Howls (On Hold!)

Chapter 6: Birthday.

I glared at Dakota and looked her up and down. She snarled at me and I felt infuriated for some reason, I closed my eyes for a second and I turned into a wolf. Dakota stopped and stared at me. I just stared at her back while she whimpered off with her tail inbetween her legs, a signof submission. I looked at Tupari and she just stared at the corner of the large den. "How old are you, may I ask?" Balto quesioned me. "Im fourteen," I replied. "Fifteen in two days." He nodded and looked at my white fur. "Im 16." He said. "Im 18." Kai pitched in. "And me, Orlaith and Dakota are all fifteen." Tupari said. I nodded and smiled at them all. I then looked at the darkening sky and creased a brow. "I must get going." I said as they all sighed and looked at me. "I am expected home soon...I will come back tomorrow ok?" I said. They all smiled and saw me off as I sprinted down the short path and to my cabin.

Just outside of my house, I tranformed back into a human and walked through the front door. "Hi mum." I said as I sat down at the dinner table. "Hey sweetie, what you been up to?" She asked. "Nothing much." I said. "Im still exploring mostly." She nodded and served me up some cheesy beans and toast. I ate it very quickly and went and lied on my bed. Still no answer from Molly...hmm....she normally would of answered by now. I shrugged it off and put my phone on my bed. I sat down and began to get a piece of paper and a pencil to draw, when suddenly, something had knocked on my window. I furrowed my brow and stood up, walking to the old fashioned window sill to peer outside. I looked and saw Balto in his human form standing there. I smiled and opened my window and whispered, "What are you doing here?" I asked him. "I wanted to come see you." He smiled as I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Ive not been gone an hour!" I said as he shrugged. "Fancy a walk?" I thought for a second and nodded. "Stay hidden, Ill be out now." He smiled and walked off into the bushes while I put my phone on charge and jogged downtairs. "Gwacie!" Kyle said as he saw me come downstairs. I smiled and picked him up, kissing his forehead before tickling him and putting him back down. Bailey smiled at me and I kissed her on her cheeck while my mother smiled at us. "Im going out again, ok?" I said. She nodded and smiled, then contiuning what she was doing. I walked out of the door and shut it behind me before looking at the door, sighing and running towards the forest. Mid-run I changed into my wolf form and saw Balto sat in his wolf form, looking around. I smiled at the wolf and padded foreword, my tail swishing.

He looked up and smiled, then stood up himself. "Hey." He said. "Hi." I smiled at him and we padded side by side walking down the small path. There was a short silence before he spoke up. "You have siblings?" I nodded. "Twins. Kyle and Bailey." He nodded. "You?" I asked. He shook his head. "Well...I dont know where they are...after I found out the magic I could do, they took off with the pack...haven't seen them since.." He sighed and looked at the floor. "Im..sorry..." I said as he shook his head. "Its fine...I mean, hey..I have all of you guys now...your all my new pack." He smiled at me as I blushed slightly. I mean, he' charming as! Can't get anyone sweeter really..."Hah! Are you...blushing?" He said as I giggled. "No! Why would I be blushing?" I asked as I glanced away. He stood in front of me and looked into my eyes. "Its your birthday tomorrow isn't it..." He said as I nodded. "Mhm..." He smiled amd we fell silent. "Wanna play wolf tag?" I nodded. "Whats that?" He smiled, "Well, basically we just run around and nip eachother for one another to be on." I smiled. "Sounds good...YOUR ON!" I shouted as I ran off swiftly into the forest.

I could hear him counting to 50 and leaves crunching beneath his paws as he stepped forewords. I poked my nose out from behind tree when I saw his tail swishing. I stood back behind the tree and poked my head out a few moments later to not see him at all. All of a sudden I got pushed to the ground and felt something on top of me. I opened my eyes and saw it was him, he was grinning with happiness while I lied there awkwardly. He looked into my eyes and smiled at me. He licked my cheeck and got off. "Looks like its time for me to go, see you, Gracie..." He said before running off towards the den. I lied there, astonished. It was around five o'clock when I got back inside of my house and went upstairs. I got changed and looked at my phone...It was gone...I looked at where I put it last, which was on a small cabinet.

Kyle walked into my room, his face red and tears streaming down his face. "Kyle?" I said. "Whats wrong buddy?" He just latched onto my leg and cried harder. "I-Im sorry!" He said. I frowned and then realised. I sighed. "Whats happened?" He looked up at me. "I-I was p-playing on it a-and I acccidently d-dropped it down t-the s-stairs.." I picked him up. "Its fine.." He looked at me. "It smashed." I smiled and put him back down. "Go play, Im busy a second." He nodded and left my room while I sat on my bed with my knees tucked up to my chest. I sighed and smiled at the thought of Balto. I stood back up and got changed into my onesie and looked out of my window into the forest and sighed. It was getting dark so I lied in bed and slowly fell asleep, knowing it was my birthday tomorrow.

IN THE MORNING

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I woke up to the sound of birds tweeting and the sun shining through my window. I sat up and saw presents spread all of my floor. My parents and siblings walked in and started singing. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Gracie, happy birthday to you!" Bailey and Kyle ran up to me and hugged me tightly. I smiled and let them go and then hugged both of my parents and looked at all my presents I started to open them all and throw the wrapping aside.

In total, what I had was;

a new backpack,lip balm, perfume, eye liner and mascara, a skateboard, a snapback, beanies, IPod, lots of clothes, shoes, rings and anklets and the rest, again, was mostly clothes. I stood up and hugged my parents, they smiled and carried Bailey and Kyle downstairs while I put away all my birthday presents, I picked up a pair of my new jeans, a fluffy white poodle jumper and a cream and brown bobble hat. I got dressed and went downstairs to see my parents made me home-made pancakes! I sat at the table while they brought me my plate of pancakes that was smothered in icecream and strawberries.

I ate it within ten minutes and stood up. "Going out I presume?" My mother asked. I nodded and reached for the handle. "Come back before it gets dark." I nodded and stepped outside. I saw the bushes rustling and walked towards them. "Who's there?" I said as I turned into my wolf form. "Im asking you, who's there!?" I growled and took a few steps foreword before I saw the sweet eyesof Balto. "Happy fifteenth birthday, Gracie." He said as he dropped a colourful flower crown, made out of real flowers, at my feet. I turned into human form and chucked my hat on the deck and picked up the flower crown and put it on. "Fits perfectly." I smiled as he turned into his human form. "And them flowers are blessed, so they will never wilt." he said smiling at me.

I reached my arms out and put them around his neck. "I love it. Thank you." He put his arms around my waist and hugged me back. "No problem." I looked up at him and we stared at each other for a few moments and then I buried my face into his chest and closed my eyes as he rested his chin on the top of my head. "Den?" I nodded and stepped away from him and started walking towards the den, Balto not far behind. He walked closer to me and tried to grab my hand. I smirked and let him. As we walked hand in hand, the forest seemed alive. Birds tweeting, badgers waddling and squirrels scurrying across the leafy floor. I looked at him and he looked at me. We both smiled and kept walking until we came to the den.

We let go of each others hands and walked inside. "Hey Gracie!" Tupari said as she combed through her hair and stood up, walking over to me. "Happy birthday!" She said and passed me a small box. "This is from all five of us. Its very important, so do not lose it. Only a true Ray Wolf cam stamd to wear one." I nodded and opened the small box, only for it to reveal a necklace. The necklace had a big crystal imbedded in the silver and smaller crystals around it. "Its beautiful!" I exclaimed. "Very! But beware Gracie! This necklace has its own dangers if not used responsibly." I nodded. "What does it do?" I asked her. "It makes anything happen when you want it to...only a tap of the crystal and before you know it, the thing you were thinking of is right infront of your eyes." She said. I smiled as Balto came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. I giggled and looked at Orlaith, who seemed to be distraught and padded off towards the exit of the cave. "Orlaith!" I said, breaking out of Balto's monster hug.

"Orlaith! Whats wrong?" I asked her. "Whats WRONG?!" She replied. "I'll tell you whats wrong!!" She glared at Balto. "Him! Thats wrong!" I nodded. "I understand!" She shook her head and stared at me in the eye, murmering something. All of a sudden the place went dark, I couldn't see a thing..