Bronze And Silver

Introduction

A wolf paced the cold, snowy ground. His footfalls sharp and they made a muffled thump as they hit the ground. Tap, Tap, Tap; in a rhythmic pattern.

"Little Moon, you needn't fear for my safety. Or for yours." A soft, melodic voice speaks calmly.

The wolf, called Little Moon, jumps and turns around, hackles raised. When he sees who it is, his hackles lay flat.

"Bright Fawn, do not startle me like that! You know I must be on guard because…" Little Moon hesitates, knowing he shouldn't say a word. Bright Fawn bobs her head slightly, now out in the clearing with the wolf.

"My band is having that, too. ForrestHerd has attacked us again, wounding Fire Willow." She bows her head. "My foals shouldn't have to see this." Bright Fawn murmurs sorrowfully.

Little Moon sighs and whispers, "StarPack hasn't told our medicine wolf anything."

"Nor has NightHerd."

Little Moon whimpers and Bright Fawn nickers. They look at the Harvest Moon in unison and listen to the bullfrogs and owls in the distance, reminding them of the once was, and the will be….they hope.

Chapter 1

'Wolf Place'

I look around my comforting den and walk slowly outside, blinking in the bright sunshine. Shy Mouse, my mate, trots over to me with a fresh-kill rabbit in her jaws. She plops it down in front of me and tosses her head.

"I already ate."

I glance up at the sun. 'Already sunhigh!' I think, stretching my sore muscles, reminding me of the long battle we had

fought two sunrises before. It had been sudden, and it had been bloody. We lost a strong warrior, Blue Moon. It reminded me of my meeting with Bright Fawn the sunrise before.

Shy Mouse pulled me aside from my pack.

"Where have you been, Little Moon? Your coat is horrible. You cannot be seen like this." She starts to groom it furiously.

I glance at my tangled and dirty coat. I sigh heavily and say, "Sunrise Hill."

She stops licking my coat.

"Little Moon, have you been seeing that mare again?" Shy Mouse whispers quickly, glancing around. Only she, our pups, and Swift Rose know. I cannot tell my pack, or they would rebel against me. I feel guilty about it, as does Bright Fawn.

"Ye-"I start, and then a menacing voice calls out to me. Mocking, actually.

"Little Moon!" My conniving brother, Small Bear. I can tell without looking, it is him. I turn slowly around to face him. His mate and Shy Mouse's half-sister, Swift Rose, sits next to him. She smiles weakly at me. She is kind to me, Small Bear is hostile.

"What do you want, Small Bear." I growl coldly. He wants to be Alpha Male, but I will not allow him.

Shy Mouse greets her half-sister with a bark, and then stands beside me, growling softly at my brother. He smiles frostily.

"Are you ready for a new and better leader to take care of this pack?" He declares coolly.

"When foxes fly, Small Bear." I snarl heatedly.

As I argue angrily with my brother, Shy Mouse and Swift Rose creep off together a safe distance away from us. The faes watch us from time to time, talking about me and Small Bear. They stop talking and gaze at us.

I take a step towards my brother, baring my teeth.

"You will never be leader from now until forever, brother!" I bark harshly.

"Not unless the leader dies!" He howls furiously. He lunges at me, and I snap at him. We go into a swirling mass of snarls and snapping of jaws. I hear Shy Mouse gasp and Swift Rose bark in alarm as the horrid scene plays out. I hear the patter of paws as the two faes run over to us. I feel the pressure on my scruff as she pulls me away from my brother. I glimpse Swift Rose follow suit with Small Bear.

"This is not over yet, brother!" Small Bear snarls, seething, as he gets pulled away from me. "You will not live long enough to see the end of the moon!"

As his and Swift Rose's body fade away as they walk, away, I let out a howl of fury and promise that this wasn't over.

Yet.

Chapter 2

'Horse Haven'

I nuzzle my mate, Silent Breeze, as I watch my twin foals, Honolulu's Flower [Honolulu; the herd calls her; or Promise; her family calls her] and Hawaiian Landscape [Hawaii; the herd calls her; or Faith; her family calls her that] play in the large field below Sky Ledge, where Breeze and I were standing, our manes and tails blowing like ribbons in the early March winds. As we look over our field we call our home, Breeze called our herd to Sky Ledge. He reared magnificently and trumpeted loudly. As he came down, our herd, my herd, came galloping over. Faith and Promise now at my side, huffing from scrambling up the rocky slope with their spindly legs to Sky Ledge.

Our herd waits patently for Breeze to speak. Breeze sighs and looks regally out over the herd.

"As all of you know," Breeze starts, "Just two sunrises ago, we were ambushed by ForrestHerd, who wounded Fire Willow very badly and left us tired and weary."

At the mention of ForrestHerd and Fire Willow, the herd started to rear and scream loudly in anguish and fury. Faith and Promise reared and cried out; their little hooves pounding the air in agitation.

As I try to calm Promise and Faith down, Breeze continues.

"We have not lost anyone, and our herd is safe as well as our foals. We recover and recuperate quickly; we have greater numbers then ForrestHerd."

A few horses bobbed their heads in agreement.

"But," Breeze continued gravely, "They are powered buy their evil soles. They believe they are stronger then us, and they are. ForrestHerd is wicked and crafty. We have to be on our guard, so I would like double moonhigh patrols, and someone at the camp at ALL TIMES." He looks around grimly. "Am I clear?" A chorus of simultaneous whinnies fill the dead silence.

I look around. I rear and call out sadly, concluding our meeting. My herd drifted away from Sky Ledge.

I look at Promise and Faith, their identical ice blue eyes full of worry.

"Stay near." I whisper as I bend down and nuzzle their silky coats. I gaze up into the golden sunset.

"We all need to stay near." I murmur softly, looking away.

Chapter 3

Wolf Place

I howled on Highledge and jumped down to walk through the camp entrance. The Gathering was happening soon and we had to leave, for the Gathering spot was a few hours away. Shy Mouse, my pups, Kestrel Wing and Flaming Tail, Gorse Sky, Fawn Step, Nettle Claw, Frost Wing, and Cold Eyes followed me out the entrance. We began our journey, the soft, peaty ground squishing between our pads as we walked off towards Two Skies.

Chapter 4

Gathering [Two Skies]

Breeze and Fawn trot regally into the clearing, their warriors and medicine horse with Fire Willow following closely behind. Little Moon and Shy Mouse follow with theirs. The two equines and the two wolves jump onto the Highstone. Little Moon growls and steps forward, starting the Gathering.

"StarsPack has been good to us. The prey is running and Whisper Fur has had three pups: Grace Pup, Jasmine Pup, and Spirit Pup. But, sadly, we have had a battle which killed Blue Moon." Murmurs of sympathy echoed around the clearing as Little Moon stepped back and Breeze stepped forward.

"Grass and water has been plentiful, too. Predators are low and the days are warm. But, ForrestHerd attacked us and injured Fire Willow." Screams of outrage filled the air. "Yet, our foals," He began, beckoning to Fawn, "Are about to become apprentices." Happy howls filled the air along with warm nickers.

Little Moon steps up beside Breeze as they end the Gathering.

"Gathering dismissed!"