• The forest night air was calm and still, a large dark gray wolf with a battle scarred muzzle stood in front of a patrol of three other wolves. The wolves waited in silence, watching, listening. A russet colored wolf pricked his ears and growled to the gray wolf.

    "I smell moose." The gray wolf lifted his head and smelled the cool night air, his pack-mate was right, moose scented the air. It was near. A few heartbeats passed then a large moose tottered out of the shadows. It made it's way to a stream that ran through part of this forest. "Hold your ground." The dark gray leader growled. His pack-mates stiffened next to him. The moose bent it's large antlered head to drink from the freezing stream.

    The alfa-male nodded to his comrads and all four wolves seperated into the shadows; stealthaly making their way to their next meal. The leader gave a howl of attack and all wolves bolted out of the shadows. The moose was alerted and gave a whine of shock. The wolves raced in circles around the large creature.

    The moose tossed it's head from side to side trying to find a gap between the circling wolves. The leader lunged forward at the moose's front. The russet wolf attacked from the side while a black wolf and white wolf attacked from the other side and the rear. The moose gave a cry of horror and swung it's antlered head at the white wolf, striking him on his flank. The white wolf gave a loud yelp and landed hard on the ground. The leader heard his comrad's yelp of pain but continued to lunge at the creature's neck. The russet and black wolves latched their teeth and nails into the creature's flesh. The leader clamped his powerful jaws on the moose's neck. The moose gave a painful cry but was cut short as the alfa-male delivered the killing bite.

    The moose collapsed dead. The Leader gave a howl of triumph and the wolves began tucking into their fresh meat. The white wolf hobbled over and took a bite from the moose.

    The leader looked at the white wolf. "Are you alright Cloudfang?" Cloudfang looked up from his meal to his leader and nodded. "Yes, Ashpelt." Ashpelt nodded and returned to his meal. The russet wolf grolwed with laughter. "I can't believe you got bashed by a moose!" Cloudfang growled "Shut up Russetfur!" Russetfur growled in amusement, but returned to his meal.
    The black wolf lifted his head and licked his chops. the moon was well high in the star-lit sky.

    "Ashpelt, we must be going." The black wolf began. "The rest of the pack will want to know what has become of us. Ashpelt rose to his paws and licked his blood covered lips. "You are right Shade." The patrol padded towards a bramble bush and uncovered a pile of fresh meat to take to the pack. Each wolf carried as much as they can handle. They trodded in silence their mouths full of fresh meat.

    The moon was starting to sink when the hunting party returned. Many wolves were lying down and resting. A few were pacing back and forth; waiting for the meal. The patrol deposited their fresh meat in a pile. The each of the pack looked up and padded to the fresh meat pile and took a piece of prey.

    A white female rushed over to Ashpelt and brushed her muzzle against his muzzle. "I'm glad you are alright Ashpelt." the female breathed. "It was only a hunting patrol Icewish." Ashpelt replied. "But still, I was worried." "No need to be. I'll always be back for you." Ashpelt murmured. Icewish licked his ear. Ashpelt grolwed affectionatly.

    Three wolf pups ran over to Icewish. "Momma, Roku bit me really hard and I think i'm bleeding." A silver pup with a diamond patch on her forehead cried. "Your just a baby, I didnt bite that hard!" a dark gray pup protested. "Well I seen you Roku! You bit her to hard! I smelled blood." A small white female argued. Icewish bent her head to examin the bite on the silver pup's leg. "You'll be alright Reika. I'ts just a little bit of blood." "Ok momma." Reika replied, not looking at her mother.

    Ashpelt narrowed his eyes at Reika. Reika had caught the look in Ashpelt's eyes and looked down. "Run along you three." Ashpelt commanded. The three pups mumbled but trotted away.

    Ashpelt looked at Icewish, his eyes filled with an unknown feeling. "Reika dosent seem to like pain a lot. The bite didn't look bad at all." Ashpelt said narrowing his eyes again. "She's just a pup." Icewish replied. "Roku and Snowfur fight all the time and i've seen worse wounds on them." Icewish opened her mouth to protest, suddenly she understood. "She is too weak. She will never survive." Roku said his gaze drifting to his pups. Reika whimpered when Roku came close to nipping her again. He shook his head with dissapointment.

    Icewish remained silent. Ashpelt continued "The pack cannot afford weakness Icewish." Icewish spoke up, her blue eyes flashing. "She will grow strong though!" "How can you be sure?" The gray wolf growled.

    "She is your own child...our child." Icewish replied her voice chocked with sadness. Ashpelt turned his back. "It must be done.." Icewish's eyes widened "No! You can't kill her!" Ashpelt turned back to his mate. "What else can I do?" "Let her stay, she will be strong!" "It is my decsion Icewish!" Ashpelt snapped back.

    Icewish lowered her head as if in defeat. "Very well...just send her away..dont kill her.." Ashpelt nodded and stalked away

    Ashpelt lifted his scarred muzzle to the sky and holwed to his pack. "Get ready to move out!" At the Alpha-male's call the wolves rose to their paws.

    The leader looked towards where his pups were playing. Reika stood off to the side watching her litter-mates. Ashpelt suddenly felt a pang of guilt at what he was going to do. He padded towards Reika and grabbed her scruff.

    "What are you doing father?" The silver pup protested. Ashpelt ignored his struggling daughter until they were a ways off from the pack. Snow had began falling hard, already covering their fresh tracks in the snow. He placed the silver scrap down. Reika looked up at his with wide, curious eyes.

    Ashpelt looked down at his daughter, pain in his eyes. He shook his head as if to shake off the pained feeling. He had to do this. Ashpelt turned his back on the silver pup and bounded off, easily bouncing through the snow.

    "Father! Wait!" Reika cried, trying to bounce through the tracks her father made. Soon she lost sight of the dark gray pelt that was her father. Reika tried to howl, but it ended up sounding like a pitiful yelp. The snow reached past her belly fur, and Reika had begun shaking terribly.

    In her mind Reika knew she could not catch her father. She looked around desperately, to her luck a little way off there was a cave. Reika jumped her way towards it, sinking deeper in the snow.

    Reika reached the stone cavern and looked out towards the snowy forest. She tried howling again, which ended up sounding like a yelp. Reika padded to the far end of the cavern, her head and tail low.

    She laid herself down, her head on her paws. She closed her eyes, fighting a wall of tears that threatened to come streaming down her cheeks. She opened her eyes and the wall of sorrowfull tears crashed down.

    This is Reika's first harsh night of excile. This is Reika's story. This is how it begins