dogs that had helped her.

“Ah, I see you two made it here before our scheduled time, eh, King?”

King smiled and nodded. “I was just about to show Midnight the watering den.”

Feather nodded. “Okay, carry on. But I’ll be inside the watering den! My fur has grown extremely thick from all the sand in it! I feel like I’m wearing a coat that would suit me if we were in Antarctica!”

King laughed as he watched Feather bolt into the dark den.

“What’s the den for?” Midnight asked, hearing the sound of rushing water in it.

“Rinsing yourself. The water is warm inside.” He stepped in, signaling for Midnight to follow. “We have to keep it pretty dark so that the water will stay warm.”

Midnight nodded. It made sense, but now she was eager to go soak in one of the many shallow pools of warm water that covered the ground inside the den.

King, seeing the look on Midnight’s face, invited her into one. “Do you want to try it out?”

Midnight nodded quickly. “Yes, please.”

King nosed to a large pool next to the one where Feather was. “Go in that one. It’s the warmest, and the deepest.”

Midnight nodded and walked over to it. She curled up inside and lay her head on the warm ground.

Feather, spotting her, smiled. “Ah, I thought you’d want to rest in one of these. Great, isn’t it?”

Midnight nodded. She looked around, only to notice that everyone was staring at her. She looked at Feather in alarm. “Why are they all staring at me like that?”

Feather laughed quietly. “Well, you’re in King’s resting pool. He’s usually there, and it must be very strange for a newcomer to be in the leader’s spot.”

Midnight nodded slowly, glancing at the glowing eyes of all the curious, tense dogs around her.

One of them began to snarl, and stood up. “Why is that female in Leader’s resting pool, Feather? Do something!”

Feather stood, her eyes flaring as she glared at the dog that spoke. “Shut your trap, fool!” She signaled with a stomp of her paw for him to sit down. “First, you never talk to me in that tone! And second, do you even know who this is?”

The dog shook his head, obviously now ashamed of himself.

“Well, than you have no right to speak. This is King’s daughter!”

All of the wild dogs gasped and stared in Midnight’s direction.

Midnight lowered herself and sunk back into her pool, trying to escape the gleaming eyes of all the wild dogs. She heard them murmuring among each other, “She’s been gone for so many years!” and, “How did she last so long on her own? I hear her mother died!”

Feather glanced at Midnight and laughed softly. “Don’t be so modest! Be proud! These dogs will one day be ruled by you, and their respect is all yours!”

Midnight wasn’t sure if that’s how she wanted it to be. “Well…I’m not sure they’ll approve…”

Feather smiled and shook her head, but said nothing.

Midnight gave one last glance at the dogs around her that lowered their heads as her gaze passed over them. She whimpered quietly and curled up again, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3

 

Midnight’s eyes opened as she heard the sound of her father and Feather’s voices. She yawned and glanced around.

Maybe they’re having a private conversation. Midnight laughed to herself. I’ll see what I can get out of them.

Midnight lay there, her ears alert. She listened hard to see what the two were saying.

“I don’t know, King.” Midnight heard Feather say. “She seems ready to me.”

“But I’m not ready!” King told her. “I’m not ready to let you go.”

Feather snorted. “I don’t even want to be co-leader anymore. I’ve done my share of work and I’m just about ready to retire!”

The two laughed.

“Whatever you say Feather. Just give her a little more training and we’ll hold a ceremony.”

Feather not. “Can do.”

Midnight felt her blood run cold. She would officially co-leader in a few days! She didn’t feel ready at all. But she didn’t feel that she had much of a choice, for she could be the leader in years to come, whether she liked it or not.

“Hello, Midnight.”

Midnight jumped. “Oh, hello, Feather.”

Feather smirked. “Catching up on a bit of gossip?”

Midnight felt her blood run cold. Feather must have known she heard the whole conversation!

“Well, don’t worry about it. It was something you would find out about sooner or later.”

Midnight let out a sigh of relief.

“Well, we best get a move on, eh? You’ve got to get your straining done. I want the ceremony to take place at sun-down.”

Midnight nodded. “Okay…”

 

 

Midnight leapt to the side, dodging a blow that Feather directed to her head.

“Very good, Midnight!” Feather said, sitting down. “You have learned just about everything I know…”

Midnight shook her head. “I doubt it…”

“Ah! Yes! Before we hold the ceremony, I would like you to know how to heal the sick.”

Midnight nodded and watched as Feather showed her many different herbs and juices that helped with sicknesses.

“But you don’t have to remember all of this.” Feather assured her. “Rocco and King will be around to help you.”

Midnight smiled. “Thanks, Feather…for everything.”

Feather dipped her head. “Well, I need to have a word with King. I will see you in a few hours.”

Midnight watched as Feather disappeared. It was just as Feather was entirely out of sight when Midnight had a question for her: why had she never mentioned herself? Feather had named many members of the pack that could help her if she needed anything, King, Rocco, Sue, Lilly, but never herself.

Midnight stood up and walked back towards the Base, trying to forget her question. When she arrived, a little puppy came rushing to her paws.

“Hi! I’m Rex!” The small puppy looked up at Midnight with bright green eyes. “Have you seen my sister? She looks like me except she is smaller and she had a missing eye.”

Midnight looked around. She spotted another little puppy hiding behind a rock, giggling.

Midnight smiled. “She’s over there.”

“Thanks!” Rex said and barked at her and slowly stalked off.

“Wait!” Midnight called.

Rex looked over his shoulder.

“Why is her eye missing?”

Rex looked away. “A vulture.”

Midnight nodded and nosed in the direction of Rex’s sister.

Rex smiled slightly and bolted after her.

Midnight turned and headed for a large bolder in the center of the base. There were many dogs crowded around it, all chatting and having a good time. As Midnight made her way over to the group, she remembered Feather’s story about how her pups were eaten by a hawk. She flinched as she brought back the image of the poor pups being eaten alive by the evil creature.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the leader’s daughter herself!”

Midnight looked up as one of the dogs interrupted the conversation.

All the dogs smiled and welcomed her.

“Hello, Midnight!”

Midnight smiled. “Hello.”

The dog laughed. “Come on, don’t be shy! Come over here with us and have a bite to eat and chat a bit! And by the way, I’m Rocco.”

Midnight smiled at him. This was her uncle! She walked over and sat next to him. “What should I call you?”

Rocco looked at her. “Who? Me? Oh, whatever you want. Uncle Rocco, Rocco, anything’s good.”

Midnight smiled and picked up a rabbit leg from the small pile of food the group had gathered. Her uncle was very nice, as Feather had said, and she knew she would be very close to him in years to come.

Rocco barked for everyone to be quiet. “Midnight, let me introduce you to everyone.”

Midnight nodded. “Thank you.”

Rocco pointed at a fox-like creature that looked a lot like Feather with his snout. “This is Rose.”

Rose smiled at her. “I’m sure you are familiar with Feather, right?”

“Yes.” Midnight replied.

“Well, I’m her little sister.” Rose added cheerily. “I’m very pleased to meet you.”

Midnight smiled at her. “I’m pleased to meet you, too.” Midnight studied Rose more closely. She looked much younger than Feather, she had a much lighter color to her fur, and she was very pretty.

Rocco pointed to a scruffy, small black and white dog. “This is Jeeves.”

Jeeves smiled at Midnight and then continued his conversation.

“He’s not very friendly towards new-comers, but he’ll soften up to you soon.” Rocco whispered in Midnight’s ear.

Midnight watched as Jeeves laughed and talked, his ears alert as his friends shared the latest gossip with him. She had a feeling she would like it here, with everyone so open and friendly.

Rocco laughed and pointed with his snout to a jumpy black lab. “And we must not forget Charlie!”

Charlie smiled and came bouncing over to Midnight. “Hey, Midnight!”

Midnight smiled at him. “Hello.”

“Are you the legendary Wolf and Jackal mix?”

Midnight nodded.

“Ah, you are greatly respected around here! I’m a mutt as well. I’m a Black Labrador mixed with an Irish Wolfhound.”

Midnight looked at him closely. He had the long, flowing legs and long, pointed snout of an Irish Wolfhound, and the body, eyes, and color of a Black Labrador.

Rocco tapped Midnight on the shoulder with his forepaw. “Come on now, should I show you the main hunting grounds?”

Midnight nodded, smiling. She had been waiting for the moment she would make herself useful to the pack! Now she would be able to hunt for them! She would be starting to be true leader…she was going to provide the pack with food!

Rocco lead her to a large area where trees and bushes grew in a great abundance. She could see just by watching a bush for a few minutes that there was plenty food here, and there were the smells of small game all around.

“This is our main hunting ground.” Rocco explained. “But when it starts to get a little chilly out, we have to move to other places. Usually during the colder times we search burrows for food.”

Midnight smiled as she watched rabbits and mice run past them in a hurry to find a hiding spot. “Where does all this come from?”

“We gathered as many plant and small animals as we could and made a nursery for them. They bred and began occupying a lot of space, and the

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