Fallen Wolves #1: Dark Stars by Katie Radgowski (top novels to read txt) 📖

course, Fang wasn't dumb enough to go running underneath moose' hooves and get trampled. He wasn't a Pup anymore! 

 Wind led them down the hill and to the valley. The breeze lessened, becoming calmer and more straight. The touch underpaw was smoother and softer. And it was quiet. But not for long. 

 They followed Wind to the outskirts of the elk herd. Fang felt his heart almost stop. The elk were huge, brown creatures, some with tall horns and some without. They all had hard, black hooves and lived in a huge herd. Fang could see small elk, calves and older ones. They all grazed, making clicking noises and other wierd noises to each other once in a while. 

 "Elks live in huge herds, as you see." Wind barked to the Trainees. "They keep the young ones in the middle, while the older ones guard the outside from bears and wolves. Elk are smart when it comes to protection but not to statics. Wolves kill 5,000 elks a year. That's alot. Wolves are smarter and you must be careful with them." 

 The multi-colored pup, Maple, suddenly bursted out. "Are we going to hunt one today?" 

 Wind laughed. "No, Maple. Your not trained well enough. Elk may be pretty stupid but their dangerous with their hooves and horns. Mostly to young wolves." 

Maple flattened her ears in dissapointment as Misty and Feather sighed. Fang felt down too, but not alot. He didn't want to hunt today. Not till he got over his dissapointment of the ranks. 

 Wind started to lead them away from the herd. Fang followed slowly. 

 Suddenly, Fang stopped walking. His ears perked as he heard the noises of clattering on the ground. The valley seemed to shake and the noise of the herd welled up in his ears. 

 "Run! Run to the forest! The elks are panicking!" Wind howled suddenly. 

 Fang turned. He saw the herd rising on their hind legs as they made high pitched noises. They turned and, to Fang's horror, started running full speed toward's them! 

 Fang ran after Wind and the Trainees. The herd seemed to gain up on them, running swiftly as the bumped into each other. Fang could see a sandy pelt on the far side of the herd. UGH! A panther was running alongside the herd, snapping it's huge fangs at them. 

 Fang felt his muscles ache as he caught up to the others. The forest's trees now loomed ahead, their branches swaying in the wind. The elk were still running, snorting louder and louder. 

 Fang suddenly felt his legs give up. Yelping, he tumbled into the grass, while the Hunters ran ahead. "FANG!" Misty gasped. 

 Fang felt pain slice through him as he hit a thornbush. Breathing in quick breaths, he saw the elk were running right toward's him! 

 Suddenly, waves of black pasted by him. The elk's hooves were tripping and tumbling as they tried to stop when they saw Fang. Fang lowered himself to the grass, while some elks jumped over him and fell over, snorting. 

 One elk was running toward's him. Fang saw another wave of elks coming. He couldn't survive this any longer! 

 With a snarl, he jumped forward and dug his claws into the elk's fur. The elk shrieked as it ran faster. Fang clawed his way up as he tried to keep his balance. This was harder then he thought it would be at first. 

 The trees were right ahead. The elk was stilling sprinting, snorting and whining. Fang saw a huge redwood trunk loom in front of them. And the elk wasn't stopping! 

 Please let this work! Fang thought. 

 He suddenly dug his claws into the elk's haunches. It shrieked as it came to a halting stop. The elk flipped over, Fang with it. He heard a crack before he hit one trunk, splattering into it like a bug. 

 Fang fell into the grass. After some breath taking moments, he stood to his paws and looked around. The elk, who's neck was twisted around, lay right next to him. It was dead. 

 "Fang!" Misty suddenly bursted from the trees and licked him. "Your alright!" 

The others came too. Feather licked him too as Wind barked happily. 

 "Fang, you've killed it!" Wind remarked. "Your first catch!" 

 

 

 

Chapter 9: Asking & Wanting

"I'm so proud of you!" Snowflake wheezed as she licked Fang's nose. "You've got an elk, on the first day!" 

 Fang stood in the Infirmary, while Snowflake washed his fur from grass tendrils. Fang was excited. His first elk! And he did it while panicking! 

 "It's not a 'catch', Snowflake." Fang pointed out as his chest puffed out. "Just a lucky shot, I'm guessing." Fang couldn't stop a slight huff of accelaration. 

Snowflake rolled her eyes playfully. "Uh huh. Fang, you have the hunting blood within you. You killed that elk like that! See, your special." 

Fang flicked his ear. Fang wasn't that special. But he did have to admit, it was a special shot. Now, the Pack was eating the elk hungrily, happy for his effort. 

"Who's my great hunter?" A voice suddenly sung from the tunnel. 

 Fang felt his spirit lift as his father entered the chamber. Storm's fur was sleek, with a forest scent wafting off him. Fang barked as he danced around Storm's paws, like he usually did. 

 "Did you see me, Dad?" 

 "I sure did." Storm replied joyfully. "Soon, you'll be the best Hunter in the Pack!" 

 Fang nodded. He was glad of his father's happy spirit. It made him feel better and more envied in the Pack. 

 Storm lifted his gaze to meet Snowflake's. Suddenly, Fang felt like Storm came down here for a talk with Snowflake, not for him. Fang didn't mind though. He knew how much Snowflake meant to Storm. 

 "Er... Snowflake.... I wanted to ask you... something." Storm began slowly, his face suddenly turning red. 

 "Yes?" 

"Would you like to go... on a... um.... forest walk?" Storm asked, his gaze locked to Snowflake's blue eyes. "Just... saying. You don't have to accept, though, if you don't want... er..." 

Fang's tail lifted. A forest walk is like a date, in Lupus Language. Fang always wanted Storm and Snowflake to go on forest walk's but they couldn't be mates. It was not aloud. 

 "Say yes!" Fang whispered into Snowflake's ear. Snowflake let out a timid laugh. 

 "Sure." She replied. "I would love that." 

 Fang brightened as Storm padded over and brushed his tail to Snowflake's. It didn't make Fang feel sick, only happy. If Storm secretly had Snowflake as a mate, would that be good? No. Storm was too loyal to the Fallen Law to break it. 

 "Okay, meet you later." Storm barked to Snowflake. 

 He then padded out, with a encouraging glance at Fang. 

 For a moment, Snowflake's eyes were glazed over, like if she was lovesick. It made Fang uncomfortable for some reason. 

 If Storm would ask Snowflake out, then it meant that he didn't like Fang's real mother. It was confusing but rather stupid. 

Who was Fang's mother? 

 

 

Chapter 10: Final Shot

It was about two months later. Fang's belly fur brushed the ground as his eyes narrowed to the grazing, quiet elk on the valley. So much in the Pack has passed since when he was a new Trainee, careless and stupid with his work. 

 The General, Stone, died last month of a battle with another rival Pack. He died from a throat wound. Storm was chosen as the next General, and Fang was happy for him. 

  Fang slowly advanced on the elk. Suddenly, he remembered that these weren't elk. They were Being's cattle! 

 "Ok, watch your back. Cattle are dangerous, with Beings around. Beings can kill a wolf with a death-branch (gun). Just watch it." Wind muttered to his Trainees. 

 "Good luck." Snowflake, who was with them on the expedtion, murmured in his ear as she licked his muzzle. "Be careful." 

 Fang nodded and licked her ear in goodbye. 

 Fang advanced forward with Misty and Feather. The two young females have grown older, serious and more prettier. Both were tough and swift now and both used to hunting, like Fang. 

 The cattle had ginger and white patches and curved horns. They seemed fat and more careless then elk. They grazed peacefully, their tails flicking at fleas. 

 Then, Misty, Feather and Fang burst from the grass, jumping over the wooden fence that was surronding the barrier and charged at the cattle. They mooed frantically as they moved around. But the fence area was crowded and they were trapped. 

 Fang sliced his claws down one's back as Misty and Feather tried to take down one large male. No Beings were in sight, so Fang's heart calmed down a bit. 

 The cattle made a lot of noise. Some slammed into the fence, in an attempt to escape while the calves whined to their mothers for protection. 

 Fang dug his teeth into one calf's neck. The calf was alone, whining for it's mum. But Fang caught it and cut it's throat easily, seeing how thick it was and how much food it would be for the Pack since it was now the end of fall. 

 Feather also brought down a huge cow as Misty killed two very young ones. Slowly, they picked off the herd, with Wind, Snowflake and the Hunters behind the fence watching for any danger. 

 Suddenly, Fang heard the noise of crunching leaves. Turning, he saw the pale outline of tan and gray. A long, wooden stick was pointing toward's them from beyond. 

 A Being. 

 "Fang, run!" Maple, who was on the other side of the fence, screamed as Feather and Misty ran to the cover of the fence. 

 Fang turned but he realized the fence was too far. This was the end. 

 Fang closed his eyes tight, claws digging into the soil as the cattle retreated to the far side of the pasture. A death-stick shot went off. 

 BAM! 

 Fang was still for a moment. Everything was silent. He realized no pain was throbbing inside him and he was still breathing. Quickly but still breathing. 

 Fang turned around and opened his eyes. The cattle was still there, he was alive and the Being was gone. But... 

 Oh no. 

 A still, white shape was lying in the grass, red splotches covered on it's fur. 

 "Snowflake, no!" 

 

Chapter 11: Snow & Blood