The Wolf

Chapter 11- The tour

"Did you have a good night rest?" Starfrost asked as he stretched his limbs. No answer. Starfrost rose on his haunches and looked around. Where is Coralnight? Is she lost? Uneasiness tugged at his heart as last night's memories came rushing back to him. Coralnight was accepted into the pack! Aquafur said his results will be told to him privately! Then why was he worrying? Starfrost hoped it was not a dream, and that Coralnight was here. But why did he care so much about her? That, he did not know.

Starfrost called out her name,"Coralnight! Where the hell are you?" With no reply, Starfrost trotted out of his den, his nose low to the ground, sniffing for scents. Just then, Snowberry trotted back with someone beside her. Starfrost tensed, that smell is Coralnight's! 

"Good morning, Starfrost,"Coralnight greeted, her voice soft.

"Hello,"Starfrost replied, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Snowberry interrupted,"Good day, brother, but we have something important to do."Coralnight nodded in agreement.

"We? Only you two?"Starfrost could not hide his disappointment.

"No, ofcourse not. Its the three of us. Now listen, if you have heard, Aquafur is planning to migrate to Wild Tundra soon, and we will have to pass through Dark Forest. He wants Coralnight to adapt fast to her new surroundings and our rules, so it would be easier for all for us when we migrate. Now, I have something to do, you two have your breakfast first. I will meet you later at Sunpool. Now hurry!"Snowberry said in one breath and hurried away.

"Whats so important that she have to leave now?"Starfrost complained loudly as she sprinted away.

"I heard that she is making migration plans for me, as I have to adapt quick. Now, lets go, I'm starving." Starfrost could not agree more on that.

"Follow me, I'll bring you to the fresh-kill pile,"Starfrost answered, making his way through adult wolves, "So, the fresh-kill pile is where our pack hunt and bring back food. They are stored here. After hunting, you cannot eat yourself immediately, you'll have to bring it there for others to eat too. Lets hope there are still some fleshy ones there, because if you are late, no one would spare you!"

Starfrost led Coralnight to two very tall trees, and explained,"this is the Twin Birches. Go west for three miles from here and it will be the Sunpool, where Snowberry is meeting us there later. Now we go behind the trees and we will be at the fresh-kill pile." 

Coralnight trotted around the trees, but there is no end to it. At the end of the trunk, there is a tight space between the hill side and the tree bark.

"I can't squeeze in there,"Coralnight sighed, pawing at the crack.

"Ofcourse you can't. We don't want univited visitors to steal food from us, do we?"Starfrost joked, suddenly very confident in himself. However, when Coralnight remained silent, he glanced back and saw her standing a tail length behind him, her head low and her ears drooped. He realised that he must have said the wrong thing.

"I mean...from vultures and eagles and-"Starfrost stammered, his heart thuddering in his chest.

"Its okay, I know you meant it as a joke,"Coralnight exhaled,"but am I really too fat to fit in the tiny crack?" Starfrost laughed at her humor, but instead of brightening up, Coralnight looked even more hurt than ever. She glanced at herself, her eyelids low.

"No, ofcourse not, its not supposed to be done that way,"Starfrost explained, trotting towards her and nudging her forward with his nose,"See that leaf pile there? We remove those and burrow under the trees. Then it will work." Starfrost winked at her, but she did not even smile.

"Okay,"Coralnight said atlast.

"Look closely,"Starfrost said, pawing the leaves away. Under the leaf pile was a dark tunnel, leading underground. He squeezed in, his flanks touching the sandy tunnel wall. Coralnight trotted in after him, and looked around.