Chapter 1- A living checklist

Epilogue

 

Humanity is at risk, war is arising, and monarch control begins to sweep. Chanoue, a wolf bent out on world spread domination of the wolf species, is coming closer to completing his ultimate goal; humanity’s complete devastation. With the help of his hidden associate and slave Kanoue and his loyal partner Ranoue along side his other followers; Chanoue sets out to collect what he requires to complete his goal. Chanoue, lacking the proper knowledge of what he needs has handed the task of giving him information he requires to Kanoue. Meanwhile, Shadow, a young black wolf and his close and dear friend, Crystal both plot to put stop to Chanoue’s plans and save humanity from its ever closing fate…

Chanoue stared at Kanoue waiting for him to conjure his image. Chanoue hated Kanoue’s magic; it made him sick and jealous. “Why do I not have access with Arnoue’s death? Do I require more souls”? Kanoue turned shacking violently. “No.. You need other items”. Kanoue turned away again. Chanoue fiercely shouted. “Look at me you idiot”! Kanoue turned again but kept his head low as not to look up at Chanoue aggravated face. “Look up you stupid little worm”! Kanoue slowly lifted his head to look up into reddened face of his angered brother. “Brother please don’t be so mad”! Chanoue’s eyes bulged. He raised paw into the air but stopped. Kanoue flinched with a small scream. “Never call me that, I’ve told you a million times already”! Kanoue nodded under his arms which he threw in front of himself for protection.  Chanoue's paw slowly went back down. “You’re forgiven for now”. Kanoue stayed quiet and moved his arms back down to the ground. “Now show me”. Kanoue moved his arms and made a small chant before suddenly the room shined with a bright light. Chanoue’s eyes snapped shut. Slowly he reopened them to see a floating image of a crystal hovering over an ice covered floor. Chanoue stared curiously at it. “What is this”? Kanoue walked beside the Three-dimensional image. “It’s the Crystal of Mirrors”. Chanoue stared at it. “What does it do”? Kanoue shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure but I know you’ll need it in order to complete the last ritual in which you can open the door”. Chanoue puzzled the item. It shined a blue light that cast over the walls around it. “Where is it located”? Kanoue moved his arm through the image and it changed to a picture of a snowy mountain. “In the mountains up north”. Chanoue growled impatiently. “That doesn’t help, I need more specific information”! Kanoue backed away. “The crystal has a call that almost all wolves can hear”. Chanoue’s ears twitched and his tail flicked. “What does it sound like”? Kanoue lowered down on his legs almost lying on the floor. “You’ll know it when you hear it”. Chanoue puffed. “You best hope I’ll know it or else ill inflict so much pain to you you’ll wish my father drowned  you as a pup”! Kanoue nodded standing up. “Yes master I understand”. Chanoue turned and headed back out of the cave. “Ill be back, and here”. Chanoue tossed a small bit of deer meat at the foot of the cave in his direction. “Eat up, you’ll need it; I won’t be back for maybe several more days”. With that, Chanoue disappeared out of the cave.

 

 

Shadow stared into his mothers eyes. Tears slowly dripped down her face and she lifted her paw to wipe it away. “What is it mom”? Sarina turned away. “It’s like your back from the dead”. Shadow wrapped his arms around her. “Hey come on its ok, I’m here now”. Sarina lifted her head up to face Shadow. “I always had a hope you’d be alive but it was a dim one”. Crystal walked in slowly. “Again who is this”? Shadow looked at her. “This is Crystal, she’s my friend”. Sarina held out her paw. “It’s a pleasure to meet you”. Crystal grabbed her paw. “Likewise. How did you two go about meeting each other anyways”? Sarina asked. Shadow turned to Crystal. “I found him in a bog where I was staying. I noticed something in the creek water just before the fog moved in and well I helped him and that how we met”. Shadow looked back at Sarina. “Well it seems you had some adventure”. Shadow nodded. “Yeah, there was a snotty raccoons, a mountain lion, and even a rabies infected wolf”! Sarina gasped. “Are you bitten”? Crystal shook her head. “Nah I checked him. Sarina leaped to her feet and began scanning Shadow’s back. “Mom come on, I’m ok”. Sarina snorted. “Not until I say so mister”. Shadow turned to Crystal with an annoyed expression. “mothers”. Crystal giggled then sighed. “I never really got to know my mother”. Sarina looked up from Shadow’s legs. “Really? What happened to her”? Crystal shrugged and lied in the soft cave dirt. “I’m not sure; she left my dad and me during our journey in the harsh winter”. Shadow coked his head. “Strange, any reason why”? Crystal shook her head slowly. “Nope, she just out of nowhere left during one night”. “And you don’t know where she went either”? Crystal shrugged again. “My dad said she went north, I haven’t seen her since”. Shadow looked out towards the caves opening. “Where’s dad”? Shadow began hearing loud weeps behind him. Turning he look to see Sarina breaking down in heavy sobs. Shadow embraced her. “What is it”? He asked. Sarina panted to catch her breath. “James… he… he… was captured by humans”. Shadow backed up. “What? What did they do with him”? Sarina wiped her face. “I don’t know, they took him away somewhere they called the lab”. Shadow listened to the word. “Lab, that doesn’t sound too good”. Crystal sighed. “It isn’t good. The lab is where humans take animals, I don’t know what happens to them but it’s not good in the slightest”. Shadow began panicking. “Then… then we got to go after him”! Sarina shook her head swishing tears across the floor. “You don’t even know where the lab is”. Shadow rubbed his muzzle. “Did you see what direction they went”? Sarina slowly spoke coughing loudly. “Up north, other than that I have no idea where they took him”. Shadow and Crystal both looked at each other. “Luna”. They said together.