Go to the writer's section
gave her a charming wink and a sweet smile, and as she turned away, he nudged her on the flank playfully. “See ya in the morning, Tiger.”
Thank goodness she had turned away when she did. Her white-beige cheeks were bright pink as she scampered quickly away to the caves where the rest of her Clan were already asleep. It was rather sweet that he was starting to call her by the same pet name that her father used for her when she was a young pup; actually, when her father called her that, she was embarrassed, but when Scarlet used it on her, she felt like her heart would flutter out of her chest.
She tried not to make a sound as she arrived at her cave at the top of a mountain path. All of the dens were lined near mountain ledges, the result of many hard hours of claw-digging by the members of the Clan, allowing everyone to have an important job to do.
At least the Clan was able to work together, she thought with a smile as the quarter-wolf Alpha began to settle into her den, safely covered in a light beam of silver moonlight. Just the sight and feel of the serene brightness above her made her easily drift back into a necessary rest into the darkness of closed eyes . . .
- - - - - - - - - -
“Ah, Keliah . . . you have arrived at last . . .”
There’s that name again, she thought, quickly realizing where she was. I must be receiving more visions again . . . She let out a disappointed sigh, but there was a slight sense of hope in her return to this strange place. I hope that maybe I can learn why I’m looking through Keliah’s eyes . . . and why I’m seeing these things in the first place.
Just as the last time, she could see the speaker – this time it was an older male wolf with scruffy fur that was once a shiny shade of silver, but was now as faded as speckled mountain granite – and she seemed to be the focus of his attention, despite being shrouded in the deep black shadows of his wide rocky den. His voice was slow, easily showing his age – her best guess was that he was probably as old . . . no, even older than Nava by the way he spoke. However, the young black wolf was nowhere to be seen – Keliah has to see this guy alone, without Palei by her side . . . I remember, the quarter-wolf deduced from her observations, reminding herself of what she had seen in the previous vision. That sounds rather obvious for important business.
She felt Keliah lower herself to a respectable frontward bow. “Yes, Alpha – I have been summoned by you after all.” She lifted her elegant brown head towards him, smiling with a sense of pride. She was no longer afraid, although she had never been inside this cave before. She seemed to have met this wolf before, but never within his living quarters; clearly this was a personal and serious reason for them to meet.
“Come closer, young one . . . Yes, step into the light so I can see how much you’ve grown . . .” He murmured in a wise tone. He was right – there was a soft beam of sunlight in between him and the she-wolf, offered a bit of light into the darkness. Following his orders, Keliah bravely stepped towards the ray of sunshine, allowing her soft-brown coat to shine like fresh soil in the forest.
“Ah,” the older wolf sounded impressed and almost pleased as he spoke. “Ah, my dear . . . you have grown up nicely after these past three years . . .” Now he too began to move closer to the beam of light, revealing his true colors . . . much to the quarter-wolf’s surprise. He looked rather limp on his left hind leg, but that wasn’t the thing about him that shocked her the most.
He’s the Alpha? But . . . but he’s blind! He can’t see her! The quarter-wolf commented as Keliah stood seriously in front of him, as if to not notice the clouded gray and golden eyes of the gray elder. Wait a second – how can he know that she’s there and ‘see’ her if he can’t really see? How strange this is . . . She wondered as the Alpha began to speak again.
“Your mother would be very proud, my child,” he concluded, leaning his head forward to nuzzle her gently against her nose. “You are indeed the spitting image of her, Keliah.”
“Oh, you are far too kind, my Alpha,” Keliah lowered her head once more. Truly, this young she-wolf was raised with grace and manner . . . almost like a trained husky, not like a normal wild wolf would.
“Now, I have summoned you for an important task – one that will change you forever shall you choose to accept it,” the Alpha said, lifting his head up as if to look at the stalactite-lined ceiling above him with his blind eyes.
“Yes? What is it, Sir?” Keliah curiously asked. From the tone of her voice, she was anxious to hear what he had to request of her. “I’ll do anything to help you.”
“My dear Keliah,” the Alpha spoke rather grimly and slow. “I am old, and my time as Alpha of our Clan will soon come to an end.”
“Oh, Sir . . .” the she-wolf lowered her ears in sadness by the news. “When? When shall this come to pass? We cannot bear to lose you now; there are not enough wolves remaining in our Clan to survive much longer . . . only 15 females and about 3 males, including yourself remain, Sir.” She felt a thin streak of a tear darken her brown cheek, weeping in sorrow. “We could be invaded and lost without your guidance and presence with us!” Her head lowered as the tears continued to fall.
“Ah, you should not cry for me . . . or for our Clan, child,” he reassured her with a soft smile, sensing her forlorn emotions with his unseeing powers. “The Great Aniu shall guide me when the time has come, but she has also said that now is the time for my heir to step up and claim their rightful place.”
Aniu? Grandmother? The quarter-wolf gasped in shock at hearing him speak the white wolf’s name. They believe in her ways too? Gosh, this must still be Alaska then – I have been told that all Clans in Alaska know of Aniu and her guidance.
Of course, this was indeed her grandmother that they were talking about. The Great Aniu was originally, just like in old times and like all Great Spirits, a flesh and blood creature on Earth and could return to the Material World in any form they wished. The last time she returned as a wolf, she soon bore the quarter-wolf’s father in the wild months before being killed in defense of her tame husky mate at the time. Ever since then, she had returned to being a spirit and quietly watching over the son and other children she had left behind on Earth, and soon she would guide her son and granddaughter back into the wild, allowing the quarter-wolf to join the Kawa Clan as their leader.
Naturally, the quarter-wolf still was in disbelief by the fact that she was related to a Great Spirit such as she, and she rarely spoke this news to anyone. She feared that they would call her a liar or someone that would dare make fun of the Spirits that they worshipped.
“Who shall be your heir then, my Alpha?” the brown she-wolf’s query brought the quarter-wolf back to the current scene at hand. “There are no males that are old enough to take your place – the two that are left are still suckling on their mother’s teats!” She let out a soft gasp of slight fear. “Oh, please don’t say that an outsider shall take over the Clan! They may signal destruction to us all!”
“Hush-hush, my child; you worry too much,” the Alpha chuckled lightly, though he maintained a serious attitude about him. “Aniu has not shown me who my heir will be, but my task to you is to find that wolf for me.”
“But how can I find him?” Keliah asked, confused by the Alpha’s words. “I cannot just leave the Clan defenseless during a time in which all are needed in case of battle!”
“Yes, yes – I understand your concern, but I feel that you needn’t search too far,” the Alpha turned to her. “My heir was born in our Clan and remains here to this day. This is what Aniu has stated to me, Keliah; now, you must complete the quest I have given you and find the new Alpha of our Clan.”
Keliah was silent, pondering in her mind about this quest. Somehow, the quarter-wolf could hear the she-wolf’s thoughts as she thought them, giving her some more details of exactly what Keliah was going through.
It’s up to me to find his heir? The brown she-wolf muttered to herself. I have enough to deal with already – caring for Palei, leading the defense team of us younger fighters, and now I have to find the next Alpha of our Clan . . . She let out a sigh, frustrated by this turn of events.
“Ah, Keliah. Do not trouble yourself with aggravation,” the Alpha reassured her in a rather encouraging voice. “The right time will come . . . and you shall realize that my heir is closer than you know.” He lowered his head, beginning to step back into the shadows towards the furthest part of the cave. “You are dismissed, my Daughter. Good luck on your quest, young Keliah.”
With those words, the she-wolf returned the respectable gesture and made her way through the brightness of the entrance . . . and again, the light engulfed her, causing the quarter-wolf to hear the deafening howl in her ears. This part of the vision was over.
= end of PART ONE
TO BE CONTINUED . . . in PART TWO!
| Previous Page | 1 2 3 4 |
1263 visits
Report this fanfic
