Characters
Mist - Small silver she-wolf with sea green eyes
Shadow - Brown she-wolf with deep green eyes and a missing tail
Dawn - Tawny she-wolf with amber eyes
Dusk - Silver he-wolf with pale green eyes
Midnight - Black she-wolf with yellow eyes
Moon - Dark gray she-wolf with pale gray eyes
Fox - Red he-wolf with amber eyes
Scarlett - Red she-wolf with amber eyes
Mud - Dark brown he-wolf with seemingly colorless eyes
Stone - Dark gray he-wolf with amber eyes
Pebble - Pale gray she-wolf with yellow eyes
Puddle - White she-wolf with green eyes
Prologue
I crawled over my siblings as we all attempted to find a place to sleep. My parents were talking, though I couldn't hear them, for me and my siblings had been born only hours ago.
"Dusk, aren't they so adorable?"
"Yeah."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm just tired, that's all, Dawn."
As my parents continued to talk, I accidentally stepped on Shadow's paw. She yelped, stepping back and bumping into Moon, who toppled over Midnight.
Dawn raced over, her voice concerned. "Oh my pups!" She reached over and picked up Moon by the scruff, gently placing her back on her feet.
"They're all right, stop worrying so much!" Dusk snapped, irritated by Dawn's worrisome state.
Dawn's eyes lit up with indignation. "I'll worry as much as I want! And I have plenty of reason to, too!" She swept her tail around Moon and crouched down, turning her head to face the small pup. "Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?"
Dusk let out an exasperated sigh. "Dawn, they're going to get hurt badly eventually, you know that."
Dawn's eyes filled with tears. "I know... I just don't want them to get hurt unnecesarily..."
Dusk's normally emotionless eyes showed his pain. His own brother had died during Pack Initiation. Every pup had to go through it in order to join a pack. There were even requiremets for being a loner. Though the test to be a loner was much easier and less painful than the Pack Initiation, it was better to be part of a pack than be a loner in the long run.
"At least if they survive they'll be with us."
Dawn turned to Dusk, tears streaming from her eyes. "But what if they choose to be loners?"
"Then at least they'd be free," Dusk said, his gaze meeting hers.
Dawn stood up, carrying Moon over to me and the others. Though my parents were filled with grief, worry, and pain, I was quite happy, for while Dawn was asking Moon if she was hurt, I stole her sleeping place.
Chapter One: Nine Days 'Til
It had been nearly a year since the conversation between my mother and father. Me and my siblings have trained for the Pack Initiation, getting stronger, smarter and faster with each day. Midnight has proven herself exceedingly well at fighting, while Moon is good at sprinting. Me and Shadow, on the other hand... Well let's just say we have plenty of room for improvement. Though me and Shadow aren't good at the 'main skills,' we have our own talents. Shadow is an excellent climber and I, if I do say so myself, am great at howling.
"Mist! Focus!"
Oops! I think, toppling over the log that sits in the middle of our makeshift training area. Moon runs around me several times before leaping over the log. Mock me all you want, but someday you'll regret it! Just like most other wolves around my age, I dream of being a Pack Leader. Sadly I doubt that'll ever happen, concidering my current physical capabilities. Being a pack leader doesn't take a smart wolf, as you would probably expect, but a strong wolf with a brave spirit but no hesitation when killing. Being part of a pack means you're also part of a war.
"Mist! Are you okay?" Shadow rushes over, neatly jumping over the log. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Shadow's not only a good climber but a good jumper as well. I sigh inwardly. Me and my useless skills.
I stand up, shaking the dust and pebbles from my fur. "Yeah," I answer, trying not to sound too jealous.
"Are you sure? You took quite a fall."
"Yeah," I repeat. Shadow's always worrying about me. I guess that's a good thing, because I'm not sure I'd be able to make if all three of my sisters teased and bullied me. Shadow gets bullied, too, but less often. And by less often I mean that I get bullied and teased about ten times as often as she does. At least not everyone bullies me.
Dawn walks over to us, her gaze stern. "What was that?" Even though she acts like the only thing she cares about is us getting stronger, I know she really cares a lot for us deep down. But by the way she acts it seems like really deep down. The only one she shows her love for us to is Moon.
"I bet she's daydreaming about Mud," Moon teased, her eyes glinting mischeiviously.
"I was not," I argue, my voice indignant.
"Well then what were you thinking of?" Dusk's voice comes from behind me, catching me off guard.
I look up at Dusk, looking into his eyes. Doesn't he have any feelings? I turn back to Dawn, a sudden urge flowing through me. "I was thinking of being free."
Dawn's eyes widen in shock and Dusk stiffens. "Why would you ever want to be a loner?" she exclaims. "It's much better in a pack! And you can't even dream of turning back once you're a loner. If you're in a pack you've always got the option to-"
"I never said I wanted to be a loner I just said I was thinking it," I interrupt, clearly annoying Midnight, who had also come up.
"It's very rude to interrupt when another wolf is speaking, don't you think?" Midnight asks, glancing at Dusk. Yet another of my siblings who is a favorite of my parents...
Dusk nods in agreement, his voice clearly stating how proud he is of Midnight remembering her manners. "Yes, Mist, it is very disrespectful to interrupt-"
"Who cares?" I interrupt once again. "What's the point of all this? Can't we all just be free?"
Dawn lashes out with her paw, swatting me on the side of my head. "Mist, how could you say such a thing? You only have nine days until the Pack Initiation!"
Yeah, and I couldn't care less. I long to say the words out loud, but they'd probably only result in another lecture.
Moon speaks up, feeling the need to join the conversation. "How can you ever imagine of reaching a good rank in a pack if you reject it's beliefs?" Ah, so she's noticed I want to be a pack leader. Well that remark won't sway me.
"Exactly. How can I join a pack if I don't agree with their rules?" I point out, looking at Moon smugly.
Shadow comes up to me, whispering in my ear. "Mist, this really isn't the time..."
I can tell she wants to say more but Dawn is already dismissing us to go do things besides train, as she does every day.
"And you," she says, looking at me. "Stay out of trouble."
Chapter Two: Caught in the Act
I watch as Shadow walks along the trail at the edge of the clearing. It leads to a small copse where the younger Pack wolves hang out during their free time.
"You coming?" she asks.
I consider her offer before remembering the rest of my plan. It's time I find myself a few others who disagree with the rules... "Yeah."
I follow Shadow along the winding path, thinking about who I could possibly take with me. They're going to need to be brave, that's for sure. A group of loners defying the Packs... Simply impossible if you don't have a plan.
"Mist!"
I look up and see Mud walking towards us, a playful gleam in his eyes.
"So, how are you two doing in training?"
Shadow's eyes light up with pride. "I'm getting better each day!"
Are you now? "Well... I... Umm..."
Mud's eyes widen in astonishment. "You mean to tell me you haven't improved? Or are you too humble to brag about yourself a bit?"
I roll my eyes and walk past him towards Fox, who seems to always have something to complain about.
"So, what's your daily complaint gonna be this time?" I ask, my eyes gleaming mischeiviously.
Fox growls playfully but answers the question. "They're cutting the prey rations again! I can't believe it!"
"What? You have prey rations? You can't eat your own prey?" I ask disbelievingly.
"Oh the pack leaders have their reasons for rations but for cutting them? We barely had enough to eat before!" Fox says, clearly irritated.
"Hey, Fox," I whisper.
"What? Why are you whispering?"
I motion for him to follow me with my tail as I walk back towards Mud. "I have a plan," I announce.
Mud raises his brows. "A plan for what?"
"A plan for freedom." I actually hadn't really thought this through well. I had never considered the fact that they might not come with me when I leave. But I guess that's just a risk I'll have to take.
"Freedom..." Fox says the word with relish, as if that were the only thing he wanted. "We should get my sister. She'll want to hear this."
"I'll want to hear what?" asks a voice from behind us.
"I'll tell you all about it, Scarlett, but first we need to gather all the wolves we can get." I look around, hoping to find some more wolves that I actually knew. My gaze rests on Stone, Pebble and Puddle.
"What are you thinking?" Shadow walks up to me, her gaze worried.
I motion towards Stone and his siblings. "Let's ask them."
Scarlett growls in disagreement. "We can't bring blind wolves!"
"Why ever not?" I ask, slightly amazed by Scarlett's outburst. "They're good enough to have passed the Pack Initiation, why don't they deserve a chance at freedom?"
Scarlett sighs but says no more as we walk towards the mentioned wolves.
Stone looks up as we approach. "Need anything?"
"Actually, yes," I say, my eyes sparking with excitement. I motion towards the edge of the copse and Stone gets up, allowing Pebble to hold onto his tail. Puddle follows close behind, her near-sighted eyes round with worry.
"Don't worry," I assure her. "I just need to enlighten you three about my plan."
When we get to the copse I explain to everyone that I plan on leaving the packs. Though they all gasp astonishedly, none of them say I shouldn't leave.
"I'll come with you," Fox says, raising his head proudly. "My parents always said it would be better to be a loner, and now I believe them."
Scarlett rushes over to her brother. "What? You can't be serious!"
"You mean you aren't coming?" Fox asks, his voice showing how deeply betrayed he felt. "I thought you said we'd be inseperable."
"Yeah well that was before you committed treason against the packs," Scarlett growls. "I ought to turn you all in!"
"Scarlett, just give us the chance. We'll most likely get caught anyways. And you know what'll happen if we get caught," Stone says, trying to get Scarlett to agree. "If you don't give us this chance there may never be any more chances."
I stand up and look at Scarlett. "All we want is a chance at freedom. Come with us or go tell someone that we're leaving, I don't care, but we're going and nothing's going to stop us."
As I was speaking I hadn't noticed Dusk walk up from behind. And hear everything I just said.
"Oh, so you've got some vacation plans now do you?"
