Chapter 15

(Two weeks later)

It has been two weeks since Grandma Shuu died. Artemis still has not said a word. She started to drink soup and tea but only maybe once a day. In just two weeks she has become tiny and frail and she had everyone really scared. The winter season has already started and snow is falling but it is not sticking to the ground just yet. The once great Wolf City was still in shambles. Houses were still burnt down and destroyed and there was rubble everywhere. Kasper felt great sorrow for what used to be a great city destroyed in less than two hours. The Wolf King has to come to his senses and make this right! Kasper and Bowen decided to make a trip to the Wolf King's castle and tell the King the situation themselves. Maybe he could come out and help Artemis better too. He loved Grandma Shuu just as much as Artemis. "Are you sure you must do this, uncle?" Apollo asked Kasper. "Yes. I've got to try something. Both of them need to snap out of it now before we lose our King and our Princess and our Wolf Kingdom will fall" Kasper said. Kasper left with Bowen and started their journey into the city. When the pair made it to the castle they ignored the guards warning that the Wolf King wasn't in great shape and went inside anyway.

The Wolf King Maximus was sprawled out on his floor looking up at the ceiling. "My Queen. My Beautiful Queen. I didn't even get to say goodbye" The King said and he repeated it over and over again. Kasper's heart broke into a million pieces listening to his father mourn. "Father?" Kasper said, stepping closer to the King. "Father, it's Kasper." Kasper said, hoping he would snap out of it already. "I found out who murdered my sister." Kasper said "Valeria was one of them. Valeria tried to use her kids to gain control over Artemis and it failed so she recruited the Tiger King to come destroy our Kingdom and she tried to kidnap Apollo's mate little Jennifer. They didn't even take her, they went there and destroyed the little cottage and they fatally attacked my mother. Ultimately she passed away from her extensive wounds after transferring her spiritual powers and energy onto Artemis." The King must have heard Kaspers speech because he stopped saying the words he was repeating. "Now without Grandma Shuu Princess Artemis, your Xhi'er, is withering away in sadness. As I came through the City to see you I heard people gossiping in the corners. They want to know where they're King is. They want to know why the Tiger King attacked our city. They think we've lost power now" Kasper continued. King Maximus sat up slowly and stared at the floor. "If I go out there and continue being King…. I will be forced to choose a new mate" The King said "If you don't go out and be a King they will take you down from the throne and put Oliver as your replacement." Kasper told the King. The King finally blinked. "When he ascends he will either kill Artemis and his two brothers to secure the throne. Or he will send us far away to somewhere deserted" Kasper warned his father. "I did dote on him too much. You don't know that that ungrateful son of mine wants to add a Tiger Princess to his household. He approached me a few days before they killed my Shu'er. Do you think it was a coincidence?" The King said. Kasper looked at his father real good. He seemed to snap out of his stupor too quickly. He reeked of ale and wine but his speech was not too bad. He had a fuzzy mustache and beard from not taking care of himself for two weeks.

Kasper stepped closer to his father the King and looked him in the eyes "Father have you been laying here for two weeks putting on a facade?" He asked in a low voice. "My oldest son may have plotted and betrayed my Kingdom…. It cost me my beloved mate. I'm so angry" The King said. Kasper stepped back to let the King stand up. "My people are questioning me?" He asked "Father. Wash up and go. Those same people need you. Your Xhi'er needs you" Kasper said. "Who is this?" The King asked, scratching his head while sizing up Bowen "This is Bowen, John's son. He's the Princess's personal doctor,'' Kasper told the King. "She wont let us touch her. Not even her mate can get near her. She doesn't eat anything but light soup. She has lost a lot of weight and her bones are starting to show. My hands are tied. I don't know what to do besides force her to eat but she is still stronger than us, I don't want to upset her," Bowen told the King.

The King let out a deep sigh and then walked out of the room. Kasper let out a deep sigh as well relieved that his talk had motivated his father. While the King was washing up one of the guards from outside came running in frantically. "My Prince! The King needs to come out immediately. The Tiger Queen is here!" The guard said. "Tiger Queen?" Bowen asked, looking at Kasper. "This is not good," Kasper said, shaking his head. "Father! Remember what we talked about!" Kasper yelled. King Maximus came back into the hall and shook his wet hair out. "That Tiger Queen is Oliver's mate, Kasper." King Maximus said. "Will you let him take the throne from you?" Bowen asked. "Never!" King Maximus roared. The King casually exited the castle with Kasper and Bowen and sure enough they were greeted by Oliver, the First Prince of the Wolf Kingdom. He looked like a younger version of his father the King but he also was an older looking version of Kasper. Prince Oliver stood with a tall and slim female dressed in Tiger furs. Her hair was long and curvy with tan tiger ears poking out and she had the snout of a Tiger with whiskers instead of a human nose.

"Hello my King" Prince Oliver said to King Maximus who huffed in response. "The Tiger Queen has come to speak with the Wolf Princess Artemis about the murder of her brother the Tiger King" Prince Oliver said. "I want to speak with her about the murder of my people and my mate or the destruction of the Wolf City" King Maximus said standing tall. "My brother simply wanted to bring his mate's female cub home to our Kingdom" The Tiger Queen said "the Wolf female was already mated to a Prince she can't be taken by force" King Maximus said. "Did he have to die for it? Did his head have to be cut off over a female?" The Tiger Queen asked. "If she won't come to us we will go to her. I demand answers!" She said. "She won't answer to anyone like you! Do you really think we could forgive your King for destroying our city and killing our Queen?" Kasper asked. "It's only right to us," the Tiger Queen shrugged. Prince Oliver put up a hand signal and a full Army of Tiger Beastmen entered the grounds of the castle. "I have your castle surrounded and within moments what's left of your kingdom will be filled with Tiger Beastmen" Prince Oliver taunted. "If the Princess doesn't come out we'll kill anyone in our way to her starting with the Eagle Beastman right here" Prince Oliver threatened. Kasper growled and shapeshifted into his wolf. "If I have to die to protect the Princess then I'll die happily" Bowen yelled out before shapeshifting into a huge Eagle and letting out a huge screech. "Kill him!" The Tiger Queen yelled pointing at Bowen...

Artemis was sitting upright in her bed staring at nothing. She was lost in her own mind seeing something everyone else can't see. Danny approached her once again this time with a cup of orange juice he just squeezed out for her. "My Princess, you like Orange juice right?" Danny asked her, he hoped she would respond but lately she just sits there quietly. Suddenly Danny noticed her hand twitch. He stayed still and focused and then her foot twitched. "Princess?" He said to her grabbing hold of her hand hoping to feel it move. "No!" Artemis mumbled "what's wrong?" Danny asked her. Artemis could hear and feel the Tiger Beastmen all over the Wolf City. She could feel their murderous intent. "No!" Artemis mumbled a little louder and twitched a little more. "Apollo! Somethings happening!" Danny yelled out. The screech of an Eagle could be heard in the distance and Artemis could tell that Bowen was in danger. "NO!" Artemis cried out jumping forward and suddenly disappearing into thin air. "What?" Danny said confused looking down at his empty hand that had been holding hers just seconds ago.

Artemis reappeared breathless standing in front of Bowen. "Princess!" Bowen gasped. Kasper and King Maximus looked back at her in shock. "Xhi'er, you should be in bed resting," King Maxinus said worriedly. "No one is laying a hand on anyone else" Artemis said, stepping forward. The Tiger Queen started laughing loudly. "Is this weak female the one who killed my brother?" The Tiger Queen asked "she can barely even stand up straight!" Prince Oliver said, laughing too. "You're dead!" The Tiger Queen roared. She shifted into a Tiger and started to run towards Artemis. Artemis grimaced and grunted as she shapeshifted but she managed to become her infamous huge white wolf and walked towards the Tiger Queen as she tried to slow down her speed. "Yes! I killed your Tiger King! And what are you gonna do about it?" Artemis asked the Tiger Queen while she was in wolf form. "You and your brother think we are easily bullied Tiger Queen? Let me tell you, your brother was too weak under my claws. You can be next and so can you my dear uncle. I will kill anybody to protect my family and my kingdom" Artemis taunted. "She has taken out a whole treehouse full of eagles in this form" Oliver warned the Tiger Queen. "This isn't over Princess! Your Wolf Kingdom will be my playground and your men will be my food" the Tiger Queen said after shifting back into a human. "My Queen. Don't make any threats. I guarantee you this though, I'll skin you alive and wear your pretty fur around my waist!" Artemis growled. "Forget it. Kill her now!" The Tiger Queen roared.

The army of Tiger Beastmen surrounding the castle hesitatingly looked at Artemis and charged forward anyways. Suddenly a different loud roar can be heard. A huge black shape jumped in between Artemis and the army of Tiger Beastmen and chased them away. Artemis couldn't make out the figure because she started to lose consciousness and fell over thudding onto the ground. "Princess!" Kasper said moving forward "Xhi'er what happened" the King asked her. Artemis didn't answer; she just shifted into an unconscious human and lay on the ground. "Let me get her home now that the Tiger Queen is gone," Kasper said, as he picked his niece up in his arms. Kasper and Bowen left after bowing to the King and rushed towards the cave home. They met Apollo and Danny halfway there. "She must have done that transportation thing that Mother did to get us back here. She is too weak. Maybe now she'll start taking care of herself" Kasper told Apollo and Danny as he passed Artemis to Danny. "Did the King listen to you?" Apollo asked Kasper. "It seems so. But we have yet another problem on our hands. The Tiger QUEEN demands justice from Artemis for her brother. She came with an even bigger army than her brother did" Kasper said "What?" Danny replied, Kasper nodded his head "not only that. A few Ape Beastmen came out of nowhere and stopped the Tiger Beastmen army from attacking Artemis" Kasper said. Both Danny and Apollo stopped in their tracks. "Since when do Ape Beastmen leave their kingdom?" Danny asked. "That's my question as well. And why did they jump in to save our Wolf Princess?" Apollo asked. "Lets get her home first" Danny protested.

Everyone gathered inside of the cave home and waited as Bowen and his father checked over Artemis. They took forever taking notes and coming up with a full diagnosis while Artemis looked around for the first time in weeks. "I've been living in Nana's memories these past days. I missed her so much that it was hard to just let her go... But I'm back now and I'm sorry for keeping you all worried" Artemis said, looking at everyone. Danny stood closest to her nest. Kasper and Apollo were standing behind Danny. Jenny and little Wen were huddled together in a corner keeping eachother warm while they waited to hear what's going on. John took a deep breath and started gathering his stuff. "Princess Artemis will be ok if she starts eating healthier and getting back out of bed a little more. She needs extra nourishment. Other than that, you could barely tell that the Princess is four weeks pregnant," John told everyone. "It's critical you start getting back in shape for the sake of your wolf cubs and for the sake of sanity for your loved ones" John turned and said to Artemis. "I'm pregnant…with cubs?" Artemis asked "Yes Princess. Little Jenny is too. I can smell it from all the way across the room. Everyone has been so distracted that you all totally missed the miracles that are happening" Bowen said. "Jenny! We're having cubs!" Artemis said, reaching for her. Jenny looked at Apollo for confirmation for no reason at all. "We're having cubs!" Apollo said, containing his excitement very well. John congratulated the two couples and then left the cave home and flew away. Kasper and Bowen went out to hunt a big prey for a celebratory dinner and Danny and Apollo stayed inside the cave home with the three females.

"Little Wen, did you run away from home too?" Artemis asked her as she stood quietly to the side. Wende stepped forward and kneeled at Artemis' side. "Well you see Princess, my mother disappeared around the same time that Jenny's mother left. I haven't heard from her and I'm an only child with no other family here. I keep hoping she will come back but I'm really starting to feel that she has left me for good" Wende told her. Artemis sucked her teeth and gave them all a death stare. "Why didn't you say something sooner!" Artemis said "We wanted to wait until everything calmed down. You were really sick for a few weeks there and all of us were scared out of our wits" Wende pleaded innocently. "Don't worry. Kasper has promised to become mates with her when things calm down. We both have already started to build our homes where you told us to." Apollo informed Artemis. "You all are still so sneaky huh?" Artemis accused everyone. "Calm down big sister or else you'll stress out the cubs!" Apollo warned, smiling. Danny put both of his hands on Artemis' stomach and closed his eyes. "Don't worry. I will get better and give you strong and healthy Wolf Pups" Artemis told Danny "I want you to be strong and healthy too, my wife," Danny told Artemis, receiving a smile filled with love from her.