I tried moving my back legs kicking at him, thinking that maybe that would make him lose his hold on me, but his front legs latched along my hindquarters and side pinning me in a way that was not natural for me to understand, not until I got older. But as I fell to the ground I could feel his teeth biting and pulling at my side as his weight increased, crawling over on top of me. I don’t know why he thought of me as Grandmother, but I cry out once more. I continue to wiggle and squirm underneath him crying out as his claws slice down my side, lifting my upper torso feeling a slight breath of freedom. Struggling to get free I pull myself out from under him, ready to run as soon as my back legs was relieved of his weight. Yet once more he smacks me down in the ground, his teeth grabbing my shoulder as his paws go there. Turning around on my back, a post uncomfortable thing for me to feel with my pride, I aim for his neck but he dodges it like pro. Dark blue eyes widen as I notice how close his golden ones are and for a moment I think of my Father, never seeing these eyes with such raw anger. I hear another roaring snarl and I look up to see Stella and Eden attacking him, together. I don’t understand why these two would do such a thing. Eden lived in Taviora and I didn’t take too kindly to him, but Stella – I was warned – to stay away from. As they start pulling him, I bare my own teeth attempting to help best as I can while I grab his neck, my teeth still unable to tear through his rough ebony fur. I don’t mean to hurt him, but he attacked me first and family or no family, I’m supposed to stay alive – right? My golden ears flick when I hear a familiar coiled growl as I look up seeing an image of white. I hadn’t seen my Grandfather like this before, instantly I let go of Grandfather Devil’s fur, afraid that I would get in trouble. I wanna tell him this wasn’t my fault, I don’t want him to be upset with me. As his teeth sink into my snowy and bloody neck scruff I try to pull myself up as Devil’s concentration is not on me but on the others. Feeling his heavy weight not on me anymore, I press my form against my Grandfather, accepting his lick as I murmur softly, my panic voice barely overcoming the powerful snarls and growls that rip from the other wolves.

“Don’t go…”

It was a simple request. I didn’t want him to go off and attack Devil. It would hurt to see my two Grandfathers attack one another. I don’t want to appear weak, but pressing my battered form against my Grandfather is comforting. I hope he does not see me as a weakling. I didn’t mean to get hurt. As he leaps into the scuffle I freeze in place in a mid-crouch wanting to run, but knowing I had to stay based on his orders. I try to move, but I felt sharp pain all around along my hindquarters and side, but when I move my neck my shoulders sting. I try to move my neck, whining softly at the pain as I watch an oddly marked wolf approach us with some sort of deer pelt. As he stands near me, my own bloody and snowy white hackles raise. I don’t understand why I am bracing to be attacked, he is pack, this I know, but if my own Grandfather can attack me then who could I trust. I flinch and side-step away from him, let out a soft whine as I fall to my stomach, lying down. He says my name and I snap to attention, golden ears pointed forward weary of him. I cannot help it, but I flash my teeth at him, extending my neck as I snap at him, not wanting him near me when he tries to take a look at my injuries.

“Don’t touch me.”

A low warning growl rumbles in my Angel marked chest as I glare at him. But all this pent of anger is washed away as he tells me to look in his eyes. I don’t want to feel pain anymore and the belief that if I count his blue dots help, then so be it. I didn’t mean to snap at him, I didn’t want to attack, I just don’t trust him. Perhaps, this is a tough lesson I have learned – you cannot trust anyone. Lowering my head to the ground, I try to show the signs he can approach even though I am slightly nervous. I try to ignore the snapping of jaws and snarls that are going on behind him, as I see Grandfather trying to reign everyone in. It is difficult to lie here while everything is going on around me. I see Shiloh coming panicking and all I can do is tilt my head to the side giving her perhaps a very serious look. If I am not freaking out then there is no need to be freaking out in front of me. I am tense, worried, but I’m trying to stay quiet perhaps simply because I am in a state of shock and pain or maybe…I am being stupidly brave. I don’t want to make a terrible mess of myself, I do not want to appear weak or useless, so while Meryl and Shiloh work on me, I clenching my teeth putting my paws over my muzzle as I force myself not to cry out, my body twitching with each touch they place- even though they are gentle. My attention is stolen when I see a familiar sight of my Mother, strolling in proudly without acting like a lunatic. I see how graceful and powerful she steps, the power coursing through her veins and for a moment, I wonder, perhaps that is why she teaches me how to walk properly- to be seen as such a thing before I even speak that I am above others. A brush of black comes towards me, and I see the golden eyes of my Father and I cannot help it, but lift my golden crown my muzzle touching his gently as a very soft whine comes from me. He knows I do not like to show myself in such a way that is considered weak, he knows I am cursed with pride. Seeing my parents, and the one Grandfather that would attempt to kill me, brings me some comfort, I think now that they are here I will be okay. My tail limply smacks the ground, eager to be close to them. When Mother’s snarl spats out of her muzzle it is a sound I haven’t heard before and for some reason it frightens me. My ears go back against my skull, as I try to make myself smaller on the ground.

While I see my parents banish a wolf that is much a part of me as I am him, I am baffled to see a wolf I had met in another land. I noticed her half-golden crown, Mother mentioned it was the reason why I had a full crown. I can’t help but just lie there in shock as she urges Grandfather to leave with her. Everyone around me seems shocked and confused. I see more of my Father in her, and I think, if I am correct, that this is my only living Grandmother. Hurt, confused, and just highly stressed I turn my head away, wincing when I feel the damaged skin stretch from my shoulders to my neck. I’m not really sure what I am supposed to be doing in this moment. I know it would be unwise to give into the pain and cry out, I am not one that likes to make a scene – believe it or not – so I am trying to be good. It is rather difficult to continue to not whimper or cry…I am in front of my family, and I know damn well that Mother will never ever let me train to be an Assassin. As Father gets near me, I murmur softly, low enough for him and Grandfather to hear.

“Dad, I tried to run…but he tackled me. I think I bit him, but...you need to teach me how to use my opponent’s weight against them.”

I am injured and I am in pain. However, I am still me. I will be what I need to be for my pack, and I think I’ll make a good Guardian Angel. I just hope my own personal Guardian Angel doesn’t let anything bad happen to me any time soon…I don’t really want to be recused like this again.