Mark of the Moon- The Begining

Chapter 16

   I fell asleep, even though I didn't mean to. I snap awake, and look around wildly. Is she still here?

   "Bird!" I bark.

   "I'm here!" comes the reply. I be quiet, and don't say anything else. I pace around, thinking of a way out of this large pit. No chance of climbing out...

   A thought comes to my mind. Maybe a tunnel. I could dig one, maybe. This cave has dirt walls and floor, and I might be able to dig out out the back. I would have to do it under the guards, so they don't see what I'm doing. I could dig to the surface, run for help, and get Bird free. It may work. It's a risky plan, but it might just work.

   I start digging in the wall under the guards. I dig and dig, and they aren't looking at me. I pause every few minutes to check. But I manage to get a tail-length deep before some wolf calls out, "Hey! Where are you?" I remove my head from my tunnel and back up to the center of the cave so they can see me clearly. It's the black wolf. I squint up against the sun at him.

   "Yes?" I ask. "Need me?"

   The wolf snorts. "Don't try anything funny, wolfie." He turns his back again. Wolfie? He's a "wolfie" too. I roll my eyes and make sure he's not looking before returning to my tunnel. I dig madly, and my nails feel like they're being torn from my paw. But the thought of Bird makes me keep going.

   It's been two hours, I can tell. The sun is nearly set below the horizon. I don't have much time. The tunnel slowly slopes upward, and there's enough room to fit three wolves in, head to tail.

   I gasp as I hit light. I don't dig anymore to the top of the ground, though. I will have to stay in here for the night. I can't make it back to the Pack in the dark, and I don't want to leave Bird so quickly. And if they see me gone, they might hurt her more.

   I climb back down into the cave, and I quickly lie down, pretending this is what I was doing the whole time. They come to check on me, then go away with a flick of their tails. I sigh and sit up. There was no way I could sleep tonight. Fear creeps up into my chest. Will I make it that far until they realize I left? Will they hurt Bird, because they think she knows where I am, or what I did? Highly possible. Too possible, that I almost convince myself to stay here, to make Bird safe. But I know if I stay, they'll take her away and I won't see her again. Either way I might end up losing her.

   I pace around and around, too upset and fearful to even rest. I look up at the guards. Beyond them, in the night sky, I can catch a glimpse of the moon. I look up sadly. When I first turned into a wolf, I thought it was less beautiful as a wolf. I take that back now.

   Without thinking, I raise my head and let out a mournful howl. I don't listen as they try to get me to stop. I howl until my lungs need more air. Then I let out another one. Suddenly I feel something on my paw. I look down to see my mark glowing. It was a bright white, glowing brighter the more I howled. I turned my head and kept singing to the moon.

   I feel happy as I hear another join mine. It's Bird's howl. I can tell by her wonderful voice. It's the prettiest howl I've ever heard. Together we howl at the moon, together even though we're separated.