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The Elder's Tale

Chapter One: The Elder's Tale

Shadow's Pov.

I watched as the pups tumbled about in the last bits of sun as night would set. The clouds were a soft shade of pink and the stars just starting to come out of hiding.

"Shadow! Shadow tell us a bedtime story!" One of the pups barked, it's bright blue eyes outstanding against it's scarlet shaded fur. "A story hmm?" I smile, my dark black fur turning a shade of silver. Gray spots and lines of fur were appearing on my muzzle. My time was drawing near to go to The Howling Heavens.

"Yeah a story! Tell us a story!" The pup barked again, sitting in front of me with the other multi colored pups. "Okay, but this one is a long story as it was long ago." I chuckle, and the pups look at me curiously for the start of the story.

"Long ago, when our pack was at war. A alpha was pregnant with a small litter of pups. The alpha male was too busy to care with the war going on, and told her to leave as he was too busy." I began, the pups silent and listening as the night finally began to settle in.

"The female was astonished, her own mate telling her to leave the pack. She would have lashed out if not for her pups. So she left, finding a neutral space where hunting was easy and a small pond was nearby. And, she settled down. The pups coming, everything seemed so perfect. But it wasn't." I say, and then dived fully into the story.

Lily's Pov.

It was time, they were kicking furiously and I knew it was the time they entered the world. The pain was unbearable, and I struggled.

There were no medic's or other mothers to help me, just my own knowledge. I began to push, and after a few minutes my three pups were born.

One was a beautiful oak brown and black spots covered him from his muzzle to his tail tip.

Another pup was white with black fur spots on his face.

And the last one was a wavering scarlet with white circles surrounding it's eyes and wings fluttering slightly.

Wait, wings...?

The scarlet wings were rather large and they fluttered here and there as they began to suckle. I looked at my two boys then my winged pup, a surge of pride flickered. These were my pups, and no one was going to hurt them!

Weeks Later

My two boys played outside in the dim sunlight, making the grass tremble as they ran and play. Owl rolled in the mud, it seemed to sink into his brown fur without give, his bright blue eyes a lit with happiness. And Blizzard seemed to follow, dark blue eyes didn't match his white paws now a shady gray brown.

But Eagle stayed behind with me, her scarlet fur a shade of a silver in the shadows. "Don't you want to play with your brothers?" I asked, and Eagle looked at me with wide dodgy pine green eyes. "Mom, it's just that they are so rough with me." She complains, her large wings twitching with discomfort.

She hadn't seemed to figure out she had wings and was very different from her brothers, Owl and Blizzard, and me. "Just go try." I urge, and she looks at them and sighs.

"Okay, but if they hurt me I get to stay inside tomorrow!" She said, and went to join her brothers.

Eagle's Pov.

My paws were shaky as I walked up to them, wary. "Hey, can I fight too?" I ask, and they look at me pausing in their battle. "Uuhh -" "Sure!" Owl grinned, shouldering Blizzard hard as he smiled at me.

"I'll fight Eagle first." Blizzard said, backing away ready to fight. I backed away, a twinge of fear starting in my chest. "Ready, set, fight!" Owl barked, and Blizzard shot forward at me. I dived to the left, and turned to find Blizzard's paws at my face.

He grinned at me, and I curled my tail around his leg and yanked hard. His smile disappeared and he fell, leaving me a chance. I uncurled my tail and pushed him off, pinning him and then nipping his neck.

"Eagle wins!" Owl howled, and I jumped up and down in joy. "Beginners luck." Blizzard muttered, and glared at me.

"Come on pups, it's time to go to bed." Mom called, and we ran over. "But, can I have a word with Blizzard and Owl?" She asked, and they nodded while I went into the den.

"Look Eagle is different because ..."

"Really? But she ..."

"She beat me without using her ..."

"I'll break the news to her tomorrow."

What were they talking about of me? I'm not that different! They entered and I yawned, curling next to my mom and siblings as sleep overcame us.

Shadow's Pov.

"And they slept. Just like you pups, I'll tell you the rest of the story time at a time." I say, and they all frown and complain. "But Shadow!" "No buts!" I say, and guide them over to their mothers. "Bye mister Shadow!" They all said, as they walked into their dens.

I lay sprawled out under the blanket of stars, the moon my pillow. And I let sleep overcome me.