Deep in the trees of the Seldamund Woods the creatures of the night come alive to forage as the as the
world goes into slumber. The birds have ended their evening song and the night is quiet except for the
crickets serenade. In fact, it�s almost too quiet. The owls are silently waiting and the nighttime
scavengers don�t venture far from their dens. It seems everyone has sensed or smelled the recent intruders;
newcomers aren�t taken lightly in these woods.
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�Please, let the mothers and pups eat first, they need their strength more than we do.� Zarkus watches as
two scrawny pups and three weary females walk towards the small kill. There were eighteen in the pack that
managed to escape; now there were nine. This had truly been a long, hard journey. It had especially been
hard for the mothers, Melari, Kashar, and Silandi, and their pups Marslo and Tween. Though they had not
eaten a decent meal since they left, which had been nearly two months now, they ate only enough to sustain
them until their next meal. Once they finished, one by one they headed into the cave that Zarkus had chosen
as shelter for the night. Silandi, the youngest of the three, a few years out of her teen years, chose to
lie at the entrance and wait for the safety of the rest of the pack. Her normally sleek, jet-black fur was
now slightly grayed from the dirt and filth. Her white mane was tangled in dirt and filth. Her frosted feet
were now grayish-brown, and like the rest of the pack, the padding had been worn raw from their travels. She
could barely keep her exhausted brown eyes open as Kashar and Marslo drug by. They went a little further
into the cave, but it was not long before Marslo wanted stop. His usually dark fur was dirty and scraggly,
despite Kashar�s incessant grooming. Comfortable against her side, he fell asleep in little time. Kashar
looked down at him and smiled. This had been a rough journey, and she was glad that he has made it. She was
the lifelong mate of Zarkus, Alpha female of this broken pack. She had been through many trials before, but
never anything like this. Her auburn coat and black mane were slowly turning white with age; her silver eyes
had seen many winters. Too tired to wait for the others, she soon drifted into a much-needed sleep. Melari
and Tween took refuge beside the sleeping pair. Melari looked toward her dearest friend with sympathy. It was
not easy to lose nearly all of their pack and have to flee from their home. When she felt Tween�s shaggy white
body nestled against her pale fur, Melari laid her head down to rest, pieces of her light black mane falling
into her eyes.
Suddenly, a distant howl pierced the silence of the night. The threesome stood alert as Zarkus and the rest of
the pack charged in. Zarkus�s wide, yellow eyes reflected something they have not known much in his life � fear
and uncertainty. His strong, though old, black legs carried him to his mate and the rest of the pack. Reinor,
Asoth and Kull ran in behind him. Reinor�s left ear, still healing from a fight with raptors in the homeland was
nearly gone. He had been trying to save his mate and their three pups from the savage beasts. Now, Marslo is the
only memory of the family they once had. He was only a blur, however, to Kull who rushed by straight to Melari.
His light gray cheeks rubbed against her, ensuring her of their safety. As Asoth dashed in to stand beside Zarkus,
he said, �They have caught our scent. They know we�re here. All we can do now is wait.� Keshar saw the tremble in his
legs. As Silandi quickly walked over to join them, another howl echoed through the night, this one closer than the first.
Soon the echoes began to near the cave. Zarkus stood at the mouth of the cave with Kull, Asoth, and Reinor side by
side behind him. Several minutes passed by in silence when suddenly, the sound of rustling leaves let them know someone,
or something, was approaching. �Who goes there?� cried Zarkus in a strong, slightly growling voice. Into the cave stepped
a larger, black wolf with white stripes running along his back and legs. �You dare question me when it is you
who has invaded upon our lands and stolen our food! You are lucky I do not slay you for your insolence. Who
are you and why are you here?� He looked curiously at these intruders. They could�ve been mistaken for some form of overgrown,
mutated foxes. However, he had heard of these strange creatures before, though maned wolves were not common to these woods.
Zarkus forcefully stepped forward and growled, �You speak boldly for one who does not know who he is speaking to. When we
reach your camp, I will be sure to tell Gulkain not to slay you for your insolence! I am Zarkus, leader of the Chryso pack,
or what�s left of it at least.� Sorrow filled his eyes, as he thought back on all of the lives they lost in the past months.
�Please, Alpha Zarkus, forgive me for my rash words. It is not often that we receive visitors unexpectedly in these woods,
especially at night. I am Baro, lead soldier for the Baileyi pack. Had we known you were coming, we would have met you and
brought you straight to camp. Tell me, how many are left?� Zarkus motioned behind him to the others, �There are seven of us
and two pups.� Baro looked at them sadly. �I see. My men and I will stay with you tonight, and we shall head for camp at
mid-morning.� As he left the cave, he barked, �Rasnarg, send word to camp that we will remain here for the night and will
bring our guests to camp by mid-day. Tell Alpha Gulkain that Alpha Zarkus and his pack have arrived.�
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