Eli was off to the races now, even though he had been compromised he still had to deliver the good news. He dodged low hanging tree limbs, hopped logs, and scaled rocks effortlessly not looking back once until he finally reached his destination.

"Apollo!" He shouted, approaching a light-brown furred wolf which was conversing with an older one-eyed gray furred wolf, "There's a straggler about two klicks away heading this direction."

"A lone wolf?" Questioned the one eyed wolf in disbelief.

"Finally!" Apollo snarled with a menacing smile. "C'mon Saber let's go check it out."

"Wait Apollo, how can he be so sure," Saber responded skeptically "it's not like this is the first false report the idiot boy's given us."

"No for real this time I saw her with my own eyes." Eli said defending his claims.

"Her?" Apollo responded, further intrigued.

"Yes it was a female," Eli continued, "and she was definitely alone I know this because I had been stalking her from a distance. Also she may be lost though I'm not sure."

"Splendid!" Apollo guffawed, "Absolutely splendid! This has got to be the best news I've heard in weeks, no, months!"

"Not to extinguish your merriment my dear Apollo," Saber added, "but let's not get our hopes up."

"Hm, you're right," he replied, "Eli, you better not be lying to me, let's move out."

Apollo shot an unnerving glance at him in saying the last statement, nevertheless Eli trailed behind the two as they set off to meet this lone wolf.

Nova had travelled quite the distance from that odd encounter and was look for a place to settle in for the night. This was a task proven easier said than done, but ultimately she decided on a downed tree which was sturdily propped up against another tree. Instead of sleeping under the tree she thought it advantageous to rest on the upper most part of the trunk; surely the last place any potential annoyance would look is up.

The morning came swiftly, but the sound of birds chirping, or the distant calls of elk and caribou weren't exactly what had awoken Nova this particular morning; no, 'twas the chatter of lurking nuisances below which had done the deed.

"Oh great, more of these assholes," Nova whispered to her self looking down at two wolves aimlessly searching for something.

"She has to be around here somewhere," Eli affirmed, "her scent is very close by."

"Hm, indeed so." Saber concurred reluctantly.

At this point Nova quietly made her way to the base of the trunk, and was about to make a smooth get away until she noticed that one of the wolves had been the one hiding in the bush yesterday.

"Curious." Nova thought, nevertheless she seized this opportunity to sprint away, but before she could take more than two steps she tripped over something that someone had intentionally put in her path.

The force of her momentum caused her to turn an entire front flip which knocked her unconscious for a few moments upon impact of the ground. She opened her eyes to see three wolves standing over her the third of which wasn't present during the time of her attempted escape which led her to believe that maybe he had something to do with the tripping.

"See I told ya she was here." Eli said smugly.

"Look fellas I don't want any trouble." Nova responded, now getting up and backing away from the group of wolves in front of her, but to no avail as they all took a step forward for every step she took back until she found herself cornered into a tree.

"Trouble?" Apollo retorted sarcastically, "Don't worry sweetheart we ain't no trouble isn't that right Eli?"

"Yeah, hehe I can't spell trouble." He replied wittingly.

"Say princess you look familiar," Saber inquired, scratching his chin in thought, "you wouldn't happen to know a bloke with green eyes would ya? Kinda looks like you."

Nova's entire reality had frozen around her.

"Could it be?" she thought, "No, it can't, that's impossible, but there's only one way to find out, I need a name."

"Now that you mention it she kinda does look like the guy doesn't she?" Apollo added whilst Eli nodded in agreement.

"Could you give me name?" Nova questioned with sharp enthusiasm.

Apollo raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah.. sure, it was um, uhh.. gee Saber help me out here it's on the tip of my tongue."

"Yeah was it ar.. argon or something like that?" He replied with uncertainty.

"No you guys it was anon," said Eli, "yeah it was anon I think."

"Are you sure you don't mean Aaron?" Nova implied.

"Yeah! That's his name, tough bastard he is," Apollo began, "you couldn't pay me t-"

"Where is he!" She interrupted.

"I don't know? We ran into him around the northern pa-"

"I have to find him!" Nova said, cutting off Apollo once more.

"Oh no you don't sweet cheeks." Apollo snarled angrily, "We have unfinished business to attend, get her!"

Just then Saber and Apollo both pounced, but Nova dodge their attack by leaping over the two causing them to come down headfirst into the trunk of the tree she was cornered into, knocking them out instantly.

"My brother is alive!" Nova cried, as she darted away, tears of joy streaming down her muzzle into the wind.

To be continued...