The Journeys To Come

Chapter 3-Twig and Sparrow

It was late day and Heather and Flower were talking outside. It had been two days since Ash had come and it was starting to fade away like it never happened. "I think Pearl should get a learner. He has a big heart and he seems lonely!" Heather yowled. When your a hunter, you can teach a learner the ways of the pack. "Well I guess but he has us?" Flower sayed only to see Heather looking at her with wide eyes. "He has us? He's the only male in the group! He needs more friends then us." Flower didn't now what to say. Heather was right, he was the only male and he seemed lonely. Then something hit her. "Jasper! There besties! Come on Heather, he's not alone." When you have a learner, you are with them most of the time. Pearl would love his learner and he wouldn't want to leave there sight. Heather looked down, then at Pearl who was grooming not to far away. "I'll ask. This is not our life. Why don't you not talk to him about this. It would help." Heather looked at flower with warm eyes and then left to ask Pearl. Flower sat there wondering about Waterfall. How was she? She had only seen her once in the last week and it was when she went to get food. Flower soon noticed her paws were leading her to the Leader's den. "Waterfall? it's Flower." She said queitly. Flower heard a quiet bark and walked in. "Hello Flower. Why are you here?" Waterfall looked thiner then Flower and her eyes looked clouded. She was laying down, looking at her. Flower nodded to her leader, then answered her question. "I'm here about my dream. Remember?" Flower said, sitting down. Waterfall looked at her. "Yes I do. I'm still trying to figure it out. Is that why you have came?" Flower had not told Waterfall about the pups and the black wolf. It seemed that if she talked about, something would happen but now she had to tell. "Yes and one more thing. Two days ago, Heather, Pearl, and I found three pups," she looked at Waterfall then continued,"they were not ours. When we were about to walk to Sky-" Flower was interrupted by Waterfall. "What! With out my permission! Sky is far from here, and if they saw you, you'd be a bears food in no time!" Flower saw this coming. It was wrong to not tell Waterfall about this sooner, but once Waterfall gave her a stern nod to keep going, she did. "And when we were about to, a wolf came out of nowhere. And it was black." Flower looked up to see Waterfall looked at her with bewilderment. "But how! Only black wolves live in Sky and Fire. You must have been blinded by the sun!" Flower looked at her, shaking her head. "I wasn't. Pearl and Heather saw the same thing. The wolf's name is Ash, and those were his pups." They both sat there for a moment, not saying a word. Then Flower gave a nod and headed out of the Leader's den. When Flower walked out of the den she heard a terrified howl. "Twig no!" She turned around to see Twig holding on the edge of the cliff near camp. Near the leaner was a hunter, Sparrow. He was trying to grab Twig but Flower new he was to late. Still she ran to the trouble and looked down at Twig. "It's okay. Let me get Waterfall." She looked at Sparrow with wary eyes then headed for the Leader's den, slipping in with no permission. "Waterfall Twigs in trouble! She's at the cliff edge! You must hurry." She said quickly before she sliped out again. Twig was still holding on and Sparrow was looking at her with wide, scared eyes. "Waterfalls coming hold on!" Flower said trying not to think about Twig falling. Soon later she felt a thin pelt rush to her side. It was Pearl and Heather. Then Waterfall and our healer, Turtle came and started to help the poor leaner. "Everyone stay back." Turtle said, staring at the crowd. Waterfall looked at Sparrow and gave a stern nod to stay back with the other wolves. Sparrow did after she stared at Twig one more time like it was his last. Turtle stared at Twig, then Waterfall. What is she thinking? Help her already! She thought to herself. Turtle looked around and then Flower caught her staring at a big rock. She ran to it, and then Waterfall did the same like she knew what Turtle was thinking. They pushed the rock to Twig. "Try to hold this and pull yourself up." Waterfall said, trying to stay calm but Flower could see panic burning in her eyes. Pearl's fur began to bristle and Flower pressed closer to him so he would feel better. Twig looked at her leader and then the rock. She began to swing her paw, trying to reach the rock. Soon her claws scraped it and Flower looked away. I can't see her die. But Twig's claw got caught in a ditch in the rock. Flower began to feel hope swell in her chest. She could see Twig swinging her other paw, reaching for the rock. She grabbed it and pulled herself up. She was still on the edge and very close. Twig stood up, trying to walk. Just then Flower had looked up to Pearl with qlee, but Pearl was giving a loud howl. "No!" She turned around to see Twig slipping from the edge were the ground was crumpled. Flower ran to her, seeing her paws flip and her eyes wide with fright. Twig was falling and there was nothing she could do. Twig was close to the ground when Flower looked away. Waterfall gave a honor howl, and the pack joined in. Twig was dead, but not forgotten. The pack stood there for a while, grieving. The camp was empty, for all the wolves had gathered around the loss of a young wolf. Flower could not sleep that night. She had seen the wolf around camp as a pup, but never thought she would see her die. Heather was crying, and Flower new she must still be awake. She stood up, heading for her when she heard a whimper. It was Sparrow. Twig was his leaner, and Flower new she should stay with him. But first she came to Heather. "Flower? I thou-thought you we-were asleep?" She whimpered, trying not to cry in front of her friend. "I couldn't. I saw Twig die. I just wanted to say.. I'm with you, Heather. Twig was a great wolf and no hunter nor elder, will forget her." She put her muzzle in Heather's pelt then walked away towards Sparrow. She layed down next to him and tryed to sleep. "Its ok Sparrow, she's with Stars now, watching over you." Flower whispered in Sparrow's ear. He flinched and she new he heard her.