The Riven

Kallee 5

I lay still in front of my den, making the most of the moonlight. I really need to plan to get Conan back, but if you ask me, I'm a horrible plan maker.
I think I know what I'm going to do. I'm not going to wait- I'll go now. So I don't have to deal with Cleo telling father and mother about what I told Cleo last night, because I can't help but tell the truth to my parents, and I keep promises to only them.
I bolt, heading directly into the woods. Making way past the crowded trees, my body thin and small so I can get through. I sniff the air while sprinting,  trying to find those tracks mother showed me a few days ago. Those tracks were bizarre- they were a little scary, too. Burnt trees in its past.
I arrive where the dead deer was, its scent still hovering on the ground. But it's not there. Now, all I have to do is wait.
Very patiently. Maybe I can howl, and the human might come. I howl.
Nothing.
I howl again.
Still, nothing.
Didn't the human always listen? Especially when they want us wolves. I'll have to wait until they come, I guess.
***********
"Seriously?" I say to myself. The human haven't come for hours. It's almost the crack of dawn, and the pack is probably wondering where I am. But if I go back, Cleo might tell my parents, or alphas, about what I'm planning to do, or wait.
Maybe I can convince Cleo to not tell them, but that's going to be a problem. Cleo is a full grown adult wolf, while me still, am almost. She's like the beta of the pack, and will do anything for my safety- but sadly she couldn't save Conan's. So even if I tell her to not tell anyone, she'll still tell eventually, for my "safety." I don't need safety, though. I can take care of myself, and plus, I'm an alpha child, and my parents are pretty wise. And that means?
I know what I'm doing.
Man, I wish I can say that to Cleo, but that would be rude. The only thing to do is go back to the pack, because I can't stay out here forever until the human come. I can't survive in these dark woods all by myself. Well, let me rephrase that. Yes, I can take care of myself, but I'll need them if a bear comes or something, or another pack tries to take over. I shake my head, and squint my eyes. I need to go back.
I rush toward the way I came to this spot through, sniffing last night's paw prints that I created. Just follow those backward, and I'll get to my destination. Then something pierces my skin, going deep into me. I yelp, and try to get my head to look at the wound I've gotten, but can't seem to see it for my neck is a little shorter then average. I get dizzy, still trying to get back to my pack. The corners of my vision turn into black spots as I start to faint, and all I hear is banging against my ears. Am I dying? I think.
My lungs burn with pain and my heart beats faster and faster until I can't even feel anything anymore. Maybe I am dying? I can't even hold up my eyelids anymore, and everything turns black.
***********************
"Hey, you up yet?" I soft voice says, like my mother's warm breath on me.
"She seems dead," a deeper voice says, but not super deep, like Conan's.
I open an eye, just to see what's going on and if the voices are talking to me. But it's not just that- I'm in an uncomfortable position. I'm squeezed into a tight space, and surrounding me is black iron bars trapping me in. The floor feels like metal. Around me to my left and right are two other cages, each with a creature in it. I open both eyes, because of curiosity. The light from a window blinds me, and beneath me and all over everything is vibrating, like a massage. Although I've haven't really had a massage before my litter mates did crawl all over me and jumped on me, if I can relate to that.
"Hey, sweetie," the soft voice says.
Sweetie? I don't allow words like that anymore. They think I'm still a pup for my small size.
I turn to the voice on my left, giving the voice a look, but can't see anything for the sun blinded my eyes. I don't remember much, but it must be the crack of dawn. And thankfully, I'm still alive.
"Excuse me?" I snap.
It's a female, beta wolf, from the Mississippi River Pack. We were never enemies with this pack, but once we fought over territory.
On the other side of me is another wolf, and unlike the she-wolf who has red fur, this wolf has gray. The wolf perks its head up, looking at me.
"She sounds older than she looks," the wolf snorts.
I jerk my head around to see the wolf smirking. I smell this wolf, too: The wolf from the Eastern pack, omega ranked. And is male.
I snarl, making him back up into his cage.
"I'm sixteen," I snap. "Your omega, so shut your muzzle up and listen to me, and when we get out of here I can rip you to shreds,"
He folds his ears down, his golden eyes staring up at me for mercy. I can tell he was loyal to his alpha, Rhode.
"I'm sorry," he says. He then has a wicked smile plastered across his face. "I don't listen to runts. You think I'm afraid?"
I growl so loud, all I hear now is instead of the rumbling and tossing of whatever we are in, all I hear is that devastating growl of mine.
"You should be," I bark. "Think before you speak, boy. Your omega, and-"
"You a sniffer, aren't ya?" He laughs.
"I'm an alpha, and yes, I'm a sniffer. Try it someday."
"Zek!" The she-wolf behind me says. "Don't be so rude, okay? Do not understand she is an alpha, while you, aren't?"
"She's an alpha?" Zek asks.
"Uh huh. Your names' Zek?" I smirk. "Look at you, your huge while me, in this small cage, am fitting perfectly. Maybe being tiny can be useful sometimes, and not just making me look small."
"You to," the she-wolf says. I throw my head at her. "I'm sorry, but I don't like fights. Let's not let it get messy when we get out."
I respect that. I agree. I sit back, giving Zek the stink eye.
"Hey, I'm sorry, too," Zek says, pulling his ears back. "I didn't know you were alpha."
I grit my teeth, but then nod.
"So," I start, looking at the she-wolf. I haven't asked her name yet, I just realized. "Do you know where we are going?"
"I think," she replies. "Look,"
She points her muzzle to the window, near her. I'm small enough to lift my head in the cage a few inches up, unlike Zek and the she-wolf, who are hunched in their cages looking miserable and for God knows how long they will be in there.
"You see?" she asks me. "It's quite beautiful, other than those ugly buildings."
I see. It's beautiful, like the she-wolf said. It's the first light of dawn, with orangish-yellowish light on concrete walls, or buildings. The structures are broken down, for I've heard there was a war of the world. This is probably some of the only standing structures left. But the forests thrive, healthy.
I can't feel anything- but I can imagine what it might feel like, going at sixty miles an hour. The wind blowing on my fur, and I forget everything that had happened to Conan. It's been a few weeks since that.
I smile, then nod. "It is beautiful," I agree. "Do think this is where we are going?"
"I'm not sure," the she-wolf replies. "The road leads to it, though,"
"Road?" I say. I'm confused.
Road?
"We're in a vehicle?"
The she-wolf nods.
I stare at the buildings in awe, the sunlight making the buildings look on fire.
I moment of silence, even Zek doesn't say anything.
"What's your name?" I ask, at the she-wolf.
She looks at me, and then tilts her head and smiles. "I'm Zena," she replies.
Zena.
It is a pretty name.
"How about yours?"
I look at her, directly into her green eyes. Her red fur is glowing from the orange light, too.
I don't want to rub this in their faces, but I'll give it my all,
"I'm Kallee, next alpha of the Great Plains."