same. Araul flew gracefully down the street, and out into the woods. Finn struggled to catch up, but he followed in her wake. Araul laughed, and hurtled though the bushes. Suddenly she stopped.

“Wow!” She gasped.

Finn stopped next to her.

In front of them was a beautiful tree, with blossom sprouting from it. Below it, fireflies fluttered.

Araul giggled, and attempted to catch them. Finn copied, and soon there was a flurry of lights around the clearing, and the two dogs raced around. One landed on Finn’s head, and Araul leapt in the air, and pounced on Finn, knocking him flat on the floor. Then she leapt up again, and disappeared in the bushes. Finn, smiled, and chased after her. It was dark in the bushes, but Finn could smell Araul’s presence. He just had to find out where she was….

He searched behind the bushes and trees. Nothing.

“Araul…come out, come out where ever you are…..or the big bad wolf will eat you!”

Still nothing. Suddenly, something hit him from above. He looked up, and saw Araul sat in a tree. She looked beautiful in the moon’s glow.

Finn stared.

“What?” Araul asked.

Finn carried on staring, his mouth wide open.

“What?” Araul laughed. “What is it?”

“Just…you look so…beautiful” Finn sighed, and he smiled.

Araul blushed in the dark. She gracefully jumped down off the tree, and nuzzled Finn on his nose. Then, she pranced away again. His heart pounded. Did that just happen?

He followed Araul through the trees. Araul leapt on him, play fighting, and growling. He fought back, tugging her ear. They leapt around, almost as if they were dancing. Suddenly, in a flurry of fur, they fell down the hill together, rolled up together in a ball. They landed at the bottom, Araul right next to Finn, who was on his back, and laughing hard. Araul lay with her head across his stomach, giggling and laughing. She lifted her head, and looked once again into Finn’s brown chestnut coloured eyes. He gazed back, as Araul’s green eyes sparkled back in the moonlight. Suddenly, to Finn’s great surprise, Araul licked him slowly across the face. Finn blushed crimson red. Araul giggled, and ran off into the forest again, and Finn followed.

 

 

Araul finally stopped running on the beach. Finn came not long after, out of breath.

“You are so quick!” he panted.

Araul just smiled.

“I’ve gotta go back to my barn now” She said slowly. “Are you coming?”

“Sure” Finn said. “I’ll walk you home”

They reached Araul’s barn not long after. Suddenly, something caught her eye.

“Wow!” She cried in amazement.

The northern lights shone brightly down to them, and deep colour of red and pinky purple.

“They’re so beautiful” She smiled. She turned to face Finn.

He was staring at her again. Araul moved closer, and nuzzled him strongly under his cheek.

“It’s been great” Araul said to him, when she at last broke free.

“Yeah, thank you. I have had so much fun… and to think, we only went out for a meal!” Finn laughed.

“Well, goodbye then” Araul said, and she trotted away into the barn, and closed the door.

Finn looked at the northern lights again.

“Yes!” He said. “Yes, Yes, Yes!!!” He danced around.

Suddenly he heard a familiar laugh.

Sasha stepped out from an alleyway between two shops.

“Nothing between you, eh?” Sasha laughed.

Finn looked scared.

“It’s okay, really. I’m glad you like each other” Sasha explained, being more serious.

“Well, I’d better be getting home” Finn said, and he left with a huge smile on his face.

 

 

 

Finn walked back slowly. It was late at night. Benson and Sam were probably wondering where he was.

Suddenly, he heard a very familiar howl. He heard it again. He rushed off, through the woods, towards the howling. He came out on top of a hill. He saw a black wolf stood under a tree.

“Kenai?” Finn gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“I have been following you” Kenai answered his voice slow and clear. “We need you with the pack, where you belong”

“No!” Finn cried. “I can’t leave!”

“Why not, brother?” Kenai asked. “When your pack needs you the most, you turn them down?”

Finn did not answer. He did not want to explain to Kenai. Kenai was his brother. He lived in a pack, the same pack that Finn once led.

“I just can’t, okay? I have a life now, and it is better than the one I had leading the pack!” Finn yelled.

An unexpected visitor was watching.

Butch had heard the yells on his stroll, and immediately saw Finn arguing with a wolf.

“Leave me be!” Finn yelled.

“No!” Kenai lashed out at Finn, leaving a huge scar on his face.

“This never happened” Finn grumbled, and he fled into the forest, nearby Butch. Butch had a cunning plan….

 

 

The next day, Finn was by Araul’s barn early, so he could talk to her. He looked at his reflection in a puddle. There was a huge M shaped scar on his face. Finn groaned. Araul came out of the barn.

“Oh, hi Finn” She said. “What happened?”

“I got into a fix with a fish” He said. “Do you want to go out again tonight?”

“Oh maybe”

“Another ‘meal’?”

“No”

“Moonlit stroll?”

“No”

“How about….”

“Just leave it, eh Finn?” Araul lashed out. “I don’t think I’m ready for this!”

She ran away along the street.

“Oh, great” Sasha said from behind Finn. “I’ll have a word with her”

Sasha ran after her.

 

Araul was sat by the sea again.

“Araul…what was all that about? I thought you and Finn had a good time last night?”

“We did….but I’m not ready” Araul explained.

“I think you are. Something’s up, huh?”

“It’s just…there’s something wrong about him, something fishy, and I’m not talking about the cut on his face”

Araul ran down the beach.

“Don’t be late for the tournament tonight!” Sasha yelled after her.

 

 

 

Araul was at the start line, and so were Finn, and Butch. Butch gave Finn an evil looking smile, and then walked off again.

All the dogs lined up, and the race began. Araul flew ahead as usual, but Finn was ahead too. They were both at front.

“What is up with you? You’re so mardy!” Finn yelled over the crowd’s cheers.

“Nothing. I’m not ready for a relationship yet!” Araul yelled back.

“You’re so stubborn!”

“I am not”

Suddenly, Butch came between them.

“Sorry to crash your party!” He laughed. He shoved into Araul, who went flying off the track and onto the snow. Araul growled, and flew back onto the track and along the road. Finn and Butch were neck and neck going along the final strip, but Finn got ahead just in time to secure a 1st place. Butch came 2nd and Araul came 3rd.

Araul was furious, and so was Butch.

“Hey, mutt!” Butch laughed, and he cornered Finn in an alleyway. The other race dogs were behind him. Araul walked past, and came down too.

“Have you told anyone your…secret?” Butch said loudly.

Everyone gasped, eager to hear a bit of gossip.

“Why don’t you tell ‘em, half breed?” There were whoops from the crowd of dogs.

“Why don’t you mention that you once led a wolf pack?” Butch pushed it even further.

“I saw him, last night, with a wolf out on the plains. They had a fight. The evidence is right here, on his face!” Butch cried, pointing to the scar. “Get out of here wolf dog, and back to your pack. You are NOT one of us!”

All of the dogs in the alleyway began to growl and snarl as Finn cowered in the corner. Araul was shocked to hear this. How could he have lied to her?

“Get Outta here, wolf dog!” Butch yelled, and he laughed an evil laugh.

Finn flew past Butch, and Araul. He stopped, and looked back at her with a sad look in his eyes. He ran down the street, all the dogs yelling abuse at him as he ran past. He got to the edge of town, and stopped. Behind him was a totem pole, which towered over him. At the bottom, was a wolf. Finn growled, and scratched across the wood, leaving an M shaped scar not much different to his own. Filled with rage and fury, he turned and galloped into the forest.

Sasha watched from the safety of the town. He was deeply worried. He too held a secret that he didn’t want to tell. But what if anyone found out?

“I can’t believe this!” Araul cried beside him, but her eyes were filling with tears. “How could he lie to me?”

“Araul…” Sasha started.

“No! I won’t forgive myself for this!”

“What’d you mean?”

“I told him I wasn’t interested, Sasha! Now he’s gone, and I’ll never see him again!” She ran away into her barn and slammed the door.

 

 

The next morning, Sasha did not see Araul. She refused to come out of her barn, still grieving over the loss of Finn.

“Why don’t you go look for him?” Sasha asked her through the barn door.

“No! He’ll never forgive me!” Araul sobbed back.

Sasha sighed and walked away. He walked down a backstreet, and past the butcher’s. He heard raised voices.

“She

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