42. The call of nature

I had done as I'd said and was now flying back to the main island the pack under Zelds lead in my absence was already on their way back to the mountain of trails. It didn't take me long to find them as they ran across the terrain.

"Zeld!"

He looked up briefly as he ran.

"Rav!"

"I'm going to fly ahead."

Zeld growled.

"Like hell you are!"

"Zeld-"

"No Rav your not going alone who knows what her numbers are it'll be suicide."

"I have to try Zeld who knows what they plan to do with her. Keyon and the others should have followed her it explains why I couldn't reach them."

"Six against Shiya and her lot are not good odds Rav."

"We don't even know how many she has with her it could be enough."

"I don't like it Rav."

"I know you don't but what other choice do we have?"

I heard him growl as he looked at the others.

"Fine go but don't engage until you find Keyon. Try stalling them til we get there."

I screeched as I surged forward using my own wind to propel me forward.

"Be careful!"

I heard Zelds voice yell as the pack disappeared behind me.

'We need to get there fast Raven!"

'I know I'm trying.'

As an eagle I could easily get to the mountain in one day at full speed but what was worrying me is if that was enough time.

As I neared I called out as far as I could to Keyon til finally a faint voice answered back.

"Raven?"

"Keyon!"

As I drew closer his voice grew louder.

"Where are you?!"

"I'm on my way back."

"No!"

His voice screamed in my head.

"Raven you must not come back!"

"But-"

"Listen to me Shiya is here she has entered the trails."

"I know we were on our way to Upernavik but realised she had come here instead."

I built another surge of wind beneath my wings.

"So the pack is safe?"

"Yes they are on their way back."

"No all of you must stay away."

"Tell me why?"

"There are too many Shiya and her bounty hunter are more powerful then we realised if you try to save the moon goddess you will all perish."

"Her bounty hunter? But that's impossible I killed Quell."

"I don't know who you killed but her bounty hunter is still alive and well."

'Shit I knew it was too easy.'

"Shiya, quell and Ki have entered the trails together , I don't know what they hope to accomplish but whatever it is it can't be good."

"Tell me where you are!"

He growled.

"No we are lost you can not hope to free us stay away for the packs sake!"

"Free you?"

I surged forward the mountain just before me as I flew around I saw over a hundred wolves and in the centre were seven forest lakes wolves one of whom was Loki.

"Loki!"

Loki was the only one in human form he had been beaten and lay on the ground not being able to stand.

His eyes looked to the sky widening as he saw me.

"Rave! Fly away quickly before they realise who you are!"

My anger at what these half breeds were doing overrode my senses.

"I will not hide!"

"You can not hope to take on all of them alone!"

I circled as I scanned the area suddenly so sure of what I was doing it was as natural as breathing.

"I am never alone."

I dove down aiming for the centre of the half breeds. Before hitting the ground I shifted into my wolf form.

The wolves closest to me were so surprised they didn't even see my first attacks coming. I snapped the neck of the first while the one next to him got a claw to the eyes. My wind took out three more, from the corner of my eyes I saw Keyon and the others follow my lead as they started attacking.

They formed a circle around Loki as I made my way to them.

"This is insane there's too many of them."

I heard Loki yell through the mind link.

"Then let us even the odds."

I howled into the air sending out a deafening sound that I knew was heard by everything surrounding the cave. 

I howled again as the wind began to pick up and the ground began to shake. All wolves stopped as their nervousness showing not knowing what was coming. 

I howled again as those that heard my call leapt over the rise. Polar bears, wolves and birds alike joined the fray. Their life energy answered my call as they helped in our fight against Shiya's pack. 

Those of my own pack looked on in awe of what was happening as I howled and joined in with the force that was nature. Every animal within a hundred miles had come to our aid. I leap into the battle once again to fight along side those that I called family. 

I heard Keyon and the others do the same as the enemy was taken down one by one.

"Enough!"

Everyone froze as we turned towards the mouth of the cave. Shiya, ki, the real Quell a thin but strong male with tattoos down his cheek and mean piercing eyes. Shiya had somehow brought Luna to this plane of existence and held a knife to her throat.

The beasts and birds that had come to our aid growled and screeched at the trio before us. 

"Shiya!"

Her eyes snapped to mine.

"Call off your beast now or the moon goddess dies."

"Kill her and you have no leverage."

"She will still be dead."

I growled.

"What do you want with her?!"

Shiya sneered at me.

"That is of no concern to you now call off your beasts or I kill your goddess."

"Do not Raven Let her kill me the pack is always more important."

I growled again eyeing Shiya and the others my eyes lingering on Ki.

"Why do you follow her Ki you can not think this right?"

He smiled sadly.

"I have my reasons Rave."

"She is your goddess! She created us, whatever you have planned for her it's not worth all this."

He scowled. 

"Enough Rave I don't want to have to hurt her."

I looked to the others they growled showing their support no matter my choice.

My hesitation cause Quell to grab Lunas arm twisting til the bone snapped. Luna screamed in pain as I stepped forward snarling.

"There are fates far worse then death call off your beast before I break the other one."

I growled before lifting my head and howled releasing the force of nature as the beast and birds alike disappeared from whence they came.

I stared at them we had already done enough damage to her pack so that they could not hope to win against even just the six of us but we could not risk a fight for risk of hurting Luna.

"Good now if you will we will be on our way."

I growled as I watched them go.

"I will come for her."

Shiya laughed.

"I'm sure you will, but by then we will have gotten what we want and you can have her back."

As they started away Luna turned to me her eyes locking with mine as her vice sounded in my head.

"they want my power Raven but their efforts are futile. They will not kill me live today to fight tomorrow. Your destiny to unite the packs must come to fruition."

With those words they disappeared over the rise. Keyon padded forwards.

"Should we go after them?"

I sighed through the mind link.

"No they won't kill her we wait for the others."

"Then what Raven? What would they possibly want with the goddess."

I looked around at the numerous dead wolves scattered their blood staining the snow beneath us.

"Her power."

On instinct a padded to the closest still form slowly I touched my nose to their forehead. Instantly the body evaporated into the wind to return to nature. I continued till all who had fallen were returned in the same way.

As if coming out of a daze I faced the others who stared at me unmoving.

"What did you just do?"

I looked around me not quite sure myself. 

"I... I just returned them to nature."

Keyon exchanges looks with the others as I changed the subject.

"Come on we will wait for the others at the ravine."

I started to turn around as the others followed silently. Loki on the back of Keyon. 

What was happing to me? First the call of nature now this? What does it all mean? What was I becoming? Their efforts are futile. That's what she said. What did it mean? All these questions raced through my mind as we made our way towards home. 

Could it be possible that somehow Luna had transferred her power to me? If so for what reason? To unite the packs sure but why give me her power to do that? Maybe to keep it safe? She obviously knew Shiya was coming maybe she entrusted her power to me and sent me away to keep it safe. It would explain why she was so insistent I let her go. 

I shook my head ridding my fur of the snow that had started falling. 

"Raven?"

I looked sideways at Keyon.

"Yes?"

"When the rest of the pack gets here what's the plan?"

I paused there was only one thing we could do.

"We get our goddess back."

I peered into his eyes.

"The forest lakes pack is going to New York. It's time we come out of hiding and together we will return all the packs back to nature where they belong."

I surged forward the others following my lead as we returned to our home for what might the last time in a long while. 

I didn't know if the vision of our future was still to come or if we had found ourselves thrown down an entirely different path. All I knew was that we had to get Luna back even if she had somehow passed her power to me she was still our goddess. I would keep her power safe so that I may return it to it's rightful owner.

I have made it my mission to unite the packs and take down those who stand in my way including my own sister. She will pay for disrespecting our goddess and if that means taking her life then so be it. Watch out New York wild wolves are coming and the force of nature shows no bounds.