Lunar Dance Ch 13

Hello readers!

Ok so let's start this epic battle. I know there has been a lot, and I mean A LOT of build up. In truth, I have been putting off writing the scene because I'm not the biggest fan of blood, guts, and gore. But putting that aside, it needed to be done. So here is the last lead up chapter before the war, it's really short, but I do believe this chapter is instrumental to the entire story. So without further staling...

***

Battle cries are sounded

As fears are weighed

Lovers and children come together

With a promise they will see the next day

"You're not going and that's final!" Demir yelled at Jozlyn, shaking her slightly to make her understand. He couldn't lose her! He could not. When he went into battle he needed to know she was safe, not on the battlefield with him.

Jozlyn had never seen Demir like this, and it seemed none of her tricks would work. So she settled for the truth instead. "Tabiti has requested I be there. I am the alpha bitch, I have to be there," Jozlyn said keeping her voice even. The thought of going into battle terrified her, but she needed to be there as support for the other women fighting. She couldn't cower, and even though Demir was still her alpha, she couldn't submit to him, not on this.

Jozlyn spun out of Demir's arms, going back to dressing in the armor Tabiti had set out for her. There were only a few more hours until the battle. Surprisingly enough Nyyrikki had sent someone with a time and place for the battle, apparently gods liked to be dramatic. No surprise there.

No one besides Veronica, Demir, and Kayla knew she was pregnant. She had kept it a secret from the press and from her pack. She had enough people worrying about her; she simply couldn't distract anymore people.

Demir angrily paced the room, yelling at her, calling her foul things, calling Tabiti foul things, and cursing everyone. Jozlyn knew he did it out of love and concern and even fear, so she let him be. Tying the straps on her breastplate she picked up her helmet and faced Demir. He was pale, he looked ready to throw up, but it wasn't his own skin he was fearing would be gone but everyone else's. He was a born leader, he lead a nation and now he lead a pack, but leading your people into battle was never an easy decision especially when lives would likely be lost.

Jozlyn grabbed Demir and sat him on the bed, helping him don his armor. Once he was covered from head to toe she let him up, handing him his helmet.

Demir grabbed the back of Jozlyn;s neck, bringing her close for a sizzling kiss full of passion and longing. "You have no idea how much I love you," Demir whispered across her lips, before claiming them again.

Slowly, very slowly, Demir released Jozlyn, and together they walked hand and hand to meet their people.

______________________________

Somewhere in the castle, out of the view of prying eyes, in the darkest of shadows a single flame leaped and danced, highlighting the faces of two people.

"I cannot believe how close you got to them," a female voice whispered, laughter lacing her tone.

"And I can't believe how far you stayed away!" A deep male rumble joined in. The couple laughing with true mirth.

"What does he think happened to you?" the woman asked, her hands dancing over the candle flame, making it burn brighter, so she could see the man across from her more clearly.

"I put an appearance in every once and awhile, but at this time he thinks I am on vacation, you?" the man replied, staring at the flame intently, until it went back down to its natural height.

"She doesn't know me that well. I'm less than a grain of sand in the ocean of people she's met. But then again I wasn't trying to overwhelm the child, just guide her in subtle ways," the woman said carefully, her voice slightly irritated because she could no longer see his face.

"And that is where you and I differ. I wanted to have a front row seat to the festivities," the man said, a smile to his voice.

"Puh-leeze," the woman said tossing her hair. "We would have a front row seat anyway."

"I know, I know. You're right as always," the man said slightly condescending, stepping closer to the woman, and the flame.

"We should start going," the woman said miffed.

"Yes we should," the man agreed, placing a hand on her hip.

"Perhaps just a small-" the woman began, her voice breathless.

"Yes, just a little," the man agreed bending down to her.

The candle flame jumped wildly before sputtering and dying out.

______________________

Kayla and Matt stood side by side with Demir and Jozlyn, looking out across the sea of warriors. Young and old, male and female, all were dressed in armor of royal blue with gold veined throughout. Matt and Kayla were dressed in bright crimson red armor with veins of gold running throughout while the pack's alphas wore armor made of the purest gold.

Demir's voice reached out easily to the crowd, inspiring safety and comfort. His words rang with reassurances, and battle cries, as his warriors stomped on the ground and shouted their agreements.

Jozlyn stood beside him, occasional putting in a word or two for the females. The alpha couple spoke of a great battle, where many lives could possibly be lost. But the couple did not want the wolves fighting for Tabiti, or for glory, if they fought that night they fought for the safety and security of their pack and themselves.

Tabiti stood silently by, lending gentle support dressed in a sumptuous gown of royal purple, devoid of any obvious armor. Veronica stood beside her, dressed in the same armor as Matt and Kayla, her eyes solely focused on her son and his mate. Together the leaders stood on a wide terrace at the back of the castle, close to the forests.

Demir's speech slowed to a stop and he waved Tabiti over to him. Tabiti took a calming breath to cleanse her nerves as she glided across the terrace to over to the alphas. Giving Demir and Jozlyn a faint smile, Tabiti turned to address the crowd, at once arrested by the faces she saw.

She knew these people, she could recall all of their names, and exactly what time, day and year they were born. Tabiti had watch each and every one of her wolves since their births, watching them grow into adolescence and then take their first major steps into adulthood, and some hadn't even reached those times yet. Faces young and old, floated across her vision, and she felt her eyes well up with tears. Before she let a single one fall, she searched inside herself, bringing out her full powers as a goddess. The gown she wore transformed into a sort of hard plastic, metal mix, with chain mail thrown into strategic spots. Tabiti fit the look of a god about to head off to war, her body covered in armor, and her hair pulled tightly back and trailing down to her waist in a fierce braid.

Raising her hands high, Tabiti addressed her army. "My wolves, my comrades, my friends, we have reached the defining moment. Today we will live or die," Tabiti paused dramatically locking eyes with everyone in the crowd. "But no matter what, I will have you remember: You do not fight for me. You do not fight for your alpha. You are fighting for your own lives! The lives of your friends, family, and if you have not thought about it, you fight for your forests. Should I die, there will be no more forests, no more places for you to run free, and if you die your lovers and children will mourn you. Do not let them mourn you!" Tabiti roared, getting the crowd whipped into a frenzy.

"When you get out onto that battlefield remember that! Today I fight beside you, not as your goddess, but as your equal. If we should die, let us take them with us. Let not one sword go down without a man's blood on it. If we die, we will take three of Nyyrikki's men with us! To the forest; let's go and kill something!" By the time Tabiti finished, the crowd was roaring, many of them beginning to shift, and race to the forests.

In less than five minutes every single werewolf had shifted, and sprinted off to the forest. Tabiti lifted the veil on dimensions and sent her wolves racing to the battlefield they would either win on or die on.

Demir, Jozlyn, Matt, and Veronica had already sprinted off with their pack, leaving Kayla and Tabiti. Smiling with care, Tabiti transported herself and Kayla to the front lines of the battlefield.

________________________________

Tabiti faced Nyyrikki, and had to steel herself against the onslaught of memories that arrested her. Gods did not age, they took on whatever form the wanted. Nyyrikki had settled on the gold adonis corded with muscle. Tabiti had settled on the slight raven haired beauty with large luminescent eyes.

Nyyrikki separated from his army of hunters and animals. Though the creatures couldn't really be considered animals now, perhaps they had once been, but at the moment they were hollow shells draped in skin. Every animal he had ever skinned and killed stood on the battlefield, lifeless eyes, dancing in a lifeless body.

Tabiti met Nyyrikki in the center of the great field. True to her estimation, the battlefield was a near replica of the one she had had Demir and Matt fight on. The only difference was there was no high place for Tabiti to sit and quietly watch the massacre; she would now be in it.

"Love, it has been too long," Nyyrikki said smoothly, grabbing her hand forcefully and bending over it, in a mock of a gentleman's bow.

Tabiti quickly snatched her hand back, rubbing her wrist. If she survived, her wrist would likely bruise. "No, it had been just the correct amount of time," Tabiti said stoically, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"I see you did not accept my plea to end this pointless battle," Tabiti said.

"Now why would I do that?" Nyyrikki said, laughing softly. Before Tabiti could blink, Nyyrikki was up against her, rubbing a strand of her hair between his fingers, and gazing deeply into her eyes. "I want to taste your blood on my knife, feel your last heartbeat. I think it might even be better than fucking," Nyyrikki said harshly, tugging on her hair.

Tabiti would not show weakness, she could not afford it, especially in front of her wolves. "Just before I take your head Nyyrikki, I will give you a very special gift," Tabit said softly, coming even closer to him and running her thumb along his bottom lip.

Almost like to puppets on strings, Nyyrikki and Tabiti broke apart going back to their individual armies. Seconds faded into minutes before the first move was made. A howl sounded as the blood moon reached the highest point in the sky. Battle cries were sounded, metal clashed, and the first blood was drawn.

*skip over to chapter 14 and remember to comment and vote!