A week passed since Honotik stormed off. Truka was still holding onto hope for the tiny Trigg.

"Come on, sweetie. Just take one step."

The small baby stuck his head up when he heard his mother's familiar voice. And let out the highest screeching neigh he could.

"That's the spirit, come on my little one. Stand up, It's ok. Come walk towards me… come to Mama."

The tiny colt crawled towards his mother on his knees. His hooves were curled up underneath his tiny body, and he was so fragile, his legs almost always looked broken.

"That's good, but try to stand and walk. Try it," she said as she sadly stared at her son's twisted fetlocks knowing the truth in Honotik's words. It would be a miracle if this young one could live another month.

I can do it. Trigg thought unable to communicate properly.

"Seems like you've got a twisted slug rat," out of the trees, a large, hungry, black wolf approaches.

"Zuclux!" Truka furiously screamed.

"Truka, what a surprise. I was hoping me and my pack could find some fresh meat." Zuclux said, Eyeing the helpless Trigg.

"My son is not a free lunch!"

"You have a son?"

"Yes! The 'twisted slug rat', is my strong baby boy."

"Well, to me and my pack he's a meaty, juicy, meal… Sorry, I meant to say he'll be a great side dish."

"You can't have him."

"Why so confident? We are going to be doing you a huge favor." Zuclux snarled and snapped. Three other wolves were there too. One of them was quite big and bulky, the other two were smaller than Zuclux.

"No! I won't let you near him!" Truka rears up, wild as ever. Determined to protect Trigg at any cost.

"Get the meat!" Zuclux yelled to her pack.

Trigg, cried out to his mother. "Trigg!" Truka bellowed. Fighting off the two smaller wolves sinking their teeth into her rear and back.

The big wolf grabbed Trigg around his small body, lifting him off the ground as if the colt was weightless, feet dangling behind. Trigg could hear his mother calling from a ways off. Soon that sound disappeared and Trigg found himself in a cold dark cave.

"There you go now, stop whining!" The big wolf barked.

A young wolf pup came out from deep inside the cave.

"Pupa, what is this?" The pup asked, big round dark eyes fixed on the big wolf.

"This is dinner the pack found for us, food is scarce the closer to winter we get. The pack will need to stay strong and healthy from all the things we can get out teeth on."

"It doesn't look so healthy, pupa. Just look at its legs, all tangled up tight… Are they broken, Pupa?"

"Who cares if our food can't walk away, you should be thankful son! Now stop messing around and dig in, the pack should have caught the bigger dinner by now. I'll need to go collect some more meat."

'Pupa?' Trigg thought. You couldn't even tell they'd be related. The dad sounded and acted so angry… kind of like my own sire I guess. Trigg tried to say something. A high pitched squeak was all that came out.

The big wolf left. Trigg squeaked loudly, scared of being eaten he tries hard to curl up the tightest he can make himself. A cold feeling shakes Trigg's spine, he jerked his head up to see the young pup sniffing him with his cold wet nose.

"This doesn't look like food," the pup whispered. "It's a living thing. I've never eaten a living thing before! Where's the bread?"

Out of nowhere the pup starts to try to lift Trigg from his tail, Trigg letting out a faint cry.

"Sorry! Did I hurt you?" The young pup began to sob. "I hate this! Why can't my Mum come back to feed me?! Just try mum, just try to come back." The pup runs to the nearest wall in the cave and continues to sob.

Trigg thought it was odd a wolf pup who vows to 'never eat a living thing', but the only noise he could make was a high squeak and he couldn't walk, let alone stand up. But Trigg knew he had to if he wanted to try to comfort the pup, ever see his mother again, or even to make it through whatever the animals called 'winter'.

Trigg tried and tried, but he just felt like a rag doll with feet that are glued to the bottom. He tried and tried, straining his shoulders to push himself up. It was no use. Trigg couldn't walk. He could hardly move his hooves at all.