It was always a joy to see the snowfall in Gosha. The flakes were large and thick. Young and old would stand in the white shower for hours as the ground went from green to pale within minutes. Shavron never received snow; so for the first time in their lives, Phigaro and Reiach saw the incredible sight. Phigaro dove into the powder and swam in it as if it was water.
“Check me out, Reiach, I'm doing the back stroke!”
“What else can you do with this stuff?” said Reiach.
“Think fast!”
Reiach glanced upward and saw a white sphere hurtling towards him. Before he could react his head was covered with snow.
“Not fast enough for that snowball.” said Casey making another one. “I'll give you another chance!”
Reiach quickly caught on. Phigaro joined in and a small snowball fight ensued. All of Durro's pack came out to play, but Durro himself only watched from the wall. The plan of his brother had festered for months in his mind. Changing was hard for Durro---impossible if left up to him, but his mother would at times speak to him of God's power to change the heart. He always nodded his head as if he understood, but he didn't really care to hear. He didn't want to lose his pride--his way of life and seeing his mother become different was too much to bear for him: it convicted him and he despised it. A week prior he informed Nape that he would bring the otter to him. There was no real explanation of why he didn't chose Phigaro since it was he that prayed with Bertha to follow Kleos. It was a simple choice: Nape wanted the one writing the letters and Reaich was he.
After the snowball fight, Durro called Reiach into his room. “So, what's up?”
Durro took a deep swallow, he was considering tell Reiach everything: the conspiracy against him, Nape and his seditious plan, and his utter betrayal against him, but there was too much to lose in Durro's eyes. He ignored his conscience and made a lie.
“Nape, my brother, has been intrigue by you writing, he wants to come to know your savior. He wants to see you today.”
“Praise God.” said otter happily, “When do we leave?”
Durro and Reiach made their way northward the following day. It was a three days journey and most of the talk was about Shavron, Reiach's call to be a judge, and Durro's life. Reiach could see the change in his the wolf's demeanor; for there was no peace in his heart. The otter asked more than once what the trouble was, but always received a quick remark keep close and stay alert.
Nape's realm was finally in view. They entered the wood. Durro sniffed the air: he knew Nape and five other wolves were nearby, hiding silently awaiting for the rendezvous point. The otter followed his leader sheepishly in continuing belief that he was to share the gospel with Nape's. The snow was thicker in the upper territory of Gosha and Reiach was beginning to have difficultly keeping up with Durro.
“Slow down, my legs aren't as long as yours” said Reiach pushing the snow aside, “Hey, wait!”
Durro was clever: he slowed down but not enough to where he couldn't slip away. He positioned the otter in the middle of the wood, where Nape could capture him. He sniffed the air again; the scent was much stronger. The time was now.
“Is everything o.k.?” said Reiach brushing the snow from his cloak. “You look worried.”
“I'm fine.” said the white wolf.” Just around that tree, come on.”
Reiach followed Durro who was about three paces ahead of him. The white wolf went around the tree.
“Durro I said slow down. I can't---”
When Reiach came around the tree, Durro was nowhere to be seen.
“Durro! Durro where are you?” he cried in earnestly. “If this is a joke, it's not funny---Durro!”
The cry continued; the plea for help was incessant, but the white wolf, who heard him, was already a hundred feet away. Nape was waiting patiently with his five subordinates. “Thank you, brother, maybe this turn of events can heal this tension between us.”
“Don't count on it.” said Durro walking away.
Reiach continued to call. Nape intimated for his pack to advance on the prey. A silhouette appeared before Reiach, and for a brief moment his fear abated. However when he saw axe carrying wolf with five others surrounding him, his fear quickly returned.
“Hello, dear otter,” said Nape gradually walking toward him, “My name is Nape. You don't know me but I know you---you're the one whose been writing the famous letters.”
“Where's Durro?”
“Let me put it this way: don't be concerned about someone whose not concerned about you.” Nape said reaching out to grab him Reiach dove into the snow like water sending powdery snow into the air. He swan through the white powder gracefully surprising Nape and his pack. They gave chase instantly. The otter was more of a challenge than the wolves expected: he could turn on a dime, disappear under the snow only to reappear somewhere else; and when they were in range to take him, he manage to escape.
“Enough playing,” said Nape to his pack, “Get him: if I lose him all of you will lose your heads!”
Reiach pushed his way through the snow until he came to a cliff. Down below was a range of trees. He could make the jump if he gathered enough speed, but time was short. The growls behind him were growing louder, he looked down once again; and taking a few steps back, he made his decision.
“He's going to jump!” said one in the pack. “Hurry, I need him alive!.” replied Nape.
Revel sprung over the cliff, silently praying that he would make it. The cold air beat upon his body as he fell faster and faster towards the first tree. Reiach hit the brush of the tree with a crash, falling downward along the branches. The bark and snow engulfed him.
Nape looked over.
“He's probably dead.” said one wolf. “We'll head down anyway.” said Nape. “But no creature could have survive that.”
“Do what I say!” growled Nape, “I need to know for sure.”
A heap of leaves and branches sat at the base of a tree and out of it came the otter holding his side. He had broken a rib, which for better than breaking his neck he thought. He crept wearily through the snow to start his flight again, but a dark figure appeared. He turned in the opposite direction, but another apparition was waiting for him.
“Dead, eh?” said Nape to his pack, “Nothing is dead until I make it so.”
The exhaustion from running and the fall was beginning to take its toll on Reiach and after a few moments he blacked out and collapsed.
Nape took his new captive quickly to his castle. The edifice of great opulence: it was divided into three sections. Stain-glass windows were the building's eyes; lit by candles from inside. The snow clung to the walls giving Nape's castle the appearance of a magical mansion holding secret pleasures and woes. Once in the bowels of the castle, Nape's prime pack dispersed to their respective places. Nape held on the Reiach tucking the otter under his arm aggressively, which further agitated his broken rib. The alpha male walked briskly through the corridors. A sudden jolt of pain brought Reiach from his stupor.
“What do you want from me?” said Reiach.
“What do you want?”
Nape did not respond, but kept his mind fixated on his destination. Wolves who saw the sight quickly made way for the alpha male; some commenting that Durro did well to keep his word. Reiach tried to break free from the wolf's grip, but would only received a tighter tuck under the arm. Finally, Nape ended his journey below in his dungeon. The smell was atrocious, the mold that grew there was thick; and when Nape lit the torches around the dungeon, Reiach saw broken skulls and skeletons covering nearly the entire floor. Nape chained him by the neck and leg. The alpha male stood looking over the otter with great satisfaction.
“What do you want?” said Reiach again.
“Tell me!”
Nape gave the otter a big smirk and quietly closed the dungeon door. Reiach was left alone to battle his thoughts. Reiach cried out to God, only to receive his own voice in an echo. He was furious with Durro and thought of taking revenge when or if he would every be released. Yet when the otter was quite, the Lord reminded the otter to forgive any wrong don against him: for it was Kleos who has forgiven him. However the dungeon's darkness only excited the bitterness in his heart. Hours went by and then days. Reiach was on the verge of giving up; but as God always does, he encourages in times of despair and so he did with the otter. A crack in the dungeon's wall allowed a thread of light to appear on the otter's forehead. This was a miracle in itself, for the dungeon was ten twenty feet below the castle floor. He lifted his head and the light gradually went down his face until it stopped at his chest where the crest of instruction was. Reiach took it out and read the inscription on the back that had help all the judges before him.
Hold on to God who is the Truth. Teach with Truth. Live in Truth. Trust Truth.
The light then went to the otter side where his rib was broken, and God healed him. “Thank you, God.” Reiach said, “Could you snap the chains too?”
The light and the crack in the wall gradually disappeared. “God…”
Suddenly the dungeon door opened. Nape came in with a bundle of papers under his arm. He lit the torches around the dungeon, as he kicked the skulls and skeletons out of his way. He came over to Reiach laying down five letters in front of him. Immediately, the otter recognized that it was his letters to different wolves in Gosha who had believed in the name of Kleos. They letter spoke of standing firm in the faith, living unto God and not just with words, but in deeds. The letters continued to describe that Kleos was the only way to heaven and that it was a sure fact.
Nape watched patiently as Reiach glanced at each letter.
“Familiar?” said the wolf, “I was quiet impressed when I read them. You have a remarkable gift at writing although there were a few grammatical errors.”
“Did the letters impress you enough to believe; to make him Lord over your life?” A sneer came over Nape's face.
“Not quite. I was highly offended. It's one thing to mess with Durro and Drake's pack, but when you try this with me, frankly, its suicide. And now my own mother has become one of these holy-walkers----you crossed the line.”
“I was called here by God to tell all wolves about salvation from their sins and that is what I will do until otherwise instructed.” said Reiach firmly. “You mother made a wise choice and she's better for it---can't you see that?”
Nape did not respond. He pulled a scroll from his jacket, opened it, and placed it before the otter.
“Sign it.”
Reiach read the roll. To sum it up: Nape wanted the otter to deny everything he believed in. After finishing the last sentence, Reiach wallowed a good amount of spit in his mouth and spat on the paper.
“Oh come now, “ said Nape placing the paper to the side, “Is that how a believer should be acting? I don't think spitting its one of the characteristics of God that you mentioned in your letters.” he said laughing.
“I'm not saying anything or signing anything against my Lord.”
“Want to do it the hard way, eh?” said Nape, nodding his head, “Yes, the hard way!”
With a forceful grip, Nape took hold of Reiach's face planting his claws in the otter's flesh but did not draw blood. The otter couldn't do anything to force Nape away. Reiach wanted to scream, but his mouth was covered by the menacing hand of his torturer. Nape saw the tears of pain rolling down the otter's face, but had no intention of abating the pain.
“I can't kill you; for I know if I do this gospel will spread even more in Gosha. I want a confession of denial! I'll get it one way or another.” the wolf said shaking him once. “ I'll give you one day to think over the pain that your feeling right now. If you persist with your belief, I will have no other choice but to beat you---and you really don't want me to do that.”
Nape released Reiach, who fell to the floor in pain holding his face. That night was different than all the others Reiach had lived through. He was perplexed: he was doing the will of God by spreading the good news of His coming Son. Wolves were becoming believers, and yet he was suffering. He placed his hand on the damp dungeon wall and the Spirit of God placed a phrase on the wall:
Those who live godly will suffer persecution and I will be with you in it.
This was a true saying and Reiach accepted it as he slept in the dungeon. Early that morning Reiach was singing a tune. It was better to make the best out of a bad situation instead of being sadden by it. He was about to finish the final verse when the dungeon door came open. Reiach prepared himself for Nape's brutal hand; for he was not inclined to deny his Lord and Savior. But to his surprise, another wolf came in carrying a plate of bread, a bowl of fresh fruit, and a jug of water all balanced in his right arm. It would have made sense to evenly divide the items between his right and left arm, but this would have been senseless; for the wolf had no left arm.
He was about the height of Nape, but his fur was much darker. He had a ring in his lip to denote his membership to Nape's pack. However his face seemed kinder than the alpha male. His black cloak was embroidered with golden thread. He sat the fruit, bread and water before Reiach.
“Eat up, I know you're hungry.” Reiach did so voraciously.
“What is your name so I can thank you.” said the otter stuffing a handful of bread in his mouth.
“My name is Spade. I'm Nape's son.” The otter nearly choked.
“Don't worry,” said the wolf, “I have no intention of hurting you. My father won't be back for two to three days. He had business among his pack in the lower territory.” Spade picked up a skull inspecting it playfully.
“So your the one causing my father so much trouble?”
“I suppose so.” said Reiach
“Be careful, you might end up like this one,“ Spade said showing him the skull, “My dad has been cursing this gospel everyday since he's heard about it?”
“That's because when a creature's sees his sinfulness in light of a Holy God there are only two choices: repent or curse God.”
“That's a hard saying.” replied Spade.
“Most are.” returned Reiach. “Is there anything else you want to know about the trouble I'm causing.”
Spade walked around the dungeon musing. Reiach continued to eat until the young wolf came back again.
“Is it real---I mean---can such a god change a wolf?”
“God made the wolf as he made the world. If God can make a wolf, he can change a wolf. He does by His Son. If any creature would trust Him, God will live in that creature and give him power, by the Spirit, to live unto God.”
“But as you said I must admit my sinfulness in order to trust Him?” said Spade. “Yes,” replied Revel.
“And if I refuse to admit my sinfulness?”
“Then God will not live in you,” said Reiach taking a swig of water. “Listen to me well, Spade, there is a Pit, called Hell; it's a word highly hated but true. Your sinfulness will take you there. Only a fool would dare to meet God engulfed in sin when there is freedom from it.”
“And that freedom is in His Son.” answered Spade in the affirmative. “Your a sharp one” said Reiach smiling. “I hope your are wise one too.”
“I think I've heard enough,” said the wolf picking up the empty plate and bowl. “You can keep the jug of water until tomorrow.”
Spade made way to the door, but Reiach wanted to asked a question. “Just curious, how did you lose your left arm?”
Spade chuckled and he placed the items down outside. “Let's just say Daddy got angry one day.”
The dungeon door was shut and Reiach sung a song to encourage himself.