The Wolves of Valenguard: Live High Or Die

Chapter 1

Salek yawned, squinting his little eyes against the bright morning sun dancing on his face.

  "Salek, wake up, it's a special day today!", Sya, his mother, whispered.

She nudged his cheek with her large paw. Salek remembered and squeaked with excitement. My reading!, he thought.

  "Oh yay!", he yipped, leaping out of bed. He wagged his stubby pup tail excitedly.

Sya chuckled. Today Kimba will read my maji and show me my qualities!, Salek thought as he leapt out of the den and into the bright sunlight that came into the grassy clearing through a large gap in the leaves. He trotted across the grass with his head held high, Sya following with a chuckle. Salek sat down in front of the entrance to the healer den, patiently waiting for his mother. Sya came and Salek weaved in between her legs, nuzzling her fur. Just as they were about to go in the den together, they heard a hearty laugh. The hunting party had returned, and with them came Salek's father, Marek.

The big male bounded over excitedly to his pup and knelt down to his level with a mock growl. Salek returned the growl. He barked and nipped his father's heels. Malek laughed and batted Salek with his huge paw. Salek tumbled over playfully. When they were done play fighting, the family gathered themselves and plunged into the den.

Salek shivered with excitement as the sunlight that filtered through the ivy behind them illuminated the old seer, Kimba. She was an old, silver wolf with herb green maji, who would have been beautiful in her time. She squinted hard at the family in front of her, struggling to quite make them out due to the blindness in her left eye.

"Ahh, today 'tis Salek's day, is it not?", she chuckled.

Salek yipped excitedly. "Oh yes Kimba, today you shall read my maji!!", he barked.

The old female laughed. "Ah, youth", she sighed. "Well then, come on", she beckoned to Salek. Salek trotted over and stood up on a stone platform. He stood straight and tall, puffing out his chest and holding his head high. He flapped his tiny wings dramatically.

  Kimba squinted hard at his maji. "Now then, let's see......."