Moon essence
Preface
In a warm dry den under the spreading roots of an ever wakeful pine 5 wolf cubs were being born the trees whispered softly in breeze telling secrets no one could understand. A soft mewing filled the den, a cub asking for its mother's warm sweet milk but the mother's life had been extinguished like a candle under a snuff. The only cub to survive past birth mewed sorrowfully. It had no idea what its future held in store.
As the moon rose high into the velvety black sky the pack of Moon Lake loped silently into the clearing, they smelt the soft, damp earth, the long thin needles of the pines and over the top of it all the smell of an unwelcome wolf, Auzzura, the lead wolf crept towards the den from which came a soft lonely mewing. She looked in to see 4 dead cubs and the mother who laid as still as stone, one small cub was still alive. Auzzura took pity on the pup she had pups back at her den, at the moment Battle was looking after them, she made a decision stepped into the dank den and grabbed the mewing cub by the scruff and carried her out to the other pack members, Fleet Foot, Midnight, Cloud Burst, Long Wind, and Auzzura's mate Urrarkar. Urrarkar sniffed the strange wolf and wagged his tail the pack crowded around the little pup.
Eyes wide the pup whose name was Moon Essence watched as the strange pack snuffled around her what happened to her mother and siblings? Why was this strange pack taking an interest in her? Why did her pack smell like prey, not the prey that runs away, the not-breath kind the kind that you eat? She was confused. Urrarkar saw her confusion and gently explained that her mother wanted her to live with them so she was taken to the den and was taken care of by the pack the other cubs were wary of her at first but soon accepted her not releasing that there fates were now intertwined.
CHAPTER ONE
Moon Essence crouched in the bushes, amber eyes gleaming in the silver moon light, a whip chord strength hidden in the silver wraith like body, thick warm fur brushed softly by the breeze, tongue lolling eyes intent on the cow elk, galloping towards her hiding place, big brown eyes rolling in terror, running like the hounds of hell were after her, in truth the elk probably thought they were. Moon's pack had split up. Half driving the old cow elk towards the other half lying hidden in wait ready to ambush it, Moon felt a moment of pity for the old elk then she caught the scent and all pity was washed away followed by hunger. It had been a hard winter for the pack and they were all hungry.
Moon waited until the last moment then leapt. Her teeth seeking the warm throat the fatal blow of the already weakened elk. She shuddered and collapsed gracefully Moon lifted her blood streaked muzzle and let loose an eerie howl telling the pack that that they would eat tonight.
After they had gorged themselves they lay around the carcass bellies full with meat Moon watched as animals on the wing and paw came to eat their fill from the bones. Not much left, she thought wryly. Auzzura heaved herself to her feet the others followed. Moon rolled her eyes at Harrar her sister who snorted in laughter. They loped easily back to the den the year old cubs racing each other to get there first, Harrar and Moon hung back and took a slightly different path, as they trotted through the thick under growth Moon smelt a scent she had learned as a cub. Humans and they had the death stick with them the one that fired small round thing that smelt of volcano, charcoal, salt and lead, Cloud Burst had been killed last summer by the death stick and human pet dogs. They had killed one of the dogs for betraying them to the humans and wounded the other, Moon and Harrar broke into a sprint to get to the pack and tell them as they ran they howled a warning then they broke through the trees and into the den clearing they dived into the den the alphas rolling a large stone to block the opening. Moon explained what happened with help from Harrar. Auzzura looked troubled and went deeper into the den to tell Urrarkar. The other wolves crowded around Harrar and Moon to get first hand facts. Moon managed to squeeze out of the crowd and went to the hollowed out space that was her den and lay on the pile of soft grass that she slept on, and fell into a troubled sleep haunted by humans with death sticks and baying wolfhounds.
She awoke in the early dawn, she stretched out, and got to her feet, she moved silently past the sleeping forms of the others. Midnight looked up sleepily and, seeing it was only Moon, settled back down. Moon went outside sitting by the entrance of the den and watched the stars fade into a glowing dawn she sat there for a long time "why must things always change" she asked Urrarkar who had sat down beside her
"if there wasn't change there would be no life, when a cub is born it is change when a wolf dies it is change its all in balance" Urrarkar said softly, Moon look at the pack leader sighed, yawned and stretched "thanks Urrarkar" she said. Urrakar watched her get up and go back to the den feeling troubled.
CHAPTER TWO
The pack of Moon Lake crowded around the year old cubs it was time for them to decide whether to stay with the pack or strike out there own and face the wild. Moon watched her adopted brothers and sisters' one by choose what they would do, all decided to stay, then it was Moon's turn, "what do you choose" Urrarkar asked
Moon lowered her head then lifted it high "I choose to go" she said clearly
"Are you sure?" Urrarkar asked her quietly
"As sure as I'll ever be" she replied giving him a half hearted smile
"As you wish" he said sadly
"You have until sundown to leave this pack and its territory's" Auzzura said sadly
Moon turned and loped out of the clearing, sadness chewing on her heart like a starving animal, she kept running, listening as she ran to the farewell song of the pack, just as the sun trembled on the brink of the earth she left the packs territory she let loose a heart breaking howl that rose and fell around her, an eerie sound that made any animal who heard cower, she heard a far distant howl of goodbye, then all she heard was the wind whispering secrets to the trees
She felt cut off and alone nothing in the forest knew how she felt nothing wanted to know, she looked up to the starry sky, time past as she stood there as it all ways did, she wished it would slow and comfort her but she knew it would not.
CHAPTER THREE
Moon woke cold and sad, it had been two days since she left the pack and she missed them sorely, she was hungry and tired. She lay under a sheltering pine with thick set boughs near a deep cold river, she got up and walked over to it lapping up some of the cold, icy water then set off at a slow trot, At mid morning she came across a dead elk, the scavenges had already picked at it, but she didn't care, she ate as much as possible, then lay for a nap.
When she awoke it was dusk, the stars just appearing, to a snuffling sound, she took in the scents and froze a little way from where she lay eating from the elk carcass was a full grown male grizzly bear, she got up slowly and backed away, begging that it would not turn and see her, it didn't and she disappeared into the darkening forest.
CHAPTER FOUR
Zain watched the slender white furred she wolf as she slept, he knew there was something strange about her. He had been following her for a day. She was alone like him, without pack, he felt for the gaunt wolf he would introduce himself in the morning, meanwhile he would sleep.
When Moon awoke she was startled to see a large dark furred wolf sleeping about 4 wolf lengths away, suddenly he opened his large blue eyes and leapt to his feet looking embarrassed "...um... hi,...um.... my names...er... Zain" he managed to say after mangling a few of the words, moon snorted in laughter and he shuffled his large paws
"My names Moon Essence or Moon for short" she told him "where do you come from?"
"North, near the sea, you?"
"West of here, near the White River"
"Where are you headed?" he asked
"I'm thinking of going to the deep forest I hear there a precious few packs there and much prey to hunt"
"...um...I was wondering would you mind some company"
Moon remembered the long, cold and lonely nights she'd spent by herself wishing for her pack "ok, I'd like that" she laughed, he seemed pleased, Moon looked around "we had better get going, The Deep Forest is many lopes from here," she sighed, this would be fun she thought.
