The Song of the Wolves

Chapter Six

It's like opening my eyes for the first time again. The white light, the adjust, the new sights. New smells, too. I am lying on my side in a dim cave, just like the one I was born in.

Just as my eyes adjust, a new wolf comes into the den. Her paws move so quietly across the ground that I have to prick my ears to hear her. I feel a stab of pain at the tips of my ears and whimper.

The new wolf sits down. She twists her gray head to look at me. She is beautiful, I realize. Her eyes are a deep blue, not far from the icy blue color of Father's. 

"You have a very low pain tolerance," the gray wolf growls. I think it's a growl, but it's also silky smooth, like river water. "You're not very strong, either, and I'm guessing you can't run very fast. But I guess overall you aren't a complete disappointment. You're not ugly, not as beautiful as me," she adds under her breath, "but not ugly, although those stunted ears are an awful sight. But my brother  says you're clever." She spits out the word 'brother' like sand she got in her mouth from a shallow stream.

"Who are you?" I choke out. 

The gray wolf stands up. "Who am I? Who am I? Why, I am only the most beautiful wolf with the most beautiful voice. I am Blue Bird Flying Through Tree Leaves. I am the Song Wolf!" She huffs and stalks out of the den.

That was Father's sister! She's much more stuck up than I imagined.

It takes me several tries to stand up. When I manage it, I remember what Blue Leaves said. Something about my ears, I think. I walk carefully to the mouth of the den, and peek out. What I see amazes me. 

Stone rises up in every direction I can see. There are paths running up and down the rocks to other caves just like the one I am in. But the thing that really amazes me is the amount of wolves. I can see Silver Wolves and Golden Wolves and even Black Wolves. I have to step back as a red-brown wolf with long fur starts to pass me. I look up at her as she stops and turns to me. Her eyes are odd, a gray-blue color I've never seen before.

Before I can move or say anything, she frowns at me. "Lion Rock, didn't you say this one was from your pack?" she calls to a pale brown, heavily scarred wolf behind her. I look over at him and I instantly feel better.

"Lion Rock! What happened? Where are we? Where are Mother and Father and Wag and Tiny and Tussle and Scuffle? Have you met my Father's sister, Blue Leaves? She's kind of mean. Who are all these wolves? How long have I been asleep?"

Lion Rock takes a step back, looking overwhelmed. "Calm down, Shake. This is the canyon where the First Pack lives. Vine Tree carried you here two days ago and you've been asleep since. Your father and mother are in a meeting with the other alphas and betas, and your siblings are with Swift Wing. Also, I don't think you're allowed to say things like that about the Song Wolf, or any of the First Pack."

"Who is Swift Wing?" I ask, cocking my head.

The red-brown wolf sits down. "Swift Wing is the pup watcher for the First Pack. Whenever the First Pack holds a swnian, Swift Wing watches the pups of all the packs. She is down by the pool at the bottom of the canyon. Be careful when you go down the canyon; the rocks can be steep." I notice a tinge of worry in her voice, but she frowns again and continues down the path, her lean legs carrying her across one of the gaps in the path easily. 

Lion Rock looks between me and the new wolf, then follows the red-brown she-wolf down the path. I creep out of the den mouth to look over the edge of the path. The distance between myself and the canyon floor makes me scrabbled backwards against the canyon wall in fear. Pressing my side against the wall, I start along the path, carefully making my way to the canyon floor. When I finally make it there, I see a tall, pretty she-wolf sitting by a pool of water. She is surrounded by pups.

I run over to them, my tail wagging. "Wag," I bark excitedly, charging into my favorite brother and bowling him over. He wiggles happily.

I turn to Tussle and Scuffle, who are staring at me fearfully. "What's wrong?" Scuffle and Tussle never get scared, not even when we saw the fox.

Tiny answers me, her runt body trembling. "Your ears..."

I walk slowly over to the pool of water and look down at my reflection. My eyes widen in surprise. The tips of my ears are missing completely, and the parts of the ears that are left are ragged and rounded unnaturally, like the ears of the baby bear I once saw through the mouth of my whelping den.

The tall she-wolf, Swift Wing, looks down into the water beside me. "It's not ugly, Shake. You have scars to brag about, like Lion Rock. This just shows how tough you are, and if anyone says otherwise, you can give them a scar to remember!"