The ragtag band of wolves were not more than a few miles from the courting grounds when Taecyeon stopped suddenly. Each hair along the broad line of his back stood on end, bristling enough that the chocolate down of his undercoat caught the early traces of morning light. His head lowered and his ears fanned out to the side, though they remained forward enough to catch any trace of sound coming from behind them. Every muscle in his powerful body coiled with readiness to attack - bare teeth ready to snuff the life from their pursuers. WooYoung gaped in surprise at the change that was so quickly wrought in his mate-to-be: Gone was the gentle giant, replaced by a deadly warrior. His heart skipped a beat. Moving slowly, the alpha moved to stand beside Taecyeon - their positions mirrored, though WooYoung barely came up to the other wolf's shoulder. If they were to be mates, the alpha mused, then they should at least be able to fight together. Beside him, the beta slid half a step forward and a little bit closer, as though to make certain that whatever attack came hit him first; WooYoung could not find it in himself to be annoyed at the gesture, misplaced though it was.

Before any other course of action could be taken, two betas stepped out from behind a sand dune onto the path behind them. They were a near perfect match in height, though different in build. The nearly perfect white wolf was slim and graceful, built more like Henry or Kyungsoo than the usual beta. At the white wolf's side was a grey wolf - broad shouldered with variegated fur that went from bright ivory to a deep charcoal. Taecyeon took a threatening step forward, a low growl rumbling through his body, before a hand on his shoulder stopped him short. Startled, the black wolf tipped his head enough to see Henry standing at his side, a thoughtful frown turning his lips. 

"Tao. What are you doing?" the copper haired delta called. In response, the white wolf gave his tail a happy little wag before lowering his body to the ground - crawling just a little closer with his belly pressed to the sand. Turning, Henry told Amber, "I know the white wolf."

Amber and Daesung both shifted, coming to stand beside Henry. "Shift," Daesung ordered the two betas, a rare thread of authority making his voice heavy and sharp. Immediately, both wolves complied. The white wolf became a tall, almost feline looking person with sleepy eyes and golden hair; his human form was built much like his wolf, with slim, powerful muscles instead of bulk. At his side stood an equally blond figure, though he had the broad shoulders of his wolf and a cold, wary look on his face. Between the two of them, Daesung could immediately tell whose idea it was to come chasing after them: The white wolf practically vibrated with the need to run to Henry while his - Daesung drew in a breath, scenting the air - his mate hung back, ready to run at the faintest sign of a threat.

Henry looked to his mate for permission before sliding forward a few steps. "Tao," he said, yet again addressing the white wolf. "What are you doing?"

Folding his hands in front of his body - tangling and retangling his fingers over and over again - the beta let his gaze sweep over the assembled wolves, gaze catching on the powerful forms of both Chansung and Taecyeon nervously. "Luhan... Luhan said I should come with you." And then, slowly, the unnamed wolf stepped forward to take one of Tao's hands in his grip, steadying the other blond with his presence. 

Eyes wide, Henry looked between the two wolves. "He what?" His gaze dropped to their hands before nervously flicking up to rest on Tao's face. "Does it have anything to do with the fact you're cuddling up to a Silver Star wolf?" Tao hung his head, scuffing the toe of his shoe in the sand.

"Henry," Amber said, moving to stand beside him. "Who are they?"

Bristling with quiet indignation, Henry turned to his his mate. "One of them is from my old pack, Golden Moon. Tao." He shot the younger wolf a sharp look. "And with him is one of the pups from the Silver Star pack - our sworn enemies."

Amber nodded slowly. "I see." She looked over at Tao and his silent mate. "You're hoping to escape with us, aren't you? Because of that whole pack feud. Your leaders wouldn't like to find out you're mates." It was easy to read the tendrils of fear and hope that mingled in the auras of both wolves; Amber could see it plainly around both Tao and Sehun. Though, her eyes narrowed a little as she looked at the unnamed beta. So much fear couldn't be good for a wolf of his age. Then again, he had no hope of friendship among the strange wolves his mate had brought him to, no one to plead his case for him. That, the alpha mused, would be enough to make her feel afraid. It was just uncanny how little of his unease showed in his countenance: His features were nearly stone they were so void of expression.

"Mates," Henry hissed at her side. "How did they -" Amber put a hand on his arm, silencing him immediately. Henry huffed, folding his arms tightly over his chest. There was no world in which he could imagine a Silver Star wolf ever being worthy of a Golden Moon wolf, let alone the youngest of their pack allowed to come to the courtship festival. Tao had to have been duped, he mused, in order to have mated so rashly; but, he would bite his tongue - to obey his mate's wishes.

The heretofore silent beta stepped forward slightly, shielding Tao with his body as he glared at Henry. "Luhan said you might offer us sanctuary," he said, his voice a natural drawl that seemed to ease its way into the morning air. "Since our packs would kills us if they found out." Amber's eyebrows raised; murder seemed a bit harsh for taking the "wrong" mate. What kinds of packs did these kids come from?

"And just who are you?" Daesung called, fists braced on his hips.

"Sehun," the wolf replied, squaring his shoulders. He shifted his weight onto his back foot - bracing his weight carefully in case the alpha should decide to attack him. 

"Well, Sehun. Tao. I hope you came ready to run. We have a long way to go before we'll get to rest." With that, Daesung turned and shifted, resuming his place at the head of the formation. 

The air left Sehun's body, leaving his shoulders bowed and brow furrowed. He glanced at his mate, who just offered him a brilliantly befuddled smile and a haphazard shrug. Sehun snorted softly under his breath before looking once more to the still glaring Henry. The beta gulped. "Well," Henry snapped. "Let's move." Shooting Sehun one last scowl, Henry moved to take his place at Amber's side, shifting with a grumble. 

"It's going to be okay," Tao promised, pressing a quick kiss to Sehun's shoulder. "I told you they wouldn't turn us away." His dark eyes sparkled at his mate before he, too, shifted and trotted over to join the nine Excelsior wolves. Sehun hesitated for only a moment before following suit, slinking past Taecyeon with his tail and head held down.

As the wolves set into motion yet again, Daesung's expression became grim. If two betas could catch them so quickly - and knew they were leaving - that did not bode well for their chances. His chest ached at the very real possibility that Hong Man's dogs were already on their tail. How long did they have until howls rose in the air, signaling the hunt? Taking a deep breath, he lengthened his stride - forcing his pack to move faster across the sands. They'd lost too much time - time they didn't have to begin with. 

The sand burned beneath the pads of their paws as they crested the last hill separating them from the NeverNoon pack; more of the day had escaped while they had fled towards the rim of the basin than Daesung had planned on. But, there, he could see the outcropping of rocks Yongguk had described to him. At last, he thought, they would be able to make for the mountains. He barked an order to Amber, commanding her to keep the pack moving at a steady pace, before he burst forward in a sudden run - cutting across the sand at a speed that nearly made him seem to fly, his paws barely skimming the ground as he moved. Approaching the rocks, he growled out a warning, letting the hidden wolves know he was coming upon them fast. Yongguk appeared at the top of the outcropping and waved to Daesung. He then leapt down off the rocks and called for his pack to assemble outside; he knew the other alpha intended to stop just long enough to grab them. There was no time for pleasantries. "Nichkhun," he called. The other alpha trotted over, his features tight with stress. "You're going to ride on my back to the foothills, so you can hold Tzuyu."

"Are you sure?" Nichkhun gave his pack leader a wary look. Yongguk had, time and again, made certain his pack ate before he did - breaking all protocol - which meant he was not as strong as he otherwise would be. The strain of carrying Nichkhun and his Goddess Touched pup, even for just a few hours, seemed cruel.

But, Yongguk simply smiled faintly. "I am your leader. I will carry you to the foothills. Once we get that far, all of us are going to ride. The mountain wolves have already planned to carry us - their leader is well aware of our state." He held Nichkhun's gaze. "Trust me just this last time, Khun. I promise... I promise it's going to be alright." After a moment, the other alpha nodded his consent. Yongguk quickly shifted into his wolf form: brown and dark grey with tan points. He was not nearly so big as other alphas - Hakyeon and Nichkhun were both taller than him - but Yongguk made up for it in his strength. The pack leader, when healthy, was a brick wall of muscle, but even emaciated there was still breadth to his shoulders and a steadiness to him that inspired confidence in his abilities. It had been Yongguk, with his persistence and inventiveness, that had kept them alive as long as they had been. Who was Nichkhun to lose faith in him now? Moving back to the shelter of the rocks, Nichkhun picked up little Tzuyu and wrapped her in a sling, keeping her pressed close to his chest to shade her from the harsh rays of the sun. He then slipped over to Yongguk and settled on his back as smoothly as he could, curling his hands around the straps of the wolf's bag. It was not the most comfortable ride Nichkhun had taken - both the pack and the alpha's bony frame were not conducive to comfort - but it would do.

Daesung paused just long enough to count how many wolves were coming - ten, including Nichkhun and the infant in his arms. It would make things difficult, once they came to the mountains, but they would make it, one way or another. The honey-gold alpha inclined his head to the other pack leader before almost immediately breaking into a trot, his course set as firmly as his heart was towards the peaks of the mountains. Yongguk immediately fell in behind him, moving forward with his head held high, and the rest of his pack fell in with them. Only Hakyeon hung back slightly, his tail hung low and ears pinned nervously to his skull. He glanced nervously towards the approaching Excelsior wolves before darting forward to run alongside Jinyoung, whose small frame did little to hide the distinctively leggy shape of Hakyeon's wolf. But, the alpha at least felt better with a barrier between himself and the wolves he was so certain he would never see again. Had he been in his human form, he would have choked out a laugh when he felt the press of a familiar body at his side. Turning his head, he looked down at the dark red of Kyungsoo's fur framing bright, dark eyes. The delta whimpered happily, tail wagging behind him, before he pressed his nose against Hakyeon's shoulder. Heart clenching, Hakyeon managed to return the fond nudge before he pretended to concentrate on running; Daesung had picked up the pace to something that was bordering on cruel. Soon, none of the wolves had to pretend to focus on simply putting one paw in front of the other; the pace the Excelsior pack leader had set was meant to get them to the foothills by nightfall, come hell or high water.

Dusk had painted the sand lavender as the last rays of the sun sunk beyond the horizon when it happened. There, as indigo night melted into a pink haze where earth met the sky, the first descant of the hunt split the air. First it was only a single howl - the wolf who had caught sight of the pack fleeing across the rolling dunes - but that lone voice was quickly joined by two, three, ten voices. Daesung kept his ears pointed forward, straining with every fibre of his being towards the looming dark blue of the mountains. But then, his heart dropped. More answering howls came from the west and east. They were framed on three sides by at least forty wolves. Had Hong Man sent his entire army to hunt them into the ground? The alpha snorted. He knew better. The brutish wolf had far more than forty wolves at his command, but this was a task force clearly sent with the intent order to kill the mountain wolves: It rang clear in every cold, quivering note of their hunting song. 

Bomi stumbled, crashing into Ilhoon and sending them to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Amber was immediately at their side, nudging them both to their feet and back into a run. The younger Goddess Touched ran as best she could, though it was clear the strength was finely waning from her body. Stopping at the crest of the foothills, Daesung looked out across the waving sagebrush and weeds that clustered at the foot of the mountains like a golden carpet dried from the burning heat of the desert sun. If they could just make it across... He glanced over at Taekwoon, who dipped his head in understanding. 

Drawing in a breath, the Excelsior pack leader let out a howl - the notes rising in open opposition to the enemy. His wolves charged past him, answering howls slipping past their lips, crying defiance to the stars. The NeverNoon wolves tried to draw strength from the power of their companions, but not even the clear sound of wolf song was enough to override the chill of fear that settled into their too thin flesh. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. How could the Excelsior wolves be so brazen in the face of so much danger? But, Daesung did not give them the opportunity to dwell on their despair. With a snarl, the large alpha snapped at Bomi and Jinyoung, who brought up the end of the line. With a yelp, Bomi started forward in a sudden burst of speed; even Jinyoung managed to stumble ahead faster. Any time a wolf slowed, the honey-gold alpha was on them, snapping and snarling until their pace matched the other wolves as they ran. Even Jiyong, his precious mate, was on the receiving end of the treatment, surprise circling his eyes in white at Daesung's ferocity. 

Stumbling at last to the mouth of the canyon, the pack was allowed to draw to a halt - some collapsing where they stood. Daesung whirled, body low to the ground in preparation for the attack. His keen eyes scanned the darkness for any sign of movement, but not even the shadows of their enemies were yet visible. But, they were coming. He could smell them on their air - forty alphas and betas.  

Daesung shifted and turned to Taekwoon. "Do you think you'll be able to hold them?" he asked, chest heaving as he fought for breath. The ebony wolf nodded. 

WooYoung, who had shifted the moment they had stopped running, gaped at Daesung. "You expect him to hold them back?" he gasped. A laugh, desperate and strained, slipped past his lips. "You're insane. He's a delta. There's no way he can hold back two alphas, let alone that many."

Dark eyes serious, the Excelsior pack leader placed a steadying hand on Taekwoon's shoulder. "He is the only chance we have. We could fight, but in our current state we would be no match for them. Only a delta or omega would be able to hold them back."

The discordant cacophony of snarls severed the conversation before WooYoung's indignation could blossom into full outrage. Nichkhun cradled his baby close to his chest, trying to hush her tired crying even as he watched death itself materialize from the shadows. Even Yongguk, hopeful as he was, trembled in exhaustion and fear. They were utterly outmatched, and only Taekwoon stood between them and destruction. It was laughable.

Until, stepping forward, Taekwoon began to glow. Daesung stepped back, as though fully expecting this to happen, and wrapped his arms tightly around Jiyong. The glow began to intensify as it melted into flickering tongues of light that blossomed to arch over Taekwoon in a wreath of fire, lighting the darkness as though a small sun had descended from the sky. A strangled noise of surprise slid past several pairs of lips. With a snarl, the delta launched a fireball at a daring alpha, who had approached regardless of the strangeness of the sight before him. With a yelp, the wolf crashed back into the writhing line of its compatriots as fire - very real and painful - came into contact with its fur. Taekwoon's lips curled in a pleased snarl as the enemy stumbled back, fearful for the first time. 

"W-what?" Jiyong managed to stutter, looking up at his mate.

"Alphas and betas are given great physical strength," Daesung murmured, "but the Goddess did not leave her omegas and deltas without protection." He glanced down into the wide eyes of his mate. "She gave them powerful magic to protect where brute strength could not." Daesung frowned. "Do your people not use those gifts?"

"Only alphas are allowed to use any kind of magic in the basin," Sehun said, stepping forward as Taekwoon launched yet another fireball. Hong Man's wolves were beginning to realize, though, that Taekwoon could only shoot one fireball at a time. Some were beginning to become bolder, attacking in pairs to see if they could break past the ring of fire surrounding the wolf. "It's how they keep lower ranks in check." He scoffed. "But that doesn't mean everyone plays by the rules." Without another word, Sehun ran forward to stand beside Taekwoon. "I can help," he called. "I used to make small windstorms on my own. I can kick one up and pick up some of that dry grass. If you light that on fire, maybe we could cut them off." 

Tao, who had rushed to follow his mate, found himself held back by a strong hand curled around his bicep. "Stay with Henry," Amber ordered. The beta was immediately cowed by the alpha's orders and drew back to stand next to the copper delta. Amber ran forward, calling, "Sehun, I can help you focus your abilities. Let's make it a tornado. Set the plain on fire." 

Sehun turned and stared into her eyes, trembling a little at the power he saw there. But, slowly, he nodded. "If you can help, I'll do what I can."

A reckless sort of grin turned Amber's lips, wide and toothy. "I train the puppies back home in their abilities; it's my gift. You just turn around and see if you can harnass those winds of yours. Taekwoon and I will do the rest." Facing back towards the enemy, Sehun drew a tremulous breath before holding his hands out wide, palms turned towards the sky. The winds coming out of the canyon grew in strength until they were whipping around the Excelsior and NeverNoon wolves in an uneasy whirl, driving Hong Man's wolves back a few steps.

Amber pressed her palms against the beta's shoulder blades, and it was as if the world suddenly fell away. Fear, anxiety, and guilt melted into silence filled only with the sound of their breathing, which quickly synced. Sehun shuddered. He could feel Amber's presence behind him like the warmth of the summer sun; she was all golden light and warm welcome - things he had never known. His life had been cold indifference and survival of the fittest; there was no kindness among his pack, only survival. But as she drew in a deep breath, he matched her - lungs filling with pine-scented air. He felt more than heard her command to draw the winds together, pressing them close like the fibers of wool being pulled into a finely spun skein of yarn. Exhaling, he brought his hands together, and with it the winds drew close until they tangled and tripped together in a riot of currents. Opening his eyes - when had he closed them? - he saw the world moving in seeming slow motion. Two alphas were preparing to jump at them from the right, and to the left a trio of betas were ready to follow an alpha into their midst. With swift gestures from both hands, he sent the winds pummeling into them, knocking them off their feet. Amber's hands shifted on his back, and he remembered the plan. The grass. He needed the grass. Drawing in another breath, he pushed his hands out, casting the winds to gather up as much as the golden, brittle kindling as possible. And then, rustling their complaint, he gathered them back together into a funnel of wind and weeds that towered thirty feet into the air. 

Fire - raw and golden - blossomed in the heart of the small tornado, blistering to life with unnatural ferocity. Soon the entire column of air was consumed in fire as the grass burned, and Sehun was enraptured by the pure, feral beauty of it. But, he knew the flames alone would not do their work. Following the steady guidance of Amber's hands on his back, he moved his body through a few fluid motions that sent the whirlwind of fire arching before the huddled wolves, cutting through the grass in a fatal bow. In its wake, the funnel left a burning trail, as though it were a comet leaving flames in the night sky in its wake. Smoke and fire and shrieks of pain filled the night air in an unholy song; death had come to walk in the shadow of the mountain. Sehun's body began to tremble with the strain of holding the winds together; he had never held something so big before. He had spent his teenage years playing with little whirlwinds and dust devils while hiding from whatever beating his alpha wanted to give him that week for being an insolent pup. This monstrosity, beautiful and deadly, was too much for him to handle, and it showed in the sweat pouring down the sides of his face. But then, like golden sunlight, came the warmth of Amber's voice: "Let go, Sehun. You're done." His world faded into black respite as his hands dropped, the tornado dying as its creator slipping into unconsciousness. 

Amber caught Sehun as he fell.

"Tao, can you carry him for a little while?" Daesung said, twisting to face the beta. "We need to get up that canyon as best we can, and it'd help if you could carry him. I know you've still got some strength in you." If nothing else, the Golden Moon beta was strong and well-fed; unlike the NeverNoon wolves he had not collapsed on arrival. Tao nodded, features set in a determined expression. "NeverNoon, you need to ride from here on out. Taecyeon, take Yongguk, Nichkhun, and the baby. Chansung, you've got Jinyoung and Bomi." While Daesung gave out orders, Amber worked at strapping Sehun to Tao's back. "Amber, you'll take Ilhoon and Leehi. Taekwoon, you'll take Hakyeon. I'll carry Woohyun and Minhyuk. Let's go! That fire's only going to cover us for so long!" And with the smoke and flames covering their escape, the band of wolves at last set foot in the mountains. 

--

Happy birthday, lilspydermunkey! I hope you enjoyed this Shadow update as your gift. :D I will hopefully be getting another update on this out in the next week, as we continue to flee to the Excelsior packlands. I've been waiting to write this chapter for a while; the image of the fire tornado has been all but burning itself in my mind since about halfway through chapter one. I'm so happy it's finally out. And with it comes the big secret: There's magic!! If you look throughout the rest of the fic, you can actually see hints of it. Once they get going, it is going to be even more apparent how much magic is in the world. It's gonna be good! 

I should also clarify on heights. The wolves are big - like really big. Chansung and Taecyeon, who are the biggest in our band of heroes, are the size of Shire horses. To help you visualize:

Basically giant. Figured I'd clear that up, so you can see how they're able to carry so many people. And, being magical wolves, they have a lot more endurance than your average wolf - yay magic. Anyway, if you have any questions, comments, or feel the need to flail, please feel free to do so in the comments. As always, thank you so much for reading! (Also, sorry for any typos. I've not proofed this like I normally would. Thank you for your patience and understanding!)