WOW! That was fast! I haven't written a chapter this quickly since the middle of the first book.

I hope you enjoy the lore in this one... and the exciting part at the end! ^~^

Pack of Outcasts

Chapter 7: Legend of the White Wolf

"Sasha?" Tiberius tried to comfort her. She was obviously upset over something and he didn't know what. It had been nearly an hour and she still hadn't calmed down fully. Sasha looked up at the wolf beside her. Tiberius was always their for her, but she felt that somehow this was his fault. Ever since they had left he and Ember hadn't gotten along very well. Perhaps that is why Ember didn't seem to want to play with her, maybe Tib had said something.

"Sasha… is everything…"

"NO!" She cut him off sharply. "THIS is all you FAULT!" She snapped at him.

"Huh? My fault? What is…."

"EVERYTHING!"

"Sasha… I don't understand."

"Of course you don't! You never do!" She accused.

"Can you please try and calm down…"

"NO! It's your fault we're out here!" A tear rolled off her cheek.

"Sa…"

"It's your fault Mist's dead!" She barked in his face, making him a little edgy. "WHOSE NEXT!? HUH!"

"Wha… I.. what do you mean..?"

"Which one of us is next! EMBER! Are you gonna get him killed too! Is that why he won't play with us!? BECAUSE HE KNOWS?!"

"Hold on… you think…"

"I'M NOT DONE!"

"OH YES YOU ARE!" Tib snarled, pinning her to the ground with a single paw.

"EEP!" Sasha cried out.

"Sasha, I don't know where your getting these ideas but nobodies going anywhere. Mist's dead, true, but she died letting us escape. She couldn't have asked for a more honorable death! Don't try and berate her now."

"I… I'm… sorry…" She whimpered. She hadn't meant to do that. To accuse Tiberius of Mist's death. She had really started to like her. Now she was the only female. Sometimes she wished she could be a boy. It seemed so much easier. They got to fight and make decisions. Even her brother was assisting Tib on their journey. No body ever asked her what she thought they should do. Ember wouldn't even play with her. Now that was just rude!

"Sasha, I'm sorry if you feel that way. Our pack is broken. We have to try and stay together. We're all we have at the moment… each other." He tried to explain. She just stared blankly at him. "What do you want me to do… I'm not an alpha… I never will be."

"I… I just want things to go back to the way they were before. Before everything went bad… before, when we could play all day and not have to worry about anything.'

"I would like that too. But we don't have that freedom anymore." He looked up for a minute, taking his paw off her chest and stepping to the side. A flash of gray was just visible in his muzzle. Had they really been trapped that long?

"And Ember?"

"What about him?" He glanced back at the two black pups, keeping their distance.

"He didn't want to play with me…."

"Is that what this is all about?" He lowered his head, closing his eyes.

"…yeah" Sasha replied hesitantly.

"Well it's nice to see that he's listening to me."

"Listening to you?" She looked up at him confused.

"I told him not to touch you. You aren't a pup anymore…" He smiled, "Your mother would have been proud."

"Yeah, okay… but why does that mean he can't play with me?"

"Your more of an adult than you think… it wouldn't be proper."

"But… why would that matter. I just want to have fun."

"I know you do but there are more important things that we have to do."

"Like what?" Sasha quipped, rolling over and standing up, shaking out her silky coat.

"Well first of all, we have to find Shiego…"

"Then what?"

"Then we have to find Paradise… before it's too late?"

"Too late? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well I suppose no one ever told you… you were all too young I suppose." He started walking. Ember and Tobi moving closer so they could hear better.

"Too young for what?"

"For the legends… of the white wolf."

"There's a story about him?"

"Well not exactly… but it tells about the white wolves and Paradise."

"Can you tell us! PLEASE!" Play bowing and wagging her tail in excitement.

"As long as we keep moving…"

"We can do that!" Sasha yipped with excitement. She would love to be told a story. They were always so fun to imagine yourself right there with them. Without a care in the world.

"Okay…I'll tell you." Tiberius cleared his throat. Speaking in a lower than normal voice as he began to narrate.

"Since the dawn of time there has been wolf. But also since that time their was a monster. One who sought to destroy everything the Great Spirit had created. He started to hunt down and kill the wolves. And with every pack that fell he became stronger. One day their was a small pup that the demon had missed. He had watched his pack be killed, he had nothing left. He wandered for days until the Great Spirit found him. The spirit asked him why he was so sad…"

"Because my pack is dead… and I don't know where to go…" The pup replied.

"That just won't do… how would you like to venture to Paradise?"

"Paradise? What's that?" the pup asked the great spirit.

"Paradise is a magical place. A place for wolves… where evil does not exist."

"But how do I find it?"

"By following your heart." The great spirit reached down and stroked the small white pup. Filling him with courage and giving him the ability to search out Paradise for himself.

"But how will I get there?" the pup asked humbly, for he was but a pup after all.

"You will find many friends on your journey… they will help you and you will lead them to the gates of Paradise."

"I… I think I understand."

"You will when the time is right…" the Great Spirit said as he faded away. Leaving the pup alone in a large field.

The white pup took the Great Spirit's advice. Following his heart to find the gates. Along the way he met many wolves. Some old and gray, others as old as himself. Age had nothing to do with it. Those that choose to follow, followed the young alpha willingly. They grew stronger and increased in number the closer they got to their destination. One day the gates could be seen in the distance. But as they approached the white wolf knew something wasn't right. He stayed behind as his entire pack passed through the doorway. Finally turning to face the same monster that had killed so many wolves. He cried aloud for the Great Spirit to save him that day, and the great spirit answered. He granted the wolf power to harm the beast, to drive it from the gates. And this the pup did, until he was old and gray. Seeing many packs fall prey to the demons power. But he held fast, ever guarding the gates till the day he could barely stand. With his final breath he sent up a prayer. That the world would always have a guardian, and the wolfs always a guide. With that the white wolf gave up his spirit and passed on into paradise. The Great Spirit took pity on the wolfs final words. Noting the selflessness of one who had everything taken away from him. He gave the world gift. From time to time the gates would reappear, waiting for a pack to pass through. But no one would be able to find. So the Great Spirit blessed us with the white wolves. They seek out Paradise. Though some are corrupt and only take themselves, while others lose themselves as they strive to save their packs. The demon continues to this day to hunt down every white wolf, to find their packs and destroy them.

"You see Sasha… Only a white wolf can find the gates to paradise. That's why we have to find him. He's our only hope of continuing on in our journey. Without him we search in vain."

"But why Shiego? Surely there must be other white wolves?"

"I wish that were so…" Tiberius lowered his head. "The white wolves have gotten so rare. It can be generations before one is born. And even then the monster is always searching. Some are stronger than others, better able to withstand the attacks of the monster. I believe Shiego is one of those wolves. He is the only way we have of reaching a better life. One beyond this world of hurt, and sorrow."

"I'm sure we'll find him." Sasha encouraged the older wolf.

"I hope so… it's been so long, I pray it isn't too late."

"Too late?"

"Yes… you see, if you would have remembered one night when we were still in cages, two men came in."

"Yeah I remember that night… They woke me up." Sasha said, trying to think why that would make him so worried.

"Well they were talking… about TWO white wolves."

"Two?"

"Yes, two of them."

"But, what's so special about that?"

"Well, legend says that eventually the gates of Paradise will close forever. And that at that time TWO white wolves will walk on the earth. If the men were correct, that their truly are two of them, then it may already be too late."

"But he wouldn't go without us. Would he?"

"I don't think he even knows were alive Sasha…"

"But… but he has too?" She whimpered. "He has to come back for us."

"I hope so… but if they have already found the gates… we will have until they both pass through. Once that happens, all is lost."

"Sorry to crash the party," Tobi cut in, "But I think were about to have some company."

"Too late for that." A large wolf burst into the opening where the small band had stopped. The large male rolled his shoulders, showing his large muscles as a second wolf came up from behind him.

"What… I told you there's no one…." The second wolf stopped short. His gray coat accented by his tan markings. "Well I guess you where right."

"Of course I'm right! When am I ever wrong?" The large wolf boasted. The dark grey on his muzzle standing out starkly from the rest of his otherwise brown coat.

"Actually…"

"Don't say it." He scolded the smaller wolf.

"Um…. Hello there…" Tiberius said, all three pups crowding behind him.

"Hi yourself , what are you doing on our turf!?" The large wolf demanded. He was almost a whole head and shoulders above Tib, but though he would intimidate nearly any other wolf, Tiberius remained remarkably calm.

"We're just passing through."

"You are, are you?" The wolf strutted in front of the small band. Sizing them up.

"Come on… there only pups." The gray wolf mumbled.

"I don't care! They Trespassed… ON MY TURF!" He threw himself at the older wolf.

Tiberius immediately ducked, letting his assailant fly halfway over him before he buck up, knocking the hostile wolf hard in the ribs.

"Grrr…. That was a big mistake old timer!" The large male sneered. "Get the female! I'll deal with this one myself!"

"But… the others?"

"They're pups, right? Deal with them!" He snarked lunging at the tan wolf, missing him be a hairs breadth.

"TOBI! PROTECT SASHA!" Tiberius barked as he got the air knocked out of him.

The grey wolf started for the small brown female, stopping short as the two black pups took up a stance on either side of her, baring their teeth. "Foolish pups! You can't hope to beat me!"

"Try me…" Tobi growled, his hackles raised. Suddenly Ember shot out at the other wolf, clawing and nipping and making a general nuisance of himself.

Tiberius got to his feet. The other wolf evidently wanted a good fight… And he'd get one. That much was sure. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, raking his claws in the dirt as he let out a blood curdling howl.

"Silly pup!" The brown wolf chuckled flinging him off and moving in for the kill, stopping dead in his tracks as Tib's howl cut through the air.

"You're the silly one!" Tobi growled, clamping down hard on his opponents hind leg. First you immobilize your opponent…

Tiberius darted to the side, the other wolf tearing into his shoulder. He wasn't quick enough. He let out a yelp as the pain shot through his leg. His eyes burned with hate. They hadn't come this far to be stopped by anything! He spun around. Blood dripping from his shoulder and nailed the larger wolf in the muzzle. Sending blood spraying on both their coats.

Second you disorient them… Tobi clamped down on the wolfs tail. Pulling fast and hard, knocking the wolf to the ground.

Tiberius successfully dodged the next attack, getting his teeth planted firmly in the large wolfs back. He clamped down hard. Till the younger wolf yelped out it pain. Tib released and the let the wolf limp a few paces away. He had lost to these strangers. He would need help if he was to finish them off He turned and ran, bolting back through the brush as Tobi stood poised over the other attacker. Step three…. The kill. His muzzle hit dirt. He looked up surprised as the wolf bolted away, holding it's hind leg in the air as it ran.

"Their… their gone..?" Ember stuttered.

"They'll be back… with even more wolves if we don't stop them." Tib barred his teeth. They were in way over their heads. They all knew it, and they all knew their was no turning back.

The four wolves bolted after the two fleeing cowards. If they could cut them off in time they would be safe. If not, their journey would come to a rather violent end. They raced through the brush, following the trails of blood though some of the thickest brambles. Suddenly they burst into the light.

In the clearing were the two wolves that had attacked them, and around them, teeth barred, was the rest of the pack…

CLIFFHANGER! BWHAHAHAHAHA!

You better tell me what you think happens, or else I may just leave them their for a while... XD

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