Black Ice-Completed

Nyota stared at her aunt in dejection and sighed. She knew her aunt wouldn’t believe her, she wasn’t even going to take Nyota serious.

Growling low in her throat, Nyota pounced over to the table and grabbed the envelopes and immediately rushed out the door as Veronica started yelling at her to come back.

Nyota ran hard and long into the night, almost forgetting where Braytek’s cabin lay. She breathed in relief as she saw the outline in the deeper shadows. It was easier getting into the place in winter then the summer because all the vines were nonexistent.

As soon as she got into the cabin she sat down in front of the fire place and made a small fire. Once she caught her breath she stared at the two envelopes, feeling tears form but she swallowed them back. Now was not the time to cry, a small voice said. An equally small voice asked, when was a good time?

Ignoring her own mental dialogue, Nyota tore open the envelope addressed to her aunt:

Veronica,

I loved your sister dearly, She was my heart and sould. I didn’t think I would be able to love Nyota, but you have raised her to be good which is far more than I have asked. Analise would be proud of you.

If you’re reading this then the falcons have been released. You need to leave the area immediately. I cannot stress this enough Veronica. If Lyosha sends wolves, they will kill you and bring Nyota to the north. They will break her spirit and rape her body like she is an adult. Nyota is the only female Black Ice wolf that has been born in the last several hundred years, she is far too rare. They will use her as a brood mare like the other women, it doesn’t matter that she is nothing but a child.

In my hut, the box on the desk resides Nyota’s fur cloak. Underneath is a pouch of gold that will help you relocate. Go to Marais, the swamp. It’ll be uncomfortable for Nyota but she’s strong. Do not go to Uscyte! The slave traders will grab both you and Nyota and will be tossed right into Azgeta where the above will happen.

I have tried to end our contract with the desert traders but negotiations have not gone as planned. Take care of Nyota, Veronica, she may test your patience to the limit but she will always be our first priority. Gods be with you my sister.

Nyota stared at the letter and re-read it at least three times before she crumpled it into the fire and watched it burn until it was nothing more than ash. Giving a small sniffle she turned to the envelope that was addressed to her and in her haste almost ripped the letter in half.

Starlight,

I cannot express how dear and rare you are. My one wish was that I could have lived to see you ascend to Alpha of the pack. As it is I need you to follow these instructions. You are my chosen heir and as such the sword needs to stay within your grasp. Should Lyosha or any other wolf get ahold of it, you will lose your advantage of instantly going up against the Alpha. Your aunt has express orders to go to Marais. Skotadi is no longer safe and within the swamp there are many warriors willing to teach a female how to fight with a sword, that is if you have the coin.

Inside the box, as you know, is the skin of the first female Alpha, paired with the male Alpha the pack achieved greatness but her line was sadly abolished during pack wars. Wear it when you fight the Alpha. The cloak and the sword will leave you untouchable to the betas. Also in the box includes two coin purses. One is so Veronica and you can live comfortable within the swamp. The other is so you can find a sword fighting teacher. Nyota, my starlight, I have loved you since you were born, when you made your first howl. You are the true Alpha. Survive and take back the pack. They need you as much as I did. I’m with your mother now and we will always be with you in spirit.

Nyota choked on her sobs as she finally finished reading her letter. Clutching her stomach, she did nothing more than curl up and rock as the sobs took over and wouldn’t stop.

Braytek had loved her. Nyota had known deep down that he did but he had never expressed it, instead he always called her a fool, idiot, or stupid when she didn’t follow his lessons the way he wanted.

By the time morning dawned, Nyota was able to stop crying, though a hiccup spouted up randomly. Wiping her eyes, she re-read the letter, more tears beginning to drop down her face, until she could remember it. Making her way back over to the fireplace, she built the fire back up, it having died through the night, and tossed the letter into the flames, waiting until it too was nothing but ash.

Because Veronica would never believe her and would absolutely wait until the end of time before believing Braytek was dead, the hut was no longer safe to keep the sword or the box within.

Nyota tried both cloak and sword on and laughed. The cloak was far to long and dragged against the ground, making her have to carry the majority in her arms. The sword stayed firmly on her back, causing her to feel like she was going to fall over backwards. She felt like she was playing dress up.

She spent two days roaming all over the forest while wearing the sword and cloak, crossing and looping around many of her previous trails until she was satisfied that her own trail was virtually everywhere and no one would be able to untangle it.

Feeling lightheaded from lack of sleep and food, Nyota travelled to her summer camp and dismantled it. There was no reason to leave trails all through this area because there already were.

Taking her sleeping furs, she wrapped both the cape and the sword within them and put the bundle in the rock niche that usually hid her food supplies. No other animal had ever gotten in them and nobody would ever expect something was hidden there because it looked like a natural outcrop of boulders and rocks.

Finally, she felt safe enough to crash from exhaustion. Too tired to build a fire and not enough energy to chew on her jerky, the last thought she had was how was she going to get Veronica to move?

As Nyota had expected, Veronica kept up on the fact that the falcon never showed up, so there was no reason to leave. But as the end of winter passed, even then her Aunt denied the death of Braytek.

Nyota felt frustration bubble up whenever she was around her Aunt. So instead of staying at the cabin, Nyota made a summer camp not far away and patrolled the area she considered hers.

It was boring on most days. Being alone was something Nyota was used to but lately the emotion would not leave. It made her depressed and she refused to become downtrodden.