CHAPTER ONE

“Everyone, gather at the HighPeak to witness this wolf moving up in the ranks of our growing pack!” Rising Moon motioned toward me, as I was already walking to the center of the quickly forming circle. “Swift. Yesterday, you showed that you are more than capable of being put to a challenge. I have decided that you are ready for a greater responsibility.” My tail twitched nervously as Rising Moon continued. “Repeat after me. I promise to protect my pack, even if the outcome is death.” I tried to keep my voice steady, my matte-black pelt twitching as she repeated the ancient words. Rising Moon laid her head gently on my ears and said, “Then, I speak this so our ancestors may hear me, I name you Night Runner as you choose your new rank.”

I stood still.

I have a true name.

I have a true name.

Night Runner rose her head. “I have chosen the Fighter rank, as I want to protect my pack in the best way possible.” As my pack began howling my new name, I felt that at last I would finally have some respect in the pack for once.

A few weeks after I had earned my new rank, I held my head high as Rising Moon assigned patrols. I had been put with my brother Dark Shadow, my father Twisted Thorns, Springing Fox, and Tall Adder, the Healer of the pack. Rising Moon had set Dark Shadow as the patrol leader, because he was the most experienced out of the five. “Okay. Today, we’re taking the east side, so be on your BEST GUARD.” He turned to Night Runner. “Night Runner. You will be at the front of the group, with me following. Twisted Thorns, Springing Fawn,” He turned toward the two female patrol wolves. “You will each be on one side of Dappled Leaf. Understood?” His gaze rested on Night Runner when he stopped talking. “Then, Night Runner, take the lead.” She bowed her head as she stood up to get to the front of the patrol, and began heading East of the pack, toward the darkest part of their territory.

As they padded along, I kept my nose down, my ears up, and my eyes flashing from side to side. A storm had been approaching in the hours that they had been out. The forest was dark, almost as dark as night. I raised my tail, a signal to stop. Ahead of me was a den. “That’s the checkpoint. Let’s stop here for the night. And besides, Quick Comet and Bright Moth are there.”

The sun had started to go down when the storm began. It had started as a small sprinkle, but now it was pouring. I had stayed outside the den to guard, and was soaking wet. Suddenly, thunder was heard and a flash of light a second later. “Ashani and Kalypso fighting again?” I turned when my father, Twisted Thorns, came out of the den. “It seems so. I think Apollo has joined too.” I gesture my tail to point at the far flashes of light in the distance. “How’s Bright Moth?”

“She’s fine. Just getting all frantic about the storm…” I grinned as I turned back to look at the sky. “This is one of the biggest storms I’ve seen in a while. And it holds the scent of water with it. But not rain. Flood.”

“Are you good, staying out here alone? If there is a flood?”

“Yeah. I like the feeling of the cold rain on my fur. It cools my pelt down. I’ll be fine. Go inside with Mother and Brother.” I say as I shake off drops of water from my head. I hear Father go back to the den. A few moments later, another shout of thunder was heard all over the valley, quickly followed by a bright flash behind me. My family rushed out of the den as I saw the earth around it explode from the lightning.. My Mother and Father were frantically carrying my Brother out of the den. “He got hit by the lightning. I think he’s dying…” My Mother’s howl was swept away by the rush of water and thunder. “You have to go far, Night Runner. Get away from this place!” Twisted Thorns yelled, picking up my Brother again. I stand still. I hear a rush of water. The flood. It will kill us all. Suddenly, my father grabbed my scruff and dragged me onto high ground. “NO! Please…” I howl to him, but he only looks sadly at me. The earth broke, struck by lightning. The flood came in waves, destroying everything in its path. I watched in horror as the waves swept up my family and tossed them around. The earth broke as lightning struck the water and I yelped as a shock went through the water and electrocuted me. I felt a fire blaze in my chest and around me as my paws stung, and the water swirling toward me from the flood was turning red.

Blood. The blood from my family and pack.

All of them. They're all gone. Just gone.

I turn away, knowing that I can’t save them. Any of them.

CHAPTER TWO

I slunk through the forest as the sun set. My paw-pads hurt from walking all day, especially when I had to avoid the water and broken earth. I was miles away from my territory now, and there were mountains surrounding me.

I sat down under a large oak tree and sighed. I needed food if I was going to live alone. I shook my head slowly, and dirt flew from my pelt. I’ll hunt in the morning. I look up once more at my surroundings before curling up at the root of the tree and falling asleep. In my dreams I replay the flood over and over again, watching my family die. When I wake in the morning, the sun is barely over the horizon, and I feel like I got no sleep. I stood up and stretched my legs.

Oh well. Guess I’ll have to make the most of it… I sigh and trot away from the tree, testing the air. There was a rabbit a little west of the tree. I padded through the sun-filtered forest as I followed the scent trail. It led to a rabbit warren.

An occupied one. I scout around for a back entrance. Finding one at least 50 feet away from the main entrance, I hold my breath and rush in. I follow the large tunnel underground, and I follow the rabbit with it. I hear other rabbits bolt into other tunnels, but I stay with my target. I see light, and I’m back outside. I still follow the rabbit, and when I’m ready, I launch myself at it. I catch my teeth on its shoulder, and I drag it towards me. I look at it for a moment, then sink my teeth into its neck.

My kill. My food.

I picked up the rabbit in my jaws and jogged back over to the oak tree. I lay back down and dropped the rabbit at my paws. I looked at my surroundings more. I was in a dense pine and oak tree forest, with a few clearings and mountains. I heard a river rushing somewhere, and the breeze was flowing. This could be home for me. I bent my head to eat the rabbit, watching for predators. When I finished the rabbit I looked up at the mountains. Suddenly I heard a howl near the top of one of the mountains.

A wolf. Howling.

I hesitate. It could be a stranger wolf, or a pack wolf about to chase me off. I shake my head. I need a pack. I raise my head and give a loud and strong howl. I hear the wolf howl again. It’s guiding me to them.

I get up and stretch. It’s a long way to the top of the mountain. The wolf howled again, and I made up my mind: This is my territory now. I’ll protect it with my life if it means dying. I trotted out from under the shade of the oak tree and began to run towards the mountain. There was a long, skinny path that led up it, and I leaped over rocks as I climbed the path. The wolf howled again, and after a few moments, I saw the wolf. A fire-red eyed male wolf with a smokey gray pelt and jett-black paws and muzzle.

“Hello Night Runner.”

I stare at him frozen.

“H-How do you know my name?”

“Because I was there when your pack died. And when you were a pup.”
“What?”

“The fire.”

I trace my mind for fire. I know the storm was only yesterday, but I kept the memories in the back of my head. I remember.

The burning sensation I felt when the water electrocuted me. It felt like fire.

“Who are you?”

“Haven’t you guessed?”

I study the wolf. Fire-red eyes, smoke colored pelt, black paws and muzzle…

“Kestrel?”

“Took you long enough.” He sat down and cocked his head.

“Why is one of the ALPHAS here?”

“Why not? Ashani, Kalypso, and Apollo were here. They brought that storm.”

I sat down. “Why are YOU here? Why did you come back?” I remember back to when I was a pup. How a smokey gray wolf had been like a shadow to me when I began my training. I saw him everyday, watching me. Making sure no one hurt me. Kestrel was like a guardian to me. Finding out that he was related to me. That he had the power of fire in his veins and paws. Until a forest fire made my pack move territories. That was the last time I saw Kestrel.

“Because. I broke free from the fire.”

“Broke free??”

“Yes. It kept me there. Away from you. So I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t keep your family from dying.”

“It’s weird, being related to one of the great Alphas. Especially the Fire Alpha.”

“How so? You could have fire powers.”

“What?!”

“I don’t know, just a thought.”

I sat down, stared at the ground, closed my eyes and concentrated.

“What are you doing…”

I hear Kestrels' voice behind me.

“Shut up. You said I had fire power. Let me concentrate.”

“I said you could have fire power.”

“Well, if I could, then I do.”

Kestrel rolled his eyes and sighed as he sat down. “Fine,” He grumbled, “Focus on anything, like a rotten log.” He gave me a hard stare.

“What?”

“Don’t set any trees on fire or else there will be another forest fire. Try finding a rotten log somewhere.”

I shrugged and padded back down the slope. Opening my mouth, scenting the air for trails I could follow. Picking a rotten stench west of me, I trotted into the forest with Kestrel behind me.

The forest was growing dark, and the light and smell of the fire would both enable them to see, as well as having the smoke keep away unwanted guests. I was sitting in a clearing with the moon overhead. The stench of rotten plants was flooding my senses, but I held my concentration. My paws felt hot, but I didn’t know whether that was from the fire or just my blood pulsing through my veins.

I heard Kestrel behind me. “Maybe try putting your paws on the log?”

He had been giving me useless advice for the past hour.

“Shut. UP.” I growled, and I felt a flame spark on the wood. Kestrel stared at me.

“‘How did you do that.”

“I don’t know, I did it though.”

I backed away from the fire as it got bigger. More wolves began howling at the full moon as the moon rose. After a few hours, Kestrel had fallen asleep and the fire had died down. I curled up tighter as the moon crossed the sky. I closed my eyes, and, with time I drowsed off.

The sun burned my pelt when I awoke the next morning. Kestrel was just walking into the clearing with a rabbit dangling from his jaws. He padded over to me and dropped the rabbit at my paws.

“Morning.”

I yawned and jabbed my paw at the rabbit. “Morning. I see you already went hunting.”

“Yep. Caught a few rabbits. There’s more if you want some when you’re done.”

I smile and shake my head. “Nah. I was already used to not eating a ton in the pack.”

“Was hunting bad?” He cocked his head.

I shrug. “No. Just bad hunters.” I bend my head to eat the rabbit, tearing meat from bone.

“Didn’t you hunt?”

“No. I was a guard for patrols. A fighter.”

“Oh. But you know how to hunt?” Kestrel cocked his head in confusion.

“Yeah? Anyone from my pack was trained in all skills until our ranking day.”

“Huh…” Kestrel nodded his head slowly and sat to eat his rabbit.

“What?” I ask Kestrel as I see his gaze raise to the sky.

“We need to go. Now.”

“What?!”

“Another flood storm is coming.”

CHAPTER THREE

“Where should we go?” I say, looking at Kestrel warily.

“Away from the storm. Far. We need to go North.”

I trotted around the clearing. “Then let's go. What are we waiting for?”

“Him.”

I look up. A dark wolf with starry wings is running through the sky towards us. “Is that-”

“Kalypso? Yes. He’s going to take us to his realm.”
“He’s going to take us WHERE?!”

“My realm.”

I whip my head around to look at Kalypso standing with his wings folded behind me.

“We’re going to my realm. It’s safe there.”

I sit down and swish my tail thoughtfully. We would be getting farther away from the storm, and in Kalypso’s realm, the storm wouldn’t even be able to reach us. “Okay. We’ll go to your realm.”

Kalypso nodded and crouched on the ground, spreading his wings.

“We better get going then. The storm will come quickly.”

I cock my head, but understand almost instantly: Kestrel and I have to get on Kalypso’s back.

I shrug and pad over to Kalypso and stop. “Uh… how am I supposed to get on your back?”

Suddenly, Kestrel grabbed me by the scruff and placed me onto Kalypso’s back, hopping on himself.

“Hold on tight. It’s a bit harder to fly with others on my back.” Kalypso grumbled and jumped into the air.

I stood crouched and squinting on Kalypso’s back as the wind ruffled my fur. We had taken two breaks that night, one to rest, and the other to hunt. Now, the forest had become pine, and the breeze was cooler. Kestrel had fallen asleep again, and I had to sit on his paws to keep him from falling.

“We’re nearly there.”

I hear Kalypso’s voice from below me. I look towards the ground and watch the move quickly past and see a dark pit emerge from the growing fog.

“That’s the entrance to my realm.”

We circled the pit for a while, trying to find a place to land. I kept looking in it, trying to see the bottom with no success.

When we had finally landed, the air was cooler, and I had to fluff my fur out to keep me from shivering.

“Is it winter or something?”

“Yeah. Though snow rarely gets over here.” Kalypso sat down and shook his pelt free of Kestrel. Kestrel moaned softly and rolled off of Kalypso’s back, blinking open his eyes.

“Are we there yet?”

I rolled my eyes at Kalypso. “Yes. Now get off your butt so we can go.”

Kestrel scrambled up and flashed his gaze towards Kalypso. “Okay, okay. I’m awake now.” He looked into the pit, shivering. “How are we supposed to get into your realm, Kalypso?” He teasingly glared at the black wolf.

“You jump. Or get pushed in.” Kalypso grinned and head-butted Kestrel into the pit. Kestrels yelp echoed through the pit as he hit the bottom.

“A warning would’ve been nice!”

I shake my head, looking at Kalypso. “I can jump in myself.” And ran to the edge of the giant hole and jumped in.

The darkness swallowed me, and a musty scent replaced the sweet and fresh scent of pine from the forest above. I hit the ground next to Kestrel, surprised to feel no pain, but a soft, cushiony surface under my paws.

“Pine needles. And dried grass.”

Kestrel spoke as my eyes adjusted to the dark. He was staring at the entrance of the pit, which seemed only more than a small, white dot above our heads. A dark shadow was circling over us, but its yellow eyes told me that it was Kalypso.

“We couldn’t have just ridden down here?!”

“Nope. You have to go the special way.”

Kalypso smiled at Kestrel as he passed by. “Follow me.”

I looked at Kestrel as we followed Kalypso through dark, musty tunnels.

“Use your tail fire as light.”

Kestrel slowed down. “Forgot I had a tail. Much less any kind of power, especially fire.”

I smile and trot closer to the Dark alpha, who had his purple-and-black dragon wings folded tightly beside him

“Were you born with wings? Or did they come with the power?”

“I was born with the power. So I was born with wings.”

“What did your parents think? Or your pack?”

“Didn’t have any.”

I stare off into space for a while. “What happened?”

“The first thing I remember about my life was waking up in the middle of the forest with wings.” Kalypso spoke without looking at me, his eyes flashing everywhere for signs of other wolves.

“Does anything live down here? Besides you?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Hey guys…”

Kestrel growled behind me. “What?”

“There’s a big, purple and blue bird with creepy eyes following us.”

I whip around to see a big, majestic dragon-like animal staring at us.

“Kestrel, hats a dragon, not a bird.”

“It has wings.”

“So does Kalypso, and he’s a wolf.”

Kestrel glared at me teasingly and followed Kalypso towards the dragon. Its blue eyes stared back at us as it came closer to Kalypso. It laid its head on the ground.

“This is my dragon. She helps make sure there are no wolves here that aren’t supposed to be here. She was just following you because she thought you were intruding. Though I’m surprised she didn’t pick up Kestrel as one of the Alphas.”

Kestrel stepped back quickly as the dragon picked up her head and looked at him. It purred-growled at him before looking back at Kalypso. It sat down and cocked its head.

“I have others, with other powers. Moon Chaser-” Kalypso pointed his tail at the dragon, “-Has my power.”

Kestrel looked at Kalypso sharply.

“You have my dragon?!”

“Yeah…”

“But it’s my dragon.”

“It has been here for centuries.”

“Where is it?”

“I’ll show you in a second. You two can ride on Moon Chaser. Where the dragons live, it’s a deeper pit than the one you fell into.”

I had to cling on to Moon Chaser with my claws to stop myself from falling off. Kestrel was behind me, his eyes squinted as he looked for dragons.

“They won’t be roaming outside their caves. They like to stay away from wolves. Well, except the ones that share a power with one another.”

“What is that…”

I look up to see a glowing creature flying towards us, spiraling through the air. It was yellow, orange, and red, like fire. “I think that’s your dragon, Kestrel.”

“Mhm…”

The dragon came right up next to Moon Chaser and nudged Kestrel, making him slip and scramble off of Moon Chaser.

“Hey!”

Kestrel yelped as the dragon picked him by the scruff and swung Kestrel onto his back. I look at Kalypso. “Does he have a name?”

“Whatever Kestrel names it.”

Kestrel was staring at the dragon in shock. “You could have just let us get on the ground before you came to me, idiot!”

“He needs a name, Kestrel.” I smiled teasingly at him as he scolded his dragon.

“Umm…” He stared confused at the glowing dragon as we continued to spiral down the pit that led to the dragons’ nests.

The bottom of the pit was not dark, but almost as bright as day.

“Names… Names… Names…”

“Name him something that has to do with fire.” I say, padding up to Kestrel.

“I’m trying…” He mumbled, cocking his head at the dragon.

“Flame Catcher?” I look at Kestrel as he cocks his head at me.

I smile and nod my head in agreement as we continue our way to the dragon’s cave. Moss was scattered all over the floor and there were claw marks on the cave walls.

“How many dragons live here?”

“Oh, many. They have a whole other kingdom underground. This is just where the Alpha’s dragons live.”

I shake my neck fur, dust flying out of it.

“Where do we stay?”

“Follow me.”

Kestrel shrugged at me and followed Kalypso.

The cave had grown to a tunnel, and in some cases we had to crawl through them.

“How much longer?” Kestrel whined as he squeezed out of the small tunnel as we entered a sunlight, mossy clearing with lichen dangling overhead.

“Technically, we’re already here.”

“What?” I panted, noticing the drop at the edge of the clearing. “Are we going to jump?”

Kalypso smiled. “Yes. And we should let the greatest alpha of all go first.”

I grinned and glanced at Kestrel.

“So, you’re first. Unless you want us to push you instead-”

“I’m good!”

“Then go.”

Kestrel rolled his eyes playfully and stepped forward. He placed his paw in front of himself, his paw floating mid-air. He let his weight onto it, and yelped as he fell face first into the dragon’s kingdom below us. A minute later he flew back up on Flame Catcher, who was smiling eagerly.

“Well then, if you don’t mind I’ll go.” Kalypso cocked his head at me.

I nodded my head, and Kalypso spread his black-and-purple wings, jumping into the wind. I shook my neck fur and narrowed my eyes, padding close to the edge. I took a step back, and thrust myself forward with my back leg, falling through the air. A black and red dragon flew out from under me as I landed on it.

“Hi!”

I look up to see a black wolf with white spots and aqua eyes. “Hi?”

“I’m Spirit. This is my dragon, Hondo. I could show you where you’re going to be staying for a while; Kalypso is showing Kestrel around the Dragon arena I assume…”

“Uh…” I stare down, wondering how far it goes. I shook my head. “... Sure. What do you call this place?”

“The Underground Aerie.”