Part 1: The Journey

Chapter 1: A Sanctuary No More (written from April 8th to April 16th, 2023)

January 22nd, 2013

What do you do when a safe haven is no longer safe? Where do you go when your ancestral home is desecrated, spangled with the blood of your kin? The land of Banff was infamous for its ice. A thick layer of crystals blanketed its forests during most of the winter. Choking the canyons were monstrous glaciers that lasted year-round. It was naturally a frozen realm, and in recent times, wolves called Rogues left behind frozen blood in their wake. Inside and around the Breeze's home, pools of crystals stained with hate became markers of King's wrath. His holy war against Omegas seemed to pull Banff into a new age of misery and sorrow. Even though it was technically a victory, the Breeze's battle against the forces of Elgin delivered no glory. The Breeze was decimated. Roughly three-quarters of the population was simply gone. What was there to celebrate? What pride was there to indulge in when many who would've howled the pack's songs were mere bodies as cold as the air?

The Sky Sanctuary was a sanctuary no more. Its tremendous value as a base left little doubt that the knowledge of how to reach its entrance was going to spread and spread quickly. The famous Pack of the Breeze had to find a new home, a new sanctuary perhaps. As legions of Rogues began sweeping through the farthest reaches of Banff, the Breeze needed to disappear, as they've always done, for the sake of their survival, but where would they go? The answer came conveniently. The Aeolian of the Breeze, named Cloud, was beholden to a pair of outsiders, the sagacious Oliver and brooding Abel, who saved his pack from total annihilation. The pair had sought out the Breeze's skills for a covert plan of liberation. The land to be liberated was Abel's land of origin called Yoho.

The tiny park neighbored Banff to the west. Yoho National Park, as it was formally known, was said to be a breathtaking place. Although small compared to the other parks, stories told of a land perforated with crystalline lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, a high concentration of such. Unlike Banff and Jasper whose terrain was dominated by the Canadian Rockies, which created huge valleys, Yoho was said to lie at the western foothills of the range where glacial meltwater collected. Streams weaved in and out through stratum to create spectacular formations.

"The most exciting areas are the geyser fields," Abel had told the Breeze wolves.

"What's a geyser?" Echo had asked.

"It's a smoky hole in the ground where boiling water can shoot up… sometimes a hundred feet in the sky!" Cloud and his family exchanged faces of disbelief.

"Boiling water?" Cloud repeated as he raised an eyebrow.

"That means it's hot enough to burn you. You can think of it as wet fire," Abel explained. Water that shot up in the sky was not hard for the Breeze wolves to imagine, but the idea of water being hot induced skepticism. "Most geysers are small though," Abel added. "We call them spitters. They can't shoot higher than a human."

"So, in Yoohoo," Benny replied, "the Earth's just hawkin' up a bunch of loogies?"

"It's pronounced 'Yoho' and yes. Whatever helps you visualize it better."

Abel wanted to tell them more about Yoho's beauty. He loved his home, but every time the Breeze curiously brought it up, it reminded him of its unexpurgated reality, which was anything but beautiful. The current social and political situation supported a living hell. It was, in many ways, worse than the Rogues' takeover of Banff. Most inhabitants of Yoho were brutally oppressed by a group called the Nightlanders. What the Rogues killed the Nightlanders enslaved. While the Rogues were united by their ideology, Nightlanders were united by sadism. They fed off of others' suffering. They were addicted to abuse. Obsessed with forcing others to do their work, it gave them a sick thrill, and most despicably, they sought to spin it as if it was for the greater good—they were propagandists. They were not incognizant wolves, unlike most Rogues. Abel had come to grips that their leader had crafted the perfect paradoxical prison. He turned Yoho into a place controlled not necessarily by physical means but by the fear of something worse, which effectively legitimized his harsh rule. Under the right conditions, fear was more powerful than any set of teeth or claws.

For instance, it was the fear of a damned eternity that blocked Abel from having a full night's rest. His contribution to the living hell made him hate himself with every cell in his body. Beset by poetic justice, the guilt abused him to the same degree he had abused innocent she-wolves and pups, Alphas and Omegas alike. It was actually when he was considering suicide that Oliver found him. The greyish-yellow senior convinced him that freeing Yoho was not impossible, that a pack said to be myth was their answer. For the past week, Abel attempted to figure out ways of divulging his shameful past to the Breeze. It was imperative they know if Yoho was going to be saved. He didn't have to tell Oliver. The old-timer was a master of reading body language. Telling Princess wasn't difficult as she had even more blood on her paws than he did. But the Breeze was different. They were noble wolves. Their intentions were as clean as their efficient movements .

Abel then reminded himself that it was the Great Defender that had made him such a disgraceful schlub in the first place. Abel met the tawny wolf once as a Beta. The chieftain visited Alpha School to make a speech about the importance of the Protectors. He didn't look particularly special. He was an Alpha of average height. He was neither toned nor loud, but every promise of glory he spoke of made Abel feel so much pride in being an oppressor. It all came back to him again. In truth, they were no more protectors than a blazing conflagration. They were what the conquered wolves called them: Enforcers. As Abel looked back at that event where he and his peers cheered in excitement, he wished nothing less than the Great Defender choking on the venom of his lies.

The mission brought hope to Abel as well as the Breeze, that the best days of their lives were still ahead. Today, although the sky was clear, the booming cry of an Alpha shook the frigid air like a bolt of lightning. The Breeze chieftain produced a summoning howl, a call to draw in his crestfallen citizens. They soon trickled in from various gravesites that were recently created near the cliffs before a sizable assembly was formed in the center of the Sanctuary. As survivors of war, most of the Breeze were too exposed to death to respond with passion. Moving the most cautious were the timorous Omegas, who were the bulk of the survivors. Two Omegas, in particular, were moving even slower.

The Aeolian's son and his girlfriend woke up to the alert. They stretched a yawn inside the same den where they had first made their connection cataloging berries. Lying side by side, they swung their heads until their noses nearly touched. "Well, hello, my grizzly bear," greeted Echo with a smirk. The howl had awoken Thunder but not enough to prevent him from potentially falling back to sleep. Echo wouldn't allow it. She nuzzled him until his eyes were fully open.

The sight of her made him smile. "Oh, Echo… I was having the greatest dream."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Echo apologized. "I should've known not to poke a sleeping bear."

"Nah, it's totally okay... I woke up to something much better."

"Aww… You're so sweet," she replied. The couple kissed. "By the way… I think it was a summoning howl that stirred us."

"A summoning howl?"

"Yeah. I think it was your dad. It was really loud."

"He hasn't done one of those in a while. It must be for the whole pack. We should go." The brown wolf turned to leave.

"Wait," Echo called. "I don't feel so good." Thunder stood at the mouth of the cave and looked back inside. The silvery she-wolf clutched her stomach with her paw as she struggled to stand. All four of her legs shook as if the cold of winter had suddenly engulfed her. Just as sudden was a sinking feeling in Thunder's chest. Something was amiss.

"Echo!" He rushed to her side and propped her up before her legs buckled. "Are you okay? What's the matter?"

"I… I don't know… I just feel weak and lightheaded… My stomach feels really weird… like a tickling sensation. It's hard to explain."

"Well, can you walk?"

"I'll try," she replied. The she-wolf took a few steps. She was able to exit the den, but before she could initiate a stroll, the muskox Thunder had hunted for her yesterday bubbled up her esophagus. Thunder watched in consternation as his girlfriend discolored the snow with her vomit. "Ohhh, Thunder… I don't feel good at all," she groaned. She then collapsed despite her partner's help. He instinctively rubbed his face against hers in an attempt to soothe her. "I've never been sick before. What's wrong with me?" she asked as her heavy breaths sent huge puffs of vapor. Nausea prompted her eyes to close halfway.

"Shh, don't talk. We're gonna figure this out," assured Thunder, not wanting his worries to cause her to panic.

"The pack… the pack healers… I need to see the pack healers," she concluded exhaustedly.

"There are none," Thunder reminded. "They're all gone, remember? We need to see my dad. He has some healing experience."

"Okay," she agreed. The she-wolf had an inkling of what the cause of her ailment might be, but she was too embarrassed to reveal it yet.

"Go back inside," Thunder advised. "I'll bring him to you instead."

— A&Ω —

The meeting that the Aeolian had called began to commence. The white wolf named Cloud stood upon his usual boulder of choice for public speaking. It rendered him briefly sentimental as he was going to make his final announcement inside the Sanctuary, but lifting his spirit was the fact that it represented a new beginning, albeit a potentially controversial one. Regardless, he was certain it was best for the pack. Oliver stood beside him.

"My friends, the time for us to leave is near. As wolves of honor, we soon embark on a journey to pay a debt owed to our new friends, Oliver and Abel. It is the way of the Breeze to care for those who risk their lives for us. That is why the Sky Sanctuary will be dedicated to our fallen brothers and sisters, so anybody who may live here in the future will know about the warriors who died fighting for it." All the wolves in the crowd clapped their paws. "Now… I have an announcement before we take off," he continued. "Since Cody's expulsion, I've received a decent number of nominations for the position of second-in-command. I will now say who I've chosen." The crowd shushed itself as it eagerly awaited the disclosure. A new deputy had not been appointed in many years. "The wolf who will succeed Cody as second-in-command of the Pack of the Breeze is none other than… Drizzle."

Suddenly, after a wave of gasps, clashing ripples of boos and cheers rattled the clearing. Cloud didn't wince nor beam anything resembling an emotional face since he found his choice easy. His daughter was one of the best fighters the pack had ever known. Her strength and agility were prodigious. More importantly, her intelligence and leadership skills proved superior compared to the other nominees.

The crowd became equally split. While some were able to see Cloud's reasons, others saw a weakening of the pack's chieftainship. The wolves of the latter were all the Alphas who had objected to Cloud's decision to defend the Sanctuary, regarding it as a strategic blunder. They believed the majority of the casualties would've been avoided if the pack relocated prior to the Rogues' assault. To not do so was seen by many as a glaring sign of incompetence, and the appointment of Drizzle as second-in-command only confirmed it. It was considered inappropriate for she-wolves to be deputies since it technically would make them interim chieftains should the ruling chieftain die without immediate heirs—female chieftains were against Pack Law. It was also inappropriate for deputies to be related to the ruling chieftain.

"This is nepotism!" an Alpha argured. Soon many began chanting the word. Cutting through the crescendo of condemnation was another Alpha.

"You could've at least appointed your son who's a male!"

"Thunder is not an Alpha," Cloud reminded. "Only those who passed the exam could be considered. I base my choices on merit, not blood. I assure you Drizzle is—"

"A no-good leader like her father!" an Alpha interrupted. "We won't stand for it!"

Oliver then stepped closer to the white wolf. "Cloud, sir, as much as I hate to agree with hecklers, I don't recommend your daughter. She's an extraordinary Alpha but not who we need as second-in-command at this time. A divided pack will complicate things."

"My daughter isn't just capable," Cloud asserted. "She's the only surviving member of the Breeze who is."

"As you wish," yielded Oliver, bowing his head.

Cloud turned back to the crowd. "My decision is final," he declared. "I would ask you to give my daughter a chance, but you all have already seen her in action. Her strength provides stability, which is what we need most desperately right now."

"Maybe what we need is a new bloodline!" one wolf suggested, but the idea of treason was quickly dismissed, even by many in the disgruntled half. Cloud was still estimable. To question him was irrational, but the new period of desperation was bringing with it a new kind of attitude to many of the Breeze, one leaning toward reform; however, Cloud believed identity alone was enough to keep his subjects united. The pack had existed for decades, and he wasn't about to let these days be among its last. He knew his daughter felt the same way. Her loyalty to the pack would ensure their survival.

Benny sat in the very back of the crowd as the sole quiet one. While wolves jumped and bared their teeth in discordance, his tail was tucked between his legs as he wondered why nobody seemed to ask where Drizzle even was. His feelings about her appointment were mixed. He knew as much as anybody how demonstrably capable she was. The she-wolf and her brother had taken him under their wing, but she was no longer the wolf Cloud knew her as, Benny believed. She was not the she-wolf she was when they first met. She was different, her mind afflicted with the darkness that came with grief.

— A&Ω —

He managed to easily find her scent. Often, it was as if Drizzle left trails on purpose. Benny had found that she was always a tough nut to crack, but the death of Zephyr caused her to cut herself off from others. Nowadays, she seemed so desperate to push wolves away, and yet she apparently left little trails for Benny to find. Following one, he slipped onto a thin ominous path zigzagging up a cliff. The climb was steep. It risked a deadly fall, but Benny was determined to see Drizzle. When he reached the top, the Alpha was graced with a gorgeous wide-open sky. Below a ledge, he could see the ocean of trees inside the Sanctuary. The top of the ridge itself had forest upon it that was peculiarly untouched by scent marks. Despite the snow cover, it was a beautiful and sacred place, a place that, unbeknownst to Benny, the Aeolian had brought his offspring to when they were young. In the middle of a clearing stood out two piles of river stones. Zephyr had been buried beside his mother, and she wasn't just his mother but the mother of a trio.

Slumped over the graves was the depressed obsidian-colored she-wolf. She could sense Benny approaching. She did not turn to see him. Rather, Drizzle continued staring at the stones when, suddenly, she spoke. "You know this place is very special to us. Back when we were pups, there was a time when Thunder would feel bad for himself and how big he was, that he'd likely never be able to become an Alpha, that the odds were against him."

As Drizzle talked, Benny drew closer and eventually sat at her side. "So, one day, there was this really bad storm, and Thunder was having an intense argument with our mom. They were basically screaming at each other. My big brother then ran off… into the storm. He was so angry that he didn't care. He wandered around until he eventually found this refuge on the walls, but of course, our mother was the best tracker the Breeze had ever seen. She caught up to him quickly."

Drizzle took a brief look at the horizon before continuing. "But after she and my dad found Thunder, some flying debris, a branch or something, struck my mom in the back of the head, and my dad had to carry her to the den. As you can guess, my brother was worried sick the entire time. Her… her injury was too severe. There was no way to get to a healer fast enough in the storm and…" Drizzle started to tear up but didn't lift her head. "After saying her goodbyes to everyone, her final words were asking for Thunder to watch out for his siblings. I watched helplessly as my mother died and as my brother blamed himself. I could do nothing but watch. And Zephyr… he was also right in front of me… I was right there, and I still couldn't do anything to help. W-why couldn't I help him? Why am I so weak?" she sobbed. She rubbed an ear on the stones. Drizzle's fur was pure black except for one of her ears, which was a cream color. It was a trait from her mother that was also passed on to Zephyr. It was the physical symbol that connected the three of them, a thing that had helped Thunder feel even more isolated in his puphood, but now, with both of her pearly-eared companions gone, she ironically felt as Thunder did then.

She did her best to hold herself together. Tears streamed down her cheeks. With her question laid bare, she finally turned to Benny. The sight was heartbreaking to the former Rogue. All he could do was embrace her warmly. Once Drizzle had regained her composure, she said her final farewells to her beloved mother and brother, hoping to be able to see them again one day. There were no words Benny could say to make Drizzle feel better. He felt like an outsider. He didn't even know where to begin talking about all of it, but he knew he could at least provide the company she badly needed.

— A&Ω —

"By the way, it looks like your dad decided you'll be the new second-in-command!" After the two came down the cliff, Benny finally broke his silence with news that he hoped would cheer her up. If not, he hoped his lively energy would make up the difference. Drizzle, however, didn't respond. Her head still hung low, and after a moment of silence, Benny added, "It'll be a big responsibility. Cloud certainly thinks you're up for the job. You think you can handle it?"

"I think she'll be able to handle the job," a voice commented from behind them, causing the two to stop walking. The voice startled Benny, but Drizzle was completely unfazed. She had sensed the blackish-green wolf in advance.

"You're Abel, right? Geez, man, don't sneak up on your friends. You nearly gave me a heart attack," said Benny.

"I'm sorry if that was rude," he apologized. "I'm just now realizing how lousy my social skills are. Well... I just wanted to take the opportunity to meet the new second-in-command of the pack who's coming to save my home. If she's even half as good as I've heard, then she'll be able to handle the job with no problem."

Suddenly, Drizzle spoke up, finally lifting her head.

"Hey, I've got a question for you." She looked the Alpha directly in the eyes. In the depths of her pupils, Abel swore he saw embers sparking into ravenous flames. It made him slightly quiver.

"A question, huh? Well, feel free to ask anything," he replied with a hint of caution.

"There's gonna be plenty of bad guys for me to sink my teeth into, right?" With this, Abel was now sure Drizzle had the same degree of burning hatred and rage within her that he was so tired of, the pain of guilt that hurt him every day.

"Yes, there are more terrible wolves spread throughout the park than you can shake a stick at. I should know."

After turning back around, Drizzle continued walking but not before muttering words that reverberated with a lust for blood. "Good... I was needing something to rip to shreds..."

Benny's wariness rose even higher.

Abel approached him upon noticing his distressed reaction. "I know we don't know each other, and we both have our own circumstances but a word of warning, my friend. Drizzle is going to a place where you can't follow, and if she is to come back, then it must be by her own power. Don't think you must be the one to save her. Simply stay by her side. That should be fine. Obviously, you care enough to do that."

Benny was embarrassed by the implication Abel made. The strange-looking wolf then walked away in his own direction. "I'm rooting for you guys!" he shouted.

Now left alone, Benny appreciated the kind words and encouragement from Abel. He chuckled and shook his head before running to catch up to Drizzle. "Looks like there's a couple wolves I can't disappoint now. Guess I've got some work to do."