Chapter 21 Shattered but not broken

Humphrey's POV

"So how can we find the other group and help them?" asked Lilly. I shrugged and plainly answered, "We just have to, there's no other option at this point." Kate sighed and said, "Humphrey's right, we have to find them and figure out a way to make sure the grievers can't hurt another wolf ever again." Jake nodded and told her, "We can do it, we did it before." I shook my head and said, "We did it without them expecting it, now they know our tactics and can easily defeat us." Kate cracked her neck and said, "We can find a way." Garth rolled his eyes and asked, "But how, theirs too many of them to do much of anything anymore."

I shrugged and looked around the creepy and desolate forest and whispered, "I don't know but we need to find way and get away from the caves." Kate nodded and looked over to the cave and said, "He's right, were asking for trouble by waiting here like this." Lilly cocked her head and asked, "Why can't we simply crush the entire dimension?" I nodded and said, "I would love to but we can't." Lilly shook her head and said, "Yes we can, some of the mountains around here are volcanic, we can cause an eruption and trigger the rest of them causing everything to implode."

Kate nodded and muttered, "It could work but how can we possibly cause that large of an eruption?" I thought for a moment and then suddenly shouted, "We could push some rocks into a volcanic crevice, it'll crack the crust causing the pressure to suddenly release!" Kate shook her head and asked, "Where did all that come from?"

I shrugged and answered, "Well, it's just a matter of logic, I mean if you push against something resistant it'll either break or stay in place. So why not break the volcanic crust and break this place?" Jake groaned and said, "This is why we can't have anything nice." I chuckled and Kate asked, "Alright so where can we find a crevice like this." Lilly quickly cut in and answered, "There everywhere, but when we start the eruption it'll be too late to escape."

Jasher gruffly spoke up and said, "I'll do it." I shook my head and told him, "No, I promised your son that I would make sure you were safe." Jasher gaped at me and asked, "He's alive!?" I nodded and replied, "He is and I can't let you do it." Jasher glumly nodded and said, "I'll do it if I have to but I'm going to make sure my son survives."

I shrugged and said, "Fair enough but we still need to find a way out." Kona spoke up and said, "The other group may have already found a way to escape." I sighed and said, "I sure hope so." Garth slowly asked, "So do you have any idea where they are now?" I sighed and replied, "Well, no. But I'm sure we can find them."

Jasher nodded and said, "So then it's settled, we find an escape route and then we can blow this dimension to hell and the grievers along with it." I nodded and told Kate, "Then we can raise our little family in peace." She smiled and kissed me before saying, "Yea, that'll be nice."

I pulled away and announced, "Let's get moving, if we're going to find the other group we need to go while the trail is still warm." Kona and Jake both began walking back towards the forest and I slowly started to follow them."

Jasher quickly pulled me aside and whispered, "You and I both know someone isn't coming out alive." I shook my head and stubbornly said, "We can find a way." Jasher sighed and told me, "No, we won't. I'm going to cause the eruption and you need to get your mate and friends out of here within the hour." Jasher quickly stopped me from protesting and said, "Please just make sure my son stays alive."

I nodded and Jasher quickly disappeared into the shadows. I turned and saw my group quickly getting further away and I ran to catch up. I padded alongside Kate and she asked, "Where were you?" I looked down and said, "Just checking something." Kate nodded and looked around asking, "Where's Jasher?" I stifled a groan and lied, "He went to try and find more survivors."

Kate looked confused by didn't ask any more questions. I slowed my pace and thought, "How am I going to tell Dillon I lost his father again." I silently groaned to myself wishing that none of this had happened to us and slowly the terrain began to change. As I wallowed in my sorrow we left the forest and the cragged rocks seemed to beckon to me, luring me in for the kill.

I continued to stare at the ground as we walked and Kate slowed down to walk beside me. She kissed me on the cheek and asked, "Jasher's not coming is he?" I shook my head and croaked, "No, he's not." Kate pulled me into a hug and whispered, "It's not your fault, it was his decision and you should be proud of him." I glumly nodded and suddenly I heard Artyom's voice, "HUMPHREY, up here!" I slowly turned my head and gave a small smile as I saw my father standing on the ridge above us.

I called up to him and said, "Did you find a way out?" He nodded and said, "Yes but there's a problem." I groaned to myself and asked, "What kind of problem." Artyom uneasily shrugged and said, "Come up and see for yourself." I sighed and began to climb up the steep slope and glanced upwards to see Garth and Lilly disappear above me followed by Kona and Jake."

I pulled myself up onto the cliff and groaned as the rocks bit into my fur. I struggled on the edge for a moment and then with a sudden burst of determination dragged myself onto the cliff. I shakily got up and looked around for the group but saw only the cragged rocks.

I slowly started walking forward and saw a small opening in the rocks and crept inside. Suddenly I was pulled aside and Artyom hissed, "Humphrey, be careful you almost got us killed." I stopped struggling and confused asked, "What are you talking about." Artyom sighed and silently pointed through the rocks to a small opening in the cave wall. Confused I was about to ask what he was talking about when I froze in fear as I found myself staring at a massive creature.

It looked like a much larger version of the grievers but it had four boney and rotted arms instead of two. I shivered and my joints started to lock up. Artyom pulled me down into the rocks and I followed him down a steep slope and sighed in relief as I saw the rest of the group waiting.

I saw Dillon look at me expectantly but I sadly looked away. Kate put a comforting paw on my shoulder and said, "It's not your fault Humphrey." I sadly nodded and said, "I know but I could have tried to stop him." Dillon padded over and asked, "So you didn't find him." I debated lying to him but instead said, "Yea, I found him but he ran off to try and shatter the dimension, again…" Dillon choked up and said, "Damn him, but it wasn't your fault. I should have known he would but we found the exit at least. But we didn't find a way to shatter the dimension."

I nodded and told him, "But we did, the land here is volcanic and we can cause it to erupt and implode in on itself." Dillon silently nodded and sat down next to Kona and Jake. I turned and Artyom continued to stare at the griever and he whispered, "How the hell are we going to get past the damn thing?" I shrugged and said, "Maybe we can slip past it when Jasher triggers the eruption, the chaos should be enough to create a window of opportunity to slip through with."

Artyom nodded and muttered, "Maybe, but we can't chance everything on that happening." Dawn padded over to us and asked, "If we don't get past it soon then it's possible we could be trapped here forever, the portal won't stay open for long. They only need it open for a few seconds and then when all the grievers escape Jasper will be turned into a wasteland."

I shivered and said, "So that must be their leader then." Artyom peered over the rocks and whispered, "Seems to be, it looks like its guarding in until they have the main force ready." I nodded and said, "I sure hope Jasher knows what he's doing." Artyom shook his head and said, "Believe me, he does. He won't let us down but we need to be through the portal before the eruption otherwise there will be hundreds maybe even thousands of the damn things trying to get through the portal and we need to seal it from our side long before that."

I sighed and asked, "Why can't anything be easy?" Artyom chuckled and told me, "If it's easy why bother doing it?" Irritated I answered, "Because you have no choice." Artyom smiled and said, "Humphrey, if it's easy then why do anything at all? You always have a choice, just try and make the right ones." I shook my head and pushed away my racing thoughts pondering why my father had said this to me. Artyom stiffened and whispered, "It's moving." I scrambled over to him and looked over the rocks and caught a glimpse of darkness slipping through the boulders and towards the exit to the cave.

Artyom quickly withdrew his head and said, "Quickly everyone through the portal." Time seemed to slow as I saw my friends and family race down through the rocks and disappear into the darkened tunnel. I slowed to a stop and stared as I saw Kate dash through the portal and suddenly I was alone.

I looked back to the dim light that marked the exit and thought, "I can't leave Jasher." I raced back outside and sprinted down the rocks towards the forest tripping and stumbling. I caught my breath as I tumbled down to the bottom of the slope and came to a stop.

Shaking my head to clear my vision I raced through the cragged landscape praying the ground wouldn't begin to crack and break beneath me. I finally reached the forest and was scared out of my mind the shadows jeering and taunting me. I ignored the distractions and raced through the landscape desperately searching for signs of Jashers passage.

I slowed down and my lungs seemed to be sucking every last bit of oxygen from my body. I groaned as I pulled myself along the ground and suddenly a shadow fell before me and I froze. I turned my head and stared into the pity less eyes of the massive griever king. I winced as he extended a bony claw and suddenly I heard a voice that sounded like knifes scraping against the rocks in my mind say, "You are weak, you never should have come alone. Before your love for that alpha wolf protected you but now I have the power to destroy you." I backed up and ran from the terrifying creature and I heard the laughter in my mind clawing at my sanity.

The darkness was so intense that I completely lost my sense of direction as I desperately ran from the creature and the only thing that was going through my mind was, "I'm sorry Kate." My pawsteps echoed all around me and the laughter seemed to be drawing closer. I looked back behind me and screamed as the massive four armed griever came closer and closer.

Suddenly I hit something hard and sprawled to the ground. I shakily stood up and stared at the massive rock I had smashed into. The griever king calmly glided towards me and I heard that voice say, "You are mine, the love you have for her will sustain me for a thousands of years." He thrust out his bony hand and I felt my identity and emotions being sapped away. I lay on the ground cringing and crying to myself. Suddenly the drain stopped and my mind was clear. I saw a bright light and suddenly I saw Kate standing over me. She looked into my eye and whispered, "I love you."

My eyes shot open and I realized I was staring at the real Kate. She was crying softly and I looked around for the griever king and saw a dark shadow lying on the ground slowly dissolving into the dust. I turned and whispered to Kate, "I'm sorry but I couldn't leave Jasher." She nodded and in turn said, "And I couldn't leave you." I small smile creaked onto my face and I pulled myself to my feet. We walked through the deadened landscape following the miniscule signs of Jashers passage. I knew nothing could hurt us now.

(One more chapter guys, I will most likely have it out tonight because I'm really excited to begin working on my new story. Well, enjoy the last chapter of I will find you and make sure to check out my new story called Alpha and omega falling in love)