There was a large stone in a clearing, in a forest. On one side the land was plentiful and green, on another side, it was cold and frost clung to the grass, on the last side, there was no grass, cracked earth led the path back to a dead landscape. There was a wolf representing each side. Frostbite from the cold side, Tiger's Eye from the dead land, and Russet from the green land. Each wolf brought their healer, the one who could decipher omens as well as heal packmates. Frostbite brought Wind, Tiger's Eye brought Desert, and Russet brought Half Moon. All the leaders hopped in onto the rock, as their healers whispered at its base. Russet had come with a request, his pups would be born soon, and their healer had told that they had strength, and power, but they could use it for good or evil.
The leaders looked around. Frostbite and Tiger's Eye were confused, why did he tell them all this? It was Frostbite who spoke, " and what do you want us to do about your pups?" She asked. Russet drew a deep breath and try them how it was, " I can't let them know how strong they are, they might misuse their power," he looked at the two other leaders, " and I'd like each of you to take them, and train them as your own." Frostbite was astonished, Russet cared more about kin than any other leader, of any pack. It was Tiger's Eye who spoke next, " why do you want to give them away, and has your mate agreed to this yet?" He said, and with a satisfactory thought he knew Russet wasn't a good choice for leader, never asking for suggestions from elder hunters or his own healer.
" I have not told her, but when it comes her birthing time.." Russet hesitated, " we will tell her they were born dead." Frostbite was horrified. This leader is going to destroy his chances of having pups, just so they don't know what they are capable of? But Tiger's Eye only found amusement, the Wild pack, in which he led, was the most feared in the valley, and they accepted no rogues or dogs, they were known for treacherous battle training and fierce competition for food within their own pack, and hunted boars and sometimes even snakes. Unlike Frostbite, who led the snow pack, who ate small meals, due to its harsh cold weather year-round, they were notoriously kind hearted and gentle, and would talk out their differences before starting border scrimmages, and accepted any rogues or dogs that were willing to hunt and train with them. But the mountain pack, the one Russet led, were equally battle ready, but had they most fruitful hunting, and rarely accepted outsiders, they had tough paws for climbing up steep ridges and hilly slopes they lived on.
" I will take one." Frostbite said, " but only because I don't want them growing up with a father who would do such a thing." Russet was hurt, he and Frostbite had been friends since they were just learning to hunt, and loved seeing each other on full moons, but unlike those past full moons, only the leaders came this time. Frostbite looked at Tiger's Eye, in hopes he would take the rest. Tiger's Eye looked away from her pleading glare, but then gave in.
" I with take the rest, but if they don't hunt right, or don't fight like us, we might just let them in on this little secret." He growled. Russet looked at them both. Then, Desert spoke, who, as everyone knew, was a snow pack wolf, but had been raised in Wild pack, because his mother had left him for dead at the border of the pack.
" We do have an expecting mother, if we told her about this, and she accepts, we could convince the pack, and no one will know." He said, hopefully. But Russet didn't think Tiger's Eye cared if the pup was hidden or out in the open.
" The mother will know.." Russet murmured. Frostbite looked down and asked her healer, Wind. " Wind, isn't Snow expecting Hawkeye's pups?" She asked, ignoring Russet's concern. Wind looked up, she was a new healer, and her mentor, Iceland, the previous healer, had recently passed away.
" Yes, she is." Wind said, quietly. Frostbite gave Russet a smile, he looked guilty, he hung his head slightly, and the moonlight reflected a red light off his pelt, and she wondered how he managed to hunt if he stuck out like a white rabbit in a black night. Russet straightened, and spoke, " If you both will take them, then have your healers come the day of the birthing. Tiger's Eye looked sceptical.
" How will we know when to send them over the borders?" Tiger's Eye asked, not wanting the Mountain pack healer tracking through his land.
" Our ancestors will tell them" Half Moon said, meaning the hunters and healers before them, that had died and went up into Moon pack, where their ancestors resigned after death. Sometimes Moon pack would send messages, but the healers were the only ones who could know what the message ment.
" Sounds good to me," said Frostbite, looking over at Russet, She said, " Rusty?" Russet perked his head up, Frostbite bite hadn't called him that since they were in training.
" you know you should call me Russet, " He said, trying to get the meeting back to being about his mysterious pups. Tiger's Eye growled, he believed that no wolves should be friends with wolves of any other pack.
" Then it's decided, I'll take one, she'll take one, can we leave now?" Tiger's Eye insisted, looking at the two.
" I guess so," Frostbite said, looking to Russet.
" I call this meeting to a close." He said, and him and Half Moon began walking down the path leaden with green grass, and undergrowth. He looked over at Half Moon. She was pure white, but age had turned her fur a silvery grey.
" Was that the right decision?" Russet asked her. The healer looked surprised, he never asked for a second guess on any of his decisions.
" No, but you are leader, and what's done is done" Half Moon confessed. And the two walked back home, and Half Moon climbed up her path to the healer's den, at the top of their mountain. She looked over the land, the scorched dead land, of the Wild pack. On its border was the Snow pack, which shared a border with their pack as well. She was happy with her pack, and felt that she had made the impact her mother had told her she always would. Half Moon laid down, and put her head on her paws and closed her eyes. And she didn't open them the next morning.
