Nearly two weeks passed from the time I first opened my eyes, and I was five weeks old. Sol was able to visit only a few times, but I could tell he wished he could visit more. Fire was ignorant to the fact, and often complained about it. "Dad doesn't want to see us! He hardly visits!"

"You know your father is busy with the duties of being pack commander. He is out there, protecting and feeding you and the pack. He would love to visit, but he barely has enough time to sleep!" Mist scolded.

"If he's too busy for his own pups, then he needs to make time for us."

Me, Dawn and Fire were getting restless. We were running around the den and play fighting, trying to avoid boredom. But everyday we pestered mom to let us outside to explore.

"Please mom? We're nearly a moon old!" We would complain. "It's way too stuffy in here!"

"No. Outside is for adult wolves." Mist would say. "You're only supposed to make me and the other moms miserable."

But one day, while we were begging her, she changed her mind.

"Pleeeeease mom?" Dawn said as she did her puppy eyes.

Mist let out a long sigh, and rubbed her forehead. "Fine. But don't go too far, and leave the other wolves alone."

"Really?!" I squeaked.

Mom sighed again. "Just go before I get mad."

"Yay!!" We all said, jumping around.

We ran out the entrance of the den. As soon as I came outside, bright light filled my vision. Then I could see the camp.

A huge meadow with trodden down grass covered the top half of a small cliff. Beautiful aspen trees surrounded the meadow, with green leaves dancing in the sunlight. To my left, was a miniature mountain (But it was still huge). A cave sat in the top of it, and a larger cave was hollowed out at the base. You could climb to the top half easily.

Farther to my left was a mound of dirt hollowed out to make a den. Three old wolves dozed lazily in the spring afternoon. Ahead of me about two tree lengths away was a trail leading off into the forest, or entrance to camp. Next to that on the right was a mini cliff with a small cave in it. Wolves a few months older than me talked and ate in it. Out of the same mini cliff was a larger den with adult wolves sleeping or talking in it. To the right of the nursery was a large tree sitting on the cliff, hollowed out. An old she wolf was squeezing something into a sick wolf's jaws. In the center of camp was a pile of fresh kill guarded by a proud aspen tree. About fifteen wolves were eating prey or talking around the camp.

"Whoa," Dawn muttered.

"You can say that again." Fire said.

"Whoa," Dawn said again.

"You can say that again!" Fire said again.

You can guess how their conversation continued.

I bounded away, off into the clearing. I heard the quiet whispers of wolves around me.

"He has double eyes!"

"Does Brisngr know?"

"He should have been killed by now!"

"He's the commanders son, isn't he?"

I didn't really understand, but I could tell it wasn't good.

I started to walk around, and look at all the dens. While I was staring at the big den, I ran into something.

"Hey!" I said as I looked at what I ran into. Not really a what but more of a she.

A she wolf a few moons older than me with creamy yellow fur, sunset orange flecks, and sky blue eyes stood before me. Her face was slender but sophisticated.

"Watch were you're going, dog!" She barked.

I backed up, instantly sorry for running into her. "I'm sorry I ran into you, I was distracted."

Her face softened a little. "Oh, it's alright. There's no way I could stay mad at a pup." She said.

"Hey! I'm not a pup! I'm only a few moons younger than you!" I said.

"A few moons could be a huge difference. I'm a delta, and you're just a pup. What's your name, kid?" She asked. "I'm Star."

"I'm Leopard. But you can call me... king of the rock!"

She laughed. Then her face hardened, as if she saw a ghost. "Your eyes... are they..."

"Double?" I finished. "Yeah. But what's the big deal? I have two eyes, two colors."

She scoffed. "What's the big deal? The big deal is that double eyes pups are supposed to be banished! Killed on sight! You have obviously opened your eyes by now!"

Shock hit me a little. I had heard it from my parents enough, but I thought they were just being dramatic. If Star, a mere delta, acted this way to double eyes, it couldn't be good.

"Well, yeah, but how am I not... dead?" I asked, a little confused. "And why would they kill an innocent pup because of their eye colors?"

"You're Sol's son, right?" I nodded. "Well, a nasty virus passes through the mountains during the fall. It kills nearly half of the new pups born earlier in the spring. As the commanders son, you or one of your siblings has a great duty to fulfill in being the commander. Since you or your siblings may die in the fall, I'm guessing leaving you be would be best. Three pups are less likely to die than two."

The thought made my stomach twist. I sat down and stared into space, trying to comprehend it all. I wasn't supposed to be alive? Even if I ended up not banished or killed, I had a 50% 50% chance of dying in the fall, along with my siblings.

"And as for why they kill double eyed pups, I think it's terrible. Pups shouldn't be accused for anything, not even eye color or their parents. But long ago, during a long war of the packs, some double eyes wolves were born. Wherever they went, tragedy followed. They were extremely powerful, and could do things beyond the average wolf's limit. They had kids, and the pups had double eyes. The cycle continued till some alpha said to kill all of the double eyed wolves. I'll spare you the details and just say that they were all killed to extinction. The last double eyed wolf to be killed was nearly twenty years ago."

It started to make sense. When mom and dad were talking, they said that a double eyed wolf had lived during a drought. They also sounded worried, as if something terrible would happen. But was keeping me alive to fill my dad's paw steps really worth the risk? Would I end up like all the other double eyed wolves?

I had nothing to say. I just slumped and hung my head, worrying. Was it a mistake for me to live? Or was it the right thing?

"Leopard!" I thought I heard mom call. I perked my ears slightly, and got back up on all paws.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you. Sometimes knowledge is best left hidden." Star said apologetically.

"Don't be sorry. Things have been getting weirder and weirder, and my parents don't bother to explain anything. See you around?" I said as I turned around.

"See ya." she said half heartedly as I walked solemnly to the nursery.