Darkness Bellows

Friends?

I pad through the forest, frustrated and hungry. Won't a pack ever let me in? And that was my rabbit! I caught it.

I grind my teeth together as I walk through the forest, and the smell of wolf is strong. This must be their territory line, or at least I'm close to it. I groan rather loudly and walk past the scents, swinging my tail against the short grass.

The sun is low in the sky when I find myself a shelter for the night. Its a large crevice in the trunk of the tree, perfect for my size. Before I crawl inside, I sniff around the tree, scanning for prey. But when all I find is several mushrooms and pinecones, I snuggle inside the tree. My stomach growls, begging me for food.

I sigh and peer outside, watching as the sun fades over the snow-capped mountains. At least its not snowing. The air is warm, greeting by senses with fresh scents.

I don't remember how long I sat there, but when I open my eyes, stars dance in the sky. They twinkle in an ocean of darkness, like fireflies caught in a black spider web. Crickets chirp nearby; birds flutter back to their nest.

I can only enjoy the peace for a few moments, until I hear pawsteps approaching me. I tense my muscles and leap out onto the grass, feeling a leaf crunch under my paws. I draw my ears back and bare my teeth, standing in a defensive position.

But my parts as I notice the wolf from earlier, the one with the wound on his shoulder. He's coming toward me slowly, and his behavior is friendly. My mouth waters when I realize that he's a freshly killed, large mouse in his jaws.

But as he stands in front of me, I take a step back. Even if he acts like he's friendly, I can't be too careful.

But when I think he's going to take a step toward, he only sits on his haunches. He drops the mouse at his paws.

"Hello." His voice is cheerful, like I'm an old friend he hasn't seen in years.

But I don't respond. Instead, I stand my ground, mainting my defensive posture.

The male wolf chuckles, and I feel something inside my chest tighten. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt you."

I wave my tail. "That's what everyone says. I don't believe you."

"... My name's Kent, if that helps." I feel the same feeling in my chest again. I've never interacted with male wolves before, except if they were the alpha of the pack. Something is... different about him. He's nothing like the wolves I've met over the past two years.

"And you're Alari, right?" When I give him a small nod, he smiles. "Its a pleasure to meet you, miss."

He bows slightly, making me feel uncomfortable. Why is he bowing?

When he turns back to me, I know he's curious at the confused expression on my face. His brown eyes go soft. "Have you been alone since the hunters came?"

Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm nodding. Why am I nodding? I guess I could make a friend. I'm not really good at socializing, though.

"Why are you so interested in me?" I ask, trying to sound a little friendly.

He averts his eyes from mine when he responds. "Our pack is growing small. That means less hunts, and we have hungry pups. I felt that my uncle was a bit harsh to you yesterday."

"... Why are you telling me this?" I don't catch on easily.

His eyes move back to mine, and I'm held in his mesmerizing brown gaze. The moonlight glows off his eyes and fur. "I want you to join our pack."

My eyes widen until they hurt. For two years, I've been on my own. My family gone. My brother dead because of me. I've had to learn to hunt, learn to survive in the harsh wilderness I call home. No one in all my life has ever asked me to join their pack. Some have too many wolves. Others are harsh.

Joy overwhelms me and I bark in happiness. I hop around on the tall grass, wagging my tail furiously. I bounce around like a pup until I bump into Kent. He instantly stands up, his tail wagging slightly. I stumble backwards so we are a few feet apart.

My tail droops after a moment. "Your uncle would never let me in. No pack has ever wanted me."

Kent flashes me a small smile. "I'll talk to him. I'll be back here tomorrow. You have nothing to worry about!"

Before he turns to leave, he noses the dead mouse towards me, offering me his kill. I want to thank him, but he quickly bends forward and quickly licks my nose, a sign of greeting that I'm not used to. He smiles at me once before turning and bounding back the way he came. I watch him until he's a blur and I turn away. My nose tingles from where he licked it, and I cast a curious glance over my shoulder. How would I live with this pack if I couldn't even interact with them right?

....

"Alari!"

I spring up, hitting my head on the top of the tree trunk. My stomach feels warm and full, even if it was only a mouse I ate the night before. I hear pawsteps outside of the tree and quickly, but rather clumsily, fall out of it. My chin hits the ground, but I push myself to my paws as soon as I see Kent.

The sun is just rising, turning the sky pink and orange. I love watching sunrises, but I have to see Kent. Did his uncle say yes, or are they still thinking about it? What if I am let in? How do I act? What's my place in the pack?

The thoughts vanish from my mind when I notice two wolves walking directly behind Kent. They both look they could take down a bear in one swipe. I let my tail droop.

"Hi, Alari," Kent barks when he's standing in front of me. "This is Raff and Rydal. They're going to act as your guides when we get back."

My jaw drops, literally. I want to howl and bark and bounce like a foolish pup, but I know I should behave respectfully in front of my new packmates. M-my packmates!

I struggle to keep my legs from shaking in excitement as Kent nudges me forward, motioning me to join him, Raff and Rydal.

As I come closer to the two larger wolves, I notice that they seem more innocent up close. Rydal looks young, and her blue eyes grow bright with excitement. Her fur is red and white, and a dark stripe runs down her back. She's the wolf from yesterday, the one who came with Kent to rescue me. 

Raff is larger than his comrade, although he looks like a grizzly cub. He has thick, dark fur fur, and a longer coat around his face. His nose is rather large, along with his ears.

I walk alongside Kent, the two others trailing quietly behind us.

"It's was so kind of you to talk to your father for me. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

Kent gives me a lopsided smile. "Well, there is something you could do, but I'll ask you once you've settled in."

My mind wanders, thoughts buzzing at a thousand miles per hour. What does he mean?

Instead of thinking, I look forward and await my arrival into their home. My home. My home!

I cast a glance over my shoulder at the two other wolves trailing behind us, and I notice that Rydal's eyes are glimmering with joy. She looks happy, kind of thrilled that another is joining their pack. Raff keeps his emotions well hidden, but his tail wags slightly, and I can sense the same joy.

I take a deep breath through my mouth, letting my trembling paws walk beside Kent.