Survivors The Path Of The Pack: Thunder's Journey

Chapter 24

"You make a great High Watch dog," Mickey growled amusingly.

Thunder huffed, "Thanks."

As soon as she woke up, Thunder had returned for her second day of High Watch duty. In the process, she accidentally woke Mickey. But he'd forgiven her and decided that keeping her company wasn't a bad idea.

"What's it like being a hunter?" Thunder asked curiously, sitting beside her black and white friend.

Mickey smiled as he pawed at his tail, "It's everything I've missed out on before I was wild." Thunder cocked her head, but if Mickey noticed, he didn't say anything about it. "It's glorious! The wind in your fur, the feeling of grabbing your prey in victory, and just doing something fun with your friends is enough to make you fall in love with hunting!"

Thunder nodded as a warm smile sank into her muzzle, "Oh, that sounds wonderful!"

"You know," Mickey started, blinking his brown eyes at his friend, "you could challenge a hunter for their role."

Thunder released a mocking laugh, "I am never challenging another dog. Not after that pitiful fight."

"It was not pitiful," Mickey growled, sitting up, "you did very well for your first time."

Thunder hummed in response as she let her eyes roam over the forest below her. No wind shook the trees, no bushes rustled from an incoming patrol, even the Endless Lake was still.

This is sooo boring! Thunder snorted as she thought about her duty. She turned to see Mickey batting at a butterfly like an excited pup.

"You seem happier," Thunder teased, watching Mickey jump around her.

He stopped messing with the butterfly to look at Thunder, "I am! It seems that me and– Another packmate are getting along better!"

Thunder yawned, "I'm glad you and Snap–" The big dog quickly realized her mistake and tried to cover it up with a cough, but Mickey had already heard her. His head was cocked and his smile was gone.

"Who told you about me and Snap?"

Thunder shuffled to her paws and came to Mickey's flank, "Well... When we were coming back from our training, I'd been curious as to why you seemed broody. So I asked Breeze what happened and she told me."

Mickey's eyes pierced into Thunder's.

Is he mad? I knew I shouldn't have–

"Whatever, that's in the past," Mickey said. Thunder was surprised at how calm he sounded.

"Y-you're not mad?"

"Nope! Snap had been the dog I was talking about anyway. She's been making an effort to talk to me!" Mickey practically rumbled with happiness.

I'm glad!

"I won't bother you anymore, though," Mickey yawned, climbing to his paws, "good luck with the rest of High Watch!"

Thunder nodded, "Thanks for the company."

Mickey barked a farewell before trotting back to camp. Thunder sighed, "He's so kind." She turned back to the cliff to let her eyes roam over the trees that swayed before her.

Might as well enjoy it while I'm up here, she thought as she drifted in and out of reality, Mickey's turning out to be a really good friend. Maybe Breeze was right... Maybe I do have a crush on him!

* * *

Surprisingly, Thunder didn't snap at the fly that landed on her nose as she came into camp for her break. She turned to smell the air. Not many dogs were there at the time. She saw the four pups of her Alpha and Beta sitting near their mother, but their father was nowhere to be seen. She could also see Bella nudging her two pups into her den for a nap. Only two or three others lying on the outside of their dens.