Howl to the Moon and Back

Chapter 7: Preparing for War

Recap:

Drifting off to sleep ready for a good nights rest. A silent but deadly thought crept in my mind. I have to fight Dagger for the mini pack's Alfa's title tomorrow. Tomorrow's fight will determine between me or Dagger who is fit enough to to run the main pack in the future.

Tomorrow will be life changing...

Continued...

I wake up with the sun shining through the cave's opening into my face pulling me out of a beautiful dream. My body hurts all over but at least I feel better than yesterday. I stretch and yawn, the sunlight shining off my snow white teeth.

Today is the day I will become Alfa of the mini pack. This is the day I save that mini pack from the wrath of Dagger. Today is the first big step in what I'm ment to be, the one and only: Night Wolf. Today is the day the last Night Wolf, my father, will smile down on from the after life. I will prove to everyone that I am their one true leader and I am destined to save them from what ever terrible foe every Night Wolf faces in their lifetime.

The fight with Dagger will begin at midday. Like yesterday, when the sun was at the top of the Great Pine. So I have at least 3 hours from then.

I stroll to find Rake who is the main packs lead hunter. He is also my childhood hero and role model.

Rake is Jake's father so this might be a little weird just hanging out with him after I ripped up his son. But on the other hand he knows I think the world of him and I think he rather likes my company too even if he won't admit it. Rake is a little older but not to old to retire from his hunting duties and join the elderly wolves.

I find him sprawled out under an Aspen with its small green leaves shaking against each other making a rustling sound in the warm breeze. Like Jake, Rake's fur was a regular dark brown color and so was his kind and soft brown eyes. But because of how old he was his brown fur looked a little dusty because of the grey hairs mixed in.

" Hi ya Rake. What you up to today?"

"Well I was trying to take a well deserved nap but guess who interrupted it?"

"Oh there's plenty of time for naps you old dog!" He hated it when I called him an old dog but it was so fun to bug him with it.

"Well I don't know how much more time I have left to take naps so I have to get as many as I can before time runs out. And quit it with that "old dog" stuff. I'm not an elder wolf just yet." He said grumpily.

"But your close" I rebutted.

"Oh ya? Well who just got you a deer to eat for breakfast this morning? Old dog my tail!"

"Ya sure. Ok fine your right"

"I'm always right, you should know this by now"

"Ummmmm..." I said teasingly. "Your not ALWAYS right but most of the time you are"

"Ya sure!" He said teasingly.

On a more serious tone he said, "Saw your fights yesterday. You trying to work you way up the mini pack"

"I was hoping you would but you must know I'm not proud of the last fight."

"I know... but between you and me you fought amazingly against my son." He said with a mischievous wolfy grin.

"You really think?!" I said in amazement.

"Ya. You sure ripped him up good but that was probably a little bloodier than it should have been. But you sure pitched a good fight against him. Even though he didn't win I'm proud of how well he fought you. You just did what you had to do to make a good future for yourself and that is something I respect."

"Really?"

"Really." He said kindly.

"Did he loose his hearing in his left ear?" Which was one of the main concerns in my head for the past few hours.

"Amazingly he is just fine. I mean besides the deep cuts and half of his ear is missing. He can still fully hear."

"Oh good! I was so worried and scared that I gave him a death sentence." I said relieved. I knew that one broken leg or one non functional ear would be a death sentence for him.

"Ya he's ok." Reassuring me.

"Will you be at the fight at noon against me and Dagger?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course Storm! I wouldn't miss it for the world. I want to see someone finally stand up to that wretched bully of a pup. But I also want to see you take your big first step in your long and beautiful life. Build a good future for yourself and you will have a good full life."

His wise tone just filled me with such courage I could fight Dagger here and now if the moment arose.

"Thank you, I must go though it's almost noon and I would hate to be late to my own party" I winked at him.

"Of course. Reserve a spot in the shade as close to the Stone Circle as possible for me."

"Will do"

"Well you better go get ready. I will be at the side lines cheering for you."

"Good by... old dog" but I ran away before I could hear his response but I could only imagine him shaking his head and glaring at my playfully.

Walking to the Stone Circle felt like getting ready for war and in a way I was. I knew that my future would be determined by the events that take place within the next hour.

The real question was not could I defeat him? Because I knew I could. It was, was I ready to defeat him and commit to the life and burdens of being the one and only Night Wolf? Could I really officially take that name on my shoulders  and be ready at anytime to lay down my life to protecting my pack?

A/N

For your late Christmas present I am giving you another chapter. The third chapter posted in 3 days! It's a miracle! Usually I take months to just post one but at this point in the story there is no such thing as writers block luckily (knock on wood). And on top of that this is another long chapter. But the official gift is within the next 3 days I will probably post the next chapter. Finally the one where Storm fights Dagger. You all are probably glad it's finally coming and there will be no more procrastination. And to be honest I am to. I have the general main parts of this book in my head but it's just pathing the way to those main parts and making up things with every word I write that is hard. Well sorry for the such long authors note. I hope you have a good rest of your day and remember to always

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