Running with wolves

Chapter 2

The death curdling howl rang through her ears as yellow eyes pierced through the darkness. All around her, more eyes appeared just as menacing as the first and the howling became laughter. Spinning around to see if she could escape, the laughter grew louder and louder, taunting her until it became unbearable. Curling up into a ball with her eyes tightly shut, she continuously told herself it's just a dream. I'm better than this. Fight it! Her eyes flung open to reveal that she was in her cave, moss and feathers scattered all around where she had been thrashing around her nest. She looked around to see her mother still curled in her nest sleeping peacefully but her father, brother, and sister gone. Out training, she thought, just a few more moons and that will be me. She stood up, almost falling back over as she did, shaking the loose feathers and moss in her fur. She realised her legs were shaking and her heart was beating almost out of her chest. Sighing, she sat down and began flattening her ruffled fur. She couldn't let her mother know about the dreams. She would freak out and want to watch her all day long. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ylva yawn and stretch "Sky?! You're up early; did you have a bad dream or something?" Flinching Sky turned to look at her mother "n... n... no, wh... why would you think that?" Ylva narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to say something but light scratching outside stopped her. Rolling her eyes at Sky who turned away she looked towards the cave entrance and called "come in Flame." Pushing past the leaf screen a handsome red wolf pup strolled in with his chest puffed out and his tail held high, he bowed his head to Ylva and said: "good morning Ylva I hope you are well today." Dipping her head, Ylva added, "I'm quite well Flame and yes, before you ask, Sky can go out as long as she's back by nightfall." Flame grinned and wagged his tail slightly before bounding over, tackling Sky to the ground. Growling Sky pushed him off "do you mind  I just cleaned my fur." Laying her fur flat for the second time she watched Flame closely as he bounced around her, "come on, come on its flat already" brushing the fur down with his paws he nudged her towards the cave entrance while smiling back at Ylva who watched with an amused look.

Stepping out of the leaf screen, Sky blinked as the sun blinded her. She walked forward till she was on the edge of the ledge where a large flat stone rested, pointing outwards. Sky sat there looking out in awe as the surrounding camp stirred as hunting patrols were being called and other pack activities were taking place. Sky looked down from the ledge and noticed that leaves littered the floor with all different colours from orange to brown as autumn settled. At the edge, there were tufts of grass growing where she and Flame loved to hide and scare the passing wolves. Above that, seven ledges were leading up, each with leaf screens covering more caves where the rest of the pack lived and at the very top there were branches with discoloured leaves letting in patches of light that dotted around camp. Flame followed Sky's gaze, then laughed slightly. "it's still hard to believe we live in a hollowed-out oak tree, huh." Sky's only response was a grunt as she watched the leaves fall softly to the ground. Flame brushed his tail across Sky's nose, making her sneeze, "come on or you'll spend the entire day watching leaves fall." He leapt away, looking back to make sure Sky was following before continuing down the ledges. Sky grunted as she landed awkwardly beside him and winced as she put pressure on her paw. They stood and watched a group of wolves squeeze out of a hole that was dug by a rabbit then expanded to fit wolves, Sky tilted her head and smiled slightly as she thought about how clever her kind were  to create such a perfect home from just a rabbit hole. Flames growling brought Sky back to reality as two wolves only slightly bigger than them walked over. "Well, look at the pups who finally left the cave," the male sneered as he cuffed Flame over the head. "Banan, just because you have dark fur, there's no need to be cruel," the she-wolf said, giving him a hard stare. "and you Lillyana don't have to be so sweet just because your fur is cream." Snorting, he pushed past Sky and Flame, almost knocking them over as he went and leapt up the ledges with his ginger patches on his side glowing. Sighing Lillyana watched Banan leap up then looked at Flame and Sky trying to rebalance themselves "sorry about him sis" she said nuzzling Sky "I really don't know whats gotten into him lately maybe it's the stress of almost becoming a sharp-tooth. Anyway, as long as you're ok I'll leave you to it." She trotted off to follow her brother. "Man, your littermates are so different. I don't know how you put up with them." Flame said while rubbing his side with his muzzle. Sky only flattened her ears and lowered her head, taking in what her sister had said. Maybe it's the stress of almost becoming a sharp-tooth. Was it really that hard? If Banan's struggling how will I ever cope? Realising Flame had gone Sky hurried over to join him by the rock of the retired. Where the pack elders could sunbath and enjoy the rest of their lives in peace, Sky had found out that most of the elders were grumpy and hated younger wolves near their rock but now and then they had good advice or stories to tell. "You're not going deaf are you Sky" cackled a grey and white she-wolf. "You better hope not Nymph else you will have to move over and share your prey," said a once beautiful golden brown she-wolf, "I think I'd prefer the company eh willow?" Nymph said playfully flicking her tail. Rolling her eyes Willow teased "at least I didn't forget why I called the young pups over isn't that right Nymph." Snorting Nymph turned over grumbling to self. Casting amused faces Sky and Flame raced away towards the tufts of grass. Giggling both pups checked to see if the coast was clear then dived behind a nearby rock which concealed a hidden exit. "Ladies first," said Flame gesturing towards the hole with his paw. Smirking Sky squeezed into the hole and crawled through shaking off the dirt when she re-emerged.

All around the massive oak tree she called home was a meadow and past that were forests of pine for as far as she could see. Before Flame could even recover, Sky shouted, "race ya" and charged away into the trees. As they both raced along the dirt path kicking up clouds of dust, they laughed and nudged each other until they came to a clearing. In the clearing, it had a massive patch of tall grass in the middle with a small forked tree beside it. Sky, barely controlling her excitement, called out "hide and seek" then vanished in the grass. Flame laid down and began counting "one elk, two elks, three elks" Sky sat in the middle of the grass with a stick in her mouth to stop her laughing "four elks, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten! Your mine prey." He stalked around towards the shade so his fur didn't glow as much as he went into the grass. In a few moments, he had found Sky with her back to him, ceasing the moment he leapt onto her back, crying "found you" and playfully biting her ear. Squealing with laughter, Sky ran towards the tree and scrambled up. With tail and her head held high, she giggled, "I'm the leader of this pack and I declare Flame hunt organiser," smiling down at him. Flame crouched near the ground, then sprang up. "Not if I challenge you. " Grabbing hold of Sky, he pulled her down into the grass where they landed in a heap. Laughing, they both curled up together. Sky partially closed her eyes and whispered, "you're my best friend Flame. I hope we can stay this way forever" before slipping into sleep. Flame watched her before falling asleep with his head resting on her.

As the golden rays landed on Sky's fur she blinked open her eyes sleepily, then panicked as she leapt onto her paws causing Flame to slide off her hitting the floor with his chin "oopft, Sky what's the hurry" Sky whipped around thrusting her muzzle close to his "Hare brain look at the sun we should have been back ages ago" without stopping to see if Flame was following she sprinted away cursing herself. Flame set off home at a steady trot, when he squeezed through the hidden entrance he peered around the rock to find Sky crouching close to the ground with her tail flat and ears back, she was whimpering as her parents stood over her scolding with teeth slightly bared. It should be both of us in trouble, poor Sky.