The Living Wind in the Forest - Water

Chapter 3

"Check this out."

Snow clamped her jaws around a freshly-caught rabbit that was barely enough to feed a pup. "What?" she mumbled around fur.

"There's some fur caught on this branch." Moon prodded the tuft of fur with one paw. "I don't recognize it."

Snow buried her nose in the fur. "Me either," she agreed.

"Twig, get over here," Moon called. "Do you recognize this scent?"

Clambering slowly over the roots buried in the dirt, he made his way over and breathed in the scent. "I think–it's Luna," the brother of the former alpha whispered.

"Come on, let's hurry back," said Snow. "If Luna's around we need to tell the pack."

They slipped through the trees and into the clearing. A babble of chatter rose from the main den. Bewildered, Snow pushed the rabbit to one side and ducked in to look.

"Luna's back!" Daisy's eyes shone. "Her half of the pack is reunited!"

Snow turned around to see the gray-wolf raise her head elegantly. "Nice to see you again." she dipped her head coolly.

"You too, Alpha," Snow said in the same tone, dipping her head.

"Well, thank you for taking care of your half of the pack. Now that I'm here, I might as well take over again." she smiled sweetly.

"Hold on!" Twig blurted from behind her.

Luna whipped around.

"Twig? What happened to you?"

"I–I'm blind," he confessed. "From a skirmish."

Luna stared at Snow accusingly. "It wasn't her fault!" Twig added quickly. "This wolf is after her and wants to kill her."

"Then let me take over," Luna suggested.

"But–most wolves want Snow as a leader," Twig reasoned. "Not that I don't want you as mine," he added hastily.

"But I have more experience, don't I?" Luna argued. "Snow is barely a pup. Right now this pack is like a clump of muddy leaves. Give me a moon tops and I'll get this pack up and running."

"But after the water goes down we can go back home," Moon put in. "We don't have to waste our energy running."

"But that's how we've done it for years!" Luna looked shocked.

"But we want change." Moon stood boldly.

"I'm your leader," Luna retorted sternly.

"No you're not. Snow is. We haven't seen you for seasons, we don't even know if we can trust you."

Snow stood bewildered as Moon and Luna argued. "Let's leave it to the pack, then. We'll do a vote, like we did when the fire first split us," she suggested. "But right now we need rest. We might think better after we sleep on it a little.

"You guys sleep over in those ferns," Snow ordered. "We'll discuss this tomorrow."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow tucked her nose under her tail and stared at one spot on the ground. Her ears twitched as she picked up movement.

"Twig!" a hushed voice hissed in the dark.

"Get away Luna. I don't want anything from you,'' Twig's voice growled back.

Snow shuffled in her nest, stepping out and opening her mouth to speak. SHe hesitated, and closed them again. What do they want?

"Get over here. I need to talk to you."

Twig growled deep in his throat and stumbled out, following her sister's voice and slinking into the shadowy trees. Snow pressed her ears against her skull and quietly padded out behind them.

"What are you doing here?" Luna immediately spat, slicing hooking a claw over his ear. Twig flinched out of the way, but the fur on his ear-tip ruffled. "I told you to kill Snow. Not to defend her!"

Snow's eyes widened in alarm.

"I won't. I told you. I don't want to be a Beta. I want to be a healer," Twig responded quietly. "Give up Luna, we want Snow as a leader."

"A tiger can't change its stripes." Luna bared her teeth. "I want to be leader. And I want you as my deputy." She growled again. "I told you to kill her, didn't I? You killed yourself instead."

"I might not have my eyes, but I still have a soul," Twig hissed back. "I am twice as useful as Healer."

"Then you are useless to me," Luna snarled, stretching her claws and preparing to pounce.

"No!" Snow howled. She barreled out of her hiding spot and rammed her paws in Luna's side. Toppling over, Luna kicked out her back legs and Snow collapsed on the ground and Twig hurried to pin Luna down. Her eyes darted desperately as traces of movement stirred within the sleeping wolves.

"Let me go!" Luna thrashed under Twig's paws. She stared at Twig with fear in her eyes. "We're siblings, remember?" she croaked out.

"Don't fall for it!" Snow hissed, stumbling to her paws. Twig hesitated, and Luna took her chance and surged up, Twig and sinking her claws into his fur.

"Vengeance blinded you, didn't he?" Luna spat into his ear. "Then you should fear him. He is powerful. Which is all I wanted." Her eyes burned with hate. "Maybe I should join him, after all I have no place here."

"What are you talking about?" Twig sputtered. "Him, no!"

"Too late," she grinned evilly. She slunk into the shadows, disappearing.