Silver Light (ONC 2024) LONGLIST

Chapter 8

The quickly piling snow atop the already thick ice gave Satix and Nevanthi more of a paw hold as they ran across the whitening terrain. The falling snow had turned into blizzard-like conditions, the wind whipping around having become more violent to the point it was knocking limbs off of trees, crashing them to the ground around the two wolves. The wind itself had snatched away all sound, overpowering everything with its own screaming and wailing. Between the overwhelming darkness and unrelenting ice pellets, it was twice as difficult to see in front of one's own face. The trees that stood like skyscrapers within the forest were nothing more than a ghostly shadow until they were mere inches from running face first into the trunks. 

"Crya!" 

"Sabra!" 

Slowing their runs to a slow walk, Nevanthi and Satix squinted their eyes in hopes they could see more through the raging snow. The visibility was practically nye, raising a fresh panic between Nevanthi and Satix as they worked to catch their breath. Their lungs burning from sucking in so much ice cold air while running. 

"Boys!" 

Satix called out once more while Nevanthi remained silent, straining her ears in hopes of hearing anything over the screaming of the storm. She was praying to the moon, hoping to catch anything that may lead them to the pups. All the while, Neanthi could tell Satix was losing his mind over the well being of his family, worry taking its hold like a death grip from the reaper. If she was being honest with herself, she was feeling the same way about Ataraxia and the pack back at home. This winter blizzard was extremely out of place for this time of year, no one was prepared for the onslaught of freezing temperatures and blizzarding snowfall. 

Shaking out her fur despite it not really doing much to keep the snow from piling onto the feathery soft strands of fur, Nevanthi turned to face Satix. 

"Satix! It's getting too dangerous out here!" 

"We can't leave my boys out here! I'm not leaving them alone!" 

Nevanthi knew it wasn't going to be an easy task convincing Satix to return to the pack wasn't going to be easy, but she couldn't let them risk their lives out there. If they remained out in the storm like they were, they risked becoming lost to it just like she was certain many wolves were going to be that night. 

"I know, but we are no good to either of your pups if we are frozen under this storm!"  

"I-" 

"Satix!" 

Shaking her head and yelling out her own desperation, it was breaking her heart to make one of her friends give up on their search for their pups temporarily. She knew finding Sabra and Crya in a snowstorm alive was going to be a miracle, especially since it seemed their mother had more than likely been lost to it already. 

"Fine, but I'm coming back the moment the storm ends! I'm not going to give up on them!" 

Relief overtook Nevanthi knowing how hard this decision had to have been for him. However, returning to the pack, they could gather a small search party to aid in their search. It would be so much safer to do so and they could cover more ground far more quickly. 

After one more scan of the surrounding area despite the lack of visibility, Nevanthi and Satix reluctantly turned from their current path. They ducked their heads, shielding themselves from the stinging wind and battering ice. The two wolves pushed their way through the storm raging through their forest -- their home. They had only made it a couple of tree lengths forward when the loudest howl they've heard yet echoed over the wailing of the wind. It was so loud, the howl had stopped both wolves in their tracks, golden eyes finding the amber ones of her companion.