The Wolf

Chapter 13- The third contest

Starfrost stared at his reflection in Sunpool, the warm water splashing against his ankles. He inhaled deeply-scars left their mark every where, deep wounds found their way into his flesh. Tufts of his fur had been tore out by their roots, as his left ear dripped blood, trickling down the side of his face. Earlier on, Strikestorm had wanted to kill him, but he had fought back. It had been a vicious fight, until his missing friends had found him. After a chatisement from Moondreams, he was then sent to the area beneath Aquafur's cliff, Greengold(name of the area), then Aquafur, his father had announced the third contest. One wolf pup was to battle another wolf pup, and to succeed, it is to win. Starfrost's blood churned inside him, wondering how he would end up with another fight. He heaved a sigh, and fell onto his haunches, his back legs giving out on him completely. He closed his eyes, enjoying the cool autumn breeze and the warmth spreading up his legs. After a brief moment, he stood up again, shaking his pelt, then treaded onto the bank, his tail leaving a long trail of water, glistening in the faint sunlight.

Licking his sore paw, Starfrost trotted to Leafweed Bay, another area filled with sand near by Clawriver, where it was miles away from the Grandmother Tree and the area they had their second contest. This was where Aquafur told them to meet if he had remembered correctly. That time he was so angry at Strikestorm that he did not have the brains to think. He shivered, suddenly feeling cold without the warm, peaceful liquid in Sunpool. He guessed he was just tired. He glimpsed a hawk flying overhead, and whistled at it, trying to scare it away. He cringed as the hawk steadied its beady eyes on him, then flew away. Relief flooded him once more. He stared at a tiny water snake slithering into the river, then a large, brown crocodile waiting silently in the mud. He exhaled, trotting onwards, his eyes and ears wary of danger. His nose, however, kept on a trail of wolves. It smelt like Sun pack wolves, but with a trace of Star pack wolves.

It must be from Coralnight, Starfrost reassured himself.

He scented the wind, he must be near. It smelt of sea salt. He trotted faster, his eyes scanning the terrain. There were barely trees anymore, only little clumps of bushes growing near the sandy ground. He had barely been here before, but only once with adults. Now without anyone and alone by himself, he felt the start of fear rising in him. He picked up speed. There was annoying sand bugs crawling through his hide, and he had to dip himself into the river several times. Sticky, slimy, wet weeds stuck on his paws, tangling them, causing Starfrost to trip multiple times. He glanced at the sky, it was mid-afternoon now, the sun rising high above his head, but it was just warm, not hot, as it was the late autumn. Sweat trickled down his neck and chest as he walked, he must be on the tail of the others, but just kept on missing them. A few seagulls soared above his head, sqwaking delightly as they played, somersaulting in the air. He turned his attention back towards the route, trying to remember as he padded along the sandy beach. The grass was dwindling, more sand erupted, and soon he was crawling with bugs from head to toe. Starfrost groaned, heading towards Clawriver to take another dip as his back itched terribly from the bugs. Closer towards the dens, the bank of Clawriver is covered in grass, and not slowly descending into the water, but kind of like a small cliff, where the wolves have to dive to enter the river. Remembering the time he had dived in and got lost, Starfrost suppressed a shiver that ran through his body, inside out. To think about it, it was not really long time ago, maybe barely a few days ago. Pricking his ears, Starfrost willed himself to concentrate on the journey.

Starfrost sighed contentedly, he had reached Leafweed Bay at last. He rolled onto the dry, warm sand, scratching the spot just behind his ears, and getting rid of the bugs. Leafweed Bay was humid, the sandy beach had stretched into something like a desert along Clawriver. There was plenty of seaweed, which means Clawriver had almost comes to an end, which merges into Cloudsea. There was a small cave at the end of the long sandy beach, that was carved into the ground. It used to be the home for sea otters, but they left when the Great Battle had started, and left their habitat behind. Warrior wolves occupied it when they fought as a place to ambush their enemies, and now it had been deserted for centuries. Meadow flowers dotted the entrance of the cave, in respect to those who had sacrificed their lives. Starfrost glanced at his right. There was a nice, huge flat rock, smoothened by years of waves being washed over it, and now as it is at low-tide, it revealed its perfectly shaped and smoothed surface. Five wolves can sleep there comfortably. Starfrost stared at it for a while, then proceeded to the cave. He stopped shortly, listening for noises. Then a howl rose from deep within the cave. He trembled, his back legs crumpling under his weight, then relaxed. He recognised that howl. It is from Aquafur. The others had arrived.