By the time Dune caught up to Shadow, his victim was standing in the middle of a large, misty salt plain. The fog enveloped them, and Dune could only just see the hazy silhouette of Shadow.

With golden eyes fixed on the ground, Shadow had completely stopped moving. He was completely silent- not even the sound of his breath could be heard, but if one were to come close enough, they would notice his sides rise and fall. A path of two-toed footprints lay imprinted on the white ground, leading up to the dark velociraptor.

Dune's amber eyes glowed eerily in the mist, gently flickering as his pupils locked onto the soft, inviting body of the next fatality on his list. Dune exhaled, and cool air shot from his nostrils. He walked forwards, striding with a strange, alien kind of confidence. His heart had sped up, as his mind blocked out everything around him to only focus on the single living being in front of him.

Spit began to gather around the edges of his jaws, and splattered down to the salt. Every step Dune took was loud and noticeable- he wanted Shadow to turn and see him, to witness how his constantly uncaring and unemotional face would mutate into a look of pure terror as the realisation that he stood before death would dawn upon him.

Shadow did indeed turn around.

But his reaction was not at all what Dune had expected.

When Shadow turned, his face did not change. Dune stopped in his tracks. The two silently looked at one another, scanning and analysing. Finally, Shadow looked at what was on Dune's arm. For three seconds, he did nothing but stare.

But then, his orbs widened with recognition. The bloodied skull...

Shadow instantly looked at Dune with disbelief. He couldn't have gotten her. He couldn't have...

She was the only thing in this world he still loved with all his crippled heart.

And yet, she was gone forever. Never again would he see her beautiful burgundy feathers, or witness her face light up with gratitude.

Shadow began to tremble furiously, narrowing his eyes angrily. His mouth pulled down, and a snarl appeared on his lips.

'You killed her, didn't you?' He whispered, his fury betrayed in his shaking voice. 'You killed my Blood.'

Dune did not respond. He had not expected Shadow to react in such a way, not at all. He had always viewed Shadow as cold and apathetic, even back when he was the alpha of his pack and beyond.

Reflexively, Shadow's sickle claw on his foot began to twitch violently, as if begging to penetrate Dune's muscles and flesh. Tears began to brim at his golden eyes, and they spilled out.

'You wear the skull of the one I love so dear as if she is a mere trophy...'

Dune did not proceed to come forth and attack Shadow- he had never seen him in such a state. No one had.

'She was everything to me. She was my world. And yet, you murdered her and display her like she is nothing. The blood that drenches your body, the blood that runs down your arm- it was all hers, was it not? Every single drop of it,' Shadow glared directly into Dune's blank eyes- Dune almost felt a shiver wrack his spine. Almost.

'You are here to kill me, aren't you? You plan to kill everyone.'

Dune did not respond. More tears streamed down Shadow's feathered cheeks.

'Your vendetta will end here... I have no reason left to live except for one.'

A cloud went over the sun, and the entire area darkened.

Shadow, not taking his eyes off of Dune, began to circle him. Dune moved his body to constantly face his enemy. He could smell the anger radiate off of him, see it swirl in his delicate tears. The passion of his hatred affected Dune little, though. He was merely reminded of his younger, more emotionally intense self, right after a certain betrayal left him seething with that exact same revulsion. The rancour he felt towards the crime and the one who committed it was still raw and bitter in his desolate mind, and was the closest thing to an emotion which he could experience in his current state.

Shadow screamed out and ran to Dune, his throat vibrating as his roar spilled from his jaws. Dune jumped to the side while Shadow whooshed past him. He managed to rake his claws against Shadow's side. Three scars appeared, bloody and afflictive- and yet, Shadow seemed unaffected. Before Dune could react, his opponent quickly turned around and lunged forwards. A flurry of talons began to slash at the ex-alpha. Shadow snarled with determination, while Dune grimaced in agony. A small squeak of distress escaped his mouth as he felt his flesh divide. Every time he tried to raise his winged arms to block Shadow's relentless attacks, they would get whacked away.

For the first time in years, Dune realised that he was completely helpless.

Shadow head-butted Dune. He stumbled back and fell onto his side, breathing heavily. He felt warm, sticky red seep from his wounds, and leak into the salt around him. He coughed pathetically, and scarlet splattered out.

(Fern, Blood, Shadow, Sand and Bone stood around him, smiling while blood dripped from their jaws.)

Shadow approached Dune, rage swirling in his golden eyes. He leaned down, and wrapped his arms around Dune, then raised the smaller raptor up so his feet dangled above the ground. Shadow's warm body pressed against Dune's while his arms dug into the raptor's back.

(They had all doubted you. They had all seen you as weak.)

Shadow drew his face close to Dune's own. Dune tried to pull away, but Shadow grabbed the back of his head to prevent it from moving. Panic began to overtake Dune's soul- it was so strong that he could almost consciously feel it.

(They had all thought that they could get away with it.)

'I'm going to crush you in my very arms, Dune,' Shadow growled into his ears, the smell of his breath strong in Dune's nostrils. 'I'm going to make you suffer for your despicable actions.' Shadow tightened his grip. Dune writhed, but he could barely move. His arms were being crushed between himself and his furious adversary.

(They had all thought that they were done with you.)

Dune grimaced as he felt extreme pain come around his ribs- he could hear an awful creaking sound as they tried to resist the unsparing strength of Shadow's powerful hold. He gaped for air, yet his adversary prevented his chest from expanding. He realised that he could not breathe.

If he wanted to survive, he had to act. Fast.

(You must prove them wrong. Prove everyone wrong.)

Dune narrowed his eyes. He had only one chance at what he was about to do.

(You are not weak.)

He pressed his hand claws into Shadow's chest as the dark grey raptor constricted him more and more.

(You are not worthless.)

Dune glared into Shadow's eyes, anticipating the pain his enemy was about to experience. He pressed his claws harder against the Velociraptor's breast.

(You are not a runt. Not anymore.)

Dune shoved his arm into Shadow's chest. Shadow gasped in pain, and his grasp weakened. Dune could feel the warm flesh surround his arm. He searched around inside, then gripped onto a rib. While malevolence flashed in his eyes, he tore it out and jumped down to the ground with grace, holding it in his scaled hand. Shadow screamed out in misery, and Dune stood there for a moment, watching in satisfaction while the raptor fell onto his knees.

Fall onto your knees, Dune thought, while he frothed. You shall not elicit any mercy from me.

Dune thrust the rib into Shadow's throat. It pierced right through, and blood festered around its edges. Shadow gurgled, then fell to the salt below, shaking. Dune cracked his neck calmly while red spilled to and mingled at his feet.

Shadow looked up at Dune with disbelief as he trembled on the ground. But then, his eyes switched over to something behind Dune.

Dune looked back, but there was nothing there. He turned to look at his dying victim who was now smiling. There was a strange tenderness in his smile as he looked at something Dune simply couldn't see.

'Do not be afraid...' Shadow whispered with a dying voice. Dune stepped back, almost nervously, though he began to get an idea of who Shadow was speaking to.

'I am coming to join you...'

And, with that, Shadow shut his eyes, and a final sigh departed from his bloody jaws.

He went completely still. He had joined the stars.

Dune approached the body cautiously. He, for the first time, began to feel. It was not empathy, sadness, or glee over his kill. He felt uncomfortable. He knew fear was something all beings express towards death- and yet, this one was happy. It meant little sense to him. And for Shadow of all the beings to express such feeling- it all felt wrong.

Dune realised what he was doing, and instantly suppressed the simple emotion he felt, folding it up and putting it back into the dark subconscious from which it had crawled. He didn't have time to feel. He had learned that a long time ago. If he began to feel discomfort, everything else would come back- fear, sadness, happiness, hope, and worst of all, love.

Feeling led to love. Love led to trust. And trust led to pain, hurt, and vulnerability. It was the ultimate weakness of all creatures- the ability to trust. When he was in his pack, Dune had actually trusted quite a few individuals. But after what his sister did- the one he trusted the most- he understood that no one can ever truly be trusted.

(They always turn on you in the end.)