Traitor
All characters depicted in this story are copywrited by myself. Any similarities to any real events or wolves, either living or dead, is entirely coincidental, seeing as I know no wolves.
Prologue
The Sanarin Pack was always a peaceful pack to say the least. Under the leadership of Niran, it was easy to see why. He and his mate Lunera ruled with fairness and justice, not accepting unlawful behavior in any manner. After the first year of their reign, Lunera gave birth to five pups, three of which were unfortunately killed when a wolf foolishly attempted to invade their lands. The two that remained were Kalil, the first-born, and Tychon, the last-born. Niran decided that by age, Kalil was the one destined to be the next Alpha of the Sanarins, which he rightfully was. A year later, Lunera gave birth to four more pups, but once more, three died over the winter; leaving only Najan. Kalil found it his sworn duty to protect his youngest brother from any harm and did so for 6 months and planned to until he was appointed the new Alpha. But he could never have forseen a series of events that would send his life into a test; a test of strength, will, prudence, and intelligence. He could never have forseen who would place this test before him, for to start the test, that one would have to commit treachary on the highest scale... and he did.
Chapter 1: Darkness Broods
"No!" Kalil shouted, then a large wolf hit him in his side, sending him to the ground. He lay sprawled out on the rocky ground, pain coursing through his body like the blood in him. He groaned and stood up, a sharp pain in his right paw. He glared at his attacker, a wolf about his size, shrouded in darkness. The wolf ran forward and grabbed him by the back of the neck and tossed him to the edge of a nearby cliff. Kalil hit the ground an rolled off the side, barely grabbing the edge with his paws, his claws digging into the rock. Struggling, he tried to pull himself up, but he was beaten too badly; he'd lost most of his strength. He glanced up into the eys of his attacker, a deep hate filling the dark wolf's eyes. It grabbed Kalil's paws and put his muzzle to his ear. "Goodbye Kalil..." it whispered and tossed him over the edge. Kalil screamed as he fell into darkness.
"No!" Kalil shouted and bolted straight up, quickly looking back and forth around his family's den. He gasped for air and lay his head down on his paws. Only a dream... he thought and shook a bit, still afraid of his nightmare, Only a dream... He heard someone approaching and looked up into the concerned icy-blue eyes of a white wolf. "Kalil, are you alright dear?" she asked and he nodded in reply. "I-I'm fine Mom," he said and stood up, shaking off his grey and white pelt, "Just a nightmare..." She walked up beside him and nuzzled him comfortingly. "Your brother's looking for you..." she said softly and smiled at him. "Oh jeez, I hope I didn't keep him waiting!" Kalil said and dashed out of the den, yelling back "Love you Mom" as he shot out into the sunlight.
Najan leapt from rock to rock outside of their den. He hadn't even noticed Kalil had woken up and was sneaking up on him. As he leapt to another rock, Kalil caught him in midair with his paw and placed him on his back, tickling his belly with his paw. "Kalil!" Najan said, giggling like mad, "That's not fair! You can't do that!" "Oh really? It looks like I am!" Kalil answered back, smiling down at the solid grey pup and let his brother get to his feet and climb onto his back. Kalil ran about the small clearing where their den was, Najan laughing while holding onto Kalil's back.
From atop a larger rock, Tychon watched Kalil play around with Najan. He glared at the thought of him eventually becoming the Alpha of the Sanarin's. He's not fit to be the Alpha, Tychon thought coldly, Hell, he's not even fit to be the Beta! It disgusts me to think that he'll lead us in due time... I should be the rightful heir to the Alpha position, not him! He growled silently and rolled onto his back, his white fur blowing gently in the wind, gazing up at the sky. I'll have to get rid of him... Then maybe I can lead the way a true Alpha should lead... But how? He's always with Najan. You won't find one without the other... Tychon grinned evilly. Then I'll just have to take them both out... I'll wait for the right time, take Kalil, then finish off Najan. I'll be the Alpha and Kalil will have a weight off of his shoulders. Tychon held back the urge to laugh evilly, for risk of being caught. I'll get them when the time is right... Without another thought on that matter, Tychon calmly stood up and walked down to join his family.
Chapter 2: Conspiring A Dark Deed
Lunera smiled as she watched Kalil and Najan play from the entrance of their den. God bless you Kalil, she thought and sighed, Najan would be lost without you. It's a good thing he has you to look out for him... Lunera heard a sound behind her and turned to look what it was only to recieve a quick lick across her cheek. "They're a tight pair, huh?" asked a voice she knew well. "Yes, they are Niran..." she replied as her mate sat down beside her, shaking his solid grey pelt off, "Kalil reminds me of you when you were younger." "You mean strong, charming, handsome, and intelligent?" Niran asked with a chuckle and Lunera laughed back, "I'm proud to one day hand over my title as Alpha to him. He's worthy of it in my eyes." Lunera nodded and lay her head on his shoulder. "We're lucky to have them, and Tychon too..." she replied softly as they watched their sons with pride.
Kalil stopped running around and lay down, catching his breath as Najan climbed off of his back. "That was fun, big bro!" he said playfully and nipped at Kalil's nose. Kalil laughed and sat up, out of reach of his youngest brother's bite. "Try to nip me now tiger!" he challenged and laughed again as Najan tried to jump up and nip at his nose again, "Hey Najan, wanna go to the cliffside? I know how much you like it there." Najan's eyes lit up. "Can we Kalil? Can we? Oh boy!" he replied eagerly and jumped about. "Alright, settle down," Kalil said and looked over at Niran and Lunera, "Hey Mom, Dad, I'm taking Najan to the cliffside! Be back later!" He smiled when his parents nodded their approval. "Come on Najan!" he said and ran alongside his brother as they made their way to the cliffside.
Tychon watched Kalil and Najan from behind a tree, scowling at them. Najan I can forgive for his playfulness because he's a pup, but Kalil; that's just unacceptable for the future Alpha to be playing like that! he thought, disgusted at how childish Kalil seemed, I'd be doing our pack a favor by eliminating him! It's a shame Najan has to go as well, but sacrifices are necessary at times... He heard Kalil shout to their parents about going to the cliffside and almost jumped for joy. That's how I'll get them! The cliffside! One little push and they both tumble down and go to sleep... permanently. No one will find their bodies and no one will be the wiser... He watched Kalil run off with Najan and began to slowly follow behind them, keeping his distance so that they wouldn't detect him. Just you wait Kalil... You're in for the shock of what's left of your life...
Chapter 3: A Plan Set In Motion
It didn't take them long to reach the cliffside at the border of Sanarin territory. It was a rather high rocky ledge that towered roughly 100 feet above the Syn River. The second Kalil and Najan arrived, Najan ran to the edge and looked down, laughing and rolling on the rocky ground. Kalil smiled at him and shook his head. What he sees in this place, I'll never know! he thought and watched his brother play. "Come on Kalil, tackle me!" Najan said playfully and crouched down, his little tail swaying in midair. Kalil couldn't help but laugh and play along. "You asked for it, bro!" he said and, using one paw, rolled Najan over and held him down. Najan struggled against his brother's firm hold to no avail. "No fair!" Najan said and Kalil let him up, then began to run around with him, both of them laughing and enjoying themselves.
Tychon almost growled in anger as he spied on his two brothers. "You weak fool," he muttered under his breath, his steely glance cast upon Kalil, "I'm doing you a favor by doing this..." Wait for the right moment to strike, then take it, he thought and crouched down, ready to leap out of the shadows at any second. He saw Kalil start running about with Najan and leapt forward, ramming hard into Kalil's torso. Kalil fell to the ground. Kalil looked up and shook his head, shocked by what had happened. By the time he turned to look at Tychon, his brother had already smacked him with his paw, sending his off-guard older brother rolling into a rock.
Kalil hit his head on a rock a few seconds after he'd gotten hit. What the H*ll? Kalil thought, his vision fogged slightly, Feels like I just ran into a tree! He shook his head, clearing his vision and saw Tychon standing where he just was. "Tychon..." he started wearily and stood up, "What do you think you're doing?" Tychon grinned malliciously. "Succeeding you, brother," he said coldly and ran up, grabbing the back of Kalil's neck and tossing him to the ground behind him. As Kalil stood up again, he bit into his right paw and rammed into his side, forcing Kalil back to the rocky flooring.
"No!" Kalil shouted as Tychon rammed him back to the ground. He lay sprawled out on the rocky ground, pain coursing through his entire body. He groaned and stood up, a sharp pain in his right paw. He glared at Tychon, anger filling him. Kalil looked around for Najan and saw him standing near the edge. At least Najan's not hurt, he thought and looked back at Tychon just in time to see him grab him by his neck again and toss him towards Najan and the edge. Kalil hit the ground and rolled, hitting Najan and rolling off the side. He barely grabbed the edge with his paws, his claws digging into the rock. He felt a light pain run through his back and looked back to see Najan holding onto him for dear life. Kalil looked below at the rushing Syn River, speeding by.
Struggling, he tried to pull himself up, but he was beaten too badly; he'd lost most of his strength. He glanced up into the eyes of Tychon, who was now standing before him, a deep hate in his brother's eyes. "Tychon... It's not too late..." Kalil said pleadingly, "We won't tell anyone what happened, just help us up! Please brother!" Tychon stared at him for a moment, then grabbed Kalil's paws and put his muzzle to his ear. "Goodbye Kalil..." he whispered evilly and tossed him over the edge. "Noooooooo!" Kalil screamed as he and Najan plummeted down towards their doom. He grabbed Najan with his paws and curled up around him, protecting him from the force of the water. The moment they hit it's surface, they went under, and Kalil felt a heavy pressure on his head and began to black out. Why? he thought and everything went dark.
Tychon laughed wickedly to himself as he watched them fall and heard the splash from below. It was oddly satisfying to his ears. "Rest in peace Kalil and Najan..." he said and ran off back home. He arrived a minute later, skidding to a halt before Niran and Lunera, who were speaking with the Sanarin Beta, fake distress in his eyes. "Mom! Dad! There's been a horrible accident!" he said urgently, "Kalil and Najan! I saw them fall off the cliff! I tried to help, but I was too late, and now they're..." He stopped and faked a sob, his father's eyes widening with worry. "No," he said and sprinted to the cliffside, stopping at the edge. "KALIL!!! NAJAN!!!" he shouted down, his voice echoing down the canyon walls. He took a step back and was about to dive down in a futile attempt to save his sons when the Beta tackled him and held him down. "No sir!" he said, struggling to hold his Alpha back from certain death, "It's too late. I'm sorry, but they're gone..." Niran felt tears come to his eyes and sat down, his head hung in sorrow. Lunera padded up next to him, tears already flowing from her blue eyes. "NOOOOOOO!!!!!" Niran howled to the twilight sky above. As far as they knew, Kalil and Najan were dead...
Chapter 4: Awakening
Oh God, my whole body feels like it wieghs a ton! Kalil thought as all he saw was darkness. He looked left, right, up, and down, but nothing except the infitie blackness. Then he felt warm; warmth all over his body. Great, he thought, I'm dead. I died. I'm dead... Then he heard a sound he thought he'd never hear again: water. What? Suddenly a bright light filled the darkness and he felt as if he was being pulled towards something. Now I know I'm dead! he thought as the light consumed him.
Kalil's body twitched and shuddered as his eyes slowly opened. At first, everything was a blur of light and color, then the colors began to take a definite shape. A forest... he thought as trees, bushes, and grass appeared before him. He glanced around; he was lying on what seemed to be one of the many shores of the Syn River. Beside him lay Najan, unconscious, but still breathing. Oh, thank God he's alright! he thought and struggled to his feet, falling once, but finally getting up. He felt a bitter taste in his mouth and put his left paw in, pulling out, revealing some blood on his paw. Great. Tychon sure took a toll on me, he thought and mentally cursed himself for being so careless. Beside him, a small groan was heard and he spun around, smiling widely as Najan moved.
The blackness that had engulfed Najan finally lifted and he saw masses of green and brown. W-what's going on? he thought and then saw grey and white as well. He stared curiously at it until it took the shape of Kalil. "Kalil?" he asked wearily and his brother nuzzled him warmly. "You alright Najan?" he asked as Najan slowly got to his feet. "Yeah... I'm fine..." he said and looked around, Kalil following suit. "I'm... I'm not sure..." he said slowly, trying to get his bearings. Suddenly, a twig snapped behind them and Kalil turned his attention to a nearby bush as a black wolf stepped into view and eyed them for a moment.
"Um, hello..." he said, confused by the two wolves' presence, "You... you two aren't River members, why are you here?" Kalil stared at him for a moment. "Wait... River members? You mean this is River Pack territory?" he asked and groaned when the black wolf nodded, "We drifted about 500 miles downriver..." "Beg your pardon?" the wolf asked again, still unsure of what they were doing here. "We... ah, fell into the Syn River about 500 miles upriver..." "Jeez! Then you've got a long walk ahead of you two!" he said, surprised to learn of their origin, "500 miles north. That's Sanarin territory. You're Sanarin members?" Kalil nodded and the black wolf thought for a moment.
"My name's Toron. I'm a member of the River Pack," he started and bowed his head respectfully to them, "I can lead you to our north border; it's not too far away from here. From there on, you're on your own." Kalil smiled at Toron. "Thank you Toron. We accept. Let's get moving. The sooner we get home, the better." Toron led them northward until they reached the border. "Here it is!" he said and motioned for them to go on, "Take care of yourselves, alright?" Kalil was about to say "Thank you," when another black wolf leapt out and pinned him to the ground, snarling threateningly. "You're an intruder in River territory!" the wolf snarled and was pulled off by Toron. "Taran, no!" he said, holding the wolf back, "Sister, please. They are here on accident and are leaving now." He nodded at Kalil and Kalil grabbed Najan in his mouth and ran out of their territory. "You let him go?" Taran asked him. Toron nodded. "They're too young to die just yet. I won't be responsible for their blood," he said and looked at his sister, "Now I'm not. Let's get back to the others. I'm sure they're waiting..."
Chapter 5: First Blood
"Kalil, I'm tired!" came the weary complain of Najan. Kalil chuckled and looked at his younger brother, padding alongside of him. "You just said that five minutes ago," he replied and carried on walking. Najan groaned, but kept up with him. "What if we get attacked again?" he asked, "You'll need your strength to fight back!" Kalil laughed, but realized that Najan's fears may be well-established. They had no idea what they'd encounter on their way home and this was no walk in the woods, this was 500 miles of travelling ahead of them Well, about 485 miles by now, Kalil thought, but kept that to himself, not wanting to hear his brother complain anymore. "Don't worry Najan. Your big bro can take anything that's thrown at him!" he said, trying to keep Najan's morality high. "Alright, but how much longer until we can rest?" Kalil looked up at the sky. The sun was about to set, so he reasoned that they had an hour or two of daylight left. "In about one hour, Najan," he answered and carried on, trudging through the undergrowth of the forest, little Najan by his side.
As the sun touched the horizon, every single wolf of the Sanarin Pack gathered at the cliffside, mournful expressions on their faces. "Dear comrades, fellow wolves," Niran began, tears in his eyes, "We've gathered to pay our final respects to my two dear sons, Kalil and Najan... They were taken from us too early when they fell at this very spot... They will be missed dearly. I loved them both with every fiber in my body... To lose them while they were still young..." He couldn't finish and tears fell down his powerful muzzle. "Thank you all for attending. It means so much to Lunera and I... Thank you..." Niran walked over to Lunera, who buried her face into his fur and sobbed uncontrollably. Tychon stood up. "It was a tragedy to lose my brothers, my two best friends in this world... But I manage to somehow look on the bright side... At least they're in a better place now..." he said solemnly. That, and I get to be the Alpha once Dad dies as well, he thought and held back a grin. "To Kalil and Najan!" The twilight was suddenly filled with lamenting howls, signaling that two young wolves had unfortunately lost their lives.
As stars began to fill the sky, Kalil stopped in a clearing to try to get his bearings. About 50 miles... he thought and shook his head, We've gone about 50 miles. Only 450 miles to go. Oh dear... Najan lay down as Kalil looked up at the stars. "Goodnight Kalil," Najan said with a yawn. Kalil smiled down at the little grey furball curled up next to him. "Goodnight Naja-" he said, but was cut off when something pounced on him, the two forms rolling on the ground for a moment until they stopped and pulled away from each other. What in God's name was that? he thought as he stood up and saw a pitch black wolf glaring at him.
"Who are you?" Kalil demanded as he stared down the other wolf. "My name is none of your concern!" the other wolf spat back in a gruff voice, obviously a male, "But I'll tell you this: I enjoy the taste of blood." With that, the wolf lunged for Kalil's throat, but Kalil was faster and side-stepped just in time to dodge his attack. The male spun around and hit him in his face with his paw, leaving four scratched on his muzzle. Kalil stood up again and the wolf bit into his shoulder, drawing blood. "Aaaarrrgghhh!" Kalil screamed in pain and hit the male with his paw, knocking him away.
"You b*****d!" the wolf shouted as he stood up again, glaring at Kalil, "I was going to make your death quick and painless, but now you'll suffer!" He ran forward and slammed into Kalil's chest, sending him flying into a tree. Kalil crumpled to the ground and stood up, his legs shaking, most of his strength gone. The wolf leapt on him again and pinned him to the ground. "Say goodnight, you fool!" he snarled and pressed his paw down on Kalil's windpipe. Kalil desperately tried to push him off, losing oxygen quickly. The wolf grinned evilly down as Kalil felt himself start to blackout. Not this time! he thought and with the last of his strength hit the male in the side of his face, sending him to the ground. Kalil rolled over to pin the male and bit down onto his exposed throat, holding his jaws down until he felt his attacker stop struggling.
Kalil walked off the body of the viscious wolf that attacked him and looked around. Najan was nowhere to be found and Kalil began to get very worried. "Najan?!?!" he cried out in worry and a rustling was heard in a nearby bush. Slowly, a small grey pup stepped out and looked at him. "Is it safe now Kalil?" Kalil ran over and nuzzled his brother happily. "Yes, it's over now..." Najan saw the dead wolf and pointed to him. "Is... is he-" "Yeah," Kalil cut in and started pushing him off, "Come on, let's find a cave or something we can rest in, away from danger." It took them all of ten minutes to find an empty cave and get settled in. "Goodnight big brother..." Najan said sleepily. "Goodnight Najan..." Kalil whispered and smiled as he heard a light snoring. Kalil rested his head, his shoulder hurting and stinging like crazy, but managed to fall asleep.
Chapter 6: Threats Lurk In The Darkness
Kalil groaned as he fell face-first into the dirt again. Come on! This is my fourth fall today! he thought as he struggled to his feet, a razor sharp pain running through his shoulder where he'd been bitten the night before by the wolf he'd killed. Najan ran up and looked at Kalil, his facial expression one of worry. "Kalil, you've hurt yourself," he said, "You need to rest a bit." Kalil laughed and started walking again. "Nonsense!" he said back, keeping his spirits high, "It's just a cut, it's not hindering me in anyway. Besides, it's noon already! We'll rest when nightfalls. I'll make it until then!" The next thing Kalil knew, he was on the ground again, Najan standing right in front of his face. "No you're not," Najan said in a matter-of-factly voice, "You're hurt. You keep falling." Kalil got to his feet again and did his best to ignore the pain in his leg and shoulder. "I'm fine," he grunted as he stood and kept on walking, limping slightly. Another ten feet and Kalil was down again. "Alright, you win," said a defeated Kalil, "I'll rest... but only for a bit. Then we keep moving."
Back home, Niran was sitting in their den, still overcome with unbearable grief for the loss of his sons. "Kalil... Najan..." he whispered, tears in his eyes, "I never should have let you go there. It's my fault..." The Beta walked into the den, Tychon right behind him. He took one look at Niran and sighed, looking back at Tychon. "He's here. I'm not sure why he summoned you, but he said it was dire," the Beta explained and bowed before walking out. Tychon took three steps forward and stopped. "Dad, you wanted to see me?" he asked. Niran quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up, walking until he stood a foot away from Tychon. "Tychon, son," he started and took a deep breath, "Now that Kalil is... no longer with us... by natural law, you are the next eldest born, therefore, you will take my place as Alpha when I'm gone. Do you understand? This is a big responsibility, but now it falls from Kalil to you..." Tychon almost cried out in joy. His plan went perfectly. "Yes Dad," he said solemnly, "I gratefully accept. I'm only sorry that it falls to be because of Kalil's passing... I wish he were still here..." Almost as much as I wish I was dead, Tychon thought bitterly and hung his head in fake sorrow. Niran placed his paw on Tychon's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll do fine," Niran said and walked out. Tychon waited a few minutes before letting a huge grin spread onto his face. "Yessss!" he cried out in happiness and lay on his back, laughing a laugh both gleeful and evil as the last part of his diabolic plan fell neatly into place.
By the time the pain in Kalil's shoulder had subsided, it was already dusk and was growing darker by the minute. "Kalil," Najan said to him as they walked along, "I'm tired, and it's almost night." "I know," Kalil replied, looking around, "I've been trying to find shelter for the past half hour, but I haven't seen any, and after last night, I'd prefer not sleeping out in the open..." They carried on searching until it was almost completely black out. Kalil growled in frustration as it became harder and harder to see in front of him. Jeez, it's getting to be a real pain going home! he thought and stopped in a clearing, trying to find a place, anyplace, to rest for the night. Kalil heaved a sigh and looked down at Najan. "It looks like we're a little lost..." he said. "Lost, eh?" a voice said from the darkness and Kalil's glance snapped left and right, trying to find the speaker.
From the darkness stepped a grey wolf, smiling wickedly at them. "You took a wrong turn somewhere?" he asked in a sarcastic tone. Kalil put his guard on high alert as he eyed the wolf. "Najan, get back," Kalil commanded and Najan hid under his brother's strong frame, "Who are you?" "We..." said another voice as another wolf stepped into view, "Are the owners of this territory." Kalil looked from the one to the other as they circled him. "Stay back..." Kalil said angrily and heard a laugh in front on him. A third wolf stepped out if the shadows, his eyes a deep red as he scanned Kalil. "You're in no position to be making demands young one," he said and took a few steps forward, "You're in Bloodpelt territory, and you're talking to their Beta right now." Kalil stared at the Bloodpelt Beta and the other two wolves. Great, he thought, This is bad...
"Look, we don't want any trouble," Kalil told them, "We're just passing through. Show us your borders and we'll gladly leave." "Leave?" the Beta snapped back, "Oh no. You won't be leaving this place... alive." The other wolves snickered and Kalil knew that fighting was inevitable. "Any last words, stranger?" the Beta asked and smirked at him. "Yeah," Kalil said, and crouched down, "Goodbye." As soon as he spoke, Kalil lunged forward past the circling wolves and pinned the Beta. The two that had circled him had fortunately forgotten about Najan and ran toward Kalil. Kalil slashed the Beta's face before one of them tackled him to the ground. Kalil rolled to his feet and grabbed a wolf by his neck, pulling him to the ground and placing his jaws firmly around his attacker's neck, twisting until he heard a sickening crack. He dropped the body and was hit by one of the two remaining Bloodpelts, rolling until he hit a tree.
Kalil groaned annd stood up, opening his eyes to see the Beta making a fatal attempt at his neck. Kalil dodged just in time and hit the Beta with his paw and turned to the other wolf. The wolf leapt forward and pinned Kalil to the ground, attempting to bite Kalil's neck, bit missed in the increasing darkness and bit his already hurt shoulder. Kalil shouted out in pain as the wolf bit his wound and bit into the wolf's shoulder in return. The wolf howled in pain and got off of him, allowing Kalil to pin him. Kalil could hardly see hit target as he bit down randomly, hearing the wolf scream in pain and knew he'd gotten his throat. Kalil pulled back and ripped out the wolf's throat just as he was kocked down again. The Beta, he thought as he struggled to his feet again.
"You lucky b*****d!" he spat at Kalil, "You may have killed my comrades, but you'll die to Aran of the Bloodpelt Pack!" The wolf, who Kalil knew as Aran, bit his good shoulder and pulled him to the ground. He placed his paw on Kalil's chest and slowly dragged his claws across, cutting into him. Kalil struggled to get away, but found it nearly impossible. I'm gonna die, he thought as Aran hit his muzzle with his paw, sending him across the bloodstained ground, I'm gonna die. I let Najan down... Kalil's mind shifted to Najan and to the promise he'd made Najan a month ago, before any of this had happened. "I won't let anything happen to you Najan. You have my word." With renewed vigor, Kalil spun around and hit Aran in the muzzle, sending him backwards into a rock. Kalil ran up and bit into his front paws, then tossed him to the dirt. He leapt atop the bloodied Beta and bit into his back and grabbed his neck, tossing him into a tree.
No, that's impossible! Aran thought as Kalil bit into his front paws and tossed him to the ground, biting into his back. Aran screamed as he felt a white-hot pain sear his back. Suddenly, he felt himself being tossed and smack into something hard; a tree. That's imossible... I had him... Aran's world started to go black, blacker than it already was. That's impossible... Kalil walked up to Aran and saw his chest heaving, but he wasn't moving. "Sleep tight, you b*****d..." he said and spat out some blood onto the ground. He walked over to Najan, who was still quiverring with fear in the same spot he'd been and picked him up, placing him on top of his back. Without another word, Kalil walked on through the night, following the North Star, his compass home, as Najan drifted off to sleep on his back.
Chapter 7: An Emotion Never Felt Before
"Kalil, you gotta rest! You've been walking all night!" Najan argued as the sun finished rising in the East. Kalil grunted and shook his head. "After what happened last night Najan, I'm not stopping until..." he started and drifted off, collapsing to the ground, battling to stay awake. Najan ran up to his face and put his small paws on Kalil's muzzle, looking at him in the eyes. "Big bro, you need sleep," he said and Kalil felt his eyelids start to close. "But... what about you?" he said and yawned. Najan sat down in front of him. "I'll wait right here! I'll be good!" he said, sitting down. Kalil yawned again and knew he was fighting a losing battle against fatigue. "I'll... just sleep for... a... few..." The next thing Kalil knew, he was in a deep sleep. Najan looked around and sighed with boredom. He lay down next to Kalil and fell asleep as well in the warm sunlight.
Kalil saw Tychon in front of him. He glared angrily at his brother and crouched low, growling at his enemy. "Tychon," he said, fury in his voice, "Why did you try to kill us?" Tychon just laughed and leapt on Kalil, biting into his chest. Kalil cried out in pain and pushed Tychon off with his back paws, rolling to his feet. He looked up and saw Tychon's paw collide with his muzzle, sending him flying sideways and rolling on the ground. He coughed, some blood hitting the ground. He glared at Tychon and leapt at his throat, but he passed through him and landed on the other side. "You can't fight your nightmares, Kalil!" Tychon said evilly and bit into Kalil's front paws, snapping them upward and breaking them. Kalil crumpled to the ground, looking up at Tychon as he placed his paw on Kalil's throat. "Tychon..." he gasped, getting harder and harder to breathe, "W-why?" Tychon laughed again and dug his claws into Kalil's neck, pulling back quickly. The last thing Kalil saw was a puddle of his own blood growing underneath him and then everything went black.
Kalil quickly bolted upright, gasping for air. He looked around and saw himself in the same place he'd fallen asleep in, Najan curled up in front of him. He sighed heavily and looked up at the sky. It was about noon. Kalil nudged his brother awake with his nose. Najan groaned sleepily and opened his eyes. "Hey big brother," he said and yawned, "Is it time to go?" Kalil smiled down at Najan. "Yeah, it's time to go..." They both stood up and stretched. "So, which way do we go now?" Najan asked and Kalil got a strange look on his face. "Big brother, did you hear-" "Shhhh," Kalil cut in and looked around. Najan scowled at Kalil. "Hey, you don't have to be rude! I was just-" "Najan, shhhhh," he said again, looking side to side, "We're not alone..."
After a few minutes of waiting, the forest had gotten deathly silent, worrying Kalil more and more. He sniffed the air, clearly smelling another wolf nearby. Where are you? he thought and sniffed again, inpointing the position. He growled and leapt into a bush, hearing a gasp of surprise as he tackled another wolf who was crouched down behind the bush. He pinned the wolf down, not getting a clear look at their face at this point. "Who are you?" he asked angrily. "None of your business!" came a soft, yet fiery answer. A female, he thought and felt her place her paws on his shoulders and rolled, reversing the pin. He looked up at her and could only see her clear blue eyes. "Why are you in our territory?" she asked, glaring down at him. Kalil didn't trust her, he'd been attacked too many times in the past few days. Not taking any chances, he placed his back paws under her stomach and kicked her off.
Kalil rolled to his feet and glanced back to see her try to bite into his shoulder where he'd already been bitten twice before. He crouched and dodged her bite, ramming into her side and throwing her off her feet. He saw her roll and stop on her feet. Time to end this, Kalil decided and leapt at her just as she leapt at him. The two collided in midair and fell to the ground, rolling down a slope in the ground until they both hit a large boulder at the bottom. Kalil's vision fogged a bit and he struggled to his feet, feeling like his legs were going to give way at any second. He looked over at the girl and saw she was just as dazed as he was. He growled at her and was about to attack again until he heard another voice. "Kelia, get down!" he heard a male say this time. Kelia? he thought and turned around to see another wolf hit him in his muzzle. Kalil's head hit the boulder hard and he fell to the ground, unable to move his body. As his vision blackened, he saw another wolf run down the slope, Najan struggling in their mouth. "Lady Kelia, are you alright?" "Yes, I'm fine... Take them back to our pack... Be careful of this one..." Kelia? Then Kalil lost sight of the wolves as his world went dark.
All Kalil still saw was darkness, yet he heard voices now. "What do you think we should do with him?" "I'm not sure Kelia... You said he attacked you, so maybe we should just kill him..." Kelia? "Maybe... but Daddy, he has a little pup with him... Probably his brother. I don't think they meant any harm..." Daddy? Kalil heard a heavy sigh. "We'll have to see why they're here... once he wakes up that is... You sure did a number on him Kelia!" "Actually, I didn't knock him out... Glyan did." Glyan? Kalil groaned and slowly began to open his eyes, a rainbow of colors filling his already blurry vision. "Ah, he's awake!" he heard the deep male voice say that he recognized as Kelia's father. "W-what? Where... where am I?" he asked, his voice shaking. Slowly, his vision cleared and he saw a grey wolf that looked much like his own father smiling down at him. "You're in Crystal Pack territory," he answred, "My name is Bacar. I am the Alpha of my pack." Kalil looked around at all the crystals inside the den he was lying in. "Who... who hit me?" he asked groggily and Bacar chuckled. "Well the one who knocked you out was the Beta, Glyan. He's out hunting right now," he answered. "The female was me," he heard a female say and looked to his left to see a solid grey female, the same female who he'd fought out in the forest, "My name's Kelia. Sorry for attacking you, but we weren't sure if you were invaders or not..."
Kalil struggled to his feet and looked from Kelia to Bacar. "Where's... where's Najan?" he asked, "Where's my brother?" Bacar placed a paw on his shoulder. "Calm down boy, your brother is fine," he said calmly, "What's your name son and where are you headed?" Kalil sat down, his head still throbbing from being slammed into the boulder. "I-I'm Kalil... My brother and I are headed home..." "Then how did you get those horrible wounds?" Bacar asked pointing to Kalil's shoulder and his scratched up chest and muzzle. "These," Kalil started, "Are proof that there are evil wolves out there willing to kill in cold blood... Now where's my brother?" Bacar motioned towards the entrance and in walked a wolf with Najan at his side. "Najan!" Kalil cried out happily as his little brother ran to him and buried his face in his brother's pelt. "Kalil! I'm glad you're alright! I was so scared for you!" Najan said, and Kalil gently patted him on his back. "It's ok, I'm here, I'm alright..." Kelia smiled warmly as she watched Kalil comfort his little brother. It's so strange to think that an hour ago, he was fighting me, she thought and looked over at her father who was giving her a sly-looking grin. She gave him a confused look and he mouthed the words "I'll tell you in a moment."
Bacar cleared his throat and Kalil looked at him. "My guard will show you to a spare den you can stay in for a few days," he told Kalil/ Kalil bowed his head to the generous Alpha and smiled at him. "Thank you sir," he said and nudged Najan with his paw. Najan reluctantly followed the guard out of the den they were in, Kalil right behind him. As he went to walk out, Kalil looked back at Bacar and Kelia. Kelia flashed him a warm smile and Kalil smiled back before walking out. Bacar chuckled slightly and caught Kelia's attention. "What's so funny?" she asked and he smiled at her. "I think you know," her father said, "I've seen the way you look at him. You like him, don't you?" Kelia looked surprised and blushed a bit. "I-I don't... That's not true!" she shot back and Bacar laughed. "You'd better not get that flustered around him, or you'll be a dead giveaway!" "I told you, I don't like him!" she said and he gave her a suspicious look, "I'm telling the truth!" "Whatever you say Kelia," he said and stood up, walking towards the entrance, "But if I were you, I'd work on keeping my cool. You don't want to start fumbling over your words when you talk to him." Kelia opened her mouth to say something, but closed it and looked at her paws, thinking about what her father said. Am I starting to like him? she asked in thought and followed her father out of the den.
Chapter 8: A Newfound Strength: Love
Well at least we're not dead... Kalil thought as he nodded respectfully to the guard as he showed him the cozy den with two elk skins laid out on the floor as beds. Immediately, Najan ran onto one and curled up, falling fast asleep. Kalil chuckled and sighed. He must be tired, Kalil thought as he watched his little brother, He's travelled 350 miles in the last few days... Kalil heard a noise at the entrance and turned to see Bacar walk in and look at him, then saw Najan. "I trust your lodging is to your liking?" he asked in a whisper. "Yes, thank you sir," Kalil replied, nodding and Bacar chuckled silently. "You don't need to call me 'sir' all the time," he said and smiled at Kalil, "You're guests! No need to treat me like your master." "Yes si-... alright..." Kalil answered. Bacar chuckled again and walked out. Kalil looked back at Najan and sighed, wondering what to do with the time he had at hand. Well, it's about mid-afternoon, so that gives me about four hours before they should be back with dinner... Kalil lay down and rested his head on his paws, closing his eyes, but not quite falling asleep.
Kelia slowly made her way through their pack, thoughts running through her head. What do I think of Kalil? she asked herself in thought, walking to nowhere in particular, I think he's a pretty good fighter for one. He's strong, protective, determined, cute... Kelia was shocked by her own thoughts, then heard her father's voice in her head. "You like him, don't you?" Kelia shook the voice from her head and kept walking. Do I? she thought and sighed. Looking up, she found herself at a den they had for guests. A quick sniff and she could tell Kalil was in there. Why did I come here? Kelia thought and decided to check on them and make sure they were comfortable. She quietly padded in and rounded the corner to see the two of them asleep. She looked from Najan to Kalil and sighed quietly. They must be tired from travelling, she thought and stared at Kalil, Plus Kalil seems to have done all the fighting. He must be even more tired than his brother! Kelia reasoned that she should go, but her paws wouldn't move. She just sat there and stared at Kalil. "You like him," she heard in her head again and didn't bother to fight back against it this time.
Kalil still hadn't fallen asleep. He found it to be near impossible, for he wasn't tired at all. Which doesn't make sense, he thought, his eyes still closed, I was beaten unconscious and I've been travelling with little sleep for days! Suddenly, he smelled another wolf in their den and recognized it immediately. Kelia. He opened his eyes and saw her staring at him. Ooooook... he thought, slightly confused and smiled up at her. "So, am I that interesting when I seem asleep?" he asked sarcastically. Kelia was snapped back into reality and blushed, her ears lowered against her head. "I-I'm sorry..." she said sheepishly, "I was just coming to see if you two were alright, and... I'm sorry." Kalil chuckled and sat up. "It's alright," he said and shook his pelt off, "I wasn't asleep." Kalil then noticed a light blue crystal necklace hanging around her neck. "That's interesting," he complimented and pointed at it, "Where'd you get that?" Kelia smiled and placed a paw on her necklace. "My Mom gave it to me... just before she passed away..." she said slowly and Kalil immediately started to apologize, but she held up her paw to stop him, "It's ok. She passed away peacefully in her sleep. She'd been sick for awhile and I think it was better that she wasn't in anymore pain..." Kalil nodded slowly and smiled at her, suddenly feeling unlike himself. What's going on with me? he thought and felt his heart warm when she smiled back at him.
"Well, I'd better get going. I didn't mean to disturb you," she said softly and quickly turned and left. Kelia walked through the woods until she stopped in a clearing and sat down. What's wrong with you Kelia? she thought and sighed, her mind still reeling with thoughts. Suddenly, she heard a rustling in some bushes nearby and gasped, but sighed when she recognized the wolf coming through them. "Oh, hi Ryder," she said, not looking at him. "Hey beautiful," he replied and walked towards her. Kelia shifted uncomfortably as he neared her. He's always had a crush on me, Kelia thought, But why won't he just accept that I won't be his mate? "So, you sure you don't wanna be my girl?" he asked her, sitting down a couple of feet away. "Yes, I'm sure..." she answered, wishing he'd give up and go away. "Why not?" Kelia quickly tried to come up with an excuse to make him leave. "Because, I-" she started, but was cut off when another wolf entered the scene, a wolf she was glad to see.
Kalil watched her leave and opened his mouth to stop her, but just sighed sadly instead. For some reason, he liked to spend time with her. Why do I get so nervous when I;m near her? he thought, then remembered his father telling him about having a crush. "You usually blush or get flustered around her." Kalil shook his head and stood up, giving Najan one last glance before walking out of the den. He sniffed around and found Kelia's scent, following it until he reached a clearing. He pushed his head through some bushes and saw her there with another male. Her boyfriend, perhaps? Kalil thought and felt his heart drop, but felt it rise when he heard their conversation. "So, you sure you don't wanna be my girl?" Yes, I'm sure..." "Why not?" Kalil saw her pause, trying to come up with an excuse. Time to help her out, he thought and pushed his way through the bushes. "Because, I-" she started, but stopped when Kalil sat down beside her and put his paw around her. "Because she already has a mate: me," he finished, hoping that Ryder would believe him.
Kelia and Ryder both looked at Kalil in surprise. "Who... are you?" Ryder asked, irritated by Kalil's intrusion and presence. "I told you, I'm her mate," Kalil answered cooly, keeping a straight face, despite the fact he was blushing under his fur. Ryder looked from Kalil to Kelia. "Is this true Kelia?" Kelia nodded and smiled, resting her head on Kalil's shoulder. "Yep! We've been meeting in secret for the past two months. We're madly in love and my father just accepted him as my mate!" she lied. Fortunately, Ryder was gullible and scowled. "So be it..." he said bitterly and stood up, "I hope you two have a horrible time together!" Without another word, Ryder turned and walked away. Kelia sighed, relieved that Kalil had shown up when he did. "Thanks..." she said timidly. Kalil smiled at her and blushed again, not sure why. "No problem... So, friends?" Kelia returned his smile and nodded. "Friends." For a moment, there was a silence between the two.
Kelia shuffled her paws nervously and looked back up at him. Kelia, you like him, she heard her inner voice say, Start a conversation, take him around your home, do something! "Hey Kalil, wanna take a walk?" she offered and he smiled at her. "Yeah sure!" he said happily and stood up, "That'd be great! Let's go!" Kelia took him around, showing him the home she'd lived in since she was born, ending the tour at the Syn River, which ran through their lands as well. They both sat down and shared stories of when they were pups and friends they had. "My best friend is-" Kelia said, but was cut in when another voice was heard behind them. "Me!" said a cheerful voice. They both turned around and saw another female wolf, smiling at the two of them. "Hey Moonlight!" Kelia said and looked at Kalil, "That's Moonlight, my best friend! Moonlight, meet Kalil. Kalil, Moonlight." Moonlight walked up to him and bowed her head, he followed suit. "I haven't seen you here before Kalil, are you a traveller?" she asked and Kalil nodded. Then Moonlight gave a smirk at Kelia, "I thought you said you didn't have a mate..." "He's not my mate," Kelia said at the same time Kalil said "I'm not her mate." Moonlight laughed at the two of them. "I was just kidding! But hey, you never know!" she said and walked off.
Kelia shook her head and looked back at Kalil. "Don't mind her," she said with a laugh, "She's been bugging me about getting a mate, since I just turned one." "Oh really?" Kalil said, "I turned one a few months ago." Kelia smiled at him and looked out at the river. "That's the river that carried Najan and I down to River Pack territory..." Kalil told her and winced as he realized she'd want the whole story. As expected, Kelia turned her attention back to him. "What? Why? What happened?" she asked and Kalil sighed. "My brother and I... we're really not supposed to be here... Our other brother... He pushed us off a cliff into that river and we drifted 500 miles downriver... Now we need to get back to our pack: The Sanarins. That's why we were travelling north through your lands," he explained and looked back at her. "So you've been walking for about 400 miles?" she asked, amazed at his strength and endurance. "Yep," Kalil said, then counted in his head, "Actually, it's more about 350, but you get the idea..." "That's impressive..." she said and stared into his eyes, losing herself again, but she pulled herself back into reality, but not before Kalil noticed. Kalil blushed and looked back out at the Syn River. Go now, make your move! his inner voice said and he sighed. "Kelia..." he started, still looking at the water's surface, "What would you say if I said I liked you?"
Kelia felt her heart stop when he said those words. "What would you say if I said I liked you?" Time seemed to stand still for her as she thought. He likes me... He likes me... Go on! Stop sitting there and tell him! "I'd say..." she started and looked at him, a smile on her face, "I like you too." Kalil was stunned by her response, but not so stunned. She'd been pretty easy to figure out. He turned to look at her and found himself pressing his muzzle to hers, both of them locked in a passionate kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, the two reluctantly pulled apart and gazed into each others eyes before kissing each other again. "I love you Kelia," Kalil said in between their kisses. "I love you Kalil," she replied and smiled at him. From a perch on a nearby cliffside, Bacar watched the two of them, a smile on his face. "I'm glad you've found the one, Kelia," he said into the wind and smiled.
Later that night, Kalil was lying down on his back on his elk skin, thinking of Kelia. Najan noticed his brother, deep in thought, and smirked. He silently crept over and leapt onto his brother's exposed belly. "Gotcha!" he shouted triumphantly and laughed. Kalil was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a weight suddenly press down on his stomach. He looked up, saw Najan, and laughed back, picking Najan up with his paw and laying him down on his back, tickling his belly. "No fair Kalil!" he said amidst the endless laughter. Kalil stopped and sighed. "Alright, time for bed!" he said and Najan caught his breath, lying down on the other elk skin and quickly falling sleep. Kalil rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes, starting to fall asleep. Kelia looked down at Kalil's den from the hill she was sitting on. I love him so much, but am I ready for the next step? she thought and sat there for a few minutes before her eyes filled with determination, Yes. I'm ready to go further with Kalil. I just hope he is... Slowly, Kelia made her way down the hill and snuck into the den. She waited until her eyes adjusted to the darkness and padded silently up to Kalil, who was lying on his side. Kelia raised her paw to tap him on his shoulder, when he grabbed her shoulders and rolled her onto her back with him lying on top of her. "I could smell you the second you walked in," Kalil said and smiled down at her, "What can I do for you?" Kelia felt herself freeze up a bit, unsure how to say this to him. "W-well..." she started and stared nervously at her chest, "Kalil, I love you... alot... I was wondering... if you were ready to go further or not..." Kalil was taken by complete surprise and didn't know how to answer her. "Kelia... I... I... I don't know what to say..." he said and she put her paw over his muzzle. "Just say 'yes' or 'no,' but answer truthfully Kalil..." Kalil sighed and smiled down at her. "Yes Kelia... I'm ready," he said and grinned at her, "Let's get started..."
About an hour later, Kalil fell onto his side, his chest heaving as he panted like crazy. "I... love you, Kelia..." he said between gasps for air, hearing her panting as well. "I... love you too... Kalil..." she replied and curled up next to him. Kalil smiled warmly at her and heard her breathing get heavier, knowing she'd fallen asleep. "Goodnight Kelia..." he whispered and draped a paw over her, cuddling close to his love as he fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 9: Homeward Bound and Signs Of A Future
Kalil and Najan spent three days with the Crystal Pack. During those three days, Kalil learned some new survival skills, including the medicinal properties of certain herbs. Najan, due to his instinctual puppyish nature, did nothing but play around with other pups in the pack. Kalil also taught Kelia about everything he knew of fighting, survivability, and navigation. The two grew so close to each other, Kalil thought of not returning home at all. Why do we need to go home? Kalil thought one night, I love Kelia and she loves me. Najan likes it here as well. We're welcomed here and if we don't go home, we won't have to face Tychon if he tries to kill us again. Then he heard Najan talking to the other pups of their home and how he missed it and Kalil knew they'd have to go. Kalil savored the last three days he had with Kelia and she did as well. On their last night together, they made love one last time under the star-filled sky. Then, sadly, the day came where Kalil and Najan had to depart.
As the sun rose over the horizon, filling the forest with light, Kalil, Najan, Kelia, and Bacar stood at the northern border of the Crystal Pack's lands. Kalil looked towards the north, the wind tossing his grey and white pelt in the air. He heaved a sigh and looked back at Kelia, who had tears in her eyes. "You shouldn't have to go," she said and nuzzled him, "I love you..." "I love you too..." Kalil replied and closed his eyes, holding back the tears he knew were coming soon. Bacar looked at the two of them and sighed sadly. Bacar, you have a choice to make now, he thought and looked at his paws, Let your little girl go... or risk breaking her heart... Bacar closed his eyes, wishing that his mate, Kelia's mother was still alive. "Let her go, Bacar..." he heard his mate say in his head. He quickly opened his eyes and knew she was right. Kalil kissed her one last time and looked at Najan. "Come on Najan," he said, his voice shaking a bit, tears beginning to run down his face, "Let's go home..."
As Kelia watched Kalil and Najan begin to disappear from sight, she felt like dying. Her first and only love was walking out of her life for good. Kelia began to sob uncontrollably and Bacar looked at her and sighed. He lifted her face up with his paw and licked the tears from her face. "Go Kelia..." he said and smiled warmly at her. Kelia looked up at her father, confusion in her teary eyes. "W-what?" Kelia asked and Bacar nuzzled her fatherly. "Go to him, Kelia. There is nothing left for you here," he said softly, "It's clear you two love each other very much... You belong by his side. Go Kelia... You have my full approval..." Kelia smiled at her father and nuzzled him back. "But who will take over after you?" she asked and Bacar chuckled. "I'm sure Glyan would make a great Alpha... Go now Kelia, before you lose him forever..." Kelia nuzzled her father one last time and beamed at him. "Thanks Daddy... I love you and I'll never forget about what you did for me!" She turned and ran off after Kalil, running towards her new life.
Kalil sighed sadly as he wiped the tears from his eyes, not wanting to seem upset or weak in front of Najan. He missed Kelia dearly, even though he'd only gone five minutes without her. I'll never forget about you Kelia... he thought and kept on walking. Suddenly a voice rang out behind him that made his heart soar. "Kalil!" he heard Kelia cry out and turned around quickly to see her running up to him, a huge smile on her face. "Kelia? What are you-" he started, but was cut off when she tackled him and pinned him to the ground, kissing him passionately. "My Dad said I can go with you, if that's alright," she said after they finally pulled apart. Kalil beamed up at her. "Of course that's alright!" he said happily and kissed her back, "But I think I'll need you to let me get to my feet if we wanna get home!" Kelia climbed off of him and he got to his feet. "Alright," he said, smiling at Kelia and Najan, "Let's go home!"
50 miles to go! Kalil thought happily as he set up a pile of soft brush in the corner of a den he'd found. It had grown dark out by now and the three were settling down for the night. Kalil had already made a small bed out of brush for Najan and his little brother was fast asleep. "Done!" Kalil said proudly as he finished setting up the bed for Kelia and himself. Kelia lay down on the bed and sighed contently. "It's perfect. Thanks Kalil, but I would have helped you," she said and smiled at him. Kalil smiled back and lay down next to her, curling his body around hers. "Thanks for your offer, but I'm capable," he said and licked her cheek. She lay her head down on their bedding and looked up at him. "How much further until we reach your home now?" "About 50 miles," Kalil answered and lay his head down as well, "Goodnight Kelia." "Goodnight Kalil. I love you..." "I love you too..." Soon, they were all asleep.
In her dream, Kelia was sitting next to Kalil, watching the stars in the nighttime sky. "I love you Kelia..." he whispered and kissed her cheek. "I love you Kalil..." she whispered back, then felt a sharp pain run through her stomach and a wave of nausea overtook her. The next thing she knew, everything went black. Kelia awoke, huffing and puffing. Outside, the sun had just begun to rise. Kalil was gone, but Najan continued t sleep peacefully. He probably went to go get some food, she thought, then suddenly felt dizzy. She lay back down and closed her eyes, trying to get back to sleep. Then Kelia felt a sharp pain in her stomach and supressed a groan. What was that? she thought, suddenly feeling violently ill, Was it something I ate yesterday? Suddenly Kalil came back in, dragging in a deer corpse. "Breakfast!" he announced happily and noticed Kelia had an expression of pain on her face, "Kelia, what's wrong?" "Nothing to worry about Kalil," she said, still feeling like she was going to throw up, "Just a stomach ache. I don't think I can eat though... I'm sorry..." Kalil walked over to her and nuzzled her gently. "It's alright, we'll wait until you feel better to keep moving... Just feel better soon, alright Kelia?" Kelia just nodded, hoping the pain would subside eventually.
By noon, Kelia was feeling much better and had managed to eat something, despite her earlier objections. They managed to cover half their remaining distance to the Sanarin lands before night fell onto the world. However, all the way, Kalil worried about Kelia and wondered what had been ailing her that morning, but put it aside, assuring himself that she was right and it was just something she'd eaten. Once more, they set up dens for the night and Najan was the first asleep. Kelia lay down beside Kalil and licked his nose, smiling up at him. "Sleep well Kalil," she whispered and lay her head down. "You're alright now Kelia?" Kalil asked her before he lay his head down. Kelia sighed and smiled to herself. "Yes Kalil, for the thirtieth time today, I'm fine now. Let's go to sleep so we can reach your home by tomorrow," she answered and fell asleep. Kalil knew she was right, as usual, and fell asleep, but not before hoping that she'd be fine throughout the night.
Kelia woke up the next morning to another wave of sickness and nausea. What's wrong with me? she thought and looked over at Kalil, who was still sound asleep. She tried to just forget about the sickness in her stomach, but was reminded when another wave of nausea hit and a sharp pain shot through her belly. She cried out in pain and winced when she'd realized she had woken Kalil. Kalil, immediately fearing an attack, leapt to his feet and scanned the den for any signs of trouble, but lay back down when he saw no one but them. "Kelia, are you alright?" he asked, more worried about his mate now than ever, "This is the second day in a row you've felt sick. I'm worried about you..." Kelia winced again, this time in pain and nodded at Kalil. "I-I'm fine..." she lied, not wanting to worry him, "I think I just pulled a muscle or something..."Kalil nodded and licked her muzzle. "I'm gonna go get some breakfast. Be right back," he said and walked off to go hunting.
As were the other day's events, Kelia refused to eat anything until around noon, when her sickness mysteriously passed completely. They traveled another 25 miles before finally arriving at their intended destination. As Kalil led them out onto the borderline of the Sanarin territory, two wolves jumped out of bushes and growled at them. "This is Sanarin territory," one said, "Who are you three and what is your purpose here?" Kalil stared at the guards he remembered well. "We are Kalil, Najan, and Kelia. We have come home." The two guards looked at each other, then looked back at Kalil and bowed. "Forgive us, Master Kalil, but Master Tychon told us-" "My brother has lied," Kalil interrupted, anger in his voice, "I intend to set things straight. Now please, take us to my parents..." The guards nodded to him and led them past the border and into home.
Chapter 10: Reunion
Niran sat outside of the family den, which was now quiet all the time since Kalil and Najan had died. Tychon was always either out inspecting their territory or, for some reason, at the cliffside. He must really miss his brothers... Niran thought and sighed sadly, Like we all do... As Niran watched the orange sun begin to set in the west, a few tears fell down his muzzle and to the grass beneath him as memories of Kalil and Najan appeared in his mind. "Why did they have to leave us so soon?" Niran asked no one, his voice only being answered by a slight gust of wind. Niran closed his eyes as more tears ran from his eyes. Lunera, who was just as devastated by Kalil's and Najan's deaths, padded up beside her mate and nuzzled him gently. "I know how you feel..." she said so softly it was almost a whisper, "I loved them just as much. They didn't deserve this..." Tears began to well up in Lunera's eyes as well as she buried her face in Niran's pelt. "It isn't fair..." Niran said between sobs, not opening his eyes, "They had so much to live for! Najan never had his first birthday... Kalil never found a mate... It was all too soon..." Lunera gently licked his muzle and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know... I wish dearly that they were still alive..." "As do I Lunera..." Niran replied and heaved another sigh.
A little less than a mile away, Kalil, Najan, and Kelia followed the guards until they stopped at a clearing. "Wait here please," one of the guards said to them, "Your father, Lord Niran, has demanded that only Master Tychon or his Beta may approach your den." The guards walked off further into the forest and left the three there. "So now what?" Kelia asked, slightly confused. Kalil sighed and watched the sun set behind the western horizon. "Now... we wait," he replied and sat down. Najan began to run around in circles, chasing his own tail as they waited for the Beta to show up. Kalil chuckled as he watched his brother chase himself for a good five minutes before finally exhausting himself and collapsing to the grass. "I don't think anyone's coming Kalil," Kelia said doubtfully and a rustling was heard nearby. A very familiar wolf stepped into the open, stared at Kalil and Najan and froze. "No..." the Beta said and took a few steps back, "That's impossible... You two... you died..." Kalil shook his head. "No, we didn't die," he answered, "But we almost did... Twice... Actually three times..." The Beta just stared at them for a moment, then bowed to them. "My Masters, I'm glad you have returned," he said and stood up, smiling at them, "Your parents will be pleased to see you- My God, your parents! They'll be overjoyed when they see you're not dead! Come, quickly! We must bring the great news as fast as we can!" The Beta headed off, leading a very happy Kalil, Najan, and Kelia toward the Alphas.
Lunera gently licked the tears off of Niran's face and nuzzled him lovingly. "Don't worry... We still have Tychon..." she said, trying to cheer him up, "At least we have him." Niran nodded, but knew that Tychon would never fill the places of Kalil and Najan. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he heard someone approaching. Niran turned around and saw his Beta standing there. "Yes, what is it?" he asked, wiping the remaining tears from his face, a little irritated by the interruption, "I told you only to disturb me if it was urgent..." "It is urgent my lord!" the Beta said, barely containing the joy in his voice, "Your sons, Kalil and Najan, they're alive and have returned!" From behind him, Kalil, Najan, and Kelia stepped into view, the Beta taking a few steps off to the side. "Hey Dad... Hey Mom..." Kalil said wearily, smiling at his parents, "Betcha didn't expect to see us ever again..." Lunera, not believing her eyes at first, walked up to Kalil and stared at him, then nuzzled him motherly. "Oh my God, Kalil, you're alive!" she said, tears of joy instead of sorrow running down her face, "We were so sure you were dead! Najan, I'm so glad you're alright!" She nuzzled Najan and Niran walked up to Kalil and smiled at him.
Niran looked Kalil over, examining his wounds and sat down in front of him, a warm smile on his face. "You look awful, son," he said and laughed. Kalil laughed back and nuzzled his father happily. "It's great to see you too Dad!" he said and looked at Kelia. Niran noticed Kelia and so did Lunera. "Who's this son?" Lunera asked. Niran smiled, pretty sure he knew the answer. "This is Kelia," Kalil said as she walked forward and sat beside him, bowing her head, "She's from the Crystal Pack, 50 miles south of us. I love her; she's my mate..." Lunera nuzzled her son again, overcome with joy and pride for him. "Congratulations son!" Niran said, proud of his son, "I'm sure you two will be very happy together!" "Wait, you approve and you've just met me?" Kelia asked, surprised by Niran's sudden approval. "I trust my son's judgement," Niran answered and winked at Kalil, "If he's in love with you, then of course I approve. I just want whatever my children want."
"Mom, Dad, there is something I have to deal with first though," Kalil said seriously and Kelia knew what he was talking about, "Where's Tychon? Where's my brother?" Niran and Lunera exchanged curious looks, then stared at Kalil seriously. "You never fell off that cliff, did you Kalil?" Niran asked, fully understanding now. Kalil nodded solemnly and Lunera gasped in horror. "Tychon tried to kill Najan and I... Dad, you know the laws of our pack... As much as it pains you and myself, Tychon must be put to death... I want to be the one to do that..." Niran thought for a moment, then sighed and nodded. "He's at the cliffside... Take care Kalil..." Kalil nuzzled his father, mother, and brother before looking at Kelia, worry in her eyes. "Please be careful Kalil," she said and nuzzled him, "I don't want to lose you..." "You won't lose me..." Kalil answered and kissed her softly before turning towards the forest. "Kalil!" Niran said to him as he prepared to leave, "Be humane about it..." Kalil nodded and dashed off towards the cliffside.
Chapter 11: Setting Things Right
Tychon sat at the edge of the cliffside, staring down into the rapidly flowing Syn River; the same river that had made him heir by claiming the lives of his brothers. "You know, it feels great to be the heir, Kalil," Tychon said proudly to no one, but feeling as if Kalil's spirit was with him and could hear every word he was saying, "It gives me a sense of success, dominance, and power... Something you'll never be able to feel again, if you ever felt it at all!" Kalil silently pushed through the bushes that bordered the rocky outcropping of the cliffside and glared at Tychon. It took a lot of his self-control to stop him from growling at his treacherous brother right there, but even more to stop him from attacking him right now! Kalil decided to keep his honor and wait for Tychon to notice him, making it a fair fight. "Want to know something else Kalil?" Tychon said wickedly, smirking to himself, "I feel no regret for killing you..."
"Is that so?" Kalil barked behind him, causing Tychon to jump in shock and spin around. Tychon's mouth dropped open when he saw Kalil standing there, alive and well. "No..." he said in both, fear and shock, "You can't be alive! I killed you! I saw you die!" Kalil shook his head and advanced on his brother. "No Tychon, you just tried to kill us. You failed to finish the job..." Kalil said angrily and stopped in the center of the outcropping. Tychon chuckled evilly and began to circle Kalil, a mist setting in around their paws, the fog glowing silver in the moonlight. "Well then, maybe I'll just have to finish it, right here... right now..." Without warning, Tychon jumped at Kalil and Kalil jumped at Tychon, both of them colliding in midair and falling to the ground. As the two got to their feet, they circled each other, a deep hatred for the other burning in their eyes as the mist got thicker. "I've wanted to kill you for a long time, Kalil," Tychon said confidently, "My resolve is stronger than yours; you can't beat me!" Kalil muttered "We'll see..." and rammed into Tychon's side, sending him hurdling through the fog and out of sight.
Tychon stopped rolling and found himself encased in a silvery-white environment. He silently growled and got to his feet, sniffing around and pinpointing Kalil's location. Tychon smirked to himself as he silently padded through the fog towards his brother. "You know, it's going to be fun watching you die..." he said, his voice seeming to come from everywhere. Kalil's eyes darted left and right as he desperately searched for his enemy. "Where are you?" Kalil shouted back into the mist. "Here..." came a soft whisper behind him and Kalil felt someone bite down into the back of his neck. Tychon! He was behind me! Kalil thought as Tychon tossed him forcefully through the dense fog and into a boulder. Kalil's head hit the rock with a tremendous force and he cried out in pain as he crumpled to the ground and lay there, unmoving, to weak to get up. Tychon laughed triumphantly as he made his way through the vision-impairing clouds and up to Kalil's side, grinning maliciously down at his brother. Kalil closed his eyes and felt Tychon roll him onto his back. The next thing Kalil felt was a pressure being forced down onto his neck, cutting off his intake of oxygen. Kalil's eyes shot open and he saw Tychon pressing his paw down onto his throat, a gleam of evil victory in his eyes.
No! I can't lose! Not now! Kalil thought as he desperately tried to get Tychon off of him, but his efforts did nothing. Tychon laughed at Kalil's fruitless attempts to make him stop and then caught another scent on Kalil's pelt. He sniffed again, not knowing who the scent belonged to, but had a good idea of what it belonged to. It's a sweeter scent... a female... So, you got yourself a girl just in time for your death, eh brother? Tychon thought and decided to torment Kalil a bit before he died. "Don't worry Kalil, after I take care of you, Najan will be joining you shortly..." he whispered down to his brother. Kalil felt himself go pale, not only due to lack of oxygen, but because he knew he'd fail Najan if he died. "Oh, and don't worry about your girl..." Tychon said, "Once you're gone, I'm sure she'll forget about you once she meets me... We'll be very close, I'm sure of it..." Kalil then felt an anger and an energy like he never felt before. Adrenaline pumped through his body in a greater amount as he thought back to Najan and Kelia. I won't fail them! he thought and growled loudly. "You... will... not... touch... them!" he choked out and kicked Tychon in the side of his muzzle. Tychon fell to the ground due to the force of the attack and got to his feet the same time Kalil did, but something was different about Kalil. He'd gotten his oxygen back, but now he had renewed anger and vigor, more than enough to continue their fight.
Kalil quickly rammed into Tychon again and clawed at his muzzle as his brother tried to get up. Tychon shouted in pain and fell back to the ground. Kalil took this moment and grabbed his brother by the back of his neck, tossing him roughly through the fog, hearing him hit the rocky ground with a force he never knew he could inflict. Tychon rolled until he stopped at the edge of the cliffside, looking back as Kalil padded through the mist up to him. The sun began to peek over the horizon, shining light on their battleground and evaporating the fog. Kalil glared at Tychon, who now lay bloodied and weakened at the same edge he'd pushed Kalil and Najan off. "Please, brother, have mercy!" Tychon begged, but swallowed hard as Kalil took two more steps forward, not weakening his glare. "You have two choices Tychon," Kalil stated, "You may come back with me and you will be put on trial for your crime or I can kill you now. What is your choice?" Tychon;s mind raced rapidly and he spotted a pile of dust near his paws. "I've found a third option brother..." Tychon replied, placing his paw in the dust, "I can kill you!"
The moment Tychon stopped speaking, he flung the dust up into Kalil's eyes. Kalil shouted in pain and was temporarily blinded. Tychon took this advantage and tackled Kalil, pinning him again. Kalil's eyes finally resumed their normal state and he saw Tychon standing over him, ready to deliver the fatal strike. Before Tychon could move, Kalil bit his paw and reversed the pin, growling furiously at his brother. He bit into Tychon's paws and broke them, hearing Tychon scream out in agony. "Brother... please... Spare me..." Tychon pleaded once more, but knew after his last stunt, Tychon knew he had no chance. Kalil just glared at him and put his muzzle close to Tychon's ear. "Goodbye Tychon..." Kalil said, reciting Tychon's words to him before he tried to kill them. Before Tychon could even open his mouth, Kalil bit down into his throat, ripping away and quickly climbing off, not wanting to look at his mutilated brother. Tears began to fall from Kalil's eyes, glad that justice had found it's way, but sorrowful that he'd lost his brother. Kalil grabbed Tychon's body and began his way back to his waiting family.
Niran sat by the entrance of their den, watching the sun rise over the hills of the horizon. He sighed heavily, hoping that Kalil was still alive. Please be safe, Kalil... he thought and turned around when he hears someone approaching him. He smiled warmly when he recognized Lunera and nuzzled her affectionately, knowing full-well that she was just as worried as he was. "Do you think he's alright Niran?" she asked him in a whisper. Niran looked into her tear-filled eyes and smiled. "Yes, my love, I'm sure he's fine... I can feel it..." he replied, knowing that he might never see his son again, "Knowing that boy, Kalil's probably-" "Kalil's right here..." came a familiar voice and the two turned to see Kalil, battle-worn and exhausted, blood staining his paws and muzzle. Beside him lay the corpse of Tychon. Lunera wept, both joyfully and sorrowfully and nuzzled Kalil, happy he was alive, but refused to look at Tychon's body. Niran, however, did and sighed heavily. "At least justice was done..." he said and Kalil nodded, looking at his mother. "Mom, you're acting like I was the one who lost! I'm still alive! I'm here, and I won't be leaving again!" he said, trying to cheer his mother up, when another voice was heard. "Oh my God, Kalil!" Kalil looked up and saw Kelia running up to his side. She nuzzled him affectionately and sighed with relief. "We weren't sure if you had won or lost. I was so worried for you..." Kalil gently kissed her cheek and smiled warmly at her. "I won... It's over..." Kelia smiled back and nodded. "Yes, it is..." she replied and groaned before falling to her stomach.
"Kelia, what's wrong?" Niran asked instantly and looked at Kalil. "I'm... not sure..." she said between groans of pain, "I've... been like this... for the past... few days..." "It's only in the morning though," Kalil explained, unsure of what was wrong, "From noon onward, she's fine. Only in the morning is she violently ill like this..." Lunera looked from Kelia, to Kalil, to Niran. "Do you think that-" Niran asked, but Lunera cut him off. "It could be... I'll find out. Come on, Kelia dear, come with me..." Lunera said and helped Kelia to her feet, leading her off into a separate room of their den. "Dad? What's wrong with her? I love her, I don't want to lose her!" Kalil said urgently. Niran chuckled and placed a paw on his son's shoulder. "Son, if my guess is right, Kelia, and even yourself for that matter, will be more than alright! But for now son, don't worry about that... Your adventure is over, your troubles are gone... You are now, once more, the rightful heir to the Sanarin Pack..."
The End
Epilogue
Hundreds of miles south of Sanarin Territory, a meeting was held in a dark forest. "Aran, in light of recent events, it has fallen to you to take the position as Alpha of the Bloodpelt Pack," the elder wolf said, "Since the Alpha had no offspring, it falls to the Beta to take his place. You, Aran, are now the leader of the BloodPelts. All hail Aran!" All around Aran, howls of congratulations were heard from his fellow packmates. "Thank you, and now for my first act as Alpha..." Aran said, an evil smile on his muzzle, "I never drop a grude, I never forget a vendetta. A wolf owes me blood, owes us, the mighty Bloodpelts blood! We shall hunt that wolf down and slay him to return honor to our name! We shall begin the hunt for the gray wolf who headed north. The gray wolf who, as of now and until his death, shall be known as a mortal enemy of the Bloodpelt Pack!"