The War Within

The Fall

The clouds sat in the sky like giant lily pads floating in a sea of clear blue, shawdowing the entire pack, protecting the wolves from nature's torturous rays as a gentle breeze caressed the children that played in the field.

She was amongst them, Athena. The child marched the rest to battle, in their so called Game of War. Her mother laughed at her make believe, her daughter could not help herself, the mother wolf  surmised

'My alpha female' she thought with a smile as she watched her daughter lead
the other children across a body of water that sat in the centre of the valley, pretending the pond was an ocean, thundering them from left to right, her pup would be muddy today.

Boom.

The sound rang in the air, cracking the dome of safety created by the valley.

Boom.

The screams followed as the bodies dropped.

Boom.

Chaos, it slammed itself into the pack like a bull seeing red. She could smell it, the fear of her pack wolves seeping into air like a gas pipe leaking with toxicity, but she could only focus on her own fear, overwhelming her senses whilst the pond where her pup played began to drink from the life of the pups that played within it, filling itself with the blood of innocent pups.

Fear.

It was the one thing that pushed her, the only the thing that propelled her to the pond of death where she could still feel the dull hum of her pup's bond twisting with pain and dread.

'Let her live through this' Mother wolf begged the moon, nearing the pond where her pup held the body of a child she called friend in a grip that rivaled that of a vice.

"Mama" The pup whimpered as her mother approached, "Sh...sh...she's dead mama, dead mama. Dead" the pup wailed, hugging the corpse closer to her small form.

"I know baby" she said while the pup hugged her friend, "But we have to..."

"No" The pup interjected, "I'm not leaving her mama" she sobbed, "I'm not leaving my friend"

"Athena" Mother Wolf growled, becoming irritated by her pup's defiance, "We have to..."

"I'M NOT LEAVING HER!"

"We have to go now or we'll both die" Mother Wolf demanded, leaving no room for discussion.

Unbending, that was the will of her Mother Wolf. Rigid in her stance, she will not be shaken as she growled lowly to her pup in a warning tone that the child recognized. Nothing could be said to move her Mother wolf.

Running.

She couldn't stop, she wouldn't stop, not while her pup was wailing in her arms, not while she felt the blood of her pack mates became sticky under her feet, creating a path of red, all she could she focus on was getting her pup to safety and only then would Mother Wolf address the heathen that dared to scar her land.

The air was rancid with the putrid smell of agony, families were dying, pups were wailing, her world was crumbling, but she couldn't stop running, as her tears stained her skin, Mother Wolf was on a mission, she was determined to reach the hill where the pack house sat.

Then she heard it, the howl of the warrior wolves that were racing towards her, towards their Luna. Her relief was overwhelming as she locked eyes with her mate, who was barreled towards them at a speed unimaginable.

'I can make it' Mother Wolf thought, the blanket of safety immediately wrapping itself tightly against her, deceiving her from the reality that hides  within the trees.

A howl is heard, reality becomes apparent, as the howl carries itself towards the pack of wolves who were still making a path towards her.

Mother Wolf's steps falter, the howl has been registered, pulling from a deep memory she wishes to be forgotten.

Dante.

Panic blossoms within her, picking up her speed, she's to determined to get away from her past, to outrun the beast of her night terrors, to evade him.

Death is better, than to be captured by him.

"Bella!" Dante's growl travels with wind, his voice hitting her skin with a harshness that should only be reserved for winter.

She will not bend to him, not today, not now, not ever, those days are long forgotten.