Dawn of the Wolves Book One: The Journey Begins

The Misty Meadow

                                                                              Chapter Seven

Halo's eyes darted around the meadow that laid in front of them, the group had to cross a river to get to the meadow. The rivers waters churned and slammed against the rocks that held back the raging tides. Halo took a step back from the rapids, "How are we supposed to cross? One wrong move and we could get swallowed by the rapids." Rosa nodded, "This could go one of two ways... I think we all know what way we want to go." Halo nodded, "Yeah, maybe we can hop across the rocks?" Rosa nodded, "I'll go first, that way you and Slate can pull me out if I fall in." Halo nodded, "Yeah, just be careful." Rosa nodded, "I will." Halo watched as Rosa sprang from the shores and made it safely onto the first rock, "It's a bit slippery!" Rosa called up, "Try to land on the center of the rock!" Halo nodded looking at Slate, "I'll go next." Slate nodded, watching Halo closely. Halo clenched her jaws, leaping off the shore landing on the top of the rock. Rosa smiled, "You made it!" Halo nodded, turning to look up at Slate, "Come on Slate!" Slate glared at Halo, "I'm coming! I just wanted to make sure you didn't fall off so I wouldn't have to save your hide." Halo rolled her eyes, looking at Rosa, "Can I please shove him in the water?" Rosa let out a laugh, "No Halo." Halo huffed, "Fine." before turning back to Slate. Slate launched himself off the shore, however he came up short, landing halfway on the rock with the other half in the rapids. Halo lunged to grab Slates scruff and hauled him onto the rock. Halo panted, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?" Slate huffed, "Maybe." Halo shook her head as Slate stood, shaking himself off while spraying Halo and Rosa with water. Halo growled lowly at Slate, Slate glared in return before leaping to the next rock. Rosa followed Slate with Halo coming last. Rosa leapt to the next rock. Slate turned to Halo, "Is it just me... Or do you feel like someones watching us?" Halo nodded, "Yeah, I do." She said before leaping to the next rock. Slate soon followed with one quick glance around before they all made it to the other side of the river. The three headed into the meadow, Halo's gaze sweeping the area for any signs of Aurora. Halo shook her head, breaking into a run. Rosa's eyes went wide, "Halo!" Rosa yelped running after her with Slate following close behind. Halo stopped at the edge of a forest, looking back at the other two. Rosa and Slate caught up with Halo, "What are you doing!" Slate snapped at Halo. Halo glanced over her shoulder at Slate, "Finding Aurora." Halo rolled her eyes walking into the forest. Slate grabbed Halo's tail causing Halo to whip around, "Let go!" Halo snarled causing Slate to hold onto her tail tighter, "That hurts you idiot!" Halo snapped, lunging for Slate's face. Slate yanked on Halo's tail, causing her to fall to the ground. Halo stood letting out a loud huff, shaking her pelt free of dirt while glaring daggers at Slate. If looks could kill Slate would be dead in the blink of an eye. Rosa looked sadly at Halo before walking into the forest, Slate taking the lead. Halo lifted her head and followed Slate and Rosa, her gaze locking on the back of Rosa's head before moving next to Rosa. Halo gave Rosa a small nod. Rosa returned the gesture with a smile. Halo put her snout in the air, "I think I can smell Aurora!" Rosa lifted her snout and took a quick sniff, "Me too!" Slate looked at the two, "Follow it then." Halo nodded, glancing at Rosa. Rosa nodded at Halo, smiling as Halo put her nose to the ground before running deeper into the forest. Slate sighed, "I honestly wonder how you haven't killed her yet." Rosa let out a small laugh, "That's one thing we all can agree on." Slate smirked before following Halo, Rosa bringing up the back. Halo followed Aurora's sent trail, getting an uneasy feeling about the forest around them. The group had found a path through the forest, any plants around the path seemed dead or nonexistent. Halo shook the uneasy feeling from her mind, We just need to find Aurora and then we can get out of here. Halo told herself, looking back at the others with a nervous gaze. Rosa looked at Slate, seeing his eyes wide with surprise, or perhaps it was shock. Rosa shook her head, it could honestly be either. Since the day Slate first met Halo the she-wolf had never appeared nervous. Now it seemed Halo was almost scared to be in the forest. Rosa was a bit shocked too, Halo had to have a good reason for being like this. She knew something was wrong with the forest, it didn't feel natural to her. It was almost as if something was hiding in the shadows that they couldn't see. Halo glanced around, Rosa said she saw the ghost wolf. I wonder if there's more than one... Halo thought with a shudder, I hope not, one is more than enough for me. The forest around them seemed to grow darker with each passing minute. Halo looked back at Rosa and Slate, seeing worry in their eyes. Halo turned back around, It isn't just me, they know something is wrong with this forest too. We have to find Aurora, and soon. Halo broke into a fast trot, causing Rosa and Slate to scramble to catch up. Halo stopped seeing a path of dead trees in front of her. Slate bumped into Halo from her sudden stop, causing Rosa to bump into Slate. Slate huffed at Halo, "What's the hold up?" Halo pointed to the dead trees with her muzzle. Slate looked in front of them taking a step back, "What in the world?" Slate muttered, causing Halo to turn and look back at him. Rosa looked at Halo, Halo could see the nervousness in her amber eyes. Halo turned to face the trees, "We have to find Aurora. We have to get her out of here. Who knows what this place is." Slate nodded, "Who knows what this place can do." Halo nodded, turning back to the trees, fear and nervousness flicking in her icy gaze. Slate came beside Halo and nudged her, "We'll be right beside you." Rosa nodded, also coming to stand beside Halo, "We started this with four of us, and that's exactly how we're gonna end it." Halo nodded, the fear fading from her eyes, determination taking its place, "Together." Halo muttered, "Together." Slate and Rosa said at the same time, causing the two to laugh at each other. Halo smiled slightly before moving deeper into the forest, Whatever is here, waiting for us, we'll be ready. Halo told herself. Halo watched as the dead trees started to increase in numbers. The dead trees now had spread at least ten feet from the path, Halo's pace slowed, her paws dragging on the ground, "There's so many of them..." Slate nodded, "Yeah..." Rosa gulped, "I thought it couldn't get any worse than it was before." Halo nodded, "Neither did I... We have to keep moving though, for Aurora." Rosa nodded, "For Aurora." Slate gazed at the trees in front of them, "For Aurora." He muttered. Halo broke into a fast trot, Rosa and Slate keeping pace with her. Halo's eyes widened seeing the large circle of dead trees ahead of them, This is not what I expected. 

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(Disclaimer: Photo on the top doesn't belong to us, all credit goes the original artist)