Gypsy of the Skies - Tryout Story

[Wolves of Rain]

Please no posting!

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◈
Chapter 1

I once asked my mother why my name is Gypsy. It is indeed a strange name. Who would one name their pup after a nomadic people?

"Because we are wanderers." she answered simply.

"Why are we wanderers?" I responded. She shrugged, and that was the silence that followed as she walked away.

As I stopped by the stream later to get a drink, I looked at myself through the water. Were we really wanderers? As I sat there in thought, I realized I had answered my question a long time ago. We weren't wanderers. We were running.

As I returned to the pack in their lounge under the cool shade of the trees to ask my mother once again, I discovered why we were running. They were gone.
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I remember the days when I was small and playful. I loved playing with Alexa the most. But when the scout returned we all had to move. Fast. I never got the chance to finish a game. This, this? I never got to finish my conversation. The grass in the clearing swayed harmlessly as if nothing had ever happened, waiting for my return.

"Mom?" I said, hearing my voice dim in the shadows of fear. There was no response.

"Anyone? It's me, Gypsy," I tried, hoping they were hiding somewhere.

How had I missed their fear all of my life? We were running from something, always running and never stopping. But I had never stopped to question why. How silly, what if I never got the answer? Or worse; What if I never saw them again?

I paused, observing my surroundings. If I wasn't cautious, maybe I'd find out the reason to be running like scared prey for your entire life. My mind went through all of the possibilities as I sniffed the ground where they had sat just minutes before. Their scents lay fresh on my tongue against the cool wind that shook the leaves above. Following the scent towards the edges of its realm, I discovered that it was as if whomever had laid here hadn't moved. There was no running? But... I turned my head to look at the rest of clearing. Lowering my nose, I began to sniff around.

The many scents of my pack-mates were spread out accordingly, they had been resting, sleeping, and grooming on their long day of travel. I imagined the cool rivers we'd stop to swim in during the heat of the summer. One scent in peculiar caught my nose. It was the smell of something else that had moved along, then ended abruptly. Another viscet? The pungent odor was slightly musky, stronger than the rest. As if it had been here more recently. Almost as if...

"No!" I screamed and turned on a dime, dashing to the edge of the grass.

My eyes darted from the grass to the trees on the other side. There, whoever it was was trying to run there.

Skirting around the trees to the other side, I lowered my head to sniff again. Recoiling in shock, I caught the scent. They had jumped. I followed it, passing glances up at the trees for sight of something else. As I got closer and closer to the coming hill, something propped on a tree branch danced in the light. I looked up instantly, full attention on the object. No, objects. A shiny silver helmet and a gold necklace. The helmet and necklace seemed stationed so coordinated, looking as if to match. Like they had been left for me.

Walking over carefully, calculated, I approached them as if they were possible explosives. The same scent struck me, as did the feathers on the gold necklace. Beautiful, I told myself. But from what? Or who?

I pulled the mask and feather necklace down, gently fingering them. What did this all mean? I realized how scared I was, my heart beating fast against my ragged breaths. "Follow the scent," I told myself, shaking my head to clear it.

I put my nose down and moved forward, quickening my pace. I remembered to look up, scanning constantly. I was on the hill now, getting closer to the top. The grass formed shadows along the ground, as if bowing along the slope.

Rounding over it, I caught a hold of my breath. Humans.

[Wolves of Rain]

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◈
Chapter 2

The tops of colorful tents shook against the wind. People bustled in and out, between, beside, approaching. There were so many humans.

The scent of sweets and cooking meats caught the wind, wafting to me. I realized my slight hunger, but my hunger could wait.

Putting down my nose again to check for the scent, I found it led directly to the crowds of people. Would they understand me if I said anything? Would they run in fear? That last time I had seen a human was when I was merely a pup, about two years old. We had passed by a group, whom gazed at us and flashed at us with boxes and tubes. I had tried to approach but my mother had placed a paw at my back and told me to hurry along. They were such strange little creatures, bald with tufts and patches of hair on their heads.

Sliding down the grassy slope to the marketplace, I realized how easy it would be for one to recognize me. What if this stranger was targeting me? No, they left me-wait, are they-should I... Taking a deep breath, I put on the necklace, looking uncomfortably at the helmet. I brought it gently over my head, feeling my earrings scrape against the sides. The helmet fit, maybe even just a little too large. There, hopefully I would go about unseen.

I slid down to the bottom quickly, bending over to check the scent. It was going just as I was, though still quite fresh. People looked up at me from stalls, looks of concern and passing glances making me nervous. Were they planning to attack? No, they just see you in a mask, and find it strange. I told myself, trying to put down my fear. Could they smell it?

Stopping at the edge of the light cobblestone, I realized the scent was masked. Between the scent I got an overpowering smell of food, people, and dogs. I took a step forward to track it, but humans became the only smell. Looking up, I realized that the shoppers and merchants around me wanted to stay away. Was it the mask? Keeping my head low, I passed by quickly, hoping not to draw up too much suspicion at my frequent stops. The scent still remained almost undetectable under the smells of the market and its attendants. Finally deciding I needed to ask someone, I went up to a stall with a man selling fruit. I lowered by head to look at him. "Have you seen another viscet pass through?" The man gave a weird look and waved his hands as if to shoo me away. He began speaking gibberish. "What? I don't understand!" I said, backing away a step. Hitting the top of the tent and getting a shout from the merchant, I turned and left.

"Alright alright, I'm going," I mumbled, disappointed. I couldn't talk to them. I would be left to rely on my sense of smell, but I became easily concerned I was making a scene. Despite this, I lowered my head and sniffed between my grumbling. I sniffed gingerly and found the scent, moving forward slowly to make sure I was on the right path. Soon a stitch in my neck was the only thing to slow me down, forcing my head up.

A shiver ran down my back. Tingles rushed through my toes. I knew the feeling; I was being watched. Turning to look around, I felt my restricted vision bubble annoyance. But they may know who you are, what if you're a target? I reminded myself, grumbling into the mask and feel a steam rise up and around my eyes. The flutter of something finally drew my attention. I turned to see a bird perched atop a tent, drawing as much attention from the humans as the stones beneath my paws. It was a falcon, the light dusty brown a familiar sight. But the bird had its head turned towards me, one beady eye fixated on my own. I tried to ignore it, but the peculiarity left me standing in place.

It turned its head quickly to look at something else. I heard the sounds of stone on cement, the scratchy noise faint to the noise of the humans. I turned to see what it was, only to watch a cobblestone shift back into place. I eyed the single stone cautiously, moving closer. A woman bustled by, brushing my side as she tried to slip past. I ignored her grumbles of annoyance following, but stepped forward cautiously. I let a paw touch the stone, before pulling back roughly. Nothing happened. Stop messing around! You need to find everyone! I scorned, turning to take a last look at the falcon. It had disappeared.

I turned to walk on, feeling anger well up inside at my incompetence. Something rolled out from between the two stalls. I picked it up, looking closely at the object from in the mask. It was a red bead, oddly large. I let it roll between my fingers, looking around. Someone must have dropped it. But there seemed to be no scrambling around for items that I could see. Than I froze, the realization hitting me. I slowly lifted the bead up to the inside of the mask, taking a deep sniff. The smell. So fresh that it could only mean one thing. They were watching me, just from between the flaps. Maybe even right now.

Dropping the bead, I turned to run. The narrow pathways of the marketplace seemed to squeeze closer, the people around me scattering as I sped by. The sound of quick footsteps fast approaching from behind told me that whomever had been watching me was following me. I put on a burst of speed, the ache in my lungs slowly taking over.

I weaved through the streets of the marketplace, tempted to leap through stalls but knowing it would bring me down. I focused on pumping my legs, faster, faster, not daring to take a look behind me. There! The edge of the marketplace! I was so close, just a little further.

Tilting my ears back to check for sound, I heard the fast, heavy footsteps of my pursuer. I had not lost them yet, but once I got to the forest I could make the decision of fight or flight.

The edge of the grasses of the forest brushed my back paws, and I welcomed the sight of tangled undergrowth. It was home.

Slowing down to turn around, the ground beneath me opened up. And I was falling.

[Wolves of Rain]

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◈
Chapter 3

I didn't have time to scream, I barely even had time to register what was happening. Then, in almost no time, I felt a pair of rough paws dig into my back. "Ow!" A searing pain ran over my spine as I was hoisted upwards by someone very strong.

"Hold up! Careful!" they shouted, pulling my back as I struggled for a hold against the sliding mud. My body shook in spasms of fear, but I had never realized that whomever had just saved me, might have been intending to help this whole time.

I turned around slowly, panting heavily against the inside of the mask, reverberating the sound. My breath seemed to mute the whole world, my vision spinning. I came to a standstill and watched the shape before me dissolve. It was a viscet, giving me an eery...was that a snarl? One cheek was scarred, and the eye almost as well. They were much bigger than me. "Who-who are you?" I asked nervously, stumbling backwards again. "No! No, don't do that!" the viscet said, reaching out to grab my front paw. I looked back at this stranger, and realized it was a male.

"Please, stay away from that," he said, pulling me away as I stood petrified. He held out the bead and rolled it onto my pads. Closing my fingers around it, he continued to move me towards the stone of the marketplace. "You dropped that. And thank you." Passing a last glance at the gaping hole in the ground, he safely moved us onto the cobblestone.

I pushed away from him, stepping back into the scene of the marketplace. "Who are you? Why have you been watching me?!" I demanded, anger flaring up through me.

"You don't recognize me." he said disappointingly.

"No, of course not! Who are you, and why have you been stalking me?" I asked, looked back at the sinkhole nervously, waiting for something to pop out of it and devour me.

His face fell, his ears coming with. Seeing my eyes off in the distance, he turned to follow my gaze. "Alright, follow me. You look hungry." he said. I widened my eyes with shock; he was every bit correct. "But then you explain to me all of this!" I said, disturbed that this sweet viscet had been snooping around the disappearance sight of my pack. Of my family. "I will explain it, don't worry." he promised, guiding me through the stalls. But his paws were at my back rather than actually leading me through. He didn't know whether to trust me.

We came to one of the largest stalls, further to the left of where I had come in. The top was a light purple, but the intricate designs of the clothes that hung around the tent gave it life. There were so many, hanging from the top, laid on the front table, covering the back, and being sown by a woman in a chair. Silken robes looked soft as wool, and other dress shirts and pants looked as if to be embroidered with gold. The man at the front appeared to be manning it. "Here we are!" the viscet said cheerfully. My eyes were fixated on the clothes, paying no attention to him. The man said something in gibberish, and my usher barked something in response.

"You know what he said?" I asked, shocked.

"No. But he sounds pretty happy to me." he said. I fiddled with the helmet for a second, wanting to pull it off. But maybe they were coaxing me into something. Keep you guard up! I reminded myself. "Mm." Sitting himself across from me, he patted the ground for me to follow. I sat down cautiously, handing the bead over to him. He rolled it between his fingers, making some weird, gutteral noise. A little girl came running by, a red dress her only attire. Her little feet were covered in dust from the streets. "Here," he said, handing the bead to her. I watched her squeal something brightly, running out through the front of the stall. I leaned over to watch after her.

"So...where should I start?"

"Your name."

He looked at me uncomfortably, fiddling with his chest fur. "My name's Zorro."

"And why were you following me?" I began, knowing I would be asking lots of questions.

At this Zorro looked truly appalled. "I'm your father." Silence. Complete silence followed. He was my father? I hadn't seen him since I was little! I hadn't even remembered what he looked like! But now that I looked at the two of us, I could easily see it. His mane bared the same fading lines. We had similar overlaying tail markings. He even had that dot above each ear.

The feeling of something touching my tail made me jump. I turned to see the little girl playing with my tail, the bead at her side. I I heard my father shift, catching a glimpse of him trying to look. "Yes, they are very sweet humans. They kept me here all of these years."

"But why were you gone?" I rounded on him, a new feeling of rage enveloping me.

"I-I..." he let out a long pause, scratching his jowls in thought. The little girl continued to mess with my tail. Little did I realize that she was putting the bead in. "Well, I was, well-look. When I met your mother, she never seemed to be with anyone else. I grew up farther away, in the farmlands at the time. She always seemed slightly panicked, and I never knew why. But when I met her, we fit together like the stones beneath us." I passed a glance down quickly, then focused back on my father. I had never heard my mother even speak of him. "After I had you, she wouldn't let me be around her anymore. I missed your hatching day, I missed you first steps, your first words...I missed everything. Your mother didn't want to see me anymore. I tried to find her. I did, I truly tried to find you and her. One day I did, and she seemed nervous at my sight. And I saw you, your little paws peeking out from behind your mother. Ah, I miss Nina, you know that?" my father gave a small nostalgic chuckle, but I could see tears in his eyes. I merely nodded faintly, feeling strange empathy for his sadness.

"Well, that was the first time I got to see you. But then your mother told me that you had to go, fast. She never even seemed to have the time to tell me your name. I asked her why, but she said she would tell me later. After she left, I decided I would wait. I've been waiting for two years, before I decided it was time to look for you.

"When I caught your scent, I followed vigorously. I believe someone may have known I was following, but everyone was moving at a pace I had never been able to do. Then I caught up that one day, and I was so excited to see you again! But then, I saw that everyone was gone for some reason. I was so relieved that I couldn't tell you were there as well. I knew you hadn't disappeared. So I left this for you, and waited here, knowing that whatever took them might still be out. I couldn't even search for you. The sun and stars, you had me worried!" he said. I felt empathy for the tears that fell to the ground. My face fell sadly with his.

A tugging on my tail forced me to turn around. I saw the little girl had stuck the bead over my tail. I smiled, raising it to wave it in the air. I liked it, it was different. The little girl said something brightly, before clapping and turning to run off. I watched in sadness at her carefree life. At least I had my father beside me now.

"My name's Gypsy." I said, putting my head down solemnly. My father laughed with joy, a loud bark that made the people around us jump. "Ah, Gypsy," he said, standing up. "My daughter," I smiled with him, a pang of sadness thundering in my chest.

"Come, I have more for you." he said, weaving his way around the back of the stall. I stood for a moment, reminded of the mask and necklace, the feathers ruffling my fur. I followed suite, led to a stack of boxes hidden under a white cloth. My father had his head buried underneath, and I was able to catch glimpses of silks and materials for the clothes being sold in front of us.

"Ah ha!" I heard my father call from beneath. The sound was slightly muffled by the blanket, leaving me blind to the strange clinking sounds that followed as he pulled himself out. Six golden rings gleamed from his paws. "Give me your wrists," he instructed. I let him take hold of my front paws as he slipped one bracelet over the other, two on each. Than, without a word, he took my tail and slipped the other two on. I glimpsed and their sparkling golden shimmer that matched my earrings all to well. "Thank you." I whispered from beneath the mask. He had left these as if for me, but should I give them back? I wordlessly removed the mask, pulling it over my ears and putting it out to my father.

"Ah, there she is!" he said, ignoring the helmet. He put a paw on each cheek and gave me strong licks on my face. "Enough enough Dad!" I said cheekily, feeling my face flush with embarrassment. He chuckled. "There's my beautiful Gypsy." I couldn't help the smile that betrayed my face. "But you should wear this, it belongs to you," he said with a sigh, placing it gently back over my head. I fumbled with it slightly to make sure it was snug.

"Those bracelets? Those were my mothers. And the helmet was my own. The necklace I got for you on the way here," he explained. I looked carefully at the scar on his face and wondered why he didn't have a mask. As well as what he was keeping from me.

My father turned to look up at the sky. "Well, we should get on our way."

I let out an excited gasp. "We're going to find Mother and the pack?"

"Yes," he said, "we are going to find out what they were running from."

[Wolves of Rain]

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◈
Chapter 4

The strong aroma of the butter chicken filled the sky. Steam tickled my nose, and the hot plate warmed my pads. The savory chicken tore tenderly as I bit into a leg, and the spices burst with flavor. I felt the saliva flood my mouth. Never, ever, had I had food like this. "Mm, thank you!" My father smiled in return. "It can get a little old after a while."

I widened my eyes. How could one tire of butter chicken? After living my life on what nature provided, this was heaven. And this market, like nothing you would find while roaming the jungle.

"Father," I said, the name foreign on my tongue. "Where are we going to search first?"

He stirred the sauce in his bowl carefully, thinking. "Should we...try the sinkhole?" I offered. He looked up with shock, shaking his head. "No, that's too dangerous. We may find ourselves with a nasty surprise. We may just need to wait around until the thing shows itself. It seems to want you." he said. I nodded carefully, a feeling of worry at the pit of my stomach.

"Gypsy, we'll need to use you as bait. Go into the forest." Father said. I looked up in alertness. In this mask, I wouldn't be as effective.

"But father, we don't have time to waste. What if they have been waiting for us without anything? They may be trapped and dying!" I whimpered. The thought seemed to be nothing minutes ago, and now the stress made my head pound. I set down the bowl carefully, staring at it with hunger. But my appetite was gone. I rather felt the need to vomit.

"Gypsy, I can't lose you. And certainly without finding out what is going on," he scorned. The orange of the butter chicken sauce stained his upper lip, defying his look of concern. I stifled a laugh, instead letting out a sigh.

"Than we need to go as soon as possible." I demanded, standing up and moving the bowl away from the center of the floor. Father's eyes traveled with me, falling sadly against his efforts to look stoic.

I waved a paw. A surge of adrenaline pooled in my stomach, raising the hairs along my spine. My father followed, making me feel only a small amount of comfort. Whatever had taken the pack was a tough and intimidating opponent. If it was humans, than I don't know what we could do. I told myself with a sharp breath.

We reached the edge of the marketplace at a brisk pace, my father taking careful steps onto the grass. I stopped altogether, feeling my hunger return. But I could not hold back.

"How long might this take?" I squeaked, quivering in fear. I could smell it fuming from my fur.

"As long as it needs to."

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Two days. Too long. I had slept with my father on the hard ground of the marketplace in its quieter nighttime activity. The stone floor made my back ache with discomfort, my father's fur the only thing to lull me to sleep. The soft sounds of forest life was blocked by the noise of humans as they bustled around. We were left to man the stand alone and kept to ourselves as we scoured the nearby forest by day.

We woke to the harsh, hot sun that baked our fur if we weren't perfectly under the stall's cover. I fell into a state of disarray, mind constantly on my mother. I envisioned her screaming out from the darkness in my nightmares, waking my father with my commotion.

I staggered upwards, legs shaking in hunger. We had little to eat from the humans, and the forest seemed utterly quiet and stark. Probably whatever was haunting us had scared everything away.

"Father," I croaked. He snored heavily, twitching feebly from his dreams. He awoke slowly, crust at the edge of his eyes looking painful at the severity. I didn't bother to reach up and check for my own, the mask blocking my paws anyway.

"Yes?" he said stubbornly, the lack of sleep and discomfort clearly getting to him.

"We need to get searching. Whatever it is might be active now that there are fewer humans out and about." I said. My eyes instantly darted to the cobblestone, looking once more for movement.

Father grumbled and groaned as he got to his feet, the scar becoming more noticeable as his face contracted. I shook myself vigorously to arouse myself, but to no avail. "Quickly. They may show themselves as we hunt."

We ran back to the forest, having taken no precaution the past two visits. We quickly searched for prey, sniffing high and low.

A flutter of wings. I jumped, a paw darting to my mouth to silence a gasp. I turned swiftly and saw the same small falcon from my first trip through the marketplace perched in a branch. It watched us with the same sharp eyes as before. I let my eyes roam the inside of the mask. Sweat left it slick in the heat of day.

"Dad, there's a falcon." I said, pointing for him. He turned to look, ears perked for signs of food.

"Ah, Aankh." he chuckled, turning back carelessly.

"You know him? Or her?" I asked, astonished.

"Partially. I've seen it before. The goofy bird stays around, sometimes tries to pick off of my scraps." he commented, moving further away. I didn't turn to see, but I knew he was trying to get on hunting.

I looked at Aankh curiously as it watched me from the branch. Strange bird. I never thought they were one to be vultures on other's food.

A large crashing interrupted the silence of my staring contest with Aankh. The bird cried out, taking off in a start and flying away. I jumped at the sound, heart suddenly beating faster. My eyes were on the brush through which my father had disappeared through. "Dad!" I screeched.

There was no response. I raced forward instantly, not waiting for anything. I listened closely for the sound of my father's voice over the ruckus I made as I ran. There was a second, smaller crash, and I pushed myself yet faster. The clanking of the rings against my wrists and tail, and the helmet blocking part of my view made me wish to tear it off. No! Father knows it's for your own safety. I tried to convince myself.

The forest fell silent, but I continued to scream after my father. Continually, it seemed. Endless. The monsters had taken him.

"Gypsy!" I heard a voice shout back. Father!

"Dad!" I screamed, moving towards him.

"Gypsy over here!"

I pounded, faster and faster, my legs and lungs burning with protest. I ignored it, relief flooding through me with each step closer. It healed me.

"Gypsy!" my father called. He was in view, looking nervous. I slowed down to a trot, wheezing in between my tireless breaths. I ran forward to meet him with an embrace. But it didn't last long.

"There, I heard the noise from there." he said, pulling away to point. It was the same clearing the others had disappeared from. A tree had fallen, but nothing else looked out of the ordinary.

My father wrapped his arms around me again, this time in a more somber tone. "Alright Gypsy, off you go." he said. I knew I would not be coming back if I was taken by the same monster that had taken the pack. But I kept silent.

Taking a deep breath, possibly seeing my father for the last time, I stepped onto the grass. There seemed nothing strange about the ground beneath my feet, nor the sky above. But there was something, always something, always something that had followed...

There was a shallow, barely audible rumbling. I stood still, petrified. Then, with the limited control left to me, I turned to wave to my father.

The ground beneath me caved in.

[Wolves of Rain]

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◈
Chapter 5

The darkness of the tunnel consumed me. Dirt brushed against my fur, roots protruding from the wall as if claws trying to get a hold of me. I felt my breath quicken in fear, and called for my dad again. But the opening to the hole was slowly closing up. I could see the faint movement of the monsters returning the earth to itself.

A head protruded from the small opening. I caught a small glimpse of my father's worried face before he blocked all light. "Dad!" I screamed to him. He had followed, and maybe could save me. Save all of us, as I was doomed.

The darkness of the earth heightened my other senses. I made sure my ears were in perfect focus, and my nose was constantly tracking scent. But the scrambling of something behind me kept me turning around, as if I could see.

The hard ground met me like a blow from a truck. "Oof!" I gasped, rolling onto my back. The same scuttling noise followed, not too far behind. I rose quickly, making sure to be light on my feet. Where was that opening? I pondered, moving around hurriedly.

"Grr-uff-ee!" I heard to my right. It was my father! The creature's noises told me he had been captured. Not on my watch!

Something crawled out from the space before me, and lashed out with striking speed. I felt a sting on my cheek, forcing myself to retaliate as quickly as possible. Throwing out a front paw, I felt it hit a large, furry leg. I pulled back instantly, nervous as to what I had done.

Whatever I had made contact with howled. It was a strange howl, like a shriek and a howl, with an ear-piercing echo. I pulled my ears flat, knowing that moving the slightest might make for a down side.

My father whimpered from behind. I didn't know how many there were, and whether the howl had alerted more. I prayed to anything that it did not.

Pushing myself, I dove in front of the hole, and felt claws slice at my knee. I grit my teeth, holding back a yowl of pain. "Urr-rah!" I growled instead, snapping at whatever had just dare touch me. I felt a satisfying clump of fur between my teeth, and yanked. The creature weighed plenty, but I could indeed tell I was superior. It fell forward, onto my back paws. I reach out ferociously, seeking to connect with something. The creature had moved, but couldn't avoid my claws sinking into its flesh.

Something trapped my head, claws barely reaching my brows. I reached up with the other paw and clawed at the accomplice. It hissed, pulling away. I heard my dad say something, but his voice was muffled.

I pulled the creature forward, feeling its hot breath against my face. It snapped multiple times, barely missing my ear. With a sudden realization, I smiled devilishly. I brought my forehead down on the creature, hearing a satisfying bang! It crumpled to my feet in a furry heap with a quiet whimper.

I reached into the hole, hissing for my father. There was a roar, and something trying to bite a claw off. I yelped, rage surging through me. I could hear my father trying to speak through whatever was muffling his voice. There was just two.

I grabbed at anything living in front of me. I felt teeth pinch my skin, yanking my paw away with pain. My other paw shot forward and connected with the creature's face. I felt a slight snout, but no eyes. Either way, I pulled it forward and brought it to the ground in front of me. My father and the beast grunted at the same time. I pulled at the two shapes, yanking the furry one away.

"Father! Are you all right?" I whispered urgently. He spluttered, but gave a 'yes'.

I put both paws on the creature and shook it, only stopping as it clawed at my belly and shoulder. "Ow!" I yelped, pulling away. The creature climbed onto my back and reached for my neck. I dropped, trying wildly to roll. The creature dug its claws into my shoulders and back, teeth snapping at my ridge, trying to grab my neck.

There was a sharp crack and the creature rolled off of me. My father's ragged breath told me he had gotten up to help me. I stood up quickly, holding out to find my father, but almost colliding with his snout.

"Father, we need to find a way to somewhere we can see." I said, looking around for any signs of light. It was as dark as space in here.

"Sh, listen." he said. I silenced immediately, ears flicking around to catch whatever he was hearing. To my left, there was the snorts, hisses, and growls of more creatures. Or so would seem logical.

"Follow me," Dad said, his tail flicking my leg to help guide me. I walked carefully, trying to make sure I was following my father. He continually ran into walls and mounds of dirt, myself falling twice, but the sound led us carefully.

At one point an intersection left us stuck. The noise of the creatures howling seemed to echo, but we discovered which way to go.

The noise of the beasts got increasingly more noticeable. And, as we hit one turn, there was light. We followed quickly, our vision restored. But, in fear of anything finding us, we remained silent as mice. Oh, I really hope the creatures from earlier are still knocked out. I fretted, keeping the thought to myself.

We arrived in a cavernous area of the tunnels, lit by fire on the walls. I noted the chill of the darkness, and the warmth of the flames provided. A light blue glow caught my eyes, and I turned to see a pool of glowing blue stuff sheltered in the back of the cavern.

"Dad, there's no where to hide!" I whispered, happy at the silence around me. I heard the sounds of more critters off in the dark. There were tunnels everywhere, daring me to step closer and invite a creature.

He lifted a finger carefully, pointing towards the back corner, to out right. There was another lightened tunnel. I met my father's eyes, before making a dash for the stairs. They were simple dirt, almost difficult to walk on. But nonetheless pleasant.

The tunnel slanted downward quite far. It opened up into a wide, empty hallway. Sconces on the walls illuminated the dull part of the room. I walked in slowly after my father. Both of us scanned the room. Our eyes fell on the holes in the floor at the same time. I could smell my pack mates beneath the surface.

"Nina!" my father called. I turned to watch him, then knelt down at one of the holes. It was someone familiar, but not my mother. She was the one I needed, and the answers.

I took quick sniffs at the holes, hoping for my mother to be the next one with each that turned out to be someone else. My father called out for her, but with no response began to copy me, starting at the back of the room.

"Mom! Mom, its me!" I called with happiness as I caught her scent. Finally, I had found her, could get her out, and save my pack.

"Gypsy?" I heard her voice call, faint and crackling. "Is that you?"

"Yes!" I cried, reaching a hand into the hole.

"Mom, grab my paw!" I said enthusiastically.

"I'm, I'm tired." she said.

"Mom! Just take it!" I yelled, waving over my father.

"Alright..." I felt a tug on my wrists, and cried out with shock as I slid forward dangerously. Father grabbed my ankles, hauling me upwards slowly as I tried to maintain a grip on my mother. Feet scrambling against the dirt beneath my paws, I brought her to the surface.

"Nina..." I heard my father say, heartsick. I looked from him to my mother. She wore an expression of uncertainty.

"Oh Nina!" Father cried, opening his arms wide with happiness.

"Wait," I interrupted. "Mom, you need to tell me what this is all about."

My father paused in his move to embrace. His eyes narrowed on my mother, and he stepped away. He let his arms fall limply, sad, at his side. "Nina, what is going on?"

[Wolves of Rain]

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◈
Chapter 5

I remember my earliest travels with my mother. I questioned everything. "Why are we moving? Will we come back?" I would ask. But she would also answer confidently, and nothing was left unsaid. She had an aura of strength. But now, she appeared to have crumbled from the inside. She stared at my father nervously, hesitant to answer.

"Mom?" I asked, stepping closer. She took a step back. My hair ruffled fearfully.

A roar alerted us. It sounded as if more than just two of the creatures was on its way. My tail swayed nervously, my eyes moving from my mother to the front of the room.

"Dad, we need to get more of the pack out." I said, knowing everything could wait for later.

"You're right. Nina, fend them off. And start talking!" he said loudly, rushing to the nearest hole. I watched my mother turn slowly towards the door, tensing as if deciding whether to leave us. She alone could not hold back the creatures, but more viscets could.

"Gypsy!" my father called, beginning to haul up the first viscet. I grabbed an arm and helped pull. Harmonica was up.

"Nina, you can talk!" he snapped. I was shocked to hear his tone so rough. Why did he care this much about why my pack was being attacked?

She stuttered, fumbling with her ridge and shaking violently. The creatures were in her sight, but at least she was not standing alone. "I-I can try. Give me a moment!"

I helped my father once again, hauling as he used his greater strength to pull up individual viscets from their prisons. Jessy was up, Zander, Ricky, Nella. My mother had already begun fighting, grunts of pain and snarls assuring me. There would be no time for her to speak.

I took a moment to look at the enemy. My eyes widened, and I paused as my father moved to the next hole. "Look," I whispered silently. They were like tiger or bear sized shrews, covered in a thick layer of fur that seemed to take up most of its mass. The long brown and black hair looked silky, but the rat-like tail did not. Sharp claws, long and intimidating, seemed to be their main line of defense. But the eyes, there were none. And the ears were tiny.

"Oh my," I heard my father breath nearby. I nodded my head absentmindedly.

"Help me!" my father gasped as he tried to lift up the next pack-member. I jumped out of my daze, whipping around to help out Chikatita. She stumbled upwards, shielding her eyes from the light. But the sounds of a raging battle moved her closer to the fighting. We seemed to be winning, but my mother was battered. Her fur was in bad condition, and scratches all along her side and stomach looked painful. She would not fight the whole time, and would probably retreat soon.

My father and I finished the first column of prisons, and moved to begin on the second when my mother fell back from the crowd, covered by a larger animal. It grabbed at her ears, tearing and ripping with its claws. My father tensed, ready to help, but another viscet moved in to let my mother out of its grasp. She crawled towards us, an eye half-closed from a blow.

"Alright, I'll tell." she rasped, crawling closer.

I watched her, barely paying attention to each viscet Father pulled up. He didn't seem to paying much attention either, he moved much more slowly and carelessly, eyes glazed instead of focused.

"It began with a time when I was younger than Gypsy. It began with my grandfather's plea for help from the 'Bhoomigat' they call themselves. It was during the rainy season, in an unusually wet year. We got trapped on an island when we had tried to move away. The Bhoomigat were there too, but had the shelter. My grandfather begged for them to let us take shelter with them, in exchange for a debt in place upon us.

"The Bhoomigat accepted, and we survived. It was muddy, and quite a few did not make it. But nonetheless, they saved us.

"It was when we got to the point of starvation that things became difficult. Some of the Bhoomigat wanted to use the bodies of the perished, but my grandfather refused. There began the quarrels, as both wanted there own to survive. My stubborn grandfather, he would sometimes fight with the Bhoomigat.

"One day, in a rage, grandfather rounded up other viscets of the pack and drove the Bhoomigat away, through the tunnels and off the island. They lived in resentment of us for my crazy relative, but nothing serious happened until a simple accident. It was a sinkhole, that caught one of ours off guard and sent her plummeting to her death. I believe his age was changing him that this would happen. He ambushed their future alpha and killed him.

"To the Bhoomigat, the alpha is the future generation, the future promise of security. It is probably the most important of the pack. And my grandfather killed him.

"They attacked him, wasting no time to avenge their lost promise. But they didn't know if the rest planned to take them on, and began to target us. We could not fight back, our numbers were not strong enough, and their force was too big a threat. We began to run, and have been running ever since."

Father and I exchanged a glance. This was a long, deep fight between the two, because of my great grandfather. Of course I would be a target. I was a connection.

"I'm sorry," my mother whispered, turning back to look at the fight. There were few Bhoomigat to face. We would win this fight, and then probably continue running.

"I wanted to protect Gypsy, I wanted to force her away someday so that this wouldn't happen. And that meant she could never know."

I sat in silence, watching Rye expertly dodge a blow and land one on the shoulder. I could not understand the accuracy and skill of the Bhoomigat. They had no eyes!

"Come on, lets go." I said as we had lifted the last of the pack from their imprisonment. All three of us moved away, Mother watching as Father and I helped bring the last of the Bhoomigat down. Some began stirring.

"Everyone out!" someone shouted. I moved back to help my mother, letting her lean against my shoulder for support as she walked. No one else was left behind.

"Dad, go find a way out." I said, rushing to get my mother up the stairs as she tried with one paw. The other might have been strained in the pain she expressed.

As we reached the top, I saw my father waiting on the side of a hole. The darkness once again made me realized we were far from the sun. "Quickly!" he hurried, waving a paw for us to come to him. I helped my mother, my father lifting her into the hole and pausing for me to go in first. I leaped through, feeling my mother's fur brush my face.

Everyone else had gotten out of the hole quickly, and helped the others out. As soon as I felt the weight of my mother lift off of me, I realized my father wasn't behind me.

"Dad!"

"On my way!" I heard him call back. His rushed sounds made me scramble as I was being lifted, pulling my father out after me as soon as my paws touched the ground.

Snarls from below and the way my father pulled up his legs at seemingly random warned that the Bhoomigat were just below. They scrambled at the edge of the hole, but didn't follow.

I felt paws wrap around me, and my father turn with a smile to join in. Our loud breathing moved out of tune, but we gave tight hugs in turn.

"I'm so-so sorry. I should not have kept that from you. You would have found out sooner or later." Mom said through pants.

"No, its alright. We're safe."

I lay quiet, a plan forming in my head. "Maybe we could offer food to the Bhoomigat, make sure this doesn't repeat."

"Yes!" my parents said in unison.