Aurora or Azalea? • A Story of One Special Wolf •

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

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Contents:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Prologue

The spirit of the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, resides deep in the soul of all wolves. It is stronger in some than in others. All wolves know there is something that makes them different from any other creature, but they do not know what. One wolf will find her bond with the spirit is the greatest of all through her journey. How? No one knows........ until now.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Chapter 1

Aurora Borealis, The Northern Lights, I chant in my mind as I race across the chilling ice. Aurora Borealis, The Northern Lights. I haven’t seen them in so long. All those magnificent colors blended to perfection as they dance across the sky. I feel the ice under my paws, though I feel like I am flying. It won’t be long until I reach the peak, I think as the ice fades to gravel and then rock.

The trees have vanished and the light from the peak is getting stronger as I turn the last corner on the mountain. Aurora Borealis... I gasp as I catch my breath. They’re beautiful. I can feel them calling to me as I sit to rest in their glow. Come to me, Azalea, come to me.

I lift a paw as if to join them, only to have my dream crushed by the sunrise. “Curses,” I whisper. “Why did morning have to come now?”

I crawled out of the den and laid in a small patch of sunlight, hoping to get back to my dream. As I started to fall asleep again, my mother crawled out. “You need to go Azalea.”

“But why mother?” I asked.

“It is time my pups left the den. You need to start families of your own.”

“But I do not wish to leave.” I said plainly. I liked the warm den and I had no where to go.

“You know you must, Azalea. It is probably best if you go now, before your siblings wake up. They will be more ready to leave if you have.”

“Yes mother.” I said before I gave her a nuzzle goodbye. “I will go, but I will always miss you.”

“I have faith in you Azalea. Now go, it is time.”

I left my mother with my ears drooping. I was not happy I had to leave, but I had no choice. It was time. I was ready to start my own family, my own pack even. When I had lost sight of the den, I burst into a sprint.

I ran through the thick pines until I reached the river. Its coolness was refreshing and the winter sun had warmed the banks. I laid down by the river to rest, seeing as I had not been able to in front of the den.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Chapter 2

My dream led me to the top of that very same mountain, only the lights were gone. They had retreated into the sky. But why? I thought. I woke with a start and turned to see another wolf by the stream. “Who are you?” I asked.

“I am Storm. What is your name?”

“I am Azalea.”

“A pretty name for a pretty wolf.” he said.

I did not think I was pretty. I had tawny fur and amber eyes. There were hints of red in my pelt, but I hated being tawny. My siblings had all been gray and black, like Storm, only he was more of a silver then a gray. His brown eyes seemed lonely, as if he had been kicked out of the den recently as well.

“Where are you from?” I asked.

“I am from over the ridge, and you,” he said, “are from the other side of the forest.”

“How can you tell that?” I asked, wary of this wolf now.

“Your fur is tawny. They are the only group that produces tawny pups, or so I’m told.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Of course he would know where I came from, all wolves did. Why did I let myself think otherwise? Now what, I wondered. This was all so strange to me, yet I had an urge to be with this wolf. He must have felt the same way, because before I knew it we were running through the river and across a frozen meadow. I had never seen so much open space before.

“Isn’t this wonderful?” he asked me.

“Its the second most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

“What’s the first?” he asked, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

“The Aurora Borealis. I have only seen them once, in a dream, but they are stunning. Once you see them, you will never forget them.”

“They can’t be more stunning then you.” he whispered as he came closer.

“If you saw them, you would think differently.”

“Where might I fall in your ranks?”

“You,” I said playfully, “are third. You were second.... before I saw this meadow.”

He looked slightly hurt, but shook it off soon enough. We stopped playing, and he asked me the question I had been dreading since I met him. “Should we start a pack?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “We should.”

His ears perked up, and we leapt to our feet in unison. We started to run around the meadow again before Storm tackled me. I didn’t struggle to get away, surprisingly. I felt no need to. When he finally got off me, we headed out of the meadow towards another forest on this side of the river.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Chapter 3

We walked for days at a time, only stopping to hunt. Snow was falling almost every day, but I knew we were getting close to a den site. I rushed forward through the trees until I reached a suitable site.

We were nearing the mountains, so it was not hard for me to find a cave that would suit my needs. I peeked inside and, finding it empty, stepped through the somewhat small opening into a larger room. It was perfect, and not too far from hunting grounds either.

As I stepped back outside, I saw the northern lights in the sky. They were beautiful. I sat in front of the den and sang to their glory. Storm soon joined me in my sonata. When the lights faded, I went into the den and slept. It was warm in the den, similar to the one I had lived in as a pup.

We went hunting the next morning. There were about two weeks left in winter, so it was not very difficult for us to find prey. At the hunting ground, Storm and I picked out the weakest elk. We herded it away from the rest and attacked. Storm bit its neck and it collapsed immediately.

Once it had stopped breathing, we sat for a minute to thanks its spirit and then ate. Storm let me eat first, and then he ate his fill. We hid the carcass close to the den because we didn’t have to worry about bears, and then I crawled into the den to rest. It was getting close to the time I would birth the pups. I could feel it.

I slept the rest of the night, rising with the sun to eat some of what was left from yesterday’s kill. There would be enough meat left for Storm, and he could always hunt down a rabbit quickly if he needed to.

I walked slowly toward the stream that flowed down the mountain. It was frozen slightly, but one pounce broke the ice so I could get a drink. When I was done I walked back to the den and crawled into its warmth. Winter would be over soon, and with the end of winter comes pups.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Chapter 4

I was lying on the floor of the den resting when it happened. They were coming. One by one the pups came. I licked each one clean swiftly and got their circulation going. Each one gave a satisfied yip as their blood started flowing through their veins.

There were six in all. Three males, three females. Two had tawny pelts like me, two were silver, one was black, and one was white. I named the white one Snow. The silver female was named River and the tawny male was named Forest, after where Storm and I had met. The silver male was named Azure because of a light blue tint in his fur and the tawny female was named Daisy. The black pup was called Thunder, for thunder often comes with storms.

I saw the glow of Aurora Borealis in the den as I named them. I nudged them closer to me and let them nurse. I was exhausted and fell asleep with the pups, knowing Storm would keep us safe.

The next day I walked out of the den to eat some rabbit Storm had left. He was no where in sight, but I figured he was out checking for danger like he had been normally. As I turned to go back into the den I heard him bark quietly at me so the pups didn’t wake up. I walked up to him and nuzzled him briefly before going back to the pups.

It was difficult being a mother, but I could handle it. My mother had said I was ready, after all. I laid back down beside the pups and relaxed as I felt them begin to nurse. This would continue for about two weeks, then the pups would start to wander around the den and nurse less often.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Chapter 5

The pups were constantly restless. When they weren’t nursing they were wandering around the den, often heading towards the opening. They were attracted to the light, but I wouldn’t let them get too close. It is too dangerous for young pups out in the open in early spring.

The snow was still melting outside, but I had still smelled a bear nearby. It wasn’t close enough to harm the pups, but I was afraid it would come closer to the den and attack. I alerted Storm and he scared the bear away before bringing me some rabbit to eat. In just a few weeks the pups would have to go outside, and then we would have to be really careful about bears and coyotes.

I couldn’t worry about that now, though. The pups were growing every day and their eyes would open any day now. Soon they would be able to eat meat and they wouldn’t nurse as much.

I was ready for the pups to grow up, but not ready at the same time. As they grew they would get into trouble and I would have to find a summer den. Storm would have his paws full when I wasn’t there to help him.

I left the pups napping in the den and went to talk to Storm. “They’re growing fast.” I said.

“I know, but they will. Before you know it they’ll be leaving us.”

“Don’t the pups from our first litter come back to join the pack once they find mates?”

“They might, or they might choose to start their own packs.”

“I hope they’ll come back. I’ll miss them too much if they don’t.”

“I know. I’ll miss them too. But they’ll do what’s best for them.”

I heard the pups whimpering. They were waking up. That was a short nap I thought. “Duty calls.” I said.

“I love you.” he called as I entered the den.

Walking into the large room beyond the entrance, I saw the pups wandering around again. Will they ever stop, I sighed. I sat in front of the entrance and watched them explore. I didn’t want them escaping, so I let them wander around the cave and kept them from getting too close to me by growling softly.

[Small Child]

If this is to be turned into a novel, I would lengthen it. I did not see any errors grammar or punctuation wise, but description could be used more. It seems... I'm not sure, just missplaced almost. Then time skips by awful fast, and doesn't suck reader in.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

If this is to be turned into a novel, I would lengthen it. I did not see any errors grammar or punctuation wise, but description could be used more. It seems... I'm not sure, just missplaced almost. Then time skips by awful fast, and doesn't suck reader in.

thanks for the feedback. I wrote it kind of quickly, so I will probably edit it a little later.

[Weeping_Angel }Y{]

Chapter 6

When the pups had reached eight weeks, their slightly blue eyes had turned to shades of amber and brown. They had been wandering around outside the den for about a month now, and it was hard to keep track of them all. It would soon be time to move to a summer home. This one would be larger then the cave because the pups would stay there until the start of winter, when they would leave and find their own mates.

I wasn’t ready to let the pups go, but I had about six months left to teach them what they needed to know. In a month they would be taught to hunt, but for now they seemed content to pounce on each other for practice. It was amusing watching them wrestle with each other.

During the day, I would often leave Storm to watch the pups while I looked for a summer home. I found a nice spot on a hillside in the forest. It was on the other side of the river, but crossing shouldn’t be a problem.

I worked on the summer home until about a week before we had to move the pups. I had marked the area with my scent so other wolves would stay away and the home would be left for me and my pups.

The home would be perfect for me and my pups. The time was fast approaching when we would move the pups. Storm and I were watching them one day when we decided it was time to move.

We moved slowly, moving the pups only a short way before going back for the others. They seemed to know something was going on because they started to whine. They didn’t want to leave. As we grew farther from the cave the pups quieted down, knowing we would not be going back.

When we finally reached the new home I realized we hadn’t named the new pack. “Aurora” I whispered.

“What?” asked Storm, looking confused.

“The name of our pack. Aurora.”

“What does it mean?”

“Dawn.” I said. The answer surprised even me. “It means dawn.”

“How do you know that?”

“The northern lights told me.”