Picture above by the wonderful StarWolfLegacy

A resonating howl slid into the atmosphere. Rascal weakly lifted his head, shaking violently with the effort.

Wolves; Stone Hollow and Flame Woods crashed through the walls and jumped down from trees, tackling the nearest Red Fang wolf. The camp burst into chaos. Surprised yelps and terrified shrieks came with the invading wolves.

Mystique's head snapped up. For once, terror shone in her mismatched eyes.

Rascal used the distraction to frantically drag himself away from the enemy alpha. His aching claws carried his weight. He slid into a shadow next to a den. The anxiety pulsing in his veins kept him awake. He lurched against the den when an angry wolf bounded by. He shivered, curling into himself with a wince as his torn pads throbbed furiously.

He was starving, suffering, and most of all, his energy was depleted. He hasn't eaten or slept much in the time he's been here. His stomach was so hungry, it hurt when it rumbled.

Commotion caught his eye. Rascal's breath came out shaky and relieved. A strong, white she-wolf was grappling with Phantom. The two rolled over, both fighting for the advantage on top. Phantom pushed Misty into the dirt. Misty snarled, rage in every breath she spat. Despite the mud in her fur, or how ruthless she seemed, Rascal thought she was the light breaking through a dark, cloudy day.

Misty took one of Phantom's paws in her jaws and twisted it at an awkward angle. The black she-wolf cursed and tried to back away. Misty used the force to throw Phantom into a tree. Misty stood up and shook her fur out, looking ready to take on her next opponent.

"Misty," Rascal's voice was dry, the tone as quiet as a whisper. "I'm...here."

She didn't hear him. With a grunt, she flung herself on another wolf out of Rascal's vision.

"Misty!" He tried again. This time, it came out as a breath, like he had run for miles.

"She won't hear you."

Hawkeye's yellow eyes glinted at Rascal maliciously. He looked strong and fit compared to Rascal's pitiful state. The thirst for blood was heavy in the brown wolf's appearance.

Rascal grunted. He dragged himself as fast as he could, but the strength in his body was gone, reduced to nothing. Hawkeye's shadow fell over Rascal, canceling out the hopeful light of the moon.

Hawkeye rested his claws on Rascal's spine, where a patch of bare flesh was visible to the eye. He poked Rascal painfully a few times to provoke him. Rascal hissed when Hawkeye drew blood. A precise, deep hole reaching into his spine.

Rascal buried his eyes under his forepaws, preparing to meet his demise. A surprised gasp caused Rascal's ears to swivel around. He looked over his shoulder...

Tyrant had Hawkeye pinned under his body weight, using his paws to clasp down on the brown wolf's shoulders. Hawkeye's face was bloody, and Tyrant's muzzle was stained scarlet.

Rascal's eyes widened. He couldn't move, too transfixed on his grandfather's loyalty to make an escape.

Swiftly, Tyrant heaved Hawkeye up and into stone. Hawkeye's head cracked like a branch. He dropped dead instantly.

Tyrant approached Rascal, breathless and concerned. "You need to get out of here."

With Tyrant's help, Rascal stood, his infected pads screaming in protest. He wobbled but steadied himself enough to stare into Tyrant's eyes.

"Be quick to get out of here too." He whispered. "We need to get our home back."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Tyrant nudged Rascal along before facing another wolf.

The muscles in his body told him, no, but Rascal's mind was saying yes. He stayed low, dodging stray blows or the eyes of his enemy.

There it was!

The entrance of escape, the way out of here, the path to freedom.

With each step, he could feel his heart leap higher and higher. Hope soared in his chest. The light at the end of the tunnel was so close...

Yet so far away...

A quick motion sent Rascal tumbling head over heels into a tree root. He groaned and shook his head. He gasped when his vision cleared to reveal Mystique standing proud and tall, her long tail lifted with excitement.

Fear replaced his hope. Dread dropped to the pit of his stomach. But he ignored the feeling and forced himself to stand and face the she-wolf with what courage he had left.

"Oh my, " She dramatically placed a paw on her chest. "I thought you almost got away."

Rascal growled, but it was weak and raspy.

Mystique tilted her head, an ugly smirk crawled up her lips. "Although, this should be fun."

She lunged. Rascal brought up his paws to shield himself, but she knocked him back with such force, it sent him sprawling on his back.

Rascal rolled over. He tried to get up, but Mystique shoved him down and kicked him in the stomach. He coughed, acid spewing from his lips with every heave.

In a motion too fast to block, Mystique sliced a long, deep gash in Rascal's stomach. Instantly, pained lit like a flame dancing in his wounds. He howled and gritted his teeth, feeling dizzy. Blood gushed up his throat and spilled over his lips, the metallic taste sending alarm springing up in mind. The smell burned his nose, and tears built up in his eyes at the stench.

Mystique stood over him with a sinister smile. She reached a paw over her head, ready to bring it down on Rascal's throat...

But a pair of bloody white paws blocked the shot.

~~~

"You've gotta be quicker than that." Misty taunted dryly.

Mystique's face flashed from surprise to confusion, to anger. Her mismatched eyes glinted toward Misty with a glare.

Misty leaped over her mate and tackled Mystique. The two tumbled over each other, sending scrappy strikes at the other's face. Misty latched on to Mystique's sleek frame, fangs and claws digging into the soft flesh. Mystique brought her hind legs to Misty's stomach and pried her away.

Misty shook her fur out, realizing a fresh wound on her cheek. She charged. Mystique evenly bounding toward Misty. Misty skidded, and slid, bringing her back paws forward, swiping the alpha's legs out from underneath her. Mystique flew high over her opponent and landed with a wince.

Panting, Misty sprinted over to Rascal. She held back her shocked cry. Rascal's body was bloody, stained, and torn. She looked at his pads, alarmed to see them raw and infected. Scarlet rivers dripped from his mouth to the ground. He looked up at her, anguish glittering in his emerald eyes.

"Rascal..."

"Misty..." He reached up and nuzzled her face.

Misty was jerked back and whirled around protectively. Mystique faced her, five other wolves lined up at her sides. Bruno, Obsidian, Phantom, Raine, Dash, and Digger; all looking ready to tear out her insides.

Misty backed up until she could feel Rascal's nose on the tip of her tail. She wasn't about to leave his side, not for a heartbeat.

Mystique muttered something to the younger wolves; Raine, Dash, and Digger. The three nodded discreetly and split up. Bruno, Obsidian, and Phantom all charged Misty. She braced herself for the impact.

Phantom reached her first, and Misty pushed the she-wolf back into Bruno. The two crashed into each other. Obsidian aimed a blow to Misty's face. She avoided it by sweeping under his leg and using her shoulder to throw him off balance. He tripped over his own to feet and landed on his butt.

Clumsy rock...  She thought.

A yip from behind made her turn around. The three younger wolves had grabbed Rascal and began dragging him toward the exit.

Misty jumped into action, flinging herself on top of all three young wolves. She managed to push Rascal away from all of the commotion.

Bruno, followed by Phantom and Obsidian all leaped on Misty. She couldn't fend off the multiple claws and teeth that latched on her flesh.

Thankfully, five familiar figures broke in and shoved the enemies off of Misty. Boulder, Stone, and Isaac surrounded Obsidian while Ella and Skylark took on Bruno and Phantom.

Misty winced and limped to Rascal's side. He coughed, his entire body convulsing. Misty stood beside him, resting her forehead against his.

Silence suddenly had Misty turning her head. Skylark and Tyrant stood in the center of the circle, glaring down at Mystique and what was left of her Pack.

"This war is over." Tyrant spat. "You have lost, Mystique."

"You and your Pack will leave. Now." Skylark snarled.

"Wait!"

All heads turned to the voice. A small white she-wolf looked urgent. With a blue roan male agreeing at her side.

Skylark narrowed his eyes. "What?"

The small wolf marched through the crowd of blood-stained wolves, her male companion at her side.

They stopped at the center. A drawn-out quiet prolonged the tension.

"Not all of us want to leave." The she-wolf lifted her chin.

"Some of us aren't hungry for blood." Her partner protested.

Tyrant exchanged a glance with Skylark. "Then which ones are?"

"Them." She pointed to Mystique's small group crowded around her; Bruno, Phantom, Obsidian, Raine, Dash, Digger, Chase, and Willow.

"How do we know you aren't as cruel as them?" Skylark challenged her.

"Because, Astro and I, Luna, are the healers of this Pack. We know who's heart is gold and who's is full of rage." Luna glanced at Astro anxiously.

"She's right. Please, believe us. We want to live here, peacefully." Astro pleaded.

Tyrant and Skylark shared an uneasy glance.

"Excuse me? If I may..." Blossom interrupted, Moondancer following her.

"Blossom, we know what these wolves are capable of—" Tyrant started.

"I know, " Blossom interjected gently. "But I believe they are telling the truth." She glanced at Luna, who looked grateful. "I know we can trust them, the ones that genuinely look sorry. Give them a chance, and drive away the others."

Tyrant looked thoughtful. He met the eyes of his Packmates around him. Each of them nodded surely at him, encouraging him to say yes to Blossom's idea.

After a final nod of approval from Skylark, Tyrant met Luna's gaze. "You may stay."

Yips and howls of excitement bubbled up from the wolves. Pups bounced high in the air while the older wolves smiled at one another in relief.

"As for you," Tyrant whirled on Mystique and her followers. "If any wolf sees you on any of our territories tomorrow at dawn, they have permission to kill you on site. Leave, while you still can."

Defeated, at last, Mystique gathered what was left of the wolves on her side, and walked to the exit, head down and ashamed. Growls and snarls follow them, and a cry of joy lifts up as soon as the last tail is out of sight.

The Packs rejoiced, rearing and jumping, howling and crying. Skylark embraced Ella, licking her ears lovingly. Isaac raised his face to the sky and closed his eyes. Thunder and Melody laughed, relieved tears sparkling in their eyes.

It was like a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Finally, after a long, needless, bloody era, things seemed to be settling down at last.

Misty bent down to Rascal's eye level. His eyes were sparkling happily. At that moment, he let out a relieved breath.

Misty smiled. She pressed her face into his fur, shaking with delight.

"It's over." She murmured. "After all this time..."

"Life will be full of peace." Rascal's voice was scratchy but hopeful. "I look forward to it."

A rock of dread dropped in her stomach once she took in the appearance of Rascal. The wound in his belly was severely bleeding, a huge, yawning gap. Misty's throat closed up, and a breath left her lips; a shaky one.

She sat at his side, softly caressing the fur behind his ears.

"Rascal."

The gentle tone in her voice caused him to open his eyes. He looked at her, weakness burning in his green depths.

He smiled, a trickle of blood trailing down his lips. "Hi."

She talked to him, forcing her tone to remain even. "They're gone. Tyrant and Skylark banished what was left of Red Fang." Misty leaned down enough so he could rest his chin on her head.

"Good." He pulled away, his voice sounding like brittle leaves in the wind. "I'm excited to go home and tell the pups we did it."

Misty nodded, her heart feeling heavy. "Me too." Her voice was breaking, but she managed to smile through it, through the tears threatening to spill. She took one of his raw paws in hers. "Life is better when you're here beside me." Misty lay down in front of him, her forehead touching his.

At that, Rascal chuckled, a smile reaching his eyes.