Sabina sighed as she came to the clearing where the corpse of the Vanir still lay untouched, much to her surprise. She readjusted the stems of the herb as she realized she had begun to drool upon it before she quickly crossed the clearing, which was only dimly lit by the moon.
The distance between the rocks and the vanir corpse was not as far as she remembered making her begin to realize that the battle earlier might have taken more out of her than she thought. She sniffed the air just above the den to smell only the vampire within.
She quickly looked about before entering into the tunnel slowly descending before stopping at the end of the tunnel that opened up into the large space. She sniffed the air to smell the vampire laying next to the opening but as she listened she could hear it shivering in its sleep. She sighed as she slowly moved out of the tunnel into the den allowing the moonlight to dimly light the den.
Vampire was next to the tunnel entrance where she noticed he had covered himself with his tattered cape, where his hand laid atop of it holding the hilt of the broken sword. Sabina took the cape from the vampire and morphed into her human form as she covered herself with the cape. She slowly took the sword from the vampire who she noticed was sweating.
She sighed to as she took ahold of the herb again and tossed the herb at the vampire which hit the vampire's head. Startled awake the vampire's red eyes went wide in shock as he lifted the herb that hit him before turning his startled gaze upon Sabina.
Sabina took a breath before she said "Eat."
The vampire looked at the herb as he glanced at her and sniffed it. However the vampire recoiled and tossed it back at her saying a few things but the only thing she understood was "No!"
Sabina watched the herb bounce on the ground before rolling to her feet, she sighed picked it up and tossed it back at the vampire "Eat."
The herb landed in the vampire's lap this time but just as before he went to pick it up to throw it back but Sabina held up her hand as she said with a struggle "Eat….. Rest."
The vampire looked at her incredulously as he tossed it back at her and once again said a few things but she only understood "No."
Sabina scoffed as she watched it roll back to her. She looked at him trying to discern exactly what the vampire said but when she only understand the word no. Sabina rationalized he must think she is trying to kill him with the food. She picked up the herb feeling the nauseating smell of onion and chives fill her throat as she bit into it.
She almost puked but seeing the vampire was watching her she swallowed it with a struggle, but once it was over she held it out for the vampire again.
"Eat."
The vampire stared at her warily as she tossed the herb once again to the vampire which happened to land in his lap again. The vampire glared at her but picked it up warily before taking a little bite from it. The vampire looked up at her with suspicious eyes only to slowly begin enjoying the herb himself by almost gorging himself upon it. She had to stop herself from hurling as she remembered the flavor she had tasted when she rationalized that each person would taste something different depending upon how close to death they really were.
Nothing was left within a few minutes and the vampire was offering his hands up again as though to ask for another, yet Sabina shook her head as she said "No….rest"
The vampire slumped in defeat but he quickly began to get drowsy until Sabina stood to leave. The vampire quickly stared at her in fear but Sabina sighed as she pointed to herself and said "Leave."
She then pointed at him which he flinched, but she said "rest"
The vampire nodded but still edged away from her as she slowly morphed back into a wolf, she took the cape in her mouth and covered the vampire once again. The vampire stared at her not quite sure what to do, but Sabina exited the den before the vampire could say anything.
Sabina exited out into the night where she was greeted with the red moon where she frowned as she laid out just before the den and gazed upon the moon.
What was I thinking sparing this vampire's life…. She glanced over her shoulder at the dark den where she could hear the vampire still shivering from the cold.
Sabina could have just let that scent go unnoticed or even allow that vanir to ravage it, but she didn't. Sabina sighed herself as she watched the red moon slowly begin to fade until it once again shone brightly in the night, Sabina cocked her head as she looked at the moon.
Years ago the wolves used to believe that when the red moon rose over the wolf people, it would be the goddess's sign of a death. But not just any death but the death of a Wolf King. However Sabina smiled and scoffed as she thought, there was no Wolf King left.
Most would say that this would mean there was no goddess but Sabina knew far too well the goddess exited, it was just the Moon Goddess was fickle. Perhaps that was why Sabina cared not for the moon goddess but for the wolves around her.
Sabina's mind wandered a bit when suddenly a cough came from within the den and she glanced at the tunnel. She sighed again as she realized she might not have spared him from his fate.
Sabina waited till the coughing subsided before she slowly got up and moved down into the den, where she found the vampire's breathing next to the entrance still. She sighed before slowly settled against the wall of the den, where she looked up to see the vampire was looking at her. But she simply closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
Sabina felt the vampires eyes upon her when it suddenly grunted in pain, yet she remained still as she listened to it massage it's wound when it suddenly felt the peaceful air turn tense. However she remained still even when the vampire slowly began to move. She tried not to tense her muscles as she heard steel clear leather but when a sprinkle of dirt fell in her ear it twitched.
Immediately the vampire went still and Sabina sighed as she flicked the other ear, which not too long later was greeted with a release of breath and the vampire moving again.
Sabina waited only a moment and before long the vampire was inches away from her making her note the smell of the herb in it's breath when it breathed in a large breath as it lifted it's hand into the air she assumed held the knife which was to plunge into her. She opened her eyes to see the vampire was crouched over her and did indeed hold a knife in his hand which was above his head.
She gazed at him for a long moment when he finally noticed she was looking at him, he slowly looked at her and for a long moment that was all they did. Sabina smiled and closed her eyes letting what was to happen would. He would be the one to strike her down and though it would not be a story told to the young ones to come, she didn't care.
This would be her end. Finally.
The vampire had felt his heart leap into his throat as he watched that beast lay across the den from him, but as he shifted, he grunted in pain grabbing his stiff leg. He massaged his leg when he felt a hard object within his boot, he could have clapped with joy. It was his boot knife his close companion River had given him. He felt the tears come to his eyes as he remembered the ambush of not Somar wolves but of his own people, and the scream of River after she told him to run.
He quickly blinked trying to clear his thoughts as he focused his eyes back on the white beast before him. The beast was beautifully deadly to say the least with its white coat of fur rising slowly before falling as it slept, yet he could not seemingly get those dull green eyes out of his mind.
He cocked his head as he realized he could kill this beast. He could kill this beast and return with its coat proving himself to the people as vampire worth following, he could be given the upper hand in the race if he killed it now.
He slowly got to his knees as he withdrew the knife from his boot. However as it would happen if one were to whisper it would be a shout within the den, so when he drew the knife it sounded like he drew a sword in a silent hall. He held his breath as the beast's ear twitched but it did not move, he held it for a bit longer with the other ear twitched as dirt fell on it and he let out his breath slowly.
He shuffled a little bit closer before taking in a deep breath and thought this is my chance!
He lifted the knife over his head as he looked at the wolf's rib cage where he would stab it, it would be painful as the blood filled it's lungs but it was the only place he could stab. Yet he stopped himself just as he went to stab into the wolf's ribs. This wolf had given him food, gave him a resting place and before all that saved his life, the least he could do is give it a painless death.
He nodded to himself as he inspected where he could stab it instead when he suddenly felt like he was being watched. He slowly turned his gaze to the beast's face to see it's dull green eyes were looking at him, almost making him drop the knife in fear.
His life was over.
Yet as they looked at one another he began to realize the wolf was just watching him, but seeing he wasn't moving; it closed its eyes again. He stared at it for a long moment as he suddenly realized this wolf was ready to die by his hands, in fact that might just be why it saved him. Yet who would wish to die this much?
He dropped the knife letting it land on the dirt and the wolf sighed, but he felt it was more than likely in disappointment than in relief. He sighed and sat back onto his feet where he felt the world slowly begin to spin. He barely caught himself before he fell onto the dirt closing his eyes as he tried to clear his thoughts, only to suddenly find himself surrounded by something soft. He opened his eyes a little wider to see the wolf had wrapped itself around him and before long he no longer felt the cold air within the den.
He tried hard not to let anyone get close to him, yet as he lay surrounded by this white fur he couldn't help but laugh as he realized his enemy was closer to him than his family ever had been. The wolf looked at him rather confused as he laughed aloud and he could swore it was thinking he had gone mad, and perhaps he had, but then again who wouldn't be crazy right now?
The two of them were two species that have tried to eradicate one another for over a century but now here they were, sleeping next to one another without their teeth bared.
How interesting life is.
Sakara watched as Sabina left without a word as she disappeared into the undergrowth, and he felt his confidence fall as he realized she might have been disappointed in him for beating on Xavier and Winvor. Yet his attention fell back upon Beta Cinis who looked upon them with the confidence he never thought could be seen in the body of their human form, or in Beta Cinis. What had Sabina said to this wolf that changed him so?
He had seen her all day say words by mind linking and with her lips but she did not say anything different than what she always had to Beta Cinis. Sakara shook his head letting his long black hair fall over his broad shoulders as Renmar stepped forward with a sack made of deer skin and said "Young wolves step forward"
The young men and women stepped forward in apprehention and Beta Cinis said "Each one of you has a duty to your Clan. But each duty is one that must be done to the best of one's ability."
"Now reach into the sack to choose your place within this clan." Beta Cinis ordered.
Renmar cocked an eyebrow and there was an exchange between the two men when Renmar glanced at him and sighed. Renmar walked forward starting with Denmar who's blue eyes gleamed as he reached his hand into the sack and pulled out a stick.
Beta Cinis smiled and asked "What is it?"
Denmar smiled as he went to say but Renmar took the stick and said "Warrior."
All the teenagers clapped and Denmar frowned but Renmar passed it back to him to move onto the next teenager, only to have Denmar try putting it back in the sack. Renmar quickly shook his head and Denmar kept the stick, however he couldn't bring himself to tear his gaze away from it. Renmar moved to Xavier who nodded as he reached into the sack where he closed his eyes before withdrawing a stick.
"Warrior" said Renmar before passing it back to Xavier who sighed with relief.
Renmar then offered the sack to Winvor who quickly reached into the sack and pulled out a stick only for his voice to catch in his throat. Renmar took the stick from the kids hand and scoffed.
Beta Cinis cocked an eyebrow and Renmar cleared his throat as he said "Caretaker."
The other teenagers had to cough and clear their throats as they held in their laughter but Renmar passed the stick back to Winvor and moved on to Sariah. Her gray hair flowed down her back illuminating her angular features as she reached into the sack and removed a stick holding it out Renmar.
Renmar took the stick as he shouted "Warrior."
Renmar moved onto Ella whose blond yellow hair shone in the red moonlight while her blue eyes gleamed with joy as she reached into the sack and removed a stick. Renmar took the stick as he shouted "Healer!"
Sakara smirked as he realized that Ella's position suited her far more than anyone else's, perhaps the goddess guided Ella's hand to take that stick. After all she had such a kind heart compared to the other wolves. Renmar then stood before Omaris who reached into the sack and removed a stick and held it out to Renmar who read "Warrior."
Sakara smiled as he watched Omaris smile and nod at Sariah who smiled in return. Sakara felt the apprehention as Renmar went to move forward but instead of stopping at Sakara Renmar passed him and offered the bag to Abby.
Abby glanced at him as she said "Isn't Sakara-"
Renmar sighed and said "Are you going to choose or not?"
Abby quickly reached into the sack and removed a stick, Renmar took the stick and shouted "Caretaker."
Abby smiled a bit defeated at not being a warrior but Sakara still held no stick and Renmar walked away to stand next to Beta Cinis. Sakara glanced at the others who in turn looked at him but he quickly noticed Winvor smirking and to his surprise Xavier had his gaze upon the snow beneath his feet.
Beta Cinis smiled as he said "I am sure you all have seen one of you does not have a stick."
Sakara glared at Beta Cinis as he realized perhaps this wolf had in fact not changed but pretended to before Sabina, and now that she was not here he would be banished. Sakara sighed as he prepared for the words for he is banished.
Beta Cinis smiled as he said "I have decided to have Sakara be trained for the position of Beta."
Sakara's heart stopped as he stared at Beta Cinis with his mouth open. He was to be Beta?
"That cannot be!" shouted a voice from the darkness and immediatly all eyes landed upon a figure that walked out of the shadows.
They bowed their heads as they said "Alpha Fumus."
"Why is that so grandfather?" growled Beta Cinis.
Alpha Fumus walked out of the shadows, with his strong physiac that only paled to the wrinkles that had accumulated on his face. Alpha Fumus growled like that of an animal in his human form and all those around him wondered if he did in fact think he was in his wolf form.
stood before Sakara as he growled "Because this runt has been banished from the pack."
Beta Cinis's jaw clenched while Renmar's dropped as he stared at Beta Cinis in horror, Beta CInis looked ahead but Sakara saw there was an exchange between the two wolves and Renmar went to take off but Alpha Fumus whirled around and growled "Where are you off to?"
Renmar stopped and lowered his head as he went to make an excuse but Alpha Fumus cackled before he growled "I would assume you were going to go fetch Beta Nix?"
Renmar's gaze did not divert from Alpha Fumus as he nodded "Yes"
Alpha Fumus turned away from Sakara and stood before Renmar who was slightly smaller than him. The gray wolf looked down upon Renmar as he growled "How dare you. How dare you to think you could go against me by bringing that rogue back here."
Beta Cinis looked at the gathered wolves and he said "Does any wolf go against what my grandfather has declared against Sakara, say I."
Alpha Fumus whipped around and glared at the young teenagers who immediately looked away all except Abby, Omaris and Sariah who stepped forward and shouted "I"
Alpha Fumus cackled as he said "Then you are all-"
"I" said a voice and immediately all eyes went to Beta Cinis.
Alpha Fumus's head slowly turned as he growled "What?"
Beta Cinis walked up to Sakara before turning on his heel as he looked in his grandfather's eyes as he said "I."