halt.

            “There’s something else too” Fly mumbled quietly, shuffling a paw around.

“What?” Everest asked urgently.

            “Maybe we should go somewhere private…”

Quick snickered but a glare from Everest shut him up.

“Is it important?”

Fly bit her lip but shook her head.

            “I guess it’s not” she said quietly.

Everest gave her a smile and a quick lick on the forehead then spun around.

“Will, Tempest, check the west. Quick, Odin, the east. I’m just going to do a quick scan. I’ll meet you all back here as soon as the sun sets” Everest ordered, glancing at the low sun.

In a flash, the three groups took off. Fly sighed and headed back toward Hiatus’s territory but as she walked away, Everest had to do a double take. Something seemed different about Fly... Everest shook his head. He’d worry about that later.

Odin and Quick headed for the eastern side of the territory, staying cautious all the time. Sure, enough, as soon as they snuck under some evergreen branches uphill from the small stream marking their border, a few Ublureak wolves could be seen patrolling lazily.

“I guess we just watch until sunset” Quick yawned, plopping down in the frosty snow.

Odin sighed and did the same.

            “I don’t like this!” Odin complained suddenly. “Everest has Fly and Will has Tempest. All I have is you! Why can’t we get girls!?”

“Trust me, I don’t want to be stuck with you either” Quick moaned, resting his head on his paws. “Plus, we don’t know if Tempest and Will like each other yet…” he mumbled, voice trailing off.

            “You like her don’t you!”

Quick shifted uncomfortably.

“It’s really a wonder that Everest hasn’t killed you yet” Quick growled.

            “Will’s the only one she trusts besides Everest! Not to mention all you do is gawk at girls and turn them into… prizes!”

“That’s not true!” Quick shot back. “There’s more to girls then that…”

            “Like what?”

“Girls have… uhh… nice per…son…alities”

            “It’s a wonder a girl hasn’t killed you yet” Odin repeated.

“It’s a wonder a girl hasn’t killed you yet!” Quick imitated in a taunting voice.

            “That’s real mature stupid face!”

“Great comeback. Didja get that one from a pup?” Quick grumbled, glancing desperately at the sun, which was only just visible behind the jagged mountains.

“Let’s go. It’s close enough to sunset”

            “Fine” Odin shot back.

They both got up to go, but a sudden commotion brought their attention back. A grey female was being escorted over to what appeared to be the Ublureak wolf in charge.

            “We found her sniffing around. What should we do with her?”

                        “Hiatus is probably going to keep her with the others… we could take her back… or we could have some fun first!”

Quick’s blood boiled.

“I don’t think Everest would mind if we were a little late…”

Chapter II

            Will and Tempest patrolled quietly. They could easily see Hiatus’s wolves guarding the border through the trees, but the trail they had taken was well covered by pines and was high above the flatlands the other wolves occupied. None of the guards really seemed to be doing anything, but Will and Tempest still had some time to spare, so the pair settled down at the end of the trail.

            “It’s nice out here” Tempest commented, looking up at the gold and pink streaked sky. “Back at home, everything seems bland. It’s flat and all the trees look the same”

“Yeah” Will sighed. “So… did you have anybody back at your pack? Like other guys?”

            “Well of course. I’m the alpha’s oldest daughter. I was supposed to lead the pack”

“Oh…” the brown wolf replied.

            “But no one I really cared about or anything” Tempest added quickly. “No one was really interested in me anyway”

The sun touched the flat plain between the mountains and rays dyed the sky with brilliant colors.

            “Ooo” Tempest exclaimed. “Did you know back home, sometimes we don’t even get a sunset! Sometimes it stays dark all day or light all night”

“Wow” Will said breathlessly.

The both sat silently, knowing they had to go but trying to find an excuse to stay.

            “I guess we should head back”

“Yeah”

Neither moved still.

                        “Get AWAY from me!” someone’s shrill voice yelled.

Will and Tempest scrambled to their feet to try to see the owner of the voice. Some grey wolf stood boldly, daring Hiatus’s guards to chase her.

            “What is she doing?!” Tempest barked.

“We better follow her”

The guard wolves grinned and took off.

            “There are more guards that way” Tempest stated, taking off.

“Hopefully Odin and Quick are still there” Will frowned, matching strides with Tempest and picking up the pace.

            I wonder what Fly wanted Everest thought to himself. He’d already taken a walk around most of the territory and saw only a few wolves by the north but as he moved west, there were more and more of them. The sun had gotten close to setting and even though the mountains blocked his view, the sky was starting to fade. Everyone is probably waiting for me back at the den already. These guys aren’t doing anything either… just watching. Why? Everest stopped for a second and squinted. From his place on the slippery rocks, he could see two, no three figures sliding in a gap between the guards, unseen. It was an adult and two pups. Everest cautiously hurried down the rocks, making his way to the trails. By the time he had reached stable ground, the female, a grey and white wolf with green eyes, had made it up to the open main trail. The two pups following scrambled behind her as soon as they spied Everest. For a second, the female and Everest stared at each other, blinking as if each was stunned the other was there. But before the female could growl or attack, Everest quickly explained.

“I’m a friend! I don’t mean any harm”

The female studied him suspiciously.

            “How do I know I can trust you?”

“Well, I’m kinda the one in charge of bringing down Hiatus”

            “Who’s Hiatus?”

“You’re not from around here, are you?”

The female shook her head.

            “I live very far from here. Back at home there was a war, so I left. I ran into another wolf that was fighting in it, so I took her pups for her. Now I’m just kinda looking around to start a new life.”

“You can stay with us for a while if you want” Everest offered. “We just need to find the rest of the pack...”

Everest craned his neck to try to glimpse over the tree tops that bordered the rocky slope.

“My pack’s probably back at the cave already” Everest explained, leading the way around the slippery rocks. “I’m Everest. And what was your name?”

            “Mataki” said the grey female replied softly.

They traveled in silence, working their way up and neither spoke again until they reached the top of the small descent that led to the dried river bed.

“Well this is it” Everest grinned, pointing out the cave on the side of the bank. “Make yourself at home”

            “Thank you” Mataki said gratefully.

While Mataki and the two pups disappeared inside the cave, Everest glanced around. No one had come back yet…

“Mataki, I’ll be right back”

Everest frowned and took off down the trail, worry growing in the pit