May, 21, 1919

 

  Spring took hold in Alaska, and everything came to life. The trees burst with a bright vivid green, the plants sprung happily from the ground, wildflowers, green, blue and yellows; were all bunched together in every direction and the animals slowly crept from their hiding holes in search of food. A pack of wolves came out of their cave to stretch in the morning sun. Two white wolves in particular went out for their now dwindling pack, numbers were dropping because food was getting scarce in their part of the land.

“Aniu, where are we going?” The two wolves were strolling through the woods. Aniu, the larger of the wolves was leading the two. Nayak, was a little smaller  when compared to Aniu, and more gray color. Her face and all around body tone was thin. the two jumped over a downed mossy log. “Today Nayak, is the first day you get to hunt for the pack, with me. ” you could tell by Nayak’s face, she was not excited at all, Nayak was known for not completing tasks she was given. Aniu couldn’t stop her though, even if she wanted to.

“Nayak, if you don’t want to do this... tell me now and we can just-”

“No Aniu, I can do this, I’m ready.” Nayak knew that hunting with Aniu that they could possibly hunt until nightfall, but Nayak felt she really was ready. The two walked into a wide open meadow, on the far side stood a ridged cliff wall that lead to the entrance of Eagle pass.

    “Nayak get down.” Aniu scowled softly. Nayak quickly ducked into the grass. Aniu found their next meal, antelope. Fairly easy game, when you have a partner. But for someone’s first time, it could present a challenge. “Just follow my lead, okay?”. Nayak nodded, she watched the antelope closely, her body started to shake with anticipation. Nayak saw the pack hunt plenty of times before, she could do this herself she thought. “You need to stand still.” Aniu was possibly the greatest hunter in the pack, she knew she needed stealth and patience if she wanted to catch the antelope. Nayak though, was just the opposite, she was getting very antsy. They were creeping closer to the antelope. There were no more words between the two. They were almost within range to pounce, Then there was a subtle crackle, a broken twig lied beneath Anui, she stood completely still, she thought the antelope would run off, it stayed, scanning the area. A burst of white flew passed Anui. “No, Nayak don’t!” it was too late, Nayak chased off after the antelope, and in a flash, it dashed away, which left Aniu to take off after Nayak.      

     They were back in the forest, Aniu lost site of the two, but she could still follow their scent. Aniu came to a halt, there were two directions she could go up the one that lead to a narrow cliff, the other kept going straight, that lead out of their packs territory. Aniu smelled the air, finding Nayak’s scent, they were heading up the cliff. Aniu carefully, rushed after them. There was little room for error while traveling alongside the cliff before you would fall over the edge. Though it wasn’t much of a fall, it would still be some time before Aniu would catch up to Nayak, if she could find her again. A small flattened area grew out of the cliff-wall, Aniu almost stumbled. Before her stood a giant black bird, perched at the end of a dead tree at the side of the cliff. It seemed to be a raven, yet at the same time, it seemed surreal, made of shadows. The raven looked at her, and cawed, then peered down over the cliff into the valley below. This was not the first time she has seen this raven, it came whenever she needed direction, it always seemed to point her the right way, so far. Aniu hesitantly walked up to the side of the raven and peered below, there grew little figures. After a moment, the first figure grew close enough for Aniu to tell what it was... Nayak. Anui was slightly relieved, she looked back up at the tree, the raven was gone. Anui started picking out the other figures, they started splitting apart from each other, growing in numbers, it was a stampede of Antelope. Aniu’s thoughts raced past her, the only thing she could do right now was call. “Nayak, Nayak!”

Nayak lifted her head, finding Aniu, and rushing past her, afraid of the hord stampeding over her. Aniu turned around and sprinted after her, trying come up with an idea to get Nayak out of the stampedes way. “Nayak! up ahead, there’s a large branch sticking out from the rocks, do you see it?” Before Nayak could reply, she tripped over her feet, skipping over rocks, until she lied unconscious, or just too shocked to get up and move. Aniu froze and gazed over the edge at Nayak and gasped, ” oh no.” choking over her own words. At this moment Aniu had only one, brazen option. Without really thinking, Aniu lept down, boulder to boulder. Upon landing on the ground, she sprang up, trying to get through the never ending stampede to Nayak. Moments later Aniu jumped above Nayak to shelter her from anymore Antelope. “Aniu?” Nayak looked up. “Not now Nayak, we have to get you out of here, now!” Aniu picked up Nayak by the back of her coat and threw her forward onto her feet. “ The two moved quickly to avoid any incoming antelope.  Just a little further...” Aniu was thinking to herself. THUMP! Nayak made it out, and turned to see Aniu hit in the side, sideswiped by an antelope’s leg, it stumbled, but rushed back to it’s feet and took off.

    “Aniu!” There was a certain desperation in Nayak’s voice. She could only watch as the rest of the herd pass around and over Aniu with frightened eyes. It felt like the herd lasted forever, Nayak choked back her tears. When the herd passed, Nayak rushed to Aniu’s side. “Aniu?!” Nayak didn’t know what to do. Nayak couldn’t hold it back anymore, she started to cry and laid her head on top of Aniu. “It’s my fault Aniu, I’m sorry.”

“Nayak?” Aniu was breathing hard, but it wasn’t her that called out Nayak’s name. Nayak searched around, she found a husky rushing to her side from the trees. he was a light-orange and black haired Malamute, his eyes shone with a deep ocean blue.

Nayak ran up to him in a panic.“Akino, I’m so glad you’re here, I was- I mean we were-”

“Nayak...”

Nayak looked back down on Aniu, who was starting to move.

“Aniu, are you okay?”

Aniu struggled to sit up. There was frustration in Aniu’s eyes, Nayak knew why to.

”Aniu, I’m sorry, I just thought-”

”You deliberately disobeyed my orders Nayak, why?” Nayak couldn’t look directly into Aniu’s eyes.

”I know, I thought it was about to run off so I-”

”So you disobeyed me?”

Nayak started to cry again. Aniu took a deep breath

“Nayak” Aniu cradled Nayak’s head with her own. “I’m not mad at you, I was just afraid.”

Nayak turned slightly, surprised to hear those words from Aniu.

“You were afraid? of what?” Aniu was still dazed from her injury

“Of losing you, I don’t know what I’d do without my sister.” The two sat there, exchanging smiles. Aniu winced, her wound seemed to worsen. Anui finally realized that Akino was standing beside her.

“Akino, what are you doing here?”

“That’s not important right now, can you walk?” Aniu, trembled to her feet and immediately collapsed back down, the two rushed to her side. I’ll be okay, I just need to rest for a while. Akino looked over to Nayak, who was looking helplessly at Aniu.

“Nayak, think you can find your way back to your pack?”

“Yes.”

“Good, then go get some help, and lead them back here, I’ll watch over Aniu for now, hurry.”

With that, Nayak took off, dashing through the trees again, following in the antelopes footprints. Akino and Aniu sat for a moment, taking in everything that just happened. “Aniu, are you sure you’re okay?” The two looked at Aniu’s injury on her side, under her fur you could see red and swelling already.

“I told you, I will be fine, besides, it’s not me I’m worried about.”

“Do you think Nayak can’t find her way back?”

“no, it’s not that either.”.Akino looked with interest,

“then what?” Aniu smiled

“We are going to be having puppies soon Akino.” Akino couldn’t help but smile,

“What, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Aniu laughed

“because you weren’t around earlier.” The wind started to stir up.

“Do you think that Nayak made it back okay?”

“Of course, she’ll be fine. wait... someone’s coming.” Aniu started to smell the air.

“oh no.”

“What is it Aniu?”

“... It’s the other pack.”

    Nayak came to the clearing in front of her packs cave, the only thing rushing through her mind was to get the pack to Aniu, and how disappointed her parents will be.

Nayak shook her head, “No, c’mon you have to help Aniu.” She raced into the cave, wolves lined every corner. Nayak, where is Aniu? It seemed the whole cave was whispering to her 
“Has anyone seen my mother? Please, Aniu needs help.” 
“I’m right here Nayak” Aniu and Nayak’s mother was a giant of a wolf, but age made her seem a

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