Hiatus’s face when he figures out I’m gone. It shouldn’t be too long now”

            Everest was right. Hiatus was just sitting down, a gleeful smile on his face when the group stopped. Everest could see that Arrow, Echo, Ice and Wave were going into the cave. He could also see Fly fidgeting nervously in the front of the pack, eyes darting from Hiatus back to the den. Suddenly, Hiatus snapped to attention as Arrow and his three friends darted out of the cave, yelling something inaudible to Everest, Odin and Will. Hiatus bristled and thundered into the den himself, knocking Ice and Echo out of the way roughly. Everest grinned to himself. Hiatus was definitely underestimating him! And he would be furious with Arrow and his gang! They’d probably sleep outside! Everest stopped abruptly to think about that part. They probably would be sleeping outside…

            The small pack stayed hidden in the woods, confident that Hiatus would think they had gotten too far away to waste energy on. Everest laid down coolly watching Hiatus until the sun began to set. All day, Everest had found he was right once again. Hiatus had been treating Arrow, Ice, Echo and Wave with unusual cruelty and their day would probably end with a cold night with the rest of the pack.

“I’m going back down” Everest announced quietly, not taking his eyes away from the Ublureak pack.

            “What?!” Will and Odin yelped in unison.

            “We just got you out of there!” Odin added desperately.

“It’s different then last time… you can watch from up here. I’ll be in and out before you know it. Just trust me”

Odin and Will exchanged glances but Everest didn’t wait for approval. Silently, he slipped down the tree line until he was behind the den. It was too dark to be picked out, but Everest still snuck into the den as cautiously as possible. Hiatus would be here any second. Alone. Everest calmly sat down off to the side so that he wouldn’t e seen until Hiatus had laid down.

            A few moments later, the wolf Everest waited for entered the den, muttering ferociously about his horrible day. Shaking his head, he collapsed, facing away from Everest… making it all the easier for Everest. The golden wolf waited a few seconds, then lunged. In a flash, Everest had Hiatus pinned and pressed a paw on Hiatus’s throat so he couldn’t call for help.

“You’re starting to underestimate me” Everest warned in a low voice. “I’m going to take my paw off your throat. You scream, I kill you”

Hiatus’s face spread into a false grin. Everest removed his paw.

            “You wouldn’t kill me” Hiatus said coyly. “You would have done it a long time ago”

“You don’t know me as well as you think you do” Everest said sharply.

            “I knew your father and you’re proving to be as big a menace as he was”

Everest was quiet for a second, a little stunned, but quickly recovered.

“Well I’m still here and I’m not going down without a fight. And I mean me only. If you ever, and I mean ever hurt anyone to get to me again, I will kill you. One hair harmed on a pup’s head to get to me and I’ll find you. Get the message?”

Hiatus frowned.

            “Unfortunately, I play dirty… so you might as well kill me now…” the white wolf drawled lazily, pretending not to be fazed.

Everest narrowed his eyes. But he didn’t move.

            “See, you can’t do it. You never will be able too” Hiatus said airily. “It was your father’s downfall and it’ll be yours too”

With a disgusted look, Everest quickly maneuvered himself out of Hiatus’s reach and darted to the mouth of the den.

“Remember, just one hair, and you’re dead”

            “I look forward to it” Hiatus replied lazily.

Everest frowned and dashed away. Odin and Will waited nervously for him, fidgeting.

“See, it went off without a hitch” Everest grinned.

            “You got lucky this time!” Odin complained dramatically. “What happens if he traps you next time?! You were lucky Will and I even tried to save you!”

“But you’d do it all again wouldn’t you?” Everest grinned.

Odin stumbled for words and Will watched, amused.

            “Th-that… is beside the point!”

Everest shook his head. Then he glanced around.

“We’re a pack right?”

Will nodded. Odin raised an eyebrow.

“We should probably find some territory to stake out… one that’s really tricky for outsiders. And close to the Ublureak”

Will’s face lit up.

            “There’s an abandoned territory in the mountains!” Will offered excitedly. “It has more mountains and rock formations everywhere! Really thick woods and tons of caves! My dad said no one lives there because it’s supposedly haunted”

Everest smiled thoughtfully.

“Then I think we’ve just picked out our new territory”

            A few days later, the pack of three had found the territory: one as big as the Ublureak’s and ten times more mountainous. And as promised, numerous caves could be found, but the biggest was a cave nestled into the side of a dried river bank. Although there was a creek running through, there didn’t seem to be much food since most of the landscape was grey, snowy rock. Deer could be found here or there, but it was clear that it wouldn’t last too long. But getting food in another close by territory didn’t seem that hard. It almost seemed like the territory was built just for them! However, within a few days, Everest began to suspect that they weren’t alone…

“Will, are you sure that this territory is empty?” Everest asked curiously, ears twitching.

            “Positive” Will replied, jumping off from a small boulder to stand next to Everest. “Why?”

“Just have a hunch” Everest mumbled, half to himself.

                        “Let’s go check it out then!” Odin said, chest puffed out. “We can take ‘um!”

Everest shook his head.

“I don’t think we need to fight, but we should look around… I feel like we’re being watched”

            Everest led them off; Will and Odin followed closely, hackles slowly rising. They covered most of the territory until they reached the side of the territory farthest from the Ublureak territory. Then a low groaning noise met their ears. All three stopped. Then Everest went forward and glanced around a boulder where the sound was coming from. There lay a grey and white shaded wolf, moaning in pain. Everest didn’t smell any blood, but the wolf did reek horribly of something the Illiivat wolf couldn’t name. Everest nodded to Will and Odin and the other two came forward as well.

“Are you alright?” Everest asked cautiously, still on edge.

The grey wolf looked up with strangely colored blue eyes.

            “I think so” he grumbled, trying to roll back to his feet. “Had a bad encounter with some wolves on the other side of the territory. They were picking on some younger pups and I stepped in. We got into a fight, but I managed to run through here… is this your territory?”

Everest nodded.

“Do you have somewhere to go back too?” Everest asked casually.

The grey wolf nodded.

            “I should probably head back…” he started. But as soon as he took a step, he stumbled and fell.

Everest, Will and Odin rushed over.

            “I guess they got me a little more then I thought” the grey wolf said with a stiff smile.

“I guess you should stay with us for a while…” Everest replied, aiding the wolf.

            “Thanks… uh…”

“Everest”

            “Everest?” the new wolf asked suddenly taking interest. “Then you must be Will” he added, turning to the Aklark. Then he studied Odin blankly.

            “I don’t think I’ve heard of you…”

Odin frowned. It took everything they had for Will and Everest to hold back their