Autumn Chapter 4

Autumn 

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The golden and white female could hardly contain her excitement. Autumn bounded up the hill with her brothers and Lilly. The top of the hill was flat, with a few trees. Autumn flew over the ground to the other end of the hill. 

  "Autumn, wait!" She skidded to a stop but tripped over a stone and flew forward. She braced herself for the fall, but was surprised when her landing was soft and furry. The soft body underneath her stood up and flung her off. This time she landed on a sharp stone. She yelped at the pain but pushed to her paws and faced her attacker. Autumn looked into the eyes of her opponent. Luminous green eyes glared back at her. A male wolf twice her size - and likely age - with thick black fur; his tail was burgundy. 

  "Watch where you're going Dark!" He growled. By now their packs had reached the top of the hill. 

  Weasel leaped between the two wolves and dragged Autumn by her scruff back to the Dark Pack. River stepped up to the female youth, anger spread thick over his face. 

  "You never let them walk all over you like that; a Dark wolf fights back with all their might. Make us look good tonight." He stalked proudly towards the leader of the Light Pack. She was white with golden spots. 

  "Hello, River." She said neutrally. 

  River dipped his head in respect to the female Alpha. "Sun." 

  She snorted at him. "Perhaps you should teach your youth not to go flying into others like that. The Howl should begin on a better note next time." River laughed in response; the two had an okay relationship. Lilly walked up to Autumn, flanked by Lightning and Chip. Lilly licked her cheek affectionately. 

  "Autumn, you're bleeding." The golden she-wolf looked at her right shoulder. Blood trickled down her leg. It wasn't much, but it stung. Chip walked up to inspect it. 

  "Just clean it regularly and hope it won't get infected. We can't waste any herbs on you." Chip gave her one last look before walking back to Moon who was talking to a slate female from the Light Pack. 

  Autumn glanced around and saw the black and red male that had attacked her earlier. He was being scolded by Sun, his leader. 

  He rolled his eyes and Sun nudged him in the direction of Autumn. He lowered his head and let his tail drag. 

  "Hi." He said in the most monotonous voice ever. 

  "What do you want?" She sneered, showing that the Dark Pack was superior to the Light Pack. Nobody - especially the black male - would walk all over her. 

  "I wanted to apologize for...earlier." He averted his eyes, but he looked genuinely apologetic. 

  Autumn opened her mouth to reply but River and Sun were already starting The Howl. They raised their muzzles to the moon and let their howls ring out. The packs joined them, their howls creating a harmony. Autumn lifted her own head and howled. So did the red-tailed male. 

  His howl was beautiful, and it echoed in a way that almost made her swoon. It was wonderful, in a way that she couldn't explain. When they ended the harmonic howls, Autumn glanced back at were the male had been. He was slowly backing out of the crowd and signalled with his thick tail for Autumn to join him. She wanted to refuse and listen to what the leaders had to say but she wanted to go with the male. 

  Reluctantly; cautiously, she slunk through the crowds and joined him in the back. He looked back to check that she was following before trotting down the side of the hill and ducking under a rocky outcrop. Autumn crouched underneath, her belly fur brushing the ground. Her nose was brushed with his tail tip, and she followed it diligently. She was suddenly aware of the open space above her spine; she stood. There was a nook dug out in the ground underneath the rock. It was big enough to fit the two wolves sitting, but only just. Their chest fur touched briefly causing the two to pull away and push their backs uncomfortably into the walls of the nook. 

  "So..." Autumn started uncomfortably. It was dark, the only thing she could see was his green eyes, lit by the few rays of moonlight that reached back to them. "I'm Autumn." She whispered.

  "What was that?" He asked, seeming just as uncomfortable as she was. 

  "My name; Autumn." She said again, louder this time. 

  "Oh. I'm Winter." He replied. 

  "This is quite the little hideout." 

  "Oh...yeah." 

  "Why-" Autumn heard River call for the pack. 

  "Dark Pack; time to leave." Autumn welcomed the distraction and quickly slunk out of the hideout, leaving Winter alone. 

  On the way back to camp, Autumn tried to shove the handsome Winter deep back in her mind, but he was all she could think about. That night, she fell asleep thinking about his beautiful green eyes.