The Living Wind in the Forest

Chapter 13

Daisy stretched, her chest pressing to the ground. Bounding over to the gorge, Daisy aesthetically leaped down, rock-to-rock, and lowered her head to lap up cool water. "Nice stuff, eh?" Coyote's voice made Daisy jump.

"Coyote! You scared me half to death," Daisy woofed with relief. "It would be better if your filthy paws weren't in it," Daisy snapped.

"Hey, who put ants in your nest?" Coyote stepped out coolly.

Daisy nodded.

Coyote sighed. "Come on, Daisy, look to the future. Not the past!" he reasoned. "You have a long future ahead of you!"

Daisy sighed. "I'll try."

*Snow's POV*

"Here's another feather!" Snow called out. "These seagulls are so skittery, by the time we go back, they'll be bald!"

"This is fun!" Lion barked, his famous woof loud. "Oof!" he squealed as he tripped, sprawling across the sand.

"Haha! Bet you can't catch me!" Holly teased, leaping on top of Lion and springing off.

"You wanna bet?" Lion shot back playfully. "I wager a squirrel!"

"You got a deal!" Holly squealed back, dashing into the crowd of seagulls.

"You cheeky pup!" Lion howled back.

Snow laughed. "Seems like us when we were little!" she commented to Coral and Moon.

"And we still are!" Coral reared and dashed off. "Bet you can't catch me!"

Moon snorted and shook out his pelt. "Typical Coral."

Suddenly, Snow heard a shrill scream. Exchanging worried glances, Moon and Snow gaited towards the sound and saw Coral standing bravely over the two pups, baring his teeth as he faced another wolf.

"Come on, Lion and Holly. Go back to camp," Coral growled softly.

The wolf shook her head. "If they move, they're dead," she warned.

Coral scoffed. "What match are you for me?"

The wolf smirked. "I have backup."

Alarmed, Coral scanned the trees next to him. "Who are you?" He barked.

The wolf grinned. "Where are my manners? First of all, you might want to know that I am an ally of Vengeance," she started, then stopped. Satisfied of the shocked silence. "Second, my name is Malice." Crouching, he leaped, howling. "Third! We attack!"

Coral was bowled off of his feet as Malice slammed into him. But he was no fool. As he fell, he hooked his claws into Star's pelt and dragged her along with him. Coral was a good fighter, maybe the only one who cared to train. Snow snarled and leaped onto a wolf as the forest exploded with more, and they were outnumbered 3 to 1.

"Snow! They took the pups!" Moon howled as the attackers retreated.

"No!" Coral made one last unless leap as Malice dug her claws deeper into his hind legs.

"Listen, I don't want to hurt you, beautiful. Just let us go and I will leave," Malice growled pleasantly.

"Never," Coral whispered, his eyes glazed with pain. Malice glared at him with disgust. Letting him go, he leaped away, ordering a female to take the two innocent, wailing pups.

With defeat, Coral slumped to the ground. "We failed," he croaked.

Snow tested her twisted paw from the battle cautiously. "Don't say that," she muttered.