The Bloodwing Pack: The Journey of Souls

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Chapter 1 The Festival of the Moon {In the human year of 907,380} On a hot summer day, thousands of winged wolves, called Nightbanes, were gathering in a large clearing. This particular day happened to be the beginning of the Nightbane celebration; the Festival of the Moon.This celebration was a three day festival that consisted of a day of feasting, a day of fighting (contests of strength), and a day of dancing. Each night, after a whole day of celebrating, the Nightbanes would howl their thanks to Luna, the Nightbane Goddess of the Moon and Night. This festival brought long lost pack mates together as well as create a few days of peace between rivaling packs. A black pelt she-wolf with two tails stood in the darkness of the surrounding forest that covered the mountains. Her name was Shadowmist. With her stood three of her children. Her firstborn was a male that was all black except his paws which were a red flame like pattern, his eyes were a blue color. His name was Shadowfire. Her twins were a male and female. The male was a black with a red flame like pattern on his chest along with a tannish yellow crescent moon shaped pattern on his upper hind legs. His eyes were a red color; his name was Moonshadow. His twin sister was white with black tiger like stripes along her back with a red flame like pattern on her chest, her eyes a deep green color. Her name was Deca'dere, otherwise known as Deca for short. The she-wolf licks her children lovingly. "Mother, we should be going soon" Deca said. "Not yet my daughter, we must be last." Shadowmist replied.They looked out from the shadows, watching the other Nightbanes enter the clearing. Their was a small group that was already in the middle of the clearing. Those Nightbanes were known as the Ancients. The Ancients, as their name and titles implies, are ancient Nightbanes were the first of the Nightbane race. The Ancients were the first Nightbane wolf pack to even celebrate the Festival of the Moon. All Nightbanes have respected the Ancients, even those who have turned evil and unrighteousness. Shadowmist and her children watched and waited as the other Nightbanes went into submission in front of the Ancients. She and her children had to enter last because the Ancients must show submission to them. Shadowmist and her children are considered to be the inheritance of the Ancients pack. She and her children are the latest generations of Sparda; the Demonic Nightbane Alpha, and Loretta; the Angelic Nightbane Alphess. The first Leaders of the Nightbane pack of the Ancients. If Shadowmist and her children were to enter the clearing while others were entering, the other Nightbanes would have attacked the Ancients while they were in submission towards her and her young. Then she and her children would have been pestered by every pack they passed to be within their pack. Also, every other pack they pass would constantly be fighting the pack that she would be in because all the other packs would want her to be in theirs. So pretty much it would be a stressful, non-stop fight over her and her children. After an hour, Shadowmist beckoned her children to follow her with her tails. She leads them into the clearing. Once they reached the clearing, the Ancients that were standing, went into submission in front of them. Then when all the Nightbanes were looking around the area, Shadowmist howled an ancient yet beautiful eerie howl to sound off the start of the festival. A towering pile of deer and bear carcasses waited for the Nightbanes in the exact middle of the clearing. Every pack chose one of the delicious carcasses and took it to their own little section of the clearing. They did that the whole day. Shadowmist, Shadowfire, Deca, and Moonshadow carried their choice, which was the oldest buck with twenty tines on its rack, over to where the Ancients sat; which was by the forest edge on the northbound ledge of the mountains. They and the Ancients said their thanks and asked for the bucks forgiveness towards its soul, before they helped themselves to its flesh. Shadowmist ate only once that day, she must be woken in the middle of the night for her preparation of the contest of strength the next day. Before all the Nightbanes could retire for the night, the Ancients started the original howl towards Luna. Once the Ancients started, the other Nightbane packs joined in; their howls echoing beautifully along the warm night winds of the mountains. Their howls chorused and blended in with the Ancients howl and ended after twenty minutes. Afterwards, the Nightbanes went off to find a place to sleep. During the night, the Ancients were busy raising the earth into the shape of an arena where the pile of meat once was. Their chants were so old that only Shadowmist could hear and understand it. Her ears twitched along with their low frequency music. After fifteen minutes of non-stop chanting, the Ancients padded over to where Shadowmist slept. Nudging her gently with their noses, they said, "It is time, Warrior of Shadow and Fire." Rising with their words, Shadowmist looked over towards her sleeping children. Her red eyes watched them sleep with ease. She smiled, her eyes filled with love. She licks her pups gently feeling their fur brush against her tongue softly. For a few seconds, their breathing rushed, then Moonshadow curled next to Deca and their breathing returned to its deep, slow pace of sleep. Then she turned and followed the Ancients to the arena.In the middle of the arena stood a cage made of pine and ash branches. Each of the wooden poles of the cage were darken with blood from each of the Ancients. The blood was to ensure that bloodlust would come to the warrior before the fight would start. "Are you ready?" asked a salt and pepper color Ancient. "Yes." Shadowmist replied, her voice calm. Instantly the Ancients rushed at her, knocking her unconscious. Without any sign of pain, Shadowmist fell to the ground. Before she could hit the ground, the Ancients caught her body and carried her over to the cage. They set her down gently on the floor of the cage. Then they placed several pure silver amulets; without touching them, around and against the sides of the the cage. Meanwhile, outside the clearing a lone white male laid down in the shadows of the forest. His white pelt was tinged with silver due to age and stress. His dark green eyes glowed with anticipation for the next day of the festival as well as glowed with a hint of sorrow and pain due to remembering things of a long and wary past. His name was Dancer. Although he was excited for what the next day brought, he didn't like the taste of blood on his paws. He let out a low growl as dawn fast approaches. That morning, every Nightbane padded over to see the legendary warrior pace in her cage as they filed into the arena. Shadowmist eyed the silver with bloodlust eyes. Her eyes darted from the amulets to the crowd, then back to the amulets. Suddenly, something from inside her soul stirs, pulling her attention completely to the crowd. Her eyes, darkened by the bloodlust, searched the crowd for whatever was tugging at her internally. As quickly as it came, it left, leaving her to go back to her pacing. Even though most of the Nightbanes were in the stands, a few of them were lining up to where the Ancients stood. Two of them Shadowmist knew, they were Baca and Cain. They were long time enemies of Shadowmist's, however...today, they were just here for the festival. While the contestants were signing up for the challenge, Shadowmist was snapping at the remainder of the Nightbanes that were left from within her holding. When all of the Nightbanes were where they needed to be, Shadowmist eyed the silver with hatred, as the Ancients explained to the crowd what the rules and competition was about. Then the challenge began. Two competitors entered the arena. They were to fight till one went into ultimate submission. When that happened, the victor would wait till all the others were done in the first round. While all this fighting was taking place, Shadowmist watched and paced her cage. Occasionally, the fighters blood would splash on her as they fought around her. As more blood fell to the earth, Shadowmist's bloodlust would increase. At the same time, Dancer, who was in the stands watching, felt something pull at him from an unknown source. He looked down at the cage in the middle of the arena, watching the warrior pace and growled. "More blood," he muttered to himself, "and yet there is something different about the one in the cage... It....it is as if I should know that warrior." After ten rounds of battle, only two Nightbanes remained. It was Baca and Cain. "Good luck brother," Cain said while smirking. "Same to you brother," Baca replied, smirking as well. They circled around each other, keeping Shadowmists cage in between them. Shadowmist followed them, snapping in between the bars from within her encasement. Then, Baca and Cain leapt at each other. Snapping and growling, they fought, neither of them wanting to lose. In the crowds, Dancer watched them duel it out with his ears flat against his skull. His green eyes were tinged with red as he glared at the two. It was hard for him to lay still as he watched his two best known enemies so near him. Remembering how they attacked his first and most cherished pack and Alphas, he turned his attention to the warrior in the cage instead. Meanwhile, the Ancients started chanted, creating a body-tight shield around Cain and around Baca. Then their chants placed a shield around the crowd. Next, as quickly as lightning, Baca and Cain were placed in the crowd in separate areas. At the same time, Dancer was sent into the arena. Dancer, Cain, and Baca...along with the rest of the crowd were shocked at what just happened. Dancer, Cain, and Baca did not expect to be placed where they were. The crowd gasps at what had happened. Dancer growled with anger and defiance at what the Ancients had done. He did not want to participate in the challenge. While the Ancients were coming onto the field of the arena, Baca and Cain were confused. As they watched the Ancients head for the cage, they saw Dancer in their place. They growled low...but didn't defy the Ancients decision. Slowly the Ancients opened the cage door. To Shadowmist, it felt like years. Watching impatiently, she suddenly hurled herself at the cage doors. They didn't budge. Seeing as they didn't move faster, she threw herself at the door repeatedly. The crowd gasps as the legendary warrior threw herself at it. With each loud echo of each collision, Dancer slightly flinched. Finally the doors were open. Snarling, Shadowmist leapt out of her cage, full of bloodlust. The crowd cheered as the legendary warrior landed. Slightly confused, Shadowmist lunges for the crowd. The Ancients, who had fell back to the crowd, placed a barrier between the crowd and Shadowmist. Colliding with the barrier, Shadowmist backed away slowly. The crowd jumped back as she collided with the barrier. Then, she spotted Dancer. She circled him, snapping at the air in his direction. The Ancients removed the cage, chanting it away, turning everything about the cage into ash. She feints an attack, causing Dancer to turn left. Then she lunged. Fangs bared, she bit into Dancer's scruff. Dancer snarled, trying to rid himself of from the Alphess's hold. Ramming her against the barrier, she releases him, slightly stunned. His blood drips off her teeth a little. Licking his blood off her teeth she watches him. While he could, he scanned the area, desperate for escape. However, his warrior blood screamed at him to stand and fight. His warrior instincts won. He turned towards the Alphess swiftly and gasped as he noticed who she was. "You......" he whispered as he stood in shock. Taking advantage of his stillness, she leapt at him again with fangs bared. Her fangs connected with his shoulder. Swinging her head in rapid movements, she lifted off the ground, flailing his body left and right; not knowing that she was fighting her with her beta from long ago. This fight brought up painful memories for Dancer....as before she left the pack, she had gone into a bloodlust and nearly killed Dancer. His eyes winced with pain as he was swung left and right. Through the slits of his eyes, his green eyes could be seen turning into a dark crimson red. His muscles rippled as they grew larger as his body grew three quarters taller than normal. Even his white fur thickened as he transformed into his Fatal White. He swung his massive head into Shadowmist's body, temporarily in bloodlust. Grabbing her tails, he flung her off of him and into the barrier. He released a snarl of bloodlust rage out from within his throat. Being slammed into the barrier, Shadowmist howled in fury. Her black fur shimmered, turning darker until it reached a pitch black color. Muscles rippled as bone white spikes grew from her spine, shoulders, and hips. Her feathered wings molted revealing black with hell flame designed leathery wings. Collars appeared around her neck, wrists, shoulders, thighs, ankles, tails, and wing bases. Silver chains grew out of the collars, connecting with each other and formed a loose end that dragged along the ground. Along her lower arms, legs, and paws; hell fire patterns creapt upwards and blew outwards erecting into realistic flames to emerge, blowing with the wind. Black hell flames surrounded her in a visible aura. Her red eyes had turned pitch black, which glistened coldly at her target. They held signs of a rare kind of blindness called Death Blindness....a blindness that could not be heal any way known and happens only when the victim was revived from death using magic. Shadowmist had turned into her hell-varg form. The crowd cheered and watched in as as the two massive Nightbanes circled each other. Instantly, they leapt at each other. From within the crowd her children shouted out, "That's my mother! Go mom! You can beat that male ten-fold with your eyes closed!" Dancer and Shadowmist collided with each other, snarling and snapping at each others face and neck...then separated; landing a few feet away from each other. Using heat sensory, Shadowmist watched Dancer pace a little. As she circled him, her fur glistened with black hell fire. The crowd was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. They watched the two warriors with anticipation and wondered who would win. Dancer whimpered as Shadowmist circled him. He didn't want to hurt her but at the same time he didn't want to be hurt anymore. Gathering up his chakra he tensed, ready to release his spirit fire. Looking at her sadly, he muttered "I'm sorry that I have to do this."Shadowmist leapt at him, snarling. As she leapt, Dancer released his spirit fire, blasting her so hard against the barrier that it started to crack. As she hit the barrier it was so loud that those closest to it had ringing ears. Her body fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. The crowd gasped at what they saw. Suddenly, she rose to her paws shakily. While snarling, she communicated to Dancer telepathically. **Dancer, I remember you now. I don't want to hurt you but I will leap at you acting as if I am going to give you a devastating wound. I will not hurt you but I need you to act with me. Yelp as realistically as you can and fall into the ultimate submission posture when my nose makes first contact. That way I will not hurt you and the crowd will think I did. I will lightly grip your neck and let my head follow you down. I myself will release blood from my mouth and make it into your blood scent and DNA. The Ancients will put me in an anti-break bubble causing me to release your scruff and I will fight within the bubble as if I was still in bloodlust.** Minutely, Dancers body froze up. Blinking and confused he looked at her. Seeing a minuscule change in his Ancient Alphess, that only he could see, he whispered to himself, "wait.....you.... You remember...." She leapt at him then, acting as realistically as she can. Her nose touched him and he started going into submission, yelping. As he lowered himself, she lightly gripped his neck. While holding him down, she released her own blood onto his neck, changing it to be his own blood. His "blood" filled her mouth as she did so. The crowd gasped in fear, thinking that she was going to kill him. The Ancients ran out and placed an anti-break bubble around Shadowmist. Encircled in the bubble, Shadowmist thrashed about, acting as if she was still in bloodlust. The Ancients rushed about Dancer, thinking that he was given a fatal wound. Swiftly they started chanting; healing his wounds and his "fatal" wound within five minutes. A few more Ancients were chanting around the thrashing Shadowmist. She was slowly induced into a sleep. Releasing her from the bubble, the Ancients bit her scruff, injecting an antidote for bloodlust within their saliva into her body. After the Ancients had healed Dancer and subdued Shadowmist, they turned around and faced the crowd. "The winner .......is......SHADOWMIST!" they announced, "Although it was a close call because our champion almost killed the challenger, the victor is still Shadowmist by her finish and causing the challenger to go into submission." Thus, those who were in the audience that were betting on Shadowmist, howled with joy as their champion won again. Those who were betting on Dancer howled with frustration and irritation, claiming that he should have won and that she should have been disqualified for nearly "killing" him. The crowd slowly departed the arena, leaving a large gap around the Ancients, Dancer, and Shadowmist. While the Ancients were busy making sure no one would walk through them to see the two warriors, Dancer stealthily dragged himself over to his Alphess. He lightly brushed his left forepaw against her while she slept. Both Dancer and Shadowmist returned back to their normal sizes and looks while the Ancients had their backs turned on them. He looked at her with brotherly love within his dark green eyes. Then hearing the Ancients turn, he goes "limp". A few of the Ancients padded over to them and gently picks up Shadowmist. A few more picks up Dancer, some of them checking to see if he was ok. The rest stayed behind waiting on the outside while both Shadowmist and Dancer were taken to the ledge where the Ancients laid down last night. The Ancients carrying them gently lowered them down to the ground and off their backs. The Ancients that remained behind, lowered the arena back down into the earth and covered the blood with dirt and grass once everyone was out. It was getting dark and the Ancients released their howls towards Luna. Once again the air was filled with blended and chorused howls from the Nightbanes. Shadowmist remained asleep, still induced from the spell. Shadowfire, Moonshadow, Deca, Dancer, and Kiba; a white pelt male, laid near and next to Shadowmist once the howls died off and the Nightbanes were falling asleep. Shadowmist's breath rate increased a little as they settled down around her, then lowered once they laid down. "My Alphess, I had missed you so much," Dancer whispered lightly, licking her face. Her ears twitched slightly as he spoke. Overhead, a shooting star sailed swiftly across the sky. Dancer looked at the star and wished that they would find Niko; a black pelted, blue eyed male....Shadowmist's first mate, soon. He wondered what had happened to his Alpha during this time. The next morning, the Ancients shifted to their humanoid form. All the Nightbanes followed suit. The Ancients had different varieties of instruments. Dancer picked up the violin, Shadowfire picked up drumsticks and sat down behind a drum set, Moonshadow picked up a trumpet, Deca picked up a flute, and Shadowmist played the orcaria. As the music started, the Nightbanes began to dance. Shadowmist recognized two males faces in the crowd. One face that had a scar run from his left eyebrow to his right cheek belonged to Sol Kais; her mate now. Another that had a scar over his right eye, a scar acrossed his nose, and a tapered ear belonged to Niko; the mate of her past. Dancer saw Niko and smiled happily, but Niko paid no heed to the others as he sat in the corner. Sol Kais watched his mate and stepchildren play the instruments but did not dance, as he held two infant babies. The tiny girl was named Nya. She was sucking her thumb, while her twin brother waved his arms to his mothers playing. His name was Haven. Then the next group of people came over to the instruments and started to play some music. Shadowmist walked over to her husband and picks Nya out of his arms. "Care to dance my love?" She nibbles his neck gently as she asked him. Sol Kais chuckles softly as she nibbles. He nods his head, answering his question. This time instead of a fast pace song, it was a slow pace. Sol Kais and Shadowmist danced while Dancer saw Niko. Dancer walks swiftly over to his former Alpha. Niko looks over. "Niko, my brother and Alpha....is that you?" Niko grunts quietly. "How can you call me brother and Alpha when you deserted us with that whore?" Niko's deep voice held disgust as he nods his head in Shadowmist's direction. "Brother....what has happened to you? .....what has time done to you to make your heart so cold?" Dancer asked. Niko shrugs Dancers hand off his shoulder. "Get off me coward....I run with Baca and Cain now. They have accepted me as one of the brotherhood now. You left me alone to fend for my broken heart when that bitch torn it in two. The only one who cared was Icefire. She picked me up when I was down....you.... My brother....abandoned your own flesh and blood when that whore attacked our pack. When she nearly killed you! And you chose to go follow her. No. I did not change. You did. My heart became cold after you abandoned me." Niko said. "But....brother," Dancer started. Niko interrupts, " Don't but brother me! I see the way you look at that whore! You want a piece of that ass....I noticed it while she was my queen, MY everything! I bet you even fucked her when you caught up to her." "My love, is everything ok" a silky purr from the shadows called out to Niko. A woman with dirty blonde hair with ice blue eyes wraps her arm around Niko's waist, pulling him into a deep kiss. Dancer watched them in disbelief and hurt. All Dancer cared about was his brother....and now, he felt torn in pieces. He walks away, and Cain and Baca walks over to Icefire and Niko. Snickering Cain said, "What a pup....that brother of yours." Imitatingly while laughing darkly, Baca chided in, "But.....Brother." Baca laughs deeply, "What a moron, he is no brother of yours, Niko. We seem more like family than that whimpering child." Niko nods his head in agreement. Meanwhile Sol Kais had lead Shadowmist over to a chair and passed Haven over to her. "Stay here my love, I will be back," he whispered in her ear. She looks over to where Niko, Icefire, Cain, and Baca were, then back over to where Shadowfire was dancing with a female of a different pack, and Moonshadow and Deca were dancing together as all children do. As the day draws to an end, the Ancients place down the instruments, signaling the end of the day. Many of the dancers had been sitting down near the end of the afternoon. Sol Kais comes back with a two drinks in his hands. The Ancients start to sing their praise to Luna, everyone else gathered around and started to sing. After the nightly praise was finished, Sol Kais hands her her drink, and wraps his arm around her shoulder. Shadowfire, Moonshadow, and Deca come over and sits down. Soon everyone shifted back to their wolven forms. Their muscles buldge and ripple as bones snapped and reformed. After five minutes, everyone was back in their wolven forms. Shadowmist nuzzled the large grey wolf next to her. Sol Kais nuzzles her back. "It is time we slept my love." Sol Kais said. "I know my love. You missed the first two days of the Festival, Sol," she added. Sol Kais hung his head down slightly. "I was ambushed, by Nicaisis, that red Nightbane you told me about." Shadowmist growls softly to herself. "That bastard will pay, he may be my brother....but since he joined up with Baca and Cain as their Alpha....he is no brother of mine." Shadowmist spoke with disgust. Shadowfire looks up at his mother after Moonshadow, Deca, Haven, and Nya fell asleep. "Mother, is everything ok?" "Yes my son, go on ahead to sleep." Shadowmist and Sol Kais laid there head down next to each other, curled around their children, and fell asleep.