The Tears of a Ranger

Slain P.O.V

I can feel the blood pumping through my veins but my breaths come evenly and calm. I can hear the wild roar coming from the crowd surrounding pack arena, were outcast warriors of the Blood Rain Pack are force to kill any rogue court on this territory. A youngling that had accidently wondered onto this territory from the neighbouring pack. Lay on the dry dusty ground across from me, with his teeth bared, his eyes look like the raging fires of hell and his low menacing growl could send chills down any ordinary wolf's spine. However, blood poured rapidly from the deep wound on his side and the bright fires in his eyes were quickly fading, turning into a pained light green. All I could do was stand there and watch as another innocent wolf died because of my Alpha's selfish ways. I felt another part of my once kind soul turn black and harden; I knew this youngling's time was coming very soon. So, I shifted back ignoring the pain, knelt beside the little wolf's head, and place it gently on my lap. "No-body deserves to die alone," I whisper softly stroking his head "I'm sorry." Using the last of his energy, the boy gave a soft howl of forgiveness and I continued to gently stroking his soft young fur until his little green eyes rolled back into his head, and at that very moment I knew what I had to do, I had to return this child back home. I softly lifted the pup's limp body, cradling him in my arms and I ran out of the arena.

Anyone who tried to stop me I cut down without giving them a second glance, I glided quickly over the forest floor being as silent as the soft winter breeze until I crossed over the northern border. But all the way to the pack house, my course was never interrupted by any of the patrolling wolves, but instead they hung behind me and followed me towards their home. At the edge of the clearing I was escorted further into the village by around twenty to twenty-five wolves surrounded around me from all sides. None made a move towards me but all look sorrowfully at the pup's limp body held gently in my arms, every look the little pup received my heart shattered into dust and was swept away in the breeze that had carried me here in the first place. I could feel cold tears streaming silently down my face and turn to ice when they fell from my chin and plummeted noiselessly towards the earth. But the silence was fractured by the mournful cries of a woman, "My baby! What have you done to my precious boy!" she shrieked pushing through the wolves making a beeline straight for me, a man trailed closely behind the woman.

"Who are you and what happened to my son?" the man growled wrapping his arm around his mate's waist.

"Your son accidently passed over onto Blood Rain territory, and as you know anyone court trespassing on their lands get put in the arena and executed by the outcast warriors, I'm sorry..." I was about to continue but was cut off.

"What is your name, parents, pack and status? Now." The man interrupted.

"I am Slain, born of pure ancient blood, my parents were murdered by the Blood Rain pack and I was kidnapped by that same pack at the age of four, I'm a ranger but in the pack, I'm an outcast. That sum it up enough for you? Cause I have a very important question for you." I snapped.

"Shoot."

"Do you want to bring him back?" I say bluntly.

"You can do that! How?" They ask with astonished expressions.

"By binding the all of the good that I have left in my soul with the boy's soul."

"What do you need?" The mother answered immediately.

"His name."

"Sam," she answered then asked, "Who killed him?"

"I did." I replied and walked swiftly back into the forest.

I kept walking until I came across a giant oak tree and I placed little Sam softly on the forest floor among the sweet-smelling leaves that were once one with the old oak tree. I knelt beside the young boy and began to chant, "I sacrifice all the kindness I have left in my soul to child of whom I killed, I wish for the sun, sky, forest and moon to bind a part of my soul to this child's fading one." I whispered to the moon "I swear to protect this child's life in trade of my own. For I am Slain, I am the heart of all warriors and now the protector of this wolf pup." And when I finish the air rushed out of my lungs as if I was punched in the gut, then everything went black.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I woke to the feeling of a small soft hand touching my cheek and my eyes shot open to find a pair of bright light green eyes staring down into my ghost grey ones. I slowly sat up and tears started flowing uncontrollably down my face turning to ice as they streamed out of my eyes, I could see the fires raging wildly around my family engulfing their pure souls and turning their bodies' to ash, the sound of their pained screams clouded my hearing making my head throb. "Please don't cry," A soft little voice, whispered breaking me out of my painful memories.

"I'm sorry, I had..." I started

"It's okay, I already forgave you. Remember?"

"Yes, I just wanted to say it again." I answered calmly, standing up offering a hand to the boy "Come Sam we should probably be getting you home now."

"How do you know my name?" Sam asked curiously taking my ruff scared hand.

"Your mother told me." I shrugged

"What's your name then?"

"Slain."

"I like it but isn't it a guy's name?" Sam ask in a confused tone.

"Yes, but it's the name of a warrior and that is what I've been since I was a young pup. Now enough questions we must be off back to your pack."

"Okay!" the little pup shrieked happily jumping up and down. I let Sam lead the way back as I trailed silently behind the pup's small figure. My heart ached at every word the boy spoke as he sang the ancient's folk song about the Warrior Goddess the protector of the Moon Goddess's children.

"Sam can you please not sing that song, for it is forbidden in the presence of an Ancient." I spoke softly

"Sorry I didn't know, I was told that all Ancients were whipped out by the Blood Rain pack." He answered back franticly.

"It's alright young one just don't do it again."