Shaking the water from her waist-length hair, Jaenii delighted in the cold morning. The mountain air stained her cold skin a speckled purple. How strange Jaenii must look to Head Sister... The trees swayed, dancing to the tune of the wild wind, a wind that brought in the scents of animals and green growing things. The mountain air was beautiful, and painted a picture of the world around her in the colors of smell.

Head Sister snorted, looking put out at being splashed by her young sister. You're going to catch ill trouncing in the water like that, you stupid mutt. Head Sister snarled.

Jaenii stopped playing for minute, and watched Head Sister with curious emerald eyes. You're angry at me? She crawled up onto the bank of the Big Water, hair clinging to her skin. She kept her head low, carefully keeping it lower than Head Sister's, staring forward into her muzzle. Jaenii wouldn't, couldn't challenge her. Head Sister would kill her; she'd have no chance...

But Head Sister wasn't angry. She sighed heavily, looking away from her strange kit. No, sister. Not angry with you.

Tell me, tell me. Jaenii whined, keeping herbody low to the ground as she crawled forward. Tell me and be at peace.

Turning away, Head Sister studied the trees around them with orbs of ice. They keened out the Call of Warning. The Children of the Pack smelled the blood of a sister. A sister was dying. A sister was calling for help. I lead the Pack, the brothers and sisters. They keened out the Call of Coming. The entire pack ran to help. We came, but you did not look like pack sister. But our scent does not lie. You were Strange Sister, but we accepted you. You were a good kit, as helpless and wild as any kit of the Pack. But you did not grow stronger. You are full grown, a full sister, but you are still weak. I have protected you. I will continue to protect you, Sister. I will stay with you, no matter how far I have to go to keep that promise. But there is something amiss about you, something uneasy, and it has been growing worse as you've grown. You do not make me angry, but you do make me worry. How weak, how easily you fall ill.

Jaenii stared at Head Sister for a long time, jewel-eyes wide. There was silence, as wolf and Jaenii stared at one another, no challenge in either pair of eyes. Thank you, Sister. She answered, water welling up and blurring her vision. Something raw and painfully beautiful crushed in her chest. Thank you. Blindly, Jaenii threw her arms around the Head Sister's shoulders. She could feel a warm tongue lick a long line up her neck. They stayed there for a long moment, Jaenii breathing in the thick, musty smell of her sister's body. Her fur tickled Jaenii's hairless chin. And I will do whatever I can to protect you, Head Sister...

Suddenly, Head Sister keened in pain. In a confused moment, Jaenii began keening with her, caught up in rush of pain she felt from her Head Sister. Humans! Humans, with Weapons. You must run and warn the Pack, Sister. There was blood, thick on Head Sister's white coat. The salty-copper smell rushed to her, filling Jaenii's nose and mouth. The fire of the Hunt poured through her veins... And she turned, looking for a target for the fire. Someone would burn in it...

"Hey girl, you okay?" The noise didn't make any sense. 'This must be Human. I will kill it, for the Pack.' Jaenii growled at it, baring her teeth. She crouched low over the body of Head Sister, vowing to protect, to avenge.

She bit down on the human as he reached to her. Don't touch my sister! she shouted, tears ripping through the grit on her furless muzzle. The human backed away, backed away. She was winning! The Strange Sister perhaps was not so weak. But she did not pursue her prey; she would guard the Head Sister, she had to Call the Pack...


And Chapter 2 is done. This will be a shortish story, I think I have an idea of where I'm going with it now. But I dunno how long. Lemme map it out and hopefully I'll be able to tell you in the next Chapter (already in the making). But if I had to give my best guess... It would be seven parts. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!

Mina