Running with wolves

Chapter 12

It had been only a few days since Sky had been crowned Queen but she thought was fitting into the role well considering. She was lying on the lowest platform by the plaza, her paws hooked over the edge with her head resting on one leg. As she watched her new pack march around like ants, she couldn't help but fall into a light sleep. "Get up you lazy lump! You have royal duties to attend to!" Flipping onto her back Sky let out a yawn "not very lady-like are you?!" Sky huffed, rolling her eyes. In every waking second Nymph seemed determined to teach Sky how to sit, speak, and walk like a Queen. Rising to her feet Sky followed Nymph back up the steps continuing to get a lecture "It's bad enough you've stopped doing the morning announcements! The elder wolves would always love hearing them. Not to mention…." Sky stopped listening, she was too busy watching a bird that had landed atop the wall, she was so distracted that she stumbled over the last step. She let out an awkward chuckle as Nymph narrowed her eyes. Sky sighed and headed inside where she was greeted by a bark from Charlotte as she wove around dusting. Leaping onto one of the soft rocks that Charlotte had called an armchair, she rested her chin on the side. Charlotte looked up, her eyes had their usual anxious shine as she sat down nearby "what's on the agenda today?" Rolling her eyes Sky rolled away while Nymph growled nearby "is that how I trained you? To give up! Maybe we should've let Banan take over instead." Leaping up teeth bared Sky glared at Nymph who had turned away walking out the front door. Snorting Sky also left through the back door into the garden. Kicking a stone she grumbled to herself before flopping down in front of her parent's graves "Am I doing the right thing? You wanted me to be queen but I'm not sure anyone else did, maybe I should just let Banan take it, I'm sure I can find somewhere to settle down away from here." Sky spun around to see Charlotte tutting in the doorway "Don't be a fool Sky, look around this is your home! Your brother may have tainted it but it will soon be as it was again just give it time. Nymph would never bow down to a tyrant like Banan no matter what she says." She stepped forward to give Sky a lick between her ears before heading back inside. "I hope you're right" she sighed, bowing her head.  

Charlotte sat on the balcony just outside the palace doors looking down at the plaza with Nymph by her side. "Should we do something?" She asked, shifting anxiously, Nymph snorted "she'll learn." Twitching her ear Charlotte glanced at her companion who was gazing down with a hard slitted glare. Sadness washed over her as Charlotte stared at her feet, closing her eyes she sent a prayer to her old friend to keep her daughter safe and to show her the way forward. A soft growl signalled that Nymph had had enough as she padded away, daring to look, Charlotte opened her eyes, her heart breaking as she watched Sky back into the lowest platform surrounded by an onslaught of angry snarls. "Oh sweet Sky, how young you are with so much suffering but I do wonder are you ready to be a leader?" With nothing to do but head inside Charlotte turned away with a heart heavy with misery for her young charge. 

"Come on! Come on, just a little bit more!" Sky was sitting beside her bedroom window slowly watching the sun rise over the trees, her paws itching with excitement. Pressing her muzzle to the glass sent a shiver down her spine but she ignored it as her breath fogged up the window. Then she saw it. The first golden rays of light peeking over setting the trees on fire, Sky howled with joy as she raced out the room ignorant to those sleeping nearby. Racing out the house she let out a growl as she tumbled down the stairs, skidding to a halt beside a small group of wolves "Can I come hunting with you?" She puffed. The hunters looked around at each other mortified. "we should say no she's just a pup, she'd just get in the way!" 

"But she's the queen, are we allowed to deny her?" Listening to the murmurs made Sky want to growl, but she forced her fur flat and blinked with pleading eyes. A slim wolf came up from behind "of course your majesty, we're hunting moose on the plains so you'll need to stay in the forest. We wouldn't want you to get hurt." Sky nodded as the small group began to pad away towards the woods. The group walked in silence while Sky kept her ears pricked for prey, "we've arrived. You stay here who knows you may even find a squirrel or something." The others chuckled before sprinting away, as Sky watched them race over the hill she sat down with a sigh "so much for proving myself through hunting." She murmured. 

After lazily batting at a frog, Sky stared out at the plains, her paws prickling as she saw the burnt remains of her old home in the distance. Letting out a sigh she continued to gaze out frowning as she came across something new atop a hill. Cautiously Sky crept forward her belly fur brushing against the yellowed grass hoping no one would notice her black pelt. What she saw on top of the hill made her blood turn to ice “No, why you? Why did it have to be you?” her legs gave way as she crumpled to the ground, with tears rolling down her cheeks she raised her head and let out a mournful howl. Sat in front of her was a small pile of rocks with the word ‘Flame’ carved into them. 

After placing a flower on her beloved's grave Sky set off back towards the forest, the hunting party must be nearly finished with their catch she thought.

Clawing up the nearest tree Sky let out a murmur of amusement at how comfortable she’d become with heights. Anything lower now seemed strange and wrong. As she settled down among the leaves she let her mind wander, thoughts of Flame flooded her mind, how he looked, how he talked, and of all the things Sky wished she had said. Resting her head on her paws, tears began to form again blurring the field in front of her. Falling into a light dose she dreamt that she and Flame had run away together, living happily in the mountainside. She sat watching Flame teach their pups to hunt for the first time, his brilliant orange pelt glowed in the slow as he lowered into a crouch. The two pups shared their fathers orange look gaining only their long black legs from Sky. The two little pups got bored, they began to pounce on Flame who rolled over playfully shouting for help, Sky couldn't help but smile, closing her eyes she couldn’t remember ever being happier. The feeling didn't last as she heard a pained yelp, opening her eyes she saw her two pups stood rigid with fear their fur fluffed up. Cautiously Sky took a step forward until her paws were wadding in blood. Flame’s blood. He was lying on his side, blood pooling out from a gash on his stomach. Sky watched in horror as Flame squirmed and convulsed in pain until eventually his sides gave a jolted breath before laying still. Another agonized wail sounded through the forest, whipping her head around, the forest began to shift and change. Jerking her head up Sky found herself still in the tree only this time the yowling was getting louder. Twitching an ear she pinpointed where the sound was coming from and a few seconds later a herd of moose appeared over a hill, just behind followed the hunting party. A moose separated from the herd as they veered away. Perfect, Sky thought. One animal is easier than several. As she watched she noticed the patrol waving orders to each other with their tails as they wordlessly moved into position, the only problem was they were getting tired, they were lagging further and further behind the moose. The large creature was heading into the forest. Before she could stop to think she launched herself from the tree landing squarely onto the moose's back.  Feeling dizzy Sky let instinct take over as she dug her claws into its back, reaching forward she sank her teeth into its neck. Scent told her it was an adult bull, and he was fighting fit. The bull thrashed his head trying to shake her off, digging her teeth in further she felt blood pool into her mouth, warm and sweet on her tongue. Slowly but surely the moose began to weaken, with the rest of the pack nipping at its legs the creature collapsed onto the ground where the wolves delivered the killing bite. The wolves stood in a circle around their kill panting, 

“You….did it.” Sky turned her head to the wiry male that had spoken. He shifted nervously, glancing at the others before lowering his head in  a deep bow. Sky twitched uncomfortable as the others copied. “Err so we should head back, who wants to help carry?” 

It was slow progress as the five wolves carried their kill home, stopping only when the moose got caught on a bramble. As the sun began to sink Sky spotted the familiar sight of Emolia’s gates, placing the prey in the middle of the plaza Sky stepped back as the town began to crowd around whispering. “My Queen, it is your kill so you may eat first.” Sky took a step towards the noose before shaking her head and bounding past onto the lowest platform, “The eldest and the youngest shall take my first share. It is my job to lead but I shall not out of fear but out of respect. It will take time but I hope to win all of your trust.” She bowed her head as the murmuring grew louder until a young pup came to stand just below Sky “I like you.” Blinking down at the little pup she whispered “thank you little one.” a few steps away a group of elders sat with narrowed eyes ''Long live the Queen!” they cried. Sky smiled, raising her head high as the chant spread like a wave. “Well done, I knew you’d win them over. It's what your father believed as well.” Sky held Nymph’s gaze as she dipped her head respectfully “I couldn't have done it without you” Sky smiled, pressing her nose into her fur.