The Book

Chapter#1

            A muscular gray he-wolf slipped though a clump of bright green ferns as he made his was down a small slope. He tail was held high, and his eyes were like bright yellow beams that could pierce through anything. His left ear had a long tear through it, and the base of his tail had a bite scar. His stormy-gray pelt was long and sleek, like his pure-white chest-fur. He slowly blinked his eyes, and leaped off of a stone, leaving behind clean, neat claw-marks in the thick moss that covered the rock’s smooth surface. He landed with a small thud on the forest floor, scattered with pine needles and all kinds of leaves. His ears perked as he made a quick turn to the right. He then padded into a large clearing.

            The forest clearing was dotted with mounds of dirt. A brown wolf suddenly appeared from one of the mounds. A low grumbling came from his direction. He quickly swerved behind the den he had just come out of.

            The gray he-wolf kept on tramping through the clearing, until he came to a huge den. In the entrance, a beautiful creamy-tan she-wolf lay basking in a small patch of sunlight that was streaming through a large oak tree’s branches. He belly bulged with pups, soon to be born. Her eyes were half closed as the he-wolf approached. She sniffed, and quickly opened her eyes, and raised her head. She blinked then cooed “Blizzard,” She slashed her tail closer to her belly. “How long were you gone? I’ve been dozing for quite a while now.”

            Blizzard smiled as he settled himself by her. “Not long. I was down by the river checking to see if that pesky Sliver Dragon and her eggs have gone.” The deep voice rumbled out of his chest like soft thunder flowing through stormy clouds.

            “Mm,” the expecting she-wolf mumbled “Have they gone?”

            Blizzard nodded “Glad of it too. I think that patrol was enough to make her leave.” Blizzard pressed his shoulder into his mates, and kicked out his back legs. He closed his eyes as he felt the sun farm his pelt. His gray pelt glowed bright yellow in the warming rays.

            “I know I might sound like a pup, but,” the cream-tan she wolf started, “I wish I could stay here forever.” She blinked her warm amber eyes. The sunlight reflected on them, making them look like tiny suns.

            Blizzard grunted in agreement. “I wouldn’t mind it at all, but only if I were with you, Kestrel.” He out stretched his coal-black wings, and laid on his mates back.

             “Do you really think they’ll make such a journey?” said a she-wolf coldly, as her amber eyes clouded with fear.   

            “Oh, come now, stop talking nonsense, Kestrel.” The large gray he-wolf turned to look at his mate. “It’s only ocashanly wolves don’t make it back. They’ll be fine.”

            “I know, I know,” she fretted.  “It’s jus-” The he-wolf cut her off

            “Stop worrying about the pups,” he snapped suddenly “they’ll be fine, like Grizzly and Jag. Okay?”

            “Not like Sunny and Iceshine!” Kestrel growled, lowering her head as a pang of sadness flew through her thoughts.

            “That was just bad luck. . . Just stop worrying. It will be awhile before they can even get to be apprenticed.” He tried to reassure her.

            “I know, but I can’t help thinking about them not coming back.” Kestrel sighed

            “There is no need to worry. Sunny and Iceshine were born in winter, which made them a little smaller, and weaker. These pups are going to be born in the beginning of spring, the best time of year for pups. . .” The he-wolf paused “You know, you should have been staying in your den days ago.” He tilted his head a little as he changed the stressing subject.

            “I know, but I wanted to stay with you, Blizzard, not in the den all day.” Kestrel licked Blizzard’s cheek, and Blizzard rested his muzzle on her shoulder in return.

            “I’ll get Flash to keep you company.” Blizzard gazed into his mate’s amber eyes, wanting to stay with her, but he really needed some time to himself he decided.  

            “I understand, you are the Alpha.” Kestrel dipped her head and nudged it into Blizzard’s white chest fur. Blizzard licked her in between her ears, then stood up, and trotted to the edge of the clearing, where a small den stood, with all kinds of plants and flowers growing on top of it, and a vale of vines sagging at the entrance. A burst of the smell of fresh plants and herbs passed through the small breeze as Blizzard pushed his was through the vines, to find a scarlet red she-wolf with a cream underbelly and darker red wings stooping over a small pile of leaves.

      “Oh, Dawn! You silly wolf.” She muttered under her breath “These are not supposed to be-” She turned around to face Blizzard “Uhh. . .–oh! Bli-Alpha!” she dipped her head and held out her paw in a submission jester.

            Blizzard nodded to the scarlet she-wolf “Greetings, herb-wolf.” he rumbled lamely

            Hey, I don’t like being called that, you know that isn’t my name!” The red she-wolf started at him with an icy-blue gaze.

“That is the same way I feel when wolves go around calling me Alpha.” Blizzard smirked a little.

            ‘Then if I call you Blizzard, will you call me Flash?” the scarlet she-wolf swished her tail, making dust fly up from the dry ground.

            Blizzard screwed up his face in thought, knowing it would annoy Flash. “Let me think.” He tapped his claws on to ground.

            “Yes, okay, problem solved.” Flash shook her head, clearing her mind “Now, what did you really come for? Is Kestrel having her pups?”

            “No, I wouldn’t be acting like this if she was having them, but it will be soon.  So, Kestrel seems a little, strange, she is already worrying about the pups not coming back from their journeys to the . . . to the Moon Caves. . .” Blizzard sighed.

            “That is very common before she has them, she’ll always be stressed out, and acting a little strange.” Flash gave her chest fur a small quick lick. “There is no need to worry. Can’t you remember from last time, she was stressed out, but everything went fine. The pups were healthy, strong, and big -not to mention one being so rude- but look at them now!”

“Yeah. . . I know.” Blizzard looked down at his paws. “But, I told her I would get you to keep her company . . . if you aren’t busy, of course.”

A flash of amusement when through the herb-wolf’s icy eyes. “I’ll be there once I am done sorting through these.” She tilted her ears towards a pile of leaves, that all looked exactly the same, but had a slightly different smell.

            “Thank you.” Blizzard huffed as he backed out of the strong smelling den. He stretched his back legs out, before scampering back to his den, the Alpha-den, where he and his mate slept. Blizzard sighed and settled down, with his paws dangling off of the roof.  He looked at his camp from the top of his den.

            It was hard, being the head of all of this. . .

            Blizzard scanned the clearing to see Alish-the oldest and wisest wolf in the Moon-Star wolf pack- lay on top of his den, staring blindly into the thin mist. Alish was so old that his teeth were starting to give way, slowly dulling, and blindness rapidly swept through his eyes, clouding them with a murky grey storm.

             Blizzard wondered what he was thinking about. Alish scarcely talked to any wolf. It was rare for him to even greet other wolves as they passed his den. He was one to keep to himself.

            This annoyed Blizzard, a little. Why didn’t he share stories with the pups, of amazing things he went through, or talk with the other wolves in the pack? Why was he so secretive?  Ever since Blizzard became Apha he slowly stopped socailizeing.

            “Alish,” Blizzard called, deciding he should at least try to talk to the lonely old wolf. And anyways, it was his duty to his pack.

            Alish just blinked in reply, not even turning towards him, but then he opened his mouth. “Yes, Blizzard.”

             Blizzard jumped as he heard him wheeze the words out of his throat.

            “What do you want?”  

            Blizzard was taken by surprise, he didn’t expect Alish to even blink, the elderly wolf didn’t acknowledge any other wolf in the pack, so why would he all of a sudden even speak?

            “Err, just wondering, how everything, uhh, was going. . .” Blizzard stammered, slightly embarrassed. How was he supposed to know that Alish would answer after moons of no talking?

            “Well, what did you expect? Great?” Alish sputtered as he spoke.

            “Err, I was just wondering. . .” Blizzard shrugged.

            Alish’s ripped and ragged wings twitched, as he dragged them across the den roof to wrap them around his back. “Swell.”  He coughed, and slowly dropped his head in between his paws.

            “Err, Okay, good.” Blizzard slashed his tail closer to his body. “So, like the warming  weather?” he didn’t want to just all of a sudden stop talking, he would rather have Alish end the conversation when he wanted, but he just grunted is reply, and Blizzard knew that Alish was done talking.

            “Well, I’d better be off now.”  Blizzard awkwardly leaped and glided down off the top of his den, landing neatly on his paws.

            He was overwhelmed with the fact that his pups would be on their way anytime now. It was stressful for both him and his mate. Through the years they had lost their whole first litter and a pup from their previous one.  

            Blizzard started to trot to the back of his den, wanting a little time to himself, and not get into any conversation, with any wolf.  He slipped out the large clearing to where a large beech tree had fallen, leaving a nice place to curl up in. Blizzard slowly stalked over to his spot, and sat down on his haunches. He rasped his tongue through his thick gray pelt, and shook off bits and pieces of moss and pine needles that clung to his fur. Sighing, he stretched and flopped onto the ground, laying his head between him paws, then closed his eyes, hoping to find a relieving rest.

            And found it.

           

* * *

            Blizzard felt a paw softly prod his side, and he opened his eyes no more then a slit to see a blurry image of a creamy-tan she-wolf with a bulging white underbelly, and recognized his mate. He drank in her sweet scent, wishing he could just stay there forever with her, but he felt her paw poke his side a little harder this time, and struggled to lift his head.

            “Blizzard, it’s Teal, he’s back from the Dawn-patrol, and he’s got something to report.” Kestrel lowered her head and whispered her words into his ear.

            “The pups? Wait, uh-h Teal?” Blizzard lifted his head sleepily, and gazed into Kestrel’s loving eyes. 

            “It’s Teal,” she repeated, and licked his cheek.

            “Oh, alright.” Blizzard heaved himself to his paws, as Kestrel started back to her den. “Wait, Kestrel, did Flash come and give you anything?”

            Kestrel turned and nodded. “She gave me some herbs to help me get some sleep, so I am strong when the pups come.”

            Blizzard found Teal in the clearing, practicing hunters crouches and leaps with his apprentice, Cloudleaf. He assumed there wasn’t anything to bad that Teal had to report, if he was practicing with his apprentice rather then talking to some wolf.

            “Kestrel said you had something to report from the Dawn-patrol,” Blizzard called.

            Teal turned around to face his Alpha. “Yes,” he started to trot towards him, looking slightly worried “My patrol has scented Flame-Stone within the border. We also picked up some dragon scent, while we were on our way back to camp. It is egg season for them, so we might have a bit of a dragon problem.  By the smell of it, it was a female.” He quickly reported.

            Blizzard’s memory brought him back, twelve moons before, when a dragon -a Spined Dragon- had brought her chicks near the camp. They had to drive them out, but a horrible price was paid. A beautiful white wolf had been killed, in front of the whole packs eyes. Shine . . . had been ripped apart . . . Blizzard closed his eyes, and he remembered his sister’s shrieks of pain. All Blizzard had left of her were horrible memories of blood and gore.

            “I can’t watch another one of my wolves being killed,” he muttered. “I just can’t.” His deep yellow gaze was locked on the shadows from the forest trees. “Send out an extra patrol where you scented it, and see if you can fine where it’s nesting,” Blizzard sighed, and flicked his tail in frustration.

            “Yes, Alpha.” Teal dipped his head, giving Blizzard a sorry glance, then howled for his patrol.

            Blizzard growled.

            Why was everything bad happening to his pack? He wondered silently in his mind. Blizzard ducked his head as he slipped through his den entrance, then he stopped.

I am the Alpha for Moon’s sake! I must be strong. I can’t have self pity!

            Blizzard’s gray pelt brushed the walls of his den, as he streaked through the tunnels. Crystals were placed in the soft soil, lighting up the den in bright colors, mostly white, blue, and green, but occasionally there would be a red or orange jewel, casting its bright beams across the dirt walls.  

            Blizzard stopped at an entrance to a small cavern. It had the warm smell of milk, and the scent of sweet grass flowed softly into his nostrils. He slowly poked his head around the corner to see his mate, splayed out on a bed of grass and feathers. Her flank slowly rose and fell as she took in deep breaths. Her pelt sparkled with the light of the many white crystals that were placed in the dirt walls that enclosed the cavern, and of the fire flies, their glow showing through the almost-clear leaves of the rare Spreia tree, that grew on the island in the center of the Great Lake.

            Blizzard softly licked Kestrel’s silky tan pelt, and settled himself by her, resting his chin on her shoulder, and his paw dangled over her side, which was bulging with her pups, thier pups- that would soon be born.

            Blizzard paced his breath with hers, and swiped his tail closer to her body. But Kestrel slowly lifted her head, and turned to see Blizzard- who had started to drift off- lying next to her.

            “What are you doing here?” she sleepily muttered, and started to turn towards her mate.

            Blizzard’s eyes flew open, and he quickly removed his paw from Kestrel’s side. “I just couldn’t help not being with you,” he mumbled, as Kestrel sat up. She tucked her paws neatly under her chest. But her face quickly turned from content to discomfort, and she flopped back on her side.

            “Are you alright?” Blizzard’s eyes widened in fright, and he quickly got up and started sniffing Kestrel.

            “I-I don’t know,” she groaned.

            Blizzard took a slow step back. Was Kestrel having her pups?

            Her hind quarters started twitching, which told Blizzard that there wouldn’t be much time till his pups would be born. With that, he flew out of the cavern.

            Every thud of his paws against the dirt roared in his ears and he sprinted a little faster.

            Once he was out of the tunnels, he pumped his wings and speedily glided to Flash’s den. Blizzard ripped through the vines that hung lazily over the entrance, and stormed through, to find Flash hunched over  small silver wolf’s paw.

            Flash wiped her head around. “Bli-”she cut off as she noticed the frightened excretion on her leader’s face, and knew at once that something was up in the Alpha-den.

            “I’m on my way.” She quickly slipped a small thorn out of the apprentice’s paw with her teeth, and gave it a small, quick lick before leaping to Blizzard’s side. Blizzard nodded, and pelted towards his den, leaving the small silver wolf wide-eyed.

            Yet again, Blizzard entered in the same cavern, but this time he didn’t find his mate softly sleeping. Instead he found her huddled in a corner, groaning and gasping for breath.

            Flash quickly darted to Kestrel’s side and examined her. 

            “I’ll be right back, I need to get some herbs, but don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.” The pale-red she-wolf quickly slipped out of the cavern.  

            Kestrel began a coughing fit and dug her claws into the ground in pain. “Blizzard,” she managed to whisper, as her eyes turned from barely opened, to wide with terror.

            “I’m here, Kestrel,” he muttered and soothingly licked her in between her ears. “I’m here.”

            Kestrel began shivering and shaking everywhere, and she let out a screech, which was muffled by a sputter and a cough.  Blizzard bent his head down and started licking her harshly, and stuffed his nose in her cheek fur.  Her sides heaved as her pups fought for their life into the world.  

            Blizzard’s mind whirled. It wasn’t like this when any of their other pups were born. Was something going wrong?

            Just then Flash entered the cavern with a bundle of leaves in her jaws. “I got honeydew leaves to help with the pain, I think that is about I can do for her,” she muttered through the mouthful the bright green leaves, and set them down by Kestrel’s head, and started chewing them up. After the leaves were fully chewed, Flash spit the pulp out on her paw. “ Blizzard,” she called, without taking her eyes off Kestrel. “I think I need you to help me open her jaws, she’s too busy gasping to keep them open long enough for me to get it in.”

            Blizzard- who was watching from the distance, wide-eyed with fear- quickly rushed to Flash’s side.

            “How am I supposed to do that?” he fretted –unlike himself.

            “Just try!”  Flash growled impatiently.

            Blizzard brushed his paws off on in soft white side fur, then started at Kestrel. Her mouth quickly opened and closed with every quickened breath she took. Blizzard gave Flash an uneasy look, and lowered his head, flattening his ears to his skull.

            “Oh for Moon’s sake! Take this!” Flash rolled her eyes as Blizzard gingerly held out his paw. He flinched as she slapped the honeydew pulp onto it.  The snappy herb-wolf then licked her paws clean, and started the long process of parting Kestrel’s mouth, wrenching her claws between her teeth, then jerkily opening them when they shut. She squeezed her eyes closed with the effort.

            “Okay, now,” Flash wheezed.

            Blizzard quickly nodded, and dabbed the Honeydew-leaf past onto Kestrel’s tongue, then scraped the remaining substance off on her teeth, knowing she would need every bit of it.

            “See, it wasn’t as bad as you thought now, eh?” Flash pulled her claws out form between the gasping she-wolf’s teeth, and immediately, Kestrel’s breathing grew stronger from the moment she swallowed, and in no time, her breathing was not quickened gasps’, but strong, deep breaths.

            “Okay, Kestrel, you don’t have to push yet,” Flash narrowed her eyes

            “Then when?” Kestrel groaned, dragging her legs closer to her bulging belly, and clutching them to it. 

            “Umm, not just yet-” Flash guessed

            “That’s what you s-” Kestrel began but was cut off by a yelp from Flash.

            “I can see the first pup!  Now!”

            Blizzard tensed as he heard Kestrel painfully struggle for her pups.

            “Come on, push Kestrel, push.”  Flash urged.

            “I am!” Kestrel heaved and flexed her feathery wings, fast and suddenly. “Blizzard,” she squeezed her eyes closed in pain “please go, I don’t want you seeing me like this.”

            Blizzard crouched by her head, and shoved his nose into Kestrels cheek fur. “I’m not leaving you,” he breathed “I can’t.”

            “I don’t want you-“ she caught her breath, and gasped “I don’t want you to worry-“ she paused again catching her breath once more “about me.” 

            “I wouldn’t worry about you so much if I could be with you.” Blizzard turned to Flash.

            “If that’s what she wants, I think you’d better do it,” The pale red herb-wolf sighed.

            Blizzard started backing away, knowing is would be best, and shot a “Good Bye” look to Kestrel.

            Flash nodded, then added quickly before he disappeared “Could you get Dawn on your way out? I think this would be a good experience for her.”

            Blizzard nodded, and wandered in his mind Is she really experienced enough though? But he knew better then to ask. He was sure Flash knew what she was talking about.

***

             

            After what seemed to be more then one hundred moons, Blizzzrd was allowed in, by a sad looking Dawn.

            Once he found his way to the chamber, he froze as he saw Flash’s face, and Kestrel soft weeping, with her body curled around her flatter looking belly. The gray he-wolf noticed a small bundle of fur hunched in between Flash’s paws, and grew dizzy as he heard Flash utter the simple phrase. “I’m sorry; she was born dead” It couldn’t be true, no, it couldn’t! Blizzard kept on thinking to himself. He slowly left his mate’s side and crept silently to where Flash was starting down at a tiny bundle of red and cream fur. “I’m sorry.” She repeated.

            Kestrel’s body gave a quick violent jolt. “It’s not true Blizzard. Tell me it’s not true!” She wailed in agony.

            Blizzard’s blood ran cold. It was true! His only daughter was dead. The gray he-wolf’s tail, once held high, now drooped between his legs. His eyes, once twinkling with pride, now glazed in horror. He slowly looked into his mate’s pleading eyes that were now filling with tears.

            “It-. . . it’s true, it’s true. . .” Blizzard muttered, his eyes dull with pain.

            “No! Blizzard, oh, Blizzard, no. . .”  Kestrel groaned, tears flooding through her closed eyes. “This is all my fault.” she muttered as her breaths turned into quick gasps.  The newborn pups started whimpering and yipping when Kestrel jerked and heaved for breath.

            “Kestrel, settle down! Your pups won’t be able to drink.” Flash fretted and soothingly set a paw on creamy-tan she-wolf’s back.

            “I-I can’t! I think there is one more pup!” Kestrel gasped not even believing the words that come from her own mouth.

            “Don’t be silly, there shouldn’t be any more, I told you that already.” Flash sighed and looked up at Blizzard with ice-blue eyes.

            Blizzard frowned and lowered hid head. If only there were . . . he thought to himself. But, there couldn’t be. She had already had four pups, a gray-and-white pup, that resembled Blizzard, a large black pup, a muddy-brown- pup, all males, and her . . . the red-and-cream she-pup that had supposedly been born dead. There just couldn’t be. That was all of them. It was over.

            Blizzard flicked his ears as his thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from Flash.      “There is one more!  One more!” Flash yipped in surprise.

            “I told you rabbit-head!” Kestrel yapped in pain, and in happiness.

            Blizzard perked up. Could it be? Could there be one more pup?

            “Okay, Kestrel, push! Quickly, this one should have been born a while ago. There isn’t much time.” Flash encouraged with a worried glance at Blizzard.

            With tears still streaming from her eyes, Kestrel heaved a sigh, and started pushing with all of her might. A strong ripple flew down Kestrel’s back and she let out a gasp of pain.

            Blizzard’s ears shot up when he heard Flash yip in surprise. Was it really true?

            “Blizzard, you lick thin one clean-” Flash cut off, glancing at Kestrel, her panting had settling down “It’s so small, I’m afraid it might be like the other one. . .” she added in a lower voice, obviously not wanting Kestrel to hear.

            Blizzard hid his fear. He couldn’t bear this one to be lifeless as well. “Great Moon, beloved Star, if you can hear me, let this pup live,” He prayed under his breath. “Please.” he added. Finishing his plea, he swiftly bent over and started licking the new-born, revealing a small creamy colored pup.

            Kestrel’s eyes were open no more then a slit with extortion as she started to struggle over to see her last pup.

            “Make Kestrel stay where she is.” Flash firmly ordered Blizzard.

            Blizzard nodded, and then slid to Kestrel’s side. He crouched by her, and soothingly licked her behind her ear, breathing in her sweet scent.

            After a moment, Flash sighed in relief “It’s a she-pup! And she is alive and well.”

            Kestrel immediately lifted her head, her eyes wide opened, clouded in sadness and exertion, but sparks of hope glittered there. “Let me see her!” she struggled.

            Flash wasted no time, and quickly lifted the small creamy-colored she-pup and set her by her mother’s belly, already crowded with her three he-pups.

            Kestrel curved her body and started to lick her only she-pup viciously. After she sniffed her pups all over, she lifted her head.

            “I have chosen names for all of them.” She announced “Jude,” she gestured to the large black he-pup “Steam,” she said softly before setting her paw lightly on the gray-and-white male  “Poison,” Kestrel set her tail on the muddy-brown pup “And Korea.”

            Blizzard smiled. She had always chose the names with care. And she always chose the best.

            But Blizzard shuddered as he felt a spring of freezing ice bust inside of him. Kestrel hadn’t named the red-and-cream she-pup. Could she have really forgotten the lifeless scrap of fur, hunched right in front of her nose?

            Blizzard turned to face his mate. He lowered his head when he saw her face; the fur around her eyes was matted from her earlier tears.

            “Flash,” Kestrel murmured before tears began to stream out of her eyes once more “My I see her?”

            Looking confused, Flash opened her mouth to ask what she meant, but quickly shut it and solemnly nodded. She backed up, and slowly looked down at the tiny bundle of fur. The herb-wolf crouched near the she-pup’s small head, and softly licked it before gently and sweetly lifting the cream-and-red pup by her scruff and setting her between the Alpha female’s front paws.

            Tears had begun to slip down Kestrel’s cheeks like water flowing through a stream. 

            “Thank you, Flash.”  Her voice broke off into a wail of agony and she shoved her nose into the soft red fur. “We will never forget you, my little Ruby.”

Chapter#2

The smell of turned soil, ripped grass and moss filled Blizzard’s nose as he gaz-ed down.

He still couldn’t believe it.

The tiny she-pup was truly dead.

She could have grown up to be a beautiful hunter, or fighter. She could have grown up, to make it back safely from her Journeys to the Moon Caves. She could have earned her wings. Her mother would be very proud of her. But him and his mate had to face the facts sometime.

A small rustle behind Blizzard alerted him that he was not alone. The stormy-gray he-wolf swiftly whipped his head around, but to see nothing but a squirrel, nibbling greedily on an acorn on the branch of an oak tree.   

            “Squirrels- always trying to-“ Blizzard cut off as a horrible stench filled his mouth. “Great Star!” he muttered, a hint of a growl in his voice “One whiff of that would wake a hibernating grizzly!”  He gave his pelt a quick sake Rotting meat and dung, I’d say. He thought to himself

As Blizzard was just about to leave, and wash off that revolving stink, he stopped.

Was there something familiar in that smell? Something he had smelled, somewhere in his life?

Blizzard wrinkled his nose as he drew in a small quick sniff. He sneezed in degust, and turned to leave, but stopped once more. His eyes widened as he scenting the air again. 

There was just a small twinge of something her new without a doubt he had smelt before.

Flame-Stone.

Blizzard shrugged Probably just some old stinky badger from their territory. Blizzard reasoned with himself. He snorted as he smelt that foul smell yet again.

Grumbling under his breath, Blizzard staked off.   

           

Blizzard slipped through a clump of long grass at the edge of a long clearing. He shoved his ears forwards as he listened to the sound of water, curving through the rivers bends, and rushing down small waterfalls.

            “I think this will take me a moon to wash off,” Blizzard cursed, scratching his hear with his hind leg.

            “Yeah, it probably will.”

             Blizzard jumped with fright. He hadn’t even noticed someone was right behind him. He quickly turned to face the wolf who had spoken.

“Oh, it’s just you, Jag.” Embarrassed, Blizzard gave his chest fur a few licks. He shook his head, and looked into the dark-blue he-wolf’s bright yellow eyes. “You startled me.” Blizzard confessed.

Jag puffed out his chest, streaked with thin yellow bolts. “I’ve been ‘startling’ you since I was a pup.” Jag reminded Blizzard. “But I think I’ve truly been scaring the fur off your back.”

Blizzard sighed. He didn’t want to confess that.  “Don’t even remind me of your pup-moons.” The alpha-male nudged his son. “I don’t know how you managed to do it every single time, but you did.” Blizzard saw pride glow in Jag’s eyes as he complimented him. “You were here one ear flick, and there another.”

Jag shuffled his paws, and slowly looked up into his father’s loving eyes. His face turned from happy and content to weary.

            “Da,” Jag paused, looking confused “Your eyes are wet.”

Blizzard looked at him, narrowing his eyes, then lifted his front leg, and swiped his paw over his eyes. The fur around his eyes was all wet and matted with drying tears. 

“You were by Ruby, weren’t you?” Jag asked his voice full of sadness.

Blizzard slowly nodded. “I just wanted to say my last good-byes.” He struggled in a small voice. The fur of Blizzards back began to rise as remembered Kestrel wailing. “It’s not true Blizzard, tell me it’s not true!”  Blizzard squeezed his eyes shut before every hair on his pelt had reason as he thought of that horrifying moment.

“Da,” Jag mumbled, his eyes stretched wide “you look spooked. . .”

Blizzard admitted in his mind that yes, he was spooked, very spooked, but he kept his muzzle shut.

Blizzard shook his head “Ugh, that smell,” he lied “I have to wash that off, or soon I think it will never come out!” he smiled “With you standing around me so long, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you smelled the same.”

            Jag shook his head, and started sniffing through his chest fur. Sighing, he wrinkled his nose. “I have to admit; I do smell, but not as bad as you.” He paused and flicked his ears towards the flowing river. “I spouse I’ll have to take a wash too?” he slowly looked to his father; hopping maybe Blizzard would spare him from taking an icy-cold wash.

“Yep. I’m not letting either of us stinking up the camp with this!”

“Yeah,” Jag slowly rose from his haunches and gave himself a quick shake “imagine what Kestrel would say if I tried to visit her smelling like this!”  

 Blizzard shivered as he set a paw gingerly in the cold-flowing water. “We should be grateful it isn’t winter right now.” Blizzard told his son “The water would have been ten-times as cold!”

“Yeah, but we could have rolled in the snow if it was winter.” Jag reasoned before shrugging.

“I don’t think a smell like this would come off so easy.”  Blizzard guessed.

The Alpha male had gotten no deeper then his shoulders when Jag suddenly leaped to the air, spreading his wings out and catching the breeze for a small quick second, then dive-bombing the water, head first towards the center of the river. Only his back paws were visible. They twitched and jerked about as Jag tried to stay afloat with his strong, powerful wings.

            Blizzard tilted his head, wondering what Jag was doing, and if he should help him.  Uneasy about what his son was up to under the rushing water, Blizzard began to wade farther into river. As he set his paws down on the river smooth peoples he stopped short.

Jag’s back paws had disappeared!

Wide-eyed with fear, the alpha-male let out a startled yelp. He started to bound towards the center of the river, lifting his front paws completely out of the water, and boosting a leap with is back legs. But before Blizzard could reach his son, Jag’s head burst out of the water. A huge trout dangled from h is jaws, flopping and flailing about.

“Sorry if I startled you by jumping off like that.” he mumbled around the trout’s soft scales. “I saw this and thought I would try my luck.” He explained

Blizzard nodded “You started to worry me there.” He scolded gently. “But nice catch! That’s the biggest fish I have ever seen!”

Waves of pride flowed from Jag “Maybe Grizzly will stop teasing me when he takes a load of this!”

Blizzard shook his head as he thought of his ignorant son.

 Grizzly.

 He was always bossing all the younger wolves around, and thinking he was better then anyone else. Blizzard couldn’t even remember if Grizzly had even ever uttered a complement to another wolf. He only cared about himself.

“I wouldn’t be expecting anything. . .” he softly muttered.

Jag nodded, and set the mossy-colored fish down on the pebbly shore river shore. “Yeah,” he sighed “I know.” Jag sniffed , then shook his pelt sending drops of icy-cold water through the air.

“Hey! Cut that out!” Blizzard quickly shielded his face from the ice cold droplets flying everywhere with his muscular black wings.

“You’re already soaked to the bone. A few drops won’t make much of a difference.” Jag pointed out, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Blizzard rolled his eyes. “It’s colder once it has been in the air. . .” he struggled for an excuse for his puppish behavior.

“You’re worse then a pup!” Jag playfully head butted his father in the flank. 

Loosing his balance, Blizzard toppled over. He laid there for a second, watching a plump dove glide across the sky.

 He smiled.

 For some strange reason that dove reminded him strongly of his mate, and their newly born pups. He could just imagine them, all curled up asleep in the alpha den. He longed to be with them more then ever. Blizzard slowly closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

Blizzard blinked his eyes open as he heard Jag interrupt his peaceful thoughts with a snort.

“Are you going to lie there all day?”

The cloudy-gray he-wolf grunted and lifted his head. He let out a growl of annoyance as he noticed that the side he had been laying on was plaster with dirt and tiny pebbles that clung to his wet fur.

“Ugh. . .” Blizzard quickly stood up, and gave his pelt a strong shake. Grit and droplets of water flew in every direction.

“Now that’s something a wolf would need to cut out.” Jag complained as a small clump of dirt landed on his nose. He shook his head, trying to fling it off.

But there it stayed.

Jag rolled his eyes, trying to hide his embarrassment. He lifted his front paw, and flicked the grit off of his nose, then opened his mouth about to complain more, but decided it would be better to just keep it so himself.

“I should probably be going now.” Blizzard informed Jag.

The dark-blue he-wolf nodded understandingly. “I’m going to see if I can’t catch anything else.”  He flicked his tail towards the river.

“Okay,” Blizzard agreed, “I bet ya’ Brightpelt’s pup’s will be hungry.”

“Oh, I am sure their as hungry as a bear after hibernating.” Jag laughed. “Isn’t it about time they’ve been apprenticed?” he carefully asked.

“Oh, they’ve probably got about another half moon or so.” Blizzard corrected his son.

Jag nodded submissively.

“Well, I’d better be off. Do you want me to drop off your catch at camp? That’s were I’m headed.” Blizzard offered slightly tipping his head.

“Yeah, okay! That’d be great!” Jag bent down and picked up the huge fish, gripping it with his fangs. He handed it to his father. Blizzard took gripped it in his own jaws, and breathed in the tasty scent.

“Thanks, father.” Jag dipped his head in gratitude.

Blizzard acknowledged him with a flick of his tail.

Leaf debris crunched under Blizzard’s paws as he trekked through his territory.  The huge fish’s scales were still wet, and a bit slimy to the touch. The delicious taste spread through his mouth, making his tongue tingle with hunger. Blizzard was very tempted to take it much more a small nibble from the trout’s belly, but he knew some other wolf would need it much more than he would.

Blizzard jerked his ear, flicking away a fly that had been annoyingly buzzing around and around his head.

 The heavy steel collar that hung around Blizzards neck seemed as heavy as ever, and the fish was waging his head down. The murky-gray wolf stretched his neck, and gave his damp pelt a small shake. His paws were still cold from the river water, but were now warming up as he kept them moving.      

Blizzard perked his ears to the sound of a squeak of some tiny creature that was just around the small hill that loomed in front of him. Making sure that he didn’t step on any twigs or dried leaves, Blizzard crept behind a rock that was firmly placed in the side of the hill. He quietly peeked his head over the bolder to see a hawk crouched over a small vole it had just made it’s pray. The sleek brown bird fluffed up the feathers on it’s head, then picked up the scrawny vole. Blinking it’s red-brown eyes, the huge bird scratched the ground with it’s long talons where a small bit of the rodent’s blood had smeared the forest ground. The hawk then beated it’s feathery wings once or twice before lifting it’s body of the ground. The bird screeched, and glided out of the condensed forest trees, launching it’s self into the clouds.

Blizzard tilted his head and slowly staked to were the hunter and it’s caught pray had been. He sighed to himself. Why didn’t he think to catch the hawk? It’s feathers could have been used to soften Kestrel’s nest, and the pray could have feed her too. Why had he been so senseless?  Blizzard shook his head, ripping the fish’s flesh a bit. There was always next time he shrugged.

* * *

“Oh,Wow!” one of Brightpelt’s pups danced around Blizzard’s paws. “That’s the biggest fish I’ve ever seen! How’d you catch it?”

“Don’t ask me.” said Blizzard lifting his paw as the restless pup pounced at it. “Jag’s the one that caught it.”

The gray pup’s eyes stretched wide “I wanna’ catch a fish like that!”  He squeaked as his tail thumped agents the dusty ground, sending puffs of light dirt into the air.

Blizzard smiled and remembered when he was a pup. He had always hopped to catch the biggest peace of kill, and earn the biggest wings. A pups only dream was to be the best at everything. . .

   The gray he-wolf grunted as he felt something ram into his back legs. Pumping his wings, Blizzard flew into the air, looking down to the ground to see the who had sneak attacked him.

I should have known.  Blizzard smiled to himself when he saw the attacker: a small red-ish gray she-pup.

“Cheater!” she wailed from the ground, and leaped up, snapping her jaws.

“I did no such thing,” Blizzard replied as he folded his wings in mid-air. The she-pup’s eyes winded as she realized what Blizzard was about to do.

Blizzard stretched out his paws, as if he were standing on air. He lifted his lips in a smirk before landing heavily on his paws.

 The small she-pup was curled up in a small ball between his paws. She gasped “I’m alive!” blinking, she perked her ears up, and quickly jumped to her paws, and rushed out from under Blizzard’s shadow.  Once out, she viciously leaped for her brother, lips cracked in a growl. Her brother flattened his ears as she landed on him with a thud.

“No fair! I wasn’t ready!” he quickly snapped as he wriggled out from under his sister’s weight.

“Oh, come on, Scale! You’re bigger then me, stronger then me, but you have never pinned me yet.” The spirited red-gray she-pup puffed out her chest, flicking her ears.

“I’ve never had the chance to yet. . .” Scale mumbled turning his head, and drooping his tail.

Blizzard sighed, rolling his eyes. “Terracotta, Scale, stop this nonsense.” He sternly eyed the two rambunctious pups. 

Terracotta lowered her head in submission to her leader. “Yes Alpha,” she mumbled, giving her brother a sly look with her ember-brown eyes “But he started it!” she quickly protested.

Scale tucked his tail between his legs, and nodded. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” he muttered solemnly.

Blizzard smiled. Scale had gained much favor with him. He knew that his sister had started the squabbling, but he admired his for not urging, unlike Terracotta had. Blizzard knew that one day; Scale would grow up to be a fine pack wolf, strong and noble, not a gloater in his strength and power.  

Blizzard let out a soft grunt as he rose to his paws, lifting his head high. He gazed at Scale’s humble face, then dragged his eyes towards Terracotta. Her face was screwed up in a growl of satisfaction, her ember-brown eyes flickered from her brother to Blizzard, and back again. When her eyes rested on Blizzard, he gave her a humiliating staring punishment, narrowing his eyes. Nock it off.

Terracotta immediately rolled on her back, exposing her cream underbelly, and tucked her tail between her legs, flattening her ears. She let out a small yap as Blizzard bent down, and gave her a strong cuff on her ear, then nudged her to her feet with his nose. 

“Now off with you two,” Blizzard ordered them, pounding a paw on the ground to show them that he meant it, and as fast as a snake seizing it’s pray, they turned tails and started trotting to the edge of the clearing. “And stay out of trouble.” Blizzard added as he heard Terracotta grumbling and complaining.

           

           

Chapter#3

               Two huge snakes slithered closer and closer to Blizzard’s paws. Their scales scraping the ground, and turning leaves. One, a sleek colored black adder, with icy blue eyes, and another, stormy-gray with dull yellow eyes. They both flicked their forked tongues in and out as they approached Blizzard.

            Blizzard tensed as they slid nearer. He could feel his hackles rise, and his lips pull back into a snarl, revealing razor-sharp teeth, ready to slice through the hardest scale. He spread his night-black wings, making himself look twice his real size, but it did nothing to frighten the venomous adders as they approached, their eyes full of mystery.

            Deciding staying and fighting it wasn’t worth getting bit, Blizzard bunched up his muscles, and leaped into the air, catching a small breeze with his wings, and flew into the sky. But just as he escaped the forest trees, his wings stiffened, and he fell, back into the small clearing, where four long fangs waited to slice through his pelt, and rip through his skin, leaving a toxic venom that would kill a wolf in a matter of hours.

            Blizzard lost his breath as he landed heavily on the ground. Then there he lay, gasping as he struggled for air. But he knew this was nothing compared to what were circling him now, their necks hiked up into the aggressive S position, and their mouths wide open and ready for chopping down into Blizzards flesh.

            The gray wolf squeezed his eyes shut as he saw the dark stone colored snake lunge as his side-

            Blizzard awoke with a start, leaping to his paws, only to smack his head on the roof of his den.

            “Mother! He’s awake now!  Oh, please can he take us?” Korea bounced up and down, her creamy-colored tail wagging violently

            It had been three moons since the birth of Kestrel’s pups, and they had grown fast, already talking non-stop, and pleading for adventures outside camp.

            Korea looked up at Blizzard “Come on,” she yapped, nudging her fathers back leg with her head. “Time to get up and take us out!”

            “Take you out?”  Blizzard narrowed his eyes, turning to his mate. “Kestrel, what did you agree to?”

            Kestrel looked up from her paw she was licking, and rolled her eyes “It’s nothing big. I promised them you would take them out of camp to explore just a bit. They are three moons old today.” She said with a small chuckle, and went back to licking.

            Blizzard sighed. The dream still lingered strongly in his mind. But he shook it off. Just some crazy night mare. He concluded in his mind, and got up onto to his haunches.

            “Does it have to be right now?” he asked the four restless pups as they coked their heads and wagged their tails. “I’ve still got to wake up fully.”  He blinked his blurry eyes.

            “Come on!” Jude growled “We’ve waited a whole moon to be old enough to go out of camp! Do we have to wait any longer just for you to wake up?” playfully slapping his front legs on the ground, he yapped and whined.

            Blizzard smiled and sighed “Oh, alright. But I’m not lugging you about till sunhigh-oaky?” 

            All four pups leaped to their paws, and started yapping and yelping with joy. Korea rushed to the cavern entrance, and howled “C’mon! I call taking lead!” With her tail head high, she sped out of the cavern.

            “Hey!” Jude yelped and dashed after her. “I’m the leader this time, you stupid speck of fluff!” Easily catching up to his little sister, he pinned her to the ground, and tugged on her ear.

            Korea yelped in pain as his teeth poked through her ear. Struggling, she ripped her ear out of his fangs, and quickly ran back to the cavern, and plunged into her mother’s side whining. “Oh! My ear! My ear!” She swiped her paw over her torn ear, trying to take away the pain, but only ended up flicking blood into the air.

            Kestrel gently took Korea by her scruff, set her in between her paws and started roughly licking her ear.

            “Oh, Mother it hurts!” Korea cried.

            Steam perked up his smoky-gray ears “Is there blood? Is she okay?”

            Then Poison hopped up, trying to get a better look at his sister ear “Is she gouna’ die?” he fretted as he spotted a small amount of blood matting creamy fur.

            Kestrel looked up from Korea’s ear “I think she’ll be okay. But how’d It happen, dear?” She asked lovingly between licks.

            Out of the corner of his eye, Blizzard saw Jude wince, and start to back away into the cavern entrance. But before he could disappear completely, Blizzard growled deeply “Jude.”

            Jude immediately stopped in his tracks “Uhh. . .Yeah?”

            Blizzard gave him a stern look, flicking his tail. “You know. Go tell your mother, and say ‘I’m sorry’ to your sister.” But Jude hesitated. “NOW.” Blizzard rumbled and pulled back his lips showing his teeth.

            Flattening his ears and tucking his tail between his legs in submission, Jude slowly padded up to Korea and their mother. “I did it.” he said with a hint of growl in his voice “But that little speck had it coming!” He burst out lifting his ears and raising his tail.

            His mother’s mouth dropped open and Korea winced “I have not had one pup who drew blood from their sibling on purpose!” Kestrel started at her pup in astonishment, and flatting her ears added “For tearing Korea’s ear, and speaking about her in such manner, you will stay in camp -actually in the den - all day, while your littermates explore with your father.”

            Jude shuddered “What!? All cause’ of that pathetic pip squeak?” snapping, he shot Korea a nasty look glaring into her eyes as a sign of aggression.

             “As well as tomorrow.” Kestrel quickly added, giving Jude a stern stare with glowing amber eyes, then shook her head “Now Blizzard, could you go take Korea to Flash’s den? I think she might need just a bit of honeydew leaf-past to calm down the bleeding and sooth the pain.” She sighed then added “And you might as well take Steam and Poison with you. You can go right to exploring afterwards.” Kestrel suggested with a shrug.

            Blizzard nodded in agreement “Of course.” then gave his daughter a rough lick on the head before picking her up by her scruff.

            “There, that should do it,” Flash murmured as she smoothed out the honeydew leaf-past onto Koreas torn ear.

            Korea closed her eyes “Ahh. . . That’s a lot better,” she sighed, then opened her eyes “thank you, Flash.” She dipped her head in respect.

            Flash shook her head, “No problem, that’s what I’m here for.” She winked at the little pup, then nudged her with her paw, and Korea giggled as she tumbled over.

            Blizzard blinked “Thanks, Flash.” He said, then rose to his paws, and called to Steam and Poison who where sniffing through the herb-wolf’s supplies.

            “Just a second, da,” Poison said, keeping his eyes on a beetle that was crawling across the ground, then summand his siblings over with a flick of his tail “Steam, Korea! Look at that!” he whispered and pointed at the blue-ish black insect with his nose.

            “Wow!” they both breathed as they caught sight of the bug.

            “Can I eat it?” Steam asked Flash curiously, cocking his head to one side with his ears pricked up.

            Flash shook her self, then slowly crept to the spot where all the three pups were gathered, then laughed “If you really want to.”

             Steam slowly bent his head down, sniffing the beetle, then picked it up with his teeth and cracked it’s shell, making a loud crunch.

            “Eek!” Korea jumped back “It’s crunchy?”

            Poison started thumping hiss tail onto the den floor, and shoved his ears forwards in excitement “Is it good?”

            Steam shrugged as he crunched on it, and then swallowed. “It’s oaky I guess- I mean- it’s not really meaty.” He answered, then licked his chops.

            Flash leaned towards Blizzard, and whispered out of the side of her mouth, so only he could hear “I wonder what they’ll do when they find a mouse!”

            Blizzard smiled and nodded, “They’d probably go nuts over it.”

            Steam got to his paws “I wouldn’t really mind another!” he said lightly, then sat back down on his hunches and screwed up his face as he gave his ear a scratch with his hind leg.  

            “Oh really?” Korea gave her brother a doubtful look, tilting her head “I’ve never thought of bugs as appetizing.”

            “Yeah,” Poison agreed, “But I wonder what Jude would have done if he saw Steam do that.” He wondered, blinking.

            “Uh-huh, but imagine what kind of things we’ll be doing when we get out there!” Steam nodded towards the den entrance, slashing his tail.

            Korea widened her eyes “Yeah! So lets go!” she yapped as she raced for the entrance, and exploded through the sagging veil of vines.

            “C’mon!” Poison looked up at his father with sparkling eyes, then barked as he leaped into the entrance.

            Blizzard smiled “Alright,” he huffed as he followed his sons out of the den, but before exiting, he looked back at Flash, and dipped his head saying goodbye.

            Once out, Blizzard took in a deep breath of hot summer air.

            Panting, Steam skipped up to his father. “Are you coming or not?” he asked impatiently.

            Blizzard cracked his lips in a smirk, before leaping into the air, and gliding to the far side of the camp clearing. “More like are you coming or not!” he teased as Steam and the others pelted after him.

            Korea came last, her tongue lolling from her mouth “Oh, it’s hot!” she panted as she lowered her tail.

            Blizzard smiled, “It won’t be once we get to the stream.”

            Korea immediately lit up. “Oh, yes! We’re going to the stream!” she yapped gleefully.

            “Yay!” both Poison and his brother cheered, and wagged their tails.

            The stone-gray he-wolf gave himself a small shake, then asked “Are you ready?”

            “Yup!” all three pups answered eagerly, ears perked and tails wagging.

            “Alright.” Blizzard started tramping out of the clearing and into the great green forest closely followed by his pups.

            The sun was brightly shining thought the crisp-green leaves of the trees above, tinting the ground with a light lime green color.

            Above their heads, a swarm of orange, black, and yellow butterflies fluttered through the forest, dodging tree branches, and weaving through leaves. All three pups gasped in awe, but Steam barked and flew across the forest floor, scattering pine needles, and leaping over large branches.  Poison soon followed in his lead, and Korea could resist the bright-colored targets.

            “Can we eat these?” Poison asked as he jumped up, snapping his jaws, trying to catch one of the swift beautiful creatures. 

            Blizzard shrugged, trying to hold in a laugh. “They won’t hurt you, but they’re disgusting. They’re all dry, and taste like nothing but dust.”

            Korea wagged her tail as she leaped for an orange one “But they look so tasty!” she urged as she pinned it to the ground “Oh, I got it! I got it!” she yelped.

            Both Poison and his brother perked up “Really?”

            The little cream pup looked up with huge emerald green eyes “Yes! Come and see!”

            Poison looked down to where Korea held down a bright orange butterfly “Wow! You really did!” he yapped as Steam approached. 

            “Come on! Try it!”

            Korea shuddered “Oh, fine!” She then bent her head down and licked it, but the dusty bug stuck to her tongue. “Owwh!” she yelped with her tongue out “Gwet wit owff!” Running in circles, she shook her head, trying to fling it off.

            Steam wrinkled his nose “Gross!”

            Poison nodded his muddy-brown head in agreement, and flattened his ears.

            Rolling his eyes, Blizzard caught up with his daughter, and picked her up by the scruff. “Hold still!” he ordered out of the side of his mouth.

            Korea gave her head one last shake, and then stopped; her eyes squeezed shut in disgust.

            Blizzard set her down, and then sat on his haunches. Holding her head up the best he could with one paw, and with the other snagged his claw into the butterfly’s only remaining wing and slid it off of Korea’s tongue, which was littered with the butterfly’s orange wing-dust.  “It’s off.” he assured the little pup, her eyes still shut tight.

            Slowly opening her eyes, Korea put her tongue back in her mouth, then spit out some of the orange dust. She shook her head “That was absolutely revolting!”

            “Yeah! I’d say!” Steam barked “One of it’s wings was flung clear off.”

            Korea scowled at her brother “I ain’t taste-testing no more bugs!”

            Poison nodded his head violently “Yeah! Me neither! We can leave that job up to Steam.”

            The smoky gray pup rolled his eyes “Okay, Okay,” he sighed “But at least I’m not acting like a wimp!”

            “Oh yeah?” Poison bristled “Who you callin’ a wimp!”

            Blizzard sighed, then stood up “That is enough,” he sternly barked, taking the time to look at each pup in the eyes.

            All three pups immediately shut their muzzles, and looked at their father, lowering their tails, and flattening their ears.

            “I’m sorry,” Steam mumbled, and locked his gaze on his paws.

            “I’m sorry too, Da,” Korea apologized, flicking her ears as she tried not to look into her father’s eyes.

            “Me too.”

            “Good.” Blizzard said  

            Blizzard pointed to the direction that could bring them deeper into the forest. “C’mon” he started padding off.

            “Alright!” Korea chirped, and bounded across the forest floor, catching up with Blizzard.

            Along the way they had stopped three times to either stare at or test something. The first time it was a dead mouse. Blizzard told them not to touch it, and so they went on.

            The second time was to watch a squirrel dig up some nuts, and then stuff them in his face. All the pups had thought this was hilarious, and in their laughter scared the squirrel up a tree.

            The third time was to examine, and finally taste a ruby-red ladybug. Korea dared not try it, with the encounter with the dusty butterfly still haunting her, but Steam gladly crunched on the bug. But he spit it out and said it was disgusting, so they all moved on.

           

            “Here we are!” Blizzard barked lightly, looking back to catch sight of all three of his pups, panting and huffing as they tried to keep up.

            Once all of the three pups and caught up, Korea shoved her ears forward “It that the sound of rushing water?” she asked lifting her tail in excitement.

            Steam bounced up “Can’t you sense it?” he yapped then turned and raced off towards the direction of the sound.  

            Korea yelped “Wait for me!” and trotted after him.

            Poison –after a quick lick to his chest- caught up to them and gasped when he saw the stream. “WOW! I’ve never seen this much water at once!”

            “Yeah!” Korea yapped, and turned to her father, “Do you think we could get in?” she asked, tail wagging.

            Blizzard smiled, and nodded. “Be careful though.” He ordered them with a stern slash of his tail.

            “Alright!” all three pups gleefully skipped to the water’s edge. Steam was the first to dip his paw in.

            “How is it?” Korea asked impatiently.

            “It’s cold-But if feels great in this heat!” Steam replied with a happy yip, and trudged in up to his knees.

            Poison was next in, followed by little Korea, and closely watched by Blizzard, who stood by the waters’ edge.

            The crystal clear water glimmered in the sunlight, and the green water grass waved elegantly in the flowing stream. An occasional trout dashed through the water, and dozens of minnows swirled in schools in the shallows. The floor of the small stream was made of small smooth pebbles, but some big rocks jutted out of the water, making stepping stones throughout the curves.

            After a few minutes, Blizzard settled himself down in the long grass that loomed about a wing length away from the water, still keeping a close watch on his pups.

            By this time, all three pups were sopping wet, but still as energetic as ever. They had all tried to catch some minnows, but the swift-finned fishes quickly evacuated the area, leaving not a trace behind.

            As they kept on playing Blizzard noticed the sun starting to set over the horizon, and the sky started to turn to shads of orange and pink.

            “I think it’s about time we head home and get something to eat.” Blizzard called to the pups.

            All three pups stopped their running about, and gave their father solemn nods.

            “Do we have to now?” Poison asked with a small whimper.

            Blizzard looked at the sky again, and nodded “By the time we get back to camp it will be quite dark.” he reasoned, getting up to his paws.

            “Awww. . .”  Steam whined, but obediently made his way to the stream bank followed by his litter mates.

            As Korea got her last paw out of the water, her belly growled. “Yeah, lets go get somethin’ to eat!” she yipped and shook her pelt, making it spike up in all different directions.

            Blizzard smiled. “This will be your first time eating with the every one. So tonight you will officially be true members of the pack.”

           

           

                                                           

             

Chapter#4

            The trip home seemed much, much longer the trip out, but when they arrived at camp they were greeted with happy barks and yips.

            “You guys exited?”  Jag, Blizzard and Kestrel’s son from their previous litter asked with a wink.

            “This will be a great moment in you lives. Don’t forget it!” Teal, a high ranking wolf remarked.

            As all of the Moon-Star wolves gathered around them, Kestrel pushed her way to the front, giving warning growls to Starling –Blizzard’s younger sister- and Brightpelt, both subordinate females, who were not allowed to have pups.

            Brightpelt had had pups once before with Graystone, and Kestrel didn’t want that happening again. The alpha female always fight for their mating rights, and Kestrel was no slacker in that business.

            Once she reached her mate and pups, her face lit up. “How was it?” she asked, tilting her head as she sat down beside Blizzard. “I didn’t except you to be gone this long!”

            Korea jumped up to lick her mothers face, tail tucked and ears flattened in submission. “It was great mum! I wish you could have been there!” 

            Steam and Poison both joined in and did as there sister was doing.

            “Yeah! It was amazing!” the muddy brown pup squealed.

            “We saw a squirrel, and fish, and a frog, and-“ Steam started excitedly, but his mother hushed him with very soft growl.

            “I know, I know. Tell me all about it later in the den, alright?” she bent down and cuffed the gray pup gently.

            Blizzard licked Kestrel’s cheek before getting off his haunches, and weaving through his pack. He was headed for his den. Once he arrived there, he climbed to the top, and threw back his head, letting out a low, deep howl which echoed through the camp, silencing all of the yipping and yapping.

            Once all eyes where on him, Blizzard sat down. “This is a big night. Me and Kestrel’s pups will become official members of this pack. They will eat with us, and howl with us from this night forward!” He paused as a wave of excitement flew through the wolves. “Tonight’s hunting patrol will go out immediately. Teal, Mitch, Starling, and Grizzly,” he said, looking all of the named wolves in their eyes “go to the moores. Quickly now! The sun is almost down.”

            All four wolves nodded, and quickly grouped up, then tramped out of the clearing. Teal in the lead, followed by Starling, Grizzly, then Mitch.         

            After the hunting patrol had disappeared into the forest, Blizzard turned his attention pack to the remaining wolves. “Violet, I want you to wait and listed for their howls.”

            Violet nodded, then slinked to where her den loomed, and leaped on top, ears shoved forwards towards the setting sun.

            “How long till we eat?” Steam, who was sitting with his mother and litter mates groaned.

            Kestrel smiled “Not long now.” she murmured gently

            Korea suddenly perked up “Oh! Where’s Jude?”

            The alpha female sighed. “He’s still in the den. But I think he can come out now.” she then slowly got up and strode to the Alpha-den. And with a slash of her creamy tan tail, she entered.

            Blizzard, still on top of his den, leaped down, heavy-pawed from lugging his pups about, and padded to the circle of adult wolves.

            “Alpha,” Brightpelt dipped her head, and tucked her tail as he approached.

            Blizzard agnolaged her with a nod, and sat down beside his son, Jag. By then, all of the wolves ears where back, and tails tucked.

            Jag broke the silence with a grunt. “So how you’re day?”

            Blizzard sighed “As exousting as ever.”

            “How is Korea’s ear?” Flash asked, blinking.

            “I think its fine, I mean, she didn’t complain at all –till we had to start home of cores.”     

            Flash chuckled “Good.”

            Blizzard turned his attention to Graystone “Did anything happen while I was gone that I should know about?” he asked.

        Graystone shook his husky head “Not that I know of.”

        “Did at least two patrols go out?”

        “I know at least one went out, because I was on the first one.”

         “And I was on the second!” Jag said.

        “Good, good.” Blizzard murmured in relief.

        “Hey, where is Jude? I didn’t see him come back with you.” Brightpelt asked with a tilt of her head.

        “Oh- he had to stay at the den. He ripped Korea’s ear.” Blizzard answered, then shook his head “Pups. . .”

        Jag gave Blizzard a surprised face “Why’d he do that?” he asked in confusion.

        Blizzard shrugged, “I don’t know myself –But I think it had something to do about ‘taking lead’.”

        “Ahhh,”