appearing constellations above her head. As if by some crazy twist of fate, the stars almost seemed to wander and move, reenacting her two visions of Keliah and causing her bright eyes to widen amidst the wondrous canvas of night. For about a half-hour, she saw what looked like wolves running and howling in her celestial imagery, almost as if they were tracking an unknown enemy.

Wow, that’s a huge responsibility for someone as young as her . . . I’ve never known of anyone who had so much to do at that age . . . She let out a sigh as another flurry of questions suddenly entered her mind. But I still don’t understand – why would the Alpha select her – a young she-wolf like Keliah – to find his successor? Why not have her sister, Palei do it instead? I mean, she seems like a wolf that actually wants to do something for the Clan but can’t because of her age and runty size . . . Doesn’t she deserve a fair chance to prove her worth?

Aleu lightly chuckled. But then again, it’s almost like having a yearling who is only a quarter-wolf to lead a pack of purebred wolves toward caribou and life . . . She couldn’t help but to compare the wolves in her dreams to her own short life. Aleu had only been living as a wolf for a little less than a season now, and she still didn’t know that much about the lupine hierarchy system or anything related to wolves, with exceptions for hunting, howling and the Great Aniu herself. Still, she had tried to maintain some order around the Clan, unafraid to remind her followers that she was the Alpha, but Aleu managed to lead in her own unique way. Her rule was fair, allowing every member of her pack to live peacefully and with freedom while also making sure that the Kawa Clan’s new territory remained free of predators and other threats to their well-being.

Secretly, she still blamed her father for not telling her more about her wolf heritage, but she understood his reasons – he was protective of her due to her wild looks and actions, but perhaps he kept quiet about it because he had forgotten most of his wild instincts when her patriarch connected more to his husky roots instead.

At least this Keliah doesn’t have an overprotective father like I did, Aleu made herself smile at the thought . . . but remembered something else. But wait a minute . . . I haven’t heard about her father yet. I mean, she’s mentioned her mother, who is dead somehow, but everyone has both a mother and a father . . .

“Hey, Aleu!” It was Lorna, shining like silver moonlight emerging from the shadows of the caves. She was smiling as she approached her best friend with an energetic scamper in her gait. “It’s my turn to do guard duty now; you can go return to your visions tonight, okay?”

Aleu smiled as she nuzzled her friend with a sigh of relief. “Thanks. I’ve been waiting to get some sleep.”

“Hmm . . . You seem more excited about this whole dreaming thing than Scarlet described you earlier this evening,” Lorna sat down beside the yawning form of the quarter-wolf. “So, what’s new in the world of your weird visions of Keliah?”

“I don’t know, really,” Aleu nervously grinned. “I was thinking things over, and I have a lot of questions that need answering.”

“Well, I’ll let you catch some shut-eye, and in the morning, you can fill me in on everything,” the light gray female reassured her, nudging Aleu in the flank as she made her way back to the caves to rest. “Good night . . . and may you have sweet dreams tonight . . .”

Yes, I hope to have those too, Aleu thought to herself as she gave a final glance at her friend on guard duty and lay down at her cavern to sleep. Her eyes began to lower and rise drowsily, but soon natural instinct took over, allowing the young Alpha to close her eyes.

Maybe my next vision will clarify my questions . . . and guide me closer to the ultimate answer of why . . .

- - - - - - - - - -

“Keliah . . . Keliah . . .”

That voice again . . .Aleu immediately took notice of the speaker, despite not being able to see the source. That must be Palei, Keliah’s little sister . . . Keliah must be asleep . . . that would explain the darkness . . . She deciphered, knowing that she was seeing through the soft-brown lupine’s eyes in these visions.

“Hey, Keliah! Wake up!” Palei barked loudly into her sister’s ear. “It’s an emergency!”

Instantly, the darkness disappeared as Keliah’s eyes opened. The small smoke-gray pup was standing beside her, while the brown she-wolf was lounging on her usual rock by the river – Probably sleeping, basking underneath the sun’s warmth just like the first time, Aleu figured – but there was something about the pup’s expression that caused Aleu to worry. Oh no, this does not bode well, I’m sure . . .

Palei looked completely frantic, the panic could easily be seen emanating from her wide, young eyes, and it easily caused the older of the two to respond with haste. “What’s wrong, Palei? What seems to be the trouble?”

The dark-gray shuttered before finally speaking. “He’s . . . he’s . . . It’s the Alpha . . .” All of a sudden, tears streamed down from her eyes. Her head and ears fell low, and Palei couldn’t bear to talk anymore. It was as if the thought of what she knew had drained the energy completely out of her tiny body.

“What . . . No!” Keliah’s ears pricked up in a flash, and without another word, she had become a brown streak of lightning, rushing as fast as she could to the same place she had been only a matter of a day ago.

But I haven’t completed my quest yet! Keliah’s thoughts seemed to scream in her mind, causing Aleu to shrink down to the ground and put her paws over her ears. This is impossible! He cannot die now . . . not when his successor has yet to be named!

O Great Aniu, now cannot be the time you speak of . . . for I have yet to find the new Alpha!

Aleu whined with worry at the brown wolf’s dilemma, watching her run and hearing the heavy panting coming from within. Poor Keliah . . . I know she must be stressed out by all of this, the quarter-wolf thought with a heavy heart. It must be hard to deal with so many situations . . . Oh, I pray things work out well . . . for both Keliah and the Alpha . . .

The cave where the elder lived was surrounded by the females of the Clan, with exception of the younger pups that would only get in the way of all of the commotion and prayers of the wolves. There were about ten adults visible, and after easily sensing Keliah’s presence, one of them – a light-gray with gray eyes – leapt to meet her. 

“Meiah, how . . .?” Keliah’s query was quickly interrupted by the other female’s words.

“There’s no time to explain things, Keliah,” Meiah nudged her closer to the den entrance. As if they had been waiting for the brown female’s arrival, the rest of the she-wolves formed a path, clearing the way. “He’s been asking for you and only you since before dawn . . . I don’t know why, but you must be with him now.”

“What about our Healer?” Keliah was shocked that the elder would do such a crazy thing. “At least she could help with whatever’s wrong . . . that would be a lot more help than I would be . . .”

Meiah shook her head sadly. “He won’t see Felita, even though he knows it would be for the best.” She sighed, stopping at the open cave. “Somehow, the only one is you. Go to him, Keliah.”

There was no point in asking the others any more questions – They lack all the answers I seek, Keliah thought as she nodded to the females and stepped in with a silent gulp. She was still nervous, but it was more out of losing him than the eeriness of dark-lined cavern where the Alpha Male made his home. The ray of morning sunlight that rained inside allowed the brown she-wolf to see exactly what she feared.

“Keliah . . .” The Alpha’s voice was quiet yet audible as he lay on a stone slab near the furthest part of the cave. He was wheezing a little, sounding weak and close to the point of the end. 

“My Alpha . . .” She couldn’t bear to see him suffering like this. “My Alpha . . . What is wrong?”

“My time . . .” A sudden raven’s cry broke during his sentence, almost as if to foreshadow the events soon to come. “It is nearing its end, Keliah . . .”

“But it can’t be now . . . It’s only been a day!” Keliah’s head lowered as she let out a whine, her tears dripped onto the ground forming small pools. “I . . . I have failed on your mission for me, my Alpha . . . I haven’t found your heir yet . . .” 

“You tried your best,” the Alpha managed to smile a little, hoping to cheer her up despite the grave situation at hand. “but it’s my time, and nothing can change that.” He lifted his muzzle weakly upward, making peace with the natural flow of things. “When the Spirits call, one must heed it.”

“I don’t want you to die!” A sniffled pause made her lift her eyes at the frail sight of the elder wolf, hearing his breathing being slow and hoarse. “. . . Our Clan will be lost without someone as strong as you to lead us . . .”

“Are you not strong, my child?” The Alpha queried, but strangely, it did not sound like just his wise voice. There was another, a low, feminine tone that joined his own. “Are you of little faith? Do you not trust your own strength?”

“My Alpha?” Keliah’s ears pricked up at the ethereal tone, unable to recognize it. “What are you talking about? I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

Before Keliah could even say anything else, the Alpha's voice returned to normal, still aged and weakened. "I chose you to find my heir . . . I felt . . . I felt that you would already know the right leader our Clan needs to survive . . ."

"Of course I do, my Alpha!" Keliah murmured, still sniffling in tears. "Our Alpha must be strong and wise, knowing that they must fulfill the wills of the Great Spirits with their choices of

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