"So you are taking responsibility for the desecration of bodies over the years?" Elder ram asked.
"Yes," Sharpe lied, "it was all me from the start, I realized I was different and hid it well. Until I met others like
me outside the borders and realized I have been living a farce."
Sharpe stood proudly no longer wearing the wool. When he was discovered in the graveyard a few sheep ran at
him but he defeated them with ease. Bark had to beg them to stop and soon guards came and took both to the
Elder ram. Despite being mad at his parents he took responsibility for the desecrated sheep from tonight and all
other times. He still loved his father enough not to want him exiled.
"I had feared such a day might come," Elder ram sighed, "patrol has seen wolves a few miles away from the
border. Soon they will discover our home and there will be another war. One that we have avoided for over a
decade before you young one led these wolves right to our doorstep."
"Maybe if you never lied to me my entire life this would not have happened!" Sharpe countered.
"Do not raise your voice at me wolf sheep!" Elder ram bellowed, "I will be respected."
Sharpe bowed his dead despite himself. No matter what the Elder ram was their leader.
"Now you have betrayed this clan, desecrated our graves for food and showed blatant disregard for all that we
have done for you," Elder ram listed, "for that you will be exiled immediately. Feel free to join that wolf clan out
there if you like. But know that the second they find out about your past they will tear you a part."
"Can I tell my adopted family goodbye?" Sharpe asked, "since your clan killed my first one?"
"You can tell Bark goodbye and he will tell the others," Elder ram said.
Sharpe turned to the Bark who he had seen even now as his father. "Goodbye. I am sorry for making things so
hard for you. But you should not have lied and killed..." he looked away.
"I know and I was the one who killed your mother," Bark admitted, "I did not realize she was just protecting
you. We attacked in retaliating to...it doesn't matter now."
"Time is up," Elder ram said, "take the wolf to the border."
Sharpe went with the guards without a fight. As soon as he reached the border he broke out into a run. No one
stopped him and he didn't look back.
Bark sat stiffly in a meeting to prepare for battle with the wolves. Everything had come to a head and there was
no question that the wolves had discovered their village. Now was the time to prepare to defend his home. He
had no time to quibble over the fate of his now exiled adopted wolf son.
"The wolves are at our doorstep," Roulf their head battle strategist spoke from up front, "it has been three days
and we have refreshed ourselves as best we can. Now we wait for the inevitable and win."