Running with wolves

Chapter 6

A sweet scent aroused Sky from her sleep she turned to see Flame shift in his sleep. She reached forward and touched her muzzle to his, his warm breathes tickling her whiskers. Getting up Sky shook her head to try and clear the fog of sleep ready for a long day. After a long groom Sky brushed through the leaf veil covering the entrance and narrowed her eyes as the morning light struck her. Peering over the side she spotted Nymph talking to Banan her fur was fluffed out with her tail lashing from side to side, uh oh she thought as she raced down the steps to her mentor's side. "So the princess arrives at last!" Sky inwardly rolled her eyes "please forgive my lateness I didn't mean to oversleep quite so." "Whatever you're helping Alexa today she will for sure fix your tardiness. Go on!" Sky trotted over to where Alexa kept her herbs stopping only to grab a mouse. "Alexa? Alexa, may I come in please?" Peering into the dark she saw a shape hunched over a leaf of seeds. The wolf looked in deep concentration so Sky sat down neatly wrapping her tail around her paws to wait. A few moments later the old wolf turned around looking startled as she saw Sky "Gahh! You trying to scare an old wolf to death jeez. What do you want?" she snarled letting her fur lie-flat "forgive me I didn't mean to scare, my brother, sent me to help you for the day." "hmmph fine get in here then!" Sky grabbed the mouse and walked into the den placing the prey at Alexa's feet "here I wasn't sure if you've eaten this morning." "Whatever go find these herbs!" she threw some little green leaves with bright yellow veins spreading through it at Sky's feet, bending down she gave them a sniff trying to remember the musty bitter smelling herb "any tips on where it grows?" "What am I a bloody tour guide?" She snarled her paw swiping at Sky who sprinted out her tail between her legs, only slowing when she got outside the oak. She turned her head towards the entrance sighing before heading towards the woods. As she followed the familiar path into the woods she hung her head wondering what she had done to be hated so much and how long before she can make it right again? Looking up to the bright blue sky she closed her eyes and wailed "what am I supposed to do? If only you were still with me father I could use your advice."

Sky sat down her teeth bared and tail flicking with annoyance, she had spent all morning hunting for Alexa's herbs every time she thought she was finished Alexa sent her out for more with a distasteful look. In the end, Sky just accepted that she was being sent out so that Alexa didn't have to look at her. As she struggled to calm down she raised her paw flicking out a pine needle that was trapped under her claw "Hey blue!" Over her shoulder she noticed the glowing orange fur of Flame; she smiled awkwardly with a pine needle held in her teeth. "Really blue what is it with you and collecting pine needles?" Sky spat the needles at him which bounced off his nose, flame huffed dramatically and walked in a mini circle kneading the ground clearing away the needles before sitting and wrapping his tail comfortably over his paws. "So I was out hunting when I notice a young blue-eyed she-wolf poking her nose around a bunch of rocks looking extremely frustrated. I was going to ignore her buuuut I was just too damn curious. So what are you doing Blue?" "For one, stop calling me Blue in every sentence and two Alexa sent me for herbs. Sky stood up and stormed off lashing her tail, Flame chuckled sprinting towards the river, nipping a few stems off before racing back falling in step with Sky. "Marigold." Flame mumbled as Sky blinked at him with confusion, "good for eyes, immune system, keeps away the bugs." he said matter of factly. Huffing Sky set out again with Flame trotting by her side the herbs in his mouth.

Sky groomed her golden fur as the pack settle down to eat. She sat on the overhang just outside her cave since her brother had forbidden her to join the others. On most days she would get annoyed but Alexa had actually complimented her and after a long hard day, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her cave and sleep. She noticed Flame grab a piece of prey and head towards the steps but was viciously stopped by Banan. As Flame slunk away Sky turned her back heading into her cave for the night.

Dark dreams infected Sky like a plague, she stood in a pitch-black forest her fur fluffed up in terror. The only light filtered through the dense treetops, Sky's eyes darted all around as the undergrowth seemed to move. Deep and echoed laughter sounded followed by a slightly lighter-toned voice "Beware young one! Trust your instincts. Beware...You must wake up now there's danger!" Spinning in circles Sky frantically tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from only getting a whiff of scent from somewhere further into the forest. The scent grew stronger and stronger making Sky sick to her stomach and making her blood run cold. Thick smoke blotted out the moon before diving down to engulf the paralysed Sky.

Sky awoke panting with her fur on end, her heart beating a mile a minute. Her eyes blurred as thick black smoke rolled through the cave entrance, clinging to the shadows as it shrouded everything in sight. Pushing her way outside coughing Sky looked around at the commotion as everyone attempted to escape. Banan and Flame stood at both entrances making sure everyone made it through, although Sky could not see the fire the smell told her it was not far. Leaping down the steps she met up with Nymph who was stumbling towards the entrance coughing."Sky oh sweet Sky! Thank goodness that your safe I hadn't seen you so I feared the worst. Guess I should have had more faith." she smiled touching her nose to Sky's head before collapsing in a bout of coughing. Whining Sky allowed Nymph to lean on her as they made their way to the entrance, just as they were about to squeeze through the hole Sky turned to see her sister frozen staring at the wall of fire which has begun to lick at the tree. In a blink, the entire tree went up in flames.  Sky felt the world stand still as she raced the wall of fire to her sister., the closer she got it seemed the fire was always two steps ahead. She leapt, soaring through the air pushing her sister to the ground using herself as a shield as the flames engulfed them both.