Shadeheart

Sometimes I hated being herbalist. Every day, a new wolf came in complaining about a sore paw or a bug bite. Like, it was my duty, but it got annoying. I needed a vacation. Not that I'd actually get one.

The leaves to my den rustled. "What now?"

"Don't be so cranky. Dusty told me to check in."

I froze. That was the sweetest voice I've ever heard. In my den.

I turned around to see the wolf was just as beautiful as her voice. "Hi, there," I said.

"Not so mean, now, are we?" the female wolf asked, elegantly jumping on a rock and lying there. "Now you know the rules of the pack, Shadeheart, and you know herbalist can't have mates."

"I know," I said. "What can I get for you?"

"Well, I'm starting to feel a bit of a cough. I swore to Dusty it was just because of my travels, I don't think she believed me," she said.

"Ahh," I replied. "And what's your name?"

"Sweetwillow," she replied. "But that's irrelevant to you. I would love my cough medicine, now."

"On it," I replied. I grabbed the medicine and a leaf for Sweetwillow to lap it up off of.

"Thank you, Shadeheart," Sweetwillow said, leaping down from the rock and out of the den.

I loved her.

-

Months later, Sweetwillow and I were walking through the forest, one of her pups trailing behind, pouncing on leaves and tree roots. "He's going to be a hunter," Sweetwillow said, looking fondly back at Bearpup.

"Don't we know it," I replied. We'd become good friends, deciding to ignore the "no relationships" rules. The whole reason Tanfoot was removed from Herbalist duty was because she wanted to have puppies. Maybe after I was done training Silverpaw, I could do the same.

"Bearheart would be a fine name," Sweetwillow said. "Bearpelt. Bearstripe."

"Dusty does the naming," I answered.

"Bearfang," Sweetwillow continued, her accent carrying above the trees. "Anything would be perfect."

We heard a whimper behind us. A thump and rustle. we looked over our shoulders and Bearpup was gone.

"Bearpup!" Sweetwillow cried.

She chased after the thief, me not far behind. A coyote, barely a year or two old, stood in front of Bearpup, back arched and hackles raised. Sweetwillow was remarkably large for a female wolf, almost as large as me, but that didn't stop the coyote from trying to take Bearpup.

Whiteleg appeared behind the coyote and pounced, quickly defeating him. "What are you two doing out here with a pup? Shadeheart, you should be in your den anyways."

"They were helping me collect herbs," I quickly lied.

Whiteleg narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Where's Silverpaw?"

"I gave her the day off. Yesterday was terrible," I responded. His adoptive mother had come home after many days missing, beaten up and bleeding. It was pretty traumatizing for him.

"You shouldn't have had Bearpup out here," Whiteleg said sternly. "And no relationships, Shadeheart."

"He's just being insensitive, Shadeheart. Ignore him."

"He's right, Sweetwillow. I'm in too deep with you, and I can't be."

"No one has to know, Shadeheart," she replied. "It'll be our secret."