Runaway - Series 1

Chapter Nine

Ivy walked into her cave. She dropped a bunch of healing herbs onto the medicine shelf. She lay down and sighed.

"This is the only way to save my pack," she whispered under her breath, "I have to just wait. I need to find the traitor."

As Ivy was finising sorting out her herbs, she heard someone walk into her den. She turned around. It was Frost, the pack's best hunter.

"Hello, Ivy," he said, "Something is wrong with Star."

"What is it?" said Ivy.

"She saw that Misty is gone," Frost said, "She started to panic. What if she went to explore outside of the camp, and was captured by another pack? What if she was killed by foxes, lynx or other predator? What if..."

"Frost," said Ivy, "I think Misty just went to explore. There is nothing to worry about."

"Thanks, Ivy," said Frost and disappeared.

Ivy sighed. She knew that Misty and Flame escaped from the pack to avoid being killed by the traitor.

To calm down, she lay down in her nesting and closed her eyes. She thought for a while, then she decided to take a nap.

Misty saw a beautiful, brightly coloured butterfly fluttering above her. She leapt high up in the air, and landed directly on it. The butterfly's antennae tickled her nostrils. Misty sneezed, and suddenly, she woke up, but something was still tickling her nostrils. She opened her eyes, and saw that it was the grass stem from her nest that was tickling her nose.

She looked at the sky. The sun was just rising up. She looked around and saw Flame and the bear cubs sleeping in their nests, sometimes moving and snuffling in their sleep. Daisy was sleeping in a bigger nest. Misty yawned and stepped out of her nest. She started to walk towards Flame's nest.

"Flame," she whispered and gave him a nudge. The ginger wolf pup opened his eyes sleepily.

"You woke up already?" he said.

"Yes," she said.

"Good."

Daisy moved in her nest, and grunted. The sow-bear sat up.

"Oh! You woke up already!" she said. "Time to wake up the other cubs, and go hunting!"

She walked up to Honey Eye's nest, and nudged her. The bear cub rolled out of her nest. Two other bear cubs, Snowball and Sunny, got up too and yawned. Toby was last to wake up.

"It's time for hunting!" said Daisy. "Follow me, I'm going to teach you to catch fish today!"

"Let's go!" said Misty, and ran after her.

Daisy, the bear cubs and the wolf pups arrived at the edge of a gorge. Water roared underneath them, and a huge waterfall was sending the water down a river.

"Here's how you catch a fish," said Daisy and stood at the end of the gorge. Misty watched her jump on a large rock standing in the water. Daisy looked into the waves, trying to catch a slight movement of a fish. Suddenly, a slippery fish jumped out of the water, making a huge splash. Daisy opened her mouth and caught the prey. She jumped back at the shore and put her prey down.

"That's how you catch a fish," said Daisy. "Try it yourselves."

Honey Eye jumped on the rock, and when she saw a fish jump out of the water, she caught it quickly in her jaws. Toby, Snowball and Sunny also caught a fish.

It was Misty's turn now. She was feeling nervous. She wasn't a bear, and she hasn't tasted fish before. I will probably fail, she thought. I will either miss the fish or fall into the water.

Misty leapt on the rock. It was slippery, and Misty somehow managed to hold on. She crouched low and looked into every movement. She saw a glint of silver, and a fish leapt out of the water. She stood up, and caught it in her jaws. She heard a cheer of joy behind her. She turned, and saw Daisy, the bear cubs and Flame congratulating her.

"Nice catch, Misty!" exclaimed Daisy. "Flame, your turn."

Flame confidentally leapt on the rock. A fish jumped out of the water. Flame leapt up to catch it, but as his fangs were about to touch his target, his claws hit the slippery rock and he tumbled into the raging waters with a deafening wail.

"Flame!" yelped Misty. She was worried that her best friend is going to die in these deadly waters. But the dog-pup's head appeared out of the water, but disappeared again.

"Help me!" yelped Flame as he struggled against the strong current. Daisy stared in shock.

"We have to save him!" she said. "Follow me!"

Daisy ran, not taking her eyes off the river. Misty and the bear cubs followed her.

"Will he survive?" whimpered Misty. Daisy didn't answer.

Finally, Daisy stopped at the shore of a calmer river. Misty saw Flame's head appearing and disappearing out of the water.

"Misty," said Daisy, "try to get him out."

Misty blinked in sign of agreement, and stood at the edge ot the shore. She leant down and took her paw out. Flame struggled to get to her and grab her paw, but the current swept him away.

"Oh dear, that didn't work," said Daisy. She sat down and put her paws over her eyes.

Misty looked around. She saw a log lying next to her. A bright idea came up to her mind.

"Daisy, Daisy!" she yelled. "We could use this log to get Flame out!"

"Great idea!" said Daisy, and she started to roll the log towards the river. Flame was still struggling.

Daisy stopped at the shore, and pushed the log into the river with her muzzle. The log fell into the water, and Misty saw how Flame swam up to it, and climbed on the log.

Flame jumped off the log onto the shore. He shook water off his pelt.

"Thank you so much!" he said. "I would have been dead if it wasn't for you!"

"Misty thought of the idea!" said Honey Eye. "She found this log, and helped you get out!"

"It was nothing!" said Misty shyly. "I just saw this log, and I didn't know it would work!"

"Alright, let's go home!" said Daisy. "I need Sunny and Honey Eye to collect some herbs. I need poppy, mint and dock leaves!"

Daisy led the bear cubs and the wolf pups back.

"I will share my fish with you, Flame," whispered Misty into Flame's ear.

"Thanks, Misty," he whispered back.

Misty fell into her nest. She still remembered about what happened today. She soon closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

As she fell asleep, a starry silver figure of a she-wolf appeared in front of her. Misty looked at her. Luna!

"Hello, Misty," said Luna. Her voice was calm and gentle.

"Hello, Luna," said Misty. Why did my half-sister visit me in my dreams? Maybe it's something important?

"Beware, little one," whispered Luna, "there is an enemy hidden behind a smile, which can only be discovered by the flames."

After Luna said this, she slowly started to fade away.

"Luna, wait!" called Misty after her, but Luna was already gone.

Misty sat down, puzzled. What did Luna mean?

To be continued...