Chapter 9: Inquiry

In the patch of forests located between Oniguard Pass and Ul'gah River, lived a community of carved out dens located within the remains of an overgrown pit crater; each den was covered with a curtain of green vines and leaves, woven together with shaved roots. Each series of dens had three levels where each level was specifically designed for the social classes ranging from the higher ranking class to the lowest level. To the left of the dens, was a separate group of dens for pregnant mothers and the nursery. Directly in front of the dens was a ledge formed rock formation that jutted straight out, which served as one of the highest vantage points in the entire crater.

A large Grey Wolf of staggering proportions silently stepped into the ledge; his guarded eyes stared intently at the dens below him. Despite his thick ash grey fur, battle scars riddled the battered yet incredibly strong body of his. Yet despite that, the Wolf remained to silently and diligently watch over his sleeping pack members from the elderly to the youngest. White puffs of air puffed from his nostrils as the cold air surrounded the outside air. However, because the pit crater was once an active volcano during it's lifetime, the interior of the pit crater always remained warm and comfortable all year round.

Without moving his body, the Wolf casted his eyes now towards the unknown forest and the memory of distress came back to the surface again:

["Move away from the fire! Move away!" shouted a desperate voice above the intense roar of the reddish Hell fire.

"Your Majesty! Your son is nowhere to be found!" shouted the Grey Wolf, as he stood just on the outskirts of the forest fire.

"If he's here or not, I would know about that! You must protect my mate until I've returned! Or I'll banish you with the utmost authority of the Spirits themselves!"

"Your Majesty! Wait! Your Majesty!"

The intensity of the fire grew in both size and strength. With a peak height of fifteen feet, the high impact winds coming from the East fed the flames and persuaded the destructive nature to devour the earth like a famished animal. The heat was scorching the earth, turning the top soil into a crumbling mess of sand and charcoal. Those animals who were fortunate enough to withstand the flames were conquered by the thick plumes of black smoke.

As the flames cowered the Grey Wolf onto the edge of the volcanic crater, the ash obscured his vision as the final moving object he saw was his superior, the King of Oniguard.]

"Ga'hol."

A warm and inviting voice broke through the dark illusion of a nightmarish experience. The Grey Wolf opened his eyes and with a powerful turn, he was met with the warm yet solitary lonely gaze of a she-wolf. Although her appearance was significantly smaller than his own, the she-wolf wore her age better than most, despite the amount of trauma she'd experienced within a short amount of time. And still continued to suffer through its results.

The she-wolf was like a sparkling opal in the dark environment, as the moonlight shone through the forest and surrounding crater. Her snow white fur seemed to glow, emitting a rather dazzling light around her figure. Her blue eyes, although hypnotizing, were dull and sorrowful.

"Your Highness." spoke the Grey Wolf, as he immediately bowed to the she-wolf.

"It's a peaceful night, isn't it?" she asked kindly, joining the Grey Wolf on the edge of the rock, her eyes focusing in the same direction he was once staring towards.

"It is."

The Grey Wolf silently looked at the she-wolf; her eyes never faltered as they remained fixated on the forest before them. His heart could be heard breaking at the sight of his superior's spirit remaining strong despite her inner soul worrying day and night. He knew she was only being strong for her fellow kingdom, but he also knew the hurt she was feeling deep down.

'How can I not?' the Grey Wolf sighed quietly, remembering the day she'd lost everything in only a matter of a few minutes. 'She lost her mate and her children during that fire. She doesn't even know if they're dead or alive.'

"He'll return." the she-wolf explained suddenly, pulling the Grey Wolf from his thoughts. "I believe the Spirits are guiding him in the right direction."

"O-Of course, Your Majesty. However…"

"Yes? What's troubling you?"

"What if, for instance, he returns but he happens to not look like the image you've allowed yourself to believe in?"

"That's just an old wise tale of unfamiliarity." the she-wolf taught, her eyes never leaving the forest, as if they were finally going to be reunited with the one Wf she longed to see the most. "A she-wolf will always remember the faces of those who are close to her."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

'Still. Just the thought of seeing something unsightly will continue to plague this pack. I've promised His Majesty to look after his family until he returns. But it's been nearly three Solstices ago. And yet, nothing has changed.'

"Let's enjoy a late night snack. I hear pheasants are tender with late evening dew." the she-wolf speculated, with a thoughtful gaze.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Right away."

The large Grey Wolf bowed in respect and slinked off to the ground floor entrance; but curiosity got the best of his judgement and turned his head three quarters of the way, his eyes staring sorrowful at the benevolent she-wolf. Her eyes never left the forest grounds. Her serenity of awaiting her family never ceased to leave her stranded.

'I'm sorry, Your Majesty.'

The Grey Wolf ventured through the large entrance that could barely be seen because of the hanging vines that were draped over it. Walking through the entrance, he couldn't find the words to express his madness of intense worry he felt towards the friend he once looked up to. A brother in arms. His visions of the past reflected and projected themselves across the room:

From the prince being cleaned after an almost successful hunt.

His own son taking the Oath of Righteousness, which was an oath that guards would take if they were solely appointed to protect a specific member of the Royal Family.

The King giving a decree of crowning his son as the Prince of Oniguard Pass.

The last one. A shadowy aura encased the Grey Wolf's heart as he distinctly remembered the prior events that led to such a decision being made; the expression of something voluntary darker and less than impressed or proud was hidden behind the King's face. He remembered the feeling as it had just happened. The crowning of any prince within the Five Great Nations was truly a joyous and prestigious occasion, where future heirs were given a special decree of their own to recite in front of the other Animal Kingdoms.

While each specific kingdom had their own traditions, the Wolves of Oniguard Pass had their own traditions in the form of selective hunting. Each heir was allowed to choose a prey of their choice being a cape buffalo, yak, or the aggressive meishan, which was the more wild version of the otherwise docile farm pig used for Human consumption. If the hunt was proven successful, the heir would celebrate their success with a celebratory feast and a special greeting from the Spirits, to congratulate the heir on his or her success and to give their insights on the trials and tribulations they'd experience throughout their life.

'Were you dissatisfied with the outcome, Your Majesty?' the Grey Wolf wondered with a heavy heart, before he stepped into the forest grounds to start his scouting.

"I wonder if he was or not." spoke a monotonous voice in the void of darkness.

'That voice! Could it-?!' the Grey Wolf gasped, before sprinting further into the forest, the density of the fog accumulating in the area, which wasn't uncommon to happen in an area that was usually cold six months out the year.

The Grey Wolf thrusted his head forward to increase his oxygen intake as his strong legs struck the moist earth with thunderous impact. As he leaped over the thick tree roots and slid underneath various fallen tree trunks and hanging vines, his nose began to pick up on a familiar scent he'd remembered since the day he'd become the appointed Royal Guard. The visible neon blue scent trail flowed like a wispy thin fog, enticing the Grey Wolf to veer off course of his intended path, where the borders between Oniguard Pass and Bear Creek Valley overlapped. Crossing the forest, the Grey Wolf entered the field of Moonlight Lotuses, a traditional flower that abundantly grew in Oniguard Pass and was so named because of their glowing effect they emitted from the moon itself.

"Ha'ta."

The Grey Wolf named Ha'ta froze in sudden realization, before sensing an overwhelming aura flood through his soul, as it accidentally resonated with his Energy Core that usually rested dormant within his heart. A golden light dimly shone through his skin and ash grey fur. He felt his heart thumping loudly in his sensitive ears. Whirling around, he saw a ghostly wolf standing in the middle of the field.

It's gaze was casted upon the moon, as it's snow white fur glowly heavenly underneath the pale light; his ears folded and tail hovering just above the ground, the snowy color of this unknown Wolf sparkled like freshly fallen blanket of snow then covered with a sparkly layer of fresh early morning dew; the Wolf opened his eyes, revealing oceanic blue eyes with tints of turquoise and neon green. The shimmering glass eyes that reflected from the Wolf's eyes, resembled a pair of gorgeously crafted sapphires/turquoise jewels.

'Your…' gasped Ha'ta, who gasped breathlessly, as if all the breath he'd once kept inside his lungs had been taken from his body.

"...Mi'lord…"

Ace was on stage performing a song he self-composed with Shun, who was controlling the lightsticks and instrumentals via his mini stage performing enhancement keyboard. As the strobe lights fluttered and flickered over the crowd of gathering students and spectators, he resonated his pale yellow Energy Core within his vocal cords; visible music notes from treble clef to C-F chords danced and playful mingled with the audience, as they felt thoroughly hypnotized by the impactful meanings behind the lyrics Ace and Shun wrote and produced.

However, the thrilling experience of the concert drowned out the dark, dweary, and sickening scene of confusion and heart stopping suspense that they all failed to realize was happening within their own remote territory.

Kira covered his mouth with his hands to keep himself from screaming. A cold sweat covered his body, as a nauseated feeling teased his stomach as he ferociously fought the urge to vomit his pheasant Tazuna had been kind enough to catch for him prior to the unfortunate incident that happened to Riku. The Wolf's eyes refused to tear away from the arm, which laid unmoving and stalemate for an unpredictable amount of time. As he tried to control his trembling body and settle down his thumping heart, Kira slowly retracted his hands, once he found the nerve to gather himself accordingly.

'I-I need to warn Tazuna! And the others!' the Red Wolf gasped with exhaustion, before hearing a loud snapping sound, causing the Wolf to jump in sudden shock.

Slowly turning his head with a stuttering motion, full of fear and terror, the Red Wolf continued to hear the snapping and cracking of bones dislocating and reconnecting again and again. When the animal's terrified eyes laid back on the zombified hand, Kira instinctively scrambled away when he saw the hand suddenly begin to move! On its own!