Mutatio

Chapter 2 FlamePup

"HollyScratch!" JunePup called, climbing onto the resting grey wolf's back.

"Yes, JunePup?" HollyScratch questioned.

"Will you tell us a story?" JunePup replied, pawing at HollyScratch's ear. WinterPup and SkyPup looked up from the corner of the room. WinterPup and JunePup were sisters, and both were a few moons younger than me. SkyPup was the youngest one of the four of us, being only one moon old.

"Why of course, I will. But you'll have to get off of me, first." HollyScratch agreed. JunePup hopped down to the ground beside her sister, who was helping SkyPup over. HollyScratch looked over at me. "Would you like to join, FlamePup?" I shook my head laid down by the entrance so I could see out.

"That's Gamma's job, but... Alright, which story would you pups like to hear?" There were barks and yips as the other pups fought to be heard, and I sighed, wishing nothing more than to be out of the nursery. I wanted to join the Eta. I wanted a skilled mentor who could teach me how to change into human form, how to hunt, and how to fight in both forms.

"HollyScratch, tell the one about the Legendaries!" WinterPup suggested. I sighed again and rested my head on my paws. I'd heard that one a million times. It had been my favorite when I was SkyPup's age, and could hardly leave the nursery. I watched as KindlePaw trots across the clearing, carrying a duck in her mouth. She dropped the duck in the prey pile and shook out her warm brown fur. She saw me looking from across the clearing and wagged her tail in greeting. My tail involuntarily started thumping. She ran over to me and sat down outside the entrance. I sat up and smiled.

"Hey, FlamePup!" She greeted.

"Hey! How was your training today?" I asked. KindlePaw smiled, excited.

"We didn't do anything really special, but CrowTail says that in a week or two he might teach me how to shift!" She exclaimed. I barked in excitement for her.

"Wow! That's awesome! I'm sure your mother's very proud of you!" I replied. KindlePaw dropped her head, and I immediately felt guilty.

"Mother doesn't pay me much attention nowadays." She muttered. I stepped forward and rubbed my head against her shoulder.

"Don't be sad," I said, pulling away, "please. Your mom loves you, she's just really busy with her duties as a single Beta." KindlePaw sighed and pawed at the ground.

"Yeah, I guess. It would just be kinda nice to have a normal mom, like CherryLeaf is for JunePup and WinterPup. Or FoxFeather for SkyPup." She complained. I looked at the copper colored fur on my paws that faded into black as it went up my legs, then turned copper again as it reached the end of my tail and tips of my ears and muzzle. HollyScratch always said I had the most extraordinary pelt she'd ever seen, and that she was sure my mother and father were lovely. Wherever they are. I sighed.

"Yeah. That would be nice." I agreed. KindlePaw glanced up at me, regret filling her eyes.

"I'm sorry, FlamePup. I shouldn't complain, I know that's not fair to you." She tried to apologize. I shook my head and smiled slightly.

"Don't worry about it, KindlePaw." I assured her. I glanced over and saw NightSky coming out of the Eta's den. Her ears and tail dropped, but she walked with purpose, the same determined light shining in her iridescent eyes that was always there, as she approached the nursery. I furrowed my brow. "Wonder what she's doing?" KindlePaw looked over at NightSky and was about to reply when there was a sharp howl from CrowTail. KindlePaw winced.

"Whoops. I'll see you later, FlamePup!" She called as she ran off. NightSky was standing in front of me now. She gave me a smile.

"Hey, FlamePup. Why are you out here all alone?" She questioned. For some untold reason, her words rubbed me the wrong way.

"Cause I can be." I snapped. NightSky narrowed her eyes at me slightly.

"That's quite the attitude you've got there, kid. I pity your mentor." She growled. I winced and looked at my paws.

"Sorry." I apologized. And I meant it. NightSky was one of the best fighters in the pack. She and her sister, before FrostDapple went missing, used to go out on Pair Patrols together all the time, and they'd bring back tons of prey each time. Even in winter, they managed to find something for every Mutatio. NightSky smirked kindly and ran her tail across the top of my head as she entered the nursery. I followed her in. NightSky laid down in the corner, tucking her paws under her. I sat down a few tail lengths away, and listened to the rest of HollyScratch's story.

"...the stories say that the Legendaries only come out when something bad is going to happen. The spirit of one of the elements finds it's home in a young pup's soul, and it lives there forever. When the time comes for the Legendary to rise, the spirit comes alive and the Mutatio is filled with unlimited power." She said. I rolled my eyes. I had heard the story too many times for it to have an impact anymore, but at one point, when I was JunePup's age, the tale of the Legendaries would send shivers down my spine. HollyScratch and NightSky started talking about something, so the other pups scampered over to me. WinterPup nuzzled me and I politely licked her cheek. WinterPup was my Socius, though our relationship was more like friends this early on. JunePup's Socius, RobinPaw, was already an apprentice, but he had only become one a week ago. SkyPup was the only one in camp without a Socius, but she still had one more moon until she was paired. Hopefully there would be someone to pair her with. HollyScratch and NightSky came back over.

"Alright, pups, this is NightSky! Say hi!"

"Hi!" JunePup exclaimed hopping up and down. NightSky watched her warily, as if preparing for her to jump onto her. WinterPup greeted her with more decorum, and SkyPup merely barked. NightSky smirked.

"I'm here to help HollyScratch take care of you guys for a while." She informed us. I furrowed my brow.

"Why?" I asked roughly. NightSky turned to me.

"Cause Alpha said so." She replied with a warning look. I flinched and looked at my paws. I really needed to watch my mouth. The rest of the day was spent cleaning out the nursery and playing around. NightSky was more playful than I had initially thought, and when ShadowChirp came back from a border patrol, they play fought for us. That was my favorite part. I carefully analyzed their every move. I watched the position of their paws, their stances, where they struck, everything. I was absorbed in the battle, that WinterPup was able to spring a surprise attack on me, something she'd never been able to do before. I grunted as she pinned me to the ground.

"Got you!" She exclaimed. Embarassed, I pushed her off and scrambled to my feet again.

"You got lucky." I muttered. WinterPup narrowed an eye at me and smirked.

"Oh yeah?" She leapt at me again, but this time I was ready. NightSky and ShadowChirp laughed as WinterPup and I wrestled on the ground. That night, I could hardly fall asleep. Any day now, I'd be old enough to be an apprentice. I wanted SunHowl as my mentor. He had been NightSky's mentor, and he knew all the tricks in the book. Or maybe OakBite. I frowned as I laid in the dark, my back pressed up against WinterPup and JunePup, SkyPup's head nestled against mine. HollyScratch was curled around us. My first night with the pack had been uncomfortable and hot, but I had grown used to it. Now, similar to the way I felt that first night, I was claustraphobic, being pressed up against all these warm bodies. I tried to roll over, but found that I couldn't. Suddenly feeling very trapped, I struggled out of the nursery. I stepped out of the entrance and the cold air sent shivers through my fur. I sighed and looked up at the sky. It was dotted with hundreds of stars that made different shapes, all with different stories. I watched silently as the Night Patrol left through the entrance to do their patrol, SunHowl guarding the entrance. I covered my yawn with my tail and curled up outside of the nursery. I fell asleep quickly, a breeze blowing through my fur, space to stretch out, and no fuzzy tails to fall into my face in the middle of the night. I couldn't wait to get out of the nursery for good.