Prologue-Three days ago

A dim crescent moon rose over New Moon Woodlands. The calls of the chakora birds and phoenixes were not heard. Everyone was safe in they're homes, blissfully unaware of the shocking event that was about to take place. 

A dark-furred wolf with eyes that mirrored the colors of the Star Pines. In front of him, a cliff tapered off to a pointed end. A cliff identical to  awaited on the other side, a mere paw step of a jump. Almost twelve feet below, a river trickled down. From the other side, a sillouhette emerged from the tree line. A beautiful white she-wolf appeared, easily clearing the space between the two cliffs and settled at the dark furred wolf's side.

"Hello Shadow," said the she-wolf.

"Revalyn,"

Shadow looked up at the two moons, Ilsi and Lusuk, and found Revalyn   doing the same. The moons gleamed against the dark night sky, close together.

"Sorry," Revalyn said, shaking her head slightly, "It's just that the moons have been acting strangly recently. I know I'm no Moon Watcher, but still... something feels of tonight."

Shadow nodded. "Lusuk and Ilsi shouldn't be this close. Not on a Crescent Night."

Revalyn took a step forward, peering down at the River of Restoration. 

Suddenly, something shifted. Not the forest, not the wind. Something...more powerful.

"Did you feel that?" Shadow asked.

But Revalyn didn't respond. Suddenly, she shot into the air, hovering a foot above the ground. Her eyes glows blue. And then, in a voice different

than hers, she began to whisper,

"A voice returns that was once torn

of which tests the wolf of hardships born.

Winds will whip and fires will blaze

Forest will fall, the Empress raze*.

But all will be saved if the nexis can free

the relic hidden amongst the Tree."

Revalyn dropped back to the ground. Shakily, she got up, her tail ruffled. "Wha-what just-what just happened?" 

Then her eyes faded to their normal amber color, and they widened. "A vision." She whispered.

Shadow gasped. Wolves of the Beyond had not delivered prophecies is over a century. So why now?

*to raze means to destroy.

"But who-who could have sent it? Only one extremely powerful or--" something clicked in Shadow, "Ilsi and Lusuk. No wonder they've been acting so strangely. But even they can't directly create prophecies....Never mind that, but what do we do now?"

"Well," Revalyn began, " I know we need to get to the wolf involved in the prophecy."

"But how will we do that?"

"Perhaps someone sent the prophecy to me so that I could give it to...Nexis?

"But what is Nexis?"

"It is a wolf. At least I think it is. And she needs to find a relic hidden in a tree and...."

Revalyn shook her head. It was all so confusing. Why had she suddenly received a prophecy after a century? Things like things don't just happen.

"Well, you are the Knowledge wolf," Shadow said slowly, "and I am the Moon Watcher wolf..."

"And if we told the others! What would they think of me! I'd be exiled from the forest!"

"Revalyn, relax!" Shadow yelped, "Everything is going to be alright. But what I was thinking was that... what is I used my Esoteric Powers to send a Glimpse* to this...Nexis wolf."

"This may work," Revalyn said, "If you can send her a Glimpse, and tell her to come here, and she can fulfill the vision. But-but won't Dragahara find out?"

Shadow shuddered. Dragahara was the most feared dragon in Pyahria. New Moon Woodlands and most other forests of the Beyond were

*A Glimpse is a part of Shadow's Esoteric Powers, which allows him to send a hologram projection to a wolf of his choice, so long he knows where they are.

 protected by her dark magic, but anyone else....

Shadow suppressed a whimper. Dragahara hated prophecies, ever since an old wolf named Selene had a vision saying that her sister would become queen. Furious, Dragahara killed Selene and her older sister on her coronation day.

She took the crown and became queen, making it forbidden to give out prophecies. She used her dark magic to whip the prophecy and vision magic out of Pyahria. So then why had Revalyn just had a vision?

"Everything will be alright. We'll make sure that the prophecy is fulfilled." Shadow said.

"For the sake of all of Pyahria."

"Now," Shadow said, "let's get this prophecy to Nexis."

Chapter One

Nexis had been half-dreaming when a snarl cut through the den.

"NEXIS! Get your useless little scrap-tail out of that nest!"

Nexis struggled to get up, trying to cling on to the Great dream she'd been having. She had been chasing squirrels in a sunlit meadow, free and unbothered.

Just five more moments....

No chance.

Direfang stormed into the arcing entrance of the den. 

"NEXIS! NOW!"

She opened her eyes and found and angry eastern she-wolf tower over her. 

"Mff... yes Direfang."

"Now be outside in less than a minute or you'll only get a mouth full of

 feathers," Direfang spat.

Nexis dragged herself up and yawned, her short teeth gleaming. She had lives with Direfang since her mother, Lusuki, died at birth. 

Before her last breath, she had pleaded to Direfang, "P-please, sister, pro-promise me that...that you will take c-care of my little...my lit-little Nexis."

Direfang had scowled, glaring at the little Nexis, who was whimpering for milk that she would never receive. A scrawny little runt. Reluctantly, Direfang growled, "Of course, sister."

Direfang had two pups, Shadowhowl and Nightstalk, who were both older and stronger than Nexis. Nexis was the runt of the litter, almost the size of both of them. Even when she stood up as tall as she could, her ears were still barely up to their shoulders. Direfang normally starved her, and Nexis was 

scrawny. But her eyes were not hollow nor sunken. Why, her eyes where the most extraordinary part of her. They were a bright hickory-hazel, and flashed with purple irredesence. 

Sighing, Nexis went outside. Pale dawn light washed over Willow Grove. The cold, crisp auttum air nipped at her thin coat, making her teeth chatter. 

Shadowhowl and Nightstalk were waiting.

"Aww, look, the little runt decided to wake up!" Nightstalk purred, her voice like venom lined in velvet.

"Thought sh'ed have to be rolled out like a rotten log." Shadowhowl added. 

"Back off," Nexis growled.

They didn't.

Nightstalk noticed her shivering, and flicked her tail under Nexis's chin sharply, "Oh look," she taunted with mock sympathy, "Is the little runt cold?"

Shadowhowl shoved her- lightly, but enough to make her stumble and trip into the bramble-lined entrance. Thorns snagged her pelt, but she managed to free herself.

"I said, back off," Nexis snarled.

She prepared herself to pounce on Nightstalk, but then Direfang entered the clearing again. She dropped a few rabbits is the center of the clearing. Nightstalk and Shadowhowl instantly straightened, padding over to Direfang, pretending nothing had ever happened. Nexis followed them, silent.

Nexis sighed and sat down, nibbling on a chaffinch.

When Shadowhowl passed her as he went to get more rabbit, he 

mouthed 'runt!'.

Nexis started to leave the vicinity of the den, but Direfang's sharp voice stopped her.

"Not yet," she growled.

Nexis froze.

"First I want you the clean the clearing from breakfast. Clean out all the beds in the nest. Then hunt for lunch. Put the prey in the center of the clearing."

Shadowhowl smirked, and Nightstalk mouthed, "RUNT!"

"Yes Direfang," said Nexis sadly.

She was used to Shadowhowl and Nightstalk's teast, Direfang's strict rules, and how small she was, but it got to her sometimes.

"Shadowhowl, Nightstalk, come!" Direfang barked.

They were going to visit Direfang's friend, Ghost.

Slowly, Nexis began to clean up. As she licked the floor, she wondered what it would be like to have a real mom.

I probably wouldn't need to do chores like this all day, she thought bitterly.

She finished cleaning and padded into the den. Nexis' switched the dry leaves for fresh ones, fluffed them up, and left the den to find lunch.

She padded to a large clearing, crouching low, and used everything that she knew to catch prey.

Direfang hadn't taught her all that much. 

A rabbit scurried into the Glade, unaware of Nexis's presence. Just as she was about about to pounce, a sharp pain jolted through her, and she crashed to the ground. 

The rabbit sped away.

Her vision blurred, and then everything was black.

Chapter Two
Nexis slowly opened her eyes. Her eyelids drooped, but what she saw next made her weariness evaporate instantly. 

Standing in front of her was a beautiful white she-wolf, standing in a glade lit with what Nexis assumed were fireflies.

"Are you Nexis?" the she-wolf asked.
"Uh-uh yes, I am Nexis," she stammered.

"I am Revalyn, from New Moon Woodlands of the Beyond."

"New Moon Woodlands!" Nexis gasped. She had been told New Moon Woodlands was a place of magic, and creatures like fire salamanders, phoenixes, and star mice. So why was Revalyn telling her that she was from there?

"Uh-um, sorry for asking... but how are you from New Moon Woodlands? Isn't that for magical creatures?"

"I am New Moon Woodlands' Knowledge wolf, and I have delivered a strange prophecy," Revalyn said.

"A prophecy?" Nexis gasped, "But no one's had them in over a century!"

"Look, I know it's strange," Revalyn said, her voice just touched with irritation, "but it's happened, and you are in it."

"Me! But I'm just a dirty-furred scrawny pup with no apparent destiny." Nexis felt a wave of sadness but she ignored it.

"No Nexis," Revalyn objected, "You are a wolf with great power. Now let me tell you the prophecy."

Nexis nodded and and Revalyn went on.

"A voice returns that was once torn

of which tests the wolf of hardships born.

Winds will whip and fires will blaze