Raika pounced on the silver wolf's back, knocking them both to the ground. She growled at the silver wolf under her claws. The golden eyes of the wolf glowed in the dark of night. "Aura!" Raika growled,

digging her claws into the silver wolf’s skin beneath her. "Aura, answer me!" Raika growled again baring her teeth. She could see the tears welling up in the wolf's eyes. "Why are you running from me?" Raika asked, nearly howling from frustration.

"Raika. Let me go." Aura begged. "I can't stay here, Raika. I don’t deserve to stay here." Aura let the tears fall to the dust of the rocky trail beneath her. She could not hold back the pain in her chest from her grief that she had been holding back.

Raika's claws were tearing deeper into her skin. If Aura collapsed here, Raika would drag her back to the valley, but she couldn’t return. Lead Councilmen Titan had asked her to kill Dax because he believed Dax was getting in the way of Aura’s commitment to her clan, but Dax hadn’t done anything except help Aura has a chance at helping her on her mission. She could not kill that man for such an unfounded reason. Dax and Aura had spent so much time together that her feelings for him strengthened. In addition to their absurd request to ruin her potential romance and kill a good man, the Elder’s Council wanted her to be mated to Enoch and become the Alpha Huntress to strengthen her Alpha and clan’s weakened spirits, which Aura refused to do. It was Raika's dream to become the Alpha Huntress and mate with Enoch, not Aura's. She would not allow anyone to steal that dream from Raika, nor let anyone use her as a tool.

Raika pounded her paws into Aura once more. "Snap out of it, Aura. You are a Huntress for the moon's sake! Just tell me why you are leaving!"

Aura just shook her head. Raika pounded harder, drawing blood this time. Still no answer. Using her whole weight, Raika slammed down onto Aura. Blood covered Raika's paws. The force of the last pound forced Aura back to her beast woman form from her silver wolf form. Aura laid on the ground as her paws returned to fuzzy hands and feet. Her bones popped and cracked as her form became more vertical and black curls sprouted from her head.

Raika couldn't understand why her sister would abandon her clan. She had run into the main chamber to find Enoch enraged, ranting about Aura running away from him and the clan. All of Aura's plans and missions to protect the valley using that human over the last two months worked. Aura created plans to reroute the human caravans through an underground passage beneath the mountains to the west, helped Jalen and the human medics save villagers from a deadly disease plaguing the surrounding village, rescued beast shifters from hunters, and today she brought a swift end to a battle against hunters from the Grim Guild. She was a hero among the clan. What the hell was happening? Raika stepped back from her bleeding and exhausted sister and shifted to her beast form to make medicine and bind her bleeding sister's wounds.

While looking over and accessing the bleeding, Raika broke the silence again. "Why are you leaving?" She asked calmly, looking down at her broken sister. "What happened?"

Aura knew Raika would never accept any answer she could give, so had to think hard about her response. She slowed her breath trying to push her feelings aside. The moons illuminated the mountain trail surrounding them. Aura looked up at Raika's confused face. This was her little sister, and Aura was determined to protect Raika's happiness even if that meant omitting the whole truth. "Ok, little sister. You caught me.”

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Raika wrinkled her brow as she processed Aura’s words. What could make her sister run away? She loved and respected Aura. They were family. Losing Aura was impossible for Raika. “Wait here for a moment.” She ran into the depths of the forest looking for the clearing where the goldenrod flower grows to help reduce the inflammation on Aura’s wounds. She quickly picked the goldenrod and returned to her sister, laying on the ground bleeding. Raika made quick work of the goldenrod, grinding it into a paste to apply to the wounds. Raika cleaned the wounds and applied medicine to the wounds then bound the wounds with large leaves and braided vines. Aura just grimaced through the pain. “You can show weakness from time to time, Aura. I won’t tell anyone.” Raika gave a small smile as she finished dressing Aura’s wounds.

“That would be too easy. Besides, I already have bad news to share. Why make it worse?” Aura gave a small chuckle, but Raika’s smile faded from her face.

“So why are you running away from our clan?” Raika looked down at her sister with concern. “What would drive you away from home?”

“Do you remember the human that I've been working with over the last year?” Aura watched her sister’s expression grow weary.

“That gullible knight? You are leaving because of him? Did he threaten you or something?” Raika panicked. “Is someone using him against you? What can I do?”

“My dear, sweet sister. No one is hurting or threatening me. I have to leave because I fell in love, and according to the Alliance of Kingdoms and our clan's customs, my love is illegal. I can’t stay here because the Elders’ Council will kill us.” Aura paused as Raika stared at her in disbelief. She tried to reach Raika’s hand, but Raika slid back away from her sister. “I can’t ignore how I feel about Dax, and I don’t want to endanger anyone or ruin our home. I have to leave.”

“So you're choosing that stupid man over our family? Our clan? Our way of life?” Raika exasperated at Aura. “You are walking out on all of it!”

"Raika, I love you. I love our family. I love our clan. I just fell in love." Aura pushed herself to sit up. She looked at her sister who was in disbelief. This decision was the only way to satisfy her wants as well as Raika and the clan. Aura could see Raika fulfilling her dream given time. "I can protect our clan while I am out in the world and explore what love can be."

"Are you living in a fairytale? Our people abandoned the outside world, so we could live in peace after those bloody wars. We have a power that other races would try to take from us or enslave us to use. You would risk our entire clan for some male of another race no less!" Raika shouted as she growled at her sister's stupidity. How could Aura betray everyone? Was this the tension she felt between Enoch and Aura? Had he known this was going to happen? If love made Aura do this, then Raika wanted no part of it.

Aura watched as Raika continued pacing back and forth causing dust to kick up into the air. Although Aura understood Raika's reaction, all she could do was giggle at her sister's childish fit. "Raika. Please stop romping around like a child, or I may just laugh at your anger."

Raika halted at her sister's words. Aura was right about her behavior, but this whole situation was ridiculous. "You can't just switch from stupid runaway to older sister." She snipped at Aura as she crossed her arms.

"I suppose I am both. I have spent 16 years as a Huntress, Raika. Dedicating five years of intense training and 11 in the field spying, protecting, and completing the Elder Council’s every wish. I watched Enoch become the Alpha Hunter last year, and he's four years younger than me. Within a year, you will be a Huntress yourself with three others in your class. I have served the clan. In all this time, I have never felt the bond of a mate. I have never been in love. These last few months, I felt myself being pulled towards Dax. I tried avoiding and ignoring it, but I still fell in love anyway." Aura felt tears fall down her cheeks as she realized there was truth in her words. Raika's face seemed conflicted with frustration and sympathy for her sister. Aura forced herself off the ground to stand once more. She gave Raika a loving embrace. "Raika, I know you become the Alpha Huntress and mate with Enoch. Take care of our family and the clan. Remember to be yourself, always. If I ever get in over my head, you are the first person I would call. I love you."

Raika drenched her sister as tears flooded down her little face. "I may never forgive you, stupid runaway. But… if you ever need to call me, I may bail you out."

Aura pulled herself away. "That's all I could ask for. Now, close your eyes." Raika did as she instructed when she suddenly felt a tinge of pain on her spine causing her to fall to the ground unable to move. "You will be able to move in an hour. I have already called for help for you. This way you didn't just let me go. I love you, Raika." Then, Aura's scent was swept away in the breeze, taking every trace of her with it.