The Mute Runt

Sapphire and Diamond

The trip back to the Haloing Pack was a quiet one, they had taken the surviving wolves of Black Rose to a pack close to Blue Moon, known as Silver Moon, as none of the survivors were physically or mentally well enough to rebuild their own pack. Phoenix was friends with the Alpha at Silver Moon, the pack was also one of the few who often called on the Haloing’s when they realized that one of their own was Haloing.

"We need a plan Phoenix, we need to find a way to track down this organization and dismantle it." Danté said quietly. “This needs to be done soon, not just the plan but the taking down of the organization.”

"The best way to do that would be to find my mate, at least I hope so. Who knows where she is. I think she may have been the s*x slave that was about to be sold." Phoenix replied as they landed back home. The Haloing Pack is called Blue Moon, Blue Moon is the only Haloing wolf pack and was therefore the lead wolf pack. Sometimes they are called the King's pack, Phoenix is the current Alpha since Danté stepped down. Inferno, the current Luna and Phoenix’s mother, would remain Luna until Phoenix could bring his Mate into the pack. There was roughly 500 wolves in this pack, the territory was large but well guarded. 

They approached the pack house and went into Phoenix’s office, for the first time he did not welcome the comfortable chair and well organized desk. He wanted nothing to do with paperwork, especially the paperwork that he knew was coming. Danté was correct, they needed a plan. 

"Let us start by tracking the pack that we know of, let us look at their finances and see if we can find any transactions that are out of place. Lily said that they always did the sales at the same time of year, mid July. That is around now, we can look at income or sales between July 10 and July 25. I know that is a wide timeframe but I imagine there will be some consistent pattern over the years, particularly when it comes to sales. It would likely be a consistent pack of some kind. Maybe we can find a consistent pattern between this pack and other packs." Phoenix was thinking out loud, hoping that his father would agree or attempt to guide him in the right direction. Looking at Danté though, he realized that his was just as unsure of where to start as Phoenix was.

"Perhaps you should fill me in on what is going on? You guys were gone for awhile." A feminine voice answered from the doorway. Phoenix looked up and smiled. It was his mother, Inferno. She had dark red hair and brilliant green eyes, tall and muscular she is not a wolf that anybody willingly fights against. "Danté? You seem greatly troubled." She looked between the two of them. Phoenix gestured for his father to fill her in, once he was done she was sitting down and staring at the wall.

"Any thoughts, Mother?" Phoenix asked her.

"I think that your plan is a good one, start tracking the finances. Maybe something will pop up and we will be able to track this organization. Who did you say came to help you?"

"Ah....Angel of the Phoenixes, Healinggem, and I think Healinggem said that Blaze was the other healer. Why?" Inferno had closed her eyes as soon as Phoenix said Healinggem’s name.

"We are going to have company, I should clear the field." Was her only response. Phoenix looked at his father bewildered, he had gone pale as if something had just occurred to him. Just then a hum went through the pack link, somebody had crossed the border that was not pack. They felt very powerful, Phoenix was about to ask the shield to be raised and for warriors to prepare to fight but his mother shook her head. She looked worried, but resigned.

“I strongly suggest you let me do the talking. Do you understand?" Danté asked Phoenix rather urgently.

"Yes father, I understand. But who do you two believe has arrived?” Phoenix replied. He was looking between his parents, who looked nervous.

"They are here." Was Danté’s only response, "Come."

Phoenix followed his father outside and froze in awe. In the large training field two massive dragons were landing. One a brilliant sapphire blue, the other looking like clear diamond with flames running through his body from snout to tail. Both were easily 350 feet from snout to tail, with a wingspan twice that distance. 

The blue landed first and sapphire light surrounded it as the Haloing shifted, as the light faded a tall and powerfully built woman was revealed. Her eyes were the same colour as the dragon, her skin well tanned from working in the sun, her long hair was silver with streaks of blue running through it. Her massive wings were spread, they were the same colour as her dragon and her eyes. They were twice the size as Phoenix and Danté, spreading easily twenty feet to either side. She folded her wings in, her eyes cold. The power around her was palpable, her presence could be felt even from a distance. She looked up and walked to the edge of the field to allow the other to land. 

As the male landed a harsh white light edged in red surrounded him, as it faded it revealed a powerfully built male. He was slightly taller than the female and was also well tanned. His eyes were the a fire red, his hair a silver with red and orange running through it. His own wings were also the colour of his dragon, and were a couple feet bigger than the ones on the blue Haloing. His own power was also palpable but did not seem to fight the girls power, their power seemed to blend together. A clear bond could be seen between the two of them, they were mates. They looked at each other then looked around at their audience.

"We must speak with Alpha Danté and Luna Inferno, if they are no longer leading the Blue Moon pack than we must speak with whomever is running it now as well." It was the woman who spoke first. Her voice was harsh, her anger could be heard clearly.

"Sapphire, may we speak in the office? My son Phoenix has recently taken over the pack, we have also only just gotten back home.” Danté replied quietly.

"Yes we may speak in the office. I am aware you have just returned, I have spoken with Healinggem. We have much to discuss." Sapphire responded with venom. She walked towards the three of them, Inferno having joined them shortly after the two of them landed. She studied Phoenix for a few moments then proceeded ahead of him. Her mate, Diamond, followed closely behind them. Diamond seemed calmer then Sapphire.

”Who are they?" Phoenix asked Inferno urgently, he could tell these people were very important. He just had no idea who they were.

"Sapphire and Diamond, they are the leaders of the Haloing and the keepers of Dragania and Draganio." Was her soft reply. Phoenix felt a chill run through him as he realized that this may not go well. Dragania and Draganio were the homes of the great dragon shifters, the Gemstones and the Leafgems. It was rare to see them leave, it was even more rare for them to interfere in the workings of any other shifter packs. For them to be here, now, did not bode well.

As they entered the office Sapphire sat down in one of the chairs while Diamond took another. The office itself felt unusually small with the two powerful beings in the room.

"Let us start with the question of the unknown Haloing. The one who destroyed the pack you just came from. Do we know how she was missed in your pack inspections? One of you, or at the very least, whoever it was who was doing the inspections must have noticed a Haloing wolf." Sapphire demanded.

"We do not know, not yet anyway. We have just gotten back and have started to think of ways to track down the organization she was sold within. Perhaps we will find answers when we find the pattern of sales." Danté answered her. “I do not suppose you guys can tone down your aura?”

“No, our aura is already as low as we can make it.” Sapphire told him gently.

"Sapphire, I do not think we can ask much else of them." Diamond spoke up, his voice was soft, deep, and soothing. "Our own power could do no better. We did not sense this organization any more than they did." He told his mate, looking at the other three he asked "May I ask what you have thought of so far? We may have some suggestions to make your search go faster." 

"We know that the girls are sold consistently in mid July. Although we do not know why that timeframe was chosen." Inferno answered him.

"Hmm. Do you have a set schedule for your pack inspections?” Diamond asked.

"No, it is random. I have not figured out how they did it. That is what concerns me, we may be able to track the finances....but unless we can actually find the girls who are being sold as well as the head of the organization I do not know how much good it will actually do." Danté answered, he sounded desperate as he explained their thought process. They were all really nervous with Sapphire and Diamond there, especially an angry Sapphire.

"Relax Danté, we will not harm you. I am angry because I also cannot figure out how this happened. Not just a Haloing becoming a s*x slave, but the entire organizations existence should not be possible." Sapphire told them, she had realized that her anger could be felt. As much as she tried to suppress her aura it was more difficult when she was this angry. "Do you have any leads at all? Anything that may help track these people down?” She tried to gentle her tone when she asked.

Phoenix hesitated before answering her, both his parents were quiet. "The Haloing that destroyed the pack, I think she may be my mate." He told Sapphire. She turned to look at him carefully, she seemed to be looking straight through him. He felt her mind brush against his, gently, and he fought not to resist her probe. He was not sure what she was looking for, he just knew it was a bad idea to fight her. 

"You know this because you scented her....unfortunately that cannot help us. It could be that the wolf you scented is this unknown Haloing, or it could be a different wolf entirely. If you are correct though you may have a very different fight on your hands when she is found again. And I do say when, it will not be long before her power slips from her control, once that happens she will be easy to track." Sapphire let out a sigh. "I suppose you were right, Diamond, we did not need to come here. Follow the finances, if you guys need help with anything please contact us. Neither of us know where this will lead." Sapphire looked at the three of them again, she seemed to be measuring them.

“We do apologize for the unannounced visit. When we heard that there was a s*x trafficking ring, and that a Haloing had destroyed a pack that was likely part of it, we felt the need to speak with you immediately. I have spoken to Angel, we are looking into a couple other things that may have blocked you when you did the inspections.” Diamond told them.

“Like what?” Phoenix demanded, he was getting irritated. Diamond looked at Danté, who nodded permission for Diamond to answer the question.

“Dark Haloing’s. There is a chance that Dark Haloing’s are involved. Something that has not occurred in…..at least a century. It would explain the piranhas, as well as why you never noticed the packs that are involved with this mess.” Diamond answered quietly. Sapphire closed her eyes and hung her head.

"I have a question." Phoenix hesitated before he voiced his question, "Why is it that this organization should not have been able to exist?" He looked at his parents who looked at each other. 

"This type of organization...without aid from a group of Dark Haloing's, should not be able to stay hidden from us." Inferno answered softly, "The fact that this organization does exist, is not good.”

"I have never heard of Dark Haloing's." Phoenix told them all, he was confused. He had been confused since Diamond had mentioned them.

"Dark Haloing's have been kept behind a barrier in order to keep their influence out of Haloing. They have been trapped for nearly a century. There have, as you know, been instances where a Dark Haloing will emerge inside a group of shifters. Generally when this would happen there would be chaos, and the Dark Haloing would be destroyed. They were always quickly found." Danté answered.

“What do you mean, as I know?” Phoenix asked, he was confused.

“Do you remember your first mate that you met? The one who tried to kill you?” Danté asked.

“Yes.” Phoenix responded slowly, he did not enjoy remembering that particular encounter.

“She had turned to the Dark, willingly and without hesitation. We did not know she had turned to the Dark until that day. She had become a Dark Haloing, we did not tell you what she was because it was so rare. Especially with how far into the Dark she had gone.” Inferno told him.

“That…is one hell of a way to meet your mate.” Diamond remarked dryly.

“Not my favourite moment, I will admit.” Phoenix told him.

“Was she born and raised in this pack?” Sapphire asked abruptly.

“Sort of. She was found at roughly the age of seven just outside the packs border. She was raised by a homosexual couple, they were very nice people.” Inferno replied.

“I would love to speak with these people, there would have been signs that she was heading for the Dark.” Sapphire told them.

“That….is not possible.” Danté told them hesitantly.

“Meaning?” Diamond asked.

“She killed her adoptive parents before she tried to kill Phoenix.” Inferno admitted reluctantly.

“So any Haloing can willingly turn to the Dark?” Phoenix asked, wanting to change the subject.

“Yes, with the exception of the Phoenixes.” Danté answered his son.

“The Phoenixes? Why only them?” Phoenix asked. He was curious, he heard of the three fortresses before but Black Rose was the first time he had met one. And today was the first day that he had met Sapphire and Diamond.

“I do believe it has something to do with all of them being Healers.” Inferno answered.

“Healers cannot turn to the Dark?” Phoenix asked.

“No Healer can turn to the Dark, because their power is incompatible with the Dark. While Phoenixes are not only healers their power is tied to that of a healer. I do not really know what would happen if one were to be turned to the Dark, I have a feeling that it would not be good though.” Was Inferno’s reply.

“A Phoenix being turned to the Dark would be catastrophic.” Sapphire told them, “The power of the Phoenix would quite literally explode, it would quite literally level anything within a 50km radius. This includes plants, buildings….any living thing.”

“That is terrifying. Would the same thing with all Healers?” Inferno asked.

“No. Just Phoenixes.” Diamond answered.

“Why?” Phoenix asked suddenly. The all looked at him. “Why is it only the Phoenix’s that have this effect?”

“Likely because their power is not just tied to Healing, but can also be used for destruction. They are the only group of Haloing’s that all members are capable of doing both. In most groups there are members that specifically heal, and others that are not healers but fighters. Perhaps even growers, those that prefer the therapist role, or those that are specifically scouts.” Sapphire answered.

“That is not the case with the Phoenixes?” Phoenix asked, he was trying to understand.

“No. All Phoenixes are able to heal, act as scouts, growers, therapists, or warriors. Some have more preference for one thing or another. “ Diamond answered. The two of them seemed to be alternating who answered the questions.

“So…what do we do now?” Phoenix asked them.

“You guys follow the finances, we will watch for further signs of Dark Haloing’s. Be on alert. With that being said…it is possible that this is an anomaly. It could just be that this trafficking ring is the result of a couple of rough packs. If we see any signs that the Dark has breached the barrier, or that something is wrong with the barrier, we will contact you.” Sapphire answered.

"What happens if you discover there is something wrong with the barrier?" Phoenix asked curiously.

"We will meet at Dragania, and likely develop a plan then." Diamond answered.

"Who will be helping you with the search through finances, and looking for packs with similar patterns?" Sapphire asked suddenly.

"My betta and his mate are the only ones who are currently authorized to access the information. Those two and my parents. I have not chosen a gamma or a delta as I would like to follow the tradition of allowing my Luna to choose those." Phoenix answered. Sapphire and Diamond nodded in approval.

"Perhaps keep the knowledge that the Dark may be returning within this group for the time being. We do not need to cause a panic." Diamond told them all. After a moment everybody nodded in agreement, causing panic would not do anybody any good. And having people speculate about what could be going on would also not do any good.

Diamond and Sapphire then got up to leave, the other three rose with them and led them out to the training field. The two of them then shifted, one after the other, the size of their dragons requiring them to shift separately.

”Right, Okay, let us look at those finances." Phoenix told them once Diamond and Sapphire had left.