Chapter V

When I woke up, I was laying on my stomach, rocking gently side to side. Black and silver hairs brushing my face and tickling my cheeks. I sat up on Faust and looked around confused. It was dark, even though it was the middle of the day, trees blocked out nearly all the sun, looking like a cavern of trees around us. Nearly all the animals gave us a wide berth, even the birds.

"I was beginning to think you were dead." I turned to see Petra who had Noah on her back.

He was asleep too, and I slid off Faust's back as I asked him to stop for a second. In a few moments, two wolves became three. I shook out my dark fur, and walked in-between Petra, and Faust.

"Is this the whispering woods?" I asked, and Faust nodded.

"Bright moon isn't far; only five miles out. I wanted to make sure they didn't shoot us out of the sky" Faust winked, and I nodded.

"Oh yes, I very much prefer to be all in one piece." I replied sarcastically.

After walking for a few lengthy hours; we finally reached a shoreline of a vast lake that bled into a river that connected to the ocean beyond the trees that crowded in on us and smothered my vision. Noah was moved to my back, as Faust tilted his head back and howled.

Afternoon light sparkled in his amber eyes, and his whiskers were defined dramatically in the sunlight. The howl was long and submissive, conveying pleas for help. This would be obvious to the ear's humans, and there was soon shouting from the nearest tower as guards saw us. Faust shifted into a human, and a lot of the shouting stopped. Dizziness shook my vision, and fever swelled in my head.

A pale glint drew my attention as I saw a woman flying gracefully though the air. Queen Angela of Bright Moon.

Faust bowed his head, and Petra shifted forms, and pulled Noah off my back, and supported him while I changed my own body, and then I stood on the other side of Noah, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and helped him stand.

The queen landed just a few yards from us. She had skin the shade of pale mauve with lilac and lavender hued hair that cascaded in soft waves down to her hips.

She bore pale wings that resembled that of a dove with the translucency of the delicate wings of a dragonfly. She was as angelic as her name suggested and her body was slim and willowy.

"Who are you?" She asked. Her voice was calm and collected. She obviously knew we were no threat, seeing as she flew to land at our mercy without guards or any kind of protection.

Faust held up his hands submissively to confirm this and spoke chivalrously, "We're not with the Horde. I am Faust, High Alpha of Lupin the Lost. Petra, formerly of Bracken and Solace. This is my sister, the She-Alpha Azure. And Noah, Alpha of Lupin, and my brother."

The Queen looked at Faust and her gaze glided across Petra's and my faces before she looked at Noah. Her eyes were briefly exposed with her emotions that read both worry and sympathy.

"He is hurt. We were attacked by bots while we were leaving home." Faust said, and Angela's gaze softened, and she nodded.

"You'll be safe here, at Bright Moon Your Majesties." She said and bowed her head. We all bowed in return, and she showed us around the shoreline and into the palace.

It was large, and beautiful. All white marble with lavender shingles and detailing. The large oval moonstone pulsated – emitting a soft wave of warmth –.

In the hall we all had collapsed. We had gone days with limited food, and this following day we had no water, and been in the sunny, hot skiff all afternoon.

We were moved to the medical bay, and Noah was tended to.

Once he had been treated, we were given two rooms - one for Petra, and I to share – while there was another for the boys.

Noah was doing fine, and his wound was mending better now. Petra had passed out on the huge fluffy bed. I had poked the bed tentatively before sinking into it. The feeling could be likened to being suffocated by a lamb, and I had let myself sleep even though I had a small prick of worry in the back of my mind.

When I woke up there was someone knocking on the door Petra had gone to open it, and I sat up, moving my matted hair out of my face.

The door opened, to frame a tall guard in the hall. She wore a helmet with a large number of feathers in it. She also wore a robe that gave her the figure of an upside-down pear. How did they fight off palace threats in those? I slid off the bed and stood a few feet behind Petra.

"Sorry to wake you, your majesties, but Queen Angela of Bright Moon requests an audience." Petra, and I looked at each other, and nodded. "Lead the way." I said, and the guard pointed her crescent moon spear towards the hall.

We followed the guard through the elegant winding halls, and up a few stairs. I started to wonder if we were lost when the guard stopped at a door.

"In there." She said with a bow and walked away.

Petra glanced at me, and I shrugged pressing my palm to the door, and pushing it open. We entered a large room and the first thing I saw was a mural that depicted queen Angela, and the late king Micah. It was painted in pinks, shades of lavender and mauve, making a curving image around the whole room.

Angela sat at one of the two chairs meant for the king and queen, with her daughter nearest to her. The princess of Bright Moon looked a lot like her mother, she was soft and slightly rounded with short lavender and blush pink hair that seemed to shine with stars. She was tanned with rouge-colored eyes.

The princess sat alongside a boy who had a mop of dark brown curly hair with shaved sides. He had penny brown skin with wide, inquiring eyes the shade of cedar that fixed on my face in shock. I guess I did look like quite a mess.

Two women sat next to each other – one was dressed in lilac, with wavy fuchsia locks, accompanied by a round, sweet face with a button nose and brown eyes that danced with hazel hues.

The other woman was sharper looking with white hair, and a darker blue aesthetic to her. Her white hair was pulled back into a curly ponytail and her blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at us.

Angela looked the most Angelic of the group, and Petra made a small bow, and I followed her in.

"Please have a seat princess." We sat down, and I saw Petra turn red in the face.

Faust was taking care of Noah, and was not there, so I turned my attention to Queen Angela. She nodded at me and I nodded back; trying to look like I knew what I was doing even though it had been six years since I had attended meetings and such.

"This is My daughter Glimmer." Angela gestured to the princess with the pink and purple hair. "Her friend Bow." I was introduced to the boy who stared at me with cheeks turning bright red. "And Spinerella, and Netossa." Angela introduced the other two women who sat and nodded politely towards Petra and me.

Angela pulled up an electronic 3D model of our corner of Etheria and began to speak, "We did not know of any Horde bots in these woods; we thought it was protected by your rune stone." Angela said, and I shook my head as I looked at the stronghold mountain.

"The Aurora isn't a rune stone. Its otherworldly magic, that allows us to send messages to other wolf packs. A common misconception: seeing as it cannot be weaponized." I corrected and stood from my seat. "The bots came at us from here, and there was a Horde camp set up here." I said pointing first to the mountain slope where we were attacked, and then to the town we stayed in for a night.

"The town supports The Horde and isn't a main concern right now." Petra added as she reached over and used her fingers to expand the map and focus on the small town.

"Why did you come here instead of going to the place Prince Faust talked about?" Glimmer asked, and I glanced at her.

"I don't know about my pack but, I want to join the rebellion. I feel I've been hiding long enough." Petra placed a hand on my shoulder as I sat down, and I nodded fondly at her with a smile on my lips.

"I'm with you." I held her hand and looked up to Queen Angela.

"Bright Moon's Rebellion would be grateful for your alliance." Angela said, and I bowed.