//------------------------------//
// Exile 
// Story: Newfound Families 
// by SabreSpark 
//------------------------------//

The sun rose over the horizon, banishing the night and bringing forth a new day. Deep in the Everfree Forest, the first rays of dawn landed upon a pack of wolves and one in particular stood out from the rest. Slightly smaller than a timber wolf, he has a silver coat with the very tips of his hair midnight blue in color. Blue stripes run the length of his muzzle from his eyes to his nose. He slowly rose from his slumber and opened his amber-yellow eyes. This is Zeviathan, eldest son of the pack alpha Noctis.

Zeviathan watched as the rest of the pack awoke from their slumber. The pack consisted of individuals that ranged in age from young pups to mature adults. Zeviathan himself was on the cusp of adulthood and ready to prove himself to his father. But he still had his fears. He was nothing like the rest of the pack, never was, and they all knew it. He wasn't as inclined to violence as the others and never fought just for the sake of fighting. Whereas other wolves would spar in bouts of strength, Zeviathan secluded himself from it. Even the color of his coat distanced him from the pack. Silver fur was not common among wolves, especially not with the additional blue tips. He stood alone in a sea of brown, tan, gray, and even black.

As if this wasn't enough, Zeviathan's past was riddled with disappointment and failure. The times he had gone hunting often gone terribly wrong, whether he alerted the prey by snapping a twig or rustling the leaves of the nearby brush. Every time it ended the same way-with a failed hunt and a very disappointed father. But Zeviathan was determined to not let that happen today. He felt that today was going to a very important turning point in his life.

By this time, the rest of the pack was wide awake. The pups frolicked about, chasing each other in a never-ending cycle. Mothers kept watchful eyes on their children. Noctis was busy gathering up a group for today's hunt. Once assembled, there were seven wolves, including Zeviathan, prepared to leave. With a mighty howl, Noctis lead the group into the forest in search of prey.

The sun beat down on Zeviathan as he traversed the rugged landscape. He weaved in and out of the multitude of trees and vines that obscured both his vision and movement. He was hot and tired. Ahead of him, the rest of the hunting party were fairing slightly better. Yet they continued. For the past hour they had been following the trail left by a herd of deer. Their scent filled the air and acted like a compass, allowing the wolves to zero in on the deer. The trail led to a clearing a short distance away from the outskirts of the forest. It was a meadow full of flowers and butterflies. It could be described in one word: beautiful. At the center was the herd of deer, resting in the midday sun. This posed a problem to the hunters as there was no cover close enough to allow for them to sneak up undetected. So instead, the plan was to split up. Noctis and three of the group would drive the deer into the tree line where Zeviathan and the final two would be waiting in ambush.

Now Zeviathan was laying close to the ground concealed within the brush. He waited in anticipation, each and every fiber of his being yearning to take action. But he maintained control over himself, lest he make a mistake and compromise the entire hunt. So he continued to wait.

A sudden commotion caught his attention. His ears twitched in response. He carefully maneuvered to allow him to view what was occurring. The herd of deer was rushing straight toward the ambush area with vigor. Giving chase behind them were the rest of the wolves. The thundering of hooves echoed in his ears like the pounding of a drum. Second by second the herd drew closer. Zeviathan knew the time was nearing. The muscles in his legs tensed in preparation for a chase. He slowly emerged from his cover in order to get a better vantage. That's when his luck changed. He was so focused on the task ahead that he failed to notice the twig in his path. A single step and the twig broke with a loud SNAP! The deer, now startled by the sudden noise, changed direction. Without hesitation Zeviathan darted after them, determined to rectify his mistake.

He relentlessly pursued his quarry. His heart beat erratically and his paws ached from the constant pounding they were receiving. He was panting heavily and reaching the point of exhaustion. Fortunately he was nearing a straggler that was just within reach. With one final burst of speed he leapt. However, he misjudged the distance and ended up getting kicked in the head. He was sent flying back and impacted a tree. Zev collapsed in pain and sorrow. He had failed yet again.

He remained there recovering from the blow before slowly rising. Dazed, he stumbled back to the clearing. The others were waiting for him and they did not look happy. Noctis strode forward, his black fur ruffled and coated in dirt. His eyes radiated pure disappointment and, for the first time, great anger. His gaze burned deep into Zev's being. Noctis took one final step before issuing a long, low snarl. "Zeviathan, you have shown incompetence yet again. Your continued failure has left me with no choice. You are a hindrance to this family and must be dealt with accordingly. You, my son, are hereby banished from the pack."

Zeviathan's heart sank at his father's words. He never expected for this to happen and certainly not for it to be his father's doing. He knew the fate of those exiled from pack life; they never survived for very long, falling to starvation or other predators. "But father…."

Another snarl "My word is final. I had high hopes for you my son." Noctis turned with the others towards home. "Do not return."

Zeviathan followed regardless "Please father, reconsider. You don't….."

Noctis quickly turned and snapped at Zeviathan, the fury in his eyes at its peak. "Do not take another step forward. You are no longer allowed within my territory."

Still Zeviathan continued forward, hoping beyond hope that this could be fixed. "Father…."

Noctis jumped straight for Zeviathan, sending him to the ground. As Zeviathan struggled to his feet, Noctis rushed forward and bit his tail. He howled in agony and disbelief. Noctis proceed to yank his tail and send him flying yet again. Again and again Noctis attacked Zev,iathan biting him on the neck and legs. Zeviathan tried to fight back but his previous exhaustion and shock left him utterly helpless against his father. All he could do was defend himself as best as possible. By the end of the assault, Zeviathan was in bad condition. His front right paw was sprained and his tail hung limp, presumably broken. He had multiple bite marks all over his body and a nasty cut across his left eye. His coat was now half red from blood which was spilling rapidly from his wounds. Around him was a pool of blood.

Zeviathan collapsed from exhaustion. He just watched as his father approached him. He offered no resistance as Noctis grabbed his tail and dragged him to a nearby cliff and proceeded to toss him down the thirty foot incline.

Zeviathan impacted the cliff and rolled to the bottom. He could feel every rock and thorn that lodged into his side. He received a large gash across his stomach and opened up new injuries. By the time he reached the bottom, he was barely conscious. Still he stood up, or, as best he could. Looking behind him, he could see a trail of blood marking his slide down the cliff.

Despite his condition, he searched for any kind of help. A few minutes later and Zeviathan was fairing poorly. He was losing blood rapidly and near the point of no return. Each step was excruciatingly painful on his sprained paw despite the carefulness of his steps. A few steps later and he was at his end; he collapsed.
As he lay there, he recalled some of the nicer times of his life. One in particular brought a smile to his face. It was the last time he ever saw his sister Crystal.
…...
A much younger Zeviathan and another wolf, around two years younger, were happily playing in the very same clearing where Zeviathan was attacked by his father. It was bright and sunny and cheerful. Numerous butterflies of varying colors fluttered about.
Zeviathan was busy fleeing from the other wolf, his expression conveying happiness. 
"Come on Crystal, you have to do better than that."

Crystal was slightly smaller than Zeviathan by a few inches and was more lean in her build. She had a snow-white coat and deep violet eyes. She ran after him, the same cheery mood her brother had mirrored on her face. "I'm trying big brother but your just so fast."

He held in a chuckle "You can do it Crystal, I know you can."

Crystal, encouraged by her brother's words, sped up and pounced on his back, sending them both crashing to the ground in a fit of giggles. "I did it, I did it!"

Zeviathan smiled at his younger sister before nuzzling her affectionately "I knew you could." He got down on his knees and motioned for Crystal to climb on his back "Climb up, there's something I want to show you."

After climbing aboard and making sure she had a secure grip, Crystal asked, "Where are we going big brother?"

He responded with a smile, "You'll see"

She responded with a humph and a simple, "fine."

Zeviathan carried his sister to part of the forest she had never seen. The grass was lush and green, the trees sturdy and tall. A small river ran by before falling over a ledge forming a miniature waterfall. By this time the sun was setting. The sky was now bathed in a palette of orange, yellow, and red. The sun was reflected in the water, distorted by ripples but still magnificent in appearance. Crystal was absolutely stunned by the beauty of this place. "This place is amazing," she expressed.

Zeviathan nodded his head agreement, "I know. I discovered this area only recently and decided to share it with you, the best sister I could ever hope for."

She smiled gratefully at her brother and embraced him. "Thank you, you're the best brother I could ever hope for."

"Thank you Crystal, I'll make sure always be there for you no matter what. I'll never let anything happen to you, ever. I promise."

"I know you will big brother. You're the greatest."

The two siblings sat side by side watching as the sun continued to descend.
…...
Zeviathan was in tears at the memory, both happy and sad. He couldn't remember a time he was happier then he was at that moment. But his sister….Crystal…she had gone missing. No one knew how or why just that she was gone. His only sister….gone. The worst part was that he had broken his promise to always look out for her. That guilt was more painful than any wound he had ever received. Now he lay here dying. He was suffering not only from the physical damage but also the mental strife that has built up over the years: his shortcomings and failures with the pack, his broken promise to his sister, and, more recently, his exile by his own father. A cold feeling ran all along his body now and he was slowly losing the fight to remain conscious. His eyesight began to fail and blackness slowly obscured his vision. As he slipped from the world his last thoughts were of all that had transpired in his life and how many he had failed. 'Father, Crystal…I'm sorry.' The last thing he saw was a yellow blur heading for him as he finally faded into unconsciousness.