at him. Ty glared at him and snarled for a second and then smiled slightly in embarrassment.

Okay you won! Now get off of me before I’m crushed to death will you!

Macca got off and chuckled lightly at Tys indignation He trotted forwards a few steps and then looked over his shoulder and teased Ty lightly.

What’s next Sensei! You going to teach me how to fight a caterpillar!

            Ty snorted and then motioned for Macca to follow him quietly. He led the red and yellow striped wolf down an old wooded path and halted after a while. He nodded to Macca and whispered quietly to him.

Okay big shot here is your next lesson, how to snag a caribou!

            Macca looked at the small valley the caribous were resting in and his mind almost exploded at their staggering size. He had never seen a caribou before let alone hunted one, and he was a little nervous about trying to bite and grab something that big. He looked at Ty with his eyes wide and a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me, look on his face. Ty laughed at him and quickly explained his plan.

Would you relax! Here’s the deal, since you’ve obviously never hunted before your going to be our distraction!

            Macca looked at him in disbelief.

Uh how am I supposed to distract a whole herd of caribou!

            Ty looked at his fur and grinned playfully.

Something tells me it won’t be too hard for you! Anyways while your distracting them so graciously I am going to be picking out a good one for our dinner. Keep an eye out for me because once I start chasing them I’m going to need you to help me tire our dinner out. All you have to do is snap at their legs and if get a chance bite the shoulder or the throat or anything that will help us to kill it! Got all that Macca?

Macca nodded and felt Ty pushing him forwards impatiently. He walked slowly out of the trees and towards the caribou wondering how he was going to distract them all. He need not have worried though because as soon as the caribou spotted the bright red and yellow striped wolf coming towards them they forgot all fear and stared in slack jawed amazement. Macca had gotten up to about twelve feet of the first ones when he saw Ty motioning to a sick and old male bull. Macca grimaced in disgust at the thought of eating this thing that the flies were buzzing around. He looked at Ty and watched him motion again in annoyed impatience. Macca finally nodded and then watched Ty spring at the old male, snarling and salivating. With a start the caribou realized what was happening and they took off, with Macca and Ty snarling and keeping the old male away from the others. Macca saw Ty spring on to the caribous back, and suddenly Macca felt his own lips lifting in a snarl as his instincts kicked in. He tried to bite the caribou’s shoulder but he missed and the old male struck out at him with his hoofs, narrowly missing Maccas side. Macca was shocked that the bull had tried to attack him but he started to get angry and this made him even more determined. This time he actually sprang at the animal’s throat and managed to get his jaws locked onto the caribou’s soft flesh. He quickly pulled hard and felt the skin rip away with something wet and sticky spraying into his mouth and onto his face. Macca quickly landed and then turned around ready to attack again. Ty dropped down beside him and grinned as the old bull fell heavily. With a loud bellow the male stopped breathing and lay still. Ty punched Maccas shoulder lightly and laughed, panting heavily at the same time.

Wasn’t that awesome man! We caught a good one, and hey you were great! I didn’t think you had the guts to go for the throat like that!

            Ty pranced over to the meat gleefully and Macca followed. Despite his earlier repulsion at the idea of eating this caribou, the smell of the meat and the pride he was feeling caused him to bite into the meat hungrily. He had almost swallowed a big chunk when Ty pushed him off lightly. Macca coughed as the meat went down his throat roughly. He looked at Ty in disbelief and glared at him speaking angrily.

What was that all about!

            Ty just looked at him in amusement.

Macca you really don’t know anything about the life of a real wolf do you? I figured this was your first hunt but I assumed you knew about Anius blessing.

            Macca looked at Ty in confusion. He had never heard of an Aniu before and he told Ty that in so many words.

Huh! What’s an Aniu and why do I need its blessing!

            Not its blessing Macca, you need her blessing, it’s an old wolf tradition. Let me do it quickly and then I will tell you all about it while we eat.

Macca nodded his consent and then watched silently in confusion and intrest as Ty circled the carcass three times and then spoke softly.

Great Aniu we thank you for enabling us to catch and kill this creature, and we humbly ask you to watch over us and to look down upon us in favour.

            Ty than sat and howled long, his deep voice rising and falling as he gave his final respects. He stopped after a few minutes and then tore off a bite of the meat. Chewing it hungrily he winked at Macca and then started to tell him of Anius blessing.

Okay Macca Im going to give you a little bit of a wolf history lesson, since you obviously know nothing about it. Aniu was a beautiful pure white wolf that one-day was turned into a spirit after she died. All wolves now believe to some extent that she watches over us even now. Different packs have their own legends about her but one thing mostly all packs do is the blessing before they eat, just like I showed you a few minutes ago. Now don’t ask me how she turned into a spirit or why we all ask her blessing be cause I don’t know. But what I do know is that for a pack to not acknowledge her at all…well that would go against wolf-dom itself!

            Macca tried not to look too sceptical but he couldn’t help it! It all sounded a little far-fetched. The very idea of a wolf thanking another long ago dead was a little bit creepy and foreign to him. He nodded politely and didn’t say anything focusing on chewing the new piece of meat he had gotten.

            Far away an angry patrol of male wolves were committing murder. A large all black wolf, was watching as his soldiers rounded up the remains of the Starclan. He had a jagged scar over one eye and three scars on his right shoulder. These were the marks that told the others of his rank and authority. His dark brown eyes were cruel as he watched the pitiful group of remaining wolves being bullied into a circle. Small whimpers from the pups made him smile as he realized he had the power of life and death over them all. He nodded to his second in command Etani, and addressed him coldly.

Make sure none of them are left alive Etani.

            Etani was a light grey and he looked at the Captain questioningly, a sick sort of delight in his voice as he asked.

All of them Captain Campion, even the pups?

Campion nodded and then watched as his patrol murdered the remains of the Starclan. The screams of the pups reached him and he smirked. That old fool Gunner should have listened to him and swore his allegiance to Cloud. Maybe then this wouldn’t have happened, he thought of how the other, weaker wolf packs around would react to the news. No doubt, it would strike fear into their hearts.  The screams stopped shortly after they had begun and Etani walked up to Campion respectfully with the rest of the patrol.  Campion nodded to them and smiled, he quickly ran off to the farther north knowing that the others would follow him without question. Campions stride increased and he streaked across the snow, without knowing that one-day soon his world would be turned upside down.

A small wolf pup watched the wolves leave and he crawled out of the bushes where he had been hiding and looked around at his old home. With tears in his olive green eyes he found his mother and sisters dead bodies. Their still wet blood ran over his paws and stained them a crimson red. The two cuts on his left ear stung and bled a little and he wanted to howl his loss but he knew it wasn’t quite safe yet. Sobbing he buried his face into his mothers once warm fur and shivered. A cold wind blew through the once peaceful valley and it ruffled the small wolves fur mockingly. The little wolf finished his mourning and a few minutes he had to leave and find shelter or else he knew he would freeze to death. He walked away slowly his paws leaving little crimson paw prints in the snow behind him. He promised himself that somehow he would make the murderers of his family pay. Up in the clouds and the sky, the spirit of Aniu wept for the murdered wolves and for the dangers she knew were coming. 

 The characters Macca, Elise, Dallas, Jazz, Breeze, Josh, Kinosh, Tsinge, Kebal, Ty, Campian, Etani, and Other are all my characters and are copyrighted to me! Please dont use them