So where are we really going? An Elephant Graveyard

From her perch atop the massive wolf, Juniper watched the horrific scene unfold before her wide juvenile eyes. Bit by bit, the tigers picked away at Basilisk, distracting him and wounding him just enough to slowly whittle him down. The sickly metallic stench of blood filled the air, but it wasn't from the tigers. Juniper heard Bas' howl of pain, and then they were both heading for the ground. She yelped in shock, still too stunned to fully comprehend what was going on. Why was Basilisk on the ground? Why wasn't he getting back up?! "Get up! Get up!" she shouted to her defender, nudging his scruff in a desperate attempt to urge him to rise, but it was no use. Basilisk fought valiantly against the tigers, kicking and striking out where he could, but they were just taunting the young wolves now. Any moment they could end this fight and the two pups would be nothing more than a gristly mess and a memory.

Fear began to fill Juniper's heart—real, true gut wrenching fear. They were in danger, out in the wilds alone, and no one was coming for them. Basilisk howled for help, but Juniper didn't hear it. Her mind was too busy thinking of her family: her mother and father and siblings that she'd never get to see again. All because she didn't want to obey her mother's rules and wanted to explore on her own. Tears filled the small pup's eyes as she was scooped off of Basilisk's back and surrounded by his body to protect her. Tiny paws grabbed at his thick chest fur, burying herself in against him as she hyperventilated in her panic. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, though whether it was to Basilisk or to the family she'd never see again wasn't clear. Mint green eyes closed for one last time while she waited for death to take them. With any mercy, it would be quick.

But the end didn't come. No blow of paws nor rip of fangs found her or pulled her from her protector. Instead, the sounds of snarling and combat resumed. Juniper's eyes opened, but surrounded by Bas, she couldn't see what was happening. All she could hear was the scuffling of feet on the dry ground, roars and growls, the ripping of flesh, something wet dripping—and then silence. Total, utter silence. Juniper's heart was racing a million miles a minute. What was going on?! The voice that answered her worries brought her so much relief that the girl began to cry again. Artorias was here! "'Torias!" she called out for her big brother, squirming against Basilisk's hold to poke her head out and see her blood-covered half-sibling there, the tigers dead in the field. Juniper's eyes grew wide. He had saved them! "I'm okay! But he's not. The tigers knocked him down and now he can't get up."

"Juniper of the Sea"