The Rage (Very rough, rough draft) Chap. 9

“ ’Tis a beautiful morning.” Crow muses, looking over at me.

“Yeah.” I grumble.

“What’s wrong with you?” Crow asks, flicking his tail, loping alongside me. Dake had wanted to walk (I mean, obviously he’d wanted to walk because of me) but I’d completely refused. It’s harder than it should be to change my brother’s mind, but I manage.

“Everybody’s treating me like a puppy.” I growl, flicking my tail.

“Well, you’re lucky to be alive.”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t believe that?” Crow is stunned.

“No, I do, it’s just-“

“You have to be out there in the middle of things, right?” Crow sighs.

“Why do you sound like that’s a bad thing?”

“Well, you could get hurt, or killed, or-“

“Aw, Crow, are you worried about me?” I tease. I think Crow’s lucky wolves can’t blush.

“No, I mean- yes, I mean, uh, like, so I worry about my teammates, is that a crime?” Crow stammers. I smile.

“Ha ha, very funny.” Crow mumbles, flicking his tail.

“No, that’s actually really sweet, Crow. But I don’t need anybody to worry about me.”

Crow coughs.

“Well if we don’t, you’re likely to kill yourself, aren’t ya?” he grins.

“It’s possible.”

“Hey, who’s on watch tonight?” Glass interrupts.

“Erm…I dunno. Katya, I think.” Lane answers.

“No. I’ll watch.” Dake says suddenly.

“Dake!” I yelp.

“What, are you hurt?” Dake asks, skidding to a stop so fast Kyran runs into his haunches.

“No! You’re doing it again, Dake.”

“Doing what?” Dake asks, confused. Oh my gosh. My brother can be so stupid sometimes.

“I’m fine, okay? I can watch tonight.” I sigh.

“Are you sure?”

“Dake!”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Dake mutters, turning back around and continuing at a trot. Kyran rubs his sore nose with a paw.

“Dangerous hindquarters ya got there, Dake.” He hollers after the golden wolf. Lane rolls her eyes. I still haven’t heard her story yet. I’ll have to ask. But for now I take off after Dake, with the others beside me. I enjoy running underneath the clear blue sky, stretching out endlessly over the white plains, with the cold sun gleaming off everything it touches. My paws crunch the snow underneath them, and my breath clouds in the air. The wind is invigorating, and I woof, picking up the speed a little. Glass smirks, speeding up as well. The others soon catch on and we five immature puppies leave Dake behind as we gallop forward in a race. I mean, of course I don’t win, what with my injured neck and everything, and the others aren’t taking pity and slowing (I love them that much more), but I sure try. I snag out a paw and trip Kyran like he was one of my old pack-buddies when I fall to the back. We both topple into the snow and Glass barks, spinning and pouncing on the two of us. Crow and Lane charge back as well, eager for a puppy-like, stress-relieving play fight.

Kyran batters my ears, pushing me away. Glass springs on me, pummeling me with her front paws. I yowl, laughing, and kick her in the face, sending her flying back. She yelps indigently and lets out a little grr, lowering into a fighting crouch. Crow slams into her side and flings her into the deep snow. Lane and Crow both spring at her, and end up crashing heads above her. Glass rears up and swipes both of them over the ears.

 I charge and knock Glass’s hind paws out from under her; she crashes downwards and her front paws land on my haunches, sending me down into the snow. I sneeze. Glass laughs and jumps over me, freeing her hind paws. I whirl and ram into Kyran, who gapes at the four of us. I see Dake watching disapprovingly from a distance.

“What?” I laugh, sitting up from my crouch to look at poor, wide-eyed Kyran.

“What,” he asks, blinking, “are you doing?”

“Playing. Ever heard of it?” Crow woofs, shaking the snow out of his ears.

“You’re…playing. In the middle of a crisis. Seriously?” Kyran blinks again.

“Crisis? You mean the Rage pack? That’s not a crisis, and even if it was, you can’t just go around being all mopey all the time.” Lane snorts, stomping around in the snow to prove a point. Kyran just stares at us all like we’re crazy.

“Mr. Grumpy.” Glass growls and pokes him in the shoulder with a delicate silver paw.

“Here, like this.” Crow instructs, lowering into a play bow and wagging his tail. Fun-deprived, serious Kyran doesn’t move. “Go on.” Crow encourages, pricking his ears. I nudge Kyran. Kyran glares at me. I watch him expectantly. With a dramatic sigh, Kyran drops into a play bow.

“Good. Now, you just pounce like this-“ Crow demonstrates, bowling Kyran into the snow. Kyran growls.

“No--see, like puppies play.” Crow barks, circling Kyran, who’s on his back in the snow.

“I’m not a puppy.” Kyran points out.

“Only Healers and Rages don’t act like puppies sometimes!” Glass huffs.

“Ah, Crow, come over here just a minute.” Kyran growls. Crow looks skeptical, but pads up to Kyran. And Kyran lunges and snags Crow’s tail between his teeth. Crow yips and spins, scrambling at Kyran’s scruff. Kyran spits out his tail and rears up, toppling the smaller black wolf over. I roll my eyes, then squeak as Glass and Lane both spring on me. And so the puppy-play resumes with Kyran a fellow puppy now. Dake finally puts an end to our pathetic immaturity, glaring at us.

“If you five are perhaps ready to save Kyran’s home at any point in the near future, you should stop acting like newborns. “ He flicks his tail disapprovingly.

“Newborns don’t act like that. They can’t walk.” Lane points out, grinning.

“Whatever. Let’s go.” And then Dake storms off, with us trailing him and talking like a bunch of old friends. Which we kind of are. I mean, I just met Lane, what, a week ago? Two? I lost track. And I met Kyran just three days ago. But as for Glass, Crow, and I, we’ve known each other since we were pups. I miss those times. And out of nowhere, I think: I wonder what my mother was like? I blink, pondering that question, dropping out of the conversation. I don’t remember her. Dake told me, though, that she was a dark blue-gray, with her left front paw black, as well as her left ear, a black mark on her chest and the clearest blue eyes ever. She was supposedly kind, and gentle, but fierce and bold, standing up for the lower-ranking wolves when higher-rankings like Shreek would beat up on them. I wonder if I could ever be like her.

As for my father-- I don’t know about him. Dake hasn’t told me anything. I like to imagine him as strong and proud and a wonderful Pure Warrior. Like I wanna be some day.

“Hey, Kyran! Which way is easiest?” Dake’s voice brings me out of my thoughts and I slow to a stop, peeking over Dake’s shoulder.

“Take the forest path. “ Kyran answers. I scan my gaze over the thick haze of evergreen and Douglas fir trees before us. I wonder how far we’ve traveled. Dake nods and pads forward, walking cautiously.

“Have you been here before, Dake?” Lane asks.

“No.”

“Seriously?” Glass blinks.

“Yes.”

“And you’re just going to lead us into the great land of the unknown?” Crow barks.

“No.”

“Then-“ I start.

“Kyran is.” Dake finishes, motioning for Kyran. The dark wolf stalks forward and inhales, the wind ruffling his fur. He closes his eyes.

“Almost home.” He mumbles, half to himself. I’m surprised to find he sounds sad. I bet it’s because he lost so much here.

“Let’s go then.” Dake mutters, nudging Kyran forward. “We need a place to spend the night.”

“Yeah, okay. “ Kyran sighs and trots forward, the sunlight dappling his pelt in the shade of the trees. We fall in line behind him. I don’t know how far we travel that day, but it feels like a million miles. I don’t know why. When we set up camp, I eagerly select my spot and plop down, stretching my aching shoulders.

“Does your wound hurt?” Kyran asks, walking towards me.

“Nah.” I answer, looking up at him. Kyran snorts.

“Let me see it.” He orders, crouching beside me and eyeing the wound before I can agree. I don’t move as he sniffs along the gash, his breath warm on my neck.

“It’s not infected yet.” Kyran murmurs, just like the first time, but I can tell he’s frowning.

“What?” I ask, sitting up.

“It’s nothing.” Kyran answers quickly, shaking his head. I narrow my eyes at him. He shrugs and pads away.

“Hey, wait! Kyran!” I call, scurrying forward. Kyran looks back at me.

“Yeah?” He asks.

“Does this mean I can hunt now?” I ask eagerly. Kyran laughs.

“Not at all!”

“Seriously?”

                                                                     ______________

            Kyran tips his head back, looking at the big blue specks of sky between the trees. He’s almost home. So why does he feel like this? He doesn’t want to go home. He wants to stay with Dake’s team. But he knows he can’t. They would kill him, and probably the team as well. But…He should be happy to come home. It shouldn’t feel like a betrayal. He sighs heavily. Best not to ponder on it.

“Kyran! Are you hunting with us or not?” Crow barks from across their tiny camp, standing next to Glass. Katya and Lane are talking in the shade of tree, and Dake is perched on a low tree limb he somehow jumped into, looking out for danger. Kyran decides everything looks fine and turns to Crow.

“Oh? Oh, yeah.” Kyran answers and bounds towards them, gray eyes shining. The three lope off into the trees.

“So where do we hunt, O Wise One?” Glass asks, glancing over at him.

“There’s usually a deer herd in winter just up here.” Kyran tells them, guiding them up a snowy slope. They slow their pace as they crest the top, and Kyran flicks his tail to signal them into a crouch.

“Are you going to teach us that Western hunting trick?” Crow asks.

“No!’ Kyran chuckles, scanning the clearing. A clump of gray deer stand in the center, just like usual. But he’s not just looking for deer. He’s watching for Rages. Kyran nods and all-clear, then mutters to Glass and Crow,

“Alright, Glass, you have a light pelt, so circle around to that place where’s there’s less trees, and get as close as you can without scaring them. Crow, you go over there where there’s a lot of trees, and don’t let them see you. I’ll find our target and give you the signal.”  

Glass and Crow slink off, and Kyran pricks his ears, looking over the herd. He decides to show off, just a little. He springs forward, barking loudly, angling his ears in a signal and aiming for a pregnant doe on the outskirts of the herd. The herd takes off, flashing their white tails. Crow bursts from the trees, instantly springing and ramming into the doe’s haunch, knocking her off balance. Kyran dodges a kick from her twig-like leg and growls, backing up a little. Glass appears out of nowhere and snaps at the doe’s legs, yelping as she receives a blow for her efforts. Kyran bunches his haunches and lunges forward just as Crow knocks one of the doe’s hind legs, making her drop a little. Perfect, Kyran thinks and hits the deer just right, locking his jaws around her throat. His claws dig into her shoulder as she stumbles, going down with his sudden weight. He clamps down, blood filling his mouth. The deer thrashes, hitting the already-reddened snow.

Crow circles the deer, whose struggles are rapidly weakening. Glass gives a growl-yip of delight and prowls forward. Kyran flicks his head once, making sure the doe’s dead, and then rises to his paws, muzzle stained with blood.

“Dude.” Crow mutters. “That was fast.”

“Yeah.” Kyran growls, digging his claws into the snow, looking away from the doe and his teammates. Teammates. They’re not my teammates, dang it. He thinks, irritated.

“What’s wrong with you?” Crow mutters, admiring their prey.

“Nothing.” Kyran sighs, turning back to them. “Let’s just get it back to camp. I can drag it.”

“Um…Okay.” Glass agrees, and Kyran dips his head, wrapping his jaws around the deer’s hind leg. He twists his head, hears the deer’s leg snap, and lifts his head to a more comfortable position, despite the extra weight.

“Heavy?” Crow queries.

“Yeah.”  Kyran grunts, and then stiffens, abruptly dropping the deer.

“What is-“ Glass starts to ask, and then her amber eyes grow huge, following Kyran’s line of sight.

“Oh.” Crow mutters, flattening his ears.

 Two red eyes gleam at them from the trees.