Whoever this Shade character is, Aerobolt is convinced she is on his side against Arcane. And when he meets up with her, he learns that her situation in Hydyraen is more serious than he'd expect. And what she plans to do about it, shocks Aerobolt more than ever before...
Here is Chapter Three of that book I am writing...
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The Guardians of Life: Justice
Chapter Three-
Shade's Dilemma

East Wing. This was where Shade apparently lives. But where in East Wing does she live in? As Aerobolt descended down the stair, further underground, into East Wing, he silently scolded himself for not thinking about this in the first place. At the bottom, there was the usual fork.
‘Left, right, or straight?’ Aerobolt thought.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
The voice made Aerobolt jump gracelessly forward. The voice sounded strangely familiar.
“You! I know you! You stepped on my tail a couple hours ago!”
Yep. It was her; the one who started that conflict in the first place. Aerobolt wasn’t sure how to respond if at all. He feels bad about hurting her, but Arcane’s words echoed in his mind. ‘Take charge! Defend yourself! Don’t let anyone push you around!’ Should he try to take charge? Apparently he is powerful enough to do so.
“Hey! Is someone awake in that head of yours?” the vixen asked waving her handpaws in front of Aerobolt’s muzzle.
“Oh, sorry…” Aerobolt said distantly.
“For?” The vixen persisted. “Dozing off, or stepping on my tail?”
“Both,” Aerobolt said without realization.
The vixen stared at him, narrowing her eyes. “Hmmm…” she had that look that said “What the hell is this?” on her face. Aerobolt backed away a few paces.
“What are you doing?” he asked nervously.
“Normally other foxes would try to take charge, like Isrir did. What are you Aerobolt? Are you a Shadow Vulpine or not?”
“I-I,” Aerobolt stammered. ‘Don’t you dare?!’ “I don’t know.” ‘Damn it! Quit speaking your mind you stupid, worthless-!’
“Well you had better figure it out before you’re eaten alive by foxes like Isrir, and me,” she added to intimidate him. “You still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing down here? East wing is for vixens only. Reynards like you belong back in West Wing.” The vixen advanced on him, anger lighting up in her eyes.
Backing away again, Aerobolt stammered, “I-I am looking f-for Shade.”
The vixen stopped. “Shade? You mean the vixen that beat Isrir this morning?” she suddenly looked suspicious.
“Y-yes.”
“That slippery vixen is up to something, I know it. She was never born here, and that makes her untrustworthy. Then, there’s you, the one who refuses to fight, refuse our ways of life. Whatever you want with her surely means trouble. I think you’re both up to something no good. Whatever it is, I will find out. And then you will be punished by the paws of Arcane. I swear it,” the vixen growled threateningly.
“Strangely unfazed, Aerobolt replied, “Yeah, whatever. Do you know where she is?”
“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. She’s probably somewhere outside Hydyraen giving away our secrets. Hmph. Does she not realize she needs specific permission straight from Arcane if she wants to leave our gates? She’s pretty much walked straight into Arcane’s paws if she’s doing so. As long as she’s alive, she threatens our kind. If I were you, I’d stay away from her,” the vixen snorted and walked past Aerobolt, deliberately stepping on his tail as she went past.
Ignoring the pain, Aerobolt dashed back up the stairs towards the gates of Hydyraen. Somehow, he knew Shade was there. There was nowhere else in the stronghold she’d want to meet him at. He just hoped no one caught him on the way there, especially Arcane. This was just like his daydream that morning. This time, it was real. He was thankful there wasn’t many other Shadow Vulpines in the stronghold at that moment. Most of them were probably out terrorizing Nyethra. The thought of his own kind causing unnecessary pain to countless innocent lives made him feel sick with anger. ‘One day, it will all end. Nyethra will be at peace. If I have to be the one to deliver it, so be it. They aren’t my brethren. I am not who they think I am. I will make them all pay for what they’ve done. I never wanted to be evil. I never asked for this life. I’ll take control all right… Of MY life; not anyone else’s. Not like you have, Arcane.’ The vow echoed in Aerobolt’s mind as he raced towards the gates for real this time. The gates of tribulation were dead ahead. He could see it yards away. Feet. Inches…
“Not so fast, hotshot.”
Suddenly a footpaw was entangled right under him, tangling with his until he fell over. Glowering with annoyance, Aerobolt found his paws again as he dusted himself off. He turned to give his attacker a piece of his mind, but froze, muzzle open, when he recognized Shade’s eyes sneering at him playfully.
“I thought I said meet me AT Hydyraen gates, not OUT them. Are your ears too small or something? Anyway, what took you so long? Did you step on another fox’s tail?” she joked.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny,” Aerobolt replied sarcastically. “No. Arcane stopped me.”
Shade gasped suddenly interested. “He did? What’d he say?”
“That he saw that fight I got in with Isrir, and said I should take charge and defend myself by retaliating harder, so he’d leave me alone…”
“He WHAT!?” Shade exclaimed. “You’re a pacifist, right?”
Aerobolt shrugged, “Maybe, fighting is sometimes the answer…”
“I can’t believe it! He’s turning you into one of them!” Shade howled in a high pitched voice.
Aerobolt felt his tail fluff out against the chills spiraling down into it. “What do you mean?”
“He’s convincing you that violence is the key to life, the way to live life. I can’t believe he’s cunning enough to turn a pacifist into a murderer!” Shade began to pace in panic.
“I haven’t killed anyone!” Aerobolt had no idea what was going on. But then, when he thought of what Shade was saying, closer, he realized it. ‘Arcane is poisoning my mind! I remember how uncertain I was when I attacked him! I remember I almost attacked that vixen too! Normally I would say no to any fight! Arcane is starting to control me!’
“Am I too late? Has he been corrupted too far for us to help him? What is she going to say when she hears about this? I’ll be discharged for sure! Then who’ll-!?”
Aerobolt could bear her nonsensical panic no longer. He stuck his footpaw in her path and tripped her.
“Hey!” Shade exclaimed as she fell. She leaped right back to her paws. “What was that for!? Are you going to--!?”
“No! Why would you think like that!?” Aerobolt yelled frantically.
“Arcane! He-!”
“I know what he tried to do. I am not falling for it. In fact, with the power he helped me uncover, I plan to use it against him someday. Then I wield it for good,” Aerobolt said.
Shade sighed in relief, “Am I glad to hear you say that?”
“Why?” Aerobolt asked hopefully.
Shade moved in closer and whispered, “Are you sure you want to know?”
Aerobolt nodded, feeling certain for the first time in his life.
“Okay… But we mustn’t discuss it here. Let’s go to South Wing, to my living quarters.”
“South wing!?” Aerobolt burst out unexpectedly.
“Yeah… I know they aren’t the normal living…”
“But Arcane told me you lived in East Wing, with the other vixens!” Aerobolt interrupted.
“Really? Now that’s curious. Skymae gave me special rooms in South Wing to avoid any issues I’d have with the other vixens…”
Aerobolt was suddenly uneasy. “Why would Arcane lie to me…? About this anyway?”
Shade shrugged. “This is Arcane we’re talking about. The question we should be asking is why wouldn’t he lie? About anything?”
“Well, he did say he didn’t trust you. He’s probably worried you’d give me the wrong ideas,” Aerobolt put air quotes around the word ‘wrong’. “He’s probably trying to keep us apart.”
Shade looked worried. “Arcane doesn’t trust me?”
Aerobolt nodded. “Yes. And I met a vixen on the way here who said the same thing.”
“So the other Shadow Vulpines are noticing too?” Shade breathed, twiddling her handpaws. “I’m nearly out of time. We must go now, to my room, to discuss the plan of action, immediately!”
Shade had already dashed off without another word.
“Wait! What do you mean you’re running out of time!?” Aerobolt called after her. Shade didn’t respond. She didn’t even slow down. Growling in frustration, he began running to try and keep up with her. She ran so fast, Aerobolt wasn’t sure he could keep up with her. But he knew he had to; whatever Shade had to say to him was important. If Shade is running out of time, this could be his one and only chance to learn how to conquer Arcane. Aerobolt had never run this fast before; within a minute, he already began to feel winded. South Wing wasn’t that much further away. Surely he could make it. Legs aching, and lungs protesting, Aerobolt made sure he kept up. Whatever situation Shade was in, it was very serious.
The next thing Aerobolt knew, he stopped. Grabbing his knees, he gasped for breath. He made it to South Wing, but which way did Shade go?
“Psst!”
The hiss came from somewhere to Aerobolt’s left. Swinging his head that direction, he saw Shade beckoning him from just inside one of the rooms. Aerobolt’s legs were so heavy that he wasn’t sure he could get over there. Dragging his footpaws, he forced himself to move, ignoring the stone floor skinning the fur off his footpaws. He felt something grab his scruff, and he was yanked backward. He landed painfully on his tail. He lookef up and saw Shade’s darkened eyes.
“What’s the matter with you!?” Aerobolt gasped.
“I’m sorry, but if the Vulpines are starting to grow suspicious, I can’t afford to be seen much anymore,” Shade said sitting down on her bed. The beds in Hydyraen were made mostly of cotton that was stolen from merchants that pass unaware of thieves under their paws. Aerobolt realized how much smaller Shade’s room was compared to the others. The rooms in South Wing were meant mainly for storage. Aerobolt felt a twinge of pity towards the vixen.
“So if you can’t be seen, how are you going to evade Arcane?” Aerobolt asked slowly.
“It’s simple,” Shade jumped up. “I must leave Hydyraen. And you are coming with me.”
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Wanna start from the beginning? Here is Chapter One! http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11187661/
Here is my series' index! http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5340298/