The Blue Eyes of Sparrow

Chapter 14: The Flight of the Sparrow

Fleck struggled into a half-consciousness. She couldn't move, nor open her eyes. She was just frozen. Two wolves her talking near her, and she could hear their whispers.

"Will she be ok?" asked one wolf. She let out a loud groan, feeling the burn in her neck wound.

"Of course." came the confident reply. "She just needs to rest. She'll wake soon. She did lose a lot of blood. It'll take her a while to recover even after it heals." Fleck didn't recognize the voice, but its soft tones told her that it belonged to a female.  

The other wolf that had spoken didn't answer, but just simply walked away. Fleck's brain told her to go back to sleep. But she couldn't, wouldn't until she learned if they had won the battle. She forced herself to blearily open her eyes.

The wolf, a silver-and-white female, looked up from something she was mixing. "You're awake!"

Fleck groaned and sat up, the female dropped whatever she was doing and rushed to her side. "Don't sit up! You'll open your wound!"

Fleck laid stiffly back down. "Who are you?" she grew dizzy and she let her head fall back into the bed.

"The name is Melody." said the wolf, stretching out a paw in greeting. "Streaker was here just now. Deathly worried about your wounds. Said you collapsed and lost consciousness right after the battle."

Fleck groaned, and Melody started to lick her ear. "Did we win the battle?" Melody nodded, and Fleck asked, "Are you a Healer?" her paws trembling with pain.

"Well, I know enough to help. Not a full fletched Healer quite yet. But the golden-tawny wolf is teaching me."

"A golden-tawny wolf?" Fleck frowned.

"Ah yes. A handsome golden-tawny wolf. Seems to be worried about you too."

Fleck struggled to sit up, despite Melody's protests to rest. "Where is the wolf now?"

Melody seemed to give up and sat down with an amused huff. "He only seems to appear when I'm asleep. He's half-transparent and I can see the the forest beyond him."

Fleck's heart skipped a beat with hope. Is it... "What color are his eyes?"

"Green."

Fleck almost howled her joy to the the sky. Its Finch! Finch is training a Healer even after his death!

"Fleck, are you alright?" Melody asked, her pale blue eyes, just like Fleck's, shimmered with concern.

"Fine, fine... the wolf that is teaching you about healing... he was my mate."

Melody blinked. "Is it possible for a wolf to have pups with a dog?"

Fleck let out a growl. "We didn't really care about that." her reply was a bit sharper then she had intended. "Sorry." she mumbled. "He died a couple days ago."

Melody's eyes gleamed with soft compassion. "I'm sorry." Melody nuzzle Fleck's floppy ear. "Should have known he loved you."

Fleck felt tears run down her face. "Its not your fault....  he loved me very much, and I loved him too."

Melody licked her ears. "Go to sleep." she mumured.

"No!" Fleck shifted her paws. "I've been sleeping enough."

Melody looked around the den, then backed away towards the entrance of the den they were in. "Stay here."

She ran out and Fleck propped her head on the egde of the bed and waited, and Melody ran back with Streaker, who's yellow-golden eyes were shining. "You're awake." he observed.

Melody looked shocked as Streaker leaned in her ear and whispered something that Fleck couldn't catch. Melody hesitated, then nodded. "Let me retreat her wounds first, her health is our first priority."

Streaker nodded. He looked back at Fleck. "I've ordered all wolves to come live and make dens the big clearing under the Calling Cliff. The nursing mothers and the elderly are in great peril right now. And I can't defend all of them by myself."

Fleck nodded, ad Melody retreated her wounds with sharp-smelling herbs. "How did Aprika's pups take the trip?"

"Very well actually. Their eyes are open now."

Fleck's felt her ears prick. "That's amazing!"

Streaker was about to talk more when Melody nodded to Streaker. "She's ready."

He nodded and help her out of her nest. Confused, she limped outside, with Melody supporting her on one side, Streaker on the other. He led her into the clearing, and Streaker let her lay down at the base of the cliff, climbing the trail. He tipped his head back and let out a loud howl.

"Calling Cliff meeting!"

Wolves that had been resting in the shade appeared, their eyes bright with curiousity. Streaker nodded to a purplish-brown wolf with a freshly healed wound on her muzzle. Then he waited for everyone to gather than annoced.

"Fleck is awake! She fought bravely for wolves that weren't even her family, and she has beaten the dangerous wound to her neck. I've been thinking, and I've decided to rename her, in honor of her bravery and compassion."

All of the wolves let out cries of agreement, and loudest call was from Lilac, who's eyes shone as her pups played with a couple of older pups. Fleck blinked thankfully at her as excitemtn coursed though her pelt.

I'm getting renamed!

Streaker came down from the cliff and placed his tail on her forehead. "From now on, Fleck will be known as Sparrow, as she has flied over her grief to fight for the group!"

The wolves raised they heads and let out a wordless howl of greeting, which turned into a simple call.

"Sparrow! Sparrow! Sparrow!"

Sparrow raised her head proudly. "Thank you." she murmured. "Thanks for everything."

She closed her eyes and basked in the calls of the wolves, who were still calling her new name.

"Sparrow! Sparrow! Sparrow!"