by Sophie Torro
“Where should we go?” Ember asked. “I’m unfamiliar with this place. I’ve never been here before.”
Nautilus hesitated for a moment, looking unsure of himself. “I’ve come this way a few times,” he confessed. “Well, I actually live near here. You two can stay at my den for as long as you’d like, if you want.”
Ember gave Nautilus a curious look. “You’re a Water Wolf,” he said slowly. “Aren’t you supposed to live in the ocean? There’s nothing but sand and earth here for miles.”
Nautilus looked flustered. “Well, I live on the beach, so that’s close enough to the ocean, right?” he fumbled.
Aurora studied Nautilus carefully. Why was he acting so strange? Why did he seem like he was hiding something? Was it possible that he was a Water Wolf who didn’t like getting his paws wet?
It didn’t matter right now.
The three wolves were in serious danger every moment they stayed out in the open like this. Sky Pack guards could return at any moment to catch any wandering lawbreakers. The three wolves needed to go immediately.
“You are kind to offer us your home, Nautilus,” Aurora warmly told him. “Thank you for taking Ember and I in.”
Nautilus’ dark blue fur ruffled in embarrassment. “Oh, it’s nothing,” he replied. “Err, follow me if you want, and I can take you there.”
Ember began to limp forward before his friends could ask if he was able to make the journey. Why was Ember so opposed to asking wolves for help? Had a bad experience made him this way? It was a mystery that Aurora would not solve today. Right now, the most important thing was surviving.
The three wolves travelled through the moonlight in silence, heading toward Nautilus’ den. Little did they expect that tonight, Elementa would be changed forever. Their destinies had only just begun, and now, nothing would ever be the same again.
CHAPTER 7
The sound of crashing waves and squawking seagulls woke Aurora. She blearily opened one green eye. Huh? she thought in a sleepy daze. This isn’t my den. Where am I? Startled, Aurora leapt to her paws, her white fur bristling in alarm.
There was a massive snore behind Aurora. The abrupt sound nearly made her jump out of her pelt from fright. Aurora whirled around to find Nautilus, dosing lazily in a small lagoon inside the cave. On the dry sand near him slept Ember. The Fire Wolf seemed like he was in pain, even while asleep. Although Ember’s wounded paw was looking better today, it still appeared to be sore.
Aurora sat down in a daze. It felt like the entire world was swaying underneath her paws. Now she remembered. Queen Tempest had sent her guards to scatter the elemental wolves’ secret meeting place. Aurora, Nautilus, and Ember had barely managed to escape in one piece. They were lucky to have made it this far.
It felt like the walls of Nautilus’ cave were closing in on Aurora. Her chest felt tight as she struggled to breathe. Queen Tempest made all those innocent wolves her prisoners, Aurora thought somberly. And if her guards hadn’t caught me, I would have joined them.
Aurora silently rose to her paws and strode out of the cave, her tail swishing the white sand. Bright, cheery sunlight immediately fell over her. Aurora drew in a deep breath to inhale a salty breeze as it swooshed around her. The winged wolf quietly walked toward the edge of the ocean, halting just out of the reach of the light blue waves. They rhythmically ran up and down the shore.
Aurora wordlessly stared out at the ocean. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the mountains in the distance. She could barely stand to think about her home. Was the Sky Pack even her home anymore? Or was she now a lawbreaker on the run, forced to never return to the one place she knew?
I still believe that Queen Tempest might listen to me, and see reason, Aurora thought. She absentmindedly pawed at the sand. The other elementals aren’t our enemies. A war won’t break out across Elementa just because we interact. How long can the packs stay divided like this? How long until our tension with one another comes to a breaking point? If the continent doesn’t unify soon, then we’ll all just end up tearing one another apart, until there is nothing left. Nothing but darkness, that is.
Aurora lifted her head toward the sun in determination. I used to be just like Queen Tempest, she told herself. Afraid of the other elementals. Afraid of what I believed to be true about them. Afraid that they were too different to be around. But I changed. I think that Queen Tempest can too, if only she has someone to show her the way.
Aurora flared her massive white wings, stretching them toward the bright sky. I’ll be the one to do it. I’ll convince her. I know that I can, if I just try.
Aurora hesitated for a moment, pausing before she flew away. Should I tell Ember and Nautilus about my plan? she wondered. Aurora then shook her head. No, she decided. They might try stopping me from doing what I must. They won’t understand my faith in Queen Tempest. This is something that I have to do alone.
With a pounding heart, Aurora leapt into the warm air and glided toward the mountains, ready to face the Sky Pack again. As she approached the mountainous kingdom, she couldn’t help but wonder if this would be her last time setting paw inside. Or, even more worryingly, if this would be her last few moments of freedom. Queen Tempest might refuse to hear what Aurora had to say, and add her to the collection of prisoners.
Aurora shuddered at the thought. Don’t think about that, the winged wolf fiercely told herself. Don’t overthink anything and scare yourself out of doing this. Queen Tempest needs to hear the truth, or else Elementa might be torn apart by her. Peace is too precious to ignore.
Before long, the beach and ocean became just a small speck behind Aurora. Sky Pack mountains began to close in on her from all sides, sticking out of the earth like jagged, glittering fangs. A tiny dusting of snow fell from the fluffy clouds above her.
Aurora gulped nervously as the Sky Pack Kingdom came into view. Queen Tempest’s fortress cast a dark shadow on the city below. Aurora nervously glided into the darkness, flying toward Queen Tempest’s balcony; the place where the two wolves had met only a day ago.
Guards watched Aurora’s approach with narrowed eyes. However, they didn’t try stopping her as she landed on Queen Tempest’s granite balcony. It was as if they were expecting—and hoping—for her to come.
Aurora anxiously folded her wings back. “Your Majesty?” she called into her gigantic den. Her shaky voice seemed to echo back to her a hundred times before eventually dimming into silence. “Queen Tempest? It’s Aurora. I’ve come to meet with you again, as you’ve requested.”
There was a sharp pause for a moment. “Yes, yes, you may enter,” responded Queen Tempest’s brisk voice. Did she sound… angry? Or, was Aurora just imagining it? She tried not to think about it too much as she cautiously entered Queen Tempest’s chamber.
Aurora found her sitting beside the cavernous pool. The queen was staring at the portrait of a wolf that hung above the rippling, clear water. When she heard the pawsteps of Aurora, she reluctantly turned her gaze away to look at her guest. “Welcome, Aurora” Queen Tempest curtly greeted. “I… wasn’t expecting to see you again.”
Aurora quickly bowed, trying to hide her trembling paws with her wings. “I’m glad to have returned, Your Majesty,” she quickly responded. Queen Tempest thought that I was dead, Aurora realized. That’s what the guards told her, after they saw me and my friends plummet off the cliff. Is Queen Tempest happy to see me? Is she angry? Or had she suspected that I was still alive?
Queen Tempest’s icy blue eyes seemed to freeze Aurora’s fur. “Tell me about your findings yesterday,” she said in an quiet voice. “Have you discovered any traitors? Please, do not leave out any details. I am most curious to hear what you have to say for yourself.” Queen Tempest’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Aurora’s heart was pounding so fiercely that she was certain Queen Tempest could hear every beat. She knows, Aurora thought in horror. She knows that I was there. The guards told her everything, including how I helped
Ember and Nautilus escape. Aurora’s jaw clenched. It’s no use trying to hide the truth when the queen is already aware of what happened. This is my moment to change her mind, and I can’t let it slip through my paws.
Aurora lifted herself so she could look into Queen Tempest’s frosty eyes. She immediately wished that she hadn’t, but didn’t allow herself to look away. “Your Majesty,” Aurora began. “I’m sure that what the guards told you last night is the truth. I was secretly meeting with wolves from the other packs, and I did help some elementals escape.”
Queen Tempest didn’t reveal any emotion on her face. She kept silent, waiting for Aurora to continue. The silence was deafening.
“I had good reason for doing what I did,” Aurora explained uncomfortably. “In my short time visiting wolves from the other packs, I realized something important. They are not our enemies. The other elementals are normal wolves just like us, who have thoughts and emotions and hopes and dreams.” Aurora drew in a deep breath. “We don’t need to be afraid of the other packs. We can work together—maybe even become friends. With your help, Your Majesty, we can unify Elementa.”
Queen Tempest was motionless for a long, long moment. Rage began to explode in her blue eyes. Queen Tempest let out a low growl that quickly became a thunderous snarl. Aurora flinched backward, suddenly fearful for her life. Queen Tempest took an ominous step closer.
“Unify?” Queen Tempest barked. “What makes you think that I have any interest in unifying Elementa?” She spat out the last two words, as if they were bitter on her tongue. Queen Tempest kept prowling toward Aurora, causing the winged wolf to shuffle backward.
“I want to see the other packs crumble beneath my paws!” the queen shouted in a dangerous voice. “I want them to suffer. I want the Sky Pack to exterminate the other elementals like the pests they are, so that we, the strongest wolves of them all, can rule all of Elementa!” Queen Tempest let out a wicked laugh.
Aurora trembled underneath the queen’s shadow. However, she forced herself to bravely meet her frightening eyes. “You can’t do that,” Aurora pleaded. “You don’t have to do that. Please, I’m begging you to reconsider.”
Queen Tempest glared at Aurora. “And why should I?” she hissed in a low voice. “I’m so close to conquering Elementa and crushing the other packs… thanks to your help.”
Aurora let out a startled gasp. “What?” she demanded fearfully. “How could I have possibly helped you with that?”
Queen Tempest moved her amused gaze to the far side of the den. Aurora nervously turned to see what the queen was staring at. It was where Aurora’s gifted pile of White Elemental Heart crystals used to be. But now the spot was empty. Not even a shard remained. Where had Queen Tempest taken it all? And what role could a few crystals possibly play in destroying the other packs?
Just before Aurora could turn around and question her, Queen Tempest suddenly lunged forward. She knocked Aurora off her paws and to the ground. Queen Tempest cruelly stamped her front paws on Aurora’s wing, pinning her.
Aurora let out a yell of pain.
“Guards!” Queen Tempest howled. “Arrest this traitor at once!”
Without warning, a swarm of winged guards descended from the roof like bats. They glided out of the shadows and toward Aurora with outstretched claws.
Fear thundered through Aurora’s veins. Without thinking, she viciously bit Queen Tempest’s leg, sinking her fangs deep into her flesh. The queen pulled back with a howl of shock and pain, releasing Aurora.
Aurora instantly scrambled to her paws and exploded toward the balcony. She leapt off the ledge even before she had a chance to unfold her wings. Aurora plummeted for a brief moment, then spread her wings and flew.
“Get her now!” Queen Tempest snarled, heaving herself to her paws. She immediately collapsed again from the pain. “Do not let that wolf escape!”
Dozens of guards exploded out of Queen Tempest’s cave. They rushed toward Aurora and gained on her with frightening speed. The sound of their beating wings rumbled through the sky like thunder.
Aurora flapped her wings like she never had before. Faster! she thought, panic-stricken. I need to go faster! Hurry. Hurry! Aurora forced her wings to carry her faster, and faster, and even faster than before. They began to burn with pain, but Aurora ignored it and kept on going.
She was quickly losing her strength. How much longer could Aurora keep going like this? There was only one of her, and dozens of guards! Was fighting capture pointless?
A guard suddenly broke formation and dove toward Aurora like a vicious bird of prey. She just barely avoided the guard’s slashing claws, dodging him at the last possible moment. The guard zoomed past her. Another guard instantly copied the first, managing to slice off some of Aurora’s fur. Luckily, he didn’t harm her.
Down below, the wolves of the Sky Pack Kingdom were watching the scene with wide eyes. Aurora gave them a desperate, pleading stare as she exploded past them. Won’t any of them help me? she thought. I can’t escape this nightmare on my own—wait. I think that’s Blizzard!
The pale blue fur of one of the watching wolves was unmistakeable. “Blizzard!” Aurora screamed at him. “Blizzard, help!”
Blizzard’s jaw dropped. What in Elementa had his sister gotten herself into? Blizzard wildly looked around for a moment, as if searching for something that could help Aurora. His eyes then grew bright as an idea came to him.
Blizzard was lost to Aurora’s sight as she flew over his head, leaving him in the distance.
Suddenly, the loud sound of howling wind filled the sky behind Aurora. The guards let out furious and surprised barks. Aurora risked a quick glance over her shoulder. What had happened?
The guards appeared to be surrounded by a whirling vortex of wind. Whenever a guard tried to push through, he was immediately sent tumbling backward. Down below, Blizzard held out one paw toward the guards, focusing to keep his windy vortex stable. “Go, Aurora!” he shouted. “Get out of here! Quickly!”
A thought suddenly struck Aurora, as powerfully as claws. “Blizzard!” she gasped. “The guards will turn on you for helping me escape. You’ll… you’ll… I can’t lose you!” Aurora flew closer to him. “Come with me, okay? We can escape this place together.”
Blizzard’s fur was ruffled by her wingbeats. “I can’t,” he told her in a steady voice, without taking his gaze away from his vortex. The wind was already beginning to drop in strength. Guards would be able to break through in only a few more moments. “I won’t be able to hold this wind forever. You need to go right now. Escape for the both of us, Aurora.”
Tears began to fill Aurora’s eyes. “I can’t leave you!” she shouted.
Blizzard’s fur bristled. “You have to!” he screamed back. “Please, Aurora. You’re running out of time! Go!”
A guard managed to break through the vortex. She let out a growl as she exploded toward Aurora and Blizzard, fangs bared. “Go!” Blizzard screamed again. “Please!”
Aurora’s only response was a stubborn growl. She wouldn’t leave Blizzard—not ever! Just before Aurora could prepare herself for the incoming guard, Blizzard whirled around and shot a front paw forward. The vortex behind him instantly dropped. The storm of guards was released. Blizzard sent a powerful explosion of wind toward Aurora, forcing her away from this nightmare.
Aurora was sent tumbling backward. “No!” she screamed as she desperately tried to fight her way back to Blizzard. It was no use. Her brother’s power was too strong. It was impossible to break out of this raging wind.
Aurora was lifted high into the sky… and far away from Blizzard. Only once she was safely out of the guards’ reach did the wind cease, allowing Aurora to pull into a stable hover. She was too stunned to move for a moment. Her green eyes were wide as she watched the scene down below.
The swarm of guards descended on Blizzard like birds of prey, surrounding him like a tornado of fur, claws, and fangs. Within moments, Blizzard w
as lost to Aurora’s sight. The winged wolf let out a shaky breath as the claws of grief pierced her heart. Aurora could only hope that Queen Tempest treated her prisoners with mercy… wherever they ended up.
Aurora wanted nothing more than to fly down to Blizzard’s rescue, but she knew that it was pointless. Her brother was a prisoner of the Sky Pack now, and she would join him if she acted foolishly.
Feeling dizzy, Aurora turned around and forced herself to fly. She kept on going and didn’t dare look back. Blizzard had given up his freedom for Aurora. She couldn’t allow her brother’s selfless gift to be in vain. If Aurora was in Blizzard’s place, she would have done the same thing for him in a heartbeat.
Aurora allowed her tears to fall as she flew. They plummeted to the ground far below, turning into small balls of ice before shattering into pieces upon impact. Aurora didn’t give in to her terrible grief.
Keep moving, Aurora’s instincts told her. Leave these mountains behind forever. The Sky Pack is no longer your home. Queen Tempest is no longer your queen, or your hero. Right now, you have no pack, no family, and no hope. You are doomed to be a runaway criminal forever, and nothing can change that now.
CHAPTER 8
Aurora nearly fainted from relief when the beach came into view. Her wings were aching. She had been flying continuously, without a single break. The fear of Queen Tempest had kept her going, screaming at her to fly away from the mountains forever. Aurora was no longer safe there.
I hope Nautilus will allow me to shelter in his den, she thought nervously. Will he be upset that I left him and Ember behind without saying goodbye? I hope not. I need Nautilus more than I need anything else right now. Without his help, I’ll be done for, and will have nowhere else to go.
Aurora gave her head a shake. I can count on Nautilus, she reminded herself. I may not know him all that well, but I can tell he has a good heart. Nautilus will help me. I’m sure of it.
