Azure's POV

I opened my eyes to see three heads staring down at me. I sank back into the blankets and decided to toy with them.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Petra groaned, and pressed her palm to her forehead.

"I knew it, I should have gone with her. But no, I wanted to be with you!" Petra snapped at Noah.

"How is that my fault. I can't control how good looking I am." Noah said, and Petra slapped the back of his head.

I snickered and winked. Petra caught on and sighed in relief. Noah shook his head, and playfully punched my shoulder. Faust gave no sign of ever believing my prank, and instead spoke.

"You're alright then?" I nodded sitting up and looked around.

"Just a little lightheaded." I said and swung my feet slowly over the edge of the bed and got down.

"What's going on?" I asked, as I saw no one in the halls.

"Queen Angela wasn't happy with Glimmer ordering an attack, she was told to fall back if complications arose." I looked up and cocked my head.

Glimmer had told me we were given permission to engage The Horde if anything happened.

As if he read my mind Faust sighed. "She didn't tell you about that did she?"

I shrugged, and Petra stood behind me, and pulled my hair up, absentmindedly, into a ponytail.

"I like her, she's stubborn." Petra smirked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Where is Glimmer now?" I asked and walked into the hall with the rest of my family following.

"Probably grounded." I said, feeling the need to be a wolf again.

I fiddled with my fingers as we walked down the hall. Did I ruin all chance of an alliance by obeying false orders from a Princess? Panic has settled in by the time I reached the throne room. Queen Angela was rubbing her temples as she sat, clearly suffering from a headache. I heled up a hand, and Faust kept Noah, and Petra back. I cleared my throat, and a guard looked over at me, then up at Angela.

"Your Highness." The guard spoke, and Angela looked up, then down at me.

"Princess Azure, please come." She said, and I nodded stepping farther into the large room.

The opening behind the throne stared off over the Whispering Woods, and it gave me the slightest feeling of vertigo. I bowed low in a crouch, and then stood.

"I wish to discuss what happened in Elberon." I said, trying to act like I knew what I was doing.

"Azure, I do not blame you for the attack. You were under Glimmer's orders, and even drew the fire from four bots." Angela sighed, exasperated.

I looked down, feeling like a sellout, and added. "Glimmer took out more bots than I. I know it's not my place but... She just wants to impress you."

Angela nodded, and I knew we were done here. I backed off and walked back out of the room. Petra, Noah, and Faust where waiting.

"I hate how they say Princess." I mumbled, and Petra nodded.

"Wolf systems are way different; I wish they knew that."

This was true. Wolf "Princesses" where called Alphas, same with Princes. Us wolves were very loyal to Etheria, making sure we knew the customs of all the princesses. Bright Moon was not unlike the rest of them.

Pulmaria was very peaceful, often submissive, so we treated them with equal submissiveness, so they knew we honored their land.

Salineas was very protected by a mythical gate, so they genuinely felt safe. If we were to visit there, you would acknowledge their strength, and congratulate them on victories.

The ice kingdom was a favorite of ours. The princess there was incredibly young and hated when people tried to say her opinions. She was not one for flattery, and so you had to treat her as an equal or a higher from.

Dryl was the closest Kingdom to the Taiga, and their princess was a little bit of a shut in. She loved tech, and Lupin used to have drills where we would search for First-Ones tech. They liked to be treated as equals, and did not care much for formalities, they just liked science. Yada, yada...

Petra, and I slept in our room for a little while before Faust came to get Petra for a night hunt. I was not invited, because I was. "Still recovering" and needed rest.

I had my eyes closed but was somehow still aware of the happenings around me. I could smell the dewy grass, and the satin sheets I lay upon. It all felt natural somehow. Natural, and peaceful... until it was not.

My eyes opened, and I looked around. I was in the woods, the smell so familiar. It was the Taiga I had lived in. Standing up I realized I was a wolf. My claws dug into the dirt, and I sighed. I felt at home.

I started moving through the trees until a small brown finch swooped down towards me, singing its song, and fluttering its small wings. I it faced me as it flew round and started into a dense thicket. I felt as though I had a string attached to my chest, and it pulled in the direction the bird flew.

With a small grunt, I followed the bird. He was chirping and singing. He disappeared behind a large bush, and the singing stopped. I felt as though the invisible string had been cut in half. I cocked my head and pushed through the thorny thicket. The bird lay on the ground. Its eyes, and beak open, but no life was in its body.

I bent down to examine the bird. It was not injured at all, and looked in perfect health, aside from it being dead. With a hiss a blue orb of light leapt from the bird, and shot around, before colliding with my head. I felt my face sting as the ball whipped down in front of my eye. I yelped and...

I jerked awake, feeling a cold sting on my cheek. I pressed my hand to it, and my palm came away with a thin line of blood. I sat up in bed and looked around. I was in bed I was in Bright Moon, not the Taiga I sighed, and looked back at the pillow. I almost did not want to go back to sleep. I stretched and got up looking out the window.

"What?!"

I cocked my head as I heard the familiar voice of Bow echo around. I waited a few minutes before hearing a yelp. I cocked my head and listened. What escaped my notice before I saw a pale pink flash. I shook my head. Glimmer...

I walked out of my room pulling on my jacket, and leather belt placing my new axe inside, just as Angela passed me in the hall.

"Queen Angela?" I asked looking up at her and bowed.

"Is Bow in there?" She asked, and I felt my cheeks turn pink.

"umm... No. Is everything okay?" I asked, and she smiled.

"Oh, you misunderstand. I was just speaking with Glimmer; she was acting odd." I nodded but did not feel like ratting out Glimmer right now.

"Noah, and Faust took Petra out hunting, but I can do patrol if you're worried." I said, and she nodded with a small frown, and reached towards me.

I flinched as she touched the cut on my cheek, but soon relaxed.

My mother used to do the same thing, hold me like this after I got hurt. It was like Angela could see the pain, and jealousy. At least Glimmer still had a parent.

"This was not your fright." She whispered, and I shook my head.

"They made it my fight; I just ran away." I countered, and Angela nodded.

"Go but be careful." I nodded and walked away.