Hunted

Ashes

Night woke up with a bad headache. She looked behind her, the fire was gone. Nothing was left but black ash. Are the Evil Creatures happy now? Wait, what happened after I jumped, why don't I remember anything after that? Night sniffed. My pup! She got up frantically, but sat down, there was a sting in her back paw. She licked it. I must have burnt it jumping through.

There was a whimper under the tree, "Are you awake now, Mommy?"

Night sniffed the tree. Her pup squeezed out from between two large roots. She licked him lovingly.

"When you jumped you dropped me right before you hit the tree with your head. Then, I tried waking you up. You didn't wake up so I squeezed in there." The pup pointed at the roots of the tree.

"You know, I think it's about time I named you." Night smiled at the runt.

He looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

"How about.." He's a lucky pup for surviving, "Fortune."

He bounced and wagged his tail, "Fortune! I like it!"

"Ok little Fortune, go back in your hiding place. I'm going to check out the territory." She pushed him with her nose back towards the roots.

Night first walked around the edge of her burnt territory. She got used to the sting in her paw. It was hard for her to breathe without getting a lung full of dry, burnt air.

She walked through her territory to her den, breathing shallowly. She came to her den and sniffed. Where she usually sat and looked over her territory, there were new prints that smelled like the Evil Creatures. Night growled and dug at the tracks. Stupid Evil Creatures. She looked over her territory. It used to be beautiful, now it was like a black spot on a clean white wolf. It's hideous, it won't have life for a long time. Night froze. The lake still had a little of green around it. She ran for the lake, suddenly thirsty.

Night jumped into the shore of the lake and lapped the water. She looked over the still water. Across the lake on the shore, a wolf lay. Night stopped and stared quietly. She held her breathe. He's not dead, is he? His chest rose shallowly, Night exhaled. She ran to the wolf. His front left paw was gone. Claw!

"Claw, you alright?" Night pushed his nose with hers.

He coughed, nodded and slowly rose, "I'm fine, I was just losing hope. What are you doing back here?"

"Patrolling the territory."

"I hate to break it to you, but your not going to want to call this your territory anymore." Claw looked at the burnt trees.

"Oh, aren't you just hilarious. Claw, your the only other wolf of my pack that I know is alive." Night whimpered.

"The pups?"

"I saved the runt. Nadia had, or has, the female. Paw took the other male."

"You haven't seen them, at all?"

Night shook her head, then the rest of her body as if shaking out her fears, "I saw someone carrying a pup, but the fire blocked any more of my view."

"That's it?" Claw turned his head at her.

"Delta was stuck in jaws last time I saw him."

Claw nodded, his tail drooping.

"So, why are you at the lake?" Night peered at their reflections.

"I knew I wouldn't beat the fire," Claw waved his nub, "so, I hopped, my version of running, to the lake and laid in the shallow water."

Smart. "Well, we have no reason to stay here, let's get a move on."

Claw walked next to her, all respect for her being alpha gone. Not that she was alpha anymore, but it felt weird. From alpha to outcast, like monarchy to anarchy.

They walked together and discussed where they would go, and what they would do if they saw the Evil Creatures again.

They came to the tree. Night ran to it, leaving Claw hopping. It really does slow him down.

"You can come out, Fortune" Night lowered her snout so Fortune could see her face and recognize her.

There was no response. Night's heart thumped more quickly. She ran around the tree.

"Calm down, don't lose your head." Claw said and blocked her from circling more.

Night sniffed the tree and caught a strong scent. She sniffed more. Nadia. Nadia must have been the one I saw with a pup. She must have Fortune.

Claw lifted his nose from the tree, "See, no worries. Nadia's got him somewhere."

But where? The only other place where she could be would be...

"Hawk's pack." Claw and Night said in unison and locked gazes.