"Kodiak?" Aleu paced closer. "Is that really you?" The red and

white husky bounded up to his sister. "Has it been that long?"

"The last time I saw you, you were just a puppy. But you've

really grown since then ," Aleu mused, looking over her brother.

One of the other dogs from the dog team began to creep closer.

Kodi saw him and quickly explained to them. "It's okay, she's no

 threat. She's my sister." Shocked looks spread over the dogs'

 faces. "Sister?" the gray husky asked in a surprised voice. Kodi

 nodded with a smile. Aleu wondered if her brother could help

her find her way home to Nava's pack. "What are you doing out

here?" Aleu asked Kodi, the question whirring around in her

head. "We're on a mail run, but right now we're delayed. Our

 musher says there's a storm on the way. We dogs knew that

 waaay before him though." "Do you think you could help me find

my pack? I got sort of...lost chasing a bird." "You were chasing a

bird? Do all wolves do that?" Aleu could hear the teasing in

Kodi's tone. "No, it was a bird I saw when I ran off. I thought it

could help me." Kodi let a thought out of his mouth. "Maybe he

was leading you to me, you know, like a reunion."

"Maybe..."

 

"Stay in the den," Shale demanded, "I'm going after them." Flint

flung himself upon his brother's hind leg, begging for him not to

go outside. "Sha-ale! He's too strong for you to fight! He

might..." Shale felt sympathy for his younger sibling. "I'll be fine,

 Flint. Trust me." And before Flint could stop him, Shale burst out

 of the hole. Deep down inside, he was scared. He had to force

himself to act fearless in front of his brother. Besides, I'm his role

 model. Shale could make out moving figures in the darkness. A

 growl Built up in his gut, making it's way up his throat and

between his teeth. One of the figures saw him. Galeth. Piercing

 orange eyes stared straight at Shale. He froze up. "Long time

no see, hmmm, Shale?" an icy voice said. Shale's stomach

 churned. He increased the volume of his growl, deepening it

dramatically. "Oh come now, let bygones be bygones, pup. You

realize I didn't mean to harm your parents. I just accidentally

mislead them." "Sure," Shale snarled, "into a death-trap." He

heard Galeth chuckle, an unnerving sound at that. He had

listened to that same sound when Nava pronounced his parents

dead after a deadly scuffle with blood-thirsty wolverines. He

noticed the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, and quickly

blinked them away. "Tell me Shale," Galeth inquired in a beaten

 and raspy tone, "are you scared?" Yes! His conscience

screamed, "No," he said. "Ohhh yes you are. I can see the look

your father had in his eye when the wolverine pounced on him."

 Shale's emotions overtook his body. He leapt for Galeth and

missed. Galeth had goaded him into attacking him, and veered

out of the way when he had tried to bring him down. "Smart

move, huh? I learned it from my grandfather. A wily old wolf, that

 Rhoa." Shale took his chance to pin Galeth when he was

gloating. He caught Galeth with the element of surprise by

swatting him in the back legs. Galeth grunted as he impacted

the ground. His group was on Shale within seconds. The last

thing Shale remembered seeing was Galeth; grinning. Flint's

eyes widened in horror. He saw his brother for only a few

seconds and then he was...gone. Terror-stricken, Shale darted

out of the old den and headed towards the snow-capped

mountains. Galeth saw a little, gray bundle of fur dashing over

the snow, and barked orders for one of his wolves to 'get the

furball'. Unfortunately for Galeth, one of his more "heavyset"

wolves blundered after the frisky pup.

 

Aleu listened to her brother's advice, soaking it up like a sponge.

 "So I just basically backtrack home?" Kodi nodded. "I think was

 too panicked to think normally when I realized I was lost," Aleu

stated. Kodi smirked. "It happens to the best of us." A frantic

 howl got all of the dogs' attention. "What was that?" one of the

 husky's on Kodi's team asked, frightened. Aleu stood, alert, and

 howled back. The small voice returned her howl, except closer

this time. "Hey, I recognize that. Flint. What's he doing out

 here?" Kodi's brow furrowed. "Uh, who's Flint?" "A pup in my

pack," Aleu quickly said before barking to get Flint closer. She

saw him fly out of the snowy bushes, his eyes large and sides

 heaving. Aleu raced up to him and stroked his back with her

tongue. "Flint! What happened? What're you doing without the

pack?" Flint drew in a deep breathe and let his story spill out.

"Shale and I were looking for you and we had to stay in a den

then Shale saw Galeth and tried to attack him but he got

 tricked! He's in trouble!" Aleu immediately stopped licking Flint.

 "Shale's in trouble? What a minute, who's this Galeth?" It

looked like it pained Flint to tell Aleu who Galeth was. "He...he

killed Shale and my parents." Flint turned away, his eyes spilling

 over with water. "Where's Shale?" Aleu asked Flint

demandingly. Flint choked back a sob. "Galeth's wolves

ambushed him"---he faced Aleu---"I last saw him being beat up."

 Anger seethed inside of Aleu. "What direction is he in?" Flint

 pointed a trembling paw south. "Kodi, could you watch over

Flint? I need to get to Shale before it's too late."

Kodi nodded.  "I understand.  Go."  Aleu nuzzled her brother, 

then followed Flint's footsteps in the snow.  I've got to find Shale

before it's too late.  I can't let a pack member die.  I can't, and I 

won't.

 

Pain stabbed Shale all over.  He felt like he was sitting on top of

a porcupine, and sitting on fire at the same time.  I'll never 

underestimate you again, Galeth, but you haven't seen the last of

me---I hope.  The sounds of proceeding footsteps awakened

his senses.  If that's one of Galeth's thugs...  "Shale?  Did Gal-

eth-"

Aleu?!  Shale wrenched his neck on the snow.  It hurt to move.

He caught sight of a tan wolfdog.  Of all the wolves---what's she 

doing here?!  And how does she know about Galeth!  "Shale, did

Galeth do this to you?" Aleu asked as she bent down to lick him.

Shale spoke in a winded voice.  "Yeah."  It came in a cracked

whisper.  "Can you get up?"

"I think"---he tried---"Yeah, I guess."

Aleu supported him with her side and Shale told her to go to the

cave.  "We-I can rest here for the night," Shale croaked.  Aleu

carefully licked his gashes and wondered excactly what Galeth

recruited to be so vicous.  One thing's for sure, your enemy is 

now my enemy.

 

"You let that rat get away!" Galeth roared.  He slapped the

blundering, obese wolf across the face.  "But you shoulda' seen

that kid run!  He was like this-"  The wolf made sound effects

to emphasize the pup's speed.  "Oh I'm "so" impresses with

your intellect," Galeth scornfully said.  "Git."

"But-"

"I said git!"

The overweight wolf hustled into the crowd of others.  "We are

going to find that scoundrel and lure his brother here.  Then we

can have some excitement."

 

 

                                   -To be Continued...- 

 

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