~Run With The Pack~ Wolf Story

[wildriverswolf90]

very good

 

[OwlLover]

Thanks!

 

[OwlLover]

Chapter 7

After finishing a pheasant, Cedar plucked out its feathers, using them to line her new nest. This is way better than those mucky holes in Darkpack, she thought. She'd been in Stonepack for about two months now. Though she'd remained firm on her act and feelings on the other wolves, she had to admit, she liked the territory and densite. It'll be all ours soon, she thought, suppressing a smirk. Everything was going as planned; every night she met up with River and Atra in the loner land, and she rolled in the mud to cover up the scents of Darkpack. They hadn't been discovered yet, and Cedar was going to keep it that way.

Her ears swiveled around as she heard a loud pop somewhere in the distance. Was that... thunder? She looked up at the sky, but there's not that many clouds... She heard several more ring out, and she jumped to her feet. Curiousity tugged at her pelt, and she started to make a run for the entrance.

"Don't!"

Cedar stopped herself when she heard Quartz's bark. "What?" she asked.

"Those are hunters," Quartz said.

Cedar became rigid, and the fur along her spine began to stand up. "They won't come here, will they?" She noticed that the pack was gathering around the alpha's rock, where Hades and Senkah were perching.

"Probably not," Senkah murmured. Cedar didn't like how she added emphasis on 'probably.'

"Aki's going to check it out," Hades added, coming to his mate's side.

Cedar suddenly felt a prick of alarm. She wasn't supposed to feel emotion for the Stonepack wolves... but she was too concerned to care. Zero, however, spoke up before she could. "But he could get shot out there! The last time those hunters were around, someone DIED!"

"I know! But there's a risk of someone getting shot every time they come," Senkah barked. "If someone doesn't survey how close they are, and the direction they're going in, we'll be in much bigger danger if they come this way!"

The pack was in an uproar. Cedar had to admit, she was anxious, too. But... not just for her own safety. I hope Aki will be okay, she thought, before she smacked herself mentally.

"Everyone, just calm down!" Hades howled, silencing the pack. The uproar died down. "We're going to be fine as long as you stay in your dens and do not panic. Panicking lets them know where you are. If you do as I say, they'll pass this place by, if they even come this way. They may very well just stay over in Emeraldpack, or go to Pinepack. Come on, every wolf goes through this!"

"But what about BeechTreeCreek, or the other packs?" Faedon yelped. Cedar couldn't help noticing how concerned she was about BeechTreeCreek. "They have pups!"

"What happens, happens. It's not on our land, and therefore not our problem, and I won't risk Stonepack lives doing so." Senkah's voice was firm and gave no room for arguments from her daughter.

Just then, Aki came skidding into camp. Gravel and tiny stones were flung away, and dust puffed up from the ground. "They're in Emeraldpack's land," he panted. "They're going into the direction of Pinepack. It doesn't look like they're coming this way."

"That's good," Senkah said. "Now-"

"But," Aki added, "there's a loner in our land. She's been chased here by the hunters, and she's badly wounded. We can't just leave her out there!"

"Aki, calm down!" Senkah barked. "We'll do something." She gave Faedon and Hades an odd look. Faedon bit her lip, and curiousity tugged at Cedar's pelt. "Cedar, Faedon. I want you both to go back with Aki and help him." Senkah gave her daughter another odd look; Faedon seemed to understand what it meant, but Cedar didn't know. She pondered on it as she pelted through the forest with Aki and Faedon.

What was Senkah telling her? Cedar wondered, Is it some sort of Stonepack code? Or... Cedar swallowed a bit, are they onto me?

Cedar was snapped out of her thoughts as she heard a howl. She saw Aki run alongside the hunter in the cover of the forest, and he saw one of the hunters trip. Aki burst from the shrubs and tackled the hunter down a slope, silencing him before he could scream. He dodged back into the undergrowth and ran ahead once more. Cedar ran after him, but skidded to a halt in fear when she heard a defeaning shot.
Aki slipped ahead of the hunter, then turned and leapt in front of him. He growled, bristling down to his tail, looking twice as large. His long fangs gleamed as he lifted his lips, and his ears pinned to his head as a blood lusting snarling ripped up from his throat.

The human jumped, startled by the sudden site of the crazed wolf.

Aki snapped, blood red anger clouding his mind. He went in low and ripped the man's leg open. Then, he grabbed the tossed gun and disappeared into the shadows. He watched the man struggle to his feet, limping. Aki growled. "Let's see how you like being hunted," he growled with hatred, looking at the blood trail the man left.

Cedar pelted up behind him, "Aki!" she yelped, "what did you just do?!"

Aki turned to her, "it's called justice!" he barked. "The hunter will wander right into another wolf, who will hunt him and he will know the fear that we go through."

"But what if humans have packs too?! His packmates will come back for revenge on us!" Cedar protested.

"Cedar, just shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" Faedon barked.

Aki gave Faedon a look that said, I'll handle this. He then snapped his jaws at the air around Cedar's ears, purposely missing. He was tired of disrespect. "I am your beta. You DO NOT disrespect me."

Cedar crept backwards. She muttered something including people and Stonepack then spun around, "Let's see what Senkah and Hades have to say about that."

Aki watched Cedar's form fade away, immediately feeling horrible about his actions towards her. He sighed, and followed her trail back to camp, with Faedon following him.

Cedar got a terrible feeling in her gut once she got back. I've just snapped at the second most powerful wolf in the pack and now I just threatened to sell him out. Maybe I should just quit the mission.

Aki stepped into camp. He saw Cedar and slowly walked up to her, "Cedar," he whispered. "I'm sorry." He licked her muzzle to show he was sorry. "I was mad at the humans, and it brought back bad memories." He whined a bit as he remembered.

Cedar hung her said, then asked, quietly, "What do you mean?"

He looked into her eyes, then glanced away. He hesitated, "My mate was killed by hunters," he whined, thinking back to that horrible day. "But they were cruel about..." He stopped; he couldn't think about it anymore.

"Oh..." Cedar murmured, starting to feel guilty.

He dropped his head. "Anyway," he said awkwardly, "I'm sorry."

Cedar gently brushed her muzzle into his shoulder. "I shouldn't have snapped at you." She felt something deep within her chest.

"Don't apologize," he said. "I was being reckless, and mean. And I never should have tried to bite you." He licked her muzzle again, "Did I hurt you?"

Cedar shook her head, "I'm still going to tell the alphas about the hunters. But not about you."

He backed away. "Thanks." He turned to leave.

Cedar retreated back into her den. As she was walking, snow began to fall from the sky, melting into her red fur. She sat in her den, feeling a bit lonely. Will I ever have a mate one day? she thought. Aki could... She stopped herself before she finished the sentence. No. He's Stonepack. And I don't even like Aki that way. I don't like him at all.

***

Cedar was awakened by the sound of howling. Her ears flicked a bit, and she realized it was within Stonepack's territory. Could it be... it's a bit early for the attack, isn't it? It's only been a couple months... And wouldn't Atra tell me about it? She stood up, nudging a small, thin stray layer of snow that had accumulated just on the entrance to her den. The temperature noticably dropped when she got outside; she realized that it must have been really cold, if she noticed it through her thick pelt. She looked up; the sky was white with thick clouds that promised more snow soon, and the spruces and pines bristled through the white blankets of snow that covered them. She took in a sniff of the crisp, cool air, then stepped out.

Around the densite, wolves were wandering about. Some were helping to clean the snow out of the densite, and others were dragging in an elk. Faedon was dragging a deer pelt to her den.

The howl sounded through the air again. Cedar felt urgency gnaw at her pelt; she needed to check to see if it was Darkpack. She shook a bit of snow out of her pelt, then sprinted to the entrance. Racing through the forest, she listened for the source of the howl. She followed it, coming upon a silver she-wolf, rolling around on the ground. Are the hunters back?! Cedar thought worriedly. The she-wolf snarled at her, then ran away. She tripped as she ran, trying to gnaw on something on her neck.

Cedar followed her, concerned that the hunters were up to something. "Are you okay?!" she barked.

"Do I look okay?!" she snapped back, rubbing her neck on a tree as she desperately tried to get an object wrapped around her neck off. "The hunters put this on me! And it won't come off!" She tried to run away again, but flopped to the ground. Her breathing was shallow, and she had several wounds, some obviously from hunters, and others from a fight, that were gushing blood. Her eyes cracked open and she feebly murmured to Cedar, "Get help. Please." before blacking out.

Cedar wondered who the she-wolf was, and what was happening. I'd better go get Stonepack, she thought. She turned and pelted back to the densite.

Rain was wandering just outside of Stonepack's camp, and saw Cedar running towards her. She bristled, "who are you?!" she demanded.

"Cedar, I'm part of Stonepack," she said, blinking at Rain in confusion. "I think the humans are back!"

"Oh Cedar, it's you! I'm so sorry, I've been on edge ever since humans arrived." She cocked her head at the strange smell coming from Cedar. "Who was with you?" she inquired.

"I ran into some lone wolf who looked like she was in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Rain tipped her ears towards Cedar.

"She had something around her neck that smelled like humans!" Cedar exclaimed.

"Is it dangerous?"

"I don't know! She ran away before I could ask if it was choking her or something. When I found her, she blacked out."

"Well, let's go find her. Sounds like she needs help." Rain started to run into the woods, but stopped. "Oh, forgot to ask, is she part of a pack?"

"I don't think so," Cedar replied as they ran.

"Where is she?"

After Rain said that, both wolves heard whimpering. Rain cocked her head and ran towards the sound. The silver she-wolf lay on the ground, bleeding and scratching at her neck, where a thick leather collar was wrapped around it. Rain jumped into action. "Hi, my name is Rain." she said calmly. "I'm here to help you." The she-wolf flinched as Rain gnawed on the collar. It popped off, and she said, "You've lost a lot of blood. I need to take you back to my pack; they'll help you." The she-wolf just nodded feebly, too weak to fight.

Cedar nodded, "The dens are this way."

Rain grabbed the she-wolf's scruff in her mouth and only dragged her a few feet before the she-wolf passed out again. "Cedar. I need you to grab her scruff, right between her shoulders, and pull. We need to get her to camp. And fast." Rain then tilted her head back and howled to get the attention of any wolves in Stonepack. "HELP!" she howled.

Cedar yanked on the she-wolf's scruff, mumbling through the fur, "Got it."

"Hurry."

Cedar started to struggle toward the dens with her teeth firmly on the she-wolf's scruff. Rain grunted under the dead weight of the she-wolf who now struggled for breath. They dragged the she-wolf into camp; her strange scent brought wolves out of their dens bristling with confusion. Rain yanked her head up to try and keep the she-wolf's shoulders off the ground. She then dropped her carefully on a pile of grass. "Hades?! Senkah?!" she called.

Cedar went to check for the alphas in their den, while Rain tried to stop the she-wolf's bleeding. She grabbed spider webs and carefully placed them over the she-wolf's wound, and afterwards prepared a small, temporary nest.

"Senkah?! Hades?!" Cedar barked uncertainly.

Senkah and Hades came out of their den, bristling. "What is going on?!" Senkah barked. The activity was already starting to attract a crowd.

"She's a loner, and she was hurt by the hunters. She's lost a lot of blood," Rain explained.

Senkah's eyes softened a bit. "Alright, then. We can take care of her." She narrowed her eyes at the crowd around her, "go on! Nothing to see here!"

Cedar left the she-wolf since she was sleeping and Rain was taking care of her. She trotted out of the dens to hunt; she caught the scent of a deer, and loped towards it, drooling. She hadn't eaten all day.

 

[awesome308]

Awesome!

 

[OwlLover]

Chapter 8

Three or four months had passed since the loner had arrived. She was called Mari, and would be staying in Stonepack until her hind leg, which had been shot by the hunters and badly wounded, healed.

Senkah crouched down, watching as Quartz, Cedar, Rain, and Hades fanned out. Senkah's mouth watered as she watched a caribou herd.

"There!" she heard Quartz bark, her voice barely a whisper. "I think I see a sick one! It's limping."

"Cedar, you take the outside," Senkah whispered. "Quartz, you run the herd off. Rain and Hades and I can take the inside." The other wolves nodded and Senkah crouched, before she leaped off, silent as a mouse. She kept her body close to the ground as she, Cedar, Rain, Quartz, and her mate crept closer and closer to the oblivious herd.

Senkah sprang forwards, chasing the sickly caribou. She jumped for the caribou's head and missed, only grazing its ear with her teeth. She growled under her breath and jumped again. This time, she got a firm grip on the back of the caribou's neck. She pulled down, dragging the caribou with her. She ended its life quickly and as relatively painless as possible. "Try to get another!" she barked. Cedar and Quartz weaved through the caribou. Quartz spotted a younger one and leapt at its neck, trying to drag it down. Hades helped her with this, and it went down shortly after.
"Good," Senkah grunted. "This should be enough to feed the pack." She tilted her head back and howled along with Hades, then settled down by one of the caribous to eat. She dug her muzzle into it, eating hungrily.

As Aki arrived, she saw Cedar pad over to him shyly. She sat beside him to eat. Senkah suppressed a smile, going over to sit by Hades in the snow. Her black fur stood out against the snow, which now flecked her pelt.

She lifted her ears as she heard the distant sounds of barking and howling, like there was a fight. "It's coming from Darkpack..." Senkah muttered.

"Big surprise," Hades snorted. "They're just asking to be driven out."

Cedar looked like she was masking anxiety. Senkah's ears swiveled back as the howls rose, and the barks disappeared, creating an almost mournful song. "That's Emeraldpack..." she murmured, recognizing all the different howls. Koga and Akira, two Emeraldpack packmates, were the loudest. Darkpack joined in with the howls, though theirs were of triumph.

"They must've lost someone in the battle," Faedon murmured. By the sound of it, Nyx, Storm, and Lark made it. "I wonder who it was. The chorus includes most of Emeraldpack."

"We'll probably find out soon," Hades muttered.

Senkah bit her lip, before getting to her feet. She'd overheard news in the loner land that Darkpack had taken a pup from Emeraldpack. Anger tugged at every hair on her pelt. Lifting her head back, she howled a message to Darkpack. Atra, you asked for it! This is WAR!

***

"Sorry I'm late," Cedar gasped, springing through the reeds. She'd gotten so wrapped up in hunting with Aki earlier that she'd completely forgotten that she needed to meet Atra and River tonight. She needed to break this attachment she felt with Aki, and fast.

"I should think so!" Atra snapped. "You couldn't have missed hearing something from the fight with Emeraldpack."

"I'm sorry," Cedar whined. "I got tied up. I came here as fast as I could."

"Alright then," Atra growled. "Tell me what's been going on in Stonepack."

Cedar frowned at what she was about to say. "Prey is running well," she murmured, "Very well, given that it's winter." She studied her paws.

"Go on," River growled.

"Their ranks are swelling," she reported quietly. "They just took in a loner called Mari."

"We'll have to attack soon, then," Atra muttered. "Stonepack will die. Every last one of those wolves." Cedar nodded in agreement. "You're doing good, Cedar. Keep doing what you're doing. We're going to have a plan of attack by next month, and then we'll just wait until Stonepack is weak."

Cedar nodded, smirking as she headed back. She went by the river in loner land, rolling in the mud to mask the Darkpack scent mingling with her Stonepack scent. She washed it off in the river, then pelted back to the Stonepack densite.

 

[OwlLover]

Sorry it's a bit short. This is mostly just to fill in some gaps. The fun stuff will be coming in soon.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

LOVE IT!!!!

 

[chickens1235]

Wow, this is cool! Your writing is Amazing!

 

[OwlLover]

Thank you both!

 

[OwlLover]

Chapter 9

"Hey, Cedar!"

Cedar jumped when she heard Aki's chipper voice. "Aki! You startled me!" she exclaimed. Her fur had started to bristle from getting startled, but she forced it to lie flat.

Aki's handsome gray and red-tipped form stepped out of the bushes. "Sorry," she chuckled. "I saw you were hunting. Mind if I join?"

Cedar tried not to be too excited. "Sure," she shrugged. Since she was such a great actor, she appeared nonchalant, though inside she was bursting with happiness. Though she'd vowed to not like or form any true friendships with the wolves of Stonepack, she had made an exception for Aki. It was impossible to not like him. He was so kind, brave, and Cedar admired how loyal he was to his pack. Though, that meant trouble; deep inside Cedar's heart she knew that one day she would probably have to fight him. And with Atra and River developing the next stage of their plan, it probably wouldn't be long. Even though she vehemently denied it in her head, she dreaded that day.

Aki nodded, giving her a kind smile. "There's some ducks over by the river," he said. Cedar nodded, following after him. Aki slunk around, then came from behind and leaped at one of the ducks. It tried to take flight, but Aki's jaws locked around its wing and he threw it to the ground. He broke its neck, and took it over to Cedar. "For you," he said.

Cedar inwardly beamed. "Thank you," she murmured, sitting down and plucking out the duck's feathers. It tasted like a pheasant or other wild bird did, but had an almost... fishy tinge to it. Aki went into the river and caught a fish for himself.

After she finished the duck, Cedar went and buried the bones nearby. She settled down by the pebbles on the river bank, laying down to sun. Shortly after, though, she was knocked into the water. She yelped, opening her eyes to see Aki dive after her playfully. "You didn't expect that, did you?" Aki laughed.

Cedar gave him an annoyed look, but couldn't help but smile. "I guess I didn't!" she laughed, splashing him with water. Aki dove for her playfully. Like magnets, their eyes locked. Cedar's heart sang, and it wasn't until a wave crashed into them and nearly sent them under that they broke apart. Cedar felt her face get warm.

Aki got out of the water, shaking his fur dry. Cedar stepped out after him, and exclaimed, "Hey, you got me all wet again!"

Aki laughed. "Race you to that meadow over there!" he called, sprinting away.

"Hey! You had a head start!" Cedar complained, but raced after him. As he ran, Aki tilted his head to the sky and howled a joyous song. Cedar joined in as well, their voices joining and creating a happy chorus.

Despite having started behind, Cedar won. "Beat you!" she smirked, but wheezed for air after the run.

"Oh really?" Aki challenged, and pounced at her playfully. Then, out of breath, he laid down on the ground with a sigh. Cedar laid down beside him as well, their pelts touching. The sun sank below the horizon, and the moon rose, bathing the clearing in moonlight. This was the same meadow where Hades had asked Senkah to be his mate. Cedar felt happier than she'd been her entire life.

Is this... love, that I'm feeling? Cedar wondered as she gazed into Aki's beautiful eyes. Is this what it feels like?

"Cedar..." Aki murmured, "Cedar, I...I l-lo..." His voice faltered, trailing off.

"What is it, Aki?" Cedar whispered, hoping he would say what she was dying for him to say. Just those three words will mean so much...

"I-I'll... I'll tell you later," he mumbled.

Cedar had completely forgotten that she was from Darkpack this whole time she'd been with him. She glanced up at the moon worriedly. She was already late to meeting Atra tonight, and she considered blowing her off for the night. She didn't want to leave Aki. But she cringed when she thought of how furious she'd be when she showed up yesterday. Better late than never, she thought. "Aki?" she murmured. "I have to go."

Aki looked downcast when he heard that. "Alright."

"Can... can you meet me here again? Tomorrow night?" Cedar asked him quietly.

Aki brightened up a bit. "Sure thing."

Cedar smiled, then turned and pelted into the woods. I love Aki.

It only really hit her when she was about half a mile from the border. She was a spy. She wasn't supposed to fall in love! But... she loved him so, so much...

She jumped through the reeds in the loner lands. A tree blotted out the moonlight above, and a rock blocked the only other view from an angle where they might be seen. Atra had really thought the meeting place out.

Before Cedar could speak, Atra barked, "Where have you been?! This is the second time in a row that you've been late!"

Cedar lowered herself to the ground. "I'm sorry! I was hunting down several elks with the pack, and I couldn't get away unnoticed until just now." Atra had come alone; sometimes, River stayed behind to watch the pack.

Atra growled. "This is the last time I'll let it slip. It better not happen AGAIN."

"It won't," Cedar whimpered.

"Good," Atra snapped. "Give me the report."

"T-they're still weak," Cedar whimpered, "Mari's leg still hasn't completely healed."

"If that's true," Atra said, "then this is the last time you'll come to report to me. The plan of attack is ready, we just need to wait a bit longer after the fight with Emeraldpack. Two more weeks. You remember what to do, correct?"

"Yes," Cedar nodded quickly.

"Alright. I'll see you then."

Cedar waited until Atra left before she headed for the river, her mind abuzz. For the first time in her life, her heart was torn two ways. On one hand, she loved Aki with her whole heart. She wanted to stop loving him, but how could she? She couldn't regret it. Atra hadn't attacked yet. If Cedar wanted to, she could tell Senkah and Hades Darkpack's plan of attack, giving them plenty of time to prepare. Then, she can just go on living in Stonepack like she was never a spy in the first place.

But on the other hand, she'd grown up in Darkpack. They'd raised her, and trained her. Her loyalty to them was so strong, it rivaled even her love for Aki. Darkpack promised her great land and, most importantly, power. That was the reason she was so loyal to Darkpack.

Cedar felt her heart tug painfully. I can't have both, she thought. I need to choose one, or the other. Carefully, she laid down and rolled in the mud halfheartedly. After stepping into the river to wash the mud off and pelting back to the dens, she got her answer... if it could even really be called one.

This isn't something I can just determine overnight, she thought. I really need to think this through... Atra said, though, that it would be two weeks until the attack. That should be plenty of time... I hope.