PRPG: Dark Wolf & Admin: Story of the Forest

"I don't know." Tortaro admitted. "The first thing that has to happen, is they have to be healed. Sasha has yet to complete her spirit walk."

Every bit of energy Silver regained from the pool, he channeled into the Queens in order to speed their healing. None of them had waken up, he was worried, but he persisted. He kissed each of their foreheads. "Come on, don't you dare leave me alone."

Jack frowned with worry, keeping his eyes on the pool.

Sasha was the first to groan and shift, her descent into sickness caught soon enough she healed faster than the others. Blue surrounded her vision as she blinked her eyes, sluggishly realizing she wasn't in her wolf form. Where am I?, she thought.

Tortaro had draped himself in a cloth he kept nearby. Tricks he had taught Sasha's father and Krix's mother when he taught them to shift. He put his arm around Jack. It's not an easy thing, when someone you love is fighting for survival. Especially, when all you can do is watch and hope for the best. But, that means you still have something to hold onto. If you let go of that hope, then all may be lost."

Silver noticed Shasha moving right away. Silver sighed with relief. He felt her bare skin against his as she shifted her body. He continued to channel his energy into all three of them. "You're awake, Sasha. I'm glad for it. Just continue to rest and let your body and spirit continue to heal." Silver encouraged.

Sasha jerked away from Silver, trying to get her bearings. "Where am I?" she asked. "What happened? Where's Jack? How am I in my human form? I never shifted!" Her cheeks flushed with anger, her eyes bright and fiery. "What did you do!" Her eyes rolled slightly as lightheadedness hit her hard from the weakness and she groaned. "What did you do," she said, her voice barely over a whisper as she came close to passing out again.

Silver caught her and pulled her back close to him. "You were dying. All three of you, were dying." Silver whispered, even in the water, it was clear th as t tears were falling from his eyes. "Jack brought you to the clearing, We barely made it here in time." Silver spoke as he channeled more energy into the Queens, including Sasha. "We are in one of the two sacred pools in the Sounthern Sands territory. Misty's home. The Pool of Healing. Jack is with Tortaro, Krix, and Clover, waiting for us, so for now, just relax, and let the pool, let me help you." Silver spoke with a genuine tone, a sense of love and concern were obvious. He was worried that Ember, that Misty wouldn't wake up, but with Sasha awake, he was hopeful.

"I have to go to Jack. Silver let go of me I have to go to Jack I have to make sure he's ok!" Sasha said, her voice betraying that she was on the verge of panic as she struggled against him, feeling trapped within the waters. The only one who had ever truly cared for her no matter her past was Jack and he was the one place she felt safe. To wake up without him there, in a form she didn't choose to shift into with no way out and no way to make sure he was safe, her mind went into a panic that clouded her thoughts. Though she could shift into a human and could communicate with wolves, she was more wild animal than the rest of the throne, more prone to acting on instinct and right now that instinct was screaming to get out. "Let go of me!" Tears pricked her eyes as she screamed, her breathing and heart rate skyrocketing as she sobbed, pushing against Silver's body.

Silver held onto her. "If I let you go now, you will die. I will not allow one of you to die. Even if it costs me mine. Jack is safe, and well protected. You know Tortaro by another name, Mark. He is with Jack, as well as two Alphas of this forest, the successors of the throne." Silver channeled every ounce of energy he acquired. He refused to give up on any of them.

Sasha’s body shook as Silver held her but she dropped, giving into his hold. “Why can’t I leave,” she whispered. “What is wrong with Ember and Misty?” The blue was so disorienting, thoughts swirling around her head in an uncontrollable tornado and her breath shuttered, trying to make sense of how she ended up here when the last thing she remembered was a pounding headache and lying in front of the fireplace, her secret still hidden from Jack’s beliefs.

"We're not certain about what has happened." Silver said quietly. He was clearly shaken by all of this. Something he wasn't able to directly protect his family from. He held them close, kissing their foreheads again while transferring more life energy to them.

Ember began to stir. She didn't wake up, but she draped one of her arms over Sasha. In her sleep she spoke, "Silly Sasha, you're not alone." A gentle smile grew on the empath's lips. Silver let out another sigh of relief.

Sasha choked a sob as she reached a shaking hand out to Ember before retreating slightly. “Why isn’t Misty moving Silver,” she said, slightly calmer from Ember’s evidence of life. “If Ember is already almost healed why hasn’t Misty moved at all yet....” She wrapped her arms around herself.

Misty was trapped in a dark hole, even the sound dampened. Way far off in the distance she could feel the faintest pulsing within her heart but nothing else. Her heartbeat felt fast to her, pounding through her chest even as something sluggishly urged her to lay down and give up, let the darkness consume her. Everything but that faintest pulsing call. She felt herself hug her knees close to her chest, even more overwhelmed as to why she was in human form. “Silver,” she sobbed, though the sound was gone before it had even left her lips.

Silver explained everything Tortaro told them. How each of them was a part of the goddess of the forest. How being separated in spirit had led to this. "It is often the Heart that falls first before the body and the mind." Silver stated. He kissed the top of Misty's head. "And it it the last to find healing. If any part of the body rejects the other, what life can there be?" Silver had built up more energy and channeled it into the three. He saw the expression on Sasha's face, worried about everything. "Don't fear, Sasha. You are one of us now. I will give up everything so that you three may live, so don't you give up, and don't let these two give up either." He didn't want to tell her how their lives were linked. He knew that might scare her more, but then he decided it was the right thing. She should be informed. "I will die, if you three die. If one of you dies, so will the other two, and subsequently so will I. However, You three will live, even if I die. I will always follow you to protect you. If I die, it will be in service to the three of you, so that you may live." He tightened his grip around them slightly.

Ember opened her eyes. "What's going on?" Her arm still around Sasha. "Are we, going to make it?" she asked, just as scared as Sasha.

Sasha narrowed her eyes as her protective instincts kicked in. “Then how about you think about it in the way that if you die, we three die too because I am not letting you die either,” she said sternly. Something about the declaration grounded her and she let out a deep breath, her eyes clear as she pulled Ember to her, running a hand over her fiery hair and kissing the top of her head. “It’s ok,” she said softly. “We’re going to be ok.”

The silence was slowly driving Misty insane and she whimpered, the sound actually emerging from her physical lips tho she couldn’t hear it within her mind. She shivered, rocking back and forth as the dark and silence started to sink within her psyche.

Ember felt the emotions of everyone around her. "Silver! I told you!" she cried.
"I know, Ember, but I won't let you all go without giving you everything I can."
Ember sighed. She still felt a bit weak, but she was alert enough to make her choice. "Then you focus on Misty. Focus on healing her and pull her out of that darkness. I can feel it." She said, almost in tears. "I'll take over for Sasha, and share my energy with her. Just, bring Misty back to us." Ember reached over and kissed Sasha as she began to channel some of her energy to Sasha. "I know we'll be okay."

Silver bagan to focus all of his life into bringing Misty back. His heart pierced the darkness, reaching for her. As long as she held that piece of his heart, he could always reach her. She would never be alone.

Sasha shuddered as she felt a foreign energy surge through her. "How do you do that Ember?" she asked. "Is there a way to send it back as well? Maybe it would amplify it." She watched as Silver's eyes seemed to almost lose focus in his surroundings. "Do you think he'll be able to pull her back from wherever she is?"

Misty had nearly given into the darkness, tears running tracks down her cheeks, her hands gripping her hair hard, trying to find something, anything to ground her in the midst of all the madness. She spiraled downwards as not even pain was registered in this black hole of energy. She curled into a tight ball around herself, her movements in the darkness mirrored by her physical form in the pool. Just as she was about to give in completely to the madness, that faint voice called again.

Ember nodded as she held onto Sasha. "If anyone can bring Misty back, it's Silver. Their connection is stronger than anything I've seen or felt. It makes sense if she is the heart of the goddess." she admitted. "When you share a connection, as strong as Silver's, it is possible to share your life energy. Mine is amplified because I'm empathic. I'll teach you after we get out of this pool. There is no telling how long it will take."

Silver kissed the top of Misty's head and held her close to him. "Come on Misty, come home to us. Come home to me." Silver completely opened up his life energy to Misty, pouring in everything he had, holding nothing back. As he gave her the last of his life, he slowly lost consciousness.

Ember felt him fade, as though losing a piece of herself. She held onto Sasha, tears falling from her eyes. "We have to remain hopeful, he knows what he is doing." she said out loud. The fear was still evident on her voice.

Misty felt herself frown as she took a cautious step away from... what she didn't know, she could just feel that she needed to walk away from whatever it was. Something caught her eye and she jumped as she was able to see her hands, hazy but visible. She heard the voice call again and her heart tugged her toward it. With every cautious step the darkness retreated, her wary frown as she edged toward the voice lightening into view. Her skin shivered as the darkness tried to take hold again but she was entranced by the warmth that beckoned her. Soon she could hear her heartbeat once more, feel her muscles move. Her eyes flicked up to see a hazy form within the light. "Silver," she breathed. Her toes digging in she ran to him, happiness causing her heart to almost burst. She jumped into his arms, wrapping herself around him, her face burying within the nape of his neck, her legs wrapping around his waist as she held on as if she could never let go. She was sobbing, her chest heaving with her breaths and as she actually heard the sounds she sobbed more, holding him tightly to her, her body shaking. Her eyes were squeezed so tightly shut as all she could focus on was Silver that she didn't notice when the vision world merged into the reality one.

Sasha jumped as Misty's physical form caught up to her mental one, her sobbing almost echoing within the pool. She was wrapped around Silver, her hands in white-knuckled fists but that didn't stop her from holding Silver so tightly Sasha was surprised he could breathe.

As Misty finally came to, Silver smiled as he lost consciousness. He had given everything he had left to pull Misty out of her darkness. He was there, arms around the three Queens. Protecting them. His breathing became shallow.

"Silver!" Ember cried. She wrapped her arms around Sasha and Misty. "We can't lose you!"

"Silver please don't leave me," Misty sobbed, her hand burying within his hair, her body and soul shaking together. Her soul reached out to his, holding on just as tightly as her love for him wrapped around his heart and soul, amplifying his strength and healing him tenfold. Light, so bright it was almost blinding, flared around Silver and Misty as she held him close. "Please don't leave me... I can't do this without you." Her voice was a choked whisper. She cared for Ember and Sasha but in some ways they were always closer, always had each other. In the beginning it had just been Silver and Misty and he was her heart, her life. Without him, she was nothing. If he was gone, there was no way she could live on, not without the only thing that kept her alive.

Ember felt the emotions from Sasha and Misty flow into her. With her own emotions, it was something she could no longer control. Silver was the first one to show her what honor on the battlefield looks like. He trusted her to take over when he left. Ember's hair burned a bright white, a color yet to be seen, resonating with Misty and Silver. This energy flowed into Sasha as well, soon the Queens' hearts beat as one. Ember took what she could afford from Sasha, and interceded with Misty, so she wouldn't overdo it herself.

Silver felt them. They were holding onto him. Was even Sasha crying? He was at peace, they all would live. Was it not his time to go prepare for them in the Spirit World? He felt Misty's surge of energy, then Ember's. "Even Sasha?" he asked himself. He slowly opened his eyes, and looked around him. The sight was heartbreaking to him. "You three are much too beautiful to scrunch your faces in tears like this." He wiped Sasha's tears from her eyes, then Ember's as well. When got to Misty, he whispered to her while caring for her tears. "Thank you, my Love." He looked at the other two. "Thank you, all of you." He pulled them close, grateful more now than ever that they were all awake, he held them close to him, feeling the warmth and softness of their skin against his. Three distinct aromas eminated off of them as well. Roses, Lilacs, and Violets. Silver was in tears as he held onto them, as though letting go meant losing them forever. Each one special to him. He held Misty especially close. She was his heart too. "I love you." He said out loud, with joy and love saturating his voice.

Misty held him close, her body still shaking slightly from everything, her face buried into his neck, hiding from the world as she let his warmth and his scent soothe her. “I thought I lose you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible and choked slightly as she refused to move.

Sasha gave Silver a small smile as she met his eyes over Misty’s head. “May we return now?” she asked cautiously. “Are you well enough to? I’d like to check on the others.” She wished she didn’t have to emerge in her human form, but she had tried earlier and the pool had blocked that ability. “Does this mean we’re ‘united’ then?” Sasha was always full of questions, it’s what helped her on the force and now there seemed to be an endless amount of uncertainty and all she wished was to return to Jack. If he even wants to be near me after this, she thought.

"You could never lose me." He comforted Misty. "You hold a piece of my soul within you. I'll always be with you." Silver felt not just Misty, but now Ember's vice like grip around him. He finally had a taste of his own physical strength. "I don't know what the prophecy means by United, I do know that none of you are at full strength yet, and we don't know what will happen when we leave the healing. Rest a bit longer, my Queens." Silver continued to hold them close to him. He hoped this would be it, but he had a feeling, it wasn't quite over with.

Misty’s lower lip wobbled, letting out a long stuttering breath. “You almost left me,” she said, meaning for the words to come out strong but they dissolved into a whimper. “You almost left me....”

Sasha paced, as much as one could in a semi-pool. She kept glancing at where the surface was, driving herself crazy with what was happening and what was going on outside the pool.

Krix glanced over at Tortaro, flicking his ears nervously. “Tortaro they’ve been under there a LONG time,” he said, his voice a slight whine as he ignored Jack’s questioning gaze. “And after all the activity involving Misty and Silver and now just nothing? How do we know they’re safe? Or alive?” His eyes focused on the pool but after light had flared from two of the shapes the pool had turned reflective, refusing to give any clue on the happenings within.

Tortaro replied to Krix's questions. "This is the pool of healing. They could be down there for days and not drown. When the time is right, they will surface. When the healing is completed. Then, Sasha must enter the second sacred pool. She must complete her spirit walk. The goddess cannot be revived, and the Queens could end up here again." He warned.

Silver held tight to Misty. "I'm sorry for scaring you, My Love." He lifted her chin and kissed her lips. "I won't leave you."

Ember's hair had returned to its natural red color. She held Misty for a moment before kissing both Misty then Silver.
Silver let her go with a smile. "Help her to relax."

Ember stopped Sasha's pacing and embraced her, holding Sasha in her arms. She allowed a calming emotion to eminate from her to help Sasha relax. "If you allow yourself to stress, we might be down here longer." Ember stated. She then did what she had once done before. Ember kissed Sasha. "You are one of us. A Queen. And Jack carried you all the way here. You are no different to him than Jess. A daughter, a part of his family. I felt his emotions all the way here as he cradled you in his arms." Ember spoke with the same love in her voice that she had felt from Silver and Misty this whole time. Everything started rough with Sasha, but everything seemed to have its way of working out. Ember held onto the hope of reaching Sasha, so that she too may find the love and peace she deserved.

Sasha’s body tensed in surprise as Ember’s soft lips pressed against hers. Stepping back from it she sighed. “That was before he knew what I was. You have no idea how people will react to someone lying to him the whole time they’ve known each other,” she said, her voice quiet.

Misty snuggled into Silver’s chest, sighing as she melted into him, her heartbeat still taking time to slow down. “I love you,” she whispered.

Krix sighed, resting his head on the ground, his tail wrapping around Clover’s. Please be ok, he thought as he kept his eyes fixed on the pool.

Silver held held his first Queen. The one who held held his soul, if only a piece. He could not deny that he enjoyed having all three in his arm, or even when it was two, but Misty completed him in a way the others didn't. "I love you." he whispered to Misty.

Ember understood and accepted it fully and she helped Sasha to understand as best as she could. With them being a part if the goddess, it made more sense for Silver to hold a deeper connection to the heart. Ember pulled Sasha back to her. "He doesn't care what you are. He wants you to be safe. I am almost fully recovered, I can feel his emotions now." she encouraged while wrapping her arms around Sasha.