Murderer.

The word awoke her with a jolt, whispered from the farthest reaches of her mind. Her head jerked upwards, showing ice-cold droplets in all directions.

Blankly, she stared at the water at her paws. The last time she'd gazed at it, before her body had succumbed to fatigue, it had been filled with swathes of black and deep red. Now, it was crystal clear, and sparkled with the blue-tinged reflection of the daylight.

It took her barely a second to remember why she was here. The sickening dread tightened her chest.

I killed him.

She pushed herself up, but barely lifted herself above the stream's surface before splashing back down again. Trembling sobs shook her forepaws. The current pressed gently at her side, soaking into her freezing fur. Its cool wetness felt so different to the thick warmth of the blood.

It flashed in her mind continuously. The bloodied neck. Her scarlet fangs, digging deeper. The terror. The pleas in his eyes.

I told myself I wouldn't lose control again. She stared fearfully at her own claws. Even cleaned, they still seemed to shine bright with red splatters. But I just couldn't keep it in. I had to make it go away.

But all of it... the pain, the anger... it's still there.

Through the water, she watched her pink fur sway, tugged by the flow of the stream. It had been moons since she'd seen her natural colour. It was a little darker than the pink Kyra had applied, but still vibrant and bright. The sight of it stabbed stinging memories into her heart - memories of her and Felix's matching Peltmarks, and emerging with this very same colour, both of them identical.

She choked back another sob. Her claws sunk into the mud, still desperately trying to chase away her hollow fury. The action, just like every other, was ineffective.

Eventually, she tried rising again, this time with more success. Her belly fur dripped as it passed the water's surface. A shiver traced along her spine. It was hard to tell whether it was a result of her soaked fur or a reaction to yet another flickering thought of blood.

Raising her gaze to the sky, she took a deep breath. In... and out. The exhale was unsteady, but she managed to hold back another horrified gasp.

It wasn't even the death that her horror was drawn from. It was the distinct pleasure she remembered feeling. The happiness. The satisfaction.

I killed him. And I enjoyed it.

Tearing her eyes from the clouds, she glanced back towards the town. A small grove of trees were gathered beside where she stood, forming a miniature reminder of the woods back home. It wasn't hard to look beyond, however, to see the stretching empty plains, still dry with the summer's dust.

Not that she wanted to be reminded of home. The reason she'd come to Moongarde was to escape the memories that loomed at her from the shadows of those forests.

But they've just followed me here, she thought despairingly. Everywhere I go. They'll never leave me.

It's getting worse.

Blinking hard, she ran her tongue along the tips of her fangs, desperate to distract herself. Her gaze swept her surroundings - north, with the town and its backdrop of rolling hills; west, with only the occasional tree emerging from the bleak emptiness; south, much the same, growing drier as the landscape transformed to sandy desert on the horizon; and finally east, where the sun was already well into its daily ascent.

All this time, she'd been sleeping peacefully. Not a nightmare. Not a guilty dream.

Longer than he ever got to sleep.

Her tail lashed behind her, frustrated at the world, and at herself, and at all the things that were spiralling out of her control. She wasn't even in control of herself anymore.

No. She growled wordlessly under her breath. I am in control now. I just lost control, temporarily.

Again. And for much longer this time.

She shook her head furiously. She had to keep her control. She just couldn't let it happen again.

I said that last time. Turning, she stepped forward, her focus now on the town. But I didn't try hard enough. I let it get to me. I let the dark voice take over.

More than anything, she was determined to hold onto her tiny sliver of control. Mak was right. She had to keep the anger in.

There would be no more of the plan. No more trying to give others what they deserved. All that did was feed the fury. She realised that now.

As long as she could keep it all inside, Pynk would never emerge again.

Moving through the streets, Felicity felt like a wanted criminal. Which she was, but she never imagined how terrifying it would feel. As she rounded every corner, she expected someone to leap out and tackle her to the ground, screaming, "Murderer!"

Some part of her even wanted that to happen.

When she finally reached the familiar street, watching the usual group play and laugh together, it took all of her willpower to draw her shoulders up and force the guilt from her expression. Mak was already suspicious. If he knew this, what she'd done... she doubted that any of them would ever speak to her again. Even Kyra.

It was the pale Glitterwylf that ran over first, her eyes wide with concern. "Felicity? Where were you? I was looking for you everywhere last night, and I tried using our bands, but then I saw yours left in your house and..." Her barrage of words cut off as she flung herself into Felicity's fur, pushing her to the ground as she wrapped herself into a forceful embrace.

"Don't ever do that to me again," she murmured into Felicity's ear. "I was so scared and worried. It was like you'd been taken... especially when Mak said there was a murderer on the loose..."

Felicity stiffened. Her paws froze, never reaching her friend as they stretched out to return the hug. Misinterpreting her expression, Kyra squeezed tighter, pressing her against the earth.

"I know, it's really scary. That's why you have to stay with me," Kyra said. After a moment, she released her, just as the Earthwylves reached them.

Mak's dark eyes rested on Felicity for a second, his snout wrinkled in deep thought. Hurriedly, she plastered a frightened look in her eyes, doing her best to weave the guilt away. Thankfully, he quickly pulled away and butted his shoulder against Kyra's flank. "I told you, it probably wasn't murder," he said firmly. "The nobles all seem to think it was suicide. The patrolling Watchwolves is just a precaution."

"But what about the letters?" Kyra protested, making Felicity's tail twitch. "P-Y-N-K. That's like a code name, right? Why would he write that if he was about to kill himself?"

With a sigh, Mak shrugged. "I don't know. Wolves do strange things when they're close to the edge like that." An involuntary flinch tugged Felicity's snout backwards. She climbed to her paws, training her eyes on the dirt.

"She's right, though," came another voice. She glanced up to see Jael, his ears twitching as he glanced at Kyra, as if he felt guilty for agreeing with her. "If there was a murderer about, the nobles would hardly want to announce it to the whole town. They'll be trying to cover it up."

Mak sighed again. "Alright, that could be true. But I'd rather not us get ourselves worked up over this. Let's play a game, ok?"

Nodding, Kyra danced a full circle around him, before dashing back over to Felicity. "You'll tell me where you went later, right?"

"Yes," she agreed. Later, after she'd come up with a believable lie.

"Good. You really worried me," she said again, her tail flicking uneasily. It quickly rose back to its happy twirl. "Now come on! Tag, you're it!" She jabbed Mak in the paw, then dashed off, the other Earthwylves racing after her. Dodging around Mak, Felicity followed, trying to lose herself in the rush of the chase. Yet her mind continued to stray.

Every time she ducked around another wolf, or heard the clatter of her claws as they scraped through the soil, she imagined it. Losing control. All it took was one thought, one tendril of darkness... and she would be lost in her own mind.

Just a slip of a claw, driven by a power she didn't control.

It wasn't long before she escaped the game, dashing around a building and crouching in the shadow. Their playful laughter filled the morning air. But she couldn't join them.

I need to know that I can be in control, she thought, resting her shoulder on the smooth wood. That the anger won't take over. I can even utilise it. Her gaze wandered the streets. One wolf sprang to mind - a wolf that couldn't fail to send fury hissing through her veins. The same wolf that had driven her first thirst for revenge.

If she could prove to herself that she could be in control around him, maybe the blood and horror circling her mind would stop.

The dark was already rooted deep in her heart by the time his mansion loomed into view. She stared up at the building fiercely. You can't control me. And neither can your master.

"Well, well, well," came the very voice she was searching for. "If it isn't our brave little Glitterwylf." Felicity whipped around, pleased that her expression remained neutral even when faced with his grating tone. The snarl that wished to emerge could be kept at bay.

"Nice to see you again, Rowtag," she said calmly.

The orange wolf strode forward, broad neck stretched upwards as he rose up to his full height, just as imposing as his house. Felicity gave him the same fierce glare. He was alone now, she noticed. "You have a lot of nerve coming back here," he growled.

She shrugged. "Maybe I just want a rematch."

Pulling his lips back, he displayed his fangs. She didn't flinch. "Alright." Eyes bright, he stepped forwards again, so that he stood right in front of her. "Go on."

He made to leap forward, but she lunged first, her paws swiping at his chest. With a snarl, he tackled her away, his claws fighting their way towards her throat. But she struck back. Her claws connected, causing a furious cry of pain from the Flamewylf.

The tug of the magic pulled at her again, but this time she focused it, channelling that dark anger. The fury was there, pulsing in her chest, but it wasn't controlling her. Instead, she used it, pushing it out in waves that gripped his shoulders where her claws couldn't.

Suddenly, his paw bashed her snout, and stars danced across her vision. Closing her eyes, she let her body stagger backwards, not attempting to fight as Rowtag pressed her into the ground. "I win," he announced from somewhere above. She simply shook her head. No you don't.

In a blast of energy, she felt him leave her, his yelp of surprise torn away by the force of the magic. Eyes snapping open, she leapt up, staring at him triumphantly as he squirmed on the floor. After a few moments, she felt the exhaustion of exerting so much power prick at her fur, and released him. He stumbled to his paws, wincing and cursing.

"I win," she told him gleefully. He launched herself at her again, but she simply wrapped her mind around a large stone and flung it at his face. Eyes wide, he attempted to duck it, but it followed him down and whacked into his snout. Stunned, he collapsed on the floor. Within a few moments, he was unconscious.

Felicity stared at him. This was the power of her darkness. Maybe it was difficult to control, but when she held it in her grasp... she could do anything.

Automatically, her gaze flicked behind her, to a sharpened twig lying amongst the dust. She had created that. It would be all too easy to lift it up and send it sailing right into his heart. But, she realised with a relieved sigh, she had no wish to.

Her mission had been successful. She'd proved to herself that controlling the anger was possible.

Now, all she had to do was keep it that way.