by Erin Hunter
Dart yapped in agreement, her slim tail clinging to her flank.
Martha shook her dark head. “I don’t think they’d do that,” she said reasonably. “There are no longpaw houses up here for them to shelter in. They feel the cold more than we do; they’d need to have somewhere.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” said Mickey. “I’ve seen longpaws building their houses. There’s nothing to stop them from coming here and starting to build. They’re very clever, they can do anything, and . . .” He trailed off, looking guilty. “I’m not saying they’re good, I don’t mean . . .”
He doesn’t want the other dogs to think he’s still loyal to the longpaws, thought Lucky. He gave the Farm Dog a reassuring look, then turned back to Sweet. The Pack watched her expectantly.
Sweet spoke decisively. “I’m not scared of longpaws. We’re better hunters than them, and by Tree Flower there will be plenty of prey in the surrounding valleys. Till then, we’ll make do with geese and whatever else we can catch.”
“What about the Fierce Dogs?” whined Dart. “What if they come back to the town? Where are they?”
Sweet raised her muzzle. “The Pack isn’t going to move again. I’m sick of running away. It will just tire us out and leave us unable to fight—and we may have to yet.” Her tail jerked and her eyes flashed. “If the Fierce Dogs come back, we’ll deal with them.” She looked at Martha and Mickey. “If the longpaws want the town, they can have it. But the cliffs and the valley belong to us.”
“What if the longpaws come here?” whined Dart. “Mickey said—”
“We’re not going anywhere,” snapped Sweet.
Silenced, the skinny chase-dog lowered her head. A tangible sense of relief ran through the Pack. Few had the appetite to move again, particularly during Ice Wind.
When Sweet spoke again, her tone was softer. “There will be a ceremony tomorrow, when the Sun-Dog begins his next journey.”
Lucky cocked his head. “What kind of ceremony? All the dogs have names. . . .”
Sweet met his eye. “A ceremony to mark your role as my Pack’s Beta.”
The original members of the Wild Pack barked in excitement, and Lucky felt his fur tingle.
Snap’s tail was wagging as she turned to the perplexed former Leashed Dogs. “Every dog except the Beta needs to find something they can offer to the Spirit Dogs.”
“It could be the pelt of a prey-creature,” said Moon, “or maybe a feather, or a special pebble. Something to show the Spirit Dogs we are keeping them in our thoughts, and to represent the qualities we wish for in our Beta.”
“I saw some pretty white stones by the pond,” yipped Sunshine. “They shone with the light of the Moon-Dog. Will they do?”
Moon’s ears flicked back with satisfaction. “They will do very well.”
The Pack dispersed to hunt for offerings, leaving Lucky alone in the grassy clearing. He hadn’t been around when Sweet was made the half wolf’s Beta, and he had no idea what to expect.
I used to be a Lone Dog, responsible for nothing, looking after no dog but myself.
He belonged with this Pack now, and he felt a warm, comfortable certainty about his place at Sweet’s side. But could he really have gone from a Lone Dog to a high-ranking Pack Dog in such a short time?
Am I really ready for this?
As the sky darkened, Lucky padded over to the den he shared with Sweet. The swift-dog was out with the others, searching for offerings for the Spirit Dogs. Lucky settled onto the bedding of moss and leaves with a long yawn.
Bella appeared at the entrance to the den, panting with amusement. “All the stress about the ceremony tiring you out, Yap?”
Lucky’s fur bristled with irritation. “The ceremony doesn’t bother me,” he said gruffly. “It’s the responsibility that comes with being Beta.”
Bella sat on the bedding with a snort. “You’re practically Sweet’s Beta already—nothing will change after the ceremony. Anyway, it’s the perfect role for you.” There was a playful glint in her eye.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, this way you get to tell the other dogs what to do, without being the one who every dog looks to for answers.” She leaned over and nudged him affectionately.
“What nonsense!” yapped Lucky, nipping his litter-sister’s ear. She gave him a good-natured lick, and he relaxed against the bedding, panting.
Bella’s face became more serious. “I’ve been watching Sweet grow into her role. I know I challenged her for it, but I have to admit she makes a good Alpha, and the two of you make a good team. Having both of you in charge has given the Pack a lot of confidence—the dogs are happier than they used to be. So why not make it official?”
Lucky looked at her gratefully, feeling truly close to her for the first time since they’d joined the Wild Pack.
After Bella left to find her offering, Lucky nestled down and went to sleep. His dreams were peaceful. He saw a long, murmuring stream winding through a valley. The light was golden and the air was warm. Small flowers dotted the grassy bank, and the branches of a tree shifted in the wind, one low-hanging branch tapping him on the flank. The wind picked up and the tapping grew more insistent. No. That wasn’t tapping. It felt like . . . a muzzle.
Lucky’s eyes snapped open. Sweet was butting his ribs with her wet nose. The light of the Moon-Dog was weak inside the den, and he could barely see her.
“Finally!” Sweet drew back her head. “I’ve been trying to wake you for ages!”
Lucky rolled onto his paws, shaking away his sleepiness. “What’s wrong? Is there trouble?”
Sweet shook her head. “The camp is safe. I need you to follow me quietly.”
The two dogs stepped out of the den and crept around their sleeping Packmates. Moon sat with her back to them at the edge of camp, watching for danger. Mickey and Snap were curled up beneath a low bush, and a short distance away old Bruno was stretched out by himself, snoring loudly. A twig snapped under Lucky’s paw, and Bruno’s lip twitched but he didn’t wake up.
Lucky watched Sweet’s long legs step lightly over the cool grass as they left the camp for the circle of trees. He wanted to ask her what they were doing, but somehow he knew not to. She was walking with purpose, kicking aside foliage. I guess I’ll find out what’s going on soon enough.
When they reached the pond between the trees, Sweet finally stopped. The air was damp and smelled of the Earth-Dog, as it did after heavy rain, but the sky was cloudless and illuminated with a silvery light. The Moon-Dog flicked her tail over the surface of the pond and the water shimmered, rippling slowly. Would it also turn to ice, just as the stream had grown cold and hard?
Sweet stood gazing into the water, and Lucky joined her. Their reflections appeared faintly on the surface.
The swift-dog spoke without taking her eyes off the pond. “There is a part of the ceremony that is only between an Alpha and her Beta, a part that no other dog can know about. I did it when I became Beta, and now it’s your turn. You have to swear loyalty to me and vow to serve the Pack as best you can—you must do this before the Sun-Dog returns. If you do, you will begin the new day as my official Beta. Unless . . .” Her head dipped, and her eyes were hooded. She continued in a quiet voice. “Unless you’d rather not be my Beta? It isn’t too late to change your mind.”
Lucky reached over and licked her ear. “I don’t want to change my mind.”
She looked up at him. “It’s just . . . you’re hard to figure out sometimes. You can be the bravest dog I’ve ever seen, but you don’t seem to want responsibility. I still remember what you said when we escaped the Trap House, all that stuff about being a Lone Dog.”
“That was a lifetime ago, Sweet. I’ve changed.” He eased himself down onto his haunches. “Before the Big Growl, I had only myself to answer to, only myself to look after, and I was fine with that. When I met Bella and the Leashed Dogs, all of them looked to me to make decisions, and I started to dread the day when I ran out of answer
s—when I let them down.” He cleared his throat with a gruff cough. “Some Lone Dog I turned out to be!”
Sweet rested her head against his neck. Her voice was soft. “Haven’t you learned yet? You were never a Lone Dog, not really—you just hadn’t found your Pack yet. You’ve proven that you want to serve the Pack to the best of your ability. The only question now is, will you be loyal to me, whatever happens?”
Lucky tried to shift his position so he could look her in the eye, but Sweet’s head was heavy on his neck. Instead he spoke into the darkness. “Always. You should know that by now. Whatever happens, I will always stand by you.”
Sweet gave a satisfied sigh. “Thank you, Lucky. I needed to hear that.”
Then she plunged her fangs into his neck.
CHAPTER FOUR
Searing pain shot through Lucky. Sweet bit harder, forcing her teeth deeper into his flesh. A choked whine escaped Lucky’s throat, but he was too shocked to move.
She’s attacking me!
Sweet lowered her chest against his back, her thin tail curving around Lucky’s flank. He froze beneath her weight, feeling the pressure of her chest as it expanded and relaxed with each breath. His limbs tingled, and he struggled to order his thoughts. Pain surged through the deep punctures in his skin, and his pulse thumped against his ribs. Or was it Sweet’s pulse? They seemed to be thumping to the same beat.
Feeling flooded back to Lucky’s limbs as Sweet eased her grip. His leg muscles flexed. He could throw her off now, turn on her angrily, but he found he didn’t want to. His body relaxed beneath Sweet’s grip. He hardly noticed the pain in his neck as her warm, soft pelt pressed against his. It felt right to be so close to her. This is where I’m meant to be.
He felt Sweet’s breathing slow down to the same pace as his. Then she let go of his neck and slipped off his back, stepping around him to meet him face-on.
Lucky stared at her, seeing his own blood glistening on her fangs. It dribbled down her bottom lip and spilled onto the grass. “I have bitten you beneath your fur,” Sweet said solemnly. “It is a mark that no other dog will ever see. But the wound will scar, and we will know it is there. You are my Beta, and you must always be loyal to me.”
Lucky’s tail drooped, and he dipped his head. His body seemed to know what to do, and the right words seemed to slip from his tongue. “We will know,” he echoed. “I bear your mark, and I will always be loyal to you, Sweet—my Alpha.”
A ripple of unease ran over his fur. Alpha . . .
Had Sweet gone through the same ritual, when she became the Pack’s Beta . . . when she had sworn her loyalty to the half wolf? Lucky’s eyes trailed over Sweet’s long neck. The short fur looked smooth and velvety in the light of the Moon-Dog. But was there a mark underneath it, a sign that no other dog could see—that only Sweet and the Pack’s former leader knew about?
Jealousy pricked at Lucky’s whiskers. He could hardly stand to think of his mate so close to the dog-wolf.
Sweet gazed at him unblinking. “You have accepted your role as my Beta. In turn, as your Alpha, I promise by the Moon-Dog to always be honorable, honest, and courageous. I will reward your loyalty by always protecting you.” She lowered her muzzle but held his gaze. “If I ever break this promise, or I’m no longer Alpha, the connection between us will be broken. And if it is broken because I do something wrong—because I fail you as your Alpha—it can never be repaired.” Lucky caught a glimmer of anger in Sweet’s brown eyes. Was she thinking of the dog-wolf’s treachery?
He took a step toward her and she licked his nose, her eyes softening.
“Now the secret ritual is over,” she murmured. “With the Moon-Dog as our witness, we are bound together, and together we will lead the Pack.”
Sweet and Lucky padded back to their den and curled up alongside each other. In moments, the swift-dog was fast asleep, her head resting against Lucky’s side. But Lucky couldn’t sleep. He wondered at the strange events that had brought him here—and his dark dreams, which warned of change to come.
It seemed an age till the Sun-Dog stretched under a heavy gray sky and Sweet opened her eyes. “How’s your neck?”
Lucky blinked at her, realizing to his surprise that he could hardly feel the bite. “It’s fine,” he murmured.
“Good. It’s time for the formal ritual.” She licked his ears and led him out of the den.
This time the rest of the Pack joined them in the clearing before the trees. They formed a loose circle around Lucky, placing their individual offerings between their forepaws.
Lucky looked from the reassuring face of Martha to Daisy, Snap, Dart, and Storm. His eyes trailed across the rest of the Pack, over to Moon and her pups. He shifted from paw to paw, feeling strange. He wasn’t used to rituals beneath the light of the Sun-Dog, and he felt awkward sitting alone with his Packmates staring at him.
Standing between Bella and Mickey, Sweet raised her muzzle. “My chosen Beta stands before the Pack. Make your offerings.”
Bright-eyed Snap was the first to step forward. She placed her gift in front of Lucky—the bones of a small creature, recently caught and killed. Small lumps of red gristle still clung to the curving ribs. Lucky sniffed the offering, then looked up at Snap. As their eyes met, she spoke solemnly.
“I bring you this gift so that you will lead successful hunts and make sure that the Pack never goes hungry.” She reached forward to touch his nose, then stepped back to rejoin the ring of dogs.
Martha was the next to step into the circle. She laid a bright-yellow stone in front of him. He recognized it as one of the pebbles from the bank of the pond. She had probably gone to collect it with Sunshine, who was proudly clutching a white water stone in her mouth. “This stone was particularly clear and smooth,” said the great black dog in her deep, gentle voice. “I bring you this gift so that, as the River-Dog softens the hard edges of the bank, you will smooth over the cracks and divisions in the Pack to keep us working as one.” She touched his nose, and he closed his eyes. There was something so warm and reassuring about her company. For a moment, Lucky remembered his Mother-Dog.
My dear pup, the world outside may feel large and dangerous. But whatever happens, the Spirit Dogs will be watching over you. When you call for them, they will come—they will protect you.
When Lucky opened his eyes, Martha had retreated to the circle and Bruno was stepping forward. The gruff old dog dropped a sturdy branch on the ground before Lucky. He kept his head low as he spoke. “The branch is strong. It represents your courage and honor. No wind or rain can ever break it.”
Lucky’s fur tingled, and he gazed at Bruno. He won’t meet my eye. He still feels bad about siding with the dog-wolf when he wanted me out of the Pack. It was Lucky who reached over and touched Bruno’s nose, silently vowing to let the old brown dog understand that he could stop feeling bad about the past—it had long been forgotten.
Soon every dog had made an offering and explained its symbolism. The Pack stood in a respectful silence, most eyes on Lucky—their new Beta. Only Storm did not look at him. Instead she gazed up at the sky.
Lucky padded up to her. “Is something wrong?” he murmured.
“Not ‘wrong,’ but . . .” She cocked her head, still looking up. “Have you noticed how the Sun-Dog runs from one side of the sky to the other? He makes the same journey every day, always in the same direction. How does he get back to the start of his journey without us seeing him?”
Lucky frowned. He had never thought of that before. “I don’t know,” he admitted.
Storm lowered her eyes. “You don’t?”
Lucky was sorry to disappoint her, but Storm wasn’t a pup anymore—she had to learn. She wants me to give her all the answers. But sometimes, there are no answers.
He was startled by Sweet giving a piercing howl. He saw his mate’s face aimed toward the sky, her neck fur bristling as the sound surged from her throat. After a long howl, she brought her head down, letting her eyes rove over each and every dog.
“The ceremony is over,” she said, “and my Beta is confirmed. Tomorrow the Pack will be stronger than ever.”
She threw her head back to howl again. This time, every dog howled with her.
That night as Lucky lay beside Sweet in their den, he felt closer to her than ever. It was official now—they weren’t only mates, they were Alpha and Beta. He sighed as he closed his eyes and felt the rise and fall of Sweet’s flank against his. If only I’d known what the future held when we first met in the Trap House. I wouldn’t have waited till the Big Growl! I’d have gnawed my way through to her cage and told her that we’d be okay.
He closed his eyes, lingering on this thought. He pictured the wire bars of the cages. He could almost smell the dogs imprisoned in rows and the fear-scent rising off their fur.
Lucky turned to Sweet, but cold lengths of wire had appeared between them, and he could no longer reach the swift-dog. The air hissed with danger, and Lucky’s tail shrank against his leg. He sniffed urgently, sensing sleeping dogs in neighboring cages. Something deadly was coming, but it had no shape, no scent. . . .
Lucky sprang to his paws with a startled whine, just as the ground started shaking beneath his paws. The Big Growl! But it’s already happened! Lucky howled. The Big Growl destroyed the city, but we survived! Why do I keep coming back to the Trap House? What does it mean?
On the other side of the bars, Sweet was still asleep. Lucky had opened his mouth to bark when he saw a small, plump dog hurrying along the corridor. Intrigued, Lucky cocked his head to look, pressing his paw against the wire door to his cage. The door faded in front of him, and Lucky scrambled out onto the ground. As he turned to look around the Trap House, the wire cages disappeared before his eyes.
Lucky gasped in amazement. Shivering, he glanced down at his paws. The ground beneath him had turned to ice. What was happening?
He looked up into a dark, freezing world. Mist hung over the horizon, like a pelt on the sky. The thickset dog emerged from the gloom. The fur along his back was dark, but his forepaws were white. Lucky gave a startled bark.