Author's Note: READ
Alright, this isn't exactly a Redwall story. I roleplay a character named Shade Isako. Recently I made up a post that describes what happened in his past and "sense of closure" so to speak. This is a very Violent short story so if you're squeamish, don't read.
Extra Info:
Zhenhoule Oriscial: Young white jackal, protégé to Shade
Trusit Oriscial: Father to Zhenhoule, husband to Rezelta
Tabitha's Troupe: A group of performers that Shade's involved with that that has several members.
Night Rider: A group of warriors that work together and ride horses. They're protectors of two tribes as well as others.
Kireggan: A place that's copyrighted to Frostbite Panda. It's a second on her roleplaying board that she created. Tanglewood is the same way.
The rest should be easy enough to understand. +++++++++++++++ means that he's going into and out of his memories.
Also, keep in mind this is just a short story post so it's not as detailed as I usually make my stories. I hope you like it though.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shadows and Spirits
Dusk. A time when the sun began to dip its head beyond the horizon to make way for the glorious moon. Crimson, purple, orange, and gold streaked across the sky, illuminating the multicolored leaves of the Autumn season. The branches of weeping willows swayed gracefully in the wind, the faint sunlight glinting brightly across the fading green foliage. It seemed like a peaceful atmosphere...except for the ruins that lay within a few minutes reach.
Thump thump thump....hoof beats resounded around the darkening forest. A graceful Friesian mare stepped through the undergrowth, ignoring any leaves she trampled into the ground. Her fur glistened of the darkest ebony, her movements as fluid as liquid steel. She lifted her head to the sky and snorted softly before continuing.
On top of her sat a beast swathed in a cloak as black as his mare's fur. Nothing could be seen of the creature except for the very tip of his nose and the leather black gloves that clutched the Friesian's reins tightly. Shadow Isako, commonly known as Shade, peered through the leaves with his blood red eyes. He kept his species hidden by the massive cloaks around his body, as well as various other scars.
Shade had broken away from the rest of Tabitha's troupe to have some time to himself. Ever since they had reached Tanglewood, they had not had a moment to relax. First ,they had helped a gypsy group that had been set upon by a band of bandits and cutthroats. Second, they had had to perform at the Queen's masque. Shade had gone along with all, but grudgingly. He didn't mind being part of the troupe...but sometimes he just needed to be away from the others, even his own young charge.
Nightspell gave a small snort, drawing Shade's attention back to the present. The creature patted the Friesian's mane affectionately as he glanced up. He didn't know why he was going this way...but he had heard that there were few beasts that traveled here because of strange happenings. Shade wasn't a superstitious creature so even if he had known that the area was supposedly guarded by ghosts, he wouldn't have believed it to be true. The darkness and the shadows were his domain and no one, not even a ghost, was going to keep him from them.
Nightspell passed through the woods until the ground arched up to an upward slope. She hesitated for a moment but continued on with a soft whisper from her rider. It wasn't long before they reached the summit, the Friesian breathing in a sharp breath of air while Shade gazed around in admiration.
From their vantage point, the fading sun glistened across their bodies and the wind blew through the willow branches at their sides. It was a beautiful sight, but Shade took little pleasure in it. Except for his young charge, Zhenhoule, there wasn't much left inside of him to make happy. He had his own reasons for that, ones that he would share with no one.
Digging his heel into Nightspell's side, the horse began to move down the slanted hill, drawing ever closer to the ruins of Kireggan. As they pressed on, a veil of darkness fell upon the land. The moon began to make her ascension, but Shade barely took notice. He felt more comfortable in the darkness...it matched his mind and his heart. Or at least he thought it did.
The wind picked up and blew at his cloak, causing a chill to travel down his spine. Autumn was in the air, and winter was soon to follow. This night....of all nights, reminded him of something that had happened years ago. Something that had not only destroyed his body, but his mind, soul and heart. It was a past that he did not want to remember though he had to pay tribute to it every year, no matter how hard it was for him to reflect upon It was his past that made him claim the shadows for his own, or rather, had the darkness claim him.
Shade drew his cloak closer and looked ahead. The breeze lifted the branches of weeping willows, their tendrils reaching towards the dark beast's back. Their leaves sang a mournful tune as if the spirits of Kireggan had suddenly risen and were joining their voices together. Shade didn't even shiver. He didn't believe in ghosts or spirits or anything of the sort. He knew what reality was...and reality was not that kind to grant him...a certain wish that he had.
Shaking his head, the creature pulled back on Nightspell's reins as they reached the ruins. Stones, dying plants, scattered branches and the like were all strewn about. He caught sight of the statue of the sorceress and snorted. For some odd reason, he didn't like it...evil radiated from it's midst.
He turned his mare and began looking along the ground for something. The moonlight was traveling across the grass, and before long, he found what he sought. A large slab of rock that must have once been part of a wall, though smoothed from the raging rains, sat propped up away from the other stones. As he passed near it, the moonlight glittered along the center of the slab. Yes...this was perfect.
Shade reached into his cloak and slowly withdrew five dried roses, each one a different color. One was once a vibrant red, the second, as white as snow, the third, as blue as the morning sky, the fourth, as golden as the sun, and the fifth, as black as his fur. Shade looked over them and placed a paw along the red rose, his eyes glinting in the darkness. He had failed them in life....all five of them.
Slowly, he shifted in the saddle and set the five plants on the stone, watching as the moonlight flickered against their petals. He had saved the little plants since the middle of spring for this very moment though now that he was departing from them, a feeling gnawed at his heart and stomach. It was like losing them all over again though he couldn't understand why. They were mere flowers....but they reminded him so much of them.
Shade rubbed a paw over his face and muttered a few foreign words under his breath. He couldn't keep looking at how the moon reflected the flowers and caused their shadows to lengthen peacefully along the stone. It was hard enough to bid "them" fair well...
Nightspell perked up her head and looked up at her rider. Shade didn't even seem to notice. He opened his eyes, sniffed once, then tugged at her reins. He was done here. There was no reason for him to stay here and dwell on a past that was tearing apart his soul little by little each day. The Friesian snorted slightly and began to turn, both ready to leave and find peace.
Suddenly, the shadows shifted strangely on the flowers. They stretched out longer and longer, melting together as they struck the ground. A cold wind blew through the rocks and crevices, the moan echoing louder, only this time, there seemed to be a female voice singing along with it.
Shade froze as the voice reached his ears, memories of the past coming back to haunt and torture him. He shook them away viciously but the voice continued and soon words were floating on the wind.
"Good fortunes go with you my love
Look ye back to us no more
Rid yourself of guilt and shame
Heal yourself of wounds and sores
Spirits round thine humble soul
Please protect you as you go
We are with you all your days
The love we have for you still grows..."
"Emiara...."
The name fluttered off of Shade's tongue. It couldn't be....how could he hear her singing here? She had...she had been slain so long ago. Surely it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Shade shivered and began to urge Nightspell onward when the same melodic voice spoke.
"Shadow....Tis I."
Shade shut his eyes tightly and slowly turned around. Right behind the stone where there should have been open space stood a transparent figure. She was a beautiful wolf with fur as silver as the moon above them. Where her eyes should be, two blue rings seemed to glow. A white aura graced her thin frame, causing the long white gown she wore to glisten even brighter as it swayed in the wind. Upon her head graced a small cornet of red roses, the same color as the one Shade had placed on the stone. That very same flower rest in her paws, the petals and leaves living once more.
Shade felt tears swelling in his eyes. It couldn't be her...but he wanted to believe it was. She was as beautiful as he had last seen her.....a moment before her life had been snuffed out by the smite of evil. Shade slid off of Nightspell's saddle and held onto it, bracing his paws on the ground. One was normal but the other was wooden, revealing that he only had half a leg.
Unsheathing his katana with a hiss, Shade used it to braced himself as he moved towards Emiara's side. The she wolf watched him and reached out a paw.
"Shadow..."
"Emiara..."
The only words they seemed to be able to speak were the names that they had been blessed with. Shade stumbled over rocks and debris as he reached the wolf maiden's side. He stretched out his paw and tried to touch her.....but it just passed right through her. Emiara looked at her arm and sighed before looking up at the hooded creature.
"Shadow....take down your hood. Let me see your face again."
Shade lowered his head and sighed deeply. How could he show her....he didn't look anything like how he did in the past. Emiara watched him and reached out a ghostly paw to his face. Though it passed through the cloak, it stopped by his cheek and he could almost feel her warm touch once again.
"Please..."
He looked up and with a small groan, he drew back the hood. He too was wolf with fur so black that it was almost impossible to see him in the darkness of the night. One side of his face had small silver scars on it, which was typical to find on a warrior but the other side...was simply hideous. Fur and skin had been ripped away from part of his lower mouth, exposing his teeth even though he didn't have his jaw open. A deep scar ran across his eye and formed zig-zag lines beneath the fur. Further back, clumps of fur had been singed off and all that remained was raw flesh. The rim of his snout was cut in several places and a long line from his lower jaw to his eye revealed how close his face had come to being cut in half.
Shade lifted his crimson eyes to the she wolf, expecting her to recoil in disgust. Instead, she ran a paw across the wounds, her brow creased ever so slightly.
"My dear husband....what vile creature has done this to you?"
"Th...the same that took the only treasures I cherished away from me."
Emiara's ghost like eyes searched his face and she drew close to him, even though she knew she'd just pass right through his body. The wind blew harder and she watched Shade shiver from the cold. It was the effect of coming back...so to speak.
"Shade...why do you still feel guilt for our deaths? It was out of your control my love, you could have done nothi-"
"I could have healed you, I could have protected you, I could have moved us away from the tow-"
"But you didn't want to leave your duties."
Shade looked up at her for a brief moment then glanced away angrily. That was another reason why he blamed himself. His own damn stubbornness had gotten his family assassinated...just because h...he... Emiara saw the struggle on his face and lifted her other paw to his cheek.
"Look at me Shadow...you are not to blame. What happened, happened. They did not have to send out those assassins-"
"If I hadn't killed him in the first place you wouldn't have died!"
He shouted back, not meaning to raise his voice. Emiara's eyelashes fluttered and she placed her paw on his head as she tried to soothe his troubled mind.
"If you hadn't killed him....we would have died anyway."
She responded gently. Shade looked at her but before he could speak, she drew her face closer and whispered in his ear.
"Remember......"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shade walked slowly through a small village, the huts set up close to one another with smoke rising from small chimneys that had been built to keep the in habitants warm. His stride was as fluent as silk, his face unmarked. He was dressed in his normal dark garb except for the golden clasp around his black cape. Beside him strolled an aged male squirrel, his fur as grey as smoke. He wore a tunic that had metals of achievement running up and down each side, revealing the high status he held. Tweaking his small beard, the squirrel folded his arms and spoke with the wolf.
"We've received reports that our other enemies know of your actions, sire. I fear that this might bring trouble to the tribe."
Shade shook his head and tapped the katana at his side.
"The other groups have stopped their threats. With Incento gone, we don't have much to worry about."
"I wish that were true General, but I still fear for your family if the Lesicons find out it was you who killed their leader."
The wolf growled under his breath and glanced upwards towards the stars. The Lesicons were a band of villains and thieves that plundered goods, attacked caravans and even took young creatures to sell them away into slavery. Shade's tribe, the Hazenka's, along with the neighboring village of Tesihon, were the only ones that stood in the Lesicons way. Both tribe held Night Riders, fierce warriors and that were willing to give anything to protect their family as well as their ways of life. They were well respected creatures, but over time the Lesicons had hunted them down one by one.
One particular villain dubbed Incento the Malicious, a cruel, conniving wolverine, was the most feared of them all. He cut down any creature in his path with little or no sympathy. Night Riders fell left and right to his wrath, their numbers dwindling drastically. After finding out that Incento was on the verge of attacking the Tesihon, Shade and the Hazenka's knew something had to be done to stop him. On one suicide mission, Shade had infiltrated the very village Incento was leading and assassinated him with a quick slit to the throat. No creature had seen him…
Or at least, he didn't think one had.
Shaking the memory from his head, Shade turned his thoughts back to the present and responded in a low growl.
"I will watch over them, nothing will touch them so long as I take breath. Incento threatened to kill us before, if I hadn't done him in, we'd all be dead by now. How goes it with the rest of the Night Riders?"
The squirrel stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded towards a hut that had soft grey smoke billowing from the chimney.
"They're as nervous as I am. I know that the jackal Rezelta is watching over us though."
A smile touched Shade's face. Rezelta, the leader of the Night Riders in the Tesihon. Of all the warriors that followed Shade, he held the most respect for her.
"Aye, Rezelta, she's a fine creature. She says that her young one, Zhenhoule, will become another Night Rider one of these days."
"Ahh, this is good news. The numbers have diminished quite a bit in the last few seasons. How many are left now?"
Shade sighed and began to tally up the numbers.
"Twenty with myself and Rezelta. Between our two tribes, we only have enough strong warriors to hold off against a small attack. We need to train new recruits, especially if we receive any more threats."
The squirrel nodded his head and gave a low bow to Shade.
"You're words are to true my lord. I will speak with the council and see if they will allow us to train the young ones. Good evening."
"Good evening Leesum."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shade slept quietly in bed, his arm draped gently around Emiara. Outside, the night was peaceful yet quite cool. The young ones were fast asleep and the tribe seemed to be at ease....that was until shouts rang through the valley and the smell of smoke filled the air.
Shade's eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up, the blanket flying from his body. Emiara shook her head and looked up at her mate in concern. Her paw crept down to the blanket as she held it close to her body.
"Shadow? What is it?"
The ebony wolf flicked his ears up and listened closely. Cries of horror and the faint clash of blades rented through the air. Shade knew what was happening but every instinct begged not for it to be true.
"S...stay here. I won't be long."
The wolf slid out of bed quickly and threw his tunic over his body. Grabbing his katana, he quickly headed towards the door. Suddenly, a paw stilled him. Shade turned and found Emiara staring up at him with worried eyes.
"Be careful my love...I don't want anything to happen to you."
The general looked down at her and nuzzled her cheek gently. It was the only reassurance he could give her for now.
"Don't worry Emiara, I'll be alright. Watch over the children, please. Everything will be fine."
Shade smiled gently down at her and shot out the door. Emiara watched him go and shut it after him, as she headed to the back room where their children slept. A shadow passed beneath the window, but she didn't see it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shade ran to the side of his hut and released the rope tethering his steed Nightspell to a post. The horse whinnied and he quickly leapt on her back, his eyes widening as he saw fire and smoke rising from the Tesihon where their allies were stationed. The wolf cursed angrily and snapped the reins. Not another attack! Why were they being set upon?! He was the one that had killed Incento!
Shade snapped the reins and ushered Nightspell forward as he bellowed.
"Night Riders! Warriors! Rally to me! Our allies need us!"
As his voice rang out, doors to many huts opened and other creatures came pouring out, armed with weapons of all sorts. About 8 of them grabbed horses while the rest ran on foot. Shade glided past them, shouting out as he passed the grey squirrel he had been talking to earlier.
"Leesum! Watch over my wife and children while I'm gone!"
"I will mi`lord!"
The squirrel turned and dashed towards Shade's home while the others rallied behind their general.
He tore across the land, Nightspell's nostrils flaring in the cold air. Shouts of anger and cries of pain echoed through the air as he neared the smaller village. Shade knew that he had to be quick. Rodents flew past the tribe of jackals, their swords flying down and laying creatures flat left and right.
Those deemed as Night Riders fought for all they were worth but they fell one by one to the onslaught of vermin. Shade surged forward, snarling as Nightspell rammed into another horse, sending it's rider flying to the ground with a sickening thud. Left and right his blade flew, blood staining the precious metal.
Out of all the Night Riders, he was one of the most vicious and dangerous beast to anger. Any creature that crossed his path fell with a severed paw, broken neck or other various injuries. From the corner of his eye, Shade saw a jackal pull up beside him and send him a quick nod of her head.
"I thought I might see you here."
Shade kicked a rat away from his horse and nodded in acknowledgment, a small smile lingering on his muzzle.
"I couldn't let you all take the fall Rezelta. How many Riders do you have left on your side?"
The jackal growled as she severed a rat's head from his body. Wretched creatures.
"Only three including myself. There are far to many of them. Shade, listen. If I don't make it, promise me you'll look after my daughter. I know what she's destined to become but I think you are the only one that can train her."
Shade glanced at the jackal and went to respond went an arrow cut across his mare's right side. Nightspell snorted in pain and reared up, almost throwing her rider off. The wolf held on and sent a dagger flying at their attacker. The creature fell and Shade responded tightly.
"I promise Rezelta, but you won't die, I'll see to that."
The jackal smiled at him then rode off towards where her husband was fighting. Shade watched her go then noticed a dark rider as it made it's way closer to the two jackals. The wolf made to follow but a well placed arrow caught him in the leg. The wolf yipped in pain and ripped it out. At that same moment, he heard a horse shriek in pain and turned just in time to see the white jackal Zhenhoule fall backwards into a river that flowed through the small village.
Shade growled and snapped the reins, but what he saw next caused his heart to freeze. The shriek that he had heard, had come from both Zhenhoule and Rezelta's steeds. The Night Rider stumbled upward from the ground, intent on making it to her daughter's side before she was swept away by the current. The creature that Shade had caught sight of came up behind Rezelta and grabbed her headfur. The wolf snarled and tried to get there in time, but it was to late. A blade flew down and the Night Rider fell headless to the ground. Shade cried out in anguish and watched as vines suddenly shot up from the ground. Nightspell reared back with a start while Shade could only watch helplessly as the dark creature advanced upon the white jackal and struck her down.
Rezelta's husband Trusit turned to help his daughter, tears of grief falling heavily from his eyes. The dark creature turned to meet him and slammed a paw into his face, knocking the jackal back several feet. A sword flat crashed across the fallen canine's face at the same time that Shade got his horse under control. He went tearing past the fighting creatures and bowled the beast over, knocking him flat. Both jackals lay unconscious and motionless. The wolf leaned over and quickly grabbed the male before moving to the little maiden's side.
Part of her face had been torn apart by the sword the beast had used. Disgust filled Shade's eyes as he held her close, trying not to look upon Rezelta's slain form. Immediately, he turned to get the two to safety when he heard the injured beast laugh after him.
"That's right Shadow Isako...give your concern to other creatures instead of your own family. Pity..."
Shade's heart froze and he turned just as an arrow snuffed out the beast's life. Another wolf upon a large Friesian looked up at him from behind her bow. Quickly, she motioned to him with her paw.
"Let me watch over them, you go to your family, quickly."
The wolf didn't need a second bidding. He rode over to the female and deposited both jackals on her horse, his eyes lingering on the one called Zhenhoule for a moment longer.
"Take care of them."
He whispered. Snapping the reins, he turned Nightspell and ushered her on towards his own village.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sight that met him caused his insides to split. Just like with the jackal community, huts all around him had been burned. Innocent and unsuspecting creatures were strewn across the ground, their blood soaking into the soil beneath their lifeless bodies. Shade drove his mare onward, fearing what he might find at his own home.
As he neared it, he saw in relief that it had not been set on fire, nor did he see his family lying on the ground in plain sight. However, just within a few feet of him, Leesum lay spread eagle in the mud, a dark bloody hole in his stomach. Quickly, Shade dismounted Nightspell and raced towards the squirrel. He could tell by the amount of blood that Leesum was barely alive and wouldn't be breathing much longer. The wolf dropped to his side and braced the squirrel's head up with his arm.
"Leesum? Leesum, speak to me. What happened?"
The squirrel shook his head slowly, blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. His chest heaved as he struggled to take in a breath of air. Life just…wasn't fair. Closing his eyes, he managed to rasp out a few final words.
"I….I failed you...Incento….soldiers came…tried to stop them. I…I'm sorry."
Shade shook his head and pressed a paw over the wound. This couldn't be happening…it just wasn't possible.
"No..no don't be sorry. You've served me loyally all these years. Rest easy my friend…"
Leesum opened his eyes for a moment and gazed into those of his general. With a slow nod of his head, the squirrel's eyes lulled back and he fell limp in Shade's arms. Pushing past the grief that was rising up inside of him, the wolf slowly allowed his friend to drop to the ground. He glared at his home and moved forward to open the door. Who ever had done such a heinous crime was going to pay dearly. Before he could even touch the handle, the wood flew open and two pairs of eyes stared out at him.
The iris's of one pair gleamed with the same red light that were in Shade's own eyes. They were dangerous and held no mercy within their midst. The second pair was a soft blue, the pupil's seeming to quiver in fear.
"Ahh, the mighty General Isako, slayer of the great Incento. Must have been very hard to kill him while surrounded by his soldiers. To bad my revenge won't be as difficult."
Shade stiffened and felt his heart clench as a large wolverine stepped out of his hut. In front of him was Emiara. Her paws were bound behind her back and a bloody streak appeared on her forehead, most likely from the creature trying to subdue her so she couldn't fight back. Tears streamed down her eyes as a sword blade dug into her quivering neck. The wolverine's paw was clasped over the female's mouth, stifling her cries of warning. Shade took one look at his wife then snarled at the monster holding her captive.
"Let her go...she has nothing to do with this."
The wolverine chuckled and dropped his paw from Emiara's mouth, drawing the she wolf close so that her body was pressed hard against his.
"Well neither did your children....but they still paid a price."
Emiara cried out in misery, the tears falling freely now. Shade's paw went weak and he felt his legs shake beneath him. No...not his children....he had to be lying, they weren't dead, they couldn't be! The wolverine watched the expression of disbelief cross his prey's face with satisfaction. He'd have fun with this.
"Oh yes General, your children sleep in their own blood now. A real pity too...the little gold one was so beautiful. I would have kept her for my own... amusement, but orders are orders."
Shade felt sick. This couldn't possibly be happening. His children, his dear treasures were lying dead in their beds...all because of this creature's orders. And now his wife was in peril with the blade so close to her throat. The wolf wanted nothing more to tear the wolverine apart but at the present moment, he was powerless to do anything except to try and reason with him.
"What do you want here?"
The wolverine snorted and moved his blade a bit so that he could rub a paw beneath his captive's chin.
"Why, to get a hold of you so that you can pay for what you have done. But of course...I have other orders besides that, ones that give me great pleasure. Now drop your blade or this pretty little cur will breathe her last breath."
"Shade don't, just g-"
Emiara was cut off as the blade bit against her throat, this time drawing blood. The wolverine shook his head and clicked his tongue in a disapproving way.
"Now now, I didn't tell you to speak. Lay down your blade Isako, and I might still spare her."
The wolf gripped the katana tightly for a long moment, but he couldn't risk his wife's life. He had already caused his children's deaths....he wouldn't allow her to die also. Slowly, he held out his paw and let the blade drop. Emiara closed her eyes and shook her head, pleading silently for him to pick up the blade.
The wolverine sneered and suddenly gripped his blade tighter.
"Good choice.....to bad things don't always work out as you wish."
Emiara's eyes widened as they met Shade's, both of them already knowing what was going to happen. The dark wolf surged forward with a howl. Everything seemed to slow down as he watched the blade move to the right then suddenly slash against Emiara's quivering throat. Her eyes flickered once then rolled backwards as the wolverine released her. Shade caught her before she hit the ground. The wolf cradled his slain wife in his arms, tears pouring down his eyes.
The wolverine smirked and snapped his claws. Creatures shifted out of the shadows and surrounded the mourning general. Swiftly, they moved in and apprehended him, Shade to stunned by the events of the night to fight back. They bound his paws behind him and tied nooses around his neck so that he couldn't attack. The wolf struggled to stay at his wife's side but they yanked him away from her. The last thing he saw before a creature knocked him unconscious was the wolverine dragging out the bodies of his four children.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shade shook as the memories faded away. Emiara looked him in the eyes and acted as if she was caressing his cheek, not that either of them could feel it.
"It wasn't your fault my love....they would have come and killed us anyway. You couldn't have done anything."
"I could have stayed and protected you."
He responded, trying hard to hold back the emotion. It seemed just like yesterday when she had died...but here she was, standing right in front of him. Emiara drew closer and reached down to his paws. Shade lifted them and they entwined their fingers together, despite the fact that they just passed through one another.
"But what would have happened to little Zhenhoule and her father? You saved their lives Shadow."
"By sacrificing you..."
"No." Emiara shook her head and glanced at the four other roses on the rock slab. "No Shadow, it was our time. Had you stayed, we would have all been slain. At least this way, you are still alive and can watch over the young jackal."
Shade looked a the ground and shook his head.
"But....I want you and the children back. You didn't deserve this."
A small smile touched Emiara's lips and she whispered in her husband's ear.
"Neither did Rezelta. Shadow, please, this guilt will tear you apart if you keep allowing it to linger. The children and I are at peace as is Zhenhoule's mother. Please...just go on living. We'll be together one day, I promise."
Shade released a long sigh and looked up at his wife. How could she speak so calmly of her death when he had caused it? Why did she not hate and despise him for allowing their children to die? All that he could see was love in her eyes. She still cared about him....she wasn't angry. No, she was just worried about him. Shade closed his eyes for a long moment before speaking.
"I'll try...to stop blaming myself but you ask much of me."
"I know my love."
The moonlight flickered above them and Emiara seemed to fade. Glancing up at the sky, she sighed.
"My time is fading Shadow...but there are still four that want to see you before I leave."
Emiara quietly stepped to the side, her body fading slightly as she moved away from the moonlight. Shade watched her, longing for her to stay with him, but knowing that it was not possible. The four dying roses on the stone began to glow and blossomed once more. From the depths, four other transparent figures began to form, all of them smaller than Shade and Emiara.
The one with the white rose was a young wolf maiden with fur as pure as the very flower she held. Her gentle green eyes glittered as she looked up to her father, a small smile creasing on her face. Braided strands of white headfur flowed along her body as she took a small step forward, her pale green dress swishing gently. Shade felt his heart clench. Aclaria…
The rose with petals as blue as the sky was held in the paws of a taller male wolf, older than Aclaria, but younger than his two other siblings. His fur was the color of soft grey, streaks of silver running through his coat at various intervals. His eyes glistened with life, the baby blue iris's gazing upon Shade with the love only a child could possess. He nudged his sister gently and whispered his father's name on his breath. Shade grew weak in the knees. Esklico…
The third rose with petals of the purest gold was nestled in the paws of another young female wolf. Her fur was a brilliant gold, though how that had come about, neither Shade nor Emiara knew. Shade's father had been gold but not this pure. She was a bit taller than Aclaria but shorter than Esklico. Her eyes glowed a gentle red, reflecting the colors in Shade's own iris's. Her pale violet dress swished around her body as she held her paws to her mouth, tears forming as she stared at her father. Shade felt his body tremble. Moriluna…
The final rose with petals of ebony black still remained on the stone. Behind it though stood a tall black wolf, with everyone of Shade's features in his body. His shoulders and chest were strong, his stance tall and proud. However, instead of the crimson red eyes of his father, this wolf's iris's were a milky white. He had been born blind but that hadn't kept him from excelling in life. The ebony male was older than his other three siblings, although he still looked quite young. There was something else different about him than just his eyes. He actually smiled and his vacant eyes held the hopes and dreams of the future, even though he no long drew in breaths of air. Shade shivered and fell to his knees. Mattheíäs…
Shade felt his heart breaking all over again as he gazed upon his lost children. Each one of them had been slain in cold blood, and yet, here they stood before him, their faces bright and smiling as if nothing had ever happened. Aclaria, the youngest of the four, stepped away from the rock and knelt down in front of her father. Her face was one of pure innocence, something Shade had not seen in so long. With a little giggle, the maiden held out the rose to her father.
"Thank you for the rose papa…mama said she'll grow them in the garden when we get home."
Shade flicked an ear, wondering what she meant by that but he kept it to himself. Instead, he reached forward and placed a paw on his daughter's cheek, trying his hardest to keep back the tears that were flooding his eyes.
"I'm glad you like it, little Aclaria. Take good care of it, and I'll bring you more."
Aclaria giggled happily and kissed her father on the cheek before dashing over to her mother's side. Emiara smiled and nuzzled her ears as she pressed her daughter to her side. Esklico stepped forward next, his face drawn back in a wide smile. Reaching out, he hugged his father or at least he made the motion considering he couldn't actually touch him.
"It's good to see you again dad, we've missed you a lot. Will you be coming home soon?"
Shade looked up at Emiara who seemed to tense at the question. She knew that the only way Shade would be coming "home" was if he…The dark wolf gazed into her beautiful face and smiled sadly before shaking his head.
"Not yet son, but once I do come, you best be ready to go fishing again. I know you always liked that."
Esklico laughed and nodded his head before falling back towards his sister. The next to come was Moriluna. The golden wolf quietly stepped over the debris on the ground, her eyes never leaving her father's face. Shade slowly brought himself to a standing position and gazed down upon her. Aclaria was beautiful but Moriluna, she had the kind of features that could capture any young wolf's heart. The maiden looked into his eyes and wrapped her arms around him, crying softly.
"Father…we miss you so much. I wish we could stay here with you."
Shade closed his eyes and held his daughter close. For a moment, he thought he could actually feel her warm, shaking body but soon realize, it was his own bones that were quivering. Shade crouched down in front of her, careful of his missing leg. Lifting a paw, he pressed it beneath her chin and had her look up at him.
"I know Moriluna…I miss you all so much as well. But don't worry, I'll be back with you and your brothers and sisters in time. For now, make certain Esklico and Aclaria stay out of trouble."
Moriluna laughed softly through her tears and sniffed. Before she could say much more, two paws fell upon her shoulders. Mattheíäs smiled gently at her and steered her towards the other wolf pups, leaving he and Shade to stand before one another. For a long time, neither of them spoke. The aged wolf looked over his son, his arms held loosely at his sides. Mattheíäs had his arms crossed, but not for long. Without warning, he stepped forward and embraced his father gently, his eyes shut tight.
Shade tried to fight back his emotions but they were too powerful. He gave into them and just held his son close, his paws shaking and his eyes watering with tears. Mattheíäs sighed heavily and slowly pulled away, his blind eyes still looking in the same direction as his father's face.
"For years…I've always wanted to see what you and mother looked like. Though I cannot be with you…it's more than a blessing to actually be able to see you father."
Shade blinked and watched in amazement as the white melted away from Mattheíäs' eyes. Instead of the blank stare, two beautiful blue eyes gazed out at him, the eyes of his wife. A smile lingered on his son's muzzle and he slowly lowered his head with a rueful sigh.
"It pains me though…that our moment together is so short. But before I go, there are two things I have to say. First, whatever you do, never abandon Zhenhoule. She's a part of your life as much as we were and I know you look at her as a daughter. With her, you will feel comfort and closure over what has happened. And second…know that no matter where you are…not matter what you do, we'll always be there to guard and watch over you."
Shade looked up and breathed in deeply as he bowed his head in response. He knew what his son said was true and it'd be a cold day in hell if any other creature tried to prove him otherwise. The ebony wolf reached out and placed a soft paw on his son's cheek, his eyes watering still.
"I'll remember, my son. Take good care of your sisters and brother…and watch over your mother until I can come home. And…know that I love you."
He looked over at the rest of his children and finally allowed a smile to curve on his face.
"I love each and every one of you."
Emiara looked at her husband and slowly smiled at him. Mattheíäs stepped to her side and she wrapped her arm around him as the moonlight began to fade. The she wolf glanced up at the sky then turned her eyes to Shade with a slow nod of her head.
"That tis all we ask. Farewell my dear husband….may our presence bring you peace and comfort. Know that we love you in return, and we are watching over you…always."
With that, the five wolves slowly faded from sight, the roses settling upon the stone slab once more. However, instead of their lush petals withering, they blossomed beautifully over the rock. Roots sprouted from the ends of their stems and stabbed into the earth, forming a small rose bush around their resting place. The blooming flowers sat silently beneath the moonlight, their beauty standing out against the fallen walls of the once powerful fort.
Shade sniffed once and formed a symbol in his paw before slowly limping back towards Nightspell. The Friesian lifted her head from nibbling on the grass and whinnied softly to him, not appearing perturbed by the spirits. The wolf threw his hood over his head and patted her flank before climbing onto her back. Thoughts of all sorts ran through his mind, one lingering and seeming to grow with each passing second. He was content...peaceful and happy. He knew his joy would not last but…for tonight, his wife and children had given him a wonderful blessing. That had granted him a way to say one last goodbye to them…and had given his life more meaning.
Shadow Isako pulled on the reins lightly and began to steer the horse away from the dilapidated kingdom. Her hooves thumped softy on the ground but the wolf took no notice. A smile creased on his face and he closed his eyes. As the wolf passed through the trees, a voice floated after him.
"No matter where you are
No matter what you do
We'll be within your heart
To love and comfort you."