Lost in the Wind

A Big Sweaty Family

The meadow dissolved into a road, which dissolved into a dirt trail. In no time i was soaked with sweat from holding up the pack.

I looked beside me and saw Nate labouring to keep the wagon rolling.

Every one was having difficulties keeping their paws underneath them and i mindlinked a few of the pack in the human group to see how they were holding up.

"How is everyone doing back there?"

For a minute there was just the sound of heavy breathing, then i heard Ebony's voice. Ebony was a 13 year old girl with fiery red hair and a dark grey wolf.

"Alot of the younger ones are having trouble keeping up with this pace. Thunder tripped over a root and fell. I think he has twisted his ankle because he cant walk."

I started to feel very worried for all of us. What would happen to us when we couldn't be of use to Master any more?

"Shadow, I need you to slow it down quite a bit." I thought up to Shadow near the front.

"I'm on it." He thought back. Everyone was listening in to us. Almost immediatly the procession started to slow.

"There isn't any soldiers back here. They are up front, Timber has taken Thunder's as well as Sam's pack and the rest of us are helping Sam, Naomi, Thunder, and Frosty along." Thought Ebony.

Sam, Naomi, Frosty and Thunder were the only pups in our procession that hadn't shifted. I felt better knowing that Timber was back there with them.

Everyone seemed to be managing better with the slowed pace that Shadow was setting. As we came to the bottom of a steep hill, we stopped and Master's voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Up this hill and we will be stopping for an hour lunch break."

As the first wolves started their way up the hill. Jake spoke to everyone.

"Keep to the right. The left is a powdered sand and crumbles underneath your paws."

It was slow moving going up the hill. Nate and i stood waiting for everyone to get safely up. Then we started pulling it forward, gaining speed. We headed up the hill before the harnesses grew taunt and the old wagon groaned from the strain. Nate and I were pulling on the leather bindings as hard as we could.

We were about halfway up the hill, taking forever when I heard it.

"Come on Lydia. You can do it. Don't give up now. Come on. Just a little bit farther." I looked up the hill to see all of the other wolves looking down on us and Wynde was whispering softly through her thoughts.

I let out a growl and leaned back in and started pulling even harder. Nate sensed my urgency and we both were pulling like never before. It took another minute to get the wagon over the hill. Nate and I were released from the harnesses and everyone got to set their packs down for a while.

2 of the soldiers unloaded barrels of food and gave us each a sandwich. I heard the sound of a stream just off the trail. The other 18 soldiers stood guard beside Master while he ate.

Soon all of us were together laying in the shade of the wagon and talking through the mind link. Timber had carried Thunder over after he set down the 3 packs and showed me his twisted ankle.

Timber was 17 and he had a jet black wolf with light brown markings. I have never seen his wolf but everyone back home was always jealous because they said that he looked like a Rottweiler. He was very strong but never talked much. All of the girls in his grade at our school were always trying to catch his attention. He was mysterious.

I went into the wagon and got a strip of plastic wrap from the food bag. Jake got up and went to go get his bag.He spoke to Ebony thorugh the mind link that he manged to keep his knife and it was in his bag. Then as i instructed her through the link, she cut up some leaves and put it in between the layers of plastic.

Then Timber lifted Thunder up onto my back and we all headed over to the stream. I put my paws in and waded around untill i slowly laid down in the freezing water and let it run over Thunder.

I looked up as everyone else came rushing down and began to swim in the water and drink it up.

"This is like we're a family!" Yelled Naomi as she splashed around with her little feet.

"We are silly! A big sweaty family" exclaimed Sam back as he walked up and smelt Nate who was sitting watching.

With a grin, Nate jumped up and grabbed onto Sam who screamed surprised and tossed him into the river.

I closed my eyes as I felt Thunder play with my hair as he laid there. I couldn't help but admire how everyone put this behind them and focused on having fun.

Everyone came together this morning and we truly were a family now.