One with the Moon

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Its been several moons now that I wave arrived in Darktribe and things have gotten better. I am a senior apprentice, and I will be a warrior soon. Moonlight still hasn't returned, I am getting worried. When I hunt in the woods I think I see her. but when I call or look there is nothing. " Hey, Lightheart, wanna go hunting?" My sister calls. I run up to her.

"Ya sure" We take off into the woods and we stumble across a few mice. I scoop one up easily and swallow it whole. " I remember when one mouse filled me" I tell Scarclaw.

"Yup" she replies. We walk through the woods and see a deer. I crouch down and remember everything my father taught me. The deer spots me and takes off.

"Shoot" I say, as it runs away. I watch it run through the woods then a white flash brings it down. Could it be. "Moonlight" I call. The white in the distance looks up then runs towards us.

"Lightheart?" the wolf says from a distance. It is Moonlight. I run up to her and she rubs her head against my side, I do the same. "Its been so long" She says

"I was thinking the same thing." I tell her.

"I was actually looking for you, we need to talk, now" She says with worry in her voice." Listen. Sharptooth has betrayed everyone. He told Darkscar that we are being held captive, Darkscar went ballistic. He is going to declare war, we have got to get out of here." Moonlight tells me very fast.

"I'm sure there is nothing to worry about" I say.

"I was there Lightheart, I am not crazy. For the safety of you and your family we have to leave." She admitted my family was my family.

"What about your family?" I ask.

"I will go talk to my mother and you go talk to your father, we will meet back here at sundown, Darkscar is leading his warriors here at moonhigh." She says then without another word she leaves. I look at my sister.

"Lets go" I tell her. We run back to camp, the other wolves look at us weirdly.

"Dad!" I shout."Can we talk" I ask.

"Anything wrong?" He rightfully asks.

"Darkscar is on his way here to kill you, he thinks you have us prisoner, me and Moonlight that is. Maybe if we are gone he will leave you and the tribe alone, Sharptooth betrayed you."

"You're not going anywhere, we will show those moondogs what were made of." I turn to my sister.

"Father" she says" We need to be safe, come with us." She says with pup eyes.

" You may leave but I will stay here with the tribe, don't go far I will come and find you once the war is over." He says then turns to his warriors and tells them to get ready for battle.

"Come on" I tell my sister. We run to where we saw moonlight in the woods, and sure enough she is there, but with three more companions. Three pups.

" This is Scarletail, Moonhowl, and Softheart. My mothers pups."She says to us when we catch up. Scarletail almost looks like a fox, but she has no white. Moonhowl is white with three black stripes going down his back. And Softheart has giant eyes, his eyes are gray and and so is his pelt. I just don't know how were going to take care of them.

"Are they going with us?" I ask. I don't even need an answer, Moonlight looks at me with her eyes telling me, we are. " We can each take one on as our own then" I suggest. " Scarletail, would you like to be with Moonlight?" I ask the pup. She merely nods, then goes to stand near Moonlight. These pups don't even know me or Scarclaw. " Moonhowl and Softheart, you get to choose. Me or Scarclaw."

"I want Scarclaw, she looks tough" Moonhowl barks, then runs towards Scarclaw.

"Okay little one, not to close." Scarclaw tells Moonhowl. "Looks like its you and me, Softheart." I tell the littlest pup. He looks at me with a wide stare. I smile. I look around at Scarclaw and Moonlight. They have love in there eyes. The young warriors staring into there eyes and looking into their hearts. "We need to go get stamperpaw" I say suddenly, thinking of the pup that once overwhelmed me with questions. A voice from the bushes startles us,

" Already here" Stamperpaw says. He's grown... a lot. The once little brown pup is now a Dark reddish looking color. "Stamperpaw" I say happily, "look at you, all grown up" "I'm still an apprentice though, don't expect too much from me" He says joking around. I notices Stamperpaw looking at my sister, then looks back at me. "So... were leaving, from our homes, just like that" I look down

"were just leaving for a little while, then we'll come back... I promise". I could tell Stamperpaw was thinking about his mother. "Hazlewood will be fine stamperpaw." I say comfortingly "We should try and find a cave to take cover in during the night." Moonlight looks up at me, her fur sparkling in the fading sun. We walk through the forest and pick up moss clumps on our way.

"Cave" Stamperpaw says. He journeyed ahead of us keeping an eye out for danger. I look down at the pups, each holding there own clump of moss for bedding. We slowly walk up to the cave and each make our beds with moss. Stamperpaw walks over to Scarclaw. " Need help?" he asks nicely.

" I'm not a pup!" she snaps in a rude manner. Stamperpaw droops his ears a little and stalks over to his bed and curls up. "I'm going out to look for more moss" Moonlight tells me.

" I should go with you" I say "you never know what dangers lie ahead" I walk up beside her and smile.

" Ok, thanks lightheart" She says very calmly. She's lost her enthusiasm. Something's wrong. We walk out of the den and I match my pace with hers. We head further out into the forest. The sounds coming from the den have faded and were alone now.

"Moonlight, something's wrong, you can trust me." I try to say as comfortingly as I can. She looks into my eyes, her stare so... frightful yet loving.

"I... can't, I can't Lightheart. I'm to scared I don't want to leave, I... I" She starts to whimper. I press myself against her. "Please don't cry... I can't bare to see you cry" I say. I don't know where I found those words... they came from my heart. "Lightheart, I... I love you" Her words startle me, I don't know how to reply.

"I...I... I think I-" I stop "We'd better go back to the cave its safe there, I don't want anything to hurt you." We walk back to the cave and her words sink in my heart like a stone. I love you. Could she really mean she loves me. A wolf she barely knows. Well I guess we know each other pretty well now. Before we go into the cave I stop. I watch her pad into the cave alone. Her fur so white and clean. Her steps so gentle and her voice so kind. everything about her I love. I love you. Why can't I tell her that. I know I do, but the words I can't speak. I can't, I can't. She looks back at me. Her blue eyes staring into my heart.

" I'm on my way" I say to reassure her I'm coming. She nods gracefully then pads into the darkness of the cave. A few minutes later, I follow. I curl up beside her leaving my own bed to freeze in the night.

"Lightheart?" she whispers.

"Its me Moonlight, don't worry, I'm here for you".