https://www.deviantart.com/ifritnox/art/3-8-The-Warriors-of-Andromeda-981605031

Hope was rare in these days.

The defendants didn't know about the claw-break for a long time. Castor and Pollux didn't say that Vulpecula was still alive, anything about their spy or their small victories. But Lepus didn't return to them and they knew they weren't strong enought for this battle of wits.

Then the third attack came, this time the darkness only sent her gaze and the terrible tooth Pyxis. Both came out of nowhere and went for one of the fox twins.

But here, the darkness had made a mistake that even the titans did: She had laid eye upon the black fox Castor and thought to see a dark soul. So she sent her gaze for him and the deadly tooth for Pollux, hoping to hit Castor with sadness and fear so he'd succumb to her.

As he saw his brother fall, the black fox was indeed frozen in shock. It took all his words and toughts to know his twin had been ripped from his side. But he was still a son of Vulpecula and understood that the darkness knew about the foxe's input into the claw-break - why else would she attack them instead of the shield-bearers?

And finally, Castor had lived with other's doubts for his whole life and knew about his inner light, which he had to show everyone. Maybe it was only this that made him strong enough to withstand the shadow.

Pollux had fallen and everybody looked into the sky in fear, worried about who the claws might hit.

"They won't come", Castor said into the silence.

As he stood there, next to his dead brother, incredibly calm and speaking of things nobody could knew, he raised the fear among the defendants.

"There was a spy of darkness in our lair", he explained. "And to trick them, we had to be silent. But the truth has been uncovered, as this attack proved, so I can speak openly."

This was only half the truth, denn Castor was still thinking clear through the grieve. He knew Vulpeculas survival was still a secret and had to stay one. But he could tell the defendants of Lepus, who warned them of Draco and the secret of the claws. How the rabbit and the foxes had done everything to fight back the darkness. Mirfak stepped forth to confirm his part, and so did Pavo and Kentaur, Aboras and Shemali.

"We can't give up", Castor said, his voice breaking as the grieve finally came over him. "Draco is wounded, the gaze and the tooth have to recover now. This ... this dark moment, this sorrowful hour is ours."

Moved by his words, Mirfak let out a howl and sang a song of war. Now they all knew they couldn't hesitate, and the heroes of Light-Reach sprang forth. Behind them came everyone willing to fight. Mirfak, Sabik Arrow-Star and Kornephorus Rock-Bearer were in front, behind them was Mirfak's pack: Loyal Arae, Sol and Lunis, Sirius, Canopus, and Arktur. Then Kitalpha and Kentaur and Algieba, and many more like Nunki or Scorpio or the fish in the rivers.

They met the advancing darkness and her servants, as her powers pushed against the shields. A mighty battle ensued. Fire raged upon the fields, screams echoed near and far. The battle was so fierce that the directions themselves shifted, and the north was now in the south, the west in the east.

Many heroic deeds were done, while Aldeban and the shields stood strong. Kornephorus, son of the Bear-Sisters, met the traitor Regulus and fought the lion. They exchanged mighty hits, but finally the Rock-Bearer triumphed over Algiebas brother, and Regulus died.

Somewhere else, Sabik Arrow-Star met the great snake Serpens. Their fight was faster than sight. They rode on lightning, sutting through the skies. Poison ran from Serpens' teeth, not once she could bite Sabik, or he would die. But he was faster and more nimble, and so he won.

Virgo had also joined the battle, but only to heal wounds. Among the chaos of battle she met Algieba, cowering over Regulus' body. Sorrow had overtaken the tigress, a darkness born from Regulus' treason. She still loved her brother and cried for him.

Virgo spotted the growing darkness inside Algieba and spoke to her, to take her pain. Virgo's calm power led Algieba back to light. As they sat there, side by side, daughters of titans, Cancer found them, the servant of darkness. The big crab came toward them in order to hurt them.

Algieba stood up as she saw him, and growled, but she was still weakened by grieve, so Cancer wasn't afraid. But then Virgo spoke.

"Are you truly following your heart, Cancer? Is this who you want to be?"

Her silent words touched his heart. Cancer saw light in Virgos gaze, light he almost forgot, and understood the wrongs of his ways. Filled with remorse, he went with them back to Trishanku and abjured his time in the eclipse.

Thus, Virgo maybe did the most heroic deed. While Sabik and Kornephorus killed mighty servants like Regulus and Serpens, she stole two souls from the dark and gained their power for Andromeda.

But alas, all was in vain. For the power of the eclipse was stronger. The heroes wanted to return to Trishanku, but it happened the darkness sorrounded them before they could get there. Mirfak was leading the surviving defendants. He couldn't see any way out, when suddenly Arae stepped forth.

"When you can't see me anymore, run", he said and didn't listen to Mirfak. For the first time he ignored his Alpha's call and ran into the shadows. His battle cry was heard near and far, as the darkness attacked him. But Arae's blood was filled with loyalty, so it turned to light and fought the darkness back. Ways opened in the chains of darkness. Sabik and Kornephorus led the defendants forward. Mirfak followed. So they reached Trishanku. All of them, but Arae.

On this day, Mirfak and Castor looked each other into the eye, seeing their sorrow mirrored, and knew the fight was over.