Wolfskin: Shade’s Story

          Shade tried to look interested as he stood beside his sister Remus at the mouth of the Eagle Pass pack cave. Remus was taking account of every pack’s arrival for their stay in Windsong Valley to protect them from hunters, and for some unfathomable reason she had asked him to help.

          “Is your idea of helping just standing around for half the day?” he asked her irritably, “Because that’s what I’ve been doing.”

          “Shhh!” she hissed, “I’m trying to figure this out.” The scratches in the dirt at her feet indicated her accounts.

          Shade sighed, and kicked a rock aimlessly down the mountain trail. Why did he have to be the one to do this? Yes, he had followed Remus out here to protect and support her, but there were other things he would rather be doing. Like being eaten alive by a grizzly bear. Torn apart by a snow leopard. Skinned and mounted up on a wall…Shade shuddered. Well. Discomfort had its limits.

          “You know, Shaila would be more than happy to do this,” he continued, “I, on the other hand, have important things I have to get to.”

          “Oh?” Remus said with mock innocence, “Like kissing up to that girlfriend of yours?”

          That stung a little. “Well, excuse me for interrupting our great leader, who has visions and thinks she has to save the world!” he growled, “How do you know you’re not just insane?”

          “I’m not the insane one in this family, okay?” she snapped, “Now just shut up a minute.”

          Shade heard scuffing behind him, and he turned to come almost face to face with an Eagle Pass messenger wolf leading a group of ten wolves.

          “This is the last of the Red Aurora pack,” the messenger said in a low voice.

          Remus nodded. “Good. All we need now is the last two-thirds of the Pacific pack, the last third of the White Storm pack, and the Anvil Creek pack.” With her claws she crossed out one of her marks in the dirt, and then she looked at the wolves behind the messenger. “You’ll be taken to Windsong Valley. Your guide knows the way. He’ll show you the passage.”

          The messenger padded into the dark cave, and the wolves followed, some gazing at Remus in awe as they passed. Shade didn’t miss the satisfied gleam in Remus’s eyes. He knew his sister had been confident before, but this was getting to be a little much. She had been made the leader of the whole operation by Everest. It was yet to be seen if this was a privilege or a punishment.

          An Eagle Pass wolf at the back of the group herded the Red Aurora wolves into the cave and then trotted back to Remus.

          “Did you see any hunters while you were out there?” she asked quietly.

          He shivered. “Yes. Three. We hid from the first two, but the third one came after us with a gun and a pack of dogs. We had to split up and regroup in the forest.” He stared steadily at Remus. “It’s getting dangerous out there, Remus. It’s going to keep getting harder and harder to bring any more packs here. We might have to reconsider our tactics if the loss of life is too great.”

          Remus shrugged. “What else were you expecting? Besides, there are only a few more groups left.”

          The wolf bowed his head and turned to go.

          “Wait!” Remus cried.

          The wolf looked back, his yellow eyes the only evidence of his presence in the cave’s darkness.

          “Did you see a red, white, brown, and black wolf anywhere?” she asked.

          Shade froze. Ruska. His sister, the deserter.

          The wolf shook his head. “No.”

          Shade’s ears drooped. Where was Ruska? Was she still out there? Or was she…?

          Remus’s disappointed sigh was almost silent. “Alright. Could you send Shaila down? Mr. Bored-to-Death here needs a break.”

          Shade threw his sister a look of mixed gratitude and annoyance.

          There might have been a flicker of amusement in the wolf’s eyes as he turned and padded away. “I will.”

          Remus rested her gaze on her brother and raised one eyebrow. “Well, go on! I want you to be here just about as badly as you do! Get going!”

          “Gone!” Shade cried, grinning. He bolted around the cave’s corner and stopped, panting.

          “Hey, wild one.”

          Shade turned to find the owner of the low, smooth voice and saw a female wolf leaning up against the cave’s wall. As always when he first saw her, Shade caught his breath.

Kestra was beautiful, as beautiful as the bird –the kestrel– she had been named for. Her thick, flowing fur was a rich red-brown, and when it captured the light the very tips of the hairs glimmered with a faint golden sheen. As with all wolves, the whites of her eyes were a glowing gold, and that gold seemed to overflow and seep into cracks in her brown irises. Her body was strong yet lithe, with supple muscles and long, elegant legs. She gave Shade a long look, and then started towards him, gliding smoothly over the ground with her thick tail swishing behind her. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”

He grinned weakly, feeling a little light-headed. How could one wolf be so beautiful? He couldn’t take his eyes off her. “Well, uh, Remus had me helping her getting the packs in and everything, and–”

Kestra lowered her head until her nose touched the bottom of his chest.

Shade froze, shivers quivering over his spine.

She ran her cold nose up his chest, over his neck, and across his muzzle until their noses touched and her mouth slid over his. They kissed, and Shade felt the rest of the world rise up and drift away like steam. He nuzzled her behind the ears, and her luminous eyes closed as she licked his face.

Suddenly Remus’s voice flashed through his mind: ‘Kissing up to that girlfriend of yours?’ A small ember of anger burned inside him, and he drew back from Kestra.

Kestra flicked her tail in surprise and annoyance. “What’s the matter?”

Shade hesitated. Remus doubted any truth behind Kestra’s affection for him, but Shade knew Kestra loved him. He would prove Remus wrong. Granted this was an awkward situation, but he had to ask. “Kestra…Why me?”

Her gold-veined eyes flickered. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why did you choose me for a boyfriend?” he asked softly.

Kestra shrugged with a wan smile. “Why not you?” She bowed her head to rub her nose over his neck, but he backed off again.

“Kestra. Give me a real reason. Because it’s not like I’m really good-looking, or fast, or even pure wolf…” Shade stopped as he realized he was insulting himself.

Kestra stared at him with flashing eyes. “So you feel you have won me too easily?”

Shade shifted uncomfortably. “No. Well, yes. But…”

Kestra sighed dramatically. “And so the hunted must always be pursued by the hunter. And it has been proven yet again that the chase is more exciting than the catch.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him, and suddenly dashed off.

“Kestra!” Shade lunged after her, his paws slamming softly into the snow. They ran up the mountain trail and out onto the frosted tundra, wandering far from Eagle Pass.

Kestra never looked back, her body bobbing over the thin snow like liquid fire. Shade couldn’t help admiring her. How could such an angel remain in the earth’s clutches? With him, no less. He didn’t deserve her.

With determination fueled by longing, he shortened the distance between him and Kestra and threw himself at her with a strength that knocked them both to the iced ground. Laughing, breathless, the ice crystals melting under them, they nuzzled and licked each other.

“So,” Kestra panted, “Was the catch worth the chase?”

Shade dropped a kiss on her ear. “You’re always worth it, Kestra.”

Kestra smiled. “And now what do you intend to do with your hard-earned catch?”

It hit Shade solidly. It was so simple. His heart beat slowly, steadily, affirming his decision. He drank her in from head to tail, and said, “Return to Eagle Pass with