Chapter 21: Tragedy
Shortly after the others were captured and taken into Blue Mountain, Cutter and the others showed up. Nonna and Adar noticed Jayra and Cori hiding behind the rocks away from the other humans.
"Children? What are you doing here? Why do you hide?" Nonna asked and Jayra and Cori jumped.
They looked around and saw Cutter, Skywise and Strongbow. They ran to Cutter happily.
"Uncle Cutter! Mother and the others---"
"Mother's been captured by the mean elf lady..." Jayra said interrupting Cori.
"What?!" Cutter said surprised.
"You know these children, bird spirit?" Adar asked.
"What are you all doing here?" Skywise asked.
"They are part of our...family." Cutter answered Adar.
Cori and Jayra stared at Nonna and Adar. They finally meet humans after so many years. They didn't know what to say or if they should hide or run for their lives.
"Cori...Jayra...what are you doing here?" Strongbow asked.
"We came with mother and the others...we wanted to find you and prevent you from going into the mountain. Mother said it was dangerous. We got here before you did...Moonshade thought you were inside so she sent to Strongbow. You didn't answer...the elf lady found out we were here and sent her human followers after us." Jayra said taking a deep breath to continue.
"They didn't capture us because they thought we were part of their tribe..." Cori said making sure his sister didn't say anything else.
"The whole tribe?" Skywise asked.
Cori and Jayra nodded. "Leetah and everyone else..." Jayra said slowly.
"What?!" Cutter asked angrily.
"What are we going to do....we have to help them." Strongbow said.
"We can help you, bird spirit. We know how to get into the mountain. This is my tribe...my old tribe anyway so maybe they won't remember me..." Nonna said as they slowly walked toward the tribe in front of the mountain.
They walked up to the tribe. Nonna walked over to one of them and whispered something to him. He nodded and let them by. Nonna and Adar took Cutter and the others into the mountain. But before they entered they stopped.
"This is as far as we go, little bird spirit. Until we meet again please be careful." Nonna said and Cutter nodded.
They walked into the mountain with Cori and Jayra. Being careful of their surroundings because they knew what lie ahead of them and the dangers of the mountain and the elves in it.
They carefully walked around looking for their tribe. The first ones they found were Treestump, Pike, One-Eye and Scouter. They were all hauling things up and down the stairs.
"Treestump!" Skywise whispered loudly.
Treestump turned and saw Cutter. Then he looked over at Pike, One-Eye and Scouter. They had also heard Skywise. None of the Gliders hear as well as the wolfriders so they didn't hear Skywise or any of the others.
Treestump went to his chief. "Cutter...She has Leetah and the cubs in a cage and Alex is chained to the thrown. What are we going to do?"
Pike looked around and saw that all the Gliders had left for dinner. "Coast is clear if we plan on helping the others...now would be a good time."
They collected the rest of the tribe except for Leetah, Alex and the cubs. They had to find a way to get them without the snake knowing. They knew how to get to Leetah, Suntop and Ember but they weren't sure how they were going to be able to help Alex because she was in the thrown room with Winnowill. Winnowill was always in the thrown room.
"Everyone leave the mountain. Me and Skywise will help Leetah and the others." Cutter said.
"But Cutter...we can't just let you stay in here with that snake..." Moonshade said.
"I can handle her. Skywise, Alex and I know what we're up against. We'll be alright."
"Get out of here before the Gliders find out that you were set free." Skywise said and the wolfriders left the mountain.
When they got outside, Treestump realized that one other person wasn't there. His own daughter. Dewshine wasn't found in the mountain. She was missing and no one knew where she was. No one knew what had happened to her and where she had gone.
"Alright....now we have to look for Alex, Leetah and the cubs and Dewshine...where do we start?" Skywise asked.
"First we go free my lifemate and cubs." Cutter said almost immediately.
"What about Alex?" Skywise asked.
"We both know she can take care of herself...but we also have to deal with the fact that Rayek is here somewhere..." Cutter said.
"Right...But he came here because of Winnowill. So he should be alright, right?" Skywise asked as they went to free Leetah, Suntop and Ember.
"I hope so..."
They finally got to the cage with Leetah, Suntop and Ember locked inside it. They couldn't find a way to get them out.
"What do we do now?" Skywise asked.
"Leave us here. Go find Dewshine and Alex. We'll find our own way out...somehow." Leetah said.
"I'm not leaving you and the cubs here. Alex will be fine." Cutter said.
"Wolfrider, you might want to move so I don't knock your head off." Someone said behind them.
Cutter and Skywise turned around. Rayek was standing on the steps behind them with his hands raised and ready to blast open the cage to let Leetah and the others out.
Cutter moved aside. "Rayek! You're alright!" Leetah yelled happily.
"I'm fine...I see you decided to follow me...why?"
"We were worried about you..." Cutter said slowly.
"Really? Well I don't think I'm the one you need to worry about. Dewshine is with that bird elf called Tyldak and Alex is in the thrown room locked in chains and fighting with Winnowill." Rayek said and the cage blasted open when he sent a blast of magic at it.
"In chains? Oh no! Cutter we have to help her." Leetah said.
"No we don't she can handle herself." Cutter said. "Rayek get Leetah, Suntop and Ember out of this mountain."
Rayek nodded. "Come on Leetah. We have to get you out of here."
"But---"
"No, beloved. Get out of here." Cutter said as Rayek lifted her and flew off with Ember and Suntop running close behind.
"Come on we have to find Dewshine." Cutter said as they looked around for his cousin.
"You go find your cousin. I'm going to help Alex." Skywise said rushing off to help his lovemate
They looked at each other in silence for a minute. Then they separated. They went their separate ways to find whoever they needed to find or help.
Cutter looked everywhere. He couldn't find Dewshine anywhere. He looked carefully in the dinning hall where the elves had just eaten their dinner. But she wasn't there either.
While he looked for Dewshine, Skywise found his way to the thrown room. He watched in the shadows as Alex was sitting near the thrown and Winnowill was sitting on the thrown. Rayek flew quickly to her.
"The wolfriders have escaped." He said frantically.
"Let them go...I have what I want. They are no concern of ours anymore, lovemate." Winnowill said looking down at Alex.
Alex glared at Winnowill then looked at Rayek. "Traitor..." She whispered.
Skywise watched for a while longer. He listened to Winnowill and Rayek's conversation. He watched Alex has she slowly chewed the robes that bind her. She finally got free and reached for her bow which was carelessly put next to her to tease her since she couldn't use it against Winnowill.
The other Gliders went to stop her but Winnowill stopped them. "What do you plan on doing now child?" She asked with an icy stare.
"Kill you..." Alex wanted to say but she didn't speak she just glared angrily at Winnowill and kept her arrow pointed at Winnowill's heart.
"I hate you. You almost killed my brother...you treat my cousin like a toy and you act as though you own this world." Alex said.
"Your cousin IS a toy...a fun one at that...did you know she's going to give birth to a Glider?" Winnowill said.
"Your lying!"
"No, not at all. She is going to have a Glider's cub." Winnowill said with a big smile.
"Your wrong! She wouldn't recognize Tyldak even if her life depended on it! She loves Scouter!" Alex said angrily.
"Your brother's looking for her you know..." Winnowill said.
Alex's eyes widened.
"Yes, he's in the mountain now...looking for Dewshine. Trying to free her from this place. But she won't leave...you know? She won't be able to." Winnowill laughed.
"I am a wolfrider! I can leave if I want! No one owns me! Not even you! I will leave Blue Mountain and you can't stop me!" Dewshine yelled coming out of the shadows from another part of the thrown room.
"Dewshine!" Alex yelled happy to see her cousin.
"Alex are you alright?!" Dewshine asked running to her.
"I'm fine."
Dewshine took out her knife and stood with Alex in front of the thrown.
"Well...I guess I found Dewshine before Cutter did..." Skywise said to himself.
"Petal Wing..." Alex said and Petal Wing flew out from behind the thrown where she was hiding from Tyldak and Winnowill.
"Soft Pretty high thing glad to see Petal Wing?" It asked flying to Alex and Dewshine.
"Evil soft pretty high thing be mean to Petal Wing's friends!"
"Shut up bug!" Rayek said.
Skywise laughed slightly. Alex turned her head toward the shadows. She thought someone else was in the room besides her and Dewshine. "Skywise?" She lock sent to him.
"Did you miss me?" Skywise lock sent to her.
"More than you know. Where's Cutter?"
"Looking for Dewshine..."
"Send to him...tell him you found her and that she's alright. Tell him to get to the thrown room quickly." Alex lock sent and looked back at Winnowill.
"I see your Chief is here...has he come to rescue you? How touching..." Winnowill laughed.
"He won't need to. We can get out of here ourselves." Dewshine said.
"Cutter, I found Dewshine. She's in the thrown room with Alex. Come quick!" Skywise lock sent to Cutter who immediately rushed to the thrown room without any words.
He made it to the thrown room and found Skywise in a corner in the shadows. He sat there for a minute and watched with him.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Cutter said finally and they walked out of the shadows to join Alex and Dewshine.
"Well, if it isn't Cutter and his stargazing friend." Winnowill said smirking.
"Cutter!" Dewshine yelled and ran to her cousin.
"Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded.
"Let's get out of here." Skywise said.
"Not so fast. Alex isn't leaving this mountain. You can't take her because if you do I'll kill you." Rayek said.
"Traitor!" Alex yelled angrily.
"Mother!" Someone yelled running into the thrown room.
Alex froze. She knew those voices. But what were they doing in the mountain, she made sure they stayed put outside. She didn't bother turning around to see Cori and Jayra running toward her.
"Mother....we wanted to help." Cori said.
"Cori...Jayra?! You were supposed to stay outside." Alex said.
"We wanted to help. We got worried." Jayra said.
"Well, by the high ones...if it isn't the two children from so long ago..." Winnowill said with an evil grin.
"Your that bad lady!" Jayra said angrily.
"Bad? No...that's a little off...I'm just me." Winnowill said.
"We'll You are going to die soon...if you mess with my mother I'll kill you!" Cori said angrily.
"Oh my! I'm so frightened." Winnowill said. "Come here child."
"No! Cori don't listen to her! Stay where you are!" Jayra said.
Cori didn't move. Winnowill didn't have any affect on the young boy. She didn't bother trying Jayra because she knew it would be the same.
"Kill them." Winnowill said waving her hand as if she didn't care.
A long fight raged on in front of her. She watched gleefully. She knew the outcome of this fight but she didn't want anyone else to know until it happened. She watched as two of her Gliders were killed but she didn't care. Dewshine, Cutter and Skywise fought to keep the Gliders away from the human cubs.
Alex stayed with Jayra and Cori protecting them from whomever got past the others. But she wasn't quick enough. One of the Gliders was able to stab Cori in the leg which brought him down. He couldn't walk or run he was only able to defend himself by staying on the ground and fighting where he was.
Aroree, the one Glider that didn't like to fight, made it through Skywise and Dewshine and Stabbed Jayra in the heart. Jayra stood there in shock for a long moment. Aroree watched her eyes as they changed from anger to fear and sadness. Aroree backed away from the human cub and started to shake. She couldn't get the thought out of her head that she had just stabbed a child.
"JAYRA!" Alex and Cori yelled at the same time.
Alex went to Jayra who was now on the ground surrounded in blood. Alex knew that even with Leetah's help Jayra wouldn't be able to be healed. She was going to die.
"Mommy..."
"Jayra...hold on! Be a good girl, be strong and don't die on me. You promised you wouldn't scare me like this." Alex said.
"I'm sorry..."
"No, don't be sorry...just don't die on me..."
Everything stopped. Everyone watched as Alex sat next to Jayra. She started to cry. Cori managed to crawl over to his sister. Winnowill watched happily. Rayek watched and started to regret anything that he had done wrong. Cutter, Dewshine and Skywise watched sadly and Skywise sat on the other side of Jayra and looked down at her.
"Daddy..." Jayra said softly.
Skywise just smiled slightly. He couldn't say anything. Tears were pouring down his face. He cared for these children as much as Alex did almost like they were his real children.
"Jayra, you promised we'd help mother...you can't die. We promised to protect her remember? Remember you PROMISED!" Cori said and Jayra started to cry.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break our promise, Cori... Please take care of mommy..."
"No, we have to take care of her together remember! You promised we'd be together forever!"
"Cori..." Skywise said shaking his head. "She can't help what happens..."
"She lied to me!"
"I'm sorry big brother...please forgive me...I love you..." Jayra said and tears fell down her face.
She looked at Alex. "Mommy...I'm sorry I broke my promise to you..."
"No, you didn't break your promise. You were there for me all the time...always..." Alex said and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Jayra's eyes closed. She took a small breath. "I love you mommy..."
There was silence in the thrown room. No one spoke or even blinked. Alex cried when Jayra said those last words. She couldn't believe what happened to her little girl. She stood up and roughly wiped her tears from her face.
Skywise stood up and picked Jayra up with him. Dewshine and Cutter helped Cori to his feet. They supported him so he wouldn't fall over.
Alex looked at Winnowill. "One day, black snake...one day, you will pay for that. And you Rayek will pay for betraying us and Leetah."
"I swear that you will die by my hand!" Cori yelled angrily and tears still filled his eyes.
"That's a laugh." Winnowill said.
"If not by his...by one of my tribe's hands...I don't care who. But you will die one day." Cutter said.
Cutter and Dewshine walked out of the thrown room and out of the mountain to join the other wolfriders. Skywise stayed behind with Alex. He held Jayra tightly in his arms.
"Winnowill...you and your Gliders will die out one day. When you do I'll be standing by laughing at you. You and your tribe are worthless. You care for no one but yourselves. This day will haunt you. I promise you that." Alex said walking slowly out of the thrown room with Skywise behind her.
They heard Winnowill laughing in the thrown room as they left the mountain.
Shortly after the others were captured and taken into Blue Mountain, Cutter and the others showed up. Nonna and Adar noticed Jayra and Cori hiding behind the rocks away from the other humans.
"Children? What are you doing here? Why do you hide?" Nonna asked and Jayra and Cori jumped.
They looked around and saw Cutter, Skywise and Strongbow. They ran to Cutter happily.
"Uncle Cutter! Mother and the others---"
"Mother's been captured by the mean elf lady..." Jayra said interrupting Cori.
"What?!" Cutter said surprised.
"You know these children, bird spirit?" Adar asked.
"What are you all doing here?" Skywise asked.
"They are part of our...family." Cutter answered Adar.
Cori and Jayra stared at Nonna and Adar. They finally meet humans after so many years. They didn't know what to say or if they should hide or run for their lives.
"Cori...Jayra...what are you doing here?" Strongbow asked.
"We came with mother and the others...we wanted to find you and prevent you from going into the mountain. Mother said it was dangerous. We got here before you did...Moonshade thought you were inside so she sent to Strongbow. You didn't answer...the elf lady found out we were here and sent her human followers after us." Jayra said taking a deep breath to continue.
"They didn't capture us because they thought we were part of their tribe..." Cori said making sure his sister didn't say anything else.
"The whole tribe?" Skywise asked.
Cori and Jayra nodded. "Leetah and everyone else..." Jayra said slowly.
"What?!" Cutter asked angrily.
"What are we going to do....we have to help them." Strongbow said.
"We can help you, bird spirit. We know how to get into the mountain. This is my tribe...my old tribe anyway so maybe they won't remember me..." Nonna said as they slowly walked toward the tribe in front of the mountain.
They walked up to the tribe. Nonna walked over to one of them and whispered something to him. He nodded and let them by. Nonna and Adar took Cutter and the others into the mountain. But before they entered they stopped.
"This is as far as we go, little bird spirit. Until we meet again please be careful." Nonna said and Cutter nodded.
They walked into the mountain with Cori and Jayra. Being careful of their surroundings because they knew what lie ahead of them and the dangers of the mountain and the elves in it.
They carefully walked around looking for their tribe. The first ones they found were Treestump, Pike, One-Eye and Scouter. They were all hauling things up and down the stairs.
"Treestump!" Skywise whispered loudly.
Treestump turned and saw Cutter. Then he looked over at Pike, One-Eye and Scouter. They had also heard Skywise. None of the Gliders hear as well as the wolfriders so they didn't hear Skywise or any of the others.
Treestump went to his chief. "Cutter...She has Leetah and the cubs in a cage and Alex is chained to the thrown. What are we going to do?"
Pike looked around and saw that all the Gliders had left for dinner. "Coast is clear if we plan on helping the others...now would be a good time."
They collected the rest of the tribe except for Leetah, Alex and the cubs. They had to find a way to get them without the snake knowing. They knew how to get to Leetah, Suntop and Ember but they weren't sure how they were going to be able to help Alex because she was in the thrown room with Winnowill. Winnowill was always in the thrown room.
"Everyone leave the mountain. Me and Skywise will help Leetah and the others." Cutter said.
"But Cutter...we can't just let you stay in here with that snake..." Moonshade said.
"I can handle her. Skywise, Alex and I know what we're up against. We'll be alright."
"Get out of here before the Gliders find out that you were set free." Skywise said and the wolfriders left the mountain.
When they got outside, Treestump realized that one other person wasn't there. His own daughter. Dewshine wasn't found in the mountain. She was missing and no one knew where she was. No one knew what had happened to her and where she had gone.
"Alright....now we have to look for Alex, Leetah and the cubs and Dewshine...where do we start?" Skywise asked.
"First we go free my lifemate and cubs." Cutter said almost immediately.
"What about Alex?" Skywise asked.
"We both know she can take care of herself...but we also have to deal with the fact that Rayek is here somewhere..." Cutter said.
"Right...But he came here because of Winnowill. So he should be alright, right?" Skywise asked as they went to free Leetah, Suntop and Ember.
"I hope so..."
They finally got to the cage with Leetah, Suntop and Ember locked inside it. They couldn't find a way to get them out.
"What do we do now?" Skywise asked.
"Leave us here. Go find Dewshine and Alex. We'll find our own way out...somehow." Leetah said.
"I'm not leaving you and the cubs here. Alex will be fine." Cutter said.
"Wolfrider, you might want to move so I don't knock your head off." Someone said behind them.
Cutter and Skywise turned around. Rayek was standing on the steps behind them with his hands raised and ready to blast open the cage to let Leetah and the others out.
Cutter moved aside. "Rayek! You're alright!" Leetah yelled happily.
"I'm fine...I see you decided to follow me...why?"
"We were worried about you..." Cutter said slowly.
"Really? Well I don't think I'm the one you need to worry about. Dewshine is with that bird elf called Tyldak and Alex is in the thrown room locked in chains and fighting with Winnowill." Rayek said and the cage blasted open when he sent a blast of magic at it.
"In chains? Oh no! Cutter we have to help her." Leetah said.
"No we don't she can handle herself." Cutter said. "Rayek get Leetah, Suntop and Ember out of this mountain."
Rayek nodded. "Come on Leetah. We have to get you out of here."
"But---"
"No, beloved. Get out of here." Cutter said as Rayek lifted her and flew off with Ember and Suntop running close behind.
"Come on we have to find Dewshine." Cutter said as they looked around for his cousin.
"You go find your cousin. I'm going to help Alex." Skywise said rushing off to help his lovemate
They looked at each other in silence for a minute. Then they separated. They went their separate ways to find whoever they needed to find or help.
Cutter looked everywhere. He couldn't find Dewshine anywhere. He looked carefully in the dinning hall where the elves had just eaten their dinner. But she wasn't there either.
While he looked for Dewshine, Skywise found his way to the thrown room. He watched in the shadows as Alex was sitting near the thrown and Winnowill was sitting on the thrown. Rayek flew quickly to her.
"The wolfriders have escaped." He said frantically.
"Let them go...I have what I want. They are no concern of ours anymore, lovemate." Winnowill said looking down at Alex.
Alex glared at Winnowill then looked at Rayek. "Traitor..." She whispered.
Skywise watched for a while longer. He listened to Winnowill and Rayek's conversation. He watched Alex has she slowly chewed the robes that bind her. She finally got free and reached for her bow which was carelessly put next to her to tease her since she couldn't use it against Winnowill.
The other Gliders went to stop her but Winnowill stopped them. "What do you plan on doing now child?" She asked with an icy stare.
"Kill you..." Alex wanted to say but she didn't speak she just glared angrily at Winnowill and kept her arrow pointed at Winnowill's heart.
"I hate you. You almost killed my brother...you treat my cousin like a toy and you act as though you own this world." Alex said.
"Your cousin IS a toy...a fun one at that...did you know she's going to give birth to a Glider?" Winnowill said.
"Your lying!"
"No, not at all. She is going to have a Glider's cub." Winnowill said with a big smile.
"Your wrong! She wouldn't recognize Tyldak even if her life depended on it! She loves Scouter!" Alex said angrily.
"Your brother's looking for her you know..." Winnowill said.
Alex's eyes widened.
"Yes, he's in the mountain now...looking for Dewshine. Trying to free her from this place. But she won't leave...you know? She won't be able to." Winnowill laughed.
"I am a wolfrider! I can leave if I want! No one owns me! Not even you! I will leave Blue Mountain and you can't stop me!" Dewshine yelled coming out of the shadows from another part of the thrown room.
"Dewshine!" Alex yelled happy to see her cousin.
"Alex are you alright?!" Dewshine asked running to her.
"I'm fine."
Dewshine took out her knife and stood with Alex in front of the thrown.
"Well...I guess I found Dewshine before Cutter did..." Skywise said to himself.
"Petal Wing..." Alex said and Petal Wing flew out from behind the thrown where she was hiding from Tyldak and Winnowill.
"Soft Pretty high thing glad to see Petal Wing?" It asked flying to Alex and Dewshine.
"Evil soft pretty high thing be mean to Petal Wing's friends!"
"Shut up bug!" Rayek said.
Skywise laughed slightly. Alex turned her head toward the shadows. She thought someone else was in the room besides her and Dewshine. "Skywise?" She lock sent to him.
"Did you miss me?" Skywise lock sent to her.
"More than you know. Where's Cutter?"
"Looking for Dewshine..."
"Send to him...tell him you found her and that she's alright. Tell him to get to the thrown room quickly." Alex lock sent and looked back at Winnowill.
"I see your Chief is here...has he come to rescue you? How touching..." Winnowill laughed.
"He won't need to. We can get out of here ourselves." Dewshine said.
"Cutter, I found Dewshine. She's in the thrown room with Alex. Come quick!" Skywise lock sent to Cutter who immediately rushed to the thrown room without any words.
He made it to the thrown room and found Skywise in a corner in the shadows. He sat there for a minute and watched with him.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Cutter said finally and they walked out of the shadows to join Alex and Dewshine.
"Well, if it isn't Cutter and his stargazing friend." Winnowill said smirking.
"Cutter!" Dewshine yelled and ran to her cousin.
"Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded.
"Let's get out of here." Skywise said.
"Not so fast. Alex isn't leaving this mountain. You can't take her because if you do I'll kill you." Rayek said.
"Traitor!" Alex yelled angrily.
"Mother!" Someone yelled running into the thrown room.
Alex froze. She knew those voices. But what were they doing in the mountain, she made sure they stayed put outside. She didn't bother turning around to see Cori and Jayra running toward her.
"Mother....we wanted to help." Cori said.
"Cori...Jayra?! You were supposed to stay outside." Alex said.
"We wanted to help. We got worried." Jayra said.
"Well, by the high ones...if it isn't the two children from so long ago..." Winnowill said with an evil grin.
"Your that bad lady!" Jayra said angrily.
"Bad? No...that's a little off...I'm just me." Winnowill said.
"We'll You are going to die soon...if you mess with my mother I'll kill you!" Cori said angrily.
"Oh my! I'm so frightened." Winnowill said. "Come here child."
"No! Cori don't listen to her! Stay where you are!" Jayra said.
Cori didn't move. Winnowill didn't have any affect on the young boy. She didn't bother trying Jayra because she knew it would be the same.
"Kill them." Winnowill said waving her hand as if she didn't care.
A long fight raged on in front of her. She watched gleefully. She knew the outcome of this fight but she didn't want anyone else to know until it happened. She watched as two of her Gliders were killed but she didn't care. Dewshine, Cutter and Skywise fought to keep the Gliders away from the human cubs.
Alex stayed with Jayra and Cori protecting them from whomever got past the others. But she wasn't quick enough. One of the Gliders was able to stab Cori in the leg which brought him down. He couldn't walk or run he was only able to defend himself by staying on the ground and fighting where he was.
Aroree, the one Glider that didn't like to fight, made it through Skywise and Dewshine and Stabbed Jayra in the heart. Jayra stood there in shock for a long moment. Aroree watched her eyes as they changed from anger to fear and sadness. Aroree backed away from the human cub and started to shake. She couldn't get the thought out of her head that she had just stabbed a child.
"JAYRA!" Alex and Cori yelled at the same time.
Alex went to Jayra who was now on the ground surrounded in blood. Alex knew that even with Leetah's help Jayra wouldn't be able to be healed. She was going to die.
"Mommy..."
"Jayra...hold on! Be a good girl, be strong and don't die on me. You promised you wouldn't scare me like this." Alex said.
"I'm sorry..."
"No, don't be sorry...just don't die on me..."
Everything stopped. Everyone watched as Alex sat next to Jayra. She started to cry. Cori managed to crawl over to his sister. Winnowill watched happily. Rayek watched and started to regret anything that he had done wrong. Cutter, Dewshine and Skywise watched sadly and Skywise sat on the other side of Jayra and looked down at her.
"Daddy..." Jayra said softly.
Skywise just smiled slightly. He couldn't say anything. Tears were pouring down his face. He cared for these children as much as Alex did almost like they were his real children.
"Jayra, you promised we'd help mother...you can't die. We promised to protect her remember? Remember you PROMISED!" Cori said and Jayra started to cry.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break our promise, Cori... Please take care of mommy..."
"No, we have to take care of her together remember! You promised we'd be together forever!"
"Cori..." Skywise said shaking his head. "She can't help what happens..."
"She lied to me!"
"I'm sorry big brother...please forgive me...I love you..." Jayra said and tears fell down her face.
She looked at Alex. "Mommy...I'm sorry I broke my promise to you..."
"No, you didn't break your promise. You were there for me all the time...always..." Alex said and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Jayra's eyes closed. She took a small breath. "I love you mommy..."
There was silence in the thrown room. No one spoke or even blinked. Alex cried when Jayra said those last words. She couldn't believe what happened to her little girl. She stood up and roughly wiped her tears from her face.
Skywise stood up and picked Jayra up with him. Dewshine and Cutter helped Cori to his feet. They supported him so he wouldn't fall over.
Alex looked at Winnowill. "One day, black snake...one day, you will pay for that. And you Rayek will pay for betraying us and Leetah."
"I swear that you will die by my hand!" Cori yelled angrily and tears still filled his eyes.
"That's a laugh." Winnowill said.
"If not by his...by one of my tribe's hands...I don't care who. But you will die one day." Cutter said.
Cutter and Dewshine walked out of the thrown room and out of the mountain to join the other wolfriders. Skywise stayed behind with Alex. He held Jayra tightly in his arms.
"Winnowill...you and your Gliders will die out one day. When you do I'll be standing by laughing at you. You and your tribe are worthless. You care for no one but yourselves. This day will haunt you. I promise you that." Alex said walking slowly out of the thrown room with Skywise behind her.
They heard Winnowill laughing in the thrown room as they left the mountain.