Chapter eleven
Exile
Erchen fought desperately to get the big wolf off. He snarled defiance and shrank back, trying to wiggle free. He crawled out quickly and tried to pin the huge wolf down as Spark and the new Mage wolf joined to help. Wolves watched. The dead watched as well. A wolf cried, "It must be true! See how Nighsigh just attacked him?" A couple wolves went to Erchen's aid. Nighsigh's head turned as he struggled to fight free. Other wolves stayed where they were. Cowards.
Nighsigh let out a howl of rage. Veyeil ran to his leader and snarled at the wolves pinning him down. Serene sneered at him and attacked, pushing him and making him tumble down. Veyeil barked his surprise. She slashed at him angrily. Meanwhile, Erchen, Spark and the rest of them had weakened the leader. He snarled and barked, trying to bite them as he did. His blows weakened.
"Erchen." Forever's voice rang to everywolf's ears. "Do what you have been chosen to. It is time." Erchen shook slightly. He had never killed a wolf before, and yet here he was, one clawed paw outstretched. Veyeil's eyes widened, as if he'd be next. He shrank back and watched in terror.
Erchen let his paw go down, hitting Nighsigh's throat.
"Forever!" he cried, obeying the favor the former mage wolf asked him. Serene cried out, "Forever!" and so did Spark. Wolves in the clearing did the same. A gurgled cry was heard from Nighsigh's direction. He convulsed once.
"I'll get you," he vowed in a gurgled and rasping snarl. "I'll get you, fool..." the last words were broken short as the traiterous wolf convulsed again, a shudder running through his body. His eyes blazed fury and unlit as his jaw opened in a last snarl. His torn throat bled sluggishly now.
"Nighsigh!" a terrified Veyeil cried.
"Wolves of Dark Tree." Serene had cleared her throat and had begun to speak. AS mage wolf, she was in charge until a new leader was chosen. "This wolf - Nighsigh - was greedy. He wanted to dominate the forest and rule supreme. He would have killed you all at one point. We honor those whose lives had been taken for this evil wolf. We scold those who followed him." Heads whipped towards Veyeil. Wolves glared. Spark spat on his brown coat of fur.
"What should we do with this pile of rubbish?" Spark inquired. Veyeil glared.
"I think," began Erchen, ears pricking once again to him. "I think we should exile him. For all that he was a Nighsigh follower, he didn't do any crimes." Wolves murmured their assent reluctantly.
"Veyeil, by full assent of this Colony, are hereby exiled from the Colony. Should you have a reason why not to be, speak now or leave." Veyeil's ears flattened against his head.
"I have nothing to say," the wolf rasped.
"Very well," replied Serene. "Make your living elsewhere. Do not come back to the territory. The old one, mind. We are heading back now." She turned to the Wolves in the clearing. "If you see this wolf on our territory, take him to see me."
"Wait!" Jade couldn't help but point something out. "Who'll be our new leader?"
"I'm in charge until we get back, so when we're home we'll choose," answered Serene with a tight smile. "I will take the lead, with Erchen and Spark." Erchen nodded and so did Spark.
She really can take control, Erchen realized.
Spark and Erchen joined Serene at the lead. They had begun the long walk home.
Nighsigh was dead and his ally was somewhere unknown. But somehow Erchen wasn't so sure that everything was over. He had this creeping dread that it was all about to begin. He looked around. Everywolf looked shaken from what they had just learned. Nighsigh's body was still lying where Erchen had let the fatal blow. The murderous leader's face was contorted with a snarl to the runty wolf who had brought him down. ZThey had all changed remarkably around the Colony, but together they were the same. They had endured all of this together.
"Well, we're off. Spark," Erchen whispered, not wanting the wolves behind to overhear, "remember what Forever told you to do?"
Spark pondered for a moment.
"Of course," she snapped. "I'll do it soon, right when we arrive."
Erchen looked behind him, tail lashing. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Holly. He was glaring at something Erchen couldn't see, mumbling. He walked alone. He was, after all, Nighsigh's son. Had Nighsigh lived, he would've been the next leader of the colony. Of course he'd be hostile. Holly spotted Erchen and wrinkled his nose in disgust at him.
He had witnessed the killing of his father.
And he would avenge his father's death.