The air was crisp and still. There was the faint hint of a rain scent in the air, the remnants from the previous night's light drizzle. Some nighttime songbirds chirped cheerily, and squirrels and chipmonks skittered across the ground, collecting nuts for the winter. Nearby, a rabbit dozed in the half-alert way that rabbits do. A slight breeze carried the scent of an approaching wolf, and the creatures all scurried into the colorful early autumn night.
Chicago strolled into the clearing, humming a little to herself. The pups were sound asleep in her den, and all was well. She had finished her patrol early, so she had some time to enjoy herself. The full october moon burned silver in the sky, and the scents and smells of night calmed one's nerves.
Feeling exihlirated by the night's stillness, Chicago Howled loudly, listening to it echo off the mountains in the next territory over. Some lone wolf, a mother, possibly, howled back. Chicago tilted her head and howled again. "I'm here."
When the return call came, Chicago didn't howl back. She silently slipped back to her den, where she lay under the stars just out of the entrance to the cave, and fell asleep.

Clara howled back to the she-wolf with a smile on her face.  She was in a cheerful mood.  The day had been perfect perfect.  The pups were asleep, it was warm, and the leaves cracked under her paws.  She watched a rabbit nibble on some grass, and smiled.  The wolf didn't call back.  She smiled again, and padded through the birch trees.  There was the faint pop, a childlike giggle, and a rustle in the bushes, and a dark mass popped out of the bushes, missing Clara by mere inches. The attacking wolf landed on his feet and kept moving forward, curling up to roll like a ball.
Aleu finally stopped rolling and lay there, laughing joyfully at his sport. He kept laughing for only seconds though, before he snapped to his feet and faced Clara. "Hello. I didn't see you there!" His eye twitched.
Clara screamed high-pitched for about ten seconds.  "Don't you DARE do that again!"
They laughed together in the moonlight.

Aleu sniffed the air, then looked at Clara. "Who were you howling to? She sounded nice." He wagged his tail expectantly.

Clara smiled.  "Chicago.  I howl to her everyday."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." He smiled shepishly and swatted at her with his paw. "Are you ever going to introduce us?"

Clara closed her eyes.  "I never actually met her..."

Aleu sat down. "Then how you know your name? Huh? How? Howhowhowhowhowhow..."

Clara pricked her ears.  "You're wanting to know her.... That way."Aleu's head tilted to one side. "What way?" He looked so childish.

Clara chuckled.  She padded through the birch trees toward camp.Aleu stay where he was for a second, thinking hard. "Wait! Clara! What did you mean by that way?" He ran to catch up to his best friend.

Clara sighed and chuckled.  "Get your butt into camp."

Aleu walked ahead, then paused and turned around to face Clara. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

"You want a girl..." Clara chuckled.

Aleu screwed his face up. "No I don't! I..." His voice trailed off. He had his "thinking" expression on. "Wait... what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're such a child," Clara chuckled.

"No I'm not! That's just mean!" Aleu padded toward the camp, sulking.Clara pawed at him playfully.  "A blind child.  It's not like you have a poker face.  When all of the females go by, or I'm with Blizzard, you're upset..."

"Leamme alone," Aleu grumbled. "You hurt my feelings." He refused to meet her eyes.

Clara nuzzled her best friend and her eyes teared up.  "I'm sorry..."

Aleu looked down and nuzzled her back. "I guess... I forgive you. Please, though, don't call me a child anymore."

"Anything for a friend." Clara whispered.  She all of the sudden went into a play crouch.  "Come on!  I bet Moon is awake!"
Since Aleu had joined the Gaurdian Wolves, Clara and Blizzard had a new litter.

Aleu smiled. "Let's go see!" He darted into the camp.

Moon was being chased by her brother, Tsarr.  Tsarr's big body slammed into her, and she was giggling and giggling non stop.  Her brother laughed and pawed at her.
"STOP!" Moon guffawed.  "I'm going to wet myself!"
She snapped her eyes up to Aleu.  "Uncle Aleu!"

Aleu smiled. "I love pups!" He ran forward and tickled moon with his tail. "How ya doing, Moon?"

Moon giggled and bounced around him in circles.  Tsarr jumped on his back.

Aleu laughed and jumped with just his back legs, bouncing Tsarr high in the air.

Tsarr landed with a thud, and he wheezed...

Aleu, who had been looking up in the air for Tsarr, heard the thud, then the wheeze. his head snapped around. "Oh, no. I broke him!"

Tsarr gasped for air.  "Mummy!"

Aleu ran over to Tsarr on big, stumbling paws. "Tsarr! Are you hurt?"
Tsarr coughed, and winced.  "Yes," He croaked.

Aleu winced. "I'm sorry I missed. I didn't mean to." Glancing up at Clara, he whispered ,"I guess I've been a little preoccupied."
Moon snickered behind them.
    Aleu spun around. "What's so funny?"
    "Gr-arrr!" Tsarr launched himself onto Aleu's back.
    Aleu cried out in surprise and ran in circles.
    "Ha!  I tricked you!" Tsarr boasted.
    Aleu slid to a stop, panting hard. "That wasn't funny, Tsarr! You scared me! Twice!"
    Tsarr jumped off of Aleu and nuzzled him.  "I'm sorry, Uncle." He whispered.
    Aleu nuzzled back. "I forgive you." he looked at Moon. "Were you in on this?"
    "No," Moon giggled.  "But, Tsarr always does that."
    Aleu sniffed the air. Suddenly, he was serious. "Um, I have to go, okay? I'll be back...later..." he ran toward the bushes.
    Clara ran after her best frined.  "What is it?"
    He stopped and turned around to face her. "It's nothing. I've just gotta...er... do something." he ran again.
    "Aleu!" Clara jumped in front of him.  "What are you really doing?"
    "Nothing," He insisted. "What, you think I'd keep secrets from you?" he paused. "On second thought, don't answer that." He tried and failed to push past Clara.
    "Aleu!" Clara screeched and pinned him to the ground.  "What is it?!"
    Aleu grunted, pushing against his best freind's hold. "I promised her I wouldn't tell! Lemme go!"
    Clara glared down at him.  "It's Chicago... Isn't it?"
    Aleu paused, then resumed squirming. "I can't tell you that! Lemme go!"
    "Fine." Clara roughly pushed Aleu off.  "Betray us."
    Aleu grunted as he was shoved. "Maybe she'll let me tell them," he muttered to himself as he ran into the shrubs.
    Clara snarled.  It was that kind of snarl.  A threatening snarl.
    Shivering, Aleu stumbled into a cave, where there was the smell of rage, fear, and blood. "Oh, no." He ran to a limp form on the floor, then let out a sigh of relief. "She's alive."
    Clara peared through the leaves, her eyes blazing on Aleu.  She was furious.
    Aleu gingerly lifted the limp wolf to her feet, where she balanced shakily. "He found you, didn't he?"
    The wolf nodded. "You said you could help. He's out of his mind! If mother ever finds out about father-" She burst into tears.
    Clara's eyes blazed and her nostrils flared in fury.  Her best friend was betraying them!  She padded through the trees, not trying to be quiet.
    The female screamed. "He's coming back! he said he would, and I can hear him!"
Aleu glanced around, then tried to calm down the screaming stranger. "Sh, sh.... It's not him. And if it is, I'll protect you!"
    Clara appeared through the trees, a tear slowly falling down her cheek.
    The female screamed when Clara came into the clearing, then ran forward, sobbing into Clara's fur. "Leader! Your friend- my father- he was..." She broke down crying, unable to finish.
    Clara licked Holly on the head, then glared at Aleu.  "You could've just told me..."
    "I couldn't! She asked me not to!" he hung his head. "I only agreed to help her because she's going through the same thing I went through, only worse."
    "Holly?" Clara lowered her gaze to her Clanmate.
    Holly hung her head, revealing deep scratches on her back.
    "Her father... beat her, and... er..." Aleu was deep in thought. "Something I've never heard of... with her..."
    Holly's head snapped up a little, but said nothing, tears falling from her fur.
    Clara laid Holly down and lay beside her.
    Aleu lay several feet away, trembling. His eyes were vacant, the way they were when he remembered his past.
    "Why would your father do something like this, Holly?" Clara growled.
    Holly whimpered. "I don't know... But I heard Aleu's story from one of the pups in your first litter, so I asked him to help me." She licked a scratch on her paw before continuing, "And he did, for many moons. He would come and move me to a new hiding spot every day. He told me that you teased him because every time he saw a male with a female, it reminded him of me and made him angry."
    "You're safe now."  Clara glanced up at Aleu.  "Hunt him down.  Punish him.  Holly didn't deserve this.  I'll send a patrol."
    Carefully, Aleu sniffed the air. "I have a feeling we don't have to hunt him down. I think I can hear him coming this way, and I can definately smell him coming this way."
    Clara bolted away from Holly.  "Keep her safe!"
    She ran and launched herself on Holly's father.  "You will die!" She shouted.  "Putting YOUR OWN daughter through this!"
    Holly darted behind Aleu and lay, cowering. Aleu could remember when he would have done the same thing, rather than fight.
    Holly's father swiftly got out underneath's Clara's grasp.  He knocked the breath out of her.  Her shoulder ripped open, and blood gushed out.  She lay motionless, in pain.
    Aleu's eyes flashed with anger, and he rushed forward, scratching and clawing at Holly's father in a blind range. Hot tears streamed down his face as swipe after swipe was traded with the smaller wolf.
    Holly screeched.  "KILL HIM!"
    Aleu sat upon the older, smaller wolf. He had meant to set him free and let Clara banish him, but there was a sickening crack, and the wolf's eyes clouded. He was dead.
    With a gasp, Aleu backed away from the corpse, quivering. He had never killed another wolf before.
    Clara wheezed and blood pooled out from her shoulder.
    Running to attend to Clara's wound, Aleu thought about the kill. It was horrific, to him.
    "Aleu," Clara coughed.  "Get some cobwebs to stop the bleeding."
    Swallowing, Aleu said with a quavering voice," Yes, Clara."
    Clara looked into the trusting eyes of her friend.  "You saved me."
    Aleu stared back. "But I just killed somebody," he said haltingly. "I didn't mean to kill 'im..."
    "Aleu..." Clara tried to get up.
    "No. Stay down." Aleu ran, then came back a second later with the cobwebs she had requested.
    "Sometimes..." Clara winced as Aleu put the cobwebs on.  "... You have to kill someone.  He almost killed me, and he tortured Holly.  Don't you love her?  You save her and I."
    Aleu paused, sobbing silently. "I didn't mean to... I was going to send him away..." He spoke quietly, almost as if to himself.
    "What you did was shocking, yes, but to save two she-wolves."
    Aleu padded away, into the forest, with tears streaming down his face.
    Clara struggled to get up.  She did... Barely.  But, she ran after Aleu.  After only a few feet, she fell.  Tears popped out of her eyelids, quickly dripping to the ground.
    Sitting just out of sight, Aleu let the tears come. He was scared. Scared because he had killed somebody.
    Clara's white face was streaked with tears.  Rings circled her eyes, and she tried to get up again.  She yowled in frustration, sadness, and pain as she fell to the ground.  Holly rushed to her Leader's side, licking the top of Clara's head.  Clara screamed and tears came flooding out.
    Aleu heard Clara's screams and tried to go help, but wracking sobs knocked him back down.
    "Aleu!"  She howled.  "Please...!" She sobbed.
    Aleu stay exactly where he was. He could be seen from the clearing now, but he simply lay on the ground, his light brown fur ruffling in the breeze.
    Clara waited for a response.  Nothing.  She sobbed again.
    Finally, with a slow, purposeful movement, Aleu pushed himself to his feet. He strode over to Clara and nuzzled her gently. "I think... I need to leave for a while."
    Clara looked up.  "No!" She wailed.
    Aleu tried to comfort her with a lick to the head. "Just for a little while. I need to calm down a little, is all! I'll be back soon!"
    Clara watched her best friend pad away.  The tears were returning...
    Clara let him go.  "Goodbye, my friend."
    The wind buffeted the she-wolves' fur.  Clara hung her head, and Holly whimpered.
    Clara padded away.  "Let's go, Holly."
    Holly paused.  "What will we do?"
    "We'll give him as much time as he needs," Clara swallowed hard.
    Holly sighed and caught up.  "Okay,"
    Clara looked over at Holly and frowned.  "How do you feel?"
    Holly winced.  "Starving.  I can barely move..."

Aleu padded the first direction to pop into his mind: the direction of Chicago's land. He hoped that Clara would decide to follow him, but it wasn't likely.
Aleu paused at the border. He glanced back, not seeing Clara, but still hoping beyond hope that she would come. He sighed and shuffled into Chicago's land. No sooner had he crossed the border than a tiny dark mass slammed into his side.
The pup tumbled, bouncing off of Aleu, then jumped up and pounced towards Aleu again. Aleu simply watched, amused.
Finally, Aleu stepped to the side as the pup pounced, causing an instant miss and a facefull of dirt. "One of Chicago's, I'm assuming?"
The pup snarled viciously, an effect ruined by the tiny child's growl that emenated from his throat. "Darned right! I'm going to knock you down and send you crying to your mommy!"
Aleu watched the pup bounce of him a few more times before responding. "My mommy's dead."
The pup paused before continuing the bounce off of Aleu's side rhythmically. "I'm sorry to hear that."
The pup finally stopped. "Can't you at least PRETEND that I'm hurting you?!"
The next time the pup smashed into him, Aleu let himself fall over, narrowly missing a rock with his head.
The pup grinned. "Oh, wow! You're a great actor!"
Aleu groaned and sat up, still pretending to be seriously injured.
Aleu half-grinned. "You like my acting? It really saved my neck when I was younger. Maybe some time I can tell you stories about-" He was cut off as a large, redish-brown blur slammed into his side, knocking the wind out on him and sending him flying to the side, to slam his head into a tree.

'I wonder how Aleu is....'  Clara thought.  'I miss him already.'
Clara felt a mournful howl creeping up her throat.  She slid her head back, flattened her ears, and howled.  She was so upset!

Groaning, Aleu opened his eyes. The pup stood over him, a concerned look on his face. When Aleu had managed to get him focused into one being rather than three, he sat up.
"Stay down, or she'll hit you again," warned the pup. "My mother is not pleased that you're here."
Taking the pup's advise, Aleu stayed down. "My head...."
Aleu's ears pricked as he heard a distant howl. Close by, there was a loud reply. "Clara's sad... It's because I left."
There was a sudden intake of breath, and the wolf who had slammed into Aleu appeared. "YOU know Clara? You will take me. I'm simply DYING to meet the wonderful wolf I howl to at night!"
Aleu didn't hesitate long. He sat up, but fireworks exploded behind his eyes. He yelped, and heard it echo from the mountains distantly.
After a breif examination, Chicago said, "I'd better call for help." She raised her muzzle to the sky and howled a desperate note.

A single tear slid down Clara's cheek.
Clara so badly wanted to hear a howl.  Any howl... To tell her everything was okay.
Clara got no reply.  She whined.
Clara stop whining and pricked her ears.  She knew this howl!  It was Chicago!  Calling for help.  Clara quickly slid her head back, howling, telling Chicago she would come.  Clara looked at Holly.  They had been right in front of the Clan.  Clara ran with all of her heart, frost off of the trees dripping down her neck.  She ran so fast, her skin underneath stung.  She soon burts through a clearing, Aleu on his side, and Chicago hovering.
When Clara burst through the brush and saw them, Aleu's eyes darted towards her. "Clara!" he tried to sit up, then winced as throbbing pain stabbed between his eyes. "Don't mind if I decide to stay down."
Clara rushed over to Aleu's side and was frantic.  "No, no, no.  Lay down."
"I tried to knock him over, and he went flying," Chicago explained. "He weighs a lot less than he should, just by looking at his size..."
Clara shrugged away the fact, clearly not wanting to tell her why that was so.  "Hello, Chicago."
The pup sniffed at Aleu, then at Clara. Shrugging, he lay on the ground. "I'm going to take a nap now."
At that, Chicago leapt forward and snatched him off the ground, placing him on a nearby parch of grass. "Nap where you don't blend in."
Clara chuckled, looking at Chicago.  "Do you know who I am?"
"Judging from featherlight over there's reaction when you showed up, I'd guess you're Clara." Chicago motioned towards Aleu, who was beginning to look sad once again.
Clara nodded, her eyes closing showing relaxation.
Aleu slowly shifted so that he was crouched belly-down, then slowly started creeping away, eyes watering, but only partially from the pain.
Clara rushed over to Aleu.  "What's wrong?"
Aleu looked at the ground, hiding his tears. "Nothing, Clara."
Clara's eyes clouded with her own tears.  "What happened?"
Looking up, Aleu said, "You know what happened, Clara.  You know almost as well as I do."
"You left me?  Is that why you're upset?"  Clara was getting a little mad.  "'Cause it better be," She murmured.
"No, Clara. The other thing... the reason I left in the first place." He held back a sob, fresh tears flowing.
"You didn't give me a reason," Clara's jaw clenched, trying to be patient.
Aleu finally lay back down. It was obvious that he was going nowhere fast. "You know... the... thing that happened. The fight. When I..." he closed his eyes, but that didn't help. An image of the morning's adventure flashed to his mind, and he sobbed out loud.
"Because you killed Holly's father," Clara understood.  "Is that right?"
Unable to speak through the sobs, Aleu nodded, laying his head on the ground as he did so.
Clara lay down next to her friend.  "Don't you understand?" She started.  "You saved both of us."
He let a tear fall to the ground. "I know, but it still wasn't right to kill him..."
"There wasn't much of a choice," Clara prodded.  "He had me pinned.  He would have killed Holly.  If you grew up with us, you'd understand."
His quiet response was simply, "But I didn't."
"You want me to tell you about it?" Clara said.
He rubbed his sore head, wincing. "Sure. Not like I'm going anywhere... and I told you mine."
"I watched Holly grow up from across the clearing.  Her father tortured him, and I exiled him.  He has come back."
"Holly didn't tell me that."
"It's history," Clara shrugged.  "It's not gossip."
Aleu glanced over at the sleeping pup. "I wish I had one of my own..."
"Don't you love Holly?"
"She's just someone I was helping out. Someone with the same situation as I had, you know?" He shook his head slowly, shaking off tiny droplets of blood that had started to pool from where he had hit his head.
Clara nodded.  She helped Aleu back up, and padded over to Chicago.
Chicago nuzzled the sleeping pup, then looked up at Clara. "What is it, darlin'?"
Clara smiled kindly, and sat down.  "Do you mind if we find some cobweb on your territory, and cover them up on Aleu's wounds?"
"Sure, go right ahead.  We've got plenty." She smiled back.
Clara nodded her thanks, and padded away into a clearing of bushes and dead trees.  The winter sun shone on her pelt, making it twinkle because of the dew.
Looking at Aleu, Chicago said kindly, "Tell me about it. Why you ran here."
Clara peered into a rotting tree.  She was listening to their conversation.  What did Chicago mean?
Aleu sniffled. He was crying like a little cub. Like he was living the childhood he never got. "There was a little fight... I accidently killed somebody."
Chicago nodded understandingly.
Clara pawed at a wad of cobweb and brought it back over.
Aleu lay down, staring mournfully into the distance.
Clara lay the cobweb gently onto her friend's wounds, then nuzzled his cheek.  "That should do it."