Spirit Wolf POV
A slithering noise whispered in the tree above me. My heart began to pound in my chest. How did it find me so fast? The sun just went over the horizon. Stupid nocturnal beast. I don’t have time for this. The rabbit scurried into its burrow before I could snap its neck. I growled at the viper cat in the tree when it suddenly launched itself at me. A brief quiet moment settled between the two of us until a frog croaked. The viper cat slinked toward me and the chase was on. We barrelled our way through the forest.
My howl rang out into the night to warn my pack to run. Two weeks, we’ve been running from that damn viper. I swear this thing has a vendetta against my pack. First, the Highland Wolves ran us out of our lush green territory, and now, the viper cat chases us every night. Last night it almost got one of my brothers when we were trying to hunt a doe. The boys have been getting better at helping me hunt. All I want to do is keep my pack safe, but living near the lake where the food is abundant comes with a heavy risk. Many wolves have lost their lives to the viper cat, and I vow to keep my pack safe.
Branches snap behind me as I leap across the rocky cliffside. Normally, I wouldn’t tread such a narrow path, but beggars can’t be choosers. The viper cat struggles to follow along the rough terrain. It hisses as the jetted rocks prick at its scaley belly. I feel myself snort in satisfaction. A little payback for nipping at my brother on our hunt. I don’t have a chance to look back at the feline serpent as I struggle to keep my balance. I hear faint howling in the distance from my pack trying to pull the viper cat’s attention away from me, but it doesn’t work. I stumble on the loose gravel beneath my paws causing me to slide off the narrow ledge and down the slope to the water below.
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One big splash lands me underwater. A hefty current knocks me deep into the lake. The clear water shows the sky has begun to twinkle and brighten from deep blue to orangey pink. I whip and turn my body around to paddle to the surface. My chest has started to sting from the lack of air. Everything feels strained as I paddle toward the sky. My thoughts drift toward the pack. I can see my brothers’ young faces. My aunts lovingly nuzzle up to the pups. Behind them, another creature emerges from the darkness. Blue human eyes stare at me. The human is familiar to me though I don’t recognize her. What is startling about this human is her crescent moon mark on her shoulder. It was just like mine.
A bright white light enveloped me like a warm nuzzle. The vision ended abruptly as my eyes snapped open. I was suddenly on the shore of the lake. My chest was heaving for air, but no one was around me. The warmth of the white light faded from my soaked body. How did I get out of the lake? Rays of light danced on the stoney shore from the dawn’s rising. Sunlight trickled over my sopping wet body and dried my fur while I got the courage to stand. I shook the remaining water from my coat until I was dry. The more I thought about what I saw in the vision, the more confused I felt. My mind was spiraling with questions, but my instincts overruled other concerns. I was on my feet scenting the area, making sure the viper cat was nowhere around. My stomach growled, reminding me of my failed hunt. The others were likely hungry too. I needed to find my pack. Everything else could wait.
