Chapter 7: Chapter 7
Akela made his way up the hill in front of his pack's den. Blue was standing right behind him. "I don't like this Akela...I'm scared." Blue whispers. Akela turned to her. "Don't be...my father won't hurt you." "Akela!" he turned to see his father approaching. "Hi...Dad." Nightlight sighed. "You didn't go too far did you? I was worried about you." he looked past his son. "Who is that behind you?"
"This is Blue. She's lost." Akela replied, stepping to the side so that his father could see Blue fully. She laid down, then tucked her paws over her head, behind her ears and buried her face in the ground. Her entire bedraggled little body was shaking. Nightlight's expression grew soft and he leaned down to Blue's level, examining the way her ribs showed through her fur, how her pads were cracked and raw.
"It's alright, little one, I'm not going to hurt you," he says with his soft and sweet. "I want to go home," the pup whispered, her face still buried in the sand, hidden from Nightlight's sight. "Where is home for you, little one? We can help you," he told her gently. "I don't know," she whimpered pathetically, finally looked up from under her paws, huge light blue eyes glazed with emotion staring up at him.
"Can we keep her in the pack, Dad? Please? She has nowhere else to go."
Nightlight thought about this for a moment. He decided to call Pandora through a simple howl. "If it were up to my full decision, I would say she could stay with us for as long as she wanted. But I'll have to ask your mother as well," Nightlight told his pup gently. He sat up, threw back his head, and let a loud, low howl escape his muzzle.
The howl echoed through the field, and reached Pandora faintly in the hunting grounds.
"Did you hear that, Dagger?" she asked Dagger gently. "Hmm? I didn't hear anything, Pandora," Dagger murmured. "No, that sounded like Nightlight," she said.
"What do you mean that sounded like Nightlight? How far away did the howl sound?" he asks. The howl rang through the field again, echoing through the grounds around them.
"There isn't a message in that howl, but I think he's waiting for a response. Maybe he needs something. I'll go see." Pandora told her packmate, lifting her head and returning the howl. Dagger nodded, as she turned and made her way to her mate. Pandora found Nightlight and Akela at the base of the hill outside their den. "Hey love, why did you call me here?" she asked her mate soothingly.
Nightlight glanced at her softly, his light yellow eyes downcast. "It's about a pup," he began gently. "What pup? One of our own?" "No. Not them. A loner pup." "Out here in our territory?" "She's right here," he stepped to the side to reveal a shivering ball of dark blue fur curled up by his forelegs. Pandora dropped her head down to sniff the pup, nosing her course fur with her snout.
She could smell the scent of fear all over her. The pup also looked like she was of a different build than the wolves in the area. This pup was different...she had bulky long legs and a short snout, as well as long pointed ears and unusually thick, rough fur. Even at her young age, there was muscle packed in under her skin. This wasn't a local pup, she'd come a long way. "Where did you come from?" asked Pandora gently. The pup just shivered more, her light blue eyes enormous. "It's okay little one, you can tell me. Are you from a pack?" said Pandora with soft eyes.
"I-I don't know..." whined the pup, her voice shaking as she talked to the alpha female.
"What's going on? Have I missed something?!" yipped Kiba, his short white fur puffing in excitement as he bounded up to his family. He had woken up from his nap, his tail wagging with excitement as well. "Kiba, lower your voice, please." Nightlight said to his other son. "Hush, Kiba. Mom and Dad are working," Akela whispered to his brother.
"But why? And who is that strange pup? She smells of fear and looks so scared." Kiba said, looking at Blue. Blue looked at Kiba and then to Akela. "Who is he? Is he a friend?" she asks. Akela walked up to her. "Of course. He's my brother Kiba, he would never hurt you. He'll probably try to help you." he says comfortably. Kiba walked up to his brother and looked at Blue. "My brother's right. I would never hurt you. What's your name?" he said softly. "Blue…" she muttered.
Pandora looked at Nightlight. "What do you reckon we should do with her love? If she has nowhere to go, then maybe she could stay here if she likes." Nightlight nodded. "That's what I was thinking. After all, Akela and Kiba could use a playmate besides each other. It would be nice to have another pup in our pack." Blue got to her paws, and looked up at Nightlight hopefully. "So...I can stay?" she says her dark blue tail wagging shyly.
Nightlight smiled down at her. "You can...I'm pretty sure you will make a fine pack member when you're older. Akela and Kiba will help you with the pack rules as well." He turned and padded away, Pandora at his side. Blue turned to Akela and Kiba. She looked at Akela for a moment, then bounded up to him and nuzzled his neck.
"Thank you Akela...you're so kind. I never had a pack like this before, and I'll have a family. Thank you so much." Akela chuckled. "You're welcome Blue…" she backed up and looked at him. Their eyes met, and Kiba cleared his throat then said. "I think we should take her on a tour of our lands. Common guys." he turns and pads off down the hill. Akela behind him and Blue at his side.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone