𝙽𝚘𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎

That was the song my Mama used to sing to me when I was a puppy.
I began in darkness but my nose told me everything I knew.
I was nestled in the Pack's nursery, with tiny little balls of fur cuddling against me.
My siblings.
I had sisters. A lot of them. But I only remember one. Her scent was as sweet as a rose.
We didn't have names.
Our pack didn't name puppies until they proved themselves worthy.

Mama's coat was golden. She was beautiful.

This is Mama.
I had a pack.
My father was the dominant leader. His brothers were the other males.
The rest of us were young females and Mama.

One day, when I was 7 suns old, my Papa and his brothers gave sister a name.
She was Taka. Papa told us her name meant Wished.
None of us had gotten our names yet.
Except for Taka.

When I was 10 suns old, Mama took Taka and I on a hunt.
We were after caribou.
When we found a herd, Mama chased them . . .
Until she didn't.

A loud bang went out and Mama fell to the ground.
Silence.
Taka ran back to the pack.
So did I.

We told Papa about the situation.
Papa was enraged. He snapped at us.
He began pacing anxiously. I tried to help.
Papa bit my eye.
It bled out. It hurt.

But Taka was by my side.

When I was 15 suns old, Papa announced that Taka was the new heir.
Everybody cheered and I forced myself to do so too.
But I wasn't so happy anymore.
Papa began neglecting my other sisters and I because we were weak.
Taka was blinded by this and began treating us badly too.

One night, as the moon was at its highest,
I felt a weird presence.
The pack rested.
The silence was loud.
But I could smell a scent of no pack wolf I've ever met.

As I put my first paw outside the den
A pair of teeth bites deep into my ear.
I let out a loud yelp, awakening even the most silent creatures.
The pack awakes.
We spend the night in a fight.


When the sun arrives, the rival wolves flee.
Their leader, Karayan, demanded war.
Papa spoke in snarls as he willingly accepted.

It's been 3 suns.
Papa is organizing wolves to fight an invading patrol.
Taka is always amongside them.
I'm always left behind to watch our young along with the elders.
I snarl at Papa as the party is about to leave.
"Take me to war. I dare you!"

I argue with Papa for a few hours.
He ends up with a cut off ear.
I end up with a limp.

It's been 10 suns.
We have lost over 40 packmembers.
One sunrise, I wake up to the scent of ashes.
I take a look outside.
Fire. Ashes. Chaos.

I take a few seconds and sprint off the den.
I run towards the camp exit.
I keep running at full speed after leaving camp.
I see a wolf running alongside me.
It's Taka.

I can feel teeth snapping behind my tail.
I look back.
Karayan.

The devil is after both of us.

I take a sharp turn. Karayan chases me and leaves Taka behind.
I arrive close to a gorge.
I stop at my tracks.
Karayan pounces.
I crouch just in time.
Karayan falls down into the gorge.
I hear a thud after 10 seconds. He's gone.

So is my entire Pack, except for Taka.
The camp is burnt down.
We have nowhere to go.

It's been a few more suns. Taka and I have been living off of hares.
One day, I dream of running towards the moonlight.
It leads me to starry pawprints. I follow them.
They lead me to a giant starry wolfess.
"Follow the scents." She says under her breath.

I wake up. It's still midnight. Taka is asleep.
I smell an exquisite scent.
It smells like wolves.
But not like the wolves that killed my Pack.
Friendly wolves.

I wake Taka up and follow the tracks.
The scent is leading me outside of my birth territory. I keep going.
Trees.
Brooks.
Grasslands.
Squirrels.

It's a new land.

Eventually, the scent leads me to three male wolves.
One with a coat brown like pine trees.
One as dark as the night skies.
One gray like ashes.

"What's your name?"
The gray wolf asks.
I look at the sudden snowflakes falling above.
"Noelle. I'm Noelle."

"Call me Morrowseer."

Morrowseer is now my mate.
We've started a new Pack.
In this new territory.
Taka followed along.

It's been 5 suns.
Our 2 pups began in darkness.
But their noses told them everything they knew.

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───