{+ Azure +} The Wise Curse

Chapter Three, Winding Paths and Trees

Tenshi was awoken with a rough shake, his eyes snapping open. It was Lavender. "You need to go now! Take these." She gave him five bundles of a traveling mixture. "Thank you,"

"May the stars guide your paws, Tenshi, your destiny is far greater than it seems."

Tenshi picked the bundles up, slipping out of camp. He raced to the gathering area where the packs gathered every full moon.

Two wolves were there, one being Crow, and the other a silver he-wolf with dark grey forearms and hind legs. He set down the mixtures as Crow nuzzled him. "Who're you?" The white he-wolf asked cooly.

"Tenshi, with Paws that Walk on Air, and you?"

"Ice that Forms on Grass."

"Oh uhm- I have traveling mixtures for us, so it's easier!" He grinned, and Ice simply nodded. Another wolf appeared, she had red-brown eyes that shown strongly from her gracious white fur. She had black paws and nose blaze. "I am Raiga who's Claws cut Through Rock." She announced sitting.

"Crow that Flies at Dusk."

"Ice that Forms on Grass."

"Tenshi who's Paws Walk on Air."

She nodded sitting by Ice, one more person left. Crow softly nuzzled into Tenshi's neck fur as the moon reflected on the four.

Soon a she-wolf with black and white spotted fur emerged, her yellow eyes glimmering in the light. "I am Lotus that Leaps at Moon's Peak." She sat curtly cleaning a paw. Another wolf emerged from behind her. "This is my brother," She nudged him to introduce himself. He was fully white with black ears and a dark violet eyes. "I'm Moon that Sorrowfully Sets." He sat beside his sister.

"I have herbal mixtures for traveling- I only brought five though..."

"I can share with my brother." Lotus interjected firmly. Tenshi nodded, passing them out. They all ate the mixtures and looked around. "Sooo- where do we go?" Crow asked- though nobody knew.

"Lets travel the direction the sun sets. Its the fastest way off pack territory." Ice advised cooly, and everyone agreed. Ice took up the lead while Crow and Tenshi took up the rear.

The night was still young as the young wolves began their trek on unfamiliar territory. Tenshi looked back as they got further and further from the pack lands. "We'll make it back in time, don't worry." Crow reassured calmly.

Tenshi nodded and shuddered turning away. Suddenly he heard his name called and he froze. "TENSHI!" Cloud came racing towards them. "Where in the name of stars are you headed!" She growled.

"Cloud- I- I-"
"Well!?"

Swallowing his pride he told her the whole story. She scowled, "I can't believe you didn't trust me enough to tell me but you told Lavender" Tears brimmed her amber eyes.

"I didn't want to put you in any danger, I'm sorry." Tenshi huffed and Ice interjected coldly. "If you keep yapping we'll lose the cover of night, so is she gonna join us or not?"

Cloud nodded "I'm coming, you could use an extra warrior." Ice quirked a brow, and Raiga spoke up, "Is someone here... not a warrior?"

The silence just made Tenshi more anxious. "I- I'm a hunter." His voice trembled but the words were clear. Lotus smiled softly, "So is my brother! But Ice is right, we need to hurry."

Lotus had broken the tension, thankfully, and the now group of seven set off. It was a lot of nothing, just a moorland with nothing for miles. The group walked in silence, for hours. Soon the sun began to rise, the dawn sky glowing beautiful oranges and yellows.

"We should have Tenshi and Moon see if there's anything in that forest there." Crow pointed a little ways away to a cluster of trees. Everyone hummed in agreement. "A little extra energy won't hurt anyone." Moon added in.

So they made their way to the forest and found a nice place to relax. Quietly and swiftly Moon and Tenshi set off. The smell of a buck hit their noses, and they dropped low moving quietly.

They saw their target, and Moon went around to chase it towards Tenshi. The male deer looked as if it just shed its antlers because they were small. Moon leaped from the bush, scaring the deer towards Tenshi. He leaped up at it's throat as Moon pinned it.

"Nice job, we make a pretty good team!" Tenshi smiled complimenting the younger hunter. "Thanks... you just had a really good plan."

The deer was large enough for the group and the two worked together to bring it back. When they came into sight with the catch everyone's eyes lit up. By now the sun was up enough because of how much life was filtering through the leaves. The seven tucked into the prey, eating all they could reducing it to skin and bones.

"We should relax for a bit so we don't get sick." Cloud suggested, and Ice sighed at this. "We'd be wasting daylight but you're right. We need to plan our next move."

Everyone went to relax for a bit, before they began the discussion. Tenshi and Crow laid together, deep in conversation. Lotus, Moon, and Ice were also in their own conversation. While Raiga and Cloud spoke quietly.

"I'm so glad I get to be here with you," Crow spoke rubbing his head on Tenshi's chin gently. "I'm glad too, I love you, Crow." Tenshi's voice was soft, and Crow replied at the same volume, "I love you too,"

The two sat close, eyes closed, relaxed. Ice suddenly rose to his paws and called everyone over. "Alright! Everyone come over here so we can discuss where to go!"

Everyone gathered in a circle and Ice began. "Do we continue going towards the sunset or-" He was interrupted by Tenshi. "By the smell of the winds, and direction, if we don't want to be lost or starve... We should continue on our path. Otherwise we will get lost."

The sudden confidence made everyone pause and think. Tenshi was right, they all knew, but Ice didn't like taking orders. "I was just going to say that Tenshi, thank you for interrupting." Ice ridiculed coldly.

"So we'll continue towards the sunset then. Nobody objected, this time Crow and Tenshi took up the lead. Their pace was swift but not too fast as they'd get tired easily.

The journey was long but beautiful, they emerged from the forest out to a farmland. This would be dangerous, if a hairless saw them... they were fucked. Silently they made their way from the woods, along the fence, and then-

A yelling made them pause... a hairless! The group began running, trying to avoid being killed by it's stick that shot little rocks. Bangs were heard as it was fired into the air.

Moon tripped stumbling harshly. Tenshi paused picking him up on his shoulder. Running nearly just as fast. Moon clung to him like his life depended on it... and it did. They got far but weren't out of the woods yet.

A revving was heard and a truck raced to them. Tenshi looked to Lotus and Crow then to the narrow woods. They grabbed the other three and leaped into a bush. Watching as the truck drove right past.

They ran deeper, everyone heaving for air. Moon had twisted his paw pretty bad and was limping. "I- I don't know if I can keep going today..." He muttered, the sun was setting now. Tenshi nodded "We all-"

Ice interjected. "We all need rest, so lets find a spot for a temporary camp and we can relax." Tenshi glared holes into the back of Ice's head. The silver male turned around smirking, shoving right past him.

Picking up Moon on his back again they all set out. "You don't need to carry me," Moon muttered softly. "Don't worry, you're hurt, you'll need that paw to heal fast." Tenshi practically glowed, his energy was so pleasant to be around.

They group found a small clearing that was pretty protected. Deciding they'd make temporary camp here, Tenshi set down Moon. Ice cleared his throat cockily "Now, all of you get rest. We have a long day ahead of us."

The group silently agreed and curled up. Tenshi with crow, Lotus and Moon, and Cloud with Ice and Raiga. Tenshi smiled slowing drifting into a deep sleep...