I was confused as to how Dark knew my name...
Maybe Natemare? Or maybe Anti?
I didn't know.

I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear, as I gently set Dark onto the ground. I examined him, and noticed, even for a demon... He had gotten really hurt.
Besides being poisoned, he was super damaged.

Could he have faught Danny?
...If Anti and Dark were both hurt, I couldn't imagine what happened to Natemare... Was Natemare even here?
...Why were Dark and Anti here?

So many questions were on my mind, but I knew I had to take care of Anti and Dark first.

Just when I had thought that Anti was severely wounded, Anti came bursting through the door into the room.

'So much for a lock...' I thought and laughed inside. I looked at the crazy Anti running to our sides as many emotions were shown on my face.

One was me wanting to run and hide, the other was curious to see what Anti was going to do or what he was planning...
Could he be running from something?
I hope not, because Dark is really hurt...

Anti bent down toward Dark when he reached us. I noticed that Anti was completely healed...
Could that be from demon healing? I mean, it wasn't instant, but it did make healing super effective.

I also noticed that Anti was blushing when he approached Dark, which made me fangirl inside.

'Ahh, I ship it!!' Calm down mind, we have more important matters than shipping right now. 'More important than shipping? Danti? I don't think so.' My mind disagreed.

'DO YOU WANT THEM TO DIE?' I finally spoke up to the voice in my head. The voice quieted after my scold.

"What happened to Dark!?" Anti basically screamed. I had unconsciously covered my ears as Anti spoke.

"I healed him, then he collapsed. He's pretty weak... Also, one question: How do you guys know me?" I asked Anti and Dark who was weak.

"Welllll," Anti began, but Dark took over to make the explanation accurate.

"Natemare made us team up with him to save you. He was super worried, and from looking at the people that took you... He should've been. They have a dark aura. They are super strong!" Dark weakly shouted, but began coughing straight afterwards.

"Dark, try not to speak loudly. It will only cause you more harm," I instructed.

"....But, you're right. So, how did you guys get hurt?" I asked.

"I'm going to explain this time..." Anti glared at Dark. "The people who took you found out that we were about to save you, we faught them, let's just say they were super over powered, we blacked out, and that's when something else took control of our bodies..." Anti quieted down. He looked down...

I then saw that Dark had fully healed, and he was now sitting up. Anti looked at Dark, and both of their moods lit up at the sight that they were both healed.

I sighed.
"The people you ran in to... They are my enemies..." I grabbed my left arm and began to scratch myself nervously. "...There's a great darkness out there. It's called poison. My enemies, they came into my life, we were friends, then they were poisoned and they got taken away from me... I didn't know how to save them, heck, I didn't even know what poison was... It was too late when I found out. They were way too consumed... I felt so bad... It was my fault that they got poisoned, and it's my fault that they can't be saved."

I began to cry.
Memories embedded into my mind began to dig at my emotions...
It was indeed, my fault.
It always was..

"Hey, hey! Don't cry..." Anti comforted, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"No need to cry, it's not your-" Dark tried as he wiped away my tears, but I knew the truth.

"But, it is! It's my fault they can't be saved... If only... That night..."

"That night?" Anti asked...

I closed my eyes, but then pushed it away. "N-Nothing..."

"Let's go find Natemare..." I quietly spoke and got up. The others followed me as we went through the chipped wooden door that Anti caused.

We all scouted the areas, but I saw something interesting that the others didn't. The hallways leaded to a big open room...

Which, I'm guessing, held Natemare..
I mean, right? ...Right?

"Hey guys, look..." I pointed to the room, and we all agreed that we should go in there...

Once we reached the edge of the room, I told the others to stay back...
It's only logical, I mean, what if something happened? I want them to get out okay.

I would make sure they would.
Even if I would be the sacrifice.
I am always the sacrifice.

The others nodded, and I entered the room. I held my ground, not a trace of anxiety was shown. I had none, for, I knew Natemare had to be poisoned.

I saw a big cage that held Natemare in the middle of the big room. There was also a key lock to it.

I scanned the room for the key, and I found it just laying on the floor?
What?
...This had to be a trap. There had to be more than that. That was too easy.

I snatched the key and raced to the cage that held Natemare. I unlocked the key to his key, and backed up a few paw-steps.

'Wait... Couldn't he just teleport out of there, or was Danny actually smart enough to make the cage demon-proof?' These questioned did not leave my mind...

Natemare got out of the cage and chuckled. He walked towards me, and as intimidating as he was, I stood my ground.

"Oh? What's this? You're trying to be strong? You're nothing but a weak mutt." Natemare showed his fangs as he smiled with a bad intention.

I felt like this time, I was the light in the darkness.
But why this time?

Natemare lunged forward, straight at me. He clawed at my heart, my arms and my back.

I was thrown to the ground by his power... Demon claws always hurt.

But this time, instead of getting up, I stayed down. Not just because the claws binded me to the ground, but because I wondered what would happen if I stayed down.

I mean, I could just lay here.
And that would be it...

I didn't have to get up...
Heck, I didn't even have to stay alive...
I could just lay here and be here forever.
That would be it.
That would be the end...

But instead, I faught threw the binds. I wasn't just going to lay here while my friends suffered! I had to save them! I had made a promise, and I was keeping it.

...No matter what.

I broke threw the binds, but still, I was weak. I crawled to the Natemare who thought he had won, but little did he know, defeat was about to hit him.

The pain ached through my bones as I crawled over to him.

Once I reached him, I shakily stood up, and I hugged him.

Then, red alert thingys began to go off. "NOOOO!" Shouted a voice that came from a speaker. Danny was viewing this whole thing from the control room.

Claws dug into my back once more, but I stood strong. Sometimes, the pain was worth it for the ones we loved...

I hugged Natemare tightly. I wasn't going to let go. Natemare had scars all over...

He had put up quite a fight...
He was brave and courageous.
But for what? I didn't deserve to be protected or faught for. I was the one who protected and faught for the other person.

...I was the protector.
...I was the healer.
...I was the dreamer.
...I was the strong one.
And I was also forever the loner...

It struck me that my time with Natemare was up. I had stayed past my welcome. I had to go... I needed to go... I couldn't stay any longer. After this, I would say my farewells.
...And the memories would still be there, but I would not.

Tears ran down my cheeks, but my hair was being patted by someone. I had realized that the pain in my back was gone, and Natemare was healed.

He softly smiled as he looked at me.
"P-Please don't cry." The warmth in his voice over took me, and I stood there frozen. He was hugging back.

"N-Natemare!" I hugged him tightly as the tears had stopped. I burried my face into him.

"Why are you crying?" His voice was back, meaning that he was healed.

I sighed. I had to tell him the truth.

"I-I... I can't stay here anymore." I recalled my thoughts. I had my pack, I had to go back to them.

"What? Why?" He asked.

"I've stayed too long."

"Nonsen-" He was cut off by the storming of people in the room.

Natemare and I broke apart from the hug, and turned around to see whom had just entered...

Of course, not to much suprise, it was Danny, Brooke, and Destiny. Lovely.

'Wait, why did Danny surrond himself with only girls in his group? I mean, I'm not judging... But... Why?' I had just realized in my mind.

"Get them!" Danny shouted, pointing to us.

Natemare stood in front of me, holding out his arms. He was trying to protect me, even when I didn't deserve it.

This. Was. All. My. Fault.

"No!" I said, as Natemare defeated Brooke and Destiny easily, but Danny was going to tackle him.

I jumped right in front of Natemare before Danny could tackle him.
Once more, I was the sacrifice.
Once again, I was the one being tackled.

I was now in my wolf form, at this point. Danny tried mulitple times to stab me with a knife that he always has, but I barely dodged them each time.

I got out of Danny's grasp and I stood up next to Natemare.
"Don't just protect me, we protect each other." I said with no emotion.

Natemare slightly smiled and nodded.
I drew my sword from my Lapis necklace and Natemare already his weapon.

"I'm not a mutt. I'm a wolf, and as a true wolf, unlike you... I hold honor. I fight for my friends, and I do not back down at anything. Even if I know I can't win. For, I AM A WARRIOR!" I held my sword up in the air signalling that I was leading into battle.

Natemare held his sword up, and we both ran at Danny.

Just when Danny thought I would stab him, I quickly drew out my Alpha Staff from my Lapis necklace.

"I wish I could've saved you." I whispered, more to myself then to him.

"BY THE POWER OF THE ALPHA STAFF, I BANISH THEE!" The alpha staff took over from there, and with the help of all the spirits from my pack, Danny disappeared...

Meaning..
We had won.

"Let's get out of here." I told Natemare. We both ran out of the room, making Dark and Anti tag along with us.

We all ran out of the sketchy building because we knew we were going to be followed.

After we got out, we all teleported to the place where I first met Natemare.

I was quiet after we arrived. I knew what was coming. I knew what this meant. My time was up...

Natemare looked at me...
For a moment, I sensed a hint of sadness within him.

"So, you're going to go?" He finally broke the silence. I nodded.

"I've got to... I mean.. My time's up here. I'm sorry." I faced my back to him as I looked into the distance.
I was also pretty sure that Dark and Anti were very confused.

A few tears came to my eyes.
I always had to leave.
I always had to take the loner's path...
It was my fate, and I couldn't change it.

Believe me, I've tried to change it...
But I fail everytime.
...I accepted my fate. This was my story, and I guess I couldn't change it.

I turned back to Natemare and put on a broken smile like I usually did.

"I suppose this is my time to say goodbye. I can't change this, I'm sorry..." I paused. "I'll miss you.. All of you. Thank you for the memories. Heheh, I won't forget you." 'Did I reach them? Please let me reach them...'

"Until our paths cross again in, Paradise..." I looked to the forest.

I then looked back to Dark, Anti and Natemare. I tackled them all into a hug before I left. They gladly accepted the notion.

I broke away from the hug and looked at them while backing away.

"Farewell, Dark and Anti..."
"Farewell, Natemare."

I then disappeared into the forest without looking back...

"Farewell, Shadow." Natemare whispered.