Desert had felt immensely relieved when Minerva returned in one piece, but it was soon tempered by cold resolve when she informed the pack that Songan had accepted their challenge and would meet them in battle. The pack had responded as it always would--with a hard determination that showed little emotion, even if it was backed by it. Every Night-dog was willing to die for the pack and territory they loved. Desert felt none of the reservations she had during the war with Wind Pack; this conflict was unavoidable, and if her packmates did die, then at least they could die with dignity.

The three weeks that followed were filled with a solemnity that few dogs dared try to break. They all knew that their deaths could be coming, but they were prepared to fight until their very last breath. It was with that same solemnity that they all gathered beneath the overhang on the morning of the day of battle.

"I've never been one for speeches," Gannon said. "So I won't embarrass myself. All I want to say is that I respect each and every one of you, and it's been an honor to be your alpha. Siglitun willing, I will continue to be, but we'll find that out today. All of us are trainees or older, so I assume none of you want to stay behind?"

Every dog shook their head, even Tansy and Sundae, who were both the oldest dogs in the pack and neither were trained to be fighters. But Desert knew they never would have stayed back for anything. Gannon nodded curtly. "Let's be off, then."

As the pack set on their course towards the meadow, Desert dared to walk beside Minerva. She was staring ahead just as impassively as always, not appearing even slightly uncertain about what they were about to face. Desert had made a tepid attempt to ask her more about her experience with the wolves, but it was just as fruitless as it always was.

"Listen," she murmured. Minerva's ears twitched. "I know you don't want to talk to me and I won't force you. All I want to say is... be safe. All right?"

Minerva still didn't turn to look at her. "I'll fight as hard as anyone else."

She increased her speed, leaving Desert staring after her with an all-too-familiar ache in her heart. This could be the day they both died... and she had no idea how to say anything that Minerva would actually hear.

They soon arrived on the meadow, and Storm Pack emerged from their own forest close behind them. As they headed over to the rocky outcropping which Ranger had chosen as a meeting place, Desert realized how incredibly surreal this was. They had spent years fighting Wind Pack on this meadow, and now they would be fighting beside them. Possibly to the bitter end.

When Gannon and Aaron both went to join Ranger and Cassidy in the front, Desert noticed the vicious look that Gannon was giving Ranger, and he growled something she couldn't hear. Ranger retorted something in response, before Cassidy intervened. Desert shook her head as she sat down with the other betas. Ranger and Gannon fighting beside each other... Maybe this really is the end of the world.

Frost Pack eventually arrived, but Earth Pack did not. Evidently Cordan had chosen safety, which Desert could not entirely blame him for. She herself had spent the better part of her life trying to keep her packmates from dying in pointless battles. Although this particular situation would hardly be considered pointless, she nevertheless understood his reasoning.

At last their foes appeared, coming towards them like a dark cloud ready to blot out the sun. Desert was soon able to clearly discern Songan in the lead, the rays of the early morning sun glimmering off of his silver fur. "This is your last chance, dog-chieftains," he called across the grass. "Leave or die."

The alphas rose and stepped forward as one, their faces all hardened with defiance. "If leaving means you desecrate the land of our forefathers, then I choose death," Gannon spat.

Desert felt a swell of pride within her. He had come so far, and she prayed that his parents knew what their son had become.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Songan replied, "As you wish." He turned around to face his wolves and unhinged his muzzle in a deafening howl. "ATTACK!"

Then there was no more time for thoughts, and both sides were charging and the fight for their lives had begun.

Desert was never one to think hard when she fought, and so she wasn't going to do it here. The wolves were simply opponents to be fought to protect her pack, and if she had to kill for their sakes then she would.

She became locked in combat with a hefty pale brown male, who bowled her off of her paws and sank his fangs into her shoulder. She snarled in pain before ripping herself free, kicking at him with her hind legs. He staggered backward when she hit him in the gut and she struggled to her feet. Pain shot through her leg and she guessed his teeth had gone deep. Refusing to be taken out so early, she faced the wolf with a snarl.

He grinned and charged her again, but she swerved to the side, body-slamming into his flank. There was another burst of pain in her shoulder and she realized that might not have been the best tactic. However, it succeeded in unbalancing him and Desert descended, biting viciously at his hind-quarters. He finally tore himself free and fled, disappearing into the chaos of the surrounding fight.

Desert took a moment to breathe, realizing just how absolutely insane the battlefield was. If it weren't for the very real sights and sounds and the pain in her shoulder, she might have thought it was a nightmare. But there was no more time to think when she saw Jas battling with two wolves at once and she raced in to help her.

Much of the battle went like that, with her coming to assist her packmates whenever she saw that they needed it. Her leg continued to throb with pain as a constant nuisance, and she was loath to put any weight on it, but she couldn't allow it to hold her back.

She had been fighting alongside Emma against a surprisingly fast silver she-wolf when a gigantic weight suddenly crashed into her side, driving her into the ground. It was a burly, charcoal gray male, and she was barely able to react before his fangs tore her face to shreds. She furiously snapped back at him, forcing him to retreat, but she glanced to the side just in time to see the she-wolf from before rip out Emma's throat.

A blind fury overtook Desert and she sprang for the she-wolf with a howl of rage, but the he-wolf had returned. He reared up on his hind legs, bringing all of his weight down onto as he slammed his front paws into her side. There was a crack that was deafeningly loud to Desert's ears and she felt agony stab through her body. She didn't know if she screamed or made no sound. All she knew was that she was immobile on the ground and she couldn't breathe...

Her vision was blurry and spinning but she could just make out the eyes of her attackers glittering with malice as they advanced towards her. Before they could go any further, however, a black streak came barreling through, hitting the she-wolf so hard that she nearly went flying. The male didn't get a chance to react before a dark shape had descended on him as well. Desert realized her saviors: Gannon and Minerva!

Gannon was gone just as quickly as he had come, presumably pursuing the she-wolf further, but Minerva stayed locked in a vicious battle with the he-wolf until at last he lay dead on the ground. She was about to turn away when Desert weakly called her name.

Her daughter turned to see her and a reaction nearly flickered in her eyes. "Are you hurt?"

"Minerva, I..." Desert tried to move, but she still couldn't. The pain in her shoulder seemed to have gotten stronger. She still couldn't breathe. "Minerva, I'm going... I think I'm going to..."

"No, you're not." Minerva stepped closer to her. "You'll be all right."

"I won't. I won't." Desert stopped struggling and looked up at Minerva pleadingly. "Please... listen to me, just this last time. I... I did it all wrong. I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything."

"I told you to listen. I know what you're going to say when this is over. Y-you... You don't... you don't have to live like that. Give it a chance. Please. Please..."

Her vision was swimming so she couldn't see if Minerva reacted at all. Everything had suddenly gotten so dark. The sounds of the battle were growing muted. Her shoulder was throbbing.

A part of her raged against it, ordered her to get up and fight and be there and save Minerva from anything that could possibly threaten her. But the other part of her knew that she couldn't. It was too late. Her time had come. She prayed desperately that the Hunter Dog would keep her baby safe.

Then breath and thoughts and pain were gone and the vision faded and the world was covered in a marvelous light.

~

Minerva inhaled a deep breath. She stood there without moving for a long time. Her mother was dead. She knew it. She had known this day would come. That was why she had steeled herself, thrown up walls that no one could break down, prevented herself from ever feeling anything ever again.

And it had worked.

Desert, her mother, the dog who had birthed her and raised her and loved her for her entire life, was dead. And she didn't feel anything.

Around her, the battle was dying down. She was dimly aware of wolves fleeing past her, of the Frost Pack beta announcing that Songan had been killed. Apparently he had not been as divinely gifted as he or his followers had so believed.

But this was wrong. It was wrong. She didn't feel anything, and that was wrong. What had she become? Was there simply a black, vacant pit where her heart was supposed to be? How could she live like that?

Minerva took a step backward. It was the only way she could live. She saw so many more of her packmates dead, dogs she had grown up with and fought beside. If she felt for them, then how could she possibly cope?

Whatever unfeeling monster she had turned herself into, it had to be better than bearing the weight of all that pain.