Autumn Chapter 5

Moon 

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Chip was flourishing in the healing den. He had learnt a great deal about herbs. He often woke Moon before the sun rose; saying that he needed to learn more. With all his knowledge, the deep brown student was ready to assist Moon that night when Koda called for her. 

The only problem was what a deep sleeper Chip was. But they got there in time to help Koda deliver her pups. Three. Chip learnt a few tips along the way and helped to lick the pups clean when they entered the world. He had tucked the frail scraps against Koda's belly with the gentleness of a father. Geyser had helped to keep his mate calm until the first spasm gripped her body and shook her like a dead squirrel. After that, the only thing he had done was paced the entrance of the den whimpering like the pups that squirmed against her. 

Out of the three, there were two females and a male. The firstborn female was a grey only a touch lighter than Geyser but seemed too weak to survive the night. Koda and Geyser were left with the pups while Chip returned the unused herbs to the den. Moon supervised until Geyser yipped for her from the nursery. The couple were the parents to Canyon, but they still seemed in awe of the pups as if they were their first litter. 

"Moon," Geyser began. "Thank you for helping Koda give birth to the pups, but we've come to terms with the fact that the smaller female likely won't make it to see dawn light." 

Moon knew what they were saying. The scrap had been placed on the other side of the nest, away from Koda's milk. 

"It will be quick and painless." Moon promised; a tear slid out from the mother's blue eye. She knew it was for the best, but it was never easy for a mother to let her newborn leave the world so soon after it came. Moon gripped the pup's small scruff in her jaws and carried it out of camp. She passed the rest of the pack on her way out. Koda wailed for the pup. Chip stared from the healing den, horror striking his gaze when it reached the scrap that was being carried to it's final resting place. The little female whimpered in a way that no longer stabbed at Moon's heart. She had carried off many other live pups like this one. 

Moon weaved through brambles and made her way through the forest. She located the Ancestor Tree and stopped, placing the pup on the cold soil. It reached desperately for the wolf's white paw, but Moon only shook it off. 

Moon remembered the first time she had carried off a live pup. It had been the Alpha's - River - three litter mates. She required the assistance of others to carry them all to the Ancestor Tree. She had only been a student then, young. Her teacher, Goose, had given her a quick talk before she left with the pups. 

"Make it painless, don't feel bad. It is only for the good of the pack. We need you here; don't get yourself exiled." Moon had made it then, only a paw full of tears streaked her cheeks. She washed her face to hide her horror at the death of the pups. Unlike Koda, Moon would stay here in the pack, following the pack's strick rule; only the strong survive. Koda had always seemed to have a much lighter heart than the rest of the pack. Too light. Perhaps the Light Pack would take her in. If River didn't kill her first. 

She straightened out the female who thrashed now, desperate to survive. It was clear that the pup didn't want to die. It only wanted to be in the nursery; her mother's fur sheltering her. 

Taking hold of the pup, she snapped it's neck. A final begging yelp escaped her jaws before her head fell to the ground. Moon carefully buried the pup against the belly of Dapple's remaining pelt, alongside Autumn's dead siblings. She let a howl ring out for the young one. In the sky, a trail of mist took the form of the pup and met with a bigger wolf, Dapple. The two touched their muzzles. They ran side by side into the night sky. Moon looked out of the forest towards the river and saw at the edge of the Light Pack's territory, two frolicking wolves. They lay together on the shore, clearly in love. Oblivious to the soul of a pup scampering above their heads. 

It was dawn when Moon returned to camp and met Fawn at the entrance. She looked thrilled. 

  "Koda's going to be exiled! When you left with the pup, she fought against Geyser and Red to get her pup back. She said that she thought it had the right to live. River said that once my pups are born Koda will have to leave and her pups become mine!" The young tawny female looked overjoyed at the fact that she would have two more pups to raise as her own. Moon gestured to the pregnant Alpha's belly. 

"That shouldn't be long now. By the time the next full moon rolls around, there will be more pups running around." A moon's gap between pups would hardly be noticed. Autumn, Lightning and Chip were spaced by two moons and they all looked to be the same age. "Lay down, I can give you a checkup now if you like." 

Moon immersed herself in the sounds of the kicking pups yet to be born. It almost distracted her from the image of the young pup lying dead on the ground. Born with crooked hips; a missing hind leg; Koda made a mistake wanting that thing to live. Now she would pay the price.