DawnLight’s mouth watered and he bowed in thanks and respect. Good old FlowingStream, His best friend since puppy hood. Even thought FlowingStream had already been a Pack-Guard when DawnLight was born, they were the best of friends. In fact, FlowingStream was one of the wolves in the pack who trained him most.
After the meal, most of the pack went to bed. Some of the older ones stayed up, swapping stories of the past. DawnLight already heard the story they were telling, so he lay down in his bedding under the stars.
“Oh, mother…Where are you?” He whispered painfully. He missed his mother and couldn’t live without her like you couldn’t live without oxygen.
It wasn’t until he’d already said it when he realized RainDrop, one of the best Prey-Catchers, behind him.
“DawnLight, are you okay?” RainDrop asked, concerned. The pack had been pretty nice and comforting to him since his mother disappeared the day before. Usually, they didn’t accept him for being the know-it-all son of the leaders.
“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. Just…tired.” He faked a yawn. The last thing he wanted was sympathy from her.
RainDrop didn’t look convinced. Just hurt. She walked away from him and settled down beside her best friend, BlackFire.
DawnLight heard his stomach growl. Maybe if he didn’t wake anybody, he could sneak some more food… He tippytoed to the Stump-Of-Food pile. He stretched out his jaws and was an inch away from his mouth clamping onto a juicy mouse when he heard low growling behind him. “Uh-oh!”
DawnLight turned around to see FoxTail standing over him. Great. It had to be her of all wolves who caught him! FoxTail was the meanest one in the pack, despite her beauty. DarkShadow even had a crush on her himself.
“Uh-Oh’s right! You haven’t caught enough for you to get seconds, young pup!” She barked softly. DawnLight flattened his ears in shame and tucked his tail between his legs.
Just then, hallelujah, StarShine, his half-sister, jumped in front of DawnLight. “Oh C’mon, FoxTail! He’s just a pup. Besides, there’s bound to be no food out. It’s too cold.” StarShine whimpered and bowed her head to FoxTail in fake respect.
FoxTail just snorted and walked away. She dared not talk back to DarkShadow’s little girl.
“Gee, thanks sis!” DawnLight said carefully. He didn’t know whether she was on his side, or just wanted to get him in trouble herself.
She seemed calm and caring. “No problem, brother. What are big sisters for, anyway?”
DawnLight took a stupid chance. “For getting me in trouble most of the time?” He shut his mouth and knew that was the wrong thing to say.
Suddenly her expression changed. “Did your really think I did it for you? Puh, yeah right! I did it because I’m not gonna let her think our family is weak and vulnerable. Don’t you realize how much she expects to be voted Dominant Female? She wants to take over our family and doesn’t really like, dad, but she just wants to lead us!” She snarled instantly.
DawnLight shrunk back in amazement. He didn’t think she’d get so worked up. Since BushyTail wasn’t even her real mother, he thought she’d care less of who ruled them. Obviously, she’d grown attached to his mother and loved her just as much as her own.
“I…I’m sorry!” StarShine licked his head and pushed him toward his nest with a piece of that mouse. “I’m just worried, is all. Get some sleep, I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight, StarShine.” DawnLight curled up next to her and he dreamed of leaping in the meadows with StarShine just as they did not that long ago.
DawnLight woke up the next morning with a start. He saw DarkShadow and other wolves gathering around, growling and most just plain confused. He jumped up and pushed through the crowd to see FoxTail about to attack Christine.
Transformation of
Nature
Chapter 5
Christine shivered and looked up at the large female red and white wolf in front of her. She looked able to give Christine a nasty bite, or worse.
Christine flattened her ears, ducked her head down low, and put her tail between her legs as the wolf growled and bared her teeth at Christine. She felt as if she were about to have her third, no, fourth heart attack in the last few days.
Christine had woken up to growling back at the place where she had spent the night. Two wolves ,carrying the pack’s scent, had dragged her to the camp and in front of the fierce wolf in front of her.
Just then, DawnLight’s face broke through the crowd. He was leaping toward her, tail high and paws out. Christine closed her eyes, knowing he had lured her to come to the pack for dinner, when the growling stopped, turning into surprised yips.
Christine opened her eyes and saw DawnLight standing protectively in front of her. Would he really stand up for her against his family?
Well, he did. Darkshadow broke forward, and stared in astonishment. “What?
DawnLight, you were right!” He barked. “There really is another wolf in the forest, and now in our camp.”
FoxTail took a step back and snorted. “Don’t you see?” She stuck her snout in Christine’s face. “We must run this…this vermin out!”
Vermin, eh? Christine wasn’t about to take that. She shot FoxTail a look of pure hatred and snarled at her. She was actually convincing too.
DarkShadow thrust between them. “Enough.” He gave the angry female wolf a warning glance. “Don’t get your tail in a fluff until you know who she is and what she’s doing here, FoxTail.”
FoxTail snapped behind his back something Christine didn’t catch, but she said no more.
DarkShadow looked expectantly at DawnLight. DawnLight took a breath and explained everything. “I was going to show you yesterday, but FoxTail’s patrol took care of that.” He finished.
DarkShadow still looked hungry for more. “Where are you from?” He turned suspiciously to Christine.
She told another lie. “My owners abandoned me.” She lifted her head up, but set it back down low when she saw the wolves get more and more suspicious. Oops. She shouldn’t have told THAT particular lie.
DarkShadow sniffed her and lifted his head very high as if she was on the bottom food chain. “So, you were a pet? I find that hard to believe.”
“Believe me, it’s true, I swear.” Christine was aware of DawnLight gaping in disbelief on her left side. She shot him a glance as DarkShadow sneezed from Christine’s perfume she was wearing as a human.
DawnLight crept forward and looked as his father, with pleading puppy eyes.
“She needs somewhere to stay. “
DarkShadow didn’t look happy, but he approved, In a way. “Just until she finds out what to do.” He growled and the pack broke apart, staring and still throwing sights at Christine.
DarkShadow nipped a golden and white female on the ears. She turned and looked a bit annoyed, but her eyes betrayed her tone. She looked happy that DarkShadow wanted to speak to her. “What is it?”
DarkShadow led her to Christine. “I want you to give Christine the tour. Then go over pack rules and such.” He nudged StarShine toward Christine, and left.
The female bowed her head. Christine guessed this was a greeting, so she did the same. “I’m StarShine. Pleased to meet you, Christine.”
Christine managed a sweet tone at last. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
StarShine sat down. “This will take a while to explain. First of all, I’ll explain leaderships.”
Christine settled down in front of StarShine, and lay her head on her paws.
StarShine took a breath. “We have Dominant Males, the male leaders, and Dominant Females, the female leaders. When one dies, they choose their mate out of the whole pack. It’s usually the sibling of the dead mate they choose.”
Christine nodded in understanding. “This makes sense.” She barked.
StarShine looked pleased that Christine understood so quickly. “They are the only ones allowed to have pups or mates.”
Christine didn’t think that was fair, but she kept the comment to herself.
“The Prey-Catchers are the females who catch the food for the pack. If you are to stay here, you will have to catch your share also. You will train with us until further notice.
“The Pack-Guards are the males who guard and fight for the pack. We have no business with them, they have none with us. Simple.
“Trainees are the pups ready to train to be a Prey-Catcher or Pack-Guard. DawnLight is going to be a Pack-Guard. He’s my brother. Starshine stopped as Christine made a confused look on her face. No, no. DarkShadow is my dad, and Berrybush was my step-mother, you see.
“Pups are…well, pups. The ones that the leaders have. We have none at the time. DarkShadow is still thinking on who will be the next Dominant Female. Are you following this?”
Christine had a hard time understanding, but she nodded anyway.
Starshine seemed happy enough. “Okay. Anyway, When you become a Trainee, you get your name. Example: When DawnLight was a pup, he was Dawn. When he got to be a Trainee, DarkShadow named him DawnLight. It’s a big moment when you get your name.
“Right now, we’ll list you as…A newcomer, as I might say. Maybe if you stay with us and train, you can get your name too.”
Christine almost gasped aloud at the idea. She hated that idea! She’d get home as a person again, anyway. Wouldn’t she?
Transformation of
Nature
Chapter 6
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