"yes i think he did!" yipped inomay happily. it was about time to, they where starting to be morse stable on thier paws and more mobile. soon they will be able to walk with the group on thier own. inomay turned to her mate and licking him lovingly.

Andre licked his mate back happily and smiled in the direction of the pups. "I never thought this would happen for me." He said to her quietly, a look of partial amazement and happiness on his face.

alfabrena was saken aback by the question, then bared her fangs at the bare wolf, 'of course i do not dought the words of our ancestors' she hissed. bale wolf sighed, 'then why aren't you listning to them now? if you dont believe me then you must not believe them.'

after playing with the, now very playful pups, inomay got bella to pup sit. she and her mate wonderd off into the forest to go hunting. inomay and andre slinked silently through the night, nothing would hav known they where there. inomay picked up the sent of elk not to far off. inomay and andre soon creped up on the unsespecting deer. inomay homed in on an cow with a bum leg. 'i have been gone to long' thought inomay 'if i had stayed there would not be animals this weak' andre wonderd off a bit to set up an ambush. inomay lunger from the undergroth, at the cow elk, and chased her off in the direction of andre. the herd skatterd and left the injerd cow to the mercy of the wolves. just as the cow reached andre he jumped at her neck and lached on. inomay leped onto the elks back and topeled the tired injerd animal over. they made quick work of finishing her off, once she was on the ground. inomay riped into the carcess and devowerd about 20lbs of flesh, as did andre. they dragged what they could back to the den.

Andre grunted a little as he dragged along his bit of the carcass. Once they were back to the den, he dropped it, along with his mate. He immediately walked over to her and started to lick the blood from her fur.

alfabrena, bale wolf, and bella polished off the carcass in silence. none whished to desturbe the soft silence that hung around them, none that is except, apperently, the ones of old. the flame that showed her as a decendant burned alfabrenas fore head with none to contained furry. alfabrena cried out in pain her eyes closing against the pain but only opening her to the visions. far far away she could hear the startled cries and growls of her companions as she fell to the flagstones of the dungon. *fire. fire every where! the balck fire of death of steelpaw. alfabrena had no controll as one by one the visons she had seen just days before she had meet inomay made themselves known once more. but there were new bodies in the sea of dead that stood out vividly buirning their horrid scene into her eyes. she saw the bodies of her campanions as one by one they wer flung into a burning pit by steelpaws followers. first she saw bella and kiery and fell, then it was their mother inomay-queen with andres body right after her. then came drake and deverto then her herself and others of her people. then she saw elves being thrown in including that of the elve her companions had not yet found. the last she saw tossed in nearly tore what was left of the dragon high queens heart by this time out, it was bale wolf.~ "NO!" cried alfabrena as she ripped herself from the visions. she lasy gasping, what was she going to tell the others when they asked her what she had seen? should she tell the truth? 'you want no secrets between your companions,' she thought to herself, 'now is the time to set an example.' but could she repeat the visions, put them into words to the ones they refured to?

inomay know what the dragon saw, when the dragon had gotten her lives she had bonded on a deper level with the wolfen queen. the wolf saw what she saw. she sighed "we need to get back to the castle of sika, i must teach my fallowers to fight." with that inomay stould and looked at the dagon "i need u to help us get to the castle then look for the elve. once the pups are at the castle i need to speak to the lord of horses and unicorns. but now lets try to get some sleep." with that inomay wonderd over to her now yapping pups and regergitated some of the kill for the pups to have their first tast of meat.

Andre shivered slightly as he watched his mate cough up the food. "I don't think I'm going to be able to get used to that." He chuckled as he lay down where their nest had been established and watched as the pups ate.

alfabrena chuckled humoresly. bale wolf turned to her with a question burning in his old eyes. alfabrena sighed, diped her head and shook it slightly, 'im not sure you want to know.' she whispered to him. bale wolf just answered with his intense stare. she sighed once again, took a great breath of air and reluctently allowed the images slide across theim mind thred. bale wolfs only reaction to the bloody scens was to blink a few times then he also sighed and, unepecticly, dipied his head and placed his muzzle upon her head. 'we shall not let these happen.' he promised. alfabrena was shocked by the sudden comfort from her old mentor but she took it anyway the warmth seaping threw her. 'i hope your right bale wolf.' he growled lifting his muzzle to look her in the eye. alfabrena smiled slightly in uneasy relief, 'alright alright, whatever you say bale wolf.' bale wolf snorted then lay back in his place. the discussion and everything that went with it was at an end. everything was back to normal, 'whatever normal is anyway.'alfabrena chuckled to herself.

early that morning while inomay and andre where trying to wake up, the pups wanted inomay to tell them a story. the she-wolf yawned and regarded her pups with tierd eyes. "mommy please tell us a story!" whined little kalla. inomay could not saw no to that face and she sighed. "ok i will tell you the story of the 3. there was a prophocy, a prophocy about 3 wolves. of tanted and pure will be born 3, of the 3 one will be a powerful leader, a leader of the dark army, one will be the general will be a strong and powerful. the other will also be a powerfull leader, but for good. and as the prophacy gose if the one who will leade the evil army lives, then all is lost." inomay finished with an serious look in her eyes. "Tell us another one! PLEASE" yipped kalla. "no its time we got going." inomay said with a loving smile, something that no one outside of her family saw, and when they did it was not often. "where are we going?" asked kalla again. she was the moe vocal of the 3, inomay noticed.

Andre watched his mate and their pups with nothing but a smile on his face. "So where are we going again?" Andre asked curiously, almost imitating the young pup's question.

alfabrenas chiming bell like laugh made them all look around at her. "where do you think we're going?" she said as she stood and shook all over her royal blue fur semming to spread a fine silver dust threw the air. "we're heading to where inomay said. sika's castle i belive she said is that correct inomay-queen?" alfabrena looked to the she wolf who nodded in agrement. "ay, that is what i said." "good, good. but i must say inomay it would be easier to stop in the Rowen Woods and find that elve instead of heading right to his castle and then wasting all that time in following or foot prints right back."

"true... ok we get the elf then", she turns to bale wolf and bella,"we will leave you two to train the troops. yes u to bale wolf, bella wants to learn from you and u are the best and wises we got. alfabrena, andre and i will go into the endless forest." with a strange look from the dragon inomay continued "within the endless forest there is a medow, and that is where the stallion Sun of Golded Song (no not a typo it is Sun as in the thing in the sky). he is the king of the unicorns and he will, hopefuly, fight along side us." the stallion Sun of Golden Song is a golden unicorn. on his fore legs are two white socks, and a large star (spot) around his horn. a thin stripe of white ran from the star down to his nose. unlike the other unicorns, his horn corved like a cresent moon, at the base of his, cristal horn, was an amithist jem. the jems at the base of a unicorns horn holds all the unicorns power.

Andre stood and shook the dust from his fur, then looked down longingly at his mate. "If you do not mind, my love, there is another errand I must run. If we are planning on mustering powerful forces, then I will need the assistance of my clan." He took a few steps forward, then he turned to face her once again, seeing a look that resembled that of sorrow. He walked back over to her and lie down, licking her muzzle. "I will not be long my love, and I can assure you will be safe while I am gone." He gave her a reassuring smile, then another lick on her muzzle.

"well alfabrena if we are to be going to war we'd better resharpen your skills," said bale wolf. alfabrena looked up at him chukling, "my skills never dulled old one but i shall humor you." bale wolf glared at her then looked to bella, "you mind as well come as well young wolf. perhaps you might even learn a few things." as he walked away alfabrena and bella exchanged a look, rolling their eyes before following for the practice sesion.

inomay whimperd at her mate as the others left. she understud why he had to go but she did not want him to. she had lost one mate and she did not know if she could do it again. and she last time she had pups thier father was killed befor they realy knew him, she did not want that to happen again.

"I'll think of you while I am gone my love." He gave her one final lick on her muzzle before he got up, turned around, and sprinted out of their ''den''. He hung a hard left and ran as fast as he could through the woods, travelling for miles within the hour without so much as even tiring his muscles or lungs. He finally came to a halt two hours later as he heard the loud yapping that was the call of his clan. He yapped back in reply, and seconds later, many wolf sized foxes leaped from the bushes around him. When they realised who it was, they were shocked. "Sir Andre! We did not expect to see you back so soon!"

alfabrena, bella and bale wolf returned with dust filled fur and their heads hung low with exaustion. inomay looked up and said, "how did practice go?" all three floped down groaning and gasping as their muscles stretched. "difficult," bale wolf growled. "review but painfull," alfabrena groaned. "ill let you know in the morning," bella murmmured already half asleep.

inomay chukled and looked at her pups. now their ears where too big for them. they where big enough for her to leave them with the others. she desided toleave later that night, and to fing the lead unicorn.

Andre glanced around at his fellow warriors, observing each carefully. "My you guys have grown." He said with a smile. One went to speak, but Andre interrupted. "I have important business to attend to and I must speak with my father and siblings." With that, each of their ears laid back against their heads and the captain of the small party stepped forward. "Come with me." He said. With a confused and mildly worried look, Andre followed. They walked a ways through the woods until they finally came to the small village where his clan resided. Andre went to go to the main hall of the village, so to speak, but the captain was not headed that way. He was headed for the graveyard. This did not ease Andre's nerves in the slightest, and he followed still. He was led to a large tomb, and inside, his fears were realised. There lie a stone with the name of his father carved into it. 'Conan Arashi' Andre walked over to in and he bowed down before the large stone, his ears plastered against his head. 'I'm so sorry my father. I failed to be here for your passing, just like I was with mother...' He stood back up and turned to the captain. "Natural or murder." Andre demanded. The captain replied. "Murder." With an angry growl, Andre tore past them for his family's den where his brother and sister lived. On his way he stopped, and turned around. He had just realised something. With his father gone, the responsibilities of his clan now fell upon his shoulders. He let that fact sink in for a moment, and then he turned once more and continued now at a slow walk to his sibling's home.

alfabrena awoke with a jerk to find inomay walking toward her. "sleeping well?" asked inomay with a wry grin. alfabrena sighed, "no. the ancients persist with their 'low on time' and they are becoming even more insistant with me finding that elven hunter. you?" inomay just shook her head, glancing back at her pups.

"i must leave for a short time, i must find the golden stallion." she said with that she walked back to her pups and licked each one on the head befor running out of the tower.

Andre calmly strode into the house of his siblings and looked around. Neither seemed to be there for a moment until he heard a noise coming from one of the other ''rooms'' of their den. He walked over to it and walked in, giving a smile at his two unsuspecting siblings who were playing with a coconut they had found in the forest earlier. (dont ask, I needed some sort of round object...) When they heard him come in, both were startled for a moment, but instantly pounced on the wolf sized fox. "Hello brother!!" Leena yipped happily. "We did not expect you to be back so soon. What brings you back to this neck of the woods?" Andre held no smile on his face, which worried his siblings. "There is a war..." He said gently. "And I need your help."

alfabrena, bale wolf, and bella looked after the wolf for several moments before the pups caught their attention. they began squeaking and crying out for their mother as the warmth of the nest began cooling.

it broke inomays heart to leave her pups behind, but there was a war to fight and a king to be found. she ran from sunrise to sunset to dusk. by the time the moon was out she she was exosted and home sick. she wanted her pups and her mate. she missed him more then she could stand. soon after she setteled down she started to want to cry. "what trubles you, Inomay Queen?" inomay started and looked up and the one who spoke. a large golden stallion was standing before him. the amithist crystal at the bace of his horn was almost glowing in the moon light. Sun of Golden Song was standing before her. inomay smiled at him and sighed "i left my pups in the hands of alfabrena and my older pup, to come look for you." the stallion had a thoughtful look on his face as he lied down next to her. "why do you seek me wolf mother?" he asked in a kind wise voice. "i'm sour you have herd of the darknes sturring in the west." "I' yes i have, it is starting to spred to the south. the sothern tribes have fallen and horse, wolf, cat, and unicorn alike areslaves to thier will." Sun of Golden Song looked up at the sky, the moon light reflected through his crystal horn. "what do you want me to do my sister?" he asked the she-wolf. inomay smiled, it had been a long time sence he had called her sister. "i need you to march into battle with me, wolves ar not enough. sika, laska and my mate, andre, have gather dogs, coyoties, and wolves a like to fight along side us. but i need you. you where there when i was lost and alone with only my brother with me." inomay trailed off, she did not know what had happened to her brother. "dont worry your brother is liveing with my herd, and yes we will run forth with you into battle." inomay's tail started to wag as the stallion continued "i will send Running Wind to go fetch the horse lords, and Legs of Reeds to find the cat lords." he paused for a moment to think "and i will send Wind dancer to fetch your mate, then Prunzer." inomay practly pounced on the unicorn and repeetedly licked his face. "i see you remember Wind Dancer." the stallion smiled in a way only a equine can. Wind Dancr was a unushaly larde bay gelding. he used to be held captive by the humans, and the demasculened him and shamed him. he had goten away and found his way into this land of magic by the way of the portal. "come wolf your brother is waiting and you had a long run." the stallion glanced down at her and said "i see your pups ar not yet weened" he got to his feet and wonderd in the direction of the dencer part of the forest.

After a long and tiring hour of story telling and explaining to his siblings, Andre looked in the direction of his den, where his pups lie. "This is why I need you guys, and the entirety of our clan." Chase sighed and stood whilst their sister still lie gracefully on her bed of leaves. "I understand. Well, my brother, it is your call. You are now the leader of our wondrous clan now that father and mother have both passed. Do you think it safe to bring us out of hiding and into war?" This comment made Andre silent while he thought. When he finally came to a decision, he stood, and walked over to the den exit. "We go to war." His siblings nodded, and he left the room. Leena pushed herself up and stretched her legs and back, then walked over next to Chase, who stared intently at the door. "Looks like yet another vision of your has come true brother. Let's just hope it does not end as it has began." And with that, she too exitted the den, Chase following nervously behind. Andre was waiting for them outside. "Brother, please call the clan together for my announcement." Chase nodded and sat down, throwing his head into the air. He let out three loud yips followed by a bark and a small howl. Instantly, the clan started to gather around them, some awestruck at the sight of Andre. "Greetings my fellow clan-mates." Andre started once everyone had gathered. "I have something to share with you all." Andre took one glance around the crowd then he proceeded to tell them all his story of the past few months and what was now going on. When he finished, one old fox spoke out. "You wish to bring the most endangered clan in the continent out of hiding to go to a war of which none of us may survive?" Andre glared at him. "I realise the risks, old man. However, the Queen of wolves cannot win this war without our skills in the dark arts. If we happen to win this war, our clan will be allowed to thrive again as it once did. But if we leave this war be and do nothing, it will find us, and we will have no allies to fight against it, and we will be destroyed, no doubt in my mind. So either we fight and die, or we dont fight and die like cowards." The old fox did not open his mouth again. "Then it is settled." The commander who had escorted him earlier stepped forward. "We will go to war, and help your mate with this fight. I just hope you know what you are doing young fox, because the fate of this clan rests in your paws." And with that, the commander dipped down into a bow, as did the rest of the clan. "When do we leave?"

"hey pups," said bella standing, "want to see some fight moves?" the pups clumsly ran over to her, "yeah yeah yeah!!!!" bale wolf grumbled, alfabrena just humed and stood to help entertain the pups while their parents were gone.

when the enterd the clearing inomay let out a sigh. unicorns of all colors of the rainbow and colors one could imagen. mares nurcng thier foals and stallions grazing, it was a ice full sight. as inomay looked around she saw a crystal blue pool, where the 'speaker of dreams' would look out over the land. seated by the pool was a large gray wolf with the same yellow eyes and inomay. standing next to him was the large bay gelding, Wind Dancer. inomay walked over to them fallowed by the golden stallion. "JOHN!" she yiped as she pounced onto her brother. john, a gruff looking dark gray wolf, was not one to play ushaly, but his sister's attack as sent him into the pool and nipping at her in play. once out of the cool water the gelding bunped inomay with his snout. "welcom friend inomay!" he said in a welcoming voice.

It took the warriors of the clan a good day to fully prepare themselves for war. The elite wore fine armor specially crafted for them by the kitsune for their defense. The others, the less strong and more agile, simply wore their fur. Some put black ink on their bodies, simply to make themselves seem more menacing in a way. Andre had his siblings put his father's signature face patern on. A crescent moon over the right eye, and a tear drop beneath the left. This symbolized the mystery of the clan leader's power (no one ever truly knew what he/she was capable of. the clan leader line had kept all it's techniques secret until battle called upon them) and the tear symbolized the sorrow he would bring to those who knew the ones he killed. (cappily worded but brain is dead) Withing the next hour, five hundred of the Arashi clan marched back towards the wolf kingdom, fit and ready for battle.

alfabrena exited her space pocket to see bella and bale wolf waiting for her. the pups had fallen asleep after many failed attempts of copying the others battle moves. "what news, seer?" "what did you see?" "inomay has found the unicorn lord and has entered their vally. andre marches at the head of his clan, returning to us in full battle strength." "how long untill they return?" "inomay, onlly she knows. andre, if his clan keep up the pace i saw them in.........about half a day, they run......about two hours."

"inomay befor you go i have something for you" said the large golden unicorn. inomay and her brother turned to face him. using his horn, he sliped a silver necklace over the she wolf's head. on the necklace was an small amithist bottle filled with some kind of liquid. "when there are times of darkness it will light your path, and if a friend has fallen, it can return them." just as he finished the bay gelding came raceing twords them. "the fox-wolf clan has alredy marched off." he said. inomay thanked the lord of the unicorns and told him to meet her at lord sika's pallace. with that inomay and her slightly larger brother raced off twords her den, Wind Dancer raceing behind them.

The pads of Andre's paws made a small patting noise as he strolled along the forest, the distinct sound of hundreds more paws and a few armored ones at his back. His siblings walked next to him as he explained in detail everything that was going on, as far as he knew it. "This just keeps sounding better and better..." Chase commented with the most sarcastic tone he could muster. Andre looked at his brother. "Yes, well, it is what must be done for the good of all." He stated, then looked to both siblings. "Be ready to run. We arent making good enough time." Andre stopped and turned around. "Arashis! Double time, lets go! We have to make it before sundown, else we risk a night time attack!" With that he whipped back around and took off at a full sprint, his two siblings following close behind. It did not take much longer after that before the small rumble of the mass of warriors running sounded through the forest. 'I'll be home soon my love.'

alfabrena raised her reopened her eyes. "this has happened before only twice," she informed bale wolf and bella. "a waking vision without the help of pool or mirror?" bale wolf snorted, "must be a high queen thing." "what did you see?" "andre is pushing his troops to avoid attach from the deafkins. inomay returns with a few friends beside her." "who?" "a bay horse, and another male wolf, whom they are i do not know. but we shall find out soon."

the two wolves and the gelding traveled swiftly. reaching the castel before her mate did. "MOMMY!!!!" howled 3 pups as inomay enterd the den. all 3 pups pounced on the black she-wolf. "hey babies." inomay said with a smile and liked the pups. john looked on with curiosity. "mommy whos dat?" asked the pup with the moon marking. inomay smiled and said "thats your uncle, john."

Andre could feel his energy now starting to deplete as he continued to sprint ahead of his army. A smile crept across his muzzle as he saw the castle come into view. 'Almost there' he thought to himself, now panting heavilly. He called out the order to return to a walk as they reached the fields in front of the castle. He turned around and shouted. "Arashis! Form up into your ranks, and wait for me. I shall not be long." He turned again, leaving the soldiers to his siblings, and he darted into the den, flopping down by his mate tiredly. "I have returned my love, and with full troops." He said with a smile as he stared at her whilst the pups started hopping all over him yipping, "Daddy's back too!"

"you brought your whole clan i believe?" said alfabrena. andre nodded, exhausted. bale wolf nodded his approval, "good, we're going to need all the help we can get." "after you rest, it'd be best if you introduced us to your people andre," said alfabrena. "i think if we are to fight along side each other we should know who is who." andre nodded again and let his head fall back down appon his paws still panting heavily. 'how long do you think we have till steelpaw attachs?' alfabrena thought to bale wolf with a worried look. bale wolf wouldnt meet her eyes as he answered, 'not long young one. not long.'

inomay licked andre untill he fell alseep. she knew he was tired and needed to be strong for his clan. she looked at the dragon with an all knowing expretion. inomay know the war will srats in a matter of days if not weeks. 'we need to leave to sika's domain at first light dragon.' said through her mind. 'i know wolf' said the dragon.

Andre purred quietly while he slept. Not even ten minutes afterward, Chase and Leena came padding into the den, a small smile on their face as their vision caught the pups. "Who's are these?" Leena asked with a somewhat motherly smile.

inomay looked flusterd at the fact two strangers just came barging into her den. andre clared playfuly at his siblings and let his mate know who they where. when inomay calmed down she smiled and said "they are mine and andre's." she nudged andre awake again so she can curl around the pups.

bale wolf dipped his head curtly to the new comers then called to alfabrena in the other space pocket. "Yes bale wolf?" andres siblings looked shocked to see a wolf seemingly apear out of no where. "we have visitors," bale wolf said. "Oh yes. you must be andres beniea (brother) and soniea (sister). welcome. i be alfabrena."

"you dont have to be so full of yourself you know" said inomay with a very wolf-ish smile. "next time dont tell people so soon."

Andre set his ears back against his head and gave a pup-ish smile back at his mate, lowering his head below hers. "Sorry. I'm not aloud to be a proud father?" He joked and rubbed his head against his mates.

"dont tell them what inomay?" alfabrena asked, face flat, humor in her eyes.

Andre looked at Alfabrena. "My guess would be about the pups being ours Dragon." He commented flatly.

alfabrena hissed with laughter. "if you think so andre," said alfabrena. she dipped her head to his siblings on her way up out into the clear, fresh air.

"so when do we head for sika's castel?" asked inomay sleepaly. she had not goten as much sleep as she would have liked, considering the pups where happy to see thire daddy again

"My clan needs to rest... I think at earliest we can leave tomorrow..." Andre replied as he curls around Inomay, laying his head on her neck and entwining his tail with hers. He had really come to miss her in those few days he was absent.

as a red tail hawk alfabrena flew high above where andres clan lay resting, sentries sitting at the alert at the four compass points. alfabrena shrieked and landed on the top of the highest tree watching a pair of bald eagles hunting for their young. she sat there for the rest of the day kaaping watch for any aproaching enemies. as the sun set she spread her wings and swooped threw the opening back to where the grop all lay dozing. "any sign of trouble?" bale wolf asked sleepily. "all clear," alfabrena replied, stretching out in her cheetah form. "we leave for the castle tomarrow," bale wolf said. "and then to the forest to find the elve," alfabrena murmmured, and they were all asleep, dreaming of fire and battle, of young and new life, of forests and unknown secrets.

the next morning inomay streched and woke the pups. "andre honey its time to go"

alfabrenas ears twitched and she stood stretchin and yawning. her gaze swept over the others. inomay was proding andre awake, his siblings were stiring, the pups were grogily getting to their paws, bella was still dozing peacfully, and bale wolf was snoring his fur rufling with his breath. alfabrena steped over to him and poked him in the side, "the sun is up and you are not old friend." he grunted at the prod and grumbled, "how can you tell its up from down here?" "I'm a dragon bale wolf," she padded off and gently shook bella. "awake bella. it is time to go." she stired slightly, groned, and covered her eyes with a paw, "already?" she slured. "already," alfabrena answered.