Storm!
Howl stared forlornly out into the pouring rain. Her brothers and sisters were still in the back of the cave, scared of the loud crashing that was coming from outside of the cave. What had Mother called it? Oh, yes. Thunder. She had said that thunder is made by a crazy Human. He was known to dance around fire(if the rain had not got it yet) and clash two things together which made thunder. Howl had asked her mother why the Human made thunder and she had said that it was because the Human was thankful for the rain and wanted to celebrate. She had also said that he was celebrating the rain because the rain helps things grow, gives prey and you stuff to drink, and keeps you cool. Howl thought that rain just brought misfortune and stuck you into a cave the whole evening. I mean the thunder was scaring the crap out of her brothers and sisters! Howl had a very strong line of self responsibility for her brothers and sisters. It had all started when they had caught Cold Cough in the middle of snow-time. Since Mother couldn't leave them Howl had caught the prey, brought the herbs, brought the water, and taken care of them when Mother had to make dirt. Howl still took care of them, even though the Cough was gone. The sickness had stunted their growth so they were very small for their age. Mother had always favored Howl saying that she was strong and pretty for her age. It was true. She was a light silver that slowly melted into a dark gray where that seeped into a light brown that dusted the top of her back. Her muscles were strong and supple. Most wolves at her age would have left their birth mothers by now. For she was seven full moons old and the leaving time was five full moons old. But Howl didn't feel like she could leave them. Her mother still needed help with the little ones. Sometimes Howl's mother would have to stay with them for a long period of time and then have to leave the cave. Then Howl would snuggle up with her siblings and keep them warm until Mother came back. This time though, she was going out to get water and prey for her siblings. Howl shook her head sharply, throwing herself out of the warm, comforting memories that were flooding her mind. She needed to go and get water and food for her family. Howl blinked and looked outside of the cave. The rain was pouring into the mud, making puddles that rippled at the slightest touch. Howl stepped outside into the cool air. This was the first time she had been in the rain. She had seen it two times in the cave but had been too young and scared to step out into it. The rain felt good compared to the hot, stuffy cave. The little drops of rain slid off of her pelt and left little rivulets of it clinging to her fur. Some of the droplets had seeped through her fur and touched her skin. She loved it! It was like the time she had rolled in the snow. It was cold and refreshing. The cold raindrops would sometimes stream into her face and she would lap them up with her tongue, secretly savoring the cold, fresh taste it left in her mouth. Then...CRACK! BOOM! A bright flash of light lit the sky and a few seconds later a rumbling sound followed. Howl jumped back, slipping in the slippery mud and sliding ungracefully onto her back. She jumped up, embarrassed that a little thunder and....and....what was that white stuff? Oh yes. Lightning. She shook the wet, slimy mud off her fur and walked towards the forest. She slipped through the crevice in the side of the hollow that shielded them. She stood outside refreshing herself in the cool air of the afternoon and started to think. Where will she collect moss for water? She racked her brain. The Mossy Tree! It was covered in moss and would have fresh water in it from the rain. She started off at an easy loping pace. She started up the ravine. The storm had stopped and there was a light drizzle. CRACK! Howl pricked her ears and went suddenly tense. What was going on? Another CRASH brought Howl bounding to the top of the ravine. She looked over the sea of trees. There! She squinted her eyes to see better and saw....Humans!
Trapped!
Howl stared out into the forest. There were tons of the Humans swarming around. Had they caused the cracking sound. The Humans had brought some weird bright yellow...things with them. Then one of the things made a low growling sound and started hacking down trees! Mother had told her about these. She said that they were called cars in Human talk but we wolves and dogs called them Death Machines. Mother said that a single Death Machine could run you over and kill you without a bite to the throat. And the Death Machines didn't stop to eat their prey, they would just go carrying on down their path. Their path was called a road but Mother called it a Death River. The weird thing was that the Death Machines practically never left the path except for when they had work to do. So what were these Death Machines doing here? Were they supposed to be cutting down the trees? For the Humans? Howl started down the ravine and closer to the Humans and Death Machines to get a better look. She peered through a clump of bramble bushes and saw the Humans about a few rabbit lengths away from her. She stopped breathing and listened to their weird grunts and barks. They kept moving their paws and held flat pieces of bark with white stuff on them. They kept pointing towards the Mossy Tree. One of the Death Machines rumbled over and stopped with a grunt that could make a raccoon go deaf. It snorted out some icky black smog that clouded the air. Howl blinked over and over again. The stuff was making her vision blurry. She was so intent on getting the stuff out of her eyes that she didn't smell or see or hear the Human coming her way. It peered through the bushes and let out a shrill bark of exclamation that made Howl jump. The Human waved its paw to the other Humans and they all came lumbering over. Howl shrank back into the bush as far as it would let her go without getting thorns in her pelt. The first Human reached into the bush and grabbed her scruff. Howl immediately snapped at her and the Human dropped her in the middle of all the others. One of the male Humans left the group and came back with a weird mesh box. He put it down in front of her and she smelled an intoxicating scent. Her hackles lifted and she stared at the box suspiciously. Was it meant to trap her? She padded forward warily and stuck her head into the box. The smell was stronger now. It smelled like deer meat! She had only had deer meat once and she had loved it. Deer were hard to catch though so she stuck tot he smaller things like mice and rabbits and, once, a cat. She shut her eyes and basked in the aroma of deer meat, forgetting that the Humans were watching her. She felt a shove behind her and she tumbled into the box. She was trapped!
Escape!
Howl stared through the weird wire things that trapped her in the box. She had been in it for a whole day and she didn't know what to do. The smell in the box was deer meat and she found it and ate it but it was hardly enough to fill a voles stomach, let alone a growing wolf. She looked at the wires. They were made out of some indestructible vine or something because she couldn't chew through it, she couldn't dig through it, and she couldn't dent it at all. She was starving and she stank of Humans and she had to get back to her mother but how!? She thought of her mom. What would she do if she was trapped in this weird cage? Of course! Her mother would inspect her surroundings for a weak spot or some way to get out. Then she would think of how to get out through that spot, and finally she would escape! Howl inspected the weird mesh. The mesh was knotted firmly into the other sides of the cage and in the front had a weird metal thing. It was a stick going through a hole that went into the ground. She inspected the stick. It looked as if a bug could slide it up with ease. Howl inspected the thing even more. She saw how it made the opening thing stay closed and inescapable. Ding! That's what she would do! She would move the stick up somehow and open the door. Then she could slip out and go home. But how would she move the stick? Her snout was to large to fit through the mesh holes and so was her paw. Her stomach started to rumble, distracting her from her problem. She started imagining freshly caught mice, plump rabbits, the deer meat from earlier. She shook her head and scolded herself. "Stop playing around! You have to think!" But all the same she kept licking her chops hungrily. Her nose started to get dry and Howl licked it, liking the feel of her wet tongue on her dry, itchy nose. That was it! Her tongue! It was flexible enough that she could slip it through the mesh holes and it was strong enough to lift the stick up and help her get out. She jumped up. It was worth a try! She stuck out her tongue and squeezed it through one of the holes. She lifted the stick by putting her tongue underneath a handle type of thing sticking out from the stick and lifting up. The stick slid up and out of the hole and fell onto the damp dirt with a soft THUMP! Howl pushed the door open and darted out into a fresh clump of ferns. She didn't recognize her surroundings from earlier that day. She smelled the air. It smelled strongly of moss, like there was lots of moss and it was nearby. She heard a river roaring somewhere nearby. But all she could see was Humans. They were walking around something. Howl shifted her position so that she could see what they were so interested in. It was the Mossy Tree! The Humans were walking around it, touching the trunk, breaking off pieces of bark, feeling the moss, and taking these weird stick things and drew on the plates of wood with the white stuff on them. Suddenly, there was a sharp yelp from one of the Humans and all the Humans backed off. They made a line in front of Howl so that she couldn't see. See darted around the clearing into a holly bush. A Death Machine was slowly making its way towards the tree. What were the Humans doing to the tree? Howl hoped that they wouldn't hurt it. It was an important part of her life. She had caught her first mouse in its roots, she had played under the safety of its branches, she had retrieved water from its moss. Howl peered out from the branches just in time to see the Death Machine start hacking something into the tree! Howl froze, shocked at what the Death Machine was doing to the tree. The tree was thick and strong. It had survived a long time out here, through the fiercest storms and the wildest fires. But here it was, being destroyed by a Humans slave, a Death Machine. The tree seemed weak now, leaning to one side while its branches waved wildly at every hit. Howl closed her eyes, wishing for this to be a dream and she was going to wake in the hot stuffy cave huddled up in the soft bedding of moss with her mother to shield her from her bad dream. Howl counted to thirty and opened her eyes just in time to see the Mossy Tree fall to the ground.
Good bye
Howl raced through the forest, her heart beating rapidly. She had to tell her mother that the Humans were in the forest and had cut down the Mossy Tree! She quickly slipped through the crevice in the rock and skidded into the clearing where her mother was playing with her siblings. She howled,"Humans! In the forest! They cut down the Mossy Tree!" Howls mother looked at her and told her to catch her breath and sit down. After calming down a little, Howl recounted the story of what had happened to her. When she was finished her mother sat back on to her haunches and stared at Howl, shocked. Then she started to move the pups into the cave. Her mothers ears were twitching uneasily and she jumped at some pebbles rolling down the side of the hollow. Howl leaped up as her mother came towards her. She asked,"What are we going to do?" Her mother replied,"Nothing. The pups are too weak from their ordeal with Cold Cough and wouldn't last a hour outside of the forest." Howl stared at her mother, speechless with shock. Her mothers head drooped and her tail stuck between her legs as she said wearily,"I will stay here with the pups. The Humans won't find us. On the other paw, you will be running far away from here. Go somewhere safe where the Humans won't capture you. But whatever you do, stay away from Packs. They are unpredictable and you know how my family despises them." Howl was about to object but her mother snarled at her, showing claw sharp fangs. "You will leave and I will make you! I will not have you captured and dead!" Her mother growled. "You may stay another night then you will have to leave." And Howls mother slowly walked away, looking as old as the earth itself.
Howl woke to birds singing in the forest. She got up remembering nothing until her mother came bounding over with a rabbit in her jaws. "Eat." she commanded sternly. Howl crouched down and ate, the rabbit tasting of ashes in her mouth. Her mother was really going to have her leave then. When she was finished eating she went up to her mother and opened her mouth to talk but her mother didn't give her a chance. "Go without complaining and protesting or I will force you to go and I wanted you to leave remembering me as a loving mother, not a ferocious vixen." she said sternly. Then her voice softened, "Howl I love you and I know you want to protect me but that cannot happen. You will have to leave someday to find a mate and wander the world and think that now is the time. I will be fine and you will too. If the Humans come I will hide with the pups in the cave. The Humans are to big to fit in there." she nuzzled Howl affectionately. "Oh! I almost forgot! You are getting too big for your pup name of Howl. I need to change it." Howl started. Her adult name? She was much too young! "Mom!" she said. "Honey, you won't be coming back and I want the chance to say your new name at least once. I have thought a lot about it and I think that something storm related would be nice. Not lightning, because that is too long. I think Thunder is appropriate." Howl bowed her head solemnly. "I accept the name Thunder." Her mothers eyes glowed with pride. "Thunder. Thunder. What a powerful name. I have a feeling that you are a really important wolf." Her mother stared at her fondly then straightened up. "Now you really have to leave. The sun is in the middle of the sky. I love you Thunder. Now go, before I have to scare you off." Thunder started out but looked back one more time, taking in every bit of her old home and storing it in her memory forever. Her mother stood tall and proud in the middle of the clearing, her long fur ruffling in the wind. Then Thunder went the rest of the way and walked out in the open where an ambush of Humans were waiting for her.
Death!
Thunder yelped in surprise. She darted into a bush and ran away. She was bolting as fast as a jackrabbit runs from its hunter. She leaped over logs and splashed through rivers, puddles, an ponds. Just as she was bolting through two trees she remembered her mother. Her mother! Thunder had just left her, defenseless, in the clearing while Humans surrounded camp! Thunder skidded to a halt and turned around. She started running back, tired and breathless, pushed on by the fear and hatred of Humans. As she came to the clearing right in front of the clearing she heard yelps of pain and snarls of defiance. She bolted through the tunnel and stopped in the middle of the hard dirt floor. On the right side the wall had crumbled away and had Humans pouring into camp. None of them had seen her yet. One of the Humans was in front of the cave and was poking it with a stick. Then Mother burst out and bit him on the hand. It looked like he had already been bitten. The Human cried out and clutched his hand. He picked up the stick he had dropped and stuck it in there more furiously. Mother leaped out to bite him but this time he was ready. He grabbed her with a loop around her neck and pulled. The other Humans went to the cave and started poking around. Then Stripe poked his head out. He was always the curious one. He yelped when he saw Thunder and went back inside, telling the others probably. The Humans cleared off and inspected Mother. Then Stripe came out followed by Leaf, Yelp, and Stream. The Humans spotted them and came over. They picked them up by their scruffs and took them by Mother. Stripe wriggled around in the Humans grip and bit the Human. The Human cried out and glared at Stripe. It hit Stripe on the head and this time Stripe cried out in pain. This got Mother riled up. She started bucking and then fell down to the ground, limp. The Humans came down and touched her. The stick with the loop was dropped and Mother leaped up. She jumped onto the Human holding Stripe and knocked it down, tearing out its throat. She looked at me and barked something but I shook my head, not understanding. She opened her mouth to bark again but it was drowned out by a huge crack, like thunder. She grimaced and turned around. A Human was pointing a long stick at her. It cracked again and Mother fell to the ground, lifeless.
Thunder stared in shock. Her mothers life had ended like a bite to the neck. The Humans had killed her! No, she cannot be dead! She should have helped to defend the pups. A whimper woke her up from her misery. She saw the Human take a long pointy thing and jab it into her brother. Now Thunder was filled with fury. They had taken her mother but they wouldn't take him! Thunder darted out and howled, long and strong. The Humans jumped, startled by her sudden appearance. Stripe was hanging from the Humans grip, limp almost exactly like her mother! Was he dead? Stripe whimpered softly and his tail twitched. Phew! But that didn't mean he would live much longer! Thunder dashed into the group of Humans and started knocking them over. One of them raised the long stick that had killed her mother and pointed it at her. It cracked and she jumped. She jumped high enough that the CRACK had missed her. Right where she was standing was hole in the dirt. Made by the stick. Thunder rushed over to the stick Human and knocked him into the dirt. She spun around and spotted the Human holding her brother. She ran over to him and bowled him over. She grabbed Stripe and looked around for the others. They were in a box, not unlike the one she had been in the previous day, peering through the wire like curious owlets.
The Humans had started to stir. She looked around and knocked the box over. One of the Humans stood up and grabbed the box. She tried to lunge for it but she had Stripe in her mouth. She whined softly and ran through the tunnel into the forest. She looked back and saw a Death Machine taking her siblings away.
A New Family
Thunder raced though the forest, Stripe bumping against her chest. She went the opposite way the Humans had gone. She went into the part of unexplored part of the forest and raced on, not stopping for anything. Finally, she slowed down and stopped in front of a stream that was cold and fresh. She lapped up the water gratefully and then examined Stripe. He was awake now and a little drowsy but otherwise he seemed fine. He wasn't bleeding anywhere and didn't even have a bruise where the other Human had hit him. He looked up at her and whined. She licked his head and suddenly the events of the day hit her. Her legs were all wobbly and her head was spinning. She curled up against Stripe and slept the rest of the day off.
Thunder woke up yawning. She stretched her back and gave herself a thorough wash. Then she remembered Stripe. He was playing by the stream, sticking his paw in and trying to catch the little fish that were zipping around in it. She was relieved. If he was able to play then the events of yesterday hadn't traumatized him. When he saw that she was awake he scampered over and looked up at her. Then he said, "Where's Mommy? I didn't see her." Thunder thought fast. What was she gonna tell him? She replied, "Mommy is somewhere where the food never runs out and no one ever gets sick." She thought that what she had said would satisfy him but instead he squeaked in his cute voice, "When is she coming back? I want her to come back!" Thunder knew that there was no avoiding his questions and he would eventually find out so she replied, "She is never coming back Stripes. She is dead. She died because of the Humans. She died to protect you. You will never smell her again, or lay next to her, or talk to her again, Stripe. She is dead." Stripe looked up at her and whimpered. She nuzzled his head and he threw his muzzle into her fur. He started whining and she finally let her sadness go too. For a long time they lay there in the clearing mourning their mother. They would have gone longer when and sudden smell hit Thunders nose. She had let down her guard. Now there was a few wolves coming towards them. She shoved Stripe under her belly and growled, her hackles high up. Then a silver wolf burst into the clearing. She snarled loudly and shoved Stripe farther down beneath her. The silver wolf looked at her curiously. He didn't have any signs of aggression on him but what about the other wolves. There were at least two more. The silver wolf barked something and another silver wolf that was more black then silver came through the bushes. He was followed by a very old black wolf. None of them had any signs of aggression on themselves. She let her hackles down and stopped growling but still was stiff, ready for an attack. The old black wolf lied down and said in a gruff voice, "Well hello there. What are you doing way out here?" Thunder replied, "I ran away from the Humans. They invaded my camp." "Well is that your pup there? He is sure cute." "No. He is my brother." Thunder replied. All her signs of aggression were gone. She was curious and hungry. "Well these are my sons Fang and Shade. I am Maple." The big charcoal silver wolf nodded at the name of Fang and the smaller silver one nodded at the name of Shade. "I am Thunder and this is my brother Stripe." Maple nodded. "What brings you out here?" Fang said in a deep voice. "Well, it's a long story." Thunder said. "We have time for long stories." said Maple. Thunder took a deep breath and told them the whole devastating story. When she was done there was a long silence. Finally Shade spoke up. "Well, we have room for a few more wolves. My brother, Maple, and I are travelers and we have room for you guys." Thunder hesitated. Mother had warned her never to travel with a Pack. They were dangerous. But these wolves weren't technically a Pack. They were a family of traveling wolves. But before she could speak up Stripe piped out, "What's a traveling wolf?" "Well young one, a traveling wolf is a wolf who never sticks in one place. They go from place to place never staying in one place for a long time." Stripe looked up with wide eyes. "Don't your paws hurt? Why don't you have a den? Why do you travel so much? Can I come? Please? Please?" he said in a rush. Maple glanced at me, amused. "Why don't you ask your sis that instead?" Stripe scampered over to me and looked up at me. "Can we? Please? Please?" Thunder looked down at Stripe and sighed. "Well, we have nowhere else to go and they'll help us so I guess it couldn't hurt." Stripe squealed in excitement. Maple looked at me in surprise. "I thought that you guys were homing wolves, the kind that stays in one place." "We were homing wolves. Now the Humans have taken over and I am completely lost on what to do." Stripe started rushing around like crazy.
Impressum
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.11.2012
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