Blaze towered over Shita now, snarling, "I guess if you think a rabbit is worth all that, we'll fight over it!" He lunged, his claws sinking into her shoulders, his teeth snapping close to her ear.
Shita pummeled at him with her hind paws, but he was immune to mortal pain. "No!" Her voice burbled like a stream; Blaze had placed one his immense paws on her neck, and the heavy weight was crushing her. "I need to tell you...!" Shita cried out, but his heavy claws made her whimper in pain.
(Sorry. We're just Role playing.)
Shita choked out, in a whisper that sounded strained and harsh, "I forgive you." Instantly the weight and pain was gone, but she felt sticky red blood pooling onto the snow. Instead of the snarling monstrosity that had attacked her, a young, clean male was striding across the snow with confidence, soon springing away as thick billows of snow blew between them. Oddly, she felt sad to see him go. "Blaze! Don't leave me!" She ran after him, sadness in her voice, "Who will protect me? Who will keep the cold away?"
A whisper crept into her ears, calm yet sad, "There will be another. Don't fret, dear sister."
Shita heard a snarling howl, but not of her brother's voice. It sounded like the angry howl of Wyeth, her former pack leader. "Oh, Lupus. Please protect my friends." Shita stared into the forest, eyes streaming tears, "Brother, what am I to do? I started a mess that's ending in war."
"Listen to what your heart tells you is right." The whispering voice was gone then, and the snow began to taper off. Shita raced through the trees, her nose leading her without a scent.
Shita continued to run, her paws drumming the earth. Suddenly, things were familiar. Camp! Why was her brother leading her to camp? She was still a distance away, but she doubted anyone could ignore the sound of a wolf running through the forest.
Shita was getting closer, but it seemed she couldn't move fast enough to stop impending doom.
"No!" Shita slammed her paws into Blade knocking him off of Wyeth. "What are you doing? You can't kill him! After what he's done for us!" Shita looked desperately into his eyes, tears dripping from hers.
"I'm sorry, Blade. But if anyone's blood will be spilled, it will be mine." She reached around his neck, nipping a small pressure point, hoping that would be enough to disable him.
"It's my fight, not yours." Shita turned to Wyeth, her ruff low, ears back, paws spread wide for balance. Her tail was low, but not in a submissive way.
"Are you ready to listen? Or do you want a fight?" Shita sounded sad and tired, not confident.
"Have you ever been haunted by something? Or been in such pain or dread that you just wanted to disappear and die? Have you?" Shita looked at him with pleading eyes, fresh tears making them glisten.
"I have," Shita bent her head and wept, tears staining the snow, "I left because of a mistake. I left my family and everyone I had known for a simple mistake, something that had been ignored. I left because someone killed something I loved." She began to wail, "Why couldn't I have just forgiven him? Why couldn't I believe him? Why didn't I listen to sense? I was a fool... I was a fool."
She shook her head, sniffling slightly, and took a shuddering breath, "I know you haven't. I know that now. But imagine if you couldn't escape a feeling of pain or dread, and someone was there who could take the feeling away. Would you ask for it?"
"Krypt had that feeling, but was too weak to do anything. So she begged for me to take away her life. And eventually I thought it best to do it. Maybe then a wolf's suffering could end. I hoped she would feel better when she died. But then..." Shita shook her head, sighing. "At least now you've heard the story. If anyone leaves, it will be my fault. But not just mine, now that you've heard what happened."
Shita sighed and walked away. A rumbling filled the air, and a sense of fear shot through her. "Krypt?" She barked, looking around, "Krypt!" Shita shot out, legs pumping, with fear fueling her once tired limbs.
"KRYPT!"
Shita saw a large billow of snow up ahead, on the edge of a large rocky ledge. The tip was missing, but Shita took no notice, her gaze was focused on an odd swirl of snow, in the shape of a wolf's paw, but massive, as large as any pond. It was reaching for a small, broken shape lying next to a broken pile of stone. "Krypt!" She wept, running harder.
"Krypt!" She ran up beside her friend, eyes shining as more tears ran down her cheeks. "Oh, Krypt." She nuzzled her friend, sinking to her knees.
"Blade." Shita looked at him, "Lie down beside her, I'm going to find a shelter. Or make one." Shita darted off looking into the whiteness for any sign of a cave or shelter.
Shita came pacing back, panting. "The only shelter close is the camp. And the snow here has hardened into ice. We have to go back to camp." Shita's eyes met Blade's as a jolt of fear went through her.
"The only one here to help you in a time of need. You need to trust me." Shita stepped up to Krypt tiredly. Her mother told her that sometimes when wolves fall on their heads, they forget who they are and where they're at, temporarily. She just hoped Krypt would remember soon. "Your name is Krypt. I need you to get on my back. I'll carry you."
Shita began to wiggle her way underneath Krypt, her tired limbs shaking with the effort.
