Silvershore

Chapter Seven

Stormjay arrived to the pack meeting with Roscoe a little late, but they were just in time to know what was going on.

"Everyone arrived back from the East Forests at around midnight last night, and Perlina and Sakura were able to find Kaia." Wood began. "However, Nyla was still missing, and we eventually figured out that her disappearance had something to do with The Pack of the Fire, as we found a dead squirrel at the spot she was last seen with their pack's scent on it. So, Roscoe, Ragna, Jupiter, Sakura and I headed to The Pack of the Fire's Main Territory to take her home. Daruk found us almost immediately after we arrived, and we interrogated him to give her back. However..." Wood paused, and let out a long, deep sigh. "She's...Nyla is dead."

The pack erupted into gasps, whispers, and cries of terror. Daruk was terrible enough to murder not only Kiara, a wolf with no knowledge of defense mechanisms, but countless other innocent lives, but to kill a pup, the most vulnerable form of life...it was a whole other level of disgusting and malicious.

"He...killed...a barely two-month-old pup...?" Bright Moon trembled.

"...We have no idea if Daruk really did it, but I just..." Roscoe squeezed his eyes shut. "He just...made fun of the whole thing...said she had it coming to her..."

"He said...it looked like she was killed by a fox, right?" Jupiter shuddered.

"I don't really believe him, to be honest..." Sakura growled.

"Nyla had apparently ventured onto The Pack of the Fire's territory, and allegedly, a fox got to her there." Wood shut his eyes. "We don't have her body...so The Pack of the Stars will take her spirit to the afterlife wherever she is. I'm afraid we can't have a proper death ceremony for her."

"This...I can't believe this..." Perlina shivered.

Stormjay, with grief in his eyes, looked over to Calvin. He was surprised he hadn't said a word yet. In the span of one month, he had lost not only his mate, but one of his daughters as well. Yet, there was no emotion in his expression.

"...W-What are we gonna do...?" Sky sniffled.

"H-Hey...we gotta m-make sure this doesn't h-happen to any other pup, r-right...?" Fawn meekly spoke up. "S-So...maybe...w-we can make a rule or something to encourage pups not to l-leave the Main Territory anymore...? I-I mean, it's already discouraged, but...maybe, a new rule c-could be something like...they become trainees a week late if they get caught sneaking out...?"

"...Hey, Fawn, that's a good idea." Loki praised her. "Whaddya say, Wood?"

"I agree with that." Wood shot Fawn a small, proud smile. "To make sure something like this doesn't happen again, any pup who leaves the Main Territory without permission will have to wait a week later than usual before they become trainees."

"Does that mean...Kaia's gonna have to wait?" Kenya asked.

"I mean, we shouldn't punish her after everything that happened to her. She's traumatized..." Keaton responded.

"You're right..." Stormjay nodded.

"W-Wait...I-I'm sorry, but...I have another thing to say..." Fawn spoke up again, causing Wood to silence everyone else to let her speak.

"I...um...maybe, we should have...u-uh...like...a new role in this pack...? S-Someone should h-have a job that r-revolves around k-keeping an eye on pups w-while their parents are g-guarding or h-hunting..."

"That's a wonderful idea," Misa encouraged her.

"Yes...that is a good idea." Wood smiled at Fawn again.