(A/N: Alright people brace yourselves for these next few chapters... I've actually been planning these ones out a little more than some of the previous ones. Production is probably going to speed up now! Hang on tight, Dawners!)

The Cripps looked at the winged wolves with cruel, unforgiving eyes. They had formed a circle around the tiny pups, blocking them and their chances of escape.

"Stay back, disgusting Avium! If you even think about attacking one of us, these precious pups of yours are as good as dead!" one of the Cripps barked at the winged wolves. He had white fur, much like Dawn's, except for the gray tigerlike stripes that heavily defined his large muscles. His cold, blue-eyed stare sent shivers down Dawn's spine like a sudden burst of ice. She immediately knew that this Cripp wasn't the one to mess with.

Dawn wasn't sure what to do. If she even took one pawstep toward them, Raven would join her father.

"Please!" Star howled at them. "Don't be this way! We don't mean harm toward any of you! We are merely travelers. Not looking for trouble at all!"

Dawn, Summer, Evan, Riptide, and Twilight all shook their heads in reply, along with murmurs of "No trouble at all."

Besides the muscular he-wolf, there were five other Cripps with him: four males and one female. All of the males looked eager for the taste of blood, but the female had a worried look on her face.

"How do we know you aren't lying to us? We may not have the shame-covered wings you bear, but we aren't dumb!" the white-and-gray wolf bared his sharp fangs.

"We are many miles from our homes, and we are hungry and weak. We don't want to fight! We just want to move along. Just give us the pups, and we'll be on our way," Riptide said, trying to remain calm.

"We aren't just going to 'give you the pups.' I'm not a peacemaker like that," the gray-striped male smirked. The female of the group now looked even more worried.

"Then... what exactly are you going to do to us?" Dawn asked.

"Can we kill them, Avalanche? I think it's been years since winged wolves trespassed onto our territory," a dark grey male with a large pink scar across his chest eyed them with a hungry-looking orange stare. "I've always wanted to taste Avium blood."

Dawn heard Raven let out a small whimper. Or was that the she-Cripp?

"I think we should--" Avalanche started before the female Cripp butted in.

"I think we need to consult with Alpha Blizzard first," she said. She had a curly brown pelt, and a white dash on her chest. Below a large curl of fur were her sparkling blue eyes. They seemed to remind Dawn of the cloudless summer sky.

"What?!" Avalanche barked at her. "Consult Alpha?! Are you out of your mind? When he promoted us to Scouts, Blizzard specifically stated that he officially trusted our judgement and decisions, meaning that we decide what happens to them! Got it, Rita?"

"Well it's like Andes said! It's been years since the last Avium came near here," Rita argued, her blue eyes shining in defiance. "How do you know that the rules haven't changed?"

Avalanche opened his muzzle to argue, but he couldn't find any words to shut down her claim. He let out a low growl as he barked, "Fine. Let's go see Alpha."

Dawn could hear Rita let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Why did this Cripp spare us? Why does she believe us rather than her fellow Packmates' bloodthirsty ways?" the white Hawk wolf thought.

"Now listen up, Avium!" Andes ordered the winged wolves. "We are taking you to see our leader. You will travel together as a tight group, but all six of us will be surrounding you. Three of us will take the liberty of carrying the pups, and we swear by our fallen ancestors that no harm will come to them... as long as you stay put. If you even try to escape, say goodbye to the pups. Got it?"

The winged wolves respectively nodded and huddled together. As the Cripps separated from their own tight circle, the pups were frozen by fear, so they didn't dare to try and run away. Instead, Rita gently picked up Raven by the scruff, while the orange-eyed Cripp, Andes, picked up Jinx and Avalanche carried Nova, even though they were plenty old enough to walk on their own. The pup-carrying Cripps led the group in the front, while the other three kept watch in the back.

Out of the Cripps following behind them, one had ginger fur (except for a white underbelly, ears, and tail tip, giving him a foxlike appearance) and contrasting leaf-green eyes. The one to his right had a grayish-blue tint in his pelt, and one left blue eye. His eye was closed, displaying a zig-zagging, pale-pink scar, almost like the shape of a lightning bolt. The third was white with the exception of a large ginger patch on his back and face, making him look like he was covered in blood. His gold-colored eyes shone like sun-tinted flames. All of them look equally tough, but discouraged because of the lack of bloodshed.

As the group trekked along the barren field, Dawn was feeling as if she now regretting her decision of fleeing the territories. What was going to happen to them now?

Whatever kind of wolf this Alpha was, Dawn silently prayed that he would spare mercy on them.

Their lives were now in this stranger's paws.