The Packs of Dusk: Book 1: Mystical Wings

Chapter Six: It's Happening

(Major time skip to 8 moons later when Naomi, Tweedle, Rae and Shale are full-fledged Element wolves and have their colors)

"The Weather Master's quite demanding," complains Tweedle, taking a large step up the stones. I groan. Being the Weather Master's doer was a handful, according to Tweedle. She complains to the point I wonder why she volunteered to be the doer.

"Don't go there," says Ulysses, whose climbing the stones above us. I set my front left paw carefully on a foothold, but it shows unworthy as small pebbles slipslide down the curve of the foothold. "Almost there," barks Ulysses, nodding as she breaks her head through the air, looking above the mountain peak.

Miocu, one of the male wolves with us, dashed up beside Ulysses, but stepped in a false foothold and slid down to a lower ledge. We howled with laughter as he scowled at us.

I slid down to the ledge with him, which I was not trying to give him false support. I slid and launched up using my wings, landing softly next to Ulysses.

As Tweedle and Miocu reached the top, Ulysses hollered at them to "hurry their short little tails up."

Tweedle crawled up next to us, followed by Miocu.

"Now for the journey... Down," said Miocu. The journey down was the most dreaded part of border patrol, considering many wolves have died along the way down. I didn't have to fear, though, because I had my wings.

Smiling, I looked back at my wings. Distinct shades of blue licked at the end of my wings, that being the only part that colored my body.

"Meet you down there," I say, and blast down the mountain front. The air tickles my face harshly and abruptly. I land instantly and fold my wings to my sides, and sit, looking at the three slender figures slipsliding down the mountain front.

I could hear them howling with laughter and I joined in as Tweedle came tumbling down, and, with a loud thump, hit the grass. Ulysses fell on top of her, and Miocu landed right beside them professionally. I laughed loudly for a brief moment, then shut myself up.

"Come on, dingdongs," I jest, "let's get across the river and make our way to the HeartStone now." Tweedle and Ulysses nodded, standing up and shaking the dirt and dust off.

We proceeded across the calm river, them swimming, me flying as usual.

At the end of the distinct, green and yellow long border was a stone cave. I took the lead, flying down the long line quickly.

I zipped past unknowing Sand and Forest border patrols, luckily each heading the opposite way.

I don't fear for the others and their chances of being caught. The chances are extremely low, considering Ulysses is from The Void, so they can turn themselves invisible for decent periods of time. They can protect themselves, with Tweedle being able to summon lightning and Ulysses being able to paralyze the attackers. Miocu, being from Fire, is quite useful.

I land in front of the entrance to the cave, only to come face-to-face with the need to hide behind a wedge between to rocks. There are wolves in the cave of the HeartStone. I listen closely to them talking.

"...Hopes lie with StarPack," said a brown wolf. I know the wolf is brown because my eyes peek over the edge of the rock facing the cave.

Each wolf howls collectively and begin to emerge from the cave.

I slide down, my back against the rock. When I'm sure their gone I emerge as well from my hiding spot and trot toward the cave.

I see a column of ripples in the sky as I turn around, and follow the moving column as it gets closer. The column allows me to notice the location of invisible Mystics. They're about a mile away, but with the column moving as quickly as it is, they're running.

I turn around at the cave and head in. The cave is small with the HeartStone a floating diamond in the center.

I examined it very closely, as was required, and stopped when I reached the sharp point at the bottom. A hint of red and black tinted the point. Shocked and confused, I looked at the rest of the stone. The flat top and the sides were their normal, completely fine glowing blue and light purple.

It was happening again.

The DarkOnes are back.