"Silver. Silver. Silver." The wolf said as he looked into my eyes.
"Who are you?" I asked. He had electric blue eyes and moon-white fur. He opened his mouth to speak his name—
"SILVER! WAKE UP!" Caralam shouted. My hackles bristled on end as I leaped up, ready to attack. I realized it was just my sister and relaxed. Her cream-colored fur glowed like the setting sun. It made me want to go back to sleep. "C'mon. We have to meet Snowfear. We're having a Pack Meeting." She said. I snorted and shuffled my feet as I followed Caralam toward Snowfear and the others. Almost all of the Huelva's had gathered around. Yes, there were some of the wolves that had come from the Xythe and Rihon Huelvas. But everyone from my Huelva was here—Sythenil, sadly, Ronav, Snowfear, Nana, Galaxy, Caralam, and Stratus. Snowfear sat on a large rock overlooking us all and began to discuss the problems. I sighed and my head drooped, barely listening.
"The Eastern Woodland Pack has been invading the Hikaylo Pack for some time now…. The Kado Huelva has promoted…." Snowfear trailed off. "That a female wolf—from the Alzaar Pack—" Snowfear coughed to pass time. He was uneasy; he shifted his weight. "Become the mate of one of the males from the Hikaylo Pack. If not even another female shall be sent to a different male..." He paused, almost dramatically as he said in a solemn tone, "so the Hikaylo Pack will have descendants. We are afraid that they may be wiped out. And as you all know, I hope, they are sorry for becoming puppets' to the Eastern Woodland Pack. They wish to never serve them again. I'm afraid that a full-out war will begin soon. Just like it did ten years ago," Snowfear concluded.
"Sir," asked a tawny wolf from the Rihon Huelva. Snowfear nodded. The wolf continued, "May I ask who these two she-wolves are?" There was a silence. Crickets chirped as the wolves stood uncertain. Not many asked Snowfear those types of questions.
"Yes." Snowfear said. He looked over toward me. My eyes widened and I bumped into Nanny. She nipped at me. I shot her the-I'm-sorry-look before looking back toward Snowfear. "Sythenil and," he paused, "Blazer." All eyes fell on Sythenil and then on Blazer. I looked at Sythenil and bared my teeth—but just enough so only she'd see. She held her head up high, tail pointed at an angle, proud. I leaned over to Galaxy, who was on my right as she nudged me.
"You know, Sythenil thinks it's great for her…" Galaxy pointed out," but, truly, it's great for us. Think, Silver. She's out of here!" Galaxy's eyes were bright and shining. I wagged my tail. But I want to go, I thought to myself. I shrugged and began to walk off with everyone else. Snowfear said that that was enough news for the night, and the Huelva's would den here for the night until the next meeting tomorrow. Why is he rushing? Usually, these meetings last until at least Moon Sky. I paused for a moment. Snowfear was behind me. I could feel his shallow, calm breathing on my croup.
"Silverflash," he said. I turned around, slowly, dream-like in the rising Moon. I looked at him. He had a look in his eyes that I couldn't recognize. He said no more. I turned and walked toward the Shenandoah River to get a drink, and then I'd head back to my den with Galaxy.
The water was cool and crisp. I lapped at the water lazily until I stopped and I slowly raised my head. Sythenil. She was standing a ways down from me, glaring with her hazel eyes. She advanced toward me, her tail waving back and forth at the tip like silk. I snarled a warning. She walked past as I stood, watching her. My eyes narrowed to slits. I waited patiently for her to leave before drinking again.
I waded into the river, my head dunking in and out of the chilly water. I began to get to cold and decided it was time to head home. I looked up into the sky as I came out of the River. As I was about to clamber up the River's side, the moon shined with a burning intensity. Then it faded, leaving the night air as dark as it had been before. A blue wolf stood before me. The Blue Wolf. I backed up, a whine trying to escape from my throat.
"Come with me." The Blue Wolf said in a soft, ghost-like whisper. It paused next to me, facing toward the River.
"I'm The Blue Wolf, open the Gates so she can come. This, Silver, is the Land of Lupus and the Bone." I shuddered as The Blue Wolf sang the words. Bone—the Second in Command. The Guardian of His Land. Golden Gates appeared in the River amongst the fog of Moon Sky—I should be home! I'm going to be in big trouble, I thought to myself. I followed The Blue Wolf. Surely this is a prank or something…. The Blue Wolf was just a Fairy Tale. The Leader into the Gates. And you just don't go to visit Bone…. My pastern's quivered. From tiredness, or something else, I was unsure. We went inside the Gates, and sudden warmness filled my body. I looked over and saw the Gate Keeper. She was a golden color, just like the Gates. I looked toward The Blue Wolf and followed her at a trot to keep up. The meadow was green with a bright blue sky. The Leader into the Gates stopped and I nearly fell on top of her. "Bone." The Blue Wolf had a drop of a musical rhythm when she said his name. The meadow dropped into an eerie quietness. I stood alert, ears forward, tail slightly erect. Could've been worse. Could be having a chat with Lupus. Then I'd know I was really in trouble. A white wolf with a golden tinge on his ears came from out of nowhere. I suppressed my instinct to run.
"Why am I here?" I asked quietly, barely a murmur. I looked up into his soft, Sunset-yellow eyes.
"Come with me, Silver," said Bone in a light tone. I trotted unsurely behind him. As if to answer my hidden question, he whispered, "We are going to Lupus." I stopped in mid-stride. He looked back. Shaking my throbbing head, I followed obediently. Perched on top of a hill sat Lupus. He had an unreal glow to his white, glossy coat. His eyes were not a color. One moment they were grey, the next gold, and then brown. Bone had his tail tucked in and bowed as if he wanted to play. He looked at me sternly. I followed his movements. If felt strange and unnatural to be doing a playful and submissive behavior at once. Bone nudged me in the flank and I headed up the hill. Lupus watched me and moved over for me to sit.
"When you get back to your pack, it will be the next night," Lupus said. "That night, Snowfear will be giving out the positions you are in the pack. You will be a Scouter. You will patrol your pack's land. You know to follow Snowfear's orders, correct?" I nodded my head. "There is a Wolf, who's name I can't tell you, who comes from the Hikaylo Pack. Become his mate—against your father's wishes." I looked at him, wide-eyed. "You are hearing this from your Lord, Silver. Trust me." He had soft eyes as he looked at me. I nodded, again. "Now, I assure you, there are many other males out there. If you do not find the One, then…." He dropped off his sentence. "You shall bear him pups and any number may be born. Give one to Bane, the Dark Lord, and a New Pack will appear in the Cliar Plains and Hiboo Dinoo Beach. This can ONLY be done if you surrender one of your pups. The strongest, the best. If you do not, you and this male and your family will be cursed. This is the Balance," Lupus said, his voice showing little emotion. "Do this for the Wolves, Silver. There will be a New Line. Oh, and, Silver." I looked up. "Never trust Sythenil. She obeys Bane. Even though we have a Deal with Bane, she will do more than that." Lupus stood up, his fur blowing in the breeze and leaped down the hill and galloped away into mist. Bone howled a farewell and loped off. The Blue Wolf came and muttered something and the Land of Bone and Lupus were gone.
I woke up on the rocks and sand of the Shenandoah River. It was nearing night. I shook the water off and walked shakily back towards the Meeting Place. The Valaan Forest now seemed so dark and mysterious compared to the Land. I mustn't tell anyone, I thought. Anyone. My head whirled in thoughts as I pattered towards the Meeting.