Chapter 3
Icyfur perked her ears. "What's that sound?" She asked lifting her head from snowy paws. Wolves from around camp were coming out of the small yet efficient caves that served as dens. Waterclaw walked up to the entrance of camp and looked out. The noise was steadily getting louder. Moon- eye walked peeked his head from around a corner. He was in the base of an old tree that had hollowed out. It served as a fine place to rest on such a warm sunny day. Suddenly Waterclaw was bowled over by SunStrike who had been trying to streak into the camp. He forced himself unsteadily to his paws and looked around wild eyed. The usual shiny gold eyes were wide open with fear. "Stampede!" He shouted suddenly as soon as he had caught his breath. "It's heading this way!" He yelped and would have tried to bolt for cover, had Waterclaw not hooked his front paws under SunStriker's back ones causing him to fall forward.
Moon-eye stepped out of the shelter of the tree his ears and tail high. "Listen up!" He howled, his one good eye traveling over the flustered wolves. "I want the fastest runners and my best hunters!" He howled again, this time stamping his paws into the dirt in urgency. Even the resound leader was beginning to panic. Icyfur lifted herself from the ground and trotted over, followed by Shadow, Suchamina, and Paramori. "I want you to try to turn the herd from the camp's way. If you can't we will still evacuate. Try your best, and don't put yourself in harms way." He ordered and turned his back running over to his Beta Sakumori. "Alright. Lets go." Icyfur growled and turned tail running for the camp entrance. Shadow settled in easily finding her place at her sisters side. Suchamina took up the other side and Paramori the rear.
At a steady pace the soon found the stampeding herd. "Formation Z!" Icyfur order. Being an Elite Guard gave her the authority to give such commands. Formation Z was where the wolves flank their prey in a zig-zag, from birds eye view they look like a "Z" The four wolves split up, two near the front, two in the back. The herd panicked more when they saw the wolves, baying in fear. Their hooves hit the ground, creating a noise like thunder. The caribou, however pushed continually toward camp, no matter how close the wolves pressed, or how aggressive they presented themselves. Paramori snarled and nipped hard at a caribou's hip causing it to slip and fall. Icyfur looked back in horror as the caribou crashed down on top of the silver wolf. "Fall back!" She howled and lost pace. She turned around and sprinted to where the caribou and her dearest friend lay moaning.
Suchamina and Shadow pulled back and gasped at the sight. Icyfur was trying to push the struggling caribou to it's feet, to get it off of Paramori. Shadow nodded to Suchamina and took off for camp, to both warn the others and send for help. Suchamina ran over to help push the animal to it's feet, but only succeeded in bowling it over onto it's other side. They both pulled the large, wide- shouldered wolf out from under the caribou. His breath was ragged and his silvery fur was matted with blood. One of the caribou's antlers had sliced a deep gash into Paramori's cheek. "Hold on Brother!" Suchamina nearly commanded. Slowly both wolves helped Paramori to his feet. Propped up in between both wolves they steadily dragged him to the tree line. All three's ears perked at a sudden sound. The sound of the herd ripping through their home, and the sound of wolves who had no time to prepare being nearly trampled.
SHADOW
She ran as fast as her paws would take her, making the forest around her turn to a green blur. The sound of the camp being crushed rang in her laid back ears, yet she still pushed herself forward. She stopped only for a moment to catch her breath by a large Maple tree. After regaining her breath she raced off at full speed again. She reached the camp and looked on in utter horror. The whole camp was trampled, tree branches, fur, and rocks were strewn around the camp, She walked stiffly to where a patch of fur was. Except it wasn't a patch of fur... it was Shian.. Feather and Moon-eyes pup. And most likely to be their last. They would be devastated.