Chapter 25

Luna looked down at the sobbing woman. Flint came closer to Kinta, and sat beside her. Spark licked a tear from Kinta's face. Twilight sat beside Flint, but did not come closer to Kinta.

"What are you doing, Kinta?! There's a war! Kill these Orphans, Outcasts, and Losts before they kill you!"

Kinta rose up, and faced Mother Vexa. "No, Mother Vexa. I will not kill these innocent people."

Mother Vexa scoffed. "That's not the way a true High Guard speaks."

Kinta wiped the tears from her face. "I do not deserve the title High Guard. I do not deserve anything." Her voice trembled. "I have killed those who have committed no crime. I have done unspeakable, terrible things. And so have you, Mother Vexa."

Mother Vexa's hand trembled. The dagger she held wobbled. "How dare you!" Her face turned red.

Flint rose. "Kinta has accounted for her mistakes. You will not take her life." Spark and Twilight nodded.

Mother Vexa smiled an evil smile. "You're right. I won't. But they will." Mother Vexa whistled. Three wolves came from behind her. Tempest laughed at Kinta. "Oh, Kinta. Foolish, foolish Kinta."

Luna gripped her knife, ready to unsheathe it. Hollow flicked his tail. "Let's get down to business, as they say."

Hollow lunged at Kinta, but her attack was blocked by Twilight. "Hollow," she growled. "You will not kill her. You will never kill anyone ever again." She gripped Hollow's throat in her teeth. Spark and Flint rushed to help their sister. In a matter of seconds, Hollow was down. Bear ran to help Hollow, but it was too late. The tyrant was dead. Luna gasped. Blood flowed from Hollow's neck. Tempest's eyes were wide as she looked at her fallen mate. Bear let out a small whimper.

"You killed him!" Tempest said. She dug her claws into the earth.

Flint nodded, solemn. It was clear he had never killed another wolf before. "I'm not sorry. It had to be done. Hollow did not know when to stop. He was a tyrant." Tempest growled. She and Bear raced off into the forest. Their leader was dead.

Luna took a shaky breath. "Leave now. And don't come back." She said to Mother Vexa. "You have been defeated." Ani went to Luna's side. Niko and the wolves followed her. Mother Vexa fumbled with her knife. She dropped it, and it fell with a thud.

"Retreat, all loyal Taligo Tribe members!" Luna saw only a few people, including Alto, follow her. The wolves howled triumphantly. Luna found herself howling along.

                                                                                              ~☾~

Luna, Ani, Niko, and Nina gathered up some sticks.

"Is this enough, Flint?" Luna asked."Or should I say, Alpha Flint?"

Flint twitched his ears, amused. "You definitely should not." Luna rolled her eyes. She took the sticks to the very-pregnant Spark. Believe it or not, Spark and Bear were mates. Bear had realized his mistakes, and came back to the Evergreen Pack (formerley the Moonshadow Pack). He and Spark had fallen in love, and... well, the rest is history.

As for the new Taligo Tribe, things had changed. They had a new Mother. Me, Kiatana Outcast. She had taught the Tribe about compassion and kindness. There were no labels anymore, like "Orphan", or "Outcast". They lived in peace with the Evergreen Pack, and shared the forest meat. Luna had become a Hunter, as well as Nina and Ani. Chasers and Guards no longer existed, and the people were free to do what they pleased. Niko had become a farmer, and grew crops for the Tribe, while Kinta taught the young children of the Tribe.

Mother Vexa's reign of darkness was over. A new era had begun for the Evergreen Pack as well.

With Flint as their leader, they thrived. Soon, Spark and Bear's pups would be roaming around, causing trouble and running about the forest.

And all was well.