The Chosen One

It has been said for many generations that a special wolf will be born. It is said to be a she-wolf with superior battle techniques and excellent senses. She will be able to detect an elk from a mile away. She will be able to fight for days and nights against the most brutal wolves, but walk away feeling as if she had just woken from a good night's sleep. Her eyes are foretold to be shocking and hypnotizing with the power to see emotions. That is all anyone knows about her.

Every time a new female wolf was born, the other pack members questioned "Is she the One?" Every time, the answer was no. They could tell by her eyes, if they were normal or, as the prophecy stated, her eyes "shocking and hypnotizing". Then, later, they would be sure when she faltered in battle or she misjudged her prey's leap. It was devastating for a young she-wolf to be told that she was wasn't the One.

Once again, the whole pack was tense, waiting for a new litter of pups to be born. They were gathered around the sick den, listening silently to the mother's rasping breaths. Every second stretched out in front of them, seeming to last a single eternity. Suddenly, the earth seemed to lurch with an unseen power, subsiding into a low rumble within a few heartbeats. At the same second, the rasping of the mother coming from the sick den slowed to normal, healthy, and rhythmic breathing. The pup had been born.

As the pack faded away into groups, whispering about the odd earthquake and the coincidence that the pup had been born the same second, the Healer and the Prophet emerged from the den. The Healer, Earth, was the wolf who knew the most about herbs and spells to heal wolves. The Prophet, Destiny, knew a bit about herbs and occasionally helped the Healer, but mainly looked for prophecies in nature. Each wolf grew excited and surrounded the Healer and the Prophet with a sea of curious wolves.

"Is it a female?"

"How many are there?"

"Did they survive?"

"What are they like?"

"Is one of them the One?"

The Prophet growled, sounding annoyed, and the whole pack ceased, not even moving. The Prophet nodded, aware that she was respected and thought of as an alpha, since the pack had none. She looked to the Healer, who looked forlornly at the pack. His deep voice betrayed his fatigue from working long hours in the sick den. "It is a female. She has not opened her eyes yet. She has no siblings. As for the earthquake… Destiny knows." He looked to Destiny and nodded.

Destiny sighed, searching her well-trained mind for a solution. "It was the earth quivering, as if scared. That is all I know." Her smooth voice wavered, as if fearful. She looked up to the Healer, "Sorry, Earth."

Earth nodded and looked around the pack, "Lion's Roar will teach her the ways of our pack as she grows."

Lion's Roar nodded proudly. It was the dream of all wolves to teach a new pup. Destiny and Earth retreated into the herb den as rain began to fall, leaving the shocked pack to wonder. The pack shivered, almost as one, and ran to their dens to shelter from the freezing rain.

A shriek pierced the frigid air, snapping the whole pack out of their sleep. "Rose's eyes! What's wrong with her?"

Earth and Destiny leaped out of their dens and confronted the devastated mother. "Snow Splatter! What's wrong?"

The pack flooded out of the dens, curious as ever. Snow Splatter reeled back from the pack, eyes wide with terror. "Rose opened her eyes!" She yelled.

Destiny's ears snapped up and she looked at the sky, seeking a sign. Earth sighed, mumbling, and stalked into the den. The pack waited, choking on every agonizing breath. Soon, Earth emerged. "The Chosen One has been born."