A Wolf's Call (complete)

Chapter 1

Bringing my prey back to the pups, I saw a hunting group preparing to leave on another trek. The alpha was with the group, as he usually was. He saw me return and joined me. Seeing that I was bringing his pups a meal he followed me into the cave. Entering the den I saw that the only wolves that were still there were the pups. Signalling my confusion I gave him a wondering look. He grunted then tilted his head towards the rabbit I'd caught whining slightly. I understood. Prey was scarce; this rabbit was a needed catch. Dropping my prey in front of the pups I rubbed my head against his, letting him understand I would keep his pups safe. Watching as the pups tore hungrily into the rabbit’s flesh, I whined slightly asking if mother wolf had already left. He blinked at me, telling me that she had been with the first pack to leave. Sighing an understanding to the alpha we rubbed fur briefly before he finally left to hunt.

I had always known that I was different, even when I was a pup found by the she alpha. I had learnt my own way to move with the pack and I was fast enough to keep up with them. I had no fur though and instead had come to the messy wolf pelt I wore by finding a sticky thing that was in trees. I'd rolled in it and then the fur of my moulting pack members had caught to my skin. It kept me warm and protected my weak furless pelt. I could stand on my hind legs and I had chosen to move on them only when hunting or running. My paws were also different and I could hold and grab things unlike other wolves. My wolf mother had taught me wolf tongue when I was a pup, but I also knew other tongues too. I, unlike my fellow pack members, had taken a while for my first kill. I would catch the prey easily; my teeth were sharp enough from eating through the tough deerskin to finish them off quickly. Yet I could hear them whimper for help, the pitches of fear in their squeaks were how I understood them. Like wolf howls the sound changed what was meant; food was different to danger or help. I could hear the pitch to learn different tongues. I looked down at the pups that were licking their snouts. Unlike these pups, I’d taken longer to understand why I must kill prey. Mother wolf had told me about how every piece of prey is needed if the pack is to survive. From then on I would hunt but I'd found my place in the pack, to hunt only for the pups and to teach them how to fight and hunt for the pack when they grew up.

Stretching my back I lay down beside the pups, studying their pelts. Only the boy pup took after his wolf father, the two others followed their mother’s pelt. The pups cuddled against my chest playing with the long fur that stretched from my head. We rested for a while, yet I would always keep one eye open, looking at the mouth of the den checking for any signs of danger. This was my first time looking after the pups alone, and I needed to make sure that no bear or hill cat would hurt them.

The sun had reached the middle of the large blue air above and I knew that the first hunting trek would return soon. The pups had played and slept all day and I decided to take them to the river for a drink and some air. I howled softly with them teaching them the danger howl. They had played hunt and were settling for a nap by the water when a strange noise caught in my ears. My head rose and I pricked my ears straining to hear the sound. A few seconds later and I understood that the foreign sound was approaching us. Silently I picked up one pup in my jaws like a mother would, the other two I held in my front paws. Travelling quickly I returned to the den, placing the pups at the back in a safe, hidden place. I barked at them to stay there no matter what. Assured that the pups were safe I crept back to the cave mouth listening for the sound. Before I had even left the cave the sound caught my ears again, this time it was louder and closer. In fear that this beast would be too much for one wolf I erupted into a howl to call back the pack. The danger howl erupted from my throat and I was relieved to hear a response come from close by.

Turning towards the source of the foreign sound I readied for battle, to protect the den until help arrived. My strength was in the pack, but I felt I needed to prove that I belonged and was able to protect the pups. Seconds later though came a giant flying beast that created such a sound that I heard the wolves nearby howl out in surprise. The metal bird made shrill sounds that hurt my ears and I almost wanted to retreat back into the den. I knew though that if danger comes it was my duty to lead it away from the pups. Sure that the giant beast had seen me; I called to the pack 'Pups in cave, danger follows me'. I vaguely heard my mother cry back 'Stay' but I knew that I must pull the monster away.

 I rose to my hind legs and ran away from the cave, quickly followed by the air beast. I heard high pitches release from the air beast, a tongue foreign to our territory. I thought it said 'stop', but knew what dangers sky beasts could hold. This one though had no scent of creature; it was unnatural and confused me. A quick glance back and I saw through the beast, inside there were two legged creatures who looked similar to the ‘twowalkers’ who would kill wolf prey and wolf kin. I released a deep growl, furious at the deadly beast who caused my pack such pain. It seemed though that now the twowalkers were after me. I ran as fast as I could but the twowalkers took out a strange thing, which I thought looked like the twowalker teeth that would kill wolf prey from miles away. As I howled for help I felt a sharp thorn dig through my wolf pelt. My eyes started to close and I started to feel tired, my paws and legs aching and becoming stiff. I suddenly felt my body refuse to move, forcing me to fall onto my front paws.

Still I tried to pull away but the twowalker tooth soon caused me to stop completely. The metal beast lowered itself above me, sharp wings gusting wind powerfully against my back. Two twowalkers descended and picked me up, their touch causing fear to grip me. They pulled me into the belly of the beast, the foreign smell shooting into my nose. I managed to pull myself away from the twowalkers in the beast, curling up into a ball like a scared pup. I howled for my mother wolf and heard the cries of my mother return.

Twisting my head to look out of the beast’s belly I saw my mother and the pack circling beneath it, trying desperately to get to me. My vision began to fade and I could only hear the whining of the pack as they tried to find a way onto the beast. I whimpered weakly calling for them, crying out my fear and panic. I felt the twowalkers gaze and tried to growl at them, yet it came out instead a weak rumbling in my throat. My eyes felt heavy and they soon closed against my will. Scared and unsure I tried to keep moving, all alphas had always said to run, run, from twowalkers. But I couldn’t and, still howling softly, I heard my mother’s desperate calls before I finally gave into the dark, and slept.

Slowly and reluctantly my eyes opened again and I saw it was no dream. I was still in the belly of the beast and I could hear some strange tongue. I curled up into a smaller ball, shying away at their contact. I wondered where the pack was. Looking out of the beast I saw only blue, a blue darker than the streams of my territory. I eyed the twowalkers, releasing a deep growl of warning telling them not to try anything. A smell filled the air; a sweet smell and I felt my tummy whine. Then I realized that the last time I had eaten was two moons ago.

A twowalker held out a paw, which was like mine, and in the paw was a sweet-smelling treat. Too tired to fight or restrain myself I let my hunger lead me towards the smell. Moving forward I sniffed at the treat before retreating back into my ball. The twowalker looked at me closely; it kept its paw out. Another tummy pain urged me forward. Watching them carefully I slowly moved my muzzle towards the twowalkers paw. Pausing, I quickly snatched the treat and pulled back into my corner, swallowing the treat whole. The twowalker made rumbly sounds and I knew that he had enjoyed something about what I had done.

 They made more noise, one happy rumbles, the other angry ones, before the same twowalker held out another treat. This time I paused for less time before snapping up the treat. The twowalker made more happy sounds like a pup playing with its kin. The twowalkers spoke more in their tongue; I thought one mocked the nice one, before the treat twowalker started to repeat the same sound. He looked at me and repeated the sound again and again. The sounds felt familiar, like long lost kin, but I began to know what he meant. He pointed one extension of his paw towards himself and the grumpy one and said 'Andy, John', and then he pointed at me and said 'Shilo'. I looked at him wide-eyed then grunted and barked playfully when he repeated the word, to show I understood. To the twowalkers I was  'Shilo'.

v