aching, sputtering for a chance to breath, waterlogged, and consciousness fading, Lilly strove to stay awake, although the daylight was diminishing. With one last powerful kick ahead, she caught onto a raft-like pile of large brush and sticks from upstream that was in the same predicament as she. Pulling herself onto the raft, she remained above water where she could breathe. Her surroundings went black and Lilly fell unconscious.

Several miles downstream, a group of female wolves bounded in the long grass, rolling and playing in the sunshine that started breaking through the morning clouds. The shortest one of all had a sharp-looking nose and crude personality. Her coat was golden as the sun, eyes as sharp as needles, and bark as obnoxious as a pesky squirrel. She would scamper about, acting like the one in charge, her height a sequoia, the others, a blade of grass.

A squeal came from the runt-like creature as the others chased her about, pushing away their differences in personality. Thistle was her name, and her attitude was close enough to one.

The reddest one was Periwinkle, hyper and imaginative. She bounded in the tall grass, tackling Thistle and another wolf with them named Edelweiss. Edelweiss was calm, quiet, and plainly beautiful. Her coat was light, a cream mixed light red, and her eyes were sparkling and lively. They were joined by another, a huge silver wolf with a white chest and stalkings. She was Azalea, and she hardly spoke or showed expression.

Rosebay was gorgeous, the perfect picture of beauty. Just one glance, and the male wolves drooled. Just one word she spoke in her pretty voice, and they were hooked. She was sleek, almost scarlet, but light and with an ash tint, the color of a light red rose. Her eyes were framed with long lashes, amber and brown in color. She was not too tall, but medium sized, big chested, and had thin dainty paws dipped black to the wrist.

“Rosebay, come on!” squealed Thistle. “Don't just sit there looking like a lady.”

“But that's what I am,” said Rosebay.

“Aren't we all?” said Thistle.

“I wouldn't speak for everyone,” said Rosebay.

“Okay, okay! Let's not get into another cat fight!” said Periwinkle in her squeaky voice.

“Cats. I hate cats,” said Thistle.

“Oh, my gosh, have I a story to tell you!” said Periwinkle. She sat down and began to comb her ears with a fore-paw. “I was sitting by the small end of the creek, you know, and guess what? Pine came up to me and said...”

She stopped when the golden color of Buttercup, another wolf, flashed among the tall grass. As she approached them, clearly out of breath, she seemed to be carrying important news.

“Oh, I am so glad I found you,” said Buttercup.

“What is it, Buttercup? Spit it out!” said Thistle.

“I was downstream by the river and there's a wolf, a white wolf, but I can't tell if she's alive. She must have come from up the river,” said Buttercup.

“Oh, my gosh, how awful,” said Rosebay.

“It is a dreadful sight. Come on, I'll show you,” said Buttercup.

Passing through the tall grass and into a thin forest, Buttercup led her friends to the scene where Lilly lay. They came to a clearing where the cattails parted and the wet sand imprinted the shape of their small paws. The sky was pale, not blue, or gray, or cloudy.

A large white wolf laid stretched out on the sand, mouth agape, paws held out at front of her. Her eyes were shut lightly, yet they seemed like they would never open again. The black stripe down her back glittered with droplets of water that looked like crystals. She seemed taller than any normal wolf they had ever seen, obviously of superior breeding, but perhaps she was just ugly. Whoever thought of a white wolf in these parts? It almost looked acceptable and pretty, but no, that would put them out of their place.

“She's sure ugly, isn't she?” said Thistle.

“She sure is,” said Periwinkle.

“Even as ugly as she is, we should take her in,” said Periwinkle.

“The ugly ones have to live too, although they are miserable since no males like them,” said Rosebay.

“Is that all you think of?” asked Edelweiss.

“No, but it is important.”

Edelweiss rolled her brown eyes as she helped the others attempt to drag the half-dead wolf to safety. They left her in a pile of leaves on the edge of the forest, since that was the farthest they could pull her.

“Who's going to stay with her?” asked Periwinkle.

“Don't look at me,” said Thistle.

“Well, we need someone to be here when she wakes up.”

Night had come and all the wolves were tired of waiting. It seemed like a lost cause and they figured that the newcomer would never wake up.

“I am so tired, I could fall right down dead,” said Periwinkle with a yawn.

“Don't talk so dreadfully,” snapped Rosebay. “Especially when we are in the company of one who is at the jumping off place.”

“Sorry, I just can't think. My brain is closing down.”

“Everyone just settle down! Our company is stirring,” said Rosebay.

Lilly began stretching and she yawned, but did not open her eyes. At the first squint of life, she leaped to her feet, terrified, and startled, and unknowing where she was and who she was with. A group of beady-eyed wolves were staring at her, closing in, just as she was waking, but still weak. How could she fight her way out? Lilly growled until she noticed the startled look on the wolves' faces.

“Where am I and who are all of you?” she demanded.

“I'm Thistle, and I saved your life.”

“Please don't mind Thistle,” said Edelweiss. “I'm Edelweiss, and I'm sorry for any cataclysmic misunderstandings. We all live at free will, but there are so many of us in these parts of the landscape, that we rather 'flock' together. You are welcome to join us, or go your own way.”

“So where did you come from? Why did you leave? Was it because of some tragic heartbreak?” asked Periwinkle dramatically.

“Oh, don't mind her. She's so strung up on romance,” said Rosebay.

“As if you're not,” said Buttercup.

“Okay, okay! Everyone just settle down. Let....what's your name again?” asked Edelweiss.

“My name? Lilly.”

“Let's just let Lilly rest. She just woke up from being washed up from the river and who know how long she's gone without food...”

“Wait a moment. What did you say about the river?” asked Lilly.

“You just woke up from being washed up from the river.”

“River,” Lilly whispered to herself, sounding unsure of her own thoughts, as if she remembered nothing of a river. “Oh, that's what happened. But, Holly...”

“Did you say something?” asked Periwinkle.

“No,” said Lilly looking flustered.

Lilly went out to the far woods, near the river where she supposedly “washed up”. Stepping in the soft mud that left her wolf paw prints, she caught her own scent that hadn't been washed away. After going over her own thoughts, she figured she was a great distance away from the pack, for she had gone on numerous trips with Luna far down the river when she was younger, but nothing looked familiar. The pack would never find her now.

“If it's the last thing I do, Holly, I'll get you for this! None of your children will become the alpha wolf as long as I am alive!” she shouted into the wind.

A log, thick enough to lay on crossed the river as if it were a bridge. Testing it, Lilly walked upon it cautiously. Here was the perfect place to fish. Below her, the fish didn't find a trace of a predator. Narrowing down to the biggest trout she could find, her legs got ready to pounce. Slowly, carefully, gently easing her way to the edge of the log, Lilly knew she would be rewarded.

Each muscle locked and suddenly Lilly's fur tensed up. As she leaned over the pond an inch further, the heavy wooden bridge rolled from beneath her and dunked her harshly in the water.

Soaked, climbing out of the pond, Lilly noticed a howl in the distance. Leaves and debris sticking to her mud caked feet, she uneasily joined the other wolves. They stared at her, holding back giggles.

“Go ahead and laugh,” Lilly snapped, frustrated, as a twig that was stuck to her head fell to the ground. The others laughed hysterically, but none as hard as Thistle. Her ridicule was enough to send Lilly growling and walking away.

“Oh, Lilly, come back,” said Rosebay within giggles. “We've got...something important...to tell...you.”

Lilly returned and sat and the laughter stirred up again. She waited, trying to be calm, but succeeding only in getting madder and madder. Rosebay sat up, took in deep breath, and attempted to relax herself.

“Ha, ha. Ha, you are all so very funny,” Lilly barked sharply.

“Oh, you are a mutt!” squealed Thistle.

“At least I'm not half rat.”

“Excuse me?”

“Would you like me to repeat it? I said that you are a...”
“I heard what you said! You should be cast out of this area!”
“Who will move me, you? You couldn't pick up a leaf.”

“Well you seem to have that trick mastered. Look at all the leaves sticking to you.”

“Yes, very festive, isn't it?"

“Knock it off!” growled Azalea. “Both of you! Or I'll shut you up myself!”

Thistle was silenced, but Lilly was raging with anger. One more remark would force her to lacerate someone to pieces with invincible will. Her instincts had been hushed up for too long and they were trying to get out with every breath she took.

“We have never been so roused up since she came! I say we banish her!”

Now Lilly was startled. All anger had left, but a new feeling was coming on. It was a sense of hurt, abandonment, and loneliness. There seemed to be no place for her in all the world. It was one home after another, always being thrown out.

“I second that motion!” sneered Thistle.

“All in favor say, 'I,'” announced Rosebay.

It was unanimous. Even Edelweiss raised a paw to agree with the others. Lilly glanced at Azalea, whose face was as cold as ice. It would be futile to try to persuade them to let her stay. At least she could come up with a real crusher that would make them regret their decision.

“Thank you for your jargon, but I have to agree with Thistle. Maybe I am