Chapter 1

The moon rose high over the forests of Montana. Snow blanketed the ground, sparkling in the moonlight. Two pairs of silhouettes streaked across the forest floor, seeming to have no shape. Behind them was left a trail of tracks, wolf tracks.

“Konego, we must find a place to rest,” one female said, “The temperature is dropping, and I am growing more tired.”

Konego, the Alpha of the pack and a handsome silver gray, grunted softly and the pack slowed to a halt.

“Anashi,” he said to his mate, “We must keep moving if we want to find a den in time. The winter is becoming harsher by the day, and the temperature continues to drop. If we do not find a hospitable place soon then…”

Konego couldn’t bring himself to finish that sentence. The thought was just too gruesome to accept. Anashi, his mate and an expectant mother with gray fur tinted red, walked up to him and gently licked his cheek.

“My dearest, this I know. It is just that if I keep going like this, I will have no energy to nurture the pups that grow within me. We must at least find some thing to eat before we keep moving.”

Konego growled in agreement He looked to the two wolves that followed behind. One was another male, smaller than Konego in size with black fur. The other was another female, with lighter black fur and white creeping in at the edges of her muzzle, signifying that she was an elder.

“Otasha, you say here with Anashi. Ranoro and I are going off to hunt,” Konego instructed.

The old wolf nodded, and Konego and Ranoro took off. She lay beside Anashi, who had already lay down in the snow to rest and catch her breath. Otasha laid her head on her paws, her eyes gazing up at the clear night sky.

“It is a big event in a she-wolf’s life, especially if it is her first litter,” she said.
Anashi nodded.

“I am nervous, but at the same time, I cannot wait for the birth of the pups,” she replied.

“We are all anxious.”

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Konego returned to the two she-wolves and in his mouth hung a large section of a deer and behind him followed Ranoro. Konego tossed it across to his mate, where it landed at her feet. She stood up, tail wagging gratefully, and tore into the flesh. Otasha hung back, waiting for the expectant mother to have her fill before tearing into what was left. When they were done, the white snow was soaked with blood as well as their fur coats.

Anashi licked her chops.

“Shall we be off then?” she asked in a casual manner.

Konego nodded in response. The four wolves took their places as before and took off once more. They traveled for many miles before coming upon a cave opening that opened up into the side of a small cliff. Konego instructed the other three wolves to wait outside while he inspected the cave.

He sniffed around, inspecting every corner he could of the cave. The opening was concealed by trees, hard to spot by any animal. The cave entrance itself was only about three feet in diameter and a foot and a half high. The wolves would have to crouch in order to enter. On the bright side though, the inside was very spacious. The walls rose to a height of six feet and the cave was at least seven if not more feet wide; perfect for all of them to sleep in, including the pups when they were born. The cave was warm and dry, with the wind entering only every now and then.

With his inspection finished, Konego exited the cave. He motioned for Anashi to enter, then Otasha, followed by Ranoro, then himself. They all lay down on the warm, dry earth, pleased that a suitable den had been found before the winter had gotten really bad.

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With the morning came a light snowfall. Konego and Ranaro exited the cave to stretch and breathe in the crisp winter air. However, neither Anashi nor Otashi exited. Konego waited at the mouth of the cave, becoming increasingly anxious with every passing moment. When it became too much for him, he decided he’d go back in to see what was wrong. He was almost in the den when he heard growling coming from the very back of the cave. A pair of yellow eyes glared at him. Every time he tried to inch his way into the cave, the growling became more ferocious, more feral sounding.

Otashi crawled over to Konego, telling him he’ll have to wait outside. Anashi will call him in when the time comes. The Alpha, hardly ever one to do as the old nurse ordered, obeyed and crawled back outside. He paced over and over about the mouth of the cave. Occasionally he would look from the ground when he heard whimpering coming from the den, or he would look up at the sky for no particular reason. The clouds remained, and the light snowfall didn’t cease. It seemed as if time itself had slowed to almost a halt.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Anashi called Konego in. He entered the den warily. He sniffed the air, taking in the scent of three unknown creatures. A low growl rose in his throat. Anashi shushed him.

“My love, please, you’ll scare the poor little things,” she said in a gentle and hushed tone.

Konego cocked his head at her change in behavior from earlier that day. He made his way over to his mate’s other side, and found a trio of pups suckling. Konego’s hard gaze suddenly softened.

“My dearest, they are beautiful,” he mumbled.