The Chronicle of Rallan

By: Balto5670

Author’s Note

            This is the story of Rallan, my main character in role-plays here on Balto Source. Though his fate changes through every role-play, this is the true story of his life. I wrote this three months before I joined Balto Source purely for the pleasure of writing. These following fictions are the true events in the life of Rallan from his birth to his death as I previously wrote it. Now, as a gift for everyone on Balto Source for Christmas of 2006, I give to you the entire chronology of Rallan. Enjoy.

                                    --Balto5670

To Lone Wolf_Fanwriter,

Whose works are a thrill to read and an adventure through every page. You’re an inspiration.

To Kira~BloodPaws and Missy

For being a constant support

To my family,

Who, to this day, encourage me to become a writer.

To all those who enjoy my fanfictions,

Your praise keeps me motivated, down to the very last punctuation.

To everyone on Balto Source,

Who keep the dream and memory of Balto alive.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Chapter 1

            Snow gently fell onto the peaceful, serene Lylrin Forest. Deep inside the heart of this calm forest, things were not as quiet and still. A wolf pack stood or sat waiting outside a den at the top of a large hill, overlooking the forest for any traces of danger. Inside the den, a few shouts and cries of pain could be heard. A very pregnant female, completely white in color, the Alpha female, lay on a bedding of soft brush, yelping every second, clearly in labor. Beside her, the Alpha male gently tried to help her through this moment, his gray pelt standing on end in anticipation.

“Come on, darling…” he said softly, “Just breathe it out… You’ll be fine…”

“It hurts! A lot!” she cried loudly, shouting again in agony.

“Just remain calm… Everything’s gonna be alright…”

“Typhoon, my love, do you know… what this feels like?”

“Um, no, I can’t say I do Lily…” Typhoon, the Alpha, replied sheepishly.

“THEN PLEASE STOP SPEAKING!!!” Lilly shouted and winced again before screaming in pain as she began to give birth to the first pup.

After a half-hour, five pups suckled on their mother, the proud parents smiling down at their newborns. Two males and three females made up the litter, the whining little balls of fluff so weak and blind to the new world that life had brought them into.

“You did very well Lily, my darling…” Typhoon said softly, nuzzling his mate’s neck.

“Mmm, thanks…” Lily replied, her voice warm with pride of their new pups, “Aren’t they beautiful? They need names, you know…”

Typhoon stared at them for a second, trying to think of suitable names.

“How about I name the males and you handle the female names?”

“Sounds good to me,” Lily said and glanced down at the five pups, “I think Rayne is good… She was our second-born… and Snow for the pure white one… and Summer for the youngest… That just leaves you our eldest and third-born, the males…”

“I like Varim for the third-born… and for the eldest… I want him to be the strongest, smartest, and all-around best of the five… He shall be the perfect warrior and leader… He’ll be an excellent fighter and a skilled diplomat… He’ll fit any situation and have a balance of skills… He needs a name that flows easily and will be known by everyone he meets… He shall be called Rallan…”

“Yes, those names are perfect… Rallan, Rayne, Varim, Snow, and Summer…” Lily whispered down to her pups, a soft smile on her face, her blue eyes shining with joy.

“Yes… I’m proud to be a father to them…” Typhoon said, keeping his eyes on the solid gray wolf pup that had just recently been dubbed Rallan. Especially to Rallan… The future heir to everything I own…

Typhoon nuzzled Lily one last time before walking out of the den. As soon as he stepped into the orange light of the setting sun, his pack instantly got to their feet and stared anxiously at him for news of his pups. Grinning widely, Typhoon raised his muzzle to the sky and let forth a loud howl that pierced the dusk. The other wolves followed their Alpha and howled triumphantly as well, a long, low-pitched howl echoing across the forest, signaling the arrival of five pups, one whose destiny would take many twists and turns, that would go up and down, from happiness to sorrow and back again, one whose name was Rallan.

            A few weeks later, the pups were just beginning to explore their new home. Rallan and Rayne were the most inquisitive, going farther away from their mother than any of their other siblings dared to go before they ran back to her, whimpering softly. Typhoon walked in and laughed softly.

“Well, it seems Rallan and Rayne aren’t afraid to go off on their own… They both possess leadership qualities,” he said and sat down near the entrance.

“Yes, they are very adventurous…” Lily replied, smiling at her mate, “They’re the braver, more daring pups… My Mom always said there was one in every litter, like my sister… I guess we have two!”

Typhoon and Lily chuckled before Typhoon stood and began to walk out.

“Wait, where are you going?” Lily asked, confused by his sudden attempt at departure.

“To the pack meeting,” Typhoon explained, “I called it together to discuss any newcomers, our pups, and any other pups that may have been born recently.”

“Oh, alright… So I’ll see you later tonight, Typhoon?” she asked, knowing he’d be back, but sometimes he’d stay out all night for some reason.

“Yes, I’ll be back later, my love,” Typhoon said and walked up to Lily, giving her a soft kiss on her cheek before turning and walking out of their den.

Lily sighed softly, still feeling slightly worn out from having to watch and nurture their offspring all day. The five pups yapped and whimpered as they walked a few feet away from her before running back to the safety of their mother’s side, only Rallan and Rayne staying away longer than the others, the two yapping back and forth to each other.

“Aww, how cute… Rallan, you and Rayne will probably be as thick as thieves when you two get older…” Lily whispered to them as the two little wolves realized they’d gone too far from her side and ran back to her, whimpering softly.

She laughed softly and curled her tail around the five young ones as they cuddled up into her fur, slowly falling asleep. Lily watched the moon rise from the entrance of the den and lay her head down on her paws. She felt the pups settle down in her white pelt and felt their warm breath on her stomach, knowing they were asleep already. She sighed softly and closed her eyes wearily, wondering how Typhoon’s meeting was going.

Out in the starlit clearing that was the regular meeting spot and court, every wolf in Typhoon’s pack had attended, aside from Lily and Desert. The wolves silently muttered to themselves, the High Council sitting on their rocky ledge and Justice, the newly appointed judge, was sitting on the large boulder that made up the judge’s stand for their court. As Typhoon approached the clearing and sat on the Alpha’s Ledge, every single wolf stopped speaking and bowed their heads in respect. Talon approached and sat beside the Alpha’s Ledge, taking his place as Beta Male beside his leader.

“Thank you everyone for attending,” Typhoon began, addressing everyone, “As you all undoubtedly know, my mate Lily and I have had our first litter, and as far as we know, only litter of pups. Our oldest, Rallan, is to be my heir. I will have him trained to the most extensive limit a wolf can bear. He shall be the most perfect in this pack and he shall become just that!”

No one spoke. Typhoon looked around at everyone before continuing.

“Does anyone else have any pups they’d like to let me aware of?” he asked, glancing around at everyone.

“Yes, I do,” Talon said, looking up at Typhoon, “That’s why Desert isn’t here tonight. She’s back at our den, taking care of our pups… We only have one though… Our others didn’t make it, sadly… Her name’s Krystal.”

Typhoon nodded to Talon and looked around at the others.

“Well? Anyone else have any pups?”

“We’re expecting pups,” one of the males said, his mate standing to show her swollen belly, “We’ve already picked out names… We’re just waiting for them now…”

“Very well then, is that everyone?” Typhoon asked and waited for a reply, getting none, “Alright, that’s all I have to discuss. Does anyone else have anything to say?”

“Yes, m’lord,” Talon said seriously, “The Farin Pack is still edging on our borders… You know how much they despise us… I fear for our safety from any attacks and assaults they may pose against us…”

“We do not need to worry about them for a long time, Talon,” assured Typhoon, “Their pack is weak and does not have many members and would not risk losing a battle against us at this point… While I note your concern, we do not need to react to them for now… Now if there’s no other concerns or comments, I’ll end this meeting now so we can go back to our dens for the night.”

No one spoke or uttered a single word or sound. Typhoon waited a few minutes before deciding to complete their meeting.

“Very well then, this meeting is dismissed!” Typhoon announced and walked off heading back to his den.

As soon as Typhoon stepped inside the den, he heard the soft snoring of his wonderful mate. He grinned as he saw Lily, the pups curled up next to her belly, all of them deep asleep. Walking over to her, Typhoon gently licked her cheek, hearing her murr softly in her sleep. He lay down beside her and lay his head down next to hers, closing his eyes.

“Goodnight Lily…” he whispered softly and fell into slumber.

Chapter 2

            About a month after the birth of the pups, Typhoon opened his mind to the wolves that made up his pack. If he was to ever find another trainer for Rallan before he got to the age he’d be allowed to begin his training, he’d have to start looking long and hard for one of the most experienced wolves in his pack. At one point, he’d considered asking Talon, but knew the young Beta would have his paws full with his new pup.

“So who then?” Typhoon asked himself as he walked through his territory, “Who in my pack as the necessary qualifications to turn my son into the brilliant, powerful leader he’s destined to become?”

As if by magic, the answer stumbled upon him. Or, more accurately put, walked past him. It was Captain, the ten-month old pup he’d accepted into his pack after they’d found her alone in a blizzard. She had already completed her training to be a guard and warrior and now only needed to wait two more months before she could actually begin to serve Typhoon.

“Hello Mister Typhoon!” she answered respectfully, bowing her head as she walked by.

Typhoon noticed her and recalled her training. He remembered how quickly she struck, how rapid her attacks were and how well she fought in her duels with other pups training to be guards. She was the top of her class, and had the skills and knowledge that Typhoon was searching for.

“Captain, wait!” Typhoon called out and ran up to her, “I’d like to offer you a deal: How would you like to be promoted to Head Guard in five months?”

“Head Guard? I’d love to!” she said ecstatically, a large smile on her face, “Wait, why in five months? I’m old enough to serve in two months…”

Typhoon smirked and chuckled silently. He knew she’d ask that question of him; most would in her situation.

“Well, you see, you were exceptional in training, you were above average!” he told her, “I’m sure you’ve heard about my month-old son, Rallan. I want him to be the best wolf in the pack, and that requires training from the best of the best. You are one of those best! In five months, my son will be old enough to endure your training, and that’s when I want you to teach him, understood?”

“Yes sir!” Captain said happily, eagerly looking forward to her first mission, despite it being months away from now, “I’ll fulfill your request to the letter! I won’t fail you!”

“I know you won’t… Dismissed, Captain.”

Typhoon watched Captain bow and continue on her way. He smiled at the young pup and continued on walking through the forest, a large smile on his face. He’d found his son a personal trainer; everything was working out according to plan. Now all that he’d have to do was wait for time to pass by.

            By the age of three months, the pups were just like any other: energetic, playful, and adventurous, though Varim was a little hesitant at adventuring on his own. He was usually found with his older brother, tailing him wherever he went, looking up to his brother as a role-model. Rallan was quick to pick up on his new surroundings, learning his way around the first two hundred feet of the outside world within a week, quicker than his siblings. Today, the five pups were busily playing just outside the den, Lily watching from the entrance.

“Gotcha!” Rayne shouted as she pounced out from behind a rock and tackling Rallan.

The two puppies rolled for a moment before coming to a halt, Rallan on top and holding Rayne down by her shoulders. The two laughed and Rallan let his little sister up.

“See sis? I told ya!” Rallan said playfully, “You can’t pin me for anything!”

“Oh yeah?” Rayne asked and tackled him again, the results ending up the same as before.

“See? You can’t win Rayne!” Rallan said and playfully nuzzled her in a brotherly manner.

“I’ll beat you one day, Ral!” she replied and pawed at his muzzle before pushing him off, “Just you wait and see!”

“That’ll be the day!”

Rallan happily trotted over to another part of the hill when he heard someone behind him. He turned around just in time to see a mass of white tackle him and hold him down tightly.

“Hey Rayne, I got him for you!” Snow called over to her sister, “Come on, you can torture him now for beating you so many times!”

“Sounds like a great plan Snow! Thanks!” Rayne replied, a playful smirk on her face as she approached Snow and Rallan, “This is gone be fun!”

Rallan struggled to get free as Rayne lowered her muzzle to his exposed belly. Giving a few quick licks to his belly, Rallan burst out laughing as Rayne tickled him with her tongue and paws.

“S-stop! I’m ticklish!” Rallan said between fits of laughter, “C’mon! Stop!”

“Ah, payback is sweet,” Rayne said and continued to tickle him, “Isn’t it Ral? Isn’t payback so sweet?”

“Rayne, leave your brother alone,” Lily called over to them, “He’s had enough payback.”

Rayne reluctantly moved away from him and gave him a look that said ‘I’ll get you again later,’ before walking off with Snow. Rallan got up and saw Varim come bounding up to him. He grinned and walked over to meet him halfway.

“Hey big bro!” Varim said playfully and crouched down, wanting to play, “Wanna see who can pin who first?”

“Sure!” Rallan replied and crouched down as well, “Ready? Go!”

The two pups launched themselves at each other, Rallan gaining an advantage and holding Varim down for a second before his brother reversed the pin. Rallan grabbed Varim’s shoulders and rolled so he pinned his brother down again. Varim struggled to get loose and Rallan held down firmly, beating his brother’s efforts at freedom. Finally, Varim gave up, both of them panting slightly from their struggling.

“Well… you beat me… big bro…” Varim said between pants, “You always… beat me and… Rayne at this game…”

“Well, that’s just natural skill, I guess,” Rallan said and climbed off of Varim, letting his brother get to his feet.

Varim got off and attempted to tackle Rallan from behind. However, Rallan had anticipated a sneak attack and rolled out of the way, causing his brother to fall flat on his face into the soft grass. Rallan laughed and smelled Typhoon coming near and, in a matter of seconds, saw his father coming up the hill toward them.

“Dad!” Rallan called out to him and ran up to him, barking happily, his tail wagging. Rallan looked up to his father for his courage and leadership skills.

“Hey Rallan!” Typhoon said happily and nuzzled his son as he bounded up to him, “How’ve ya been? Where’s your mother?”

“She’s up at the den,” he said and smiled widely at Typhoon, “C’mon Dad, let’s play!”

“Maybe later son, right now I need to talk to your Mom for a bit…”

Typhoon nuzzled his son one more time before completing his ascent of the hill and walking up to Lily. He lay beside her and licked her cheek, following her gaze out to the five pups, running and frolicking playfully with one another. He chuckled softly, his eyes fixed upon Rallan.

“They sure are energetic and playful, huh?” Typhoon asked, a smile on his face as he traced Rallan’s movements with his eyes.

“Yes, they are… But why are you watching Rallan so intently?” Lily asked him, glancing over at her mate.

“Probably because he’s to be my heir… He was the first-born, after all…” Typhoon said, a gleam in his eyes as he watched Rallan successfully pin down Summer, then Snow, “Plus, he’s going to be very successful in life… Especially since I’m giving him the finest training I can supply… I can feel that he’ll live an extraordinary life…”

“Now Typhoon, dear, remember: he’s just a pup still at six months. Don’t overwork him…” Lily told him softly.

“I promise, my dear… I won’t push him too far…” Typhoon promised. But I will work him hard enough for him to learn enough to rule successfully.

Typhoon grinned as he carried on watching his offspring play. Lily nuzzled him under his chin and sighed softly. She glanced over at the five pups, whom only three months ago were nestled against her, whining softly.

“They grow up so fast… Time just flies by…” Lily said somewhat sadly, “The next thing we know, we’ll turn around and they’ll all be grown up, young adults… I can’t believe it, can you?”

“No, I can’t Lily…” Typhoon replied softly, “It’s amazing what time can do to what you love the most…” You may feel sad about our pups aging, but I can’t wait until Rallan becomes a young adult wolf, leading his pack successfully, a loving mate by his side. That’d be such a pleasant sight for me…

“I’ve noticed you pay a lot of attention to Rallan…” Lily pointed out, staring into Typhoon’s eyes seriously, “I want you to pay attention to your other pups as well… Rallan isn’t the only one who merits love… I want to know you care for the rest of your children…”

Typhoon gasped and looked at Lily. His eyes reflected that he was clearly in a state of shock by what she had just said to him. He nuzzled her neck and face and stared at her seriously in her eyes.

“Lily! How could you think that of me! You’ve known me for easily over a year now and you should know how affectionate I am!” Typhoon retorted, trying to prove his love for his children to his mate, “Of course I care about them; I care about all of my pups dearly!” Though maybe not as dearly as Rallan, but Lily doesn’t need to know that…

“Good…” Lily whispered and kissed him gently, “I love you, Typhoon…”

“I love you too, Lily…”

Lily leaned her head against Typhoon’s shoulder, sighing softly in relaxation as she did so. The two loving parents looked out of the entrance of the den where they lay, watching over their five pups with pride and joy. However, Typhoon continued to watch Rallan more often than any of the other pups, a grin slowly spreading onto his face. He already had his eldest son’s future planned out for him and he’d do anything to make sure it went according to his plans.

As for the rest of my pups? Eh, they can get lost for all I care… Rallan is the only one who truly matters to me… Typhoon thought bitterly and cruelly to himself, his grin slowly curling into one of slight malice, but quickly returned to normal.

But what the future held in store for Rallan was unknown to him, to his father and mother, and to everyone else.

Chapter 3

            Three months flew by like they were leaves in a large gust of autumn wind. The five pups grew larger and slowly, the pups began to split. Although they did play together on occasions, they became separated as Rallan and Rayne both struggled for control as a leader. Eventually, Varim followed Rallan and Snow and Summer followed Rayne. Rallan also became good friends with the other pups in their pack, such as Krystal, Captain, an orphan that Talon took in named Spirit, and Winter, one of the daughters of another pair within the pack. He also made friends with Drake, Chronos, Hunter, and Valley.

“Hey, Ral!” Drake called to him, catching Rallan’s attention as he ran up to him and Varim, “Whatcha up to today?”

“Nothing much Drake,” Rallan told him, shrugging his shoulders, “Probably gonna head down to the river, seeing as it’s so hot out.”

“Yeah I agree, what, with it being summer and all… I hate summer…” Drake muttered and walked alongside his friend, “Too hot out for my taste, you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, that’s why Varim and I can be found there often around this time!” Rallan replied with a chuckle and nudged his brother, “Right Varim?”

“Yeah, more often than not,” Varim answered, somewhat timidly. Varim wasn’t as open or sociable as Rallan was.

As they approached the river, they saw Hunter there, trying to catch the fish that jumped out. They watched him snap at one and miss, almost falling into the cool water.

“Hey Hunter!” Rallan shouted to him and watched Hunter jump in surprise, falling face-first into the river.

Rallan, Varim, and Drake laughed as they watched the brown pup pull himself out of the water, his fur soaking wet. He shook off and growled softly at them, a smile on his face.

“That wasn’t funny guys!” Hunter shouted back to them, turning back to his fishing, “This isn’t as easy as it looks! Wanna give it a try, Ral?”

“Sure,” he replied, shrugging as he walked up beside Hunter, “Now then, my Dad showed me how to do this… You just time your strike and then y-”

Rallan was cut off in the middle of his sentence as he felt Hunter place a paw on his back. He suddenly realized what was going on just as Hunter pushed him forward, the cold water rushing over his body as he plunged in, head-first. He made his way to the surface and climbed back onto the bank, dripping wet. Hunter, Varim, and Drake were having a fit of laughed.

“Heh, very funny, guys…”

Rallan shook his pelt off and growled playfully at Hunter, tackling him. The two pups rolled about on the ground for a moment before Rallan was pinned underneath Hunter.

“You need some practice, Ral!”

“Says you.”

Hunter laughed and kept Rallan held firmly down. The gray and white pup struggled underneath his friend and tried to get up, only causing more laughter from their on-lookers. On the other side of the river, a brown female pup walked around, gathering up herbs. She spotted the five boys and shook her head.

“Easy boys… Don’t play too rough! I don’t wanna use my medic skills this early!”

“What medic skills? You’re still in training, Spirit!”

At Hunter’s remark to Spirit, Rallan took his friend’s momentary distraction and pushed him off, getting to his feet with a laugh.

“I may still be in training, but one day I’ll be the one thing saving you from death!” Spirit shot back, a satisfactory smirk on her face.

“Spirit, don’t you have herbs to go gather?” Rallan asked.

“Yeah, I do. Thanks Ral. See you guys later!”

Without another word, Spirit ran off. Rallan chuckled and turned back to Hunter, intent on pinning his friend back. Just as he leaped at him, Typhoon came up to him and grabbed Rallan’s small body in his mouth, holding him back and walking off with him.

“Aw, Dad! Can’t I go back and play?” Rallan asked, trying to fight his way out of his father’s mouth.

“No son…” Typhoon muttered, his voice muffled by Rallan’s form in his maw, “Today, your training begins…”

“Training? Training for what?”

Typhoon walked Rallan into a clearing a good distance away from the rest of the pack. He set his son down on the ground and stared seriously down at him. Near the clearing was a small brook, which Typhoon had chosen to use for later trainings. For now, they’d start with the basics.

“Rallan, I’m going to shape you to grow up into the perfect wolf!” Typhoon said with hope and pride, “How would you like to be the best wolf out there?”

“I’d love to, Dad!” Rallan said happily, bouncing up and down with excitement.

“Alright son, just calm down!” Typhoon said, laughing slightly, “Now, for starters, we’ll need to see what you can do… I’ve seen you pin all of your siblings easily, so we can skip pouncing lessons. How about fighting, let me see what you’ve got… C’mon, attack me.”

Rallan grinned and crouched down low. After preparing himself for a moment, he leaped at his father, grabbing onto his muzzle and scratching and biting it weakly. Typhoon raised Rallan up off the ground and stared in shock at his son’s pathetic attempts to hurt him. Sighing softly, Typhoon shook his head, easily tossing Rallan gently to the ground.

“Son, that was pathetic…” Typhoon blatantly admitted, “We’re gonna have to get your strength up. Now, claw that tree.”

Typhoon pointed to a nearby oak tree. Rallan stared at it, then looked back at his father.

“But Dad, do I have to attack it?” he asked, somewhat confused by his father’s requested course of action.

“Rallan…” Typhoon said softly, lowering his head so he stared eye-to-eye with his son, “Do you want to be an impressive wolf; a role-model to everyone you meet?”

“Uh-huh…” Rallan said, nodding quickly.

“Then do as I say and attack the tree!” Typhoon said, raising his voice to a near shout, becoming irritated with his son’s lackadaisical personality.

Rallan yelped slightly in shock and fear and ran over to the tree. He began hacking away at the bark, leaving four, small scratches in the wood every time. Typhoon grinned and watched his son build up his strength slowly. He was determined to change Rallan from his current personality to a wolf who’d take orders and execute them faithfully, no matter the consequences.

“Good son… Before you know it, you’ll be a perfect wolf in no time…”

            For four long, dreary months of Rallan’s life, he was trained non-stop every single day. Whether it was honing his strengths, learning new battle stances and techniques, learning the medicinal properties of some plants, learning how to lead soldiers into combat effectively and strategizing for battles, or learning to memorize the layout of the territory he was in, Rallan was always constantly worked by Typhoon. Typhoon threatened that if he ever complained of being overworked, that he’d relinquish his trainings.

In fear of losing his father’s love and respect, as well as failing in all he’d worked so hard for, he kept his mouth shut and his strength and stamina up in order to meet his father’s challenges. They started from simple tasks, like catch a fish or leave an inch thick mark in a tree, to harder tasks, such as find a plant that contains no more than three leaves or kill a buck with one antler missing. Many of these tasks kept Rallan out all night, or even away from home for days.

“Typhoon, where’s Rallan?” Lily would often ask when they were all gathered in their den, only their eldest son missing from the group.

“He’s out training,” Typhoon would always reply and change the subject quickly.

“Why does Rallan receive all the special treatment?” Rayne asked bitterly, but dropped her angry tone when her father shot her a disappointed glance.

Finally, when Rallan was ten months old and almost completely grown up, his father introduced him to Captain, their Head Guard and commander of their defenses. He trudged through the snow, his son by his side as he approached the clearing where he’d told Captain to meet them.

“Rallan, this is the girl I wanted you to meet,” Typhoon said as he led his son up to Captain, “Rallan, this is Captain. Captain, Rallan. He’s your new student. Teach him all you know…”

Without so much as one word of praise, Typhoon walked off, leaving Rallan and Captain alone. Immediately, Captain began to circle Rallan, giving him a thorough examination. She nodded as she inspected every finer detail of the young wolf.

“You seem to be in good health… A decent build… Yes, your father has definitely trained you well so far… But if you think it’s gonna get easier with me, then you’re dead wrong.”

Captain stopped circling him and sat down in front of Rallan, staring into his eyes.

“My name is Captain. I’m your new mentor,” she said, a strength in her voice that signaled authority, “Now that you’re under my training, get ready for some of the most brutal and hard challenges you’ll ever meet. This shall prepare you for warfare and advanced combat.”

Without warning, Captain leaped at Rallan, his reflexes only barely getting him out of the way of her attack. She growled softly and spun around, swinging viciously at Rallan’s muzzle, missing only by an inch. Rallan recoiled and kept his eyes on her, tracing her every movement.

“What are you doing? I’m on your side!” Rallan said and dodged yet another attack.

Captain continued fighting against Rallan, occasionally knocking into him, but every time he went down, the young male got right back up. No matter what attack Captain threw at him, Rallan either dodged or took the force and got back up. Yet throughout the entire battle, Rallan refused to attack Captain back.

“I won’t fight you!” Rallan said determinedly, “Why are you doing this?”

“Because your father ordered me to…” Captain replied in an unemotional tone.

Rallan’s eyes widened as he realized what she was saying were most likely true. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Rallan leapt at Captain, hitting her and causing the two to tumble about in the freshly fallen snow. After tossing about for a minute or two, Rallan finally pinned Captain down, a look of surprise on her face.

“Nice one…” Captain muttered, a sly grin on her mouth, “But not good enough to defeat me…”

Placing her back legs under Rallan’s stomach, she kicked back, sending Rallan flying into a nearby tree, hitting it hard and collapsing to the ground. Groaning, he got to his feet and saw Captain leap at him, grabbing him and tackling him in return. Rallan felt Captain press her paws down on his shoulders, attempting to pin him. Grabbing her shoulders, he rolled, reversing the pin and holding Captain down. Before she could react, Rallan grabbed her neck in his mouth, showing her that he could have defeated her right there.

“Alright, alright… I give up… I submit!” Captain said, pushing him off and slowly getting to her feet.

“See? I’m not all t-” Rallan started, but was cut off when Captain gave a powerful blow to the side of his muzzle.

Rallan went tumbling into a nearby pile of snow. He struggled to get to his feet and glanced over at Captain. A mixed look of shock and anger crossed his face as he walked back over to her.

“What was that for?!?!” Rallan asked angrily, rubbing his cheek to relieve the stinging he felt in it.

“To show you not to get arrogant…” Captain said, smirking at him, “You may be pretty good at fighting and kinda cute, but you need to be on your guard at all times… Even a surrendered enemy can sneak attack you…”

“Yeah, thanks for that demonstration…” Rallan muttered, still rubbing his cheek.

“What, you want a kiss to make the pain go away?”

“Uh, no thanks, I’m alright…” Rallan replied and lowered his paw back to the snow-covered ground, “So what’s my first lesson?”

“First, we need to hone those reflexes of your first, then we’re going to go on to teaching you how to tell a lie between the truth when an enemy is speaking to you. After that, we’ll test your skills, and then if you pass, that’s it.”

“That’s it?” Rallan asked, cocking his head somewhat, “Well then, let’s get started!”

            Though most of his life was training, Rallan had time to relax and play with his friends. He’d often fight his friends for sport and fun, always turning out to pin them down into the snow, whether it was Varim, Drake, or even Hunter, his superior when he was a pup. Now Rallan could pin them all and beat them all in a fight, whether it was 1-1 or 2-1.

Even though Rallan was having fun, he couldn’t help but feel a little deprived. He’d never gotten to have as much fun as his friends had because of his training, but he was grateful for his skills.

Though I really do miss- Rallan though, but was cut off when something cold smacked into the side of his muzzle.

Rallan grunted as he fell sideways and rolled down a hill, his fur picking up all the snow he went over. Finally, he came to a stop in a large snow bank, shivering slightly as he struggled to get up from the sneak attack he’d always been forewarned about. Glancing up at the top of the hill, he saw his attacker, a familiar grey and white female named-

“Krystal!” Rallan shouted up to her, a smile on his face, “That wasn’t very fair, you know!”

“I know!” Krystal shouted back, “But it sure was fun!”

Krystal was roughly the same age as Rallan, but a month younger. She was the only one who lived in her litter. His father had told him that she was lucky to have survived and be the daughter of Talon, their current Beta. She came bounding down the hill and stopped in front of him, a sly smile on her face.

“You know I don’t like falling face-first into snow, Krystal…”

“I know! That’s why I did it!” Krystal said teasingly and tackled him, pushing him back into the snow bank.

Rallan laughed and grabbed her shoulders, rolling about in the snow to try and reverse their situation, but Krystal rolled as well, the two wolves tumbling down yet another hill. They laughed as they rolled down the side of the hill and crashed into a thick pile of snow. As they went to get up, Krystal placed her paw on Rallan’s chest. Rallan gave her a look that said ‘uh-oh’ and she pushed him back down into the white substance.

“Darn you, Krystal!” Rallan said playfully and got up just as Krystal shook off her pelt, covering him in even more snow.

Rallan laughed softly and shook all the snow off of him. He glanced up just in time to see Krystal flash him a playful smile and dash off. Grinning, Rallan gave chase, catching up to her in a matter of seconds. He leapt at Krystal and grabbed her back, causing both of them to fall to the snowy ground. They laughed and both got up simultaneously.

“RALLAN!!!” came the loud, agitated call of Captain, “IT’S TIME TO CONTINUE TRAINING!!! LET’S GO!!!”

Rallan sighed and shook his pelt off again. He turned and looked at Krystal in her amber eyes.

“Sorry Krystal, but I’ve gotta go now…” Rallan muttered disheartened, “I’ll see you some other time…”

“Alright then… Take care, Ral…” Krystal said softly.

Rallan gave her a warm smile before turning and running off, following Captain’s voice and scent to locate her. Krystal watched as he ran off and out of sight, sighing before heading off back to her home.

            After close to two months of vigorous training under the guidance of Captain, Rallan’s reflexes, mind, and body moved faster than any other wolf could possibly hope to move. He’d become so quick and agile he was often used to relay messages back and forth to members in the Lylrite Pack. He had truly turned into what his father had wanted. Now, at long last, on his first birthday, Rallan would be tested to pass as a perfect wolf, or fail.

Out in a large clearing near the river Rallan used to play by as a pup, a fully grown gray wolf sat in wait. His white chest drifted in the gentle breeze as he gazed out into the forest, waiting for someone important. Finally, Captain ran up to the male, panting heavily.

“Sorry I’m late Ral…” she said breathlessly, “But not all of us can run as fast as you can!... Just let me… catch my breath… and we’ll begin… your final test…”

“Fine by me,” Rallan said coolly, “I have all the time in the world…”

Captain chuckled softly and continued to pant, trying to regain her lost breath. After a few minutes, she stood up, her panting ceased. She smirked at Rallan and began to circle him.

“Let’s see if you have the ability to learn from your previous mistakes…” she said coldly.

“I’m a fast learner…” Rallan retorted, keeping his eyes on her at all times.

“Heh, we’ll see if your words ring true…”

Without a moment’s notice, Captain swung at Rallan’s muzzle. Rallan ducked, easily avoiding her blow with his improved reflexes. He returned to his standing state and gave Captain a satisfactory look.

“Good… At least you didn’t fall for that same trick twice… Now let’s try this…”

Captain leaped at Rallan, an attack most would be unable to avoid. Rallan dropped to his belly, watching the silvery gray female leap over him. She landed perfectly and spun around to face him as he got back up.

“Is this it?” Rallan asked sarcastically, grinning at Captain in an amused manner.

Captain growled softly and tackled Rallan, landing on top of him. Rallan quickly rolled backward, using the momentum from Captain’s attack to force her off of him and get him back on his feet. Captain got to her feet and glared at Rallan as he faced her again.

“You think you’re so good at this?” Captain asked, slightly irritated by his success thus far, “Let’s see how well you handle a full-out assault!”

Not holding back anymore, Captain growled loudly and lunged for Rallan. Aiming for his neck, Rallan quickly pulled back, ramming into her side and forcing her to the ground. The moment Captain got back up; Rallan grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and tossed her into the river. Captain got back up, her fur now soaking wet, a furious growl building up in her throat.

“I won’t let you win without some sort of challenge!” Captain shouted angrily.

As soon as she uttered those words, Captain threw herself at him, knocking Rallan to the ground. Rallan rolled and got to his feet, narrowing his eyes and growling back at her. Rallan grabbed her neck and forcefully pulled her down to the ground, standing over her, holding her down in a strong pin. As Captain tried to pull her throat out of Rallan’s maw, he only bit down harder, drawing a small amount of blood. Finally, Captain’s struggling stopped and her chest heaved up and down.

“Alright Rallan… You win… I surrender…” Captain said, panting heavily.

Rallan let go of her neck and smirked down at her. He climbed off of Captain, allowing her to get to her feet and began to turn away from her to get a drink from the river. Grinning to herself, Captain watched Rallan begin to turn away.

Fool… she thought and went to slash his muzzle like she had when she first met him. However, Rallan had learned and dodged by moving his muzzle just out of the way in time. Captain missed and stumbled forward within striking range of Rallan. She gave him a surprised look and gasped as Rallan grabbed her by the back of her neck, tossing her roughly through the air. Captain screamed as she flew forward and landed hard into the river, barely having enough strength to get up again.

“Congratulations, Rallan… You’ve passed my test… You’re officially the best wolf in our pack… In the whole world, probably…” Captain said weakly, letting the water run over and around her body.

Rallan sighed and shook his head. He walked up to Captain and dragged her out of the river and onto the bank of the river. He sat down beside her and looked out over the river.

“It’s all thanks to you and my father… Thank you, Captain…”

“Don’t mention it, Rallan… You did well… Your father will be proud…”

“Oh, will I?” Typhoon asked as he walked up to them, Captain quickly rolling to her feet and bowing to him, “What would make me so proud of him all of a sudden?”

“Well…” Captain began, her ears flattening in embarrassment, “He beat me without even breaking a sweat… His training has definitely paid off… He’s ready for the battle…”

“Wait, battle?!?! What battle?” Rallan asked, looking from Captain to Typhoon, “What’s going on?”

Typhoon gave Captain a look of anger and Captain recoiled slightly. He sighed and looked over at Rallan. Typhoon’s eyes reflected seriousness and Rallan knew this was no joke or test.

“Son, do you remember the Farin Pack? Our enemies?” he asked Rallan, knowing he would.

“Yeah, what about them?”

“Apparently, they’ve gathered enough forces to attack us swiftly and effectively…” Typhoon explained, briefing his son on his first mission, “You’ll be in command of our Second Regiment. I’ll take our First Regiment and lead them in a frontal assault. While they’re distracted, you’ll flank them from behind, using the cliff as cover, understand?”

Rallan just stared at his father for a moment. He glanced over at Captain and saw her nod slowly to him. He looked back at Typhoon and sighed before nodding.

“I understand, father…” he replied, “I accept this task...”

“Excellent! The battle will be tomorrow at dawn, from the message we’ve received from them.”

“Then the strike will be at midnight tonight,” Rallan said, cutting into his father’s statement. Typhoon exchanged a confused look with Captain, then looking back at his son.

“Um, son… We’ve received a message from their leader himself…” Typhoon said, trying to understand his son’s reasoning, “I don’t think he’d try to lead us astray…”

“Wrong Dad… He’s deliberately trying to lead you astray,” Rallan said taking a step forward, “By telling you it’s tomorrow at dawn, he’ll expect you to rally all of our soldiers, including our guards into preparation for combat, leaving our borders unprotected. He’ll then lead his troops past our barren borders and destroy us from the inside.”

Typhoon stared in amazement at Rallan’s explanation. He looked at Captain to see the same stunned look on her face that he also wore. Rallan smiled, knowing he’d surprised them both. Typhoon shook his head to break his shocked dazed.

“Wow Rallan… I’m impressed…” Typhoon complimented, then got serious again, “But that doesn’t prove that he’s deceiving us…”

“Dad, just lead our troops into the canyon tonight and see what happens,” Rallan said, pleading his father to listen to him.

“Alright, but only because I’m trusting your judgment, Rallan…” Typhoon said and walked off. Rallan glanced at Captain and walked off, following his father, ready to fight for his father using his newfound skills.

            Just as the moon reached the center of the nighttime sky, signaling that midnight had arrived. Below the treetops, a silvery mist had settled in. A moderate sized force of wolves marched their way through the veil, Spirit at the back as the medic, Typhoon and Rallan at the front as the commanders. As they reached the canyon and began to descend into it, Typhoon nodded to Rallan.

Rallan nodded back and split off, taking half the forces with him up and around along the ledges to circle the other side. No sooner had they split-up, than the forces of the Farin Pack appeared through the mist. Typhoon sighed, knowing that his son had been right about their battle strategy. The two forces picked up speed and charged each other, the wolves colliding with one another.

The foggy canyon soon became a carnage-filled battlefield. Rallan and his troops watched on as Typhoon and his soldiers fought back at the Farin wolves, both sides evenly matched in terms of numbers and strength.

“Time to uneven those odds…” Rallan muttered and motioned to his wolves.

Rallan led the Second Regiment around the ledges, howls of pain echoing across the canyon. He knew both sides were fighting their best, then noticed that the Farins had gained a temporary advantage, taking the lead and forcing Typhoon back. Rallan growled and finally reached the opposite side of the canyon, howling loudly, his soldiers following his lead.

The Farins turned to see the Second Regiment and their leader blocking their only escape. A sudden sickly moment of understanding set in on the Farin wolves’ minds. Rallan glared down at his enemies and charged, leading his troops into the fray. Everything seemed to slow down as Rallan tackled a wolf, rolling for a moment before pinning him and biting into his throat. Now reinforced, the Lylrites fought back with renewed vigor and determination.

The battle wore on for what seemed like an eternity, though it was closer to an hour or two. Rallan could hear the screams of pain and death, he could taste the blood of his enemies on his teeth, he could see the bodies of the fallen wolves, whether they were allies or enemies. He hated it all. The combat wore on until only a few wolves remained standing. Just as victory seemed near, the Alpha of the Farin Pack tackled Rallan, the two rolling into a circle formed by both sides as they watched the Alpha and prince engage each other.

Rallan got back to his feet and shook his head to clear the daze caused by the sudden attack. He glared at the Alpha and the Alpha glared back at him. The two began to circle one another, a bitter hatred sensed between both sides. The Alpha lunged for Rallan’s neck, missing as the young wolf pulled away, whacking the Alpha on the side of his muzzle and sending him sprawling to the rocky ground. The Alpha spun around and clawed across Rallan’s muzzle, leaving four deep cuts in his cheek.

Rallan cried out in pain as a stinging, searing pain filled his mind. He stumbled slightly and felt something run down his muzzle, staring at the ground. A few drops of blood stained the ground from his face, from the wound the Alpha had inflicted upon him. Growling, Rallan retaliated, leaping at the Alpha, the two tossing about until Rallan pinned him down. As Rallan went to bite through the Alpha’s neck, the wolf kicked him off, landing on his feet as his enemy got to his feet.

Both wolves circled each other again, the warriors on the sidelines cheering on the royalty of their side. Typhoon stood in the crowd, watching his son fight off the Alpha, his steely gaze not being broken for anything. Rallan went to tackle the Alpha again, but ended up missing when his target sidestepped and dodged his attack, falling to his face. Rallan felt a white hot pain burn through his back leg and knew the Alpha had bitten him. He spun around and kicked the Alpha with his free leg.

The Alpha flew off at Rallan’s blow and Rallan struggled to his feet, feeling his blood flow freely from his right leg. He limped over to the Alpha as his enemy got to his feet and took the Alpha’s neck in his mouth.

“No! Wait, stop!” the Alpha shouted, but Rallan wouldn’t hear him out.

Before the Alpha could protest or plead any longer, Rallan twisted his head, hearing and feeling the bones in the Alpha’s neck snap in his powerful jaws. Rallan felt and saw the Alpha’s body spasm before going limp in his hold. He tossed the corpse to the ground and the warriors of the Lylrite Pack cheered loudly, the warriors of the Farin Pack quickly turning tail and running away in fright. Typhoon ran up to Rallan and nuzzled his son.

“Excellent work son! You’ve defeated our enemies once and for all!” Typhoon announced ecstatically, “We’ve killed their Beta and you just killed their Alpha! I’m so proud of you son! You’ve become exactly what I trained you to become: a perfect soldier and leader; a perfect wolf!”

No Dad… I’m a murderer… You’ve turned me into a monster… Rallan thought to himself, but nodded to his father, keeping his eyes on the body, then falling to the ground in a grunt of pain.

Typhoon noticed this and instantly got a look of worry. He saw the wound on Rallan’s muzzle and leg and motioned for Spirit to come over. She took note of his injuries and quickly ran off, returning shortly with a mouthful of herbs. She licked his wounds to sterilize them and ground the plants up in her paws, applying the powder liberally to his wounds. Rallan flinched due to the stinging the herbs caused, but quickly settled.

“Come on, help him up!” Typhoon commanded and immediately two soldiers went up beside Rallan, helping him to his feet and standing beside him as they walked for stability.

Typhoon led everyone back into their lands. By the time they arrived home again, the sun was just beginning to rise, the sun casting the dark sky into an orange hue. Rallan’s wounds had already begun to heal, Spirit keeping a close eye on him.

“Remember when I said one day I would be the one thing saving you from death?” Spirit asked Rallan.

“Yeah, I do… You were right…” Rallan replied with a smirk, fatigue clear on his face as his eyelids began to droop slightly.

“Damn right I was right!” Spirit said jokingly and smirked playfully back at him.

A few minutes later, the soldiers left Typhoon and Rallan at their large family den. Typhoon helped his son inside and onto his bedding of soft brush. Rallan sighed heavily as his body hit the brush, closing his eyes immediately.

“Get some rest son… You deserve it…” Typhoon said softly, smiling down at his son, “I’m so proud of you…”

“Thanks Dad…” Rallan muttered, almost completely asleep. He still could see the bodies and blood, making him feel sick to his stomach. Those thoughts were quickly lost to darkness as Rallan slipped into a deep, deep sleep.

For the next four weeks, Rallan was cheered on and congratulated for sealing a victory out on the field of battle against the Farin Pack. Though he would always smile at anyone who did congratulate him, deep down, he couldn’t get rid of the visions of the violence and death out in that canyon on that night. The smell of blood was still clear in his mind; he’d never forget that horrible night when he realized what his father had trained him to do and become.

After four weeks of congratulating, Rallan couldn’t take it anymore! He’d had enough praise for killing other wolves. Though he was far from being a pacifist, he hated warfare; he found the whole ordeal pointless. One night, he ran from his family’s den, needing to be alone for awhile. Slowly, Rallan wandered through the silvery moonlit forest. The stars overhead twinkled and shined brightly, not a cloud dotted the night sky. Everything was serene and perfectly peaceful.

Suddenly, the silence was broken when Rallan heard two voices. At first they sounded as if they were just talking, but then the tone of their voices changed, one going angry, the other going sad. Rallan quickly moved through the woods, the voiced steadily getting louder as he moved onward. Eventually, he pushed his head through some bushes and saw Typhoon talking to Varim, an angry look on Typhoon’s face and an upset one on Varim’s.

"Why can’t you be more like your brother?" Typhoon asked angrily, causing Varim to recoil slightly.

"What if I don’t want to be like Rallan?" Varim asked, his voice quivering slightly, "What if I just want to be myself?"

"You couldn’t fight anyone to save your life!" Typhoon shouted, Varim narrowing his eyes a bit, "Rallan killed an Alpha! That’s more than you’ll ever do!"

"So you’re proud of him because he’s a murderer?!?!" Varim asked in a raised voice.

"I’m proud of him because he’s the perfect wolf!" Typhoon shouted back, "You’re just a pathetic excuse for an Alpha’s son!"

Varim’s eyes welled up with tears. His body shook violently with sorrow and he stood up. Though Varim was clearly upset, he growled softly, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Why do you hate me so much?!?!" Varim shouted, "What did I ever do to deserve this hatred?"

"You are a failure as a son and as a prince in my eyes!" Typhoon snapped, glaring at Varim with a seething hatred.

"Well if I’m such a failure to you, then why don’t you just kill me?!?!" Varim shouted, his voice shaking terribly. Typhoon snarled and bared his teeth to Varim.

"Good idea, Varim…" he growled fiercely, "Why don’t I?"

Typhoon leapt at Varim, catching the young wolf off-guard and rolling about on the ground for a moment before Varim kicked him off. The two wolves got up and circled each other. Though Varim had the spirit, Typhoon was more experienced and had no combat training whatsoever, thusly giving Typhoon an easy advantage. Typhoon grabbed Varim by his neck, tossing his own son roughly into a tree.

Varim cried out in pain as his body hit the large pine tree and fell to the ground. As Varim struggled to get back to his feet, Typhoon bit into Varim’s side, drawing a large amount of blood. As Varim cried and whimpered in agony, Typhoon dragged his son back into the center of the clearing, leaving a trail of blood on the grass where Varim had been dragged.

"Dad… Please, don’t-" Varim began but was cut off by his father.

"Don’t what? Do this?" Typhoon asked and grabbed Varim’s throat in his jaws. Varim struggled to push his father away, but failed horribly.

"Dad, no! Stop! You’re gonna-" Varim said, but never got the chance to finish. Typhoon clenched his jaws closed tightly around Varim’s throat, bringing a startled and choked gasp from his son. Varim’s body gave a sudden violent spasm and Typhoon pulled away, turning Varim’s throat into a gory mass. Rallan’s eyes widened and he dashed into the clearing.

"Nooooo!" Rallan shouted and tackled a very startled Typhoon, knocking him away from Varim’s body.

Typhoon gasped in surprise as a sudden force pushed him away from the corpse of his son. He hit the ground and rolled, scrambling to his feet and looking around for his attacker. When he spotted Rallan, his face went as white as snow.

"Rallan- this isn’t what it looks like!" Typhoon said quickly and nervously.

"Isn’t what it looks like?!?!" Rallan shouted angrily, looking back down at the bloody body of his brother, "You killed my brother! You killed Varim, your own son! How could you?!?!"

"Rallan, just take it easy…" Typhoon said calmly, "He asked for it anyway…"

"That doesn’t mean you had to kill him!" shouted Rallan, his voice increasing in volume and rage, "What kind of father kills his own son?!?!"

"First off, I’m an excellent father and I’m your Alpha and you will show me my due respect!" Typhoon shouted back, smirking slightly, "Besides, he was a failure. He deserved what he got…"

Rallan growled angrily at Typhoon. His eyes narrowed in pure hatred of his father; all respect he had for him had evaporated from his body, replacing it with a burning rage.

"You bastard…" Rallan growled and ran forward, tackling his father.

Typhoon’s eyes widened as Rallan barreled into him, knocking him off of his feet. Both father and son tumbled across one another before Rallan pinned Typhoon down. Typhoon grabbed Rallan’s muzzle in his mouth and tossed him roughly to one side, allowing him to get up. Rallan also got up and the two wolves began to circle each other.

Rallan and Typhoon exchanged furious looks and growls, a bitter hatred now apparent between the two of them. Typhoon jumped forward and grabbed Rallan by the neck, brutally pulling him down to the ground. Rallan grunted as his body slammed into the hard ground, feeling his father’s jaws tighten around his neck and begin to cut off the airflow to his lungs. Rallan gasped for air and tried to push Typhoon off of him, trying to keep from ending up like Varim had. After a few minutes of struggling, Rallan finally pushed Typhoon off, the Alpha’s fangs tearing slight cuts through his neck, but nothing fatal.

Rallan flinched as a few razor-sharp pains ran through his neck, gasping for air as he stood up. Typhoon lunged for him again and missed Rallan’s neck by an inch as his son pulled back, smacking at Typhoon with his paw and forcefully knocking him back to the ground. As the Alpha struggled to get back up, Rallan leaped forward and pinned Typhoon to the ground, grabbing his father’s neck in his mouth.

"Get off of me, you ingrate!" Typhoon shouted furiously, trying to push Rallan away. Yet no matter how much Typhoon pushed Rallan, Rallan only tightened his grip on his father’s neck.

"Submit Dad, and I’ll let you live for a trial!" Rallan said through his father’s fur.

The struggle went on for several minutes, both wolves grunting as they fought against one another, father and son locked in furious combat. After awhile, Typhoon placed his paws on Rallan’s shoulder and gathered up all his remaining strength. As Typhoon pushed Rallan away with a tremendous force, Rallan’s bite tightened and a sickening ripping noise was heard. There was a gurgled gasp and Rallan fell backwards. When he got up, he saw his father with a large tear in his neck, blood flowing endlessly from the lethal wound.

"D-Dad? Dad?" Rallan asked nervously and approached his father’s corpse.

Rallan examined the body of his father, then looked back at Varim. Blood stained Rallan’s muzzle and a few tears began to fall from his brown eyes. A sudden rustling in a nearby bush caught his attention and Rallan began to feel very afraid. Suddenly, two wolves walked into the clearing, one was a guard and the other was Drake.

"Look, all I’m saying is why do caribou run from us if they have those antlers?" the guard asked Drake.

"Maybe because we have the speed, strength, intelligence, and teeth? Not to mention claws and all that," Drake answered and glanced up, freezing in his tracks at the sight before him.

The guard stopped as Drake stopped and followed his gaze out to the grisly scene and gasped. From another bush, Hunter stepped into view and looked around at everything at once. He glanced at Rallan and saw the blood on his friend’s muzzle.

"What happened here?" Hunter asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I’ll tell you what happened…" Drake replied, his eyes narrowing as well, "We have a murder here…"

"What? No! I didn’t-"

"Save it Rallan! All the evidence is right here! Detain him!" Drake said and nodded to the guard.

Both the guard and Hunter ran forward and grabbed Rallan, tossing him to the ground and pinning him under their combined strength. Rallan struggled to get free, but failed miserably. Drake casually walked forward and examined the bodies before howling for some more guards and for the Council to assemble. Being a High Council Member, Drake had the power to summon meetings whenever he saw fit, and now was one of those moments.

"You’re getting it all wrong! I’m not a murderer!" Rallan protested and more guards arrived.

"Save it for Justice!" Drake said angrily and the guards took the bodies, dragging them to the Meeting Area along with Rallan.

It only took ten minutes from Drake’s emergency meeting call to assemble the whole pack for a trial. Every single wolf that made up the Lylrite Pack was in their seats, eager to find out what had happened to call for a sudden trial. Everyone gasped when they saw Rallan being dragged in, flailing about wildly as they tossed him in front of the High Council, Drake taking his seat on the Council. A few murmurs were heard throughout the ranks, signaling interest in what was going on. Justice walked up and took her seat on the large boulder that made up the Judge’s Stand.

"This court will now come to order!" Justice shouted, immediately silencing everyone, "Drake, present the case."

"The case of Rallan vs. the Lylrite Pack. Rallan was found ten minutes ago in a blood-stained clearing with the bodies of Typhoon, his father and Alpha Male, and Varim, his brother. Bring in the evidence!" Drake said.

Two guards carried in the bodies of Typhoon and Varim and lay them before Justice, the High Council, and everyone else. A large number of gasps and cries of surprise were heard and everyone took on a surprised look. Lily’s mouth dropped open and tears quickly formed in her eyes. Rayne, Snow, and Summer looked completely shocked and Krystal, Captain, and Spirit looked horrified. Rallan looked around at everyone, then back at Justice before getting to his feet.

"Rallan, how do you plead?" Justice asked.

"Not guilty," Rallan replied, causing a few more murmurs, but ignored them, "I committed no crime. You cannot punish me for what I did not do."

"Then why don’t you tell us what happened?" Justice asked, cocking her head slightly.

"I went to take a walk to clear my mind-"

"I can vouch for that!" Lily said quickly, interrupting Rallan, "He told me he was going for a walk."

"M’lady, while I respect your authority as Alpha Female, I must ask you to refrain from calling out in my court…" Justice replied coolly before turning back to Rallan, "You were saying?"

"Anyway, I went for a walk and saw my Dad yelling at Varim. They began to argue furiously, with my father chastising my brother. He then proceeded to attack my brother which resulted in him killing Varim. In defense, I then attacked my father, the struggle ending in his death…" Rallan said earnestly, "It was an accident though! I was only trying to restrain him and I accidentally tore through his throat…"

"Well, that seems a little unlikely…" Justice said with a sigh, "Why would your father want to kill your brother? From what I’ve heard, your family is rather tight-knit. Why would your father suddenly turn on your brother? If you ask me, your story sounds a little farfetched."

"I’ll tell you what most likely happened!" Drake said aloud, "Rallan’s training caused him to become power-hungry and attack his father in an attempt to become the Alpha Male and rule our pack! When he killed his father, Varim walked in and saw everything. In an attempt to keep this situation looking like an attack from an enemy, Rallan couldn’t have any witnesses, so he killed his brother! Then we showed up before he could make his getaway!"

"Objection!" Rallan shouted.

"Overruled!" Justice shouted back.

"I object!" Lily said seriously, "Rallan is a kind, sweet male! He’d never do anything like this!"

"Apparently he did!" Drake snapped back at Lily, ignorant of her Alpha status, "Look at the evidence! Everything points to Rallan!"

"Rallan, is there anything else you have to say before I turn it over to everyone else to vote?" Justice asked.

"No. Just vote…" Rallan muttered.

"Very well… Everyone cast your votes," Justice said and scrawled out two words in the dirt: "Innocent" and "Guilty". Every wolf took turns coming up and placing a pawprint under their vote. After everyone had voted except for the convict, Rallan, who wasn’t allowed to vote.

The final votes came down to 1 for Innocent and everyone else for Guilty.

"The votes are cast!" Justice said loudly so everyone could hear, "Rallan, my the authority vested in me by your father, Typhoon, I hereby exile you from the Lylrite Pack and their lands. Should you ever return, you shall be executed."

"You’ve gotta be kidding me…" Rallan said angrily, "My life was ruined by him and now you want to exile me? What’s next, executing someone for punished crimes?"

"I think you’ve said enough, Rallan," Justice said, narrowing her eyes to glare at him, "You are now stripped of your title as "Prince" and must now leave forever. I’ll have some guards escort you to the border."

"Don’t bother… I’ll be fine going on my own…" Rallan muttered and turned, walking away from his former pack and toward the border.

Along the way, Rallan glanced up at Drake, giving him an angry glare and then repeating that action for Hunter. He ignored the chastising shouts from his former packmates and just kept walking away, his head held low. Krystal tried to run up to Rallan, but Talon held her back. Before he left the clearing, Drake kicked a rock at him, nailing Rallan on his head and sending the wolf to the ground. Rallan quickly got up and ran as fast as he could away from everyone, their words still echoing in his mind.

Tears streamed down Rallan’s face as he ran from his old life. Everything he had once known and held dear to him was suddenly snatched away by the vindictive father he had killed to try and protect his brother. Because he tried to save Varim, he was now exiled and a loner, loathed by everyone in the Lylrite Pack except for the one unanimous voter who said "Innocent". Crossing the border, Rallan ran into unknown territory, the howls of the Lylrite Pack echoing across the land, signaling their banishment of a prince for treachery.

Dashing across a large plain, Rallan panted heavily, every event replaying in his mind. He saw his father murder Varim, he saw himself accidentally kill Typhoon. Then came the false trial. He saw his best friend stand against him and accuse him of trying to gain power through blood. He saw his pack vote against him. He saw his mother’s distraught face and her sadness in her eyes. Finally, Rallan crossed from his old life into his new life; a life marked by exile and murder, a life of a lone wolf.