A/N: Next chapter! Please, R&R! I want to get this story back and running, so review! LOL, I don't wanna beg ya though. Anyway, Thanksgiving is coming up! Have a good one, you guys!

Crystal's P.O.V

I yawned, blinking as I looked around. Warmth swept over me, and I sighed. I was inside a small yet cozy den, a rabbit burrow that I had dug out. I could still feel dirt in my claws, and almost had to shake my matted pelt again.

I smiled as the warmth continued, closing my eyes. It reminded me of when I was in a den made from an empty spoil can, with my mother and my father. I sighed. But then, my eyes snapped open. It did feel as if I was with my mother, like I was snuggling against her. My eyes darted to the spot next to me, where Spark lay... but I was leaning against him.

I had to stop myself from howling in surprise, my hackles bristling and my eyes wide. Had I been enjoying that? I wrinkled my muzzle, scooting away from the wolf. He snorted a little, but didn't stir. He continued sleeping as I backed towards the entrance of the small den.

"Ugh!" I spat, emerging from the den. Soil clung to my fur, and it felt as if I was trapped within that horrible den in the Specimen pack camp. I shook my pelt hard, causing dirt to fly.

"What's becoming of me? I can't like a... a wolf!?" I snapped quietly, padding a few steps away from the den. The sun was rising on the horizon, yet the warmth had slightly faded due to winter coming soon. The skies were still cloudy, and the cold still lingered in the air.

"No... I don't like him. He's just a wolf in need of help. I'm helping, being nice... I'm doing something good, aren't I?"

I felt a chilling breeze blow past, and shivered. The scent of soil and pine stung the air, yet it still smelled cold. I swished my tail back and forth, yawning.

"C-crystal?" Muttered a half-asleep voice, startling me and making my hackles rise rapidly. They lowered as I turned around the see Spark coming out from the den, bits of dirt matted into his pelt.

"Yeah?" I asked half-heartedly. Spark winced a bit as he dragged his hurt leg out. "Are you sure this leg will heal?"

I stared straight ahead. The words took a moment to really sink into me. I hadn't thought much about whether the leg would heal or not...

"Of course it will." I mumbled, trying to hide that I felt like I was lying. Spark tilted his head nervously, and grunted. His shook his pelt, and growled lowly.

"We need prey. We can't sit around here and starve!" He growled, lifting one of his good legs and pointing his snout towards the sky. I nodded, turning my gaze to the injured leg. I inspected it quietly, seeing that the Druid wolf had hurt it badly. But it didn't look like anything was severely damaged, so I ignored the wound.

"What are we waiting for then?!" Spark said, limping towards a pine tree and stopping beside it. I got up, feeling nervous. I didn't hunt well, and neither did Spark. would we catch anything?

"Why are you so quiet?" Asked Spark, tilting his head. I stared. I had been very quiet, lost in thought. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied, nodding. The horrible feeling that we would catch nothing churned inside me, but I padded towards him anyway.

We walked through the forest slowly, stopping every now and then to let Spark catch his balance. He's walking and managing well for the injury he has. I thought, glancing at the wolf. His muscles looked strong, and he seemed alright. I took a moment to really notice Spark. His gray silvery fur, the way his eyes glowed, the way his tail swished back and forth.

I almost stopped in my tracks as I noticed his fur was parted at a spot near his flank. I squinted, taking a closer look. A scar lay between the parted gray fur, little bits of the fur covering it. I wanted to push those parts away an examine the scar, but I didn't. I just stared. Where would that have come from?

The forest went by slowly, the trees starting to look different. Yet, Spark seemed to know his way. I wondered where he was going, and stopped. The wolf continued padding on. I stared, wide eyed. The faint scent of elk had entered my nostrils. We where headed towards an elk herd!

There was no way an injured wolf and a clumsy half-dog could take down even the weakest cow elk! I noticed Spark getting farther away, so I sprinted towards him.

"We're hunting elk!?" I snarled, my lip raised.

Spark turned, confused. "Yes," He muttered, stumbling a little as his bad leg was dragged across a small stone.

"I haven't hunted a single elk in my life! Plus, your practically crippled!" I snapped, my ears flattening. Spark snarled. "I'm not crippled!" He barked, anger glowing in his eyes.

Great, we're fighting again. I thought, rolling my eyes. I showed my teeth, annoyed. "You seem to be," I whispered.

"I WHAT!?" Spark snapped at me, his hackles raised. He bared his teeth, and backed away. I stared, my eyes wide. "Sorry..." I muttered, trying to sound calm. Spark looked like he was going to run off again.

"Listen, I don't wanna start a fight. I was saying that I'm just a half-wolf mutt, as you say, and I don't think we'll bring down an elk." I explained. Spark calmed down, and started padding on again. I followed, trotting behind.

Silence stood between us for the walk. Sometimes Spark would stumble or fall, and I would help him up, but other than that we made no eye contact.

Spark's P.O.V

I want to get away from this mutt as soon as my leg heals. I thought, glaring silently at Crystal. My leg throbbed, and the chilling air seemed to freeze me, but I was managing.

She thinks I'm a weak little cripple. Not that cripples are weak... Ugh, I just think she assumes I'm a whining pup. I thought. My paw pads ached, but soon I caught the scent of elk.

"Drop down," I muttered quickly, stopping. Crystal stopped and stared, confused. I grunted, crouching down into a stalking position.

"I said drop into a crouch!" I snapped, glaring back at her. Man, it's like teaching a pup to hunt!

Crystal shuddered, and nodded before copying my stance. I crept forward, my ear pricked up and my tail low. I could smell elk nearby, and could see them in the distance. I flicked my ear, signaling for Crystal to come up with me.

She stood, tilting her head. I sighed, trying to remember she wasn't trained to hunt.

"Listen up... I need you to follow by my side until I flick my ear. Then, you go left and hide. I'll tackle the elk, and I'll hold it in one place. You then sprint out and leap at it. Give it a wound that would make it wanna run, and we chase it. After we're a good distance from the buck, we kill it. Alright?" I explained. Crystal stared, confused looking. She looked as if she had only heard half of what I had said, but gave me a nod.

I then crept on, Crystal flanking me. We got closer and closer, until I flicked my ear. Crystal didn't notice, and kept going. Ugh! I thought, growling quietly. This, Crystal heard, and stopped in her tracks. I glared at her as she looked back at me. Idiot, I thought dryly.

"Remember what I said, okay? Hide! On the left!" I pointed my snout towards a bush as I whispered the words. Crystal nodded, and slunk off towards the bush.

I crouched, eyes fixed on the elk I had picked out of the herd. It was an old, frail cow elk, eating from a clump of dry grass a few paces away from the larger group of elk. Perfect! I thought, smiling.

I bunched my muscles, my leg slightly throbbing from my wound, then used my good leg to propel myself forward, springing up. My grand leap shot me extremely close to the older elk, and I landed with a thud. But my jump had alerted the elk along with most of the herd, and now the elk I was targeting was stumbling backwards in shock. I sucked air into my lungs and then let it out swiftly. I could do this. I'd trained since I was only a pup!

I jumped towards the elk, my claws barely missing it's side. I tumbled onto the ground, twisting and turning wildly. Dust flew up in clouds around me. My plan was failing! The cow elk was stumbling away!

Suddenly, in the midst of the chaos, I heard a loud squeal. It split through the air, and as soon as I turned my head to see where it was coming from, a wave of shock washed over me.

Crystal was tackling the elk.

A/N: How do you like it? And WOW it's almost Christmas and it took me so long to get this posted... First, I wrote most of it before Thanksgiving, got caught up in the holiday, lost this document, found it weeks after, and started working on it. Then, it took me days to actually finish this! Hope you enjoyed it!