Sharpfang woke up to loud snarls of many wolves. When he looked out of the hole, he could see that they weren't familiar wolves. In fact, they looked nothing like the wolves that he had seen. They had really thick fur and were really big.
"Xanu, are you sure we can hunt here? This is the border line between Forest and Riverbed." A dark gray wolf with long fangs questioned his leader.
"Yes, Ely, the Mountain Pack has ownership to all land that has many rocks and a high elevation. And Canyon Rocks has a high elevation it practically made out of rocks. This is our territory."
"Yes, Xanu."
Sharpfang stared in horror. These wolves weren't from Forest of Riverbed. They were from another group called the Mountain Pack.
What if they attack the camp? They can't hunt in our territory. This isn't their territory! I have to tell the pack!
But then Sharpfang thought about how Berry had chased him out of the camp and into the forest. How she literally tried to kill him. Sharpfang knew that going back wasn't an option.
"I'm a Shadow-tooth." He whispered to himself. Not knowing that he was still surrounded by wolves, Sharpfang let out a low whine and grief filled howl.
"What was that?" Ely growled.
"It came from over there." Another wolf pointed with her snout to where Sharpfang was hiding.
"Well, check it out." Ely growled. The other wolves of the Mountain Pack began crowding around Sharpfang. It wasn't until they started snarling did he come to his sense and notice that they had discovered him. "Dig it out, let's find out what's hiding there." The Mountain wolves began clawing and digging at the crevice. Remarkably, they were making great progress.
Oh no! Look what I've done!
Sharpfang whined. He turned around and showed his fangs to the coming wolves.
"It's just a raccoon." A wolf said after they finished clawing.
"No," Xanu stepped forward. "Had it been a raccoon, it wouldn't be able to howl like that. It's a wolf pup." Sharpfang stood in horror. "And my guess is that it's from the Forest Pack. Riverbed wolves don't cross this stream much." Xanu pointed to the stream that flowed along the edge of the grass.
"What should we do with him?" Ely said pulling Sharpfang out by his tail. Sharpfang quivered in fear. He was to afraid to even bite these wolves because they weren't of the same pack and didn't care whether to kill him or not, he wasn't going to risk anything.
"Which pack are you from child?" Xanu stepped forward and lowered herself so she could be eye to eye with Sharpfang.
"I, I, I'm from, from the, the Forest Pack."
"Just as I thought. What happened? What's a pup like you doing so far away from your home, your den?"
"I, I don't know, I was chased out by one of the adults."
"Was this adult a dominant?" Xanu asked, trying to put something against the Forest dominants.
"No, it was a regular adult. A female." Sharpfang barked and Xanu's eyes brightened.
"Why don't you go back?"
"I'm too afraid to, so that makes me a Shadow-tooth."
"You're too young to be a Shadow-tooth. And where did you hear about such names?"
Sharpfang's throat clogged up as he thought about Sage. "My family talks much about stories in the forest. I happened to hear one about the Shadow-tooth."
"Hmm, well young Shadow-tooth. You're not going to survive much out here if you don't know how to hunt, or fight. You could come with us and learn how to though. And now that you don't belong to a pack, you're allowed to come without judgment." Sharpfang's heart stopped. He was being invited to another pack! But then he thought about Thorn and Keko, and his family.
There's no going back to them. Berry chased me out and probably will do it again if I go back.
"I wouldn't mind coming." Sharpfang answered.
"Very well, welcome to the Mountain Pack child. My name is Xanu, the dominant female of the group. This is Ely, the beta of the group," Xanu went one by one explaining each wolf and what class they were in. "And your name is?"
"Sharpfang."
"Welcome young Sharpfang. We will take you to our camp and teach you how to hunt in our territory. It's too dangerous to hunt here. They might think we kidnapped you." Xanu lead the Mountain Pack up the rocky walls of Canyon Rock and into Mountain Pack territory. Sharpfang took one last glance at his home, where he grew up in and where his family was. Never again will he look at them the same. He would probably have to fight them in the future. He would probably invade their territory. But he had no choice, either leave and go with the Mountain Pack, or become a Shadow-tooth forever. Listening to Sage's voice again Sharpfang knew that this was the best and safest route to go.
Goodbye. He whispered in pain.