The New Wolf

Chapter Ten

Dusk brought the sun to creep up the horizon, and it took the moon's place as it faded away. Fog blurred the trees in the distance. I had been traveling since I woke up a few hours ago. I was in wolf form for protection from the cold, and I moved faster on four legs. My necklace bounced with me. 

Hunger tore through me and I decided to hunt before continuing my search for Icy. Crouching low to the ground, grass brushed against me softly. I found a rabbit hole in the ground. There had to be one around here somewhere.

I picked up a fresh scent and followed it until I saw movement in a patch of tall, dry grass. I lunged and pounced on my prey, eating my successful catch. 

As more light was added to the sky, and white clouds had started to take shape, I picked up my pace and headed for the unfamiliar forest. I was torn two different ways, conflicting with my course of action. I didn't know whether to find Icy, or turn around and try to find my Pack. My instincts told me to search for my lost friend, and I did as they said. 

The sunlight sparkled through the forest trees, reminding me of the forest back home. I missed Riptide, Shadow, Icy, and the whole Pack. A long time ago, I would have been happy to be alone, but now, I hated it.

I hopped over a log and landed steadily. I looked for signs of a wolf, or anyone, really. My white coat was thickening for the coming of winter, and my green eyes showed me what was ahead.

 I may have stumbled across a clue that Icy had left for me to find. Ashes in the form of a wolf paw print sat in front of me. What did this clue mean? 

The print pointed straight ahead. I decided to travel in the direction the clue pointed me. I kept going, full of hope as I found another paw print, this time with orange crumbled leaves. The claws faced my left, guiding me to yet another clue. A paw print of what used to be pink blossoms from a tree in summer that were now brown and shriveled. 

Judging by the weather, there would be an early snow this year. I remembered how much Icy liked snow and huffed a sigh. The next print was a black outline of a paw. It looked like someone had burned the ground where the clue was. 

Who can just burn a perfect shape on the ground?

Instead of finding another clue, I looked up as the trees cleared out around me. Eagles circled around a large, grass-covered mountain in front of me, and a cave lay before me in the side of the mountain. I entered the cave that the eagles seemed to be guarding and searched for the lost wolf. 

I slipped on rocks in the darkness loudly enough to be heard. It echoed through the cave and was answered by a howl. 

"H-hello? I-is anyone in there?" I stared down the cave where the sound had come from. 

"Yes, two of us," a voice said. 

I cocked my head, "Where?"

A burst of a flame lit up the cave and there was a fiery bird...and a wolf with a coat whiter than snow and blue eyes.