Dissenter's Rise Book 1: Smoke-Filled sky (On-Hold)

Dissenter's Rise: Chapter 2

"What?" he gasped in confusion.

"The thing is," she started in a very flirty voice, "I'm only free for dinner, and since you wanted to go to lunch..." she trailed off, dragging it out on purpose as though she was hinting at something.

"Dinners fine!" he assured her hastily.

"Good, I'll meet you at the Dining Hall at 5:30," she told him.

He bowed kindly before turning to run off. Phyre watched him go as her heartbeat slowed to a normal beat once more. A startling howl of pain sent Phyre's mind back on track to the wolves at hand. Her head whipped around as she bounded over to find Canisp whimpering on the ground, holding a single paw up in the air.

"What happened this time?" Phyre questioned, her tone unpleasant.

"We were racing, and I twisted my paw because Thistle ran into me partially," the white pup explained.

"Did not!" Thistle protested.

"Mmm hmm!" Phyre commented knowingly. "Well now we all have to go see Shiva so that Canisp can get her paw tended too."

"Ugh!" another male voice, Tucker breathed in annoyance.

Being that Canisp was still younger, Phyre was still able too carry her by her scruff most of the way.

"I don't like Shiva. She's so dark and gloomy...she scares me," Dawn confessed as she walked with Tain.

Shiva was the oldest wolf in the pack, perhaps the oldest wolf alive period. She kept to herself mostly, staying hidden in a near pitch-black cellar room without any light. Her coat was a rich black itself, and was accommodated by these rich blue eyes. She was blind, but she did posses some herbal talent that kept most of the pack members going. Sometimes though ,there was just nothing she could do.

"Hush children," Phyre directed softly as they approached the dark room. Phyre calmly let her pelt brush up against the entry way to signal to the blind wolf their presence without startling her.

"Shiva, It is I, Phyre, and I've brought the pups here. One of them is injured."

"You don't have to do that stuff you know! My eyes may be bad, but my sense of smell and hearing are perfectly good!" she snapped before giving a soft grunt and then murmuring on about the subject to herself. "Well don't just stand there looking like idiots, bring her over here, or are you going to make an old hag like myself march over there?"

Phyre came slowly because she could hardly see. Her eyes hadn't yet adjusted, but she made it eventually. Shiva huffed, annoyed, but Phyre only laughed silently with amusement.

"Now that you're finally over here, let me see that paw."

Phyre was surprised at how lightly the word rolled off of her tongue, considering she couldn't really see.

"How can you see it Shiva?" Thistle asked her.

Phyre bristled and was getting ready to cuff him on the ear. How rude could you get?

"Calm yourself dear," Shiva answered. It took Phyre a moment to realize that the old wolf had been talking to her.

"How did you..." Phyre started to say as she gradually trailed off.

"I'm a good guesser, but my real power comes with my imagination. Imagination is truly a gift of power little ones. Your mind knows many things, and can so put your sense together to get a sort of feeling. Imagination is the thing that unknowingly soars through us, lifting us higher and higher until it explodes into a world of wonder. You'll understand it someday."