Snow Survival - The Crystals

Chapter One

 Storm trotted out of the cave, feeling the cold breeze and snow beneath his paws. I feel like the mountains are calling me, maybe even beyond them. Stump padded up to him. The pup had been born without a tail, and that is why Bee named him that. "Hello, Storm!" Storm nodded happily to him in greeting. "I am so excited about tomorrow!" Storm tipped his head to the side. "Why?" Stump bit him playfully. "Because I am going to choose my own name! My strong, wolf, adult name!" The pup was always jumpy and excited. I bet he is excited about hunting for the first time as well. Stump jumped on him and Storm gasped, surprised. Stump then leaped off and laughed. "Ha! I surprised you!" He heard footsteps behind Stump. Night. "Stump," Night growled. "The point of being in a pack is to hunt, protect, and survive. Not jump around and play." Stump flattened his ears, frightened. "I was just-" Night stopped him. "And not talking back to your Alpha." Then the black wolf turned away to discuss hunting with Snow, the Beta. Stump quivered. "What did I do?" He whimpered. "Night just... lost his patience. I am going out now." Stump seemed hurt. "I..I.. okay." Then Storm started to trot away to the stream.

Storm lapped up the ice cold water as a couple flakes of snow fell on his flank. He shaked them off, but more fell. It is still snowing. He crouched down one more time to lap up more water, but he heard a growl behind him. What was that? He spun around quickly to see a big light-gray cat with a white muzzle and gray spots. A snow leopard! The sneaky fools. Storm growled and barked at the snow leopard, hoping he would scare it away, but he just angered it. The snow leopard pounced on him, pushing him into the freezing water. Storm gasped for air but the snow leopard leaped into the water and shoved him down deeper into the water. Storm scratched at the large cat's paws and finally, the snow leopard released him by accident. Storm kicked the snow leopard and the big cat sank farther and farther until Storm couldn't see it at all. He kicked and paddled as hard as he could until he could breathe. He gasped for air and leaped out of the freezing water onto land. Storm wheezed and gasped and twitched until a lot of water came out. He laid on the land until he heard paws crunching on snow.

"Storm! Storm!" it was Stump. He turned around to see the brown pup run over to him. "What happened? Are you okay?" Then Stump licked Storm on the nose. "I will help you come to camp with me, you can tell me what happened later. Storm stumbled until he was able to stand and he laid on Stump. "Follow me. Everyone has been worried about you." Storm nodded and the two wolves padded towards camp. In camp Autumn darted over to him. "Storm!" She looked at his body to see claw marks all over it. "What happened?" She gasped. Stump stood in front of Autumn. "He needs rest. Let him be." Autumn backed away a step. "Okay. I am going hunting now." Storm yelped. "Wait! There are sno.." Stump cut him off. "No need to tell her what happened, Storm. I will let Night and Beta know you are here." Then the brown pup bounded away to speak to Night and Beta. Storm sighed and clawed at the stone floor. Will Autumn be alright?

Autumn darted through the cave entrance, yelping. Storm looked and saw she had claw marks on her body and was bleeding badly. Storm gasped. "Was it the snow leopards?" Autumn fell to the ground and gasped for air. Snow rushed up to her and licked her ears. "Come on, I will bring you to The Healers." Autumn sighed and let Snow grab her scruff and trot away to the river where The Healers lived. Storm growled lightly. He didn't even get an answer from her, but that did not matter, what mattered most to him was her being safe. He sat down to hear the wind hissing like a snow leopard as it's invisible claws scratched at him. He bristled as the wind bit and scratched at his fur. Stump raced over to him, excited. "I am going to get my adult name so soon!" The pup bounced up and down. Bee padded up to the two wolves and smiled. She licked Stump to smooth his fur but he swatted her with a paw. "Stop, Bee!" Bee protested. "Do you want a strong name?" "Yes!" "Then you have to listen to your mother!" Stump growled but let his mother smooth his fur. When Bee stopped, Stump bounded away swiftly. Storm chuckled, stood up, and padded towards his den. He slumped down in the soft moss and closed his eyes.