Libby blinked awake, the voices of wolves at the rendezvous site woke her up. The light of the rising sun coming through the den opening temporarily blinded her, and she squinted. She yawned and shook her tan fur, her dark brown ears perked. She glanced beside her, where Alex still lay curled up, fast asleep.
Libby's eyes went to the rest of the rendezvous. Her mother, Pike, Cleo, and two other wolves stood to the den's far right at the site, all engaging in hushed conversation. Judging from their body language, it wasn't just an every-day talk they were having.
Softly and carefully as to not wake her brother or draw anyone's attention, Libby moved closer to the entrance of the den. She listened.
"We have to do something! They need our help!" the voice of one of the Sentries sounded.
"We cannot just abandon our rendezvous! My pups! They'll be unprotected!" Shebina put in.
"We cannot let our Sentries just go into battle!" another Sentry bayed.
"Silence!" Pike snarled. "We have no time for this! Our Packmates are in danger, and I will not let them perish under the stranger wolves' fangs!"
That was enough to alert Libby. She quickly poked her brother with one of her back legs. He let out a groan, but otherwise didn't move.
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" she said in a hushed tone.
"Lemme sleep..." Alex whined.
"Something important is going on, dumb weasel!" Libby instantly turned her attention to the talking wolves again. It seemed they were getting ready for something.
"They're going to attack the strangers!" Libby whispered, more or less to herself.
Alex's ears perked up. "What strangers?" He opened his bright yellow eyes wide.
Libby spoke without taking her eyes off her Packmates. "Pike said something about there being stranger wolves in our territory. Apparently there's so much they even have to take the Sentries into battle!"
Alex let out a scared whimper. "What if they find us? They'll kill us!"
The wolves at the site had now started to dig at a place only a meter or so away from the sandy open space.
Libby suddenly got an idea and wagged her tail in excitement.
Alex's ears flattened. "Nonono! I don't like this look, Libby. You've got an idea!"
"What if we chase away the strangers?" she barked softly at her brother.
"Libby, no." Alex's obvious fear made place for anger now. "You'll get yourself killed!"
"They need help in battle!"
"We need to not die!"
"Whatever, they're not looking. I'm going out to explore."
She tried to climb out of the den, but Alex bit her in her tail and pulled her back, causing Libby to let out a soft whimper of pain.
"What are you doing?" she whispered snidely.
"Making sure you stay alive!"
Pawsteps in the sand made Libby look up. The wolves had dug up metal helmets and fang extensions for battle. Their mother was approaching the den.
"Listen, pups," she barked softly but severely, already wearing her metal fang extensions. "We are going to battle. There are dangerous wolves in our territory, and they attacked one of our patrols. They need all of us, as there are a lot of them. I'm going to have to leave you..." Her voice trailed off, before she shook her head quickly to clear it. "Whatever you do, do not make any noise. Do not leave the den. That's an order from Pike. You're in terrible danger while these strangers roam our land. So stay hidden and safe!"
YOU ARE READING
Dark Stones #1: The Rising Darkness
AdventureAfter her family is killed, a young wolf named Libby and her brother Alex are taken in by a different Pack, the Pack of Dark Stones, which tries protect them against the growing evil of a grand army of wolves that is intent on taking over all the te...
