Aydryn looked down a bit at his son.

"Um..." Lerah looked down. "I suppose running. I can't see any other explaination for how I got this far away so fast."

"You aren't actually this ignorant to how you got out here, are you?" A sharp note took Aydryn's voice. "You do realize that it's dangerous. There are rogue wolf packs out here and they don't follow the order."

"It doesn't matter," Lerah said quietly. "The Order is breaking down."

"What?" Aydryn stopped suddenly, turning sharply with a harsh and threatening note. "The Order is most certainly not breaking down, and you know it. I  will never hear you say that again, do you hear me?" He leaned down, putting his face near Lerah's. "Never again."

Lerah shrank back a bit. "Yes, father. Never. I wasn't thinking."  After a moment, Aydryn relaxed. They walked for awhile longer, again in total silence.

"This is where I leave you," Aydryn said finally as they approached the edge of the wood. He turned and dissappeared without a word.

Lerah looked back. Why is he like this? The distance between us is just too great...

Chapter 4 - the Meeting

Eventually that night, the Shadow was bound to take over again, and it did. Lerah let it. The Shadow began trotting easily through the forest, carefully navigating the landscape. He pulled the same stunt as he had earlier, rolling in the water before sitting straight up into a run. He gradually sped up, but a noise caught his ears.

"Get away from me! Stop, go away!" A thin shreik split the cool night air. The Shadow leaped against a rock, turning sharply toward the scream and he lowered his feet, running as hard, fast, efficient as he possibly could. Eventually, he found the doe who had screamed for help, being closed in on by a large wolf with eyes devoid of any remorse at attacking her. He didn't recognize her - he would've if he had been Lerah, though.

It was Hyzenthay. 

The Shadow, moving carefully under the thin slice of moon, leaped out from the brush and slid around to kick the wolf - the same wolf who had been watching him and Hyzenthay the day before. She gasped, looking horrified, relieved, and shocked all at the same time. Turning, the Shadow reared up at the wolf, threatening and powerful. The wolf stared up intently. "You. I know you. And I will take your skin as well as her's as a reward!" He leaped at the Shadow. He spun slightly to make sure the wolf missed him before kicking him hard in the shoulder. He turned, staring at the wolf. He had firmly made sure Hyzenthay hadn't seen his face at all yet, making sure he was moving to much to decide his exact number of point.

But the wolf knew. The wolf was a threat. And the wolf wouldn't stop until the Shadow had been slain. Rearing up, the Shadow brought down his full weight and ended the wolf quickly. He walked forward as to shadow himself before turning toward Hyzenthay, who stood half-dazed. "You..." she breathed, "You saved my life... who are you...? But that's such a silly question... everyone knows you. You're the Shadow. You're the Shadow, the one who dared to challenge the Order." She gazed at him with immense admiration. "You've had such a huge impact on the other deer... so many are starting to become restless. The older deer are fighting so hard though... But the younger ones... we're so greatful to you." the Shadow said nothing. He just watched her with a very dull sense of possible recognition, as if he'd seen her in a feild before. "But... who are you? What is your name?"

He finally decided to speak. Remember, this wasn't Lerah, though if he was in the daylight, it would appear so. Thus, he didn't say his name was Lerah. Instead, he told her, "I haven't a name." Hyzenthay found herself a bit startled - his voice was very slightly familiar, but so strong and clear, like the wind at night, it quietly demanded respect. Not even she could recognize this as her best friend.

"You must have some name other than 'the Shadow'," she insisted.

"But I don't." He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Okay then..." Hyzenthay blinked, taking a step back. "Thank you, Shadow... I hope we needn't meet again - that is, I hope I don't need any more saving."

And with that, he disappeared.

Chapter 5 - The Alpha's Fury

Lindri slowly approached the broken body of the wolf that had been killed by the Shadow. He sniffed it for a moment, staring in a state of half-confusion, half-dazedness. "Alpha Lindri...?" behind him, two slightly smaller wolves with longer, more flexible muscles appeared. Lindri whipped around, his eyes glazed with fury.

"I will have it that  every Beta and sub-Beta searches this forest for any sign or trace of that buck!" he snarled feircely, looking crazed with wrath. The two wolves flattened their ears.

"A-alpha Lindri, I beg you to think about this," the larger one began. "You're asking us to send out every lead hunter and sub-lead hunter to search the entire forest for a buck who has never been tracked befo-"

"Shut up!" Lindri barked violently, throwing a paw at the Beta's shoulder and tossing him to the ground. "I will have this entire forest searched! Do NOT return to the pack without anything to show for it, d'you hear me? Every lead tracker and hunter is this pack WILL hunt down that buck! I want him found and brought back to the pack for public execution!"

The two wolves stood in silence. Their alpha had never ordered for a public execution... And he seemed completely mad. The killed wolf, Homba, had been next in line to become Alpha. Lindri was reaching in age now, and though still strong, he couldn't bear the thought of leaving the pack without an heir to succeed him and keep the Order held up. But the betas didn't dare question him. He'd never struck his own wolf before. The two slowly backed up and trotted off, howling to gather the best hunters and trackers. "Hire NightSpoils*! Do everything in your power to bring that beast to justice!"  The alpha snarled after them before leaping up on a rock, towering above the body.

He threw his head back and roared into the sky, "HE WILL BE FOUND!!!!"

Footnote: I came up with the term 'NightSpoils' as in a mercinary of types. They are rogue wolves who are very skilled hunters and fighters - they'll fight or track anything for a pack that employs them, giving them food and shelter until the task is done or they've outstayed their welcome.

Chapter 7 - The Shadows in the Dark and the Eyes of Malice

"Hey, Lerah!"  Hyzenthay trotted over to her friend in the meadow. He looked up, looking a bit wary. "I have something increadible to tell you!"

"Really?" he stifled a yawn, brightening a bit. "Tell me."

"Come over here." Hyzenthay drew him awaaay from the wolves' peircing watch.

"Well?" Lerah looked impatient.

"I was taking a walk last night," Hyzenthay recalled, "And remember that wolf that bothered me so much? That smell on him? It was deer. Fawn."

Lerah's sleepy expression faded to one of horror suddenly. "No way!"
"Yah," Hyzenthay nodded. "He attacked me. But I was saved by another deer."

"You don't mean...?" Lerah's eyes widened a bit.

"Yah, the Shadow - the Shadow - saved me!" She could barely stand still. "He killed the wolf - he looked so strong... I never saw his face. It's just like what the stories the wolves tell. He's so careful. No smell, no sight."

Later that day, Hyzenthay and Lerah were walking along a forest trail with a couple of friends - well, and enemies - and Hyzenthay was telling them about the Shadow.

"What colour was his fur?" A young doe, Lyr, asked.

"From what I could tell... though he was sodden through, he clearly rolled in a stream... he was a dark brownish," Hyzenthay said. "He was strong looking, too."

"You be careful what you be talking about." A kestrel landed on a treebranch, it's eyes shifty.

"Who's that...? What...?" the deer murmured quietly, glancing up at it. A very unpleasant, dark brown buck called Kivel spoke up - he was a harsh, angery type of buck.

"That's Malice," he sneered, glaring at the bird. "Shifty type he is. He's not in the least to be trusted you know. C'mon, let's get out of here."

"I wouldn't do that," Malice advised. "You see, that Shadow fellow you were talkin' about, he en't in a very decent spot at the moment. Did yah not hear? Alpha Lindri has every Beta, sub-Beta, hunter and tracker after than yellow-bellied buck. He's hired some NightSpoils, too."

"Doesn't matter," Hyzenthay told him confidently. "I've seen him fight. They'll never get to catch the Shadow."

"Yeh don't know NightSpoils then, do yah?" the kestrel looked a bit agitated. "Them NightSpoils are hardened way more than your little Shadow there. He en't got a chance. NightSpoils, they fight and killfor a livin'. There en't no deer that'd be a match for a pack o' NightSpoils."

"Oh really?" Kivel looked highly unconvinced. He was considered the most powerful and loyal to the Shadow of all