Capítulo 20: Chapter 20
Winter looked around in the cell. The wolves were laying down, either sleeping or not paying attention to her. "Welcome…" a voice said to her left. She looked over and saw a young male wolf approach her. "I am Whisper...I'm the only one who'll speak to you because everyone else is too weak." Winter looked at him. His rips visibly showed and he had bits and scars all over him. Despite that...he looked rather friendly. "I'm Winter...if I may ask, how long have you been here?" Whisper sighed. "Too long...my alpha told us to obey these filthy mutts for now, and I've always been wanting to break free from it all. But as you can see...it's led me nowhere."
Winter couldn't help but feel sorry for him. And the condition he was in...she'd want to break away too. "Well...who's your alpha? Is he in here?" Whisper nodded in the direction farthest from them. "He's over there with his mate. Have fun speaking to him...he's so weak." Winter nodded in thanks and padded over to his alpha.
When she approached him, she saw he had a scar and a notched ear. From what she'd been told, only her grandfather had that. She nudged him with her nose. "Excuse me...and you Nightlight?" To her surprise, he opened his eyes and looked up at her. "I am...why?" Winter could hardly believe it. This was her grandfather...and he was alive! "Um...I know who you are." Nightlight looked at her suspiciously. "Oh really? How? Did that pathetic pack tell you about me?"
Winter shook her head. "No...I just…" "Wait." another voice said from behind Nightlight. Another head popped up, a female. It was Pandora...her grandmother."Nightlight dear...who does she look like?" He studied her for a long cool moment. "She...she looks a lot like...like…" His eyes seemed to spark when he finally said: "Akela." Winter laid down until she was at eye level with him. "That's because I'm Akela's daughter...I'm your granddaughter Winter...and I've come to help save you from this horrible place." Nightlight just looked at her, lost for words. The rest of the prisoners were all looking at her now, stunned at what they heard.
Winter continued, making sure she was keeping her voice low and calm. "Dad has a plan to help you get out of here, all I have to do is give the signal and help will be here. This pack is afraid of the wolves I've made an alliance with." Nightlight looked at the other wolves, who had all their eyes fixed on Winter. He looked back at her. "Very well. I will have some of the young ones help you. But how will you get us out of here without making a ruckus?" Winter smiled. "That's exactly why I need everyone in here to howl as loud as they can." Whisper stepped forward, and stood next to her. "I will be honored to help my pack get out of here…" he paused, then threw his head back and started howling. The others all did as well, and soon Winter joined them.
After what seemed like forever, the boulder was being moved, and a phantom wolf peered at them. "What the hell is going on with all of you?! Shut up!" Winter recognized the wolf. It was Phantom. She locked eyes with him, and he snarled at her. "Well well… if it isn't Winter. What happened huh? Did you not listen to me? Did you try to save your precious family?" Something snapped in Winter as he said those words. She snarled, and launched herself at him.
She grabbed his right eye with her teeth and squeezed. Phantom squealed and tried to shake her off. "GET OFF ME!!" Winter then took her claws and sank them into his neck, renewing his howls of pain. Phantom jumped and spun in circles, trying to get her off of him. Finally, with a last head twist, he grabbed her by her neck and threw her off. Winter rolled over once, but was back on her paws in an instant. Phantom whined and pawed at his eyes, it bled profusely, and she knew it would never heal. He looked at her, and a threatening snarl came from his mouth. "You filthy mutt! You'll pay for that!!"
Winter tensed, ready to defend herself from an attack. Phantom stretched his claws, and pounced, knocking Winter on her back, biting at her face and neck. She howled in anguish, unable to defend herself from this attack. Phantom then seized her throat in his jaws and shook her violently. Winter continued to howl in pain, and she knew she wouldn't survive long. A furious howl cut through the air, and Phantom was knocked off of her. She looked to her left. Dagger!
Dagger had Phantom pinned under him, his muzzle close to his. "Hello Phantom...mind explain why you attacked my mate?" His voice was icy. Phantom snarled back at him, his teeth bared. "Your mate? That's pathetic...just like your father was." Phantom pressed his nose to Daggers. "Go ahead...kill me. I dare you…" Dagger snarled and bared his own fangs, but something stopped him. He looked at Phantom...his eyes were filled with evilness in them. He sighed, and backed away. Phantom chuckled. "That's what I thought…"
Dagger still growled at him and he made his way over to Winter. She was on her side, breathing rapidly, but she was fine either way. Dagger stood over her protectively, and glanced at Phantom, who was on his paws now and gave him an evil like grin. "You're weak Dagger...you're nothing like a true dire wolf...heh, maybe that's why your father hated you so much." Dagger snarled at him. "You leave my father out of this! He may have hated me but I loved him! He raised me when my mother died, both my sister and I. I had to kill him for leadership of the pack…" Dagger's tail swished, his claws scratching the soil beneath his paws.
Phantom barked. Moments later, the entire pack showed up, with a single big wolf in front. He was twice Dagger's size, and his face was covered in scars. The wolf looked at Phantom. "To me Phantom…" Phantom nodded and padded to his side, and the wolf nodded in satisfaction. Phantom looked at Dagger. "You remember my father? Scarface? He is the finest leader here, even better than your father ever was. So you see Dagger...there's nothing you can do to save your mates "precious" family. You are greatly outnumbered, and don't stand a chance. So, you have one last chance to walk away. Go home. Don't ever come back or else you'll be killed."
Dagger puffed up his fur. "You know I can't do that Phantom. And you're wrong...I am smarter than you think of me…" With that he gave a ferocious bark, and the dire wolves pounced on the phantom pack from the trees. A phantom member yelp in shock. "It's an ambush! We're under attack!" Raina went straight for Phantom, knocking him over and grabbing his neck. With great effort, she ripped his throat out and dropped it next to him. He screamed and fell onto his side, twitching and gasping. A gurgling sound came from the gaping hole from his neck. His eyes rolled back, and with a final gurgle, he lay still, blood pouring from the open wound.
Both pack's were fighting viciously, and the sounds of tearing flesh and crunching bone filled Winter's ears; she wished she could cover them. Scarface looked at his fallen son, and turned angrily at Dagger. "This is all you're doing! I'll kill you for this!!" Dagger snarled. "Not if I kill you first…" he looked at Sparrow. "Protect her...please." She nodded and stepped over Winter. Dagger paced forward, circling Scarface. The crazed wolf snarled and bared his three inch long fangs in return. Dagger sprang first, his teeth bared.
Both wolves fell to the ground together, Dagger's teeth clamped in Scarface's neck. He dug his claws into the ground and dragged him away, then slammed himself on top of the crazed alpha to hold him down, ignoring his snapping, slashing jaws. Scarface's hind legs kicked hopelessly at the dirt, sending showers of it sputtering onto both their hides, but Dagger was kicking too, raking his hind claws along his side.
His whole weight was on his head; showing him down into the dirt. Scarface managed to struggle out from under him; he was shoving him down, biting with his slavering jaws at his neck. Dagger was fast though, and agile; he twisted his head away from his teeth and his thick boy squirmed loose. Then he rolled onto his stomach. "No Dagger!" Raina dashed towards him. "Don't give him your back!"
It was too late. Scarface sprang onto his spine, pinning him and snapping his jaws on the side of his neck. Dagger gave a screaming howl of agony. With a howl, Raina reached and flung herself onto Scarface, seizing the nearest bit of flesh in her teeth. It was the mad alpha's ragged ear. Good! She savaged it viciously and Scarface gave a scream and fell sideways off of Dagger. Raina stumbled with him, her teeth locked in the soft flesh of the ear, dragging Scarface farther from her litter-brother.
Scarface wriggled and kicked, then tore his ear free; Raina felt a spurt of blood strike her muzzle. Slipping and slithering, Scarface clambered to his paws, growling his hate. He didn't even feel it, Raina realized, and her gut turned over. He's crazy! Raina shuddered, but there was no more time to wonder. With a high-pitched snarl, Scarface charged. Raina braced herself, lowering her head and snarling, but Scarface never reached her.
Dagger leaped forward again, meeting Scarface head-on, and they staggered and rolled in a fury of claws and teeth. Dagger locked his jaw with Scarface's. Both wolves smashed into the earth, and with a great wrench Dagger tore himself away. Raina' breath stopped. The young dire wolf shook his head violently, dropping a lump of flesh to the soil. His flanks heaved, dark with sweat and blood, and he glared down triumphantly at his enemy. Raina saw clearly what her brother had done.
Scarface's lower jaw had been ripped clean away from his face. The frenzied, red eyes rolled and a horrible gurgling came from his throat. The sounds of fighting died around them until there was only that awful choking gurgle from the dying Scarface. A pitiful, petrified howl sliced through the early darkness, and suddenly, Scarface's pack was scrabbling, sliding, fleeing in panic. "Scarface!" "Our leader! Our Alpha is dead!" "Run for your lives!"
When the last wolf disappeared, Raina took a step forward and stared at Scarface. There was a dull roar in his ears, and his own rasping breath. Sparrow gave a whimper in fear. "Is he dead?" "No," growled Raina, watching the blood soak into the earth beneath Scarface's destroyed head. "But he is dying." Dagger pawed him with his foreleg. "Should I make sure he doesn't get up again?"
Raina shook herself. "No," she barked. "He won't survive that wound. Leave him to the Spirit-Wolves. They'll take him now." "The Spirit-Wolves are welcome to him," snarled Dagger, flicking the bloody stump of Scarface's ear with a claw. "I hope they punish him." With that, Dagger turned and padded towards the cell where Winter's family was being kept.
He peered inside, but when they saw him, they snarled in defense. He spoke calmly to them, making sure he was soft and gentle. "It's alright everyone. You can come out, I'm Winter's mate. We're here to take you all home…" At these words, the pack exchanged glances, but Dagger noticed something across Whisper's face. It twisted into a jealousy frown but he said nothing.
Nightlight spoke up. "It's okay guys, let's go home…" Dagger's pack all made their way over to help the pack get out of the cell. One by one they grabbed them by their scruffs and took them out. When the last wolf was out, Dagger made his way over to where Sparrow was standing guard over Winter. "You've done plenty Sparrow...thank you." She dipped her head respectfully and went to join the others.
Dagger nudged Winter with his muzzle. "Are okay my love?" Winter winced and sat up. "I'm alright...just a little banged up is all," she looked at Whisper, who was a few paw steps away. "Whisper, come here please," He padded up to her, and bet his head down at her level. "Thank you for stepping up and saving your family. It means a lot to me." Whisper smiled. "You're very welcome Winter…" he gave her ear an affectionate lick. Dagger growled, but quietly enough so Winter couldn't hear it. Whisper backed away and padded over to Nightlight.
The aged wolf looked around, but Akela was nowhere to be found. "Where is my son?" "Right here…" Nightlight spun around, and Akela padded slowly towards him. He was inches away from his father's muzzle, and had a smile on his face. "Father...it's good to see you." Nightlight licked his muzzle. "It's good to see you too son, how've you and Blue managed on your own?" "We've been fine, Kiba came back and joined us." Nightlight flicked his ear. "You said Kiba? Where is he?"
Akela scratched his ear. "He stayed at the den to protect Blue and the pups, he's fine." Pandora padded up to her son. "It's good to see you sweetheart, we've missed you…" Akela nuzzled his mother between the ears. "I've missed you too Mother. I love you...both of you." Nightlight and Pandora hugged him. "We've missed you too." Nightlight says. "Um, Alpha Nightlight?" the three turned, seeing a young female approach them. "I hate to break your reunion up, but what if we...join the dire wolves? They helped us get out of here. It's the least we can do."
Nightlight studied her, she looked serious. Whisper stepped forward. "I think that's a great idea Flower. Besides, we don't know any of the lands here." Nightlight looked at the dire pack, who were all standing a few paw-steps away. Raina flicked her ear. "I know you don't trust us Nightlight, but under my brothers leadership, we aren't savages despite our kind. Believe me, our pack would treat them as equals, as pack-mates." Nightlight looked over at Dagger, who was at Winter's side. He turned to his pack. "Very well," he said calmly. "We may join the dire pack, however I can not be your alpha anymore. I've come to the age where I'm an elder. You must be loyal to Dagger now, he's the alpha of the dires."
The pack all turned to Dagger, bowing submissively to him. "I accept your submission." he says calmly. Dagger turned to Akela. "Akela, your the true leader of your family, don't you want--" "Nah, I'll give it to you. I know I was supposed to be an alpha, but I know you can do better. My daughter knows you can." Akela dipped his head respectfully. Dagger nodded, and padded forward. "Here me pack-mates. Akela and Nightlight have given up their leadership to me, and as your new alpha we will all treat each other with respect and dignity. We will claim this territory, along with keeping our other two. We will live in peace at last," He paused, and looked at each wolf letting his words sink in. "However, I won't be able to lead you all alone. Winter is my mate, and therefore is now your alpha female. Treat her like you would treat me. We will have a start at a new life, a new future!" the pack all howled in joy and reunion. Winter nuzzled up to Dagger. "What future would you be talking about?" Dagger looked at her. Should I tell her that I've seen visions of our son? Dagger nuzzled her in return. "You'll know my love. When the time comes." Dagger knew that. Next spring, their son would be here, and the pack would live in peace at last. They would thrive together, build a pack together, and they would be happy.
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