Believers

Prologue: Silent as Night, Red as Blood

A dark gray wolf sat to the edge of a cliff, his eyes locked on the stars. The crying wind blew lightly along the rugged mountain, sweeping over the sound of sleeping wolves. Everything seemed still and calm, but Frost Moon was waiting tensely for a signal from Star Pack. Many deaths had taken place ever since a new pack had came into Ice Pack's border, though the pack was already weak with a deathly sickness. A young she-wolf slipped silently out of the shadow of a cave, and padded next to her leader. Her blue eyes looked up to the stars, her fur silver in the moonlight, and her tail lightly covering her paws.

"Has Star Pack called to you yet?" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

"No," he admitted, "but we need Star Pack most in this time, I fear it will get worse"

Suddenly a white flash shone in Silver Pelt's eyes, it was a message from Star Pack. A voice called her name, yet the fog was too thick to see who it was.

"Listen, you will give birth to a pup who will be as white as snow yet as black as night."

"But how can that be?" her call seemed silent under the vociferous wind.

"You will give birth to a pup who will be as white as snow yet as black as night." it repeated bluntly.

"But...!" she tried to call but the voice faded away, she was back gazing at the stars. She heard a bark behind her, and whipped around to see a male wolf.

"What did Star Pack say?" his eyes was searching hers, hungry for an answer.

"I....I" she stammered, for she wasn't aware herself, "This voice... it called my name and....."

The loud sound of tapping paws came running to a halt, and a lean brown wolf stood there, gulping air. His eyes had clouded with an unsettling fear.

"Oak Fur? Whats wrong?" Silver Pelt asked, her voice tinged with fear.

Oak Fur let out a long, wheezing, noise that made Silver Pelt wince. He was quivering uncontrollably from his muzzle to the tip of his long, wiry tail. A gash sliced through the side of his shoulder.

" Speak! " Frost Moon snapped, drawing back his ears.

" Th...There's a war at the j...jagged rocks," he managed to choked out, " We were out on the pa...patrol when we heard growling, so we went down t...to where we smelled R...River Pack's scent and a...new scent of crow food ........b..but it was linked to something else..." he shook his head as if clearing his mind, "Ri...river Pack needed our help. W...we came down to help but......" a long pause came. Oak Fur's eyes glazed in pain, and he stood there, closing his eyes as the memories washed over him. He clenched his jaw, and Frost Moon could see blood trickling out.

Silver Pelt dug her paws into the ground, nervous with apprehension for what she was about to hear.

"Speak! " The leader snapped with an impatient tone. Silver Pelt felt a pang of anger towards Frost Moon. Had he no compassion towards his injured messenger?

"The wolves, they were, savage, t...they threw River Pack's soldiers down to onto the jagged rocks until it was covered with the crimson red of b...blood," his eyes widened for a moment as he recalled the dastardly scene, then continued. "The patrol and the few survivors of River P..Pack's patrol are now fighting those w...wolves and they sent me to go get help." Finally, his mouth snapped shut, and he fell awkwardly to the ground, pain causing his body to convulse into violent spasms.

Frost Moon gave his fellow Pack member a quick lick, then howled to his wolves to gather beneath the rock he sat upon.

The wolves slipped out of the shadows, and gathered quickly under the high rock, their colorful furs all glittered in the moonlight. Their faces filled with alarm from there leader's sudden call as they started to murmur nervously.