by Sophie Torro
The air was turning hot and dry the further they travelled, especially as the sun rose higher. Aurora coughed dizzily. She was so used to frozen mountains and high altitudes, that the heat was beginning to affect her.
There was no longer a lush green prairie beneath their paws. Now, the ground was cracked and dry. It clearly hadn’t rained here for moons. Aurora couldn’t help but wish Nautilus had the ability to summon water, so they could drink. A fish tail wasn’t going to be useful in a dry place like this.
Aurora coughed again. Her mouth felt as dry as the baked earth underfoot. Maybe we should have been better prepared before coming to a place like this, she thought nervously. We have no water. No food. Nothing. Aurora blinked wearily. Maybe this was a mistake.
Nautilus’ pawsteps suddenly faltered. “Hey, guys?” he asked in an exhausted voice. “I… I think I need a minute. Go on without me.” Nautilus let out a dramatic whimper as he folded to the scorching ground.
Ember rolled his eyes while he pulled himself to a stop. The Fire Wolf strode to Nautilus’ side, with Aurora close behind him. She felt a wave of concern for her friend. What was wrong with him?
Nautilus’ gills fluttered rapidly, as if he was gasping for breath. His dark blue fur drooped like a withering plant, while his fish-like tail appeared to be dehydrated. It flopped pathetically at his side.
Aurora felt terrified. “He needs water,” she gasped. A wave of dizziness rolled into Aurora, causing the earth to feel like it was swaying beneath her pads. By now, the sun was high in the sky, blazing down on the three wolves with ruthless heat. And they weren’t even in the heart of the desert yet. How in Elementa were they supposed to make it to the Earth Pack alive?
Without warning, Ember suddenly bit Nautilus’ scruff and yanked him to his paws. “Get a grip!” he shouted in a voice that sliced through the wasteland’s silence. “You don’t need water, Nautilus. You need to use your head.”
Nautilus blinked at him in a confused silence. Aurora felt just as clueless. With a shuddering breath, she wiped away sweat that began to trickle down her neck. It felt more like lava than water, burning her fur. This heat was unbearable! Oh, how Aurora longed for the frozen peaks on the Sky Pack. Would Queen Tempest forgive her for being away from the mines for so long? Surely she would pardon her most loyal citizen.
Aurora slowly blinked her dry eyes. Her wings dropped at her sides, dragging on the burning white sand. I’ll make it up to Queen Tempest by finding her plenty of White Elemental Heart, she thought unsteadily. Queen Tempest is the best leader ever.
Aurora winced when a vulture let out a rough squawk from overhead. The creature was circling them, while staring with beady yellow eyes. It squawked again, the noise managing to snap Aurora out of her head-induced confusion. What is wrong with me? she thought with a fearful gasp. Queen Tempest is the enemy now. She wants to tear apart Elementa, and I’m going to be the one to stop her.
“You’re a shapeshifter,” Ember sharply reminded Nautilus, while still biting his scruff. “Why in Elementa are you still in your Water Wolf form? Are you trying to make this journey more painful than it actually is?” Ember gave Nautilus a rough shake before letting him go.
Nautilus touched one webbed paw to his forehead, looking just as unsteady as Aurora. “Right,” he huffed. “You’re right. I can shapeshift. Wow, this heat must really be getting to me. I forgot that I can actually do that. Weird.” Light red streaked over his dark blue fur, and his fish-like tail morphed into one belonging to a Fire Wolf. Nautilus’ paws immediately glowed with heat.
Ember took a step back. “Better, isn’t it?” he sarcastically asked.
Nautilus nodded. “The temperature feels cooler now,” he responded. “Thanks, Ember.”
Aurora licked one of her pads, attempting to cool herself. Of course, it didn’t work. Ember gave Aurora a helpless glance, looking like he wanted to help her, but didn’t know how. His ears suddenly perked up. “I have an idea,” Ember said eagerly. “Aurora, why don’t you fly around and see if you can find some Earth Wolves? The wind will cool you off, and you’ll also help us reach the border quicker.”
Aurora smiled. “That’s a great idea, Ember,” she responded. “Okay, you two wait here, and I’ll see what I can find.” Aurora’s wings felt like heavy weights as she lifted them off the blazing sand. She took off, gliding higher and higher into the cloudless blue sky.
Aurora let out a sigh of relief. Ember was right. The wind really was cooling her off. Aurora did a little loop in the air for fun, relishing the breeze as it danced through her white fur.
Far in the distance, a massive red glow lit the sky. Aurora gazed at it curiously. Although it was hard to tell from this far away, Aurora felt certain that she was looking in the direction of the Fire Pack. Black rocks made up their territory, along with volcanoes and lava-strewn hills. Smoke billowed in the sky near the Fire Pack, creating a swirling haze.
Aurora immediately felt intimidated by the sight of it all. The Fire Pack looked like a hostile, dangerous place that she had no intention of exploring yet. Perhaps that was why Ember keeps his distance from his own pack. Was it strange for him to be so close to the home he had left behind? She would try asking him later.
Aurora peeled her gaze away from the Fire Pack’s direction, and instead began to gaze out at the horizon. It was all sand, sand, and more sand for miles. Aurora put on an extra burst of speed, flying forward. Surely there had to be something in this desert. An entire pack of elemental wolves lived here, after all.
Keep looking, Aurora, she told herself. You’re bound to find something eventually. Whether it be a hut, an oasis—Aurora’s green eyes grew wide—or an entire village! I’ve reached the Earth Pack border!
The roofs of buildings began to emerge in the horizon, small enough to overlook, but important enough to flood Aurora with relief. For a moment, she had been worried that there was no life at all out here.
Aurora didn’t dare approach the village any further, for fear of being spotted. The four elemental packs were still enemies. The villagers would certainly be hostile if a stranger from another pack started to approach them unannounced.
Wind whistled in Aurora’s ears as she turned around and flew back to Ember and Nautilus. It didn’t take long for her to find them again. They appeared to be two red dots from this height, but she could tell that they were watching her eagerly. Aurora landed in front of them and gracefully folded her wings back.
“Well?” Nautilus asked cheerfully. “Did you find anything good?”
Ember watched her curiously without saying a word. His tail was curled neatly over his paws.
Aurora nodded happily. “I found a village, not too far away from here,” she told her friends. “The Earth Pack border is only a few minutes away if we walk quickly.” At her words, Nautilus rose to his paws, ready to follow Aurora.
Ember remained still. “Wait,” he cautioned them. “Before we get any closer to Earth Pack territory, we should disguise ourselves now.”
Nautilus shuddered. “Mud and dirt,” he mumbled. “Gross.”
Ember gazed at Nautilus from the corner of his eye. “You’ll need to change back into your Water Wolf form,” he observed. “Your burning paws will give you away.”
Nautilus transformed immediately. “But what about my tail?” he asked, pointing at it with a webbed claw.
Ember rose to his paws. “We’ll have to make it work,” he responded calmly. “Try curling it in so the fins don’t show as much.” Ember lifted his head and sniffed the air. “I think I can scent wetter earth over here. If we dig, we should be able to reach mud.”
Aurora and Nautilus followed Ember in silence. Together, they began to dig, and eventually uncovered a pool of mud. Ember grinned at Aurora. “Ladies’ first,” he joked.
Shuddering, Aurora scooped up a pawful of mud and streaked it all across her fur. Nautilus and Ember reluctantly copied her. Before long, the three wolves were covered in
icky, slimy, gooey mud. Gross!
“Well,” Nautilus said. “This is terrible.”
Aurora teasingly splashed him with a pawful of mud. “Absolutely the worst,” she jokingly agreed.
Ember was staring out across the horizon, silent and unmoving. Nautilus padded to his side. “What are you staring at?” he asked. “You’re kind of being a stick in the mud. Heh. Get it? Because we’re all covered in mud?”
Ember ignored him as he walked over to Aurora. “Here,” he said as he took off his black cloak. “You’ll be needing this again to cover your wings. Other than that, our disguises look fine. As long as we try to blend in, no Earth Wolf will question us.”
Aurora flung his cloak over her wings, feeling mysterious and brooding like Ember as she tugged the hood over her head. “Okay,” she said, “follow me. It’s time to go meet some Earth Wolves.”
It was clear that something was wrong as they approached the village. It was silent. There wasn’t an Earth Wolf in sight. Not even pawprints could be found in the sand. Aurora found herself holding her breath as the village shimmered into view in the distance. Where was everyone? Were they approaching a ghost town?
Then, as they got nearer to the village, Aurora gasped. She hadn’t realized until now that entire buildings had been destroyed. Rubble littered the ground everywhere Aurora looked, while tiny clouds of black smoke trickled into the sky. Fur was tossed along the dunes as a breeze flowed by. Some fur was brown… while most was white and light blue.
Nautilus suddenly let out a yelp of alarm. “Ouch,” he gasped, lifting one paw. “I nearly tripped on something.” Nautilus cautiously unearthed the item, sweeping away the sand with his tail. Aurora walked closer to see what Nautilus had found. It was silver, and glowed blindingly in the sunlight.
Aurora bent her head to inspect the item more closely. She abruptly recoiled, as if she had touched fire. It was a helmet, with the Sky Pack logo carved into it. Dread crashed down on Aurora like a tsunami. “No,” she breathed.
Ember’s face was grim as he stared at the destroyed Earth Wolf village. “I think,” he said somberly, “that Queen Tempest’s army got to this village before we could.”
CHAPTER 11
Aurora swayed on her paws, feeling dizzy and weak. Queen Tempest destroyed this village, she thought in a daze. My own pack destroyed this village. Why? For what reason?
Aurora could tell that this village had been a simple one, with no riches or wealth. The buildings were made of clay and straw, while the streets were created with mere cobblestone.
Aurora dug her claws into the sand underfoot to steady herself. The realization nearly knocked her off her paws. I know why Queen Tempest and her army did this, Aurora thought grimly. To make a point. To show the Sky Pack’s power, and to instill fear into the hearts of the other elementals.
Ember warily eyed Aurora. “Hey, are you okay?” he asked her, sounding concerned. “I know this is a lot to take in.”
Aurora forced down her emotions, straightened her wings, and lifted her head. “I’m fine,” she responded steadily. “What’s done is done. Feeling upset isn’t going to rebuild this village or make it up to the Earth Wolves. Let’s keep moving, and see if anyone still lives here.”
Aurora’s determination to find Sandstorm was as strong as ever now. Queen Tempest needed to be stopped. The destruction of this humble village was only the beginning of her wrath. If the White Elemental Heart crown wasn’t stolen soon, then all of Elementa will surely be lost. Aurora refused to let that happen.
Aurora and Ember began to enter the ruins of the abandoned village, cautiously scanning the rubble for anything that could help them. Nautilus followed more slowly, his mud-streaked fur fluffed out in his worry. “Guys?” he asked. “You don’t think any Sky Wolf guards are still here, do you?”
Ember sniffed the air, checking for scents. “I don’t think so,” he responded after a few moments. “I think we’re alone here.”
Aurora moved away from her friends, deciding to wander down an alleyway on her own. It felt strange to be walking through an empty village. Aurora brushed her paw along one of the clay walls. Was this place really empty? She couldn’t help but feel like eyes were watching her from the shadows.
Don’t be silly, Aurora told herself. You’re freaking yourself out on purpose now. At least, she really hoped that was the case.
The alleyway led to a dead end. Frustrated, Aurora turned around and headed back to Ember and Nautilus. When she emerged into the heart of the village, she spotted her friends huddling around something in the distance. “Have you found something?” Aurora asked.
Nautilus pawed the object closer to Aurora, sliding it across the scorching sand. “Look,” he said. “It’s Earth Pack armour. We should use it to blend in better.”
While Nautilus spoke, Ember lifted up a copper helmet and placed it on his head. The helmet was a bit big for his scrawny figure, but fit nonetheless. “Here,” Ember told Nautilus as he passed him a chest plate. “Wear this.”
“What should I wear?” Aurora asked. “Or is your cloak enough, Ember?”
“I would wear these copper claw enforcements, if I were you,” Ember suggested. “They might prove to be useful.” He pushed them to Aurora.
“Now what?” Nautilus asked, once the three wolves had finished putting on their armour. “This copper is frying me in this heat!” He started to fan himself with his long tail, but not very efficiently.
“Maybe we should do one more scan of the village,” Aurora said. “There might be wolves here that we haven’t seen yet. They can help us find Sandstorm, if we get a chance to ask them.”
Ember nodded, causing his helmet to become lopsided. “It’s worth a shot,” he agreed while adjusting the helmet. “Let’s split up, and regroup here after a few minutes. If anyone needs help, make sure to howl as loudly as you can. Understand?”
Aurora stuck her tongue out at Ember. “Who made you leader?” she teased.
Ember laughed. “You can be leader from now on, if you want,” he responded with a charming smile. “As long as it’s not Nautilus, we have a good chance at survival.” Ember gave the hybrid a wink.
“Hey!” Nautilus said, offended.
Aurora giggled as she moved away from her friends. She travelled further into the maze of alleyways and houses, keeping her ears pricked and eyes sharp for wolves. There was no sign of anyone. Perhaps this village had been completely abandoned after the Sky Pack invasion. The thought saddened Aurora, but she had to stay realistic. If Ember and Nautilus were unable to find any villagers, then it was time they moved on to someplace else.
Without warning, a bloodcurdling screech sliced through the silence. “Help!” Nautilus frantically screamed. “Help! We aren’t—” His words abruptly cut off. The village was plunged into an eerie silence.
Aurora’s fur wildly bristled. With terror pumping through her veins, she exploded in the direction of Nautilus’ cry. Please be alive, please be alive, please be alive, she thought as she ran, over and over again. Aurora skidded as she changed direction, then plunged down an alleyway. Sunlight hit her eyes as she emerged on the other side.
Aurora suddenly collided into something. She crashed to the ground with a thud, her head reeling. Ember let out a groan, clutching his forehead with his paw. “Watch it,” the Fire Wolf hissed through clenched teeth. He immediately stood up, wasting no time by dusting the sand off his mud-streaked fur. “Where’s Nautilus? Have you seen him?”
As if on cue, there was another scream. “Help!” Nautilus cried again. Aurora nearly fainted from relief. He was still alive… for now.
Aurora and Ember rushed in his direction, their paws kicking up clouds of loose sand. “Nautilus?!” Aurora called. “Nautilus, can you hear me? Where are you?”
“Wait! Stop!” Nautilus cried, sounding significantly closer. “It’s a trap! Get out of here while you still can!”
Aurora came to a sudden halt. Her
eyes were wide as she wildly looked around. Nautilus’ voice had been right here. Where was he? Ember suddenly stiffened at Aurora’s side. She followed his gaze, looked up, and saw Nautilus.
He was trapped in a net that was hanging from an archway. Nautilus was attempting to gnaw and scratch his way out, but the netting was too strong. Nautilus gave Aurora and Ember a look of annoyed disbelief. “Didn’t you two hear me?” he spluttered. “This is a trap! Leave, before they catch you!”
Ember bravely—or foolishly—held his ground. Aurora didn’t budge, either. “Who?” she asked Nautilus, who was thrashing like a fish pulled out of the water.
Nautilus suddenly let out a terrified shriek, his eyes wide. “Them!” he screamed, pointing a claw past Aurora and Ember. “They’re coming back! Run!”
Aurora and Ember whipped around. There was a shadowy, dark alleyway behind them. Scuttling pawsteps eerily emerged from the depths. Whispers and growls slithered into their ears. Something was coming, and it was coming fast. Aurora took a trembling step backward, terrified. “I… I can’t see them!” she screamed. “The alleyway is too dark!”
“Show yourselves!” Ember demanded, baring his fangs.
The pawsteps became louder, and louder, and even louder than before.
Nautilus let out a horrified scream.
Then, suddenly, shapes exploded from out of the darkness.
Aurora and Ember both yelled and flinched back.
Staring at them was… a pawful of pups? They innocently blinked at Aurora and Ember.
Aurora couldn’t believe her eyes. “Is this some kind of sick joke?” she growled at Nautilus, slowly turning around to face him. Frustration burned in her green eyes.
Ember dismissively flicked his gaze away from the Earth Wolf pups, then stared angrily at Nautilus. “From the way you were screeching, I thought Queen Tempest was pulling your fur off,” Ember snapped. “What in Elementa is wrong with you?”
Nautilus was too panicked to speak. He looked like he was about to hyperventilate.
