Ushia then realized. She deserves this. She looks up at the merciless faces of the armies, of the huge bear leading them all. Ushia didn't want to run. To hide. To do anything that a normal creature would do. She stayed down, kneeling. She lifted her head up, to let the bear do a quick, easy chop. She closed her eyes almost peacefully. The bear let out a ground shaking roar, of rage and pain. He slashed at Ushia! But all Ushia felt was a slight cut on her neck, nothing fatal. She opened one eye, confused. The bear was stuck like a statue! His mouth still was agape, his eyes being the only thing that moved. Ushia looks around at the army. Everyone was frozen, even Hounwill's grieving mother. A light purple glow covered their bodies, presumably the thing keeping them still. Ushia goes closer, her curiousity piqued. "H-huh? Woah...I hope they can still move!" She said softly. They all made soft, gurgled roars and hisses. But then..they started to float! They flew away from this plane. To where? She didn't have a clue. Ushia rubs her head, dazed. "Things have been so crazy since I killed Hounwill....agh.." she then fainted...
          "....I swear, Urracabra! That wench is going to doom us all! I say we kill her now, and do it as mercilessly as she did to poor Hounwill!" "Calm yourself, Slyhalia. I know what I am doing by forgiving her." Ushia slowly opens her eyes, awakened by these voices. She then realized...she is not in Philium anymore! She gasped and woke up with a start. She looks around, eyes wide with confusion. She was in a beautiful, hazy realm. The air swirled with clouds, the many light colors of red and blues, though these were only in large speckles compared to everywhere else. She looks to the front of her, and gasped in awe. With their backs turned to her were three huge beings. On the left was a huge tiger, with eyes as fierce as a burning sun. He was not the usual orange and black coat color..instead, his main coat was white and his stripes were a beautiful golden blue.
         On the right was a huge chinese dragon. She was serpentine, with a long snake like body and short legs. She had gills like an axolotl, and her eyes were wide open, never blinking. She had four huge canine teeth that jutted out, with the most beautiful turquoise scales. She hissed, her gills turning red. "The wench is awake! Now I shall kill her by my own claw!" The huge dragon charged! Ushia grunts and jumps out the way lithly, landing on all fours. The dragon roared. "Don't try and preserve your miserable life, you foul childhaver! Just die honorably!" She struck again, like a cobra. Ushia growls. That insult is not going to convince her to die! Ushia instead leapt at the dragon, kicking her with her powerful hind legs, and she propelled herself away. The dragon roared and began to strike again..but two huge arms grabbed her! The dragon hissed and struggle, trying to kill Ushia. A voice whispered soothingly in the dragon's ear. "Sleep Slyhalia. Justice is swift and short..you will just kill her painfully and slowly." Slyhalia groans and flopped like a limp noodle, sleeping peacefully.
       Ushia looked slack jawed at her savior. It was a huge goat woman! She was tall and powerful, with huge curved horns. Her rectangle eyes were soft sapphires, and she had mostly blue fluffy fur, with green spots all over her body. She smiles warmly at Ushia. "Heh, I can tell you are shocked at my appearance, child. I suppose I can't blame you. Now, sit down my daughter. We need to talk." Her voice was gruff yet gentle, with a caring note Ushia has never heard before, except from Hounwill and her father. Ushia sat down, and the goat woman sat down in front of her, Slyhalia in her lap. The goat smiles warmly. "I am Urracabra. Goddess of Philium. And you are Ushia Goldenfawn." Ushia was going to ask how she knew, but Urracabra simply raised a hoof to interrupt her with a smile. "The reason I know? I am the goddess of all of Philium! I need to know the people from the day they were born to the day they die. However, I am getting off track." Urracabra's eyes hardened. "You murdered an innocent wolf out of vengeance for your father. No matter what delusions you have, you are a murderer and a scoundrel." Ushia bowed her head down, ears down and eyes misty. "Yes ma'am..it is too late to fix anything. I know now what I did was wrong. But I am now willing to die if it fixes anything.."
       Urracabra blinks, surprised. Ushia rooted herself to the spot, ready for this huge, most likely vengeful goddess to tear her to pieces. Her life was unclean. This will clean the stains from her family, and put Hounwill to rest. Urracabra nods to the tiger. "She is your responsibility, Akiyamo. What do you think shall be her punishment while I heal Hounwill?" Akiyamo chuckles some. "Ah, It's an easy answer, Urracabra. She shall be forced to take care of Hounwill as he heals. If she ever let's up, even for a few minutes, she will die." Urracabra thinks, and grins. "Sounde reasonable and fair, Akiyamo! Now Ushia Goldenfawn..." Ushia puts her own paw up now, eyes twinkling resolutely. Akiyamo grimaced. "That was very rude, Ushia!" Urracabra chuckles. "I think she has something to say!" Ushia cleans her throat. "You are correct, Urracabra. This comes from the bottom of my heart.."
      She stands up and sighs. "Yes. No matter what excuse I use, what I did was selfish and cruel. Hounwill treated me wonderfully, yet I killed him. Killing him didn't make me feel better. Nor does it satisfy me. I also realized I unleashed a huge, deadly foe into the world. But...I am ready. To right my wrong. To sacrifice myself for the greater good. So I am honored that you let me have a second chance, Akiyamo." She sits down again, humble yet confident. The huge tiger smiles. "That's my girl." Urracabra beams. "Aah..wonderful, wonderful! Time to send you to your physical realm!" She touches Ushia's head, and Ushia fell unconscious again..
        Ushia gasped and woke up. She was back in Philium! The forest was now cold, dark, and empty. Ushia looks back, and saw Hounwill. He was asleep almost peacefully, snoring as he held the deep stab wound in his belly. Ushia goes closer to him, still careful despite him being almost dead. She removes his paw carefully to see the extent of the wound. It was as deep as the lenght of her paw, and it was ragged and slitted. Ushia flinched at it. It was hard to believe she did this! She also couldn't believe he was able to survive her. She put two paws on him, one on his stomach and the other on his broad chest. She held her breath in awe. He was quite muscular, yet soft with fur and fat. His black fur made him almost invisible in the night forest floor. "Ahem." Something cleared it's throat above her. Ushia froze and popped her head up, reaching for Scarlet ocean. Her eyes widened. "Sl-slyhalia!" The chinese dragon was in the martial plane! However, she was much smaller, about the size of Ushia. Slyhalia grimaced. "I suggest you go get food instead of feeling him up. I am only here to help him stay clean." Ushia gulped and nods. "O-okay! I will be back!" She runs off, heart pounding. Slyhalia shook her head. "Dearie me.."
       Ushia shuddered to get that scare out of her system. Then she felt ready again. She rushed along, footpaws making not a sound. She heard a branch crack next to her. She froze and popped her head up. She then grins at her luck. It was a huge albino deer! It had soft pink eyes, with hooves and antlers as dark as the night sky. She slowly sneaked up to the buck, jaw clenched in readiness. The deer then sniffs the air and looks right at her. She cursed, wondering how the deer saw her. She straightens and walks off to find less attentive prey. The deer gurgles, black goo dripping from it's jaw. It's eyes roll back, showing whites with black viens. It lowered its head..and charged at her! Ushia yelped and leapt into a tree, eyes wide with surprise. The deer busted its head open on a rock! The rock not only cracked, the deer's head cracked open, spilling red and black juice. Ushia grimaced. "What even was that...was it possessed?" She goes down the tree and sneaks closer to the deer..
        The deer roars and leaps up, mouth foaming! It's head heals, and It's body mutated to be bipedal, It's teeth becoming large and sharp as knives. She yelped and gave it a strong kick! It grunts, stumbling back, holding it's ribs. It roars and charged her! She heard Akiyamo's voice. "Ushia! Stay firm, and stand your ground!" Ushia gaped at nothing for a split second, but did as she was told. The deer slashed at her, and Ushia quickly thrust her arm up for defense. She only felt a little scratch however. She opens her eyes. Her arm was mutated! It was now heavily muscled, with sharp, tiger like claws.