Silver

Epilogue

A tawny she-wolf crouched low in the leaves covering the forest floor. Her pelt was just the right color to blend in with the leaves when the lighting was right, but this night the full moon lit up the forest floor around the shadows the tree branches created. The she-wolf slowly made her way to the edge of a clearing. She got into position to spring.

The clearing ahead of her had a steep hill behind it and bushes surrounding it. The trees were not close enough to give cover from anything watching the clearing. It might as well have been daytime for how much light there was. The she-wolf would have to go quickly to avoid the attention of anything that would threaten her.

Suddenly she leaped and sprinted silently through the moonlight, diving into a burrow in the side of the hill. She whipped around quickly, sniffed the air, then relaxed. The she-wolf had to be cautious. She was a lone wolf with no pack. Her mate had been killed by a grizzly. She had left her mother and litter mates long ago. They would not help her. The worst part about being alone, was that she was pregnant and about to give birth.

When the contractions started she clawed at the ground, her eyes wide and fearful. She flopped onto her side breathing heavily. She held back howls and yelps that would surely give her position away.

When it was over four pups lay on the ground whining and shivering from the cold wind that blew through the cave. The she-wolf pulled them close to her. She had two males and two females. There was a tawny male and a black male. One female was gray. The other had a beautiful silver coat.

The she-wolf gazed at the silver pup. It yawned and began to suckle. The pup was strange. It had waited its turn before suckling yet when the pups began to push at her she snapped and shoved them away with strength that was rare in a newborn pup.

The she-wolf had no name. The pups would grow up called the she-pups and the male pups can. Except this she-wolf did not want that.

As she pressed her nose against each pup she murmured words that would be their names.

"Bracken," she whispered as she pressed her muzzle against the tawny male. It wiggled and raised its head sleepily.

"Midnight," she said as she shoved the black male softly. It rolled on to its back and made soft sounds placing its paw on her nose.

"Mist," the she-wolf said as she nosed the gray she-pup. The pup stayed fast asleep curled against the she-wolf's warm belly. Then she turned towards the silver pup. She looked at it lovingly.

"Silver," she whispered softly. "Silver." The pup lifted its head and barked. The she-wolf curled around her pups and enjoyed their innocence and warmth.

Suddenly a growl broke the silence. The she-wolf snapped her head up, immediately alert. She sniffed the air and then stood above her pups. A howl split the air. It was not the beautiful howl of a pack in song. This was the angry howl of a lone wolf who had found its victim. The she-wolf twitched her ears anxiously.

A dark shape slipped into the den. It was a large male wolf. It had an ugly scar across its muzzle and its eyes had a murderous glint to them. It snarled angrily. When it stepped into a shaft of moonlight its ribs could be seen. It had muscles yet it was skinny enough to make it seem weak. But as the she-wolf stumbled from the pain of standing, it was clear she was no match for him. She raised her head indignantly. No mother would leave their young to die without a fight.

The wolf snapped at her hungrily. She lashed out with her claw and caught it on the ear. As blood seeped down from the wound it howled angrily. It leaped at her and closed its jaws around her throat. The she-wolf yowled and barked, struggling as blood soaked her fur. Soon she went limp. The wolf let her drop. The battle was short, but gruesome. He had blood covered his jaws. The moonlight showed the body of the she-wolf in a pool of red. The wolf stood tall above the tiny pups below him. He shoved Bracken with his paw. He lashed out its paw, trying to keep from sliding and caught the fur of the wolf. The wolf lashed out its jaws angrily. Bracken yowled and then went silent. He could not be seen in the darkness but it was clear he was gone.

The wolf snarled and the sounds of the pups' pained yelps filled the air. The wolf stood tall holding Silver in his jaws. He took her and left the den. When he was in the moonlight it was clear that blood covered his pelt. Silver started wiggling, which took the wolf by surprise. She raked her tiny claws across his jaw. The wolf dropped her and she yelped. He snorted and left her lying helplessly on a small rock to die. Scratches covered her body and a cold wind made her shiver. She was now orphaned. Silver was alone.