Wolf Pack

By: Abigail S

Characters:

Willa- A grey wolf, a pack alpha.

Scarlet- A tawny wolf, alpha of the enemy pack.

Skye- A silver-white wolf, Willa’s second-in-command.

Shadow- A dark grey wolf, Scarlet’s second-in-command. He has met with Skye before, and he likes her!

Wyatt- One of Skye’s packmates. He is a wolf warrior like her.

Pack Roles:

Alpha- An Alpha deals with different pack matters such as territory disputes and other things. In addition to that, alphas also organize border patrols, in which a group of wolves patrols their territory. They also organize hunting patrols, in which a group of wolves hunt prey to bring back for the rest of the pack. When an alpha dies, the Second-in-command succeeds them.

Second-in-command- A second-in-command helps the alpha with organizing patrols.

Warrior- Warriors hunt and fight for their pack.

Medicine wolf- Medicine wolves use different herbs to cure disease and heal wounds.

Elders- retired wolf warriors.

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Willa was resting in her den when she suddenly heard many paws pounding on leaves and dirt. She perked her ears up. The pounding sound was coming closer. That’s when she smelled the scent of Scarlet’s pack. “Wolves!” Willa howled, “We are being attacked! Get to battle positions! Protect the elders and pups!” The wolf warriors prepared for battle while Skye herded the mothers, elders, and pups into the medicine den.

As Skye padded out of the medicine den, Scarlet’s pack had breached the barrier of bushes surrounding the camp. She looked around and saw fighting all around her. A bloodcurdling howl erupted in the air. Skye whirled around to see Willa, her pack alpha, pinned down by 6 wolves from Scarlet’s pack! Skye dashed to help, but Wyatt held his tail out to block her.

“It’s too dangerous,” he told her. Skye then looked to her right and saw that her packmates were pinning Scarlet to the ground. Wolves from both packs held the alpha of the opposing pack. Skye knew something had to be done. Instead of rushing to free Willa, Skye shouldered through the fighting wolves to a large rock in the center.

Skye jumped on top of it and howled, “Wolves of both packs! Let’s make a deal.” As wolves stopped fighting and quieted down, Skye looked around, her eyes scanning the crowd for one face in particular… there!

Skye spotted Shadow’s dark pelt in the mass of blood-soaked wolves. Their eyes locked for a second, then they broke eye contact and Skye continued to speak, her fur glowing a brilliant silver in the moonlight. “Scarlet, your pack can trade Willa back to us and we will give you back to them.” At this, Scarlet merely grunted in acceptance. “But for this to work,” Skye continued, “we will need a wolf from Scarlet’s pack to bring Willa when I bring Scarlet.” “Now,” she continued, “who will bring Willa from Scarlet's pack?”

Immediately, Shadow volunteered. “I’ll do it, Skye,” he said. As Shadow climbed up to the rock, dragging Willa behind him, Skye jumped down to bring Scarlet. As the two wolves stood atop the rock, they placed the alphas of both packs in front of them.

“Ok,” Skye started, “on the count of three, we will each go to our alphas, 1...2...3!” Shadow and Skye bounded to their own alphas, but as Skye was racing to Willa, Scarlet hooked Skye’s paws out from under her and sharp pain shot through Skye as her muzzle hit the hard rock. Wolves of Willa’s pack cried out in defiance as they watched Skye.

As soon as she was freed, Scarlet pinned Skye to the ground.

“Willa’s second-in-command, not so powerful now, is she?” she taunted. As if on command, wolves from Willa’s pack instantly found themselves pinned beneath the paws of Scarlet’s pack. Willa pulled herself to her feet, to try to help Skye, but then she collapsed to the ground once again. She was too weak from the fight.

Suddenly, Shadow sprang up and leaped at Scarlet, claws unsheathed. Scarlet looked at him, too shocked to move, and in an instant, it was over. Scarlet’s body went limp, and Skye was able to push her off. She scrambled away from Shadow, and as she got to her paws, she saw that wolves from Scarlet’s pack were beginning to release their grasp on the wolves from Willa’s pack, and they were beginning to back away.

From atop the rock, Shadow howled, “Wolves of Scarlet’s pack, I am your new alpha! You shall be known as the wolves of Shadow’s pack now!”

The wolves nodded slowly, but they weren’t so sure about this sudden change in leadership. After what happened, though, they wouldn’t dare oppose such a powerful wolf.

As Shadow led his pack out of the clearing, Skye gently nudged Willa to her paws. “Let’s get you to the medicine den,” Skye soothed.

The medicine wolf, Leaf, told Skye, “I’ll take it from here.” And with that, she lay Willa down in a soft moss nest and gave her some herbs to help with wounds that she received during the battle. Leaf then let Willa sleep, and by the next day, Willa was fully recovered and pack life went on as usual.

Later in the future, Willa’s pack was able to drive Shadow’s pack out of the forest, forever. They lived in peace for the rest of their years.