Wolves of the Moon #1: The Paws of Darkness

Chapter Nine

"Uh, guys? Was that tree there when we walked this way?" Silhouette asked nervously. She continued to paw at the big oak tree, seeming to wait for something exciting but nothing out of the ordinary popped up. Though being honest, all of them were quite anxious and grouchy since they had no clue where they were. Well, except for Cloud, who was bouncing around without a care in the world. In any words, his same attitude towards everything.

"Maybe we could try following our own scents?" Spirit suggested, trying to sound confident and like a leader despite her tail tucked stiffly between her legs. "The smells may lead to a familiar place and we can go from there. Besides, it's not too bad. At least there's prey, but I'm getting kinda thirsty. Can we find water?" The she-wolf's mouth was parched, and she had a strange feeling of fatigue.

"Yeah," River perked up. She looked tired, her beautiful eyes were unusually bloodshot. "The entire time I felt a little woozy. I think it's because of how I'm so used to water at my pack. We rely on water more than other wolves, actually." Spirit nodded. It made sense, since her coat was thick to help with the cold environment that she was used to.

When the group started off again, the silver-gray wolf had to break into a run to keep up with Silhouette.

"Hi," Spirit greeted the black she-wolf with a friendly tone. "We haven't talked for awhile. Sorry for fighting a few days earlier," she added guiltily.

"Oh yeah. Well, I'm sorry too." Silhouette genuinely replied. "I know this mission is a kind of last-minute thing and you were hastily appointed leader."

"Thanks. Friends?" Spirit asked hopefully, blue eyes widened.

"Friends," Silhouette agreed. Then she made a silly face and her mysterious golden eye winked. "My dear friend, I hope we survive this quest for peace. And find more food." The she-wolf laughed a bit and broke into a sprint to catch up with Cloud, seeming to want to talk to him about voles.

Of course. Spirit thought with a grin. They could be in a middle of a battle and be joking around without a care in the world. The silver wolf lifted her nose, hoping to find a trace of water in the air, but no such luck.

"Hey! I think we saw this grove of trees before!" a voice called from ahead, and the light wolf trotted up to help guide them on the right track.

"Can we rest now? I'm so thirsty, and it's so humid I'm going to die right here on the spot," Spirit moaned. They had been walking all afternoon, and they hadn't found the mountain or a sign of water. The usually-perky she-wolf's once-bright eyes were clouded with exhaustion. "Let's hunt, too. Maybe we can get moisture from the meat."

A few minutes later, Blaze and Silhouette came back with only a vole each. As they split the scarce prey and started eating, Spirit's thoughts drifted back to her dream the previous night.

I might as well tell them, she thought decisively. We're on the same side, and it will help us find the other missing pups and Learners.

"Okay, guys," the silver-gray wolf barked, grabbing the attention of all the young wolves. "So, I kinda sorta had a dream the other night, and I think it might just possibly help us." Then she told them about her mysterious, disturbing vision, even the part about Massif being tortured. When she finished, the others looked half horrified, half deep in thought. Of course, except for Cloud, who was practicing his play-battle moves and had probably not paid attention for the whole time.

"So what do you want to do about it?" Blaze asked calmly. "We don't really know where the Lupus we are, so how are we going to find the lair of these wolves who keep stealing wolves?"

"Uh, well, not sure yet," Spirit confessed sheepishly.

"Oh!" Silhouette suddenly woofed excitedly. The black she-wolf stuttered for a bit until she finally got the words out and by then, looked disappointed. "Oh wait. Nevermind. I just forgot."

"What if we found a place where the trees thinned and looked for some kind of mountain?" River suggested. They all nodded quickly with agreement. This might actually work!

"Hey, girls?" Cloud finally spoke, making them jump. "You know how thirsty we all are. Can't we find water first?"

"Finally, the furball says something relatively smart," Blaze muttered under her breath. The fluffy white he-wolf either did not hear this or pretended he didn't though he did express a little hurt.

"Alright, since River is from the Pack of Rain and Water, she should be the best at finding water," Spirit suggested.

They set off again, this time with River in the lead, wind ruffling her silky gray fur. Her pale green eyes were set on finding water, and she stood a little straighter and padded along with an air of confidence.

"Water!" someone exclaimed from the front. It was already night and they were all dehydrated, famished, and absolutely exhausted. Spirit could barely keep her bloodshot eyes open, and her coat had thinned a bit. Her once-gleaming deep blue eyes were dull, and you couldn't see the spark of life in them. But at the mention of the clear, reflective water that they all missed the spark seemed to ignite a bit.

"Where?" the light-gray she-wolf asked hopefully. River looked over her shoulder, and her jade eyes were bright with the happiness that the young wolves though they had all lost.

"Just up ahead," she replied. Spirit ran up to her and found herself looking into a crystal-clear reflection of the night sky.

"Water," the silver she-wolf murmured breathlessly, then without question she ran to the shoreline and put her nose to the smooth, rippleless surface. She took a huge breath in through her nose, taking in the sweet smells of fresh, clean water. Right now, it was the best thing that she could ever take in.

"Smells clean," she said, blue eyes now rapidly regaining their meaning and hope. "We can drink!" Without hesitation, the others ran to the shore and quickly lapped up the water that the pond provided. After they drank their fill, Silhouette and Spirit went in search of food. The two she-wolves had never seen so much prey in one place. The silver wolf ran into the grassy open area while the black wolf ran into the undergrowth.

As Spirit found a huge, plump rabbit, she used her knowledge from her few lessons and her information from her friends to stalk many animals, including a chipmunk, which she had never seen, hunted, or tasted before. When the two she-wolves came back to the pond, they had to make several trips to collect all of the prey that they had caught and buried. It seemed like their luck was turning around after all.

"This is the most full I've ever been in my life!" Cloud exclaimed contentedly, sighing and dozing off. Spirit had to agree, but she knew they couldn't stay for long.

I have to find Massif and Ice, she kept telling herself. I have to! She had jumped into the pond a few minutes earlier and now her thick, gray coat was sparkling clean and again shimmered silvery in the moonlight.

She yawned, sharp teeth gleaming. As the she-wolf rested her head on her paws, she looked at the wolves surrounding her. Shy and serious River, fierce and determined Blaze, playful and excitable Silhouette, laid-back Cloud. They were all her friends now, and they would find the missing pups together, as a team.

"We are calling ourselves the Wolves of the Moon," Spirit murmured to the others before drifting to sleep.