Chapters 1 & 3: lunawolf383

Chapters 2 & 4: Anvik

Chapter 1

            Exhausted from labor, a wolf as white as snow gently laid her head between her paws. She closed her grey patched eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Beside her, a black pup and brown pup squirmed. In between the two healthy ones, another lighter brown one lay motionless.

            “It’s a shame” Sage, the white wolf’s mother said softly.

Another wolf, the same pure white as his daughter and having the same black tipped ears, sighed sadly.

“The only female… what should we do?”

            “We surely cannot let her know… Aniu’s been through a lot as it is and without her mate to take care of her…”

The great white wolf, Ataneq, gazed over the three pups again.

“The only thing we can do is get rid of it. Should we bury it?”

            “No… Aniu’s smarter then that… she’d be able to sniff it down… and I don’t have the heart to give it to some bear or wolf…”

“I can have Kanut and Cikuq take it out of the territory and bury it out there. But no one else must know about it”

Sage nodded and Ataneq exited the den. Outside, the anxious pack waited to hear the news about Aniu’s pups. Ataneq smiled widely and announced “She has had two boys!”

The rest of the pack talked excitedly. Ataneq ignored the congratulations and only stopped when he had found the almost identical white wolves. He nodded and the two followed him back in the cave. Smiling for a second at the pups and sleeping mother, they turned their full attention to their uncle.

“As you can see, the female pup hasn’t made it…”

Kanut and Cikuq glanced sadly at the motionless pup.

“I need you two to take her out of the territory and bury her. I’m going to led the pack on a hunt later on today… take her away then”

The brothers nodded and settled in the den. Ataneq nuzzled Aniu quickly and went outside. A few minutes later, the pack took off excitedly, and their happy barks and howls faded away. Without a word, Kanut scooped up the brown pup and headed out.

            Kanut and Cikuq travelled in silence at an easygoing trot. Hunts took a long time anyway and they knew they had more then enough time. The East and North borders were the most dangerous, so the two headed toward the peaceful South territory. Finally, as the sun was just beginning to set, they stopped. Kanut gently laid the pup on the ground and Cikuq began to dig. Before they could finish, a yell erupted. A human yell. Both wolves jumped. Cikuq dug faster and Kanut picked up the pup, but it was no use. The ground was frozen. Kanut dropped the pup, and both buried it with snow. Then, before the team of dogs could get any closer, Kanut and Cikuq disappeared into the falling snow.

            The pup opened its blue eyes and shivered furiously. She had no idea where she was or what she was. Using her tiny paws, she dug herself half way out of the snow but exhausted, she had to stop there and curl up. The cold seeped through the pup’s coat and she started to fall asleep. Meanwhile, the team of dogs came closer and closer. Just before the team passed, one of the dogs, a female, picked up the scent of the wolves and brought the team down to a walk. The white and light grey dog’s blue eyes passed over the snow until she found what she had smelt. The rest of the team whined and tugged at the harness, but the female refused to budge. Instead, she dragged the whole team over to the pup and gently dug her out of the snow.

“What’s that you got there Lily?” the musher said.

Lily whined and nudged the pup. The pup yipped and the musher hopped off the sled and rushed over to Lily. He gingerly scooped the poor pup up and wrapped her in his coat. Lily watched on anxiously. The musher patted her on the head.

“Maybe you are more then just some show dog” he grinned. Then, turning his attention back to the pup, he mumbled thoughtfully.

“I guess she belongs to no one else” the musher shrugged. “I guess we could take her home”

Lily yipped and wagged her tail happily. Something about the pup reminded her of another one…

Bundling the small pup up for the ride back home, the team took off through the snow, not realizing how much this would change the young hybrid’s life.

Chapter 2
            When the dog team made it back to the master's house, musher, James Dawson, unhitched the dogs and brought them into the barn, then returned into the house with the small Inari. He took her gently out of his jacket and placed her in a warm towel by a roaring fire. The musher's daughter came into the house from going into town with her mother and immediately caught sight of Inari.

"You got a puppy!?" she asked in disbelief.

Her father petted Inari on the head.

"Well, not really. When we were out on the trail, Lily found her buried in the snow."
The girl glanced down at the puppy then up at her father.

"Can we keep her?"
Her father smiled. "Sure. She needs someone to keep her company, and you've been waiting for a puppy, so..."
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
The girl hugged her father and placed Inari on her lap, stroking her as gently as possible.
            Inari whimpered softly and kicked her hind leg. The girl holding her was very kind, and seemed to like her. Inari squirmed, and the hand ran down her back, calming any fears in her head. She somehow knew she'd found a good home.

            When Inari was old enough to walk and move about on her own, she went into the barn to stay with the other dogs from then on. Lily appointed herself as Inari's surrogate mother and caretaker, watching every move the pup would make. Still, a nagging feeling would com over her each time she was with the pup, reminding her of someone long gone. Lily sat deep in thought, her eyes straying from Inari, who was playing with the musher's daughter, Catherine. Inari caught Lily off guard.

"Watcha' doin'?"
            "Huh?"
"I said, "watcha' doin'?"
            "Thinking," Lily honestly replied.
"About what?" Inari asked.
            "Go play with Cathi."
Inari rolled her eyes heaven ward and gave out an exaggerated sigh.
Lily couldn't help but pounce on Inari, flipping her on her back. Inari giggled and licked Lily's nose. She squeezed out of Lily's grasp and slapped her paws on the ground in a play bow. Lily did the same, and Inari jumped up, tugging at Lily's ear. Inari then yipped and ran back towards Catherine. That puppy acts more wolf than dog sometimes... Lily thought.

Chapter 3

            As Inari grew even more into a young dog, her training began. Catherine, who was excited more then anyone, had already bought a sled from the carpenters that would be just the right size for the small wolf dog. Inari barked excitedly and bounded around Catherine’s feet as she ran around the tiny sled.

“Hold still Inari!” the girl laughed as she attempted to harness the little brown hybrid.

Inari could barely contain herself. She had always wanted to be one of the swift sled dogs she stayed with. Lily smiled as she watched on, grinning at the pup’s energy.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Inari yipped. She knew that Catherine didn’t understand her, but that didn’t dampen her spirits.

After fumbling and a little help from her father, Inari was hooked up to her own sled. Without waiting, Inari took off, dragging the sled behind her. Lily smiled as the young hybrid took off, thinking about her brother who had been the same way. If only he were here…

“Look! Look at me Mommy!” Lily cried excitedly.

            “It looks like you lost your musher!” Lily replied with a smile, nodding to Catherine.

Catherine was laughing hard herself, watching Inari run. Inari grinned from ear to ear and came back to Catherine.

“We have a long way to go!” Catherine laughed, wiping away tears of laughter.

            For the next few months, Inari learned everything there was to learn about being a sled dog. And of course, Lily and Catherine were always by her side. She learned to understand the musher and when she was supposed to speed up or slow down. After she had gotten that, she learned to work on a team and eventually- lead one.

            In no time at all it seemed Inari wasn’t only a lead dog, but the lead dog of Mr. Dawson’s team. As always, she really belonged to Catherine, but while she was hooked up, Inari was the lead dog on the same team as Lily. But it seemed like no time at all before Inari’s life turned in a completely different direction.

“Do you think it’s gonna snow?!” Inari barked happily back to Lily.

Lily looked up to the cloudy sky and smiled.

            “It looks like it! You’re getting smarter everyday Inari” Lily smiled affectionately.

Inari picked up speed like she always did when they neared the house. But this time, Mr. Dawson called them back. Inari glanced back at Lily confused, then squinted ahead to try and make out the unfamiliar sled parked in front of the house. Cautiously, Inari slowed up obediently and studied the sleeping dogs still in harness. Mrs. Dawson and Catherine were talking to a tall man. Catherine didn’t look happy at all… that made Inari nervous. The sled pulled to a stop a few feet away from the group and Mr. Dawson secured the sled, leaving Catherine to undo the team while he talked to the strange man. As soon as she was set loose, Inari followed Catherine to the barn, where the two men had gone to talk in private.

“How much do we owe you, Mr. Towns?” Mr. Dawson asked gravely.

            “More then I think you can afford” the tall man replied just as low.

Mr. Dawson breathed heavily, took his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair.

“I’m sorry. With the Depression and my wife’s illness, it’s been kind of hard to work…”

            “Well there a few ways you can pay us back” Mr. Towns offered.

“I’m not selling my house… it’s all we have”

            “The dogs”

Catherine gasped and Inari’s stomach lurched. Catherine stroked Inari’s brown fur, letting Inari feeling her hands shake.

“But they’re family” Mr. Dawson said desperately. “My daughter would never forgive me!”

            “It’s either that or we foreclose the house”

Mr. Dawson gulped and nodded. Catherine muffled another gasp and scrambled to her feet. Then she took off running, Inari close on her heels and feeling the same way she was sure her master was feeling.

            Later on that night, Inari found out that what she heard was indeed true. She told the rest of the team, making them as miserable as she felt. They all loved their master as much as Inari did. He was kind to them. What would happen to them now? Only the next day would tell them…

            The sun’s early rays glared off the snow Inari had predicted. A lone figure slipped out of the house and snuck into the barn. Once out of the cold, Catherine closed the door and found Inari, stroking her fur gently to wake her up. Inari’s blue eyes flickered open and she smiled when she saw Catherine’s face.

“Inari, my dad is selling you today” Catherine told the hybrid sadly.

Inari’s stomach lurched again.

“I came to say goodbye before Mr. Towns came to take you away”

Inari licked Catherine’s hand. She could tell Catherine was trying very hard not to cry.

“I’m gonna miss you Inari”

Tears finally squeezed out and one ran down Catherine’s nose. She muffled a sob and buried her face into Inari’s coat. Inari felt like crying herself, but she couldn’t in front of Catherine. A few moments later, the sounds of barking dogs filled the yard and the front door to the house closed as Mr. Dawson went out to greet Mr. Towns. With a final hug, Catherine got up and left. The rest of the team woke up and gathered by the barn doors. One by one, Mr. Towns and another man came with ropes and tied the dogs to the back of his sled. Inari was the last to be tied but as soon as she was, Mr. Towns and the other man went to shake hands with Mr. Dawson and hopped on the sled. The team pulled away and Inari’s team followed. Inari glanced over her shoulder. Catherine smothered a sob and hugged her mother. Inari whined and tried to go back to Catherine.

Stupid rope! Inari thought, trying to escape it. It was no use. With a final glance back, Inari tilted her head and howled, draining every sorrowful emotion she had. Hoping Catherine had heard, she lowered her head and followed the rest of the team into the unknown.

Chapter 4

Inari found out that her new owner didn't use his dogs for a dog team at all; he used them to fight. Mr. Towns shoved her into a cramped cage at his home out in an abandoned barn with several other unfortunate dogs. He didn't even bother to take her muzzle off. Inari's eyes frantically darted from cage to cage. Beaten up dogs, dogs missing ears, dogs with hundreds of scars: the place was a nightmare. Inari shifted into an uncomfortable position, trying to get some rest.

"Hey, hey you."

 Inari looked to her right. A grinning mutt stared back at her. He whispered to the dog next to him.

"Look what we's gots here, Nails."

Inari's stomach tumbled. Who are these odd dogs? And why does he talk differently?

"Yous' new hea?"
"Huh?"

"Yous' new hea?" the dog repeated.
"Yes. Why?" Inari haughtily responded.

"Cause', yous' the in for deep trouble when The Master gets trou's wit you," the dog said. Inari's eyes widened and she scooted away from him in her cage. Guffaws erupted from either side of her. A tear slid down Inari's cheek. She hastily wiped it away. You’re  part wolf! Show your wolf side.

Her hackles rose as she said, "Back off and shut up!"

The scrawny dog sniggered.

"She's got a tempah'. And whaddya' gonna' do about it, sistah'?"

"Leave me alone!" Inari snarled.

The whole barn became suddenly quiet.

"Now keep you're mouth shut for the rest of the night!" she snapped.

"Yes'm," the dog squeaked.

Inari curled up. Maybe I'll get used to this place...

*                                  *                                  *

Mr. Towns woke Inari up early the next day and stole her away to a shady street. A crowd of men surrounded two dogs fighting. Inari had nothing to do but watch. The bigger dog; a dark gray husky, gave a killing grip to the weaker, and let him fall out of his jaws. Three quarters of the men cheered and exchanged money. Inari felt sick to her stomach. The night before, she'd heard the dogs talking about some sort of "initiation". This had to be it. Two other dogs fought before her. The same gray dog overturned a tan dog the same size as him. Inari wanted to run. She'd be next. After the 'arena' was cleared, Inari's owner unbuckled her muzzle and shoved her into the ring. The gray dog lowered his eyebrows, a half smirk on his face.

"Now don't expect me to go easy on yah' since you're a lady," he said, circling her.

Inari focused on his every move, calling upon her wolf hunting instincts. I have to corner him, distract him somehow. She growled and kept glancing past the dog, trying to get him distracted. Her plan worked. He took a moment to check out what Inari was looking at. Inari lunged at him, fangs bared and claws extracted. Inari let the wolf part of her do the rest. The dog was thrust on his back, with a growling female in his face. He knocked her aside with a powerful arm, and lurched to his feet. Panting, he latched his teeth on Inari's neck and dragged her halfway across the arena. Inari struggled, feeling her neck becoming more and more sodden with every effort. She stared him in the eye, her amber irises pleading. She could've sworn she'd seen his eyes soften for only a second, but a second was all she needed to make a break for it. She wriggled free and kicked the dog in his side. Inari dug her incisors inches away from his esophagus and slid him to his owner's boots. She trotted up to her master, and lashed to glare the beaten dog in his weary eyes.If you don't want to end up looking ridiculous, don't mess with me!

When Inari returned home with her pleased owner, she expected to get a heavy slice of raw meat and a stay indoors, but he just locked her up in the cage again and threw in a piece of dried venison through the bars. Inari sniffed it and stuck her nose up. You expect me to eat this? The rickety barn door slammed, and the dogs started talking all at once.

"Yous' got a bit of veni'! Yous' ‘as won!" the dog next to her chirped.

Inari stared at the meat again then looked at the dog.

"Do you want it?"

His head bobbed up and down.

 "Here, take it."

 Inari tossed the stale meat into the dog's cage. A fight erupted from the cage beside his.

"So ya' won? That's a first."

Inari swiveled to see the dog to her left.

"And you might be..."

"Nutik, so they call me."

Inari cocked her head.

 "Did you loose you're ear in a fight?"

"Yes, and I almost lost my life too."

Curiosity roused Inari.

"Who were you fighting?"

"A bulldog named, 'Petey'. You have to watch out for those bulldogs, they're killers."

 "They don't look like 'killers'," Inari retorted.

"Ohhh, but they are. They bred them so that they look stupid and awkward, but in reality; they're deadly."

Inari wondered how this kind dog ended up in such a harsh environment.

 "Well, I have to go to sleep. I've got a big fight tomorrow," Nutik said as he curled up in a ball.

Inari did the same, wishing that Nutik wouldn't have to fight a bulldog. When daybreak's rays filtered through the old barn's cracks, Inari found Nutik gone. She made up her mind to speak with him if he returned. Her stomach contracted from the lack of food the night before. I wish I'd eaten that meat. She sat up and squeezed her nose between the bars. All the other dogs were starting to get up. She sighed and sat back down. The rest of that day would be very slow.
When 'The Master' returned, he came back in a foul mood; without Nutik. Inari felt grief for him. He was such a nice dog, why'd he have to go? The kindly gray dog was now gone, out of Inari's life… for good.