Chapter 51

The city was blanketed in the darkness of the night, the dotted stars above were pale and dulled out by the blinking lights of the bustling urban world below. A tall skyscraper stood out as its peak reached higher in the sky than the others, and yet even in all its grandeur within in it there were almost no lights on at all. There seem to be some life stirring in an upper floor that was only a few blocks below the roof. Inside the room was a plush and lavished office suite decorated in white clean cut carpet and smart business style leather furniture. Closer to the window was a large glossy oak desk, and sitting behind it was a gray fox. She was working very hard on the papers in front of her. She was working so intently that she did not hear the voice of her assistant at the door. "Ma'am" A young purple swallow repeated.

"Oh Wave." Jazz finally looked up from her work. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in."

"You're doing it again ma'am." Wave flipped a switch turning on a light. "You're going to hurt your eyes working in the dark like that. Wave always seemed to find Jazz working in the dark and it made her worry that her boss would go blind before she knew it.

"Oh sorry about that Wave." Jazz just smiled. "You know how it is, I just get so into my work I forget and before I realize it the sun has gone down."

"Well try to remember to turn a light on, we can't have you getting eye troubles." The sallow said in a worried tone, then she suddenly remembered the reason she had come. "Oh, your colleague as arrived, would you like to see her now?"

"Yes, send her in." She seem to sit a little straighter and her eyes were alive with a new determination.

The swallow nodded and stepped out, in a few moments she was replaced by a tall black hedgehog, she had red and purple stripes in her quills and one of her ears would triple pierced with three silver hoops. She was dressed in a very smart purple business dress that hugged her curves. She had one hand on her hip. She flipped the light switch and it turned dark in the room again. The hedgehog's eyes glowed with the brightness of a werewolf's gaze. "Still working in the dark Jazzy?" Her ears flickered. She had obviously heard the previous conversation.

"Oh come off it Prosha you know you'd do the same." She had a haughty smile, Prosha finally chuckled and lost the sass in her body stance. The two both joined in a laugh as Prosha flipped the lights on again before sitting down in the leather seat in front of the gray fox. It was obvious that the two were old friends.

"So what's all this about Jazz, you never call a meeting with me, especially within the city." The two were a special division of werewolves that worked for Shadow, they remained as secret as possible, and that meant not letting on that they were in league together. Jazz was a business tycoon, she held stock, and ran several very successful multi-million dollar companies, while Prosha was a well-known Politian in several big name cities. She held power that was equal to that of Jazz. The two both worked in the same service and cause, and in point it would be unwise for them to spend too much time together. It simply risked someone putting the pieces together, perhaps not of their werewolf blood being found out, but of the fact that they served the same leader and weren't simply two successful women.

"I've spoken with Shadow recently." Jazz leaned forward on her desk.

"You mean in person?" Prosha was obviously surprised by this. Shadow usually only spoke to them through ha messenger, it was too risky for him to come himself and be seen.

"Yes, he has traveled to the motherland." She said as she remembered the plane she'd watched flying away only a short time ago. "Before his departure, he left instructions for us."

"What are we to do?" Prosha sked in a stern tone, obviously taking her position very seriously.

"Shadow believes now is the time to stop the deliveries entirely and press forward with operation Ocras Moon."

x-x-x-x

Rouge entered the darkness of the cavern. She wanted to see Leeta right away, she feared that the others might have injured her in bringing her to the make shift cell. None of the werewolves were in an understanding frame of mind and Leeta and her friend would only make all too easy a target for their anger. Rouge turned a corner, and she spotted the two Lycans. They were lying asleep, Ash was holding Leeta close to his body, while his muzzle rested in her hair, and her face was buried in his chest. She stared for a moment watching as if she didn't believe her eyes. The moment didn't last very long as Ash's nose picked up her scent. He opened his glowing eyes and glared at Rouge. Even in the dimness of the cave she could see his fangs as he presented her with a defensive low snarl as if daring her to come any closer. He watched her for a few minutes and when she did not approach he retracted his fangs and looked down at his beloved. Very gently he pulled his arms from around her body and raised to his feet making sure not to wake her. He moved so that he was in front of her. "What do you want?" He asked looking at Rouge.

Rouge had had no intent of dealing with Ash. She'd lived with the werewolves so long that at times she too felt nothing but anger for her own kind. She had simply assumed Ash had been some kind of escort for Leeta, but after seeing them together she knew right away that it was much, much more than that. "I had come to speak to Leeta." She said gently.

"Speak to her or interrogate her?" He retorted as his hands turned to protective fists.

"She's my friend." Rouge said in a more firm tone. "I promise to treat her as such." She looked into Ash's eyes and she saw a great deal of love reflecting within them, it was simply manifesting in a protective glare. "When I was of the legion she and I were friends, time has not changed that. I could never regard her as anything else."

His stance lessened in its intensity, and his eyes, though still sharp, loss their glare. He may have felt the sincerity in her voice, but he would not let his full guard down. He looked over his shoulder at Leeta, and then back to Rouge. "She hasn't slept since we've been here. I trust that you are her friend, and if you are you will let her sleep." He took a step towards her. "Once they find us gone we will be considered traitors to the legion, we will never be able to return there. The power of the Lycans no longer hold sway over either of us. With that in mind, you should well know that I can gain nothing from lying to you. With that I ask you to please allow me to answer your questions for now, just until Leeta awakens of her own accord." He lowered his head slightly. "I promise to be honest in all my words."

She stared at him for a moment, soaking in all that he had said. She sighed gently as she looked at her friend sleeping and then looked back to her protector. "I don't know you very well Ash, only of the stories that follow your name." She had heard tails of him before. Ash was well known in the Lycan world for his skill in battle as well as his amazing upward strides in ranks of the legion. "I don't know you, but I know Leeta." She approached him slowly. "And I know that she would not love someone that had a wicked or dishonest heart. Therefore, I trust you to answer my questions."

"Very well then," he nodded to her and held his ground where he stood. "Ask."

"Why have you come here? What was she trying to tell us about Amy?" She said wishing greatly to know if Amy was safe.

"As you may know, in the legion I was of high rank. Before our departure, I had attended a meeting of the inner circle." Rouge's ears perked, knowledge of such meetings was rare and very valuable. "During that meeting Lupe chose Marcos to hunt down the location of this camp. He was ordered to find out everything he could to make things easier to subdue this rebellion." His eyes shifted to the side. "I admit that I care not which way this war falls. I am a selfish wolf, all I care about is her." He looked at Leeta. "When I told her what I had heard she vowed to come to the aid of the Wolf's Maiden, with or without me." He turned back. "Every day she shows me a little more of the path that will lead to being a better person. I've a long way to go yet, but with her by my side I will follow it to the end."

"Amy must have shown her real kindness while under the Legion's capture." Rouge folded her arms. "Leeta's very loyal to those who show her true kindness."

"She seems to want to help the girl by any means she can." He sighed slightly. "In some ways I am jealous of her loyalty to her."

Rouge smiled for the first time since she entered the cave. "Don't worry." She reassured. "I am certain that Leeta would show you the same loyalty were your life in danger. I also imagine that she shares a connection with you which she shall never share with anyone else."

He looked up at Rouge. Her voice reverberated with the tone of experience. "So I am not the only Lycan that has known love." He had heard tell that Rouge had ran away to be with a werewolf, but he had never put much stock in love, not until he met Leeta, now he knew just how powerful it truly was and this put Rouge's story into a whole new prospective. What she had done for love was a greater sacrifice than he had yet to make. He prayed that neither he nor his beloved would ever have to face such trials, if only for the fact that he hated to see Leeta pained by anything, but if it were to come to pass, he knew that the love they shared would face any test.

"My hope is that one day many Lycans will know love, and it is only those who do not that will end up as forgotten stories and legends, instead of Lycans like us." Rouge felt she had enough information for the moment, she bowed her head in thanks and turned to make her way out.

"Wait." She looked back as she heard him speak. "There's something you need to know, something I have kept from her." He motioned to Leeta. "I've kept it secret as her knowing could only burden her heart and mind, and she can take no more of that."

"What do you know?" Rouge asked.

"On our journey here we followed a trail." His eyes were very serious. "But it was not Marcos." He saw Rouge's eyes widened slightly. "The closer we got the more I began to recognize the trail we followed, and the more it made sense. Marco is to smart a Lycan to leave a trail." His eyes narrowed. "The one we followed here was his sister, Maria."

x-x-x

They were now approaching the castle, as the group crossed over the threshold Amy was amazed at the beauty of the courtyard that filled the space between the surrounding century wall and the walls of the castle. The grass was so green and the path they now walked down was a sandy consistency mixed with white pebbles, and the area was dotted with flower beds and more trees. What truly caught her attention were some of the flowers in the garden which yielded a familiar purple blossom, it was wolfsbane.

"Would you like to eat?" Flade asked as they began up the fifteen flared gray marble steps that led into the foyer of the palace. Only Amy, Sonic, and Viper seemed to be impressed with the inside of the palace. It had an ancient feel to it with tall black and gray marble columns and smooth matching floors.

Amy's other companions seemed unchanged by the olden beauty of the royal halls, as if they had all seen such magnificence before. Shadow's expression had remained unchanged as they walked the halls of the palace. "We will eat." He said as he continued to walk beside Flade, not flinching at the fact that he presented himself as Flade's equal by not walking behind him.

"This way." Flade took a turn into a sleek carved archway. They found themselves in the middle of a dining hall. A large mahogany table ran from one end of the room to the other, it could easily seat fifty guests. One end of the table was currently set for about twelve to fifteen. Each of the werewolves took their seats among the Lycans who had escorted them. Amy sat down in an end seat by the head of the table. It was now that Shadow finally coincided to Flade, the black hedgehog took the seat across from Amy and Flade took the chair at the head of the table. Shadow had shown his leadership well, but he was no fool, he would not insult their host by claiming the head of the table. The others looked at the delicious meal that was set before them; a great display of assorted wild game and finely prepared meat, all piping hot and ready to be eaten, there were also a few bowls of potatoes and greens among the meat, but it failed in comparison with the quantity of protein that was before them.

Flade gave a nod to his wolves that they may begin eating, Shadow did the same to his company and they quickly followed suite. Amy watched as the others ate, she couldn't see the ravenous hunger that she had often seen in the eyes of the werewolves and Lycans in the states, they had eaten with such ferocity. "Can we offer you anything else?" She realized that she was being address by Flade, who was holding out a bowl of mixed greens. "We try to keep plenty of fruit and vegetables available to our human population, but with the majority of us being wolves it's easy to see that meat rules the table in this house."

Amy smiled at his graciousness. "Thank you." She reached to take the bowl from him and her fingers touched his, she flinched slightly as if she had felt a small sting, like when two people exchange a small electric shock.

Flade's eyes closed slightly as if accepting a realization he had already been carrying. "So, my previous thoughts were correct." He stared at her. "You're Artemis reincarnate."

"What?" Amy said in almost a whisper.

"She's an Arcadian priestess?" Thorn said as his cat ears twitched with surprise at such a thing.

"We haven't seen a priestess in a long time." It was the female hedgehog with the long quills speaking now. She seemed to have some genuine surprise in her soft tone, but her eyes simply wouldn't betray such a thought.

"I-I'm a what?" Amy looked confused as her eyes swayed back to Flade.

He simply gave her a nod. "I believe you are already aware of this."

"It's alright Amy." Her eyes turned to the one who spoke her name. It was Shadow, his voice was smooth and calm as always. "That is their way of calling you the Wolf's Maiden." Amy seem to settle a little as she took in what Shadow meant. She couldn't handle being anything else right now, she already struggled with just being the Wolf's Maiden and simply being herself.

"Pardon our turn of phrase." Flade apologized. "Though we speak in different tongues and live our lives in different ways we are all limbs that have sprouted from the same tree." He wondered if this young hedgehog understood just how deeply connected they all were, but this was not the time for such questions so he left things as they were.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to appear rude; it's just, your terminology seems so different." She looked at him as she thought of what he had called her. "Who is Artemis?"

"All in good time my dear." Flade nodded to her. "All in good time." He looked at his wolves as if reminding them it was rude to stare, and those that had been idly staring return to eating. "For now, would you like to tell me why you have come?" His question turned to Shadow.

Shadow's eyes stared at Flade as if his question was more than simply a question. "I wish to enter the Cavern of Dreams."

"It is as I thought." Flade nodded. "Quite some time has passed since our last seeker."

"Seeker?" Amy blinked as she looked at Flade.

"That is what we call those who come seeking only the Cavern of Dreams." The question was answered by the orange cat from before. He was eating, but it was obvious he still had an ear to the conversation.

Flade looked at Amy and just smiled. "You are full of questions, I can see it in your eyes." He watched her still. "So many questions for a human girl." He had a thoughtful look in his eyes. "You will be a perfect a student for Loom."

"Loom?" Amy repeated the name as if saying it would tell her more.

"He is the head scribe of our clan. He is very wise, he is the keeper of our clans history and a very studious researcher of our world, he has long made a study of humans, werewolves, and Lycans. He would find great fulfillment in a student with so many questions." He turned and nodded to one of the wolves that was sitting at the further end of the table, he nodded and got up as if he had been given some chore to do. "While you are here I shall leave you in his care."

"She's not going anywhere alone." Sonic suddenly stood up from the table his ears had obviously heard the last bit of the conversation.

"She'll do as he says, and so shall you!" Thorn stood up across from Sonic eyeing the hedgehog with a warning glare. "Show some respect!"

"Sonic its okay." The blue hedgehog felt two soft hands on his arm. He turned to see Amy staring up at him. "Please, I trust Flade." Her warm grip and soft tone penetrated Sonic's glare and his anger. "If he were evil or bad I don't think he would have brought us here. I want to learn all that I can while I have this opportunity, so please, please." Her grip tightened ever so gently. "Just calm down."

At last Sonic relented, "Fine." He sat back down and didn't look at the cat again, but his glare still remained. Thorn who had been ready to jump across the table a moment ago conceded as well, sitting back down with the same irritated but defeated look on his face.

'A moment ago those two were on the verge of exchanging blows, but she silenced them with but a touch of her hand and a few soft spoken words.' Flade looked upon Thorn for a moment. 'Even Thorn, one of my most cantankerous wolves conceded to her without a fight.' His eyes rested on Amy once more as she still stood by Sonic's side. 'What a mysterious power she has.'

"You summoned me sire." Flade was suddenly brought out of his own thoughts as he heard a familiar voice addressing him. He turned to the side to see a black fox standing there; he was covered in a dark gray cloak and hood that rested over a deep aged blue tunic, and his muzzle, where most foxes would be white, was gray with age, and yet his body stature and physique seemed like that of one in his thirties.

"Loom." Flade nodded to the elder. "Thank you for coming so quickly." He stood to greet the scribe.

"Why have you requested my presences sire?" The tip of Loom's big bushy tail was just visible from under the edge of his cloak which barely drug against the castle floor.

"I have a new pupil for you." Flade motioned to Amy who was looking at the fox with bewildered eyes. "Meet the Arcadian priestess of the West."

The fox's yellow eyes moved over to the pink hedgehog. Amy was entranced by his stare, those two yellow orbs, their gaze was so strong. It was as if the weight of all the ages he had seen were bearing down on her at once. "It is a pleasure to meet you Artemis." His fist reached over his chest and rest against his heart as he bowed slightly.

"You may go with Loom now if you wish." Flade offered. Amy looked from Flade to the black hedgehog she had been sitting across from, she wanted to go, but she dare not take a step away from the table without Shadow's permission. She wouldn't risk making it look like she acted on simply her own accord. She knew how important rank was in the wolf world, such respect was demanded, and with so few of Shadow's own followers present he would need the cooperation of every one of them to make his rank as leader well represented. A moment or two passed, but Shadow finally gave a nod for her to go.

Amy stood fully before she performed a polite bow from her waist. "Thank you for the meal." She thanked her host before turning and take up a spot next to Loom.

"You may come this way milady." Loom said as he made his way out of the grand hall.

Flade turned his eyes back to Shadow for but a moment, he saw something in the dark hedgehog's eyes, something he was very familiar with. His eyes were suddenly upon Sonic who was growling slightly. Flade's attention on Shadow faded as he saw Sonic struggling with allowing Amy out of his sight. "Do not worry. She is in good hands. Loom will take excellent care of her."

"Come on," Sonic was distracted by Marcos who sat one seat away with his arms folded. "Don't make a scene, you heard Amy, she wants to go." He shrugged. "Besides I sensed no malice in that Lycan. He's just an old fox."

"Better not let Loom here you say that." Thorn said as he stared at the food on his plate. "Before he was a scribe he was a great warrior."

"All great things must come to an end." Marcos said still sitting with his arms folded as if untouched by the new information.

Flade, who seemed to be ignoring the conversation, turned to Shadow. "You and your clan are welcome here and may come and go as you please." His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "But I warn you, there is unrest in the hills beyond the mist, if you venture to far past our boarders we may not be able to help you." Shadow didn't answer only turned his gaze back to his plate once Flade paused. Flade stood from his chair and addressed the table. "You may all go about your way, these newcomers are our guests and are to be treated as such, they may go anywhere they like in the palace or the kingdom, we have no secrets here so hide nothing from them." He then turned from the table and exited the dining room.

"How are we supposed to just let them wander around freely?" Thorn grumbled as he folded his arms remaining at the table as his fellow companions began to get up and go their separate ways. "We don't know anything about them, or what their motives are for coming here."

"What business is it of yours why we've come?" Sonic said as he made the same unhappy expression. "It's none of your business anyhow."

"Of course it is." The cat said sitting up straight. "Would you not ask the same questions if some strangers came traipsing into home?"

"He's got you on that one." The Lycan prince tilted his head. "I remember you when you were a very different werewolf, you and this cat have a lot in common. Every time he speaks he sounds more and more like a rebel wolf."

"Shadow." Espio spoke to his leader, his name was all he said as he looked at him. Shadow just gave him a nod and the chameleon left the conversation and the room. It was obvious that he couldn't take the arguing and talking, Espio was still in a state where he preferred less company or none at all. Shadow trusted him not to venture to far away.

Viper listened as the three males argued and talked amongst themselves, she watched as Shadow left the table and went to speak with what looked to be one the castle caretakers. She got to her feet and moved closer and as she did she heard the tail end of the conversation. Shadow was asking for a room to spend the night, and the wolf he had spoken with agreed to lead him to the rooms that Flade had ordered to be reserved for them. Viper stood behind Shadow, and once he began to follow the Lycan she followed as well. The black and red werewolf didn't question her presence, he easily deduced that she simply wish to find her own room as well.

x-x-x-x

Amy was following behind the cloaked fox as they walked down a long corridor. The fox's demeanor and expression made him appear very mysterious, she was certain that eyes such as his, strong and knowing, had seen many things and knew more that she could ever possibly hope to learn. She could hardly focus on anything else as she wondered how much this fox knew and how many questions he could answer. "Wait here." She suddenly heard his voice. She stopped in her tracks as he did. "I have something I must attend to, it will only take a moment." They were standing at what appeared to be the end of a hallway. Amy watched as her escort disappeared through one of the large wooden and iron laid doors that lined the hall. She waited for a few minutes before she began to twist around looking at her surroundings which had been oblivious to when she had been following Loom. As she made a full turn to the end of the hallway she noticed a pair of doors that were made of iron and glass. She took a few steps closer and as she approached the door she realized that it led outside. She stared out the glass and saw that the exit led to a broad stone terrace, as she looked outward she finally gave in her to her desires and pushed the doors open.

Amy felt a soft cool breeze dance in her quills causing the sentimental metal clips she wore to clink against one another. The air felt crisp; she took in deep long breaths as she walked across the terrace and over to the railing that lined the balcony. The dark sky caught her attention easily as it sparkled with thousands of stars and a gorgeous moon. It was funny, Amy wasn't a werewolf or a Lycan, but sometimes she felt as if the moon held sway over her as well. The moonlight seem to help calm her rather ruffled disposition. She sighed as she allowed her eyes to drift down to the scene below. It was a lovely garden. Several cherry trees dotted the lush green grassy area along with multiple colored flowers, which were hard to make out in the darkness. There were a few paper lanterns that were hung amongst the garden, each near a small stone path that twisted and turned throughout the garden. Amy's attention was suddenly grabbed by a small bit of movement. It was a shadow that was forming from the massive amount of light that poured from the large glass window and door that lead out into the garden. She watched as the owner of the shadow entered the garden. She recognize the figure right away. It was Espio.

The magenta werewolf stood on the patio area for a short time before he started a slow pace into the garden. Amy watched as he seem to stop every so often and stare at a flower or a tree. She wondered if there was something about them, the blossom's color or the tree's fragrance that reminded him of Mina. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Mina had not once left his heart or his thoughts since the day she was murdered. Somehow Espio had learned to mask his pain and force an appearance of simple disconnect, but Amy knew that the hurt was still there. Espio's feelings for Mina had been too great to simply die away into such detachment.

"I told you to wait for me."

Amy suddenly turned around as she heard Loom's gentle but deep voice. "Oh Loom, you scared me." She said as let her hand fall from her heart. He approached the terrace railing and surveyed the grounds below. Amy didn't know what to do with his silence so her attention again fell on the chameleon below.

Loom looked at the pink hedgehog, the expression on her face intrigued him. "Something about that chameleon invokes your concern."

"Yes…I'm worried about him." Amy admitted as she watched Espio sit on a stone bench beneath a blossoming cherry tree. "When I first entered into this world I had to learn many things to understand how to conduct myself and how and why others conducting themselves in ways I may not understand." Her eyes seem to gloss with a memory from her past. "I had only been brought to the pack for a few days before I began to learn about Lycans and werewolves…one of the things I learned is making my heart ache right now."

"And what is it that pains you so?" The black fox inquired.

"Once I was told that when werewolves mate for life, they give up their lives as individuals. They become a single connected life, and that they can feel each other's pain, each other's suffering… if one betrays the other the betrayer dies…and if one should die, the other must live their life alone, and can never mate again…" She felt her throat tighten just a bit as she thought about Mina. "I'm scared that this is something that is happening to him…and nothing will ever change it, he'll be like this for the rest of his life and he'll never smile again." She held the edge of the stone carved railing. "Mina would have never wanted this for him."

The elder's expression didn't changed as his eyes moved from Amy to the chameleon who was sitting below. "That does not have to be his fate."

"What?" Amy's gaze tore from her friend below and onto her teacher.

The old fox stared at Espio for few more moments before allowing his eyes to slide slowly back to Amy. "Let us start at the beginning."