Path Not Taken

Part 1: Flash Forward

Pine moved in front of me, "we shouldn't go there Creek it's not worth it."

I looked over his shoulder at the town, the black smoke clouding the sky. "This is my home Pine!"

"Our home!" Sage said. "You taught me not to be as impulsive as I used Creek, can't you see that it's a trap?"

Feather walked next to Sage, "if you go there convince him you'll join him. That will give us enough time to help you."

"But we already know what happened last time," I said I started walking towards the town and I didn't look back. "These are the only people that care about us, we have to help them."

I ignored my pack mates calls as I started running for the town. I knew the paws right behind me had to be Feather. Sage and Pine were strong, but they weren't fast. Soon Feather was keeping up with me. "Creek is please remember what I said, I think it could work."

"Feather, if something happens to me take care of my brother." Our eyes locked, I look of shock hit her face. I was about to do whatever it took, even if meant losing my life.

My legs carried me past Feather, Feather was fast, but no one in the pack had been running away for as long as I have. "Creek!" I could hear Feather's voice screeching behind me. "Creek please slow down!"

I found the wolf, next to the well. It seemed the people had already finished their own battle. Human blood was on the ground and their men both who lived and didn't live in the town, laid motionless on the hard dirt. He stood next to her body and I felt a growl in my throat. Beth, I thanked the moon that her hair hid her face. "Look around you Creek, this, this is what happens when we don't do what needs to be done." The wolf was covered in soot and ash, her felt like a stranger, but something about him seemed familiar. "Will you join me Creek? In cleansing this world."

"What happened to her?!?" I growled.

"I found her like this," he said. I didn't believe him. "The humans did this to her Creek." I could see Feather coming towards through the flames. I ran the opposite direction she came. "Hey, get back here!" The wolf called. If I couldn't save Beth, I hoped at least I could save my pack.

The fire felt like it was trying to reach my soul. The ground felt hot underneath my paws, the smoke clouded my vision. I wished I could go through a snow storm instead, but the falling wood that had been on fire for a long time told me that now, that wouldn't happen. I ran into an alley way in the village, but the fire blocked my path. I ran past the butcher's den, the smell of animal flesh went from sweet to so burnt I could only imagation that the middle of it was black. I ran back to the middle of the village, coughing as the smoke came into my lungs.

On top of the well stood a shadowy figure of a wolf. "Running as usual I see," he said, "did I ever tell you, you are so much like your mother?"

"We aren't the same," I glared at him, my muzzle in a snarl.

"Perhaps not, if you decided to join to me." It felt like he was towering above me, he looked down at me, his head high, his expression smug.

I lunged at him, he almost tripped into the well, I cursed myself when my move didn't work. He launched himself off the well wall and I went over it. My muscle tensed as I turned my body to the cylinder rock structure. I could no longer see him and I hoped he couldn't see me. "It's looks like you made your choice. It looks like my doing this without you Creek."

The wolf jumped over the well and and I ran. The chase in the fire and smoke continued.