Moonrise: A Close Escape (Book 1)

Chapter 1

      Moon bounded through the forest. She could still see the flash of gray and white behind her. Moon quickened her pace, making sure not to get caught. She hopped up on a tree that was slightly curved. Just then a gust of powerful wind blew at her fur. She flew off the tree, tumbling on the dirt and roots. Paws slammed onto her back.

"Caught you!" Blue yelped happily.

"Aww, that wasn't fair! The wind knocked me off," Moon looked at the trees.

"Well, that's your fault you're so lightweight!" Blue teased.

They two friends laughed. But as they did, pawsteps echoed in the distance. They both froze, then hid in the bushes. Moon was surprised to see Nightfall, her father walk through the woods. A wide smile stretched across his face.

"I know your there, Blue and Moon," he whispered in a friendly way. Blue instantly hopped out of the bushes, and Moon had noticed that she, herself had sprung beside her friend. Nightfall glanced back at the camp.

"Star wants to see you two," he said. Star was Moon's mother, the alpha.

"Okay," Moon replied.

The two wolves made their way towards camp, padding into Star's den. Moon swallowed nervously. "Oh, hello, I want you two hunt. Shadow claims you ran past a group of rabbits. Try to get at least three pieces of prey," she said, "Anyways, Crow is starving."

Moon let out a sigh of relief. "Yes, Star," Moon bowed to the white she-wolf. The two wolves bounded into the forest. Moon immediately scented rabbit, and yet the smell was fresh. She lowered her body, her stomach touching the light green grass. She wasn't that invisible in the grass, but the rabbit that hopped around did not take any notice. Blue was crouching, too. When the rabbit was close, she sprang onto the brown creature, biting its neck, killing it. She buried it under the dirt to take back later. "Good job!" Blue smiled. Moon grinned back as a thanks and continued on. She sniffed the air. Something was not right.

"Uh. Blue, do you smell that? I-I think it's Blood Pack wolves. Four of them," Moon said, startled a bit.

"Hmm, that's true. But we made peace with them. They shouldn't bother us anymore," Blue replied.

"Well, the scent is fresh," Moon glanced at the trees where the scent came from.

Suddenly, she saw the shadows of four dark wolves. It was Blood Pack indeed. Great, not this again. Moon thought. The last time the Blood wolves had crossed their territory, the packs had a huge argument. Moon did not want it to happen again. Anger flooded the she-wolf as she thought about the past. Blue gasped in rage. "You! Get out of out territory! We warned you once, don't make us warn you twice," Her friend growled in anger. Without a word, Moon hopped in a blink of an eye, landing on one of the wolves, biting its forehead. The Blood wolf pushed away Moon as if she was a butterfly. "Do you think I care?" he grinned, "I need to speak with Star. It's something more important than what you think. Besides, you can't fight all of us." The wolves grin faded into a frown.

"NEVER!" Blue yowled, "WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU PATHETIC PACK!" Blue then gasped at his own words, covering his mouth with his paw. But Moon only agreed to his words. The Blood wolf smiled evilly. He then leaped for Blue slicing his cheek. A small trickle of blood ran from the wound. It wasn't that bad, but this angered Moon so much. She ran towards the three wolves clawing everywhere. She missed a couple of times, but she sliced the nose of one of them.

One wolf pinned her down, sinking his claws deep into her pelt, raking them across her chest. Moon yowled in pain, struggling to get up. She could see that Blue had lifted his head into a howl. One wolf was running for Blue, trying to stop him from calling the pack for help. Moon had to think of something quickly. just then, a lightbulb floated over her head.