Running With Wolves

Three - Sorrow

     Shooting Star limped back into the camp. Night dragged Pale Bone's body beside her, summoned to help by Swift. The small group entered the centre of the clearing. Alpha Wind leaped up onto a large granite slab. "Where is my mate? What is this smoke Swift was whining about?"

     The rest of the pack was gathered underneath his perch. They gasped as Roaring Bear lay down their mother's body.

     Wolf packs were led by a single mated alpha pair whose pups make up the body of the pack. Star and Snow, like some lucky outsiders, were accepted into the pack to strengthen the blood in case something happened to either alpha. Star knew that if either died, she or her sister would have to become one of the alphas. Packs did not tolerate inbreeding.

     Alpha Wind snarled and leapt down, running over to the russet wolf. He bent his head to sniff her fur, then recoiled as if struck. He stayed still for a long time, staring. No wolf moved, not daring to interrupt his mourning. While Alpha Wind sat numbly, the sun slowly sank in the sky, until Star had to shift her weight to relieve her sleeping legs.

     "Pack!" Alpha Wind howled, startling the shaken wolves. "It is almost night. By Wolf Law, we are commanded to sit vigil through the night to honour of my mate, Cunning Fox. Your Alpha and your mother, now passed."

     Night whined sadly, letting go of Pale Bone's scruff. "Father, what about Bone?"

     Alpha Wind didn't rebuke her for breaking rank. Instead, he padded over to her and rested his muzzle on her head. Star could feel the sadness emanating from him. "We will sit vigil for him too. If he dies, then he will not go unguided."

     Star bowed her head. The pack gathered close, laying down beside both bodies. Snow lay curled near Alpha Fox's flank, blue eyes shut tight. Star couldn't bear to look, so she settled near Pale Bone to keep him warm.

     As she lay, she contemplated her future:

     If Alpha wishes, I will become his mate. The thought unsettled her, so she stood quietly and slipped out of camp. She sniffed the air, looking for a certain plant to distract herself, but her thoughts returned: I don't want to be alpha. I couldn't face the decisions they have to make every day or be responsible for this many wolves. I want to run and hunt.

     Star flicked her tail as she recognized the scent of the rosemary. She plucked a mouthful of stems from the plant, and then trotted back to camp. The place she left at Pale Bone's side was still there for her, but she did not lay down yet. Star separated her bundle of stems and lay some around her former alpha and injured beta. The scent of the fresh green stems masked the stench of death and blood reeking from them. Then Star lay down beside the unconscious Pale Bone, resting her muzzle on his shoulder.

     The pack lay like this the whole night, sleeping under the Path of Stars. Star would occasionally wake up and lift her head, wishing to see the familiar white cluster across the sky but couldn't. It wasn't dark enough, as usual. She could see an orange haze on the distant horizon across the grassland that was blocking out the starlight.

     By the time the sun peeked over the horizon, most of the pack was awake. Alpha Wind stood up stiffly from his mate's head and nudged Eagle. "Wake the others," he whispered. Eagle nodded and prodded Owl and Fearless Bison. All the wolves sat up straight.

     Alpha Wind raised his muzzle, voice echoing in the sky. "Star Wolf! We call upon you to take the spirit of Cunning Fox, a mate, a mother, and Alpha. Lead her to your Valley of the Afterlife and bless her with tireless hunting."

     Star and the pack howled one long, low note. As they did, Star could feel a coolness pass through her. She sensed Alpha Fox's spirit as it bounded away, and with her closed eyes thought she saw a flash of light russet fur. Stars speckled her fur, lighting the sky as she ran. Star howled with increasing sadness, mourning for the wolf who had cared for her as her own.

     The pack continued howling until the sun fully rose. Alpha Wind then picked up his mate by the scruff and brought her body to the forest. His wolves followed, single file. They left Pale Bone in the clearing, as he was still alive. They would come back to him shortly, though Star hesitated to step away and leave him in the cold.

     In the forest, their remaining Alpha stopped beneath a sycamore tree and lay Alpha Fox's body underneath it. The wolves altogether began digging a hole for their lost member to rest in forever. Star sullenly dragged her paws against the dirt. Eventually, it was big enough that the she-wolf's body could fit, and Alpha Wind lay her inside.

     He scraped a large bit of dirt on her, then Bear, Fearless, and Star. All the wolves took a turn, until their fallen alpha lay buried. Alpha Wind scored his claws against the tree's trunk, marking the place of her grave. He then gave a small bark, and his pack followed him into the camp.

     "Alpha, who will you choose next?" asked Otter.

     The gray wolf didn't answer, merely padding up to Pale Bone. "Take his body into the omega den and give him the freshest bedding. He won't be much help hunting with one eye, now. Clean his face. I need to rest." He didn't say anything further as he walked up the long slope to his den.

     Eagle lay his ears against his head and whined softly. He picked up his older brother's scruff and dragged his body to a small den at the bottom of the hill. Star helped him by digging out the entrance more so that his body could fit, then pushed him inside. She stepped away as Owl padded inside, letting him take the shard out. Star had to admit, she didn't want to do that much at all.

     As she sat vigil outside, Snow ran up to her, blue eyes wide. "Shooting Star! Oh, Shooting Star! What will we do without Alpha Fox?"

     Star licked her sister's nose. "Do you want to ask Alpha Wind if we can hunt something for Bone and Owl?" The white she-wolf nodded, and together they made their way up to the Alpha's den.

     "Alpha," whispered Snow into the dark hollow, "may we hunt something for Bone and Owl?"

     A grunt sounded from inside the den. "Ask the betas."

     Star shrugged at her sister and bounded down the slope. She saw Roaring Bear heading for her den and intercepted her. "Roaring Bear, Alpha Wind asked you to organize a hunting patrol for Bone and Owl."

     The gray-brown she-wolf nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, take Fearless, Swift, and Water. Fearless will lead and remind Otter and Eagle to clean up the dens and leave the deer leg for our injured. They'll need its strength."

     Snow and Star nodded. Snow went to find the others while Star found Eagle and Otter. "Bear says you have to clean the dens and leave the deer leg for Bone and Owl." They dipped their heads in respect and scampered off. Star looked around and saw her sister gathered with the other wolves near the path to the forest.

     She joined them and they followed Fearless Bison into the woods.

*

     Fearless Bison, Star, Swift, Snow and Water padded back into the camp close to sundown. They each carried a rabbit, but the haul was skinny and slow. It was laughable how easy it was to catch them, but the state of their territory was no laughing matter. Star carried hers to the omega's den, where Bone lay. Owl sat beside him, licking his wounded paw. He looked up at her as she walked in.

     "For you," she said. "Extra with the deer. Save some for Bone –"

     "I'm awake," the single-eyed wolf said quietly. "Is it true Alpha Fox is dead?" Star nodded sadly, and he bowed his head. His remaining eye leaked a small tear, though no wolf noticed. "May we eat?" he asked weakly. "I'm starving."

     Star nudged the rabbit closer to them and left them to it. She was incredibly tired, with all the stress from yesterday finally piling up. She crawled into the hunter's den. Snow lay in her corner, already snoring. A skinny rabbit haunch lay in Star's nest with her sister's scent on it. She smiled. She took one bite, then more quickly as she realised her hunger. Star licked her chops as she finished. She brought the bones to Alpha Wind's den and left them outside. Finally, she ran back to the hunter's den and fell asleep beside her sister.