Three torturous moons had passed since Storm had taken Blade's life in the ultimate battle for survival. Blade was like a mother to her, or at least that's what she saw in her perspective; the lash of fangs and the breaking of the frozen pond was all that it took for the mighty Alpha to have fallen through into the water. It wasn't Storm's teeth or claws that had ended her, it was the hypothermic temperature of the water. Even strong and fierce, the tan and black female dog had saw the life flash before her dark portals of eyes, silhouettes charading in her direction, taunting her as she realized even the boldest and most courageous of Fierce Dogs had to die sometime. She realized this with deep terror, as she tried to grasp the edge of the ice with her paws, but they thinned and broke into shards under her massive weight. Yelping as she went, she was taken under into the freezing sea of blackness with a mighty splash, her thoughts a whirlwind inside of her tiny mind. She craned her neck and watched as her Beta, Mace, and best friend, Dagger, were observing terrorized, stricken with fear. She has led them for moons, experiencing deaths and Big Growls with them, and now she would be no more. Those were her last thoughts before the Water Dog took her.

Frankly, she knew Storm was trying to avenge Martha by killing her. And her litter-sister--Wiggle.

Blade shut her eyes, dismissing all feelings of hope inside of her as she accepted her fate that she was sentenced to by the dog gods above her Pack of Fierce Dogs, guilt creeping up into her frosted heart. She was drowned by the lashing waves of seas and gasped for breath no more, the volume of the water seizing her as she sink into nothingness until she was all gone.

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Mâché, a three week old pup, scuttled into the opening of the new Fierce Dogs camp. Her ears were flipping down, and uncropped. She was too young to have the ceremony done yet. She galloped through the fenced, enclosed clearing, her eyes dashing around; she was playing hide-and-seek with her brother, Jungle. Although thoughts of giving up plagued her kind, she persevered, her tongue dropping out of her mouth. Then, she spotted a docked, stubby tail peeking out from a hide of undergrowth. Smirking, she lowered herself into a stalking position and resumed to crawling down behind him, wanting the element of surprise. However, when her paws lunged out at her brother, the tail disappeared into the bridge of thistles. Odd, thought Mâché, though clever. Determined to catch him, she attempted this again, only for two larger, stockier paws to seize her and pin her down. Mâché yelped in surprise, but her paws were immobilized. This dog was female, obviously. She had a large black nose and a pointed snout and muzzle, and sinewy muscles. Both ears were clipped and curved slightly.

"Ah, hello, Mâché," the stranger purred in a silky voice.

Mâché yapped, "Who the Sky Dogs are you?"

"We don't speak of those traitors. I will prohibit it, understood?" The dog hissed in a sharper tone, keeping her claws sheathed, "My name is Blade. I'm Alpha of this Pack, understood? Dare to defy me, you ghastly bottom-feeder? I have a special place in the junkyard for dogs like you."

"That's impossible," Mâché protested, her face changing from blank to fretful, "My Alpha is Machete, my father!"

"Nothing more than an illusional phantom," Blade insisted, "I'm Alpha, I always have been. And as your Alpha, I demand you to help me with my plan, I'm seeking revenge."

"No! We're not like that anymore! Dagger left, and so did Mace. They said they always longed for their freedom they deserved, but you imprisoned them for moons. Why should we allow you back in?!" Mâché was now panicking. Blade cajoled with a wipe of her left forepaw at a cloud of smoky air, drawing in a heavy breath. Two male dogs trotted over to her, who Mâché recognized as Dagger and Mace both. Grimness read over faces, and apology. Mâché tried to wiggle out, and to her surprise Blade whispered, "No need to, darling. I'm happy to oblige." She removed her paws from the pup's youthful, lithe tiny frame, allowing her the price late of rising to her short paws, which were barely enough to support the structure of her muscular body.

As Mâché turned, the mysterious ghost slammed both paws into her and dragged her to her chest.

"You're coming with me, mongrel. And you're going to do my bidding for as long as I favor you to. Any questions you have, Id advise you to ask them now. I hate answering, and if you don't speak only when told, I'll make you hate asking." She wore a smirk on her face.

Mâché gulped, her expression dulled. Mace and Dagger were sulking in the corned of the mansion, directly across from the wired in fence.

"Why me?"