Trapped (Sequel to Becomming and Animal X-men Fanfiction)

Connections to the Moon

I lifted my head from beside Thruster and saw Silverpaw sitting along on top of the mutant's holding cell. Her head was lowered into her shoulders while her body looked so small and frail. I sometimes forgot that she was still a pup.

"What are you doing," asked Twistedpaw as he climbed beside her.

"Looking at the moon," she answered as she lifted her muzzle and took in a long breath before letting her fur spike as if she was receiving a prophecy.

"The moon," echoed Twistedpaw as he tilted his head. "But you can't see the moon. There's a roof over us and we can't see anything." Confusion showed on his face and although I didn't know what was going through Silverpaw's mind I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Yes," she replied as if taking in his confusion but not actually understanding it. "But I can still see it. It's full and I feel the moon speaking to me."

"Speaking to you?" Twistedpaw probably thought his best friend had lost her mind.

Silverpaw let out a sigh and swiveled her head toward her friend. "I know it sounds strange to you but I can really feel the moon tugging at my fur, urging me to do things."

"Like what?" Twistedpaw was becoming more and more interested. Frankly I was too but I wasn't about to admit it.

"Howling," Silverpaw explained before lowering her head and shuffling her paws. "Its telling me to howl because it's the full moon but I had no idea how to."

"Go."

I turned my head and at first I thought it was Thruster but it wasn't. I shrugged it off but suddenly I felt a prod in the haunch. I let out a growl but I suddenly saw a black and brown wolf standing in front of me.

"Go," he urged. "They need you."

"Muffler," I gasped as I rushed to my paws and touched my nose to his.

He let out a laugh and licked my ear. "Oh my little Star Bright." (That's what he used to call me. Childish and strange but i licked it. He was more like my father than Tony ever was or will be!)

"I-I haven't howled since, well you know," I murmured as I shook my head to clear the unpleasant memories.

Muffler wasn't one for looking into the past. He always told me to look ahead because the past wasn't coming back to help me. "You must go. They need you now and you need more pleasant memories in your life."

I let out a sigh and puffed out my chest. I let out a nod and he disappeared. I shook my head to clear it and bounded forward. I spread my wings and flew easily to the top.

"I hear that you two want to howl," I barked as I strode forward.

"Starlight," Silverpaw gasped as she rushed to my side and pressed her head into my chest fur. I lowered my head over her and nuzzled her cheek. "How did you know?"

"Call it selective easdropping," I rumbled as i wagged my tail. "Now have you two ever howled before?"

"I've listened before," Twistedpaw began but I cut him off.

"Listening is a lot different then actually trying. You two are at the perfect age to begin howling and I'm sure you both will be naturals," I told them as I nudge them affectionately.

"How do we start," asked Twistpaw as he cocked his head.

I turned to him with my head leaning forward. "You can either sit or stand. You take in a breath and feel the emotion that you want to howl. Grief, joy, relief, power, anger, or whatever else you feel. After that you let out a the breath and feel the power swelling inside of you. Then let out a low sound from your throat to your mouth."

I knew I was making it sound more in depth than you probably thought a howl was but trust me it's much more complicated that I made it sound. I could write a book about the process of howling.

Twistedpaw narrowed his eyes and took in a breath. His chest puffed out and I thought that he looked just amusing, not powerful. He let out his howl and it was a lot deeper than I it'd be. His howl (if I read it right) was an excited yet nervous howl as if he was trying something for the first time.

He eventually ran out of breath and gasped for breath. "That was amazing," cried Silverpaw as she touched her nose to his ear. "I wish I could howl like that."

"You haven't tried yet," Twistedpaw pointed out, panting. "You'll be great, even better than me because I didn't do that well."

Silverpaw shuffled her paws and I nudged her to her paws. "Wolvys are better howling standing up," I whispered in her ears.

She nodded and spread out her wings. She looked absolutely stunning. She took in her breath but it wasn't that noticeable. Her ears shoved forward and she lowered her head against her chest before turning it to the sky. She let out such a beautiful howl. It was a mourning howl, for her father!

My heart nearly fell into my throat and that doesn't happen a lot. It was so soft yet had such emotion in it that it could knock a Claw Wolf off of his paws.

She finished and her wings folded against her flank and her eyes were shinning. She turned her eyes to Twistedpaw and myself. "H-How did I do," she asked as she tilted her head.

I was about to answer but Twistedpaw beat me to it. "You were perfect Silverpaw! That was the best howl that I have ever heard in my life."

"I was quite stunning," Magneto cut in. I didn't hear him give out compliments often and when he did it was once in a century.

"Do all wolves howl like that," asked Rouge with interest clear in her voice.

I shrugged. "Depends. Males are usually deeper and there are different howls for different things," I explained. I didn't need to tell them all of the different situations because even I didn't know them all.

Logan just grunted which I knew was the closest thing to a compliment that Twistedpaw and Silverpaw were going to get.

I was very pleased of them though. I let out a happy rumble and let out my own howl of happiness. I heard Runningbreeze and Nightsecret begin to howl before Stonestep and Riversong join in with Thruster the deepest in the background.

It was a perfect orchestra and I was proud of Twistedpaw and Silverpaw. They were shaping up to be very great full wolves.