Chapter- 7 Shady Ground

Chapter 7- Shady Ground

 

Chanoue strolled along the cave with a free spirited stroll. Chanoue wasn’t sure moving the prisoner here was the best idea of his. But he couldn’t expect a feeble old mother to be capable of much. He walked up to her. The metal chains still held her to the ground where she lay. “I see you’ve been eating”. Sarina stood up. “What do you want”? She said bluntly. Chanoue strolled around her. She was bloody from the chains hold. She gave a small tug in his direction keeping her teeth covered by scorned lips. “Your son is brave, too brave for his own good”. Sarina jolted forward again. The chains around her neck pulled her back chocking her. She coughed loudly. Her eyes had narrowed to slits. She set what was left of her bright crystal blue eyes upon him. “What does this all have to do with Shadow, you already murdered…” She lost her words. “James? Hard to believe you loved that traitor”. Sarina snorted with annoyance. “What does that mean? Traitor? To you? How did you know him”? Chanoue’s faced her and titled his head slowly then smiled. “He was my brother”. Sarina stared at him for a few moments. A past she didn’t even know of had taken the life of her mate and now set her son into the same conflict: possibly with the same deadly end approaching. “He was meant to take on this task with me”. Chanoue continued on circling and moving his eyes around the cave. “When he left, I was chosen as the successor. For years my family wanted this, we tried everything and now victory looms ever near”. “To do what”? Sarina snapped. Chanoue shot at her “To kill all of humanity, you never considered it”? Sarina felt terrified by what she was hearing but blindly answered. “I… I always lived in peace away from humans”. Chanoue nodded. “Humans always find a way to us, one day they will wipe us out if we don’t take control and destroy them first”. Sarina looked up. “You think you can play the power of Mother Nature. Humans may make mistakes but they need our help to learn how to live alongside us”. Chanoue’s eyes twitched with anger. He screwed up his face turning on her. “I am just as powerful as Mother Nature, soon I will be the most powerful being in the world and I will lead our species to a new dawn”. Sarina growled. “This isn’t about just us, if you wish to help our species then why kill them. You killed James”. Chanoue sniffed. “Another human loving traitor, he might of well have been human He would have died all the same”. “We all have rights you cretin, every creature is entitled to survival”. Chanoue smiled. “Humanity lost the right a long time ago; they stole our power, now we will take it back”. Chanoue clamored out of the cave into a heavy rain storm without looking back. Sarina collapsed down onto the floor again. The rain was relaxing despite her horrible state. She briskly heard a few footsteps. A small figure was trotting around in the dark. Sarina lifted her head and squinted at the figure with confusion. She had only been moved hear over a day ago and did not know someone was already residing here. “Who are you”? Sarina asked cocking her head. The figure jolted back but moved slowly forward. It was a small crooked wolf with missing hair and a hunched body. “I’m… I’m…” Kanoue fumbled on his words moving slightly backward again hiding in the shadow. Sarina watched him kindly not pursuing forward. He was obviously frightened. “I’m called by my brother… Kanoue. Once so by my mother”. “Who was your mother”? Sarina asked kindly. Kanoue’s ears moved forward and he moved into the light more so his gold yellow eyes could shine in the moonlight casting in through the cracks. “She was called Klara, she died when my other brother left and disappeared, I think he’s dead too”. Sarina was disturbed how this wolf spoke of death in his own family so fluently. “And what about your other brother”? Kanoue looked up. “Chanoue? He isn’t a bad wolf, he’s just desperate”. Kanoue said quietly. “James left him and then Klara, you don’t know what it’s like when your own family turns it’s back”. Sarina looked on for a long moment. “But I do”. Kanoue moved forward closer to Sarina to listen. “When I was first born, my father was disgusted that my mother refused to get rid of me. He never wanted a pup”. Sarina sat back. “He tried to kill me but mother; well she defended me but was forced to kill him”. Kanoue cocked his head gently letting his ragged ears droop. “We lived together without a pack for a long time; I didn’t understand what drove my mother to kill my father until she told me. I experienced betrayal and hate long before I understood it all”. Kanoue slipped out more words not in reply but in monologue. “James was wrong to leave, I really liked him”. Sarina realized Kanoue had no idea what Chanoue had done. “But Kanoue, Chanoue is responsible for James’ death. I was his mate”. Kanoue looked up with tears rolling off his face. He looked disgusted at her statement. “Not true, can’t be true”. Kanoue said annoyed. “Chanoue would never do such a thing; he may do bad things but… no”! Sarina pressured forward. “He told me himself”. Kanoue shook his head hastily. “No, Chanoue wouldn’t do that”. Kanoue crawled back into the shadows. “Kanoue wait”. Sarina called out to him pulling against the chains. Kanoue’s teary eyes faded into blackness leaving Sarina alone again.

 

The sanctuary main hall had formed before them slowly. The once bustling crowds slowed to stop as they saw the small portal light emerging three figures. The wolves all around watched for a moment before returning to their common actions. Trabon lifted up into the air. “I’m going up to the loft, I need time to think”. Shadow nodded to him. “We’ll head back up to Donvu and discuss with him”. The climb up the stairs was filled with discussion back and fourth between Crystal and Shadow. “I can’t believe that slug got away and what’s worse, he is fully capable of opening the tomb now”. Crystal said annoyed. “Knowing Chanoue, he’ll gloat in this victory for a day or two. Then that’s it”. Shadow knocked on the door. It swung open. “So he managed to get away with it”? Donvu said quietly sitting in his chair as the two stepped inside. “Yes”. Shadow replied just as solemnly. “Chanoue was far ahead anyway, despite our best efforts”. Donvu looked down at his desk. “I suppose now we should plan the attack, we need to stop him soon”. Shadow stopped him. “No, we have time; Chanoue will be basking in this for a few days before he makes a move. Do you even know if he knows where this tomb is anyway”? Donvu turned his head back at Shadow. “Considering the nature born he has in possession it’s very likely he already knows”. Shadow growled. Crystal looked around urgently “Something wrong”? Donvu asked flattening his ears slightly. “It’s Trabon, we know his sister and we think she’s in danger”. Donvu’s ears shot up. “Oh? And I’m assuming you want to help”. Shadow looked around unable to get his mind strait. “My priorities are to stop Chanoue before he set’s our species to war but I want to help”. Donvu leaned back rubbing his chin in thought. “Well, I could find the missing person in question, let me speak to Trabon and I’ll send you on your way soon”.

 

 

The door opened slowly. Trabon flew out landing on the floor looking up hopefully. Donvu peeked around the door edge his glasses sliding off his face. “Good luck Trabon”. He said slowly shutting the door behind him. “He knows where she is”. Trabon said almost excitedly.  “Where”? Crystal asked staring at him. Trabon scratched his head. “Her cave he said, he gave me the location”. Shadow moved forward. “Then what are we waiting for”? Trabon clapped his wings against one another. A brilliant light blew up around them sending them spiraling to the new location. Shadow crashed down on the ground of soggy dirt. He looked off to his right where the large cold stream he had battled a bear in gurgled away. Crystal stood up behind him. “I hate those rough landings”. Trabon snorted standing up. “Could have broken a wing”. Shadow looked around. “Where’s the cave”? Crystal sniffed the air. “Not here, we may need to follow the river”. Shadow, Crystal and Trabon both moved down alongside the river until the form of the large cave Crystal remembered came into view. “That’s the one”. Crystal said moving up close to it. As though she was back for the first time, colorful crystals lining the ceiling shinned down on them but Luna’s signing voice was not present this time. The cave was silent save for the dripping of water or the crumble of sentiment off the walls. “She’s probably asleep”. Crystal said in response to the concerned faces of both Trabon and Shadow. Although she wasn’t quite sure herself. They looked up at the tattered rock ceiling looking around for her. Her form did not appear nor did a stirring sound come. “Luna? Where are you”? Crystal called out. No response at all. Trabon flew up into the rocky loft examining an old spot in the rock crevice she use to sleep in. Crystal looked across the ground, searching for a possible clue. Shadow knelt down and sniffed. Something was lingering in the air, an awful stench of sorts. Shadow followed the lone sent around leading across the walls. He came to a tattered collection of rocks. Then Shadow saw it. A leathery wing was hanging out from under the rock. Shadow quickly moved the rocks shoving them aside one by one. They were heavy and almost shoved into place. Crystal ran over. “Help me”. Shadow said moving another rock aside. Crystal joined in. Trabon watched from over their shoulders. He was full of anxiety. His sister he hadn’t seen in over twelve years might be dead. Once the last rock was moved away, Luna’s form was exposed. She was ripped and bloody. Most notable was the burnt ear still charred from her sacrifice. Luna’s eyes lolled around as she looked up out of the rubble. It was though she was on the verge of death, dancing on limbo’s cold embrace. A thunder clap shot outside the cave signifying a storm. She looked up strait at Trabon who had flown in and stood over her wrecked form. “Tr… Trab… Trabon”? She gagged weakly. “Over ten years it’s been”. Trabon gripped his sister’s paw in his. “I’m so sorry Luna, I should have been there, I should have- She raised her free paw up at him. “It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t anyone’s fault”. Trabon clenched her paw and brought it to his chest. The moment remained speechless. Luna’s eyes shifted around and looked up at Crystal and Shadow then back at Trabon. “No matter what happens, you are and always shall be my brother”. Trabon’s face wrinkled and he lowered his head into her shoulder. Shadow and Crystal stepped back allowing them the moment.

 

 

       Chanoue smiled firmly while the amulet in his paw gleamed like a trophy. Victory was his; he almost had everything he needed. The bat failed to tell him where the tomb was. But then there was Kanoue. He knew a lot of things, possibly even the where the tomb was. This was the last step. But then he remembered, Shadow. He would find the tomb easy, but was it not fair that Shadow see his own family finally win. Traitor or not, let the fool soak in his own stupidity. There was yet reason to keep his mother alive, a last minute treat to the devastation of the human scum. He would kill her in front her son’s eyes then kill him. A chance to finally show his enemies his victory was inevitable, even through the struggle they brought. All that was left was to go and force Kanoue to tell him where the tomb is, and begin the trek to it. Chanoue lay down in the soft dirt of the cave. He would be ready; he would see his father again. The thought of it fueled him even more. The tomb would open.