Hello peeps! I just decided to write this Scratch series called the Wolves of Obsidian and this is the next chapter. Enjoy! Cover by @squirrelflight1010!. CHAPTER 34 Obsidian paced from one side of her cave to the other, neck fur bristling with anticipation and fear. It was a day after her horrible dream - no, vision - about Shadowfang and she'd been having even more vivid and terrifying dreams, some times in the day she'd even collapsed when the visions came more strongly than ever - and then she'd wake up lying in her cave with Lynx the healer wolf sitting cross-pawed next to her, his brow wrinkled with anxiety. All of the visions involved of Shadowfang being crushed and her being crushed by an awful, thundering rockfall in which Shadowfang would weakly tell her she had to kill Ember or all was lost. "I can't do it," she whined aloud, in torture as she paused again, turning around and pacing. "I can't kill Ember! I know he's out there but... I just can't." "Alpha, you can, I believe in you," Beta's soft, kind, worried voice murmured in her ear and she swung on him, touched but irritated. "How?" she barked viciously. "In all visions I've had of battling Ember, I've been killed or forced into full submission!" "I know because I myself have had dreams," Pheasant growled seriously, blocking her way for a second and pushing her into a forced sitting position by one firm paw. "And you've won. I trust in you! With DarkPacks' help we will win this! We have to..." The last statement was just a murmur, but Obsidian's sharp ears picked it up and it gave her a funny, throbbing feeling in her head. Without a word in reply, she wheeled around and stalked out of her den. The clicking of claws on stone alerted her that Pheasant had exited her den and was moving away and she gave a deep sigh. "Oh, Beta, it's not your fault," she whimpered miserably to the cold, dark shadows. "I just don't know what to do. So many wolves are dying under my leadership, am I really a good leader?" The shadows stayed as dark as ever and Obsidian sighed, turning her back on them. As she sat down, another wolf approached her. Beta? she wondered. What can he want now? "Beta I said-" she started, her tail rising in annoyance. "No, Alpha, it's not Beta. It's me, Swiftflight." Obsidian's posture relaxed and she smoothed her hackles down. "Swiftflight," she barked calmly. "How is that paw of yours doing?" The pale tan she-wolf had ripped a claw off in the last hunt after she'd tripped over a rabbit burrow. "Lynx says it's healing well," Swiftflight barked brightly, flexing her pads as if in demonstration. "It does hurt though," she added, shooting her paw a baleful look. Obsidian gave another sigh and Swiftflight shot her a sideways look. "Is there anything wrong, Alpha?" she yipped, sounding concerned. "No but-" Obsidian broke off, her eyes widening. "What was that?" she hissed. Was that...? she wondered fearfully. I thought I saw- but, no, how could that- Her sharp, hawk-like eyes had not deceived her, she was sure. She'd seen a flash of red skin, furless and sinister, a glimpse of cold, red eyes, like hot coals, a glance of huge fangs, dripping with saliva and something red.... Blood? Obsidian thought, her heart pulsing and her paws trembling. Beside her, Swiftflight had stiffened and licked her lips nervously. Now she turned to Obsidian, eyes wide. "Was that....?" she barked, sounding choked. "Ember," Obsidian growled grimly. It felt like a statement and the mention of it sent eddying rippled of uncontrollable fear zigzagging down her spine. "He's got out of the cliff. Somehow. And he's on our territory." Swiftflight's ears flattened and the cream-and-tan she-wolf backed away, only to bump into Beta who had emerged from his cave just then. Obsidian turned around, feeling as stiff as an icy statue. Pheasant didn't move away when Swiftflight buried her face into his thick, shaggy pelt and was now consoling her, licking at her face and ears. Obsidian didn't notice when he said, "Don't worry, Swiftflight, I promise our pups will grow up together, safe. I promise I'll protect them - and you with my life. I swear by the great heart and soul of Lupus himself." All she could think of was the red liquid dripping from the savage, heavy jaws and the flash of raw, painful skin. Ember is coming... he's coming... And he has no mercy on his list today...
Chapter 35: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/508736007/
