It was strange, after such a burst of emotion, to suddenly feel so numb. The fire inside had cooled to solemn grey ashes. In many ways, it fitted much better with the colour of his fur.

With a heavy sigh, Thirty-Four climbed the final few steps to the summit of the familiar hill. Night had fully closed in now, and the moon shone high above, greeting him with sparks of silvery light. Slowly, he shook his head. Outward beauty didn't change the dullness in his heart.

His paw beat at a patch of thistles. Congratulations. You just secured your position as the world's most hated son. Why in Sylvera did he have to go and lose his temper like that? Only bad things came from speaking out. He should know that. Calder had warned him a million times.

Even if those things were true.

Claws extended, he dug them into the earth, trying to expell all his hollow frustrations on the vegetation. A thorn dug into his left paw, and he yelped, retracting it hurriedly. The fur parted to reveal a rapidly-forming dark red splodge. Growling, he flopped down in the grass. Great. Now even the plants were better than him.

The gentle wind ruffled his ears, and he sighed again. Constantly, he would tell his parents that a Pelt was coming, and he'd be better when it came. But what if it never came? Would be be a worthless Peltless failure forever? As each day went by, it did seem more likely.

No, you're being overly pessimistic. Thirty-Four shook himself, twisting to stare into the forest. Maybe all he needed was a backup plan. The hill and forest had always felt more homely than his real home ever had. Staying here forever was a possibility. If he could learn to hunt before he starved to death.

"Thirty-Four?"

Startled, he jolted to his paws, ears snapping upright. What was she doing here?

"Please tell me you're not here, Thirty-Four. Let me be wrong," her voice added, quieter, but nearer. "Please..." The sound trailed away as she turned a corner, and he met her eyes. Her frustrated sigh dipped his snout.

"You caught me, Lex," he admitted, tail hanging low. "I screwed up."

She was beside him in seconds, her golden fur flashing briefly in the moonlight. "What happened?" she whispered.

With a shrug, he stepped backwards. "The usual. Argument. Yelling. Miserable weakling, all that." He dropped his gaze to the floor. "Except this time I yelled back."

Crouching down, Lexi touched her snout briefly to his. An electric current zapped across his spine. Maybe her worries were emerging as minature lightning. "Look, I know you expect me to lecture you on the importance of keeping your temper, but I'm not. How they affect you isn't your fault. Yes, maybe you shouldn't have lost it like that, but it doesn't mean you're to blame." She patted the earth. "Now, sit."

With a nod, he sat down gently, leaning into her warm fur. He found himself longing for another static shock. "Thanks," he murmured into her flank. "You're the best friend I could ever ask for."

"No, I'm really not," she replied with a laugh. "But I do try." Her claws curled under his chin, forcing his head upwards. "If we're going to sneak out at night, we should at least look at the stars."

He did as she commanded, observing all the many glimmering specks. Lifting a claw, he traced a curved line of five stars. "Isn't that Clerassi, the snake?"

Lexi nodded, following his gaze. She traced her own claw upwards to another star-marked shape. "And that's Nethropiade, the stag. My favourite," she added, as they glanced at each other in wonder. Nothing was better a bright night, when the sparkling constellations were at their clearest.

They pointed out a few more, side by side, until Thirty-Four's dancing claw happened to lead him right to the oval-shaped moon. It shone directly above them. "It's midnight," he breathed, rising slowly. A pulsing energy shivered through his ribcage. "You know what I've always wanted to do at midnight, right here?" He felt Lexi stand beside him.

"What?" she asked, her eyes not leaving the velvety sky.

"Wait for it." Drawing in a breath, he moved his paws forward, closer than he'd ever ventured towards the drop towards the valley. He forced himself not to look down. This would only work if he stayed calm.

Pulling all his emotions - the anger, the hate, even the frustration he felt at his brother - right to the surface, he stared upwards, into the heavens.

You decide whether I'm worthless or not.

With all his Peltless might, he howled.

The sound felt like it echoed for miles, filling the dark silence and flying across the valley. He sustained it, ignoring the tightness of his lungs, enjoying the sensation of everything inside him rushing out into the night.

Then a paw clamped across his snout, sending the howl spluttering to a halt, and silence ruled again.

The momentum made him stagger, toppling over as a body collided with his. Golden fur obscured his vision for a moment. The claws gave his snout a final squeeze before releasing him, and he panted, twisting to view his captor.

It was Lexi, her hazel eyes wild with fear. "Shut up!" she hissed. "You're going to get us killed!"

Realisation dawned on Thirty-Four, and he stared back at her in horror. "There aren't really... they don't..." he stuttered, wriggling away. They both turned towards the forest. Any second now, some insane criminal is going to charge out of there and rip us to shreds.

Neither of them expected the threat to come from behind.

Claws grasped Thirty-Four's neck, sliding under his snout, causing him to gasp suddenly. Before he knew it, his paws were elevating away from the ground, and he kicked uselessly in the air. From somewhere below, Lexi screamed his number, but he hadn't the breath to reply.

He squirmed, desperate to free himself. The hill was getting smaller. Gulping, he closed his eyes as a dizzy sensation clenched his stomach.

Suddenly, his body jerked, and he opened them again just in time to see the ground rapidly grow again. He landed on his side, immediately feeling the bruises spread across his flank.

His vision still swam as his mind reeled from the abruptness of it all. Digging his claws into the earth, as a feeble attempt to root himself to it, he raised his head slowly.

There were white smudges in the sky. Squinting, he tried to make out what they were, but his eyes would not comply. He saw a golden shape briefly grasp a slice of the darkness before falling back downwards again.

The white shapes approached. Wings, a part of him whispered, the part that wasn't disorientated. They're feathered wings.

Lexi appeared beside him, placing her paws either side of his heaving chest. She glared up at the moving patch of black. "Leave him alone!" she yelled. From beneath, Thirty-Four saw her belly fur crackle with electric energy.

Trying to even out his breathing, he blinked, several times in succession. Her presence seemed to help his mind right itself. The blurred blotches began to fade, enough for him to make out the shape of a wolf, with fur like the night, touching down gently into the grass. Her white wings folded neatly at her sides.

"Back away, Thunderwylf," she commanded. Her tone wasn't angry or threatening, but it made Thirty-Four shiver all the same. His ears flattened against his head without his permission. "I need to take the Peltless."

But Lexi shook her head furiously. "You're not taking him anywhere." Though her voice trembled slightly, she didn't move.

The attacker advanced further, flicking her wings. "This isn't a time for heroics, pup. Let me take the Peltless." Her tone carried a slight threat now. She glanced down at Thirty-Four, as he trembled, locking his claws in the soil. Her expression softened. "I promise, no harm will come to him."

"No." Lexi's voice was weakening, but she still stayed firmly in one place. When the dark wolf moved closer, however, she staggered backwards, but her flickering glare remained.

Thirty-Four felt a snout poke under his chest. Tensing, he burrowed his claws deeper, but they did nothing to prevent the wolf from lifting him up and sliding him onto her back, in one swift movement. He scrabbled hurriedly for a hold in her black fur.

"No!" his friend called again, more furiously, as she charged forward, her eyes fixed fearfully on him. He met her gaze, just as the feathered wings either side began to flap, and he was lifting into the air once again. Away from her.

Thirty-Four could only watch, helpless, as Lexi's paws closed on thin air. She stumbled. Before he could react, she was leaping again, this time latching her claws around the criminal's hind leg.

The flight jolted, amd they swooped down into the valley. Terrified, he let go of his hold and reached for Lexi's paw. No. She couldn't fall. His best friend couldn't die.

Hold on, he mentally pleaded.

The leg swung dangerously. She slipped. She yelped.

Their paws met briefly... and she fell.

"Lexi!" he screamed, nearly plummetting after her in his desperation. No. No.

The attacker curved downwards, speeding towards the blur of gold. Just in time, he flung his paws around her neck again, and closed his eyes as his head throbbed from the sudden descent. Please, Luna. Anyone. Save Lexi.

All of a sudden, they stopped falling. Steady wings beat either side of him. And a warm body thumped into him from above, sending tiny static shocks rippling across his grey fur.

Thank you.

As the two pups embraced shakily, their attacker turned back to survey them. She laughed nervously. "I suppose you're both coming." She shook out her wings. "We'll go to the base now. Try not to kill yourselves in the next few minutes."