by Natalie Erin
Where was his pack? Snapfoot turned, following the scent, until he saw his group of wolves gathering around an old unicorn’s body.
“Snapfoot!” one of his wolves cried out. “Snapfoot, we caught one!”
His mood brightened instantly. “Well done my friends!”
“Kaliska found this senile one just wandering the woods after she made her distraction,” Ewahee added. “We took it down easily.”
“Excellent job,” Snapfoot praised, and Kaliska wagged her tail at his words.
He looked down at the carcass, nodding. “Everybody grab hold, so we can drag it back to the pack.”
Snapfoot looked down, felt his stomach rumble, and took a triumphant bite. It was tough, gamey meat, but it was something, and to his empty belly it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
That night Midnightstar left the others to sleep around an old oak tree while Dust kept watch on the edge of a clearing nearby.
“I need to talk to you,” she said to her. “Again.”
“Do you only have questions for me?” Dust said, closing her eyes.
“What was Xiuh speaking to you about this morning?” Midnightstar said.
“He was asking me for advice.”
“Advice about what?” Midnightstar said, surprised.
“I will not betray his confidence.”
“You barely know him!”
“Does it matter?”
“I’m warning you. Stay away from him.”
“You are not his master. He can speak to whom he likes.”
“Don’t put anything into his head that wasn’t already there. He’s mad at all of us.”
“He’s mad at nobody but you, and perhaps at himself for letting you use him.”
“I can’t control when I enter his mind,” Midnightstar said, assuming that Xiuh had told Dust everything.
“He’s upset you’ve been ignoring him.”
“Well, what does he want me to do about it?” Midnightstar burst. “Being friends is just something that’s not possible for us right now, and he knows that. Why does he keep insisting?”
“He’s your portal. It’s natural.”
“How do you know what he’s called?” Midnightstar asked, once again shocked at Dust’s admission.
“I’d heard of skygazers before. The Assembly found me as a child. They decided to take me on as a...group project. As I grew, they thought me very wise.”
“And then they kicked you out?”
Dust’s eyes swirled. “No. I chose to stay with them, for a time.”
“Why?”
“It was...what I felt I should do.”
Her answers were worse than no answer at all. “At any rate, it would be weird being friends with him now. I pop in and out of his head at random.”
“I can help you with that. The Assembly...taught me some things about skygazers while I was there,” Dust said. “It’s not an impossible feat to enter and exit his mind at will.”
“What will it take for you to teach me?” Midnightstar said.
“I know the only thing you want to use it for is to stay away from him completely,” Dust said. “Right now, your connection is the only thing keeping you two somewhat close. If I tell you now, you will never enter his mind again. I refuse to be your instructor until you succumb to a personal relationship with this dragon.”
“Who are you to make demands of me? I refuse!” Midnightstar insisted, swishing her tail.
“It is your choice.”
That last statement was enough. She turned to leave, and as she did so, Dust called out, “You should be nicer to Xiuh. I know what you are, Midnightstar! Being a skygazer isn’t something you can keep running from forever!”
The entire pack was full that day, and at least not very hungry the day after. Snapfoot was pleased with his hunters for catching something, even after their original plan failed. It was good they’d managed to get something in return for their great risk. Unfortunately, Snapfoot knew that their one meal had come at a great cost. He was expecting it to come in the form of unicorns, but in fact, the first consequence was much different.
“Oy, you there!” An old gray wolf with a cocky swagger rambled over to Snapfoot’s den, and as he did so, Snapfoot’s eyes widened as he saw every single wolf that had taken shelter in the plains recently stumble in behind him. A gaggle of twelve wolves copied the gray’s movement exactly, stepping where he stepped and halting on a dime when he said quietly, “Halt.”
Snapfoot blinked. “What do you want?”
The old gray peered closer, a smile sliding on his face. “We’re not blind, you know. We can see that your pack isn’t hungry like the rest of us. Why don’t you mind sharing the secret of your success?”
“There’s no secret to hide,” Snapfoot said calmly. “We have just as much food as you do.”
“But your pack looks full,” the old wolf remarked, his voice full of accusation. “Surely you know something we don’t.”
“Snapfoot tells the truth. He’s hiding nothing from any of you.” Lottie trailed in front of the group, her eyes unusually cold and chilling.
“Do my eyes deceive me?” the old gray asked. He laughed, shaking his head. “Well, this is a surprise! I thought you dead long ago!”
“Hello, Echo,” Lottie said bluntly.
“Lottie,” Echo soothed. “You’re as lovely as ever.”
Understanding funneled into Snapfoot’s brain. Of course! This was Echo, the wolf who had abandoned Kia’s group after Kennu, Allie, he and his siblings had been kidnapped by Wyntier ten years ago!
Snapfoot clenched his teeth and refused to start an argument. No matter how much he disliked Echo, he couldn’t let it show.
“I see you’ve made your own pack,” Lilja said slowly, stepping in front of his sister and glaring at the leader.
“Lilja! You’re getting old,” Echo laughed.
“So are you,” Lilja responded without hesitation.
“What are you here for? Speak up!” Snapfoot didn’t want to lose his temper, but he was getting impatient. What was this betrayer doing here, with his own pack, bursting in and ripping open old wounds that nobody needed to touch?
“Where’d you get all the meat?” Echo demanded, putting his paw down. “We need to know.”
“I know your pack is hungry, but we have no food.”
“Enough,” Echo growled. “Either you tell us, or we’ll make you!”
Growls and snarls instantly sprung up from Snapfoot’s pack. Kaliska leapt forward and said, “You lay one paw on him, I’ll...”
“You’ll do what, girlie? Gum my tail?” Echo responded.
“There is no need to talk to her like that!” Snapfoot shouted. “And if you even think of making me do anything, I’d have you down on the ground with your tail tucked between your legs within a few seconds, old wolf.”
“If you’re so brave then just say where you got the food,” Echo cajoled.
Snapfoot sat down. He didn’t want to reveal his pack’s secret, but if he prolonged telling Echo, the old leader would start a fight. He paused, then dove in. “My pack isn’t hungry because, the night before last, we hunted down a unicorn.”
There was an instant riot. Nobody had attacked a unicorn before, not in the plains. No wolf had dared to try, not with Vixen around.
But Vixen wasn’t here, and the wolves were hungry. “Let’s go get us some dinner!” Echo said, his mouth already slobbering at the idea.
“I wouldn’t try it again, not for a while,” Snapfoot said. “I’m guessing the herd is pretty angry.”
“Who cares?” Echo exclaimed. “They’re an instant food source. They’re hard to catch, but there’s tons of them! Why didn’t we think of it before?”
“If you hunt the unicorns they’ll retaliate for sure! They’re not going to take being killed for food. This was only supposed to be a one-time thing until we found something else,” Snapfoot argued.
“Like what? Look around you. There’s nothi
ng left!” Echo proclaimed.
“Most of them are young and strong! They’ll run us through with their horns if we keep pushing it,” Snapfoot insisted.
“Who cares? We’re dying anyway, so let’s take em!” Echo cried.
There were divisions. Half of the wolves were desperate enough to take Echo’s side and hunt the unicorns. The other half sided with Snapfoot and said it was too risky. The arguing got louder and louder, and began escalating towards violence. Snapfoot finally got fed up and shouted, “This is getting us nowhere! Let each pack decide!”
“I have the perfect solution,” Echo interceded, and all went quiet. Each head swiveled to look at Echo, and the old wolf waited until he had everyone’s full attention to speak. “A challenge. Between Snapfoot and I. Whoever lasts the longest becomes the leader of us all.”
“I don’t like it,” Snapfoot said. “Everybody should stay in their own packs.”
A tirade of booing. Echo shook his head, laughing, and said, “What, are you afraid of getting your fur dirty?”
“I’m not afraid of anything except losing more wolves!” Snapfoot burst out. “If we combine our numbers, we all have to work harder so we can take care of a larger group!”
“Yes, but we’ll have more wolves to help hunt.” Echo smiled at Snapfoot in triumph.
“We can’t afford to be fighting amongst ourselves. Echo, you’re obviously not in the best shape,” Snapfoot growled.
Echo tilted his head. “I assure you, my body is no comparison to my brains. I can outsmart you, youngster.”
Snapfoot had to force himself not to raise his hackles.
“Do we have an agreement?” Echo asked. Nobody challenged.
The old wolf beamed. “Good. Tomorrow, at sunrise, Snapfoot and I will fight to the end. Then the victor will decide what to hunt or not hunt.”
Murmurings, whispers and complaints. General agreement. Then the group disbanded, until the only wolves left standing around the camp were the members of Snapfoot’s pack.
Snapfoot angrily pushed his way towards the den. “Let nobody in!” he demanded, slipping down into his cave to brood. His leadership, so short, was drawing quickly to a disastrous close, and all because of one vital mistake.
Had it been a mistake to hunt a unicorn? His pack had been so hungry. Snapfoot just hadn’t had the heart to tell them once again that there was nothing to eat.
There was a crumbling noise. They had disobeyed him and let somebody in, or at least, she had let herself in. If it had been anyone except Kaliska, Snapfoot would’ve exploded.
“Cocky bastard! He just wants to be the top dog,” Snapfoot said, unable to control his anger.
“Echo has a valid point. We’re all hungry, and if we’re together we have a better chance against the unicorns if they attack.” Kaliska knew better than to come close when he was this angry, so she stood at a distance.
“If they attack,” Snapfoot said. “I’m just as much for helping others as the next wolf, but this points towards disaster. What if his wolves don’t want to listen to me, or my wolves don’t want to listen to him? We’ll all starve! It’s complete chaos!”
“They’ll listen, Snapfoot, because you’re going to win,” Kaliska said confidently. “You’re the best leader, plain and simple. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and with Lilja’s guidance, there’s no way you can lose.”
“Kaliska, he’s old, but he’s clever, and if Lilja’s stories are right he won’t fight fair. He can beat me,” Snapfoot reminded her.
Kaliska’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you understand me. There’s no way you can lose, because if you do, then we’re all done for.”
Chapter Six
Don’t Eat the Glowing Mushrooms, Midnightstar
Everything was dark and the world was empty. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound, nothing was real. It was a dream...it had to be a dream. This world of nothingness couldn’t really exist. But it did exist, and it was all around Midnightstar. She thought she was alone, but then a strange whispering caught her ear.
“Hello? Who’s there?” she called.
No one answered. The whispering was nothing more than her own head, trying to trick her. She didn’t know if she was standing or sitting...or maybe she was floating. Nothing could break through the darkness.
“Is there anyone out there?” her voice bounced its way back to her, echoing through the cavernous night. “Somebody please answer me.”
“You do not deserve to be amongst others. You are meant to be alone,” the ever-present voices whispered softly.
“No,” Midnightstar whined. “Not in this darkness.”
“This is where you are meant to be. In a world with no meaning, no light, no friends,” the voices replied. “Forever alone in this useless place, vacant of time.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” she whimpered, but the voices had left her. She looked around, lost and confused. She could see nothing but a faint glow a short ways away. She approached, unable to feel her feet touch the ground.
As she got closer, the glow brightened, then became nothing at all. She looked down at the source. It was a measly mushroom no bigger than the pad of her paw. “What is this supposed to mean?” she questioned.
The mushroom no longer glowed, but it was the only thing in this dark place that was visible. She clung to the one piece of life that told her she wasn’t really alone, drawing near.
“You’re all that’s left, aren’t you?” she asked, nudging it with her paw.
The white cap of the mushroom fell off, and she howled in agony. “I killed you! The only thing left in this darkness, and I killed you!”
Her moan was lost as the sound of beating wings filled the air. A butterfly bigger than a dragon appeared before her, its large wings glistened with yellow and green spots. Unable to control her actions, Midnightstar growled, and readied herself to pounce. Leaping into the air, Midnightstar landed squarely upon the butterfly’s back. It took off into the sky, flying higher and higher through the pounding darkness.
Midnightstar clung desperately to the creature, trying to grab hold with her claws. But she could find no way to stay on its back and she fell, howling, through the air. She landed in sand, surrounded by the light of a burning desert sun.
The air was hot and dry. Everywhere she looked, there was sand, and nothing more. There were dunes of sand, valleys of sand, long, unmarked roads all made of sand.
Off in the distance, a shape materialized. Midnightstar saw it, but didn’t move to get up. It drew closer, then stopped when it was a short distance away.
“Dust?” Midnightstar called. “What are you doing here?”
“Wake up, Midnightstar. The breeze of time waits for no one.” Dust’s gentle voice pulled Midnightstar awake, and the wolf shook her head, once again back in the Lands and not immersed in her dream world.
“Sorry. I’m a heavy sleeper,” Midnightstar replied. She rose to her feet and shook the dirt from her coat, head still swimming.
“Are you alright?” Dust asked.
“Of course I’m alright, why wouldn’t I be?” Midnightstar snapped.
“Your visions are strange, aren’t they?” Dust questioned.
Midnightstar froze. “Did Xiuh tell you about my visions? What did he say to you?”
“Don’t eat the mushrooms, Midnightstar,” Dust said, turning and walking away. “We must begin our journey now.”
All the others had already gotten a head start. Confused by Dust’s comment, Midnightstar sighed and began to follow.
Snapfoot prepared himself for battle, stretching his limbs carefully. “There is no need to panic, Snapfoot. You’re sure to win,” Kaliska said, walking up beside him.
Snapfoot didn’t answer. He was staring across the plains at Echo, who seemed more than eager to begin the fight.
“It’ll be fine,” Kaliska assured him. “You know you’re the strongest. You just have to last.”
“You make it sound so easy,” Snapfo
ot growled.
“Let’s stop messing around and get on with this!” Echo called. “Snapfoot, are you ready?”
“Break his leg if you have to,” Kaliska urged as Snapfoot walked away. All of the wolves had formed a circle in the center of the plains. There Echo was, waiting.
“Are you worried?” Echo laughed as Snapfoot drew near. “You should be.”
“Let’s just get this over with,” Snapfoot said, advancing on him slowly. He didn’t want to make the first move. It’d be better if Echo struck first.
The old leader darted forward, snapping at the young alpha. The wolves twisted and dove at each other, snarling viciously as they landed bites and blows upon each other’s fur. Snapfoot jumped back and lashed out with his sharp claws, catching Echo’s side and opening two parallel wounds. Echo yelped, backing up a few paces but never taking his eyes off his competitor.
“You think you have power over me?” Echo snarled. “You won’t win this fight.”
Snapfoot didn’t respond, his anger fueling his attack. He charged forward, growling and snapping. He latched onto Echo’s right forelimb, digging his teeth in. Echo howled in agony, pulling against Snapfoot’s grip.
Snapfoot released him, lost in his rage. “You are nothing more than a worthless coward!” he shouted.
“I am not a coward!” Echo limped forward, determined to mangle Snapfoot, but the other wolf was prepared. Snapfoot head-butted Echo’s side, knocking the older creature over. Snapfoot lunged forward and tore at Echo’s limbs and stomach, grabbing anything he could with his fangs and claws. Echo pawed at Snapfoot’s face, trying to blind his opponent, but Snapfoot barely felt his blows. Snapfoot jumped up and landed upon Echo’s rear legs, breaking one in half.
Echo yelped, squirming beneath Snapfoot’s weight. “I give up! You win!” the old wolf whined. “Just let me live!”
Snapfoot’s frenzy came to an abrupt halt, and he stepped back. Echo lay where he was, a tattered, broken mass. Blood stained his fur and covered three of his four legs. The right rear leg was bent in all the wrong places, while both front legs were nothing more than hanging bits of flesh and bone.
