The Survivors

Three years later

I sniffed the air, opening my mouth to make sure a scent was there. I smelled prey, a herd of them. Deer. I stalked towards the source of the scent, making sure not to make a sound by tripping over a rock or stepping on a branch. I perked my ears up, hearing the herd walking on the rocks and got a little closer until I could see them. There was a buck there, doe's and some foals. I made sure to stay hidden and went a little closer, going for a foal. I stepped on a branch by accident. Damn... They heard me and ran, but I wouldn't give up just yet and gave chase, making sure to go for foals.

I trotted back to the territory, a foal in my jaws and dragging it along. Troy bounded up to me when he saw the piece of meat.

"Wow Moon! That's a good catch." He sounded like a pup again, squeaking.

I nodded and put it down.

"Don't eat it all, I want to save some for later so I don't have to hunt again. I might teach you, if you're good."

Troys eyes gleamed with satisfaction as I said that, making sure I knew it's what he wanted. I gave the signal and we started to eat, it wasn't small but not big either.

I stood up, ready to go out again.

"I'm off to mark the territory, stay here and howl if anything goes wrong, ok?"

Troy nodded and I went on my way, going to the edge of the border, but something was wrong. It was marked on the other side, even though I've never seen any other wolves around this part of the woods.

I carried on along the border then it but me, someone crossed the border. I followed their scent, well scents, there was more than one. I re-marked the border as the scent was stale.

I was walking back when I heard Troy howl. My heart began racing, my breathing shallow and I raced back to where I had left him. I saw two other wolves I hadn't seen before, trying to get Troy to go with them.

One of them gave up with the convincing and tried to pick him up and he yelped, I stopped walking and leaped into the wolf trying to pick Troy up, knocking him over. I swirled and went above Troy, snarling to protect him. The wolf I knocked over got up and the other one was growling back at me.

The wolf I knocked over stood up and stepped a bit closer. Teeth bared, the other wolf got closer as well, and leaped at my head. I rolled into my back, pushing him up and over me and Troy. Troy ran for cover in a bush, and the other wolf tried to get him back. I leaped into his back legs and knocked him over.

He got up and looked at me, the other wolf going beside him. I stood in front of the bush Troy was hiding in, still growling. He stood up tall, and spoke.

"Are you the pups mother?"

I flicked my ear, still alert.

"What's it to you? Besides you are in my territory."

I answered bluntly. The wolves seemed to be getting a but annoyed at me, I was obviously disturbing them with whatever they were doing.

"We were curious as to who was marking along our border, so we came and found the pup. He looked... Alone so we decided to take him back to our pack."

I growled, annoyed at the wolves.

"So you willingly stepped into my territory and looked around, found a pup and immediately thought, that his mother left him. Wow, some pack wolves are dumb now."

The bigger wolf who was speaking stepped forward.

"Well, let's start over shall we? My name is York and this is Gus."

"Hm, well." I sighed "I'm Cameron, that's Troy."

As I said his name he came out if the bush and stood behind me, still shaking a bit. He looked at Troy, curiosity in his eyes.

"How old is the pup? And you didn't answer my question before."

"You don't need to know his age, and no, I'm not his mother."

He inclined his head, obviously getting more curious. Troy tapped the back of my legs, to get my attention.

"When will they leave..?"

My expression for softer and I whispered.

"Soon, I promise."

I turned back to them.

"Leave, or I will fight you again, without hesitation."

York flicked his ear and Gus growled lightly. He signalled with his tail to Gus and they backed off, turning around and walking out, us still staring at them. Troy came out from behind my legs and faced me.

"Thanks, I was sure they'd take me."

I smiled.

"They'd never get the chance."