Libby whined for hours in the cave. Much to her surprise, Alex had stayed eerily silent rather than express his grief alongside her. She didn't know what was up with him, but he felt different. She kept mourning the possible loss of her parents. Not only that, but the cave felt odd to her. Being surrounded by walls of boulders didn't feel right, and Libby felt like she was slowly being suffocated.

The wolves sharing their cave had complained about Libby's whimpering, especially the purplish-brown pup called Maggie.

"Pups and trainees, come out," a voice sounded from outside.

Umium was the first to stir. She lifted her head and twitched her bent ear for a moment before yawning, stretching herself and getting up. She snuck out of the cave, with the other trainee and Maggie after her.

Libby blinked her sore eyes slowly and let out another whine. She poked Alex, whom she thought was asleep, but then realized that his eyes were open. They were staring into nothing.

"Alex," Libby whispered.

"I'm awake," he responded, his voice devoid of emotion.

"We're going to meet Mom and Dad tomorrow!" Libby barked softly, trying to cheer him, but mostly herself, up.

"Don't you get it?" Alex bristled. "Mom and Dad are probably dead! The attack, the wolves taking us... This isn't some little adventure where you get into trouble and then it's over! We're far away from home, in a strange Pack, and we don't know what happened to our parents!"

Libby tried to suppress her grief and forced her ears to stay pricked. "We'll find out later today when Dreven takes us there!"

"If it's not already too late," she heard Alex mutter.

A wolf stuck his head through the cave entrance. It was a gray male withand a diamond-shaped pale gray marking on his forehead. His furrowed brow betrayed his concern. "Were you two fighting?"

"No," Libby said instantly, "we were having a...difference of opinion. I think."

Alex flashed her a warning glance with his bright yellow eyes, but didn't say anything as he trailed after the gray wolf.

Libby sighed, but then got to her paws and left the cave as well. Cold, fresh air hit her fur outside and she drew in a deep breath.

The night sky was a deep purplish-blue color. Countless stars, as well as the moon, shone brightly.

It seemed that all of the Pack had gathered at the rendezvous. Most of them were situated in a circle around the body of Brighten, which lay in the middle of the sandy, open space. The fatal wound had been bandaged up with big leaves.

What is the point in healing a dead wolf? wondered Libby.

"Over here, pups," another wolf said. She looked up to see Umium gesturing to a spot between her and Red Spirit. Alex headed for the place the trainee had pointed towards. Libby followed him.

They both settled beside one another without a glancing Libby nervously peeked at Brighten's corpse. She tried desperately not to imagine her mother laying there. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut and attempted to manifest happy thoughts. When that didn't work she opened her eyes and decided to scan the Packmembers sitting opposite of her. There was Snow-white, looking angry as ever. Beside her was the blue-eyed pale-and-black wolf who also shared Snow-white's accent, Ktea. Though they didn't look alike , Libby guessed that that she-wolf in some way had to be related to Snow-white.

On Snow-white's other side sat the gray wolf with the diamond-shaped spot on his forehead. He looked rather relaxed, with a relaxed posture she guessed had to be inappropriate for such a formal and grievous situation. His eyes were a brighter yellow than Alex, and almost seemed to glow in the dark of the night.

Libby realized that there were two wolves missing from the circle.

The first one was Dreven, and the second one was the pale gray Healer, Onor. Libby wondered where they were, but she decided not to get up and see as that probably wasn't very appropriate.

After sitting in silence for a few moments, a voice came from one of the more northern caves at the rendezvous. It was the hoarse voice of Dreven. "My Pack, my friends, my family...tonight it is time for the saddest of ceremonies." He emerged from the cave, his gaze dark and troubled.

He walked through the open space between two of them and sat down at the back of Brighten. If it weren't for Brighten's sightless eyes, open and staring into nothing, it could almost look like he was in a deep sleep.

The crowd of wolves bowed their heads. Alex followed suit, and Libby, after a little more hesitation, did too.

The Leader continued. "Tonight is the time we say goodbye to one of our most valued Pack members. Does anyone have words?" Dreven looked around the clearing.

"I do." It was the gray wolf with the pale marking on his forehead spoke up.

"Yes, Diamond?"

"I do not have many words, but..." Diamond suddenly seemed agitated, and his voice became weaker. "Before I arrived at this Pack and eventually joined it, Brighten already was its Second. He has served it for many a year, and did a good job at it, too. It won't be easy to find a replacement for him."

Dreven nodded. "True. Anyone else?"

Snow-white blurted out, "It's not his fault that he died, and I hope he knows that. He should’ve been Leader instead of you, Dreven!"

Red Spirit stirred and bared their teeth. "Mother! This is a funeral! It's not the moment to bring up your hatred for our Lea--"

"Shut up, Red Spirit! These are my words fer Brighten! I wanted to say that, even though he originally came from that damn Army, he was a good wolf. I trusted him, and I would've followed him to death if necessary. It was him who should've been Leader." Snow-white's eerie magenta-red eyes focused themselves on the Dreven as she spoke. Though for once her expression was a little closer to one of grief than anger.

Dreven looked dumbfounded, his ears drooping, but then shook his head and continued. "A- anyone else?"

"Me," Umium barked.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to say that, even though I've only known one Second in my short life, Brighten was the best one we could've had."

"I agree," a golden-brown youngster the age of Umium blurted out, before sitting up and holding a paw in front of her mouth.

Dreven nodded.

"I agree, too," said Red Spirit. A few others followed, saying the same thing.

"If there is no one else who wants to speak to Brighten while he's still among us, then I want to give him my final words," Dreven finally rasped. "Brighten, you were more than just a Second to me. You were a friend. A brother. I never got to spend much time with my blood family, but you were all I needed. I never could've asked for a better wolf to go through so many hardships with.

"Yes, we both were born into the Army, but we escaped, and found a home. After...what happened, you were my greatest comfort. I never would've gotten this far without you by my side. May you join the Realm of Souls and find peace."

As the Leader spoke the final sentence, he made a gesture with his left front paw, which seemed to be the sign for Onor to come out.

Libby stiffened once she saw what he was holding. Between his jaws, the Healer held a medium-length branch. At one far end of the branch, something bright, glowing and orange-yellow flickered. Whatever came off of it had a strong scent. Fear prickled through Libby's fur and her stomach twisted. Alex was uncomfortable as well, his ears flat against his head.

Libby considered whether or not it was appropriate to ask Red Spirit what it was, but finally caved. "What is that?" she whispered to the white-black wolf beside her.

"You've never seen fire before?"

Libby shook her head. Fire. It sounds powerful. But what is it? Is it alive? It's moving, after all.

"Fire is...it's...like, a small being, but not alive. It gives us warmth. And it helps us burn our dead to send them to the Realm of Souls," Red Spirit explained softly and calmly.

Libby looked to her left, to see that Alex was paying attention as well.

"But how is that possible? And what is 'burning'?" Libby asked

"It's how this world works. You don't ask where rain comes from, either, do you? Now be quiet and pay attention." Red Spirit's words were kind but dismissive.

Libby regarded the scene in front of her with her eyes wide. Onor held the far end of the branch between his strong jaws. The flame flickered calmly in the still air and swayed with the Healer's careful footsteps.

Finally, Onor reached the left side of Dreven. The older Leader-wolf looked small and frail in comparison to the hulking giant.

Dreven spoke again. "Spirits of the Realm of Souls, wolves of the past, tonight Brighten will be among you. It is time for us to howl our goodbyes."

He bent his head and then let out the roughest and saddest howl Libby had ever heard. Then, Red Spirit joined in. Then Umium. Then the remainder of the Pack.

Without wondering whether or not it was her place, Libby let out a feeble howl as well. Though she wasn't howling with her own Pack, as she'd never done that before, it felt appealing to howl with these wolves.

Alex remained quiet. Aside from him, the only other wolf to not join in was Onor.

Just as he had led it, Dreven was the first one to break off the Pack-howl. The voices of the rest soon faded away as well.

"Go in peace, Brighten, and be among the Spirits. Farewell, my brother," the older wolf spoke, before nodding and closing his eyes.

At his nod, Onor bent forward and put the flames in the fur of Brighten's corpse. Soon the flames were spreading over his body. A weird gassy substance coming off his corpse rose into the night sky. The smell was rather unpleasant and Libby scrunched her nose.

All of the wolves bowed their heads once more. Libby felt the need to whine again out of sadness that this wolf had died for her and her brother. She joined Alex in respectfully lowering her head, eyes closed.

They sat like this for a while before the wolves slowly started to get up and disperse .

"What do we do now?" Libby whispered through gritted teeth to her brother, one eye open, gazing at the burning body.

"It's all right," Red Spirit said, stretching beside them. "We can talk again. Now we go back to our dens. Well, except the Sentry on duty. And Dreven will sit with Brighten until he's fully in the Realm of Souls."

"When is that?" inquired Alex, looking over his shoulder at the good-looking white-black wolf.

"When his remains have been turned to ash."

"What's ash?" Libby barked.

"That's...that's like...black sand, that gets left behind when something burns."

"What does ‘burning’ mean?"

"When fire is set to something or...someone, in this case, it starts burning."

"What's that dark stuff coming off of the fire going up towards the sky?" Libby couldn't stop the questions from coming. She was so confused.

"That will be smoke, Libby. Come, let's move closer to your cave. We're allowed to speak again, but not too loud, since Brighten is on his way to the Realm of Souls."

As soon as Libby sat down in front of the youngsters den, the questions started pouring out again. "What exactly is the Realm of Souls?"

Red Spirit tilted their head. "You’re joking. You’ve gotta be. Didn't your homePack tell you about that world the dead inhabit?"

Alex spoke before Libby could. "Of course. Elder Willow told us that it's where the deceased wolves go. You should've paid attention, Libby!" His voice turned sharp.

She stuck out her tongue at him and turned to Red Spirit. "I know that, but...like...what's it like to be there? Is it scary and dark?"

"That’s just the thing about it, Libby. No one truly knows. That’s what makes it special."

"But, then how do you know that's where the dead wolves go?"

"Because, once per year or so, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead becomes so thin that sometimes the Spirits come into our realm."

"So you've seen a Spirit before?" Libby's eyes grew wide in amazement.

Red Spirit chuckled awkwardly. "Well, no. I haven't. But there's wolves who have! Ask around and you’re bound to find somewolf whose met a Spirit."

Libby felt disappointed. Any wolf could make up a story about meeting a Spirit. She decided not to dwell on the subject. The scent of smoke was growing stronger in her nose, and she longed to go inside the cave with the other youngsters so she could rest. Still, one more thought lingered.

"Red Spirit...can I ask another question?"

"Of course you can, little one."

"You...you don't seem..." Libby paused for a moment and hesitated. "You're not..."

Beside her, Alex started to frown. "Libby, don't be rude," he muttered.

"You’re both wondering about my gender, aren't you?"

Libby licked her lips. "How'd you guess?"

"I get that lot. Not every wolf has met a non-binary individual."

"What's a non-bye-nah-ree?"

Red Spirit sat down and calmly scratched behind one of their ears with their hind legs. "Non-binary. That's what I am. My gender."

"I thought there were only two?" Alex tilted his head. "Male and female wolves?"

"Nah, there's quite a few more. I'm a simple non-binary wolf. Or they-wolf, as they call them in some parts. Whatever you want to use."

"So you're not male or female?" Libby stared at Red Spirit, trying to find any sign to prove otherwise. The they-wolf's scent and voice seemed rather androgynous.