Kiela raced up the slope towards camp. In her mind she could see herself running into Ramsea's tent, telling her about Connix. She was totally unprepared when something large and brown crashed into her and took her off her feet. She rolled, torn fur and injuries screaming. A large paw was planted firmly on her throat.

Kiela looked up, squinting past the sun in her eyes into the face of Meha.

"What are you doing?" She gasped. "I need to find Ramsea." She gagged as Meha's paw dug into her throat. Her claws flexed and a thin stream of blood ran down Kiela's silver fur.

"Sure you do." Meha sneered. "the Blood Watch is getting her as I speak."

"The Blood Watch? But why..." Kiela's voice died as she saw Connix prowl forwards, Tori at his side.

"Meha, what is happening?" Tori demanded.

"Get out of my way!" Ramsea ordered as she pushed through the gathering crowd. "That is enough Meha, let her get up."

With a snarl, Meha did as she asked, backing away quickly, as though Kiela was a piece of carrion.

"Everyone go to the circle now. It seems that we have a trial on our hands." Ramsea said. "In addition to the members of the Watch, Meha and Sarae will escort the convicted.

Meha and a large moose took places on either side of Kiela. The members of the watch slowly drifted in.

The circle was a ring of trees a small ways away from the camp. It consisted of four large trees that had been shaped into growing chairs. The four elders sat on them. To the side of the elder's chairs were large logs that the shifters had carved and stacked like risers. On these sat the heads of each house. Across from this and separated by a slight gap were other risers where the other shifters sat. Kiela was marched into the center of the circle and roughly thrown down. She stared at the crowd, their hostile gaze and angry muttering growing louder. Ramsea stood and the crowd hushed. Addressing the crowd, Ramsea spoke.

"Before you stands Kiela, a wolf shifter. she has been accused of the murder of two other shifters, the maiming of one, and the assault of another. She has also been accused of attempting to raise the evil God Drisnôk." At this there was an intake of breath.

"It's not true!" Kiela yelled. "I would never hurt another shifter!"

"This young man has given us the evidence and he says that you attacked him. Do you deny this?"

"No." Kiela said. "But..."

"You see, noble elder, she admits it!" Connix cried.

"Be silent!" Ramsea commanded. "You only have say when I allow it!"

"I did attack him, but only in self defense! Connix is the murderer!" Kiela cried. "He murdered Adrianne, and then Bala! I was there, with Sky, because we were looking for them! When we tried to leave and warn you, he attacked us! Ask Sky!"

"Sky is not conscious." Ramsea said sternly. "She has a broken shoulder and an exposed bone. On a human, this type of injury could only be caused by a large animal, a wolf, not a fox."

In that moment Kiela finally understood. Connix had blamed everything on her. Since Sky had shifted before falling unconscious, they had assumed that her injury had happened while she was a human. The deep marks in her body would appear as though they were inflicted by a wolf, and the way that Connix had attacked her eyes would make it look like Sky had been fighting her as well.

"No!" She cried desperately. "You don't understand!"

"We understand all too well." Ramsea said. "You were missing at the time of Adrianne's murder. The time that you spend in the woods is time spent worshipping Drisnôk. To think that I ever thought you were here to help..."

A snarling and hissing could be heard from all of the shifters. A small brown shape suddenly dove from the trees. It settled in front of Kiela.

"No!" Lono cried. "Ramsea please Kiela did not do this!"

At a nod from Ramsea, Meha picked up Lono in her jaws and held him. He tried valiantly to shift but her jaws were to small to allow him.

"We shall vote!" Ramsea cried. Ellil passed around a smooth price of wood.

"All who think Kiela is guilty as charged mark the stick." The vote was unanimous. Sky's mate glared at Kiela as he marked the wood with a slash of his strong beak. She felt sick."The penalty for her crimes is death!"

"No!" Lono shrieked, struggling fiercely. At once all of the shifters dropped from their branches. Eyes gleaming, fangs, claws and beaks cruelly sharp.

Kiela tore away from her captors and ran into the forest. Behind her, the great hoard of shifters snapped branches and crushed the undergrowth. Above her, the birds shrieked and called. Kiela ran, dodging trees and leaping over rocks. Her breath raked her lungs and her limbs ached. Once false move and she would be dead. One by one the birds dove down on her and savagely pecked at slashed at her head. Trying to shake them she misjudged and clipped a tree. She spun off her feet and went down. The howling crowd behind her attacked, holding her down. Slashing out with her teeth and claws she tried to get up abut was unable. Beaten and bruised she was forced down, a bear and a bobcat holding her down. In front of her the moose reared, ready to crush the life out of her.

"Stop!" A voice howled. Meha walked through the crowd. Her eyes gleamed. "Adrianne was my best friend and it is my privilege to end the life of the one who ended hers."

The other shifters including the guards moved away. Meha reared, about to sink her teeth into Kiela's throat.

A hoarse scream, a flash of brown and a savage howl were all that Kiela could register before Meha backed off, Lono screaming into her face. Kiela didn't wait. She sprung off into the woods as fast as she could, leaving everything behind.

***

She woke up to harsh shouts. The scent of many shifters entered her nose. Springing up, she raced away into the forest, breath heaving. Behind her the sound was getting louder. She heard a coyote howl as it picked up the scent. Meha. She thought bitterly. Once her friend, and now a bitter enemy.

Keila winced as she whipped by branches and they sliced the tender skin around her nose. She saw a light in the trees ahead of her. If its a stream, I can hide my scent trail in the water. She broke from the cover of the trees, nearly blinded by the harsh sunlight. Suddenly, she skidded to a stop. In front of her was a hundred foot drop that ended in a raging river far below. Kiela turned to look behind her. The first shifters had already broken from the trees. Steeling her self against what was to come, she dove off the cliff.

Her body hit the water and she fought for breath. All around her was water, the foaming current tossing spray into the air. Kiela tried vainly to swim, but the current tossed her around and threw her into rocks and the shore. Swolen by the recent rain, the river was a raging monster that swallowed everything in its path.

Kiela saw a large rock ahead of her and grabbed on. She shifted and dug her fingers in. Bit by bit she managed to claw her way onto the rock. She stood and surveyed the river. A rocky waterfall. A pebbly beach. She could only catch glimpses as the spray rose up and stung her eyes. If she could only get there, she would be safe.

She shifted again. She needed the strength of her wolf body if she was to survive the punishment that was about to occur.

Several hours later the dying light found her bruised and bloodied for the second time in two days. I can't do this again. She thought. If they manage to track me again I'm dead.

Back in the safety of the woods she quickly came across an old fox burrow. the pungent yet faded scent told her that it had been abandoned for quite some time. She crawled inside and settled herself down. She was prettty sure the pack was far enough away. Even if they were to find her the stench would confuse them. For now...

The folowing morning she came across a pile of fox dung on the ground. Keila hesitated, unwilling to do what was nessisary. Steeeling herself, she rolled over and pressed her fur into the rotting heap. Wrinkling her nose she continued on her way. Ah well, She thought. At least It will make them think they're after Connix. He smells twice as bad as this.

Whew! well! This is where the story actually starts. Sorry that its been boreing up to this point, I promise that it will improve!;-) Just one quick thing: I realize now that Kiela should be spelt like that and not like this...Keila. If you notice it spelt wrong in a previous chapter please comment! Also I may or may not have switched up names so I apologize for that too!