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Thanks, Ninetalesuk!

I added a poll, so everyone feel free to let me know what ya think.
If you pick 'No, change something' please tell me what you think I should change. Also note that as the writer of this story I reserve the right to refuse to change my work.

I'll get started on Chapter Three tonight, but on the other hand, I may wait until I finish the entire story before I post it.

Hello again everyone, I'm back from band camp!
Sorry the story's been slow in coming, but I'm going to (hopefully) get the third chapter finished by tomorrow.

One question, though:
Should I really have had Echo's pack be masacred?

Um... no... that sounds a bit over the top, me things...

Not off the radar anymore!
While the death of Echo's pack was tragic and... troubling, it gives Echo a sense of purpose. After all, they killed his mate, his true love... NOW HE WANTS REVENGE! Be careful with that feeling though, as it can also lead to stupid or rash desicions, and that can have disaterous consequences!
Yes, I think you should leave the story as is. If you second guesed everything that you wrote, you'd never finish, go with what you've got and see what turns out. You might be surprised!
The only potential problem I see with this massacre is that you've managed to kill off a GREAT number of your original characters... If you intend to replace them, that's fine, but if you don't...
You might consider making a few survivors run away to be found later or something.
It was GREAT!
I really didn't expect you to kill Vella, but I think her death will fuel Echo in a way that even you may not be expecting. It also makes the reader question Echo, Krystal, and anyone else's for that matter, continued existince. Something that will keep them hopping when these secondary characters get in a tight spot, for now they'll haveto wonder.
"Hmm, we he kill her too..."
That's a great reaction to have, so yes, I think the death of Vella, (if not the whole pack) should remain in the story, and indeed may be crutial to its success. If you want to make it even more traumatic for the reader, you might consider writing the cause of Vella's injuries, in other words, the interogation. This will cause the readre to have great sympathy for Echo when he finds her.
I think you're dooing great, and look forward to reading more... SOON!
On a different note...
BALTO MEMORIES IS DONE AND POSTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you all decide to check it out, Jenna's puppyhood may surprise you, it did me, and I'm the writer!
Anyway, keep the good work coming, and I hope to hear from you soon.
(Looks like you might get some exstensive use of that "burial" technique Lone wolf)

HAVE A GREAT DAY AND SEMPER FIDELIS!

- PFC Anthony E. Rotramel, United States Marine Corps
(Rotramel USMC)

Thanks alot for the input, Rotramel.
As of right now, I'm going to stick with what I have so far, keep writing, and see what happens. I can always change it later if I want.

Third chapter.... oy, this may be tough.
Echo...Krystal... *gulp* Well, here goes.....

Sorry again for the double posting, but here is what I have of Chapter 3, plus Chapter 2 with a tiny bit more at the end of it.

Enjoy!

Chapter Two

They had come without warning. Without sounding an angry howl to announce their presence as they usually did. And they came without mercy. Just moments after the attack had begun, it was over. Vella felt as though she would faint. Sprawled before her and covered in a crimson liquid that could only be his blood was Treffen. As he felt his life flowing swiftly out of him, he used his last ounce of strength to look up and say,
“Forgive…me…Vella…I couldn’t…stop them….I’m sor…” Before he could finish his dying gasp, the strong black wolf’s head fell as his body stiffened and went limp. Treffen was dead. Vella looked down at him and then at the wolves that stood before her. Several black wolves eyed her with malice and were only prevented from leaping upon her when a silver female stepped through their ranks. At first, Vella prepared for anything, but the silver female turned to the gathered wolves and said,
“Stand down, that’s an order.”
“As you say, Sena,” they replied, stepping back respectfully.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen…” Sena muttered, looking around the cave in horror. Everywhere she turned there was another mangled wolf, and not one of them was from their pack. They were all Echo’s wolves. She looked back at the wolves gathered behind her. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” she shouted to them. Just then, another silver female came from behind Vella and glowered at her twin.
“We have found your son,” she sneered, “I ought to kill him where he stands…”
“Bring him to me.” On cue, a young black male was pushed roughly to the cave floor at her paws. She dropped down beside him and looked up, enraged, at her smirking twin. “What are you doing, Sadera?”
“He betrayed our pack, sister,” Sadera replied coldly, “He is one of them.” Sena looked in shock at the black wolf that lay before her. Putting a paw on his shoulder, she led him out of the cave. Sadera stifled a laugh and looked at Vella, who looked back at her with no expression on her face. “Your pack was much less of a challenge than I thought they would be. I’m very disappointed.”
“You had no reason to attack us,” Vella replied, as her eyes glowed with hate, “I am ashamed to be your sister.” Sadera’s eyes twitched and her expression lightened, but it was for such a short amount of time that Vella never noticed.
“Your words wound me, Vella,” she continued with false pain in her voice, “But you must admit that I’ve done much better than you. While you ran off with Echo, I rose through the ranks and gained more loyal soldiers than you whole pathetic pack put together.”
“At least I was happy,” Vella replied, “but now…” Sadera grinned at her sister’s pain.
“I seem to remember you having pups. Where are they?”
“I’ll never tell you,” Vella replied. Sadera smiled coldly.
“We’ll see about that.”

Minutes earlier, Echo watched quietly from the trees as Krystal and the others padded up to Kaltag’s human. As the old man leaned down toward Kaltag, a desperate howl reached him. Gunther’s voice, though faint in the distance, rang clear in his attentive ears. There was no message, only a pleading cry for help. As Echo was about to howl in reply, Gunther’s voice was suddenly and unnaturally cut off. Feeling a twinge of fear in his heart, Echo leapt to his paws and ran as fast as his legs would carry him toward his den.
When he reached the waterfall, he paused briefly to catch his breath and look around. He expected to arrive to the sounds of battle, but what he heard frightened him much more: Nothing. Complete silence.
“Gunther? Gunther, are you there?” Still no reply. Echo ignored his fear as best he could as he padded quickly up the stone pathway…
…and nearly screamed. Because he had found why no one had replied to his calls. Gunther lay dead and limp against the rock where he had last stood scanning the forest with his keen eyes. Now those same eyes stared blankly back at Echo, shocked to be dead. Echo felt a new panic take hold of him and he dashed into his den to be confronted by a scene of almost surreal drama and slaughter.
Both Milo and Kikki had been caught sleeping, and were killed outright, with no chance to defend themselves or even know what was happening. Rorek lay slumped against the cave wall, a sharp rock protruding awkwardly from his chest. Though nothing betrayed his last moments, his mouth hung open in pain and agony, an eternal scream frozen on his face. Echo felt himself going faint, but fought it off and forced his eyes to travel around the den. Not far from Rorek lay Nevia, who had been beaten to death. Sprawled in a pool of blood in the middle of the floor was Treffen, and behind him…
“Vella… No!” He ran up to her and collapsed by her side. To his great surprise, she lifted her head and managed a smile.
“Echo…” she whispered.
“Vella? Who did this? Who was it? I swear by Aniu’s breath that I’ll kill them.”
“There was… a black and white husky… He… he killed Rorek, even though he gave up. His wolves killed everyone.” Her eyes filled with tears, but Echo’s eyes filled with rage at this news. “But…” Vella continued, “They….didn’t find…the pups.” She reached out with her front paw and pointed. Echo followed her gaze and saw a small pile of rocks. He padded over and pulled a few away to find a tiny cave. He looked back at Vella in surprise. She smiled and whispered, “Ever since Vanuk tried to get to them, I was scared for their safety. So I dug that a few days ago.”
Echo turned his eyes back to the small fissure and stuck his muzzle inside. Though it was nearly pitch dark inside, his nose detected three small beings huddled against the far wall. One of them began to whimper.
“Laila?” Echo whispered. A shadow moved within.
“Papa?” a small voice replied.
“It’s alright, children, I’m here.”
“Papa!” His three pups bounded out and nuzzled him.
“Papa, what happened?” His white coated daughter Laila looked up at him and started to shift her eyes, but Echo quickly covered them.
“Don’t look, Laila.” He turned to his two sons. “Kantu, Kemen, you too.” Both pups obediently closed there eyes. “Now follow my voice. That’s right, keep walking.” He led them down the stone walkway to the clearing by the river just as Balto, Kaltag, Jenna, and Krystal walked up.
“Echo, what’s going on?” Krystal asked.
“Stay here with Krystal, alright?” Echo said to his pups.
“Yes, papa,” they replied, lying down and huddling close together.
“Echo, what is it?” Balto said. Echo looked back at him, and without a sound turned and sprinted back up to the den. Balto and Kaltag followed. When they reached the den entrance, their breath caught in their lungs.
“Oh my god!” Kaltag exclaimed, “Oh man, oh…” He leaned to the side and threw up. “I have to tell Krystal.” With that, he turned and padded quickly down the stone pathway to where she and Jenna sat watching the pups. Balto, on the other paw, looked inside...and nearly fainted. Never had he seen so much death in his life. His eyes finally rested on Echo, who lay beside Vella. Remarkably, she was still alive, but he could tell by her voice that she wouldn’t be for very long. Slowly, hesitantly, Balto padded closer as Echo nuzzled Vella. Tears streaming down his face, he said,
“I’ll find him, Vella, I promise you!”
“No, Echo. You must…get…out of here,” she whispered, “They’re sure to… return.”
“I won’t let you die, Vella!”
“I’m dead already, Echo.” She suddenly gasped as her heart began to give out. “Echo, I love…ah…I…love you.” Just then, her last breath left her and her head fell to the floor.
“Echo?” Balto said quietly. Echo replied without taking his eyes off of the body of his mate and friend.
“She’s…dead.” He nestled his muzzle into Vella’s neck and began to cry.
“Papa?” came a small voice from the den entrance. Echo turned to see Laila staring at him and Vella. Before he could say or do anything she spoke again. “Won’t Momma get up? Is she sleeping?” Echo looked from his lifeless mate and back to his snow white daughter. Standing up and holding Laila close, he whispered,
“Yeah…Momma’s sleeping.”
Chapter Three

“None were left alive,” Sadera replied as she concluded her report.
“Well done, Sadera,” Steele continued, “You and your unit will be commended tonight.” Sadera felt a something tug hard at her heart at this statement. It wasn’t quite guilt, and yet… Commended? She thought, for killing my own sister and murdering her entire pack I’m being commended? You, Steele, must have the most twisted, sick mind Aniu could put in an animal!
“Thank you…Steele,” she said forcedly, although Steele could tell no difference. She saluted him and walked away.

What remained of Echo’s pack, Krystal, Kaltag, Echo himself, and his three pups, along with Balto and Jenna, gathered by the river as Echo stepped up onto a high rock and swallowed.
“We are here,” he began, “to bid farewell to many friends…and family members…” Echo blinked back tears and swallowed again before continuing shakily. “…whom Aniu saw fit to call home. Would you please bow your heads as we pay our last respects?” Jenna, Krystal, Laila, Kantu, and Kemen cast their eyes to the ground as Balto and Kaltag approached the line of bodies along the riverbank. “Gunther and Milo were two of the best wolves I could have asked for. Always ready and willing, always cheerful. They will not be forgotten.” He nodded solemnly, and Balto and Kaltag lifted each of the brothers onto their backs and waded out into the water. As soon as they could go no further, they dipped their heads and let the bodies float away before turning back toward the shore. Echo sighed half-heartedly and continued. “Rorek was a fine son, and an excellent hunter. A leader could ask for no more. I only wish he could still be with us.” Rorek was set adrift in the same way that Gunther and Milo were. “Kikki and Treffen were a wonderful couple, kind wolves, and dear friends of mine.” Echo shed a few tears at this. “I miss them already…but I suppose it is best that they died together. And so shall they remain for all eternity.” Krystal began to cry as the bodies of her father and mother were swept slowly out of sight on the watery wings of the river. She lay down in the snow and put her paws over her head; Kaltag lay down beside her and held her close. Her sobs only made Echo feel worse, if a worse emotion could be imagined. “And last…Vella. You were my mate and friend for many happy years. Together we started a family….and I pray that Aniu will grant me strength to continue alone on what we started together.” Balto and Kaltag stepped forward to lift Vella together, but Echo stopped them. “Don’t. I’ll do it.” Echo padded slowly up to Vella’s body and lifted it up onto his back. Once he was out in the river, he felt tears stream down his face as he whispered. “I’ll miss you” and let her body drift away.
On the shore, Kaltag held Krystal close as she sobbed into his shoulder.
“I can’t believe it. The last time I ever saw him alive I yelled at him. I screamed in his face.” Her sobs grew louder as new tears found their way down her cheeks. “I hope he’ll forgive me.”
“It’s alright, Krystal, fathers never stop loving their children, no matter what. He and Kikki are with Aniu right now, I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks Kaltag,” she replied, wiping her tears away, “but I don’t know if I believe in Aniu anymore. I mean, if she’s really understanding and kind, why did she let this happen?”
“I don’t know, Krystal, but she exists, believe me. If I can find such a perfect girl like you, then Aniu must be watching over us.” Krystal sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
“There’s no way we’re going to be able to withstand another attack, Echo,” Balto said grimly, “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll stay here,” he replied, “If they come for me, I’ll fight to the death. If not, I’ll sit here until they do.”
“Echo, that’s suicide,” Balto said.
“So?” Echo replied. Balto looked back at him in shock. He had never heard him speak so irrationally. Echo caught the look in his eyes and lowered his head. “Forgive me, my friend, but after today I barely have a reason to live anymore.”
“Don’t say that,” Balto scolded, putting a paw on his friend’s shoulder, “Look at me, Echo.” The silver wolf raised his eyes to meet Balto’s. “Think of your children.” With a pang of guilt at his own self-centeredness, Echo looked over at his three pups. “Take a good long look,” Balto continued, “They are your reason to live; don’t ever forget that.”
“I…I don’t know what to say,” Echo replied, sinking to the ground, “How am I going to raise them alone?”
“We’ll help,” Jenna put in, “Do they still need a mother’s milk?”
“No, they’re old enough to eat meat now.”
“Then we should find some,” Kaltag added.
“Kaltag and I will watch them,” Krystal offered.
“And we’ll find the meat,” Balto continued. Echo felt tears coming again, overwhelmed by this sudden generosity.
“Well, I can’t very well sit here and do nothing, can I?” All of those present smiled. “C’mon, we’ve got a meal to find.”

To be continued....

Allright this good so far keep writing

I got so disappoited after read this;how can I write in English as good as you some days?Lone-wolf,you got me so disappoited to myself to die.

Thank you for the kind words, dingowolf and Viking Wolf, as well as anyone who read it and did not comment. Thanks.

Viking Wolf, you're doing fine in writing English. Learning a language is HARD. I know, I've studied Spanish for a year and I think I've lost most of it over the summer!
Anyway, keep at it!

Again, sorry for the double-posting Steet.
Here is the finished third chapter. Hope it gives you goosebumps or at least raises questions. It did to me.

Chapter Three

“None were left alive,” Sadera replied as she concluded her report.
“Well done, Sadera,” Steele continued, “You and your unit will be commended tonight.” Sadera felt a something tug hard at her heart at this statement. It wasn’t quite guilt, and yet… Commended? She thought, for killing my own sister and murdering her entire pack I’m being commended? You, Steele, must have the most twisted, sick mind Aniu could put in an animal!
“Thank you…Steele,” she said forcedly, although Steele could tell no difference. She saluted him and walked away.

What remained of Echo’s pack, Krystal, Kaltag, Echo himself, and his three pups, along with Balto and Jenna, gathered by the river as Echo stepped up onto a high rock and swallowed.
“We are here,” he began, “to bid farewell to many friends…and family members…” Echo blinked back tears and swallowed again before continuing shakily. “…whom Aniu saw fit to call home. Would you please bow your heads as we pay our last respects?” Jenna, Krystal, Laila, Kantu, and Kemen cast their eyes to the ground as Balto and Kaltag approached the line of bodies along the riverbank. “Gunther and Milo were two of the best wolves I could have asked for. Always ready and willing, always cheerful. They will not be forgotten.” He nodded solemnly, and Balto and Kaltag lifted each of the brothers onto their backs and waded out into the water. As soon as they could go no further, they dipped their heads and let the bodies float away before turning back toward the shore. Echo sighed half-heartedly and continued. “Rorek was a fine son, and an excellent hunter. A leader could ask for no more. I only wish he could still be with us.” Rorek was set adrift in the same way that Gunther and Milo were. “Kikki and Treffen were a wonderful couple, kind wolves, and dear friends of mine.” Echo shed a few tears at this. “I miss them already…but I suppose it is best that they died together. And so shall they remain for all eternity.” Krystal began to cry as the bodies of her father and mother were swept slowly out of sight on the watery wings of the river. She lay down in the snow and put her paws over her head; Kaltag lay down beside her and held her close. Her sobs only made Echo feel worse, if a worse emotion could be imagined. “And last…Vella. You were my mate and friend for many happy years. Together we started a family….and I pray that Aniu will grant me strength to continue alone on what we started together.” Balto and Kaltag stepped forward to lift Vella together, but Echo stopped them. “Don’t. I’ll do it.” Echo padded slowly up to Vella’s body and lifted it up onto his back. Once he was out in the river, he felt tears stream down his face as he whispered. “I’ll miss you” and let her body drift away.
On the shore, Kaltag held Krystal close as she sobbed into his shoulder.
“I can’t believe it. The last time I ever saw him alive I yelled at him. I screamed in his face.” Her sobs grew louder as new tears found their way down her cheeks. “I hope he’ll forgive me.”
“It’s alright, Krystal, fathers never stop loving their children, no matter what. He and Kikki are with Aniu right now, I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks Kaltag,” she replied, wiping her tears away, “but I don’t know if I believe in Aniu anymore. I mean, if she’s really understanding and kind, why did she let this happen?”
“I don’t know, Krystal, but she exists, believe me. If I can find such a perfect girl like you, then Aniu must be watching over us.” Krystal sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
“There’s no way we’re going to be able to withstand another attack, Echo,” Balto said grimly, “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll stay here,” he replied, “If they come for me, I’ll fight to the death. If not, I’ll sit here until they do.”
“Echo, that’s suicide,” Balto said.
“So?” Echo replied. Balto looked back at him in shock. He had never heard him speak so irrationally. Echo caught the look in his eyes and lowered his head. “Forgive me, my friend, but after today I barely have a reason to live anymore.”
“Don’t say that,” Balto scolded, putting a paw on his friend’s shoulder, “Look at me, Echo.” The silver wolf raised his eyes to meet Balto’s. “Think of your children.” With a pang of guilt at his own self-centeredness, Echo looked over at his three pups. “Take a good long look,” Balto continued, “They are your reason to live; don’t ever forget that.”
“I…I don’t know what to say,” Echo replied, sinking to the ground, “How am I going to raise them alone?”
“We’ll help,” Jenna put in, “Do they still need a mother’s milk?”
“No, they’re old enough to eat meat now.”
“Then we should find some,” Kaltag added.
“Kaltag and I will watch them,” Krystal offered.
“And we’ll find the meat,” Balto continued. Echo felt tears coming again, overwhelmed by this sudden generosity.
“Well, I can’t very well sit here and do nothing, can I?” All of those present smiled. “C’mon, we’ve got a meal to find.” As Balto and Jenna started toward the tree line, Echo looked one last time at the river and his voice dropped to a whisper. “My entire pack, six fine wolves.” He closed his eyes as he felt tears coming again, but suddenly opened them again. “Wait… Six…” He looked back at the river and ran the names through his mind. “Rorek, Treffen, Kikki, Gunther, Milo, Vella… By Aniu…” His voice rose suddenly to a shout. “They’re still alive!” All eyes turned on him in surprise. Balto was the first to speak.
“What are you talking about, Echo?”
“Nevia, and Resco, they’re still alive!”
“Echo?”
“Don’t you see? We never found them. They might have run away.”
“Or they might have been taken captive,” Balto added grimly.
“Look, we don’t know what happened,” Kaltag put in, “but we have to find out some how…”

Meanwhile, in a clearing near the mountains, wolves were spread in groups of three along the tree line while others lay resting in the middle of the open area. Several yards away from their sleeping comrades, two wolves stood on either side of the entrance to a small earthen cave dug into the side of a hill. They chatted nervously with each other, but snapped to attention when a silver female padded up to them. She returned their salute and went inside. Rather than sloping downward, the tunnel had been burrowed up, following the rise of the hill. This would have been the pack’s whelping den, the silver female thought, if Steele had allowed any mating. She sighed as she finally stepped onto level ground. A young black wolf lay against the far wall, and she nudged him gently with her paw.
“Wake up,” she said. The wolf jumped in surprise and only calmed slightly when he saw Sena standing above him. While his eyes searched her own, she focused on a four-clawed cut on his cheek. “What happened?”
“I was captured defending my pack.” Sena flinched unwittingly at this. How could he have switched sides so easily?
“I meant your face,” she continued.
“Steele hit me…hard.”
“Oh… I’ll have to speak with him about that.”
“I don’t think you should. He doesn’t seem all too pleased with my return.”
“Well, you were with another pack,” Sena replied, “What did you expect?”
“It was the pack I served; and I expected to die defending it.” Sena flinched again, and could no longer hold back her curiosity.
“Why did you join them?”
“They accepted me.”
“Do you realize that our leader sent his best unit to get you back?”
“He sent them to wipe out my friends!” he replied in a low growl, “They didn’t capture me! Our ‘glorious leader’ left my friend and me to die!” After a brief moment, Sena whispered urgently,
“Don’t let him hear you say that, or you may not live to see the morning.”
“I don’t care.” Sena twitched for the third time. Her son had never been so bitter. She searched for any trace of meaning in his eyes, his dark brown eyes. She leaned back in surprise; her son didn’t have brown eyes.
“Who are you?” she whispered. The black wolf just kept staring at her with no expression on his face.
“The friend,” he replied, “Your son is missing. I honestly don’t know where he is.” Sena sighed as a single tear slid down her cheek.
“This conversation never happened. Do you understand?” The black male nodded, and Sena padded out. As she left, she barely noticed her sister waiting silently along the tunnel wall. She passed her with a nod and went out into the clearing. Sadera, on the other paw, stood where she was, deep in thought at what she had heard.

The young wolf ran as fast as his legs would carry him, his brown fur rippling in the wind, but his pursuers were still gaining on him. Just as he felt his lungs would give out, he spotted a break in the trees and leapt for it. Bad decision. He suddenly found himself face to face with ten growling wolves. He turned to run the other direction, but as he did, he saw a wolf charging at him. Before he could move, he was up on his hind legs and pinned against a tree.
“Please, don’t hurt me;” he gasped desperately, “I didn’t do anything!”
“That’s not why we want you,” a new voice said. The young wolf looked behind his captor and saw that the figure approaching him wasn’t a wolf at all, but a black and white husky, or was it a malamute? “We want you because of what you’re going to do… for us.”
“W-what do you want from me?”
“It’s a surprise for a couple friends of mine, but I don’t think you’ll mind, will you?” The pup shook his head frantically. “Let him down.” The wolf who had the pup pinned dropped down on all fours and the brown pup collapsed in the snow, gasping and panting for breath. “Come on, get up.” The malamute nudged him rather hard in the stomach and the pup obeyed. As they lead him away, the pup looked around fearfully at his captors. What had he gotten himself into?

Echo led Balto and Jenna back toward the den in single file. He and Balto each carried a large chunk of a caribou while Jenna carried a small part of a leg. When they got inside, they presented their kill to the group. As the adults filled themselves on the thigh and chest meat, Laila, Kantu and Kemmen nibbled on the leg. Once hunger had been turned away, the group laid down to rest. Kaltag and Krystal fell asleep almost immediately, while Balto and Jenna talked softly to each other. Echo curled up near the small hole that Vella had dug, just in case, and let his children nuzzle into his chest fur and fall fast asleep. Or so he thought.
As sleep was beginning to close his eyes, Echo heard a familiar small voice from beside him.
“Papa,” Laila whispered, “are you going to leave us too?”
“Someday, I’ll have to, Laila,” he replied softly. Her ears flattened in sadness. “But not today. I’ll protect you for as long as I can. And I’ll always love you.”
“Thanks, Papa,” she whispered, nuzzling her father and curling up against him. Echo looked once more at his three children and faded off to sleep.

There's no problem with double posting, when it comes to posting fanfics...It's written in the rules, BTW.

Hello again. I know I'm probably getting annoying by now, so thanks to all of my readers who have stuck with me.

Well, I was doing some thinking tonight, and I thought Sadera's feelings at the beginig of Chapter Three didn't match her actions in Chapter Two, so I changed them both to be more in line with each other.

Chapter Two

They had come without warning. Without sounding an angry howl to announce their presence as they usually did. And they came without mercy. Just moments after the attack had begun, it was over. Vella felt as though she would faint. Sprawled before her and covered in a crimson liquid that could only be his blood was Treffen. As he felt his life flowing swiftly out of him, he used his last ounce of strength to look up and say,
“Forgive…me…Vella…I couldn’t…stop them….I’m sor…” Before he could finish his dying gasp, the strong black wolf’s head fell as his body stiffened and went limp. Treffen was dead. Vella looked down at him and then at the wolves that stood before her. Several black wolves eyed her with malice and were only prevented from leaping upon her when a silver female stepped through their ranks. At first, Vella prepared for anything, but the silver female turned to the gathered wolves and said,
“Stand down, that’s an order.”
“As you say, Sena,” they replied, stepping back respectfully.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen…” Sena muttered, looking around the cave in horror. Everywhere she turned there was another mangled wolf, and not one of them was from their pack. They were all Echo’s wolves. She looked back at the wolves gathered behind her. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” she shouted to them. Just then, a dark brown male came from behind Vella and saluted her.
“We have found your son,” he sneered.
“Bring him to me.” On cue, a young black male was pushed roughly to the cave floor at her paws. She dropped down beside him and helped him back to his paws. “Captain, what is the meaning of this?”
“He betrayed our pack, Sena,” the dark brown wolf continued coldly, “He is one of them.” Sena looked in shock at the black wolf that stood before her. Putting a paw on his shoulder, she led him out of the cave. Captain stifled a laugh and looked at Vella, who looked back at her with no expression on her face. “Your pack was much less of a challenge than I thought they would be. I’m very disappointed.” Vella remained silent until another silver female stepped through the ranks of her wolves, looking around with an odd look onher face.
“Vella…” she said.
“You had no reason to attack us, Sadera,” Vella interrupted, as her eyes glowed with hate, “I am ashamed to be your sister.”
“Your words wound me, Vella,” Sadera replied, feeling an odd emotion rising in her chest. Confused at this and eager to change the subject, she continued, “But you must admit that I’ve done much better than you. While you ran off with Echo, I rose through the ranks and gained more loyal soldiers than you whole pack put together.”
“At least I was happy,” Vella replied, “but now…” Sadera began to tear up, but turned and quickly left so as not to embarrass herself before her troops. Captain watched her go and then looked back at Vella. “Well, since she left, that puts me in charge,” he said, “I seem to remember you having pups. Where are they?”
“I’ll never tell you,” Vella replied. Captain smiled coldly.
“We’ll see about that.”

Minutes earlier, Echo watched quietly from the trees as Krystal and the others padded up to Kaltag’s human. As the old man leaned down toward Kaltag, a desperate howl reached him. Gunther’s voice, though faint in the distance, rang clear in his attentive ears. There was no message, only a pleading cry for help. As Echo was about to howl in reply, Gunther’s voice was suddenly and unnaturally cut off. Feeling a twinge of fear in his heart, Echo leapt to his paws and ran as fast as his legs would carry him toward his den.
When he reached the waterfall, he paused briefly to catch his breath and look around. He expected to arrive to the sounds of battle, but what he heard frightened him much more: Nothing. Complete silence.
“Gunther? Gunther, are you there?” Still no reply. Echo ignored his fear as best he could as he padded quickly up the stone pathway…
…and nearly screamed. Because he had found why no one had replied to his calls. Gunther lay dead and limp against the rock where he had last stood scanning the forest with his keen eyes. Now those same eyes stared blankly back at Echo, shocked to be dead. Echo felt a new panic take hold of him and he dashed into his den to be confronted by a scene of almost surreal drama and slaughter.
Both Milo and Kikki had been caught sleeping, and were killed outright, with no chance to defend themselves or even know what was happening. Rorek lay slumped against the cave wall, a sharp rock protruding awkwardly from his chest. Though nothing betrayed his last moments, his mouth hung open in pain and agony, an eternal scream frozen on his face. Echo felt himself going faint, but fought it off and forced his eyes to travel around the den. Sprawled in a pool of blood in the middle of the floor was Treffen, and behind him…
“Vella… No!” He ran up to her and collapsed by her side. To his great surprise, she lifted her head and managed a smile.
“Echo…” she whispered.
“Vella? Who did this? Who was it? I swear by Aniu’s breath that I’ll kill them.”
“There was… a brown wolf…Captain, they called him… He… he killed Rorek, even though he gave up. His wolves killed everyone.” Her eyes filled with tears, but Echo’s eyes filled with rage at this news. “But…” Vella continued, “They….didn’t find…the pups.” She reached out with her front paw and pointed. Echo followed her gaze and saw a small pile of rocks. He padded over and pulled a few away to find a tiny cave. He looked back at Vella in surprise. She smiled and whispered, “Ever since Vanuk tried to get to them, I was scared for their safety. So I dug that a few days ago.”
Echo turned his eyes back to the small fissure and stuck his muzzle inside. Though it was nearly pitch dark inside, his nose detected three small beings huddled against the far wall. One of them began to whimper.
“Laila?” Echo whispered. A shadow moved within.
“Papa?” a small voice replied.
“It’s alright, children, I’m here.”
“Papa!” His three pups bounded out and nuzzled him.
“Papa, what happened?” His white coated daughter Laila looked up at him and started to shift her eyes, but Echo quickly covered them.
“Don’t look, Laila.” He turned to his two sons. “Kantu, Kemen, you too.” Both pups obediently closed there eyes. “Now follow my voice. That’s right, keep walking.” He led them down the stone walkway to the clearing by the river just as Balto, Kaltag, Jenna, and Krystal walked up.
“Echo, what’s going on?” Krystal asked.
“Stay here with Krystal, alright?” Echo said to his pups.
“Yes, papa,” they replied, lying down and huddling close together.
“Echo, what is it?” Balto said. Echo looked back at him, and without a sound turned and sprinted back up to the den. Balto and Kaltag followed. When they reached the den entrance, their breath caught in their lungs.
“Oh my god!” Kaltag exclaimed, “Oh man, oh…” He leaned to the side and threw up. “I have to tell Krystal.” With that, he turned and padded quickly down the stone pathway to where she and Jenna sat watching the pups. Balto, on the other paw, looked inside...and nearly fainted. Never had he seen so much death in his life. His eyes finally rested on Echo, who lay beside Vella. Remarkably, she was still alive, but he could tell by her voice that she wouldn’t be for very long. Slowly, hesitantly, Balto padded closer as Echo nuzzled Vella. Tears streaming down his face, he said,
“I’ll find him, Vella, I promise you!”
“No, Echo. You must…get…out of here,” she whispered, “They’re sure to… return.”
“I won’t let you die, Vella!”
“I’m dead already, Echo.” She suddenly gasped as her heart began to give out. “Echo, I love…ah…I…love you.” Just then, her last breath left her and her head fell to the floor.
“Echo?” Balto said quietly. Echo replied without taking his eyes off of the body of his mate and friend.
“She’s…dead.” He nestled his muzzle into Vella’s neck and began to cry.
“Papa?” came a small voice from the den entrance. Echo turned to see Laila staring at him and Vella. Before he could say or do anything she spoke again. “Won’t Momma get up? Is she sleeping?” Echo looked from his lifeless mate and back to his snow white daughter. Standing up and holding Laila close, he whispered,
“Yeah…Momma’s sleeping.”
Chapter Three

“None were left alive,” Sadera replied as she concluded her report.
“Well done, Sadera,” Steele continued, “You and your unit will be commended tonight.” Sadera felt a something tug hard at her heart at this statement. It wasn’t quite guilt, and yet… Commended? She thought, You, Steele, must have the most twisted, sick mind Aniu could put in an animal!
“Thank you…Steele,” she said forcedly, although Steele could tell no difference. She saluted him and walked away. Rather than return to where her unite lay resting, she found a private grove of trees, lay down, and sobbed, thinking that if she had only stayed rather than leave Captain in command, her sister might still be alive. “Captain,” she growled, “someday, you’ll pay for this.”

What remained of Echo’s pack, Krystal, Kaltag, Echo himself, and his three pups, along with Balto and Jenna, gathered by the river as Echo stepped up onto a high rock and swallowed.
“We are here,” he began, “to bid farewell to many friends…and family members…” Echo blinked back tears and swallowed again before continuing shakily. “…whom Aniu saw fit to call home. Would you please bow your heads as we pay our last respects?” Jenna, Krystal, Laila, Kantu, and Kemen cast their eyes to the ground as Balto and Kaltag approached the line of bodies along the riverbank. “Gunther and Milo were two of the best wolves I could have asked for. Always ready and willing, always cheerful. They will not be forgotten.” He nodded solemnly, and Balto and Kaltag lifted each of the brothers onto their backs and waded out into the water. As soon as they could go no further, they dipped their heads and let the bodies float away before turning back toward the shore. Echo sighed half-heartedly and continued. “Rorek was a fine son, and an excellent hunter. A leader could ask for no more. I only wish he could still be with us.” Rorek was set adrift in the same way that Gunther and Milo were. “Kikki and Treffen were a wonderful couple, kind wolves, and dear friends of mine.” Echo shed a few tears at this. “I miss them already…but I suppose it is best that they died together. And so shall they remain for all eternity.” Krystal began to cry as the bodies of her father and mother were swept slowly out of sight on the watery wings of the river. She lay down in the snow and put her paws over her head; Kaltag lay down beside her and held her close. Her sobs only made Echo feel worse, if a worse emotion could be imagined. “And last…Vella. You were my mate and friend for many happy years. Together we started a family….and I pray that Aniu will grant me strength to continue alone on what we started together.” Balto and Kaltag stepped forward to lift Vella together, but Echo stopped them. “Don’t. I’ll do it.” Echo padded slowly up to Vella’s body and lifted it up onto his back. Once he was out in the river, he felt tears stream down his face as he whispered. “I’ll miss you” and let her body drift away.
On the shore, Kaltag held Krystal close as she sobbed into his shoulder.
“I can’t believe it. The last time I ever saw him alive I yelled at him. I screamed in his face.” Her sobs grew louder as new tears found their way down her cheeks. “I hope he’ll forgive me.”
“It’s alright, Krystal, fathers never stop loving their children, no matter what. He and Kikki are with Aniu right now, I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks Kaltag,” she replied, wiping her tears away, “but I don’t know if I believe in Aniu anymore. I mean, if she’s really understanding and kind, why did she let this happen?”
“I don’t know, Krystal, but she exists, believe me. If I can find such a perfect girl like you, then Aniu must be watching over us.” Krystal sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
“There’s no way we’re going to be able to withstand another attack, Echo,” Balto said grimly, “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll stay here,” he replied, “If they come for me, I’ll fight to the death. If not, I’ll sit here until they do.”
“Echo, that’s suicide,” Balto said.
“So?” Echo replied. Balto looked back at him in shock. He had never heard him speak so irrationally. Echo caught the look in his eyes and lowered his head. “Forgive me, my friend, but after today I barely have a reason to live anymore.”
“Don’t say that,” Balto scolded, putting a paw on his friend’s shoulder, “Look at me, Echo.” The silver wolf raised his eyes to meet Balto’s. “Think of your children.” With a pang of guilt at his own self-centeredness, Echo looked over at his three pups. “Take a good long look,” Balto continued, “They are your reason to live; don’t ever forget that.”
“I…I don’t know what to say,” Echo replied, sinking to the ground, “How am I going to raise them alone?”
“We’ll help,” Jenna put in, “Do they still need a mother’s milk?”
“No, they’re old enough to eat meat now.”
“Then we should find some,” Kaltag added.
“Kaltag and I will watch them,” Krystal offered.
“And we’ll find the meat,” Balto continued. Echo felt tears coming again, overwhelmed by this sudden generosity.
“Well, I can’t very well sit here and do nothing, can I?” All of those present smiled. “C’mon, we’ve got a meal to find.” As Balto and Jenna started toward the tree line, Echo looked one last time at the river and his voice dropped to a whisper. “My entire pack, six fine wolves.” He closed his eyes as he felt tears coming again, but suddenly opened them again. “Wait… Six…” He looked back at the river and ran the names through his mind. “Rorek, Treffen, Kikki, Gunther, Milo, Vella… By Aniu…” His voice rose suddenly to a shout. “They’re still alive!” All eyes turned on him in surprise. Balto was the first to speak.
“What are you talking about, Echo?”
“Nevia, and Resco, they’re still alive!”
“Echo?”
“Don’t you see? We never found them. They might have run away.”
“Or they might have been taken captive,” Balto added grimly.
“Look, we don’t know what happened,” Kaltag put in, “but we have to find out some how…”

Meanwhile, in a clearing near the mountains, wolves were spread in groups of three along the tree line while others lay resting in the middle of the open area. Several yards away from their sleeping comrades, two wolves stood on either side of the entrance to a small earthen cave dug into the side of a hill. They chatted nervously with each other, but snapped to attention when a silver female padded up to them. She returned their salute and went inside. Rather than sloping downward, the tunnel had been burrowed up, following the rise of the hill. This would have been the pack’s whelping den, the silver female thought, if Steele had allowed any mating. She sighed as she finally stepped onto level ground. A young black wolf lay against the far wall, and she nudged him gently with her paw.
“Wake up,” she said. The wolf jumped in surprise and only calmed slightly when he saw Sena standing above him. While his eyes searched her own, she focused on a four-clawed cut on his cheek. “What happened?”
“I was captured defending my pack.” Sena flinched unwittingly at this. How could he have switched sides so easily?
“I meant your face,” she continued.
“Steele hit me…hard.”
“Oh… I’ll have to speak with him about that.”
“I don’t think you should. He doesn’t seem all too pleased with my return.”
“Well, you were with another pack,” Sena replied, “What did you expect?”
“It was the pack I served; and I expected to die defending it.” Sena flinched again, and could no longer hold back her curiosity.
“Why did you join them?”
“They accepted me.”
“Do you realize that our leader sent his best unit to get you back?”
“He sent them to wipe out my friends!” he replied in a low growl, “They didn’t capture me! Our ‘glorious leader’ left my friend and me to die!” After a brief moment, Sena whispered urgently,
“Don’t let him hear you say that, or you may not live to see the morning.”
“I don’t care.” Sena twitched for the third time. Her son had never been so bitter. She searched for any trace of meaning in his eyes, his dark brown eyes. She leaned back in surprise; her son didn’t have brown eyes.
“Who are you?” she whispered. The black wolf just kept staring at her with no expression on his face.
“The friend,” he replied, “Your son is missing. I honestly don’t know where he is.” Sena sighed as a single tear slid down her cheek.
“This conversation never happened. Do you understand?” The black male nodded, and Sena padded out. As she left, she barely noticed her sister waiting silently along the tunnel wall. She passed her with a nod and went out into the clearing. Sadera, on the other paw, stood where she was, deep in thought at what she had heard.

The young wolf ran as fast as his legs would carry him, his brown fur rippling in the wind, but his pursuers were still gaining on him. Just as he felt his lungs would give out, he spotted a break in the trees and leapt for it. Bad decision. He suddenly found himself face to face with ten growling wolves. He turned to run the other direction, but as he did, he saw a wolf charging at him. Before he could move, he was up on his hind legs and pinned against a tree.
“Please, don’t hurt me;” he gasped desperately, “I didn’t do anything!”
“That’s not why we want you,” a new voice said. The young wolf looked behind his captor and saw that the figure approaching him wasn’t a wolf at all, but a black and white husky, or was it a malamute? “We want you because of what you’re going to do… for us.”
“W-what do you want from me?”
“It’s a surprise for a couple friends of mine, but I don’t think you’ll mind, will you?” The pup shook his head frantically. “Let him down.” The wolf that had the pup pinned dropped down on all fours and the brown pup collapsed in the snow, gasping and panting for breath. “Come on, get up.” The malamute nudged him rather hard in the stomach and the pup obeyed. As they lead him away, the pup looked around fearfully at his captors. What had he gotten himself into?

Echo led Balto and Jenna back toward the den in single file. He and Balto each carried a large chunk of a caribou while Jenna carried a small part of a leg. When they got inside, they presented their kill to the group. As the adults filled themselves on the thigh and chest meat, Laila, Kantu and Kemmen nibbled on the leg. Once hunger had been turned away, the group laid down to rest. Kaltag and Krystal fell asleep almost immediately, while Balto and Jenna talked softly to each other. Echo curled up near the small hole that Vella had dug, just in case, and let his children nuzzle into his chest fur and fall fast asleep. Or so he thought.
As sleep was beginning to close his eyes, Echo heard a familiar small voice from beside him.
“Papa,” Laila whispered, “are you going to leave us too?”
“Someday, I’ll have to, Laila,” he replied softly. Her ears flattened in sadness. “But not today. I’ll protect you for as long as I can. And I’ll always love you.”
“Thanks, Papa,” she whispered, nuzzling her father and curling up against him. Echo looked once more at his three children and faded off to sleep.


Chapter Four coming soon!

So far so good Lwf I cna't wait for the end.

A good portion of Chapter Four. Enjoy!

Chapter Four

Sena padded softly through the trees and nodded to one of the sentry’s in the forest. To anyone else, it would have seemed that she was nodding to a patch of bushes, and in a sense she was. Sena herself had not seen the sentry, but she knew he was there. She had needed the time by the river to think. What the black wolf had said…about Steele abandoning him…had shaken her slightly. It was not uncommon for a leader to mistakenly leave fallen members of the pack in the heat of battle, but it seemed that Steele had done it on purpose. And that alone was grounds for a new leader. She needed to talk with the black wolf again. Perhaps there was some vital detail that she had missed, or that he had withheld. She was mildly surprised to find the earthen cave empty. She padded back into the clearing and spotted one of the wolves who had been on guard duty the day before. He saluted her and she returned the salute.
“Where is the one we captured during the raid on Echo’s pack?”
“He went out with a few others on a hunt. Seems he changed his mind.” Odd, Sena thought, why would he do that? “Look, that’s them… Oh jeez.” The guard rushed past her toward the returning hunting party. Sena followed him, and as they neared the band of wolves, she noticed that one of them was carrying another. It was only when they laid him on the ground that she recognized him. There before her lay the body of the black male whom she had spoken with just a day before. The right side of his head, near the ear, was depressed greatly and covered in blood.
“What happened?” she demanded, concern evident in her voice.
“A caribou caught him in the head,” one of the group replied, “he was dead before he hit the ground.” Sena looked him over and was about to turn away when something caught her eye. Something was wrong with his throat. Not that it was malformed, but it just didn’t seem right to her. Not wanting to attract unnecessary attention, she ordered the rest of the hunting party to prepare for his burial. As soon as they had left, she looked closer. Again, everything looked normal, but she just had this feeling… She reached out and felt his jugular, and blood flowed out from beneath her paw. Inadvertently holding her breath, she pulled her paw back and found to her horror that part of the skin came with it. Exposed for her keen eyes, the wolf’s throat had been nearly torn away, something no caribou could have done. Now shaking visibly, Sena quickly replaced the blood stain fur where it had been and walked away as fast as she could without arousing suspicion.
“I’ve got to tell someone about this…” she muttered, struggling to control her short, panted breathing as she looked around, “But who can I trust…?”

“Echo, are you serious?” Krystal said with a mix of confusion and awe.
“We have no choice,” he replied, “Until we have substantial strength to repel an outside attack, we must leave this den.”
“Where will we go, then?” Kaltag added.
“Somewhere else, anywhere else… Keep them guessing.”
“Are you sure, Echo?” Jenna continued.
“Yes. It’s what is best for our safety. I’ll understand if you don’t want to come with us, Balto. You and Jenna have a more permanent life in Nome.”
“We’ll come with you for at least a day or two, just in case,” Balto replied. Jenna nodded in agreement.
“Alright then, let’s move out.”

“…He will not be forgotten,” Steele finished, as the body of the black male was cast into the smooth watery hands of the river. It took all she had for Sena not to slap her leader as he stood in front of her, addressing the rest of the pack. Could he be so naïve as not to see the blood on the wolf’s throat? No, she answered herself silently, he’s covering it up. Disgusted, she turned and padded back toward the clearing. As she passed a trio of females talking, part of their conversation found her ears.
“He makes seven, if we consider him part of our pack,” one said.
“Once a member, always a member,” another added.
“The caribou have gotten so much more aggressive than last year,” the last one said, “Why could that be?”
“I don’t know, but if we’re to survive the winter, our hunting parties have to start coming back with meat instead of corpses.”
How could I have been so stupid? Sena thought, I had the same feeling when I saw the others’ throats, but I didn’t think enough of it to check. Then, another question flashed through her mind: What made me look closer at him?
As she debated with herself, Sena absent-mindedly wandered to the entrance of the same den where she had last seen the mysterious black wolf. Paying no mind to the guards, she went inside, and only snapped out of her trace-like state when she noticed that she was not the den’s only occupant.
Curled up near the wall and crying softly to himself lay a young brown wolf. He vaguely reminded her of someone, though she couldn’t quite place a name with his face. The pup looked up at her, exposing a bruised and cut face, and inched away.
“Don’t worry,” Sena said, “I won’t hurt you.”
“That’s what the other guy said,” the pup whimpered, backing up even further against the den wall.
“Who?”
“He was black and white. I don’t know his name.” The pups suddenly whimpered as his eyes looked past her. Sena turned just in time to see a white paw connect with her face. She flew a short distance to hit the wall rather hard. Before she could make sense of what had just happened, a growled voice answered the question for her.
“You just can’t help but mess with other people’s business, can you?” A paw pressed her muzzle to the ground and she began to whine softly when she recognized Steele’s voice. “The only reason you’re not dead too is because others would notice. If you want to keep it that way, I suggest you keep your muzzle shut.” With that, he released the pressure on her muzzle and walked out. Sena slowly lifted her head and tried to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. Getting to her paws, she whispered to the pup,
“I’ll do my best to get you out of here.” The pup nodded and she left to find a soft place to lie down. Curling up near a bush on the edge of the clearing, she fell into a troubled sleep.

Alright, Chapter Four is done! Enjoy, and please feel free to panic and scream.

Chapter Four

Sena padded softly through the trees and nodded to one of the sentry’s in the forest. To anyone else, it would have seemed that she was nodding to a patch of bushes, and in a sense she was. Sena herself had not seen the sentry, but she knew he was there. She had needed the time by the river to think. What the black wolf had said…about Steele abandoning him…had shaken her slightly. It was not uncommon for a leader to mistakenly leave fallen members of the pack in the heat of battle, but it seemed that Steele had done it on purpose. And that alone was grounds for a new leader. She needed to talk with the black wolf again. Perhaps there was some vital detail that she had missed, or that he had withheld. She was mildly surprised to find the earthen cave empty. She padded back into the clearing and spotted one of the wolves who had been on guard duty the day before. He saluted her and she returned the salute.
“Where is the one we captured during the raid on Echo’s pack?”
“He went out with a few others on a hunt. Seems he changed his mind.” Odd, Sena thought, why would he do that? “Look, that’s them… Oh jeez.” The guard rushed past her toward the returning hunting party. Sena followed him, and as they neared the band of wolves, she noticed that one of them was carrying another. It was only when they laid him on the ground that she recognized him. There before her lay the body of the black male whom she had spoken with just a day before. The right side of his head, near the ear, was depressed greatly and covered in blood.
“What happened?” she demanded, concern evident in her voice.
“A caribou caught him in the head,” one of the group replied, “he was dead before he hit the ground.” Sena looked him over and was about to turn away when something caught her eye. Something was wrong with his throat. Not that it was malformed, but it just didn’t seem right to her. Not wanting to attract unnecessary attention, she ordered the rest of the hunting party to prepare for his burial. As soon as they had left, she looked closer. Again, everything looked normal, but she just had this feeling… She reached out and felt his jugular, and blood flowed out from beneath her paw. Inadvertently holding her breath, she pulled her paw back and found to her horror that part of the skin came with it. Exposed for her keen eyes, the wolf’s throat had been nearly torn away, something no caribou could have done. Now shaking visibly, Sena quickly replaced the blood-stained fur where it had been and walked away as fast as she could without arousing suspicion.
“I’ve got to tell someone about this…” she muttered, struggling to control her short, panted breathing as she looked around, “But who can I trust…?”

“Echo, are you serious?” Krystal said with a mix of confusion and awe.
“We have no choice,” he replied, “Until we have substantial strength to repel an outside attack, we must leave this den.”
“Where will we go, then?” Kaltag added.
“Somewhere else, anywhere else… Keep them guessing.”
“Are you sure, Echo?” Jenna continued.
“Yes. It’s what is best for our safety. I’ll understand if you don’t want to come with us, Balto. You and Jenna have a more permanent life in Nome.”
“We’ll come with you for at least a day or two, just in case,” Balto replied. Jenna nodded in agreement.
“Alright then, let’s move out.”

“…He will not be forgotten,” Steele finished, as the body of the black male was cast into the smooth watery hands of the river. It took all she had for Sena not to slap her leader as he stood in front of her, addressing the rest of the pack. Could he be so naïve as not to see the blood on the wolf’s throat? No, she answered herself silently, he’s covering it up. Disgusted, she turned and padded back toward the clearing. As she passed a trio of females talking, part of their conversation found her ears.
“He makes seven, if we consider him part of our pack,” one said.
“Once a member, always a member,” another added.
“The caribou have gotten so much more aggressive than last year,” the last one said, “Why could that be?”
“I don’t know, but if we’re to survive the winter, our hunting parties have to start coming back with meat instead of corpses.”
How could I have been so stupid? Sena thought, I had the same feeling when I saw the others’ throats, but I didn’t think enough of it to check. Then, another question flashed through her mind: What made me look closer at him?
As she debated with herself, Sena absent-mindedly wandered to the entrance of the same den where she had last seen the mysterious black wolf. Paying no mind to the guards, she went inside, and only snapped out of her trace-like state when she noticed that she was not the den’s only occupant.
Curled up near the wall and crying softly to himself lay a young brown wolf. He vaguely reminded her of someone, though she couldn’t quite place a name with his face. The pup looked up at her, exposing a bruised and cut face, and inched away.
“Don’t worry,” Sena said, “I won’t hurt you.”
“That’s what the other guy said,” the pup whimpered, backing up even further against the den wall.
“Who?”
“He was black and white. I don’t know his name.” The pups suddenly whimpered as his eyes looked past her. Sena turned just in time to see a white paw connect with her face. She flew a short distance to hit the wall rather hard. Before she could make sense of what had just happened, a growled voice answered the question for her.
“You just can’t help but mess with other people’s business, can you?” A paw pressed her muzzle to the ground and she began to whine softly when she recognized Steele’s voice. “The only reason you’re not dead too is because I wouldn’t be able to pass off your death as an accident. If you want to keep it that way, I suggest you keep your muzzle shut.” With that, he released the pressure on her muzzle and walked out. Sena slowly lifted her head and tried to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. Getting to her paws, she whispered to the pup,
“I’ll do my best to get you out of here.” The pup nodded and she left to find a soft place to lie down. Curling up near a bush on the edge of the clearing, she fell into a troubled sleep.

As the sun rose above the Alaskan tundra, a small band of wolves and huskies walked single file among the trees. The leader, a strong silver male, was beginning to regret his decision. He was worried, not just for those following him, but for the three pups he carried on his back. When he and the others had set out the night before, it had been hard enough. Abandoning his pack’s traditional home and land had weighed heavily on his mind, and for the first few hours they had walked in no particular direction. Thankfully, Balto had marked their trail in the same way he had when he went out to look for the lost sled team. Then, another thought had hit Echo: Their adversaries could follow their trail just as easily if they wanted to. So he had asked Balto to make his marks more sparsely, and in places only they would recognize. Balto had done so.
They had stopped to discuss where to go when a clap of thunder signaled a coming storm. Rather than fight their way through it and risk not finding a safe haven, Echo and the others had curled up close together to wait out the storm. The next morning, a new challenge awaited them. Though the storm had blown itself out, the snow was now far too deep for the pups, and almost to the top of the adult’s legs. Echo had considered stopping where they were, but Balto, Jenna, Kaltag, and Krystal all urged him to continue; they would follow him anywhere.
Now, many hours later, as he plowed his way through the waist-deep snow with his three pups sleeping on his back, Echo himself began to tire. He stopped and looked at his friends behind him. One glance told him that they were also becoming exhausted.
“We’ll stop here,” he said, “This grove of trees should hide us very well if need be.” The others nodded and curled up in a small circle; Balto beside Jenna, Krystal beside Kaltag, and Echo between Kaltag and Balto with the pups in the middle. The eight member pack slept for most of the day and into the evening, when Echo jerked awake. Balto’s place in the circle was empty. Worried at this sudden disappearance, Echo got to his paws and followed Balto’s scent to a clump of bushes near a young tree. “Balto?” he whispered. A flash of movement, and then Balto stepped out of his hiding place to meet him. “What are you doing?”
“Someone has to keep watch.”
“Let me, then,” Echo said. Balto shook his head from side to side.
“After what’s happened, you need sleep more than any of us.” Echo started to argue, but he had to admit that his friend was right.
“Alright,” he said, “but then wake me when the moon comes up. We’ll do this in shifts, as if we’re still a pack.” Balto nodded and crept back into the bushes while Echo padded back to the others and lay down once more.

Jenna’s ears twitched, and she woke with a start. She could have sworn that she’s heard a yelp. But everyone else is still sleeping, she thought, I must have imagined it. As she laid her head back down on her paws, a voice she knew all too well floated through the trees.
“Jenna,” it moaned, “help me. Help me.” Jenna sat up straight and spun her head toward the sound.
“Balto…” She glanced quickly down at the others, but then padded quickly off into the forest. “Balto, where are you? Balto?”
“Over…here…” the voice replied weakly. Jenna stopped for a moment. That almost didn’t sound like him, she thought, I hope he’s not hurt bad. She followed the voice and sure enough, there he was. Both his back legs were trapped under a fallen tree and his back was to her.
“Balto?” she said, padding up to him. As she neared him, she stopped again. Something about him just didn’t look right. “Balto?” she said again, putting a paw on his shoulder and turning his body to face her. It wasn’t Balto at all, but his throat was torn wide open. She felt someone tackle her from behind and hold her muzzle shut before she had a chance to scream. Then came a strong blow to the back of her head, and she faded slowly into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw where the wide eyes of the wolf she had thought to be Balto, but who was only a young brown pup.


Oh yeah, now I'm a four-star! YAY! 500th post!