Prologue - The Chase

The buck jumped over the logs, leaping diligently and untraceable over the man-fallen trees, into territory that only he failed to fear. The canine pursuers stopped. "Can you see him?" One wolf barked.

"No, and his scent was masked as usual," called another. "No hope of seeing his face. He's gone again."

Suddenly a voice echoed through the trees: "Night shadows have failed you again."

---

The group of wolves slowly returned, their heads low. "He escaped again," one reported. A large wolf immerged, growling.

"No." he snarled. "Not again!"

"I'm sorry," the smaller wolf flattened his ears. "He's going to ruin the Order, isn't he, alpha Lindri*?"

"If you don't stop him, he will," a deer approached. He had at least fifteen points, and was massive. "And what will happen to us if the Order is broken?"

Footnote: Lindri is a variation of the Lapine term for "badger". Alpha Lindri's name means 'Alpha badger', as his bravery proves to be a perfect comparison to the animal. It is also a dirivitive of the word "linderra", 'leader' in Basque.

Chapter 1 - The Scent of the Gaurd

You see, at the time, long ago, there was an order between the wolves and deer. By this, the deer did as the wolves asked, and in exchange, the wolves would not hunt the deer. As far-fetched as it sounded, it was the way it worked! But, there was one deer - only one - who was discontented. He didn't like the Order. No deer understood, really, why he would challenge it, but he did. They were all in a way a bit slaved to the wolves. They could control the deer. But they were safer that way. So, the deer stood for it. It was a show that they were a bit cowardice back then - they had followed the Order for so long that they almost forgot how to protect themselves. This deer, this young buck who challenged, had dreams. He couldn't let the deer become dependant - he knew very well that one day the wolves may turn against them and kill the deer. Though no deer, rabbit, wolf or bird knew who he was. This left them all suspicious, giving him the name of the Shadow - no one had ever seen his face. It was almost as if he knew how each shadow would fall at night and what nights would be perfect to go after the wolves.

What he had done - his crime, so to speak - to anger the wolves so much was that he had killed one. Now, the wolf, he hadn't been justified. He'd attacked the Shadow, but by law of the Order, the Shadow wasn't to fight back. But he did, thus killing the wolf. After that, he had been forced to do the same - he'd planned to turn himself in, shrugging it off as a rare occation -but the next night when he planned to, he was attacked again, recognized as "the one who killed the omega". Thus he became the Shadow.

Now, the thing about it all is this - the Shadow was an accident, and his true identity knew it. Those first two nights coincedence had let him take the cover - he'd had the scent of blood too strong and his body too low in the undergrowth to be identified by scent or sight. The second night, he had happened to wade through a stream on a new moon. This is the story behind the Shadow.

~~

"Hey, Lerah*!" A doe trotted across the grass. A slightly undersized buck looked up - you could tell he had his wits about him though, as he kept himself fairly muscular - and smiled a bit. The doe slowed down, her pale coat gleaming in the morning sun. "That wasn't fair!"

"You never said I couldn't use that rock to jump in front," Lerah pointed out lightly. "You should've mentioned that this was a strictly flat-ground race, Hyzethay*!" he laughed.

"Oh, whatever." Hyzenthay approached slowly, glancing over her shoulder at a large wolf sitting on a rock, watching over the deer carefully.

"What's wrong?" Lerah followed her gaze.

"Just... that one. He worries me, the smell he's had on him recently..." Hyzenthay shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm just a bit crazy, that's all."

"You aren't," Lerah replied quickly. "You know that. I think I've smelled it too. I won't let anything hurt you though, Hyzenthay. Trust me."

She looked up at him, looking a bit sheepish. She nodded slowly. "Okay."

Footnote: Lerah - 'Le' derived from "Inle", the lapine word for 'moon' or 'night', 'rah' being the lapine word for 'prince'. Think of this as a hint.   -Hyzenthay: A lapine word for "Fur that shines like dew".

Chapter 2 - The Spirit of the Night

Lerah slowly walked through the woods, thinking about the scent on the gaurd and the recent attack of the Shadow. The young buck had every right to think about it. The Shadow made an impression on the wolves and deer - Lerah didn't. He couldn't. I might have you know that a restless air had stirred some of the other young deer's instincts. The Shadow was doing just as he wanted, and Lerah couldn't help but marvel at how everything slid into place like ice in the early spring - melting, sliding, and in turn putting cracks in the icey sheet known as the Order until the warm air of the deer's awakening instinct to survive broke the Order for good, destroying it and allowing the live underneath to break free. Huh. Poetically put, Lerah observed, surprised at his own thoughts. He shrugged, pausing, and waited as the sunset slowly faded to night.

When he was satisfied with the darkness, Lerah leaped up onto a flat sheet of rock, glancing around. He paused for a moment, locating everything around him before he allowed his own subconcious to take control. He leaped nimbley, kicking off of another, more upright sheet of rock before he twisted in the air to take of running in a completely different direction, wit a gait resembling that of a horse. Harder. Faster. I'm not going fast enough. he chided himself, lowering his feet to take up more speed. He spotted a stream with some small falls, and he lowered himself to roll down into the water, rolling over and immediately standing back up into a run in one precise, smooth movement. Had any other deer done it, it would've appeared very awkward and clumsy. But this was not any ordinary deer.

You see, this was not Hyzenthay, nor the Great Prince, nor any other deer. No, this deer, running, jumping, twisting, as if a flickering image that you only half-catch from the corner of the eye, was not even Lerah, the deer it appeared to be, for this was not his personality or his mind. Alas, the body may have been his, but the mind and spirit that dwelled within at the time was that of none other than the Shadow.

The truth of the matter was this - in a way, it may have been Lerah. But if it was, he didn't know it. You see, Lerah had split-personality, much to his own ignorance. He didn't even know he was the Shadow. This may be because his restless instincts had become strong enough to manifest themself as another being within him. Lerah hadn't had a clue that there was a reason he was so restless and untrusting. He sometimes got hurt and didn't know how.

Eventually, the Shadow leaped a fairly narrow gorge and twisted around in a way that he leaped off the other edge downward and landed on a wide, flat rock. He ran a ways before leaping again, this time to the ground. The wolves are bound to try and take you to unfamiliar territory. You must be able to navigate it as if you'd run there your whole life. He saw he gourge took a sharp turn ahead and ran it readily, unable to curb enough speed to turn sharply, he found himself running along the up-sloping edges.

"Leyrin?" The sound of the gravelly voice accompanied by the harsh sound of is true name made the Shadow recede, allowing Lerah to come back, tripping up and falling. "Leyrin, for Tarandus* sake! What're you doing?"

Footnote: Tarandus is the scientific name for a caribou or Raindeer. Here it's used as the constellation the deer see as the guide to their heaven - this deer is Tarandus.

Chapter 3 - the Distance too Great

"Um..." Lerah looked up. "I don't..." looking around, the young buck realized slowly, groggily, as if just waking up, that the immense buck in front of him, with his over-fifteen points, was none other than his own father. "I... I don't know, father. I don't... I don't remember getting here."

The older buck, his name being Aydryn, grumbled disapprovingly. "Leyrin. You must know."

"But I don't," Lerah replied. He hated how his father always called him by his true name rather than what he was always called. "I wish I did."

"Fine then," Aydryn sighed heavily, looking coldly down at his son. "Follow me. You're a long wayfrom where I thought you had your den."

Where you think I have my den? Lerah wailed inwardly. You're my FATHER! You should KNOW! It was all too true though that Lerah's father was very distant. He didn't truely care about his son, Lerah didn't think. Ever since he was very young, he only remembered meeting his father once or twice.He didn't even know his name.

The two walked in silence for a very long time. How did I get this far so fast? Lerah wondered, realizing the moon hadn't moved much since what he last remembered. He gave a light sigh. "Leyrin. What were you doing out here?" Aydryn looked down a bit at his son.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 4 - the Meeting

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

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

It was Hyzenthay. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

And with that, he disappeared.

Chapter 5 - The Alpha's Fury

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Well?" Lerah looked impatient.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Oh really?" Kivel looked highly unconvinced. He was considered the most powerful and loyal to the Shadow of all the restless young bucks of the Order. He was one that the wolves liked to keep a close eye on - they were concerned Kivel himself might be the Shadow. "C'mon. Let's go." he turned sharply, glaring at the bird.

The others followed readily. "What was that all about?" Lyr asked quietly, looking very concerned. She was the quiet type, and was an exellent judge of character. It was quite clear that Malice was a shifty one.

"Dunno," Lerah looked a bit uncomforted himself. "I don't like that little hawk one bit, though."

---

 That night, Hyzenthay wandered through the forest. She sighed, looking up through the leaves at the stars. Eventually, a shadow flickered at the edge of her vision. She turnedtoward it sharply. It was a deer... a buck. It stood a distance off, and watched her. He said nothing, as if he was waiting on her to speak. Sheslowly approached him. "Are you...?" His ears went forward a bit. "You are... the Shadow. You're the Shadow. I didn't think I'd see you again..."

"But you have." he spoke quietly, glancing around. He was taking a risk by stopping here. He'd never held a casual chat before, not once in his life.

The two spoke for awhile, Hyzenthay asking many questions, the Shadow seeming inclined to answer, but with little detail. Watching the exchange was a bird, silent like the night. Watching them, he only had eyes for malice, waiting for something - anything - to expose this buck's identity. Suddenly, the full moon broke the clouds, giving him just what he wanted - it only lasted a second, and the Shadow turned away sharply to keep Hyzenthay from identifying him - but it didn't stop the bird.

He immediately recognized Lerah, and waited to follow him so he could bring back evidence to the wolves for a ransome.

Chapter 8 - The Capture

Malice flew down and landed near Lindri. "Alpha Lindri, I bring you great news," he said excitedly.

"What?" snarled the wolf, violent as ever. "Be quick!"

"Your NightSpoils, they've failed," Malice reported. "They en't got nothing to show, and I know who the Shadow is."

"Tell me!" Lindri stepped closer to the bird.

"What's in it for me?" Malice narrowed his eyes.

"Your life," Lindri growled, lowering his head toward the bird, who's feathers fluffed out in sudden fear of the maddening alpha.

"It's that buck who's been hangin' 'roung that doe Hyzenthay," Malice said. "That Lerah one."

"What?" Aydryn had approached unnoticed. "My son?"

"Yeh. En't that a shocker?" Malice looked almost amused at the shock of the deer. "He be the one. Call off them search parties. I seen it."

"Good." Lindri's lips slid back into a horrid grin. "Bring him here, Yonira." A pale white she-wolf took off from behind the badger-marked alpha. Now, it might be odd that he'd act this way, so willing to believe a bird with the name Malice. As untrustable a source he may seem, remember that the alpha is growing old and is maddened by hate for the Shadow. He was desperate and insane.

---

"Let me go!!! Stop, I didn't do anything!" Lerah was being corralled into a large, rocky area in a forested gourge.His legs bled from being nipped by the wolves. "What'm I here for? Tell me!"

"You know very well!" Yelled Lindri as he decended from the upper levels. "You are to be on trial for the murder of the High Gaurd Yoric, the Mid Gaurd Keil, and the Alpha's Heir, Homba!"
 

Chapter 9: The Trial of the Shadow

Lerah was horrified. "I never did that! You're crazy!!"

"Then why have sources confirmed you are the Shadow, and you were seen speaking to the doe, Hyzenthay last night?" by this time, deer and wolves alike had gathered. Suddenly, the murmuring seized.

"He was right there walking by me all along..." Kivel looked up, his eyes widening in disbelief. "I can't... ths isn't..."

"Lerah?" Hyzenthay slowly took a step forward. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because there was nothing to say," Lerah insisted. "I'm not the Shadow. I can't be."

"Then who is?" Aydryn stepped forward. "Hyzenthay, what colour was the Shadow?"

"From what I saw? He was brown..." Hyzenthay slowly looked at Lerah. "And that was drenched at night..."

"And his eye colour?" added Yonira, a young tracker wolf.

"A stormy... blue..." her eyes glazed over in sudden understanding. Hyzenthay stepped back, understanding what was happening. An eye-colour like Lerah's, stormy blue, was excedingly rare. And you see, for a maddened wolf, this was evidence enough.

"Then he is guilty," snarled Lindri. "I have decreed public execusion!"

"Deathmatch, deathmatch!" wolves began chanting.

"Deathmatch." Lindri smiled brutally and Lerah's eyes widened further.

"Allow it be me," Aydryn spoke, adding to Lerah's growing horror. It was overpowering - the buck felt like the air was being dragged from his lungs. "I want this honor. The Order demands it of me."

"Yes, Aydryn. Allow it to be you." Lindri stood back.

A ragged ring formed. Lerah's head had dropped low, his eyes dull. Now, slowly, he raised his head, his eyes like stones. "By Frith*, Aydryn," Lerah began, his voice hardened. He was fully concious, but his voice and body had been taken once more by the Shadow. "I will fight. The Order is breaking down. Three times now it has demanded I stand and allow myself be killed. Three times now I have denied the Order. Let this be the fourth. Need it be, I will kill you."

Footnote: Frith is the Lapine sun spirit.

 Chapter 10 - The Battle of Shadows

The father and son locked antlers, shaking their heads  and fighting feircely to stay on their feet. Eventually they stood pushing against eachother in silence, the tension like thunder about to break. Kivel looked behind him at the other deer. They all looked tense, their muscles tight. They hated this. They wanted to help. Then it hit him.

They feel it too. That feeling. The desperate need to drive out the wolves... The instinct telling us to break the Order. He'd use it to his advantage in a simple way. He muttered things: "Why must it be like this?" "They're strong..." "We could fight if we needed to." "Look at them. If they're that strong, we'd be able to take care of ourselves, too..." "We can manage the same things the Shadow - Lerah - has managed... why have we never tried?" He felt it was making the others more restless. Just what he was hoping for. They were close to the edge.

Then, one wolf gave them a nudge. That was all it took. An over-eager wolf darted out and nipped the Shadow's leg, making him fall. Aydryn reared up over him, ready to strike him as he had to Homba. The rest of the deer leaped up from where they were, sick of being oppressed by the wolves, leaping into a battle. The moment of distraction was all the Shadow needed - he rolledout of the way of his father's hooves just before they crashed down to the ground. Leaping up, he jumped at Lindri. "You will die here, Lindri, with no heir, and no Order. We are deer. We are free."

"No!" Lindri leaped at Hyzenthay, circling her. "Attack me, and she dies. You are but a shadow. You can't protect her."

The Shadow glanced from Hyzenthay to Lindri. "Kill him, Lerah," Hyzenthay told him desperately. "Forget about me."

"No." the Shadow looked down. "I can't..."

"Yes, you can," Kivel ran up, sliding, spinning around and kicking Lindri. "You can too kill him!"
Lindri lay on the ground, panting as the Shadow approached. When he didn't rear up, Lindri looked at him. "Well?"

"Leave." the one word issued from deep in the buck's chest. "You must leave here. The Order is gone."

This was enough for the old wolf, who slowly got up and ordered a retreat. He ran off into the shadows of the gourge.

"Leyrin." Aydryn approached. The Shadow turned, his head high. "I am proud, my son."

Chapter 11 - The Separation of Shadows: Freedom

"What...?" Lerah stared at his father, back in control. He was aware of everything that had just happened. "How...? You..."

"I am proud. That is all that matters." Aydryn nodded at Lerah, turning slightly.

"Thank you, father." The voice was slightly different from Lerah's. It was a bit more mature, more confident. Next to him was a shadow, barely visible, a buck with eight points - two more than Lerah. He had the same glowing eyes, but it was almost like he wasn't really there.

It was the Shadow - he had left Lerah with only one personality.

"What..." Aydryn stopped. "How..."

"I was always there, father. I will always be there. I won't leave my brother." the Shadow smiled. "Even though I never will breath."

With that, the Shadow turned and leaped off into the woods, a spirit of the night.

"What...? Father?" Lerah turned.

"Lerah... you had a brother at birth, but he died very young," Aydryn said. "That was him... all of it was. He was apart of you, Lerah. And now he is at peace. ...Freedom."