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Shadow Scar: "My sister is very mature!!!"

Laya: "You should!" I kept jumping.

Feather: "You came about just after Zakku's arrival and Recluse's death. They don't trust you because of it. I'm sure after Envy is found you'll be set free."

Sage: I leaped on top of the high rock with him. "What are you doing!!?? Fool!"

Zakku: I saw the guards trying to call me out of my cave. "No!" I growled. "I'm not going out there! Sage is the Sinner!"

Alexsei looked up at his mother. "I am Alpha. You are Elder. My word. Is law." He growled defiantly.

Spirit of Swiftkill; I rose up behind the new alpha like a moutain and our shadows blended back onto the camp for all to see, even though only Sage and Alexsei could see me. "Alexsei is Pond Dust's alpha and StarPack declines your authority Sage. Get off High Rock." I snarled. Alexsei was the first Pond Dust wolf to have the element of Mercury. It would make him strong.

Zabranjen grunted. "Regardless of relations! Give me the girl and our secrets are one and silent."

Lidka: "But I am Second-In-Command and we have to come to agreement before you do things like this!"

Shadow Scar: "Keep your power then Gluttony! I have always wanted your power and you wanted the girl. But the girl is much safer with me. Pond Dust will know about our Sins soon. I am Envy and you are Gluttony. But who are the rest? You will survive longer than me for we have to be killed in order." I motioned towards the X shaped scar on my chest, the one where Fire Wolf slashed to let the Sin engulf my soul. But I was pure. I was a Sinner, yes, but I was loyal to Pond Dust."

Spirit Of Lillian Rose: I rose up above Lidka. Only Alexsei and Lidka could see me. "Swiftkill, I know you own Alexsei's soul but I own dear Lidka's. So we have to come to agreements with things like this!"

Zabranjen growled. 'And where is her protection when Envy is dead? I am immortal and will therefore just reincarnate when Gluttony is killed but once you're dead, you're dead. Greed is still deciding who to choose, he is gazing torwards either Hazard, the alpha's brother or Valkyrie, which would be a bad choice for him..."

Swiftkill growled. "Lillian, Envy is close, I can feel it! We can't keep these wolves prisoners!"
Alexsei growled the same words to Lidka. He and Swiftkill shared a voice in Alpha. "What if Envy posesses one of the Guards? Then what will we do? Our guards are second-strongest members of the whole pack unit, surely they could do anything!"

Shadow Scar: "My spirit will always protect her! For I cannot fully own her until I am dead!"

Lillian: "We need them to stay out of our way!"

Lidka: "Alexsei. We all know our parents were going to make me alpha until Sage had that dream of a long-haired golden wolf killing the final Sinner. But I had the same dream as her. And it wasn't you. We're still young, Alexsei, let's switch ranks and we can-"

Zakku: "SHE'S GOING TO DESTROY THE PACK! KILL SAGE! KILL SAGE! SAGE IS THE SINNER! KILL HER KILL HER!" I screeched and ran through the camp.

Sage: "NO! MIKA-MEI IS THE SINNER, ZAKKU!" I howled at him.

Zakku: "We will bring this up tomorrow night and see who to kill!"

Swiftkill growled intensely.
Alexsei growled as well but replied. "I don't care about that stupid dream! I want what's best for our pack and that is to let those wolves go and stay where they want!"

Aeton dive-bombed out of the sky and rammed Zakku into the gravel of the camp, creating a huge dust cloud. "Shut-up, you exuberant gossip..... Fell is the only one who knows...who the Sinner really...is." He got out in between attempts to stand back up.

Zabranjen growled under his breath. "I will seek out her physical shape if you don't switch now, I can tell you that much!"

Lidka: I snarled at him.

Zakku: "But the sinner is Sage!"

Shadow Scar: "No!" I lunged at him.

Alexsei stayed put and raised his chin. "It's already done and I'm not changing it!" He barked defiantly.
Swiftkill did the same. 'I may be as stubborn as a boulder or worse, but this had to be done."

Aeton kept Zakku's head pinned down. "Even if she was it doesn't give you the right to run around screaming your head off. You probably scared some of them.'

Zabranjen barked as they both went down. "And how close her family lives to my mother's territory- means you can't stop me." He smirked deviously.

Remi caught up with her as they reached the point where there used to be tunnels of ice. Now it was just a couple of ice floes scattered here and there. "Okay Squirt. Mom is the only one that could get us across there safely...what do you want to do now?"

Whitefeather smiled as she heard Alexsei's orders, and glanced contentedly back toward Mika-Mei's den. The other she-wolf had dashed out and bowed gracefully to the young alpha in thanks. Satisfaction rose in Whitefeather; this is what she wanted to see. She didn't believe that Mika-Mei was anything bad. The winged wolf stopped preening her feathers and stood up, about to retreat into her den for some rest. Or maybe she could hunt a little more, since she hadn't caught anything because of yet another supposed intruder... But her decision was interrupted by sudden chaos in the camp. Wolves were shouting about the Sinner, and Envy... Sage, Mika-Mei, Zakku... possession... Was Envy a spirit, rather than a wolf? Her ears flicked with confusion, and reluctantly she stepped out into camp, only to hear Zakku snarl and run through. Sage was the Sinner? But then she heard Sage retort and shout that Mika-Mei was the Sinner... Whitefeather opened her mouth to speak, but another wolf beat her to it.

Mika-Mei cried, "Stop fighting!" Horror had passed through her heart when she saw the wolves leaping at each other. A fight had even broken out between Zakku and the new strange wolf who had just come across the camp. She took a few quick steps closer to the battle, then stopped, her bright pink eyes desperate. "If there are this many different opinions, nobody is quite sure. Why are we fighting over who's the Sinner?" Anxiety was rising in her as she spoke, and she began to shiver. She looked as if she was about to shout at everyone, but part of her conscience held her back.

Whitefeather gazed with dismay at the pack that had temporarily fallen to turmoil. The new dark-colored wolf who had just come into camp had attacked Zakku, and Aeton had come just before that. Her jaws were partially open in disbelief, and she swung her head back at forth, staring at all her pack mates. Please stop... she thought to herself, praying for the pack. As much as the short-tempered she-wolf would love a fight, confusion had come over her. Weren't the others talking about this before? They were accusing Mika-Mei of being a "Sinner" when she had just arrived... The white wolf's ice eyes darted over to the scarfed wolf nearby who was standing close to the middle of the camp that was now practically a battlefield. Honestly, Whitefeather didn't see how she could be a Sinner at all... She looked so innocent (not to mention, she was light pink). Sure, she had just wandered in randomly, but... so had the other wolf. The dark one... She didn't know his name. But strangeness still prickled at Whitefeather's pelt when she saw him. There was something... well, obviously, dark about him...

((Interesting plot twist with Shadow Scar.))

As soon as all the noise bombarded his ears, Uisce panicked. He could barely discern any real words among the shouts that were echoing throughout camp and into his brain. He gritted his teeth in frustration - without an idea of what many of the wolves were saying, he was losing his nerve. Sinners... was it Zakku? Sage? Mika-Mei? How about none of them? Or could it be all of them? All of this was so confusing! Why not just silence everybody now? As in... not kill them, but make them stop talking. Uisce's poor ears had had enough.

"Enough is enough!" he cried, and then howled out, "Everybody stop fighting now! Attacking random packmates and rogues is not the way to find the Sinner!"

Groundwater surged up from beneath him and fountained about his paws, in the shape of rearing snakes ready to strike. At this point Uisce had his jaws wide open, almost as if he had the skull of a thylacine. "Just stop, everyone! This is completely pointless!"

Alexsei nodded bravely. "Uisce and Mika-Mei are right.." He turned back around to the pack. Swiftkill faded and the Alpha's small shadow returned. "We all got really immature- why fight about the common enemy? The Sinner is the Sinner and only a certain few know who it really is. Everyone, the prisoners are free. Let them go and return to your normal positions." His head dropped. Power had clouded his eyes and taken over.

Aeton nodded. "Alright wolves, you heard Alexsei! Resume normal positions." He barked, releasing Zakku and using the wind to pull him out. "Many apologies, Elder, but I do not believe your crazed rantings. Go back in peace." The fighter dipped his head in respect.

Mika-Mei nodded to Alexsei, then glanced gratefully over to Uisce. So his power was over water... How interesting. Mika-Mei called to the young alpha, "I'll probably stay near this territory, but I won't get in your way." Her tail wagged as a last greeting, and she padded out of the camp slowly, but without looking back. Perhaps she had found a home here...

Whitefeather stood there for a few moments, dumbstruck. As quickly as the fight had happened, it had stopped. But she could still sense tension in the air around those who had been battling, and glanced around at them cautiously. She sat down just inside her den, but her ears were still pricked for any sign of hostile conversation. She was also nervous. The pack had never fought itself as it had done just now! What was going on?

(You did know that Laya has wings right?)

Laya: "Brother... somehow maybe I can fly both of us over there."

Shadow Scar: "Zabranjen... why do you want Laya? Is it because she's so much like your dead sister?"

Lidka: "You're a stupid fool, Alexsei." I growled at him and stalked off.

Dex: The wolves began to disperse into their dens or out to guard or wherever. "Hold on!" I barked. As I got their attention I leaped on the high rock. "We're missing something though. We think we know everything about these Sinners. But we don't. If they are among us, why haven't they attacked? What if the Sinner hasn't arrived!"

Alexsei turned swiftly to Dex as he charged past him. "The Sinner has arrived, Dex. Swiftkill told me."

Remi hesitated. 'You think you could get both of us over? Haha, I think I might be a little heavy for you.."

Zabranjen let loose a roar and spat fire up into Shadow Scar's face. "How dare you drag Krin into this!" He snarled, kicking the demon off with his hind legs and tensing up with anger. "You know exactly why I want Laya!" The hybrid barked and continued to shoot fireballs at him. "Krin was supposed to have forever! We were never supposed to be separated!" He paused to take a deep breadth. All of the immortal's muscles rippled as his disguise went up into flames to reveal his black and orange coat. The markings glowed furiously. "Krin didn't get forever! She deserved forever!" He stalked up to the other wolf and stared him down. "And Raziel help me Laya is her reincarnation."

Dex: "You need to stop spending time listening to dead wolves!"

Laya: "Then I can go by myself or you could swim."

Shadow Scar: I got a wicked idea to anger the wolf more and more. "Krin isn't alive, Zabranjen. She died in the Ice Tombs long long ago. She was weak, Zabranjen. She didn't deserve forever. Weak wolves don't get forever. Only the strong ones do." I flexed. "I remember the look of terror she had when she was dying. Yes I was there. Did I help her get out of the jagged ice? No! Because I knew she was going to turn into a strong pup. Laya is mine, Zabranjen. The gods don't want you to have her."

Zabranjen let loose the roar of a lion and turned away. "I know your plans Envy! I admit that I should just kill you now and get this over with!" He paced away from the demon. "Krin wouldn't want it. She was stronger than that..." He parachuted his wings and launched up to go find Laya.

Remi nodded. "Er- that's a long swim! " he laughed a little. "But I promised Mom we'd stay together so I guess we'll have to."

Alexsei turned back around to Dex, his element ignited. The fur around his scruff spiked up and turned to Mercury. The rest of his body followed and stretched it's size until he was taller than Dex. What resulted was a wavering, metallic form of Alexsei that only Whitefeather, Uisce, and Dex had seen. "Dead wolves are exactly what saved Dazzel's soul. And your powers." He glared coldly at the older male.

Whitefeather whirled around as she heard a command from Dex. It made sense; if the Sinner had already arrived, then these wolves had reasonable suspicion for Zakku and Mika-Mei. But how did Sage get into this? Her ears flattened, but they pricked again as she saw that something was happening to Alexsei. Her icy eyes focused as she watched him become a liquid silvery color, and he expanded to over Dex's size. Were they still fighting...? She lowered herself down to the ground a little, afraid of what was going on.

Shadow Scar: "To hell with that Sinner." I mumbled.

Laya: I took off, flying towards the other side.

Dex: "Who's soul does Dazzel own!? Who's!?"

Ashra: I padded through the clearing, for some reason everyone calmed down, even Alexsei. "Peace must be kept if you are willing to survive."

Spirit of Dazzel: I appeared where only Dex and Ashra could see and hear me. "Dex, my love, I watch over Ashra now. Remember when we fought the vampires together, we were one. My soul watches over Ashra. But my spirit guides you. I love you so much Dex. I wish Gaara never killed me so I could be with you." I padded to Dex and touched my nose to his. Then I made it where only Ashra could see and hear me. "Ashra, you are a very amazing wolf. You are the only wolf with the Calling of Melody. Melody can calm an entire army of wolves. Use this power wisely."

Dex: I looked at Dazzel as she spoke to me. "I love you...." I mumbled. Then the ghost came forward and put her nose to mine. Black and purple shades of fur disappeared. I saw through her fading image, Mika-Mei. She was across camp, sitting, looking at her paws.

Remi dived in and started swimming. "Ah- she'll get there faster than I will!" He laughed while dogpaddling.

Alexsei's huge mercury form reduced and he trotted back down the rock. "I don't know what just happened, but you stopped arguing with me so I'm leaving." He growled aloud and went to his den.

Gryon had to admit that even he had been a little riled up by the arguing, but when Alexsei shrunk back into his non-elemental self the sun-wolf sighed and glanced around camp. As the young alpha returned to his den, Gryon circled the camp. He didn't have any intention of going out and retrieving the youngster. He was right - the Sinner could be outside Pond Dust, but it would be easier to detect if he or she wasn't in the pack. For safety, the Sinner would most likely be hiding within the pack right now.

Something moved at the border of camp. It was just a twig cracking, but Gryon froze, and pricked his ears in mid-step. It sounded like something small, perhaps a mouse.

At the thought of even such a small morsel, the sun-wolf's stomach growled, and he scoffed to himself as he faced the direction of the noise. Whatever had made it was somewhere in a thicket of ferns about four meters away from him. That was good, because five meters was about the limit of his flame-throwing power or whatever you wanted to call it.

The sun-wolf focused on where he had heard the sound, and could feel a small source of heat buried deep beneath the fronds of bracken. Focusing, he closed his eyes, and the air around his fur started to shimmer slightly, as if it was the bottom of a hill ahead and there was an illusory puddle down there. Unlike some other Pond Dust wolves, when Gryon opened his eyes again they weren't a different color, but he had a good idea of where he should aim.

Right there!

There was a flash of flame-colored light in a stream between Gryon and whatever was in the ferns, and then a small puff of smoke rose from the middle of the plants. Reaching in with his muzzle, Gryon stepped closer to the ferns and dragged out his quarry; not a mouse as he had first guessed, but a rabbit that had been caught off guard near the camp. He had aimed well, too; his solar flare power had singed up its life force without actually cooking it. The spores tickling his wet black nose, he sneezed quietly, and then took the rabbit more toward the middle of the camp.

Grian is one of the names for the goddess of the sun*. That's where I got my name, and that's why my power is miniature solar flares. But I'm glad I'm not female.

((*in Irish myths.))

Laya: I slowed my pace.

Shadow Scar: I looked at my mother's grave again and kept padding to camp. I entered slowly, making sure no one thought I was a threat. I leaped onto the high rock and howled, my deep rusty howl to get everyone's attention.

Alexsei froze. That howl was on High Rock. He could tell. The young Alpha stormed back out of his den and right up to that fifth stranger. "What in StarDust gives you the right to come up here like some rebel and announce a meeting?" He demanded, the tips of his mane starting to turn silver slowly.

Remi smiled up at her and swam just a little faster.

Shadow Scar: I snarled in Alexsei's face. "You are a pup! I am Danalli's brother, who do you think has more power?" I turned to the pack. "I have come back. Most of you do not know me, though. I am the Great Warrior, Shadow Scar. Before any of you even think about protesting and saying I'm the Sinner, I'm not. I am just a wolf who had to make a longer journey than anyone else. But I am up here to tell you of the newly found powers. They are called Callings. So far we only have a few, Zen, Melody, Peace and Heaven. Those are the only ones we have found. I'm sure, like all elements, there will be evil ones, its just that we have not found them yet. So far all I know is that two wolves were born with Callings. I know them both but for safety I will not say who they are. The Spirits came to me and said that only select wolves will have Callings."

Ashra: My blind gaze suddenly got awestruck. I was one of the two! I had Melody! Power to keep beings at rest!

Zen: I sat in the water still. The tide getting harsher as the moon rose. How do I use Zen? I wondered about my Calling.

Shadow Scar: "I have journeyed far. And after you, my pack, defeat the Sinners, the time of travel will come once more. You will have to travel through the mountains to the north. I came back from the north and I know the area is safe there. You will have to adapt to the cold though. But that's not until you lot defeat the Seven Deadly Sinners." I looked across the wolves. "Envy, Lust, Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Pride, and Gluttony."