Bluesky's Declaration - The Stargazer's Journey

Chapter 1

Bluesky licked her muzzle, tilting her head and staring up at the trees. The canopy was dense and dark, so the ground barely got any taste of the bright sunlight, and all the light which allowed Bluesky to see anything was from the patches of sunlight reflected off the leaves.

She tread through the dirt, fur all wet and coated with slops of mud, twigs and leaves. She never complained, or stopped to take those out; until now.

Bluesky was a free-runner now. All the glory she cared about was only for herself. Not for the pack that brought her up, not for the valley she grew up in. She ran like the wind, and ran alone. No one would share the glory she gets from getting to the Cave.

She was a Stargazer. A place in the Cave was hers by rights. She need not bother about the Razorfangs that had once been kin and family. Her pack was below her, her younger days were behind her, and now all that mattered was getting to the Cave.

Yes, she might have felt a bit ungrateful for the pack which gave her food and water, and provided a shelter over her head. Yet, she thought, that was the way of the wolves; when presented with the importance of pack hierarchy and Kingdom Hierarchy, the kingdom's loyalty always goes first. That meant being above her parents and pack to claim a higher place in the kingdom.

After so many days of travel, Bluesky was finally here, near the cave. She hastily cleaned herself in a river running downstream nearby, and then presented herself bright and sharp to the Main Alpha.

Elthea looked down at Bluesky. Elthea was sitting at the tallest tip of Gazing Rock, where the Highest of Alphas usually watches the stars.

"Young one," Elthea said gently, "You have come to answer our calls. I, the Main Alpha, grant you a place in the Cave."

Bluesky watched the Alpha intently.

"What's your name?"

"Bluesky, as it please you..."

Elthea looked exceptionally calm. Not even an ear-twitch. "I see."

"You come, as a member of your pack, or as a free runner?" she queried.

Bluesky blushed, "A free-runner, highness."

Elthea's head snapped towards Bluesky, "A free runner?"

"My pack was Razorfangs... highest of Alphas." Bluesky looked down timidly.

"I see, I see..." Elthea turned her head away from the small grey figure below Gazing Rock. "You will be an Omega, apparently. All Razorfang-related Stargazers have to start there, thank the previous Lupus for a nonsensical law like that."

Bluesky nodded sullenly, but still thankful that she got to be at the Cave. If she really were a Razorfang, then she would be left to fend for herself and create a pack of her own. She would probably die due to the scarcity of land and prey.

"We shall announce your arrival at dusk. But now... Floria, show Bluesky to her chambers," the gray wolf called, not turning her head. A little dachshund emerged from behind the base of the Rock and bowed, "I'm Floria, the Main Alpha's handmaiden, you see. I'll show you to your chambers. It's where you live in the Cave." Then she started deeper into the huge cave.

"The cave is very huge," Floria said, "Each rank has there chambers at different part of the Cave, and they're located for each rank's convenience."

"You might have to move to a new chamber sometimes, when you're promoted. Or demoted. Except for temporary promotion or demotion, where you stay for that period of time before everything returns to normal," Floria continued.

"The highness tells me you have weapon testing and then immediately training an hour after, then it's dinner and history." Floria added, "Don't be late for weapon testing. It's literally the most important thing for a newcomer to the Cave. Oh yes, after the gathering at dusk, Elthea wishes to see you during dinner. She wants to speak to you, apparently."