Wolfed

1885

*** My whole life I've lived away from humans. ***

*** An early offspring, cast away into the shadows by my parents. ***

*** I've gazed upon them, but they have not gazed upon me. ***

*** I never felt the need to go back to them, not until now. ***

Chapter 1: That night

Grey-Spirit was raised by wolves, literally. But not any wolves, talking wolves. The pack rested in a small valley in a forest a few kilometers east of the Missouri River. They were led by Lupa with 28 other wolves. She was mother of the pack, ruling over with her mate Cerberus, a dark brown, warm-blooded killer. And this is the story of how Grey-Spirit died.

The pale faced child was small and unprotected. There was no way she could withstand the cold winter night alone. The baby cried with the sweetest of noises. All seemed lost but in the light of the snow came out Lupa. 'Hush, child,' she swooned. Her voice was stern but sweet. Her coat was as white as snow and her eyes blazed of burning coals. The child saw pity in those eyes of hers as she lifted her in her jaws and carried her back to the rest of the pack.

Cerberus was sitting on his rock, his head rested on his paws. He lifted his nose to the air. 'A human,' he growled, shaking the snow off his fluffy brown coat. 'Lupa you know we cannot take in this child.' The other wolves were awake now, listening to their leaders quarrel. 'She is only a baby,' Lupa growled back. 'She has been thrown out by her own pack.'

'That does not make her our responsibility.'

'My responsibility,' Lupa corrected. 'I am willing to take the responsibility for this child. I will teach her our ways. She can still become one of us.'

Cerberus snarled but did not disagree. 'When the child grows up and starts to hunt us, it will be on your paws.' He retreated into his cave on the hill. The other wolves walked carefully up to Lupa to see the newest member of the pack. One ginger cub came up and poked her snout at the child, 'What is the pale one called?' whispered Mona. 'Grey-Spirit,' Lupa answered. 'She will be called Grey-Spirit.'

13 years later. Grey-Spirit was grown and wild. She was black haired, with a thin layer of adapted wolf fur. Her teeth had grown sharp and carnivorous and her unclipped nails were deadly to any pray. Her senses were like no ordinary human. But she was no ordinary human. And she was no ordinary wolf either. She knew she was different, she just didn't know how she was different.

The fawn grazed peacefully in the grassy clearing. She was unaware of her audience. Grey-Spirit hid behind a small shrub, moving silently, waiting to strike. Her ears were pricked up, listened to the noises in the forest around her. A twig snaps. The fawn lifts her head in alert. It was now or never, Grey-Spirit thought. She leaped over the bush, claws outstretched. The fawn started to run, but not fast enough to escape Grey-Spirit's claws. They sank into her hide causing the fawn to squeal in pain. But she wouldn't give up. The fawn shook off Grey-Spirit and ran as fast as she could. Grey-Spirit got up and sped after the deer. It wasn't long before the fawn was within reach, her wounds slowing her down. Grey-Spirit slashed at the leg, like she was taught to do, the blood spilling on the forest floor. The fawn fell and lay silent.

Grey-Spirit hauled the dead deer back to base in her jaws. 'It's about time Grey-Spirit, I'm starving,' called out Mona. 'Back off Mona,' she called back. 'You will wait until Lupa and Cerberus have had their fill. Then, because I caught the prey, I get the next best bite.'

'Alphas eat before the others.' Mona growled.

'I am an alpha! I am more an alpha than you will ever be.'

'Is that what you believe Grey-Spirit?'

She growled back, baring her fangs. 'That is what I know, Mona.'

The two wolves turned into each other, circling carefully around the fallen fawn. 'If you want food Mona, go get some. I spent days tracking down this deer. We all know how hard it is to find food these days. More hunters appear in the forest every full moon.'

'Mona, Grey-Spirit, stop acting like cubs, I will not lose any more pack members because of the two of you.' Lupa jumped down from above, landing between the two she-wolves. Cerberus looked at them from his rock, his dark eyes glowing hungrily. Mona gave one more growl before turning away to join the others. She may have been in a rage with Grey-spirit, but she knew her place behind Lupa.

'Please everyone,' Lupa addressed the pack. 'As Grey-Spirit says, she spend days retrieving the fawn, let us be grateful that we have food at the slightest.' And with that, Lupa plunged her jaws into the fawn's side. Soon, Cerberus leaped down for his feed, licking the blood off his snout.