"Go!"

Sophia leaped for Tarragon a second too late, landing face-first in the dirt. Tarragon quickly took advantage of this and pinned her to the ground, gently grasping her scruff in his jaws.

"Very good, Tarragon," Sinbad barked, nodding in approval. "Sophia, you need to be quicker. Don't look where you're going to jump--it lets your opponent know where you're going to aim and they can dodge it."

Sophia lowered her head, feeling discouraged. "Yes, sir," she mumbled. They had been training for only two days since the Hunter's Moon, but she already felt exhausted and clumsy. She was very glad she hadn't chosen to be a defender. Performing the same techniques over and over until you mastered them, sparring with other dogs until you were battered and sore. How did they stand it?

And adding to her anxiety was wondering when they would receive news about Minerva's journey. She hadn't had any dreams--praise the Hunter Dog--but the memory of them was enough to spook her.

With a sigh, Sophia turned her attention back to Sinbad. "Let's go over our water tactics again. And dry not to drown me this time," he barked, smiling wryly.

Sophia was able to force a polite laugh and followed Tarragon to the water. He shot her a worried glance and she pretended not to notice.

"I want you to really try and use your water skills to your advantage," Sinbad said. "If you can outsmart your enemy"--Sophia noticed how he carefully avoided using the word 'wolf'--"with your proficiency in the water, you're nearly guaranteed a victory. Now, go to it."

Sophia and Tarragon nodded and waded into the waves lapping at the island's shore. Tarragon crouched and his eyes flicked to her legs for a moment, inadvertently signaling her and she dodged out of the way before he could knock her over. Sophia lunged at him, grabbing for his scruff, but her paws slipped on the wet sand and she fell. Tarragon took advantage of this and dove on her, pushing her underwater and pulling her up again a second later.

It was a common tactic--practically the first one they had been taught. But as Sophia was submerged under the water for the short, short period of time, her very first nightmare of the lake turning to blood rushed back to her mind. Without thinking she went limp; surrendering before she was supposed to.

"What are you doing?" Tarragon hissed in her ear, snapping her back to reality. She flinched and scrambled to her feet, guiltily unable to meet Sinbad's eyes.

Sinbad let out a heavily restrained sigh. "Sophia," he began, clearly struggling to stay patient, "you have to concentrate--"

He was cut off by a frenzy of barks from the main island. Tarragon's ears pricked up. "What's happening?" he asked.

Sinbad's eyes lit up. "Maybe there's news!"

Without waiting for the two trainees he plunged into the water and began paddling furiously towards the island. Sophia and Tarragon immediately followed after him, Sophia's heart racing.

The dogs had been hailing Aurora, who seemed to be eagerly relaying information to Cassidy and Dallas. Everyone was still barking with excitement and nervousness, but a sharp, loud bark from Dallas and a stern glare from Cassidy quickly silenced them.

"Minerva returned this morning," Cassidy said. "The wolves have accepted our challenge. We will fight when the moon is three-quarters full."

The world rocked beneath Sophia's paws. Her dreams were slowly inching closer and closer to becoming true.

~

Sophia didn't dare to sleep that night, afraid that another dream might come to haunt her. She laid with her head on her paws, glancing around at her packmates and wondering how many of them were actually asleep. Bronze's lean, strong form was outlined in the moonlight as he sat on guard, staring out towards Wind Pack's meadow. Suddenly feeling a need to be near her brother, Sophia rose and padded cautiously forward.

Bronze whipped around as he heard the pebbles crunch, but relaxed when he saw it was her. "Oh, it's you, Sophia," he woofed softly, so as not to disturb the rest of the pack. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I'm not tired," Sophia lied. She was exhausted from training. But she'd rather be exhausted than terrified.

Bronze raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her, but he didn't say anything. He sighed and turned back towards the lake. "It's so surreal, you know?" he murmured. "Just a few months ago, everything was normal. The most exciting things that happened were just the average gossip at Hunter's Moons, and now..." He shook his head. "I don't even know what to think."

"I know what you mean," Sophia whispered with a flash of guilt. If she had never had those dreams...

Don't be silly, she growled at herself. The wolves would have come whether you had dreams or not. It's not like you made them come here.

But even if she wasn't responsible, Sophia couldn't stop being scared.

"Bronze," she said, her voice wavering slightly, "what's going to happen? How... how can we fight all those wolves? There were so many of them..."

Bronze gently nuzzled her cheek, shushing her. "Don't worry," he whispered soothingly. "Jarvis and I won't let anything happen to you. As long as I have breath in my body, you will be safe."

Sophia leaned against him, her heart warming with love for her big brothers. She almost felt like a tiny pup again, in the foggy, distant memory of the day her parents died, when they told her everything will be all right.

Everything will be all right.

~

Nobody remembered the week afterward. It was merely a flurry of training and battle plans, though everyone knew that no amount of planning could truly prepare you for this. Sophia seemed to remember that she had dreamed, but these were fuzzy snippets that she couldn't recall after waking up.

Finally, after a time that seemed too short and too long all at once, Cassidy woke everyone up just before dawn. The entire pack gathered, somber-faced, before their leader.

"We don't know what's going to happen today," Cassidy began. "We don't know if this day is going to end in triumph or defeat. And because of that, I feel it is necessary to do this. Tarragon, Sophia, step forward."

Exchanging surprised glances, the two trainees did so.

"Although we were never able to finish your formal assessment, I feel that you are ready for this," Cassidy barked. "I wish to welcome you as full hunters of Lake Pack."

Sophia's eyes widened in shock. After all that had been going on, her assessment had completely slipped her mind. But now, after months and months of training, she was finally going to be a full hunter!

"You have spent the past ten months training to be the best you can be, that you may serve your pack with your whole being," Cassidy continued. "You have worked hard to feed your packmates, and now we welcome you as fully realized supporters of this pack. Rowan?"

The preceptor stepped forward and touched her nose to both Tarragon and Sophia in turn. Sophia couldn't help but cringe a little bit as their eyes met; she could tell Rowan still resented her. "Serve your pack well, with honor, dignity, and sacrifice," she intoned. "May Siglitun bless you."

Howls and barks of congratulations sounded from their packmates as they crowded around Sophia and Tarragon, calling their names in excitement. Bronze told her how proud he was, but Jarvis nearly tackled her in his exuberance. She returned their praise with affectionate licks and nuzzles.

Cassidy finally called everyone back to order. "I did this today to show that, no matter what happens, we are still a pack," she barked, her voice rising higher and louder. "Remember that, and fight well."

Before anyone could respond, the eerie, spine-chilling howl of the wolves rose in the distance. Sophia shivered in fear, her previous joy and excitement completely drained.

Dallas looked at Cassidy, his eyes dark. "I think that means it's time to go."

~

Lake Pack climbed ashore on Wind Pack's meadow, their faces solemn and set with determination. The only dogs who remained behind were Celeste, her pups, and Reed. Everyone else was here to fight.

A dark stream of dogs pouring from the forest signified either Night Pack or Storm Pack arriving. Wind Pack already stood clustered together near a small rocky outcropping. Lake Pack joined them and the packs exchanged polite greetings.

It wasn't long before Night Pack and Storm Pack arrived, almost together. Just a little while later, Frost Pack also showed.

"Earth Pack doesn't seem to be coming," Ranger growled. A few more growls of resentment echoed through the crowd, but Sophia couldn't really blame Earth Pack for staying behind. This didn't affect them in the same way--they could stay in their tunnels and never be bothered. But still...

She was no longer able to think as the wolves appeared, almost like a monster rising from the horizon itself. There were so many of them... so much more than she could count. A shimmering wave, all perfectly in step, staring ahead as though they had no thoughts or feelings. Her heart dropped into her paws. How could they possibly fight this?

Songan strode forward until he was within speaking distance, his pack coming to a halt behind him. "This is your last chance, dog-chieftains," he called out, his song-like voice echoing. "Leave or die."

The five alphas stepped forward, shoulder-to-shoulder. "If leaving means you desecrate the lands of our forefathers, then I choose death," Gannon spat.

Songan bowed his head in acceptance. "As you wish."

Turning to face his pack, he raised his head and let out a long, loud sound--not quite a howl, not quite a roar--that anyone, be they dog or wolf or any species, could understand.

"ATTACK!"

And the battle began.

Oh yeah. Mmhm. It just got real.

Er, yeah, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It actually didn't take me an entire month to finish--are you proud of me? :D Heh, anyway, I feel like I've kind of been speeding through this story, but it's about to get super intense so buckle up! The real story hasn't even started yet. ;D