Path Not Taken

Part 13: Blue-Eyed Wolf

      Two days had passed since Berry's death. Mother refused to eat. Bandit dedicated all his time to hunting. But Father was always near. "Let's go again," he said. Both Sage and I were panting. Our Father was a skilled fighter, and even with the two of us going against him.

     Sage's head lowered to the ground, his legs hardly standing. "Are you insane?" The smell of fall hit the air. Leaves fell in front of us.

     "Again," Father's yellow eyes went cold. I charged first, and he dodged spun around and used the weight of his body to knock me down. Sage did the same to him and got of top him. But then Father grabbed his neck and flipped him to the ground. They were next to the cliff, I spirited towards them. I could see Father's eyes waiting for me. My eyes met his, but instead of charging him I went to the cliff. I jumped to it's hard crumbly side and then propelled myself back to them. I knocked him down and now Sage had the upper paw again. Sage pinned him as I grabbed his neck. "Get off." I let go, but Sage stayed where he was.

      "What's the matter old dog? Mad that we beat you?" Father ignored him.

     "Both of you stand next to each other."

     We did as he asked, still panting. All our pelts caked in dirt and mud. Sage's torn ear twitched. He looked at Sage, straight in the eyes, Sage just wagged his tail. Then he look dead on at me. I looked away and lowered my tail.

     Father remained in front of me. "Look at me pup." I looked up at him, his pale eyes reflecting my face. His muzzle showing specks of grey. "Your eyes are still blue."

     "So?" Sage asked.

      "Legend has it that a blue eyed wolf would be born and become the guardian of all wolf kind when the furless creatures came back," Father said.

      "Our son will not do any of that!" Mother snapped. She had been watching us with soulless eyes as we trained. The story I put a spark back in her yellow eyes.

     "But it could be true," Bandit said. "At first, I thought the idea of it was ridiculous, but now after seeing Creek," he said, his brown eyes blinking at me. "It may be possible."

      "I don't care if we find proof over every hill that my pup is some 'legend,' enough of my pups have been taken from me and I don't want Creek to be apart of any of that," Mother said and then looked over at me. "Understand?"

     I looked away, with Sage sitting beside me with his tail wagging. "This could be our chance to go on a real adventure," he whispered and I grinned when Mother looked away.

     "When Creek's old enough we should go find the offspring of Cloud and Night," Father said. "They might be old -older than us- but I'm sure they're out there somewhere."

    Mother glared at him, "we've been living here, moving den sites, carrying our pups to different locations just so they can be safe," Mother said. "Now you want to just throw them out to your kind and hope they don't get killed."

     "Not every wolf is like that," Father said, snarling at her for only a few moments. "We can't protect them forever Dutchess." Mother growled at him and ran off. I followed after her. Sage called for me to stay, but I wanted to comfort her. Bandit's scent began to fade, but Father's was close by. She weaved through buildings until Father's scent was gone. The sore legs following close behind. Then she did something I'd never seen a canine do before. She walked up a cold grey stone. It was thin with angular holes in it. Her claws clicked against it as she climbed up. And when she made to to the top, she looked down at me. "It's safe." I put a one paw on the object then another. It felt like walking up a hill expect the steepness remained the same with every paw step. At the top, could see the whole territory and beyond in some parts.

     "What is this place?" I asked, scanning the horizon. I could see where Bandit, and Sage were, but it didn't look like they could see us.

    "Its called a water tower," Mother said. "I come here when I'm tired of listening to your Father."

     "Has he ever found you up here?" I asked.

     Mother watched the building below us, she laid down on the cool ground and I laid next to her. "If he does, he's too afraid to get up here," she said. "I think Bandit might know, but even if he did, he doesn't like stairs."

     "Stairs?" I asked.

    "What we just climbed Creek-" she said and looked into my eyes as if she wanted to pull me close to her forever. "You've been listening to your father too much," she laughed. "You must find my stories boring."

    "No," I said. It was true, sometimes I wanted my life to have been like hers, calm, and effortless -until the humans left. "Sometimes I wish my life was as simple as yours had been," I said. "Maybe Berry would still be alive." I winced when I looked up at her, not sure if I should've said it, but part of me still felt guilty. More sadness returned to her eyes, but she just licked my cheek.

     "Sometimes I wish that too," she said. "But in this life at least she died free," she paused. "If had you pups in my old life, chances are all of you would be alive," she said. "However, you'd have to follow the will of your person."

    My person? I thought. "I don't understand," I said, my eyes searching hers. It was dark and the stars shone, the cool air made breathing easier. I saw a coyote pass by underneath us and my fear scent started to show. Mother put her muzzle in my mouth and licked my fur. The coyote passed and I let out a breathe -I thought for sure I was going to kill them when I got older.

     "You will one day," she said. My eyes were starting to close as I leaned into her warmth and listened to her heartbeat. She let out a soft laugh, "for now I'll try to give you as much information that you can muster," she said and licked my fur. "But for now, it looks like you need a break."

     In the morning I heard Father's howl, "stop being stubborn Dutchess, we need to hunt and I know your tear my ear off if I left Sage alone." I saw Bandit sitting by the bottom of the stairs looking up at us -he knew. Mother grunted and got up, I followed her and Bandit back to were Father was. "Where have you been I was worried about you and Creek and-"

     "Enough!" Mother said. "I went somewhere where no dares to come after to me," Father rolled his eyes and Mother glared at him.

     "Surely wherever you go can't be that good," he said, looking over at Bandit.

      "I think the pups should come with us," Mother said. Father blinked at her in surprise and Mother sighed. "Just because I want to protect doesn't I don't want them to be independent."

     Sage and I walked at the same pace, behind Bandit has he lead the search for prey. Birds chirped in the cool of the morning with our parents behind us. We both wagged our tails and pranced as we walked with them to the hunt.