Two weeks passed, the rest of the pack went out to hunt and bring food back to Windspot, for she could not leave the pups for long.Theyre eyes were open now, and they were toddling around the small den.Their was three boys, and one little girl. Windspot and Streak were very proud of their pups, they took good care of them with help from the other wolves in the pack.
One frosty night weeks later, Windspot went out to look for some food that she could hunt down for herself.Her legs ached to have the freedom of running, and was ready to bring a good kill down for her pack, as they had been doing for her all the time shed had to tend to the pups.She left running from the site with joyous leaps of freedom, and let a long howl fill the crisp night air.That was the last time Streak heard Windspots howl, she disappeared after that, and I was never seen by any of her pack mates again.They searched for her, and found her sent, but there was no Windspot there.Where she had gone?None of the wolves knew, all they knew is that she wasnt there, and raising four puppies would be harder without a mother.By this time, the pups were around six weeks old, they were about ready to be weaned from the milk and brought onto a steady diet of meat the other wolves would bring in.The pups were playing in and around the trees of the den, hiding from each other, and learning other valuable skills theyd need to learn in order to live long, healthy, full lives.Simple puppy games would teach them skills theyd remember for a lifetime.Such as sniffing out another wolf, which is like tracking a deer, rabbit, or other prey.Other puppy games taught them skills just the same, such as fighting, theyd need to know this in order to live.The pups grew up fine under the watchful eye of their father.They grew strong and fine, learning all the necessary things theyd need to know as they grew into adult dogs.
One warm morning, Streak thought it was time to move away from the den, the pups were seven weeks old, it was time for them to leave the den, in fact, it was past time for the pups to leave the den.The older wolves went on a hunt, and where they brought down the kill would be where they would stay for weeks to come.Riptide, the old alpha female, stayed with the pups.Streak and Caleb, ran out of the camp, they were ready for the hunt.Riptide was becoming old to go hunting, so she often stayed with the pups, but Streak and Caleb were healthy mature wolves, ready to keep their pack in health.As the pups grew, they needed more and more food, giving the pack continual work to keep them alive.The skies were gloomy, showing much chance of rain for days to come.The Washington coast was continually getting rain dumped upon its shores, but the pack did not care, just as long as there was good hunting still left where they lived.Many herds of animals lived near the ocean, for ever though it did not meet drinking requirements, the rivers that flowed into it did.The deer, elk, and smaller prey was plentiful, and the springtime was already here, bearing its warmer weather with it.Streak walked over the rough ground, the rain slowly started to pelt his fire, every rain drop came down more frequently than the last, until they were in the middle of a downpour.Streak and Caleb worked hard, trying to find an animal to catch and bring back to the pups.The two wolves wondered, not finding a sole thing to catch, for the rain had washed away anything they might grab a scent of.So the two wolves resorted to the sea for their meal, they would not be able to move the pups away from the den quite yet, but they would still be warm and fed.Streak waited by the small river, the fish swam through it frequently, and it would be an easy meal.Caleb went farther up to where the river widened, hed give a barking signal that a fish was coming towards Streak if he even heard or saw it.The rain would make it hard to give the warning bark, for the rain was coming down even faster now, the storm was in its fullest.So Caleb and Streak simply waited along the bank of the river, waiting for a fish.The sounds were loud, the trees moaned in the storm, the oceans waves crashed against the rocks, the wind made loud gushing noises, and the rain above all made the most sound as it fell on every living thing on the coast.The trees, deer, wolves, and ground were all victims of the cold harsh rain.Through it all, Streak listen intensely for the sound of Calebs bark, signaling food would be coming his way.The faint sound of a bark reached his ears, he turned to the river, he could jump across it, for it was no more than a creek at this area, but it still rushed with such a passion that it could pull a helpless creature away to its grave.Caleb let out another bark, this time, more clear, and another bark soon let out after it.Was a whole school of fish coming?Streak looked intensely up the river, but saw nothing.
Another bark from Caleb, this time, his figure was made out in the rain as he ran closer and closer.Panic could be seen across the young wolfs face, Streak barked as Caleb grew closer.Then, Streak saw it, the mighty river had pushed its way over the bank, it was coming to get them, get them both.

Chapter Three:

Streak stayed calm, he knew from experience that himself and Caleb were very good swimmers, but as he had been shortly thinking before, the rivers fury would show no mercy on the two wolves.They needed to think fast, the options of where to go were very slim, they could jump across the river, but at any moment, the small bank on the other side looked ready to collapse.No more wolves could be lost from this pack, there was few enough already with Windspot gone, not one more could be afforded to be lost.They would have to jump, they could not beat the river rushing that Caleb had only outrun by a minute, it would be here, it was coming.Streak backed up, getting ready to leap, Caleb did the same, understanding the choice his alpha leader had made, and ready to follow him--even if it meant going to a watery grave.Streak looked behind him, Caleb stood ready, they had to jump now, the water was approaching them fast, the two wolves could hear it right now.Streak ran, he ran up unto the side of the bank they were standing on, then gave one big thrust from his back legs to send himself flying into the air, and jumped.It was not quite enough though, he landed slightly on the bank, he scrambled up, pushing what was left of the bank down into the river.Caleb had an either farther leap, and he wasnt even as big as Streak.He wasnt giving up though, Caleb had a wolf spirit, and that meant hed die for his pack.Caleb ran up until the bank, and stopped, he went back to his starting point, and a little farther back.Streak could now see the water that had pushed over the bank, it was coming, it was coming now.Caleb ran, he ran and leaped over the creek and then some, he cleared it even farther than Streak had.Streak nudged his packmate, who was laying on the ground catching the little breath he had in him.Caleb slowly got up, Streak led him to see what he had just overcome, and warned himself of, if it hadnt been for Calebs fast running, there would be no more Streak.
The two wolves returned to the den, the pups, and Riptide.They brought no food with them, but they had brought back themselves, which was more than they could have hoped.The rain still poured out furiously, Riptide and the pups were all sleeping in the den toghther, it was a very tight fit, but somehow they had pulled it off.The sleeping pups woke as soon as they heard the great bark that was known as their fathers.All five of them jumped a tugged on whatever they could, and soon attacked Caleb as well.Riptide slowly came out of the den, sleepy-eyed from her nap with the pups.She sniffed around for food, but when she found none she let off a pitiful bark.Caleb returned the sad bark, for they had not brought anything home for her and the pups.A deep thunderous roar went through the camp, frightening the pups.It was only nature though, and Streak offered them no support, they needed to learn that these were the sounds that nature made quite often.Streak and Caleb would go back out tomorrow in search of food.For now though, their fur was soaked in rain, their paws tired, and their ears being tugged on by hungry pups, needed a rest.

Chapter Four:

The following morning was dark and dreary, just like the one theyd left behind last night.It showed no promise of stopping for a long time, but Streak and Caleb did not intend to let them stop on their search to feed the pack.They started out in the morning, Caleb nudged Riptide with his nose to arise her, he gave her a wolf kiss and strode out of the camp and ran to catch-up with Streak.The rain was only a light drizzle today, but the dark sky was black as night.The winds blew threw the trees causing them to groan as their branches swayed to and fro, and all of these noises were picked up by Streaks ears. He listened carefully for a branch to snap, a deer to run, or any sounds that would signal him that prey was just around the corner.Caleb was still perfecting this art, for he was not as old as Streak, and though his ears were very good, they were not at the level that his leaders was.Not a sound was made but the shallow breathing of the wolves as they walked through the forest, and nor did they intend to make a sound that might warn prey of their coming.Calebs nose was on the ground, his ears may not be as good as Streaks, but his nose was his best tool.He paused, and Streak stopped also, noticing Caleb sniffed the air gracefully.Streak waited, his tail going back and forth in excitement that Caleb might have found something.He froze, Caleb didnt make a sound.Streak did the same, knowing that something must be near by.Streak slowly moved his head to the forest floor, and took in a deep whiff, it was there, deer.He know understood, the deer was somewhere close by, for the scent was fresh, but it was very faint, for the rain favored the rabbits and deer whos scents were carried away with it.But the wolves were smart, and they could, and would outsmart the rain.Caleb started on the trail, Streak moved aside so he could take the lead.He moved more silent than before, if that was possible, but was very fast while doing so.The wolf kept his nose to the ground, stopping every once in a while to sniff the air they were getting closer to the deer.Streak could tell now that this deer was a larger male deer, but had no company present with him. Caleb stopped, and looked back at Streak, signaling to him that now was the time theyd split.They were very close to the deer, so Caleb would come from one side of the deer, and Streak would come from the other.That way, if the deer tried to run off, they would have better chances of still catching it.So Caleb ran off, and Streak waited quietly for a little while so Caleb could get into the right area, and then Streak ran towards the deers scent.He kept low to the ground, and still traveled in stealth, hoping that he would get as close as possible to the deer without it knowing his existence.He stopped, he could smell the deer clear as day now.The soft rain trickled off his fur, it created a good background noise so the deer didnt know that Streak was within twenty yards of it.The deer froze, looked in Calebs direction, and saw the wolf leaping across the bushes towards it.The chase was on.

Streak jumped over the bush that separated him and the deer.The deer leaped over the ground soaring high above it.The deer had big horns, and it itself had to be one of the biggest deer Streak had seen the ocean area, for the deer didnt do well here. The grass was not as tasty as other grasses were, so the big deer were mostly on the other side of the big river.The big river was so furious and quick that most animals that tried to cross it were swept away.There was a bridge, but humans used that bridge, and humans were not what you wanted to see.They killed wolves, and they killed the other animals that the wolves used for food.Humans were not good.