Chapter author: YourAreNowIncongito

Angi had still not caught up. It was already evening, he hadn't seen her since the morning when he left her sleeping it the cave. He was starting to worry a little before he reminded himself he didn't want her around. He thought she would catch up before he reached her wolf pack territory but now he was here and she had still not shown up. Very well, this was the perfect opportunity to finally get the fire shifter. After a short while of tracking he found the pack. The pack was in a glade beneath a small hill. The moon was slowly rising over the mountains and gave some pale light to the scene. The red lookout wolf where standing on the hill as usual, only this time he spotted Delmar.

“Sillof!” he shouted. “We've got trouble!”

Aw come on, what more could go wrong now? The wolves who lay to sleep awoke dazed and gathered in the middle of the glade ready to defend themselves from whatever was threatening them. The gray old alpha male walked slowly towards Delmar.

“Why are you here again? And what have you done to Angi?” he snarled. The other wolves started growling behind him. Delmar’s short second of doubt left him in an instance, this was going to be fun. He did a short brief through the pack to ensure himself Ramsey was there. Now the question was how much of a show he should put up? Angi wasn't there so he could easily come up with any story he wanted about what he did with her. He smiled, a cruel and gruesome smile.

“Hi Sillof. I can hear you've missed me. So Angi? Was that her name?” He started to walk back and forth in the glade with his head held high. “If it's the white female wolf you’re referring to, I disposed of her quite quickly. I don't know what you thought sending her after me?” He could see the wolves in the glade look worried, he could feel their sadness of losing her. She meant a lot to them. “That’s what happens when you send someone after me! She said she thought she could beat me in a fight, oh she was wrong… oh so wrong.” He smiled again. It was a joy to see their faces, to feel their pain. “What did you actually think she would accomplish? Did you think she would talk me out of this? Believe me she tried when she begged for her life…” Sillof had enough and with a roar he threw himself over Delmar. Delmar was actually a bit impressed. Everything he read from the gray wolf's mind told him Sillof was certain he’d lose and be killed. Still he wanted to do everything in his power to protect his pack and family.

They tumbled around on the ground and exchanged bites and scratches. Sillof was old but he still had some fight left in him. Although Sillof were a good fighter he stood no chance, Delmar didn't even need to use his ice powers his raw strength was enough. The last time they had fought Sillof had been young, since then his body had aged. Delmar's body on the other hand had not, for Delmar who had lived for four hundred years it was like yesterday. He was still cursing the day Sillof had given him his scars.

“Dad!” Ramsey pressed himself through the wolf pack. The wolves tried to hold him back. He finally broke free and threw himself over Delmar. The three wolves tumbled around on the ground. Delmar was utterly pleased Ramsey joined in. He had fallen right into his trap. Now he just needed to get rid of Sillof so he could make this his and Ramsey’s battle. Delmar focused all his hits on Sillof trying to make him incapable of continuing fighting. Ramsey kept dashing onto him but every time he did Delmar just took a firm grip around his neck and threw him as far away could.

“Ramsey, get the hell out of here!” Sillof shouted.

“No way dad!” Ramsey gasped and came up on his feet again. “I said I was going to protect you”

Delmar laughed. He pushed Sillof down to the ground so he couldn't move. “Don’t be ridiculous! You can't even protect yourself" this was it, this was the moment he should get rid of Sillof. He formed a massive chunk of ice and dropped it down onto the gray wolf's head. Then Delmar let him go and turned to face Ramsey. Sillof wasn't completely unconscious but he was too dizzy to do anything. “Ramsey, run you fool" he whispered.

“Well, well, finally it's just you and me" Delmar licked himself satisfied around his mouth with his long blue tongue. “How I longed for this moment…”

“What did I ever do to you? Why do you do this?” Ramsey cried angrily.

“Oh it's nothing personal…” Delmar grinned “I just need to kill you"

Ramsey’s blue eyes suddenly turned glowing red and flames were slowly starting to appear from his mane and tail.

“Finally" Delmar said pleased quietly for himself “Show me what demon you truly are” the pack behind Ramsey backed up in fear when they saw the flames.

Ramsey took a leap forward but stopped again surprised. The flames disappeared and his eyes turned blue again.

“Angi?”

Suddenly she stood there like a white spirit in front of Ramsey just as she had done in front of the quicksilver rabbit. She breathed heavily as she had been running for a while.

“I can't leave you for a moment, can I?” she said furiously to Delmar. She wasn't smiling, not this time. The only thing that could read from her face was rage and disappointment.

Delmar was confused again. This was what he wanted wasn't it? Why did he lose all interest in the battle? Why did he have a cold feeling of guilt inside? Suddenly all he wanted was to see her smile again. She was the only person who had been friendly to him for least 350 years. He didn't want to lose that. He turned around with his head and ears down, “No you can't" He couldn't look at her, he didn't want to see her face like that. He closed his eyes and just listened to them. He didn't go into their mind, he didn't want to know what she thought.

“Are you alright Sillof?” He could hear her light voice whisper.

“What have you done with him?”

“It’s alright, can you stand?”

“Maybe…”

“Dad!” He could hear running. “Angi you're amazing, we thought you were dead, he said he killed you."

“Schhh…” then it was quiet for a while.

Delmar opened his eyes and without a word he started to walk away. Thousands and one thoughts went through his head. Why didn't I wait for her to wake up in the cave?  He stared intensively at the ground as he walked away. Suddenly the rage grew strong again, this was her own fault for not waking up in time, he should go back… Then he noticed someone was walking beside him. He looked at the ground beside him, white paws. He looked at her face, it was a blank slate.

“Hey" he said.

“Hey" She didn't look at him.

“What took you so long?”

“I was tired. We were up all night, remember?”

Delmar had an internal war inside himself about if he should say he was sorry or not.

“I…” he sighed “Hrm… don't leave me alone again"

“For the record it was you who left, but trust me, after this; I will not…” She still didn't look at him but he felt relieved.

“I can understand if you're mad at me”

“Good"

“Can I make it up to y…"

“Just shut up”