safe. She backed up behind a rock, hopeful that she might catch them off-guard. She knew that this might be the end, so she gave her final goodbyes to her family and friends in her head and waited for them to come.

 Winter emerged from the trees into a clearing. It was fairly large, with two rocks on one side. Twilight followed her out of the forest. "Are you sure this is the direction you heard it from?", Winter asked. She turned to look at Veena, who nodded.

 Arlen was startled. She was expecting to see a group of murderous dogs looking for blood, but instead she finds herself staring at a group of young, curious wolves. She had never seen them before which led her to believe that they weren't from around the area. She decided to wait and see what their intentions were. 

 Winter had a look around. It looked normal enough. She nodded her head and the group made their way into the clearing. About halfway across, Twilight stopped and stared at the ground. That blank look came over his face once again, and they waited for his next miraculous prediction.

 Arlen watched from behind the larger of the two rocks as the group stopped. "What are they waiting for?", she thought. Then she was nearly stunned as the black-furred wolf looked up at her hiding place, as if he could actually see her. Arlen became frightened as those two eerie yellow eyes seemed to bore into her mind. 

 "You can come out.", Twilight's chilling voice snaked it's way through the air. "I know you are there."

 Arlen's hair instantly stood on end. "How could he know I'm here?", she thought. There was no way she was going out there with that horrible creature standing there. Then, a much more pleasant voice spoke out.

 "Please come out. We mean you no harm.", Winter said. She was curious to see who was hiding behind the rocks, but also cautious, as they could easily be the ones who attacked them earlier.

 Arlen came to the decision that were most likely not a threat. She came out from behind the rocks and said, "I am Arlen." She looked at the group once more. "You aren't from around here, are you?"

 The white-furred wolf shook her head, saying, "No. We come from far away from here." Arlen noticed a sadness in the young wolf's eyes as she said this, but said nothing. "My name is Winter," the young wolf said. "And this is my sister, Veena, and my brothers, Twilight and Jared."

 Arlen nodded to them. "You shouldn't be wandering around out here. It's dangerous."

 Winter nodded and said, "We know. Someone tried to attack us earlier." 

 Arlen's eyes widened. "You were lucky to escape.", she said. Then she looked about nervously. "Come with me."

 The siblings looked at each other then followed Arlen. She led them between the trees, constantly on the look-out for danger, as if every step she took was right towards some not too distant evil, waiting to devour them if the approached too near. They walked for some 15 minutes, then they came to a cave.

 "Mama!" Arlen turned and sighed with relief as her three pups ran up and nuzzled her. They were soon followed by two more wolves who stopped talking with each other at the sight of the four young wolves who came with Arlen.

 The first, an aging grey wolf with white markings on his back, said, "I see that we have some guests."

 The second, a younger red-furred wolf, who looked to be about the same age as Winter, growled, "Arlen, you know better than to trust outsiders."

 The older wolf shook his head at the younger one. "Always so mistrusting, Navare?" He nodded to Arlen and she walked around them and towards the cave.

 "And why shouldn't I be, Gareth?", Navare asked. "What, with all these attacks happening, you'll forgive me if I'm not a very trusting soul."

 Winter lowered her head before the two wolves. "We don't mean to cause trouble for you. We're just looking for a safe place to spend the night." She looked up at the old one with pleading eyes.

 Gareth smiled kindly down at her. "Of course. This forest is not the safest place to be wandering about in the dark.", he said. Navare looked like he was about to protest, but the older wolf cut him off. "Navare, they look like a band of weary travelers to me. Just relax. Go cool off by the pond or something."

 Navare walked away reluctantly, mumbling under his breath. Winter nodded at Gareth in thanks. "I heard him say something about attacks. We were attacked this morning as well.", she said. "Could you tell us why someone would try to hurt us?"

 At this news, Gareth's smile vanished and he cast an uneasy glance about the forest around them. "Perhaps you had better come inside." he said, motioning towards the cave.

 Winter exchanged a quick glance with Twilight, the same dark assumptions running through their heads. The four of them followed the old wolf into the cave as the sky shaded itself a deep orange color. 

 The cave was large, with a high ceiling and only slightly rough walls. Winter took notice of a smaller opening at that back of the cave. She figured that it probably lead to another chamber. 

 There were nine wolves in the pack. Navare, Arlen, Gareth, Renn, Orek, Pine, and four others. There was one who was larger than the others, who Winter immediately identified as the alpha, two females and a young male.

 Gareth walked up whispered in the alpha's ear. The large brown wolf turned and looked the group of siblings over and then approached. "Welcome, young ones.", he said, his voice kind and yet firm at the same time. "I am Erak, leader of this pack, and this is my mate, Holly.", he said, indicating the grey-furred female with grey colored eyes who walked up beside him. "I understand you wish to spend the night here."

 Winter nodded. "Yes, sir. We have come a long way and are in need of some rest.", she said.

 The alpha took this in and thought it over for a few seconds. They didn't look like the type of wolves to cause trouble. The only one who made him at all suspicious was Twilight, but he could just be feeling that way because he was finding it difficult to read the black wolf's expressionless face. 

 After a moment he nodded and said, "Very well. You may stay for as long as you wish, in order to regain your strength. But I wouldn't suggest staying long. Dark times have fallen on this forest." 

 Winter nodded and smiled graciously. "Thank you sir. We appreciate it.", she said. The alpha nodded and turned, heading into the passage in the wall with Holly. 

 Winter looked around the cave. Arlen walked up to her and smiled. "You and your siblings are welcome to sleep next my pups and I, if you'd like.", she said.

 Winter smiled at her, and replied, "That's very kind of you, but I'll find somewhere else. I can't speak for my other siblings though." 

 Arlen nodded in understanding. "Of course.", she said. 

 Veena and Jared actually did take her up on that offer and went over to lay a little bit to the right of the mother and her pups. Winter smiled at them, then turned to look for a place to rest. Twilight had already sank himself into the veiling shadows in a corner of the cave. Winter saw, with some distaste, that the only other spot that offered a bit of space to herself to think was right next to Navare. 

 Winter laid down in this spot, all the while trying to ignore the glare that she was getting from the red wolf. Then, a voice caught her attention. "Well, hi.", it said.

 Winter turned to see the other two wolves she hadn't met yet looking at her. They also looked to be about her age, and the female was smiling at her. Winter returned the smile and said, "Hello."

 The female had sand colored fur and brown eyes. The male beside her had brown fur and bright yellow eyes. The female nodded and said, "My name's Juno, and this is my brother, Chase." The male gave Winter a friendly smile. 

 Winter nodded and replied, "I'm Winter. The others are my siblings, Twilight, Veena, and Jared."

 "Are you staying with us long?", Juno asked.

 Winter shook her head. "No. Your leader said we should leave as soon as possible."

 Juno's eyes lowered for a moment, and a shiver worked its way up her spine. "Yeah.", she said. "Been bad ever since the attacks started."

 Winter frowned. "I heard him say something about attacks earlier.", she said, motioning towards Navare. "What's this all about?"

 Chase answered her. He said, "We don't really know why, but about two months ago, a group of dogs started attacking the wolves in the forest, and killing them. They're good at it too. We're the only wolves left now. All the other's are either dead, or they left."

 Winter asked, "Well if it's so dangerous, why don't you leave too?" 

 Juno sighed and said, "This is our home. We don't have anywhere else to go."

 Winter looked down and then back up, her eyes roaming around the cave and it's walls. She remembered the cave that she had once lived in, and all the good times she'd spent with her parents and siblings. She missed those days. She wanted them back, but they had gone, and ever would they stay out of her reach.

 Juno yawned. "Well, we should get some sleep.", she said. 

 Winter nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She laid her head down and closed her eyes. "Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day...", she thought. Then she drifted off into slumber.

***

  Veena was more frightened than she had ever been before. "How did I get here?", she thought. She found herself in a room filled with wooden crates. She looked around and saw a door off to hear right. She leaped for it, but it opened before she made it there, the rough iron handle slamming against the wall.

 The dark outline of a dog

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