Chapter 12: Moonlit Woods

"The song of the pack
That once echoed so proudly
Has become the past.

No more howls rise in the night
And only death reins the forest
Where the water rose
And pride was born."

Year: May 23, 2308
Location: DigiClub outside Wolf Territory, Asiana Pack-Neutral Border

Keith glanced up again as he felt eyes on him, taking a moment to pinpoint the fox girl watching him.
He'd been at the Loose Goose, a strange hang out for digikids and spirit evolvers, for two days with no luck finding a way into the wolf pack's old home and she had been watching him for at least half that. He supposed she was a spirit evolver since no digimon followed her but he didn't know what alpha she looked to.
The fox girl watched him a moment, locking eyes, then stood and padded over to his table. "You looking for something?" her voice was strange, low and high at the same time, and tinged with disuse.
He watched her a moment before answering, then he slowly revealed his wrist mark and murmured "I'm looking for a way into the forest"
The girl's eyes widened for a moment then she smirked and revealed her own wrist "Well packmate, I might know a way. I'm called Trixie by the way"
Keith smirked, wondering at Alex's choice of helper, and nodded towards the exit.
Trixie turned and slipped out in response and he followed a few moments later. Once outside he took the lead and followed the path around the back of the hangout and towards the river that separated them from the forest.
Trixie stopped at the edge of the river and gazed across a moment before she spoke "You seek the pack? Do you know what happened to them?"
"I've heard stories; they all drowned in a strange flood."
Trixie nodded absently and stepped down into the water "I can lead you across but that's all. Foxes don't trespass on wolf territory"
Keith followed her, staying quiet until they stepped out on the opposite bank. "Which way was the pack's camp?"
"No one knows" she shrugged and turned to point to a small mountain that rose out of the forest "The mountain seems the most likely place. There's only one old wolf left and she visits the camp every full moon, they call her Lupus"
Keith nodded and started into the forest while Trixie turned and crossed back to the hangout.

Year: DigiAge 0
Location: Valley of Beginning, Ancient Digital World

The young mutt looked angry, she always looked angry. This time she was squaring off against the alpha, Loup, and her bright blue eyes sparked with hatred.
Zev, barely a week old, jerked back and stumbled into one of the pup-sitters. She glanced down at him and growled low, which sent him scampering off back towards the fight.
The unnamed, half-grown wolf-dog growled and her eyes roamed from one to the other of the wolves. Only four of the pack members were out, Lupus and her last three pups, everyone else was gathered in a loose circle around the fight near the river bend.
Zev backed up again, trying to weave a path to the forest.
He heard but didn't see the moment the water began to rise. The mutt let out a sharp half-snarl, half-growl and leapt at Loup.
Zev ran faster then, tripping over his own paws as he stumbled straight into the river where it bent back out of the forest. He yelped, spraining a paw as the water disappeared, dragged downstream by the mutt's power. He stumbled on, using only three paws, until he finally collapsed far from the forest and the pack that would soon die.
Zev gasped, struggling back to consciousness as he reached out for his partners. Where? He blinked, wincing as he sat up to feel a fresh bruise on his leg.
Kudamon crawled over to him and curled back around his neck while garurumon carefully stumbled to his paws and padded over to them.
Zev leaned against garurumon as he slowly rose to his feet and took in the scene around them. The sky was a dull red mixed with streaks of purple and midnight blue while the land itself was bare dirt. Far off in the distance trees rose to tower higher than any in the real world and behind them a single mountain rose like a lonely peak.
Zev turned to take in the view behind him and saw a desert stretching away from their feet with a small river cutting off to the right. Lying on the ground nearby were Ryan and Strike with their partners but for now he ignored them and padded over to check on Time who had collapsed near the river bank.
Time stirred under his touch but didn't wake. He studied her a moment, noting that she didn't seem to have any injuries, and then turned and padded over to the river for a drink.
Zev paused in his drink as a groan sounded on the far bank and glanced up to see another girl lying there. She had black wings like a raven and a pale tawny puma tail that hung into the water.
Zev stood up and carefully picked his way across the river to study her, wondering where she had come from. Garurumon followed him into the water but stopped halfway and laid down to enjoy the cool water himself.
Zev ignored him as the girl groaned again and her eyes fluttered open. She took one look at him and hissed, fear in her eyes as she stumbled to her feet and backed up towards the desert.
"I won't hurt you, did you follow us?" Zev murmured, trying to be soothing though he had no clue how to deal with a frightened feline that had to be at least four years younger than him.
The girl's eyes widened but she made no answer, she was trembling now and a mikemon suddenly appeared beside her.
"Are you one of us?" Zev tried again, though he didn't really care to be labeled a DigiDestined. He had noticed the tag hanging from her neck but she must have hidden her crests.
The mikemon hissed at that and stepped in front of his partner, glaring at them just short of attacking "Go away"
At least one of them talks Zev sighed and glanced back towards the others who still hadn't risen Where are we anyway, that was Tempusmon right?
The mikemon crept closer when he turned away; looking wary but curious "You're a DigiDestined?"
"I have a crest" Zev replied, glancing back towards them as the girl slowly stood beside her partner again.
"I-" the girl started then hung her head and stared at the ground "They call me Envy, is he?"
Zev followed her gaze to where Ryan still lay with his partner and shrugged "They're fine, just bruised from the fall. Time couldn't hold her evolution long enough."
The girl, Envy, sighed and rubbed the mikemon's head "We should go"
"You don't even know where we are, wouldn't it be safer to stay close to Time?" he pointed towards Time who was beginning to stir. Strike had also started moving by this time.
Envy shook her head, confused as she gently wrapped her arms around the mikemon and picked him up. "I can't...I can't trust" she murmured almost too low to hear and then shot into the air and towards the far side of the desert.
Zev watched her but could think of nothing else to say. When she disappeared in the distance, he turned and padded back towards the others.