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Moonlight - Dark grey wolf pup with white splotches

Sunrise - One of moonlight's sisters, a dusty colored wolf with a white chest

Shadow - The largest of Moonlights litter, and is completely black

Star - A white she-wolf who is the runt of Moonlight's litter

Smoke - A quiet hazy colored wolf in Moonlight's litter

Amber - Moonlights mother, a white and grey wolf

Echo - A blind pup found in the woods by a hunting party with pure white fur and black ears

Ash - A mix of dark and light grey, one of the best hunters in the pack

Sage - the oldest wolf in the pack and she has light grey fur

Thunder - The kind leader of the pack with black fur and white splotched

Blizzard - A strong white she-wolf that is next in line to become leader

Forest - Moonlight's father and is brindle colored, is the best fighter in the pack

Quicksilver - A grey wolf that is very kind and good at hunting, he is Forest's brother

swift - a brown she-wolf and is the fastest in the entire pack

Flora - A pretty brown wolf

Chapter 1

Moonlight woke with a start after hearing a few lone howls in the distance, the hunting team will be back soon, Moonlight thought. She nuzzled her sister, Sunrise, a dusty colored wolf with a tuft of white fur on her chest.

"Just one more minute" Sunrise said groggily.

Moonlight crawled out of the den away from the warmth of her mother and four siblings. Sun stung her eyes as she made her way to the entrance of the pack's camp. Loud running footsteps approached as the large group of wolves made their way into the clearing, each holding a plump rabbit or squirrel in their mouths. Moonlight jumped up at the fresh meat in the wolves mouths as they teasingly drew away from her.

"You took so long, Quicksilver!" Moonlight said to a shiny grey wolf a he placed a rabbit in front of her to share.

"Well the prey is scarce. You know winter is coming soon." As he said this, a cold wind blew into Moonlight's face.

Moonlight shiverd, "Brr."

Her siblings started to pour out of the den at the smell of fresh food, as their mother followed keeping close to her young.

"Ooh rabbit, my favorite!" said Shadow, one of Moonlights brothers.

They all dug in knowing that they must eat as much as they can to survive winter. Once the rabbit was reduced to bones and tufts of fur, Moonlight and her siblings playfully bit at each other's ears and tails.

Star, the runt of Moonlight's litter, pounced on Moonlight and nibbled her ear. Moonlight rolled over, knocking her off her back and said "Your going to need to hold on tighter than that!" Moonlight laughed.

Amber, Moonlight's mother, called her pups into the den for a nap.

"Aww" they all said together sadly. All of them would do anything to keep playing but the sleepiness forced them to return to the warm den. Moonlight snuggled close in between star and sunrise as drowsiness overcame her.

When Moonlight woke, she was the last one to leave the den, except for Echo of course. Echo was a small white pup found in the woods, abandoned by another pack. Echo stayed in the den. he never really liked to come out because he was blind.

Amber came in and beckenond to Moonlight and Echo to come outside. Then Moonlight remembered that today was the day they would learn to hunt. Exitment built up inside of Moonlight. She wandered out of the den and sat next to her siblings, who were already sitting down and waiting to see who will be their mentor. From the corner of her eye, she could see her mother leading Echo out of the den.

"Why does he get a mentor. He can't even see his own paws in front of him. How will he be able to catch even a mouse?" Moonlight heard Shadow say until a sharp look from their mother shut him up. Moonlight looked at Echo and even though he was blind, Moonlight saw that his ears were folded with hurt

Moonlight realized that Echo might have an extremely good sense of hearing because of how far away he was, and Shadow did say the rude comment quietly, but loud enough for their mother to catch a small bit of what he said. Hmm, Moonlight wondered. Maybe Echo wasn't entirely hopeless. The pups all sat down, waiting to hear witch of the amazing wolves of the camp would teach them every thing they need to know.

"First" Thunder said loudly to the pack that had slowly gathered round, "We will start with the first born of Amber's pups. Shadow."

At the sound of his name Shadow sat up strait and proud.

"Shadow, you have shown extreme bravery and fierceness. That is why, your mentor will be..." Thunder said loudly' "Ash!"

Shadow ran up to touch noses with his new mentor as the rest of the pack howled in congratulations. Ash was one of the best hunters in the pack, and Moonlight had partly hoped that she would get him as a mentor.

"Next" Thunder boomed to the pack, "the second born, Smoke! You may be a silent, watching wolf, but the pack can tell you are very clever. This is why your mentor will be, Forest!

Moonlight sighed. It seemed as If all the wolves she had wanted to be her mentor, were taken by her brothers.

"Next is our third born. Moonlight!" Thunder said as Moonlight stepped up to the front catching her mother's proud stare. "Not only are you a kind wolf, but you are very strong. your mentor will be Blizzard!"

Moonlight's heart flew. Blizzard was strong, agile, and next in line to become leader of the pack. She ran up to greet her new mentor, whose eyes gleamed with pride. This was more than Moonlight dared hope for, she had gotten an amazing wolf.

"Now our fourth born, Sunrise." Thunder continued as she looked at Moonlight's little sister. "When you were born, you were not breathing but you survived bringing hope to the pack. Your mentor will be Flora!"

Moonlight knew that, while Flora was beautiful, she was not the most clever wolf, though that did not mean she wouldn't be a good mentor.

"Our last born is Star." Thunder said. " Star is loving and agile. Her Mentor will be Swift."

This made sense to Moonlight because Star was a quick little one and was even able to dodge Shadow's pounces with a single leap and Swift was the fastest wolf in the pack so they went together perfectly. Before Moonlight knew it, Thunder's voice was continuing.

"Our next pup is one who is not originally from our pack. Though he may not have all five senses, he is talented in other ways." Thunder stated. "Echo, you may not be able to see but you can hear very good.

when I glance at you, I can see your ears flick around at sounds not even I can hear. So your mentor will be, Blizzard!"

Confused murmers spread around. Blizzard already had an apprentice. It was Moonlight herself. Never in the pack's history had there ever been a shared mentor. Echo slowly made his way to where Moonlight and Blizzard stood. He sat down and lowered his head.

The clearing remained dead silent after Thunder’s announcement. Moonlight’s heart, which had just been soaring with pride, felt like it had dropped straight into her paws. She looked at Blizzard, expecting the strong she-wolf to protest. But Blizzard simply dipped her massive head in agreement, her golden eyes fixed on Echo.

"A shared mentor?" Shadow scoffed from across the clearing, stepping forward until Ash placed a heavy paw on his shoulder to hold him back. "Blizzard is supposed to be training our next leader, not babysitting an outsider who can't even smell a border marker."

"Silence, Shadow," Thunder growled, his black fur bristling. "The decision is made. Pack dismissed."

Echo finally reached Moonlight’s side. He was trembling so hard his white fur shivered. Moonlight looked down at him. Part of her felt a sharp sting of jealousy—this was supposed to be her moment to shine with the best wolf in the pack. But seeing Echo’s folded ears and lowered head made her chest ache.

Blizzard stepped between the two pups, her large shadow covering them both. "Moonlight. Echo. Follow me. We waste daylight."

Without waiting, the white she-wolf turned and trotted straight through the camp entrance and into the whispering pine forest. Moonlight took a deep breath,

her shoulder to show him the direction, and said, "Come on. Let's go."

As they stepped out of the safety of the camp, the cold winter wind hit them again. Echo immediately stopped, his nose twitching wildly in the air, his ears rotating toward the canopy above.

"What is it?" Moonlight whispered, thinking a predator might be hiding in the trees.

Blizzard stopped ahead of them, turning around to watch. "Let him speak, Moonlight. What do you hear, Echo?"

Echo swallowed hard, his sightless eyes blinking against the pale winter sun. "The ice... it's cracking on the high ridge. And there are footsteps. Heavy ones. Coming from the eastern border."

Moonlight looked toward the eastern border, seeing absolutely nothing but snow and trees. But Blizzard’s eyes narrowed instantly. The elite fighter knew that Echo's ears had just picked up a threat long before anyone else could.

But Blizzard’s eyes narrowed instantly. The elite fighter knew that Echo's ears had just picked up a threat long before anyone else could. Blizzard's tail went completely ridgid. "The eastern border is patrol territory," She whispers, her voice low like grinding stone. "But no patrol is scheduled for this side of the mountain until sunset."

Chapter 2

Moonlight felt her fur stand on end. She strained her ears, trying to copy Echo, but all she could hear was the whistling of the wind through the pines. "Should we run back and tell Thunder?" she asked, her muscles tensing up to bolt.

"A good hunter never runs from a sound until they know what made it," Blizzard replied smoothly. She looked down at Echo. "How many, little one?"

Echo closed his eyes tightly, his whole body turning toward the east. His ears twitched rhythmically. "Two. No, three. They are heavy. Stepping deep into the crusty snow. They aren't trying to be quiet."

"They're marching right over our borders," Moonlight growled. A sudden wave of protective anger washed away her fear. This was her pack's land.

"Moonlight, stay downwind and advance through the thick brambles. Use your grey fur to blend into the shadows," Blizzard commanded, instantly shifting into battle leader mode. "Echo, you stay exactly three paces behind her. Follow the sound of her paws. You are her eyes; she is your shield. Move!"

Moonlight didn't hesitate. She dropped low into a crouch, her belly almost brushing the snow, and slid into a dense patch of thorny ivy. Behind her, she heard a soft rustle. She turned her head and saw Echo moving flawlessly, navigating by the tiny crunch-crunch of her paws in the drifts.

They crept up a small rise until Moonlight could finally see through the pine needles. Her heart did a flip.

Three massive wolves with scarred, manged fur were tearing at a fresh deer carcass just inside the boundary line. They wore the scent of the Rogue Pack—the lawless outcasts from the badlands.

"They're stealing our prey," Moonlight hissed under her breath.

Suddenly, one of the rogue wolves stopped chewing. His ears shot up. He swung his blood-stained muzzle directly toward the bramble bush where Moonlight and Echo were hiding.

"Who's there?" the rogue barked, his eyes scanning the brush.

Moonlight held her breath, completely frozen. But beside her, Echo accidentally snapped a dry twig beneath his rear paw. The sound cracked like a whip in the silent forest.

The rogue wolf snarled, baring long, yellow fangs. "Fresh meat," he hissed to his companions, and all three of them began to stalk toward the bush. The yellow eyed rogue wolf lunged through the frozen branches. Before Moonlight could even spring backward, a heavy scarred paw slammed down onto her back, crushing her into the snow.

"Look what we have here," the rogue snarled, his hot, foul breath blasting against Moonlight's ears. "A couple of fat pack pups playing in the woods."

"Get off her!" Echo yelled.

Even without his sight, Echo lunged forward, biting wildly at the air. The rogue let out a yelp of surprise, kicking Echo back into the snowbank.

Chapter 3

"Clever little blind threat," a second rogue muttered, stepping out from the trees and gripping Echo tightly by the scruff of his neck. "The Alpha back at the badlands loves hostages. Grab the grey one. We run now!"

Moonlight thrashed and clawed at the frozen ground, screaming for their mentor. "Blizzard! Help!"

From the ridge above, a white blur erupted from the treeline. Blizzard roared, her fangs bared as she hurled herself down the slope to save her apprentices. But the third rogue, a massive brute with a torn ear, stepped into her path, slamming his chest into Blizzard to block her advance. The two giant wolves tumbled into the snow in a chaotic fury of flashing teeth and grey fur.

"Go! Go!" the rogue holding Moonlight ordered.

He lifted Moonlight off the ground by her neck, cutting off her breath so she couldn't scream again. Moonlight watched helplessly through blurry eyes as the forest blurred past. Beside her, Echo was being carried away too, his legs kicking uselessly in the air.

The sounds of Blizzard’s furious battle faded into the distance. The cold wind howled louder as the trees began to thin out, replaced by the sharp, jagged rocks of the forbidden Badlands. They were completely out of their territory now, trapped in the paws of the enemy.

The rogues threw Moonlight and Echo onto the hard, frozen floor of a deep rock cave. Moonlight scrambled to her feet immediately, her fur bristling as she pressed her back against the cold stone wall. Outside the cave entrance, two massive rogue guards sat in the snow, blocking the only exit.

"Are you okay?" Moonlight whispered, her voice shaking as she hurried over to Echo.

Echo was curled into a tight white ball, shivering from the biting cold of the Badlands. "I think so," he muttered softly, his sightless blue eyes wide with fear. "It’s so loud here, Moonlight. The wind hits the rocks and it sounds like screaming."

"Hey, look at me," Moonlight said, gently nudging his ear with her nose. "Well, don't look at me, but listen to me. I'm right here. I'm your shield, remember? Blizzard said so."

Echo took a shaky breath and nodded, his ears finally relaxing.

Suddenly, heavy, scraping footsteps echoed from the back of the cave. Moonlight whirled around, baring her small pup fangs. Out of the darkness stepped a wolf twice the size of Thunder. His fur was a patchy, scarred charcoal-grey, and one of his eyes was completely milky white. This was Fang, the notorious Alpha of the Rogue Pack.

"So, Thunder is letting half-grown pups guard his borders now?" Fang sneered, his deep voice rattling the loose pebbles on the cave floor. He stopped just inches from Moonlight, looking down at her with amusement. "And a broken one, at that," he added, glancing carelessly at Echo.

"We aren't broken!" Moonlight snapped, stepping squarely in front of Echo to block him from Fang's terrifying gaze. "Our pack is going to come for us. Blizzard is going to tear your camp apart!"

Fang let out a dark, rumbling laugh that sounded like cracking ice. "Let them come. A rescue party in the dead of winter will leave your home camp completely unguarded. My wolves will take your territory before Thunder even finds your scent trail."

He turned on his heel, his long tail sweeping the dust. "Keep them alive," Fang barked to the guards at the entrance. "But if they try to make a sound, silence them."

As Fang disappeared back into the shadows, the cave fell deathly quiet again. They were deep in enemy lines, and their capture was exactly what the rogues wanted to trap Thunder's pack.

Hours dragged by like frozen mud. The pale winter light outside the cave entrance slowly turned to a deep, bruised purple as night fell over the Badlands. The wind howled through the canyon, making the cave feel like an icebox.

Moonlight lay curled around Echo to keep him warm, but her mind was racing. Every time she looked at the two massive rogue guards at the entrance, her stomach twisted into knots. They were completely trapped.

Suddenly, Echo’s ears shot straight up. His head lifted off the stone floor, his nose twitching wildly.

"What is it?" Moonlight breathed, barely making a sound.

"Listen," Echo whispered back, his voice buzzing with sudden energy. "Underneath the wind. Someone is climbing the rock face above the cave. Their pads are sliding on the shale."

Chapter 4

Moonlight strained her ears, but she could only hear the roaring storm outside. "Is it Blizzard?" she asked hopefully.

"No," Echo said, his ears tilting to the left. "The steps are too light for Blizzard. It’s someone small. Someone fast."

Thump.

A tiny pebble dropped from the cave ceiling, bouncing right in front of Moonlight’s nose. She looked up into the pitch-black shadows of the upper cavern rocks. Two glowing green eyes blinked down at her from a narrow, hidden ledge near the roof of the cave.

"Psst! Down here!" a sharp whisper hissed from the dark.

Moonlight gasped. A white-and-grey face poked out from the upper rocks. It was Star! The runt of Moonlight's litter had somehow tracked them into the heart of the enemy territory.

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"When the Moon Falls"

Name: When the Moon Falls
Author: RUby cat 606

RUby cat 606

Moonlight - Dark grey wolf pup with white splotches Sunrise - One of moonlight's sisters, a dusty colored wolf with a white chest Shadow - The largest of Moonlights litter, ...

(41 pages)

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