I've got nothing left, just an empty heart

Ashanti was curled up, hiding herself in the shadows in fear that he would come back. The evil man deserved to rot in hell for what he had done to her. She feared for her life, what would she tell Nina? Would she understand what Ashanti had gone through? She would never forget the jet black man with the gleaming orange eyes. The man had done many things of which she would have never done. She was officially broken, she would never be able to face a male again she feared. She knew of brutes in the pack that that looked like him, one in particular was Hollow, and the male was nice... as far as she knew at least. But she would never face any of them again. She was afraid of them now.

I'm a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight

Ashanti’s white mass of fur was hidden amongst the white snow that she laid in. The only way she could be seen was the bits and pieces of crème. She dared not fall asleep for fear another man would go up to her and do what that sick and twisted brute had done. She was deranged, paranoid, she was mentally broken. Sound the bugle now, play it just for me, as the seasons change, remember how I use to be. She prayed that her sister would be the one to find her. Her sister could never harm her. There were only two wolves she would trust right now, only two wolves that she even could trust. Those wolves were Nina and Isen. They would not harm her.

There's nothing more for me - lead me away... Or leave me lying here

What would the consequences of this lead to? She wondered if her life was coming to a close. Her icy blue eyes were no longer glowing with happiness as they once had. Remember who you are. She thought, yet she couldn’t face up to the battle now. You’re a soldier now, fighting in a battle, to be free once more. Inside herself, she knew it was true, but she was no longer free. She was no longer willful and she would end up rotting out the rest of her days having to live with the tortures. Gotta fight another fight, gotta run another night. She was scared; a small whimper was admitted from her muzzle.

Sound the bugle now, tell them I don’t care

She kept lying to herself, telling herself that she could recover from this. There was no mend for a broken wolf. There’s not a road I know, that leads to anywhere. Without a light, I fear I will stumble in the dark. Save me from myself, Isen, please, I need you! She prayed out silently. She was losing herself; her courage was soon to follow. She needed to be strong tonight, she needed to remember who she was.

Then from on high somewhere in the distance. There's a voice that calls, "Remember who you are"

She had managed to find herself at the spring once more, hiding amongst the trees on the edge by the lake that once was full of water, but was now covered with ice. She found herself in the once place she could truly call home. She felt like she was suppose to live here, and that she would die here She felt like that was the only way to be free once more. It was worth fighting for.

Why did it all go wrong? I wanna know what's going on. And what's this holding me? I'm not where I'm supposed to be.

The sun even hid in the clouds to share her sadness. She was worried that somethings would happen and that she could never return back to Secret Woodlands. What if when the male had force bred her, what if he had gotten her pregnant. She would never be able to return then. Every male was ruthless and cruel to her now. She hated them, especially who she saw as the leader if the male population, Slyscar, he was the one who she would personally slit the throat of. The scent of him was still on her fur and it dug into her, it was as if she was going to die because it stung on her. It made her feel as if she was burning. It was worse then anything her aunt ever did to her. She continued to whimper, the grew louder and louder.

Strange blue eyes gleamed through the shadows, from the border he had scented Ashanti leaving, at first the yearling had thought nothing of it, but hours passed, too much time for him. He set out after her. She was not well known to him but she still carried pack scent and that was enough for him to follow. Miles he had trekked searching for his pack-mate, gaining and once again losing her scent. He stumbled across loners scents, and a few stale scents of prey but now was no time to eat. She could be hurt or worse, she could have the plague that seemed to press at the borders. The green ring in his right eye was alight with fear for himself and his lost pack mate, where was she?

How do you feel? when you had it all? how can you live with nothing at all?

The trek was aching he had not stopped even to drink and his mouth was dry and his pads were beginning to crack when at last her scent became strong, it was mixed with a male scent, an unknown scent that sent fear prickling through his body. Something was deathly wrong for there were thick traces of fear in the air. His hackles raised he prowled forth. Fear for her began to spike strongly at his pelt and his teeth bared in a silent snarl prepared to kill any who would harm his pack mate. At last he came upon a clearing laid thickly in many scents that made his head spin and in its center a few splotches of cream colored fur and the glint of blue eyes.

where do you run with nowhere to go the holes in your trust are starting to show.

"Ashanti? ASHANTI?" His body flared in a blazing heat, something was very wrong. "Ashanti, are you okay, It's me Hollow." He began scenting the area with a concerned face and a whine. What happened here, what are these scents? She looks hurt but I scent no blood? The males scent is all over her, why does she look like that? he approached slowly and asked in a high whine, "Ashanti? what happened?"

And the Rain comes and the world is on your head, crave the sun but you cant get out of bed? You want it you got it.

Here I am this is me

Ashanti’s eyes snapped to the dark male. She didn’t even look at the eyes nor did she notice the scent, all she saw was black fur. That meant one thing to her, the evil brute. She immediately snarled at him, he knew her name; she was freaked out even more as this encounter went on. Her piercing blue eyes locked with the blue ones of the male who stood before her, and she knew it wasn’t the male that had force bred her. Her eyes still blazed with anger as the male approached closer. Another warning snarl as he got close. What would happen to her now?

It's alive with the beating of young hearts

She did not want the male to get closer. ”Get away from me!” She managed to choke out, fear in her voice. She felt like she knew him, but her thought processes were too jumbled to put a name or anything familiar to him. All she could think about was those evil orange eyes that she saw and the black fur that made her miserable. She didn’t want this; she wanted to get away from it all. I hear the wind, across the plains. She thought, her eyes gazing around. She didn’t want this male here! She couldn’t remember Hollow with her current mental state. It was impairing her memory temporarily. All she knew was that he looked familiar from somewhere.

Ya here we are still goin' strong

She knew the name, she recognized it, but could not put a meaning to it. The man was just another brute she could not trust. He had called out for her, calling her name.”Away now. Brutes, cruel.” She whimpered out, her eyes evidently full of fear as she attempted to back away from the male. She didn’t want to put up with this, not again. She assumed that all males had the same ideas about what that one male did to her. She had a blank expression in her eyes as she ended up backing into the stump of the tree as she slid across the ground.

Right here in the place where we belong

She watched around, unknowing on what to do next, a growl. ”Evil brutes. Terrible things. Can’t return to pack.” She murmured to herself, just audible for others to hear. The murmurs of her past whispering into her ears. Her aunt telling her to trust the male in front of her, and her sister telling her not to. Her parents telling her to follow her heart. She needed to be free from this sacred curse. This curse of what had happened to her; she was not ready for this. She needed a way out, she needed a way to live and survive.

And suddenly the world is all brand new

One last thought in her head, she knew this wolf, just not sure how. She recognized the scent and she was brain dead with her former memories of her packmates. He knew Nina and that was all that mattered. He had to be a packmate, the scent suggested it, it was the same as hers. The male’s scent still burned on her fur, making her want to crawl into a corner and die. This was the end of her; she would need to be killed. That or she would be taken to Nina, it saddened her because she feared the consequences.

Sound the bugle now, play it just for me

A growl was the response from the fur huddled in the clearing, eyes that were once clear and bright now stared wildly around as if faced with millions of enemies. Something was deeply wrong, and the scents that attacked his muzzle told him so. The scent of Ashanti and the stranger had almost fused together they were so intertwined, and the scent of fear. What could have possibly happened here?. Confusion pricked at him until realization struck him in the face, but still he would keep it inside until he knew for sure if he was right. His ears swiveled at her words, Get away from me! His brain was beginning to ache from trying to figure out what was wrong.

Evil brutes. Terrible things. Can’t return to pack Hollow felt a white hot flash of rage, familiar to him from the day Anne had shown upon their borders, for in those words he heard the truth he hoped was wrong. Why couldn't it have just been some male she had been sneaking off with? The words she didn't say out loud his instincts had told him, she had been with someone. and judging by her current expression it had not been of her own volition, and immediately Hollow knew what to do. Or at least, what he was about to do.

"Ashanti, Wait here, I'll be right back." With that his teeth shown in a snarl and he sprang away following the scent of whomever had done this. I will strip the flesh from his bones, no one harms any pack mat of mine and gets away with it! On he ran until he could feel his pads stinging, and more cuts along his pelt. But it had been too little too late, he lost the scent on a patch of wet ground. His head turned back towards Ashanti, and as he started back towards his pack mate he threw his head skyward and let his howl issue a challenge. Come back and meet your death, wolf. You have harmed my family and I will be ever watchful until your flesh rots from your bones.

When at last he had returned to where Ashanti was huddled upon the ground against a stump he rounded her in a wide arc, keeping a well distance so that she may spot him with ease. He approached his friend and sat down lowering his head, at this point he was used up, his body weakening he could feel the blood running from his paws, and the small cuts down his sides were beginning to sting. If they didn't leave soon he would need to find a healer or risk infection. All the more reason to see Azariah when you get home. Always the voice speaking his love for the golden fae planted in the back of his mind. "Ashanti, Let's go home please, I'll take you to Nina she will know what to do. Please Ashanti, lets go. I will keep you safe, I swear it on my life."

It's a new world it's a new start

Ashanti was still afraid of the male; he mentioned going home, to Nina. She remembered his name and purpose. She trusted no male now, not even the own brutes in Secret Woodlands. She was still cowering if fear. She knew that she could not return to Nina, she feared what Nina would do. For there was still a possibility that she was pregnant, though she wouldn’t be able to tell right now. She was scared that Hollow did not have pure intentions, she was afraid that Hollow wouldn’t be able to protect her either. The broken spirit would not let her put her faith in the male to keep her safe. The broken side of her would not let her move from her spot. Though she could manage to say a full sentence or two.

It's alive with the beating of young hearts

Ashanti choked out the words, they were filled with pain and suffering. The pain and suffering that she had been forced to bear. ”I can’t go home, for I fear the worst.” She said, her head pounded, he seemed to think that she would be safer there than anywhere else. But that could not, was not true. She was afraid that her life would come to a close. ”I’m safe only with Nina and Isen. Isen’s gone, I am never safe.” She whispered to herself, she was being extremely paranoid. He had released a howl from his throat, a warning to the other wolf and Ashanti relaxed emotionally. Physically, she was still curled up in a ball, and now she hid her face. Her packmates did not need to see her in this weak and broken state.

It's a new day it 's a new plan

She knew that she probably should have taken a guard with her, someone who could fight off such a brute like that evil male. But she hadn’t, she saw it best not to and now she was suffering the consequences. She regretted not asking Sloane or Hollow or even Nina to accompany her. ”This is my fault Hollow, and now I cannot return. I neglected to bring someone with me and this is my punishment.” Those were the most words she had spoken since the incident. It was of course, muffled by her fur that she hid her face and muzzle in.

Here I am

She seemed to loosen up a small amount at his howl, and his words, good, were making progress. The yearling could feel his paws and cuts beginning to sting, and the air was getting colder, if she stayed here she would surely die. But at the same time even he didn't know if she would be allowed to stay. Surely Nina wouldn't banish her? After all the fault was not hers, and however much he wished she would say that it was intentional and that she just knew she screwed up, he knew that was not true. Not by the way she was huddled within herself, not with the fear lit bright in her eyes. He had taken her by force, and if he ever caught that scent anywhere else ever, he would be sure to tear the male apart. But now was not the time for rage. Ashanti needed him to make it to life and safety whether she knew it or not.

He tried his best to speak sense and his words sounded almost cryptic, "Ashanti, I cannot fix this, and I cannot take the pain away. No amount of anything I can do nor Nina can ever reverse what has been done. But you are family, you are my pack, you are my friend. Just as I would die for the others I would die for you as well. I will protect you I swear it, with everything I am I will protect you. Nina has a heart she may not throw you out, I can scent it and sense it I know what has happened. If it causes the worst then we, your family, can make sure that you need not worry, for the pup would have a home. So please Ashanti, come home, come with me. " He had spoken from his heart the best he could, and his eyes belied the grief he felt for her, she had been such a beautiful lively she wolf. But now her eyes were dull and she looked as if she would never care for herself ever again. Hollow would not let that happen, and someday he would see to it that she made some young make as happy as Azariah made him. But first he had to break through this wall and get her home. To safety.

Ashanti immediately shook her head, she didn’t want this and she could not go with him. She knew that she couldn’t go back, yet she could not express her fears to Hollow and so she could not get the point that she could not go back across to him. She was silent yet again, she refused to talk to him for now, for she still was fearful and she couldn’t trust him. She knew the name Hollow, and she could process the name and know that he was of her own pack. Yet, she was fearful, no words still. Even if she still had the ability to speak, she was at a loss of words.

Ashanti thought of what to tell the male, still curled in a ball, she was nauseous and she didn’t want to go to Secret Woodlands. She was afraid that it wouldn’t matter. What could possibly happen to her? After all, who was there to protect her, there was no one. There was a strict pack law that only the alpha’s mated and had pups. She was just barely an adult and she was uncertain on whether or now she was expecting a pup. She would be banished from Secret Woodlands because of the law.

She was barely able to rise to her feet. ”I-I can’t go to Secret Woodlands, if it is the-the worst… t-the-then I will be b-banished. I-It’s the p-pa-pack law.” She whimpered, she would not do this. She tried to back up further, yet failed to remember that there was a tree trunk, she backed in and fell again. She again curled into a ball.

Whimpers were louder and louder, her fear was evident when she had spoken. Her tail curled up against her stomach and her icy blue eyes held fear. She was still afraid of Hollow, as he spoke more and more, trying to get her back to the pack; the more she could not trust him. She felt like he was trying to get her kicked out of the pack. She was thinking that Azariah put him up to this, so that she could be the only healer in the pack. This fact alone made her growl in fear, and her paranoia kicked in even more. She feared that they had sent the evil man who raped her, that Secret Woodland’s had sent him after her. Surely it was against Nina’s orders. Maybe Sloane did this after Ashanti’s fight with his mate! That had to be it!

Ashanti seemed to withdraw further into herself again as he spoke, and he felt his heart break for the poor girl. She backed into the stump a second time and collapsed into a ball. Her words full of pain he knew that again her mind was breaking and she was thinking that it was all over from here, that there was nothing she could do. She thought they would abandon her. No Hollow knew inside it was not something he could do, not something he would ever even consider. His words had been true and he considered the situation as if it had been his own flesh and blood that had been taken by force the way she had. By now he knew they would not be leaving soon, and that the journey was going to be painfully slow especially for him.

His pads stung like fire, and his cuts were beginning to hurt as well, so he steeled himself and hid this fact from Ashanti and slip himself forward along his belly until he could stretch out and touch her nose with his. "See? I'm not here to hurt, I'll do everything I can to get you home Ashanti trust me please? I'll talk to Nina and tell her what happened." He was hoping that it would get through to her somehow. Somehow that she may understand Hollow meant no harm to her, she seemed to think he was going to do, or had already done something wrong. She was hurt and it was clear that this she wolf would never be the same. But the young wolf would not give up, it was not in his nature.

Hollow withdrew a few paces and stay prone so that she may do whatever she wished for he was not going to assume any dominance over her, not in this condition. No matter what he had to make her feel like she was in charge, and he was ready to act as if he was the lowest in the entire pack just to get his friend home safely. Nothing would get in his way nothing.

Ashanti snarled as soon as he came near her with his nose. No interactions made her comfortable anymore. Not a small accidently bump and certainly not a nose touch. She didn’t care anymore, what if someone meant it in a bad way? She couldn’t bear what was happening to her. She was scared, terrified, about what would happen. She didn’t want to go back; she wanted to stay where Copper Rock Creek was supposed to be. She was scared Nina would call her a disgrace and kick her out. She swore her loyalty to Nina and Secret Woodlands, this unexpected climax in her life was what would ruin the utopia that she lived in.

Most of all, she was scared about what Nina’s mate would say, he didn’t know her, yet it would be his decision too. He didn’t know that this wasn’t her will, which the physical pain was there without injuries. The physical pain was transmuted. It started as mental pain and confusion. There was no way this would not appear. Her heart ached and her head hurt, she overall was ready to just die. For the spirits to come and collect her soul to life away from the Earth. It would save everyone the troubles.

“Can’t go back… pack laws.” She muttered through her fur. She was still curled into a ball. “Go Hollow, no packmate should see me.” She sobbed out. The emotional mood swings gave her whiplash. She was surprised Hollow had not given up on her yet. She was one of the first to meet Hollow. Met him along with Nina in the thicket. It was there she passed her judgment; she took back all judgment of all males because of what one did to her. She was shattered, broken, and there was no way for her to carry on.

In truth Hollow was beginning to get very frustrated with the whole situation and was wwishing he could have just snapped the neck of the offender in his jaws. Maybe that would have made things better, or at least easier. He had nothing useful left to say but what he had already said. So very simply Hollow spun in a circle and sat down. He fixed Ashanti with his solid unique stare. "I am not leaving without you Ashanti. You belong at home and you need to be cared for, you're injured and you're scared. You either come with me or I shall sit her until we both freeze to death, I told you I would protect you and I will." His peace had been spoken in his gentle way and in his mind that was that. She would not get rid of him whether she liked it or not.

Hollow had a full intention to sit there and simply stare at her until she either agreed or they both died. He made a promise and that was something the yearling would never go back on. please just come with me, his mind cried out. He very much did not want to sit here and die, he wanted to go home, and See Azariah, just to tell her he loved her. This was one of the times he needed her more than anything, he had no idea how to handle this. He needed her help but he wouldn't dare bring her out to the dangers here now. The yearling also wished just for her comfort, just to feel her next to him so he knew everything would be okay. He didn't, he didn't know if it would be okay. It never will be for her. he thought sadly as he gazed at the broken female.