Die Today and Live Again Tomorrow
"Today my brothers and sisters, we shall die! However tomorrow we shall live again! We shall not give any mercy! They asked us to roll over and give up, but we are wolves! We shall all triumphant or all die trying! They cannot expect us to roll over and serve them as humble servants. We are not servants we are kings and queens of this wood!" The large gray wolf raised his head and howled. The wolves around him joined in. He opened his eyes and looked proudly at his friends and family around him with his one blood red eye and one blue eye. A strange 'h' like symbol lay under his right eye. Both that eye and the mark were blue and under the first hook/line of the 'h' was a blue dot. It was an ancient symbol of leadership and wisdom.
His eyes looked for someone in particular, his eyes rested on a red furred female wolf. He hopped of the tree trunk he sat on and walked over to her. He rubbed his chin under hers. Her gold eyes looked at him with a world of love.
"My love, you must stay here and protect the pups you carry." The large wolf ordered her in a loving voice.
"Oh Kievieu, no my place is with you! I will fight next to you. I must…" The large wolf cut her off in mid sentence with a shake of his head.
"No my sweet Cricket, take the pups and leave this land if anything ever happens to me. I don't want them living in this land or dyeing in this land if I am not here. I want them to live. I want Sozoski and Nykeu to live." Kievieu said rubbing his face in Cricket's red fur. Cricket felt her heart swell with pride that her mate had named her sons after gods. After Sozoski the god of fire and spirit. After Nykeu the god of wisdom and love. Kievieu had predicted her sons would one day be rulers and leaders. Cricket felt her heart break instantly.
"Our sons shall be leaders of ash and bones." Cricket wept and dropped her head to the ground as she felt the two pups kick and move inside of her.
"Don't say that Cricket, they will find their land and their followers. Trust me. Now we must go." Kievieu licked her cheek and nuzzled her under her chin. Cricket felt so sad but she would be strong for her mate and her family. She watched him run and jump back onto the tree trunk.
"We are wolves! Let us show them the real monsters we can be! Let's give them hell!" Kievieu snarled and raised his muzzle to the sky and let out a lone eerie howl. Cricket felt one of the pups kick inside of her.
"Yes that's your father, young ones. Learn from his howl and someday you will lead a group of brave wolves." Cricket murmured to the pups inside of her. Kievieu stood and turned his back to the back and sniffed the air. He looked back over his shoulder to look at Cricket once and than he was off in the other direction all of the wolves following him. Except Cricket. She watched as all of her cousins and friends disappeared. From her brother, Falcon and to her mother, Spider. To her best friend Goblin and to the newest member of the pack, Winter. They vanished, never to be seen again.
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Many hours had passed since Cricket had vanished into a hidden burrow inside the earth. Far away she could hear the howls and snarls of the fight. It was the eerie silence that had driven her from her burrow. Cautiously she walked around the tree trunks a heavy mist set in around the trees. Not a sound came from the forest. Not the excited yips and howls of her pack mates celebrating a victory. Instead it was the silence the same silence that their enemy had. The silence was their victory chant and triumph. It was so silent that even death seemed afraid to walk around and collect the dead souls.
Cricket smelt the blood before she saw it. Bodies lay among the tree trunks some were missing limbs and many were missing a lot of fur and completely bathed in blood. The only bodies that were found were those of her pack mates. The victorious monsters had taken their dead and wounded back to their homes. Leaving the dead bodies of their opponents to rot as a symbol of their victory and power. Cricket felt her heart stop as she saw one large body in particular. She could barely make out the color of the fur. However she could not forget the smell of her mate. Kievieu was drenched in blood and his eyes were open and stared at nothingness. His jaw was agape and seemed to be in a scowl of pain. His throat had been completely torn out and a large hole was ripped in his side. Cricket let out a whimper and licked his blood stained face and nuzzled his shoulder.
"Get up, my love. Oh please! I can't raise these pups without you!" If Cricket was human she would have been crying so many tears. She raised her head up and howled a long mournful howl. She inhaled quickly and turned her head around. She was so stupid for coming here, she should have run! Why did she howl! Now the monsters knew she was alive! She felt a sudden sting in her side and let out a yip! A large welt formed on her side. She spun around snarling and looking for what attacked her.
"Poor pregnant she-wolf, crying over her dead love." A voice hissed and echoed around her.
"Yes," Another voice answered, "Poor she-wolf, she should run."
"Yes run away she-wolf!" The voices were all around her whispering for her to run. Cricket let the ears on top of her head lay flat.
"Run away! We can't kill you for you carry babies but run away."
"If you stay we will kill you after you give birth to them, and then they shall die."
"What would your darling Kievieu thing about you staying when he told you to leave."
Stupid She-Wolf run!"
Cricket let out a snarl and turned and run. Her tail was tucked and her ears flat she could hear hundreds of feet chasing after her. Her breath came in fast hurried swallows. Finally she jumped and fell into a river and waded across to the band. Her legs gave out from under her and she lay in the shallow water. The voices had stopped chasing her, she was safe here. Then she passed out and darkness swallowed her up like that same darkness that ate her family…
A/N- Oh what did you think? Please do review?