A/N: Yay! I finally got to see Frontier! Even though Disney botched
it, (in my opinion) it's still nice to see Digimon that isn't Tamers.
Anyway, here's the next chapter, if my computer will let me upload it.
Chapter 3: Black Spiral Dancer
"Tai, please!" I cried, trying to pull his hands from my throat without resorting to deadly Garou strength. It was getting harder and harder to keep myself from hurting him. "Tell me what you are," he said, "and I might let you go." My fruitless struggles slowing, I reluctantly said, "I'm a werewolf." Tai immediately pushed me harder against the wall, triumph in his eyes. "I knew it! What did you do to Yamato?" I forced a breath and tried to explain without revealing too much. " I swear.Tai, it's me. I promise." Tai backed of slightly, the triumph dying down to a flame of confusion. "But.how, why.I don't understand. If its really you, then why haven't you killed me yet? Isn't that what monsters. werewolves do?" I shook my head, taking advantage of his loosening grip to slide away. "It's too complicated, Tai. I'm not a monster. I don't kill people unless I have to and I don't change by the full moon." Tai stared at me, confused. "So, you can be a wolf-man whenever you want?" I lowered my eyes. "You shouldn't have seen that. You should have forgotten. I don't know what went wrong, but something's different about you." Tai smiled then, releasing me totally from his suspicion. "So, you're not going to kill me?" I smiled too. "No, I promise you will not wake up a werewolf tomorrow. It doesn't work that way anyway." I got up then, priorities pulling at my attention. Tai got up too and opened the door. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you, so you must promise not to tell anyone. Got it?" I said, staring straight into his eyes. He nodded, matching my stare. "I promise. I won't condemn a friend."
The caern was busy when I found my way back. Groups of Shadow Lords were everywhere, talking in quieted voices and glancing at me every once in a while. I wandered around the groups, trying to figure out what was going on, but they were afraid of me, and revealed nothing. Suddenly I was grabbed and spun around. I shifted to Crinos, ready to rip the face of whoever did it. Rakes-the-Wyrm looked at my reflexes and laughed. "Trying to kill me, Silver Fang?" I relaxed slightly. "I couldn't do that. Too many others." Rakes-the-Wyrm laughed again. " I sent Hidden Dusk to find you. I figured you might want to know what's got the caern in such a rush."
"I would appreciate it."
"Don't think you're entitled to anything, Silver Fang. White fur and pure blood mean nothing here."
"I understand."
"The Wyrm's power is too great. I have felt Gaia's command for my son. The ceremony is tonight."
"Ceremony?"
"I have gathered the power of a Black Spiral Dancer in this medallion I will use it to give my son power. We will use the Wyrm's own weapons against it!" He cried, the Shadow Lords next to him howling with his cry. I was dumbstruck. The substance of a Black Spiral Dancer? Give it to Ken? Use it as a weapon? He was mad! "I cannot allow you to do this. There's no way anyone could control that, especially not an unchanged stick of a kid!" I cried, only drawing a smirk from Rakes-the-Wyrm's now Crinos shaped lips. "He is my son, and I shall do as I wish. Besides, you're no older than he is; why are you that much better?" His smirk turned to a snarl, and snarling Crinos and Hispo Shadow Lords immediately surrounded me. Hidden Dusk stood near the back, looking nervous. I snapped at him, but was pushed back by one of the Shadow Lords. "Does Ken know you're doing this, or are you forcing him?" Rakes-the-Wyrm sniffed, "Of course not. He knows his destiny."
"His destiny or his doom?"
"That's enough. Gag him and tie him up by the rock circle. I want him to watch."
"And then what will you do to him?" asked a new voice. Ken slid out of the shadows, violet eyes shining in the moonlight. "Please don't kill him, father. He has done nothing wrong."
"I thought he was bothering you. I heard him talking." Rakes-the-Wyrm said, glaring at me. "He has done nothing wrong, Father. Let him go." Ken insisted. Rakes-the-Wyrm snarled and pushed him against the wall. I heard the crack of a rib against the stone. " You will do this, and he will watch. Never let me catch you defending a Silver Fang whelp again!" He roared, watching the blood run from a scrape on Ken's chest. The dark haired boy slumped against the wall, breathing hard. I winced; wishing desperately that the gag tying my muzzle closed would break. However, Rakes- the-Wyrm was no fool. It was too strong, even for me to break. Ken hissed as he got up, but his father showed no emotion. Instead he cuffed Ken and took him outside. My guard followed, dragging me along. They had done this before, as I tried switching to other shapes with no result. The guard could hold on to me in any shape.
They tied me on a rock jutting from the top of the mountain. I was in Crinos, ready to fight if the chance presented itself. The Shadow Lords grouped around the rock platform. I even saw a fox peeking though the bushes. It saw me and shook its head before leaving. "Even the Kitsune have come to watch." I whispered to myself. The Garou nearest to me growled and I stayed silent. Rakes-the-Wyrm stood strongly on the platform, holding up a black crystal medallion. Ken stood next to him, looking far less thrilled. The Garou howled, a long, challenging howl towards the Wyrm. I growled under the gag, challenging the howl with my own.
"My warriors! This is what we have suffered for! All the fighting with the Wyrm, the bitching from the Fera and Stargazers, the sickness and fear, this is what that was all for! My son shall win the war for all Garou, but we shall be the highest of all! Even the Silver Fang will fall before us, as we have seen!" He pointed to me, starting a rippling laugh from all the Shadow Lords. Ken did not laugh. He walked forward, straining his voice to rise over his father's. "Please! I do not want this." All noise stopped. The Garou were shocked, including the pack leader. Ken continued, "My heart has found a voice. I feel something coming from that medallion, something evil. I may be unchanged, but I can tell what is right, and this is not. Its poison has worked into your hearts, as it did with mine.at least until this Silver Fang broke it from me. He told me he could protect me, something no one had ever told me before. I was afraid, but as I thought, the fog cleared from my eyes. My mind, my heart, my soul told me he was right. I refuse to take the medallion."
Rakes-the-Wyrm howled, rage and hatred for me burning in his eyes. I howled as he tore the bloody ropes from my arms and legs. "You will take it, and you will kill the Silver Fang first!" He lashed out at Ken, pinning him to the platform. He howled, "For all Garou!" and broke the medallion over Ken's struggling form. Black surged from the medallion, forming around ken. I shuddered as a bloodcurdling scream rose from the black form. Suddenly a far more human cry sounded. "Yamato! I'm coming to help, hold on!"
"Taichi? No, run away!" I tried to scream past the gag, but my mouth wouldn't open. Rakes-the-Wyrm laughed. " A human trying to rescue a Garou? He shall be killed as well. You have no more help, Yamato." He laughed as he hissed out my name. His mad eyes turned toward the growing darkness, almost glowing when two baleful red eyes appeared.
Chapter 3: Black Spiral Dancer
"Tai, please!" I cried, trying to pull his hands from my throat without resorting to deadly Garou strength. It was getting harder and harder to keep myself from hurting him. "Tell me what you are," he said, "and I might let you go." My fruitless struggles slowing, I reluctantly said, "I'm a werewolf." Tai immediately pushed me harder against the wall, triumph in his eyes. "I knew it! What did you do to Yamato?" I forced a breath and tried to explain without revealing too much. " I swear.Tai, it's me. I promise." Tai backed of slightly, the triumph dying down to a flame of confusion. "But.how, why.I don't understand. If its really you, then why haven't you killed me yet? Isn't that what monsters. werewolves do?" I shook my head, taking advantage of his loosening grip to slide away. "It's too complicated, Tai. I'm not a monster. I don't kill people unless I have to and I don't change by the full moon." Tai stared at me, confused. "So, you can be a wolf-man whenever you want?" I lowered my eyes. "You shouldn't have seen that. You should have forgotten. I don't know what went wrong, but something's different about you." Tai smiled then, releasing me totally from his suspicion. "So, you're not going to kill me?" I smiled too. "No, I promise you will not wake up a werewolf tomorrow. It doesn't work that way anyway." I got up then, priorities pulling at my attention. Tai got up too and opened the door. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you, so you must promise not to tell anyone. Got it?" I said, staring straight into his eyes. He nodded, matching my stare. "I promise. I won't condemn a friend."
The caern was busy when I found my way back. Groups of Shadow Lords were everywhere, talking in quieted voices and glancing at me every once in a while. I wandered around the groups, trying to figure out what was going on, but they were afraid of me, and revealed nothing. Suddenly I was grabbed and spun around. I shifted to Crinos, ready to rip the face of whoever did it. Rakes-the-Wyrm looked at my reflexes and laughed. "Trying to kill me, Silver Fang?" I relaxed slightly. "I couldn't do that. Too many others." Rakes-the-Wyrm laughed again. " I sent Hidden Dusk to find you. I figured you might want to know what's got the caern in such a rush."
"I would appreciate it."
"Don't think you're entitled to anything, Silver Fang. White fur and pure blood mean nothing here."
"I understand."
"The Wyrm's power is too great. I have felt Gaia's command for my son. The ceremony is tonight."
"Ceremony?"
"I have gathered the power of a Black Spiral Dancer in this medallion I will use it to give my son power. We will use the Wyrm's own weapons against it!" He cried, the Shadow Lords next to him howling with his cry. I was dumbstruck. The substance of a Black Spiral Dancer? Give it to Ken? Use it as a weapon? He was mad! "I cannot allow you to do this. There's no way anyone could control that, especially not an unchanged stick of a kid!" I cried, only drawing a smirk from Rakes-the-Wyrm's now Crinos shaped lips. "He is my son, and I shall do as I wish. Besides, you're no older than he is; why are you that much better?" His smirk turned to a snarl, and snarling Crinos and Hispo Shadow Lords immediately surrounded me. Hidden Dusk stood near the back, looking nervous. I snapped at him, but was pushed back by one of the Shadow Lords. "Does Ken know you're doing this, or are you forcing him?" Rakes-the-Wyrm sniffed, "Of course not. He knows his destiny."
"His destiny or his doom?"
"That's enough. Gag him and tie him up by the rock circle. I want him to watch."
"And then what will you do to him?" asked a new voice. Ken slid out of the shadows, violet eyes shining in the moonlight. "Please don't kill him, father. He has done nothing wrong."
"I thought he was bothering you. I heard him talking." Rakes-the-Wyrm said, glaring at me. "He has done nothing wrong, Father. Let him go." Ken insisted. Rakes-the-Wyrm snarled and pushed him against the wall. I heard the crack of a rib against the stone. " You will do this, and he will watch. Never let me catch you defending a Silver Fang whelp again!" He roared, watching the blood run from a scrape on Ken's chest. The dark haired boy slumped against the wall, breathing hard. I winced; wishing desperately that the gag tying my muzzle closed would break. However, Rakes- the-Wyrm was no fool. It was too strong, even for me to break. Ken hissed as he got up, but his father showed no emotion. Instead he cuffed Ken and took him outside. My guard followed, dragging me along. They had done this before, as I tried switching to other shapes with no result. The guard could hold on to me in any shape.
They tied me on a rock jutting from the top of the mountain. I was in Crinos, ready to fight if the chance presented itself. The Shadow Lords grouped around the rock platform. I even saw a fox peeking though the bushes. It saw me and shook its head before leaving. "Even the Kitsune have come to watch." I whispered to myself. The Garou nearest to me growled and I stayed silent. Rakes-the-Wyrm stood strongly on the platform, holding up a black crystal medallion. Ken stood next to him, looking far less thrilled. The Garou howled, a long, challenging howl towards the Wyrm. I growled under the gag, challenging the howl with my own.
"My warriors! This is what we have suffered for! All the fighting with the Wyrm, the bitching from the Fera and Stargazers, the sickness and fear, this is what that was all for! My son shall win the war for all Garou, but we shall be the highest of all! Even the Silver Fang will fall before us, as we have seen!" He pointed to me, starting a rippling laugh from all the Shadow Lords. Ken did not laugh. He walked forward, straining his voice to rise over his father's. "Please! I do not want this." All noise stopped. The Garou were shocked, including the pack leader. Ken continued, "My heart has found a voice. I feel something coming from that medallion, something evil. I may be unchanged, but I can tell what is right, and this is not. Its poison has worked into your hearts, as it did with mine.at least until this Silver Fang broke it from me. He told me he could protect me, something no one had ever told me before. I was afraid, but as I thought, the fog cleared from my eyes. My mind, my heart, my soul told me he was right. I refuse to take the medallion."
Rakes-the-Wyrm howled, rage and hatred for me burning in his eyes. I howled as he tore the bloody ropes from my arms and legs. "You will take it, and you will kill the Silver Fang first!" He lashed out at Ken, pinning him to the platform. He howled, "For all Garou!" and broke the medallion over Ken's struggling form. Black surged from the medallion, forming around ken. I shuddered as a bloodcurdling scream rose from the black form. Suddenly a far more human cry sounded. "Yamato! I'm coming to help, hold on!"
"Taichi? No, run away!" I tried to scream past the gag, but my mouth wouldn't open. Rakes-the-Wyrm laughed. " A human trying to rescue a Garou? He shall be killed as well. You have no more help, Yamato." He laughed as he hissed out my name. His mad eyes turned toward the growing darkness, almost glowing when two baleful red eyes appeared.