Sundown Order

Lore(work in progress)
For the younglings that won't Remember

Hazel was the founder of the Sundown Order, a fair, level headed, hard working, and compassionate leader. It goes without saying that we all looked up to her and respected her decisions, or so I thought, but I digress. After she turned 7 and a half years old Hazel chose a new leader, Illusion, a fairly new addition to our clan. Her reasoning as she explained to us was that he has shown many of the qualities necessary to bring the order to its next chapter. A great choice in my opinion and that of others.

After the announcement we all scrambled to tend to those we were assigned to. Winters were harsh in the mountains, food was scarce and rather hard to come by and as such our hunters were gone out for the day. The pups needed more warmth than usual as well, you try keeping these furballs of energy stuck in a cave all day and they'll have your worn out before you know it. However, this was not all as we just lost 2 of our elder members and the tension was so thick we could all feel it trickling through our fur. I slowly made my way back to my little nook, the pleasant herb aromas filling my lungs. I sat besides my healing salve that was still setting as my breaths formed little clouds above my nose I remember saying "Time is not on my side." A statement that is still true, my friends were falling ill, but I was not getting any younger either. I could feel it in my bones, this year the cold air brought with it many aches and pains. Before I could delve deeper into my thoughts of my own mortality I was snapped back to reality when Rouge stepped into my nook,

"Inferno has requested your presence, Ambrose" she said as I sighed looking over to the healing salve,

"Well I suppose it was about time he asked for me, would you keep an eye on this until I return?"I asked

She nods, and as I am about to take my leave I take a look back,

"You will make a great herbalist one day..." I mumble.

"What was that?" Rouge asks without lifting her head from the salve.

"Oh nothing, just the ramblings of an old wolf" I chuckle as I turn around and walk towards inferno's cave.

As I passed through the order nothing seemed amiss. Everyone was rushing left and right to finish their daily duties as we all have been for the past days.

"Well I guess Hazel was right, everything is right as it should be" I say as I feel a slight poke on my hind leg. I turn around to see one of the pups wagging his tail as he is biting my foot, but before I get to say anything his pupsitter comes running towards us.

"Elder Ambrose, I am so sorry! I was so occupied looking after his sister I didn't even notice when he slipped out of the cave!" she said between breaths

"Ah don't you worry, these pups are the light of my day, their zealousness never fails to put a smile on my face" I chuckle as I look at the pup walking back towards the cave. The pupsitter gives me a warm smile before she turns around, she knows all too well how much the pups brighten your day. I watch as they all get settled back and only then continue my was to Inferno.

I reach his cave entrance, the once formidable hunter is now but a pile of bones.

"You asked for me, Inferno?" I whisper as he seemed to be sleeping.

"Ah! Ambrose, how have these past weeks treated you my friend?" he asks with a raspy but friendly voice. If one did not know Inferno they would think this was but a friendly greeting, but the sterious look in his eyes said otherwise.

"Busy as always trying to complete as many healing salves as possible before dawn" I say softly

"That's great to hear…say, can you do me a last favor?" he asks

"Of course, anything for an old friend." I say back knowing full well what he would ask.

"Please make sure they know about Hazel for many generations. I know she doesn't wish to be held above any other wolf, but what she has created is worth remembering. None of us would be here were it not for her." he says as his eyes look through me.

"I will." I respond having already started on this task long before Inferno asked.

"Oh and don't mention it to Hazel, I wouldn't want to see her rushing here to chew me out.." he chuckles

"Don't worry, I wont." I respond back and turn to leave.

"Thank you Ambrose. You're a great member of this pack. Please send Rouge back when you get the chance, she is a fantastic apprentice." Inferno he requests
I nod and leave.

After the passing of our old leader Hazel, our order was left in shambles. Illusion did not make his appearance for days after adding to the mounting pressure testing our order's limits. Looking back it was the perfect time to strike, but how should we have known, many of us were never put in a position where we had to defend our leader from our own pack no less. Though it was still daylight, a dark fog reached our order. They called themselves the Nihilists, a fitting name for those that chose to overthrow the newly appointed leader. And at the head of the revolt was Fiona, an outspoken critic of Hazel's decision of the new pack leader. No one has seen her or the wolves that accompanied her for days, but now we understood why.

"How humiliating, the new leader has yet to show his face to his new pack! How about you come around and tell your wolves how you don't really care for them in there trying times" shouted Fiona

However, no response or movement came from the cave atop the mountain that housed the current leader.

"You coward how about I come and drag you out myself" Fiona shouted as she started making her way to the cave.

However, we could not allow that to happen, and we jumped into action. A fight broke loose with some wolves feeling the order all together, others too stunned to move, and the pupsitters making a protective circle around the young.

"Out of my way elder Ambrose, this is between me and Illusion." she growled

"I am afraid you are mistaken, we stand together, you should have known this as Hazel's apprentice" I replied

"Yes well even the greats make mistakes sometimes, now don't say I didn't warn you" she said as she ran past me.

My legs did not allow me to keep up to speed with a young wolf, but when I made my way to the caves entrance, there stood Fiona with an expression of disbelief. As I moved my gaze to the spot she was looking at I could see why. The cave was empty, not only that but it looked undisturbed, the same way it did when our dear leader Hazel took her last breath.

"This makes no sense, we all saw him go inside of the cave and never come out." she said the look on her face not changing. She quickly turned around to see all the fighting had stopped. All wolves were facing one of her knights, the quiet one that would always follow her orders and complete his tasks in time. But why, would they do such thing, her orders were clear. Without time to think of a reason she made her way down to the battlegrounds.

"What is the meaning of this? How dare you disobey me like this?" Fiona growled

However, the hooded wolf did not reply, nor raise his gaze.

"You should be thanking me I offered you a position as an elder, but this is how…ah to heck with it, you won't stand in my way of taking over this pack." she said before she jumped trying to bite the hooded wolf, before stopping in her tracks. Then the wolf raised his head, his calm white and black eyes looking right into Fiona's. It was Illusion, the Illusion that did not leave his cave for days.

"The reason Hazel did not immediately pass the leadership to you is because she concluded you are much to rash. Your emotions still cloud your judgment. While you were tactically plotting your revolt. I have not only created the Royalists, a group that would ensure the safety of our order, but I was also inside the nihilists from day 1. I do not wish to cause any animosity in the pack my wish is to continue the Hazel's legacy. As such I will offer you and the nihilists a second chance, you can all stay, have a private cave and all will be forgotten. As for you Fiona I offer you to walk by my side as my equal. Together we can make sure both sides of the pack are content." Illusion finishes as his voice echoes through the crowd.

Fiona's legs tremble as she struggles to find her words and who would blame her. The revolt was set to fail from the start, Illusion foresaw her entire plan and was so seamless about it.

"I… I suppose Hazel was not wrong, but I was… I accept your offer I too want what is the best for our clan. I hope there won't be too much animosity between us, and I hope you can forgive my thoughtless actions that put so many in danger." Fiona replied

"I never had any ill will towards you Fiona, let us tend to our pack and restore order, we have much to prepare for." Illusion told Fiona softly, but loud enough that the other wolves heard him

In a few mere minutes Fiona's revolt was put out, all wolves let bygones be bygones and worked together to starts the new chapter of our order. Our loving founder, Hazel, had always made sure she took the right decision for her pack and not favored any wolf over the wellness of the pack. As I write this conclusion I must lay down to rest, Rouge has been tending to me, she says herbalism is not for her, but her ability to create potent cures is unmatched. Even so it's not up to me to tell her what her own role in the pack should be. She says she wants to travel and see the world. I have no doubt she will make a darn good scout for our pack, her smarts have always been with her, she has been able to wit herself out of any conundrum since she was as pup. I will say I have yet to be wrong in my assessment though.

Some of you young pups may need some time to find your place in the order. I will say I have never seen a wolf that has never found their way. Some might find it earlier, other like Rouge might need to do some exploring first. However, you are all a building piece to this pack, no matter how small you may think you are, without you the pack would fall apart. As I lay here reveling in the thought of meeting my old friends in the afterlife, I must tell you young one. Though you did not meet Hazel, the elders, or I, know that all we did was for you to have a great home and a bright future.

Ambrose