Wolves of the moon - Lost home

✧Chapter 14✧

Rain and Swift walked across the territory, carrying Storm's lifeless body while Dawn followed them. They entered the small clearing and gently put her down. All three of them started digging a hole deep enough for the wolf to fit in. They put her into the grave and Rain gave her a final lick on her cheek before covering the hole up with dirt. The grey wolf picked out the best, prettiest flower and dropped it on her grave.

„May Moon take care of your soul..." he whispered.

After a while the three wolves turned around to return to camp. While walking through the territory back, they got into a talk to drown out the sad feeling in their, and especially Rain's, hearts.

„So, where did you get those chafinch feathers?" Rain asked Dawn, starting the conversation.

„When we were gathering herbs for Swift, we came across them on the field. I liked them and Star told me I can wear them. They had probably fallen from a flying chafinch," she answered.

„I still can't believe I agreed on doing this," said Swift, looking at his bandaged up tail.

„Oh come on, you're being over dramatic!" Dawn said and laughed a bit.

Rain felt happy and comfortable in their presence, unlike with their selfish Alpha. Upon entering the camp, Star greeted them in the enterance.

„I must leave soon. Come with me Dawn, I have to teach you something before I go," she said and walked away being followed by Dawn.

Rain decided to hang out with Swift before going hunting and he actually enjoyed it. For a long time, he was talking only to his mother Storm but once she was gone, he realized that socializing with others was good for him and hopefuly, Dawn and Swift could keep him sane. He frowned when Alpha came out of his den and walked toward them.

„Better go hunting soon. You don't want the pack to starve, do you?" he said aggresivly. Rain looked at him angrily and nodded to Swift, walking away toward the enterance. They both walked out of the camp and went hunting.

Swift pinned the animal down, sinking his teeth into it's neck. Blood splattered over his face and the breathing stopped. He stood over the deer and Rain came too. At first, they couldn't even catch a single rabbit but then , catching such a big animal during the day with only two hunters was unsuall. Rain gave his thanks to Moon, who was already on the sky. Even though his light and power was weak, he was able to bless Rain and Swift's hunt. Rain never stopped believing in him and Star even strengthened his faith in him.

They slowly dragged the deer body into the camp and dropped it in front of the pond. They walked over to it and drank the water. After the long hunt, their throats were dried out and they couldn't afford to be dehydrated.

„Do you really have to go?" Rain heard Dawn say in the enterance of her den.

„I have gotten rid of the disease, I have trained you enough to be a healer, there's no point of staying anymore," Star told her.

„But I cannot do this without you. I'm not ready yet!"

„Trust me, you are prepared. I know you will serve your pack as a healer and that I trained you well. Just watch out for Alpha, I sence that he might be a threat to you throughout your journey," Star whispered a bit, „but now, I have to leave. Good luck, Dawn, may Moon bless you."

Then she howled and her voice with the chirping of the birds and the quiet sounds of the water flowing in the stream turned into a beautiful, balanced melody. Her song wipped out all of Rain's thoughts and he fell into harmony with the nature. For a moment, he forgot about Alpha, about Storm, about Swift and Dawn and about her. Once Star stopped howling, all those thoughts came back and he had to live with the horrible memory from the past once again. As Star left the camp, he went back to it and remembered the terror in her lifeless eyes and the blood soaking into her fur.

A few days passed. Rain and Swift were sitting in camp, talking about hunting and fighting strategies.

„Swift, Rain, I need to refill the storage but... I'm not confident going out alone. Would you mind going with me?" Dawn padded to them and asked.

„Sure, we can hunt something while there," Rain answered and Swift just nodded.

The three wolves bounded through the territory in search of prey and herbs. They were really close now and usually talked together.

„Isn't it strange how we only have two hunters able to fight? Those being you and me," Swift turned to Rain.

„Yes. Everyday we work to provide for the pack, meanwhile Alpha never gets his flea bitten butt out of camp," Rain growled.

„Rain. Do you know what Star had told me about him before she left?" Dawn said.

„Yes, to watch out for him. I heard her whispering it to you," he answered.

„I'm about what this might mean..."

„Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you," Rain comforted her.

„Me too! No one, except me, can hurt you," Swift joined him.

They firstly walked through the fields, where they found poppy flowers and caught some rabbits. Once they entered the part of the pack's territory covered with a forest, they got some cobwebs, leaves and juniper berries.

After agreeing on getting back, as the sun was starting to set, Dawn suddenly stopped, looking into the bushes. Then Rain heard it too. The leaves crunching under paws and the bushes rustling.