A Lone Howl

Part one: Howl in the Night

Chapter seven

Journey led them off of Lightning Ledge, leading them in a sweep around the herd until they were behind a wide boulder. “Poplar, Barley, you go left,” she said, flicking her ears in the direction she wanted them to go. “Drive them in the direction of Lightning Ledge. Ash,” she continued, turning her head towards the dark wolf, “you take the pups and go right. Steer the wolves towards Poplar and Barley. Me and Daybreak will head up the attack from here.”

All of the wolves nodded and fanned out around the meadow, headed for their positions. The three pups followed Ash with wide eyes, tails wagging wildly in excitement. Hopefully they won’t give us away, Journey thought, watching the three young wolves scamper along the edge of the meadow. But it wasn’t time to worry. She gave herself a shake, focusing on where Poplar and Barley were crouching beside an oak tree. Their dark pelts blended in with the shadows of the oak’s bowing old branches, turning them almost invisible. It was times like these that Journey wished she had a dark pelt like them.

Ash led the pups behind a jutting boulder, keeping them underneath her so that they wouldn’t go scampering around and get noticed by the deer.

“Ready?” she murmured to Daybreak. When her friend nodded, Journey lunged out of hiding with a furious bark. She burst into a sprint with Daybreak right behind her, charging at the deer.

Immediately their prey let out brays and honks of fear, turning and galloping away from Lightning Ledge. Poplar and Barley shot out from beside the oak tree, intercepting the deer and forcing them to turn around. They continued chasing, and suddenly the deer veered to the right, fleeing for the safety of the trees. Ash leapt out of hiding with a snarl, and all three pups followed, yapping in excitement and running at the deer pointlessly. The deer in the front of the herd doubled back, slamming into the ones behind them in a desperate scramble for escape.

The moment they began scrambling and their steps faltered, Journey shot forward and slammed into one of them. The force of her leap drove the deer to the ground, and the rest of the pack immediately bounded over, helping keep the deer pinned so that one of them could make the killing bite. The rest of the herd ran into the trees, letting out honks of fear and distress.

Before any of them could do more then close in around the deer, a shrill howl of grief and pain sounded from the camp. Every set of ears left in the clearing shot up, and they turned their heads in the direction of their meadow. The howl sounded again, echoing around the mountains and ringing into their ears.