Voices Lost to the Wind {Closed}

[Rykett]

Mysti’s paws stepped carefully on the slick crossing stones. Round and awkward, she couldn’t risk a single misstep. A fall now could mean losing the pups that were only days from entering the world.

After leaving the Lunar Meadow, she and Savu had headed Northwest seeking a safe den by the water. Mysti had a location in mind. She’d met two of Savu’s other pups there, discovered his sins, and gained direction in her search for him. It seemed fitting that they would heal the painful truths uncovered there with new life. Besides, from what Mysti remembered, the den was spacious, safe and not far from the falls. There would be a plentiful supply of water and an abundance of prey would surely gather to that water to quench their own thirst. Water also gave Mysti the chance to practice her River. She was determined to improve her skills with her power, so Savu wouldn’t have to protect their pups alone.

Just one more stone, then Mysti would have safely crossed the creek. The Amoux here flowed slowly. The falls roared not far upstream. After cascading from that cliff, the water accumulated in a small lake before gently flowing on towards the rest of the valley. Mysti placed her foot firmly on the rock and leaned her weight onto it. She felt herself start to slip. Immediate panic filled her heart but was quickly dispelled as Savu rushed forward to support her. He soaked himself getting to her in time. Mysti breathed a sigh of relief and hopped safely to shore. Without Mysti to support, Savu was off balance and splashed into the sluggish current. His head bobbed back to the surface and his large paws pushed him easily to shore.

”Are you alright?” Mysti asked, nervously.

”Fine,” Savu chuckled softly, pulling himself to his feet beside her. He nuzzled her cheek lovingly, ”Now, where’s this den?

”Not far,” Mysti smiled and lead the way towards the small cave. Water droplets coated the rock, forming moss and vines. The cave’s entrance was slightly covered by those vines, but Mysti easily brushed them aside. The hollowed out den inside was a little damp, but with some gathered leaves, it would be quite comfortable.

”It’s perfect!” Savu exclaimed as they entered. Mysti only nodded. She hadn’t realized how exhausted she was. The journey here had felt so much longer than it was. She stumbled as she padded to a drier spot. She nearly collapsed, completely, but Savu was there again, gently guiding her to the ground. ”You should get some rest. I’ll go find something to eat.” Mysti nodded, again, and lay her head on her paws. Her eyelids drooped closed.

The pups arrived a few days later. There were two small bundles of fluff. One nearly was white, the other a dark bluish gray. Savu gazed down at his pups, pride and joy filling him to the brim. They always seemed to come in pairs, didn’t they? Well, at least when Savu was there. Jekyll and the whole of his heart-breaking litter were the exceptions. There were now six of Savu’s spawn living in this valley now. Four of which had been born from anger. Only these two would truly have him as their father. He nuzzled them, softly promising to always be there for them. Now that his mind had thought of the other four, he had trouble pushing them and the guilt from his mind. He knew all their names; Amora, Ruko, Ursamine, and Volka. He hadn’t been there when their mothers had named them, but he’d always returned to spy on the little family until he overheard their names. The guilt had been there even then, but Scorpius had refused to acknowledge it. Now, that guilt would never leave. At least now, Savu had a chance to be there for these pups when never had been for the others, a chance to do things right.

”What should we name them?” Mysti whispered. She looked exhausted, but content. Savu looked up at her, startled. He got to name his pups! He’d always been absent for this part. The pattern was already broken. A broad grin split his muzzle and he returned his gaze to the two little miracles. He noticed a turquoise stripe curving down the white one’s spine. It reminded him of a river, but simply naming the pup River was too literal. Perhaps he could give it a slight variation?

”How about Riven? For this one,” he softly tapped the pup with a paw. It wiggled in response and snuffled.

”Sound perfect,” Mysti smiled, ”And we’ll call this one Savuka.”

Savu’s lips turned down and he shook his head slightly, ”A wolf who’s done what I have shouldn’t have pups named after him. Once he knows what I did, I doubt he’ll be proud of his father or his name.”

”No, any wolf would be proud to be your son, Savu. You chose to defy the anger you once felt and become a better wolf. What son wouldn’t be proud of his father for turning away from darkness?” Mysti put her paw on his and met his gaze as she spoke.

”Mysti, I…”

”Besides, I’m not giving you a say in the matter. His name’s Savuka.”

Mysti’s eyes sparkled with a stubbornness Savu hadn’t known she had. He supposed the stubbornness made sense though. This was the wolf who’d tracked Savu down despite what rumors said about his actions. This was the wolf who’d refused to listen to her brother’s wishes in favor of Savu. This was the wolf Savu would love all his life and die for. Savu let out a snort of laughter and licked her cheek. ”Savuka it is.”

Ruko was alone, searching for his father. This was his mission, and his mission only. Nico knew the full extent of Ruko’s intentions, but Sands… he hadn’t told her much, just that he was training to be a warrior. She didn’t know why he was fighting. Ruko knew he shouldn’t be ashamed of his mission. It was for justice! There was nothing wrong with justice, right? All the same, Sands was something separate from his disastrous relationships with his family. They all hated him. If Sands knew about it all, would she hate him, too? Ruko couldn’t risk it. So, Sands couldn’t know anything about Ruko’s mission. It was better this way. After his father was dealt with, Ruko could find Sands, again. Then… did he dare dream to build a life and perhaps even a family of his own with her? Did she even see him that way? Ruko hadn’t asked yet.

The valley was too big. Ruko had no idea where to even start in his search. Scorpius would probably be charming a new she-wolf and abandoning her. Where was the best place to do that? The Forest of Love perhaps? That was some distance away… The Lunar Meadow was also known as a romantic location and it wasn’t very far. Maybe he should start there.

Ruko loped the short distance to the Lunar Meadow. The late morning sun warmed Ruko’s shoulders as he slowed to a stop and scanned the meadow. It was abandoned. He supposed this place was more popular at night. Still, if his father was frequenting this location, his scent might be recognizable… if only Ruko knew what that scent smelled like. But it didn’t hurt to check.

Grass brushed against Ruko’s legs and tickled his underbelly as he paced through the meadow, nose to the ground. There were plenty of wolves that had passed through this area. Any one could be his father. Ruko flopped over in despair, letting out a groan of frustration. There was too much! Scorpius might not have even set foot in this meadow! Maybe he never used places like the Forest of Love or the Lunar Meadow for his twisted purposes. His mother had met Scorpius at Kai Lake. Maybe the lake was Scorpius’s usual haunt. Should he check there next? Or maybe the Forest of Love? Or maybe Scorpius switched location every she-wolf to escape vengeful wolves like Ruko? It seemed hopeless.

Ruko took a deep breath to calm himself. One of the scents he inhaled triggered a memory. It was familiar! Ruko sat up, sharply, focusing on the scent. Who belonged to that scent? Ruko sent a swirl of wind to disturb the scent and make it easier to distinguish. The smell firmly implanted, Ruko paced, scouring his brain for answers. Where had he smelled it before?! A distant memory slowly revealed itself… That she-wolf! When they were in the cave by Wildwater Falls and his mother had revealed the truth, there was a she-wolf who’d appeared. What had been her name? … Mista… Mysti! She’d been looking for Scorpius, then… Could she still be looking for him? Better yet, what if she’d found him? If he could track Mysti down, he might at least get a bit of direction. Ruko returned to where he’d found the scent. The scent was merely a trace and very old. It might be impossible to track, but Ruko had to try. Mysti was the only lead he had.

Cyclone helped a little. Ruko’s power over wind could swirl up faded scents to his attention. There was another scent that had seemed to be moving with her, but Ruko didn’t recognize it. Still, he’d tried to use it as well, assuming Mysti and the mystery wolf were traveling together. Ruko was able to figure the direction Mysti had taken before he lost the trail. Should he just keep heading Northwest, hoping Mysti hadn’t changed direction much? It was the best plan he had.

The sun had curved through the sky and was starting its descent as Ruko reached the Amoux Creek. He realized he was not far from the falls. He was nearly at the edge of the valley, then, and there was no sign of Mysti. Ruko couldn’t give up hope. Mysti could be at the falls, right? Ruko decided not to cross the creek just yet. He would prefer not to be wet the entire evening. So, he walked along the shore until the roar of the falls filled his ears and the mist created by the torrent of water clung to his fur. Still no Mys… Ruko froze as he smelled her. This scent was very fresh. She was here! Ruko scanned his surroundings, looking for the skinny she-wolf. Would she remember him? He’d only been a pup when they, but-a movement caught his eye. There, on the other side of the creek, ahead emerged from a cave. White and ashy grey, it definitely didn’t belong to the Mysti he remembered. Ruko dove behind a nearby rock, preferring to survey the situation before interacting with Mysti and her companion.

Riven opened his eyes and saw nothing. For some reason, he expected something to change. Why should it, though? Such a simple movement as raising your eyelids didn’t seem that important. Yet, as he did, Mom let out a small gasp. ”Savu, look! Riven’s opening his eyes!” Riven’s ears flicked toward her then he turned his head towards the shuffling of Dad’s feet. ”Hey, Riven! Welcome to the world!” Dad said. What was that supposed to mean? Wasn’t Riven already part of the world? Why should opening his eyes make him suddenly more apart of the world than before? ”Savu, something’s wrong,” Mother sounded worried. Riven turned his head toward her. ’Don’t worry, Mom. I’m okay!’ Riven wagged his tail reassuringly. ”What is it, Mysti?” A sudden breeze ruffled the fur on Riven’s muzzle. He tilted his head. Where had that come from? Riven leaned forward, trying to find the source with his nose. ”He didn’t blink or follow my paw or anything!” Mom's voice was panicked. There was a moment of silence.

”I think he’s blind...” Dad said, softly.

”What are we going to do?” Riven heard Mom sob. He pushed his muzzle into her fur, trying to find his way towards her face so he could lick away her tears. ’Mom, it’s okay! I’m okay! Nothing’s wrong with me!’

”We’ll do what we can. Maybe take him to White Magic. It’ll be okay as long as we’re here to protect him.” Riven finally found Mom’s muzzle. He licked her wet cheek. ’I’m okay! Don’t worry!’

A couple days later, Riven listened as Mom and Dad celebrated his brother, Savuka, opening his eyes. Riven still didn’t understand what the big deal was, but he echoed what Dad had said to him when Riven had opened his eyes, ”Welcome to da wowld!” The words were mumbled and simplified as Riven had just started speaking. Mom let out something between a gasp and a sob. Savuka giggled and pounced on Riven. Savuka and Riven wrestled for a bit, but Savuka paused as he noticed something, ”What’s wrong with your eyes, Riven? They look… different.” Riven felt Mom’s soft paw pull Savuka away from him. She spoke quietly to Savuka, but Riven toddled closer so he could hear, ”Riven can’t see, Savuka. You’ll need to be careful with him.”

”What’s see? Why can’t I see?” Riven piped up before Savuka could respond.

Mom hesitated, so Dad answered instead, ”Seeing is what your eyes are for. When you see something, you can know how it might feel or sound before you touch or hear it.”

”Riven’s eyes don’t work right?” Savuka asked, understanding Dad’s words much easier and faster than Riven did.

”No, they don’t,” Dad said, gently.

”What’s wong with my eyes?” Riven asked, a little panicked.

”We don’t know. But if we knew, we’d figure out how to fix them for you, my love,” Mom licked Riven’s head and pulled him close.

Sometime later, Dad announced he was going hunting, ”I won’t be long, but I should get us something to eat before the sun sets.” Riven heard Dad’s weight shift as he licked Mom’s head. A couple seconds later, his tongue touched Riven’s head. Riven assumed Savuka had also gotten a farewell kiss. Pawsteps started to depart. Riven looked in their general direction, ”Buh bye, Dad!” He grinned widely at where he thought his father was.

”Goodbye, squirt!” Riven giggled. He liked it when Dad called him, ‘squirt.’

Savu turned away from his family and padded out of their den with a smile. He had never imagined he’d find joy. Not after all that had happened. He wanted to keep it all hidden forever. He didn’t want the past to taint his pups’ joy and innocence, but Mysti insisted that one day, they must be told. Apparently, she’d witnessed how a delayed and twisted truth had impacted two of Savu’s other pups, Amora and Ruko. She’d relayed the story early not long after they settled in their new home, believing he deserved to know. Though that was true, the story bothered Savu. Blaise, Amora, and Ruko weren’t shadows that existed just in Savu’s past. They were out there somewhere, living and growing. Part of Savu hoped he’d cross paths with them, then he could apologize and maybe make things right. Yet, there was no undoing the past, so the rest of Savu hoped to never see those whose lives he’d crushed and contorted.

The male padded over to the water’s edge to drink before beginning his hunt. He looked up as something light colored moved. A mountain goat not too far up the cliff on the other side of the river balanced precariously. That would make the perfect feast for Mysti and the pups! It would take some climbing, but nothing Savu couldn’t handle. Savu slipped into the water and swam to the other side. As emerged from the water, stealthily, the urge to shake off the excess water overcame him. No! That sudden movement would alert the goat. Savu resisted his instinct and slunk up the mountain. Carefully finding a path up the cliff, he crept towards the goat. An unpracticed paw disturbed a couple pebbles and sent them clattering to the floor below. The goat’s head turned towards him. As soon as the rectangular pupils found him, the goat sprung up the cliff. Savu cursed and followed the best he could.

Savu pulled himself onto a flat area at the top of the falls. Savu had never been at the top of the falls before. Most of the prey he chased was at its base. The goat had retreated towards the river from which the falls originated. Steeper crags rose a distance away. Smaller falls formed from them before joining at this flattened area to plunge down the cliff into one majestic torrent. The goat fled to the mountains and leapt up to where Savu couldn’t follow. Savu let out a frustrated noise and turned to head back down the cliff.

Ruko stared at the wolf who’d left the cave, mouth agape. He was an ashy grey wolf with sapphire eyes and a black stripe down his back. Ruko looked at his own markings. The colors were nearly exactly the same and markings were uncannily similar. Was it really him? Scorpius? The wolf swam across the river, his sapphire eyes fixated on something on the cliff. Ruko followed his gaze and found the mountain goat. The hunter started on a thin, almost indiscernible, path that zig-zagged up the precipice. Ruko watched as the male scaled the cliff. As the male nearly reached the top, Ruko strode toward the path and followed.

Ruko now stood behind the wolf he believed to be his father. The wolf turned as his prey escaped. His sapphire eyes met Ruko’s golden yellow ones. Ruko could feel his heart’s every beat. Now was the moment he’d dreamed of, the moment he’d imagined a thousand times. He knew exactly what to say, ”Your name is Scorpius.” Ruko couldn’t hold back a growl.

The wolf’s eyes widened. ”No… Not anymore. My name is Savu.”

”It doesn’t matter what you call yourself now. You’re Scorpius.”

”And you’re Ruko... Son, I-”

”Don’t call me son!” Ruko snarled, ”You don’t have the right to call me your son! You were nothing but a cursed name to me and my sister. You were a shadow hanging over our heads. Do you know how much my mother had to bare because of you?!”

”I know-”

”No! You don’t! My mother can still never relax. She can never trust. And in her position, she needs to trust more than anyone, but she can’t. She doesn’t even trust me! Because of you! And to think you did this to other she-wolves! How many little pups are wondering who their father is? How many are hoping he’s a hero? What do you think happens to them when they find out their father was a rotten, evil pile of sludge stuffed into a coward’s pelt!? What right do you have to leave them a broken lineage? ”

”I’m sorry-”

”You’re not! If you were sorry, you would’ve been there for me. You would’ve taught me how to talk and hunt. If you were sorry, you would’ve come back. You would’ve helped my mother trust again. You would make Amora smile again. They wouldn’t hate me, now, if you were sorry!”

”I’ve changed-”

”You’re a liar! A liar and a monster. You’re more evil than most evil wolves in this valley. Most end lives, but you completely destroy them. Your victims can never have a peaceful life. Wolves like you should be dead!”

Scorpius’s ears flew back at this last sentence, perhaps suspecting Ruko’s intent, ”I’m not that wolf anymore-” Scorpius got a little further in this last protest as Ruko prepared an attack. A cyclone spiral to life at Scorpius’s feet and threw him to the ground. Ruko lunged forward. The enemy rolled and barely avoided Ruko’s claws. Scorpius struggled back to his feet and backed away. Ruko barely noticed the look of uncertainty on his father’s face as Ruko attacked again. This time he fainted a leap upward but tucked into a duck to rake Scorpius’s underbelly. Having spent weeks practicing with Nico, Ruko performed his mentor’s signature move gracefully. The move not only unbalanced Scorpius but also gave him some nasty wounds on his belly.

Ruko gave his father no time to regain his balance. The furious warrior thrust his open jaw towards Scorpius’s throat. It was chance that saved Scorpius from Ruko’s fatal bite. In attempting to recapture a solid footing, the older wolf ducked his head. Ruko’s fangs scraped deeply along Scorpius’s cheek. Ruko stumbled slightly after missing his target. Scorpius, balance attained, retreated from Ruko. His exit route was still blocked, though so he splashed through the river. Perhaps he was searching for another way down the cliff. ”Coward!” Ruko scoffed after him.

As Ruko chased Scorpius, his mind turned to Sands. What would she think if she saw him now? Ruko guessed she wouldn’t be cheering him on like she usually did when he was in a training spar. She didn’t seem like the kind of wolf who would condone another’s death. Ruko could almost hear her pleading him to stop. Ruko pushed away all thoughts of Sands. If they were going to confuse him away from his lifelong mission, they had no place here.

At first, Savu thought Ruko was just letting off some steam built up over years, but as Ruko’s fangs dug into his cheek, the truth was impossible to ignore. Ruko was trying to kill him! Savu supposed he deserved this fate. Should he just stop struggling and let Ruko strike? But after years of living and struggling, instinct drove him away from such a course for now. So he fled across the river and gave himself time to think. What Ruko said about him was true. Scorpius had been everything Ruko had accused him of and more, but he was Savu now. He had changed like Mysti kept telling him. That didn’t change what he’d done, though. He was about to accept his death, but his thoughts turned to Mysti. He couldn’t leave her or their pups. He’d promised to always be there for them. If he died now, Mysti would be left to raise the pups alone like Blaise and Echo. He couldn’t do that to her! He had to fight, had to survive for Mysti, for Savuka, and for Riven. He would live for them, die for them, and kill for them. If killing Ruko was the only way they could have a peaceful life, so be it.

Savu turned to face his son.

A cyclone spun around Ruko’s feet. He kept it spiraling at a slower speed, so it won’t knock him off balance. He arrived at the river’s bank. With a leap and a sudden burst of wind speed, Ruko catapulted himself over the water in one cyclone-powered jump. Ruko landed in a run. Scorpius faced the oncoming threat. Ruko slowed as he noticed that the older wolf’s expression had changed. It was harder, now, and more determined. The two wolves circled each other, defenses up. ”You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this day, Father,” Ruko growled. ’Father’ was spat as a taunting word. ”No more wolves will be tortured because of you after this day.”

Scorpius lunged. Ruko deftly dodged the attack, countered with a snap at Scorpius’s shoulder. Then it was back to the slow circle. ”I don’t want to fight you!” Scorpius hissed, but to Ruko, he’d already proven that false.

Ruko responded by charging forward with a snarl. Scorpius also charged. They met in a flurried tangle of claws and teeth. Ruko felt Scorpius’s teeth sink into his scruff. With a sudden jerk, Ruko was on his back. Teeth flashed down, aimed at Ruko’s throat. A cyclone burst into motion between the two wolves. It flung Scorpius off Ruko before teeth touched flesh. Ruko rolled to his feet, panting, backing away so he could catch his breath. Scorpius was also pulling himself back to his paws.

Through his anger clouded mind, Ruko realized Scorpius was stronger than him. In claw-to-claw combat, there was a chance Scorpius would prevail. Ruko didn’t even want to give Scorpius a chance. Ruko’s golden eyes flicked to the open sky behind Scorpius. The land behind the older wolf fell away in a sheer cliff straight down to a rocky, painful death. Ruko summoned a cyclone. With practiced finesse, he drove the small tornado towards Scorpius. Scorpius danced away from the dust devil and closer to the edge. He glanced behind him as his grey paw pushed a couple rocks down the drop. At that moment, Ruko withdrew his cyclone just a little so he could blast it forward with more force. The whirlwind rushed towards Scorpius. He reared back to avoid it, but it was useless. The cyclone’s powerful wind rushed into him. Balance forsook him. Ruko caught sight of wide sapphire eyes as his father fell and disappeared from sight.

The miniature tornado blasted Savu in the chest. Savu twisted his body to attempt to catch himself on the edge. One paw managed to touch it, but his claws scraped across the stone, failing to catch on anything. Then he was free falling. Wind whistled past him. Savu heard something like a scream. It might’ve been his own or someone else’s or just the wind. A feeling of acceptance relaxed his muscles. He’d tried his best to survive for them, but in the end, it didn’t matter, he was getting what he deserved. His last thoughts were for Mysti and their pups, ’I’m sorr-‘ With a flash of pain everything went black.

The distant shouting was the first sign something was wrong. Perhaps Savu had met a less than friendly traveler and was deterring him/her away from their den. Mysti cautious padded towards the den’s exit. Savuka sat up. ”Mom, where are you going?”

”Mom’s just going to check something. I’ll be right back.” Mysti said over her shoulder. Savuka was watching her with a worried look, perhaps picking up on her uneasiness. Riven’s ears were turned towards her. Mysti stuck her head out of the den. Gusts of wind buffeted her fur. She scanned the area for Savu. Usually, he didn’t need to go that far to find prey. Snarls began echoing through the mountains. Mysti’s gaze rose to the top of the falls where the commotion seemed to be coming from. Was Savu up there? Did he need her help?

Mysti searched for a possible, fast way up the rock wall. No such path was evident. However, there seemed to be a way on the other side of falls. Mysti took a step toward the water, glancing up a where wolves battled out of sight. Then a form backed towards the edge. Mysti caught her breath as she recognized Savu. ”Savu?” She called but her voice was whipped away by the wind and drowned out by the falls.

Then he jerked back, suddenly, as if pushed. As her mate’s body tumbled through the air, Mysti couldn’t hold back a strangled shriek of horror. This couldn’t be real.

The impact was a sickening ‘twunk.’ It seems to reverberate through Mysti’s being and shatter her.

‘”Savu!” the screamed name was barely intelligible through Mysti’s tears as she ran to him. She collapsed a tail-length away, shaking uncontrollably with sobs. She stared at his corpse, trying to convince herself this was somehow reversible. Blood was pooling beneath his deflated body. His beautiful sapphire eyes looked at the ground, dull and lifeless. His open jaw was set at a crooked, unnatural angle and blood dribbled down his lip. Mysti pushed herself the final feet to his side and buried her muzzle in his bloodstained fur. Her waterfall of tears soaked his fur.

”Mom?” A young voice shook Mysti from her misery. She looked behind her as Savuka hesitantly padded towards her. Riven followed, his nose touching Savuka’s tail. Savuka stopped as he saw Savu. ”Dad?!” he rushed towards his father. Mysti caught him with a paw before he reached the corpse. She pulled him, close, trying to shield him from the horrible sight. The little pup trembled in her embrace.

Mysti’s gaze turned upward to stare up at where Savu had fallen from. Something had pushed him. A wolf peered down at them reminiscent of a vulture. His golden eyes flashed in the descending sun. The wind whipped through a familiar pelt. Mysti has seen those markings before on a cheerful pup who’d fled from a horrible truth. Ruko was Savu’s murderer.

Ruko stepped eagerly up to the edge to view his handiwork. Cries of despair speared his triumph. Who would cry for Scorpius? Perhaps he was in the process of breaking a she-wolf. If that was the case, the female would believe she’d just witnessed the death of the love of her life. Her sadness was understandable and would be remedied as soon as Ruko told her about the bite she’d dodged. Ruko peered over the edge, a victorious smirk curving his lip.

The smile faded as he recognized the she-wolf. Mysti sobbed beside the corpse. He shouldn’t be surprised to see her here. After all, he’d followed her scent here. Still, it hadn’t registered in his mind that she was here until he saw her and she was mourning for Scorpius. She, of all wolves, should know what a monster he was. She’d caused his descent into darkness and seen what destruction he’d wrought. Why would she cry for him? Then he noticed the tiny figure running towards the body. The pup was a dark bluish grey. His pelt seemed a mix of Scorpius and Mysti’s marking and colors, obviously their pup. Their pup… Another pup padded more towards his dead father. Its pelt supported Ruko’s solidifying theory.

Ruko’s heart sunk as the realization slowly dawned on him. Why would Mysti have pups with a wolf she knew would abandon her? No wolf would. She wouldn't unless she knew he’d changed. Had he changed, then? Ruko searched for more evidence, hoping it wasn't true. The pups were young, still, but much older than he and Amora had been when Scorpius left. Ruko didn't even remember Scorpius. Blaise had told Ruko they’d been newborns when he’d revealed his nature. Why had Scorpius stuck around for so long if he hadn't changed? Ruko didn't want to accept the truth. The truth meant Ruko had just killed a wolf that no longer deserved. It meant Ruko had not only ended Scorpius’s life but also had destroyed the lives of Mysti and her pups as surely as if Scorpius had abandoned them.

Amora had once said Ruko was like his father in more ways than his markings. Now he could see it was true. Ruko had just widowed a she-wolf and made two pups fatherless. He’d caused the very event he was trying to stop. Ruko stepped away from the edge. He glared at his paws spattered with Scoripus-no, Savu’s blood. Ruko felt sick. What kind of wolf killed their own father? An evil one. Was Ruko evil then?

“We have to make sure Mom’s okay!” Savuka had said as Mysti strangled scream rang in their ears. Savuka’s tail draped over Riven’s nose to guide him. Now the tail had been whipped away as Savuka ran forward. “Wait!” Riven squeaked, softly. Savuka obviously hadn’t heard him. Riven took a careful step forward.

Savuka spoke something again and Riven ran towards it, throwing caution to the wind. He collided his warm fur that smelled of Savuka. Riven found Savuka’s face with his nose. His brother was shivering with shock. Riven followed the direction of Savuka’s muzzle and found Mom, but then also identified the gap between Mom’s leg and body through which Savuka was staring. With terrified curiosity, Riven stepped around Mysti’s leg to find what had scared Savuka. He stepped in a puddle of metallic smelling liquid before his nose touched the unmoving form of Dad. Riven froze, waiting in vain for the vibration of breath that was always there. ”What happened?” Riven breathed, almost not wanting to hear the answer.

Mysti’s paw pulled him away from Savu. Her voice was soft but close as if she’d leaned down to the pups, ”Back to the den. Come on.” She carried Riven back and Riven assumed Savuka was padding along beside her. When she set Riven down, Savuka’s fur brushed past him and Riven followed his brother into their den.

Mysti turned to watch a white and black form weave down the cliff. With a burst of swirling winds, Ruko leaped across a narrow portion of the river. His head swung towards the corpse, surveying his handiwork as he padded past it. Then he faced Mysti, pausing a couple tail-lengths away. She met his gaze, numbly. ”Mysti, I… I thought that he… I’m sorry.” Ruko averted his eyes.

There was a moment of silence before Mysti spoke, ”I worked so hard to be with him. I knew we could be happy and we were. Now all that’s broken.” Her voice quivered as she spoke. Mysti was a forgiving wolf. She’d forgiven her pack for leaving her alone. She’d forgiven Savu despite everyone he’d hurt. She’d forgiven herself for pushing Savu away. But now, she wasn’t sure if she could forgive Ruko. Savu had been her world. Her life every since entering the valley had revolved around him. Jekyll had been like Savu to a lesser extent. In the few short months that Jekyll had lived, Mysti had put all her focus on him. Jekyll, Savu’s son, had died. Now, Savu was dead.

Could it be that every wolf Mysti poured her heart into died? She was noticing a trend. First Lunare, then Jekyll, and now Savu… Would Riven or Savuka be next? ”I’m taking my pups far away. There’s no home for us here. Don’t come near us, again.” Mysti disappeared into the den to retrieve her pups.

-Exit Mysti, Riven, & Savuka-

Ruko hung his head as he watched the she-wolf emerge from the den with two pups dangling from her jaws. The she-wolf didn’t even look at him as she left, but one of the pups stared. The other seemed to just be in shock, looking at nothing. As their forms dwindled in the distance, Ruko turned back to Savu’s corpse. He padded over and sat beside it. ”Dad…” he whispered, a word he’d never spoken with love. Ruko imagined what would’ve happened if he’d listened to Savu and believed him. Would he now be playing with his half-brothers? Perhaps have a family again? That was impossible now.