EMBER (Reborn From Their Ashes)

EMBER

Prologue

A mist of darkness flooded the forest as the smell of death drifted in the air. War was just beyond the border, and the air tasted of ashes. The trees bowed as if sheltering the wolf, running to his pack as the leaves fell silently. Heavy drops of water poured from the sky. The moonlight illuminated the pathway for the gray wolf as he approached his members. His yellow beady eyes scanned the faces of Silver Crest while audible gasps filled his ears. The moon goddess must be weeping as the clouds rolled and thrashed violently with strikes of light piercing through the vast darkness.

”Alpha, ” a husk voice grunted over the spurs of the pack.

Instantly, the pack fell silent. Members dispersed and separated for the wolf to walk through. The brisk voice stepped forward as a large gray wolf emerged from the depths and walked between the walls of his packmates. He enters the alphas chambers as the pack lowers their heads to give respect. In the wolfs mouth, he held the scruff of a tiny pup with matted charred black fur. The poor creature was limp with shallow breaths as the wolf settled the puppy at the foot of his alpha. The smell of rotted and scorched flesh filtered the room.

”Beta Cyrus, ” Alpha Gahiji breathed, ”report. ”

”Our warriors were too late. A band of rogues had infiltrated our neighboring pack- Blackwell- and set fire to the entire colony. The Rogue King spared no one. Our men are working to put out the fires in the Northern region. ” Cyrus said as he watched the small pups chest rise and fall. ”Alpha Leonidas and his Luna were poisoned with wolfsbane and burned alive. Children and women faced the worst of it. We checked all the corpses for survivors, but no one made it. ”

Alpha Gahijis snarl rattled the ground as his eyes burned through his betas gaze, ”and Leons heir? ”

”A small female child was found charred by the late Alpha and Luna, ” Cyrus whispered with his head bowed, ”hardly any were beyond recognition. I could only spot the alpha because of his wolf. ”

Alpha Gahiji lowered his head to the stiff pup and nudged its little body, ”so, where does the pup fall? ”

Cyrus turned his gaze from his alpha to the tired orphan as he watched the pup take in weak gasps of air. Then, finally, he sighed, ”a rogue had surrendered her. It said her name is Tiny and that the Moon Goddess favored the pup. ”

”A madmans tale, ” the alpha replied with curiosity. He towered over the pup and his beta as he gently nudged the pups body over to examine her wounds. Alpha Gahiji mind linked the pack for the hospital wing to prepare for a tiny wolf cub. The delicate child looked sickly, and Cyrus wasn sure if she would make it.

”The poor thing mustve shifted for survival as her last effort, ” Cyrus said slowly.

The alpha stops abruptly when his eyes fall on the pups face. Her angelic features stood out, and his heart shattered at the sight of the childs complexion. Half of her face was charred and kissed by the flames of savages. The miserable beast whimpered at the gentle paw of Alpha Gahiji, and the two men exchanged looks.

”The moon goddess favored this pup enough to let her live, ” Alpha Gahiji considered as he shifted into his human form. The alpha transitioned from a large silver wolf into a handsome older man. His bones snapping back into place as the alpha clothed himself, ”what about the rogue who surrendered her? ”

”The disgrace fled and crossed the Willowsbane border before our men could capture it. ”

”I see, ” alpha sighed as he scooped the small child into his arms. The pups paws felted rugged and torn, and the little one rested motionlessly in the alphas arms as the two headed towards the hospital wing.

”Alpha, ” Cyrus whisked as he followed behind the tall man, ”what do you instruct we do now? ”

”We can change the past, but we can honor the moon goddess. ” Alpha Gahiji sighed, ”well raise the pup as one of our own. From now on, shell be acknowledged as Tiny- a member of the Silvercrest pack. Well wait for the pup to tell us who she belongs to. ”

”Yes, alpha. ”