The so-called "short journey" that Hidden had mentioned was far from short.

It was beginning to take long.

Way too long.

Misty's paws were starting to ache miserably to the point that she was beginning to feel numb to it. Her legs and shoulders somehow managed to keep her up and walking despite the pain shooting through them. Deep down, she wanted to curl up and sleep forever. But her heart was set on putting things right. Her drive and determination kept her veins alive with fire.

Cayden padded along next to her. The usually arrogant gleam in his eyes had dulled to a smoking coal. A shadow seemed to cast over his face as they continued on, stopping only when necessary, sleeping once in a great while, and eating only when their bellies snarled with hunger.

It's been a month.

Misty flicked an ear in irritation. Had the haggard old wolf tricked them into this journey? Was she secretly plotting with Samara against Misty and the millions of other wolves that have suffered?

Then, Misty thought of the flashbacks that Hidden had summoned before her eyes. She could not deny that her heart shattered into innumerable pieces watching the ones closest to her die so gruesomely. Their screams and bloodied bodies haunted her. The past was catching up to her once more, and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to control herself if it didn't stop.

"Stop." Cayden's dry voice broke her thoughts.

Misty wondered if she had been thinking out loud until Cayden slumped down heavily, his figure sagging in exhaustion.

"I just need to rest for a moment." He rasped.

Misty almost protested. But her body won over her mind and she flopped down before she could even snap at him to keep moving.

The two of them were resting on a cliff face. They constantly had to find another detour or push the huge rocks out of their way. The wind swirled and whistled up, throwing them off balance and causing them to press against the wall of rock that followed them on the right side. The dropoff was only about the size of one stride from the wall. One slip, one clumsy movement, and they would fall to their deaths.

Misty panted. She flexed and released the muscles in her body, biting back a gasp as she noted just how sore and worn down she was.

"I'm not as young as I once was." Cayden murmured, eyeing the edge of the cliff with wary eyes.

Misty grunted in response and tried to trace a safe path ahead. Much further beyond where they were sitting, a huge boulder sat in the middle of the path with a fallen tree slung on the other side of it, attached to the ground only by its roots.

Misty followed the tree's shape with hopeful eyes, seeing if it would hold them so they could climb out of this canyon of death. Her heart sank when she saw the center of the tree cracked and splintered. So much for trying to climb out.

Cayden followed her gaze. His eyes flickered uncertainly. "How will we get around that?"

Misty let out a breath. "We have to climb over it."

"What?" Cayden demanded, fixing his attention on her. "You can't be serious."

"I am." She looked up and down the boulder. "We can't walk across the tree. And there is no other way except to go over it."

"Misty." Cayden sat up, a sigh leaving his lips. "Is it worth risking our lives for this?"

The she-wolf fixed him with a dangerous glare. "What do you mean?"

Cayden shook his head. "This whole revenge thing you have stuck in your head. It's not healthy. Sometimes it's best to let go and move on without picking a fight."

Misty bristled at his words. He had no understanding of what she had been through! She's lost every wolf that mattered to her more than anything in the world. And all of them had fallen because of an evil no one could kill.

"You don't understand," Misty spat venomously. "My whole life has been nothing but a continuous downward spiral that I feel like I'm losing myself in every single day." She gritted her teeth, trying to keep the tears at bay. "I...I'm confused. Lost.  Angry. Afraid. But more than anything," Her voice cracked, and she swallowed before replying. "I'm broken."

Cayden watched her silently. His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits before he replied. "You act as if you're the only wolf to ever experience loss and tragedy." His words made Misty stiffen. "You act like you're entitled to through little fits and snap when you don't get your way. Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's not all about you, Misty. Everyone hurts, and it's normal. Don't walk around, demanding you need revenge to satisfy your broken heart when in reality, you can pick yourself up and move on."

Misty's mouth hung open. She was too angry to speak. To at loss of words to throw a snarky remark back in his face.

He doesn't understand! She told herself harshly. And he never will as long as he thinks he's entitled to give everyone his opinion!

Cayden clenched his jaw, his eyes clouding briefly. "Remember, I lost my mate as well. She's been gone for years, and not a day goes by without me thinking of her and all of the memories she and I made together. But Crystal is gone, and I know she would want me to live the rest of my life on my feet with my chin up. What kind of life is that?"

Misty's throat squeezed as she glared at her paws. Fury was seeping in her veins, wanting out. It needed out. She couldn't keep it locked into herself.

She lifted her head, eyes green embers.

Cayden flinched at the ferocity in her gaze. He opened his mouth to speak, but Misty beat him to it.

"You can't tell me how to live my life! Especially when only a fraction of yours was taken away!" Misty tenses her muscles. "I don't care what you think! I didn't even want you to come with me on this journey to listen to you preach your opinions in my face in the first place! You invited yourself along, like you are the boss of me, and get to decide what I do!" Her eyes hardened. "I don't need you. Now, leave me alone. I don't want to see your face again!"

She whipped around and began stalking back on the path. He had been nothing but a waste of time.

"Misty–"

No.

The she-wolf flung herself around and barreled into Cayden. He yelped in surprise and found his footing quickly. Misty lunged again, but this time, Cayden batted her away with his paws and shoved her back.
Misty hissed and landed a bite to his ear, before twisting to nip his muzzle. Blood welled at his nose, and he swiped Misty back with a hefty paw. She slumped over the narrow path, sitting up and wiping the blood that trickled from her cheek. She ducked as Cayden leaped at her, paws outstretched. Misty rolled away from another attack and sprang to her paws as fast as a snake. They both reared on their hind legs, meeting in the middle with severe blows and blood-gushing bites. Cayden was stronger, sure. But Misty was quicker with years of training and perfected skills behind her.

Cayden pushed back on her shoulders. Misty stumbled but composed herself and moved him backward. Blocking his retaliation and ducking under his paws. With one massive rush of strength, Misty rolled under his hind legs to the other side, twisted him so she could get a good grasp on his shoulders. And in one final motion, she rolled back, flinging Cayden overhead, and leaping back to her feet.

Panting, Misty grimaced as pain washed the side of her face. Once she opened her eyes, she came to a horrific realization:

She had tossed Cayden over the cliff.

Misty flattened her ears and crept forward expecting to see a crumpled body at the bottom of the far away gorge. But she blinked in surprise when she made eye contact with him, clinging to a piece of jutting rock with huge paws.

His face was smeared with dust and blood, but his eyes were wild with fear.

Misty shook her head.

What have I done?

She measured the distance between the edge of the cliff and Cayden's holding place.
He wasn't too far down, about half the length of a regular-sized wolf.

Misty leaned forward, one paw outstretched. Her heart lurched when she wobbled for a heartbeat before pulling herself back up on the stone.

She looked at Cayden. If he could get just a little bit closer, she would be able to grab him and pull him the rest of the way.

"I can't reach you," Misty said at last. "But if you can crawl up just a little farther, I can pull you up."

Cayden's eyes widened. He hesitated, and Misty wasn't sure whether or not he would try until he scanned the rock face before testing it gently with a cautious paw. Then, after making sure it was safe, he hauled himself up more. Inch by inch, paw-hold by paw-hold, he slowly but surely got close enough for Misty to reach out and grasp his fur in her teeth.

Bracing herself, she made sure she was secure before taking her weight as well as Cayden's. Her muscles burned and throbbed in protest, but she refused to let go and hauled him up to safety until his paws touched the solid ground.

With a final grunt, she pulled back dragged Cayden with her. The gray wolf collapsed on the path and gasped his face full of fear.

Misty sat down and caught her breath, looking up at the sky before closing her eyes.

She wasn't quite sure how long they sat there and stared blankly at the cliff until she got to her paws and gave herself a shake.

"We need to keep going."

This time, Cayden didn't argue. He got to his feet and stumbled after Misty, warily glancing at the long fall every now and then while pressing against the rock wall.