Chapter 1

I walked out of the den, yawning. I stood just outside its entrance, and opened my deep blue eyes, and pricked my small puppy ears. I smiled at the clear blue sky, suddenly, something small yet hard slammed into my side, causing me to topple over.

"Rii, Yodi, Kar, GET HER!" Barked a loud high pitched voice, I felt a yank on my tail, then my ear as three bodies fell on top of me.

"Ouch!" I squeaked in surprise as my older brothers attacked me.

I only felt three bodies on me and looked up and saw Kar, the 4th born of us, standing in front with a look of hesitation on his face. I bared my teeth at Oki, the oldest and most dominant of us, as he slammed his paw down on my snout. I glared up at Kar,

"Don't just stand there. You might as well attack!" I snarled defiantly. Kar blinked once then shifted his stance,

"Fine. I will, Claw" he growled softly and jumped at me, biting down on my other ear. I yelped painfully as I tried to fight off my four brothers, but it was not use.

"Oki, Kar, yodi, and Rii, stop this right now!" Growled a loud voice.

I felt my brothers' teeth release me as they obeyed the command, I got into a sitting position and looked up and saw my mom standing now beside me. Her light blue eyes blazing angrily, looking down at them harshly, mainly at Oki. River, the Beta of the pack was here too, along with father. Mom turned her attention to me.

"Are you all right?" She asked anxiously and started licking me, I shrugged her off "Mom, I'm fine, just a few puny scratches." River stepped forward with her ears up and tail high, yet lower than Mom and Dad's, "You pups need to stop picking on Claw, she's your sister, and part of the pack, whether she's omega or not" She growled and glared down at my brothers with cold amber eyes.

I stepped up and bared my puppy fangs, "I'm not omega!" I yowled to River. Dad's tail rose high and his ears went up, his fangs bared. He came at me, knocking me over on my back and stood over me.

"Know your place, omega, you don't speak to River or anyone like that" my father snarled at me. I cowered in fright, with my tail tucked in between my legs. He glared at he, but I didn't dare make eye contact, he snorted, got off and stalked away with Mom racing after him and River following.

My father does ignore me a lot, but never in an aggressive way, he just doesn't expect that much of me, I can sense it. But mother has more faith in me, I heard laughing noises and looked to my right and saw Oki, Rii and Yodi snickering at me. I looked at Kar; he returned my challenging look evenly and walked right past me into the den.

My brothers were outside the dirt den, watching the skilled adults hunt. "But it's not fair; I am five moons old too!" I had whimpered to the leader of the hunting patrol, Zark. "I'm sorry, Claw, but the alpha said not to take you" He had replied.

Now I lay on a rock warm from the sun, just outside the dirt den, watching the boring activity of the pack; Zark laying in the shade of a tree, Raymus and Zee talking, Mother and Rock talking, Blah, blah, blah! I let out a big sigh,

"I can't believe I'm omega…" I growled to myself. "Being Omega doesn't have to suck if you don't want it too, young one" Said a deep male voice. I looked up to see Mudd, walking towards me stiffly.

"Guess you heard me…" I mumbled, "First thing, you need to learn respect" Mudd growled in a rusty old voice. I flattened my ears, "that's better, young one. Now if you want to make the rank Omega more fun, all you have to do is play… Kinda' like a peace-maker" Mudd barked lowly.

Suddenly a howl sounded from further off in the territory, it said: "Flame Peak Pack, come to Treeless Plains, for we have hunted successfully!"

"A successful hunt! Come now young one" Mudd exclaimed excitedly and began advancing slowly into the forest, with the other pack members already ahead. I raced ahead, soon passing Mudd. I heard the old brown wolf mumbling about his stiff limbs as I passed. We were the last two, the others middle aged and running faster. I tried to push my long legs faster, and to my surprise, I sped up and passed Zee and Raymus! They looked at me, surprise sparking their eyes. I passed the last tree that ended the forest and into the Hunting Plains. I scented and soon saw Dad, with my other brothers, and River at the carcass, while Mom just got there. They were waiting for the whole pack; I caught up to my brothers and was hardly tired when I reached them, only panting lightly. Oki regarded me completely, while Rii made a smirk at me. Yodi was watching Father, and Kar was too. I turned my attention to father to see what he had to say.

"For the first time in days, we have hunted successfully. Though it's not the biggest, it will be enough for now…." He announced as he stood in front of the Deer carcass. "Let us give thanks for this food and eat, then bring what's left back to the den site!" He barked loudly, he turned and began tearing into the meat.

I sensed the change in him that happens to all of us, when we eat meat. Mother stepped forward next and began tearing away, her aura soon changed too. The bloodlust was upon them. River, Zark, Rock, Zee, Raymus, and Mudd ate next.

Father and Mother stepped aside; Mother glanced at us and flicked her tan tail in a signal that we could eat. At once, we all rushed forwards, I knew from the first time I ate, I had to be aggressive. I got to it first, and started ripping, before I could swallow even one, I was shoved hard from behind and fell over. Oki smirked down at me, with his teeth bared then turned and began eating. Anger flared up inside me, I got up and lunged. Before I touched him, Kar knocked me away less forceful then Oki.

"Claw, remember your place, you're omega, you eat last don't start something that's impossible to finish" He growled and glared at me. Of course. I'm Omega, right. I thought yet kept my glare with him until he turned away and ate his share. When everyone was done, and licking themselves nearby, I walked up to what was left, which wasn't much at all. The crows were already devouring the rest, I snarled and snapped at them, yet they seemed to laugh at me. I found a scrap of meat with fur on it, and chewed on it. Then went to the rib cage and stripped the meat on the bones. I hardly got any by the time Father called to pick up what's left and go back home.

I didn't argue, for I found myself exhausted. By the time we got to the den, I was tripping over my paws. Mother saw this and carried me back to the dirt den and lay down. Oki, Rii, Yodi, and Kar came in a few moments later, and curled up near me, they seemed just as tired so not to bother me. Thanks goodness, I thought and closed my eyes…