Two new pups had joined the nursery. They were the daughters of Pond, the pretty blue wolf with emerald green eyes. (don't ask how she's blue; I don't know.) (Actually, long ago, one of Pond's ancestors ate a magic flower called the midabka filled with blue pigment. The wolf's pups had blue fur. The same goes for other strange colored wolves.)

The first pup, Jay, was slightly bigger and had deeper blue fur and jade green eyes. Cloud was smaller, but not too much smaller. Her pelt was lighter and slightly blotchy, with aqua eyes. The two girls opened their eyes quickly, and they started playing with me and the other pups within a few weeks.

"Jay, I'm open!" Fire called.

We had started playing a game with the rock. We had split into two teams of three, with me Dawn and Cloud on a team. Jay, Fire and Fall were on the opposite team. We had asked the other she wolves to move their nests to the sides for a bit so we could play a game.

We had started playing a game called kick-up. The object was to get the rock from your side of the den, to the opposite and back. The other team was offense while mine was defense.

"Cloud, block Fire!" I barked.

She scrambled to get in front of the larger red wolf. As the rock tumbled to her, she was able to block it with her paw outward, but it skidded back to Jay. She dribbled it across the den floor, headed to the opposite side.

I leaped after her desperately, then swerved my body in front of her. Dawn blocked her right side, but fire was unblocked on her left. She kicked it to him, then he started dribbling it to the opposite side.

"Dawn, block her! Cloud, get fall!"

They both guarded their opponents as I shot after Fire. He had just touched the opposite wall, and was heading toward the other when I blocked him. He sent it flying over head to Fall, and it landed by him. He swiftly kicked it to the den's end, and the game was over.

"Yes!" Fall barked.

"We won!" Fire cheered. He jumped towards me, his face a paw length from mine. "In your face, losers!"

I could hear Cloud whining softly. She was so little, it wasn't fair to her.

Dawn stomped up close to him. "Why do you have to be such a hot head? You won! So what?" She growled. "You're always acting like this. It's okay for you to win, but it's not okay to get in our faces like this!"

"Dawn! Fire!" Mist barked. She walked over to the two of them and split them up. "What happened to good sportsmanship?!" The two pups looked shamefully at the ground. "What if you did that on the battlefield, where it really mattered?"

They didn't reply.

********

Later that day, as the sun was setting, we watched Cloud and Fall pass a rock lazily to each other. The air was warm, and I had a headache. Most of the mothers had fallen asleep, or went outside to get dinner.

Fall didn't hit the rock back when Cloud hit it to him. He sat there for a second, then stood up.

"Hey guys!" He said excitedly.

"What?" Dawn said lazily.

"We should go exploring! Outside of the den!"

"Oh no you don't," Mist said. "the sun is almost down. You can't exploring at this time of day. Besides, it's almost your bedtime."

"But mom!" Fire moaned.

"Don't but me." She said. "I don't wanna hear anymore if your lip."

"But we won't go far, just out in the clearing." Dawn said.

Mist sighed. "Fine. If Pond and Citrus allow their kids to go, you can take them. But no playing around, and come in soon. Don't stay out any longer than dusk."

"Yay!"

Fall, Cloud and Jay asked their mothers if they could go, and they reluctantly agreed. We bursted through the den's entrance and into the clearing. Oh, it felt good out there!

The cool dusk air ruffled itself deep in my fur, combing out the laziness and heat of the day. The sun had wagged it's last shades of pink, and all the light left was a refreshing blue shade. The packed Earth felt good under paw, and the trees ruffled in the breeze. Mother birds chirped occasionally in the trees.

A few wolves were out in the clearing, but they were distracted with other wolves or food.

"What should we do?" Fall asked.

"We could play a game, like pass." Cloud suggested.

"Or-" Jay said, but she was interrupted.

"we could go out of the camp!" Fire barked.

"What?!" Cloud squeaked in alarm.

"We can't!" Dawn said, raising her tawny pink tail.

"We're not old enough yet." I said cooly. "We'll be able to explore the territory in a few quarter moons."

"Come on!" He moaned. "Stop being such a dog, and let's go explore! We could sneak out from behind the Elder's den!"

I growled, drawing my lips over my teeth. I wanted to explore as much as he did, but he was suggesting something terribly dangerous. Who knows what could happen to us out there?

"Well, we won't be Deltas for a moon." Fall said quietly, perhaps scared the others would object.

"Yeah!" Jay said. "It will be forever before me and Cloud can see the territory."

"We won't go far. We'll be back before our moms notice." Fall said.

"If you three want to just sit here like pansies, that's fine with me. We're going to explore." Fire barked cheekily, turning around.

They started to walk behind the Elder's den, which was to the left of the Alpha and Beta's den. The space between the den and the cliff was almost two wolf lengths long, so it was fine. Fire's red tail vanished behind the den and into the forest.

I made a quick decision. I didn't want to go, or get in trouble, but I didn't want them getting hurt.

"Wait up!" I called out, following them. I heard Dawn and Cloud following.

The forest seemed fiendish. The ground had patches of crystal-like snow in places of shade. Old, brown tree leaves littered the spaces by trees. Jay, Fire and Fall were farther up the path. I ran to get by their side and padded by Fire.

"Changed your mind?" He asked.

I growled. "I'd rather be a wolf than a pansy."

We followed the trail, staying away from darker patches of forest. The tall aspen trees cast long, dark shadows all around.

We emerged on the main trail, trodden down by wolf paws. After walking down it for a couple tree lengths, we saw a small path branching from it. The foliage around it looked ominous in the light.

Some birds flew from the tree, making Cloud jump. A leaf flitted down in front of Fire.

"We should explore that way. It's perfect for us, because we're smaller."

"Um, no." Cloud said.

"What?" Jay said, poking her litter sister. "Are you scared?"

"No! It's just... I don't feel like going that way." She sat down and curled her fluffy blue and white tail over her paws, her kelly green eyes flashing nervously.

"Suit yourself. You can guard the path, make sure no squirrels get through." Fire said sarcastically.

"Ha ha." She growled.

Fire led the way down the spooky trail. Mud sometimes crept up our paws, and clogged our trail. The canopy of trees was so thick overhead, darkness filled the area except for a few strange shapes of light.

The path opened up a little. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination, but fog clouded our path and the sides of the trail.

I felt all confidence scamper from my heart like a mouse when a rustling sound came from a bush. Our gaze whipped to the source, but there was nothing there.

"Weird..." Fire said. His once confident voice was crumbling.

An erie sense filled the atmosphere. My double eyes kept flitting to the sides, where enemies could be lurking.

I was ready to admit that we should turn back when a force hit me in the side, right off the path and onto the foliage.

My heart screamed to get out, to run away, to get rid of what was trapping me! My paws flailed wildly, batting everywhere as each breath fought another to get out.

The force pinned my legs down firmly on the muddy ground so hard that it hurt. I tried kicking it stomach instinctively like a cat, but it pushed them down.

I stole a glance at the creature. A vixen with matted, orange fur and deranged yellow eyes had pinned me down. She was frothing at the mouth, pink slaver mixed with blood smeared across he face and chest. Her fur was knotted with leaves and burs, and some of her pelt had fallen out. One of her ears had recently been ripped off. A nauseating scent of death flooded her.

A drop of froth dropped on my cheek, and she grinned. "I smell life... Agh ha!" She cackled. "So good..."

I could do nothing but stare and breath. My body was paralyzed with fear.

I heard Fire bark from behind the fox, and she turned her head. "Get away from him!" He tried to say bravely.

She licked her chops hungrily. "Life..." She muttered. "So hungry for life..."

"Get away from him!" Dawn barked next to her brother. "You can't eat him!"

She tried to grab me by my scruff, but I moved my head reluctantly.

"Life can not just be eaten. It must slowly become accustomed to death before it can be eaten. No... enjoyed, not eaten. Strip by strip, bone by bone, fiber by fiber."

I kick up as hard as I can, and my puppy claws penetrated the skin on her stomach. Her grip loosened on me, so I slid out of her grip and ran back towards camp. Fast as I can, fast as I can, fast as I can! A terrible feeling from my gut forced my legs to move faster, and for my breaths to come quicker. I felt the trees and foliage grabbing at me with their scant claws, pulling me back to the maniacal fox.

I hit something hard in the head, and I fell over with a grunt. Probably a tree trunk; I was moving so fast, I forgot to take care in the fog. A dull, pounding ache rung like a gong in my head. My head was spinning like a dog chasing it's tail, and black shrouded the sides of my view. I heard a bark, and paw steps towards me, but the ring in my head muted them.

Something wet and foamy grabbed my scruff and hefted me up. The blood in my head ran to my feet, making me sick. A repetitious reel was made by the fox as she carried me deeper into the woods. As I gained consciousness, I could make out some words to her humming. Her lips moving to make words tickled my neck.

"Four pups to be born
Three sisters to please
Two eyes, different colors,
And a master to appease."

"The alphas to rule
Through battle and spar
When one shall own power,
the other shall go far
Through trickery and despise,
With a mate in his eyes
A king, he will become,
Of many, but one."

The foam dripped from her jowls, down my chest, and dripped off my toes. A pungent scent of sickness and death filled my nose, nauseating me. I was used to a warm, comforting scent if other wolves, not this!

Her jerky bumps made my scruff feel sore, and my back end kept hitting stuff like logs and debris. I tried to wriggle out of her grasp, but she would bite down harder. Not enough to break skin, but enough to hurt.

She ran on for what felt like hours, never tiring, but stumbling often. Then, she spasmodically threw me into the side of a tree, running off her stride.

Pain blared in my side, and I started howling. I seeped my anger, pain, frustration, confusion and terror into my howl. My voice rose louder than a tiny yip, louder than what I had ever howled before; So loud, I was near to screaming.

A slender paw slammed my head forcefully against the tree, and a deep ringing sounded in it. I tried screaming but couldn't. Hot, sickly blood trickled down my forehead.

"Shut up!" A female barked into my ear. She wasn't the same animal as the fox, and she sounded very wolf-like.

I cowered, tucking my tail between my legs. I didn't dare open my eyes to see the fiend. I didn't try howling again either, for fear of the same fate.

"How did you get him so early?" Another female with a higher pitched voice asked.

The vixen laughed. "Curious pup, wandering before sleep. Catching him was easy! His little friends ran back to their mommies!"

"What?!" The deeper voiced wolf asked.

I peeked open my brown eye to see what was going on. Specks of bright light dappled my vision, but I could see a large, dark brown female wolf with a purple feather in her mane. She had a white under belly and black stripes. The larger wolf stood over the fox, with her tail up.

Also by the fox was a gray female and a lighter brown one, both with purple feathers like the other wolf.

"Silly pups..." The fox murmured.

"They are telling the adults of their pack that you stole their pup!" The gray one barked.

A rush of hope flared through me. My pack would save me! I would be okay!

Unless they hurt me before my pack could get there.

Without another word, they all attacked the fox with their fangs. The fox screamed, but laughed as well. Barks and yips sounded from the horror scene.

They moved away from the terribly wounded animal. Patches of fur had been torn up, and limbs had been mauled; but she was still breathing, faintly. A smile lurked on her cut lips as she panted quietly.

"You are as dumb as a wounded rabbit!" The lighter brown one called out.

"Your death will not be swift. We'll take the pup, and we'll leave you. The master will not accept you in his domain."

As the dark brown she wolf grabbed my scruff, the fox started stuttering. "Wait... wait! Don't leave me! Don't let me die, take me with you! I can explain! Please! I can't be a lone ghost! I can't be cast out anymore!"

"Quiet, you!" The gray one barked. She hit the fox's bloody head, but she didn't stop.

I quivered as the wolf picked me up.

"Quickly, before the pack comes!" The gray one barked.

The wolves started to run off into the forest, leaving the vixen behind to die. I could hear her terrible wails of pain and anguish grow fainter. The wolf who was carrying me was lean and strong; she ran with great ease and speed, never faulting.

A terrible sense of doom spread through my chest and stomach. These wolves were taking me to their master, and away from my pack. If I got to their master, he or she wouldn't treat me any better than these wolves.

I wrenched myself from the wolf's tight grip by swinging my body sideways, landing on my back end, then flipped around and began to sprint. I didn't look behind me, and I didn't breath. I ran as fast as I could, away from them. I didn't take the time to figure out which way the camp was in, but I knew I needed to get away.

In a heartbeat, the wolf caught up to me. She grabbed me by my neck, biting deep. I choked, trying to get out, as she lifted me up and slid to a stop. I heard barking from the other wolves.

"No! Drop him! He can not die!"

She promptly let me go, then I ran off.

I wouldn't be able to run any farther. I was wheezing heavily, trying to get air to my lungs. I ran slowly till the wolves were out of sight, then I hid under a cave-like formation. The bigger wolves wouldn't be able to get to me.

Each breath was getting harder, more painful. The bite she had given me cut deep; perhaps down to the muscle. I was loosing a lot of blood. The sight of it pooling over my paws made me gag; the stickiness on it on my fur.

I rolled on my side. Breathing was exhausting, and would soon become impossible. I would be dead long before the pack would find me.

I wanted to howl, but couldn't. The only sound I could manage was my heavy breathing and wheezing.

If I died- no, when I died, would the spirit world accept me? I tried my hardest to be a good pup, but I had done plenty of wrong things. I sometimes called my siblings names, or declined to play with the younger pups, or played too roughly with them. Agreeing to go exploring with my siblings and the others hadn't been a good idea, either.

I could faintly see the gleam of stars from under the rock and through the trees. Was the spirit world up there, watching me?

Were the spirits up there talking about me? About what I had done? Would they accept me, or... what?

I laid my head back and closed my eyes. My body wanted to stop working, and my spirit was tugging from it's confinement. A final breath was taken. A last heartbeat was struck. My Earthly life was over.

For now.