The River

Chapter one 1

Sunlight filtered into the cave making me stir before fully waking.2

“You’re awake! Finally!” My sister Mika’s small gray paws pressed into my side.3

“Yes I am awake!” I leaped to my paws and tackled my sister pinning her to the ground. “Can’t you see?” She slipped out from under me and leaped onto my back 4

“Get out of the cave before you play fight or you might roll of the edge!” My mother Sala warned coming out from the back of the den. Me and Mika bounded outside and slowly trotted down the stone pathway until we were safely off the cliff where our cave was located. My mom followed more slowly blinking sleepily.5

“Come one mom!” I yipped “we wanna explore!” 6

“You can explore just don’t cross the river” she warned.7

“Awww just this once?” Mika pleaded. I stared across the churning waters to the mysterious forest beyond it knowing mom would just repeat the same thing she had said for the last six full moons “Wait until you’re older”.8

“We are older” Mika pleaded but I nudged her with my nose.9

“Its okay” I told her “we can still have fun here” 10

“I guess” Mika looked disappointed. 11

“I will catch you some prey” Mom said and Mika’s tail went up with excitement.12

“Can we watch?” She asked excitedly. See? My sister can change moods so fast you don’t even know what happened!13

“Of course, but stay by me” I loved watching mom hunt she could bring down a full grown rabbit with a snap of her powerful jaws. One day I hoped I could hunt as skillfully as her.14

“Okay now remember keep your senses alert and if you catch the scent of anything, tell me!” I sniffed the air and picked up the pungent mouthwatering scent of rabbit. I opened my jaws to tell mom but Mika was quicker.15

“I smell rabbit” She told mom. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. Did she always have to be first in everything? 16

“Good job” mom praised her “and what do you scent Roco?” I sniffed the air again but I picked up only the scent of pine trees and wild flowers. Suddenly a sharp bitter scent filled my nostrils. I turned to mom curiously.17

“What’s that?” I asked her and she lifted her head “Bear, but don’t worry” she added seeing our looks of alarm “it’s across the river” I turned my head and saw a massive black shape staring at us from the trees. I sighed there was so much across the river why couldn’t we go for a look? Mika echoed my thoughts.18

“Mom why is everything across the river?” Mom looked down at her.19

“Because most animals don’t enjoy rocky cliffs like the ones we live on” She told us.20

“But why can’t we go hunting across the river? There must be so much more prey!” I said. 21

“Because most of the “prey” across the river is dangerous like Elk. They have huge things with branches called antlers coming out of there heads, only a pack of wolves can take them down” 22

“I bet we could!’ Mika boasted. But mom shook her gray head.23

“You would think differently when you saw them” 24

“Mom why don’t we live in a pack?” I asked her curiously. Sadness flooded into mom’s eyes, she opened her jaws to answer when suddenly she stiffened. 25

“Quiet!”26

“Rabbit?” I guessed and she nodded before slowly slinking towards a dark brown shape in the grass. Mika and I copied her form a little ways behind her. Without warning the rabbit took off and mom gave chase. “Go mom!” Mika crowed I stayed silent watching mom’s every move trying to memorize how she did it. With a snap and a lung the rabbit was laying dead in mom’s jaws. She trotted back to us her tail high with satisfaction. “Nice catch mom” we congratulated her. 27

“Thanks” she laid the rabbit at our paws “are you guys hungry?” 28

“Starving” we yipped and dug in. The cool juicy mouthwatering flesh of the rabbit was delicious and I ate my fill. 29

“Yum this was good” Mika said gulping down her last portion.30

“Yea!’ I agreed licking my chops. Then we stepped back and let mom have the biggest piece of the rabbit. 31

“Can we go play?” I asked.32

“Yes just don’t go too far” mom warned.33

“Okay!” Mika yipped. “You’d better run Roco!” She leaped at me and I jumped out of the way taking off down the riverbed. I had the advantage of my longer legs and bigger size yet Mika was small and fast and could cover great ground with her small legs. I glanced behind me and saw the Mika was not there. I glanced around in surprise when suddenly Mika smashed into me from the side. I staggered and found myself dangerously close to the river. I stared in horror as the cold black churning water approached fast, I closed my eyes and prepared to feel the freezing water coat my body until I sank under their churning waves. Suddenly something grabbed my scruff and swung me onto the riverbed. Shaking I looked up into the angry yet terrified eyes of my mom. 34

“Are you okay?!” Mom asked urgently leaning down to give me a thorough licking.35

“Fine” I wriggled out from under her licking. 36

“Haven’t I told you guys to stay away from the river?!” Mom growled fiercely. We lowered our heads.37

“Sorry” Mika squeaked. 38

“Just don’t do it again!” Mom snapped then softened. “Be careful I don’t want to loose another pup to drowning” I vaguely remember my brother Repo who had drowned when Mika and I were only 2 months old. I knew mom still mourned him and that’s why she was very nervous about the river. 39

“Mom can we go up to the cave? I don’t really want to play anymore” Mika asked glancing nervously at the river. 40

“Of course, I’ll tell you guys a story if you want” mom said.41

“Yea! You could tell us about Bears or Elk or Rabbits…..” Mika yipped bounding after mom. I followed more slowly and took one last glance over my shoulder and I caught a faint sound in my ears. It was the sound of a wolf pack howling together. But it meant nothing to me, at least for now...