A Pack's Danger

Chapter One: Training

A howl echoed through the camp. "Pack meeting!" cried the leader.

Wolves gathered all around their Alpha, muttering. Copper started, "The wolves on the other side of the border have been causing trouble lately. They seem restless."

The wolves nodded in agreement. Copper continued, "I think there may have to be a battle."

The small Pack whispered among each other, and Copper spoke again. "I will train Rowan. Blizzard, you will train Cloud."

The Pack set off with their mentors and apprentices, and Copper lead Rowan to the training grounds. "So, leap at me," Copper instructed.

Rowan leaped, putting not too much force in, because this was her Alpha. Copper rolled under the she-wolf, and gently scratched at her belly. Rowan tumbled, and Copper pinned her. "I want you to try to take advantage of that," Copper instructed, clambering off her packmate. 

Rowan simply nodded. "Okay."

She leaped at Copper again, and when her Alpha tried to do the same move, she saw Copper's belly exposed. She growled playfully, pinning her back down to the ground. "Good job," Copper woofed.

They headed deeper into the forest, some of the trees leafless. Copper chuckled, "This will sound weird. Trust me, it is."

This made Rowan even more curious. Copper instructed, "put your back against a tree, and leap off, hard as you can."

Rowan lined herself up with the tree so her back legs could easily push off. "Like this?" she asked.

Copper nodded. "Now, leap."

Rowan pushed herself off as hard as she could. She landed in the space between the two trees. "Good," Copper approved.

Copper climbed up backwards on a tree and leaped down to the ground. She covered about the same distance as her packmate. Cloud and Blizzard all of a sudden came rushing in. Copper smiled. "Just in time to learn this move!"

Copper instructed, "I want you to team up with each other to learn this move."

Copper padded up to Rowan. "I will show you how to counter that move."

They padded over to a tree, and Rowan stood in front of Copper. Copper barked, "what you have to do is jump to the side. Now, when I leap, I don't want a PIECE of your fur in the way."

Rowan nodded, and Copper leaped. Rowan neatly jumped out of the way. "That was good."

Rowan padded over to Cloud. "Hey, wanna practice together?"

"Sure!"

Cloud backed against a tree, but she just stood there. Copper watched, her green eyes taking in every hair on their pelts. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Copper finally asked.

"I would want to catch my enemy by surprise," Cloud replied.

They waited a few more moments, until Cloud finally leaped at Rowan. She dodged to the side, out of the way, albeit clumsily. "Now," Copper said to me, "let me show you what to do when a wolf pins you."

Copper faced Rowan, and she said, "Do the tree thing. Leap at me, I'll dodge, and pin me down."

Rowan nodded, and leaped. Sure enough, Copper dodged quickly. Rowan pinned her. Copper arched her spine and threw the she-wolf off, leaving her about five tail-lengths away. Copper let her get up. "After that, run over to them. Slam your paw into their shoulder to disable their paw for a few minutes."

Rowan nodded. They did it once more, and this time, Copper disabled her friend's paw. Rowan stumbled around, whining. Copper aimed hefty blows at her, and she fell to the ground, whimpering. Feeling was slowly seeping back into her paw. "Try it with me."

Copper leaped from a tree. Rowan dodged, but Copper pinned her. The she-wolf threw Copper off with her spine, and ran at the dazed alpha. She slammed her paw into Copper's shoulder, disabling it. But Copper swiped at her attacker's ear. "That is what you can do to defend yourself."

Rowan nodded, and Copper howled for a pack meeting. "The battle is coming. I hear enemy pawsteps."