A black wolf paced nervously outside a large cave.  He paused, cocking an ear into the mouth of the cave.  He took a snuff of air. 

"Millie?" he called out, worried.

"Yeah?" a strained female voice answered.

"How're you doing?" the black wolf said, taking another sniff.

"Jet, if I were having any problems, you would know about it.  Everything's fine, don't worry" Millie said, laughter in her melodic voice.

Jet smiled to himself.  Millie was definetly fine, if she talked like that. 

"I'm sorry, Mill.  It's just that I'm excited.  It's not every day that I get to be a father for the first time, after all." Jet said, his black pelt tingling.  He couldn't wait to meet his new pups! 

"Just let me know when I can come in, okay?" Jet said to his mate.

"Sure, Jet." Millie answered him.

Jet resumed pacing, but with a slight spring in his step.  He wanted to scream with joy, but he somehow managed to keep his happiness locked up inside of him.

"Jet?" Millie's voice called to him several minutes later.

"Yes?" Jet barked out, louder than he wanted.

A laugh came from inside the cave. "You can't come in yet, but could you get me something to eat, please?"

"Sure, Millie."  Jet felt a tad bit let down, but he returned a few minutes later carrying a small rabbit.  He set it down at the mouth of the cave. "Here you go, Mill."  he said, sighing.  When he didn't recieve an answer, he called her name again.

"Millie?"

"Jet...," a weak voice replied, "Jet...I...I think something's...wrong."

In an instant, Jet had cleared the space between himself and Millie.

"What happened?  What's wrong?" he said, urgency in his voice.

"Well..." Millie began, her voice slowly becoming stronger, "I...I don't think they're moving..."

Jet slowly looked to the four lumps that lay next to his mate.  He nudged one of them carefully.  The little pup's whole body felt icy cold, sending shivers through Jet's body.  'No...'  he thought. 

Slowly, he turned his muzzle to another pup.  It's body felt the same, and so did the third.  "No." He said, panic in his voice.

"What's the matter, Jet?" Millie said, confused.  Certainly the pups were fine, there was no way they could be...

She placed her muzzle on the first pup's pelt.  "Jet...they're..."

"No, they're not!" Jet said. "They can't be..."

"Oh, God!  Oh, God, they're dead!"  Millie began thrashing around, her eyes wild.

"Millie!  No, Millie, stop!" Jet half yelled, "Millie, you can't be moving around like that!"

"No, it's my fault!  I couldn't save them!  I couldn't...Oh, God!" she ceased moving at Jets words, but tears still streamed down her eyes.

"Millie...It's...it's not your fault...these things happen sometimes...you didn't make this happen.  You didn't let them die."

"But...I should've been able to save them.  I should've protected them!" Millie wailed.

"You and I both know that wasn't possible.  It's not..." Jet's words were cut off by a small whimper.

"Millie, was that you?"

Millie sniffled, then shook her head. "N-no"

"But...didn't you hear that?"

"Yes, I heard it."

Jet looked down, then gasped with shock.  One of the pups was moving.  "Millie! Look, Millie!"

"What is - Oh, my god!  It's alive!  Jet, it's alive!" Millie stopped crying in that instant.  Jet carefully nudged the pup over to it's mother's belly, where it began nursing.

"She's alive" Jet said quietly.  He paused for a moment before saying, louder this time, "Sierra's alive."

Millie looked up at Jet, then smiled.

"I like that name.  Sierra." she said, warmth in her voice. "It reminds me of the mountains." she added, licking Sierra tenderly.  Jet smiled back at his mate.  He nodded at her, then stepped outside.  The sun seemed to be shining brighter to him, brighter than it had ever been.  He smiled happily, then parted his jaws to let out a big howl.