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

- CHAPTER EIGHT: A New Find -

"No!"

Amax ran as fast as he could. For a moment he had a thought that no wolf could match Millie's insane speed. She was one of the fastest wolves in the forest! 

They ran up toward where she had turned off. A giant cedar log blocked their way.

He lifted his snout and sniffed the air.
Millie's scent was as fresh as a daisy, and he couldn't afford to lose her, not now. They had travelled so far, and they have finally come so close to retrieving her home.

Ash was trying to claw his way under.

"How could Millie have gotten through here?" Bescona protested, her eyes fixed on the log.

"Look!" Sky gasped. "We can jump on that stump, then over and onto the wood!"

"That is what Millie probably did to get over." Star agreed. Bolie and Colaro took the lead, the others following not far behind as they tried to catch up to their packmate. Finally, they made it to the other side.
It wasn't until they came to a skidding halt at the side of a forest cliff, that Amax had lost all hope. A wolf would be killed if they fell down there, no doubt about it.

Millie wasn't anywhere, and Amax's thoughts became dreadful. They tasted the air, her scent close.

"She must of fallen over!" He whispered.

Trying to look over, he saw nothing. He couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad thing.

Then Colaro yelled, "look!"

They all jerked their heads up to where Colaro was gesturing with his snout.

Millie!

She wasn't in fact in front of them, she was to the side. She had managed to sprint far away of them already.

Amax felt tricked.
"There is something I do want to know." Amax looked as she ran on, curious.

They all looked at him, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Why aren't we catching up to h-" Sky started, but Amax him off.

"Why did she leave home in the first place? And why does she just keep running the opposite way, not even trying to even look for the territory? She's smarter than that. Wouldn't she howl to find her pack, too?"

Amax looked down at his paws, beyond angry. The others stayed silent and looked worried.

"How could she leave us?"

"There has to be a specific reason she has went so far!"

"Millie!" Amax howled. She just kept running, and running. Running away from what, exactly? Who knew?

After everything they had been through, they just kept losing.

"Let's just get this over with, and quickly. If we don't find her by tomorrow, I might just call this search off." Amax laid his ears flat against his head, and steadily turned backwards, away from the cliff.

Leaving the cliff far behind, they heard a waterfall sloshing not far in the distance. Ash stepped back, little things putting his fur on end after the encounter with the precipice. Amax reassured him it was safe, and they continued on. He slipped passed the bushes, hoping that Millie took a break to drink from the pool of water, resting just at the bottom of the fall. Amax sampled the air, his eyes narrowed. There was no scent of her at all.

He looked closely, something about the shape behind the waterfall weird and out of order. It looked hollow, almost, like there wasn't anything behind it, but...there had to be something, didn't there?

Until he finally figured it out.

"I think there is a cave behind there."

"A cave?" Ash swallowed gruffly. "We almost got eaten by a mountain lion last time we were near a cave. What's next, a grizzly bear? Bats?"

Bolie seemed to shrink beneath her pelt.

"Let's go in and investigate." Amax decided, wondering if he was making a huge mistake or not. He listened for any sound behind the crisp water, and once again tasted the air for any scent, but there was nothing but the smell of what nature should smell like. 

He led the way around, following the stone path. He could just see behind, and it looked like it was indeed a cavern. As far as he could tell, there was a rock floor to stand upon. But there was no easy way to get inside unless they swam. It would be difficult if one wanted to climb upon the steep rocks then jump down through the slit in the water. It was dangerous.

"Where are you going?" Colaro and Sky stared at Bolie, who was padding away.

"Marcus and I are going the hard way. He doesn't swim in deep water, and me, who hates water."

"Be careful, please." Amax shouted after them.

They dipped their paws in the water, and kept an eye on the two non-swimmers every now and then.

"I'm not much of a swimmer, I might join them." Colaro said uncertainly, backing away before following after them.

"Come on guys, we've trained in water before." Sky said, propelling himself forward.

"Don't tire yourself out!" Star shouted after him, following him in and wincing at the cold touch.

Ash took a deep breath, as he usually did when he was nervous, and waded in. He began paddling after them, trying to keep his head above the surface.

Once Bescona went, Amax followed. He kicked his legs, the spray from the waterfall getting in his eyes. His tail floated lifelessly behind him, his muscles burning with fire as he kept on swimming, trying to keep up with his packmates.

He looked over at the side of the fall, seeing none of the other three in sight. Had they already made it in?

Finally, after the long struggle, they made it to the end.

He forced himself through the cascading torrent, gasping as he reached the other end, water streaming down from his fur.

"Maybe we can stay the day, if it's safe." Amax sighed.

The others nodded in agreement, as they came up beside him.

But then, as they took their precious time to actually look around, they couldn't believe their eyes. 

a/n: please vote and comment :3 What was the last thing you have for breakfast? I had English muffins with jam on it.