The Survivors

Chapter one: The massacre

I opened my eyes to the smell of blood, the crimson liquid seeping into my den. I peeked out of my warm den and looked out, horror struck my face as I saw what looked like hundreds of rogues, spilling into our camp. Their smell was foul and I stayed in my den to hide. My mother ran in, ear torn, blood coming from everywhere. Her whole pelt was clotted with the thick liquid.

She was terrified as she pulled me closer, dragging me outside. I tried to wriggle away but she held me tighter. Then she stopped dead, horror on her face as she looked down on a body. I looked as well, seeing my father and other siblings on the ground.

Mauled, bleeding... dead. I barely realised another figure lunging its self at my mother. She was knocked down and squished me. I managed to wriggle free from under her as the wolf bit my mothers neck, blood oozing out of the wound. I couldn't move, I was shaking too much.

The wolf glared at me, after dropping my mother, and I didn't expect to see fury in his eyes, his teeth bared in a snarl. I quickly looked past him, to see rogues chasing wolves, juveniles, like myself, and a cub. I darted past the wolf, without thinking, and went towards the cub. I ran as quickly as my legs could carry me. I ran into the wolf chasing it and grabbed the scruff of the cub, running into the woods and I leaped into a bush.

--=--

A few hours passed and I finally left the bush, releasing the shaking cub from my grasp. The cub was still shaking as we went out, the grass soaked in the blood of my pack. I went on, looking down, and back at the cub, making sure he was okay. I looked forward again, immediately regretting not looking down as my eyes scanned the territory. My eyes filled with tears as I gazed among the all the death and blood. I went forward. Bodies scattered across the field, terror still in their eyes, as if they were still scared. My white paws were drenched in blood. Then a rumbling came, and a flash of lightning suddenly struck in front of me. I looked back and the cub had followed me.

"No no, go back. You don't want to see this."

I pushed the cub back and it wailed.

"Where's mama?"

I looked down.

"I uh, don't know"

I picked the cub up again, trotting away from the massacre. I put the pup down when we were at the top of the hill. The cub went forward, as I looked back. I turned around and followed the cub into the woods, the massacre getting further and further away.

--=--

I dug up a hole in the ground to sleep in, and sat next to it as the cub went in.

"So what's your name?"

I asked the cub, he didn't seem too bothered to answer.

"Troy, you?"

I was hesitant at first to answer the question and shrugged.

"I'm Cameron."

I looked at him, taking in every detail. His light brown fur, his darker brown specks, his vibrant green eyes. Everything. He seemed to be examining me as well. Taking in every detail. My black fur, my white paws, my white spot on my eye and my lilac eyes. Troy looked at me and smiled.

"The spot on your eye looks like a moon." He hesitated. "Can I call you that? Moon? It's okay if not..."

I laughed a bit and nodded.

"I don't mind it. You can call me that. But for you... I'll stick with Troy."

He flicked his ear in acknowledgment, before yawning and laying down. He closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep. I found it harder to do so, the images of blood and bodies laced into my mind, and the guilt that followed was even worse. Maybe if I didn't run, more wolves would have survived? I shook my head of the thought and stood up, circling around Troy as I lay down, curling my tail around him to help warm him up, he was half my size and wouldn't survive the winter on his own.

I looked around on the frostbitten woods, wild jasmine covered by the icy flecks, the sun rising in the distance, the clouds turning orange, yellow, pink and red. Meanwhile the other side of the sky was dark blue, white specks glistening in the darkness. The fading mist of the bright colours made me smile a bit, thinking of the happiest moments with my siblings.

"I wonder if Troy could ever be like a brother to me..."

I mumbled, hoping for a family again. I never thought I would get a mate, but now I guess I won't. I'm a rogue now. I can't go into other packs territory, even if I need help from their healers. I rested my head on my paws, watching the frost melt as the sun rose, and watching the water droplets, fall onto the leaves of the trees. It sounded like music, calming music. No other sound as the other animals were sheltering from the rain, apart from the occasional chirp of bird song, or squeak from mice and rats. I closed my eyes, going into a deep sleep. Darkness flooded over my eyes as I fell into a deep sleep. My breathing matching rhythmically to Troys.