Ok I'm giving myself the title of "The Updating Queen" lol because I'm on a roll today! haha Anyhow, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 13

Sariah's Story

We followed Sariah for a long while, weaving through the seemingly endless tunnel. I was at the back just to make sure that nothing could sneak up on us or anything like that. I had heard stories of these tunnels, but they were just that, stories. I didn't think that they really could exist.

"How much farther?" Genji asked for the bazillionth time. I rolled my eyes and sighed, but I could understand his impatience. They had been stuck in a cage for almost a week, and were exhausted. At one point along the way Bo-Chen had stumbled and I had offered to carry her, but she had refused, saying she could make it. It made me take a double-take; I thought I was talking to Lien for a moment.

"Not much, little one." Sariah comforted. "You'll love it when we get there though." The huge she-wolf was seemingly full of energy. She hadn't stopped running until Bo-Chen had fallen, and even then she kept up a brisk pace. About ten minutes ago I had reduced myself to begging her to slow down, as both the chicks were panting heavily, and my wing had started to bleed again. She had apologized and slowed the pace.

"Ah here we are!" We came around one last corner and entered another chasm. Sariah walked over to a little cooking fire, but we were stunned. Scattered all over the walls, ceiling, and floor, glittering like gems were crystals. Crystals of every color; every shade of blue, yellows ranging from deep gold to buttercup, reds, purples, greens, you name it, it was in these crystals. They all seemed to glow with a soft light, making it easy to see every nook and cranny.

"This is AMAZING!" Came our simultaneous awestruck reply. "How did you find this place?" I asked.

"When I left my pack, all I knew was that I wanted to get away from them, somewhere they would never find me. So I just bored my way deeper and deeper into the mountain until I found this. It's been my den ever since." She sighed and spooned some of the concoction that was over the fire into some little bowls for us. "Here. There's plenty, so don't feel bad about asking for seconds." She told us giving us each a bowl.

The chicks dove into the bowls, and I gratefully sipped at the soup. It was pretty good. Nothing compared to Po's noodle soup, but it was still very good. "Mmmm." We groaned.

"Thank you." Sariah laughed and filled her own bowl. "I do what I can with what I have."

"This is the best thing, if not the only thing, I've had to eat all week!" Bo-Chen exclaimed returning to her old self.

"I didn't know those ugly dogs had a prisoner, otherwise I would have freed you long ago. For that I apologize." Sariah told them.

"Oh please. All that matters is that you found us now." Genji waved a wing.

"Umm, if I may," Bo-Chen stepped over closer to the she-wolf and settled down, "Why did you leave your pack?" Sariah stiffened and looked down at her bowl. Her eyes, which I had only seen as warm little sky-pools, were now distant and sad. She stirred her soup and sighed.

"Do you really want to know?" The white wolf looked down at the young peahen. Bo-Chen had a precious expression on her face; big brown eyes, long batting eyelashes. It made even my heart melt a little.

"I really would." She said in the sweetest voice ever imaginable.

"Alright, alright! Cut the act." Sariah playfully shoved her and the little girl giggled. "It's sort of a long story…" She rubbed the back of her silvery neck and looked down.

"We're not going anywhere." I teased her, trying to lighten the mood. She did smile her canine smile and continued.

"Well, back in the pack I was born as an alpha female. Top dog, if you will. The only wolves that could tell me what to do were my parents. And, boy howdy did they! 'Don't roll in the grass Sariah!', 'Don't play with the males Sariah, they're no good for you.', and my least favorite, 'Don't hunt Sariah, the Betas do that for us.'" She sighed again. "But that's not the life I wanted to live. I didn't want to be handed my food. I wanted to go and catch my own.

"I watched the Betas chase down the prey and kill it with practiced precision. They worked as a close knit team, and, oh, how I longed to be part of it!" We watched as a feral glow surrounded her for a moment, then she returned to normal. "But it was not meant to be."

"What happened, Sariah?" Genji asked settling near his sister. The gigantic she-wolf smiled down at them fondly.

"I ignored what my parents told me, and went on a hunt. The Beta's had secretly trained me to be able to hunt with them. It was my initiation to track the prey that night and lead the chase. I was so excited! My first hunt! I pressed my nose to the ground and found the scent, just like my mentor had taught me, and howled the call to paws. Each wolf gathered around behind me and off we went into the moonlit night.

"We were closing in on the prey when we all heard a strange howl. When we looked around we realized that our small group of about twenty wolves was surrounded by an enemy pack!"

"Oh no!" Bo-Chen gasped. I had made my way over to their spot nearer the fire and had my wing wrapped around the little peahen. Her head was lying on my chest when she spoke.

"Oh no is right! We had been in a brutal war with this pack for a long time, as we both wanted the other's hunting grounds. The alpha male sounded his own howl to attack and soon the snow was stained with our blood. They left me un-wounded though, as a hostage. The next morning, the enemy pack lead me back through the bloody battle sight so I could see the faces of my dead comrades, and pass on the message to my pack.

"We arrived in my camp and my parents had to give up half of our hunting lands to get me back alive. Both were furious. They started yelling and smacking me around until I stood up and fought them back. I wasn't going to stand around and take that any longer. I threw my mother back and clawed my father across the chest. Then seeing the blood on my claws, turned and ran.

"I ran and ran until I came to the Gongmen province and found these tunnels. I knew my pack would never be able to find me here, and here we are." Sariah finished with another sad sigh, and I noticed a few, well-hidden, tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Sariah." I placed my good wing over my heart in a gesture of sympathy. She inhaled quickly and I saw the tears disappear. Looking up from the fire she smiled.

"It's not your fault."

"Is there any way we can make you feel better?" Bo-Chen asked, again making me double-take and re-realize that she wasn't Lien.

"Your presence here is enough. Thank you for listening to my sob-story. I haven't ever told anyone, because I'm always alone." Her dainty white ears then pricked up, "Do you want any more soup?"

"Yes please!" Brother and sister chorused holding out their bowls to her. I waved my wing telling her I was full.

"Thank you for taking us in." I told her warmly. "There is only one thing I ask of you,"

"Anything for my new friends." Sariah couldn't seem to get that smile off her face now. She appeared to be sitting taller as well.

"Do you know any way out of here that will take us back to Gongmen City?"

"Of course! I know these tunnels forwards, backwards, upside-down, and inside-out. I can surely find you guys a way out, and back to your future queen." She winked at me and I blushed a bit.

"Hey that's our sister too!" Genji chirped.

"Of course my boy, wouldn't want to forget that." She tousled his crest and we all yawned. "I'm sure you're all tired. Go on, go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks again Sariah." Bo-Chen mumbled and was soon asleep with her head still resting on my chest.