Frostbite meets God

The last thing Frostbite feels is the extreme blinding pain he's feeling kick up a notch... then nothingness. 

He holds his breath, dreading the next wave of pain and choking but it doesn't come. He feels himself breathe freely too and after another moment of bracing himself, he finds the courage to open his eyes. 

He finds himself in a place he's come to know well - the spirit realm. The world bleeds to white at the edge of his vision and everything looks unreal, the plants too still, the grass too scratchy. But this isn't Crow's realm, a place made up of past memories and future prepositions. However, Frostbite considers somewhat bitterly, there isn't any more future left for Crow.

Not here especially, Frostbite does not recognise this place at all. He's on a grassy hill, a tree casting a shadow over his haunches as the sun stays still in the sky, half-set. It's so quiet too - Crow had so many bird calls within his memories, this place has no sound at all. 

It's not Crow's realm for sure, but nor is it Frostbite's, the white wolf has never been here in his life and it surely can't be from his future, he has none left himself. 

"Where am I?" he asks the silence, startling to his feet when the sky turns dark inexplicably fast and he finds himself marooned on this small grassy hill - among an ocean of stars. He feels his jaw drop open involuntarily, staring at the expanse of glittering darkness, in more colours than he could ever think to perceive. 

"Beautiful isn't it? I never tire of seeing my pack-mates wake up back home" laughs a smooth female voice to Frostbite's right. He spins quickly on his paws to face it but finds no-one there. He turns some more, looking around confusedly. 

"Who are you?" Frostbite asks, still looking around the small island. 

"I think you already know, deep in your soul - Frostbite" the voice echoes around him and the white wolf gives up on searching for it. Suddenly incredibly tired, he drops down into a sitting position and pants heavily. 

"You're... Adolpha, aren't you" he says eventually, looking straight ahead. 

Sure enough, a black wolf appears in front of him, bigger than any Frostbite has ever seen. She pads forward on silent, velvet paws before touching her stout muzzle to Frostbite's.  Then, stepping back, she settles herself into a comfortable position, drawing her thick tail over her paws.

"I am" she confirms, bowing her head. "Welcome home... no I shan't tell you your true name yet." 

"My true name?" asks Frostbite. He feels somehow, at the back of his mind, that he ought to know what that means but he just can't quite grasp the memory. 

"Don't concern yourself of that, you'll know soon enough. No - I'd like to talk to you as Frostbite, for you have proved an interesting wolf to follow all these years" 

"What do you mean, 'interesting'"? Frostbite asks, suddenly defensive. 

"Interesting. Amusing. You've proven yourself in such a strange way" Adolpha smiles, eyes kind. "I don't know whether to punish you or reward you, I'm hoping you'll help me find out which" 

Frostbite looks confused so Adolpha continues, "You're never wholly bad, never wholly good. Your bad deeds against your fellow pack members are unforgivable but your good deeds decree they must be forgiven. You see my dilemma?" 

Frostbite nods, "Well... no-one is ever purely bad or good are they? Wolves are wolves." 

"Wolves are wolves" Adolpha agrees with a laugh in her voice, "yet... still no-one has simultaneously proven themselves and disproven themselves like you have. I want to ask you, why?" 

"Why no-one has done both things before or why I did?" 

"Just why, explain whatever you think I'm asking." 

"Well..." Frostbite stops to consider for a moment, looking at the ground. "I've never really been driven by anything specific. Some want power, some want revenge, some want to do the right thing. I've wanted all of those, and more, and nothing at the same time I guess...?" he trails off, looking up to Adolpha for approval. 

She simply stares at him then asks, "And why did you do that at the end? Take on Crow's death?"

"I... I... I don't know. I feel bad since I basically got him and everyone else in that situation. I was mean at first, because it felt right since now I couldn't get my power so this was revenge. But when he fought me, I realised that revenge and power weren't something I could get any more. The only thing left was to try to do the right thing." 

"Even if it hurt you greatly? More pain than any wolf has ever felt before?" 

"Even so. I died once, I knew what it was like and it didn't seem fair to make him go through that if I could stop it, especially if it was going to be more painful. It wouldn't be right." 

Adolpha considers this a moment, closing her eyes and dipping her snout. After a long moment she looks back up and opens her eyes,

"Very well Faolan, you will be rewarded." 

And then, as sudden as a gust of wind, Frostbite is no more. Only Faolan staring into the approving gaze of his alpha, as they turn and walk off into the stars.