A border collie lay in a dark alley way. Dirt seemed to move around the ground because of the huffing wind. Her eyes rested on the sleeping form of a puppy. 

 The puppy's fur was mostly black but her right front paw was gray and so was her right back paw and her left legs in both the front and the back and she had a gray face and a gray tail. She had eyes that looked like water and they danced like water too. The puppy's black chest softly rose and fell in time with her steady heart beat.

  A gray male wolf bounded into the alley. He trotted to the border collie's side then looked at the pup with distaste.

  "Just one puppy?" he asked. "One scraggly furball?" He let out a low growl.

  "Calm yourself, Shade," the Border Collie replied. "There is one more." She let her tail rest on a bundle of fur that was such an odd shade of gray that she looked almost light purple. Shade noticed that this puppy was much larger than the other one for some reason.

 "All right," Shade responded, dryly. "Two then, big deal. Honestly, Freckle, that truly is rediculous."

  Freckle sat up, a look of anger burning in her eyes. "Well," she snapped defiantly, "I think that they're beautiful."

  "You would," snapped Shade. "Although, this one isn't too bad." He rested his tail on the purplish one.

  Freckle responded, "Ginny is just as beautiful."

 "Ginny?" Shade looked at the black and gray pup. "You named it Ginny?"

  "After my mother," Freckle replied.

  "Then what did you name the other one?" Shade snorted. "Blueberry?"

  Freckle's fur stood on end as she stood to face her mate. "No, I named her Dusk."

  Shade looked at the purplish puppy again. "Hmm. That's not a bad name really."

   "thank you," Freckle spat. Her blue eyes blazed with a mix between satifaction and anger. Sudennly, her eyes glazed and stared at her mate sightlessly. Her body dropped to the dust-filled ground like lead.

  A light brown male wolf stood behind the dead Border Collie's body. He looked at the Border Collie with distaste and said, "You don't have good taste, do you, Shade?"

  "I made a mistake," Shade replied. "Let's get these pups to the pack, Mountain." Shade picked Dusk up by her scruff. Dusk opened her purpleish/blue eyes and yawned. When Mountain picked Ginny up, however, Ginny began to howl her puppy howl as loudly as she could.

  "What... did... you... do?" Shade growled.

  "Nothing!" gasped Mountain. "I just picked her up and then-"

  "Just... be... quiet," snarled Shade. He listened for the sound of pawsteps and, sure enough, he saw a sleek and powerful large German Shepherd up ahead, growling. The German Shepherd saw Freckle's limp body and looked back at Shade and Mountain.

  "Stay where you are!" he barked. "This is the police!" He barked over his shouler to tell the humans where Shade and Mountain were.

  "Put the pup down," Shade growled.

  "What?" Mountain hissed back.

  "I'll come back for them later. Put her down now!" snarled Shade. Mountain set Ginny down and Ginny trotted to her mother and let out a long, mournful howl. Shade let go of Dusk, who pounced on the sad Ginny. Ginny yipped and fought back. "Now," growled Shade, "RUN!" The two wolves turned and ran through the alley way, towards the forest.

  A human walked to the German Shepherd's side. He saw the pups and the dead mother and gasped. "Is this what you wanted me to see, Scout?" Scout barked. "Good boy." He picked up the fighting pups and gave Ginny to Scout. "Carry her, all right? They should be seperated. We'll keep the black and gray one and I'm sure that someone will take this one."

  Scout took Ginny from his master and studied her. She had scraggly, untidy black fur with two gray paws, a gray face, and a gray tail. she had aqua blue eyes and a soft, wet black nose. She turned her head and looked at him. she seemed to know that he meant no harm because she licked his nose.

   Scout carried the puppy carefully. his mate, Patch, would be happy to take care of the pup. He wondered if she could talk yet.

  "What's your name?" he asked softly. She just looked at him with those big, blue eyes. Of course she doesn't talk yet, dummy! he thought, angry at his stupidity.

  The puppy opened her small mouth. "G-G-G-Gin-Ginny. Ginny!" Scout was so shocked that he nearly dropped her.

  "Exscuse me?" he gasped through her fur.

 "Ginny!" she cried. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny!" His brown eyes widened in disbelief.

  "How old are you?" he asked. "By your size, I'll take a guess at about 2 weeks." Ginny nodded frantically.

 "Here we are, boy," Scout's master said. He opened the door and let Scout inside. Scout trotted to his mate, Patch, a German Shepherd with amber eyes. She watched Scout set Ginny down with kind eyes.

  "Who is this?" she asked, her voice barely mopre than a whisper.

  Before Scout could reply, Ginny howled, "Ginny!"

   "She talks?" Patch gasped. She turned her brown head to her mate. "How old is she, Scout?"

  Scout shrugged. "I'd say about 2 weeks. She seems to think so."

  "And she talks already?" Patch whispered.

  "Ginny!" Ginny said, proudly. Then her eyes turned sad. "M-M-M-Mo-Mom..."

  "Where is her mother?" Patch asked.

 "Her mother was murdered," Scout replied. "I couldn't see who it was." He shook his head sadly.

  "Poor thing," Patch asked, rasping her pink tongue over Ginny's scraggly fur. "Is she staying with us?"

  "Yeah," replied Scout. "Her sister is going to a diffrent home though. They don't get along."

  "B-b-b-ba-bad D-D-Du-Dusk," Ginny said.

 "Dusk?" Patch repeated. "'Bad Dusk'?"

 "I guess Dusk is her sister," Scout barked. "Dusk and Ginny were fighting when I arrived." He looked at Ginny, who was curling up to sleep. He picked her up and set her down in the doggy bed. Ginny looked up at him and yawned.

 Scout turned around to go back to the rug by the window but stopped when he noticed Ginny following him. He picked her up again and moved her back to the doggy bed. She protested with a bark that sounded like she tasted a piece of bitter fish. He trotted back to the window to see her trotting after him.

 "Grr," she growled playfully. Scout sighed and allowed her to cuddle up next to him. Patch chuckled and curled around Scout and Ginny.

  Ginny stretched her legs and yawned. Her body was much larger than when she was a puppy. It was long with long legs to match. She had sharp claws that she didn't like to use. Her aqua blue eyes seemed like they were constantly splashing like waves. Ginny had truly become a beautiful dog.

  She didn't know that she had a sister however. Scout and Patch had decided to keep Dusk a secret to keep Ginny safer. However, it was in vain. The two had met when Dusk saved Ginny's life after the black and gray dog had fallen through thin ice on a lake.

  Dusk completly took control of Ginny. She had Ginny do her dirty work for her. In fact, Ginny had been caught stealing for Dusk many times. She now had a record with the police department. A record that should have been Dusk's.

   When Ginny tried to say "no" to Dusk, Dusk would say, "I saved your life and you can't even help me? I'm hurt, Ginny" and Ginny would feel guilty. 

  Ginny trotted to the sleeping form of Patch. Patch's chest rose up and down gently. Ginny smiled at her foster mother and gently prodded her with a paw.

  Patch opened her amber eyes and blinked warily then whispered, "Ginny? what is it?"

  "I'm going outside," Ginny replied. Patch nodded and fell back asleep. Ginny padded to the doggy door and exited the house.

  "Ginny!" Dusk ran to Ginny's side. "There you are! You can't just sleep in whenever you want to!"

  Ginny rolled her eyes. "Dusk, I have a life you know."

 "Well, you wouldn't if I didn't save you," Dusk replied. Ginny closed her eyes.

  "What do you want me to do?" Ginny asked.

  "I need you to go to a party in the boiler room," Dusk replied. "Go to Sandy and ask him to meet me by the lake at tonight. The party is taking place now. Go now!"

  "What if I run into Teal?" Ginny asked through gritted teath. Teal was a light gray husky who was Ginny's number one fan. Although it felt good to have someone admire her when Dusk was the most popular dog in town, he could be a real pain.

  "Do whatever," Dusk responded. "I don't really care."

  "Right," Ginny said. "so, i go to the boiler room, uninvited, just to talk to Sandy?" Ginny had had to do many rediculous things before but she was sure that, since Dusk had saved her, Dusk wouldn't really hurt her.

 "Yes," Dusk replied. "It's important."

 Ginny rolled her eyes. "Is he your boyfriend or something?"

  "No," snorted Dusk. "He owes me money."

  "I see," Ginny responded.

  "Ginny!" pouted Dusk.

  "I'm going, I'm going," Ginny reponded. She trotted to the boiler room and went inside. She looked around, saw the pale coat of Sandy and padded to him.

  "Sandy," she hissed. He turned around, saw her, and laughed.

  "What do you want Alienfur," he jeered.

  "Dusk wants to see you tonight at the lake," Ginny replied. "She says that it's urgent."

  "Fine, I'll be there," Sandy growled. "Now, get out." Ginny stood her ground, glaring into his eyes.

  "Make me," she hissed, barely parting her lips. Sandy growled back, his fur standing on end. Ginny knew that she didn't need "violence" added to her record so she stepped back.

   "Be there," she said shortly. Then she turned around and left.

  That night, curiosity took over. Ginny stood up and snuck out of the doggy door. She was going to find out what was so important. She walked to the lake siftly and quietly. Finally, Ginny reached the lake.

  "Tell me, where is he?" growled Dusk, towering over Sandy.

  "I don't know!" Sandy whimpered. "I saw him and he said that he was trying to find you then that K-9 dog,Scout, came around the corner and he ran off. I swear!" Dusk slashed him with her paw. "No! Please! No more!"  Ginny's blood ran cold.

   "If you tell my sister about anything you told me..." Dusk growled.

  "I won't!" Sandy cried.

 "Don't tell her that she's my sister," snarled Dusk.

  "I won't!" sobbed Sandy. "I won't! I won't!" Ginny stared at Dusk. Her heart beat quicker and quicker in her chest until she thought that it would leapt out of her fur.

  "Or will you?" Dusk hissed. She leaned down to his ear and Ginny leaned closer so that she could hear. "I don't believe it.You will, won't you, Sandy? I won't let you." And she sunk her teeth into his neck.

  Sandy gasped but he couldn't stop his life from ebbing away. Slowly, Sandy slipped into death's waiting paws and then his eyes glazed over, sightless, lost. Other than the blood, he looked like he was asleep but Ginny knew better. Dusk was a killer.

  Ginny looked around. She had to run but where? Where could she run? Ginny couldn't return to town, Dusk would find her. She saw the forest and ran towards it. She had to escape!

  "Hey!" she heard Dusk howl. "Who are you? Come back here!" Ginny ran without stopping and she sensed that Dusk was chasing her. Ginny kicked up clouds of powery snow with her powerful hind legs. Finally, Ginny wheeled around to face the killer.

  "Ginny," breathed a shocked Dusk, her eyes widening. "You did not hear any of it!" she growled as if by saying it she could make it so.

  "Why's that so important?" Ginny demanded. "What's important is the fact that you just murdered in cold blood and I saw it!"

  "That's not that important," Dusk growled, swishing her tail absently.

   "You took away a dog's life!" Ginny snarled.

  "With your help, remember?" Dusk snapped wikedly.

  Ginny felt hot tears coming to her eyes but she fought to hold them back. She took sevrel steps back, shaking her head. "I didn't... I didn't. I didn't!"

  "You brought him to me," Dusk hissed, a wiked smile creeping across her face. "Don't deny it! You led him to his death!"

  Ginny's heart must have been pounding about 5 beats for every normal heart beat. She shook her black and gray head. "No, I didn't know..."

  "Does that matter?" hissed Dusk. "Of course not. Those foster parents of yours would probably ditch you for that..." Ginny closed her aqua-like eyes because she knew that Dusk was probably right. Her foster father was a k-9 dog after all. "But if you help me-"

  Ginny's eyes snapped open and her blue eyes danced with fury. "Help you? After this?! No! I'm not stupid!"

  Dusk clicked her tonque. "It's something that would help you. I want to find our father and his pack."

  Ginny stared at her, shocked. "You- you said our father."

  "I know," Dusk replied. "Why else do you think I saved you? Because I'm kind? No, I knew that I needed your help. My foster mother told me all about our mother's murder and our father's disappearance and all about my sister, you." Ginny wanted it to be fake, anything but real. "You see, I put two and two together. Our father killed our mother and tried to take us but Scout came so our father fled. Sandy used to be part of Dad's pack. Understand now?"

  "No..." Ginny stared at her paws. "It can't be..."

  "It is," Dusk growled. "I needed you to work for me so that I could keep you in veiw. Will you help me?"

  Ginny sudennly felt her strength pour into her like a waterfall flooding into a lake. "No."

  "What?" snarled Dusk.

 "No!" Ginny howled. "I won't help you cause more trouble! I'm going to help this town not destroy it!"

  "Who cares about the town?" Dusk asked.

  "Nome is my home!" Ginny roared. She turned around and ran into the forest.

  "Fine but you're now dead to me, weakling! Watch your back!" she heard Dusk yell after her but Ginny didn't look back.

  Twigs snapped as Ginny's face rammed into them but she didn't have time to go perfectly around the trees and their branches.

  "Who are you?" a voice asked.

  Ginny nearly stopped breathing out of shock. "Who are you?" she breathed back.

 The voice chuckled and a light brown she-wolf stepped out from behind a tree. She looked at Ginny with kind brown eyes, making Ginny feel safe but she didn't let her gaurd down.

  "I'm Olphin," the wolf barked, wagging her tail slightly. "Who are you?"

  "I'm Ginny," Ginny replied.

 "Ginny?" Olphin echoed. "Huh. Why don't I take you to my pack?"

  "I guess I'll go," Ginny replied. She heard something in the bush so she cast a glance over her shoulder, half expecting to see Dusk. "Yeah, I'll go."

  "Cool," responded Olphin. "Follow me." Olphin plunged into a large bush. Ginny looked at the bush, uncertainty flooding into her eyes. Olphin poked her head back out of the bush. "Well, aren't you coming?"

  Ginny stepped towards the bush and asked, "What do I do?"

 "Step in the bush," replied Olphin, disappearing from view once more. Ginny felt like she was talking to a lunatic but she did as she was told. The momment that most of her paws were in the bush, she realized that there was hardly any ground beneath the large bush. About half of the bush had ground beneath it while the other half hovered over air and she had put three of her paws on air!

  Ginny felt her body plummet down a tunnel. Bits of rock and soil came out of the thick walls so she had to close her eyes to keep dirt from getting in them. Finally, she felt real ground beneath her bottom. She opened her eyes and stood up.

  She was in a place that looked like an extremely large living room(about the space of 4 living rooms actually) but it had dirt on the bottum instead of carpet and it had caves instead of couches. Instead of TV there was a pile of prey.

 "Welcome to The Underground," Olphin said, grinning.

  As she looked around, she realized that about 30 wolves were staring at her. Ginny dug her claws into the earth, ready to fight.

 A gray male wolf trotted forward until he was a pawlength away from her. He turned to Olphin and said, "Who is this?"

 Olphin looked back and replied, "This is Ginny. She needs a place to stay." The gray wolf looked like something unpleasant had hit him. He just cleared his throat and turned to the pack.

  "Ginny can stay with us!" he howled.

  "It's that simple?" asked a dark brown male wolf.

  "It wasn't for any one else!" exclaimed a white male wolf. 

  "My decision is my decision!" roared the gray wolf. Ginny knew that he must be the leader.

  "That's Shade," Olphin hissed. "He's our leader." Ginny nodded happily. She was right! The wolves got back to work and a light brown male stepped towards Olphin and Ginny.

 "Hello, Olphin," he greeted. He looked at Ginny. "I'm Tiplin, Olphin's older brother."

  "Hi," Ginny replied. "I'm Ginny."

  "Do you know how to hunt?" Olphin asked.

  "No." Ginny looked at her paws. "No, I don't."

 "Well, I'll teach you," Olphin promised. "Tomorrow, all right?"

  "Deal," Ginny replied, grinning.

  "You must be Ginny." A white female wolf joined them and sat down.

 "Er.. yeah," Ginny replied.

 "I'm Snowflake," the white she-wolf barked. "Are you going to like life here?"

  "I..." Ginny looked around then she looked at Olphin and Tiplin. "Yes."

  That next morning, Tiplin prodded Ginny with his paw. "Ginny," he whispered. "Ginny!" She had fallen asleep in the middle of The Underground instead of in a cave. "Fire! Arrrooooww!" Ginny leapt to her paws and looked around. Then she saw Tiplin, who was laughing like crazy.

  "Tiplin!" she cried. She couldn't stop the laugh bubbling inside her from coming out.

  "Ginny!" Olphin ran to her side. "You ready for your first lesson?"

  "Lesson?" ginny sat up, tilting her black and gray head to one side.

  "Hunting lesson!" Olphin replied.

 "Awsome!" Ginny cried, standing up. "See ya Tiplin."

  "Bye Tiplin," Olphin said. Olphin led her friend to the tunnel entrance and said, "Folow me. Do not fall too far behind." Olphin leapt into the tunnel, sinking her claws into the hard dirt.

  Ginny followed Olphin's example and leapt into the tunnel. She let out a loud, "Oof!" as she made contact and before she could slip into camp, she dug her claws into the dirt and rock. She saw Olphin carefully take out one paw and place it ahead so Ginny mimicked her and placed a paw ahead of herself.

  Ginny kept her muzzle low, her tail dragging on the earth, as she crept up the tunnel. She saw Olphin make a leap and then Olphin was out of sight.

  Ginny narrowed her eyes as dirt from outside fell in the tunnel. She readied her self, gathered her strength, and leapt. She landed on soft grass with a thud.

  "You did it!" Olphin howled. "Great job! It took me days to learn how!" Ginny thought that Olphin was being over dramatic but it felt good to be praised.

  "There's a mouse!" Olphin hissed. "Watch me." She placed one paw in front of the other and stepped lightly. Then she pounced and landed on the mouse. It squeaked and she finished it off. Olphin turned to Ginny. "See? Look, there's a rat! Do the same thing, okay? Go."

  Ginny placed a paw on the grass, her pad barely touching the soft ground then she took antoher step then she leapt into the air. She landed with a thud, warning the mouse to run, which it did. 

  "Nuts!" Ginny growled. "I was so close!"

  "All right," Olphin muttered. "Don't feel bad. That was a test to see where I need to help you. You have the stalking down so I'm teach you how to spring silently." Olphin got down in a crouching position and motion with a quick swish of her tail for Ginny to do the same.

  Ginny lowered her body down so that she was crouching. Olphin put a paw infront of her, as did Ginny. They crept side by side then Olphin flicked her tail, a signal for Ginny to stop. Olphin stopped moving for a momment then she leapt high in the air, as graceful as a bird, then she landed on her front paws, almost silently.

  Olphin turned to Ginny. "I'll tell you how to do that step by step, okay?"

  "All right," Ginny agreed. Then she narrowed her eyes. "What's the catch?"

  "Catch?" Olphin laughed. "Great joke, Gin!"

  "I'm not joking," Ginny said.

  Olphin looked at her, tilting her head to one side. "We don't have "catches" here. We help each other to help each other! We're all united here, conected by the same thing." Before Ginny could ask, Olphin said, "Friendship."

  This place seemed so unreal, so peaceful, and happy. Ginny finally found her voice and said, "Really?"

  Olphin nodded. "Yeah. What sort of place do you come from, Gin?"

  Ginny scuffed the ground with her black front paw. "Nome. It's a good place but it's overrun with cruel dogs who want to get rid of any one who is diffrent, even if they're only slightly diffrent."

  "Dang," Olphin muttered. Olphin continued, "Okay, so when you pounce make sure that you put your weight on your hind paws. Then push off, using moslty your hind paws but don't make your front paws usless. Then when you're in the air, if you think that you're going to fall on your back or something, try to twist around so that you fall on your paws. Make sure that you land on your front paws then use your front paws to get your back paws to land softly instead of landing on all four paws at once."

  "Ok, like this?" Ginny crept forward slowly. She put most of her weight on her hind paws and sprang. Once she was in the air, Ginny leaned forward a little too much so she ended up crashing down, with her paws tucked underneath her stomach slightly. "Ouch..."

  "Are you okay?" Olphin asked.

 Ginny got to her paws. "Yeah! I want to try again."

  Olphin grinned at her friend. Ginny had more spirit than half of her pack put together. "All right. 1... 2... 3... go!" Ginny started to stalk again. Olphin leapt onto a tree stump and looked down at her friend. Olphin wagged her tail joyfully as Ginny leapt into the air perfectly. When Ginny came crashing to the ground on both her hind paws and her front paws, Olphin couldn't stop her laugh.

 "You're getting there, Gin," she said. "Want to try again?"

  "You bet your tail!" Ginny replied. She crouched down again and started to crawl. Olphin tilted her head to one side again, how could a simple town dog be this freespirited? Ginny leapt into the air perfectly and landed on her front paws, silently.

  "Great job, Gin!" Olphin leapt off of the tree stump and trotted to her friend.

  "I did it," Ginny breathed.

 Olphin laughed at her friends astonishment. "You wouldn't give up. Try to hunt now." Olphin sniffed. "I smell a mouse."

  Ginny imediatly dropped into a crouch. she carefully crept towards the small creature. Ginny put most of her weight on her back paws and leapt into the air. She landed silently and then finished off the mouse before it could run.

  "Great job!" Olphin howled. "You're getting the hang of it. Birds are a little bit harder..." The two laughed and hunted for quite a while. 

  A few hours later, Olphin perked her head up and sniffed the air. "Get the pack," hissed Olphin, "tell them that there's a moose herd ahead." Ginny knew instinctivly that she shouldn't ask so she turned around and ran to The Underground's entrance. She dived into the tunnel zoomed into The Undergrond.

  "There's a moose herd near by!" she howled. The reaction was shocking. Wolves started to talk, pacing while they spoke. To regain order, Shade leapt on top of a cave.

  "Attention!" he howled. The wolves looked at him and were silent, although they were still fidgeting. "The following woves will go to hunt the moose with me: Tundra, Timber, Hammerhead, Mountain, Great White, and Ginny."

  "Why her?" demanded a redish/brown wolf.

  "She knows where the herd is," snapped Shade. "Move out." Tiplin ran to Ginny.

  "Where is Olphin?" he demanded.

  "Outside," she replied.

 "What?" Tiplin gasped. "No! When you hunt moose, the moose could kick and kill you! We've lost pack members because of those things!"

  Ginny understood immediatly. "I'll stay with her," she promised. Tiplin nodded, horror struck. Ginny darted into the tunnel, the rest of the hunting party following. The moment Ginny had led the pack outside, she heard a howl. "Olphin!" She ran towards where Olphin had been a few minutes before. She saw her friend on the back of a moose, her claws digging into its back.

  "Olphin!" Ginny ran to her friend's aid. She had to be careful. The moose was leaping around, kicking and crying out. Ginny leapt to Olphin's side and saw the hunting party attacking it from the ground. "All right. When I say 'jump', jump, okay?"

  "O-okay," Olphn replied. Ginny could tell that Olphin was horrified but Olphin wasn't about to give up. 

 "1... 2... 3... jump!" Ginny and Olphin leapt from the moose's back just as it fell. They landed on their paws and looked at their catch.

  "H-how'd it f-feel to c-catch your first m-moose?" Olphin asked, still a little scared.

  "Awsome." Ginny grinned at her friend. "Though I could do without the scare." 

  Olphin laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was waiting but it charged me."

  "Why?" shade trotted to them. "Usually, moose stay away from us."

 "It was being chased," Olphin said.

 "Who was chasing it?" Ginny asked, alarmed.

  "I couldn't tell," Olphin relied. "I didn't recognize the smell, some towndog, I guess or a lone wolf. Whoever it was was gray...." She looked at Ginny. "To tell the truth, it smelled kind of like you... but yet it smelled kind of like you, Shade..."

  "That's not possible," Shade growled. He walked back to the kill. Ginny stared at her friend.

 "Was it a light gray dog?" she asked.

  "Well, yeah," Olphin replied. "Kind of purplish looking actually..."

  "No!" Ginny gasped. "No..."

  Later that afternoon, Olphin took Ginny to a small canyon. The gap imbetween their side and the other side was only about 2 and a half feet but the canyon was deep.

  "I'm going to teach you how to jump this," Olphin said. "Every wolf in our pack has to know how in case we have to retreat during battle. "You have to put all of your weight on your hind paws, as if your about to pounce on prey. We're going to practice on ground. Okay?"

  Olphin trotted to a large rock and said. "You need to jump from the edge of the canyon to this rock." Ginny nodded. She put her weight on her hind paws and leapt. She came about a foot short of the rock. She sighed. "All right," Olphin barked. "Are you ready to try again?" Ginny practiced sevrel times and, after about 6 tries, she made it.

  "Yes!" Olphin cried. "You did it! Now, we're going to jump across. I'm going to jump with you. Ready?" They positioned themselves on the edge of the canyon then they leapt.

  Ginny felt like a bird, as she was soaring over the canyon. However, when she landed with Olphin, she realized that she prefered keeping her paws on the ground but she made the leap again to get back on their side.

 That night, Ginny couldn't sleep. She trotted to Olphin and prodded her awake.

  "What?" Olphin yawned.

  "Come here," Ginny whispered. They padded beside the tunnel and Giny said, "Will you come outside with me?" Olphin nodded, looking concerned and they climbed up the tunnel. Once they were outside, Ginny sat down on the grass.

  "I need to talk to someone," Ginny said. Olphin tilted her head to one side and sat down. "Well, I have a sister..." Ginny took a deap breath and told the story of her life in Nome. Olphin was shocked when Ginny told her what she saw the other night. "And... I think that the dog herding the moose towards is Dusk."

  "Wouldn't be supprised," growled Olphin.

  "And you said that she smelled a little bit like me, that would be because we're sisters. And you said that she also smelled like Shade so I think that-" Ginny broke off.

  "Shade's your father!" Olphin exclaimed. Ginny nodded.

  "Must be," she replied. "But Dusk said that he killed my mother..."

  "Ask him about it," encouraged Olphin. "I'll wait outside so that I'll know if he attacks you."

  "I will," agreed Ginny.

  "So, you're half wolf, half Border Collie?" Olphin asked.

  "Yeah, I guess so," Ginny replied. "What about you?"

 "My mom is Forestpath, a light brown she-wolf and my dad is Mountain, a light brown male wolf, and he's also Shade's brother." Olphin grinned. "We're cousins."

  Ginny grinned back. "Awsome!" Both of htem knew that this would only strengthen their already strong friendship.

  "Shade?" It was later that night. Outside, the moon was high in the sky, shining brightly. A gray figure emerged from the back of the cave. Ginny stood her ground even though he looked mean, like he was about to bite her head off.

  "What?" he snarled. "What now?"

  "I..." Ginny took a deep breath then dove right to the point. "Are Dusk and I your daughters?"

  Shade closed his eyes then opened his eyes and whispered, "Yes."

  "Did you kill our mother?" demanded Ginny, staring into his eyes.

 "I..." Shade sat down adn looked at the ceiling of the cave. "I... did... with Mountain's help." Ginny felt like a train had hit her. She had expected it but nothing could have prepared her to find out that Olphin's father had helped tear Ginny's mother out of her life. "Mountain actually killed her..."

   "No." ginny whispered. It was too much. She stood up, swished her tail and trotted out of the den.

 As she left, Shade put his muzzle so low that his nose was touching the dusty ground. "I'm sorry Freckle," he murmured. A tear rolled down his face.

  Ginny had refused to tell Olphin what she found out until morning so the two had gone to the sleeping cave for the pack (other than the leader since he has his own cave) and fallen asleep.

  So when they woke up, Olphin was eager to find out what happened. She woke Ginny up and the two sat down in the cave (which was now empty because they were the last to wake up). Ginny told Olphin everything and, when she got to the part about Olphin's father, she said, "I'm sorry, Olphin."

  "It's not your fault." The shock on Olphin's face was clear. "It's really not. I'm glad you told me. He acts like he's better than other wolves sometimes but..." Her voice trailed off.

  A battle howl sounded down the tunnel to outside. Olphin and Ginny raced out of the cave and saw a group of wolves surrounding the tunnel. Ginny and Olphin pushed their way to the front of the group. They looked upwards and Ginny saw Dusk's face looming down at them.

  "Hey, sis, get your 'army' up here so that they can fight an army of my own!" Dusk called.

  Ginny sudennly knew why her sister herded the moose towards Olphn. Dusk had been following her when she first met Olphin. That's why she thought she heard someone in the bush! It had been Dusk! Dusk hadn't understood when Ginny had disappeared in the bush so she chased the moose towards Olphin then veered away from the moose and watched as the wolves went back in The Underground. It all made sense!

  "Everyone that's not in the condition to fight, stay here!" she howled. "Everyone else, prepare to fight in the battle of your lives!" Shade stared at Ginny. She truly was his daughter... The wolves who were staying hid in the caves and the others climbed up the tunnel. Ginny was out first but shock stopped her from launching herself at her sister. Her sister's army was larger than Ginny had expected. Dusk must have gathered not only town dogs but lone wolves too.

  "Ginny, we're all up," Olphin told her. "We're waiting for your say so. We can take this group easy."

  "Isn't Shade giving the say so?" Ginny asked.

  "He said he doesn't know Dusk like you do," Olphin replied. 

  "He's right there," Ginny growled. "That's why Dusk is mine. I owe her. A lot."

  "Ginny!" Dusk snarled. "Aren't you worried about mummy and daddy?"

  "Mom's dead!" Ginny growled.

 "Not that Mom," Dusk chuckled.

  Ginny's eyes widened. "What have yuo done to Scout and Patch?"

  "They're fine," Dusk said. "Well, you're going to have a shock." Ginny stared at her sister, hatred dancing like the sea in a storm in her eyes.

  At the same time, Dusk and Ginny howled, "Go!" and the wolves and dogs flew at each other. Ginny launched herself at Dusk but missed. Dusk then leapt onto Ginny's back, sinking her claws into her skin.

 Ginny wanted to cry out but she wouldn't let herself. If she did, Olphin would imediatly rush to her side. Ginny had to keep it in and keep fighting.

 She threw herself onto her back, rolling around slightly. Dusk howled in pain and fury. Dusk sank her teeth into the back of Ginny's neck. Ginny couldn't stop her howl of pain but it wasn't as smooth as howls usually were. Ginny knew that Dusk could kill her with this bite.

  Suddenly, she heard Dusk howl as her teeth came out of Ginny's neck. Ginny got up and saw Olphin standing over Dusk.

  Olphin grinned at her and said simply, "I couldn't let her kill you."

  "Thanks," Ginny panted. "Get back in the battle, I've got Dusk from here." Olphin nodded and joined the mass of fighting dogs and wolves. Dusk stood up, blood dripping from the small wound on her side that Olphin had given her.

  "Say hello to Mommy and Daddy," cackled Dusk. Ginny turned around and saw Patch fighting Shade and saw Scout fighting Mountain.

   "I told them that these wolves were holding you captive," Dusk told Ginny, smiling slyly.

  Ginny howled. "Mom, Dad!" Luckily, Scout and Patch recognized her voice. "I'm all right! Dusk lied! These wolves are my friends!"

  Scout reacted first. He stopped fighting Olphin looked at Ginny. He saw the truth in her eyes and he and Patch turned to some of the wolves on Dusk's side and began to fight them instead. Sudennly, Ginny realized that she had done what Dusk wanted her too. She had gotten distracted.

  Before she knew what had happened, Dusk launched herself at Ginny. Ginny bit Dusk by the neck but realized that she couldn't kill anyone. As much as Ginmy hated Dusk, she couldn't live with herself if she gave the death blow. Ginny knew what to do. But before she could act, she saw some of the town dogs kicking dirt into the tunel leading to The Underground.

 "No!" Ginny threw herself at the dogs and started to fight them. She knew that she couldn't take them all but she had to do something! Wolves were still in The Undergound. However, Ginny had fallen into a trap. The dogs all started attacking her and then Dusk bounded to them and laughed at Ginny. The dogs stopped hurting Ginny so that Dusk could finish her off.

  "You could have helped me," she said.

 "I couldn't have lived with myself," Ginny snapped.

  "Well, now you'll die!" Dusk went for Ginny's throat but Ginny rolled away from her.

  Dusk growled and turned to the wolves. "Keep destroying that tunnel," she ordered. Ginny's plan came back to her mind and she ran away from Dusk, who bounded after her. Ginny found the canyon that she had learned to jump. She put her weight on her hind paws and sprang. Dusk leapt right after her and came short. Ginny could hear Dusk's howls as she fell. 

   Only Ginny's front paws hit the ground on the other side so she sunk her claws into the ground. She took one front paw and set it ahead of herself.  Slowly, pawstep by pawstep, she crawled onto the ground. Ginny let out a sigh of relief.

  She looked down and realized that Dusk, the dog who had taken advantage of her so many times, was dead.  Ginny leapt back to the other side and landed completly that time. She ran back to the battle and howled, "Dusk is dead!"

  Every one stopped and stared at her. It was like no one could believe it. Finally, Scout ran to Ginny and nuzzled her, followed by Patch. Each of them had bloody fur.

  "I'm sorry," whispered Ginny.

  "Don't be," Scout murmured.

  "Ginny." Olphin padded to her. "All of those wolves and dogs were fighting only because Dusk talked them into it. And she told a few of the town dogs that you were our prisoner and we forced you to fight her. The battle is over."

  "We have to see who is dead," Ginny said. They split up to walk around the battlefield. Ginny heard Olphin's howl and raced to her friend's side. Olphin was staring at her paws, tears were rolling down her face. Ginny looked at the body right infront of Olphin and gasped. Tiplin was laying on his side, covered in blood. He was dead.

  "I'm so sorry, Olphin," she whispered. Ginny lost not only a cousin, but a friend as well.

  "He fought until the end," Olphin whimpered.

 "That he did," Ginny whispered. "That he did." Shade padded to Ginny and Olphin.

 He looked rather guiltily. "I'm sorry about what I did to your mother."

 "Yeah," Ginny said. "Me too."

  "I'm leaving the pack," Shade said. Ginny gaped at him. This proves it, she thought, that fight with Dusk rattled my brains.

  "You're leaving?" Ginny gaped.

  "You're in charge of picking someone to lead. You're too new to the pack to lead them, Ginny," continued Shade, ignoring her.

 "You got that right. I know who I want to lead," Ginny said. "Olphin."

  "What?" Olphin stared at her. "M-me?"

  "Yes," Ginny replied. "You've proved your loyalty over and over."

  "I don't know," Olphin whispered.

  "How about you try it for a day and if you don't like it, you'll help me decide," Ginny suggested.

  "All right." Olphin nodded.

 "I'm going to take these lone wolves back to where ever they came from. So long, Ginny, Olphin." He looked at Tiplin's body. "Good bye, Tiplin." Shade turned around and started to trott away but he stopped when he saw Scout. "You should be proud of Ginny," he said. Then he left with the other lone wolves. 

  "Well, Ginny." Scout and Patch walked to her. Scout said, "Do you want to stay?"

 "It's all right if you do," Patch responded. Ginny knew that she had planned to hide from Dusk then return to Nome but she had found The Underground. She had found her first real friend, Olphin.

   "I..." Ginny nuzzled her foster parents. "I'm staying. I'll come to visit often. I promise." She nuzzled her parents again.

  "We'll take these town dogs home," Scout said. "Bye, Ginny."

  "Bye, Ginny." Patch smiled at her. Then Patch and Scout gathered the town dogs and left.

  A gray and white male wolf ran to Ginny and Olphin. "They caved in The Underground."

  "Take us there, Great White," Olphin ordered. Great White nodded and lead them to the tunnel. "Start digging." The gathered wolves began to dig as fast as they could. More and more of the pack joined them until they were all digging to free the wolves hiding inside. They had dug about 4 feet when they began to hear howls.

  "We're almost there!" howled a large gray wolf. "Keep digging." They kept on digging but they had to take turns going down since they couldn't all fit in the tunnel.

  "I can see The Underground!" howled a redish/brown she-wolf. She raked her claws down the dirt infront of her and then they were in The Underground. Olphin howled up the tunnel to let the other wolves know that it was okay to come down. One by one, the wolves filed into The Underground.

  The next afternoon, Olphin trotted to Ginny.

  "I don't want to lead," she said. "I might one day but not right now."

  "All right," Ginny agreed. "What about Mountain?"

  "Mountain?" gasped Olphin. "Are you mental?"

  "Soemtimes, I think so," Ginny replied. "Look, your father only did what my father told him to."

  "So?" Olphin asked. "He still killed your mother!"

  "But he fought bravely today," Ginny said.

  "That's true," Olphin said. "All right." Olphin leapt onto a den and howled. The wolves gathered.

  "I'm not ready for leadership so Mountain will lead the pack!" Olphin howled. Mountain blinked then howled in acceptance. Olphin nodded at him and leapt off of the den.

  Ginny grinned at Olphin. "Guess what."

 "What?" Olphin asked.

  Ginny took off running towards the tunnel. "I'm gonna beat you to the river!"

  "Hey!" Olphin laughed. She ran after her friend. The pack's new life was only beginning and Olphin and Ginny were going to stay friends every step of the way.

 I hope you liked it! Please review!