The Adventures Of SilverPack

Chapter 9

Silverfang couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning, she got up and padded silently out of her den, careful not to wake Rabbitclaw. She sat down at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly she pricked her ears and stiffened. A dark shape was moving through the camp, crawling towards the exit. Silverfang cocked her head in confusion. It was Tigertooth! Looking closer, she saw that it wasn't Tigertooth, but Darkfur. The dark brown she-wolf looked around, although failing to see her leader in the shadows. Then she disappeared behind the boundary. Silverfang's eyes narrowed, and she raised her head to call Darkfur back. Then she bit her howl back and crept out after her. Silverfang followed the warrior for some time. At last Darkfur paused by the border and called out softly, "Are you there?"

Silverfang sank into a crouch next to Darkfur in the ferns, and waited for the other wolf to show.

And out of the dark, another voice whispered, "I'm here, I'm coming!"

A big, dark he-wolf stepped into Silverfang's territory, and she snarled softly and her fur lifted on her shoulders.

She stepped closer to hear their conversation. Darkfur was pressing herself against the other wolf.

"Oh, Darktail, I wish we could be together, but what would we do? I want to destroy Silverfang and her pack, just like you said!"

Silverfang let out a faint hiss.

The other wolf, Darktail, pressed against her as well. "I know, Darkfur," he said. His voice was so low, Silverfang strained to hear it. "Birchstem does not like your pack, and he will attack when there is no moon."

Silverfang stifled a gasp and looked up at the sky. The moon was barely half.

"Please, meet me here in two days time, take me to your leader! I will join your pack!" Darkfur pleaded.

"Okay, my love, I will!" The he-wolf answered, his voice full of emotion.

Silverfang, seething, waited for the two wolves to step aside and go to their camps. Slowly, she rose and followed Darkfur to the hollow, her steps heavy with what she learned. Sinking into her nest, she curled up next to Rabbitleap and fell asleep.

Silverfang rolled onto her back, shaking off the paw that was shaking her. Rapidly she shook her head and sat up. Lion's ginger head came into view. Wordlessly, she gestured for him to leave. He nodded and whisked away, started to divide hunting patrols. After Silverfang finished grooming, she shot out of her den and skidded over to Lion.

"No, don't do that," she said thinking quickly. "I want to take out a patrol. Let's see...I'll take you, Rabbitclaw, and you, Whitestorm, and Darkfur, and uhh, Waterdapple. We'll go patrol the east border," she said, watching Darkfur for any movement.

When she had said 'east border', the she-wolf's ears flicked up and she bounced forward. Narrowing her eyes, Silverfang padded out of camp. Breathing in the birdsong, and the sunshine, and the feeling of the grass under her paws, she sniffed the air. Lightly, Silverfang sank into a crouch, propelled herself into a graceful leap, and with a clean bite, killed the vole that was hiding in the ferns. She buried it and they kept walking. When they got to the border, a patrol from RowanPack was there, marking it. Silverfang flicked her tail and started to do the same thing. Then one of the wolves across the border spoke.

"Why are you staring at her?" he growled, shaking his head back and forth.

Silverfang followed his gaze, and it stopped on Darktail, who was looking at Darkfur. "Don't be a fur brain, she has a paw across the border!" Darktail hissed.

Darkfur immediately dropped her gaze onto her paws and stepped back.

Silverfang growled. "Let's go, everyone. Back to their own camps! Cmon!" she said.