Curse of the Luna (Wolves of Dralesa: Book 1)

Oaths Written in Blood

“Why am I laying on the ground?” I grumbled as I came to. Once I moved my body the stabbing pain reminded me of the events this morning. Panic made me jump up, causing my body to scream in defiance. I stumbled back down hissing at my pitiful state. I knew I should be thankful to have escaped certain death with a dislocated shoulder, a sprained wrist that probably had a hair-line fracture, and a throbbing headache. But I wasn't, I needed to be back with my pack. There was still a chance we could have survived, even if it were only a few.

Looking up to the sky I saw that it was nearing on evening, the sun awfully low.

“Misti, I was knocked out, how is everyone doing? Are there any survivors?” I tried to mind link her, but my head throbbed painfully, and I was met with silence. I clenched my teeth as I popped my shoulder back into place.

“Mom? Opal?” Panic was now setting in as I now ran to the cliff side. The fall was seconds. This climb in my state would take hours. I was still completely drained in Earth's energy. I wouldn't be able to call upon it to help our ascent.

"Shift and I can get us up there." My wolf said as she also paced back and forth anxiously.

"You could get us up there faster than I, but can you do it?" This was definitely something we had never done before.

"Do we have a choice?"

"No, let's do this."

The shift was one of the most painful shifts I've had since our first shift. We hobbled to an area with the highest potential of success before beginning the ascent.

Even for my wolf, the task was excruciating. Our muscles burned like they were ablaze, our paws bleeding from the cuts made by the razor-sharp rocks. On top of that, we were still wounded from our battle.

We lost so many, no doubt nearly all wounded. They need our help. They probably thought us dead. My wolf huffed as she jumped to the next accessible ledge. I could only pray there were still people to worry if we were even alive. I still couldn't reach anyone. The silence was overwhelming. If they were alive, seeing us alive would be a great morality boost our people will need.

My wolf let out a bark of success as we made it to the grassy knoll at the top. I was forced to shift back as she was beyond exhausted. I lay there, catching my breath, as I listened to the woods before me. It was eerily quiet, not even the birds were singing. Dark clouds hung above the direction of home, looking as if it'd break at any moment to cleanse whatever lied beneath. With the help of a new pump of adrenaline running through my veins, I shot up and sprinted towards camp.

A whirlwind of a breeze nearly knocked me over, bringing with it the stench of rot and death.

“NO!” My wolf and I both cried out. We didn't want to think worst, that we were jumping to conclusions. That I will see someone, and they will tease me for my drastic way of thinking.

There was no one, and upon entering the desolated camp, I knew there never would be.

The bile was instant when I laid my eyes upon what once was my home. There was no way for me to hold it down. After I finished heaving, my sorrowful scream was loud enough that even the heavens could hear. I cared not if the attackers were still around, death would be better than what I stumbled into. The field was littered with dead bodies, scavengers already swooping in for their meal. Not one body was stirring, no cries of the young and wounded, nothing but my own screams.

I tried to stifle it as I ran to each one of my pack members, praying one was unconscious like I had been and still had a heartbeat. I tumbled through the bloody mess as I could barely see through my tear-filled eyes. The water works never stopped as each body I checked had already grown cold.

I found Misti and Rain's bodies amongst the more condensed are of bodies. They were both tattered and beaten, their bodies surrounded by countless enemies they had taken down with them.

“You fought bravely my friend.” I sobbed as I ran my hand through Misti's once beautiful fur coat. The shimmering gray and white patched fur were soiled by dirt and blood, matted, and torn where flesh was exposed.

I didn't want to look any further. I knew what lied ahead if I did and I don't think my heart could take anymore. The pain of losing my best friend has already made me feel as if my heart had been shattered and torn, never to be pieced back together. I wiped my tears uselessly as only more followed suit.

There must be survivors. I told myself over and over, a mantra that allowed me to stand and keep looking. I prayed that it was true. There was no way Selene would allow us to be wiped from the Earth like this. We were Her most faithful warriors.

But every wolf, woman, and child I walked upon were brutally killed. The sky rumbled in the distance, drowning out another scream that tore through my sore throat.

“Please no,” My wolf and I cried together as I slumped to my knees before the still bodies of Emerald, Peridot, and Citrine.

A part of me tried to believe this was all just a bloody nightmare, that I was stuck in a terrible comatose dream. That Emerald was out there looking for me. Not in front of me.

I pulled their lifeless bodies to me and held on to them for dear life as I my heart broke for the nth time today. I smoothed back Emerald's hair, my tears leaving trails in the stains of blood and dirt on her face.

I didn't want to move ever again from this spot. I wished my own life would just end forever in the embrace of my family, but not yet, not until we were all together. I laid them down gently, closing Emerald's eyes as well, which made them look as if they were only sleeping.

“Opal!” My voice cracked as I cried out her name, pushing myself back out into that m******e. I continuously checked every wolf and girl as I made my way towards the medic tent. I hiccupped a sob as most of the packs children that were too young to fight had died here. The medic tent was where they were all to go in case of an emergency. I caught a glimpse of Ash's wolf along with the children she died trying to protect.

Hesitation grounded me in place before the tent flaps. That was until I heard the faintest of heart beats. I flew in, nothing holding me back now.

“Oh Opal!” I cried out, diving for my sister. She sat breathing shallowly against the stone medical table. A pool of her own blood surrounded her, her hand desperately trying to keep pressure on the ravaged bite wound on her waist.

When Opal's distant eyes saw me a wave of peace filled them. Her tense body relaxed as I began to apply more pressure.

“Tell me what I need to do!” I frantically looked around. The whole tent had been pillaged. Even had there been survivors like Opal, we would have been left with nothing to save and treat ourselves with.

“Be strong.” Opal smiled through knowing tears. “She had me wait for you, but mom and our sisters are waiting for me now.” Her bloody hand rose to my cheek. I tried to tell her to stop talking and to save her energy, that I could heal her. She just shook her head slightly. “We are all fine my dear sister, you need to carry on. Show the world what it means to be a true daughter of the moon.” She coughed up blood, its warmth spewed over my bare chest. I could hear her heart slow. She was barely hanging on.

“Amethyst, one day you and I will be sisters again. Tis our destiny. Next time, help me become the warrior I was meant to be.” She was telling me to live on, knowing all too well I could never go against her wishes.

“I will.” I sobbed as I embraced her, her body already going limp. Blood trickled down her smiling lips, her eyes closed in content.

I stared lifelessly at the one massive pyre and a smaller one next to it before me as it burned. On one I had placed the bodies of all my people on it. For those who were in their human form I had cleaned and dressed in their funeral dresses, a crown of flowers placed upon each of their heads. For those who were still in their wolf form such as Misti, Rain, and Ash, I could only make them a crown as well. The other was solely for Emerald, Opal, Peridot, and Citrine. It had taken all that night in to today for me to finish properly preparing their funeral.

I watched all throughout the night, not once moving. I couldn't bring myself to sing for their passage, for I couldn't even talk. After Opal passed, my voice seemed to stop working.

By sun rise they were but piles of smoldering ash. Before me were two bowls, one had at least one drop of each pack member and a petal from each of their floral crowns, the other bowl was the same but just my family's. I grabbed the bigger bowl and scooped a few piles of ashes into the mix and stirred it while infusing Earth's energy into it, until it became a dark black paste. I moved on to my family's pyre, doing the same in the smaller bowl. In my head I repeated the spell over and over as I drew a circled line for each of my back members up my left arm. At the top was the thickest line that was made from my family's bowl.

"Life's breath, Life's blood, and Life's body I shall carry with me always. Through me you live, and I live because of you."

I finished the spell and my arm burned as if I stuck it in the pyre at its hottest. It was a pain I bared with, not even uttering a cry because of it. Seconds passed and it began to cool down and harden. I swung my pack and gear on before walking to the nearest stream, never looking back. I stuck my arm in the stream, it’s cool waters washing away the crusted mixture. Left behind were black markings, forever to be imprinted in my arm.

"The world will pay for what they had done to us. They will regret ever messing with us, for taking all your lives. I will see all of you again only once I avenge your deaths. That I promise you."