Five years later...

Talismen was lying down on the broken cliff face staring across the valley that he called his own. The trees had grown back since the burning Sharrag had given it leaving a shiny green forest in its place. The colour that was the same as the green dragon's scales, reminding him off it.

Behind the wolf was the large double-sided sword that he now used as his weapon of choice. Of course he hardly ever needed it, besides the few times he was challenged for the position of Alpha. That however happened rarely, and when it did it never happened from within the pack.

The Shrrg pack had grown as well, Talismen counted nearly three groups of ten Shrrg, one of the biggest of the Boer mountains and a large difference from the state the pack was in before Sharrag.

Talismen thought of the green dragon often and occasionally one would fly through the valley for some unknown reason, but it was never Sharrag. Murtagh had left a while ago to 'catch up with his brother'. Talismen was unsure of what that meant for wolves didn't have brothers. The pack was their family.

"You look deep in thought," said a voice from behind him.

Talismen turned his head to look at the human women who had walked up behind him. She smiled tiredly at him and sat down beside him, looking over the valley as he had done.

"How's your shoulder feeling?" asked Angela with a sigh.

Talismen looked back over the valley, 'Same as yesterday. It's getting worse. Whenever I do something strenuous it hurts in a pain that I've never felt before. I don't know if I'll be able to keep the pack running for much longer.'

Angela sighed, scratching an aimless pattern in the dirt. The witch had turned up soon after Sharrag had left, mumbling something about how the human queen had enslaved magic uses or something like that. Talismen had never understood the tendencies of humans.

A chorus of howls made them both look to the end of the valley where a group of wolves were bringing in the hunt. Talismen let loose a sigh and hauled himself to his feet. He may be almost eight years old but he was feeling older by the day. The pain in his shoulder didn't help him much, and the responsibilities of being Alpha were wearing him down.

"Are you going to do it?" asked Angela as Talismen picked up the large double-sided sword with his mouth.

'Yes,' was his reply, 'If I don't do it now then I won't have the strength to make the journey.'

Angela nodded her head and together the human and the wolf walked down the side of the mountain. Talismen limped heavily on his injured leg and wondered half-heartedly if Levial was feeling the same pain he was with his injured shoulder. He hadn't seen the elf in a long time.

They stopped in a clearing that his pack usually met in. He let loose a howl to the sky that called the rest of the pack to the clearing. Twenty wolves turned up in the next five minutes as they waited for the hunting group to get back.

There was a rustle in the bushes and the hunting group appeared, led by a proud young wolf carrying two Feldunost. One on his back and the other dragged along the floor with his maw. Six more appeared after him making Talismen smile. The group reminded him of the pack when they began to make progress.

One by one they laid there kill in the centre of the clearing they joined the circle of Shrrg. Talismen could almost feel the mind whispers between the wolves. Wondering why Talismen had called them all together like this. The wolf was sure that they would be surprised by his answer.

'Everyone listen please,' he said, reaching out his mind to the pack.

Every wolf quietened instantly, turning their attention to the Alpha.

'Sharrag please step forward,' he said, naming the young wolf that had come in with the hunt.

Sharrag did as he was told, coming up to stand in front of the Alpha wolf. Talismen looked at him, studying him. He had named Sharrag himself, for he knew that the wolf would be the next leader of the pack. Talismen had trained him and taught him all he would need to know when he was ready. Now was that time.

To Sharrag's surprise Talismen reached back and bulled the double-sided sword from where it was at his side and laid it on the ground in front of him.

'Sharrag, I have trained you to leadership and taught you everything you know. I deem you ready to take my place,' said Talismen, ignoring the cry of surprise from the pack, 'I have grown weary of leadership, and I get weaker every day. I am no longer the wolf that I once was, and it is time to move on. I will travel past the Beor mountains and towards the place that the previous Alpha travelled to.'

'But Talismen, you will become a lone wolf! We would never wish that one you!,' cried one of the Shrrg from the crowd.

'I am willing to do this,' said Talismen, before turning back to Sharrag, 'Take my sword, and with it leadership of the pack. Sharrag, I know you will be great.'

Talismen nodded towards the younger Shrrg, who felt as if a father was leaving him behind. Hesitantly, but with purpose, Sharrag bent down and picked up the doubled-sided sword, nearly dropping it with surprise at the weight. He straightened up and turned back to the rest of the pack.

'Behold the new Alpha!' Talismen cried out with his mind, before raising muzzled to the sky and howled.

His howl was joined by the rest of the pack and the sound scattered across the valley and through the Beor Mountains. Angela smiled and covered her ears from the howl. She was happy for them, and knew that the wolf named Sharrag would be just as great as the two before him.

As the howl died down the Shrrg moved forward to congratulate their new Alpha, and during this time Talismen slipped away. He padded through the forest by himself, heading towards the edge of their territory. He was stopped by a snap of a twig behind him and he turned to spot Siserl who was padding towards him. He waited for her to catch up before continuing to run in silence.

'Why are you leaving Talismen?' she asked, 'The actual reason.'

Talismen smiled at her, 'I think you know.'

'How do you know he still even thinks about us?' she said, 'He left longing to be with his own kind.'

'I know, but that doesn't change what has happened between us,' said Talismen, 'I long to see him again, and I feel if I don't leave now I never will.'

Siserl nodded in agreement, 'Well good luck Talismen. I wish you all the well and a long life. Say hello for me.'

With that she padded back into the forest leaving Talismen by himself. The older wolf took in a sigh and stepped over the boundary of their territory. With a smile he began a loping run through the forest and towards the end of the Beor Mountains.

'Long time no see Sharrag,' he thought to himself, 'Long time no see.'