"I don't like any of this," Storm muttered to Silver.
"It's not that bad." Silver tried to calm him down.
"I don't need a slave, not even one from the fortress, he probably wishes we were all dead."
"Well, I wouldn't blame him; we did destroy his home, tortured him. Him wishing us death is entirely normal." Silver said with a shrug.
Storm sighed, "Silver, why didn't you just allow them to be killed."
"I don't know; I just had a feeling that we should save them."
"Couldn't you have chosen someone else to help you in your heroic mission?" Storm asked impatiently.
"Well, you are my only friend; who else was I supposed to choose?" Silver asked him.
Storm shook his head and sighed as they stood and watched the two new slaves hitched to different horses.
"see you later Silver," Storm said.
"Are you sure they should be hitched to the horses? Their wounds are too serious to be dragged alongside the horses." Silver said anxiously.
Storm gave him an incredulous look, was his friend for real?
"Silver, they are slaves, how do you expect them to be transported?" he asked.
"I don't know, maybe in the carriages."
It took all of Storm's self-control not to burst into laughter.
"Silver, at times I wonder if you exist in reality or your delusional fantasy world."
"There is nothing delusional about compassion." silver defended himself.
"There is no place for compassion in war." Storm reminded him.
"Storm, we have to go." Alpha and called out to him.
"Coming father," Storm replied.
He held out his fist to Silver who bumped it with his.
"See you later Storm," Silver told him.
Storm nodded and walked to his horse where Rain was already hitched and slumped against it.
"Stand properly," he muttered to Rain.
Rain groaned as he tried to stand.
"I don't like you being friends with that weakling." Alpha Drew muttered.
"Who?" Storm asked, knowing fully well who his father was talking about.
"That Silver boy, I don't know how Alpha Lucas gave birth to such a spineless coward. And I don't even know why you are friends with him."
"Because you are friends with his dad and I don't want things to be awkward whenever you two meet," Storm answered.
"Well, that's understandable, but make sure you don't emulate his character." Alpha drew warned him.
"Never, Father." storm assured him.
"Make sure you ride fast, I don't want you lingering behind for this thing. If he can't keep up with a simple ride, he won't last long in the pack."
"Of course father, I will ride fast."
Alpha Drew swung unto his horse, and so they began the journey home with the horses riding fast.
Poor Rain was dragged along as Storm rode fast.
"Couldn't Storm ride a little slowly, Rain might get injured," Silver asked anxiously.
Alpha Lucas looked at his son and wondered for the umpteenth time how he had given birth to such a son.
"Let's go home son," he said at last.
"Okay, but I will be a bit slow, I don't want to worsen his injuries."
Alpha Lucas sighed, "Do whatever you want, just come back in one piece." he told him.
"Noted, Dad," Silver replied cheerfully.
Alpha Lucas and his pack departed the fortress, being the last people to leave.
Steele took one last look at the fortress, the only home he had ever known as he was taken away.
DEEP VOID PACK
It had been a rough journey for Rain; at first, he had tried to keep up as much as his body would allow him, but soon, he had to give up.
He ended up being dragged on the ground as the horse moved forward fast.
The only thing he could do was roll out of the road quickly before he was trampled on by the horses.
When they got to the pack, Rain mustered up the energy to take a glance at his new home before losing consciousness.
Alpha drew and looked at him in disgust.
"So weak and he was supposed to be the leader of the fortress." he sneered.
"Should I take him to the healing quarters?" Storm asked his father.
"Is there any need for that? It would just be a waste of our resources."
"I know father, but he is of much use to us alive than dead," Storm tried to convince his father.
"Okay, fine, whatever you can take him there."
"Ok, Father, I will drop him there and come back soon"
Alpha Drew waved him away, his attention taken by another matter.
Storm rode to the healing center, his heart beating fast.
He couldn't care less about the slave or his health. He wanted to see someone at the healing center.
He stopped in front of the healing center and waited; soon, she came out, looking so beautiful.
She was Bella, his childhood love. He had fallen for her a long time ago.
She was a healing witch and she looked after the sick.
She rushed up to the horse,
"hi Bella," he said with a smile.
She ignored him and ran to the slave.
"What happened to him?" she asked, worry shining in her eyes.
Storm rolled his eyes, Bella was so immersed in her craft that nothing else mattered.
"He is a slave from the fortress; Father wants you to take care of him," Storm reported to him.
Bella examined the slave's body.
"Did you drag him here? Why are there so many little stones and sand in his sores?" she asked him.
Storm shrugged, "something like that."
Bella sighed as she called for the helpers to help her carry the slave inside.
"So Bella, do you fancy having dinner with me tonight? We could make it a celebration dinner." he proposed to her.
"Celebration over what?" she asked, a little frown on her face.
"Our victory over the fortress, of course; what other reason?"
"I have a lot of sick people to attend to. Maybe some other time," she replied.
"Sure Bella, maybe...." she had already rushed inside before he finished talking.
Storm sighed as he climbed his horse back and rode off.