The Wild Adventures Untold

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Drellan skidded to a halt as soon as Kurai attacked the human, and he got ready to rush again when Najmah tackled the human away. He wanted to go after her, but the pain in his shoulder erupted when his adrenaline faded away. The wolf realized he could barely move his left leg, and the sudden pain caused him to tense, gritting his teeth and growling in rage. He tried to crane his neck to see the wound, but couldn't make sense of the blood. The wolf was lucky, as the bullet had passed right through the bone. He was unlucky however, that it had indeed pierced bone, as it would be very difficult to walk until healed.

(Grossness coming XD)

When his mate stepped out of the corner, covered in blood from head to chest, Drellan knew they were safe. Half running, half limping, the only thing he could do to placate his fear was to run to her. Drellan collided with her, burying his head in her blood-soaked fur. He nuzzled her relentlessly, seeing her as the only safety net around. They were safe, the humans were dead, his family was okay, and Najmah and Kurai had avenged them. He pressed into her dripping fur, thankful for her presence. He was done with being tough. He was scared-- terrified at what the human had done to him, not understanding the gun at all. After a moment, he pulled away and looked back at his mate, his eyes saying both 'I love you' and 'help me'. His breathing picked up as the bleeding worsened, and he whirled around to see what had become of the rest of his family. 

At the same time, Althyrin's panicked gaze flickered around the room, not seeing anyone in particular. His breathing was rapid as the blood continued to spill from his chest. He would be dead in moments.

Najmah stumbled back a step so as not to fall over when her mate collided with her. But quickly recovering, she silently pressed back into him, holding him close. She grit her jaws, struggling with her emotions as she nuzzled him back. Then, seeing the look in his eyes after he pulled back, a short sob escaped her throat and she pressed her head against the side of his neck. She went rigid when the scent of his blood hit her nose and she hurriedly moved to his side to inspect the wound. Letting out a soft whimper, she began licking at it, trying to both get a feel for the seriousness of the wound and to lessen the bleeding.


Rose whimpered loudly and ran past Juryoku towards her brother and sister-in-law. But she could not bring herself to pass the birds. She stopped in front of them, staring down in renewed horror and grief. Her legs unable to support her any longer, she fell back on her haunches, and then to her chest. Her gaze, filled with despair, was on the raven.

Finnican hurriedly covered Althyrin's wound, his stomach lurching as the blood seeped through his talons. "H-Hey! Hey! Stay with us! Come on, A-Al! Althyrin! Your majesty, please!"

Drellan tried not to whimper as Najmah licked at his shoulder, but the pain was too great. Not even the frantic soothing of his mate could keep the growl out of his teeth. The human's weapon had brought him more pain than he had ever experienced in his life, more so-- he decided, than even the time Rinka had killed him. A small voice in the back of his head almost begged her to do it again. The wolf closed his eyes to keep from blacking out at the pain, but opened them a moment later at the sound of Rose's crying. He licked Najmah's ear in gratitude and pulled away to turn and see his sisters. Drellan saw where Rose had stopped, and took a step forward to shield her eyes from the sight of the raven's split head and the dying hawk. He sent a look to his mate that he hoped would prompt her to usher Rose away. 
"We need to go..." He muttered groggily, trying to keep from passing out.

Althyrin threw his wings onto Fin's talons, trying to help him keep the blood from flowing as he sputtered half-words, unable to breathe anymore. His wild eyes stared into Finnican's as he began twitching and shaking from the wound. The hawk tried to speak again, gasping through his words as he looked desperately to Finnican for help. He stared into the falcon's eyes as his breathing started to slow. Althyrin shook and twitched twice more, and then never moved again.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:(Yes, sorry. It was always going to be Althyrin too XD

And Fin looks familiar because he looks like his ancestor, who will be remaining unnamed and mysterious. I am typing it's just slow because I'm eating too, lol)

((NOO!! But the timeline!! How will that affect the Council and Phoenix?? T.T))

(Oh cool! Is that going to be a forever thing? The "unnamed and mysterious", I mean? XD)

(They ruined the timeline! Which is what causes the rift that's about to come, to take them to the Grove, where.... well, you know the rest, right?

And no, you'll know eventually #Prequel)

(I know that! But... Althyriiiiiiinnn!!! T.T )

(Yay! )

Jury watched with concern as Drellan moved around, quietly walking up the the pair of wolves and nosing Rose's side. "We need to go, Rose. We can't stay here any longer than we have," she murmured, looking past Drellan at the bloodied birds, grateful he was there to hide them from Roses view.

Kurai shifted from her place on the gun to watch the other animals while she listened for any signs of approaching humans, or whatever else may be close by. She herself wasn't very upset by the deaths of the birds, as she didn't know them nor did she know of any use they served other than the roles they played in the escape. It was unfortunate, but not the end of the world. She just wanted the return to her own time. "We really should be going," she spoke, lifting herself off the weapon and closer to the wolves with a few flaps of her wings as she did so, surveying the damage.

Kurai is so cold! I love her character, but daaaaang!)

Najmah's ears flattened against her head at her mate's pained growl and immediately pulled away from his shoulder. She let out a low whine, hating that she could not help take away the pain. Then as he moved for his sisters she followed him with her head. That was when she saw the birds. She took in a sharp breath, her eyes wide in horror. Then she turned her head away from the gruesome sight and hurriedly followed after the male wolf.
That could have been them, she thought as she stopped beside her family.
As Jury walked closer, Najmah stepped toward her and looked her in the eyes with a tight, tearful expression on her face. Then she nuzzled her head against the black wolf's shoulder, her silent way of saying, 'I'm glad you survived'. She then pulled away and turned towards Rose. She met Drellan's gaze and, swallowing, she stepped up next to her young sister-in-law and nudged her with her snout.
"C'mon," she muttered softly next to the young wolf's ear.

Rose stared up at her brother with wide, tear filled eyes when he blocked her view of the birds. She lay there frozen, too stunned and grief stricken to know what to do. At Najmah's nudge, her gaze fell to the ground and she staggered to her paws with her brother's mate's help. Once again standing on trembling legs, she silently looked over to Najmah, who was still standing beside her. Then, unable to control herself, she collapsed into her sister-in-law's bloody chest and held her tightly, her shoulders heaving with silent sobs.

Najmah stared forward in shock, frozen in place for a moment while Rose cried into her fur. Then, as if her body had a mind of its own, she held the young wolf back and rested her head on top of her's. Unbeknowest to her, tears had fallen out of the older wolf's eyes and were know sliding down her furry cheeks.

Finnican stared down at Althyrin, his talons still over the wound even as the Red-Tailed Hawk died.
No...
He stared down at the hawk, silently begging him to breathe.
No...
His mind replayed Althyrin's death over and over again. But, as that happened, he began to see Tyrin in Althyrin's place, dying a horrible death while the falcon could do nothing to help.
No...
Tyrin was dead. Now, Althyrin was dead. Finnican had failed his best friend. He wasn't there for Ty when he needed him most, and now he was gone. He was here when Al needed him most. And yet...
NO!
Finnican stumbled off of Althyrin's body and fell back on his rear. He buried his head under his wings and began to cry.
"No no no no no..." he moaned softly as his smaller bird frame trembled.

Fayru clung to Najmah's fur, having been reluctant to let go without some sort of assistance to the ground.
Althyrin is dead, she mused, having gathered that from Finnican's previous cries, But this is not where he died, or even when. It is much too soon for that. If his majesty has died... What does that mean for the future of this world?

Drellan focused on breathing, still woozy from the loss of blood. He continued comforting everyone that he could, resting his head on Jury's shoulder and looking to Finnican with worry. The wolf wanted to move over to the falcon and bring him into their circle, but his gaze caught the dead hawk instead and he reached the same conclusion Fin had. 

Tyrin looked like this... and where were we?

As the wolves, the fox and the birds huddled together, comforting each other and grieving the loss of Archeus and Althryin, or trying to get everyone to go in Kurai's case, a flicker of golden light shimmered in the group's center. It was a small fracture that only existed for an instant, as long as an earth worm, but only the width of a singular strand of hair. A split second later, it reappeared, the light flickering from one end to the other, before disappearing again. A third time, it appeared. But instead of disappearing, it began to pulse. With each pulse, the light grew brighter and the fracture grew wider, as if it was being pulled apart with every pulse.
The fracture was now a break, big enough for one of the wolves to stick their snout through. The light pulsing from it was more than enough to capture the group's attention, even though the day sun shone through the windows outside and filled the room with its rays. The break pulsed with its otherworldly light once more before, without warning, the light burst through with and amazing amount of force, tearing the break wide open and engulfing the room completely.


Beams of orange light shone through the windows, spotlights for everyone in the area to see. For three heartbeats they lasted, steadily growing in density, before dying as suddenly as it appeared. In the cabin, save for the bodies of the humans, the raven, the hawk, and the wolf in the other room, nothing remained of the group that had been stolen by time.

---

In a flash of orange light, Najmah, Drellan, Rose, Juryoku, Finnican, Fayru, Kurai, and even Granger appeared in the center of a flat hexagonal slab of stone. It was approximately 10 feet in diameter from one edge to the other, enough room for all of them to move comfortably around each other. Intricate designs were carved into the light stone beneath their feet, the stone smooth but the ridges obvious. Upon further inspection, the group would find that the stone slab itself was 3 feet in height, and was levitating several feet above the ground. Below them was a circular lake of gold, its surface so still that it looked like a sheet of solid metal. A ring of stone bordered this lake, wide enough for one of the wolves to sit on without touching the surrounding ground. Like the floating hexagon, which revolved around the lake much like the moon revolved around the Earth, the ring of stone had symbols carved into its surface.

The lake of gold was the center of a circular meadow surrounded by a forest. The meadow was perfectly flat, the only thing growing in it being the tall, yellow soft strands of grass, tall enough to completely cover a crouching wolf. The trees of the forest that surrounded this clearing were taller than any tree the anyone in the group had seen before, the tallest being the ones that bordered the meadow. These trees curved upward, making the clearing seem bigger than it really was. Being so tall, it almost looked like the trees were holding up the sky.
The sky was an anomaly. Though it was clearly daytime, with the sky being a lighter shade of blue than what was usual, the stars speckled the sky like they would at night.

The group of animals on the stone were no longer in the world of the humans. But they were not in their world either.

Drellan's eyes had been closed when the rift came, and he didn't know what was happening until it was too late. The wolf's stomach lurched as he and the others were pulled through time and space, and his eyes shot open in time to see the lights as they reappeared. His head raced with a thousand thoughts, panic and worry most prevalent. When the light subsided and they had arrived, his panic had began to strangely ebb into calm. Despite the vastly different surroundings from what he was used to, Drellan's brief terror was already waning away. There was an odd peacefulness to the Grove, as if it were reaching out and pulling the animals close.

Deciding there was no immediate danger, Drellan blinked away the shock from the travel and began to observe what was around him. He was on a strange floating stone above a small golden lake... in a forest of trees that were way too tall... in the daytime... but the stars were out...

Where the- ... where are we? This is NOT right...


The stone platform, which had been revolving about the lake in a soothing circular motion, had finally begun to alter it's spiral and move closer with each rotation to the shore. After a moment, the stone platform came to a gentle stop, lining up perfectly symmetrical with a stone platform on the shoreline. The ride in, it seems, was over. 

The stone platform had a small ramp that led down into another part of the clearing, where just within sight a Gryphon waited patiently. His front half and bird features resembled a great eagle, his feathers white and speckled with brown. His beak was gold with numerous nicks and scars, and his eyes were the same color as the gold-brown fur that made up his second half. This back half of his body made up his four paws and tail, as well as his underbelly. This part was distinctly feline in form, though he was larger than the half-lion he resembled. The Gryphon watched the group of animals with indifference, merely observing them as the floating stone connected with the ramp platform.

Like Drellan and Juryoku, Najmah, Finnican and Rose looked around the new scene with eyes wide in wonder while Fayru clung to Najmah's fur, her violet eyes narrowed to horizontal slits. All four of them felt the calm this new place brought to their beings. For Fayru, it was a sense of peace that she acknowledged, but otherwise did not strongly affect her. But for the other three, it was as if this new strange place had blessed them with comfort and strength, both of which they needed after the traumatizing experience they had just left behind.

Najmah stared up in awe at the starlit day sky, her blue eyes searching the patterns as she tried to understand what this phenomenon was and why it was happening.

The golden lake was what had Finnican's gaze as the platform made its way gently to the ground. The falcon was snapped out of his trance when the stone beneath his talons landed. He looked to Kurai, who seemed captivated by the lake at the moment. Then he looked to the wolves, trying to see how they were reacting to their new surroundings. As he looked over his shoulder, his gaze landed on the creature out in the field in front of the stationary platform. His yellow eyes widened at the sight of the giant eagle with the body of a lion. At that moment, his mind just went blank. After seeing too many impossible things in the time it took for Jury to step off the platform, his brain shut down. It refused to work anymore.

Rose automatically moved after her sister, mindlessly following her down the ramp as she took her surroundings in. She had never seen anything like what she was seeing now with her own eyes, yet she felt as if she had been there before. But she knew for certain that she never had. That had to mean-
Her thoughts came to an abrupt stop when she almost walked into Jury's hindquarters. The young wolf halted right behind her sister. Then she stepped to the side to ask the black she-wolf why she had stopped when her eyes landed on the Gryphon ahead of them. She kept silent and stood there for a moment before slowly padding past Jury for the strange feline-bird hybrid.

Stopping a short distance in front of the Gryphon, Rose looked up at him. Her crimson eyes held no fear; only the curiosity of a pup. For once, she kept her silence and waited for the larger animal to speak.

Dalkota, the Gryphon, patiently waited for the group to begin moving off the platform one by one. Drellan had stepped off a moment after his sisters, still limping as he did so. The grey wolf was injured, Dalkota noted, and losing large amounts of blood quickly. There were fast ways to undo this, but the Gryphon decided to wait a bit longer. When most of them had stepped onto the ramp, some stopping short after the grass, he took a long breath. 
"Well... look at you."

The Gryphon narrowed his eyes, giving a small shake of his head, He stood rigid, alert as he spoke. Or perhaps, in anger. "I am Dalkota. Elected Guardian of your world. You're standing in the Grove of Wardens, a place outside of time and space. Here, you would move on, choose any world to step into and start life anew. Or perhaps you would be unworthy, and the void would take you. You would have these options, if had died, but as you can see... you did not. Do you have ANY idea how much power it took to bring you here? Those rifts are not clay to be manipulated, it takes immense strength and calculation to create one at will, ESPECIALLY in an unstable timeline."

Dalkota took a long sigh, beginning to move slowly around the group as he sized them up. "You have made a complete mess of things! Archeus, dead. Althyrin, dead. Over a dozen humans, dead. The timeline was nearly destroyed! How you managed to nearly unravel all of existence is beyond me. You enter a strange new land, clearly in another time or dimension and the first thing you do is start mucking about, changing things." 

He paused as he came back to the front of the group, staring down at the wolves in front. "Killing on sight, is never the answer. Had you been patient, you never would have been captured. Archeus and Althyrin would still be alive, and when the humans were taken at midnight I would have been there to spot you, and could have taken you home with no incident. Your... inability to decipher a situation is inexcusable. And YOU, Rose, Fayru-- did you not LISTEN to your Guides? You should be ashamed! Not one of you deserves to be in this Grove, but here you are. And you can thank Tyrin for that. The only reason I didn't leave you in that ruined time is because your own world NEEDS to have you here. Do you know what's happened while you've been gallivanting through the past? Should I tell you? It won't matter, none of you will even remember this conversation. THAT's how badly you've made a mess of things. The amount of power it would take to send you back is unprecedented. I don't even know the full effect of what it will do to your memories."

Rose shrunk away from Dalkota as he berated them, shrinking even more as he addressed her specifically. Her eyes were wide in their sockets and they began to fill with tears. She did not know what to say. She could only stand there trembling in fear and shame.


Najmah, having trotted after her family once realizing they had left her on the platform, was now stopped behind them in shock. On her back, Fayru cringed and pursed her beak together, but otherwise showed no reaction to being chewed out by the gryphon. The she-wolf took and involuntary step back, too numb in the brain to do anything but listen to Dalkota. Honestly, he intimidated Najmah, something she would hate herself for in just a moment. Then finally, as he finished the last bit of his rant, the blue-eyed wolf snapped out of it. She was instantly overcome with rage.
"Now hold it right there, you bird-cat freak!" she snarled, "We didn't ask to be sent to that time! We were minding our own business back home when that light stole us! In a place like that, we did what we had to to survive!"
As Najmah aggressively defended the group, she shouldered her way through her friends, careful to avoid touching Drellan's injured shoulder, and stood in front of Rose after pulling the smaller wolf back to glower up at Dalkota. From the side, it was almost a comical sight with Najmah right in front of him with her head craned all the way back to glare into the gryphon's eyes. "And how the heck were we supposed to know you could take us back?! We'd been down there for a week and the only real change happened when my mate appeared the same way we did! One more person stuck in that time! And you claim to be a Guardian?! What's that supposed to mean, huh? Are you some sort of deity, some sort of all powerful God?! Well some Guardian you are if you can't keep track of all of us who went through your precious rifts!"

Meanwhile, Finnican remained on the hexagonal platform staring at what he felt would turn into a heated argument between the fired up Najmah and the intimidating gryphon who looked like he could crush the wolf just by stepping on her. The mention of Tyrin on Dalkota's part was just registering in his mind when he decided, This is getting scary, so I think I'll just stay here...

"And if you could control these rifts this whole time, then why the heck did we get taken in the first place?!" the falcon heard Najmah continue, "If you're really a Guardian-deity whatever, you should have noticed when it happened! So what are you really, a slacker? And you're scolding us?! Jerk!!"

Midway through Najmah's rant, Dalkota rolled his eyes. He calmly tried to explain to her as she drowned him out with words. "I do not control the Rifts entirely, I manipulate them. I do not make them. You were sent- you were sent to that time line by forces out of my control- will you listen to- quiet- you-" 

The Gryphon glared down at the small wolf, stomping one of his paws in the grass. "QUIET! If you behave as a pup in this Grove you will be TREATED AS ONE!" 

The ground around Najmah glowed with light. She had been snarling up at him one moment, and the next, with a flash of gold, the full grown she-wolf was now about two moons old. Her mind was perfectly intact, but her body was that of a pup. Fayru now stood beside her.

"DO I have your attention now?! When you can act like a grown wolf again you can be one! You have no right to scold me. Your world is dying! Are you ready to listen to me tell you how toy save it?!" Dalkota asked, glaring at the rest of them, head held high in a silent threat.

Drellan did not answer. He was staring at his... mate? At Najmah... who was now as young as Raiya... Unable to process this anymore, he quickly decided what the problem was, and turned to Jury with huge eyes. "Uh... I need help fast, I'm hallucinating from the blood loss..."

Dalkota listened patiently while Jury spoke, he himself calming down. When she was finished he nodded slowly, the few bits of his feathers that had been ruffled were falling back into place. The Gryphon took a long breath before calmly responding to the wolf's demands. 

"I can agree to those points. I had no intention of letting Najmah leave this place like... that. And as for Drellan, I will see what I can do. He will not bleed out before he leaves, but the only way I'd be able to help him would involve the Rifts. You have my word that when you are sent home, he will be better. Can I have your word that you will listen to what I have to say? It will save your world if you are brave enough to act. Can you do this Juryoku?"

Jury let her fur lay flat as he spoke, grateful that the gryphon seemed to be more reasonable than he had originally seemed. She nodded slightly at the mention of Drellan, though she wasn't pleased that he wouldn't be healed right away. If he could turn a full grown wolf into a pup, what was stopping him from healing Drellan? With a quiet sigh, she cast a look over her shoulder at him, hoping that he wasn't in too pain, though his actions and words proving to her that he was. 

She faced Dalkota again as he continued, gaze turning serious as they lost their angry gleam. "Yes, I will listen, you have my word. I don't know you, but as long as my family is fixed when we return, I see no reason why I should think you're untrustworthy... But you said we wouldn't even remember this conversation. I'm not sure what good it will do to tell me if that's true, but I will listen, and I want to hear it."

(D: now I need to go! I'll be back later!)

SilverstarWarrior wrote:Jury let her fur lay flat as he spoke, grateful that the gryphon seemed to be more reasonable than he had originally seemed. She nodded slightly at the mention of Drellan, though she wasn't pleased that he wouldn't be healed right away. If he could turn a full grown wolf into a pup, what was stopping him from healing Drellan? With a quiet sigh, she cast a look over her shoulder at him, hoping that he wasn't in too pain, though his actions and words proving to her that he was. 

She faced Dalkota again as he continued, gaze turning serious as they lost their angry gleam. "Yes, I will listen, you have my word. I don't know you, but as long as my family is fixed when we return, I see no reason why I should think you're untrustworthy... But you said we wouldn't even remember this conversation. I'm not sure what good it will do to tell me if that's true, but I will listen, and I want to hear it."

(D: now I need to go! I'll be back later!)

"I said it's possible. Your actions in the past have severely altered your current timestream. Even getting you back home exactly when you left is now impossible... step back." 

Dalkota moved back a set too, allowing for more space between him and Jury. He eyed the group, fixating on Finnican and Granger, who seemed farther back than the others. "Gather around. And Fayru... your Guide should relay this information to you as the others see it."

From the space between Dalkota and Jury, light shimmered in a small pool quickly forming. In a heartbeat, there was now a perfectly formed circle of gold on the ground, large enough for each of the group to easily see. The liquid was gold, just like the lake they had arrived on. This water however was completely still, leaving a crystal clear reflection of everyone who looked into it. A moment later, the gold shimmered with a dull yellow glow, and the water changed shape to a series of moving images repeating over and over. 

---

Drellan had been smiling thankfully at his sister's efforts to make him better. He hoped whatever the Gryphon was going to do would at least ease the pain. In any case, it looked like he'd have to wait. Apparently the Gryphon's magic only works with one thing at a time. Seeing what happened while I've been gone is more important I guess... still hurts though. Hopefully Dalkota can tell if I lose too much blood...


When Jury set the pup down at his feet, he had a painful flash of longing for his own daughter. It seemed he hasn't hallucinating, as the others were reacting too. Whatever strange magic Dalkota possessed, it felt right at home with the rest of the strangeness happening around him. He stared down at 'Najmah' for a while in confusion, his mouth hanging open as he tried to comprehend what was happening. He almost didn't notice the gold pool appearing. Pup or not... I think Najmah should see this too...

After a moment of frowning, he picked Najmah up by her scruff and set her down beside Juryoku and the others gathering around the pool.

---

The pool shimmered with each transition, showing a few seconds of time with each image before moving to the next one. Once the whole cycle of moving images completed, the whole thing would play again. It did this three times before Dalkota spoke.

The Council Tree, limbs breaking and fire spreading as Agathar and Tyrin fought.


Na'thain's throat being cut, Tyrin's silent cry.


Agathar's tail striking Tyrin's chest, Tyrin fading into ashes.


Syrune stepping into Tyrin's hollow with a look of terror, Zarrock greeting her inside with a wicked smile.


Syrune flying away from the hollow that now burned with purple fire, carrying two chicks in her talons with tears in her eyes.


Moonpelt and Drellan charging through the forest fire, Drellan seeing the Rift and running into it.


Moonpelt seeing Zarrock's shadow, him running through the smoking woods.


All of the wolves lined up and facing Zarrock, K'Rule holding Raiya tight.


Zarrock smashing Pike into the ground, Pike's silent roar of defiance.


K'Rule snarling up at Zarrock, Zarrock unleashing fire on the den.


Moonpelt running with Raiya, freezing up and seeing Kale.


Rinka and several Council birds flying away from the forest fire.

Dalkota waited for a moment while the group took each image in, carefully examining their reactions before he continued. "I know they are hard to watch... much has happened while you were away. But that was three seasons ago. There is more to show you when you are ready."

Najmah snarled up at Dalkota, opening her jaws to let loose another torrent of harsh words upon him. With her head craned back, she was unable to see the circle of light below her paws. The only warning she got before her vision was engulfed in gold was the reflection of the light off the fur below the corners of her eyes.

When the wolf could see again, everything around her was...bigger. Her eye level had been just below the gryphons chest, but now it was barely even above his ankle. And she was still standing.
What...
She tried looking up, but even with her head craned all the way back, she could not see Dalkota's face. She then looked around with wide eyes. All she could see were the legs of her family. Then, after turning to the left, she say Fayru standing right next to her. Fayru, the Peregrine Falcon, who was supposed to be much smaller than her...now taller than her... Najmah looked down at her paws. Not only were her paws much smaller than they should be, but her fur was abnormally soft and...fluffy?!
Before the now 2 month old pup could fully comprehend her situation, she felt a pair of large jaws grab a hold of her scruff and she was suddenly in the air. Someone had picked her up.
Too stunned to fight back before she was set at her mate's paws, Najmah could only gape up at the much larger Juryoku as the black wolf took her place in front of Dalkota.

Rose looked down at Najmah with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. She looked up at Dalkota in shock and then back down at Najmah. After a moment, the corners of her mouth turned up in an adoring smile.
"Aaaaw!" she cooed, laying down beside her brother and beginning to prod at puppy Najmah with her forepaws, "Oh my gosh! You are so cuuuute!!"

At the attention from Rose, Najmah's face flushed in both anger and embarrassment. "Can you not?!" she snarled while slapping her friend's paws away with her much smaller ones. Then she froze in horror.
My voice... I...I sound like...
Rose let out a small squeal after Najmah spoke. "Cuuuuute!!"
"Shut up!!" Najmah shouted in her adorable high pitched puppy voice.

---

Fayru was confused at the transition from fur to grass beneath her talons. She turned her head towards Najmah, having heard her small surprised sounds beside her. Through her heavily squinted eyes, she could see a fuzzy grey blob in the midst of painfully bright light.
She did not know when exactly it had started. She guessed it was a moment after the group had entered The Grove, if not right when they had arrived. But her eternal screen of darkness had suddenly died into a world of color. It was...a shock, to say the least. She knew that somehow, her nonexistent sight was working. She did not know what to make of it, but she chose to be patient with it. As time passed, the colors were starting to come together to form shapes. She suspected there needed to be a lot more development before she would be able to see like normal animals, if her newly acquired vision did not fail before getting to that point. But rather than feeling excited about it, she was curious about how her vision would develop and if it would, in fact, get to that point. So for the time being, she remained silent and listened to the conversation between Juryoku and Dalkota.

---

Finnican gaped at Najmah from where he stood on the platform, his eyes bugging out of his skull.
What...
Despite having seen so many amazingly impossible things in his lifetime, he was still shocked after seeing the feisty wolf turned into a pup. He was also now scared of Dalkota. If he could turn Najmah into a pup, then what else could he do?

In the time it took for Juryoku and Dalkota to talk, the male falcon calmed down. But now he was being called down while the others formed a circle with the black wolf and the gryphon. Finnican looked behind him to KURAI and Granger before gliding to meet the group. He touched down beside his sister, who had begun to take hesitant steps forward, and led her to stand beside Drellan.

---

After being told to form a circle, Rose looked up and, with one last glance at Najmah, stood up and took her place beside her sister.

Najmah had no idea what was happening. She opened her jaws to speak, but was caught off when she felt jaws on her scruff once again.
STOP PICKING ME UP!! she silently roared as she flailed her paws in the air. After being set down on Jury's other side, the pup looked up at her mate and glared. But she failed to convey the burning anger she felt in her chest. Instead, she ended up puffing out her cheeks and giving him the angry pout of a pup. She looked quite adorable actually.

Now that the four were gathered with the others around the golden pool, they looked into its surface and watched.

---

It was horrible. They watched as their homes were destroyed, and dear friends and family suffered and died.
The appearance of Agathar shook them, none of them having imagined how terrifying the dragon looked and how powerful he was.

Finnican let out a strangled cry as first Na'thain, and then Tyrin were murdered by the black-silver scaled monster. His best friend, and his father figure were both really dead. And seeing it actually happen... His eyes widened as he saw Syrune, and then Zarrock. His heart dropped, believing for a moment she too would be killed. Then, seeing her escape from his sister's burning hollow alive...he couldn't help but cry out in relief. But he noticed the two hatchlings in her talons. One of his nieces, one of his nephews. His eyes widened in horror as that image changed. If she only had two of them, then where were the other two? ...He couldn't bring himself to use common sense.

Rose and Najmah stiffened as the image of Zarrock in his Dark Phoenix form standing in the midst of their pack appeared on the surface of the gold pool.
No...

Rose screamed as Pike was crushed to death, and wailed when her father and the family she'd left behind were burned. She fell to the ground and covered her head with her forelegs, her shoulders heaving with heavy sobs.

Najmah stared down at those same images in horror. She felt sick and dizzy, and her heart felt as if it were being torn apart as she watched her packmates die.
Pike... K'Rule...
Tears fell down her cheeks and dropped to the ground after the images looped for the second time.
Hazelle...Raven...
Moonpelt and Raiya were alive. For that, she was thankful. More thankful than anyone would know. The happiness she felt that they still lived was almost drowned out by the sorrow and rage for the loss of her other packmates, but for their lives at least, she was happy.

Fayru did not react to anything that was shown in the pool. Stoic and indifferent, she stood beside her grieving brother with her eyes on the passing images. She could see colors and very fuzzy shapes. These shapes gradually took more solid forms as the images looped once, and then twice. On the third loop, the shapes had taken smoother forms, but it was still very difficult for the female falcon to comprehend what her eyes were showing her. And so she relied on her Guide to explain to her what was happening. Even knowing what was being shown, Fayru did not react. She only collected what she had learned as information. She displayed no signs of grief.

Drellan shut his eyes after the second loop of images. It was too much. Everything was too much. This place, this creature, the pain in his shoulder, his mate was now an adorable pup, and then on top of that...

Father.... the pack... Pike...


The Alpha wolf let tears form through closed eyes, refusing to look anymore. The solace of knowing his friend and daughter were alive were the only thing stopping a complete shut-down of his mind. The pack was his family, and seeing so many of them die was like losing a hundred pups. For a moment, the drying blood on his shoulder felt like it came from all of them instead. The pain felt a thousand times worse as he pictured what they must have felt like. He was proud of his father, and Pike. In the images they were both so brave looking. So bold. Drellan would never forget this. He blinked open his watery eyes at the sound of Dalkota's voice. "Three seasons ago? H-How can that be?! We were only..."

Dalkota stared at the wolf for a long time, looking over the solemn faces of them all, and he himself felt a pang in his heart. He looked down at the pup, Najmah, and knew she was ready to listen. With a quick flash, he returned her to normal, not meeting her gaze as he looked back at Drellan. "Like I said before, I cannot make the Rifts, only move through them. The only Rift that can get you home now is one that will appear shortly, in the meadow behind me. It will take you to what is now present time. But I have more to show you before then... will you all be ready?"

Aaaw... I liked puppy Najmah though!

Najmah: *sigh* Thank goodness...

... Oh, this won't be the last we see of puppy Najmah.

Namah: O.O SON OF A-

---

Once again Najmah's vision was overtaken by gold before everything around her returned to normal size. She blinked slowly, looking down at her paws to see they were bigger now and that her fur was back to its original coarse, sleek state. But that didn't matter. The full grown wolf glanced off the gold pool to Dalkota, then followed his gaze to Drellan. Silently, she pressed her cheek to his jawline, both trying to comfort him and in need of comfort herself. She couldn't bring herself to speak. Even if she could, she didn't know what to say.

Just like Najmah, Finnican, Fayru and Rose were silent. Finnican had watched all three loops without looking away once. He wanted to look away, especially when Na'thain and Tyrin died, over and over. But he couldn't do that. He hadn't been there for his friend when he needed him most. What right did he have to look away, when his friend had died alone after watching his own father die before him? The male falcon had no voice as he silently grieved for the deceased.
Rose was still crying, silently now. She was crying, but she had already cried so much that day that she had no tears left to shed. She was a wreck inside. Her very best friend, and her father whom she had adored... Friends...family... All gone in the worst way possible... Why...Why did this have to happen...Why?...

In the midst of the cold silence, a new voice spoke up from above Dalkota. A voice none but the gryphon and a certain wolf had heard before.
"I think they need a breather," this voice said. And then that is when she appeared. A she-wolf, twice as large as Drellan with long slender legs literally materialized as she landed at Dalkota's left side, as if she had jumped over his back to get there. The fur on this she-wolf was longer than average and white, with spotted patterns of black and grey across her cheeks, chest, and along her spine. She looked towards the group, her face hosting a cheerful grin, a shocking anomaly in the atmosphere of sorrow. But the one thing about her that would almost always be deemed "creepy" or "eerie" at first glance about her were the lack of irises and pupils in her eyes. Her eyes were a void of white. This new wolf then looked to Dalkota with a smile, as if nothing was wrong. "What do you think, Dal?"

"If they take a break now, they will not be able to handle what he has left to show them," a second voice replied on the gryphon's behalf. Like the she-wolf, a second creature materialized and soared to a landing on Dalkota's right. This creature was a female owl only slightly larger than Kurai with similar colorings to the wolf. Her eyes were also a blank, pure white. "It would be best to show it all to them, and then let them recover after. They've been through enough emotional turmoil as it is, best not ruin them before they're sent back to their world." After a straight face with a slight disapproving look to the now pouting she-wolf, the owl sighed and glanced up at Dalkota. "Also, I would like to know what has become of the world I swore to protect during my absence these past three seasons."

Drellan opened his eyes as Najmah returned to normal, visibly relieved the craziness was over... until the newcomers snapped him out of it. He had just pressed back against Najmah's cheek when they appeared. He focused on the wolf at first, mesmerized with what he was seeing. He had so many questions all at once, and barely stuttered one of them out. 
"Wh-who....." Are you one of the Wolf Spirits? Are you a Moon Goddess?


Dalkota seemed more at ease when the two appeared at his sides. He curiously watched for Rose and Fayru's reactions, noting the flicker of Fayru's eyes. There is a lot of newness going on today.


The Gryphon nodded to each in turn, agreeing with both of them. "I would like to let them rest, there is a lot going on, but they will have to get over the shock soon. There isn't much more time till the Rift comes... I understand you may forget all of this initially, but I'm showing you all this because you will eventually remember, and it will make all the difference. Please, if you can, look again at the pool. I will let my friends explain themselves in a moment. They have words for you as well. And.... I'm sorry. I am truly sorry for all these emotions. I understand this is hard for you all, and it may be too much now, but it will come back to you in more manageable pieces later on."

The images in the pool faded away, the loop coming to an end. Once the water was settled, the golden pool shimmered once more, and a new set of looping images appeared. "... This is what has happened since the day you left. Please.... please try to contain yourselves..."

A quick flash of Moonpelt, Kale, and Raiya, hunting together.


Raiya growing older, Moonpelt smiling happily, peace.


Kale waving goodbye to the wolves, all three standing beside a great ruin of a Human city.


Rinka standing high on a broken Human building ledge, hundreds of mixed animals cheering below her.


Kale unconscious on a beach, a black female falcon trying to wake him.


Kale watching an enormous fire in the center of a camp, horror on his face while the birds around cheered.


Kale fighting a larger owl in the middle of a thunderstorm, a necklace with a blurry pendant around his neck.


Raiya and Moonpelt tearing a Shade in half, Rinka shifting forms behind them.


Tyrin waking in the Grove, standing to face Dalkota.


Syrune flying with a grown Ambyra and Nykoru, dead birds littering a tavern floor.


Tyrin watching from a distance as a Shade burns an island, Tyrin looking furious.


Agathar and Zarrock standing in a cave, looking at a large, slimy, round object.


Rivers and lakes drying up, the Pridelands burning.


Rinka touching the Disk Shard, Kale staring through a Rift on the other side of the door.


Tyrin watching from a distance as a massive dragon bursts out of a mountain top, several other birds stand beside him.


Agathar building a city of prison cells made from bones, hundreds of animals inside.


Zarrock standing in a dark cave, curling into a ball and trying to cover his ears.


T'Sone covered in purple fire, standing amid a dozen Shade wolves at the old wolf camp.

Jury watched as the pool formed, silently acknowledging the other animals gathering around it, Kurai having left the platform finally to watch with the rest of them, eyes not leaving the images that were starting to appear. She didn't know what she had been expecting in all honesty, but this was certainly far from it. She stared in horror at Agathar, unable to believe her eyes despite what unexplainable things were all around her already. Her breath caught at the sight of the birds being struck down and fighting, unable to move as Pike was crushed and her home destroyed, fighting back tears she was too shocked to even realize were forming.

She had never been the most open or kind to the wolves of the pack considering how new it all had been to her, not enjoying Pikes constant puplike energy. Now she would give anything to have them with her again, a tear slipping down her face as she realized she didn't even know how many of her family had died in the attack. They had just gotten their family back, and now they were gone.

The black wolf only tore her eyes away from the terrible pool at the sound of new voices, feeling too broken to bother trying to understand or care who or what they were.

When the next wave of images came, she almost had managed to regain some sort of calm at as she watched their friends, glad they were happy and living their lives in peace, before once again watching fire and destruction. Could none of them ever find safety or peace, or would they all be plagued by death for the rest of their lives? Her eyes widened even more than they were already, slack jawed at the very alive Tyrin who stood with Dalkota in the Grove, conflicting with the death of the phoenix they had already seen. Her stomach lurched as T'Sone appeared, letting out a cry of horror and protest. "No! She's dead! That monster is supposed to be dead!" she argued, lifting her gaze to stare at Dalkota as she took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief. She refused to believe that she could be back. That was the worst time of her life- she had died, even, and the thought that they would all have to live through such a dark time once again terrified the black wolf.

---

Kurai watched Syrune as the pool swirled the images around, relieved to see her daughter alive after the death they had already seen. She didn't know much of the other animals, so there wasn't much grief to be felt by the owl. After all, she had killed plenty of creatures herself for trivial reasons. Death wasn't a strange thing to her, and she doubted she'd never kill again. She watched the second set of images, the dead tavern birds piquing her curiosity. She had no doubt they deserved it; tavern birds weren't the sweetest things you could come across. Kurai only wondered what Syrune and the other two birds had been there for, what they could have gained from the slaughter. As the images rolled on she began to get uncomfortable, the fires and cages setting her on edge, though they would any sane bird. She feared they wouldn't like the world they returned to, and there wouldn't be much anyone could do to stop it all.

(Your daily dose of Kurai is not a good bird. My wonderful little feathered murderer.)

Yes Drellan! The new wolf is a Moon Goddess! XD

Ah yes, wonderful, magnificent Kurai... *looks at Kurai* I'm not going to pet you.

---

At the appearance of the strange new wolf, Najmah straightened up in surprise, pulling away from Drellan. She narrowed her eyes at the female, the small rumble of a growl beginning in the back of her throat as her ears tipped back slightly.
She looks way too happy. What is with her?
She looked at those blank white eyes. Thankfully, the new wolf was not looking her way.
...What is with her eyes? Najmah thought, an uncomfortable feeling forming in her chest.

Rose, meanwhile, stared at the wolf with an open mouth, her ears facing her completely. It was obvious she had recognized her. The new wolf looked towards Rose and smiled as she looked into her eyes. Though her eyes were blank, Rose was overcome by a feeling of calm. Her heart even felt lighter, strangely. She could almost say she was happy in that moment.

Upon hearing the owl's voice, Fayru lifted her head to acknowledge the new bird's presence. She even sent a glance her way before looking towards the ground. Her vision was steadily getting better, but she had no desire to experience sensory overload.

Finnican gaped openly at the new wolf and then the owl. He had no idea what to make of them, but hearing Dalkota refer to them as his friends, and seeing how the gryphon seemed more relaxed with them at his side, the falcon relaxed as well. He wanted to know who they were and why they had suddenly appeared right that instant, but he decided to give it time.

The new she-wolf smiled again at Dalkota's nod before shrugging. "Well...ya, I guess you're right," she replied, "Now that I think about it, if they rest for too long, they'll miss the important stuff before The Rift appears."

"Another good reason not to delay," the owl agreed, "Well done...Lupa."

Lupa only grinned in reply, her tail wagging slightly at the praise. Though the owl looked like she wanted to roll her eyes.

---

The six, along with everyone else, turned their attention back to Dalkota as he explained that they would eventually remember everything he showed them after returning to their world. Then they turned their attention to the pool and watched the images as they began to appear.

Seeing Raiya grow up in just an instant was both a happy and saddening moment for Najmah. Her half-brother was a dimwit in her eyes, but she recognized the goodness in him. She had no doubt her daughter had a happy life being raised by him. At the same time, Raiya, who had been a pup when she had been taken from her, now looked to be her age. She had been gone a week, and now her pup was all grown up? In what universe was that okay?
Caught between smiling and frowning, Najmah made a neutral face, tears once again welling her eyes.

Finnican did not recognize Kale in the images before the one with Rinka. Seeing his sister alive and well, and apparently rallying hundreds of animals together, he broke out into a grin. It was only after seeing the next three images that centered around Kale that he recognized the younger falcon as the one who had helped rescue Finnican and his friends from the prison in the Roost. Then, a heartbeat later, his eyes widened as he remembered something else. Something about the only race he had ever lost...

Najmah's eyes widened as she watched Raiya and Moonpelt tear the shade in half. They were living peacefully just a moment ago. Why were they endangering themselves to fight those things? Idiots!

Finnican's eyes bugged out of his head as he watched the very much alive Tyrin wake up in The Grove. Then, breaking out into a grin, he cried out in relief. He looked to Dalkota, happiness the most dominant emotion on his face, before looking to the pool again. He had no idea how, but his best friend was alive. He believed what the pool showed him without a second thought.

The three assassins over the dead tavern birds, the burning island, the round, slimy object, the Pridelands burning, the diskshard and the rift, the enormous dragon, the prison of bones, and Zarrock. Finnican, Najmah and Rose took it all in as best they could. Their spirits fell as these images seemed to get worse and worse. But the last image was the final nail in the coffin.

"NO!" Rose squealed, recoiling away from the pool as the horrifying image of T'Sone appeared. She clung to Juryoku and turned away from the golden surface, trembling as traumatic memories were recalled into her mind.

Najmah's legs felt weak. She stared down into the pool with wide eyes, her gaze locking onto the she-wolf who had died a year ago. Her lungs felt as if her ribs had tightened closer around them. She could barely breathe.
M...Mom?...
Subconsciously, the murderess' daughter lifted her forepaw to her chest where ugly scars that went up through the left side of her neck resided.

Finnican stumbled backwards away from the pool. He was in a stupor, everything he had seen too much for him to handle. "Please...tell me that's all of it," he breathed.

There was so much going on, so much new information, that Drellan's head could barely make sense of it. As the images changed one after the other, each one gave the wolf pause for thought. Just as he was able to understand what he was seeing, something else would take it's place and leave him with more questions. He didn't know what to think or how to feel with the onslaught of information, and most of it hadn't really even settled in yet. 

Tyrin is alive, Raiya is all grown up, and T'Sone is a Shade... I can't take this all in!


"I'm sorry again." Dalkota's voice pulled Drellan from his thoughts. "And yes Finnican, that is all I can show you. All of this may be... distressing, but that's why you need to know it... so you can be ready."

Drellan nodded slowly in understanding, moving closer to Rose and licking her behind the ear for comfort. 

The Gryphon turned his gaze to the owl beside him, then to the wolf. "If you have anything you'd like to say, do it now. The Rift will be here any moment."

Jury pressed closer to Jose to comfort both herself and her sister, watching the gryphon with discomfort, ears flattened. She didn't want to know any of what they had just seen. She almost wished they were back in the world of the humans, never knowing of the terrible fate their friends and family faced, but in reality she would never go back. They had to help their friends and the family who survived- and were still fighting.

She nodded slowly at Dalkotas words as she waited for the Rift. She hesitated a moment before speaking, unsure of herself and shaken from the images and terrible things they seen. "Thank you. For showing us." She wished the past few moons were nothing like what they had seen, that their families were safe and happy, but she was glad that they wouldn't have to learn all of this when they got back, even if it was putting them through pain now and would for time to come. It was better for them to be ready and be able to help, to be prepared.

Rose looked up at the lick. Seeing her brother, she shuffled closer and pressed herself to his chest. The younger wolf clung to Drellan, as if he were her lifeline in this storm of despair and confusion. And then, as Jury pressed against her, she brought her closer to them with a forepaw. She held onto her siblings and did not want to let either of them go.


The white creatures exchanged looks with the Gryphon. The owl nodded in understanding while the wolf grinned cheerfully.

"Righto!" the wolf declared as she skipped to the center of the circle. The pool, now beneath her paws, did not change. It did not even ripple in the slightest as she treaded upon it. "My name is Lupa, in case you missed it! If it rings a bell, then you're not deaf! I'm 100% percent certain Rose has mentioned me on several occasions!"

"Tone it down," the owl interrupted, not having moved from Dalkota's side, "This is not the time for that puppish attitude."

"But Noctura dear, I'm only trying to liven up the atmosphere!" Lupa replied. She looked over her shoulder at the owl as she did so and goofily stuck her tongue out at her. Then, after glancing around at everyone, she sighed. "But I guess that won't help now." The wolf cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. The playful look on her face disappeared, becoming replaced with a more serious and mature look. As she spoke, she took on a tone that was quieter and more considerate of the group's current feelings.

"In the Ethyrium, there is a forest where certain beings without physical bodies roam. These beings can barely be seen during the day, most commonly described as "wisps of steam floating through the air". But at night, they glowed a faint silver under the moons' light. They were somewhat spherical in shape and transparent, but these beings definitely existed. They were not sentient and had no need for food or drink, but they existed.
I won't go into detail about how the Gryphons discovered this, but they found that if they shared their magic with a wisp that was compatible to their magic, that wisp came to life. By that I mean they shone even in the daylight, and looked fuller somehow. And, more importantly, they developed a personality and gained the ability to communicate. Basically, by combining their magic and one of the wisps from this forest, the Gryphons created...well, I want to say "soul", but these things were not souls. More like...pseudo-souls, if I had to find a phrase to describe them. Or maybe-"

"That day, the significance of these "pseudo-souls" came to light in the Gryphons' eyes," Noctura interrupted with a sharp look at Lupa, "It was discovered there was a number of things they could be used for. Messengers, support in battles, storage for magic, companions, etcetera."

"Hey, we kind of sound like awesome power-ups you'd only find in an RPG!" Lupa laughed.

Noctura shot a glare at Lupa before continuing. "As this forest was the only location the wisps could be found, therefore placing a limit to their total population, it was decided that only Gryphons who required the support of these wisps would be allowed ownerships over those that would be taken."

"Becoming responsible for the well-being of a world is a lot to ask of one Gryphon. That is why Dalkota, along with the Guardians of other worlds, were permitted to bring wisps into their Groves. The number of wisps they can bring depends on how many are compatible with their magic. Some Gryphons were allowed to take more wisps. Others could only bring a few. Dalkota brought eight."

"Now fast forward from ancient, ancient Earth times to 10,000 years ago. The era you just left behind," Lupa cut in with a smile, "The humans were taken to the Ethyrium, disappearing overnight. The world was freed from their monstrous grasp. But that didn't mean those left behind were safe. Nuclear powerplants, locations built by humans in order to create unimaginable amounts of energy, would self destruct and cause massive damage to the Earth if left unattended. Hundreds of thousands of animals, held in cages all over the world, would suffer and starve to death long before those in the free lands could discover and help them, if they even would. The humans were vile, but their sudden disappearance would cause chaos at an apocalyptic level. If not for the wisps, many, many animals would have perished just the next day."

"The wisps, the pseudo-souls, full of amazing amounts of Dalkota's magic, entered your world moments before the humans were taken. Their first task was to find and shut down every nuclear plant and any other factory that would destroy the land without the hand of humanity keeping it tame. ...Oh, that sounded pretty good!"

"As they had no body," Noctura interrupted again, "The wisps were able to travel across a continent each so fast, it almost seemed they were simply appearing at one place, and then to the next. In those few minutes before the humans were taken, most of those destructive creations of humanity had been shut down. That was when tasks were changed. Three wisps continued with the current mission. Four turned their focus on freeing captivated animals, recruiting already freed animals to help in order to insure the survival of the captive after the rescues. The final did what was necessary to prepare the world for the final task."

After Noctura, there was a moment of silence. Finally, Lupa looked back at the owl with a raised brow. Noctura looked back at the wolf with an "It's-your-turn" glare. With a grin, Lupa turned back to everyone else.

"While freeing the captive, one of the wisps came across a certain wolf. She was barely full-grown, but, come to find out, she had freed herself from human clutches just days before. And yet, instead of having fled into the wild, she had come back and was helping captivated animals all on her own. She had not been recruited, in fact, she had never met a wisp before then. She was just helping by her own choice. This was the first creature with such character the wisp had ever met."

Lupa opened her jaws, but was, once more, cut off by Noctura. "The wisp took a liking to the wolf and bonded with her. And by that, I mean the wisp became one with her soul."

At Lupa's glare, Noctura shrugged. "We are running short on time. Best I summarize rather than let you explain exactly how it happened." Then, clearing her throat, the owl continued. "The wisp no longer existed outside the wolf's body. It now resided as a voice in her mind and a being in her soul. The wolf was granted the ability to use what magic the wisp had left. That magic was now limited in some areas, but the effects lasted longer and, now with a body to shield it in a world that sapped it away, the magic did not run out. The wisp could no longer travel the world as it could before, but taking up residence in a body had made it and the wolf stronger. And so, with newly gained advantages and disadvantages, the wolf and the wisp continued on their way helping in whatever way they could."

"The other wisps followed their sister's example," Lupa continued, taking it from Noctura, "Eventually. Dalkota was both shocked and uneasy about what that wisp had done. Probably a few more emotions in there, but this was something that had never happened before, so he was more curious than angry. ...I think. Back to the story. After preparations were made involving the animals and land of your world, Dalkota took over and transformed the world so it would be better suited for your needs. No more pollution, no more human cities, no more animal suffering."

"As for the wisps, like I said, they followed their big sister's example! After bonding with their animals, they stayed in your world in order to help them get accustomed to the peaceful world without humans. And let me tell you, it was a LOT of work! Especially with the animals who had been freed from captivity! You'd be surprised at how long... Anyway, before Noctura interrupts me again, for the first hundred years, the wisps and their animals helped where they were needed. The eight had longer lifespans than what was normal for their species, interestingly enough, but they still aged. Unfortunately, they died and the wisps, unwilling to leave your world quite yet, bonded with new animals. And the cycle would continue. As hundreds of years changed to thousands, the need for the wisps lessened, so they returned to Dalkota one by one. A few years before your birth, Drellan, Juryoku and Najmah, there were two wisps left in your world. Not quite ready to leave, even after generations and generations of this, I bonded with Rose and Noctura bonded with Fayru."

Lupa beamed at everyone around her. A heartbeat passed before Noctura let out a grumbling sigh.
"This sort of explanation was not necessary, and neither was that "dramatic" ending," the owl criticized, "In fact, they probably all saw it coming, especially with a sloppy explanation like that."

"Heeey!" Lupa whined, "You helped too!"

"Only because it would never end if I did not. I do not even understand why you saw the need to suddenly launch into our origin story at a time like this."

"I thought it would help give them something else to focus on before The Rifts arrived!"

Noctura sighed again before looking at everyone in the circle. "Let me summarize in case you spaced out during this explanation. Lupa and I, as well as six others, were originally non-sentient beings that resided in a forest in The Ethyrium. When Dalkota entered that forest, all eight of us followed him, which is how he knew we were compatible with his magic in the first place. Otherwise we would have 'floated away' as some would describe it when he approached us. He shared his magic with us, giving us our sentience, and took us with him into this Grove in order to assist him in watching over your world. 10,000 years ago when the humans were taken, all eight of us were sent down to prepare your world for the final transformation by preserving as much life as we could beforehand, to put it simply. While there, Lupa bonded with one of the inhabitants. As that inhabitant was a wolf, and female, she can only bond with female wolves with similar personalities to her, which is why Lupa currently has the appearance of a female wolf and is bonded to Rose. Lupa and I have been in your world for thousands of years, helping where we could and living many lives over and over again. Not only do have we gained enough knowledge to fill libraries a thousand times over, but those we are bonded to are able to utilize the magic we possess. I believe that is all the information we have covered."

Wildwing wrote:"Hey, we kind of sound like awesome power-ups you'd only find in an RPG!" Lupa laughed.

Agathar: YES! Finally! My Reign begins! 

Zarrock: Can't wait to squish more wolfies!  

Kale: Ah, so the end has finally begun? I am ready.

Tyrin: All the preparations are in place. We may just stand a chance.

Syrune: It's time to find Tyrin!

Ambyra: I can barely wait!

Drellan: Time to finally be the Alpha I should have been all along. For vengeance! For family!

Raiya: One last grand adventure!

Kelldan: Time to unite, for honor and victory!

Spindle: *angry excited jittering* *hissing*

T'Sone: I have waited so very long for my revenge... I can almost taste it.

Dalkota: Oh please everyone, we have one more post to write! Can you quiet down so we can actually finish this? 

All the while as the Guides told their tale, Dalkota watched the gathering of animals as they intently listened. He watched as Drellan nodded along with the story, occasionally glancing down at his youngest sister in awe. The others had similar reactions, while Dalkota himself remained silent. This was no new story for him, and he remembered the forest like it had happened only a moon before. The Gryphon waited patiently until the tale was fully told, and gave the animals a friendly smile. 

"You have learned... so much, here. I am confident in placing the fate of your world with you all. You all know what is at stake, and now you will learn what to do. You must find Rinka and Kale. Two Peregrine Falcons that Finnican and Fayru should know much about. Rinka has been warned, and Kale is expecting your appearance. Once you have found them, gather your daughter and her friend, Najmah, and unite everyone. Together, you need to find the doorway back into this Grove. Syrune, a red tailed Hawk and Phoenix, is bringing two more Phoenix here with her. you'll need to meet her as well, and find thew doorway with her help. As for the door's location, I do not know where it has moved to in this current decade. To keep it safe, it travels to random locations every few years. It could be anywhere in your world. All of you must make it here alive, and you must bring the others. Uniting you all here in the safety of the Grove is the first step in our counter attack against the Dragons. I would use the Rifts, but... considering what happened to you all that would be unwise. You'll have to bring the others here using the Doorway. The Soul Key can only transport one soul here at a time, and it is in Tyrin's care. He has a mission of his own, and will be brought back here when everyone has been united. There we will move onto the next plan."

Dalkota spoke softly, looking into each of their eyes. "Gather the others, find the doorway, and stay safe. You can do this." 

As he spoke, the soft yellow glow of the Rift began to appear behind the Gryphon, and he started to step aside so they could see it, ushering them forward. "No matter what you may lose in memory by travelling through this Rift-- you must remember the mission. Gather the others, and find the doorway! Go, bring them here!"

Jaystep wrote:Agathar: YES! Finally! My Reign begins! 

Zarrock: Can't wait to squish more wolfies!  

Kale: Ah, so the end has finally begun? I am ready.

Tyrin: All the preparations are in place. We may just stand a chance.

Syrune: It's time to find Tyrin!

Ambyra: I can barely wait!

Drellan: Time to finally be the Alpha I should have been all along. For vengeance! For family!

Raiya: One last grand adventure!

Kelldan: Time to unite, for honor and victory!

Spindle: *angry excited jittering* *hissing*

T'Sone: I have waited so very long for my revenge... I can almost taste it.

Dalkota: Oh please everyone, we have one more post to write! Can you quiet down so we can actually finish this? 

Rinka: I will protect what remains with my dying breath.

Fayru: The war between worlds will reignite. Who will prevail this time, I wonder?

Finnican: I'm coming home. Everyone, just hold on a little longer!

Nykoru: Let's do what we must to take back what is rightfully ours.

Rose: Everyone! Let's stay together! Let's laugh like we did, just like old times!

Najmah: Time to crush the enemy. They will pay for what they've taken from me!

What in the hay? XD

Drellan had started forward, and took one last glance at Dalkota, wondering if he had forgotten. "What about my injury?"

Dalkota nodded as the wolf stepped up, "Touch the Rift, and I promise you will be whole on the other side. You'll have to trust me, Drellan. The quickest way to heal your wound is to let the Rift's power sort it out. In the event that it does not heal you enough, you'll have to make do back in your world. I haven't the strength to heal you here." 

Drellan listened earnestly to Dalkota, but he started forward before the Gryphon even finished. He was already ready for this, and now he knew what he had to do. The wolf took a moment to look at his siblings and friends, knowing they all felt the same way. "We'll meet again on the other side. No matter what we do or don't remember, we'll see each other again."

As Drellan stepped towards the Rift, he had no idea what was in store for him on the other side. Perhaps if he knew what he was doing as his muzzle touched the tips of the glowing lights, if he knew what was about to unfold on the other side... maybe he would have stayed. 

The wounded Alpha of the Snow Wolves, son of Annabelle and K'Rule, brother to Juryoku and Rose, mate to Najmah and father to Raiya stepped into the Rift, and was no more. The wolf who would appear on the other side... his story had just begun.