The Warriors of Winter

Part 2 - The Plan

Ayra P.O.V

Exactly 4 years ago, my brother Casor disappeared. He went to scout the territory one night, then a fire started and he never came back. The pack was devastated that day, not just because of Casor, but the effect the fire had on the pack. My grandmother's life was lost, and many of the cubs who were unaware of the fire's power were also killed.

I sit on the edge of the cliff looking across the forest and as the snow started to fall. It reminded me of a time when Casor and I were playing in the snow when suddenly a snowflake landed in my eye, and when Casor came over to supposedly see if I was alright, he shoved snow in my face and I got him back by putting snow down his trousers. This memory made me laugh.

"Where are you, Casor?" I murmur to myself.

Every day I look across our territory to see if I can scent Casor. His blonde, straight hair, his grass green eyes and his cackle that was supposedly a laugh. I wish I could have seen his wolf. It must would been beautiful.

I decide that I must do something and stop feeling sorry for Casor as it's not as if he's dead or anything.I twist around and see Fylin, my best friend, looking at me with pitiful eyes. Just the sight of him reminds me of Casor and I break down into tears.

"Hey! Shhhhhh. Shhhhhhh." He says with his low, gentle voice as he strokes my hair."We'll find him someday." He promises.

I don't usually cry, even at this time of year. But Fylin remind me of him so much. He has the same body and laugh but his face is very different. He has dark blonde hair and the most pale, brown eyes possible yet he could be Casor's twin.
"I think we should go hunting. I hate this feeling so much. Maybe it will stop once we go out?"

"Ummm," he says with uncertainty "Yeah, of course. But maybe ask Dworlin before you leave. You know what he's like around this time."
And with that I head straight for our den.

We walk to the centre of camp and after a few words of comfort from the pack, I find Dworlin, my father.

"Hello, Papa." I say, trying to sound not so glum.

As he turns to look at me I can see his eyes are red and puffy from crying and the smell of "liquor" which he gets from the human market is everywhere.

"Hello darling," we embrace, "How are you?

"Good as I'll ever be" I try to sound positive but it is so hard.

"I was wandering if I could go hunting. Ya know, to get Cas... him off my mind." Mentioning his name makes me full of grief.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Dworlin growls. His eyes turn blood red and his wolf veins start to show. (This is what happens when you are about to change into a wolf)
"You will stay here where I can see you!" I am now very confused. Why is he so angry?

"Why? I'm going hunting. I wont go near the Miaus if that's what you think."

"Didn't you hear what I just said? You stay here."

"What do you think I'm going to do? Run off like Casor!" Then silence. Cold, hard silence. My father turns so his back is facing me.

"Do what you like.." he said. I felt so bad afterwards but he shouldn't have treated his 15-year-old-daughter like a 2-year-old Miau. As I walk out of my den, I see Fylin looking uncertainly at his sister, Rhonwen. She and Fylin are part of the Beta family and she hates my guts. Her golden-brown and curly hair curls like a birds' neat and her pale, brown eyes like Fylin's stare into my enaid (Islett speak for soul).I ignore Rhonwen and go to tell Fylin about my little talk with Papa but as I go to him, he becomes me to the edge of the camp. Without question I follow him.

"Fylin," I whisper "what's this about?"

"I don't know everything but..." his voice trails off, "there's a rumour that the Miau Streak is coming to attack us on the new moon."

This news makes my heart sink. On a New Moon, wolves lose their power completely and become human. This means no stamina, no strength and no wolf.
"Dworlin already knows but I'm afraid of what he's going to do." His voice is starting to tremble. Fylin has a friend in the Miau Streak called Sven Ibranovski and have been friends for at least 10 years and to go to battle against him would be torturous.

"We don't know of this is true. It is just a rumour. But incase we should go to Sven and see what he knows."

"You're right. If anything happened to Sven..." His voice trailed off and he was starting to cry. I was the only person that knew about Sven and Fylin's relationship and although they can't properly be together that didn't stop them.

"It's OK. Sven will be fine. Go get your things, we'll travel by wolf and don't tell anyone."

"Yeah, *sniff* of course."