Hunters - Book One, A Pack's Farewell

Chapter One

I woke up from my sleep in the Pack-Mother's den. I heard angry growls coming from outside. My mother wasn't there so I stepped outside.

The Alphas, Redmoon and Skymoon were fighting. Uh oh. I thought to myself.

There was a crowd around the fighting wolfs. The two were spitting nasty curses at eachother, words I had never heard before.

I flattened my ears so I didn't have to hear more. My father Kestrelfang took him aside.

"Windedpup, why are you out here?" He asked. I just shrugged. "I was bored and heard yelling outside, so I went and checked it out."

Kestrelfang sighed. "I guess we can't stop your curiosity.. or that fight." Kestrelfang shifted his gaze over to the Alphas.

Then, Redmoon leap at Skymoon. I  buried my head into Kestrelfang's flank.

"Its going to be okay, Windedpup, they'll be alright." My father sounded unsure.

I whined when I heard Skymoon yowl. Then, it all stopped. Skymoon and Redmoon growled loudly for everyone to part from the crowd.

"I am leaving this Pack! Skymoon is being unreasonable! Any wolves who will come with me, stand over there!" Redmoon growled very loudly.

Some of Redmoon's closest companions like the Lead Hunter, Quietstep and a few others followed her to one side.

Kestrelfang looked to me. "I'm going with Redmoon. Do you want to come?"

I was frozen to the ground. What about Rainshine and Shinypup?

Rainshine must've overheard because she came running up with Shinypup to Kestrelfang.

"Absolutely not!" Rainshine shouted. She glared at Kestrelfang but he glared back.

"He is my son just as much as he is yours! I want him to come with me!" Kestrelfang argued.

I stared at Rainshine, then to Kestrelfang and to Shinypup. They all looked at me.

I slowly shook my head and ran toward the Pack Mother's den. Once I reached my nest, I sunk down and cried.

Why am I crying? I'm a he-wolf! He wolves  don't cry. I thought to myself at what Waterclaw had said to me moons before, but I knew this time I couldn't help it.

Soon, Rainshine came into the den. "Windedpup, you must decide now, Redmoon's wolves are leaving!"

I got up, shook my pelt and ran to Kestrelfang who was standing amongst Redmoon's wolves.

Kestrelfang looked surprised. I turned my head and looked back at Rainshine and Shinypup, they looked shocked.

I blinked away from them and focused on the wolves around me. Quietstep, Dustedrise, Icyfang, Bearsight, Hailbreeze, Tintedshadow, Glowingdawn, Briarwing and Thunderbreeze.

I looked at my paws. A lot of wolves agree with Redmoon..

I looked up again as Kestrelfang nosed me onward, we were moving. Redmoon led us out of camp, snapping at anyone who were to come close to her.

She's in a really bad mood. I thought to myself, then, I peered my head back towards our old camp.

Shinypup was peeking her head through the camp entrance. I whined as I continued on, knowing I'd never see her again.

I started to softly cry. While I was sobbing, Sunclaw came up to me. "Hey," she said softly.

I looked up and stared into her beautiful green eyes that showed warmth and comfort.

"H-Hi." I muttered back, looking down.

"I know how you feel," Sunclaw looked forward. "I had to leave Waterclaw." Sunclaw said sorrowfully.

I nodded and rested my tail on her back. "I just miss her so much."

"Then why don't you go back?" Sunclaw suggested.

I gave it a small thought but truthfully I knew I couldn't. "I can't leave Kestrelfang, and besides, Rainshine was never the nicest to me."

Sunclaw nodded in understandment. We kept padding on in silence, bonding over our sorrowful losses.

Soon, after trekking through dense forest, we reached what Kestrelfang called the border.

The border was a small stream that trickled softly as the wolves approached it.

"Do we have to cross that?" I asked, turning my head to Kestrelfang.

"Yes, but if you'd like, you may ride across on my back." Kestrelfang reassured me my giving me a small lick on the forehead.

I nodded. "Okay, thanks!" Kestrelfang bent down and I climbed onto his back and held on with my claws, trying to not hurt him.

Redmoon looked back at everyone and mumbled something to herself. They crossed the stream on her command, which was a flick of her huge, fluffy tail.

The wolves at the front of the pack crossed first, then those in the middle, and then those at the back.

Kestrelfang, Icyfang, Sunclaw and I were at the back and we crossed, but once we reached the center of the stream, I slipped off, tumbling into the stream below.

The stream water was freezing, as it was just Leaf-bare. Panicking, I tried to gather myself together but the weight of my thick winter coat was much too heavy for me to bear.

Then I felt teeth at my scruff and I was lifted out of the water and placed onto the bank.

Shivering, I looked up at the wolf who saved me, Icyfang!

I blinked gratefully at him, shook my pelt and ran over to my father. Kestrelfang gave my pelt a few swift licks before Redmoon came over.

Redmoon bore her eyes into mine and she narrowed them. Nervously I looked away.

"You have five minutes to warm him then we must get a move on." Redmoon commented to Kestrelfang.

Kestrelfang nodded and begun to lick my pelt backwards to warm me. Normally, I don't really enjoy being groomed as I can do it myself, but now I'm very grateful for Ketsrelfang.

Once he finished, he gave me a warm smile and he lifted me up onto his back again.

I preferred it up here, I could see a lot more and plus, it's tiring to walk. The Pack moved on at Redmoon's command and we set off into the dense woodland beyond the stream.

After traveling for a while Redmoon decided to let us a sleep under the shelter of a large cedar tree.

I was curled up next to Kestrelfang snoring away.