#redacted ophelia sharma

[hhoneyglasss]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐈 — 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰

☼ 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂 ☼

LMAOAOAOA it's been like. nearly a month since the last chapter. mY BADDDD

also i got to use one of my favorite words in this one—reconnaissance. it's a good day y'all

꩜ 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 ꩜

2.2k

꩜ 𝚊𝚘𝟹 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚔 ꩜

linky

꩜ 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 ꩜

existential terror & dread, incoming/looming threat that poses extreme danger to characters.

꩜ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 ꩜

linky

𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘳 𝘷 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 !!! 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 !!!

When I woke up the following morning, too much light poured in from the entrance of the den. I sat up in a huff, worried that I’d be late for training when my mother stepped in front of me. 

“Training is canceled today, Tarak,” she said, “I let you sleep in. You seemed like you needed it.” 

“What?” I asked, my breathing heavy from my wave of panic, “Training? Canceled? Why?” 

“I’m not sure. Your father and the other Ruling House members didn’t specify.” 

I looked behind her at her and my father’s shared nest. His side looked untouched. 

“Did he come home last night?” 

She looked away. “No.” 

I didn’t respond and turned towards the exit of the den. “I’m going to find Juno. Maybe she knows more.” 

“Alright,” she said, “Be careful.” 

I ran out of the den but stopped when I didn’t feel the warmth of sunlight through my fur. I looked up at the sky–it was completely overcast, not a single shred of blue visible through the thick sheet of clouds blocking the Sun. Everything was smothered in a pale, gray overtone, and the warm breeze that blew by was heavy, feverish. The air was thick and humid, making it difficult to breathe as I walked through the plaza. 

It was never overcast. 

For as long as I’d been alive, never once had I looked up in the sky and not been able to see the Sun. Even a mere cloud was rare, but overcast? Unheard of. 

I walked slowly, made nervous by the silence that passed through the plaza. Gone were the playful yips of pups and barks of strict guards—instead, all that was left was the wind. Suffocating wind. 

I caught the scent of another wolf from my right and turned to see them leaving the Ruling House den. It was my father’s second-in-command, or Kahn’sôja, Sabik. She appeared to be heading towards the exit from the plaza, her gait quick, yet steady. 

But when I trotted after her and called out to her, she didn’t respond. She kept walking, head straightened forward, focused on whatever path she was following. 

Strange, I thought and followed after her when she disappeared behind the outline of another den. 

While tracking her scent, I felt the unease trickle into my core. What could be wrong? I thought, trying to think of the possibilities, Daemons and demons haven’t been a problem, nor have sunbound vampires… What could have the Ruling House so distressed that we can’t even talk to them? Who could it be? 

My thoughts were interrupted when I picked up the scent of other wolves mixing with Sabik’s. Ahead, I saw she was now speaking to two new wolves—one of them was Mahsati, another Ruling House member, and the other was… 

Juno. 

Her voice was muffled and echoey from afar, but I could hear the anger in it. She stomped her paw against the ground when she finished, looking between them both, her eyes searching for answers. 

I trotted closer to hear Mahsati’s response. “This matter doesn’t concern you, Juno. If I had answers you should be aware of, I would provide them.” 

“No, it does concern me and you do have answers,” she said, her voice laced with a growl, “When I first came over here, you wouldn’t even talk to me. You ignored me, ignored my questions, ignored my request for answers! We deserve answers, Mahsati-kahn!” 

Sabik spoke next and I saw her, Mahsati, and Juno’s ears twitch. They knew I was here. 

She said to Juno, “Go back to your family’s den. The matters being discussed here do not pertain to you or any other wolf not a member of the Ruling House.” 

Juno looked around them to see me and jerked her head in my direction. “Fine! If they don’t pertain to me, some ‘random’ wolf, then maybe they’ll pertain to the Kahn’méja’s child.” 

I walked to stand next to her—Sabik glared down at me. “I thought ignoring you was enough of a hint, Tarak-mé, but it appears not.”

I lifted my head to look at her. “My apologies, Sabik-sôja, but what do you expect me to do when the Ruling House mysteriously cancels training? Then, you and Mahsati-kahn refuse to answer Juno and me? None of it makes any sense and no one is offering an explanation.” 

I looked up. “Have you seen the sky today? It’s gray, Sabik-sôja. The Sun’s blocked from any wolf’s view—it’s frightening. Fear is in the air. You can smell it. 

“All we want is an explanation. We’re afraid—everybody’s afraid.” 

Both Mahsati and Sabik took a deep breath, glanced at one another, then looked back at us. Sabik spoke first. 

“The Kahn’méja is supposed to make a formal announcement tonight at dusk. He, along with all Ruling House members, will explain what’s happening.” 

Her gaze was softer when she asked, “Does that help you both at all?” 

I nodded. Juno thanked her. 

Mahsati said, his voice less stern and scathing now, “Let the other wolves know and spread the word–we want to make sure every wolf is there to listen.”

“We will,” I promised, “Thank you again, Sabik-sôja. Mahsati-kahn.” 

Juno and I bowed before leaving to return to the village plaza. I could feel the waves of dread emanating from her core, albeit less intense than they were before. 

She didn’t look at me when she broke the silence. “I hope everything’s gonna be okay, Tarak. This has all got me really freaked out.” 

“I get it,” I replied, “It’ll be fine, though. Especially after my father talks tonight, I’m sure it’s not a big deal.” 

I barely believed my own words—Juno could tell. “I don’t know,” she murmured as she looked up at the sky, “We can’t even see the Sun.” 

She looked back down, her head hanging low. “We can always see the Sun.” 

I saw that her right paw began to tremble while we were walking—something she always did when she was nervous. I laid my tail over it. “Maybe it’s just having an off day,” I joked and lightly bumped her side. 

Her quiet laughter echoed in my head, but the amused sparkle didn’t glint in her eyes like it usually did. I pulled her closer with my tail and brushed my fur against hers. 

She leaned into me. “The warmth coming from you might just rival the Sun. Are you coming down with something or what?” 

I chuckled. “Maybe that’s why it didn’t want to come out today. I’ve got it beat.” 

“Next thing I know, we’ll toss you in the sky and swear the actual Sun’s shining,” she quipped, her tail wrapping around mine, “Try not to blind me, okay?” 

“I will,” I said, my head nudging hers, “Promise.” 

~ 

The hours of the overcast day seemed to drag on into oblivion before dusk finally reached us. Juno and I’s paws were tired from visiting each den in the village and letting them know about tonight’s meeting, and the insistence for more answers had our heads aching. 

We both bet that this was how Mahsati and Sabik felt when we wouldn’t leave them alone—we swore to apologize to them later. 

All of the wolves had gathered in the center of the plaza, anxious whispers caught in the wind. Juno and I were standing with Marici while my mother and hers, Aruna, were talking, Anatoly huddling under my mother’s legs. 

Juno’s right paw had begun to quiver again, a nervous fervor that tap-tap-tapped against the ground. I laid my paw on top of it–it slowed until it finally stopped. 

She turned to look up at Marici. “Were you able to find out anything from the other trainers?” 

“No,” she answered, “They’re keeping this all under wraps, Ju, but Rasalhague-méja will be out soon. I’m sure everything’s alright.” 

“Yes,” I agreed, “Maybe it’s just a Ruling House matter they couldn’t talk about until now, like some new treaty that’s been passed with the vampires, daemons, or demons. It’s happened before.” 

Juno met neither of our eyes. “I hope you guys are right.” 

Before either of us could respond, the powerful footsteps of the Ruling House pounded against the ground. Juno flicked my tail as she walked away with Marici towards her family, who were under the House of Pisces. I followed my mother and brother to the opposite side of the clearing where my father was talking. A few of our distant relatives joined us. 

Sabik called for silence before my father began. “Wolves,” he started, “I and the rest of the Ruling House thank you for your continued patience throughout this uneasy day. We apologize for the distress we have caused you, and all will be explained in due time.” 

He paused when irritated growls vibrated from the crowd. “Order, please. … Thank you. … The Ruling House and I have called you here to inform you of a disturbance detected near the far-Southern border before dawn this morning. Training was canceled to ensure no trainers or their wolves traveled farther than the South wall before our guards identified the cause of the disturbance. 

“We have identified the disturbance as Shades.” 

The reveal caused howls to erupt from all Houses, frightened cries from young wolves sounding as they hid behind their parents. Numerous Ruling House members had to call for silence before my father could be heard over the noise again. 

Shades? I thought, perplexed, The trainers always made it sound like they were a creation of legend, a myth–the vengeful dead crawling their way back to life just to take it from others? It sounds like something out of a nightmare. 

I turned to my left and made eye contact with Juno. 

Her right paw was barely touching the ground with how fast it was shaking. 

My father continued. “Five Shades were detected at the Southern border, and the Ruling House has concluded that they traveled from a Northeast direction according to their scent trails. The five spotted were slain and their remains were properly disposed of—however, we remain unsure if this is simply a single occurrence or now a consistent threat. 

“Strongholds have been built over the past day on both the Southern border and South wall to ensure maximum security and we require that all wolves do not, by any means, leave their dens through the night unless it is an emergency. This is a safety precaution while we continue to investigate this matter. Training will also be canceled indefinitely.” 

He took a deep breath. “Are there any questions?” 

I winced when every wolf seemed to shout at him, the sound making my head split. My ears flattened against my skull and I cowered, my eyes narrowed as I glanced up at my father. He remained calm as he requested for one wolf from the House of Aries, to ask their question. 

“How do you expect us to be able to sleep tonight when you and the Ruling House have barely figured out the problem? My family is scared, Rasalhague-méja, they’re terrified!” The wolf cried. 

“I promise you that we’re doing everything we can and the problem will be solved as soon as possible. You and your family will be safe, the Ruling House and I will make sure of it,” my father replied. 

The wolf didn’t seem satisfied with his response as he stalked away. 

Another wolf howled over the others, “Simple strongholds will do nothing to keep Shades from attacking us! You might as well give them directions straight to the plaza!” 

My father called for Mahsati to respond to the wolf’s statement. “My guards and I have placed illusionary scent trails to lead any possible Shades away from the village. A second battalion of guards will be dispatched later this evening to refresh the trails and strongholds throughout the night.” 

The same wolf howled with frustration before disappearing into the crowd. 

Dozens more questions were thrown onto the Ruling House—by the end of it, the entire meeting was reduced to chasing tails in circles over and over again. 

The Ruling House finally ended the meeting with another promise that we would all remain safe and an order to retreat to our dens for the night. The reconnaissance battalion assigned to the Southern border led by Mahsati left as well. 

Before my mother dragged me and Anatoly back to our den, I ran over to Juno. 

“I’m going to see you tomorrow, okay?” I said, my eyes meeting hers, “We’ll go to the lake we visited yesterday, and maybe we can swim if the Sun isn’t too scared of me again.” 

I felt the amusement illuminate her core—I let out a sigh of relief. “Okay,” she said, “Try to give it a break, will you? I would actually like to see it tomorrow.” 

“I will, I swear,” I promised and brushed my head against hers, “Sleep well. Good night, Juno.” 

I didn’t head back to my den until I watched her disappear into hers. “‘Night, Tarak! I’ll see you and the Sun tomorrow.” 

I felt a chuckle within me, but it disappeared when I looked up at the sky–not a single star was visible beside the cold, unforgiving blanket of gray hanging above me.

[hhoneyglasss]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐈𝐈 — 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫

☼ 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂 ☼

trying to upload in the schedule i set originally (mondays n fridays). here goes lol

꩜ 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 ꩜

2.7k

꩜ 𝚊𝚘𝟹 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚔 ꩜

linky

꩜ 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 ꩜

shades, major character death, major character disappearances, peril, mortal danger, gore, graphic imagery & descriptions.

꩜ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 ꩜

linky

𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘳 𝘷 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 !!! 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 !!!

I woke up in the middle of the night to peaceful silence, my mother and Anatoly sound asleep. Anatoly slept in her nest tonight, his small frame hidden within her long fur. My nest was pulled closer to theirs as well. 

I yawned but nearly gagged at the scent that filled my nostrils. 

It was stale–decayed. 

I sat up and walked towards the entrance of our den, but didn’t dare leave it. The night was calm—nothing in the plaza could’ve caused the scent. 

The wind coursed through my fur and made me shiver–I backed away. I laid back down in my nest, my head on my paws as I watched the steady breathing of my mother and Anatoly. 

I closed my eyes, but that awful scent still filled my nose. It seemed to have injected itself into the air, a sickly venom that made me dizzy. 

The minutes dragged into hours until I heard a noise from outside—a distant howl from the Southern gate. My ears perked up, but I figured it was just one of the guards calling for another wolf. I’d heard a similar sound before. 

But when the howls continued and grew closer, I couldn’t ignore them. I didn’t leave my nest but raised my head from my paws and looked towards the plaza. The wind was gone. 

I was about to wake up my mother when I heard a crash at the gate, and I saw that it had been shattered. Jagged stone daggers rained down onto the ground as three wolves ran through the wreckage. 

One called out, her voice hoarse in my head, “Shades! Shades are coming! They got through the South–” 

But before she finished, a figure shrouded in black tackled her to the ground. I could barely even see it, but I watched as the shadow moved, slithering its way around her as it tore through her fur and skin, its outline growing more solid as it absorbed the life from her. 

I backed away, my heart pounding in my ears. My mother and brother awoke behind me, and I could hear her ask me what was happening, but her voice sounded like it was muffled by water. A white noise that echoed in my head so loudly I felt like my skull would split in half.

My mother didn’t say anything as she looked outside toward the plaza. More and more Shades had made their way in, shadowy puddles spilling across the ground towards dens and wolves. She turned towards Anatoly and me–he was shivering. 

“We’re going to leave the village,” she instructed, her voice completely calm, “You both are going to follow on my right, do you hear me? Do not trail behind me, move to my other side, or in front of me. Stay on my right.” 

She leaned down to look at both of us. “And do not look back. Do you understand?” 

We both said ‘yes’, and she backed away towards the den entrance. She paused before motioning both of us to follow quickly behind her. 

Once we left the den, we ran along the outer perimeter of the plaza, the sounds of Shades and wolf cries deafening. Don’t look back, I told myself, Don’t look back or you’re dead. Don’t look back. Don’t. 

But when I heard the rattled shriek of a Shade behind me, I looked back. 

I howled when its thick black claws raked through my right hind leg, blood soaking my fur as I flung it off of me into the wall of the den beside me. I dove and clamped its wiry body between my maw, shaking my head back and forth as tendrils of shadow forced their way down my throat. I choked but didn’t let go, one final crunch tearing the thing into dozens of black, viscous pieces. 

Deep breaths filled my throat with flame, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I turned to continue following my mother and Anatoly. They were only a little ways up ahead and I sprinted after them, ignoring the agonizing burn in my leg to keep up with them. 

My mother turned to me, her gaze filled with horror. “Tarak, I’m sorry, I heard the Shade after you did and would’ve come to you but I couldn’t leave Anatoly by himself–” 

“It’s okay,” I reassured, “I’m okay–we’re okay.” 

She must’ve seen the blood on my leg because she cried, “Tarak, you’re bleeding! I’m sorry, I should’ve protected you and I–” 

“Mom!” I interrupted, “I am fine. Just a scratch, we’ll worry about it later, when we’re safe. We need to keep running.” 

I looked at her and didn’t break eye contact. I had never seen her this scared before. 

“Okay,” she said, and she took a deep breath, “Okay. Follow me.” 

I could hear her heartbeat begin to slow down, even when it seemed like the massacre taking place around us grew louder. I shielded Anatoly from it, my tail around his body as I directed him straight forward, not letting him even catch a glance at what was happening. 

Up ahead, I saw Mahsati and Gunibuu, another Ruling House member, directing wolves away from where the Shades were coming in. Their voices rang loud even over all the noise, and I felt some of my worries dissipate. 

We’re gonna be fine. We’ll get out of here, we’ll see Dad and I’ll see Juno, and we’ll go to that lake, and everything’ll– 

A crowd of Shades ripped through three dens on the opposite side of the plaza and charged toward us at full speed. I jumped and called to my mother and Anatoly, quickly pushing them forward as the wave grew closer and closer. 

But we weren’t fast enough–the undertow dragged us under and suddenly, they were both gone. 

All I could see was a tide of black washing over everything in my view, a whirlpool of death and expiry. I turned again in that river of death, hoping to see them, hoping to realize that maybe they were swimming too, but I kept turning, kept looking, kept searching. 

Nothing.

Terror gripped my neck and closed it shut and suddenly my world began to spin. The ground became the sky and I was drowning in the starless night, failing to breathe as I struggled to find the surface. Slippery talons raked through my fur and I cried at the burn, my paws flailing out helplessly beneath me as I tried to find my footing. 

I finally felt the familiar grit of ground on my paw and I clamped my claws down as hard as I could, ignoring the pain that shot through my leg as I shook myself vigorously, the irritated screams of Shades' ear-piercing as they were sent flying throughout the plaza. Electricity ignited from around my legs, and I directed it to the remaining two Shades in front of me, a strangled growl ripping from my throat as my body pumped the magic from my core. 

Two lightning bolts sliced through the solid Shades, their form melting before evaporating into the night air. 

My breathing was labored, my attention quickly shifting from the Shades to getting out of there and finding Anatoly and my mother. They must’ve run through the exit before the barrage of Shades overcame me–I told myself they were okay and safe on the other side. They had to be. 

As I searched for the exit through the chaos, I caught a glimpse of familiar burgundy fur flash through the flurry of black shadow, and I recognized it as Juno’s. Once the realization hit me, I could feel the aura of her core, a glowing beacon of radiative life and vitality that had me stumbling towards it, the agony and aching in my legs now ignored and tossed aside. 

I called to her, a watery, anguished cry that I prayed could be heard over all the noise, “Juno! JUNO!” 

Her head poked out from a horde of Shades, her hind leg kicking out behind her as she stomped one of them into the ground. “Tarak!” She called back, her voice strong and mighty, even when I smelled the blood coating her fur. 

I began to run even faster toward her, fighting the limp in my leg as I felt the need to get to her grow stronger. 

I reached my tail out to her when I finally grew close enough, but I watched in horror as a Shade ran towards her from behind, its massive, solid body towering over her as sickening, wet snarls echoed from its form. I immediately lunged to bite onto her flank and pull her away, but just before my teeth clasped over her fur, the Shade swung its claws down onto Juno, and she launched through the remnants of the plaza gate. 

I sprinted towards her, her name punching its way through my teeth over and over when she remained unmoving. When I finally got over to her, her torso was crushed beneath a dense chunk of stone, her small frame misshapen and deformed on the ground. Blood seemed to have spilled onto every part of her body, her coat tinted black from the smeared essence of Shades on her fur. 

I pushed the stone off of her, choked, suffering grunts vibrating to the tips of my claws as I kicked it into the middle of the plaza, Shades scattering from the impact. I bit down lightly onto the scruff behind her neck and pulled her slowly, delicately, away from the rubble, careful not to shift the shattered bones or disturb the wounds sliced into her skin. 

I pulled her behind one of the dens that were still standing, its large walls safe cover from the Shades running rampant through the village. I stared over her, my eyes trailing over her body again as I assessed her injuries. I had no idea where to start, no clue how to heal her and take away her suffering. 

My paws were shaking and I could feel my core stumbling, pitiful wisps of green light flowing around me as I tried to heal her injuries. I grit my teeth together even as the agony grew worse, my exhausted core taking its revenge against my body, but I tried to ignore it.

I ignored it, ignored the agony until I felt my own wounds rip open even further, and the sickening crack of my ribs filled the air before a groan left me and I collapsed against the ground. I lifted my head slowly and looked towards Juno, the world spinning as I saw that her eyes had opened. Her green, familiar eyes, were awake with the gaze that made me feel like I was home. 

She looked tired, her lids barely open as she stared at me. “Hi,” was all she said. 

The simple, informal greeting made cries close up my throat, and I whimpered. “J–Juno, I–I’m so, so sorry, I just, I can’t–” 

“I know,” she whispered, “I know, Tarak. It’s okay.” 

I shook my head back and forth vigorously. “No, no, it’s not okay, I can’t–I can’t heal you, I can’t–I can’t do it, Juno, my core, it–it just–” 

The words spilled from my core into hers. “This is all my fault, if I just hadn’t called to you, if I had just let you be or–or given you a warning about–about the Shade then–then you wouldn’t be here, you’d still be standing, and you’d be okay, you wouldn’t be hurting, and I could heal you and we’d leave and–” 

“Tarak.” 

I stopped and blinked at her. She continued, “I don’t blame you, okay? It’s not your fault and you didn’t do anything, so why apologize? That’s what you always say, isn’t it? And as far as I know, the great Tarak, future Kahn’méja, is never wrong.” 

“Gods,” I sighed, “Only you would be able to make a joke when you’re about to… when you’re…” 

I couldn’t even finish the sentence, the knowledge that I already knew what was going to happen was too much for me to admit out loud. I watched as Juno feebly lifted her tail from off the ground and laid it on top of mine, and I wrapped mine around hers. 

“How are you still able to do that? I feel like a bag of bones,” I murmured. 

Juno giggled. “I told you I was super-ultra-mega-powerful. My core is gargantuan, far surpassing yours. You underestimate my power, young Tarak.” 

“I thought I was the ‘great Tarak’?” 

“Two things can be true at the same time, young one.” 

“You sound like my father. Stop.” 

“But dichotomy is a wondrous thing, o’ Tarak-mé–” 

“Juno!” 

Her laughter was quiet and hoarse, but Gods, did I savor the sound. I replayed it in my head over and over again even after it ended, and I turned to her again. We sat in silence for a long while and each time Juno blinked, her eyes stayed closed for a little longer. I pulled myself closer to her when I noticed her begin to shiver, a sickening rattle that had me holding sobs in my throat. 

“Tarak,” she breathed, “Tarak?” 

“Yes, Juno?” 

“We’re going to see each other again,” she started, “We will, I know we will, and it better be millions of years from now because you’re gonna get your immortality, and you’re gonna do whatever makes you happy. I may not be with you physically for all of it, but I will be there, behind you, for every step you take–I did tell you I wasn’t gonna ever let you escape, didn’t I? 

“And I’ll be okay–I know you’re worrying about that. I’ll be fine, I’ll figure it all out. Maybe I’ll be in the sky somewhere, a star so bright you’ll know it’s me. I’ll twinkle just for you so you know–how does that sound?”  

“That sounds perfect, Juno,” I whispered.

A shaky, contented sigh fell from her and I lay closer to her, our coats brushing each other as our paws touched. She rested her head underneath mine, and I kept my cries in as I felt her ending coming ever closer. 

“We’ll go to that lake you mentioned when we see each other again, okay?” 

“We will, Juno. I’ll make sure of it.” 

“Good,” she sighed, “I love you, Tarak.” 

“I… I… I love you, too, Juno.” 

One last glow flowed from her core when she said, “See you later.” Her core’s radiance faded as she took her final breath, her back raising and lowering one last time before it never moved again. 

No amount of Shades’ claws could’ve rivaled the wave of pain that overcame me next, an agony so forceful it penetrated its way into every fiber of my being. I howled into Juno’s chilled fur, cries of anguish pulsing through the thick, suffocating night air. I screamed at the black sky, cursing every Sun and every star above me for taking her away so cruelly, so viciously. Juno lay limp in my arms and suddenly my world was over–everything was over. 

I finally pulled away from her, the sight of her tail falling limply to the ground had me swallowing another howl. I moved her behind the den’s wall where she would be protected, where no Shade could go scavenging for the life that had already been taken away from her. 

Once I made sure she would be safe, I moved away, but I didn’t get far when I began to sway. I looked down to truly see how much blood I had lost, and I saw that my fur was matted in it, and the ground beneath me had been stained red. The sky above me swung back and forth like a pendulum, a rhythmic movement that had me spinning before I collapsed again. 

Consciousness began to leave me, the rim of my vision fading into black. I tried to stay awake, but my lids were heavy, a dangerous weight that slowly closed itself over my eyes even when I fought it. Suddenly my vision mimicked the starless sky and I found myself falling, drowning, suffocating in an endless void of night. 

[hhoneyglasss]

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 — 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' & 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈 — 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐜𝐡

☼ 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂 ☼

it's finally here !!! i'm so excited i finally get to share this w however many ppl it gets to !!! so, i figured i'd put the prologue and chapter into one conjoined post since the prologue is fairly short, but the rest of the chapters will be released one by one. my posting schedule for this series specifically will be on mondays and fridays at 17:00 EST.

i also want to mention that this series will be in first person pov from tank/darlin's perspective. tank/darlin does have a canon arian name in this series; it's "tarak," which is a male sanskrit name. however, tarak does not have any canon gender or sex (it doesn't matter nor does it affect the story), and their appearance will not be described unless very, very vague. therefore, you can either insert yourself into the role of tarak, or view them as their own person/character. it's ur decision !!

꩜ 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 ꩜

prologue is 137 words & chapter I is 1.5k words

꩜ 𝚊𝚘𝟹 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚔 ꩜

link

꩜ 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 ꩜

none !!

꩜ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 ꩜

link

𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 !!! 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 !!!

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 — 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧'

There is no moon where the sunbound wolves lie, but there are stars. Millions of stars light up the sky, splatters of luminance cast upon the dark Arian night. You can only see them for a few short hours, but they’re always there, just like the beloved sun. 

But as you stare at the Arian sky tonight, it seems to shake, quiver, and the view ahead of you becomes blurry. After a few tense, worried moments, it finally begins to clear, and you can now see two skies in front of you—one Arian, and the other Elegian. 

There’s one similarity you notice between the two, a light so soft you can barely see it–but it’s shining, a beautiful golden hue that sets it apart from the others. 

So tell me, reader… 

“Can you see their star now?”

☼☼☼

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈 — 𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐜𝐡

“Tarak! Tarak! Taraaaak!” 

I had barely woken up when I felt Juno throw herself into my side, and I growled. Her paw was digging into the side of my snout. 

“Wake up, sleepyhead!” 

I pushed her off of me. “I’m already awake! Thanks to you…” 

I shook the brambles caught in my fur as Juno rolled away in the sand, her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth. 

She tilted her head as she stared up at me. “Someone’s grumpy today.” 

“I wonder why…” 

Juno sat up with my response, her ears perked. “I know why!” 

“Why, Juno?” 

She nudged my paw with hers. “It’s because you’ve missed me so much!” 

A snarl left my throat as I turned and walked away, but she wasn’t far behind. She brushed her tail against my side as her amused yips filled the clear air. We began walking along the side of the shore, the shallow lake now reflecting the pale lavender of the day’s sky. Ripples fluttered along the surface from the warm breeze. 

“Ugh, it feels like I haven’t seen you in forever!” Juno exclaimed. 

I stared straight ahead. “It’s only been a couple of weeks.” 

“Feels like millennia,” she said, “I guess we’ve both been pretty busy, huh?” 

“Busy’s one word for it.” 

She looked at me, her light green eyes curious. 

I looked back. “Exhausted is another.” 

“Aw, cheer up,” she said, her maw opening in a slight smile, “Our training will be over before you know it!” 

I snorted. “Yeah, in six long, excruciating months.” 

“Don’t be such a—what do Elegians call it?—Oh, such a ‘negative nelly’!” 

I stopped walking and stared at her. I could almost hear the gears turning in her head. 

“… What about a ‘Debby downer’?” 

“You’re getting colder.” 

“… Party pooper?” 

I shook my head and continued walking. “How did they manage to get worse as you kept going?” 

“They didn’t get worse!” She retorted, “They evolved.” 

“More like devolved.” 

A high-pitched growl reverberated from her. “Tarak, you are such a—”

“Use another Elegian turn-of-phrase and I might just explode.”

Her tail slapped my side. “What’s your problem with Elegians anyway?” 

“I don’t have a problem with them,” I said, “I just think they’re—”

“Annoying?” 

“No—” 

“Crazy?” 

“Not necessarily—”

“Stupid?” 

I narrowed my eyes on her. “Boring, but all o’ what you said could work too.” 

She whined, “Oh, c’mon, no they aren’t! They’re adorable, you just don’t want to admit it.” 

I stared at her, deadpan. “They also stink, Juno.” 

“Only the moonbound wolves,” she stressed, “The rest of them smell just fine.” 

“Nuh-uh,” I said, “Have you heard what some of the elders have said about their Earth elementals? Apparently, some of them don’t bathe themselves because they believe it ‘goes against nature’.” 

Juno’s nose wrinkled. “…Okay, I don’t think I have a defense against that one.” 

“Exactly,” I replied, “Which happens to prove my point that—”

“No, a single point has yet to be proven,” she argued, “Personally, I think Elegians are kitsch.” 

“You think they’re what?” I asked. 

“Kitsch!” 

I paused. “… I don’t think you’re using that word right, Juno.” 

“Yes, I am!” She insisted, “I heard Arpina say it the other day.” 

“Just because your healing teacher’s using it doesn’t mean it’s right,” I said. 

“Fine, then what about… Camp! Elegians are camp!” 

I resisted another snort. “Not quite right either.” 

She huffed. “You are a ‘buzzkill’, Tarak.” 

“Tarak-explosion commencing in three, two, one…” 

Before I had time to react, she tackled me to the ground, her paws on either side of me. I growled and nipped her, and her voice hissed, a ringing noise left in my head from the sound. 

“Hey, that hurt!” She whined. 

I looked up at her. “Yeah, it was supposed to.” 

She nipped me back before getting off of me, and I sat up. “What was all that for?” 

“It was to make sure you don’t explode,” she said. 

“Uh-huh…” I started, “I guess you won’t let me escape that easily.” 

“Nope!” She yipped, “You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not.” 

“Oh, whatever will I do…” 

The sound of barking and paws scuffing the ground grew louder as we walked into the main village, the evening sun continuing to dip lower and lower toward the horizon. The glittering orb of the Jo’mele’ban floated in the center of the ring of dens, its watery surface reflecting the smeared colors of the tired sky. Its core shone brighter than usual, something both Juno and I noticed. 

“Hey, didn’t Atlas just get his immortality?” She asked as she tilted her head towards it. 

“Mhm,” I replied, “My dad was talking about it yesterday. I think he’s still asleep in one of the healers’ dens.” 

Juno shivered. “In certain ways, I’m excited for when we can get ours, but in other ways…” 

I finished her sentence. “It’s gonna suck at first.” 

“Right!” She agreed, “Do you know all of the horror stories I’ve heard about people getting their immortality? I mean, Marici didn’t wake up for six days after getting hers, and she could barely walk when she finally did…” 

Marici, Juno’s sister, was one of the trainers for our village—she specialized in healing and electro energy. She taught me when I was still in primary schooling—she was the reason I made my first spark. 

I remember when she got her immortality—it was years ago now, but I remember how once four days passed, most wolves thought she wasn’t ever gonna wake up. 

“I’ve heard recovery from it depends on the size of your core,” I said as we both sat and continued looking at the Jo’mele’ban, “So… larger core, longer recovery. Maybe Marici’s just incredibly strong or something.” 

Juno’s laughter echoed in my head. “That means I’ll be passed out for, like, a millennia after I get mine. Just you wait, Tarak.” 

“Sure, Juno.” 

“I’m serious!” She said, “You’re gonna miss me so bad… ‘Parting will be such sweet sorrow’—”

“Shut. Up.” 

“What? You’re not a fan of ‘Romeo and Juliet’?” She giggled. 

“You could say that.” 

“You’re a hater.” 

“Maybe.” 

We got up and kept walking through the village, weaving through the pups playing before their parents called them into their dens. 

“You know, I think it’s funny that you hate English class so much, yet yours is way better than mine,” Juno quipped. 

“Tch,” I grunted, “You can hate something and still be good at it.” 

“Well, pardon me, Tarak, I forget you’re a natural-born genius. My apologies.” 

I wacked her with my tail, and she chuckled. We kept walking until we arrived at my family’s den, and I turned to her. 

“I’m gonna head in for the night,” I said, a yawn escaping my maw, “I’ll see you…?” 

“Tomorrow,” she finished, “My classes end early, so I’ll be free for the afternoon.” 

She began to trot away. “Good night, Tarak!” 

“G’night, Juno.”  

I walked into the den, the long day finally getting to me as I felt sleepiness pull at my mind and muscles. My mom, Solana, was in the corner with my younger brother, Anatoly. Both of their furs were soaked. 

I went over to them. “What happened to you two?” 

Anatoly perked up, his tail wagging, but Solana answered first. “Your brother thought it was a good idea to jump into the lake when I wasn’t looking.” 

I sat down next to them and looked down at him. “Did you forget that you can’t swim?” 

“No! I just… wanted to try it! You and Mom make it look so easy…” 

“Probably because we actually know how to do it, idiot.” 

“Hey!” She said, “Don’t call your brother that.” 

“But he—” I stopped when she looked up at me. 

I swallowed. “Sorry, Anatoly.” 

His mischievous snickers had me wanting to throw him back into that lake, but I resisted. I laid down next to them. 

“How was your day, Tarak?” 

“Fine. Long. Too long,” I answered as I laid my head down on top of my paws. 

She laughed. “Your training will be over before you know it. You should try to enjoy it while you still can.” 

“That’s what Juno always says.” 

“Then maybe you should believe her.”

I looked up at her, still skeptical. She continued, “I mean it. You’ll miss your trainee days when they’re over.” 

“Do you miss yours?” I asked. 

“All the time,” she replied, “You’d be surprised by how often I miss having homework.” 

“You miss having homework? Why?” 

“It was the only thing I had to worry about at the time,” she said. 

“It still sucks, though.” 

“Agreed,” she laughed. 

A few minutes of silence passed us by, and I looked out of our den. The sun had fully set, the sky now a deep blue as stars began to appear. My father, Rasalhague, still wasn’t home. 

“Where’s Dad?”

Solana carried Anatoly over to his nest before she looked over at me. “He had to work late today. He’ll be home later.”

She walked over and nudged me. “You, on the other hand, should be getting some rest, and I’m sure the floor isn’t where you’d like to fall asleep.” 

I got up, trudged to my own nest, and lay down. She rested her head atop my own as she said, “Good night. Sleep well, Tarak.” 

“Good night, Mom.”