The Guardian. Chapter 2

"Guardian's of the forest. I ask of you to look upon these wolves, no longer as apperentice's. But as full-fledged warriors. They have proven they're worth and have shown they're strength, in the battle's they have fought" Tasha's voice rang through the denning sight clear as day. She looked at SparrowClaw, MoonPaw, DarkKnight and TigerFur. "Do you four pledge you're loyalty to the pack. Even at the cost's of you're lives?" She asked. SparrowClaw looked at her as she sat on top of the hill. She remembered the surprise she felt when she was going to talk to IronStripe and SeaCrystal. Tasha had approached her and told her to get the other apperentice's. SparrowClaw did as told and ran and got them. Tasha had lept upon, her den and sat down. She had begun the naming ceremony. SparrowClaw blinked at the leader and muttered; "Yes" "Yeah!" "Yes m'am" "Of Course" came the other three's replies. Tasha did not move her gaze. SparrowClaw looked around. the other warriors had gathered, she spotted her mentor; NightWhisper. He was sitting beside IronStripe and SeaCrystal. Gazing proudly at her. She spotted the other three mentor's. On the other side of SeaCrystal. BladeDancer, TawnyClaw, And LakeRipple. the three sat proudly. But when her gaze flicked over to IronStripe and SeaCrystal. They're gazes, were strangely saddened. She tilted her head to the side. But snapped back to attention when Tasha spoke again. "Then by the power given to me, by The Guardian's, I pronounce you. Full-fledged warriors. As of tonight. the four of you must head out of den area. And find The Yang Guardian. When you locate him he will give you you're warrior names. May The Guardian's protect you always" She said and jumped down. the four apperentice's and friends looked at eachother confused. Apperentally she wasen't the only one, in the dark about The Guardian's. "How will we know who The Guardian is?" TigerFur growled at Tasha. Clearly annoyed he didn't know what he was looking for. Tasha turned around. An amused look on her face. TigerFur was Tasha's apperentice. He was a good one but he always lacked the ability to control his temper. "His eyes glow ice blue" She replied before heading into her den. As the warriors went to congradulate, the new warriors. SparrowClaw's was frozen in place eyes wide. 'Did.. Did I see The Guardian's eyes those times?' she thought as her mind's eye flashed back to the pair of eyes at kill-pile. and the pair's of eyes at Sacred Clearing. 'I must have. It's the only explanation.... Either that or I'm just seeing things' She thought still in place. She twitched her ear's and winced at TigerFur's furious howl. "SparrowClaw! Come on! Or are you a scaredy-cat?" He smirked. Her spine tensed and she turned around claws un-sheathed leaveing three large cuts across TigerFur's left eye. If there was one thing she hated. It would be being called a scaredy cat. She was anything but. Tigerfur yelped and backed away shaking his muzzle and dancing around. Trying to get rid of the pain. Sparrowclaw smirked "Let that be a lesson" TigerFur just growled. And quit dancing around. the four apperentice's took off into the forest. TigerFur in the lead. Him being the biggest. With SparrowClaw right behind him. Time to see if what she saw was true

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River smiled as she watched, a few pups playing with eachother. "Get back you dirty Yang! I'm the greatest Yin in the entire breed!" A young she-wolf, with grey and white markings. Said to a darker colored male. The two lept at eachother and barking and play-growling. Tackleing eachother, as they wrestled. She jerked her gaze up to alpha hill. They're leader, SteelTail. Was organizeing border party's. She trotted over a skip in her step. She was recently told by her mentor; OwlSong. That she was close to ready for being a warrior. She sat down at the outer circle. Close to the other apperentice's. The five of them began gossiping, and chatting. "Hey! have you heard the rumour going around?" A she-wolf named GoldenRise, said giggleing. River looked at her curious. "I'm about to. Spill!" She said quietly. Schooching over her best friend. GoldenRise looked serious before continueing. "I over heard BronzePelt saying SteelTail, was getting close to launching an attack on the Yang's" River's eyes went wide. "That has to be wrong! The Yin's defend not attack!" She exclaimed. 'Even though I would like to show those, Yang's a lesson or two' She added in her mind. GoldenRise shrugged. "I dunno. But SteelTail is more agrresive then any alpha we've ever had. I can't help but wonder if he's not fully Yin. But I could just be being ambitous" River looked at her like she head grown another head. "Yeah. Ur getting idea's. That goes against every law there is! Even the Yang's wouldn't do that!" GoldenRise nodded and turned her attention to SteelTail. He sat proudly upon alpha hill gazeing over the assembled wolves. He began barking out names and orders. And the wolves began stepping forward to recieve they're orders. "BronzePelt! OwlSong! HighBorn! WhiteWind! SwiftPaws! MoonEyes! River! You will go to the most populated YinYang border. Make sure there are no intruders!" The six wolves nodded and took off. River was right behind her mentor. Who was behind BronzePelt, leader the way. With MoonEyes bringing up the rear. Soon the wolves reached the border. And slowed to a walk. HighBorn, kept his ears back and eyes flicking around everywhere. River rolled her eyes. HighBorn was the jumpyest wolf in the pack. You could scare him by stepping on a twig, if you were near a YinYang border. River froze when she heard leaves rustleing. HighBorn was right behind her and froze with her. The other wolves stopped soon and pricked they're ears at the bush. WhiteWind pinned his ears back and started lashing his tail, growling. Besides SteelTail he was the most agrresive wolf in the pack. They watched as a pair of ice blue eyes, poked out of the dense Yang forest. Soon a brown wolf with odd tan markings. Stepped forward. He stopped in front of the group. Just behind the Yang border. WhiteWind imeadently stopped growling and stared awe-struck. The other wolves. Except River and SwiftPaws. They had no idea what was going on. The wolf flicked his gaze over to the two apperentice's. He smirked. When he spoke his voice was deep. And his eyes had a far-away look in them. "You will do great things" His eyes focused again, and his smirk disappeared. He flicked his gaze to each wolf as if analyzeing them. Before stepping over the border. WhiteWind imeadently lept from his place. To attack the intruder. The wolf glared at the opposing white wolf. And dark tentacles. Made of dark energy's shot out from the shadows. And held the wolf in mid air. Wraping themselves around him. BronzePelt whimpered. And muttered "HawkTalon" The brown wolf in question. Snapped his gaze over to BronzePelt. "So you remember me." He said narrowing his eyes. "Foolish wolf" He muttered. He walked over to the two apperentice's and smiled slightly. "Oh yes. Takara is very predictable still" He muttered. River bared her teeth at him and lashed her tail. "Back off" She muttered. HawkTalon laughed. "A fiery spirit. Yes, yes. You will do many great things" He said before turning around and walking back into the Yang's forest. Just before his tail disappeared. The tip of it twitched and WhiteWind fell to the ground with a rather loud thump. BronzePelt. Stood up and faced his star-struck, team. "Alright. For those of you who don't know. That was the Yang's Guardian. We must head back to denning area. Now!" He barked and raced off in the dicrection of denning sight. the other's were quick to follow. Not wanting to encounter the dark wolf again. Once they returned GoldenRise pranced up to River. "What's wrong you look like you've seen a ghost" She said setting down a fox in front of her. River greatfully induldged. "SteelTail should explain here in a few minutes" She replied between bites. When she had finished. She through the carcass over the wall. And trotted over to where OwlSong, BronzePelt, and SteelTail were calling her. OwlSong lowered her head. "SteelTail is about to explain to the pack what happened. The party is going to be present, while this happens. Don't speak unless spoken to" River nodded and followed the party, and SteelTail, up to alpha hill. The wolves jumped up. And sat next to they're leader. As he began. "BronzePelt's patrol party found something.... Unsual. At YinYang border today. As many of you know, the existance of The Guardian's are always here. But never found. Today the party encountered, The Yang's Guardian." As he said the last three words. murmur's and growls rippled through the assembled wolves.
"The Yang Guardian? On Yin territory?"
"How? I thought they died in The Great War"
"How exciteing! Meeting a Guardian!"
"I hope nothing bad happened"
Once they died down, he continued. "He did not attack the party. But he gave a strange prophecy, to an apperentice. River. Care to share it with us?"
River stepped forward. "You will do many great things" She said in a loud voice. She looked down at her parents. And narowed her eyes in confusion. TreeSong and StoneTalon. Looked horrified. Like they thought they're daughter was going to die. She shook her head and listen as SteelTail continued. "Interesting.... Well! Now that we know The Guardian's are back! I want border party's and hunting party's. Stepped up an notch. The last time this happened things took a turn for the worse" As he finished, the wolves nodded and began to file back into they're dens as SteelTail leaped down and began to talk with his delta and beta; ScarFur, and IcePaws. River hopped down off of alpha hill. and went over to the apperentice's to talk. But just as she was about to SteelTail howled out a few names. "GoldenRise! BlueSpark! SugarCove! StoneTalon! TreeSong! MoonEyes! SwiftPaws! And River! Come! We need to bring the sun to set!" He said and charged out of denning sight. His team behind him. Once they got there, the wolves gathered around him, not finding any Yang's yet. His gaze flicked around the area. He nodded before barking out positions. "River. Take the west position. StoneTalon. North. SugarCove. The south. GoldenRise. East. BlueSpark. South-east. TreeSong. South-west. MoonEyes. North-east. SwiftPaws. North-west." As he listed off names and positions. Wolves trotted over to they're respected spots. Once they were there, SteelTail began cantering around in front of each wolf. As he did the wolves would howl. One by won as he passed. Each wolf howled a different color. The first he passed was GoldenRise. When she howled a orange aura flared up around her body. And started making it's journey into the sky. An orange streak was now following just behind SteelTail. Next was Sugarcove. A grey aura did the same as GoldenRise. Adding to the orange streak. BlueSpark came next. Her blue aura shot up into the sky. It reaching around and dancing with the other aura's. As the others did the same. TreeSong's green aura soon joined the mix. As did StoneTalon's, fiery red. MoonEyes, Silvery aura reaching out in branch's to join the others. River's paws prickled with excitment. As SteelTail passed SwiftPaws. His indigo aura reaching out. the colors now flying behind SteelTail, were turning to a pure white at the end. His own aura barely repressed. River had heard, that not all of his ritual's had been a success on the first try. she heard he almost never kept his aura repressed. therefore it was hard for him. When he came up to her, she howled and her own yellow aura surrounded her and shot up. She noticed hers had been the quickest, out of all the aura's, to reach out and dance with the other's laceing around the other auras circled just above the tree's. SteelTail cantered up to the middle and howled. His eyes turning all the color's of the other aura's. His pure white aura shot up into the sky. the other aura's, were now reaching to join it. Once they touched it. It started flashing the color's of the aura's. the branches from the circle merily touched the round streak of light. Keeping the circle though. Soon the aura's recceded. As the sky began to change. Turning into the brilliant gold as the sun set in the west. The wolves on the edge's of the clearing stopped howling. And the aura's returned to they're owners. River looked over at GoldenRise. She was practiclly bubbleing with joy. That was amazing! Once SteelTail's aura had returned to him. He stood tall and smiling. "Job well done! Congradulation's apperentice's. You're first ritual was a success." He siad and turned around growling. River caught the scent just after he did. The Yang's were here. The Yin's gathered around they're leader. The only wolves she recignized. Were the leader; Tasha and a couple of apperentice's. DarkKnight and MoonPaw. And the healer. GraySun. "Leave Yin's. The night sky is our job" Tasha said. SteelTail growled. "I don't need to be told by the likes of you. Let's go!" River rolled her eyes. Looking at a blue wolf. With darker blue marking. She nodded and River stifled a chuckle. As SteelTail charged off into they're clear bright forest. His team quickly followed. River was confused however. That she-wolf was oddly, polite. She was also, she mentaly noted. An apperentice. She looked behind her. Wondering if they would meet again. Before shakeing it off and following her leader into denning sight

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River sat up straight. As she heard SteelTail's kind and proud voice. "Do the four of you. Pledge you're loyalty to the pack. Even if it means betraying those you love?" He asked. River hesitated. Before saying loudly "I do!" "Yes" "Why wouldn't I?" "How could I refuse?" The others said. SteelTail nodded. Not missing hesitation in River's voice. "Then by the power given to me, by The Guardian's. I hereby name you warriors. Of the Pack of DancingBlades. Tonight you will go and find The Yin's Guardian. She will be a blue wolf with lighter blue markings. And Amber glowing eyes. She will give you you're warrior names. May The Guardians's protect you always" He said leaping down from alpha hill. River danced across the clearing with her friends, as warriors came to congradulate the newer warriors. GoldenRise, River, SwiftPaws, and WhiteWind. Pranced across the clearing heading for the entrance. They made a single file through the think rock tunnel. Once they were out WhiteWind took the lead and together the four warriors, trotted through the forest. In search of The Guardian. 'I can't wait to find out what my warrior name will be!' River though as they came to elk meadow. She narrowed her eyes stopping as the other wolves did. Four other wolves from a Yang pack were on the other side. River widened her eyes. And the she-wolf from Sacred Clearing was with them!