"The Shifter has a weakness. It's temporary, but it will weaken him more than combat. His eyes. If you scratch them both, his powers will be weakened." Prick said quietly.

I glared at him. "How do you know this? How do you know it'll work? And why are you telling me this?" I asked skeptically. Prick was different from the other elites, but I still didn't trust him.

"I can't tell you how I know, but just trust me. It throws off his balance or something and he can't control his powers as well. And I think you know why. I don't want control of the desert, and I definitely don't want my elderly parents suffering because they're too old to fight." He replied. "So stay here and act confused when I drag you out. When he's giving his stupid speech and you see the bloodlust in his eyes, I'll let you go."

I nodded. I hoped I could trust him.

Yelps of pain and frustration rang from the camp. I could see Sarah, Negrita, Mirage and Delta get dragged away by elites. The weaker coyotes were confused and afraid, unsure of what to do or what would happen to them. They became skittish, and most of them ran—or limped—off the battle field.

The remaining few fought violently, but they were tired. I could see Hare among them, roaring at elites and scratching them with her two toes.

The sand was dirty and red. The final coyotes were dragged away, forming an oddly-shaped circle with broken bodies scattered around in the middle. The cries of battle turned into cries of agony. Females wailed as tired, red-stained elites dragged the bodies, dead or alive, to the outskirts of camp.

Snake, now limp and blubbering nonsense, was pulled away, leaving a trail of red. Turns out the Shifter doesn't care about the fate of his pawns.

The Shifter sauntered into my field of view, grinning proudly with his glistening teeth. The coyotes booed at him, but their jeers made him stand taller.

He sat in the center of the camp, and looked around him. He grinned, satisfied with the carnage he had created.

"Bring out the martyrs!" He cried, laughing at the coyotes pleas of disapproval.

Prick grabbed me tightly, his teeth biting into my fur. He was putting on a pretty good show.

The others and I were dragged from the caves, forming a circle around the Shifter. When Prick found his place, he pulled me up so my forepaws barely touched the ground. Across from me was Sarah, eyes wide and breathing quickly.

"My subjects! Why don't you come closer?" The Shifter called out to the dying coyotes around us.

They moaned in anger and pain. He was mocking them. They could barely move.

"No? Then enjoy the show while you die!" He jeered. "You're about to witness the deaths of these rebels. Let them serve as an example of what happens to those who interfere.

"But I'm a merciful creature. If any of you see the light and pledge your loyalty to the winning side, I'll rank you as an elite."

The elites holding us wavered for a second. This wasn't a part of the plan. He was bluffing.

"I was planning on death by a thousand pecks, but I want to get this over with. Who wants to go first?" He asked.

He sauntered around the circle, gauging each of his victims, probably imagining the most interesting order to kill us in. All of us were bruised, scarred and covered with blood. All the Piedra and the Guerro were in the circle, except for Rabbit and Hare.

I was starting to panic. He hadn't made a speech, and Prick still held me tight in his grasp.

The Shifter passed by Sego, and she growled. His face changed for a moment, then he growled and spat on her. "Little rat."

When he passed Bat, she whimpered loudly and began hyperventilating. The Shifter grinned. "I think you want to go first."

"NO! NO! NO!" She wailed, and the gray coyote holding her scruff dragged her to the center.

Negrita was going insane. He barked madly, pulling against the yellow coyote holding him and screaming. "NO! NO! TAKE ME!"

But the Shifter wouldn't hear him. His eyes were wild with glee.

Prick loosened his grip, and I burst forward.

But Sarah was let go half a second before me, and she got to the Shifter before I could. A half second too late.

Sarah rammed into him, bellowing a brave but terrified war call. The surprise knocked him over, but he was quick and grabbed her neck before I could reach him.

He twisted it with a quick jerk and threw her to the ground before I slammed into his chest. When he was down, I went straight for the eyes.

He roared in agony, black blood flying everywhere. I pulled away, leaving him disoriented and wailing with pain and frustration. Bat scrambled away, breathing rapidly.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He roared, stumbling around. He tripped over himself.

I spat black blood from my mouth. "I don't think so."

He covered his eyes with his paws, howling. "Get them! Get them you fools!" He barked.

A few of the elites stepped forward to attack me, but Prick and the russet coyote who held Sarah shook their heads at them. The Shifter's battle wasn't the Fuego's.

They looked confused at first, but once they understood, they dropped my friends, one by one, and stepped back.

"Wh—what are you doing!" The Shifter bellowed. "GET THEM!"

"No." The russet coyote said.

"You dare question me? Do you know what I can do to you?" The Shifter growled, turning to where the voice came from, letting go of his ugly eyes. He got up, reaching towards the russet coyote, but he lost his balance and tripped again.

"You can't touch me. Or anyone else. I suggest you get out of here before you see what we can do to you." The russet coyote replied.

The Shifter looked out with blinded, droopy eyes, feeling betrayed and mocked. He growled. "This isn't the last you'll see of me . . . I'll kill you all! I'll destroy you Astor, and everyone you love! I'll drink their blood, eat their marrow and wear their skins! I swear this upon the Great Spirits!" He roared to the air.

A brown Fuego grabbed his scruff then threw him to the edge of the camp. "Leave."

With a pained whimper, he got up, then limped into the desert. We watched him go, stumbling on sagebrush and cacti.

We were silent until he had staggered to a comfortable distance. It was a slow and painful process to watch, but it gave me satisfaction.

"Sarah . . ." Bat whimpered, crawling close to her.

Sarah wasn't moving. Her head twisted up at an awkward angle, frozen in a look of terror.

Not Sarah . . . It couldn't be . . .

"Check for a heartbeat!" Someone yelled.

Bat put her ear to Sarah's chest, but nothing happened. Bat shook her head, scrunching up her face to stop tears.

I ran to Sarah and put my own ear against her chest. Nothing.

I panicked. "No no no no no . . ." I muttered, grabbing her face. "Please no Sarah . . ."

She looked scared . . . but there was a quiet determination in her eyes, as if she felt at peace with her decision.

I made a horrible choking sound, holding back tears.

Then I remembered the Spirits. Where were they?

"Where are the spirits?" I barked, looking around.

"Astor, now isn't the time . . . it's alright if you don't believe in them, but—" Sego started.

"No, her flock! They were here, where are they?" I roared. "They were with Rabbit!"

"I saw them." Hare said.

I looked to see where she was. She had limped over to us, panting and holding her injured shoulder uncomfortably.

"Where?" I asked.

"They took the little female. I don't know where, but I can't feel them here. They're gone."

I shook my head. "No . . ."

I looked back at Sarah, then licked the cut on her face.

Then I fell on her chest and cried. My friend was gone, and it was my fault.

<——-•••——->

We thanked Prick and the russet coyote (who's name was Cricket) for their help, rounded up the Piedra and the Guerro, and went home. Most of us were badly injured. Verde hadn't made it. Negrita carried his body while I carried Sarah's, dropping tears and blood with every step I took.

Once we got to our territory, we stopped to bury them. It broke my heart to see Sarah in the ground . . . I had only known her for a few days, but it felt like a lifetime.

"Great Spirits," Negrita prayed, "accept these brave warriors into your kingdom. Guide them to your starry skies. May they forever feel the moon on their skin, the breeze on their fur, and the water between their toes. Bless the living to keep them in their hearts . . . Forever."

When he was done, he howled to the gray sky, now pierced with the setting sun and sparkling tears. We joined him in the howl. I pretended that Sarah could hear me, that she really was a spirit in the sky, not just a dead body in the ground.

Now she could be with her flock during the night, too.