said. "Dash is asleep and he really needs to get some rest. He's been at it all day."

Nick nodded. "Okay, is there an empty chamber?"

Timbre nodded. "The chamber beside the react room. No ones in that one. They can stay there for tonight."

Nick nodded. "...where're you off to?" He asked.

"I'm just going out to meet the unit." Timbre said. "We're going out tonight."

"...again?" Nick asked.

Timbre nodded. "Yep..."

"Didn't you just get back last night?" Nick asked.

Timbre

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