Fighting For Hope

CHAPTER 1

I looked at the circle of wolves surrounding the frozen, suffering body.  I was horrified.  I tried to get through to see my mate, but wolves kept cutting in front of me.  I snarled at them to get back.  They jumped back immediately, shaking from the cold.  I looked down at Blizzard.  He looked so awful.  I wondered how it felt to be so sick.  He had foam around his mouth, a bloody nose and pink eyes.  It looked as if he just ate a jalapeno pepper.  However, it was NOT rabies.  He wasn't baring his teeth, snarling or snapping.  I started to think it was some sort of parasite.  I didn't know what it could be.  I was so scared for my love.

The pack had been travelling to find food, when Blizzard suddenly fell ill.  "I am going to find shelter." I told my pack.

"Clara, shoudn't you just wait until later?" Night Shade asked as she stood up.  "A blizzard is starting."

"Night shade, I must do what I have to do. You must guard Blizzard and the others."

Night Shade sighed and nodded her head.  We were both worried for each other.

I trotted off into the distance, starting to feel snow on my snout.  I knew Night Shade was right, but I must do it for my pack's sake.

"Oh, this is great.  Just great."  I kicked a pile of snow and cut my paw.  I went over to clean it.  The wind started to pick up.  I had to stay under a tree.  I lay down for a while and could feel my big, bushy tail, smacking on my icy face.

I woke up still tired and the wind was worse.  I had to find better shelter then a little twig-tree sort of thing.  I travelled probably 2 kilometers until I found shelter.  It looked like a fox's den, because it was really small, just big enough for a fox and it's birdie-dinner.  It was good enough for now.

CHAPTER 2

I woke up to growling.  I quietly crept up.  A pack of wolves were baring their teeth at me.  I told them I will just leave but they kept stopping me.

"Who says you can come in OUR territory." one big black male wolf said.

"I did not know sir." I said.  I told them about my mate and having to find shelter.

The wolves all looked at each other.  I bit my lip hoping they would let me stay until the storm passed.

"You may stay with us, just for now." the black wolf said.

I thanked him for his acceptance.

I stayed with them for awhile, helping the alpha female with her pups since I was a guest.  I heard the rest of the pack coming back from their hunt, yipping and yapping.  I saw the little cubs tails wag as they crept up the small hill.  I greeted them with Sarah, who was the big black wolf's mate.  His name was Kahn.

"Clara, while my pack and I searched for food, we spotted a big den up ahead about 2 kilometers, probably big enough for your pack." Kahn said.  "Would you like to check it out?"

I went up to him.  I looked in his eyes.  He looked in mine.  I went back to the young pups, gave them a lick and looked at Sarah.  We touched noses.  The cubs started to whimper as they followed me up the hill.  I looked at their sad little faces.  I just made my face into a worried but happy face.  I picked  them up and took them back to Sarah.

"I have to go sweeties." I said sadly.

"Are you coming back?" Maya my favourite cub asked.

"I can't, Hun.  I must go find shelter for my pack."

I gave her one last lick.  I trotted away from the cubs. I took one last look at Kahn and his pack.  I trotted up a hill, fur flying in the cold wind, and gave a nice, long howl.  They all howled back.  This was the end of our sight.

I finally found the den.  Like Kahn said, it was probably big enough for my pack.  I searched for other wolf smells.  Their was nothing.  I decided to have a sleep.  Tears started to drip from my furry face.  I was upset for Blizzard.  I tried to calm down and think if he had a fever of some sort.  I went into a deep sleep.  Soon, I was sleeping like a cub.

CHAPTER 3

I finally awoke.  It was beautiful outside.  There was a bit of melted ice.  I went to lap up the water.  Its cold, delicious taste slithered down my throat.  It was comforting.  I heard some sort of a bird's squack.  I felt playful at the time, so I chased it.  It took me to a forest..... a dark one.  I wanted to go back.  I wasn't sure if it was safe or not.  I approached a growling bush.  I suddenly stood still.  I heard a branch snap, and my ears instantly twitched, then a wolverine jumped out on to my back.  It had a good grip of my skin.  I could feel my blood getting sucked up.  The wolverine did not let go.  I tried to shake him off.  Obviously I had entered his territory.  This thing would not let go.  Finally I got smart and put my back to the ground.  I didn't kill the wolverine, but he ran away as I lay unconscious.

I woke up dizzy, and I heard Night Shade's sweet, sweet voice.

"Clara, Clara.  Wake up."

"Ugh.  What happenned?"  I  looked at my swollen, bloody body.

"It looks as if you just got attacked by a wolverine." Night Shade replied.

"That's because I did."

"Oh."

I went over to lap up water.  It was nice.

Night Shade came over to lick my cheek.  She had left Noir in charge of Blizzard, worrying that something may have happenned to me during the storm.

"Did you find the den?" Night Shade asked.

"Yeah, it's not too far from here." I replied. 

"Do you want to check it out?"

" No, it's okay.  Besides, we've got to get the pack."

We both trotted off into the distance.  Wind blew our fur.  Another blizzard was coming.  Night Shade and I ran and ran.  It was as if the blizzard was right on top of us.

"Do you think the pack will be okay?" Night Shade shouted because of the wind.

"I'm not sure.  We'll just have to pick it up."

Now the snow started, but we were already there.  All of my pack were surrounding Blizzard, crying.  They looked back to Night Shade and I.

"We've got to hurry.  The den is far from here." I shouted.

"How long exactly?" Noir asked sqiunting his eyes.

"Probably about 4 kilometers from here. "

 Noir raised his eyebrow.

"Come on, let's go." I shouted.

We all ran and ran carrying Blizzard on a huge branch made with pine needles.  We all got weak from not having food for the whole day.

I was concentrating on running, then suddenly, I looked in the trees.

"Maya?" I called.  Was it my favourite cub?  The next thing it went black.

CHAPTER 4

I woke up to snow slopping on my face.  I opend my eyes.

"Woah, that was a rough one." I said.

"Are you okay?" Night Shade asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay.  I just fainted from tiredness and hunger. "

I was so dizzy and wobbley at first, but soon I got the hang of running again.  We were speeding down the snowy path.  I suddenly stopped.  I recognized the place.... Kahn's territory.  I sniffed around hurrying so we could get going.  Suddenly, I smelled Maya's scent.  I looked down on the ground.  I saw blood.  I sniffed it carefully.  Maya.  Tears dropped out of my eyes.  I smelled it again.  Demon.  My sadness turned to anger.  My eyes  grew red and I gave a long, angry howl.

I looked back down.  "She's gone." I angrily thought.

I stomped over to Night Shade.

I looked ahead.  It looked famillar.

"This is for you."  I ran as fast as a cheetah in the direction.  It was Demon.

"What the heck is she doing." Noir screamed.

I finally reached him, pinned him to the grouned and growled.

"Why did you?  Why???? " I snapped.

" What?  Kill Maya and her family." Demon laughed.

I choked him with my paw.

"Tell ME!"

"Why should I."

" 'Cause I'll kill you and your family, if you like."

"No. I won't tell you."

"Fine."  I let him go.  I wasn't really going to kill them.

"Clara, why would you kill them?" Night Shade asked as I returned sadly to my pack.

"Yeah, that's so not you." Noir said.

"I was just trying to scare him so that he would tell me."

I looked at Blizzard.  He looked worse.

"Speaking of killing, Blizzard is going to meet his death any second." I shouted.  We all started running.  We finally approached the den.   Blizzard still looked really sick but I had a feeling he was starting to get better. 

CHAPTER 5

The snow was still on.  I was sitting looking outside.  I was feeling better for Blizzard now.  He looked so much better.  I looked back outside and gave a nice, long smile.  Night Shade came over to me.

"So you're feeling better?" Night Shade asked.

"Yeah, now that he's okay. " I smiled.

"Ha, I know." She nudged me with her elbow.

She looked back.

"Look." she said.

I looked back and there he was.  White as snow, Blizzard was wobbling in the middle of the den.  I walked over and slowly greeted him.  We nudged noses and we were happy.  I yelped and so did he.  He was better.

"Hey sweetie." Blizzard said wearily.

"Hi sweetie." I said.

Night Shade and all the other wolves came over to greet him.

Night Shade went jumping over to the entrance.

"Hey guys.  Perfect timing for us to go hunting because it has stopped snowing. "

All the wolves looked so tired so only Night Shade and I went on the hunt.

Night Shade and I happily trotted outside.  Suddenly, I stopped and there she was, standing with a caribou in her mouth, as black as her father.  Maya.  I was in shock.  She had managed to escape from Demon.  My shocked face turned to a happy face.  We both ran towards each other.

"Maya, I can't believe it's you."

"Clara, I can't believe it's you either."

We both hugged each other.

"I love you." Maya whispered.

I was surprised, then happy.

"I love you too." I whispered back.

The wind came back and Maya shivered like crazy.

"Well, now that you have food, there's no need for us to get food, is there?" I laughed.

"Nope, there's no need." Maya giggled as well.

We both walked in and happily greeted Blizzard.  He licked Maya.  We were all happy now.

There they were, all four of them, Maya's parents and sisters' spirits stood howling in the wind.  Then they drifted away in the snow.

THE END