BALTO XI: THE BLACK STALLION AND AYDEN
By EbonyPatriot
BALTO, JENNA, STEELE, NIJU, ALEU, STAR, STEELE, BORIS, NAVA, MUK, LUK, NIKKI, KALTAG, AND STAR ARE ALL COPYRIGHTED TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS.
LUCIUS MALFOY, VOLDEMORT, THE THRESTALS, TENEBRUS, THE HIPPOGRIFFS, DEATH EATERS, HARRY POTTER, RON, HERMIONE, DRACO MALFOY, DUMBLEDORE, THE CRUP, UMBRIDGE, THE NUNDU, THE JARVEY, AND FAWKES ARE ALL COPYRIGHTED J.K. ROWLING.
AYDEN, THE GRIFFIN, KAYLEY, GARRET, RUBER, DEVON, AND CORNWALL ARE ALL COPYRIGHTED TO WARNER BROTHERS.
SPECIAL THANKS TO DCOUNTRY87, MY EDITOR FOR ALL OF MY STORIES.
KEMO, JENNER, KALA ,AND THE TITLE “BALTO’S BOAT ” ARE ALL COPYRIGHTED TO CYBERWULFE.
THE NAME MORDRED IS COPYRIGHTED TO IRISHVAMYR. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK IRISHVAMYR FOR HER HELP IN AYDEN’S FLASHBACK. WITHOUT HER, I DOUBT THIS STORY COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN.
THE INSPIRATIONS FOR TORNAIT AND NANUQ ARE COPYRIGHTED TO JEAN CRAIGHEAD GEORGE.
THE INSPIRATION FOR BRUCE IS COPYRIGHTED TO ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE.
THE INSPIRATIONS FOR JOKER, HARLEY AND MICROWING, THE JOKER, HARLEY, AND BATMAN, ARE COPYRIGHTED DC COMICS.
TUNDRA AND TAIGA ARE COPYRIGHTED TO R.D. LAWRENCE.
MIDBACK IS COPYRIGHTED TO JIM BRANDENBURG.
THE BLACK STALLION, FLAME, HENRY, ALEC, PITCH, STEVE, NAPOLEON, TONY, ODIN, BLACK MINX, THE GHOST AND SATAN ARE ALL COPYRIGHTED TO WALTER FARLEY.
THE LYRICS FOR THE SONG “BEER FOR MY HORSES” AND THE SONG ITSELF ARE COPYRIGHTED TO SONGWRITERS SCOTTY EMERICKS AND TOBY KEITH, PERFORMED BY TOBY KEITH AND WILLIE NELSON
THE “WE BE OF ONE BLOOD, YE AND I” QUOTE IS COPYRIGHTED TO RUDYARD KIPLING.
JOKER, HARLEY, SILVER CLOUD, NIGHT JAWS, BLACK EAGLE, MIDNIGHT PHANTOM, IVORY SPIRIT, EBONY SKY, NANUQ, HALF-TAIL, ICE FIRE, DARK SIDE, WHITE MOON, SNOW FOX, TORNAIT, SAND PIPER, DESERT STORM, GALAXY, THUNDER, PHOENIX, CHROME, OKA, ORION, TAURUS, DELTA, KOJAK, AKITA, NYCTEA, DEQUIN, GRAHAM, SEUL, MATANE, LYYTON, HYTHE, MONTREAL, EDMONTON, VANCOUVER, PLETIPI, TRURO, AND TYONEK ARE ALL COPYRIGHTED TO EBONY PATRIOT. {ME!} DO NOT USE ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS WITHOUT GIVING ME CREDIT AND/OR ASKING PERMISSION OR DEFILE THEM. IF YOU DO, I’LL SIC MY EVIL PSYCHO SPANISH TEACHER ON YOU! WOE SHALL BE YOU!
VOICES:
BALTO: KEVIN BACON
JENNA: BRIDGET FONDA
NAVA: DAVID CARRADINE
NIJU: MARK HAMILL
ALEU: LACEY CHABERT
BORIS: BOB HOPKINS
MUK & LUK: PHIL COLLINS
STAR: ROBBIE RIST
KALTAG: DANNY MANN
NIKKI: JACK ANGEL
STEELE: JIM CUMMINGS
THE BLACK STALLION: JOHN RHYS-DAVIS
FLAME: SINBAD
THE GHOST: LINDA HUNT
IVORY SPIRIT: RYAN STYLES
BONFIRE: GILBERT GODFREED
TONY: KELSEY GRAMMER
NAPOLEON:KELSEY GRAMMER
HENRY: MICKEY ROONEY
ALEC: SPENSER BRESLIN
STEVE: JOHN CARROL LYNCH
PITCH: JALEEL WHITE BLACK
MINX: SUSAN EAGEN
SATAN: DREW CAREY
KEMO: JAMES EARL JONES
MIDBACK: WHOPI GOLDBERG
JOKER: MARK HAMILL
NIGHT JAWS: ROBIN WILLIAMS
BLACK EAGLE: TIM ALLEN
SILVER CLOUD: ROBBY BENSON
TUNDRA: MATTHEW BRODRICK
TAIGA: CARRIE FISHER
TYONEK: WILLIAM DAFOE
OKA: GREG PROOPS
HARLEY: ARLENE SORKIN
JENNER: MEL GIBSON
KALA: DEMI MOORE
TOGO: COLIN MOCHRIE
TOGO’S CLONE: RYAN STYLES
THE GRIFFIN (MORDRED): BRONSON PINSHOT
FAWKES: MICHAEL CRAWFORD
LUCIUS MALFOY: JASON ISAACS
HARRY: DANIEL RADCLIFFE
VOLDEMORT: IAN HART
KOJAK:TOBEY MCGUIRE
NYCTEA: KIRSTEN DUNST
MICROWING: KEVIN CONROY
BRUCE: DAVID OGENSTEIRS
DELTA:ELIJAH WOOD
TUQUE: ELIJAH WOOD
AYDEN: FRANK WELKER
******CHAPTER 1: THE BRITON STRANGER******
Well a man came on, with the 6:00 news. Say somebody’s been shot, somebody’s been abused. Somebody blew up a building. Somebody stole a car......
The Black Stallion did not trust the stranger. He sensed too much evil in this man, for animals can read a man’s soul. And he read pure evil. The ebon Arabian stallion was unsure what made him distrust the odd stranger. Was it the fact that the man had long blond hair and dark eyebrows? Or the fact that he was wearing velvet black robes in the middle of the New York summer and was carrying a walking stick with a silver snake-head on the end?Flame, the splendid fox-red Island stallion, shook his head. “Who is that dude? I have a bad feeling about him” asked the Black.
“I don’t know,” answered Flame. “But I don’t trust him.” It was a mark of how bad they both disliked the stranger. For the two stallions had never agreed on anything, except once. And that once was a temporary band to destroy a rabid vampire bat. They were too much of a match.
“I wonder what he’s saying,” mused Satan, the Black’s first son.
“I’ll go find out!” said Black Minx, the Black’s first daughter and Satan’s half-sister.
“NO! MINX, NO!” cried the Ghost. All though Minx and Satan and their half-brother Bonfire weren’t hers, the Ghost loved them as she did her own sons, Midnight Phantom, Ivory Spirit, and little colt Ebony Sky. Black Minx paid no attention. She leapt the fence and stalked, snake like, until she was within hearing range. She stood for about a quarter of hour undetected. That is when Pitch, the friend of Flame’s owner, Steve, saw her. Steve went, grabbed her harness, and brought the roamer back into the fence. The stranger followed her actions with his eyes, cruel satisfaction in their cold iron-gray irises.
“So, what’s up? What’s his name? What does he want?” asked Bonfire, the Black’s second son, his dark eyes lighting up.
“He called himself Lucius Malfoy.”
“Lucius? What a stupid name!” commented Satan.
“Malfoy? That’s such an odd surname. I’ve never heard of it,” commented Napoleon, shaking his old pale head.
“What else did he say? Where is he from?” asked Flame.
“He’s says he’s from London.”
“London? But, that’s in Englan-what?” said the Black, for the Ghost’s forehead was suddenly ceased.
“Well, isn’t it a little odd? I mean, a Briton coming to New York, biggest city in America, and instead of going to the big city, he goes to the small suburb of Flushing. I mean, well, how many British cities do you know?”
“Uhm, there’s London and, wow, that’s it! Boy, we Americans don’t know a lot about Britain, especially if we’re from Cleveland!” said Satan.
“You’re from Arabia, you idiot!” sighed Black Minx.
“Exactly. So what are the odds someone named Lucius Malfoy comes to New York State and finds-us?”There was a sudden neigh that did not belong to the brood mares.
“Who’s that?’ asked the black, his ears up.
“Probably that Lucius’s horse,” shrugged Midnight Phantom.
“But, I didn’t hear hooves...”
“Well, let’s go check it out,” said Ivory Spirit as the horses took off around the barn. There, on the Southern side, were the two animals Lucius had to have brought. The horses’ jaws dropped open. For there was an animal that was half horse, half eagle!There was the huge front of an ivory eagle, with fierce, blood-colored eyes. From where the eagle’s tail would have been there was from the shoulders on the body of a white stallion. And next to him was a medium-sized skeletal black horse. Every bone showed under his malnourished pelt. He looked at group with moon eyes that lacked pupils.
The kind Ghost walked into the barn and came out with a mouthful of hay. She dropped it at the black horse’s nose. The black horse sniffed it.
“Well, thanks, but what are you, crazy? We threstals don’t eat meat!” He said this in a decidedly British voice. The English horse looked at the Black.
“Great Scott! what happened to your wings, poor fellow!”
“Wings? ” echoed the horses. It was just then that they noticed the leathery wings wrapped around his shoulders.
“Who are you?” snapped Flame, his quick temper getting the better of him.
“I am Taurus, father of Tenebrus. I’m a therstal, a type of winged horse. What are you?”
“We are Arabians!” shouted Satan.
“Oh! You’re a Muggle’s horse, you know, non-magic folk.”
“Non-ma-what? Are you that Lucius’?” asked the Ghost.
“Why, yes, I am. Well, no I belong to Hagrid, but he’s riding me now. And this is the hippogriff Orion. You see, Lucius is a wizard.”
“He’s a-what?” asked Black Minx, eyes growing wide.
Flame whispered into the Black’s ears. “Lucius isn’t as weird as this Taurus. Let’s go back to him.”
“Good idea.”
“Well, Taurus,” said the Black, “We had a good time, but we got to go. Bye.”
“Bye strange Muggle horses.”
When they returned, the chatting humans were right up against the fence. The Black couldn’t see how he had missed Lucius Malfoy’s accent before.
“So you see, Mr. Malfoy, we can’t sell them. They aren’t just horses, they are our family,”
Henry was saying. “Really? Not even for a hundred Galleons?” asked Lucius, his iron-gray eyes sparkling as he held out a handful of gold coins.
Henry picked one up and examined it closely. “Sir, these are Spanish Doubloons. They are no good here.”
“What? Oh, yes, yes of course.”
“Those aren’t Doubloons,” said Flame softly. (Flame had nothing but the purest Spanish blood in his veins.)
The Black Stallion suddenly noticed that Lucius was too close to Alec...too close, in the horse’s eyes, for comfort. Like a black mamba he struck, ebony head aiming for the Briton, strong ivory teeth bared.Lucius struck the Black on the nose with the snake-head of his walking stick. The silver was very hard, and the Black stopped, momentarily stunned.
Alec pulled his halter. “Bad boy!”
Lucius did not seemed upset by the horse’s action. Instead, he placed his hand upon the Black’s forehead. “Now, now, Black, play nicely,” he said in his soft voiced. The stallion was stunned. He could not believe the man’s arrogance. And yet he didn’t react. “Your name is legendary...” Lucius was saying, but the Black wasn’t listening. He was too busy reading the man’s soul through his cold, iron-colored eyes. Evil...Pure evil...Was there any rafts of good in the man’s soul?...He, the Black, didn’t care...Voldemort’s plot...Ridding the world of Muggle and Muggle-borns...Killings...
Lucius pulled away, as though he was aware the Black was reading his spirit. “Well, I must return to London. Consider my offer. I have a feeling we shall meet again.” He nodded, turned, and walked away.
Alec absent-mindly stroked the Black for a few seconds, watching the departing Lucius until he turned the corner of the barn of the South. Alec turned. “Well, come on Black, boss, we got to go to Nome. Come on, Henry, let’s get Flame’s saddle.”
“Nome?’ asked the Ghost softly. “Not that I’m not glad to see Balto again, but we were just there. I thought we were going there annually...”
The Black looked at the humans, out of earshot. Had Lucius done something to their minds while they were gone? He vowed never to leave his master alone, especially in the presence of a Briton. He whispered to his family and friend, “I have a bad feeling about this.”
******CHAPTER 2: RETURN TO NOME******
Somebody got away. Somebody didn’t get too far. Yeah, they didn’t get too far.
Balto, the dust-colored half wolf, half Malamute, was exhausted. And rightfully so! For in the last month he had met his father and full-brother, had fought a great war against evil, took on a crazed coy-dog, and lastly, been brought to England itself! He was looking to just calming down. Panting, he looked at his beautiful Siberian husky mate Jenna, who was smiling at him.
“Yeah. I had never thought I would meet an animal crazier than Joker,” said the butterscotch-colored Taiga, the only female in her litter.
Ebon-and-snow Joker glared at his sister. He sprung... Taiga leapt, before the coal-black Tundra grabbed her shoulder. Tundra looked angrily at his sister. “Taiga! You shouldn’t be fighting. You know Joker has a quick temper!”
“Oh, I know.” Joker, meanwhile, was being held by his mane by the first-born white wolf Silver Cloud.
“Joker, Joker, such a temper! One would think you are Mr. Malfoy!”
Joker stopped struggling against his brother. “That’s an insult! Hmm, wonder if I’ll ever meet him again...” mused Joker.
“I hope so. Oka’s not a very good leader,” commented the old wolf shaman Nava, as the gold-gray wolf trotted up.
“But, we only killed one of them. And we are the only wolves for, what Harley?” asked Taiga’s brother Black Eagle to the mate of Joker.
Harley rose her ears. “Miles. The nearest pack is the SeaStars. And they are wolves of the deer.” (Harley had been born here, but the rest of her pack was dead.)
“Well,” sighed the second-youngest brother of Silver Cloud, Night Jaws. “They are dying to humans...bears...wolverines...”
“So, to sum it all up, Oka stinks!” said Balto’s half-brother, the snowy-wolf Kemo. Midback, the graceful mate of Kemo, pricked her ears.
“Hey, a plane’s coming...”
“The Black Stallion’s, I'd know his plane anywhere.” said Balto’s second-youngest son, MicroWing simply.
“Yay! We haven’t seen the Black Stallion in...a month,” said MicroWing’s twin, Bruce. Niju, Balto’s silver-and-black son-in-law, looked confused.
“Why are they coming back all ready?”
“Maybe they missed us,” shrugged Balto’s first daughter, Aleu, mate of Niju and mother to Joker and his siblings. Unlike her sisters, Suma and Kala, and her brothers, Jenner, Ace and Dingo, Aleu was a throwback to wolf heritage. Even her light tan color was against her. Aleu and Midback’s new pups looked amazed. Only once had Aleu’s litter of seven nor Midback’s litter of six seen a plane during their four month lives.
“Come on,” said Niju. “Let’s see them.”
The Black Stallion was every bit as magnificent as the wolves remembered him. The Ghost was as sweet as before, Satan was as fun-loving and impulsive, Black Minx was as mischievous, Bonfire was as just and fair, Flame was as powerful and arrogant, Midnight Phantom was as secretive and mysterious, Ivory Spirit was as calm and wolf-like, Ebony Sky was as cute and shy, and Napoleon as patient and trusting. The wolves were glad to see their old friends.
“Hey! I don’t think you’re pups remember us,” said the Ghost. “Who are they again?”
“Oh. Well, the males are Tornait, Phoenix, Sand Piper, Chrome, and Desert Storm. The girls are Thunder and Galaxy,” explained Aleu.
Midback grinned. “And these are mine. well, mine and Kemo’s. The boys are Dark Side, Snow Fox, and Ice Fire. The girls are White Moon, Half-Tail, and Nanuq.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Hiya, Black,” said Balto.
“Whazup?”
“Well-oh, my. It’s Lucius!” A stranger was riding up on a skinny black horse. The horses failed to notice the look of excitement on the wolves’, especially Niju’s, faces.
The Black lowered his head. “Can we speak with you at Aleu’s cove?”
“Oh, sure.” The wolves trotted off.
“Wait!” It was Steele, black-and-white Alaskan Malamute, and former-bully/now-friend of Balto.
“There’s a weirdo here. I can’t get his scent. Reminds me of one of those Death Eaters...”
“Where’s Jenner? Kala? Suma? Dingo? Ace?”
“I’m here,” said Jenner. “Yo, and here’s Kaly...”
“Don’t call my Kaly. Call me Kala. Think Glenn Close!”
“Whatever, and Acey.”
“Ace. Just Ace. And Suma. And Dingo.”
“Good. Watch him. We’ll be right back.”
They took off, not stopping until they were deep into a clearing in the pines. The Black whispered: “Did you ever hear of a Lucius Malfoy?”
“Lucifer?” grinned Niju.
“Oh, yes.” The horses pricked their ears.
“Maybe we better tell all that has happened in the past month,” explained Balto. When he had finished, the stunned herd told their tale.
“Hmm...” mused Togo, the Alaskan Malamute who was Balto’s father. “Why would Voldemort want horses?”
“For something evil. And deadly” growled Togo’s Clone, the full brother to Balto.
There was a sudden BANG, and a bonfire appeared at the base of Harley’s old den. The horses reared. A voice echoed from the flames. “BEWARE!!! BEWARE!! AND EXPECT SOME OLD FRIENDS!!” The flames disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“What was that?” asked Bonfire.
“Fawkes. Dumbledore’s bird? Well, he’s a phoenix,” explained Nava.
“Uhm, phoenix?” asked Satan.
“Yeah.”
In front of the den, emerald flames had suddenly struck. They were whirling, faster and faster. “Old friends...” said Jenna. “Balto! He must mean Tyonek!” (Tyonek was the silver-and-snow colored caribou stag leader who now lived in England.)
“He’d better not come back!” said an arrogant dark brown caribou. He was Oka, new (and horrible) leader of the caribou. “I’ll rip him limb from limb! TYONEK!” he bellowed. “I DARE YOU TO COME BACK!!”
“Dare excepted,” said an amused, soft, tough guy voice. A silver caribou had just emerged from the flames. The green fire then disappeared. It was Tyonek. But not just Tyonek. For there were four birds of prey on his antlers and head. The horses looked at each other. Nome was certainly weirder than they remembered....
******CHAPTER 3: AYDEN******
Grandpappy told my Pappy back in my day son. A man had the answer to the wicked that they done. Take all the rope in Texas find a tall oak tree. Round up all of them bad boys hang ‘em high in the streets. For all the people to see.
The caribou was pure silver-and-snow colored. His antlers had to rise at least three and half feet above his head. He looked at them with dark, curious liquid eyes. On the right antler was an ice-white snowy owl. He had fierce amber eyes. On the left antlers was a female snowy, completely barred save for the throat and chest, where the foamy feathers were the same blazing color as the male’s. On the stag’s head was slate-gray, huge, black-masked-and-mustached male peregrine falcon. Judging from the wolves’s grins, they knew all of them. All except the last one. The Black ran his eyes over him. It was a peregrine falcon. He was the normal size for his gender, with dark brown eyes, outlined in yellow. His back was black, and his wing-feathers were that of the purest silver . Unlike the first falcon, though, this one’s cream throat and chest and his tan underside were not barred.
“Hiya, Balto. And hello, Oka...” Tyonek said, glancing around the herd.
“Where’s Truro? Where is he?” The herd hung their heads. “And Graham? And Seul? And Matane? And Lyyton? And Hythe? And Montreal? And Edmonton? And Vancouver? And Omaha..wait, where did that come from?”
A light gray young bull, they only gray left in the herd, stepped forward. He was Tuque. “They are dead.”
“What? To the wolves?” asked Tyonek, his forehead crinkling.
“No. Only Truro was killed by the wolves. Wolverines and bears and humans got the rest of them. Oka did not pay the attention you did, Tyonek. He wasn’t nearly as watchful as you were.”
Oka bellowed and galloped towards Tyonek.
“You! Why don’t you go back to England? Has the diet of tea and crumpets driven you soft? Do you think you can challenge me? Bring it on!” In a whirl of feathers, the birds rose as Tyonek charged. Oka was off his feet in a second, gasping for breath.
“Look, I don’t have the time to bother with you, so leave us alone.”
He looked at the nickering horses. “I’d better introduce you guys. The pure white owl is Kojak, son of Hedwig and Quartz. The other owl is Nyctea, Kojak’s twin sister. The barred falcon is Delta, Ron’s family owl. And the last falcon, well, his name is Ayden.”
“Yes,” said the falcon, jumping up. “I used to belong to Merlin.”
“You belonged to Merlin?” gasped Nava.
“Yes. He cast a spell over me so that I burst into flames, like a phoenix. I lead Garret and Kayley, along with the two-headed dragon Devon and Cornwall, to defeat the evil Lord Ruber, who was attacking King Arthur.”
“So, why are you here?” asked Night Jaws.
“Ruber had a Griffin.”
“So? Justin Morgan had a horse,” snickered Satan.
Even in the face of danger, Satan couldn’t resist a joke. “Nagini told us that Voldemort knew this. And he knew of a spell which could bring him back. with extra powers,” continued Ayden.
“Nagini?’ asked Flame. “Who’s Nagini?”
“Uh, she’s Voldemort’s old pet snake. She’s with us now,” explained Balto.
“Anyway, Fawkes found me. I alone know how dangerous the griffin can be. And Fawkes knows that Voldemort wants to kill you wolves.”
“Why? Why us?” asked Aleu.
Kojak grinned. “You know Moldey only fears two things, Dumbledore and Harry. Well, now he has about forty-odd wolves to add to that. Add Marvolo and Nagini, and, well, that list just got too bad.”
“So he decided to to send a Death Eater to get the blood needed for the griffin. The only Death Eater that wasn’t too badly crippled,” continued Nyctea.
“Lucius Malfoy,” gasped the Ghost.
“Bingo,” said Delta. “It was Lucifer’s wife, Nacrissa, who rediscovered the spell in the first place.”
“And the one who wanted Sirius dead!” snarled Niju.
“But,” said Ivory Spirit.
“Why would he wants us?”
“Because the spell requires your blood,” answered Ayden shortly.
******CHAPTER 4: VOLDEMORT’S PLAN******
That justice is the one thing you should always find. You gotta saddle up your boys. You got to draw the hard line. When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune. And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon. We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing: “Whiskey for my men. Beer for my horses.
“Our blood?” repeated Flame, his eyes widening.
“Yes. One needs at least the blood of three black stallions, one black mare, one white stallion, one white mare, and one fire-red stallion. All of the blood of a new colt will make the griffin immortal, and all of a gray gelding’s blood will give him fire breath,” recited Ayden.
“How much blood are we talking about?” asked Napoleon.
“Well...at least a quart for the griffin I knew, but Voldemort doesn’t do things halfway. He’ll take a lot of blood, to make the griffin more powerful. Enough to send you guys into shock...and death.”
“Okaaaaay...we can skip on that one,” said Flame.
“How’s he getting our blood?” asked Black Minx.
“Well...you should know what’s been stolen from the Forbidden Forest,” said Delta, lifting his yellow feet with the jesses.
“A Nundu, the only one in Europe. A Crup. A hippogriff. A therstal. And a Jarvey.”
“Wow.”
“So, uhm, who’s Marvolo again?” asked Satan.
“A purebred basilisk. Great-grand son of Exeter. I told you all about Exeter. Hey, speaking of which, does Marvolo still have that crooked tail?’
“Yes. He always will. But he doesn’t mind. He says it makes typing easier-hey-isn’t that Star?” asked Nyctea.
“BALTO!” The gray Siberian husky was followed by Kaltag, (a tan Siberian husky) and Nikki (a brown chow-chow) Star was panting hard.
“What is it?”
“That...Malfoy...Henry...”
“What?” asked Satan urgently.
“He’s, I don’t know, but his wand’s out. And Henry looks like he’s in pain,” said Kaltag.
“Yes. That Henry dere looks bad,” commented Nikki.
The horses and wolves took off. The birds flew overhead.
“Delta and I will go ahead. Kojak and Nyctea will lead you,” said Ayden. They ran, hearts pumping, anger and fear in their eyes.
******CHAPTER 5: MAGIC ATTACK******
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing: “Whiskey for my men. Beer for my horses. We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds. Too much corruption and crime in the street. It’s time the long arm of the law, put a few more into the ground.
“I’m telling you, Mr. Malfoy, I don’t know where the horses went to. They’re buddies with the wolves,” Henry was saying.
“Really? I think you are lying. Answer me. Imperio!”
“HEY! We are right here, Lucifer. What do you want?” asked Satan as he climbed the hillock that overlooked the tundra. The wolves groaned. Satan had let their presence known too soon!!
“Ahh, the ponies. I-is that Ayden?” asked Lucius.
“Greaaaat, he knows about Ayden,” said Nyctea.
“How could things get any worse?” Lucius turned north, his gaze falling beyond Balto’s Boat.
“Odin! Release the Crup!” “Odin!” snarled the Black.
A Jack Russell terrier ran out. It would have been perfectly normal if it hadn’t have had a forked tail. The Crup looked up at Lucius, eyes narrowed.
“Hmm, ya know, Lucifer never struck me as a dog person,” said Niju, shaking his head. The Crup then darted up and attacked Satan’s right leg, slashing his fetlock open. The Crup leapt up, biting through the girth that held on Satan’s saddle. The horse lowered his head and struck, breaking the creature’s leg. The Crup slashed, pulling off Satan’s bridle. The stallion reared.
“Yow! Bled by a dog!” cried Satan, kicking the life out of the Crup. He took off, Arabian tail high in the air. “How are you gonna get my blood now, huh, Lucifer?” sneered Satan when he rejoined the wolves. Lucius raised his wand. “Accio blood!” The blood flowed through the air, into Malfoy’s cauldron.
Ayden flew down, a purple plant leave in his beak. He placed it on Satan’s fetlock, healing him instantly. “How did he do that? That’s not fair!” cried Satan.
“Come on!” cried Ayden. He lead the running herd, as Malfoy turned to the unseen Odin.
“Release the Jarvey!” The wolves froze, paws up like a pointer’s. Their noses tipped into the air.
“I smell...weasel. Joker, did you kill another marmot?”
“Marmot? Come on, Black Eagle, you know I don’t eat marmot!” said Joker. “
Yeah, but, HOLY SMOKES!! Look at that! Isn’t it a ferret?” asked Night Jaws.
A huge black-footed ferret ran up. “Stupid curs!”
“Hey! Look! He speaks human! And the humans hear him! What else can you say, weasel boy?”
“Stupid curs!”
“Oh, goodie, a genius,” said Niju.
The Jarvey sprung at Ebony Sky. The Ghost sprung out, protecting her son and getting her leg slashed open in the process. Ayden flew down, placing the same healing plant on her wound before too much blood could be summoned by Lucius.
“Hey,” cried Henry, getting over his shock at once. “You can’t do that to our horses!”
“STUPEFY!!” In a blaze of red light, Henry, Alec, Steve, Pitch, and Tony lay, stunned. The Black sniffed their bodies feverishly.
“They’re alive,” he breathed gratefully.
The Black dodged as the Jarvey came back. The Jarvey was limping with great pain, for the overgrown ferret had attacked Black Minx. Though he was successful in slashing her shoulder till it bleed, his ribs had been broken in the process. Midnight Phantom had struck out when his chest slashed, and had kicked the leg of the creature, breaking his leg. Thus, only Ivory Spirit, Flame, and the Black’s blood was still necessary.
“OW!” The wolves had been gently nipping the humans until they woke up.
The horses let their riders on: Henry on Satan, Steve on his stallion Flame, Pitch on Black Minx, and Tony was on Ivory Spirit. The Black started to run away, distracting the Jarvey.
Before the Black could strike, Joker ran in. Strong though the ferret was, he was no match against a wolf that had killed (but not eaten, Nava was the weasel-eater) many a wolverine, (who is also called the Injun Devil.) The Jarvey’s neck was quickly broken. Alec hurriedly leapt on his seventeen-hand high mount. The humans were about as safe as they could be.Satan reared. They had not lost much blood (thanks to Ayden) and he was arrogant by birth. “Bring it on, Lucifer! We can take anything you can throw at us!”
“Oh? Odin, release the Nundu!”
“Nundu?” sneered Satan. “What’s a Nun-?”
A huge, yellow paw slammed down, interrupting the stallion. It belonged to a giant leopard, buff-colored with dark rosettes. He switched his long black-tipped tail, stirring up the lichens. His green eyes blazed. The Black and Flame let out low whistles. “Oh...Will ya look at that....” said Satan in a small voice.
“ ‘Bring it on, Lucifer, we can take anything we can throw at us’,” mocked Black Minx.
“Very funny!!!!” snapped Satan.
“Ah, you might as well consider yourself dead. The Nundu moves silently, and it’s breath is deadly with disease,” commented Lucius, cold gray eyes sparkling. Nava pointed his gold-gray muzzle into the air. “No, it’s not. His breath isn’t disease-ridden. We wolves can smell sickness.”
“Oh, goodie!” said Aleu, nearly avoiding being sliced in two by a swiping claw-studded paw. “Now all we have to worry about is the teeth and claws!”
Satan did not notice that Henry had slipped from his glossy back when the stallion took off after the wolves. The wolves up to this point had been seeing to it that Lucius did not kill the horses or humans, but know they saw Malfoy was distracted by Odin.
Taking the opportunity, they led a full-scale attack on the deadly Nundu. “Broken Wing Move! Now!” shouted Kemo. The horses stared.
“What?” Ayden flew down from the head, where the raptors were tearing at the leopard’s ears.
“Run! Lead them away!”
“OH!” The horses and wolves started galloping, running at top speed and rounded a hillock. Leaping, the Nundu sprung over easily the hill and met the wolves. He bared his razor-like 3 foot fangs. Ivory Spirit loped toward the cat and reared, his hooves striking the black-tipped tail. Snarling, the Nundu struck with his tail. The horse, who had never been off his feet before, was thrown against a pine. His face was torn at the mouth.
“Go for the legs! Legs!” cried Midback. It was well worked. The wolves were nearly telepathic. The agile young females barked in front, while the powerful males struck at the left foreleg. Repeatedly they attacked, trying to cripple him. A half hour passed. Finally their teeth had hamstrung the Nundu. Shrieking, he thrust his paw out, the tip of a claw tearing Flame’s chest.The wolves saw this, and knew only the Black was needed to be bled!
Two bullet-shaped birds dove, avoiding the teeth and plunging at the throat. It was Ayden, with Delta a hair’s-breath behind him. While the falcons faced death in trying to get at the throat, the owls attacked the ears, and the wolves attacked the legs. Working as one animal, they finally dragged the overgrown leopard down. The wolves’ tongues were lolled, though not in pleasure. The Black’s ears suddenly tipped forward. All listened. The sounds of a man in pain...
“HENRY!” cried the horses. The animals took off, heads lowered with aggression.
******CHAPTER 6: MORDRED, THE GRIFFIN******
It’s time the long arm of the law, put a few more into the ground. Send them all to the Maker let him settle them down. You can bet he’ll set ‘em down.
There, laying on the lichens, was something like a cross between an eaglet and a lion cub. But the Black never stopped. For there was Lucius Malfoy, wand out, over a twitching Henry. Before Satan could react, a roar erupted from the Black’s throat that would have done well from a lion’s. And Ivory Spirit, who had never before seen his father out of temper, now knew for the first time why the Black’s original name back in Arabia had been ‘Shetan,’ or ‘Devil.’For the Black looked truly like Lucifer himself. His eyes were glowing red. His ears were curled back like horns, his mane was flowing like a windswept flame, his ivory teeth were bared, his ebon coat glistening. And the horrible scream of hatred was echoing from his mouth. Lucius knew enough to run. He jumped on the hippogriff Orion’s back, and took off. The Black reared and struck hard on the Briton with his hooves. His teeth grabbed the velvet cloak and tried to drag the man off, to pound him under deadly hooves. But Lucius struck the Black with his cane once again, only this time with the snake’s fangs. Only the feel of his own blood flowing down his face made the Black stop. And he screamed as the hippogriff flew higher. The Black walked back, where the herd and pack was staring at the creature. Blood and lather dripped from the Black’s nose. Onto the bird-cub.Green smoke exploded, throwing the horses off their feet and onto their backs. They screamed.
“GO!” gasped MicroWing. The Ghost took off, leading her young son to Balto’s Boat, where Jenna was guarding the pups. In place of the strange creature was a griffin. The head was that of a black eagle, with a huge yellow-tipped orange beak. He had great ears like that of the Egyptian god Anubis with purple insides. His big liquid eyes were a neon green. His forelegs were heavily ruffed in tan-and-cream feathers leading to the orange eagle’s feet. The purple flight-feather for the great wings rose from the shoulder blades cloaked in a black mane. From the start of the ribs on, his body was that of a huge dark tan lion’s.
“Ah, very good. I, Lucius Malfoy, and Lord Voldemort are your masters, got that?” The griffin’s neon-green eyes turned black as his pupils contracted to cat’s slits.
“Precisely,” he said in a voice barley above a whisper.
“Good, good, what is your name?” Ayden’s eyes lit up.
“You know, I never did hear what his name was. Ruber just called him ‘stupid’, ‘worthless’, or, my favorite, ‘wretched mythological moron’”
“Mordred,” answered the griffin. “Mordred, that’s a weird one,” commented Ayden. Mordred took off. For he had spotted Oka as the caribou charged Tyonek yet again. Realizing a second too late that he was being attacked, Oka tried to turn but was too late. Thankfully, it was behind one of the many gently slopping hills. But the hill didn’t muffle the caribou’s dying bellows, nor Oka’s horrible pain-stricken scream or his gurgling death rattle.
Mordred came back over and grabbed Lucius’s wand. “What are you doing? Give me that!” snapped the Briton. Mordred quickly ran back to his kill. There was smoke, the sickening sounds of something feeding, and the griffin walked back, a cooked leg in his mouth. “Veal?” he asked, offering the food to the Wizard.
“Oh! And here’s your wand, Master.”
“Why did you need my wand?” asked Lucius, gray eyes narrowing.
“Sorry, Master, but I can’t eat something that is raw. I like my steak well done.” Lucius struck the monster with his walking cane, so that the snake’s mouth grabbed Mordred’s ear and pulled, causing utmost pain.
“YOU COMPLETE IDIOT!!! YOU SHOULD BE FIGHTING, NOT EATING!!!”
“Sorry,” he whimpered.
“Now then, you Mythological Moron. Your job is to kill those wolves. Wolves are nothing but trouble. You got that?’
“Precisely.”
“And nothing shall distract you?”
“Preci-Silver Wings. Why, you little pigeon. I’ll...”
“What? Mordred, what are you talking abou-OOF!” For the griffin’s wings had sprung out, knocking Malfoy off his feet. The griffin took off towards Ayden. The falcon spread his silver wings. Ayden was afraid of the griffin. Deathly afraid. And with good reason. His last encounter with Mordred, back with Garret and Kayley, had not ended well. He glanced down. There, on his throat and shoulder and stomach, was a streak of short silver feathers, a souvenir from the griffin’s talons. The Griffin had captured him in his paw, and was about to eat Ayden when the two-headed dragon Devon and Cornwall had saved him.
Ayden’s wing muscle had not been torn, and he recovered well. But no one, not even Merlin, ever knew about that mark. Mordred was almost at him when Ayden took off. (The griffin was huge, and his lion tail was not good for turning.) Mordred was power, and Ayden agility. Both could not win, and eventually, it would be the power who would triumph. Ayden screamed a falcon’s scream as the griffin grabbed him once again, the powerful talons crushing out the raptor’s life. Ayden stopped struggling and turned as a shriek rose from behind him. It was Delta the falcon. He was attacking. He flew in front, waving the leashes that were attached to the jesses. Mordred snarled and prepared to eat the small falcon.CRACK! Mordred shook his head.
“What the-?” A whip had slashed across his sensitive eyes and ears. It came again, a flash of soft slate-gray-and-snow-and-black feathers. It was Delta.
The falcon was striking the griffin’s eyes and face with his leashes like whips. Mordred snarled again. He snapped out with his great jaws. But the larger falcon darted. “Let Ayden go!”
Delta rose, just as the griffin grabbed the leashes in his mouth. Barrel rolling, the falcon circled around the beak. Mordred struck with his, grazing the bird. But Delta had done his job, and muzzled the griffin. He rubbed his talon against the leashes, just as Mordred struck. The leather snapped, leaving Delta with only his jesses.
“Ahh man, now I’m going have to get new leashes,” snapped Delta. But his job had been done. Mordred dropped Ayden and pulled the leather from his beak. That done, he dove again. His forefoot closed on the falcon a few minutes later, and Ayden started bleeding, worse this time. But, before Mordred could crush and swallow the beaten raptor, he suddenly screeched in pain, utter pain!!!!
Kojak and Nyctea had observed the way Lucius pulled the ears of the great lion-bird. Now they too were pulling on the sensitive ears, to cause as much pain as possible. In his pain, Mordred failed to realize his tail was now dangling down.During this time, the horses had been dealing with their own problems.
“Come on!” shouted Alec, as he rode his mount toward the wizard. The Black obeyed, out of respect for his owner.
“Steve, Alec, no! We had better run!” cried Pitch.
“And let him pick us off? Fat chance!!” shouted Steve.
“Alec, no! We can't win. Pitch said what he meant!” begged Balto. The humans didn’t listen. They drove their mounts forward. Lucius rose his cane and pointed it at Henry, who was struggling onto Satan’s back.
“Crucio!”’ Henry fell, twitching, screaming. The Black and Flame reached down and forced Henry up with their muzzles, enough to get back on Satan. The wolves attacked Lucius, keeping him from striking. They did not go close, for the hippogriff was staring meaningfully at them. No, now was not the time. It was at that moment the Mordred’s tail dangled in front of Flame’s face. Flame snatched it and pulled on the tufted long tail, straining with every muscle. The Black turned in time to see Mordred, caught off guard, wrenched down.
“NO!” For the griffin screeched and was falling...straight onto the wolf pack!
******CHAPTER 7: FLIGHT FROM DEATH!!******
‘Cause Justice is the one thing you should always find. You got to saddle up your boys. You gotta draw the hard line.
Nava barked a warning. The wolves scattered before the animal fell. Mordred remained on the ground for a moment, stunned, the breath knocked out of him. The wolves attacked and leapt on the monster.They pulled on his purple flight feathers, wrenching them out. While others distracted him, the male wolves were slowly ridding him of his power to fly. Mordred realized what they were doing far too late to stop them. A caribou, light brown in color, ran to the griffin. It was the Dequin, female who had been in love with Oka, (the only one to do so.) She was revenging herself upon him, attacking with her antlers. But, the she-caribou is cursed with shorter antlers than her mate, so, as a result, did no do much damage.
“What are you doing, Faline! How dare you?!?” snapped Mordred. He struck out, curving talons sinking into her chest, throwing her. Screaming, she fell, her head striking hard against the ground, antlers snapping into two. She would never rise again, nor would she ever have fawns at her heels. The griffin was a killer.The wolves trembled as they pulled back. Danger they knew. The caribou, the bear, all of these were dangerous in the wild world. In the tame world with Harry and his friends they knew dangers from snakes, giants, and evil. But big cats were the one thing they feared in the natural world. Big cats, with their curving claws that could slice a wolf in two, hard ivory fangs, sly ways, and evil eyes. They had feared the Nundu more than the others. And now they feared the griffin more than anything!
Niju knew all of this, for it was in his heart as well. But one thing was different. He feared bears and humans more than cats. And what was far more dangerous, was that Lucius knew! He had read their minds, just as the Black had read his! And his diamond-hard gray eyes were glowing with cruel pleasure.
Niju spoke. “Well, Lucius, if it’s a fight to the Death you want, then it’s fight to the death you get! Wolves! Scramble!” The wolves scattered.
The Black shook his head.“All right, we aren’t getting anywhere with you humans leading us! Right, Flame?”
“It’s Flametime!” answered the fiery chestnut stallion.
“Right, so we are taking charge.” Unanimously, the mounted horses jerked their heads, freeing the bits from their gums, the reins from the human’s hands. The was an audible click as their teeth closed on the steel bar. “Right, so, follow me!” ordered the Black rearing. They took off.
“Satan,” said Pitch.
“Careful, Henry!”
“O.K.’
“Black, where are we going?” whispered Alec into his mount’s ears.
“The Foam Cliff. A safe haven. But we got to get there before Mordred.”
“How? Black, we can’t make it. That griffin’s fast on his feet.”
“The wolves will distract him. They are lovers of justice and young.”
“But they'll die.”
“They don’t care. You are forgetting that Balto’s blood runs through most of their veins.”
The wolves pulled back, waiting for their victim. Mordred rose to his feet, hatred swelling in his veins. His fiery blood was up. And at his head was that stupid falcon that would not die. “Silver Wings, this is all your fault!”
He spread his wings to catch the falcon, but crashed. Mordred snarled. Like his namesake, he was hot-tempered, fiery, and hating. “YOU CURS!!”
“MORDRED!!! GET THEM!!!” snapped Lucius.
“I-can’t catch them...I can’t fly!!”
“THEN KILL THEM, FOOL! KILL THEM AND BE DONE WITH IT!”
******CHAPTER 8: SCRAMBLE, CARIBOU!!******
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune. And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon.
Tyonek paced in front of the herd. He was the leader, just as he should. “Now,” he said softly. “What I am about to ask you guys is mortally dangerous, and it is for but the life of humans, so if any of you would want to step out, go ahead. I bear no resentment.” The herd didn’t move.
Tuque stepped forward, summing up the caribou’s thoughts. “Tyonek, we only go around in this crazy thing called life once. Why not end it by helping humans who cannot help themselves?”
“Well spoken! Well then, my brave fellow stags and does, my command is simple. Scramble, caribou!!!”
‘Scrambling’ was when the herd of caribou stampeded around a chased victim. The idea was to, by sheer mass of power and numbers, confuse the chasing wolf, make him give up. But it was very dangerous. For if a caribou should loose his hoofs, and he falls, he is dead, killed by the knifelike hooves. And the danger was increased, for the griffin could easily kill with one slash of his beak or claws.
Mordred galloped after the horses, seeking to attack both rider and and mount. The wolves snapped at his heels, trying to distract him. There was the pounding of hooves, as waves of light brown approached. The wolves looked up, tongues hanging. “Tyonek,” said Niju to the pale silver stag as he whirled by.
“What are you doing?”
“Scramble, caribou!” he ordered to the herd again. The wolves nodded. They knew what scrambling was, and they knew that the odds of catching one animal in such conditions was near-impossible for even an experienced wolf to catch one.
“Niju,” barked Balto in wolf tongue.
“We’ll stay up, leading the horses.”
“Roger!”
Mordred was almost at the purposely drawling Black and Satan. Just a few more feet... Ayden dove, pulling his ear. The griffin snapped, when something forced the breath from his lungs. Mordred’s neon eyes glowed. Little could be herd above the thunder of hoofs. “Who are you? Get lost!” he snapped. The caribou didn’t obey. Mordred lunged and missed. No soft fur or tasty flesh filled his mouth. The caribou grinned. They’d take him over a pack of wolves any day. For there were no furry canines with razor fangs to cut their tendons. The griffin could not make out any red or black or white among the herd.
Mordred snarled as the chrome stag ran shoulder to shoulder. “Hey, Tyonek, tell me, what’s wrong with your legs?” he hissed. The caribou’s ears went back. “Huh? What are you talking abo-OH, NO, YOU DON’T!!!”
For Mordred had at that moment lowered his head. He squinted his eyes against the rising dust and lichens, choking as it filled his nose and mouth. He snapped at the left white-cuffed hoof, seeking to hamstring the caribou! But the odds of getting at one of those churning fetlocks were unimaginable, and with his eyes closed, fortune did not favor the griffin. All of this happened in a millisecond.
Tyonek reared onto his hind legs in a stallion-like pose, that would have done pride to a circus mare. He struck at the base of the rising skull with his knife hooves. Mordred screeched and bit, opening the fetlock.Tyonek returned to all fours. He glanced up as something white flew overhead. Kojak? No, it was too large. It was Orion, the white hippogriff. And on him was Lucius. The staff descended on Pletipi, a fellow caribou’s herd. She shrieked and fell. A few seconds later she came back up. But she was mangled, and her legs didn’t respond to her commands. Lucius pulled Orion’s harness, forcing him over the bleeding doe. He struck again, this time so that the snake’s fang slashed at her throat. She fell, and this time she did not get up. Pletipi was dead
.Niju and Aleu pulled around. Aleu rose her head. She rose her light tan head, and whistled. Niju stared at her. “I didn’t know you could whistle,” he shrugged.
“Why did you do that?”
“You’ll see.” And sure enough, it had its response. Ayden flew at the hippogriff, speaking in the bird of prey tongue, so Lucius did not know what they were saying.
“From raptor to raptor. To quote Rudyard Kipling: ‘We be of one blood, ye and I.’”
Orion looked up. The light shined on Ayden’s wings. “Oh, hullo. Are you one of Buckbeak’s friends?”
“Yes!”
“What can I do to help you, fellow raptor?”
‘Throw that redcoat off. He is killing my friends. And Hagrid’s, too.”
“Oho!”
The hippogriff bucked. But Malfoy did not fall. The hippogriff flew a little off, and bucked again, while barrel-rolled at the same time. Malfoy fell. But he turned, and landed, catlike, on his feet. “Wow, Lucifer, I got to hand it to you. You may be a rich snob of a jerk, but you’re an excellent jockey. You’d be good in the Kentucky Derby,” said Niju as he pulled up, amazed.
“NIJU!”
“What, Balto?” asked Niju as he ran back to his father-in-law.
“Tell the caribou to lead them around the cliff. We’ll take the horses up the Snow Owl Feathers Path. Led them to Wolf’s Fang Path.” Snow Owl Feathers was named because it’s easy to climb but hard to find. Wolf’s Fang was impossible to climb. It faced the Fox Foamed waterfall, making it’s uneven sides slippery from the mist.
The caribou practiced getting as close a possible, making Mordred believe he could catch them. A burst of flames exploded, and a red form appeared among the pale browns. The red creature had appeared right in front of the griffin. The Red Stag moved so that its churning white hindquarters were directly under Mordred’s nose. He was a wapiti, ‘the white-rumped elk’.
“Hi, you, Red Stag, who are you?” asked Tyonek, coming close and gasping. It was Akita, from Pennsylvania and one of the three stags at Hogwarts.
Mordred snarled and bit deep, turning the white-rump red. Akita bellowed, and kicked the throat behind him. Mordred gasped and snapped. Akita stayed just out of reach, tormenting the griffin. They were rounding Balto’s Boat. Just a little more... Ebony Sky ran down the gangplank. “Run, caribou! Show that Briton!’” shouted the colt as his mother trotted up. The caribou heard whimpers of the pups as they sat with Boris and the young bears Muk and Luk.
Akita cocked his ears to the sound of leathery wings. A skeletal all-black stallion galloped up. Instantly Mordred ran over. A silver snake-headed cane struck down. “LUCIFER!” shouted the Ghost as she galloped harder. Lucius struck the little colt’s throat. Mordred instantly pushed one of his Anubis-eared head under the colt’s wound. The little colt screamed, his throat bleeding. Blood, thought Tyonek, not good. Green smoke exploded once again. Mordred rose, screeching. His wings once again had long, purple flight feathers. The griffin immediately turned to Ayden.
Lucius smiled his terrible smiled and pulled Taurus back. “Tyonek!” cried a voice It was Boris, the Russian snow goose. “Tyonek, those horses made it. They are safe. The caribou should be scattering.”
“Roger!” The goose took off as Mordred flew back.
“Ahh, a little country goose would go down nicely!”
“Dream on!” Kojak flew onto his face.
The griffin took flight.
“Scatter, caribou! Our job is done!” shouted the gray leader.
“Silver Wings, lead!” Mordred’s new purple-and-black mighty wings struck the air as he twisted and turned, seeking to catch the owl. Kojak himself was no longer a white owl, but a red one. “Scree! Nyctea, Delta, Ayden, Dead Ace Trick!”
“All?”
“Yes!” The raptors all curled up their wings and let gravity take its effect.
Mordred dove down. The instant his talons touched permafrost, however, furry bodies and sharp fangs attacked his folded wings. Niju, Joker, Midback, and Kemo, the most aggressive of the wolves, were snapping through the tender nerves in the wings, rendering them sore. Mordred bucked, making the wolves fall.
They slunk away. Mordred looked around. The raptors were taking flight. “I can’t believe I fell for the oldest trick in the book!” he screeched.The raptors were flying up into the hills, where he could see the horses.
Mordred grinned and spread his wings. “YYYOUUUCH!!” His wings hurt like fire when he spread them. Mordred snarled. “Trust Balto to think of this, and that Silver Wings! I shall not rest until that pigeon is in my mouth!”
******CHAPTER 9: SATAN’S ARROGANCE******
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces singing Whiskey for my men. Beer for my horses.
“Sanctuary,” gasped Delta as he and the two snowys alighted on the Black’s shoulder blades. The raptors were bleeding and exhausted. But, it was all worth it, Ayden’s eyes said. Finally, the horses were up the cliff, beyond Mordred’s reach. Shaking, Henry still clutched Satan’s ebon mane as the stallion stood at the edge, facing the others.
“Well, we’re safe,” commented Flame.
“Yee-haw!” cheered Satan, rising up. Henry began slipping off of the silk back.
“Satan, bad devil-horse, no, put me down!” said Henry, as he slipped farther and farther off. “Phew! Good boy. Just a little more.” His hand clasped the Arabian’s tail as Satan started back down.
“Yow! That hurts!” cried Satan, rearing with a jolt back onto his hind legs, pulling his tail out of Henry’s rip. The man fell. “Oops-sie.”
“SATAN! YOU BUMBLING IDIOT!!!” screamed Henry as he fell backwards, down the cliff, towards Mordred’s waiting jaws.
“Oh...that ain’t right,” said Satan softly, watching with horror along with the rest of the herd as Henry plummeted toward his death.
“Nice going, Trigger,” said Black Minx sarcastically.
They took off back down, hoping the impossible. Mordred smiled as he watched the man tumbling towards him. And he grinned even more when he saw the horses working their way down. Mordred opened his yellow-tipped orange beak.
WHAP! “Arraooggg! Silver Wings, you miserable little-” Instinctively, Mordred spread his wings and jumped off, forgetting that his wings were useless.
But, wind screamed in his Anubis ears and his talons were of off the Earth. He glanced at Lucius, holding his mount’s reins so tight that his head was almost into his chest. Of course! thought Mordred. That was a colt that was bleeding. Youth heals fast. Mordred snarled as he looked at the gray falcon soaring fifteen yards away. He looked down. The wolves were busy, trying to keep Henry safe from Lucius. Mordred’s great purple-and-black wings struck as he exploded like a racehorse from the barrier, like a bomb from a cannon, towards the tired falcon.Ayden knew there was no hope. Still, he dodged and barrel-rolled, trying to tire the lion-bird. He panted, and screeched for the owls. At that moment, Mordred caught his victim. The talons tore into the side of Ayden’s head, wing, stomach, and chest all at once. Ayden screamed as he had never screamed before. The three raptors struck as one at Mordred’s head, surprising him enough to let his prize fall. The griffin collapsed too, (his wings had just begun hurting again.) The silver-winged falcon fell, too weak to move, badly bleeding.
To Ayden, it was all very familiar. He had been Merlin’s pet. But Merlin, on the fateful day, had been in another dimension, in a sort of “La-la Land’. Ayden had flown into the castle. And on the Round Table, had been Arthur’s hated son, Mordred, and Arthur himself. “You may kill me, Mordred, but you’ll never destroy Camelot’s ideals,” Ayden was surprised to hear coming from his mouth.
Mordred laughed, a laugh like his namesake. “Will I? What are you talking about, Silver Wings?”
The griffin grabbed the falcon’s body, the bird’s heart beating wildly against the beak. Mordred titled his head back, to crush and then swallow the falcon. Delta and Kojak and Nyctea were desperately trying to distract him, but the age-old feud between the captor and the griffin was too strong.
Ayden’s dark hazel eyes blurred back to that faithful scene. Mordred had stabbed Arthur in the stomach, head, and throat. Than Arthur had drove Excalibur into his son’s chest, they had both died. Well, I am probably going to die. That spell only was against old-age death. The wolves are still fighting for those humans, like the knights. But, where is my silver Excalibur, to come and destroy this evil? thought the noble bird.A chrome-colored something flashed above. No, thought Ayden. It was just because I was thinking of Excalibur. Ay, but, it was! It was Tyonek!
The silver caribou was ramming his antlers into the chest of the griffin, through the mane and feathers, to the heart.Mordred’s emerald eyes bulged. His beak opened, a horrible death-scream echoing from it. Foamed poured from his beak. His great muscles shook convulsively. His neon pools of fear turned to anger as his wrathful talons struck out.
Though Tyonek had pulled out almost instantly, he still received that horrible slash to the foreleg. Tyonek collapsed, bleeding to death.
******CHAPTER 10: A FIGHT TO THE DEATH!******
Whiskey for my men. Beer for my horses. You know justice is the one thing you should always find.
Mordred roared his pain to all of Nome. He snarled and struck at the wolves near him who were barking, trying to attract his attention. Out of the tail of his eye Balto saw Henry mounting Satan, none the worse for wear.
Mordred snarled again. His tan lion’s paw stomped down...right in front of Kemo. Kemo’s gold eyes glowed. He watched a nerve flicker in the back-of-the-leg. Kemo, at that moment, in a whirl of snow-colored fur, sprung. Mordred screamed aloud and pulled away. He had just been hamstrung, (had just had his tendons cut).Mordred roared, for the ivory fangs had torn a number of nerves. His orange beak closed on Kemo’s shoulder and lifted the lupin. Kemo’s black-tipped ears went back, like horns. His fangs bared in the horrible wolf snarl, startling the griffin enough to make him drop him.
The wolves circled. “Even with that bad paw, he’s still too powerful,” whispered Midback.
“How are we going to get him?” asked Niju.
“Your son,” whispered Nava quietly.
“WHAT?!?” cried Aleu and Niju in unison.
Joker was insane. Not totally, now, no. But he was still slightly insane. After all, only an insane wolf would attack as he did. Joker had leapt up. His teeth closed on the black throat feathers. (The long quills protected the griffin from their teeth.) Joker then began the “Death Roll.’ It is a dangerous move, and only crocodiles do it. For crocs have a scaled shield across the neck.
“JOKER, YOU IDIOT!” shouted Night Jaws. Mordred watched, waiting for when the wolf-dog rolled over, baring that ghost-colored throat. He sprung like a rattle snake for that precious mark, when something heavy latched onto his already ripped ear. It was the gentle Tundra, for once out of temper. Tundra hung like a bull dog, waiting until Joker fell. The young wolf rose, spitting out feathers. Tundra released and joined the waiting others.
“What did you do that for?” asked Harley reproachfully.
“You’ll see.” The griffin’s throat now revealed a short, fine under-coat. And visible was the jugular vein, that great vein of life. The wolves eyed that mark. That mark which, even as they watched, was pumping blood from the griffin’s heart to his brain. Mordred snarled, and his body shivered. Not with anger, but with fear. He backed up, and tripped. Animals fear being of their feet as much as a man fears having his windpipe clutched. Mordred rose, and snarled, hating the wolves with their stony silence. Hated the way they just stood there, ears perked, eyes glittering. Lucius was just watched the griffin, wondering why the idiot didn’t just spring.
Niju ran forward and snapped. Mordred snarled and went backwards. He tripped, and struck his head on the smooth rock, knocking himself out. Niju cautiously went forwards and grabbed what the mythological creature had tripped on.
It was an American leather football. Rosy, Jenna’s master, had been playing with it. Niju tossed it in the air and caught it easily. He smiled and spat out the football. “Who’s says it’s a dangerous sport?”
“Hey, you horses, onto the Boat,” shouted Bruce. They ran to it safety and climbed aboard. The horses’ clunk-clunk made a sharp contrast to the canines soft paws. Aleu snarled.
“Couldn’t be a little quieter, now could ya?”
“Hey, hey, hey, Missie. Let’s see you walk quietly with iron nailed into your feet. Then we can talk,” snapped Flame. There was a soft swish-swish, and the birds flew over, carrying the crippled Ayden. Nyctea was holding the right wing, Delta the left wing, and Kojak his back.
Lucius saw that all was lost. He rode Taurus over to to the unconsciousness griffin. “Reparo,” he whispered, pointing his ebony-and-unicorn wand at the chest. Mordred’s eyes opened, and his chest healed. “I’m sorry Master, I tried.” Lucius made now response, and roped the griffin’s neck. He whistled, and Orion flew over. “My only disappointment? I didn’t get to throw Lucius,” whispered Taurus.
There was a small pop, and a tall, thin albino wizard appeared. His scarlet cat eyes turned on Lucius. “Ahh, Lucius, my slippery friend,. how did it go?”
“We got Mordred, Master.”
“That’s it? What a waste.” “Oh, no, not quite,” said Lucius, eyes glittering. “We found out something very important. The wolves are mortally afraid...of big cats.” “Oh? Well now, that is important.” With a small pop, the wizards, hippogriff, griffin, and therstal disappeared.
Balto and Jenna looked at each other. “That does not sound good. Eh?” asked Jenna.
“No.”
“Hi-ya Balto!” shouted a voice. it was Steele. He and Balto’s offspring had been seeing to it that the humans stayed out of trouble.
“I-hey! What happened to your reindeer?” asked Steele. They ran over. Tyonek’s leg had almost been severed off, thus he was slowly bleeding to death, his actions becoming weaker and weaker. Balto’s ears flicker to the sounds of music and flame that meant Fawkes was coming. But, thought Balto. What does it matter? Tyonek is dying.
******CHAPTER 11: TYONEK’S DEATH******
You got to saddle up your boys. You gotta draw a hard line. When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune. And we’ll all meet back at the local saloon.
Tyonek lay, covered in blood, panting. The wolves ran up. Tyonek grinned. “Nicked me, didn’t he?”
“Oh, poor Tyonek,” said Aleu softly. Their ears twitched as two huge phoenixes flew to the fallen stag’s side. The first was Fawkes, the scarlet-and-gold. The second one, WolfWings, wasn’t a real phoenix. He was the black-and-gold Animagus Harry Potter.
“Hello, Kojak, Nyctea, Delta,” said Harry. He stroked the birds as they flew over, carrying a torn-up Ayden.
“So, how did it go, Balto?” asked Harry. Fawkes lay his beautiful gold-masked red head on the stag’s wounded leg.
“All right. Mordred got away, but now he’s afraid of wolves.” Harry grinned.
“There’s one more thing,” gasped Tyonek, raising his head. “Lucius and Voldemort...they now know that the wolves fear big cats.”
“That can’t be good.”
‘It’s not. We are terrified of them. Their claws impale us,” said Nava softly.
“Ahh, well, what comes comes. Worrying about it won’t help. We-hey, slick job there Goldheart,” said Tyonek. His wound was healed, thanks to Fawkes’ tears. The stag started to get up, but fell.
“That’s not good. Harry, please go and get Pr. Snape. Tell him we need a blood-replenishing potion pronto,” ordered the scarlet phoenix to Harry.
“Righto.” He disappeared.
“Is Ty okay? Is he going to make it, Uncle Boris?” asked Muk as he and Luk and Boris waddled down.
“Ty! Ty! Are you hurt?” asked Luk.
“Leave the dying caribou alone!” snapped Boris.
“Well, you’re upbeat, Uncle Boris,” mumbled Tyonek. The horses pulled at their reins nervously. “I’ll be fine,” assured the silver leader. “But just in case, Tuque , you’re leader. Don’t worry. I’ve been bitten before.”
“That bad?” asked Pitch. “Well...no.”
“You’re going to live. Snape is on his way,” said Fawkes softly.
“Snape? Oh, no!” Flames erupted, and Harry reappeared, with a bowl in his beak.
In the bowl was a light red liquid. “Here you go, Ty. Drink this. It’s a Blood-Replensing Potion.”
“Snape made this?” asked Tyonek suspiciously.
“Yes.”
“I can’t drink it! Are you crazy? Snape’s an evil psycho maniac!” Tyonek raised his still-red head as Harry poured it.
“What kind of poison did hw put in?”
“Just drink it, Ty.”
“Please, Tyonek. It’s for the best,” said Fawkes, having stopped talking to the wolves.
“Oh, all right.” He placed his gray muzzle in the bowl and sniffed. “What? No sugar?”
“TYONEK!” screamed all of the humans, even the mounted.
“Oh, all right.” Tyonek obeyed. He lay for a few moments, and then his eyes opened.
“Wow, Snape did it,. He actually did something nice!” The stag stood up, a little shaking, but still he was WALKING. “Snape did something kind! Snape did something kind!” Tyonek repeated over and over again to himself.
Harry turned into a human. He looked up and saw the stunned humans. “Hullo. My name’s Harry Potter.”
“Yo,” said Steve, giving Flame more rein. “Uh, so...you live here?” asked Tony.
“Nah. I’m from England.”
Dumbledore suddenly appeared on a black skeletal horse that looked very much like Taurus. “Thank you, Tenebrus,” he said to his mount, handing him a chicken leg. “Hello, Balto. And hello, Mr. Black Stallion.”
“How does he...” gasped Henry.
“Dumbledore knows all,” said Harry. Dumbledore placed a gold medal around all of the wolves and horses’ necks.
“What the-?” asked Black Eagle.
“It is a messenger. Press your paw or hoof on it, and you can contact us."
Fawkes flew onto his shoulder. “Thank you Balto. We of the wizarding race would be lost without you.”
Balto nodded. “Dumbledore, it isn’t me you should thank, but Ayden.”
Ayden was still bleeding. Dumbledore pointed his wand at him.
“Reparo.”
The falcon was healed. “Thanks, I-” Ayden flew over, excitement in his dark eyes. “You look a lot like Merlin.”
“I should. I'm his descendent. Tell me Ayden, who’s your master?”
“No one, would you like to be mine?”
“Yes. It would be as close to being with Merlin again as possible!” said the falcon, jumping excitedly.
“Good.”
“Hiya Roommate,” smiled Fawkes as Ayden landed on Dumbledore’s shoulder. “Come, Harry. And you guys too, Tyonek. Akita.”
“Coming. Wait. Tuque, you lead,” said Tyonek.
“I’ll be back.” Dumbledore mounted Tenebrus as the phoenixes flew onto his shoulders. The stags ran alongside the eating horse.
The Black stretched. “Well, we just defeated a baddie. We deserves a drink. Don’t you agree, Dumbledore?”
“Well, all right. And then we’ll return.”
The humans rode into town. Steele barked their heels, laughing as they all ran.Ayden took flight. He could see impressions in the tundra where the great Black Stallion Battle had been fought. The wolves were whole, the caribou weren’t and the horses were. Like Toby Keith and Willie Nelson sang, thought Ayden. We raised up our glasses, our courage, against the evil forces, Lucius and Voldemort. And now we shall get root beer for our horses!”
“Kree! Creeka!” cried Silver Wings, as he flew towards the pack and his new life.
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces. Singin’ whiskey for my men. Beer for my horses. Singin’ champaign for my girls. Beer for their horses!
The End!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I WAS TALKING IN SEPTEMBER TO MY FRIEND HEADMASTER ABOUT MY ALMOST FINISHED STORY WHEN TOBY'S SONG CAME ON. IT WAS THE PERFECT FINAL TOUCH. THIS WAS MY FAVROTIE OF ALL MY STORIES, WITH THE HP, BLACK STALLION, QUEST FOR CAMELOT, & BALTO HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY FANFIC. IT MADE ME LAUGH.-EBONYPATRIOT