to Rhys.

'What is it?' Rhys asked.

Aiden sighed and looked towards Rora.

'When your pups are born, you must allow us to tak one for ourselves.'

'What?!' Rhys cried.

'Me and Rora... we are unable to have our own pups. Let us look after one of your's. They will be the next heir of the pack. When they grow older... they'll know who their parents are.'

Rhys struggled with himself. He didn't know whether to say no and take Aniu away, agree with them and promise one of his children to be taken away or viciously attack him. For the sake of Aniu and his pup's lives, Rhys decided to give one of them away.

'OK.' he sighed, staring at the floor.

He left the alpha's to find Aniu. he explained everythign to her and she cried again. But she nodded and promised him that one of their pups would go with Aiden and Rora if it meant their safety.

A few months went by. Soon it came time for Aniu's pups to be born. Aiden, Achak and Rhys stayed outside the cave, pacing worriedly outside. The other wolves had to sit farther back, staying patient. Rora remained in her own cave, awaiting the chance to see one of her adopted pups.

Aniu cried and whimpered in the cave. She didn't want the pain but knew it was necessary. Soon, the pups came easily and she smiled down at her healthy litter of three. Rhys came in first and looked down at his pups, smiling. He was followed by Achak, then Aiden. Aiden brought Rora in and they looked at the three pups. Two were boys and the last was a girl. The girl was a pale brown colour, similar to Rhys but paler. One boy was the same colour as Aniu and the other was all brown.

'They're all so beautiful.' Rora whispered, as if looking down at her own pups.

They finally made a choice. They picked the female. Aniu had to feed the pup. But Rora would clean it and keep her eyes on it. When it got older, Rora would mother it and Aiden would teach it.

'Mama!' a little voice cried.

The little white pup scampered into teh acve where his mother was resting.

'Yes, son?' Aniu asked.

The little pup had the same eyes as her. He was like his mother's clone. The only thing he didn't have her the pale silver rings and thin nosebridge that his mother had.

'I smell something.' he said.

'Like what?' Aniu asked.

'I don't know.' the pup admitted, wrinkling his nose, 'But I don't like it.'

Aniu got up and stepped outside the cave. She sniffed the air and tensed. She hadn't smelt it since she was a pup his age. Hunters.

'Where is your brother?' she asked.

'Mama!' another voice yelled.

The brown pup jumped out of the bushed and behind his mother's legs. Footsteps unlike those of a wolf or dog followed. Aniu ran with her pups until a human jumped out of the bushes. Aniu tried to turn back but the first hunter was on their other side. The pups crouched beneath her legs, shaking with fear. Just as the hunters were about to pull their triggers and kill them all, a snarl came from the bushes.

'Rhys!!' Aniu cried as her tan coloured mate jumped out and slammed into on of the humans.

The human fell and landed, his gun firing into thin air.

'Aniu, run!!' Rhys yelled, 'I'll catch up with you!'

Aniu nodded, knowing that her children's safety came first. She grabbed the brown pup in her mouth and began to run. The first hunter tried to shoot but another canine jumped out. He was much larger and dark grey all over.

'Father!' Aniu cried.

'Run!' he roared.

He and Rhys leapt at the humans together, knocking one out cold. Rhys was about to run after Aniu, Achak behind him. Before he could run barely five paces he heard an exploding sound and felt a sharp pain in his side. He collapsed to the ground.

'Achak.' he hissed, 'Protect Aniu. Please!'

Achak roared and bit the human's leg before running after his daughter.

'Mama, wait up!' the white pup called.

His mother seemed to be out of her mind now. She could barely hear the pups cries. She stopped just in time to see her father pick him up in his jaws and speed forwards.

'We have to spit up!' he said, his grandson's fur filling his mouth.

'SPIT UP?!' Aniu cried, her voice muffle.d

'No!' Achak hissed, 'SPLIT up!'

Aniu realised what he meant and nodded, tearfully. Her and her father separated, each holding a pup.

Rhys! she thought, tears blurring her vision.

She somehow knew what had happened to her mate. But she blanked those thoughts from her mind. Her priority was her remaining pup. He came first.

The town! she thought, remembering the town she and Rhys had stared at one night.

She zoomed off through teh forest, hoping that the hunters wouldn't follow. She saw a flickering light in the distance and hoped it was the one that often stayed on during the darker hours. She ran through the trees and towards it. She carried on running, her pup swining about in her mouth. They couldn't go into the town. They'd surely be killed. Instead, she aimed towards a boat. It looked unused and old. Her pup could stay there until she could come back for him.

'Mama!' he cried, 'What are you doing?'

Aniu placed the pup on an old blanket that was lying under a small roofed area.

'Listen to me, son!' she said, 'I want you to stay here. Don't come out until the coast is completely clear. I promise I'll return. I will be back for you. Just stay safe, keep warm and eat whatever you can. Don't go near the humans who carry the sticks.'

'But... why not?' the pup asked.

'They're bad people, Balto.' she said, calling him the name that Rhys had suggested at the pup's birth.

'Balto..?' the pup whispered.

'I love you, my little Balto!' Aniu cried, licking him all over before rushing off.

She heard her pup whimper behind her and it almost broke he rheart. She wanted to run back to him and pull him close, telling him it was alright and that they could go home. But she couldn't. She could just hope he'd remember everything she'd been able to teach him in the short time she'd had with him.

She ran into an open area. The ground was covered in snow and a fog was starting to settle. She couldn't see anything. Her hearing was blocked out by the pounding of he rheart and her nose had gone numb.

A hunter jumped in front of her. The same hunter who'd shot Rhys. She snarled, knowing he was the one. Before she had a chance to move her stiffening muscles and bite him, he raised his gun and pulled the trigger. Aniu felt the pain and heard the sound that Rhys had experienced during death. Aniu's last thoughts were of Rhys and her three pups. She begged whoever was up above to keep her daughter, sons and father safe. Then she left the world forever.