An old story I found in my documents. I think I wrote it a year or so ago. I don't know if I should continue.

Enjoy!

The she wolf was nestled in the stump of a tree, suckling her just-born pups. She had stayed up all night bearing them with no assistance. She was a loner, with only her newly born pups and the spirit of her mate to comfort her. How could the pups be of comfort, though, when their little furless, wet bodies are to no use? She pushed that though away, and focused on how overjoyed she was to have new pups. Her last litter had been frolicking in a springtime field when…

She shook her head. These malevolent thoughts would come when she was overtired, and that she was. She closed her eyes, and the cool rain began drumming softly on the bark of the tree. For a second, the she wolf considered moving away from the tree, perhaps, because of the lightning dangers, but it was the first rain she'd seen since early springtime. She let out a long sigh and fell asleep.

Weeks passed, and the pups grew larger and larger. One was blond-brown like his mother, and another was dark auburn like his father, with a white fleck on his chest. The small female was an odd mix of the two, having blond patches and light brown on the rest of her body, excepting the white mark on her chest like her brother.

She named the blond one Hawkwing, The female Smallfawn, and the robust, brown male Bear. Bear was the fastest, and the strongest, but Smallfawn was the quietest, and the best hunter. Hawkwing favored fishing, and catching birds and other small creatures. Although Bear was the biggest and strongest, he protected his little sister, and loved to play gently with her. Hawkwing sometimes got jealous, and trotted off the play his own game.

One day, when Bear and Smallfawn were playing Enemy Wolf, Hawkwing set out to get his hawk feather. You see, when pups are named after a bird, at a young age they must catch that bird. Although Meadow and her pups were loners, they still followed the code.

Hawkwing had plenty of time before he was a yearling. He could have gone to play with his denmates, of maybe ran across the territory a couple of times. But Hawkwing did not want to wait. He was excited to catch his first hawk. "I'll show Mother that I am the best!" he said to himself, "besides, Bear doesn't ever ask to play. They won't notice I'm gone. This is for my own benefit. Plus, maybe Mother will not pay so much attention to my stupid brother. He thinks he's the best. Well he won't be after I…" The low growl of a cougar in the distance made Hawkwing's heart stop. The dark woods seemed to get even darker.

"I had one of those brothers," a voice said. "You know what happened?" The cougar stepped into the dim light of the clearing and stared at Hawkwing. "Wh-wh-what?" he squeaked, reluctant to answer to the cougar.

"I killed him!" the cougar hissed, right into his face. Hawkwing could see his face well now. He had a scar that ran down his face and through his eye. "Why? He's your brother." Hawkwing asked, with more force now. "Because he was better than me. I hate when people think they're above me. Do you want to hear the story?" The cougar asked. Hawkwing explained he needed to go catch his hawk, but the cougar rudely imitated him and sat him down on a tree.

"My brother's name was Lionclaw. He was a more tan than you and I, and had a thick bit more of fur than the rest of us on his swallower. He was generous and kind, while I stayed in the shadows, clawing designs in the dirt. He got a mate quicker than the rest of us. All of the females laughed at me because I was scrawny and pale. They called me Mama's Little Boy 'cause I spit-looked like her." Hawkwing had a hot feeling crawl under his skin. But the cougar continued. "But then one day, this pretty little female come walking up to me and says, 'Why look at you. You're kinda handsome, aren't you…uh,' then I said my name. You know what's happening next. She turns into my mate, yada yada yada, so and so. 'Cept then I heard my brother talking about me. 'Oh, yeah, he was a little guy.' Then I plotted. I was mad at him for a danged year. Then we got in this fight and I pushed him off this cliff. That's how I got me this darn scar." He pointed at his scar and hoarsely laughed. "You ever need help with that brother of yours, just call me. My name's Tyrone. Don't know where Ma got it from. Bye…uh,"

"Hawkwing," Hawkwing said.

"See you Hawksing."

'It's Wing,' Hawkwing thought to himself. He set off to find his hawk when he thought, 'Bear's not all that bad. When I get back, I'll ask to play.'

Meanwhile, Meadow was being reassured by Bear and Smallfawn. "He probably got killed by that…" She burst into tears again. "Let Mom sleep." Smallfawn said. Bear agreed, then set off to find her a small varmint to nibble on. "I'll be right back," he said. "Alright," replied Smallfawn.

Smallfawn had briefly dozed off when Bear nudged her side. "Aah! Bear! You scared me!" she whispered sharply. "What's up? Have a bad dream?" Bear asked as he dropped a squirrel at their sleeping mother's paws. Gingerly, Smallfawn got up. "Yeah, I did. It was about Hawkwing. That he got killed by this monster thing." She began to shake, and Bear leaned against her.

When Meadow awoke, she nibbled on her squirrel. Then, as if he had been gone so briefly as to make dirt, Hawkwing casually pawed into a clearing with a huge hawk in his jaws. "Look what I…" he started.

"Hawkwing!" Bear gruffly greeted him and then began to scold. "Mother was worried! Where were you?"

"I was out getting my feather! Could you help me put it in?"

"After you go greet Mother, Hawkwing. And next time," Bear gritted his teeth, "tell us where you're going."

"Okay, sheesh, Bear. Oh yeah, and do you want to…"

"Feed ourselves? Yeah, sure. Because someone left the camp unguarded so we couldn't hunt." He turned around and his neck fur bristled to show how annoyed he was.

Hawkwing greeted Meadow and she was overflowing with relief. Then she asked where he was, and he felt sheepish. It was a simple thing to tell them he was leaving. Smallfawn ran out from the dirt place and grinned when she saw him.

Suddenly, Bear burst through the clearing. His eye was scratched and bleeding. He was breathing heavily. Meadow stood up and stared blankly into the woods. "They're coming!" he breathed. Crashing sounded through the woods and a rumbling noise that sounded unnatural. A white SUV crashed into the clearing. Four Furless Ones jumped out of the car with steel bars shaped like boxes. Smallfawn tugged on Meadow's still scruff, but nothing happened. Hawkwing and Bear growled fiercely at the humans invading their clearing. Hawkwing was circling around the human's SUV, readying for attack when a sharp pain entered his back leg. He yelped, and ran off towards the woods, calling for Bear and his mother and Smallfawn. They were all lying on the ground, moaning. Hawkwing was tiring quickly…his eyes blurred and he fell into the spell of tranquilization.