Wolf Saga: The Secret

Chapter 5

"Blizzardstar?" Frostfeather poked her head into the leader's den, and heard an answering bark. She padded into the den, and could make out the shape of Blizzardstar, crouching in his nest, shadowed in the half-light that filtered into his den. "You need to pick wolves to go to the Gathering." Blizzardstar's eyes glittered as he beckoned her toward him, coking his head in thought.

"Stormflight, Moonpaw, Mousepaw," he began. "Windheart, Shatterfall, and Rainshadow, if she's well enough. We have so little wolves..." he sighed, after straining to think of others. "Let's take Lichenflower... I think that's all the wolves we can possibly spare." Frostfeather nodded in agreement. "Aren't Tundrapelt's pups nearing six moons?"

"They are. I suggest that we make a few warriors and apprentices soon?" Frostfeather suggested, and Blizzardstar rose to his paws, brushing past her to notify the wolves who were attending. Sharp-fangs were exiting the dens and gathering near the center of the clearing, milling around. At Blizzardstar's bark, Frostfeather and the others streamed out of the camp and raced toward the Gathering Stone, a legendary slab of polished rock that had lain in the center of the four territories for seasons. Frostfeather could sense tension among the Winter Pack; it had been two moons since Blizzardstar had disappeared, and now, with his resurgence, she could only guess how the other packs would react. Her guess proved to be correct as they filed into the woods surrounding the Gathering Rock. Birchstar and Minnowstar were already perched on the rock, and Birchstar gave a start of surprise as he spotted Blizzardstar.

"Welcome, Blizzardstar," Minnowstar cut in, silencing any comments from Birchstar, who appeared rather astounded. "It has been two moons since we have last met in peace. I trust you were well while you were... away?" Blizzardstar dipped his head in agreement to the River Pack's leader, and sprang agilely upon the Gathering Rock beside Birchstar.

"Where have you been?" Birchstar asked casually, sweeping his tail over his paws. "As Minnowstar said, it has been quite a while."

"I was on a journey," Blizzardstar replied simply. "A reconnaissance mission, of which I will inform the packs of later. However, I am aware that it has only been two moon-cycles." Birchstar stepped backward, and his dark eyes flared once in frustration. Blizzardstar calmly ignored him, and motioned Frostfeather to be seated at the base of the Rock. He kept his gaze expressionless as the Flight Pack streamed in, and Hawkstar took his place beside Minnowstar.

"Greetings," Hawkstar growled, but did not say anything about Blizzardstar's disappearance. "Shall we start?" At the other leaders' nods, the silver wolf began his report. "Prey is flapping straight into our paws, and we have two new litters of pups. It has been a plentiful Brightleaf, and we have made a new-fang: Ravenpaw!" The clearing murmured the name of the new-fang, whose eyes shone out of her black pelt like stars. Birchstar stepped forward as soon as Hawkstar sat down, his powerful bark echoing throughout the Gathering Hollow.

"Our pack, as well, has had a fine Brightleaf," he growled. "We have two new sharp-fangs among us, Needlewhisker and Mosspetal. Prey is plentiful, but all this information is rather trivial." The new sharp-fangs sat down in surprise, lowering their once-proud heads. Frostfeather felt a wave of sympathy for the sharp-fangs, who'd come to the Gathering, only for their recognition to be ignored. "We all have been wondering- where has Blizzardstar been?" The clearing echoed with his question, and all eyes turned on Blizzardstar. The grey-brown leader rose, his head raised proudly.

"I was captured," he barked, and Birchstar stepped back, eyes glinting with an expression that Frostfeather could not fathom. "Swanpelt of the Flight Pack, turned traitor to the Dark Pack. I journeyed on a reconnaissance mission to her realm, to assess her areas of expertise, but she was too strong and used dark magic to influence her power. I was taken captive, but broke free during the Valley Battle, as some of you might have viewed me as an enemy." Birchstar glared at Blizzardstar, his claws grinding against the Gathering Rock.

"You lie," he snarled. "Swanpelt was chosen by Hawkstar himself to compete- are you suggesting that you invaded their territory to spy on Swanpelt, and then press charges against her?" Blizzardstar stared back at him coolly.

"If you were paying attention," he growled, in a voice barely above a whisper, "Swanpelt openly announced traitorous nature and desertion from the Flight Pack at the end of the Mountain Trail. I have not set paw in the Flight Pack territory, and do not bother to spy on a traitor who is not from my pack." Hawkstar stepped forward this time, his voice ringing with authority.

"This is true," Hawkstar barked. "I was informed by my sharp-fangs that Swanpelt turned traitor, but I have equally watched each of my wolves since their birth. None have made any signs of turning upon their pack."

"You must have missed something," Birchstar snapped, curling his lip. "You might call yourself Hawkstar, but you are blinder than the dumbest badger. The Forest Pack doesn't need to deal in the other packs' affairs. We're leaving!"

"There are other packs that need to report," Minnowstar mentioned calmly. Frostfeather realized that the she-wolf had not taken part in the debate between the leaders, and had stood silently and patiently. "Birchstar, are you implying that you do not care about the other packs' matters, when they could be helpful to your pack?" Birchstar glared at her, and finally sat down. Minnowstar stood. "We have a new litter of pups, and our patrols have found a raving mad badger blundering around the Four Paws Valley. It has been trailing foam around, and we have discovered that the foam causes disease, and may spread the disease. A patrol managed to trap it in an old cave, and covered it with rocks, but I do not hesitate to doubt that it might escape." Talk broke out among the packs, and Minnowstar howled a command for silence.

"The Four Paws Valley," Birchstar mused. "Well, isn't that a coincidence." He leapt down from the rock in a brown streak, and his pack trailed after him. The sound of their pounding pawsteps had long faded before Hawkstar spoke.

"I suppose it was only a matter of time" he sighed. "Make your report, Blizzardstar. I can sense tension in the air, and we can't keep our wolves calm forever."

"We have lost three sharp-fangs to the Dark Pack, and a pup, as well. We mourn their losses and wish them a safe journey to the Star Pack. However, we are soon to make new sharp-fangs and new-fangs, as some of our pups are nearing six mons, and our new-fangs three seasons of training." Minnowstar and Hawkstar dipped their head respectfully to Blizzardstar, murmuring sympathy for the Winter Pack's loss, and sprang down from the Gathering Rock to lead their wolves home. Frostfeather raised her head to the silent sky, and mused over the tragedies that had struck the pack. One could only hope that life could get better.