Rogue Wolf

Chapter One - Wing

You'd be surprised by what I was like before I met Ceraron. I wasn't exactly the hero type. I wasn't valiant. I was about as noble as a flea. And I wasn't necessarily a very well-liked wolf. In fact, I was a lousy, grouchy, and unbelievable antisocial wolf. Even the rabbits disliked me. And rabbits like everybody.

Back then, I was a loner and a troublemaker. I lived on the borders of Pack territory, but I often ignored said borders. I trespassed and stole food, and I lashed out at anybody I ran into. I was seen as a menace, but the Packs could never get rid of me. They eventually accepted that I was there to stay, but that didn't mean they had to like me. In fact, though they rarely made any deliberate attempt to drive me out, I was almost always attacked when they came across me. Yeah, I wasn't what you'd call 'popular'. Strange how being framed for murder can turn you into a hero.

Anyway, I was out on my usual route that summer long ago. I crept silently through the forest, searching for something to eat. I scented mice, squirrels, rabbits, birds, and, or course, the earthy tang of vegetation.

But not even a whiff of deer.

Yes, I realize that I should not have been in Pack territory. But I didn't really care.

The gnarled branch of a scraggly half-wilted bush caught in my fur with a crisp snap, sending a panicked mouse fleeing from among the dying leaves. Muttering, I twisted my head around to disentangle the branch from my fur. Small yellow leaves fluttered through the air as I twisted and ducked free of the brittle branch. I was making a racket. I might as well have been parading through the forest banging rocks together and loudly debating about acorns with a squirrel. Anybody with ears would have heard me from the other side of the forest. Unfortunately for me, it was a Pack patrol that heard me.

I found myself looking at a lean cream colored wolf. His underbelly and muzzle were white, and his back, paws, and tail tip were the color of rust. His gray eyes were about as friendly as a rudely awakened grizzly bear.

The first wolf not seeming too pleasant, I turned my gaze to his companion, who had just stepped into view.

Holy smokes, she is stunning! I thought to myself.

She had pale gray fur, lush and silky as...well...silk. Her left forepaw, chest, and belly were white. Her back and shoulders were dappled silver, like moonlight through tree branches. Her eyes were a wonderful shade of blue, as if the sea and sky had become one. I stared at her like a complete idiot, my scruffy tail thrashing the gnarled bush. Not exactly a great first impression, I know. Apparently she-wolves are not really impressed by semi-creepy staring and bush abuse. Yes, I am the king of ditzy, socially awkward wolves. Bow before me, my fellow wolves! And try not to trip up doing so.

"Ahem..." I said awkwardly, holding my tail still and forcing my gaze back to the male wolf. He was, of course, still glaring at me. Apparently he wasn't impressed by my utterly ridiculous display any more than the she-wolf.

"You're not supposed to be here. This is Pack territory." He said flatly, obviously not expecting me to listen. I guess that phrase got old a looong time ago.

"Yes, yes, I've been through this already." I replied.

"Then why do you keep coming here?" This time the she-wolf spoke, her voice filled with annoyance. The answer? I'm too lazy to go to the other hunting grounds outside the Pack borders. But I wasn't about to tell them that. I was too busy staring at the she-wolf.

Even when she's mad, she sounds like singing birds...

Rattle rattle snap.

My tail was wagging again.

No! Bad tail! Stop it! Bad!

I stomped my paw down on my tail, which was twitching with uncontrollable glee. There goes any dignity I had left.

I am such an idiot.

It was the cream-furred wolf that snapped me out of my lovesick puppy trance.

"How many times do you have to be told? This is our territory!"

"Now now, no need for hostility." I said cooly, though I could see his hackles rise.

"Oh but there is." He snarled, his lips curling to reveal gleaming teeth. "This is the last time you trespass!"

With that, he lunged for my throat.

I yelped as his jaws clamped onto my foreleg. I wasn't quick enough to get out of his reach. I ducked under another blow, lashing out at a flash of white fur. To my horror, I realized it was the she-wolf. I instantly released her, and she stumbled backwards with a yelp of pain, her underbelly spattered red.

"Wing!" The male wolf called. "Wing, are you okay?"

Wing. So that's her name. What a great name...

The cream-furred wolf stopped, confused as my tail started to gleefully beat the air again. My tail slapped him in the face, which he didn't seem to happy about. He growled, biting it. I twisted around, bashing my paws into his head. Stunned, he released my tail. I crashed down onto his rust-colored back, pressing him into the ground. He was pinned beneath my larger size.

I could have killed him. Just one twist, and his neck would snap. But I do not kill innocent wolves. Instead, I lowered my head to growl into his ear.

"I could kill you, you know. Right now. But I won't."

He let out a muffled grunt of surprise as I stepped off of him. Wing sighed with relief and bounded to his side, her blue eyes wide.

"Ceraron! Are you hurt?"

I know what you're thinking. "How did you two become friends?" I know, that wasn't really starting off on the right paw. Trespassing and fighting is not by any means an effective friend-making strategy. Don't try it at home, kids. It was definitely a rough start, but it worked out in the end.

I had completely forgotten what I was doing in Pack territory. My rumbling belly was drowned out by my racing thoughts. There was only one thing I could think about.

Wing...Oh stars...Did I seriously just fall for a Pack wolf? I do not foresee this ending well.