I’ve only known for a few months! He groaned, and then sighed. What was I thinking?

He nearly jumped as an unexpected sound cut through the still night air. But a second later, the husky breathed a sigh of mixed relief as he recognized the call—it was a wolf, howling into the midnight sky. So I guess we really aren’t alone out here, Sango thought. “Wait,” he whispered to himself as a sudden burst of inspiration struck him. “We probably won’t be able to raise our pups on out own, but maybe Aniu can convince those wolves to help us.” He sighed. I guess it’ll have to wait until morning.

Sango laid his head on the floor of the cave, shivering as a chilling gust of air ruffled his fur, and contemplated everything that had happened to him since he had met his mate his mate. He wondered what the future held in store for them.

Aniu was already up when Sango awoke the next morning. “I was wondering when you would get up,” she said, gently licking his muzzle. “Guess what walked in a few minutes ago.” She motioned to the side, and Sango saw a half-eaten carcass. “It’s all yours,” Aniu said.

“Did you eat for the pups too?” Sango asked, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

“Trust me,” Aniu answered, chuckling. “There’s more than enough meat on there to fill five stomachs. You can eat whatever you want.”

“Thanks,” Sango said, touching his nose to Aniu’s briefly, and he began to eat ravenously.

“Sango,” Aniu said, after all the meat had been consumed, “I’ve been thinking. How are we going to raise our pups? What will we do once they’re born?” There was a worried look in her eyes as she said this, and Sango could not help but notice that her tail briefly dipped between her hind legs.

“You know what, Aniu,” Sango said, resting his head on her shoulder in an encouraging gesture, “believe it or not, I think I might know a solution.”

“And what might that be, exactly?” Aniu asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

“Last night I heard a wolf howling. That could mean there’s a pack around here, and if w play our cards right, maybe could join them.”

Aniu sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. What if it doesn’t work? What if the wolf is just a loner, like—like me?”

“You’re not a loner, Aniu. We have each other. Can you think of anything better?”

“No,” Aniu replied, “but there’s still so much to get around.” “Such as?” “Wolf custom is very different from what you might be used to,” Aniu answered. “One wrong move and they banish you for life. And that’s if you’re lucky. If not, they kill you on the spot.”

“I thought you used to live alone. How would you know about wolf customs?”

“My father told me about it when I was younger in case I ever joined a pack.” Aniu chuckled. “To be honest, I never thought I’d need it.”

“So…what kind of things do I need to watch out for?” Sango asked tentatively.

“First of all,” Aniu began, “if I know anything about wolves—and I would, seeing as I am one—they would never let anyone who isn’t pure wolf into the pack. So you can’t let anyone know you’re not a wolf. It’s a good thing you don’t look much like a husky,” she said. “I mean that will help us join the pack,” she added quickly when Sango raised an eyebrow.

“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Sango replied.

“Also,” Aniu continued, “there are a lot of behaviors you need to learn. For example, when we ask to join, we need to introduce ourselves by saying who our parents are. Plus, you always listen to what the Alpha says. Never challenge him, and never try to do anything until he lets you. No matter what you do, don’t give anyone a reason to be mad at you.”

For several minutes, she and Sango discussed the general wolf way of life.

“So when can we go?” Sango asked his mate about an hour later. “Would it matter if we went now?”

Aniu blinked, and she took a step backward. “I—I guess so. But why so soon? I wasn’t going to leave for at least a few days.”

“The way I see it”—Sango touched his mate’s cheek for a second—“the sooner we go, the more friends we can make in the pack. Then maybe they can help us once the time comes.” He grinned at her, and Aniu returned the expression.

“Yeah,” Aniu laughed. “That makes sense. I can’t wait until they come. Well, how about tomorrow?”

“Sounds good,” Sango responded.

IX

The next day, Sango and Aniu left the cave in search of what they hoped would prove to be a wolf pack.

“I think the howl came from…over there,” Sango told Aniu, pointing to a nearby mountain.

Aniu sniffed. “It does smell like there might be a few wolves over there. It’s a bit far to know for sure, but I definitely smell something.” With that, she began to move slowly toward the mountain, with Sango following close behind. For several minutes, the pair trekked through the woods, Aniu following the ever-growing scent of the wolves.

Suddenly a loud voice called out to them from somewhere in front. “Stay where you are! Don’t move!”

Sango and Aniu stopped to see several wolves leap out from behind nearby trees. “State your purpose,” one wolf ordered—clearly he was the leader of the group. “This is our territory, so unless you have a good reason for being here, you’d better leave before we tear your throats out.” As if to emphasize their commander’s point, a few wolves growled in unison and took a step forward.

Aniu remained unfazed. “I am Aniu,” she began, “daughter of Aki and Soroai, who are both deceased.”

“My name is Sango,” Sango added. “I was separated from my parents at birth, and I don’t know if they’re living or dead.”

“What pack did your parents live in?” the wolf barked abruptly.

“We’ve been lone wolves all our lives,” Sango answered.

“What is your purpose for coming to the Shiok pack?” the wolf inquired again.

Sango thought carefully before replying. “As you can see, my mate will give birth to our pups in a few weeks. All we ask for is a place to stay until the pups are reasonably grown.”

The wolf looked at him, distrust evident in his gaze. “You swear that this is all you want, and that you will leave at the time you stated?” He placed his right forepaw on the ground about a foot from Sango, and Sango cautiously lifted his own forepaw and set it on top of the wolf’s. The two broke the gesture, and Sango put his paw on the ground.

Nothing happened for several seconds, and Aniu and Sango were both aware that the group of wolves was gradually closing in on them, forming a tightening circle that shrank with every passing second. Sango forcefully kept his paw where it was, afraid to move it, lest the wolves should attack him and Aniu. Then, ever so slowly, the Shiok wolf lifted his paw and placed it on Sango’s forepaw. “Come with me,” he said, the air of distrust diminished but still present, and he began to lead Sango and Aniu deeper into the forest. Three wolves, including the group’s leader, walked in front of them, two on either side, and the last two marched close behind to prevent them from escaping.

The group walked for several more minutes until they entered a large clearing that was many gigantic boulders in varying formations. They stopped in front of what appeared to be the largest formation, and the commander called out, “Honorable Alpha!”

“What is it, Meno?” a voice drifted out from behind a boulder. Soon a wolf appeared, his dark fur faded with age.

“A couple of wolves seek refuge with us,” Meno responded. “They seem to be trustworthy.”

“I will decide that for myself,” the Alpha stated. He stepped past Meno and the rest of the guards and traced a tight circle around Sango and Aniu, sniffing them all the while. He circled them twice, and then met their gaze with a look of amusement. “It seems you do not live very far away,” he said. “I am Soren, the leader of the Shiok wolves. What are your names?”

Aniu was the first to respond. “I am Aniu, daughter of Aki and Soroai. This is my mate, Sango.

“Aki and Soroai,” Soren repeated. “I think…they used to be good friends of—wait, no.” His expression changed as he seemed to remember something. “They were the leaders of this pack before me. They went out to find food one day, just before Soroai’s pups were about to be born, and…they never came back. But—but you said you are their daughter, the daughter of the Alphas before me?”

Aniu looked at Soren solemnly. “I was the only one of my litter to survive,” she began. “My father told me that my brother, sister, and mother all died from the cold and pain.”

“Is Aki still alive?” Soren inquired, a trace of hope evident in his voice.

Aniu shook her head, frowning. “He died about two years after I was born. He fell down a cliff, and I fell trying to rescue him. I nearly died, but Sango found me and saved my life.” She had decided not to tell of her encounter with that