They raced to her grave, Hokee staring down at it respectfully, as he always did; Nayeli smiling at it thoughtfully.

"Hello again, mommy," she said to the burial. Hokee looked at her. She talked to the grave before, so this was nothing new to him. Kanook said something about being able to talk to the dead and that their spirits like to feel alive when people do it. "Hokee and I came to see you. I couldn't sleep but," she looked to him, "He was nice enough to come with me and make me feel better."

They continued looking at her grave for a few more moments, tho soon it would be time for them to return before Achak woke up.



Thankfully, over the next few days, Nayeli's dreams were nightmare free. And in that time it seemed her bond with Hokee had grown as well. The two spent more time together, Achak noticed. Going off to play with each other separately, instead of with Tonrar and Hinto, who seemed a bit confused over it, but didn't really seem to mind, since they had started to get more rough in their play. They didn't want to end up hurting their sister, and liked Hokee, so were still glad Nayeli could have a playmate. And surprisingly enough, the silver streaked alpha didn't really seem to mind as much either lately as he usually did. Not that it wasn't unwelcome. Perhaps the blonde pup was finally growing on the large wolf?

Today, said alpha was taking the pups out into the territory again to explore around, get them acquainted with their surroundings. It was important for them later on when they were older and perhaps went out for scouting or just to take a walk, that they didn't stray too far out of the protection of the territory. Within the boundaries it was safest from other packs and threats, though not to say it never happens anyway. But outside the boundaries any young pup or lone wolf was more vulnerable to attack than inside. Especially out in the open.

Today was such an occasion. They were going to the river bank just on the border of the territory, out in the open. While there was no threat of hunters this time of year yet, other animals, predators, may be around. So Achak was on the alert. Nayeli plodded along with a smile next to Hokee, occasionally leaning over to gnaw playfully on his ear, to which the hybrid grinned as she pulled, trying to get out of her grip. Tonrar and Hinto scuffled and chased each other, yipping and play growling around their group, sometimes bumping into Achak if he wasn't paying attention to the two. But the black and silver wolf just smiled, even being pulled in at times, at which the two would gang up and attack his legs with their still sharp juvenile wolf teeth.

Arriving at the boarder of the woods out to the river bank, the the blue-eyed alpha had the pups wait while he went out and scouted to be sure it was safe enough. The fact that there were deer and birds out was a good sign, but it didn't hurt to be perfectly sure. But in the end it was fine, and he called the pups out, who high-tailed it in excitement out to him, barking and leaping into the water with laughs, splashing around. Good thing it was warm out today Achak sat back, content to watch for now, but again, it wasn't long before the rambunctious Tonrar led the attack on their father. And the games began, first just with them chasing their much bigger parent around, through the water, the bank. He obviously didn't have as hard a time getting through the water than the shorter pups, but that didn't stop them as they hopped, one time Hokee doing so and, upon landing, being completely submerged as he hit a deeper area. Achak couldn't help it and laughed as the blonde hybrid came up sputtering but ready for more, soon being tackled by Hinto.


Hokee's head went under again, but Hinto was a good sport and got off him quickly. This was a playful evade in case Hokee  pounced him back, but instead the brown pup hastily pulled himself out of the water, coughing terribly, trying to get rid of water that didn't belong.

The others watched him, worried that he was choking to death.

"Are you okay?" Hinto asked. "I'm sorry I tackled you!"

Hokee nodded, getting a few last coughs out of his system. "I'm okay." he replied, walking out of the stream, shaking all the loose water from his thin puppy fur.

Achak looked at the sun. It was setting sooner than usual it seemed, so it was a good time to start heading back. He would lecture the pups on the way about any possible dangers they might encounter in their life. He trusted their instinct would know what to do, but extra knowledge wouldn't hurt.

"Well, its time to head back." he said, followed by groans of disappointment.

The next day all of the wolves went outside as soon as the sun rose. Except for Hokee. He remained inside, shivvering and coughing, trying his best to sit up, but he felt so weak.

When Achak noticed that the hybrid wasn't coming out, he went back inside to see what he was up to.

"What are you doing?" the wolf asked, simply, seeing that Hokee wasn't looking too good.

"I don't...feel so good, Achak.." Hokee said raspily.

The alpha blinked, taking a step closer, only to pause as the smell of sickness invaded his nostrils, and he snorted lightly. The pup was sick, that was obvious. And it wasn't too hard to think up how it had happened. The river trip yesterday. His blue eyes gazed over the other's shivering weak form, frowning slightly. The other pups hadn't gotten sick, but then again, Hokee's fur was thinner than the rest of them, and he seemed more fragile to this lifestyle than them as well, having not fully adapted like the other three pups. But the black and silver wolf hadn't thought, with the warm weather lately, that it would be a problem.

The blonde pup whimpered, after failing to rise, and laid back down with a shudder, curling up with his tail over his nose as he sneezed. From the cave entrance, Nayeli poked her head in, curious as to why her friend wasn't outside with them. Turning, the alpha told her to stay outside. He didn't want any of the pups to catch it. "Nayeli, go get your grandmother please..." Nayeli looked worried, but did as she was told, her head disappearing from the entrance.

"Achak, what's going on, what's wrong?" Olathe padded in, her blue eyes concerned. Glancing at Hokee was all that was really needed though, before she reached them, lowering her head to check the pup over, licking at his warmed face.

"Hokee isn't feeling well." Achak said softly. "I don't know if its contagious or not, so I don't want the pups near him right now."

"Are you cold, dear?" Olathe asked Hokee. He nodded and she lay next to him, draping her tail around his body as best as she could. He was getting too big for this. But she also noted that his body felt very hot.

She listened to how Hokee was breathing. She seemed to recognize what he had and sighed, troubled. "What are we going to do?"

Achak paused and thought for a moment. It was his fault for taking them to the river yesterday, so it was best if he took responsibility for the pup. He was going to scout the territory first, but Zepher and the others could do it in his place.

"I'll take care of him." He hovered over his mother, who nodded and stood so he could take her place. She said Hokee would get better faster if he coughed more, but to be careful because he could hurt his throat terribly. The alpha took heed of this, but for now, let Hokee sleep his illness away.

While it was a bit awkward for Achak to be in this position with the pup, where before he avoided him, the alpha felt he had to do this, and wanted to, to add. After he had laid down, the blonde pup had automatically seeked warmth, curling up against the much larger alpha and coughing, it shaking his whole body. Olathe watched a few moments more, before telling her son she was going to have Kanook and Zephyr start scouting, while Ayashi, herself and Zepher kept the other three pups busy. Nuzzling the black and silver wolf, she padded out, nudging Nayeli with her, who had stuck her head back in, her brown eyes wide and confused.

For now, there wasn't anything any of them could do but just watch Hokee and keep him fed and hydrated through this. But being in the wild, nothing was certain, especially since the pup didn't seem to have the immunities they had all built up, even the pups had more than Hokee had, hence his illness now.

Each member of the pack volunteered to watch over Hokee, but Achak was the one who took care of him the most. It was terrible watching a pup suffer like this, trying so hard to breathe without going into a fit of coughs.

A couple weeks passed already and it was safe to say that whatever Hokee had was not contagious, but it didn't do any better on the alpha's nerves. He hoped with all his might that this pup survived. He couldn't bear the thought of losing him right now. Kiona wanted him to be taken care of.

Meanwhile, Nayeli was by herself in the back outside the cave. Her face was wet with tears and she shook with every breath she took. Hokee was wrong. Her nightmare was coming true. First her mother died and now Hokee was going to die too.

Zepher rounded the corner and saw the black and silver pup crying. He stopped and hid himself before she saw him. What was she doing back here? And why was she crying? What made her upset? He liked Nayeli and he wanted to walk up to her and make her feel better. But a part of him was too embarrassed to. Maybe she didn't want to see anyone right now and that was why she was by herself. He wanted to respect her privacy too.

The yearling looked up from his "hiding spot" and noticed that two scouts were returning. It was Ayashi and Zephyr and they looked very happy together. If only he could be like that with Nayeli...

Ayashi giggled softly at a story Zephyr just shared with her about his puppyhood, until she too saw Nayeli by herself. The younger Zepher was out of her sight.

"Oh...poor thing.." Aya sighed sadly.

"What is it?" Zephyr looked in the direction in which his companion was. "Oh its her.." he whispered, surprised

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5

Next page