Arctic Pack (Living in a Pack book two)

Chapter Two: An Old Friend

I walked down the ice covered sidewalk, my feet crunching softly against the dry thin layer of snow. I was on the way to the pack house to meet Dylas. We were going to go on a walk together. I wanted to show him some of the places I used to hang out as a kid.

A scent wafted across my nose, swirling through the air around me. I came to a stop. Shifter. Arctic fox. Not part of the pack. I readied myself in case of a fight and began to turn around but stopped. If they weren't part of my pack why was the scent so familiar? I sniffed again. I knew that scent, I know I knew it.

Then it hit me and I felt a grin spread across my face, but before I could say anything I felt myself being tackled to the ground. I rolled across the ground and landed on my stomach. I tired to get up but felt a weight in my back. It wasn't human though, he'd shifted. I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees and shifted quickly into my bear form. I stood on my hind legs and knocked the fox from my back and whipped around growling menacingly but not actually meaning it. There must have been a look in my eyes or something because when I faced the fox he wagged his tail and growled too, then whipped around and took off in the other direction.

I gave chase, following him but staying just slightly behind him the whole time. We whipped past a woman standing on the street who stared shocked at first but then began to laugh to herself.

"Looks like they're back together again." She said shaking her head. My ears twitched at her voice, it was an old woman who wasn't part of the pack but I remember her from my childhood.

The fox suddenly put on a burst of speed pulling far ahead taking me by surprise and making slowdown just a little. I shook my head and regained my focus just in time to see the fox disappear down the street. I growled in frustration and took off again after the arctic fox. I was just about to stop because I couldn't see him when I spotted him. He was standing on top of a small snow bank looking down on me.

A memory flashed through my mind.

a small fox pup standing at the top of a snow bank above me. I stared at the pup in confusion from the ground below and barked in questioning. The foxes eyes glimmered with mischief and I watched in shock as the fox dislodged a a lump of snow sending a small Avalanche towards me, knocking me off my paws.

When the snow settled I sat up and looked around. the snow wasn't deep enough to bury me alive, I knew this was purposeful there was no way my best friend would hurt me on purpose. I looked around to see him standing in front of me, laughter in his eyes. I grinned in the best way a bear could and took off after him.

I shook the memory from my head and tried to stop. But my paws skidded against the icy ground and I fell on my stomach sliding across the ground. I came to a stop just below the snow bank. I heard the fox yip with laughter making me look up. He looked down at me the same mischief I had always remembered glimmering in his dark blue eyes. I tried to stand but it was too late. I watched as the fox dislodged a lump of snow and send the whole snow bank showering down on me.

I closed my eyes to keep the snow out of them and it piled on top of me. Once the snow stopped I pushed upwards breaking through the snow with ease. Just like the time when we were kids it was not deep enough to harm me. I shook the snow from my ears and face and opened my eyes. When I did I saw the fox standing in front of me laughter in his eyes.

Suddenly a black and blue blur flashed in front of me knocking the fox off its paws. The two rolled in the snow until the blur, a wolf, had the fox pinned to the ground. It was Dylas and I could see the anger in his eyes. The fox struggled trying to get free of Dylas' grasp. Quickly I stood and rushed forward knock Dylas off the fox.

Dylas stood and looked at me in confusion and hurt. I felt a stab of guilt over it but I knew it had to be done. The fox got up too and ran under my belly, standing underneath me and making himself look small and scared. He wasn't actually scared though, it was a technique we came up with as kids. since I was always the bigger one if we were ever faced with an enemy he would hide under my belly. That was nothing could get at him but also nothing could get at my weak spots like my belly or throat because if they did he'd attack.

Dylas took a step towards us and I felt the fox tense up. I gave Dylas a look saying it was okay and he backed off a little, the fox relaxed as he did so. Dylas shifted back into his human form and looked at me expectantly. I was waiting first for the fox to step out from underneath me. Once he had I quickly shifted. My ears stayed the same as they always did, polar bear ears, the hat I had been wearing had been destroyed when I shifted first but it was fine because everyone in the town knew of shifters. The fox then shifted and stood next to me. He was around the same height as me and had the same white hair. His eyes were a deep blue and he wore an old winters jacket and thick pants and boots. It almost looked like we were siblings, but the one key difference between me and him was on his head were the ears of an arctic fox, not a polar bear.

I felt a hand grasp mine and I felt myself being pulled to Dylas' side.

"Who is this guy?" Dylas growled looking at the fox with hostility. I pulled away from Dylas and looked at him, then at the fox.

"This," I said pointing at the fox. "Is Theo, and he's been my best-friend for as long as I can remember."

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I just tried to say thank you to someone in my English class but I'm shy so no words came out of my mouth. I hate being shy ugh.

- Polar