"Well, Cordan? What do you say?"

Every dog turned to look at Cordan, who in response to the question from Gannon, Night Pack's alpha, looked deeply troubled. Laurel was still somewhat in awe of all that had happened since they had arrived in Frost Pack territory for the Hunter's Moon. To say nothing of how it had been to see a mountain for the first time, Wind Pack had come bearing news of their alpha's death, and no sooner had they elected their new alpha when Gannon suddenly proposed that the packs meet the wolves in a head-on battle. One by one, each of the other alphas had agreed to his proposition. Now only Cordan was left.

He opened his mouth and then closed it. "I... I cannot decide now," he murmured. He turned to look back at his packmates behind him, briefly locking eyes with Laurel last. He gazed at her with an emotion she didn't fully understand, and then turned back towards the other packs, shaking his head. "Come, Earth Pack. We're going home."

Laurel saw some of her packmates hesitating, but they all obediently followed after their alpha. She began to do so as well when some dog in the crowd suddenly growled, "Cowards!"

Laurel bristled. She saw Theran freeze and look like he was about to turn around, but a warning glare from Serena made him keep walking. No one said anything more until they were much farther down the mountain, and no longer within earshot of the other packs.

"That's all we're going to do?" Theran growled. "We're just going to let them say that?"

"What would you have me do?" Cordan demanded, whipping around to face the Schnauzer. "You know this is different for us. We can't just march into battle along with everyone else."

"But you heard what they said," Spark said, coming to stand beside Theran. "Maybe we can't march into battle with them, but we can't let them label us cowards either."

"We don't know what will happen yet," Serena said. "Cordan just said he hadn't decided yet. We need to carefully consider this."

"Yes, thank you, Serena," Cordan said with a grateful nod at his beta. "And we will consider it. But for now, let's just get back home."

There was no more talk for the rest of the long walk home, even though Laurel wanted to say something. She found herself leaning more towards agreeing with Spark and Theran; she hated the idea of all those dogs, especially those smug Storm-dogs, calling them cowards. But she knew exactly what Cordan was thinking, and she guessed if she said anything to him now, he would simply give her his stern "we're-not-going-to-talk-about-this-now" look and she wouldn't get anything out of him.

Over the next few weeks there were no longer the sounds of battles going on overhead. Most dogs were trying to pretend that everything was normal, but Laurel knew that nobody actually believed that. She had this feeling like all these thoughts and feelings were simmering beneath the surface and were about to boil over at any moment.

That moment came when one morning Digory came running into the main cave, panting heavily. "What's going on?" Serena asked. "Aren't you supposed to be on patrol?"

Digory nodded, still catching his breath. "It's the packs," he finally said. "They're gathering on the meadow. I think today is the day."

Everyone fell silent. Cordan closed his eyes. Laurel felt her heart rate increase. What would this mean? What was going to happen?

"I believe, then," Cordan said slowly, his voice shaking slightly, "that for everyone's safety we should all remain here in the cave. There could be more cave-ins and this is the most fortified area. We'll... we'll have to wait to eat."

"And that's all?" Flandor asked. "We're just going to sit here and wait?"

Cordan lowered his head. "Yes."

~

So they did. They all sat and waited for what felt like a painfully long period. Naaman tried a few times to lead a prayer, but barely anyone joined in. They all felt when the battle started, when the ground started shaking and the sounds of fury came to their ears. And still they continued to wait.

Finally, Spark stood up. The brown-and-white terrier's face was grave and her eyes were hard. "Cordan," she said, "I want you to understand that both myself and everyone else loves and respects you as our alpha. But under these circumstances I have to say that I don't agree with your decision."

"You believe we should go and join them," Cordan said. "I know. But don't you understand? We would have no chance! Not all of you have seen the wolves, but those of you who have know what they are. There isn't any way we could fight them."

"But aren't we still obligated to try?" Spark pressed. "This is our land too. We can't just stand by and let it be taken."

"Our land wouldn't be taken," Cordan said quietly. "We would still be safe."

"Safe as what?" Theran broke in. "Cowards, like how they now think of us? Do we really want to spend the rest of our lives hiding? We live underground, Cordan, we don't hide here. But that's what we're doing right now."

"I don't want this either!" Cordan suddenly shouted. Laurel stared at him in surprise. She had rarely ever heard her father raise his voice, unless it was when he was laughing. He paused, seeing everyone's surprised looks and swallowed. "But I am the alpha of this pack. I swore an oath to protect all of you, no matter what. All of you are my brothers and sisters, my children. And I can't... I can't just send you all to your deaths."

"You wouldn't be sending us," Pepper said, her voice gentle. "We would be choosing it, of our own free will."

"Choosing death," Cordan insisted. "I can't let you all throw your lives away."

"We wouldn't be throwing them away," Spark said. "Earth Pack is one of the six packs, founded by the Hunter Dog himself. He called our ancestors here so many years ago so that we could make something better. And for so many years we have been treated like we are less than the other packs, because we're small or because we live differently. Today is our chance to prove them all wrong."

Lycian, Digory, Flandor, and Marjoram all slowly voiced their agreement, soon followed by Lacie, Tollum, and Cinnamon. Cordan's face now held only a profound sadness. "But all of you could die."

"A worthy death," Rangval said, rising to his paws. "A death that would be worth remembering. All of the packs may die today. We are honor-bound to accept that fate with them."

"It's what we've been taught ever since we were pups," Spark said. "Loyalty and fidelity, even unto death."

Cordan sighed and turned to look at Serena. "Do you feel the same way?"

She hesitated for a moment but then slowly nodded. "I do. This is what it means to be Earth Pack, Cordan. No shame, no fear. Facing death with dignity and pride."

More dogs--Mortimer, River, Saxtus, Flash--barked in agreement with Serena. Cordan's gaze slowly passed over each of them, and they all met him with solemn resolve. Finally, he settled on Laurel. "I don't know if I can say goodbye," he whispered.

Laurel came up to him and touched her nose to his. "It doesn't have to be goodbye, Dad," she said. "We might win."

"We have to assume going in that we won't," he said. He pressed his muzzle against Laurel's head, a tear slipping from his eye. He then turned to look at Naaman. "Have... have you seen anything from the Hunter Dog about this?"

"No," Naaman said simply. "But I have a feeling deeper than anything I've ever felt before that this is what he wants."

Cordan bowed his head. "As much as I don't want it... I know all of you are right. And I am not worthy to be alpha of a pack such as this."

"Yes, you are," Verity said. "You put all of us first every day of your life. We could ask nothing more from an alpha."

"Then will it be all of us?" Serena asked. "Everyone is a trainee or older. No one has to stay behind."

"That will be their choice," Cordan said. "And we will think ill of no one, no matter what they decide."

"There's no way any of us are staying behind," Quake said fiercely. "No Earth-dog would."

Laurel looked around to see that every dog nodded in agreement with Quake, including old Lacie and Verity. She felt excitement rising in her chest like she had never felt before. This was going to be the greatest moment of their lives.

"Then we go out," Cordan said, his voice steadily growing stronger. "Out of darkness and doubt, we go past the end of all hope. But this is how Earth Pack will be remembered. Fearless and loyal, even unto death."

He pressed his head against Laurel again for a few moments. "Stay close to me, all right?" he murmured. "I will do everything I can to protect you."

Laurel simply nodded. Cordan once again locked eyes with every Earth-dog, and then threw his head back in a howl, a resounding battle cry. It was taken up by all the others, and now all of one heart and mind, then charged forth from the main cave into the tunnels, the ground shaking around and above them, until they burst forth from earth and into the fray.

That was when the splendor died and the reality hit Laurel like an avalanche.

The roar of battle was now fully upon her, a deafening, horrifying sound full of so much more pain and anger than she had ever imagined. The scent of blood and fear was overwhelming and nauseating. All around, there were dogs and wolves locked in a desperate struggle for their lives, and there were also far more, as it seemed, than had already fallen. They were mangled and bloody, their eyes empty and hollow, and the sight filled her with a horror that she had never felt before.

She had only frozen for a second and already she had completely lost sight of her packmates. She barely managed to scramble to the side to avoid being crushed underneath the body of a dog that had been flung aside. Every dog and wolf in sight towered over her, their bloodstained faces leering like some nightmare image. The sound of her packmates' valorous howls was completely gone, and all she could hear were the sounds of bones breaking and flesh tearing and dogs dying.

Even unto death, they had said. But Laurel had never seen until now what death looked like. And she was overcome with such horror that she turned and she ran.

Back to the tunnels, back to her home, warm and safe and dark. Away from all the sights and sounds and terror of this nightmarish battle. She no longer felt passion and confidence. All she felt was an overwhelming need to survive. So she ran and kept running without looking back, until she was once again safe underground.