Sharpened [ On Hold Indefinitely ]

Chapter Two

No. No no no no no no no no. NO.

How can this be happening?! I think. How can Darky be Extra Sharpened?! I know she didn't do so well on her tests, but that isn't usually enough to get someone Extra Sharpened. Usually it's just a minus. But maybe the Countless know something I don't about my best friend.

Darky runs down the stone steps and I take her into my arms. She cries wet tears into my shoulder, and I pat her back. She sniffs, then says, "What did I do?"

"I don't know," I whisper. I rack my brain to think of any infraction she had committed, any bad thing she had done at any time in her wolfhood, but my mind draws a blank.

"Do you think they'll tell us?" She asks me through sobs.

I nod, but I don't know for sure.

I decide to leave the Chancelloring Arena, and take Darky with me. I can feel the whole crowd staring daggers at us, but I don't care. I walk slowly along the dusty road back home, Darky's face still buried in my tunic. The door of my cottage creaks open, welcoming us in.

I take Darky with me to sit on the badly-upholstered couch, and I sink down into soft cushions. Finally, Darky looks up at me with bright green eyes.

"Hi," she says, laughing.

I laugh along with her. Sometimes laughter is the best cure. I guess.

"So..." I say, slowly. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," she replies. " I mean, I just scared that-" She cuts herself off by placing her hot face in her hands. Then she looks up again at me. "I'm just that I won't ever see you again."

"No, no, no," I hush her. "It's going to be okay. I will still be with you."

"I know, but - not really. You'll be in here, in Wolf, and I will be in the outer forest!" She says in despair.

"Darky, you don't understand," I say, grabbing her trembling hand. "I'm coming with you."

+ + + + +

Darky runs with me to the Exiling Arena. We kick up the dirt, and clouds rise around us. By the time we reach the and, we must look like dirty clay figures. The simple gray doors swings open in front of us, and we creep in, quietly.

The air is damp, and it feels like a jail cell underground, and the stone walls add to the feeling. Darky grasps my hand. I hold it tight, curling my fingers around her palm. I can feel it shaking in my grip.

"What if they don't let you come with me?" Darky asks, staring up at me.

I laugh. "They have to let me," I respond. "It's not like they can just keep me here. They'll just be surprised that I actually want to be exiled."

"Yeah, I guess," Darky nods. "But they might still to have you here. What if you leaving starts a rebellion, and then everyone wants to leave? Then you'd get in a lot of trouble!"

I place my hand on Darky's back. "Relax," I say, looking her in the eyes. "It's going to be fine."

We finally reach the Exiling Room, deep in the arena. There are many Countless standing in their seats, shouting at each other about something. Their argument send to contain something about childwolves, for every once in a while they say something about them. Names of childwolves I used to know are muttered in lists.

This can't be good.

Finally, a Countless notices Darky and I, exclaiming, "So you've arrived!"

Darky looks around, then edges closer to me. I give her hand a reassuring squeeze, then I nod to the men. "Yes," I say. "We were called to come here."

The man who has spoken chuckles, then nods. "That is true. We did call the girl next to you, but I do not remember summoning you." He points a clean finger at me.

Time for me to tell them.

"I am aware of that," I start. "But I want to go with her. I volunteer to get Extra Sharpened."

Just as I supposed, some eyes widen, and the Countless look st each other. They all seem very surprised that I volunteered, and for a second I worry that they won't let me go.

Warily, I decide to ask them. "Can...I go with her?"

A sort, stout man with a blue robe chuckles, looking at his colleagues. They all nod at him, as though he is the leader.

While they are deciding,I take a look around the vast room.there are beautiful, ornate Corinthian columns jutting out of the floor, sustaining the colorful ceiling. The paintings on the walls portray wolves and humans, both from the Roots. The huge curtains rolled up at the top of the clear, glass windows are all different shades of a beautiful blue.

Finally, the Countless seen to have made their decision about if I will leave it not. As they prepare their answer, Darky raises her green eyes to mine, and states intensively at them.

"They have to let you come," she says, almost pleadingly. "If not...I - couldn't survive without you."

I laugh at this, but she looks very serious.

"Ahem, girls," the voice of the stout man comes quiet but demanding.

Darky and I both direct our attention to him.

"We have made our final decision." He turns his gaze to me. "You may go with your friend, but on one condition." He pauses. "You have to help us with a certain mission..."