Thunder rumbled slightly, in the rapidly darkening sky. Chail's paws hit the rough stones of the cliff side, she knew because she could feel the stones under her paws, but she couldn't hear them. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she was near hyperventilation.

Little spatters of rain were hitting the ground and her. Freezing winds cut right through her as she raced along the top of the ridge. 

Everyone.... Everyone was gone.

More thunder boomed and a fresh wave of pain washed over her. Her chest felt tight and the pain stretched to her soul. Thunder and lightning. They used to be comforting. They signified that she wasn't alone. Troy would cause thunder to happen all the time. Now... it was just thunder. It only caused her to hurt more. 

A loud cracking filled her ears as the cliff side gave way and she slid and tumbled to the ground below. She didn't move for a long time. Still in her wolf form, tears began spilling from her eyes. 

"Wolves don't cry Chail. You have to be strong." Kara's words echoed in her mind, only causing her anguish to deepen. They were gone. They were really gone. 

Breathing as hard as she was made her lungs hurt. Her sobs deepened and she switched to her human form. It still hurt. 

Everything hit at once and the pain and anguish was unbearable. 

Memories flooded her mind. Memories that she would have to keep alone. Memories of playing with Seara, Don, Falle, and Quieren. Talking with Cammie, Paltina, Adderson and Ovan. Training with Farven and Lachlan. She would never be able to go to Tolkalee or Seth for advice or support. She could never hear Tallon's stories, and never cry into his shoulder. Right now she realized she really needed him and it hurt even more. He was always there, like a father to her. And now he was gone. 

And Troy... 

Crying hurt. Screaming made her throat raw. And sitting there on the cold wet ground made her feel more lonely than she'd ever felt in her entire life.

Troy was everything to her. He was always there. He'd been there since she was able to walk. They had a future. He'd promised her that this was going to be the last fight, and afterwards they could settle down. 

He was gone. She had watched that future get ripped away from her. 

Her everything was gone, and she was left with nothing.

No one knew. Not a single person knew of their sacrifice. They had all died for a galaxy that didn't even know they existed. Their home. The rest of the army. No one knew that they were in danger. No one knew they she and the others had tried to save them. 

They had never needed to know about the danger before. She and the others would always be able to stop it. But now... Now she was the only one that could have warned them. But she no way home. She was alone. 

She was completely alone. 

"Chail, you'll never be alone. There will always be another soldier by your side no matter where the fight is." More of Kara's words to her. 

A fresh wave of anguish crashed into her, and more tears spilled down her face mixing with the rain as it poured from the dark sky. Her chest hurt from her sobs, and she longer more than anything for the comfort of Tallon's hugs. Or Seth's kind words. Or any of them to just be there. But she was alone. And the galaxy was unaware of the danger that was coming. 

There was nothing that she could do.