Aleu wandered through the woods. He was looking for his best friend, Clara.
    Clara trecked through the bracken.  She heard twigs snapping and picked up a scent...
    Aleu heard running. He turned just in time to be pounced from behind by Clara. "Well, hello to you, too!" He giggled.
    Clara screamed.  She was shaking from nose to tail tip.  "Don't sneak up on me like that!" She burst out laughing.
    Aleu Mocked being surprised. "I snuck up on you? You were the one to pounce me!"
    "I think we both snuck up on each other," Clara giggled.
    Aleu giggled again. "Hey, you wanna go down to the lake today? I hear there's going to be a fair, and humans drop food all the time!"
    "We're wolves," Clara growled.  "We don't scavenge."
    "Aw, come on, Clara! You haven't lived until you've gotten a free meal! Besides, Human food is the best stuff ever! They have these things called 'Funnel Cakes' that are really...Why are you staring at me like that?"
    "You're tempting me," Clara drooled.  "Look, I'm Leader of the Gaurdian Wolves and it is prohibited to see humans."
    "Oh, yeah. You're the fake leader of a group that doesn't exist,"teased Aleu,"I have never actually met any of the guardian wolves." It was true; Aleu was not in any pack. He was more of a loner, and he prefered not to see any wolves anywhere, with Clara as his only exception.
    "Don't tease," Clara growled.  "They are real.  Do you need proof?"
    "Not if it involves other wolves,"Aleu whimpered,"You know how I feel about visiting others."
    "Then don't say they're fake," Clara growled.
    Clara padded over to the cliff to look over town.
    "Alue, you can go to the festival.  If I went, I could put my Pack in danger."
    Aleu thought about it."Nah. This is supposed to be our day together, remember?" Aleu thought some more."I know! We can go to the ice caves!"
    Aleu looked over his shoulder, then turned white as a ghost. He whimpered, and ran. Another wolf was standing just on the edge of the forest, watching them.
    "Why not go to Wolf Rock?" Clara said.  "My wolves are loyal to thier leader, and I'll tell them not to."
    Clara sniffed and gawked in horror.  
    "Who is it?" She growled.
    When Clara turned to look, the stranger was gone.
    Meanwhile, Aleu stopped running and sat by a river, panting. He knew who the wolf had been. He was the very reason that Aleu liked to be alone.
    Aleu waited for Clara to find him, and watched for the wolf who had been watching him.
    That wolf was his father.
    "Alue!" Clara called.  "Alue, where'd you go?"
    Clara picked up Alue's sent down by the river.
    She padded through the trees, and saw Alue's pelt.
    "Who was that wolf?" Clara asked when she reached him.
    "I don't know,"Aleu lied. "I just know that I don't like other wolves."
    "I could sense you knew him," Clara growled.  "Us wolves sense fear.  That's how I smelt you through the thick stench of water and fish..."
    Aleu thought about running away again, but something held him back. He studied his paws, then said,"It was my father. You know, the wolf that beat me as a pup. He's found me, he's found me at last..."Aleu broke down crying.
    "What father would do that?" Clara growled.
    Aleu didn't answer. He just heaved with wracking sobs. Then he turned and buried his face in Clara's fur."Save me, Clara! Don't let him catch me! Save me!"
    "Come to my pack," Clara whispered.  "I promise with all my heart you'll be safe there..."
    Aleu silently gave his approval, and let Clara lead him to her pack. Though he was not nececaraly comfortable around other wolves, he was terrified of his father.
    Clara licked Alue on his head.  "If you're father comes to get you, we'll pretend to hold you as prisoner."
    Aleu sniffed and nodded. He knew that his being held prisoner wouldn't help save him from his father, but it might slow him down.
    "Hey," Clara nuzzled.  "You'll be safe."
    Once Aleu had calmed down, he looked around himself, then went and sat in the corner of the cave, away from all the other wolves. Even hiding in a pack, he was a loner.
    Suddenly there was sniffing at the entrance of the cave...
    Aleu curled up into a ball. He could hear someone sniffing. He scrunched himself up as far into the corner as he could fit. "He's coming...he's found me..." he muttered.
    Suddenly, a little white and grey nuzzle came through...
    Aleu relaxed a little. This scent didn't smell like his dad...
    Suddenly, a tiny body came into the cave.
    "HI!" It squeaked.
    Aleu heaved a silent sigh of relief. 'At least it is not my dad' he decided. It could be worse than being in a cave with a bunch of wolves.
    "My name's Tess!" She bounced.  "Who are you?  You smell funny!"
    Aleu grumbled and pushed Tess away. "Leave me alone, kid."
    Tess whimpered.  "Okay," she padded away, little, delicate steps.
    "Dadblammit kids, scaring me half to death." Aleu muttered to himself. Even kids couldn't appeal to his better nature.
    "Why are you friends with my mommy, and aren't even nice to me?" Tess whimpered.
    Aleu looked at Tess. "Look, kid. I have had a really hard day, so please don't bug me."
    "Okay," Tess disappeared.
    Aleu felt a little guilty. After all, the kid had just been trying to be nice. He half expected her to come back just because he was having second thoughts.
    Suddenly, Tess's head popped back through the cave entrance.  "Why are you here, Mister?" Tess squeaked.
    "I'm hiding from my mean daddy." He said, somewhat relieved that her feelings weren't too hurt. "He wants to hurt me, so I'm hiding here."
    "Why does he want to hurt you?"
    Aleu thought for a minute, then said,"I don't really know. He's just wanted to hurt me ever since I was born."
    "Then, he's a meanie!"  Tess giggled.  She bit her lip.  "Well, bye!"
    "See ya, kid." Aleu said. But what was running through his head was,"I will not get attached, I will not get attached, I will not get attached..."
    Tess called again.  "What's your name?" Her eyes were that way when you couldn't look away.
    "Aleu." Then he thought,"This is all seeming familiar from somewhere...It makes me think of bears..."
    "Well, bye!" Tess said.
    She padded back out then dashed back in... Again.
    "Would you like a mouse?"
    Aleu started. "What?"
    Tess giggled her teenie-tiny giggle.  "A mouse, silly!  Would you like to eat a mouse?"
    "No, I'm not hungry." Aleu said, horrified. Of course, as is the way, his stomach chose that exact moment to growl.
    "You sound hungry!" Tess giggled, wide eyed.  "Well, if you need anything, ask me!"
    "I'll be sure to do that, kid." Aleu said. He curled up, and tried to sleep. He was almost hoping that Tess still wouldn't leave.
    "Aleu?" Tess called.
    She padded over to him.
    "My brother and sisters are fast asleep and I'm scared.  Can I sleep with you?"
    Aleu uncurled and smiled at Tess. "Sure, kid." He said. He smiled as Tess curled up with him. "Ok, maybe I will get attached,"he thought.
    Tess yawned her little cub yawn.  She smiled and closed her eyes...
    Aleu curled ever so slightly around Tess. This was the first contact besides Clara he'd had with other wolves in well over a year.
    The next morning, Tess nuzzled Aleu awake.
    "Wake up, Aleu!  Wake up, there's a rainbow outside!" Tess squeaked.
    Aleu stood up and stretched. "I'm coming, kid, I'm coming." He walked next to Tess to the cave exit.
    At the entrance, Tess was bouncing up and down.  "Look, look!" Tess squeaked.  "So many colors!"
    Tess was amazed.  She thought about something, and her face squished in thought.
    "What makes rainbows, Aleu?"
    Aleu