Chapter THREE

Rain

When's he going to wake up?" a familiar voice asked impatiently. Relief flooded over Erchen. He thought he was dead and he was ready to join the ranks of The Colony of the Spirits, the wolves ancestors. The Wolves also had certain gods, who had their own Sky. There were two strong, powerful Gods. One reigned supreme over the Day sky. He was the sun, the god known as Saber Sakysun, a golden white wolf with icy blue eyes. The god of Night, a female, black wolf, Naeveh Nkmoon, reigned over the Night sky as the moon.

Erchen's left eye opened a slit. He saw Spark and Serene before him. He gave a grateful sigh that they were okay.

"Feeling better, Erchen?" Spark asked.

"Ah, yep," Erchen croaked. "Never felt better." Serene's light shape apeared in his drowsy eyes. She had a look of relief plastered on her face. SHe turned away from his gaze and went to hand him a puny rabbit. He took it gratefully. Serene gave him a warm smile.

"Erchen, we've got to hurry," Spark said as Erchen began to tear the rabbit. Erchen nodded, and Serene said,

"Yeah, we should. Soon?"

Erchen nodded again, Spark as well. They began to trudge on silently, quietly. Only the small crunch of leaves rattled the night's calm, silent forest. Overhead, the stars shone brightly. Only when the three young wolves did clouds cover the sky. Lightning crashed; thunder boomed.

"Great," Serene said. "We'll freeze to death!"

"If we were at Dark Tree," Spark said in a husky growl, "we'd be sheltered and well-fed."

"You should be!" Erchen growled. "You came along with me, your choice, and now you're starving."

"But you'd be dead if we hadn't come along," Serene pointed out quietly. "The human, remember?"

Erchen'll keep his mouth shut about that now, Spark thought triumphantly.

The rain was soaking them to the bone know, but they kept moving. Only when the sun was well up in the sky did the rain let up a bit they stopped and dry off for a moment, hunting a small deer. They ate in famished gulps.

"I don't get it," Spark whined as they left yet again. "When I was on my journey, I had already visited the Stone!"

"You were one wolf, Spark," Erchen informed her. She was about to remark a rude remark when Serene howled,

"I've had it with the pair of you! Stop bickering. That prey's dead and eaten now. Can we please stay on the road with a nice, positive atitude now?"

"Fine, Mother," Erchen drawled. The female's fur bristled angrily, but she kept silent.

Crash! The rain had begun again. Erchen growled, and so did Spark and Serene.

The rain had not let up a bit. They had eaten again once since the deer, and Erchen sighed. Finally Erchen smelled the air, his eyes brightened.

"Were near!" he cried. "Near the stone!"

"What?" Spark demanded, taking a sniff. "He's right, Serene, we're almost there."

"Now, you two..." Erchen began to say. "You can't be around closely. Stay here, and I'll come see you when it's done."

"It can take days, though," Spark said, and Serene nodded.

"You can take care of yourself," Erchen snapped, with the barest hint of a snarl. "I'll be okay! I'm not a pup!"

"Well, technically -" Spark said. Erchen shook his head.

"You're right. But I'm supposed to do this alone. You have, so why can't I? Look! This is what I'm supposed to do!" He ran up to the clearing, falling once with the slippery grass. He blinked as he reached the top. Spark and Serene slinked through the last trees of the forest. Erchen looked at the stone. In day, it was just a black rock. He curled up and waited for night.

End chapter THREE