Midnight's Dream

Midnights Dream: Chapter Seven

The Treasure Pack padded slowly down the hill towards the closest above ground den.

"How are we going to find Mama?" Shadow asked nervously.

"We can't look inside the dens, there are too many anyways," Dream added. For the first time since the beginning of their journey, she was wondering how probable it was that they would be able to find Mama. Papa was opening his mouth to reply when a sharp yip interrupted him. Spinning around, Dream raised her hackles and bared her teeth, determined to fight off this creature at whatever costs. They had come to far to be chased off. Standing in front of the wolves was a fairly small yellow wolf. But this can't be a wolf. Dream thought. I've never seen anything like it. From his scent she could tell he was male, but his was different from the other males she had smelled in the forest. It was different in a way she couldn't describe, almost like his scent was muted. He was fairly thick, in a stocky way, and he had an odd tendril wrapped around his neck, though it didn't seem to be bothering him. His tongue was lolling, his tail was wagging, and his eyes were unassuming. Dream felt a strange compulsion to trust this creature.

"Hi!" He barked. His voice sounded strange. "Who are you? You don't look like dogs I've seen before," he tilted his head to the side quizzically.

"We are from the forest, looking for our mother," Shadow yipped. Papa gave him a piercing glare, but he did not dare lose his composure in front of this strange wolf.

"And we are not 'dogs,'" Dream added pridefully. "We are wolves." At the mention of that, fear filled the strangers eyes, and he flinched back as if they had snapped at him. Dream wondered why he was so scared at the mention of their species, then it clicked that he must be one of the dogs he was talking about.

"Do not fear," there was amusement in Papa's voice. "We aren't here to eat you."

The fear faded from the strange wolf's eyes and he perked up again. "My name is Hunter," he chirped. What an ironic name, thought Dream. This dog looked like he had never hunted an animal in his life.

"My name is Kra," Papa said, raising his chin high in the air. "And these are my children; Shadow and Dream," he pointed with his muzzle at each wolf in turn. "We are searching for my mate, Summer. Have you seen her?"

Hunter looked at his paws, and his furrowed brow indicating that he was thinking hard. "I don't know where she is," he said when he finally lifted his head. "But I know where she would be if she was a wolf caught here. Follow me." Dream glanced at Papa, and saw him nodding. Knowing he was content to accept this dog as their guide, Dream turned to follow Hunter deeper into the humans territory.

~~

Dream shuddered. The Treasure Pack and their guide were crouched in front of a shabby looking above ground den. A "chain link fence" as Hunter had called it, surrounded the den. A harsh, yellow light shone from a hole in the den, which Hunter said indicated the human living in the den would be awake.

"Do you have a plan?" Hunter asked, gazing up at Papa. A guilty rush of mixed satisfaction and fear coursed through Dream when Papa looked down towards the ground, his ears twitching uncomfortably.

"I was actually hoping you would have a plan," he muttered awkwardly. "You know more about this humans ways."

"That is true," Hunter murmured. "Okay, here is what I think we should do."