The Ghost Wolf

[Corrin Tal'verda]

The night was a restless one. The grand party just outside finally died down in the waning hours of the night, and silence filled the village as the inky darkness just began to give way to the first light.

It was still very much dark outside when Corrin was awoken by a low howling just outside the walls. Terrified, the boy bolted up, and caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.

The brown furred wolf was sitting atop a hill just beyond the wall, its body transculecent, its head canted back in silent question.

Its bright golden eyes locked with the sharp blues of Corrin's, and it gestured back with a shake of the head.

Without any hesitation, the young boy plopped down into his boots, threw on a T-shirt, and draped himself in the fur coat Backow had made for him from the wolf's body at the end of the party. He swam in the large coat, but it kept him warmer than anything else he owned.

Careful not to awaken any of the adults, Corrin creeped on down the stairs, past the living areas, and tip toed out the door. A gust of chilling wind blew forth to greet him.

He quickly closed the door, and drew his good over himself. The wolf was waiting for him, he could feel it in his bones.

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Little Rawnie had fallen asleep under that table with an arm full of sweets. By the time they'd found her, the party was over and her parents were back home. Probably having... what was it called? Sox. She didn't know what it was, but one of her friends told her it made babies appear. Maybe when she went back home, she'd have a new baby brother or sister waiting in a snow drift.
One of the adults discovered her under the table and took her inside to sleep by her brother for the night. The little snow angel was having dreams about cakes and mountain climbing when a movement stirred her from her sleep. She rolled over with a low groan and opened one eye, just in time to see her brother disappearing from sight.

"Corry," she hissed after him, but he couldn't hear her from that distance. Where was he going? The girl threw her blanket off of herself and crept after him.

[member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

The wolf was waiting. Corrin couldn't wait.

A brief inkling of another person a few paces behind him made him blink, but was otherwise ignored. The young man had priorities.

He burst out into the snow, heavy boots kicking up clouds of snow with each energetic step. The village was deathly silent. Nothing made any sound save for the faint howl of the freezing wind.

It was rather odd. Normally the sound of generators humming, and the dull hum of private conversation between adults who couldn't get to sleep filled the air. Now there was nothing.

Corrin paid it no heed. He clung to his rifle with gloved hand, and charged out the main gate.

The boy came out at the outskirts of the forest. Trees so high he couldn't see their canopies greeted him. Dead shrubs lined the ground, and the snow itself seemed to part for him.

Just ahead was the wolf. They locked eyes for a moment, before the great beast turned its furry head toward the nearby ravine, and took off.

color=#FF4000]"No!" [/color] Corrin yelped.

Despite his better judgement, he went after the creature.



[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Something was wrong with him. Probably another weird 'episode'. Freaky Jedi things. She paused, looking behind her as she debated about telling a grownup. No. There wasn't time. Her brother was already heading into the woods. She paused by one of the tables, snatching up a carving knife as she followed. The woods were dangerous at night.

"Corry," she hissed again, following him into the woods, "Corry, stop. You're gunna get us in trouble!"

[member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

Rawnie was following him again. She always came after him when anything important was happening.

The wolf was gone now. It was somewhere in the ravine, awaiting the boy like a loyal pet. It had nowhere to go now, and oddly enough, Corrin knew it wouldn't leave him behind. He was all it had now.

"I can't! The wolf!" The boy shouted over the howling winds.

He gestured wildly toward the ravine -- a gust of strong wind hit him like a sack of bricks. The air was stolen from his lungs as he tumbled back into the snow. He rolled once, then twice, and again. He should have stopped by now.

Unless....

Corrin tumbled down the side of the ravine. The snow was provided a soft landing each time he fell, but for the life of him he couldn't manage to stand up.

Flecks of frost hung from his eyelashes when he dared to open his eyes again. Massive snow walls rose up on all sides and blocked any further view of the landscape. There was no trees here.

The dark night sky glowed with faint moonlight, and to the west Corrin saw the wolf. It was translucent and glowed bright blue. The beast's eyes met with his, and then turned up toward the heavens.

The boy's gaze followed....

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

She followed, nervously clutching the knife under her sleeve. She heard Corrin shout something in the distance, but when she approached, she witnessed him tumbling away, falling too far for her to reach.

"Corrin!" She shouted after him, "Corrin! Stay put! I'm going to get help!"

She couldn't see him anymore. He could be hurt. He could be dying. He said something about a wolf. A wold could have gotten him by now. The was no hesitation, she turned on her heel and sprinted back to the village as fast as her tiny legs could take her, screaming at the top of her lungs for help.

[member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

"But..."

The wolf turned its great head down toward Corrin. At the center of the ravine lay the entrance to a number of caverns, or so the boy had been told. He'd never dared to venture within before - doing such might as well have been suicide.

He cast a single wary look up toward the sound of his sister's voice. He couldn't make out the words, but he knew she was concerned, and why wouldn't she be? He was running off into the wilderness in the middle of the night without saying a word to anyone.

She would be fine.

It was his destiny to be here, just like in the stories!

The boy pushed himself up to his feet, and dusted off the light coating of snow that stuck to his furs. The entrance to the cavern was a few paces away, a bastion of warmth in a sea of white frost. The wolf's glowing yellow eyes beckoned him inward.

Corrin shouldered his rifle, and ran inside.



Sharn heard the calls for help. He was an older man, in his early sixties, and he was beginning to feel it. Even the snow, once so comforting and homely, was giving him a hard time. He'd sensed something amiss, and being the only man capable of using the force in the village, it was his duty to seek out this disturbance.

It was half way to the ravine that he almost ran over Rawnie.

Kindly and wise, the pale skinned man ran a hand over his thin white beard, and pulled on the topknot of messy gray hair atop his head.

"What is wrong little one?"

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The girl huffed for breath when she finally attracted the attention of one of the people. Finally. She felt like she was screaming for minutes!

"My brother-" she gasped, pointing to the edge of the forest, "Ran off... the woods.... fell.... wolves..."

She hoped that got the message across well enough. Wolves should have been enough to make him jump to action. She didn't have anything on her but a butchers knife she'd 'borrowed' from the table. She was too young to be allowed her very own rifle, so she'd had to borrow one to hunt. There wasn't much a tiny thing like he could do with a little knife.

[member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Nolan Detta]

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

A young lady in her night clothes had run up to Nolan screaming about her brother, the woods...and a wolf. Beast like that were no joke for children. Nolan crouched down to the young one. Clad in his Hyperion armor, the Mandalorian looked at the child.

"What is your name little girl, and where is your brother?"

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Rawnie, shook her head as another person approached. The other man she'd been speaking to, said something about getting more help. That was fine by her. As long as someone came.

"Rawnie. Follow me. He might be hurt."

No time for any other explanation. If she was too late to help her brother, she would never be forgiven. Why did he brother wander away? She knew he was weird and a little dense, but what was he honestly hoping to accomplish? What did he say about the wolf yesterday? In the woods? Something about the... the spirit? Talking to him?

She ran as fast as her tiny legs could take her, following her brothers trail in the faint moonlight. Boy, he was easy to track, stomping around the forest like a great lumbering beast. Even an uxi had more grace. If he survived, she would lecture him about it later. She came upon the ravine where she lost sight of him, pointing down.

"He fell down there," she said, then turned to shout, "Corrin! Can you hear me? I brought help!"

[member="Nolan Detta"] [member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

It was easy to see why the caverns were forbidden.

The entire cave layout was cast in pitch black darkness. The only light that came forth was the sharp yellow glow of the wolf's eyes, and the small mobile lamp Corrin had brought with him. the little device shimmered with each step; threatening to go out at a moment's notice.

The idea of being trapped alone in the darkness was enough to make the boy run rather than walk.

The wolf was sprinting deeper and deeper into the caverns. With each step, the air grew warmer, like a comfortable summer day that Corrin had experienced when he was four. That was the last summer the northern part of Mandalore'd had. Another one was supposed to be coming, but not for another year or so.

The longer the winter held, the more dangerous it became. Crops would not grow. Wolves would multiply. Uxi numbers would fall. Raiders would come at the camp from their degenerate villages further north.

They were broken people. Dar'manda who bred in the upper caves, and then interbred to create a savage people. Normally, they never bothered with the Tal'verda, but the lasting winter had them growing desperate for supplies.

Maybe this was one of their tricks? Corrin shivered at the thought.

"Others come, child of the Mando'ade. We must speak quickly."

Corrin gasped, and spun around toward the source of the sound. The wolf was right there, its black snout a few inches from his face.

"This is the den of my brood. They allow you entrance as I instruct, because you wear my furs. Now, we must speak..."






[member="Nolan Detta"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Nolan Detta]

Nolan followed little Rawnie out into the fields, then down into a ravine. He looked to the entrance of a cavern, he sensed the boy was inside, he never made known his identity as a Force User to the other Mandos, some knew but said nothing. They knew why he kept it secret.

Nolan walked down into the ravine, if Rawnie wished to follow, he'd aid her down as well. At the bottom, the mouth of the cave gave of a familiar aura, one like his own, but faint and new. It was the boy and whatever was inside. The wolf he presumed, they must be deep into the cave as their signature was farther away.

"Rawnie, what's your brothers name, Corrin?" The voice echoed from the signature helm of the Mando. "I know he's in there, there's spmething with him, it may be the wolf you spoke of."

He did not draw upon a weapon, just flipped on his helmet light and started for the cave. Rawnie had a choice, follow into the mouth of the cave, or stay in the snow.


[member="Corrin Tal'verda"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The tiny girl followed the man into the ravine, refusing the aid he offered. Corrin was too weak. Rawnie had to be the strong one. Some day, Buir would see the difference. He would see that Corrin was too meek to lead anything. He would see that, while Corrin had his own special talents, he was not the heir he should be focusing on.

"Corrin, yeah," she answered, voice soft as a spring breeze, "He's a freak. Sees things sometimes. Talks about hearing things too."

She felt sorry for him. She pulled up her white fur hood and walked along, feet light as snow on the ground.

"I think the wolf is just in his head. He killed one yesterday. Now he thinks it talks to him."

[member="Nolan Detta"] [member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

What exactly Corrin was seeing, he had no idea. The cave had lot up in a vibrant white light, and the walls had suddenly disappeared. He and the wolf stood on a desert plateau. Below them, two armies of white and black clashed into one another.

Blasters flashed. Lightsabers hummed. Cannons boomed. Corrin shivered.

"What is this?"

"A world known as Prakith very soon. War is born there. The wolf rumbled.

Corrin turned to face the beast, and lofted a brow. "Why are you showing me this?"

"To show you what you might become. You and your siblings. If you do not take the correct path."

"What path?" Corrin stammered.

The image faded. They were back in the dimly lit cavern pit, and it had grown twenty degrees warmer. The Wolf glowed a faint shade of blue in the darkness.

"You will see soon enough."

 

[Nolan Detta]

Nolan walked further into the cavern, with the little Rawnie in tow, he could sense the presence of two signatures but their location was unknown. It was strange the feeling he had about this.

Like it was all wrong, not real enough for him to grasp completely.

"Corrin!" Boomed from the Mandos helmet. "Are you alright lad?!"


[member="Corrin Tal'verda"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Great. Now the grownup she brought with her was acting funny. She turned her pale head up to examine him in the dim light.

"Corry!" she shouted, joining in the call, "Corry! If you're alive, answer me, or I'm gunna tell on you for dying!"

That was the best threat she could think of in the moment.

[member="Nolan Detta"] [member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

"Before you. Venture beyond, understand this. Mandalore faces a grave threat. One unseen and unheard of for millennia. Not all of your ancient foes were annihilated when the world was tamed."

And suddenly, the wolf was gone. Corrin hadn't a clue what any of it had said was meant.

The cavern dimmed back into eerie pitch black. He lit up his handheld lamp, and turned toward the shouting. What ancient enemy could it have been talking about?

"I'm down here! Something really weird happened..."




[member="Nolan Detta"]

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Nolan Detta]

And then it was gone, the other being, as if it had never existed. Nolan was baffled by the events he felt in the Force. He looked down to little Rawnie and then he could hear the voice of a young boy. It had to be Corrin. Nolan started off in a light trot, his helmet lamp lighting the way.

He wove his way through the cave, Rawnie was sure to follow, to find her brother. Nolan reached out with the Force. Feeling for Corrin, the boy had the gift like Nolan, but his was pure and new still. Untainted by the Galaxy, unlike Nolan. Who else had lost so much to the Sith, then had to fight to keep the remnants that were left, only to discover he was like them too. Filled with hate and pain, but having the power to take out his anger on the Sith was his only driving force, until Satine. She was a bright beacon in Nolan's dark life. So much pain, replaced with so much love. This boy would not suffer the same fate as the Detta clan. The Tal'Verdas were many and full of famous warriors. If Nolan could help this boy and girl, he had to, to prevent another Nolan from happening.

"Corrin, we're coming. Whatever happened, must've gone now. Stay where you are, look for my light. I know you can tell I'm coming."

[member="Corrin Tal'verda"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The second little Rawnie heard the voice of her brother, she ran right ahead. For a child with such tiny legs, she was always quick on her feet. She figured it was her mothers secret training that did it. Zandra had always relied on speed over power. Made perfect sense to Rawnie. Mom was a little thing, just like her.

"Corry!" Rawnie called, spotting him just up ahead. She practically leapt at him, looking for a good second like she was going in for a hug. Corry would probably know better by now. She raised a hand, took aim, and went for his left cheek.

"Idiot!"

[member="Nolan Detta"] [member="Corrin Tal'verda"]

 

[Corrin Tal'verda]

"Whose that." Corrin called as he heard Nolan's voice. The boy had never met any of the Dettas - few people ever visited the northern parts of Mandalore. Most didn't like the cold. Whatever the reason, young Corrin was a bit alarmed to hear a stranger calling for him.


And then he was slapped by Rawnie. The little thing that was his younger sister loved to overstep her boundaries. He pursed his lips to tell at her, when the ground beneath his feet suddenly have out.

They were in a nice cave, after all.

His feet slipped back, and he found himself sliding further into the darkness. He scrambled at the ground trying to find something to slow his descent, but his fingers found no purchase.

Further and further down he slid, until Nolan's light became nothing more than a mere flicker in the distance. The air grew warmer, and farther down the tunnel, Corrin could make out a faint orange light.

"Help!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.


He slid closer to the light, and he could feel the ground beneath him vibrate. Something was very wrong, and he was going right towards it.

[member="Nolan Detta"]

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]