Chapter 4- Knowing

Bright light shone in her Den, and Ataxia blinked open her eyes. The pure white snow glistened against the morning sun. A black and green lump was sleeping across the Den from where she lay. 'Ivy' she thought, remembering the she-wolf's name. She trudged out side and shook her midnight black pelt. An icy chill buffeted her and she winced, looking up to see Rahna standing on a tall, jutting outcropping in the cliff-face. The black and white she wolf graceful descended to the snow-laden ground.

"Good, you're awake" she barked, smiling. She flicked her tail, signaling Ataxia to follow. They padded out of the came to a lone tree with a smooth stone beneath it. Rahna leaped upon it and Ataxia followed. "Now, your life is not what you think it has been young one, and the Guild has been watching you for quite some time..." she started, then finished by saying, "You are a special wolf, along with Li...Ivy" Ataxia nodded, then asked, "Why? Why am I special? What's the truth about me, who am I?" Rahna replied "You are part of a Prophecy, and the Guild was formed to make sure these things are fulfilled...but we will start with your mother...her name was Scarlett" Ataxia's eyes brightened at the mention of her real mother's name, it was the first time she had known for sure the identity of her mother since Velika had told her the heart-breaking news. "Scarlett was a black, white, and red she-wolf, she loved you very much...but you and your sister's destiny could not intermingle, so your father took you away" Rahna added.

"My father? Wh'd he leave me then, just left me with Velika" Ataxia growled, anger flaring and fur bristling. "Hush Ataxia, you have not heard the whole story" Rahna whispered to her. Ataxia let her flanks fall and firmly said "Go on then" Rahna cleared her thraot and continued. "Your father brought you to Velika, yes, but Snare thought your father was attacking, so he murdered your father..." Rahna explained sadly. Ataxia eyes became soft, like liquid gold, and greif, sorrow, and regret for her earlier reaction briming in them. Rahna nodded with sorrow "He was black and white...like you and your sister were divided from him... and now,on to your sister, her name is Light...she is still alive somewhere, but I do not know of your mother...plus, Light has the same ability as you" Rahna finished and became silent. Ataxia's black-feathered wings spread from her back and she moved it to her face. "Someone...like me?" she whispered. "There are many like you, but special in different ways" came the voice of Makai. Rahna and Ataxia turned to see him padding over to them. "The Children of Prophecy, we call you, Ivy is one as well" he barked kindly. "Now, we should return to camp, I hear Celevear, Fawla, and Klyst are returning from their Journey!" Makai added. Rahna's eyes brightened. "Good! I shall enjoy seeing my sister again, Klyst is probably over-excited to be back as well!" Rahna sighed, but with a hint of laughter. The trio bounded swiftly towards the camp, Ataxia's wings were once more concealed, she did not like to show them, they were what made her so different.

Chapter 3- The Guild of No Moon

A chill crept into Velika's Den, snow crystals being blow from the white landscape to where she sat. A black wolf shivered beside her, it's head buried in it's fur. Ataxia was all Velika had left, her mate and son had died in an attack from a mountain lion while out hunting. A pang of sadness went through her 'It was Pepper's first hunt...' she thought, her mind drifting. Paw steps from outside the Den thrust her back to reality. She jumped to her feet, growling. Ataxia lifted her head in surprise and pricked her ears to listen as well. A black and white she-wolf padded in front of the Den, pelt shining against the pure white snow. A russet she-wolf and a grey male joined her. Velika gasped
"The Leaders of The Guild!". Ataxia was confused, "You know these wolves?" she asked Velika. Velika merely stared at the ground. The russet she-wolf spoke.
"Ataxia must come with us, her destiny must be fulfilled, and she cannot do that here, constrained to this cave", the other wolves simply nodded. Velika snarled.
"You are outnumbered Velika, and she is not trained yet" the grey male challenged. At this Velika dropped to the floor, defeated, and motioned for Ataxia to join the Guild Leaders. Unsurely, Ataxia padded up to the black and white female. "Welcome to The Guild of No Moon, I will train you to fight in preparation for the day you must face the prophecy given to you...My name is Rahna, and I will tell you of your past" she greeted Ataxia. Rahna said no more, and they four of them stepped from the cave, into a flurry of snow. When they became unseen to her Velika sighed.
"I have failed in my task, Morpheus, and for that I apologize, and can say no more" she whispered back to the howling wind.

Ataxia followed the Guild Leaders into a gorge, dangerously slicked with snow on the clefts, but once they reached the bottom where a camp lay, the snow had been cleared away and her paws met rough and cold stone. A lone black, green, and white she-wolf stood waiting.
"Makai!" she barked to the grey male beside Ataxia.
"Ivy, how long have you waited?" he asked the she-wolf. She shrugged and replied
"Not very long". Makai padded to join Ivy and the two wolves walked into a Den of some sort.
"Makai is Ivy's father" Rahna explained. Ataxia nodded. The russet she-wolf flicked her ears to the Den where Makai and Ivy had disappeared.
"I am going to rest" she muttered, seeming cross. Ataxia tilted her head, confused.
"Don't worry about Tahira, she's upset that I caught the squirrel she was tracking after she lost the trail. Makai kept her temper at bay while we came for you" Rahna whispered, then laughed as Tahira's tail twitched with irritation, most likely having overheard Rahna.
"Come Ataxia, I'll show you to your Den, Ivy should be joining you shortly" Rahna said, then led Ataxia to a bramble Den, and she felt she'd been somewhere similar, but couldn't quite remember where she'd been. Ataxia settled into a readied nest of moss.
"Tomorrow, I shall tell you your story..." Rahna whispered, then turned and left the Den. Ataxia closed her eyes, and lay her head down. Before she could think of what had happened to her, she had drifted off into sleep.

Chapter 2- The Death of Morpheus

In the morning, the storm had ceased, and the rain had faded to a slight drizzle. Dewdrops sparkled on leaves through the fog. Morpheus sat and waited in silence for his little pup to awaken, he let out a shuddering sigh at the thought of the wet trek ahead of them. Just when he had closed his eyes, a raindrop had fallen on Ataxia's muzzle and she was startled awake. She got up and shook herself, bits of sopping leaf flinging to the ground. She looked to him and he stood, grasping her gently in his powerful jaws. The journey ahead was blended into many group of light and sounds, one paw after the other. Finally he found the familiar jutting rock, setting them back on track. He stepped quickly into the Den to find a grey she-wolf nursing a single pup.
"Velika" he addressed her.
"What are you doing in my Den?" she snapped. He rumbled out what seemed like a laugh.
"I need a favor..." he started, but was interrupted by Velika.
"A favor? Why should I? You're intruding on my Den and my poor pup is trying to feed!" she growled swiftly.
"Velika, I would not come to you, unless this is a favor I can only ask of you and no-one else" Morpheus added. She thought this over.
"Perhaps...but I still must refuse" she barked, nose in the air. Morpheus growled at this. A large wolf flung himself onto Morpheus from out of nowhere. Growling and barking, the two rolled around the Den, crashing into walls and ripping into one an other's fur. The surprised Velika swept her pup closer with her tail. Ataxia sat wailing in the corner next to her. You could hear pained yelps from both wolves. After what seemed like hours, it was over, blood was smeared on the floor of the cave and the victorious wolf's jaws were dripping with it.

"Snare...what have you done!" Velika cried out. When he heard this his smirk of victory disappeared and was replaced by confusion and worry.
"Wha...I thought he was attacking you!" Snare exclaimed. Velika shook her head.
"No! He was requesting a favor! He had a pup with him! Now we don't know of the mother, and the father is dead!" Velika wailed. Snare tilted his head to the bloody floor of the Den.
"Then we'll have to care for her" he whispered. "And we will tell her nothing of this day..." he added solemnly. She nodded and nudged the jet black pup close and she fed along with Pepper, Velika's own son. Velika closed her eyes, and heard the voice of Morpheus. Her name is Ataxia...and she must not fall to the hands of The Guild, no matter the cost...

Chapter 1- The Prophecy

Thunder crashed and lightning flashed overhead as the rain poured down on the old bramble den. Inside, a trickle of water made it's wet way down through the roof, dripping on the heaving flank of a red, brown, and white she-wolf. The she-wolf's golden eyes rolled in her head and her breath came short and fast. Her legs twitched and her tail flopped nervously against the floor. This she-wolf was in the worst of labor: her pups would be arriving soon. Two of them, although she did not know it yet.
Outside, a shape moved fluidly through the darkness, entering silently into the Den, which was no small feat considering the rabbit he was carrying in his jaws. He flopped down the rabbit and padded over to his mate. "How's it going, Scarlett?" he asked.
Scarlett's eyes rolled to her mate. "Fine, just fine," she gasped.
The male wolf, who's name was Morpheus, resisted the urge to shake his black and white pelt. Scarlett gave another sigh and her sides rippled. A pure white pup slid onto the floor. Morpheus instantly dragged the pup away from it's mother and began to lick it the wrong way to keep it warm.
Scarlett's flank heaved again and the white pup was soon joined by another, this one jet black. Scarlett lifted her head and turned around to lick this pup as well. A few minutes later, both female pups were nursing at their mother's bellies. "What shall we name them?" Scarlett asked. Morpheus studied the pups. "You name the black one, I'll name the white one." The she-wolf, too tired to argue, watched the black pup. "Ataxia," she said at last.
Morpheus nodded, then looked at his elder daughter. "Light," he finally answered.
Suddenly, all was quiet. The sound of the rain and thunder ceased, and a voice was heard by every wolf in the room.
The children of the red will be adorned with black and white. The twins are the key to each other's downfall, for as long as the live they shall oppose their other half. Only one shall triumph, and the other shall perish.
The silence that followed this was so quiet you could have heard a twig drop. Morpheus and Scarlett stared at each other in horror. Ataxia and Light, oblivious, were now curled up by their mother's belly.
Finally Scarlett broke the silence. "One of them needs to go." Morpheus nodded in silent agreement. "I'll take Ataxia. I know a rouge--she can help. With a little persuasion, of course." His mouth curved into a toothy smile. "She'll raise Ataxia like her own. With luck, no one will make the connection. We'll tell Anubis that you gave birth to two, but Ataxia died and we buried her on our own."
"Excellent," Scarlett said. "Take Ataxia." Morpheus scooped up the pup from her mother. Tiny Ataxia cried out in indignation, opening her mouth to reveal the minuscule beginnings of teeth. Morpheus trotted out of the den with the pup swinging in his mouth. His trek through the forest was cold, dark, and erie. It didn't bother him, but Ataxia was beginning to become cold. He would have to hurry, or the black pup's faked fate would become reality. 'Where was Velika's Den?' he thought. The storm had rendered his senses useless. With a sigh he trudged under a rocky overhang, and curled Ataxia close. A crack of thunder caused Ataxia, and yes, at the same moment Light, to jump to her feet. Brilliant, but sinister wings unfurled from Ataxia's back. She was graceful, but icy cold, golden eyes like chips of stone. Morpheus was confident she would prevail as the survivor of the Prophecy, but only for a second, because a voice whispered in the wind. Chaos in the wind, struck down not by the other half, but by the darkness in the heart of one alone...