Chapter 8: The Traitor

“Bone, it’s me, Owl.”  Owl’s sinister whisper carried on the breeze to where Bone was sleeping.  Blaze woke too, but he didn’t move. 

“Ah, Owl, it is good to see you.  Has an opportunity sprung up?”

Owl nodded, his eyes remaining expressionless.

“Well, don’t keep me waiting,” Bone snapped.  “What is it?”

“Thunder has sentenced two young pups to a three-day confinement in the Camp.  One has a very rebellious spirit.  It would be easy to lure her here, and have the Forest Pack in a panic.  They would go searching…”

“… And leave the Camp unguarded!”  Bone finished for Owl.

“And in small groups, they would be easy to finish off, one group at a time.”  Blaze shivered.  Owl’s flat voice set him on edge.  “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into that wolf-wanna-be, and his weakling sister too.”  Thought the words were violent and bloodthirsty, Owl’s tone didn’t change.  Blaze could hardly stifle a gasp at what his Alpha said next.

“Then, once Thunder is dead, you can be my loyal Beta, serving me in the Forest Pack territory.”  Bone sniggered evilly.  “There’s a new arrival, a big red female.  She looks very capable.  She would make a great Alpha female, if only I can woo her in.”

“Speaking of females,” Owl said.  “As your Beta, would I be allowed to have a mate?”

“Of course.  Who do you fancy?”

“No one in this Pack.  You see, I have long admired that little black sister of Thunder’s.  Yet, she has no interest in me.  Perhaps we could spare her and change her mind?”

“It could be arranged.  I believe she will be easier to control than this newcomer.”

“This newcomer that you speak of, why do you think she is so capable?  What has she done to prove it?”

“Well, she has obviously been in many fights, and won.  She has the largest scar I have ever seen on a single wolf.  It runs diagonally across her face.  However, I think that little Blaze is a bit too close to her.  I think he’s hankering after my position as Alpha.”

Owl laughed, still in the same flat tone.  It was a horrible sound.  Another shiver ran down Blaze’s spine.  “He’s no threat to you, Bone.  But just in case, perhaps he should be removed.”  Blaze did not like the way he said ‘removed’.

*   *   *   *   *

Owl arrived back at Camp before the sun arose.  He set about planning how he would get Cattail out of Camp without notice.  Only one wolf had seen him leave, and that same wolf saw him come back, smelling like Stone Pack.  It was Pine.

*   *   *   *   *

Cattail had only been confined to the Camp for a day, and already she was plotting an escape.  She just couldn’t stand it!  She longed to run, and she fumed at the injustice of it all.  Pond just sat there, and didn’t make a sound, but Cattail paced in circles, dug holes and refilled them, all the while muttering to herself about how unfair it all was.  She would pace to the very edge of the Camp, then lose her nerve and pace back to the center of Camp.  Star was very kind, and brought her water-soaked moss so she could drink, but Cattail still couldn’t be happy.  Though she often spent many hours lounging around in the Camp, the idea that she was trapped kept all her good feelings under wrap.  Only Owl would listen to her rants about unfairness, and only Owl agreed with her.

“Poor, poor Cattail,” he said, trying hard to make his expressionless voice seem friendly and sympathetic.  “You know, I’ll bet they don’t treat pups this way in other Packs.”

“Really?”  Cattail looked interested.

“Oh, certainly.  Between you and me, I have some good friends in the Stone Pack,” said Owl in a lowered tone.

“Friends?”  Cattail asked, not really knowing what to think about this statement.

“Yes, very good friends.  You see, if you could escape, and cross the border, they would certainly accept you if you told the Alpha that his good friend Owl sent you.”

Cattail frowned.  “Accept me?  I wouldn’t want to leave the Forest Pack.”

“Oh, no.  You wouldn’t have to stay forever.  You could just go visit.  Oh, what a funny joke it would be, if you were to disappear for awhile, and after everybody was out looking for you, you could sneak back.  Then, when they came home, you could say, ‘Where did you all go?  I woke up from my nap and you were all gone.’  Can you imagine their faces, dear Cattail?”

Cattail squinted, then burst out laughing.  Owl congratulated himself; he had succeeded in baiting the pup.  Now all he had to do was reel her in.

*   *   *   *   *

Blaze told Vale everything he had overheard the night before.  Vale listened intently, then gasped when he told her how Bone was planning to have him ‘removed’.  Bone had been right.  The two were growing very close, closer by the second.  Vale fumed at the idea of Bone ‘wooing her in’.

“What should we do, Blaze?”  Vale asked.

“I don’t know, but we can’t let Bone get away with it.  Both of them are dirty traitors.  You should have heard that Owl wolf.  He was ready to sell out his own Pack for almost nothing.”

The word ‘traitor’ sent bells clanging all over in Vale’s head.  The memories washed over her anew: the small pups, the wolf hitting her from behind, panicked running through the forest, until Stone’s paw came swinging down to her face.

“You are right, friend.  There is no place in this world for traitors.”  Blaze noted the fury in her yellow eyes, and nodded in agreement.

*   *   *   *   *

Pine didn’t tell anyone about her brother’s absence.  These days, he wasn’t very popular with the Pack, due to his constant ramblings about the dogs.  Pine was afraid that the Pack might jump to conclusions.  She wanted to tell Ivy, but Ivy was not very friendly with Owl, for obvious reasons. 

“Hello, Pine.”  Star’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, er, yes, hello, Star.  How is your brother?”  She asked courteously. 

A smile lit Star’s face.  “He’s doing great, and getting better each day.”  Star turned and watched Storm trot around the cave with only the slightest trace of a limp.  Star turned back to Pine.  “You look worried.  Is something wrong?”  Star asked her in a concerned voice. 

“Well,” Pine hesitated.  Star was close friends with the dogs, but she also was known for thinking things out and being wise.  Pine lowered her voice to a whisper, and said, “My brother left Camp late last night, and returned this morning before the sun was up.”  Pine swallowed.  “He smelled like Stone Pack.”

Star leaner closer and whispered, “Stone Pack?  Did he come from the direction of the border?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he could have just been hunting rabbits, but that’s not really likely.”

Pine hung her head.  “I know.”

“Where is he now?”

Pine glanced around.  “Well, I saw him talking to Cattail earlier…”

A quiet voice, so small Star wasn’t even sure she heard it, whispered in Star’s ear, “Where is Cattail?  Daughter of the Sun, beware the kin of Moon.”

Star repeated the first part aloud.  “Where is Cattail?”

Pine stood up, glanced around, did a double take, and then started to panic.  “She’s not here!  Where’s Cattail?”

River stood up.  “She went to get a drink, and Owl went with her.”

Star felt her blood run cold beneath her coat.  Owl?  Why would he…  To get revenge, yes, but how, where… Didn’t make sense, but…  Then suddenly, a light went on.  Owl had kidnapped Cattail.  He would wait until they were all in small search parties, then he would take the rest of the Stone Pack and ambush each group.  Star knew for a fact that Owl was smart enough to come up with such a plan, and that Cattail was furious enough to go with Owl, just to get back at Thunder for punishing her.  Owl had taken a good and wise punishment, and turned it on its head.

“Thunder!  I must speak to my brother immediately.”  Noticing that River was already gathering a search party, Star added, “And no one is to leave the Camp until Thunder and I reach a decision.  Pine, take roll call.  If any wolves are missing, notify me.”

“But, Star, my daughter is missing…”  River trailed off at the look Star gave her.

“My order stands,” she said firmly, adding a bit of a growl to her voice to get her point across.  River’s tail went down into a submissive position.

Thunder walked out of his cave and smiled at this sister.  ‘You wanted to see me, Star?”

Star nodded her black head gravely.  “It is urgent, Brother.”

Thunder nodded in reply, then the two walked into his den, and Star related what Pine had said, and her suspicions about Owl’s activities.

“This is urgent indeed.  We can deal with Owl and the Stone Pack, but what about Cattail?  She is our pup.”  Thunder sounded very grave, and indeed he was.  One of his own Pack, a traitor!

Pine turned to her, took a deep breath, then said, “Besides Cattail, two are missing.”

Star felt a lump form in her chest as Thunder asked, “Who?”

Pine replied, “Pond, and…”  Pine hesitated, tears beading in her eyes, and Star knew who it was before Pine even uttered the word.  “…Owl.”