Reed. Celeste. The pups!

No longer thinking of anything else, Sophia plunged into the water and struck out for the island, paddling as hard as her weary, aching legs could go. She sank down into the water, losing sight of the wolf as waves splashed over her face. She shook water droplets from her eyes, growling in frustration. Why did wind have to be stirring the surface of the lake?

Howls of anger and distress reached her ears and she swam harder, praying that she would reach the island in time...

Finally she reached the island and clambered ashore. Her heart lurched as she saw what had already happened. Reed's limp body lay prone on the sand and pebbles, the long black fur on his neck matted with blood. A giant gray wolf had Celeste cornered against a tree, her pups huddled behind her, their eyes wide with terror. Sophia snarled and rushed towards them.

The wolf whirled around and Sophia stopped short. The same long, deadly fangs, the same wild golden eyes... It was the exact same wolf she had seen in her second dream.

A sneer spread across the wolf's muzzle. "Small, weak dog-pup," he laughed cruelly. "You think you can win?"

A realization dawned on Sophia. No, this wasn't a dream--but that meant she could control it. With a furious snarl, she slammed into the huge wolf's chest, making him stagger with a surprised expression. She sank her teeth into his cheek, tearing them out again with a sickening rip. He roared in pain and grabbed her throat, slinging her aside.

Sophia hit the ground with a thud, the wind knocked from her lungs. The wolf advanced on her but Celeste suddenly charged, knocking into the wolf with the full force of her body. He was forced into the waves lapping at the shore, and Sophia saw her chance.

The wolf clearly knew how to swim, but that didn't mean he had water training. If she could draw him out far enough... Sophia scrambled to her paws and leaped onto the wolf, shoving him down into the water. He snarled and thrashed madly, but she slammed her paws down on his shoulders, shoving his head into the water.

She had no idea how she was holding him down when he was twice her size, but she somehow held her grip despite how he struggled beneath her. Her muscles bulged as she dug her claws deeper and deeper into his shoulders, her teeth gritted together so tight that her jaw hurt.

And then, slowly, so slowly, he grew weaker and weaker until, with a final jerk, he went limp. Sophia stepped off him, her paws numb from holding on for so long. There were marks on his shoulder where she had dug in so deep. Her claws were tipped with blood.

Her stomach churned. I don't think I can kill anyone, she remembered telling Bronze. But Bronze had been right: she'd had no other choice.

Celeste gently nosed her shoulder. "Thank you," she murmured, casting a glance back at her pups, who were still huddled together in fear.

Sophia could only stare back at her. What was she supposed to say? That she had been glad to do it? By no means. She flinched as she suddenly remembered Seneca. How was she supposed to tell Celeste that her mate was dead?

The chocolate Labrador turned away and gazed out at the battlefield across the lake. "How bad is it out there?" she asked, though her eyes showed that she was afraid of the answer.

"Terrible," Sophia said hoarsely. Before she could stop herself, she blurted it out. "Seneca." Celeste's head snapped around as she said her mate's name. "He's... he's dead."

Celeste took a step back, grief and shock flashing in her eyes. Her shoulders sagged. "We're going to lose, aren't we?" she said, her voice wavering. "There isn't any hope left..."

Tears began to roll down Sophia's face. She closed her eyes. "Go," she whispered. "Take your pups and go into the mountains. Keep them safe..."

Celeste bowed her head, tears glistening in her own eyes. She turned and walked back over to her pups, whispering soft words of comfort in response to their fearful, bewildered questions.

"What's going on, Mama? Where's Papa? What's going on?"

Celeste shushed them and began herding them towards the lake. They were old enough to swim and would make it if they rested on the smaller islands between them and the shore.

Sophia felt a small part of her heart break off as they began to paddle off, the roar of the battle still in the distance. Kind, gentle Celeste and little Hurricane and Snowfoot. She might never see them again.

~

Sophia dragged Reed's body into the shelter of the trees, settling him under some ferns and licking fur over his wound. She would give him a proper burial later... if she was able to.

She would have liked to just stay on the island and not go back to the horror of the battle, but she knew she couldn't abandon her pack like that. Her head low and her spirits lower, she swam back to the meadow.

The battle had been going on for hours, but it only seemed to have sharpened in its ferocity. She saw Ranger, the Wind Pack alpha, viciously ripping at a red wolf and winced. Two wolves had tackled an unsuspecting Night Pack dog, practically driving him into the ground.

As she looked around desperately for one of her own packmates, Sophia suddenly tripped over something. Looking down, she gasped as she saw one of Earth Pack's terriers, it's eyes glassy in death. As she looked around, she realized that there were more of the small dogs fighting. Earth Pack had joined the battle!

Her potential optimism was immediately dampened by the fact that most of the Earth Pack dogs were lying limp on the ground. Only a few were actually fighting, and they had to be in groups in order to do any damage.

Sophia felt weak with exhaustion and despair. Dead and injured dogs and wolves were all around her. She saw more of her packmates among them: Dallas, Jett, Aurora, Jarvis... Jarvis!

A choking cry in her throat, Sophia half-ran, half-stumbled to the limp orange-and-white body. He lay on his stomach, one paw stretched out and his head resting on his leg. A tiny stream of blood leaked from his mouth, and his breath came in short, ragged gasps.

"Jarvis," she whined softly, nuzzling his neck. "Jarvis!

Jarvis' eyes slowly opened halfway. They were dull with pain, but a light of recognition entered his eyes as he saw her. "Sophia..." he whispered, smiling slightly. His eyes fell shut again and after a few more struggling breaths, his flank stilled.

Sophia felt a tight pain in her chest, like her heart was being squeezed, trying to suffocate her. She buried her nose in Jarvis' thick neck fur, tears flowing from her eyes as grief and anger raged through her. Why would Siglitun warn her of destruction and terror if it couldn't be stopped? What was the point of the warning?

Sobs shaking her body, Sophia pressed her head harder against Jarvis. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter now. Her brother was dead.

~

Sophia didn't know how long she laid there, whether it was seconds or hours. All that she knew that was when she was aware of her surroundings again, a wolf was racing across the battlefield, howling at the top of his lungs, "Retreat! Our chieftain has fallen!"

Jarvis' body was cold. Sophia shakily stood up, somewhat bewildered as she looked around her. The wolves had abandoned any dog they were fighting and were fleeing across the meadow in a streak of gray and brown. Their chieftain... that must mean Songan. She felt slightly surprised to think that the powerful silver male could have been defeated, but a wave of relief still washed over her.

Streak, the beta of Frost Pack, let out a loud howl to call everyone's attention to him. "Martin has killed Songan in single combat," he barked. "The wolf is dead. The packs have won!"

Despite the fact that the proclamation should have been joyous, the husky's voice was dull and flat. Sophia could understand. The packs would get to keep their lands, but at what cost? So, so many were dead... How could they hope to rebuild?

The wolves may have fled, but the packs did not win.