~Chapter Twenty-Three~

                                    

                                          
The sun shined upon Tynder, making the puddles of blood from the recent battle stand out from the greenery. 
                          
Silver, Echo, and Brutus were circled around Angel's limp body, mourning with heavy hearts. The Silver Pack stood behind them, crying over the death of their beloved alpha female. 
                          
Echo lay next to his mother's body, quietly sobbing into her soft fur. Silver sniffled and licked her tears away before lifting her head towards the sky and howling a long, sorrowful note. 
                          
Some pack members caught on to her signal, and howled as well. Brutus eventually joined, but Echo was much too depressed to mournfully howl. 
                          
Everyone's howls drowned out Echo's cries. The dread he felt was unbearable to where he couldn't even stand up. He gasped for air as tears blinded his vision. He coughed from the mucus built up in his throat. 
                          
Minutes later, everyone's howls diminished one by one. Silver, with tears soaking her cheeks, leaned into Echo with sorrow in her voice. 
                          
" I'm so... so sorry, Echo." 
                          
Echo continued to weep without acknowledging Silver's apology. Silver sighed and nuzzled him. 
                          
" At least she died with her dreams accomplished." 
                          
Echo lifted his head and sniffled. 
                          
" I... I guess." 
                          
Silver smiled comfortingly and nudged his cheek. 
                          
" We need to go tell Alpha's pack that we are their new alphas." 
                          
Echo looked at Angel's body with a frown. He then stood up with trembling legs. Silver led everyone to the center of Tynder, where they would hopefully find Alpha's pack. 
                          
On the way, Silver and Echo walked far ahead of The Silver Pack. Silver walked with her eyes full of concern, and she found herself hardly able to keep them off of Echo. 
                          
Echo walked next to her with his head hung low and his eyes still watering. Silver sighed. 
                          
" I'm sorry, Echo." 
                          
Echo's ears swiveled in her direction. 
                          
" For what?" 
                          
Silver shrugged. 
                          
" For everything, I guess. If I wasn't so determined to kill Alpha then your mother might have survived." 
                          
Echo shook his head in immediate denial. 
                          
" Silver, don't blame yourself. You didn't do anything wrong but save innocent wolves from Alpha." 
                          
Despite her making positive actions, Silver couldn't help but feel guilty for being so persistent. She felt so pushy.
                          
" Besides that, I feel bad for being so insistent." 
                          
Echo nuzzled her reassuringly. She noticed that despite the loss of his mother, he still comforted her. He put his feelings aside and focused on hers. It made her feel loved, after years of depression and being alone, unwanted. 
                          
Silver smiled and leaned against him, walking at the same pace and taking the same strides. Their legs moved in sync. 
                          
They arrived in Alpha's main territory, and a fearful messenger wolf ran out of a den. To Echo, he had familiarity in his eyes.