The Queen's Luna

Chapter 9

I pant heavily as I come up on the carriage again, “Break the horses of this pace, girl.”

She looks over her shoulder at me and slows the horses.

She pales, “You’re injured!”

I jump to the rooftop of the carriage while it’s in motion and flop down with my head to the right of her. I close my eyes as my blood pounds in my ears and nausea rolls over me. I shiver. I do my best to try and catch my breath before opening my eyes and looking at her.

“Most of this is not my blood.”

She looks me over again, “Those bullets are going to have to come out. Will you let me get them? Can the horse do this by themselves for a few minutes?”

I close my eyes again, “           The horses have been doing this run since they were less than yearlings. They will be fine without your hand to guide them,” I pause, “The only bullet I carry is in my left flank. The other wound is just a graze and should have already healed.”

She nods as she clambers up next to me. She brushes up against me as she positions herself at my left leg, “Sorry,” She mutters before pushing back my fur with her hands.

A chill runs through me. A chill of something familiar. Have I met this nameless she-wolf before? It just isn’t possible. There were none with her scent or features in the pack; that I can remember at least.

“I found it, but it’s deep. This is going to hurt, and I need you to hold still or it’ll hurt more.”

I let out a low growl that ends with a small whine, “Do it. I’ll be fine. It’s doing more harm than good being in there anyhow.”

“Okay…” She positions one hand on the outside of the wound to hold it open, “On the count of three,” She says, “One… Two!” She jams two fingers into the wound and digs out the silver ball.

I whine as black spots swarm my head and the world fades momentarily.

“Alpha…?” Someone says.

A familiar hand strokes my head, trying to get me to wake.

“Alpha? Wake up. You need some water. You’re shaking.”

My eyelids are heavy, but I open them and stare up at the nameless she-wolf before looking around and taking in our surroundings. We are sheltered by the side of a bowed-out mountain with a cliff overhead. The horses are grazing by a small pond that has a fire next to it. The snow is not as thick here and green patches of grass are visible. We must be within ten miles of my territory border with FireFall.

“You have been resting for nearly two hours now, but I can tell you’re still weak. We need to get you to a pack healer. Whatever that light was that came from you, really did a number on you,” She pauses and bites her lip before continuing, “I wasn’t sure where to stop and rest the horses, but here seemed best. I’ve been on the lookout for anyone else if they were to come for us. There have been no signs.”

I take some deep breaths before attempting to stand and failing. I huff and look at the girl again, “Thank you.”

She has cleaned up a bit, I see. Her auburn hair is plaited in a braid and her visible features are no longer coated in grime and dirt, “You saved my life… Getting you water is nowhere near a big deal.”

I look her over again but come back to her eyes still. My father had eyes like those; dark, ash grey with specks of color about them.

She comes closer with the bowl of water, “Let me help you.”

I do my best not to snarl or snap at her hand as she helps me raise my muzzle to the bowl of chilled water. I close my eyes and drink down the whole thing. The feeling of it revitalizing my raw throat and my insides is a feeling I won’t soon forget. I take another couple of breaths before opening my eyes and looking at her again.

She blushes and looks away, “You stare at me so intensely.”

“Your eyes,” I start, “My father had the same eyes, and you have my mother’s hair. Do you know your lineage?”

Rana would know this girl; I think to myself.

She shakes her head, “No. I couldn’t tell you much of anything. I’m sorry, Alpha.”

It could be possible that we share some of the same lineage. That’s when a little pang of hope pierces my heart… The two pups my mother was carrying… What if she were one of them? She looks like mother and father, both. She also seems to be the right age. They would have been six years and three months younger than I. They would have been born near the Autumn Equinox,

I take a breath, “What is your age, girl?”

“I… I have just seen my nineteenth summer this year.”

I look away. Could it be possible? If it is, then, where is the other pup and does she know about the other pup? I flex my jaw as I gaze out and down the pathway ahead of us. In this situation I know what Rana would tell me. She would tell me never to doubt my intuition on such matters. In her own way, she had would have reminded me about the correctness of my intuition and past moments.

However, I have never been able to afford to think like that. To have hope. My nights are long and cold and without hope. I prefer it that way and so it is in that manner that they will remain. “We need to keep moving,” I remind her, “I was not able to take out all of the hunters, but I did dispatch of most of them. The Blizzard that I had created will only deter them from our trail for so long; if they can even pick up our trail again.”

She nods, “I will round up the horses and we will be on our way, then,” she hesitates, “where is it that we are headed? We must be nearing the edges of your territory by now.”

I swallow hard, “Yes. We are encroaching on the FireFall Crescent pack’s territory. Where maybe ten miles from the border.”

“I mean no disrespect, Alpha, when I say my next words… But… Will they allow us to cross over into their territory? We can be counted as Rogues right now, and…” She fiddles with the hem of her borrowed dress, “I have only heard stories of feral wolves, but you manage to fit the description of them.”

I slant my eyes at her, but before I can speak, she continues.

“I will not enter their pack territory without you. We may have only met today; however, I owe you a blood that. A life for a life. I wish to join you here in the mountains of Fell. You should not have to guard this territory by yourself. You should not have to be alone … Even after the death of your dear friend. I hope that you will allow me to join you. That maybe I could be a part of your pack of one.”  

I raised my eyebrow at her. I would have never expected or guess for her to make such a statement. My intentions were to take her to the FireFall Crescent Pack to find a suitable home for her and to give Rana a proper burial, and then I would have left to return to this territory by myself.

“You wish to join me? You do not yet have or know your name. Nor, will I hold you to a blood debt. I will not have you involuntarily bound to me. A life like mine is suited for none other but me. I was born here, I grew here, and I learned here.”

Abruptly, her left eye changes to the color of that of her wolfs as her and her Wolf become one, “it is true that we do not know of her birth name however, my name is Runa. Please forgive as for not disclosing this information to you upon you first requesting it. We did not know you or trust you. There is power to behold in a name.”

I forced myself to my feet and as I tower over them as they bow their head in respect. several years prior, Rana had told me that she knew the names of the Wolves that were to be given to the twin pups that my mother had been carrying. the male was to be named Rome. The female was to be named Runa. my suspicions of her identity are even more concrete with this newfound information.

“Did you lie to me about not knowing your origins as well?” I use my Alpha command on them, “You will tell me the truth and you will tell me now.”

“We have told you the truth in that matter. We have been kept enslaved and as a prisoner since we were a pup.”

I meant a low growl as I debate on whether to believe them. However, my intuition knows this to be the truth. They do not know who they are or from whom and which they hail.  My, unknowing, sister kneels before me in submission. I take a breath.

“You are blood of my blood. You will not kneel before me again.”