A brown and white wolf sat close to the Little Pebble Stream. Almost close enough where he could fall in. He was huge! His noble head secured onto a thick neck which led into his muscular frame with surprisingly long legs. His light blue eyes watched the little currents from the stream’s movement. However, a bustle of laughter wrecked his sense of calm. He looked to the east to see a blue gray she-wolf followed by three of her friends. A pinkish red one, a cloud patched one, and the last one was burnt tan. All four where laughing about some joke. "What are you looking at?" The blue gray spoke as she noticed him looking.

"Just watching a fool walk, White Toes." He snickered. Her fur bristled as she shot him a stone hard glare. "Don’t get funny with me Earthquake!" She snapped. Earthquake stood and walked closer to White Toes and her group. The pinkish red was the smallest of the group and she huddled behind the burnt tan known as India. Earthquake chuckled.

"Scared Red Dream?" He asked as he bent his head down with a smirk. She growled.

"Why should I?" Her head raised a bit but it lowered quickly when he growled. White Toes put herself between Red Dream and Earthquake. "Go pick on someone your own size." Cloud, the patchy pattern one spoke.

"Yes, we were having such a nice time until you popped in!" White Toes stuck her face inches from Earthquake’s.

"Well I was enjoying some rest before your noisy crew came bustling in." Earthquake said in his defense. White Toes rolled her eyes before walking away with her nose a bit in the air.

As Cloud and Red Dream followed White Toes, India stayed behind. "What do you want?" He asked gruffly. India took a breath before she replied, "Tell Nevada I said hey." She turned and trotted toward her friends. India had a crush on one of Earthquake’s friends, Nevada. Earthquake chuckled. Nevada wasn’t a social butterfly and yet India found him.

***

The whole valley knew Earthquake and White Toes hated each other. White Toes was disgusted with him for no reason and he thought she was a bit too stuck-up. Nothing caused it, it just started.

Earthquake strode into his den a bit furious with White Toes. He was so tired of her. "Hey bro?" One of his sister’s voice carried to him in his den. He got back up from his relaxed position and made it outside. There stood his sister, Aries. "What’s up?

"Oh not much." Earthquake’s head was low.

"You and Toes had another spat?" She asked him before she sat. She could tell by his expression.

He couldn’t lie. "Yeah…over by the stream. It was nothing compared to the last one." He smiled and Aries laughed.

"Oh…sorry, I forgot the real reason I am here. Nevada and Tasik were wondering if you just wanted to chase some rabbits up." Aries tried to smile innocent, which caused Earthquake to laugh. He stood and started walking past Aries but she stopped him.

"And Earthquake… just ignore White Toes." Earthquake nodded before Aries dashed off into the bushes. He gave a small sigh before heading to the meadow. "How can I avoid her when my heart tells me other wise…" He wondered to himself.

***

"Hey there’s Earthquake!" A brown wolf with white stockings spoke as his tail wagged.

"Hey man, how’s it going?" Tasik the black Balto looking wolf asked as Earthquake slowed to a stop.

"Nothing really." Once the words were out of his mouth, Nevada gave him a "yeah-right" look. Earthquake chose to ignore it.

"Why we sanding around? Let’s chase!" Tasik barked excited as the speed built wolf took down the ridge. Nevada and Earthquake took after him.

After an hour, Earthquake had chased up none. Tasik had 5 and Nevada 3. "Alright Earthquake you get the next one." Nevada spoke jokingly.

"You’re just saying that to get some rest." Earthquake responded. Tasik broke out laughing while Nevada grinned. "You know…India really cares about you…" Earthquake spoke. Nevada gave a bit of a growl.

"Haven’t you noticed the way she looks at you?" Tasik brought up. Nevada lowered his head with an annoyed look. "I think you should go out with her. I would if I wasn’t so in love with Sierra!" Tasik added.

"I didn’t realize that I had joined this dating service!" Nevada snapped. Earthquake chuckled.

Suddenly, a rabbit burst from the bushes. Earthquake took off after it, toward the forest. "Run!" Nevada yelled. As Earthquake and his prey came closer to the wooden border, he had to charge through the thorn bushes. Just as he caught sight of it, the rabbit disappeared into some more bushes.

"Damn rabbits…" He muttered and just as he was about to jump the barrier, he heard the rabbit cry and a growl. When he landed did he then recognize that it was White Toes who had killed it. "Hey that was my rabbit!" He snapped angrily.

He muttered and just as he was about to jump the barrier, he heard the rabbit cry and a growl. When he landed did he then recognize that it was White Toes who had killed it. "Hey that was my rabbit!" He snapped angrily.

"Well I didn’t see your name on it!" White Toes responded. "Besides you were too much of a slow poke to catch it." She added with a touch of sass. Earthquake growled.

"What’s going on?" Tasik asked as him and Nevada arrived.

"She stole my rabbit!" Earthquake barked.

"Oh stop being immature!" White Toes snarled.

"Watch who you’re snarling at…" Earthquake growled and puffed his chest. His head held high as he looked down on her fragile frame. He towered over her and she knew it.

"Look mister…" White Toes tried to stick her muzzle in his face. Even though he was only a few inches above her, she still was smaller. Earthquake snarled and her ears laid down. Tasik and Nevada watched the two glare at each other.

"I don’t have to waste my time on you." Earthquake spoke as if he was speaking to a mouse. He lightly pushed her aside and snatched the rabbit up.

"Hey!" White Toes yelled as she tried to regain her balance.

"Oh thanks for pre-killing it!" Earthquake called out as he, Nevada, and Tasik rushed for the clearing. White Toes watched them hop over the thorn bushes before she gave a disgusted sigh.

"Men…" She muttered to herself. White Toes turned to visit her mother.

She muttered to herself. White Toes turned to visit her mother.

***

 

Tasik glared at Earthquake as he munched on the rabbit. Earthquake noticed it and snapped, "What?"

 

"That wasn’t a nice thing to do…" The black/white wolf replied coldly.

 

"Hey she didn’t chase it. I did!" Earthquake answered before he took another bite. Tasik rolled his eyes. A deep rumble of thunder was heard.

 

"Oh I don’t like the sound of that." Nevada stated. "Come on let’s head home."

 

Tasik and Earthquake agreed. "Hey Earthquake your place is pretty far. You can stay at my place until it clears." Nevada offered.

 

"Thanks but I think I can make it." Earthquake said. Nevada nodded before him and Tasik headed east. Earthquake headed west toward his home.

 

"You best be getting home now White Toes." Sun, her mother pointed out.

 

"Okay mother. Good night and take care." White Toes took to a run toward her place. Hopefully, she’ll make it there before the rain becomes unbearable.

 

As the rain came down harder, Earthquake sloshed through the mud. The rain felt like rocks more than water. It stung even through his thick coat. He had to take shelter and now! Meanwhile, White Toes was having trouble of her own. Out in the open, she galloped through the meadow but the ground grasped at her paws. As she neared the forest she was hoping for it to be better but it wasn’t. Trees were shaken, some limbs were already down, and the earth was like a swamp. "Goodness…the storm couldn’t have got this bad in a few minutes!" She thought to herself as she tried to dodge the upcoming obstacles. But it was difficult to see with the hard rain.

 

CRACK! White Toes looked up before being knocked to the ground.

 

AHH!

 

Earthquake looked to the southeast. "What was that?" He thought before he galloped toward the scream. He crashed through the bushes, leapt over fallen limbs, and tried to bear the harsh wind. As he neared the area, he gasped. There was White Toes trapped under a limb. The limb was stuck at a slant between two close trees but it still had her trapped beneath it. "White Toes!" He shouted as he slid to a stop in front of her. "Earthquake?" She mumbled softly. Blood was trickling down her forehead and her left shoulder and leg were bruised lightly.

 

"It’s okay…I’m getting you out of here!" Earthquake dug through the mud, moving it aside to make more room. Hopefully, enough room to move her out carefully. He panted hard as he tried to reach White Toes. "Almost there." He said more to himself then her. "Get me out of here." White Toes tried to say strong but her voice was weak. "Don’t worry…you’re almost out of here." Earthquake spoke to her softly to comfort her. He wasn’t sure she heard him through the rain.

 

There he was! Beside her…her delicate frame… He wasn’t sure how to move her but he clamped his jaws around her scruff and drug her out. Once she was out in the rain, he moved her onto his back. "There has to be shelter near!" He thought as he tried to look through the penetrating rain. He headed for his home with White Toes snug on his back. He galloped over the slosh earth for not only for his self but also for her.

 

Earthquake was worn and White Toes was injured. He stumbled around and then a scent of dry earth sparked his nostrils. Where was it? He pushed himself on with new hope. There it was in front of him! A small cave. He was delighted. "White Toes we made it to shelter!"

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