Destiny of the Forest Wolves || A Destiny Series || Book 1

- CHAPTER THREE: A Big Mistake -

Amax stared out his den that morning. The pack was slowly awakening and he didn't want to get up and disturb anybody. The last few days had been warm and lonely since the Training Patrol.

Amax jumped up, feeling a sudden rush of curiosity, and trotted out, but his father blocked him. He raised his furry eyebrows in surprise.

"I'm off to go explore." Amax said, trying to get out.

"Amax, be sure to be careful! And m-" His father began.

"I know, I know! Make sure to stay in our  territory, and don't go wandering off toward The Northern Pack territory or do anything rash! And bring back something nice, I know, how dumb do you think I am?" Amax whined. 

The raised eyes on his fathers face made Amax wonder, did his father think he was dumb? His dad nodded, stepping aside.

"But stay in the Residence-" He called after Amax, who raced out the cave, and down towards the river.

He looked around for an adventure. He didn't see anyone or anything to play with. He then heard a squeak. He looked over, and saw a tiny brown mouse searching around the roots of a shrub, looking for something good to eat. 

Amax lowered his body. The mouse moved from one place to another, then finally, carried on forward.

Amax followed it, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. He didn't want to kill it just yet. He wanted to see where it would go. Surely his father wouldn't mind if went just a little ways out the pack home? He would wait until it was completely focused on something rather than looking for food, like eating something, or tucking in for sleep in its borrow, so Amax could pounce. 

He followed it through the leaves, around the rocks, toward a stream. The mouse hopped on the rocks to the other side, near a slope. Amax waited until the mouse ran to the other perimeter, then quickly ran across. 

The rodent ran down the slope, across to a grassy patch. It hopped over the grass, to another slope. It slid down it, then sat there. Then it moved again. It jumped down a tiny hill, until finally, it reached ferns. 

What a busy little mouse! Amax stepped lightly after it. The mouse stopped on a wide path, in an open area, before jumping into a bush. Amax blinked once, then twice, then ran up to the shrub. He lifted his nose and smelled for the tiny prey. The mouse was there alright! 

But something else was as well. Amax hopped in the bushes as he heard four, paw steps, no, eight, twelve paw steps! Amax was able to see a little bit through the tall grass.

Three massive wolves came trotting up. A huge, unfamiliar grey wolf who was taking the lead, lifted its snout into the air.

Its eyes widened. "There is another wolf here!" he growled. 

"That scent is unfamiliar. Not from here." Said a white one. 

"Maybe it's a loner." A skinny grey wolf boasted.

"Shut up you two!" the wolf in the lead snapped.

They looked around, bristling, then heard a voice calling them.

"Roki, get you and your packmates rumps over here! We found some good elk by the stream." The voice howled from far away.

"Let's go, come on!" The female of the group said. They sprinted off toward the huge forest behind them. Amax only had one thing in the back on his mind.

Oh no! How did I end up in The Northern Pack territory? Am I as dumb as father thinks?

Amax shuddered with fear and shame. Then he smelt something different. A new scent. Not the mouse, but a wolf. A wolf pup. The scent was weird, but also like he smelt it before, then Amax jumped and turned as he heard a growl behind him.